Heart Felt

Though I have landscape projects still underway, a lot of my attention is focused on the shop.  Our yearly holiday open house is but one week away.  Why early November?  We stock materials for winter and holiday pots-that season is but one breath away.  We have clients planning parties, or having company for the holidays.  We like to say thank you to each and every person that shops the season long with us-thus our holiday open house.  We also like to give the gift of time.  Time to look over, plan, and decide.  We open up for the holidays, early.    

This year’s holiday represents shopping Rob and I did in January of 2011.  I like that timing; the season is still fresh in my mind.  In no way am I able to anticipate what anyone will like almost a year in advance, so I concentrate on what strikes me as appealing and fresh.  I was drawn to what I will call heart felt.  Homespun.  Natural materials.  Warm.  Friendly.  Woolly.  This was easy, given our relationship with Jenny.   

Jenny monitors our website. She is the point person for people from far away that wish to buy from us.  She handles sales in the store, every day, day to day.  Not incidentally, she is a graphic designer with considerable talent.  She has a big love for hats; her winter headgear is always sensational.  The felt holiday birds with their big winter hats struck a chord with us-we had to have the JennyBirds.   

Given that we see Jenny every day of the cold months in big tall hats, a committment to these felted birds was easy.The felted hand stitched birds were a starting point.  We were able to find other materials that had that homespun look. Rob has followed up with great natural materials from the fields he frequents with Larry. Sooner or later a point of view emerges. This is not to say we don’t represent other points of view-not everyone responds to that cottage look.  No matter whether the holiday decor is informal or formal, it in some way will represent a feeling from the garden.    

This felt tree skirt with overlapping flowers and button closures enchanted me.  A small company in New York hand makes these skirts.  They are as elegant as elegant can be-but still warm.  The felt is thick; the design is beautiful. 

Our felt snow people sit on a disc of wood.  I bought lots of them, in the interest of representing the idea of community.  There is an element of just plain fun here.   

Holiday picks of cotton bolls-I bought lots.  Cotton, wool, felt-these materials will compliment our natural twigs and greens. A holiday making reference to the garden-great. 

This handmade felt mushroom is very small, but very special.  Small and special-this describes my idea of the strength of my shop. Good gardeners notice the little things.  So do we.    

I was willing to commit to a few felt sheep, but Rob felt we needed a flock.  OK, we did a flock.  The big idea here-take an idea, and run as fast as you can with it.  This applies to landscapes, gardens, container plantings, garden ornament-and the holidays.  

This felt owl-handmade.  Charming.  It would make a very special ornament for a good friend.  Or a very special bow on a package.  Very special-this we like.   

These felt Santa Claus-we passed them up, last January.  In February, Rob let me know he had to have them.  OK, Rob.  I have no problem representing what he cannot bear to leave behind.  Better yet, I like to explain the process by which we interpret the holiday season.  Stop in-we are all available.  As for your holidays-what will you do?

Comments

  1. Such beautiful, unique items. I’ll definitely be stopping by and look forward to it every year.

  2. Carol Czechowski says

    As always,a wonderful place to be when decorating for the holidays

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