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Celebrity Interior Designer, Alexandra Stoddard, is Featured Speaker During December
Las Vegas – Las Vegas Design Center at World Market Center, a resource in Las Vegas for the interior design community, will welcome internationally celebrated and acclaimed interior designer, Alexandra Stoddard on Friday, December 7, 2007.
Stoddard will present “A Personal Glimpse into Alexandra Stoddard’s Life at Home,” in which she will give attending designers a guided tour through her apartment in New York and 18th Century cottage in Connecticut.
Stoddard, author of more than two dozen books and a sought-after speaker on the art of living, has been called a “house doctor.” She is th
Black Friday is Busiest Day in Key Holiday Gift Categories with More than One-Third of Gift-Buying to Occur Before 10 a.m.
Purchase, NY – Black Friday was the busiest day for holiday shopping last year in the top five traditional gift-buying categories (brick-and-mortar department, discount, clothing, electronics/appliances and sporting goods/toy stores), with more than one- third of MasterCard payment transactions occurring before 10 a.m.*, according to the MasterCard Worldwide Holiday Shopping Insights Report(TM).
Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving and commonly thought of as the busiest day of the year for shopping and the start of the traditional holiday shopping season in the United States.
Rising Energy Costs Dampen Holiday Spending Plans
Washington – Rising costs of gasoline and home heating are putting pressure on consumers to cut back on their holiday spending plans, according to data from the eighth annual survey on holiday spending conducted by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and the Credit Union National Association (CUNA).
In citing influences over their holiday spending plans, 38 percent of those responding said the cost of gasoline and home heating would cause them to somewhat or greatly decrease their holiday spending.
New location gives Warm Splendors Country Shoppe exposure
Bradenton — There’s lots to look at in Terri Vickers’ shop – cows, pigs, apples, gingerbread and roosters.Amid the menagerie is plenty of style – Americana, Primitive and Retro.
The Warm Splendors Country Shoppe on 301 Boulevard three blocks east of the DeSoto Square Mall reeks of ambiance. Even the structure of the shop – part frame building, part converted semi trailer – adds to the atmosphere.
Shoppers making lists, checking twice
Madison County shoppers are finalizing their gift lists, dusting off their shopping shoes and clearing out their trunks in anticipation of the day after Thanksgiving, also known as Black Friday. It’s considered to be the official start of the holiday shopping season and undoubtedly the biggest shopping day of the year.
“My sister and I do it every year,” said Pam Carson of Madison.
Flower shop hopes to make the grade in old Ledgeview schoolhouse
The old schoolhouse at Dickinson and Creamery roads in the town of Ledgeview has been a piece of history for many in the area who attended school there or, in more recent years, stopped in to explore antiques.
The school recently underwent a makeover and welcomed a new occupant — a store with a mix of yesterday and today rolled into one.
The Cutting Garden, owned and operated by De Pere resident Carmen Carter, opened as a full-service florist and gift shop that offers what Carter calls a unique and personal touch.
“I realize everyone has something different that they like, and w
Safety first with toys
As children make out their Christmas lists this year, parents may add a request of their own: toys without lead paint, harmful chemicals or hazardous parts.
The Christmas shopping season moves into full force this week.
Entrepreneur chooses Market Square
Marte Bowsher had already planned to open a gift boutique in Market Square shopping center before new owners took over the 28-acre property on the north side of Lafayette.
Mayor Tony Roswarski helped Bowsher cut a ribbon Friday morning to officially open Froglegs and Cattails, a shop that features country decor, gift boxes, candles, floral arrangements and other items.
“I’ve been writing a business plan for a couple of years,” said Bowsher who previously worked at two stores in Lafayette — Things Remembered and Factory Card Outlet. “I’ve always wanted to be an entrepreneur on my own.
NYIGF’s At Home Division Expands and Evolves for Winter 2008
White Plains, NY – An expanded collection of hard lines and a refined concentration of soft goods will be among highlights in At Home at the New York International Gift Fair (NYIGF), February 1-6, 2008, at New York City’s Jacob K. Javits Convention Center and Passenger Ship Terminal Piers 92 & 94.
Eco-Friendly, Natural Products Among Top Trends at Beckman’s this January
Chicago – As eco-friendly and natural products grow in demand among shoppers, exhibitors at the Beckman’s Handcrafted Gift Show are poised to meet the market’s needs for this enduring trend. The trend-forward merchandise found at the show has the added value of being unique, one-of-a-kind items, providing an important element to the success of many independent retailers.
Beckman’s offers a forum to “Meet the Artist,” allowing independent retailers to understand how products are made and who the artist is, helping them explain the work’s story when selling to their customers.
Rachel Tribble: Giving the Gift of Fine Art
Rachel Tribble-Stuart, Florida resident and nationally known fine artist-has her paintings hanging on the walls of some of the finest homes internationally. She has been featured in several national magazines, including American Style, Florida Design, and Garden Design, and in Februaryof this year her painting, Dragonfly, won First Honorable Mention in theMartin County Arts Council’s regional juried exhibition of fine art inStuart, Florida.
Planet Dog Foundation Unleashes Grants
Portland, ME- The Planet Dog Foundation (PDF), Planet Dog’s non-profit, is proud to announce the recipients of its Fall, 2007 grants.
New Kate McRostie Collections to be Launched with Certified International and CounterArt at Atlanta Market
Wilmington, NC – Kate McRostie DesignWorks, Inc. announced today that Certified International and CounterArt will both be launching new product collections featuring the designs of Kate McRostie at the January 2008 Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market.
Certified International adds three new coordinating McRostie tabletop ceramic collections to their showroom. “Sea Catch”, a fresh take on coastal seafood festivals, “Sail Away”, a collection of sailboats cruising into the horizon, and “Red, White, & Blue” a nautical stripe collection featuring patriotic colors.
FINDS Dallas Temp Show Expands to Offer More Products
Dallas, TX – – Dallas Market Center, the world’s largest wholesale merchandise resource, today announced that the F!NDS Dallas Temp Show will expand in January and offer buyers more new products than ever before. Merchandise will be presented in gift, home and apparel categories. The F!NDS Dallas Temp Show will take place January 18 – 21 during the Total Home & Gift Market, which is January 16 – 22, 2008.
Peking Handicraft Debuts Pillows with Amy Brazil Dog Designs
San Francisco, Calif. – Cute and cuddly, Peking Handicraft’s newest collection of trendy dog pillows will have tongues wagging!
Zoobies Awarded Top Toy of the Year by TD Monthly
Toy Directory Monthly has named Mashaka the Monkey by ZoobiesTM as recipient of their 2007 Top Toy Award. Mashaka is an adorable red monkey with gangly arms that transforms into a pillow and blanket.
New gift shop set to open before December
Carlsbad — There’s a leap of faith required when opening any new business, so Pam and Terry Seal feel the name of their new shop is especially appropriate.
Divine Cottage, a shop offering a number of unique gifts, will open the day after Thanksgiving in time for an expected holiday crowd.
“My husband and I decided on the name because of our faith,” said Pam Seal. “We’re putting our faith 100 percent into God.”
The store is located at 1314 S. Canal St., across from La Tienda. Office hours will be 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday.
Retail Notebook: Couple in Ballard focus their curiosity on free trade
While on vacation in Thailand with their teenage sons, Tammy and Andy James, the owners of Ye Olde Curiosity Shop on the Seattle waterfront, had one of those moments that suddenly make everything else fall into place.
After days spent snorkeling, sightseeing and observing elephants, they decided to venture to a village so remote it could be reached only by an hourlong boat trip up a winding river.
When they finally arrived, they were captivated by the woven bracelets, embroidered purses and belts.
Bridgewater Launches Four New Fragrances for 2008
Fragrances for Spring 2008:
- TULIPS – A very soft elegant fragrance with fresh tops notes of the morning dew in honor of the beautiful flower. Tulips by Bridgewater will be available in a 22 oz., 14 oz., and 3.75 oz. jar candles. Votive candles, wax potpourri wafers, and tea lights.
- ARTIC COVE – Breathe in the cool essence of sandalwood & patchouli with this clean musk fragrance. Artic Cove by Bridgewater will be available in 22 oz., 14 oz., and 3.75 oz. jar candles.
GLM And Dror Benshetrit Partner to Enhance Accent on Design
White Plains, NY – Emerging design resources, and the overall ambient design of Accent on Design will expand through GLM’s partnership with Dror Benshetrit, a multidisciplinary designer specializing in product design, architecture, and art direction, to introduce “A+ – the young designer’s platform at Accent on Design,” a newly-developed “incubator” program launching at the February 2008 New York International Gift Fair.
A+ will spotlight emerging talents alongside established contemporary design resources.