glassybaby tales

Smatterings, including Australia

   Our customer service inbox holds many things, including the following from Australia:

   "I just had to write to let you know that I received my first glassybaby yesterday from dear friends from Seattle who are here in Melbourne, Australia visiting. I think this will be the start of a collection as they are truly beautiful. Regards, Vicki L. Key"

   Thanks Vicki. We love the far reach and the warm welcome from a place that is welcoming summmer. We are Fall...two customers came in to the store for what they called "color therapy." We are ensconced in Fall weather, so, some days are grey...on this particularly grey day...Barb and Meagan Martin decided to enter our store for color...they took a twirl amidst the 80 colors of Fall glassybaby...they just soaked in the colors and left without a purchase...They said it was either caffeine or color on this outing of theirs...they chose color...and it was a pleasure to have mother and daughter visit our store.

   On a final color note. We were featured at an auction for Dunn Gardens...32 glassybaby glowed to decorate their event...in our Fall Palette. One of the visitors to the event subsequently visited our store as his wife was enamored by the glassybaby. He came in to our store to purchase his wife a gift...he chose the 12 month club for in-store pick up. Given the choice of 80 colors...the first of 12 was...of course "True Love"...he looked at me and said: "That's a no brainer." I agreed.

   Until Next Time, Nicola

"Little Huetopias"

glassybaby featured again on page 22 in the November 2006 issue of Coastal Living magazine!

Here's an excerpt:

"Clearly glassybaby founder Lee Rhodes draws inspiration from her coastal surroundings in Seattle, Washington. The color palette of her hand blown glass votives includes Beach, Deep Sea, Cabo and the oh-so-fitting Seattle Sunset."

-Until next time, Nicola

Eternal glassybaby Tree

    Two customers put together the most beautiful melange of Fall colors to rent for a November auction...their event will raise funds for the French Immersion School of Washington...where both of their daughters attend in Bellevue. The decorative theme: french artists and glassybaby. We are thrilled to light their event. The colors chosen: New Fern, Curry, Seattle Sunset, Toffee, Goldenrod and Warm Gravy. Think Toulouse-Lautrec. Stunning.

   Speaking of French, a world class French furniture designer (shameless plug for my husband) has designed a stylized Christmas tree that stands 6 feet tall and holds 34 glassybaby. For years, Lee has had this vision to create a tree that holds glassybaby. In this year of 2006...the vision has been realized. We will have 2 sizes available for purchase, the six footer and a table top version...more details to follow. It is really handsome and like our motto: "glassybaby forever"...it is the eternal glassybaby Christmas tree.

   In the spirit of trees, we will join forces with Conservation International (www.conservation.org) to illuminate their annual gala event in November. No fewer than 800 glassybaby will glow...we are thrilled to support Conservation International...such an extraordinary cause.

   Final note...just today an October customer neared a 2 hour retail session in our store, carefully choosing 2 glassybaby...finally she looked at me and said: "this is harder than choosing the perfect pumpkin."

   Happy Halloween...Until Next Time, Nicola 

About Grandma Jane's Caramel

   Grandma Jane's Caramel is a beautiful glassybaby...10% of the proceeds from its sale supports a nursing student at the University of Washington School of Nursing in the area of oncology. Recently we received the most gracious letter of thanks from Marilyn...the current recipient of this fund. Here is an exerpt from her letter to share:

   "I wish to express my sincere appreciation for your generosity in contributing to the Foster Scholarship Fund. As a student in the PHD program at the University of Washington School of Nursing, I am furthering my education in the area of oncology research. This scholarship will not only aid directly in those research endeavors, but also greatly assist with other school-related expenses....Further I intend to become a donor, myself, towards scholarships such as the Foster Scholarship Fund that will allow other students to begin and further their careers in nursing."

   Thank you for the letter Marilyn. Good luck with your studies, your degree, your career. Your inspiration to give back includes us in a growing legacy of giving...a wonderful honor.

   This mention of Grandma Jane's Caramel....leads me to share what I have come to know as a kind of sacred store moment. A marvelous group of seniors visited us from Mill Valley. They came for a studio tour. They all showed such fascination, curiosity and interest in our Greenlake factory. It was a complete pleasure to convene with them. After the tour a few inspired purchases were made. As one woman bought a Grandma Jane's Caramel...I explained that her glassybaby gives to University of Washington oncology nurses...she looked at me with a warm incredulity and went on to explain that 3 months ago she lost her son to cancer...he was in the care of University of Washington oncology nurses...they had provided profoundly wonderful care...it was this mother's belief that the Grandma Jane's Caramel had come to her for a reason.

Until Next Time....Nicola

"Baby Blues"

Cape Cod Islands & Home magazine featured a great selection of blue-green glassybaby for their September 2006 Indian Summer issue, page 14. Thank you Cape Cod!

Available at select newsstands.