Spring

All kinds of new stuff at Hodgepodge . . .

The new Garden quilt--this is a full/queen, all other sizes available by special order.

These beautiful prints on canvas are available in four different designs--all with an entomological and botanical bent.

This would be a lovely addition to any kitchen--throw-out that plastic dish drainer and take home this one!

Not a very good picture, but I wanted to show this great new addition to the carafes you'll find at Hodgepodge--the tall skinny one in the middle is new--the old reliables are available, as well.

I know you were noticing the tablecloth in the previous picture--so here's a better shot. You can see the coordinating place mats and napkins. We have a variety of sizes available--only one of each, so shop early!

Here you'll see our new flatware in espresso brown. They're dishwasher safe, so you can set a great table every evening.

As you can see we've been busy unpacking, checking-in and pricing (very reasonably) some great new items--stuff you won't find anywhere else in Clarksville. Dare I say, you may not find it in Nashville (oh, horror--she said it!).

Did I tell you about the customer who saw and ornament her friend purchased at Hodgepodge and had to have it? She called, but I had already sold out of this particular ornament. She asked who the vendor was for this ornament. She then decided to chase all-over Nashville looking for this ornament, based on the fact that she found-out which shops also carried merchandise from the same vendor. Guess what? Not only did they not have the ornament--they never did. I'm not saying I have a superhuman ability to select product. Nor am I saying those retailers in Nashville don't know how to select merchandise. I am saying it is possible to find cool stuff right here in Clarksville.

For those of you beautiful readers who do not live here in Clarksville, I ask you to apply this story to your local independent retailers. More on that later. (Hint: It has something to do with that new 3/50 logo here on my blog.)

Thanks for your indulgence.

shake it off--then create!

Time to shake it off and get on with the good stuff. As a self-professed optimist, I've had a difficult time dealing with the fact that I'm not feeling very optimistic these days. Business is okay, but it could be better. Darren's departure has left me a little melancholy. And the cherry on the top?

Only two entries in my contest for the Roxy tickets!!! (Taylor's six attempted entries not withstanding.) What's up with that? Don't like free stuff? Don't like theatre? Oh, I get it, you guys must have already seen it . . . (There's still time--closing the contest on Tuesday.)

I did enjoy my weekend with Kate--so glad she came. We stayed-up late talking, probably to many glasses of wine/beer. She is one of my favorite people to talk with--always full of encouragement, sensibility and humor. ("Righteously indignant" is one of our favorite moods to share.)

We spent an easy 3 1/2 hours at TJ Maxx with Hunter--she enjoys shopping with us (Kate). We enjoyed the Twitterpated show by APSU art students on Saturday and witty repartee with Jane and Jesse--with an occasional appearance by Cale. We wrapped-up the weekend with a trip to the flea market (my gosh--it was HOT!) and dropping Kate at the airport.

Kendall and I then finished out the day at Lowe's for four ceiling fans for the third floor. Have I mentioned the How Do They Do That? Extravaganza!

We're still arranging some of the instructors and the class offerings, so check the site often. Once we've got everything nailed down--we'll activate the shopping cart and you'll be able to register for your classes online. I strongly suggest looking it over now so you can prioritize and be ready with your choices.

In the meantime, let's get you in the mood to create with this super simple project.

I really like the candles I was offering from a company called Fringe, because they were layered with pictures and words printed on glass. I no longer carry these candles, so I thought I'd try to recreate the look myself.

So gathered up some ephemera, ribbons and trinkets/charms and set-about creating a unique candle wrap.First, I wrapped the candle with a piece of lavender tissue paper. Then I added a photocopy of some ephemera I layered onto the copier (a picture of a floral arrangement, a couple postage stamps, and a quote--topped by a piece of sheet music for the background). I ran the copy on some antique beige paper. I cut the paper to a width which allowed the tissue paper to show and wrapped the candle--holding at the back with some glue (I used a glue stick). The I wrapped two ribbons--first a lavender which just met at the back (no knot) and then the sage green--tied with a simple square knot. I used the shipping tags we use at the shop (bee stamp and all) applied a photocopied postage stamp and tied it to the ribbon. Viola! I satisfied my urge to create and made something that is normally very plain into something very decorative!I love them here on this great eight pillar chandelier--great for any room in the house or the garden.

Let me know if you need more detail in my instruction--I'm trying to get this posted before heading to the Y!

Thanks for your indulgence!

A Few Thoughts . . . oh, and another contest!

Just a few thoughts on this and that.

I've decided my family does more than they should for my business--the sacrifices made for my success are all theirs. What would I do without these smiling faces?

I know I wrote a lot about the celebrities from HGTV, but these are the guys I'm most impressed by--they always help, they always understand and they're always there/here for me.Am I lucky or what?

Another thing on my mind. (To confess, it's been there for a while--which is why I had the camera available to take photos.) It's the lack of support for the Roxy Regional Theatre or the assertion that The Roxy isn't a viable addition/contributor to the activities of Historic Downtown Clarksville. Ever tried to find a parking place downtown while there's a show at The Roxy? Did you even consider that the lack of parking spaces is because there's a show at The Roxy? Ever notice, while you're out to dinner at The Deli, Edwards or the Blackhorse, a lot of the tables clear-out around 7:45 PM? Why is this the case? Because there is a show at The Roxy!

You want easy downtown parking? Come downtown when there isn't a show at The Roxy--like two weeks ago:

Wednesday, April 8th--no show (one of the cars is mine)

Wednesday, April 15th--CATS is playing at The Roxy

So, you tell me--does The Roxy bring folks downtown? Have you had a chance to see for yourself? Make a date to see a show at The Roxy--you won't be disappointed.

CATS is now playing. It's amazing. Get your tickets now. Oh, alright. I'll give them to you. Leave your comments here and I'll pick a random winner of two tickets to see CATS at The Roxy.

Thanks for your indulgence.

They Came, They Saw--They Cleaned-up!

Rivers & Spires was another success--at least from the perspective of this shopkeeper. The festival was huge. I cannot believe the huge number of people we had walking down Franklin Street. The people watching was incredible! Hardly a sign of the event this morning!

Here's a couple pics of the celebrities we hosted at Hodgepodge:

jillian

kendall and jennifer

jennifer, patty and me!

oh? the guys? just the stars of HGTV's, Designed to Sell! Pics one and two included David Wint and John Gidding; in the third pic you see Chip Wade with John Gidding.

I didn't get to chat them up--I was busy in the shop, but I hope that those of you who had the opportunity to talk with/meet them were pleased. They seemed nice enough. Did anyone catch them during the festival? I think they were around at a few other locations.

Okay--moving on to other stuff tomorrow! Lots going on in Clarksville--in addition to Rivers & Spires!

Thanks for your indulgence!

A Teaser for More

Well, at the risk of flattering myself, I hope you've missed me as much as I've missed you!

It's been wonderful having the husband at home and I frankly dread the weekend, as he'll be returning to Iraq, but I have missed my blog. As I've mentioned before, I kind of use my blog for "downloading of the day," but when Darren is home, he gets an earful instead of you guys getting an eyeful.

I've got a lot to share, so I'll try to do it in a series of blogs--not all at once--so here are some highlights of things to come:

First things, first . . . Hodgepodge is brimming with new items! All kinds of cool stuff for your home and garden. I'll post some pictures and other ideas to the blog this week.

Second, I hope those of you in the area have Rivers & Spires on your calendars for this weekend. The event kicks-off Thursday night on Public Square. Be sure to visit the website for details about the variety of activities available throughout the event. Don't forget about meeting the guys from HGTV in front of Hodgepodge!

Third, please visit this website to complete a survey about the types of businesses you'd like to see in the downtown area. We did an informal survey here on my blog, but we need something a little more "official." We're arranging a seminar for anyone interested in opening a business of their own (May 19th)--we want to be able to say, here are the results of a survey and these are the businesses Clarksville residents will support. This will show you why Clarksville is Tennessee's Top Spot for Small Business.

Finally, I need to give you a little more information about the

How Do They Do That? Extravaganza!

I hope you've been thinking about whether or not you'd like to participate as a teacher and/or student. More later.

Alrighty then . . . stand-by for more information on these and doubtlessly many more subjects.

Thanks for your indulgence.

How Do They Do That? The Extravaganza!

Announcing a day of crafts & creativity! Saturday, May 30th
Hodgepodge is looking for instructors for a day of crafts & creativity. We are planning an all day crafting event offering a total of 16 classes taught in four – 2 hour sessions. You may teach one or all four sessions. Crafts must be completed during the 2 hour time limit. Class size will be limited to 12 participants. Instructors set costs, to cover expenses and instruction. Participants must pre-register and pay for the class prior to event.
The instructor will be responsible for purchasing & providing the supplies for each class. Recommended maximum for a class is $25, but this is just a recommendation. A $10 registration fee will be charged by Hodgepodge to cover advertising, light refreshments and the use of the space. Hodgepodge will be responsible to taking registrations and advertising this event.
If you are interested in participating as an instructor, pleased submit a description and sample photo of your project by Wednesday, April 15th. The quick turn around is necessary to allow for plenty of time for advertising. Please submit to Kendall at kendall@artifactsemporium.com.
If you are interested in participating in any way (as an instructor or a participant), please contact Kendall Welsh, directly at kendall@artifactsemporium.com

The Incident of the Mirror

Any day now. I received his email this afternoon advising that he'll be arriving as early as Wednesday evening. Oh my goodness! So, like any good wife, preparing to see her husband for the first time in months, I immediately leapt into action.

Patty was at the shop with me, so I told her--as I was unable to focus after receiving the news--that I was going to head home to get some "cleaning" done. So when I got here, what did I do? Started painting the sink cabinet in my bathroom. Oh so necessary the day before my husband returns home from Iraq.

I don't think I shared the recent mirror incident with you, so I'll do that now. It'll provide a little insight as to why I'd tackle such an obscure project when there is so much else to do. (I mean other than the obvious excuse . . . I avoid the work I dread with any viable alternative.)

The bathroom mirror incident . . .

I was at work when I received the call, "Mom," said my youngest, "I've got something to tell you and . . . it's not good." After a little more drawn-out drama, I am able to expunge the following information: they (the kids) heard something in the house fall, but after a cursory recon of the house ("cursory" being a generous), they determined they were just hearing things and went on about their business. Until, someone had the need to enter my bathroom, where they found broken mirror and a bathroom filled with water. It would appear that, as the mirror freed itself from the wall, it hit the spigot and the water proceeded to flow into the sink--into the perpetually clogged sink. Broken glass in water . . . delightful.

What was truly delightful, however, was the fact that Hunter had most of it cleaned-up by the time I got home.

So, the broken mirror necessitated the purchase of a new set of mirrors for the bathroom. No, I could not reuse the homemade contraptions--they should have never been hung, but they were the mirrors that came with the house. Who would think to take them down and check their construction? Certainly, not I. As it turned out, they were made from basic trim moulding and hung with eye screws and a wire more appropriate for a 5x7 family photo than a 15 pound mirror.

I have been planning to paint this thing for years. Until now, the sink base in question has been another of those unfortunately stained that orange-y oak stain I dislike--as referenced in an early blog. I have considered the same blue used on the wardrobe in that same earlier blog, but didn't want to take away from the unique look of the wardrobe. I decided to venture to Lowe's for some paint swatches, but left with a gallon of the ideal color for the sink base. Another "oops" paint find! Good fortune.

The painting is done and almost all of the new hardware is attached. One new mirror is hung. I need another mirror to insert in the frame I chose. I'll tell you, having the ability to choose any frame I like for my projects is liberating, yet cumbersome. So many choices makes the decision process a little daunting.Decision made, I ordered two custom frames and one beveled mirror. I didn't realize the mirror I already had--the one that didn't fall--had only a half-inch bevel. The new mirror has a beautiful, impressive one-inch bevel. What a difference a quality mirror makes! This new mirror makes the other look like a fun house mirrors.

I'll post a picture when it's complete.

Thanks for your indulgence