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Thursday, May 17, 2012

A Little Color

The last few days, all sorts of packages have been showing up on my doorstep, packed with products for Gather! I can't wait until after June 9th to show them to you, so here's a little sneak preview:


Cupcake wrappers! I love me some cupcakes, and the only thing to make that makes them better is when they wear a cute outfit! {Speaking of cupcakes, my amazing friend Mary Pat is opening a bakery soon called Drizzles in Bellevue, NE...I've commissioned her to make the sweet treats for my grand opening. Even if you have no desire to see my store, you should come to eat the yummy dessert!}


Paper straws. I'm in love with them. I seem to find an excuse for paper straws at all my shindigs...possibly with some influence from Pinterest. Aside from drinking through them, there's all sorts of cute uses for them when it comes to party decor and crafts. Maybe I need to start a Pinterest board for paper straws {follow me on Pinterst here}.


And finally, gorgeous bakers twine from Divine Twine. I have about 10 different colors that go with just about everything. It would be cute to tie up party favors with them, wrap gifts, or even some for scrapbooking and card making.

How's that for adding some color to Gather? I'm so excited to put all of these supplies in use and on display at Gather. After the store opens, I'll also be including what I can in my Etsy shop for people who aren't able to make it to the store. Don't see a color or pattern you're interested in? Let me know, I'll see if I can track it down for you.

Have a great day, everyone!

Monday, May 14, 2012

Gather Updates

Hi all!!

Without meaning too, I took a little {9 day} hiatus. Honestly, without even knowing I needed it, it was the best thing for me. Things have been so incredibly busy lately, I don't think I could have handled trying to come up with regular posts during that time. Not that I post all that regularly, but obviously, even one post was too much for me!



I wanted to write a little today about Gather and some exciting news. If you're new to my blog or missed my announcement a few months back, you can read more about the boutique I'm opening here.



Grand Opening
We have a Grand Opening scheduled! Our first day open to the public will be Saturday, June 9th from 10am until 5pm. Having an opening day makes the whole project seem that much more real, and it feels like we're opening tomorrow for all the panic I've had lately to get everything in order!



Hours
I've decided that the best way to do everything I want in the store is to have monthly "Gatherings." This isn't a new concept - several small boutiques have barn sales, junk weekends or monthly shows. Gatherings are exactly that. One day a month where the shop is open to the public to shop until they drop {fingers crossed!} The Gatherings will happen on the 2nd Saturday of the month, and we'll try the same hours {10am - 5pm} for a few months to see how they work. I'm completely open to extending them if it seems like that's what we need to do.


Products
Whenever people ask what I'll be selling in my boutique, I don't have a simple answer. There will be so much stuff - from party decor to vintage finds to stationery to organic products - really, there's no way to narrow it down. You've read about how I came up with the name Gather - gathering for a celebration, gathering a collection, etc. The products I have for sale are really a conglomeration of things I love. I wouldn't sell it in my store if I wouldn't buy it myself. And ultimately, you'll see the Gather theme throughout the products in my store - whether the products are used to decorate for a gathering, invite people to a gathering, thank them for gathering, gathered together to decorate, or gathered from a local artist. {All the Instagram photos throughout this post are things I've gathered over the last few months. A little preview of all my fun, vintage finds.}


Interact
Maybe the coolest thing about Gather for me {and eventually for you} is that we don't know what to expect. I don't have have to wait on whatever products manufacturers send me. I don't have a specific product to sell. Gathering is all about bringing together - so it would be silly not to embrace that concept even when the doors to the shop aren't open. If you follow me on Instragram or Facebook, you've been seeing previews of what's in the store. If you read my blog, you get updates about Gather as I have them {and fortunately, I'll have a lot more}. If you follow me on Pinterest, you can get all sorts of inspiration for home decor, party planning, and so on. My vision for Gather is not that you'll walk in and purchase an item and go on with your life {though, that's perfectly fine if you choose to!} The way I see it is as more of an experience. You can come in the store, chat with other shoppers, ask for advice, request custom work, make purchases, eat yummy treats, get inspired online, and so much more.  

If you want to connect, here's how:
Instagram: @gatherboutique


Save the Date
With all that said, it's a really exciting time for me right now! Please mark your calendars for Saturday, June 9th for our first monthly Gathering. I'll continue to post updates on my blog and on the Gather Facebook page, and for those of you who want to be added to my mailing list, please send me an e-mail with your contact information.

Have a great day everyone!


Friday, May 04, 2012

May Project Life Blog Hop

Hi everyone!

It's time again for the Project Life Blog Hop. I'm linking up with a bunch of talented ladies to share Project Life layouts, journaling, & ideas. Thanks to Jill for hosting the hop, once again!

I decided to do a video for this month {which also means I can cross off one of my 2012 goals - make a video for my blog}. I hope you enjoy!


I'm happy to be caught up through March, and may just be able to get my April caught up soon too. We'll see, I've been so busy working on Gather and at my "real" job...fortunately, Project Life isn't too time consuming and I know I'll get caught up one of these days!

Thanks for visiting my blog! Make sure you check out Brighton's blog next at: www.dearbrighton.wordpress.com

And, don't forget to visit the other participants in the blog hop!
Margie http://xnomads.typepad.com
Devon http://www.youhadmeatneurotic.com
Nikki www.inkyart.com.au
Laew www.crafty-creativity.blogspot.com
Lois http://loishouston.typepad.com/thoughts-along-lifes-highway/
Helen www.helen-mills.blogspot.com
Jennifer http://vogtstories.blogspot.com --- YOU ARE HERE
Brighton www.dearbrighton.wordpress.com  -- GO HERE NEXT