glassybaby tales

'I dos' with Woof, glassybaby drinker, June Seconds

   It is officially wedding season and so often beautifully coiffed and manicured brides come to us to choose glassybaby color...days later, they arrive to pick up their glassybaby wedding rentals. It is really sweet...glassybaby and the love channel.

   Just Thursday, I had this wonderful encounter with a bride. She was in, full of good energy, to pick up her rental. She had a remarkable serenity and calm. We gathered her 70 glasybaby...she helped me box as I was ill prepared for her early arrival...no problem. Her palette?... a stunner...I must list the bevy of colors...visualize this:

• grandma jane's caramel
• chocolate
• warm gravy
• burnt sugar
• wet dog
• fertile
• new fern
• chartreuse
• sour apple
• mint

As we chatted, I learned that she is to wed on a private Bainbridge Island farm...so lovely. Last little bit of this tale, we loaded her car only to be greeted by her big goldilocked retreiver...big eyes, warm breath, smiling. She expressed  a loving canine greeting...'Hi Buddy.' With the car loaded she grinned and quipped: 'Among other things, we are off to get his wedding haircut.' Serenity and dog love in this bride. Her pooch is part of the wedding. Best wishes from all of us.

   Now, a few glassybaby minutes. My down coat has officially retired to the back of my closet, replaced by my down vest...this tells a weather tale...we need to have a sun seance and speak to the weather: 'Summer don't be bashful. It is o.k. that we did not have Spring. Please come forward.' Light your glassybaby on the deck or outside anywhere and beckon the reluctant Vitamin D to arrive.

   Anticipate our new glassybaby product, 'the drinker.' After an elaborate and discerning prototype phase, June will usher in the arrival of the glassybaby drinker. They are absolutely gorgeous and kinesthetic...they feel wonderful cradled in the palm of your hands. We (Lee) have arrived at just the right proportion... a bowl-like shape, with an elegant thinness in  ever-glassybaby, sublime color. Their arrival is imminent.

   End note... the June Seconds Sale is on the calendar...the date is official: Saturday June 21st...doors open at 10 am. Rules of engagement:

• mantra: 'Crowds are o.k.'
• bring a box for carrying your cache
• checks and cash tend to be a faster way to purchase
• load up on carbs the night before
• go to sleep early, anticipating line marathon
• have fun...seconds rule

   Until Next Time, Nicola

Sisters, Rhyming Colors and Mom gets a Halo

   Often the phone rings chez glassybaby and I jump right into my role as human GPS, which happened this past week. I guided two customers into our store, they found themselves lost and meandering in Madison Park. Madrona is a lovely satellite neighborhood...emphasis on satellite.

   With a smiling flourish these two sisters arrived and breezed into the store. The ventilation in our 'new' hot shop is so good that customers are literally inhaled through our door...a kind of wind vortex ushers them in...it can be dramatic. I learned that the sisters were playing hooky from work...just enjoying the day together, alone. One proclaimed: 'I have been waiting for this moment for 2 years.' Before commencing shopping they needed sustenance, victuals. Again, human GPS...I guided them to the Hi Spot, the ever delicious, breakfast all day, restaurant around the corner.

   Nourished, they returned for shopping and it was darling to see the sisters lighting and kibitzing. With decisions made, one chose Celadon, the other Grandma Jane's Caramel, I  boxed and bantered and rang them up. I love describing the giving nature of Jane's Caramel...four dollars from each 'Jane's' sold goes toward a student's tuition , one studying oncology nursing at the University of Washington.  Both women had an instant emotional response to this description. Their  eyes welled from some sororal, personal reserve of tears and their utterances to explain were beautiful...the color choice was meant to be, their mother has battled breast cancer...she is finally cancer free. It was a meaningful convergence.

   Other store passages of the week. I enjoy the poetry of discussing color. A dear customer said: 'These colors just rhyme together.' Eloquent. In another instant, a gentleman entered our store, he sagely studied our behemoth shelf of color. Smiling, he turned to me and said: 'I always have to pick a color that I don't like. That way I know that my wife will like it.' Sweet and generous. Tidbit...his business is called Kreb's Recycle...they make dog leashes from recycled climbing rope...kool and green. he might make Lee's dog, prone to escaping through the kitty door, a 30 foot leash. We are a doggy bunch.

   Endnote...a dashing gentleman, with a lunch break urgency, came in, expressly for 2 glassybaby...birthday gifts for his wife. He would give her the Apricot glassybaby, his daughters would give her the Halo and perhaps the goldfish would offer the soy tea lights? I forgot to ask.

   Until Next Time. Have a wonderful Memorial Day. It is with collective gratitude that we remember and honor those who have served and serve our country. Nicola

Exodus and Fireflies

   We received a great glassybaby 'exodus' story in our customer service inbox. I have to share it:

   "Dear glassybaby, I wanted to share a quick story and thank you to let you know my appreciation in being an avid new collector of your fantastic votives.

   To mark the occasion of my milestone 40th birthday last December, my very dear friends gave me a very generous gift certificate to glassybaby. Upon receipt of the gift certificate email, I immediately went to your website to peruse the color selections. Overwhelmed by the vast array, I retreated in defeat only to return the next day with an even greater zealous and curious nature.

   Alas, my PC was just not doing justice to what I could tell was a rainbow of hand crafted works of art. I instantly emailed my dear friend and asked if she would be interested in meeting me in Seattle to visit your studio and select the votives in person. With a few weeks of planning, we were able to set the date and make our reservations.

   Last weekend we met in Seattle (she flew in from LA and I flew in from Washington, DC.) With spectacular Spring weather on Saturday, we enjoyed a leisurely walk from our hotel on Pier 67 to the Madrona neighborhood. It was a wonderful experience walking into the glassybaby shop/studio space after having both come so far from our respective homes.

   We thoroughly enjoyed spending time and arranging countless combinations of colors. After over an hour of play time we created an amazing starter set that will always remind me of my milestone birthday and a rendezvous weekend with my dear friend. My favorite colors (so far) are Peter Pan and Wet Dog.

   Thank you and your entire team for creating beautiful reminders of how good life can be. With my very best wishes, Anthony"

We love Anthony. We anoint him honorary glassybaby spokesperson status...forever. And for him to extol the virtues of Peter Pan and Wet Dog...he obviously has highly evolved taste. Thank you Anthony (he sweetly gave me carte blanche to publish his words.)

   End note...my daughter is 3, so my Mother's Day gift from her was a moment. We were driving home at the end of the day when the sun is at it's mezzanine...'magic hour.' My girl said: "Mommy...look at the fireflies." I kept driving, smiling about her imagination vocalized. Then again, this time emphatically: "Mom, Mom...look at all the fireflies." I glanced back and there were indeed little dancing circles of light everywhere, a la fireflies. The perfect angle of the sun was hitting the sequins on her twirly skirt and so there were fireflies everywhere...'a beautiful reminder of how good life can be.'

   Until Next Time, Nicola

   

Mom

   Signature of the week?...Mom, and it is so sweet. All sorts of mixes have gone out the door. One encounter made me smile. A dear customer carefully chose 2 four packs of glassybaby. The first quatro for her 'colorful' mother included Poppy, Tang, Seattle Sunset and Lipstick. The second mix was going to her 'neutral' mother in law, a really handsome mix of Toffee, Chocolate, Warm Gravy and Chocolate Cherry. I love it...the ownership of color or even lack of color.

   Again a tale in the spirit of motherhood. A lovely customer brimming with baby in utero came into our shop. She seemed to just take in the time, enjoying color choice. As I boxed our exchange went something like this:

me: 'When is the baby due?'

her: 'I have one and a half weeks to go.' (accompanied by a sweet, yet deep    exhale.)

me: 'How are you doing?'

her: 'I am on bed rest.'

   And then there was the alternative Mother's Day encounter. An athletic, brisk and friendly customer came in for 2 colors. Her move toward Wet Dog and Greenlake was decisive. My subsequent, always there, banter revealed this... she was celebrating the good news from her veterinary surgeon, that her sweet 'bowser' had made it through a rather significant surgery very well. Doggy would be receiving the Wet Dog glassybaby as a get well present. Her other dog would receive the Greenlake glassybaby as a Mother's Day present.

   So wonderful. Woof. Happy Mother's Day in whatever form it takes. Until Next Time, Nicola               

The Grace of Jill

   We have a dear and treasured customer who frequents our store. We have learned of her story through her visits...knowledge that we hold sacred. Over a year ago, her 8 year old son passed away, an unimaginable loss that has touched us all. What is so palpable from her presence in our store is her strength, her grace, her absolutely beautiful smile, the surround of her family and friends, as well as the depth of her loss.

   Because of the inherent sanctity of this tragedy I have not written of it before this time. However, in a way of honoring Jill's grace and soulfulness it feels appropriate to share a recent store encounter with her. She came into our store in all of her loveliness. It is always a pleasure to see her. She began to study color, lighting glassybaby within the store shadow boxes, taking careful measured time to choose just the right trio. I learned that she was taking a gift to strangers.

   Recently, tragedy has befallen another Seattle family. Their son passed away in a skateboarding accident. Again, a  life much too young to leave. Jill felt compelled to go to this family. She described to us so eloquently the kind of comfort and warmth and prayerfulness that candlelight and color have given her family. Her gesture and impetus to find this grieving family just gave us awe.

   Despite the gravity...this all strikes a chord to Mother's Day which arrives one week hence. The enduring, abiding, deeply soulful love of a mother and her selfless desire to provide solace to another family in their kindred loss.

   Until Next Time, Nicola