Gift Show 2010

Our trip to the New York International Gift Show started at

Grand Central Station....one of the 7th wonder of world....well not really but compared to
what it looked like

years ago. It is a miracle!

The place is magnificent now. We arrived early Sunday morning. A quiet day....off peak. You should see this place at peak time. The people remind me of little ants running around. Maybe the sea of black coats help the image:)). It's winter when we go but I often wonder how different it would look in the Spring or Summer?

I'm not sure why I think of this every time we're there. Maybe it sooths me to break it down in simple terms. It seems less intimidating.

It's an exciting place....much like an airport can be. People all going in different directions. It fills me with all sorts of ideas swirling around my head. I feel like a different person when I'm there. A small part of the bigger picture.

On Sunday unfortunately many of the shops in Grand Central are not opened til late morning.

But it's always fun to window shop

I remember the last time I was in Papyrus. The place was packed. It was right before Valentine's Day and everyone was trying to find the perfect card that would say what they themselves could not on their own. Don't you just love a blank card when someone has written their own words?

You don't have to be a poet.....just write from your heart!!!

What also speaks to my heart is fresh fruit.....haha! well food in general!!!

This is The Central Market at the station. Of course this was closed too. This is where busy commuters on their was home come to pick up dinner. There's everything to make a meal and more....fresh fruit,meats,seafood,cheeses,bakery, gourmet jarred sauces and even flowers to pretty up the table.

The NYIGF conveniently has buses that shuttle you from many locations around the city.

One of course comes right to Grand Central. On the day we arrived we got to the Javits Center in record time. The plus of coming on Sunday.

We had a 1/2 hour before we were let into the showrooms. There are over 2700 exhibitors.

We woke up at 4 am and with 3 hours sleep I was surprisingly awake. Shopping has a way of invigorating me. haha

How could you not be invigorated by the site of this building. The Javits Center is mind boggling to a small town girl like me.

As I was waiting for opening time I snapped pictures of some booths over head. Sorry about the glare from the glass. This is Pine Cone Hill the company that makes wonderful bed linens among other things.

SedaFrance.. what a beautiful booth. Candles and scents in amazing graphic packaging.

This is a booth I did buy a few goodies in. You know how much I love silver and this booth sure had it.

The company is called Sherri's Designs

and these are Sherri's angels wearing some of her creations.

They could be wearing bowl on their heads and still look good:))

but the headbands sure are cute!

Adore the white fur wreath around the deers necks.

One of my favorite stops is the Tinsel Trading booth.

All decorated for Spring! Bunnies everywhere and beautifully decorated eggs.

Wendy Addison originals of bunnies hopping across the grass.

They are known for their vintage trims and tassels but Marcia Ceppos has taken her grandfathers business and dream and taken it to a whole new level. An over 70 yr old company that is a treasure of the NY garment district.

I loved this mushroom ornament. Mushrooms are suppose to represent something in German Christmas decorations. Do you know what it represents? I vowed I was going to look it up but maybe one of you knows.

(Anna, Wendy Addison, and Marcia Ceppos)

They kindly stopped to let me take their picture. Anna on the left is Marcia's store manager....very sweet and very knowledgeable. The wonderful owner Marcia Ceppos on the right. Of course many of you will recognize the famous Wendy Addison who came to help promote her new line at Tinsel Trading.

I had met Wendy before at Tinsel Trading retail store but when she asked me if I had any questions I looked up and said " Oh no I'm fine" then I thought......

was that who I think it is???

Sometimes the lights are so bright that I think I was blinded when she came up to me....so I thought do I go back and talk to her? What if I say something stupid? so I decided it was better not to take the chance of embarrassing myself...... acting like a giddy groupie or worse.

So I chilled and just kept smiling at her.

So that's me...... COOL Cat!!!:))

I have plenty more pictures to share.

Will do more in the next few days!

xo

Carole

White Wednesday!!!

I can't believe it's been a week since my last post!!! I've missed all you guys so much. I've only been able to visit a few of you since Thanksgiving but please know how much I've appreciated your comments of support. I feel a little like that bad friend that doesn't return your phone calls:))) Just when I want to share more there's no time left in the day. After this next weekend things should start to calm down a little.

Last Saturday it rained like crazy all day so it was slower. My poor husband and his help out in the rain like drowned rats. He never complains though. On Sunday the sun came out and we were really busy so that was great and my help kept up wonderfully.

I made this flower from a package of vintage petals I got from Tinsel Trading. I thought it might give people the idea to use them for their gift packages. Pretty easy and you can dress it anyway you want. I think my favorite part of gift giving is the decorating the box....don't you?

The last few years I've really gotten into more glass ornaments. I love the way it catches the light and adds to the ethereal feel of the store.
I'm surprised I don't break more of it.

I can be a klutz. When someone brings a glass ornament to the counter I'm afraid I'll break it and then finding out it was the last one.....opps sorry!

result: Unhappy customer!

Mushrooms are another obsession!

Silver.... and not actually white but it reflex whatever it's near.

Look who I found. I was wondering why every morning this tree was knocked down. One of the other cats had taking Crickets usual sleeping area.

Always having to end my post with another gratuitous cat picture. Can't help myself.

Please go visit our sweet hostess Kathleen at Faded Charm and all the other participants of White Wednesday.

Hope you're all enjoying the festivities of the holiday season.

Peace

Carole

Lace, Buttons and Bling

I always enjoy visiting my friend Delores. We have so much in common and I just love her taste. We both love old vintage things, buttons, ephemera ...well you know the girly things we all love. A few years ago she and her husband built a shed for her to store her ever increasing collection of stamps, papers and ribbons. It's so well organized and even though it's not all that big she actually has a great work table and a lot more room to create than I have, and I have a whole room. Ahhhh to be organized ....what a concept. Maybe someday???
We started playing with some of her vintage buttons and ribbons. She pulled out a old wooden cigar box full of her silver tinsel .....some from Tinsel Trading in NYC onces called The French Tinsel Co.~one of our favorite shops. Some are from Brimfield which she tries to go to at least once a year.

This was a little gift tag she'd been working on. She had just figured out how to work her Photoshop program to position an image on to a page. Seemed pretty neat but beyond my skills.

We're both button collectors but she's the bling-bling girl.

She uses them when making cards but I love them on just about everything. We can spend hours shopping for buttons.

The old silver tinsel years ago was used for elaborate costumes~ mostly military uniforms. Now we use them for creating beautiful art projects and crafts. Don't you just love the old spools???
She had just made this and my eyes went right to it when I came in the house. I love it under the glass dome. Looks so sweet with the feathers on top of the birdy's hat. Her house is full of unique pieces ...many from her Mom who handpainted on porcelain...That'll be a post for another time.

I feel lucky to have such a sweet and talented friend.

Thanks Delores for sharing your special treasures......

Tinsel Trading

I get so excited when I get a shipment from Tinsel Trading. It's really like Christmas....or maybe like Christmas from long ago...when things were made with more care and it wasn't about abundance but quality. When I got the box I immediately wanted to take it home where I could sit down and enjoy every bit of the joyous unwrapping. Most of the items are vintage. The word vintage lately has taken on a new meaning. Everything seem to be called vintage but to Tinsel Trading it really means antique. They soon will be repackaging their products with the word "Antique" so people have a better understanding of what they are buying. I wish every box I received was as yummy as this one.....

Enjoy