November 2008

My website has a Christmas countdown calendar on it. This is both exciting and nerve-wracking as I launch my new business in time for the holidays. In this pre-season of deeply felt economic uncertainty I expect families will move back to the places of the heart: Family, home and creating memories will out weigh showy, flashy and over-the-top spending. We can only hope for a sanity check.

I recently read an article in the New York Times in which a father was interviewed about his decision not to sell a sailboat he couldn’t necessarily afford.  He said he decided to keep the boat because it was the one possession that built memories for his children. He would give up the fancy leased cars and extra vacations in lieu of keeping the family boat. As much as people try to use their heads, the heart is playing heavily in economic decisions that affect families. 

Tradeoffs are now being made on a daily basis. Move over Starbucks, Dunkin’ Donuts is kicking your butt. How much should a cup of coffee cost? People are reevaluating the money spent on everyday items. And holiday spending is really going to be scrutinized. This is why I think a pillow with a cherished favorite family quote makes sense right now.  What a memory maker! Everyone who sees the gorgeous pillows we produce gets the concept immediately. We capture your favorite family phrases, mottos, quotes, etc and custom embroider the words on beautiful fabric to match your decor. What a great gift! Does anyone really NEED another sweater? Memories are so much better.

Why not order a pillow with a line of Grandmother’s widsom for your mother and her siblings? College sports fans can order a pillow in school colors featuring a line from a favorite fight song or cheer! I just completed a holiday design for Penn State fans. Living just a few miles from the famous Beaver Stadium, Joe Paterno’s cathedral, I wanted to develop holiday pillows that capture the fun of a Penn State football game and the joy of the season.  I designed a series of three based on a famous Penn State stadium chant…”WE ARE…PENN STATE” When 104,000 fans scream the words back and forth across the stadium, it’s pretty exciting. My reinterpretation became

“We ARE…shopping!” 

“WE ARE …wrapping!” 

“WE ARE…baking!”

Done in Penn State colors– blue faux suede and white lettering matched with a complementary plaid– they are really great looking.  (I hope to upload a photo soon.) What’s your school fight song? Let’s see if we can turn it into something that captures a memory for someone you love.  In time for holiday shipping please place your order before November 25.

 Come see me at the Junior League of Washington’s 50th Annual Capital Collection of Holiday Shops. It’s going to be a great place to pick up special gifts and ideas for the holidays. November 21-23 at Marriott Wardman Park (Woodley Park Metro Stop) 2660 Woodley Road, NW. Visit www.jlw.org for more details.

Cheers to all as we begin this wonderful and hectic season. Move beyond the stress and “Bah humbug” to enlist your family to help others that are not as blessed.  Remember: “Giving is the best gift of all.” 

Yes, that should be on a pillow!

Anne

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 11th, 2008 at 8:04 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.