New Year . . . changes.

Don’t worry—it’s good stuff.

After much deliberation and angst, I have made the very difficult decision to stop selling Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™.  This is purely a business decision.  I love this paint and will continue to use it for my personal and business needs and hope you will as well.

That being said, I want to let you know where you can find the worlds best paint after Jan 31st.

Please shop:

in dickson—Home Again Antiques & Gifts 

in hendersonville—Then & Again Home Marketplace

in brentwood—C’est Moi

(shopkeeping isn’t for wimps . . .)

Now moving forward . . .

We are going to shift our focus—more vintage and more workshops.

Keep an eye on facebook and your email for information about sales as we prepare to make room for the changes.  We will continue to stock many of our favorite—Archipelago Botanicals soy wax candles and milk lotions, Caldrea Home Care products, and our mini journals, just to name a few.

With regard to the workshops—just follow us on this facebook page or on this blog. 

I hope you will enjoy and appreciate the changes we have in store.  I, for one, am downright giddy!

Thanks for your indulgence,

Mint Juleps for Mama

when:  May 10th

time:  all day (see below for specific activities)

Everyone’s invited—this event is for Mamas

and anyone who has one!

It’s time to celebrate the time honored traditions of the Run for the Roses and Mother’s Day. As far as I know, we are the only boutique that combines the two into a celebration known as

“Mint Juleps for Mama.”

This year we’re adding a little more to our celebration to include informative seminars, demonstrations and activities throughout the day.

For some participatory activities, you may wish to try our mini-workshops we’re calling:

“Make and Take”

Our first project opportunity will be to make Bird House Wall Art with Ryan and Travis. The project only takes a few minutes and will lend itself to many decorative uses in your home. They will offer this Make and Take at 11 AM and again at 5:30 PM. A small fee of $5 will be charged and pre-registration is encouraged as space is limited.

 

bird house wall frame

We will offer mini-workshops to learn a basic application for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ and waxes. There is a fee associated with this class, but for this special event, the cost is only $5—one-sixth of the regular cost of $30. These projects will be available at 11 AM, noon and 1 PM. Sign-up when you get to the shop and we will assign you a time to start.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Make and Take

At 6:15 PM we will have Nancy Telford, RN, MSN, here to talk to us about flower essences and essential oils for the home. Nancy’s nursing experience spans more than 30 years, but for the past 23 years she has extensively studied mind-body health, energy therapies, and natural therapies that promote balance and health. You can find her at holistic health care practice, Radiance, on Jefferson Street downtown.

Nancy Telford

Jennifer Stewart is also going to talk with us about Mindful Housekeeping. Jennifer is the owner of Jen’s Housekeeping. She is an advocate for the environment and chemical-free alternatives for safely cleaning your home. She can be found at Jen’s Housekeeping Service on Facebook every day and at Hodgepodge at 6:45 PM during this event!

Jennifer Stewart with her daughters

We will also be hosting Elizabeth Vaughn of Artistic Works by Lu. Elizabeth reps this beautiful line of handcrafted jewelry in the Ft. Campbell/Clarksville area. She will have her entire selection of gorgeous jewelry available for purchase at Hodgepodge from 5 – 8 PM.

Artistic Works by Lu

Refreshments will be available throughout the day, but—in an attempt to appear civilized—the Julep punch won’t be offered until after five.

So tell them family it’s “fend for yourself night” and join us!

Autumn at Hodgepodge

The colors, the textures, the temperature (well, soon . . .) I’m loving this change!  It’s my forever favorite season.  We’ve transformed the shop and I wanted to share our new look with you.

You can’t beat these stylized-floral plates from the Mary Carol Collection for a great impact! 

Brown transferware pitchers and a fabulous new bird vase.

   

A leaf shaped appetizer plate layered on your favorite dinnerware is all you need to set the scene.   (Be sure to pick-up some of our mixed pattern, silverplate flatware to complete your setting.)

Some festively fall buffet napkins with dried hops.

Couldn’t agree more!

 

 

 

Find a basic pattern you can mix-and-match with seasonal favorites.  I love this brasserie collection from Comptoir de Famille.

One of my favorite cabinets in the shop—a blend of an old paneled door, barnwood and a screen door—serves as a display for items to coordinate with the dinnerware.

The full scene.

An outdoor urn with and oversized pumpkin make a dramatic impact here—imagine it in your home!

 

 

This beautiful santos-style fairie stands watch over our new collection of write-on, wipe-off placecards, bottle corks and cheese markers.  The blues of this billow teapot and matching tea cups and saucers set a stunning table for tea and scones—paired with the season’s browns—it’s a can’t miss combination.

A new bookcase from our custom furniture line is the perfect display for our favorite bubble glass, handcrafted barware.

Been looking for this for years—a quality lavender at a reasonable price! 

Another favorite scent, our “fall gatherings” potpourri—instant fall!

A buffet table updated from summer to fall with a few simple changes.  Let us help you do this for your home.

Our favorite sideboard—which I understand serves as a great plasma screen tv “under cabinet,” too.

A vintage metal bed (with a great floral accent) is outfitted in this brick red matelasse, mixed with some linen blend porch pillows and striped euro shams.

A bucolic scene of these figures bringing in the harvest transitions our mantel for fall.  LOVE this burlap-backed clock!

  

We’ve pulled all of our fragrances and ambient lighting together along this wall.  Great scents for fall have arrived—to include our best selling Archipelago Botanicals Bergamot Tobacco, Burl Wood and Pomegranate Citrus.

A screen door backdrop displays this incredible feather wreath—another sure fire bet for your fall decor.

Our Caldrea stocks are full, as are our mini journals.

More candles in an array of colors ad scents

Another display of the quintessential autumn colors, mixed with a variety of gift items.

I hope this photo montage inspires you to make some changes to your home; I hope you start at Hodgepodge!

And for those of you who live at a distance—we ship! 

Thanks for your indulgence!

Paige

Protect Your Pumpkin!

Two days 'til turkey. More importantly, two days 'til Pumpkin Bread Pudding.

I'm not completely unprepared, but I am feeling a little anxious about it. I need a few more ingredients to make the day happen--still need cranberries, cabbage for the slaw, and bread for the pudding.

I understand there may be a shortage of canned pumpkin in the Clarksville area. This may be a completely unfounded rumor, but regardless, I have no worries as it seems I have stock-piled canned pumpkin! If you've been paying attention, you'll have noticed the Mayan Cooking Calendar shows no recipes requiring pumpkin in the years 2009 - 2012. Coincidence? I think not! That why I'm prepared for the "Great Pumpkin Crisis of 2009." I'm glad to see, however, the crisis is bringing people together. There was a big exchange on facebook--friends offering their excess cans of pumpkin for the recipe needs of others. It was beautiful. On a final, hopeful note, I understand that Sarah Palin suggests we start drilling for pumpkin.

Okay--enough political commentary.

There are a few other things that need to get done during my "day off." I need to do some baking for our late night of shopping on Friday. Yup, the biggest shopping day of the year is three days away. Strangely enough--it's usually not the biggest shopping day at Hodgepodge. I don't' sell GPS gadgets, or big screen TVs or video games--all the things that will make your life complete. I do, however, sell wonderful accessories for you home, gift items for your friends and family, as well as unique options for you table settings. We can custom frame your art--including the work of little hands.

I also plan on opening at our regular time--10 AM. I will not open at midnight, nor will I open at 6 AM. We will, however, stay open until 8 PM--my contention being, after you've been "malled" you can come downtown, shop Hodgepodge, ARTifacts, Rogate's Boutique, Ingredients and others.

This weekend (Fri and Sat) only, I'll offer seasonal Caldrea items at 20% off. I love both of these fragrances and have been burning the candles alternately in the shop.





































Okay, I'll also offer all clearance items at 50% or more off. Including items we're adding tomorrow! So if it's marked 20, 30 or 40% off--it's 50% off this weekend!

And, as if all of that isn't enough . . . we'll have some refreshments for you to enjoy while shopping.

Be sure to tell me about all of your fun you have chasing after your great deals on Friday--I'll be waiting!

Thanks for your indulgence.

The New Look of Hodgepodge

Complete with a slide show . . . I hope. I hope. I hope.

Let's see.

Should be there to the left . . .

(if you receive this via email--you'll have to connect to my blog to see the slide show)

Thanks for your indulgence!

A Smidgen of Hodgepodge

Suddenly, I'm chatty. I don't want to innundate you those of you whom have, in a moment of weakness and/or undying dedication to yours truly, signed-up to receive my blogs via email (it has a name . . . I know it does). You'll have to forgive me (or just un-sign-up). I don't have another adult at home--therefore no one with whom I can download my day--so stuff occurs to me all day long, but I can't make my customers hang around to listen to me (I try, believe me).

So, I'm wondering, where are Clarksville parents-to-be buying their nursery furniture? I've got some of the cutest, most durable cribs and changing tables I've ever seen (remember, this is my totally unbiased opinion). And the bedding! My gosh--it's adorable! Perhaps people don't know I sell nursery furniture. Perhaps they don't know I have an entire section dedicated to the babies in our lives. A while back I dubbed the baby section: A Smidgen of Hodgepodge, but I guess I didn't do a very good job of sharing this info. I've decided I'm going to get the word out. I'm going to focus (for as long as my self-diagnosed ADD will allow me) to making folks think "A Smidgen of Hodgepodge" for their nursery furnishings and baby gifts.

I already have a pretty dedicated group of individuals who buy their baby gifts from Hodgepodge. We've got Robeez--the best baby shoes on the market; we've got Caldrea products especially for baby (although grown-ups like it, too);

we've got these darling enamelware sets; monogrammable blankets;

diaper bags; the cutest clothing line--all handmade from organic cotton.

As you can see, it's a significant amount of inventory. So, shame on me for not making Smidgen common knowledge--especially here in Clarksville. (Oh, who am I kidding . . . most of Clarksville hasn't even heard of Hodgepodge, let alone "A Smidgen" of it!

I'm hoping that you, my faithful readers (both of you), will remember "Smidgen" the next time a friend tells you she's expecting or Aunt Mary is in need of a baby gift. I would truly appreciate the referral.

Thanks, in advance!

And, thanks for your indulgence.

Paige