Birthday Bash a Big Success!

I am still trying to bring the shop into some semblance of order after the first annual Stifel & Capra Birthday Bash. Whew! Lots of work but really worth it. We received lots of press coverage from our local paper, had City dignitaries visit (!) and best of all, it didn't rain! Yippee! I know some artists made more sales than others but all agreed that the visibility that the event gave to the shop was beyond calculation. I can't possibly be more grateful to all of the folks who made the event possible.

More than a few folks wondered if we were going to set up every week, but birthdays come but once a year. (Plus I don't think our landlord would go for it!)

Birthday Bash Countdown Begins!

I seem to have one item "to do" per every quarter hour between now and nine am Saturday when our anniversary sale begins. The least of which is figuring out how to erect the massive tent that my friend the awesome Miro is lending us to house merchandise and the birthday cake! My heroic parents are driving from West Virginia to help with set -up, my father is a rare man that actually reads instructions so I am sure we will be fine. I hope.




I woke up to lots of "good press" this morning. We are featured in various columns in our local must-read the "Falls Church News-Press" www.fcnp.com and we got a great write-up in the FRISTFriday of Falls Church's Weekly Canvas. www.firstfridayoffallschurch.org It's nice that the community is taking notice of us! It is very exciting.

But hopefully not half as exciting as the sale is going to be. DO stop in, if you can. Everything marked with my vendor code is 20% off or more. Lots of my folks are bringing their entire lines to exhibit in the outside Birthday Bash. And the Walnut Hills Artists have brought a lot of fresh art to show. Come have a piece of birthday cake and join the fun!

Small Blessings

After the big storm last weekend I was walking around the yard surveying the damage (see previous entry!) and saw a small miracle. A robin has built a nest in my butterfly bush (a huge wild thing, that I won't let my neighbor prune) and wonder of wonders, she and all of her babies survived the 80+ mile an hour winds intact! Pretty impressive I think.
Stifel and Capra has a new portrait patron. I neglected to ask Patty if I could post her kids' portraits but I didn't think she'd mind if I put up a shot of the pups. Deborah Conn painted this whippets in watercolor from a photograph. Aren't they handsome?

My beloved sister and webmaster has been pushing me hard to get all of the goodies in my studio/warehouse posted on the web. Thanks to her charming nudging and speedy typing and webbing skills we have added DOZENS of my vintage hats. Scarily enough there are MORE to come. But next up, a plethora of purses!

Not quite as alliterative, but fun are these kitschy lacquer bowls. They are in excellent shape and are super vibrant! I have been busy tagging new items for this Saturday's Birthday Bash. Remember all of my items will be 20% off or more to say thank you for coming out. If you haven't been recently Saturday is the day. It is supposed to be sunny, the Farmer's market is in full swing and it should be lots o' fun. Join us!

Good News: it didn't hit a house-

The kids and I were contemplating going to the pool Monday afternoon when it started to get dark. After bemoaning that Mother Nature was out to get us, the power went out, the wind came up, thunder and lighting was roaring so loud we didn't even hear three, count 'em three trees come down in our back yard. Actually barely in our yard but fully across my next door neighbors and into the yard 2 houses up!
In keeping with the Stifel "wow, that is horrible, aren't you lucky!" good fortune that seems to be dogging us lately, the trees did NOT take out: people, pets, garage, shed, playsets, or even our tacky plastic lawn furniture. The trees however completely uprooted my shade gardens, tore down three sections of fence and provided distraction for the parade of neighbors that stopped in to see the carnage.

Hope your near misses today are just as spectacular!

What a weekend!

The First Friday of June was a lot of fun. Kristi Brown, my charming Hawaiian shirt purveyor, kept exclaiming "You didn't explain to me that this is a party". Guess she thought that we sat around with our hands in our laps, maybe? Cabot Cheese donated a HUGE yummy cheese spread for the festivities and we had our normal assortment of goodies and beverages to share. Cathy Soltys of Joie de bead presented her newest line and quite a few ladies left happy with new jewels. The lovely Susan SWEARS she is going to give the pearl necklace to her husband to put away until Christmas! We will see about THAT!
Saturday was a gloriously hot day. Frankly I think we got as many new customers as we did because they figured out we had air conditioning. I had a nice surprise on Saturday afternoon. One of my favorite clients came in for a visit. While Lou Ann was browsing she found my pile of art hiding behind a chair (I had taken it down to have room for the luau!), pulled it out, oohed and aahed and bought a piece. VERY flattering way to end the day. THANKS Lou Ann you are always good for my ego!

Sunday through Tuesday, I took off for my "Mommy Mental Health Days". Cousin Terry and I headed for the Eastern Shore, had lunch at St. Michael's on the water and hit all of my favorite haunts to buy goodies for the shop. Wait until you see what I found! Lots of fun vintage jewelry, beautiful pottery and CRAZY psychedelic bed spreads. Groovy is only the beginning of how to describe these things! Made it back in time to see my daughter's orchestra and choir concert. It's amazing what those teachers can do with the kids when in only an hour or two a week...

Other big news on the home front is that my husband Bob picked up his new artificial leg this week. It's pretty nifty. The famous "c Leg". It has a computer in the knee that helps him walk. Think power steering for your limb. It's slimmer and lighter than his old leg so is more comfortable to wear. The first thing he has mastered with the new leg is the ability to walk down stairs foot over foot, instead of coming down the steps like a toddler. No disrespect to a three year old but I think Bob felt a little more like an adult and less like an invalid with just that simple move. It will be interesting to see what the next round of therapy teaches him. Without instruction, Bob is walking with crutches for safety but I am sure that those will disappear soon!

We are gearing up for the end of school. The poor kids will be stuck here at the shop with me a LOT this summer, but they are looking forward to church camp and beaching it with their cousins too. This will be the first year they will be on vacation until September as previously we were at a year round school that went back in August in exchange for extra time off during the year. I miss it already!

Save the Date! June 28th from 9 to 2 is our BACKYARD BIRTHDAY BASH. Local artists, vintage treasures, artisan jewelers, juried crafters, lots of sale items, balloons and birthday cake, what's not to love? Do come and play, won't you????

O come Lettuce adore her...

I had one of those "mom" moments this past week. I told my daughter I would help her make a costume for her Girl Scout literary party where they dress up as their favorite book character. I thought "How hard could it be to sew a Hogwarts crest on a cape?" Well, apparently Herminone Granger has been supplanted by manga madness. Add to the discovery someone called "Lettuce" is a favorite character with the fact that I am not inclined to ship air express Halloween costumes direct from Japan, and this mama was doing something she had never done before. Sew the equivalent of an ice capades costume from scratch. Without a pattern. A week sooner than I thought it was due because I had my events confused (although I should have known that she wasn't wearing a costume to her awards banquet. I must say I was actually feeling the sin of PRIDE because it came out REALLY well! Next stop the Hair Cuttery for some green hair spray. Hope it washes out...
June is upon us and so are June brides! And grooms, and lovely weddings. It is a lot of fun to take invitations and turn them into memory pillows. They really are unique gifts!

This Friday is FIRSTFriday of Falls Church so come on out and join the fun! We are open 5 to 8pm on Friday. Lots of new art, Cathy Soltys is launching her newest collection and Kristi is rolling in the racks of Hawaiian shirts! It'll be great, stop by-

New Lines, New Artists!

Happy Friday everyone! Jennifer Hill from Ting & Pixie brought in her new spring collection and it is FUN. Great colors for the summer that just glow. Seemingly from the inside out.


I also received a delivery from a new artist Charla. She does wonderful, detailed calligraphy inspired Name Portraits. Charla will do custom name portraits (her "Olivia" portrait was featured in Country Living Magazine) and also carries a wide variety of prints for all of the different names and loves in your life: Grandma, Teacher, golf, dance, Friend...










Perennial favorite Beth Loftis has brought in some new pieces. If you are a fan, move fast! There is one framed large flower left.

I am off to the shore with the family for a mental health break, treasure hunting, beach people watching and a glass of wine on the deck. My intrepid sister, Robin, will be shop sitting from 10 to 2 so stop by and say "hi!" if you are in the neighborhood.

Mark your calendar! The Big Backyard Burthday Bash is shaping up for June 28th from 9 to 2 to celebrate our one year anniversary. Should be great fun!

Hope you had a happy Memorial Day!

Hope you enjoyed your holiday weekend. I sure did! My aunt is visiting from Oklahoma, the weather was perfect and we survived our first Memorial Day open at Stifel & Capra. Our little town of Falls Church makes a BIG deal of the holiday with an all day festival. 3K fun run, live music, lots of food and art vendors and a parade that is an institution. My store front is right on the vendor row, that's the good news. The bad news? That a big stinky sausage truck was parked right in front of the front steps! Folks still managed to find us though. We introduced a slew of people to the shop so having to be perky for 9 hours was certainly worth it!

It felt like the whole world was ready for summer to begin. Kids are jumping in the pool (while parents are saying "Are you KIDDING me?"), lawn mowers and construction projects are in full tilt and the smoke from the bbq's in the neighborhood made it look like we were practicing our smoke signals!





Lots to do this morning! I'm picking up prints for Beth (I have one extra, if you would like a giclee' of "Salmon Dance" it is ready to go!), picking up my reset engagement ring from the jeweler (hear sigh of relief that son actually found it when it was lost!), and hustling back here to get my "Boarder" piano. Our multi-talented neighbor artist Phil is taking delivery of a grand piano this afternoon. His wife told him he could buy it on ONE condition, at least two of the other pianos (!) and keyboards had to go. So the Stifel family will be boarding the piano at our house until one of their kids has a place to put it. The icing of the cake is that with the piano comes "Phil Noodling Lessons". No way, not piano lessons with a book. Phil's theory is that one just has to get the music from your head to your fingers and he swears he can teach my son that way. Well, it worked with his family, maybe it will work with ours too! Can't wait to see what happens! The afternoon will HOPEFULLY taken up with working. I have 4 commissions to work on. The top photo is one I finished last week for a client and good friend. The riotous blooms are from the 4 hats I found treasure hunting on Thursday. Why aren't they in the store you ask? Well, they actually fit me so I think they will hang around MY house until at least next Easter when I know what I am wearing to church!

Let us always remember those who sacrificed their lives to enable us to live our charm filled lives. Let us pray for those in harm's way and those who continue to serve today to enable us to enjoy freedom every day.

Finally Finished.

As a mom I am generally extremely good at multi-tasking but come to find out when it comes to art, I am not. I finally finished two homemade paper and fabric collages that I started ages ago. TAda for your review...

I have been working in series lately. I read a great article recently (think I can remember who wrote it or what magazine it was in so I can give credit? NNOOOooooo....) where the author mentioned that if you were paranoid about "ruining your art supplies (always a hazard of the trade when you work with one of a kind ephemera) to do multiple pieces at the same time. She mentioned if you have one or more "practice works" cooking along side your "real one" you were more likely to go for it and not hesittae when you were creating. Of course the amusing part is your "practice one" usually ends up being a favorite!

Today was my studio day. I am supposed to create all day. Instead I:
*Spent a panicked 20 minutes looking for a lost comission piece (found it!)
*Did 6 loads of laundry
*Did NOT exercise
*Got into a fight with my daughter for serving her the dinner she requested (don't ask)
*Spoke to my sister the Beloved WebMaster 6 times
*Still haven't given her the answers she was looking for and
*Reprinted a comission invitation 3 times becasue my printer thinks navy blue should turn purple when you heat set it.
*Wondered where my day went.



Hope your day was productive.

Happy Friday!

Everyone that came into Stifel & Capra today was referred by someone else. That makes me feel really great about the shop and knowing that people feel positive enough about it to tell their friends. Yay!

We have the most glorious selection of things with flowers on them. It's like spring has busted out in the store! Vintage clothes (eco-friendly prom dresses anyone?), a plethora of Hawaiian shirts, and Merry Stitches personal and home accessories look like flower beds.

My mood is clearing not sure if it is the referrals, the sun coming out or Stan Getz playing piano in my ear but hoping you have a happy Friday too!

Viva Italia!

I think it is funny when I am treasure hunting I tend to find things in clumps. Like Italian pottery for example. In the past week I have found wonderful, unusual pieces for the shop. And then researching is like taking a little mini vacation! I learned de Simone the artist of the first 2 shots studied under Picasso (as if we couldn't tell!) and came from the aristocracy in mid century Italy.

The plates below are signed and are apparently from a resort town if my surmise of s/ means Sur Mer or by the sea is correct. Pardon the glare in that photo; the plates are more handsome in person.

I had a busy day of meetings. One of my vintage jewelry buyers confessed to me that she does repairs as part of her jewlery business. THAT opened a BIG can of worms as you could well imagine. We made an appointment and I brought Hazel and bag o' loot. Things that needed clasps, and wires and glue and re-stringing and re-working. She is working up a service contract for Stifel and Capra so if you have things that need to be repaired we should be able to accomodate you! Please let me know if that service should be an asset to you.

I also had a teleconference with a gentleman about beefing up our fine art reproduction capabilities. That raised more questions than it answered frankly but I guess I will learn! I'd much rather just wave my hand and say "let it be done". Hmmm, guess I am not charging enough for that kind of attitude!



Stop in this Saturday if you get a chance! The weather is supposed to cooperate and we have TONS of new items in for you to shop through. Plus if I drink a whole pot of coffee I get a little twitchy and Lord knows I don't need any help there! Enjoy the colors of spring.

A belated Happy Mother's Day

I decided my tension was showing among my friends when they kept asking "So how was YOUR Mother's Day?" in that tone normally reserved for people asking "How ARE you?" when you are really ill. You know the tone I mean! The one that says "I know it's miserable and tell me all about it so I can regale others with the details..." OK, so I know that is a mean and cranky thought and that pretty much sums up how I have been feeling lately!

After 2 weeks of less than charming temper tantrums, an exquisite overarching feeling of being done wrong in every facet of my home life, a crushing sense that I am the only linear member of my household (therefore the only one who can walk in a straight line to get from point a to b), and a general feeling of crushing fatigue I have come to the conclusion today (poor family that it took this long) that I am finally allowing myself to be overwhelmed because my convalescing husband is finally feeling better. Not sure what the psycologists would say about that, but I do know that I do not enjoy being overwrought in any way. It is so not my style. Ask my friends: I am the calm, sane one. That said, thank you, Judy for coming over and helping me on Saturday. I needed it!

On a happier note, Sunday morning we participated in the yearly Pinewood ritual "muffins for Mom" basically it is a pot-luck brunch with some of the neighbors. Lots of coffee, juice, tons of dad-made or bakery goodies, no crazy restaurant lines and great company. It is LOTS of fun! After church my family DID make it out for the annual Mother's day event of buying Mom flowers for the porch. As you can see we picked out some doozies! Our favorite nursery in the area is Craven's http://www.cravensnursury.com/ . They are not the biggest but they have fun things that you don't see everywhere else, not unreasonable prices and super nice staff. I was thinking of my mom a lot this year because her mother passed away recently so this is her first Mother's Day without her mom. It reminded me of my mother-in-law saying she felt like "an orphan" when her adult brother died. It reminds me to appreciate my family, even when they are driving me CRAZY.