glassybaby tales

Marsha's Hope...Synergy...Rococo Joy

   Last week we launched a trio of glassybaby named Marsha's Hope, a gorgeous mix of Pearl, Deep Sea and Sea Foam. If you meandered to the blog from the home page, there is a lovely description of the trio there explaining the inspiration of its genesis. The writing about this set is simply moving and has a personal depth that connects to us at glassybaby through our PR rep Mary Douglas and her sister Lisa Thompson. I urge you to read Mary's words if you have not already.

   There has been a fountain of support for the new trio. (It is great to punctuate that $12 from every set sold goes to the Marsha Rivkin Center for Ovarian Cancer research.) I had the joy of selling the very first set in our store to Lisa Thompson, who inspires our effort.

   Just yesterday, Lee and I were in the store together when a customer came in expressly for 'Marsha's Hope.' Our conversation was light and wonderful. We all joked about being club members of the women's low maintenance society. Our customer quipped: 'I can look good when I need to.' I boxed. At the very, very end of our encounter, this dear customer mentioned with deepest reverence that she had survived Ovarian Cancer and that purchasing the set was so meaningful to her. It was a lovely moment, signature glassybaby.

   Again, a  synergy between glassybaby and very personal meaning...a  dear customer took the time to include this note on her web order:'My dad passed away from cancer in February 2008, so I am buying a "sister" for my aunt (his sister) and a "comfort" for my mom.' So beautiful.

   Endnote of joy...Our infrastructure is bisected by gender. We have the stellar amazon woman glassblowing contingent perfectly balanced by our herculean male group of blowers. However, our office is powered more by estrogen. You can not imagine the pure 'girl' excitement, office-wise, when we learned there will soon be a glassybaby baby. Coco (amazon) and Robin (hercules) found love at glassybaby and are expecting a spring baby. We are so, so happy for them. Aside from our collective clairvoyance that one of the all time cutest babies is on the way...I can not help giving the baby a nascent nick name...Rococo. I will babysit.

   Until Next Time, Nicola

The Light

   Last Thursday toward the end of my workday, I was so moved to receive an email entitled 'The Light,' which was a beautiful portent of it's message. Years ago, in our Greenlake store, I had a meaningful exchange with a  lovely customer who was in to buy a single glassybaby, as she said, "...to light my way on my journey to becoming a mother and, I believe, create a beacon for my child's spirit to find me." The recent email reminded me so eloquently of our encounter.

   The email went on to describe with a generous transparency, the difficulty of the road to fertility and the subsequent, again uncertain and difficult, road to adoption. Without a 'match' after months of waiting to adopt, our dear customer described taking a soulful journey, far away, to a beautiful place, with her husband...a journey to find peace in the possibility of remaining childless. While away, they were summoned to return to Seattle by the chosen birth parents of their newborn baby. (Pause...goosebumps.)

   The same color of glassybaby which, over the years, offered a talisman or beacon of hope, to our dear customer, was given to the birth parents with deepest gratitude. What a lovely, meaningful and physical representation of the unique chakra that will be eternal between these two couples and the baby they share.

   We are so thankful for this message...it is what we describe as soul food. And also...thank you for allowing us to share it. Welcome baby.

   Until Next Time, Nicola

Belle Square Here We Come...Vacation glassybaby

   I have a bird's eye view of our glassblowers from the store. It is fun to be a part of the organism, glassybaby. Today there was an added molecule...Phillip Newton (dashing guy) was professionally photographing all aspects of our world, capturing images that will ultimately be handsome, large format, black and whites hanging in our temporary Belle Square store. Yes, it is official...Bellevue here we come. In early November or, fingers crossed, sooner, we will inhabit a gorgeous, Belle Square retail space. It is located on the second level of the mall, serendipidously near Nordstroms...the eye of the shopping storm. We are thrilled to go East, please come and find us.

   On another note, a glassybaby compass led the sweetest couple to our Madrona quadrant. Denise and Brian Baitx, hailing from Corona California, fled the Santa Ana winds and unfortunate wild fires for respite in Seattle. I like to think that glassybaby was one of the principal magnates leading their journey to Seattle. Anyway, they arrived in our midst, anticipatory and the first shoppers to cross our Wednesday threshold, a double breath of fresh air. Denise saw Lee on the Martha Stewart Show in September of 2005. She has been a fan ever since, an ardent glassybaby website supporter. We had such a lovely exchange. They took photos and lit candles, and I gave them the two bit glassybaby crash course. Denise purchased a 'Midnight' glassybaby, among others. She described it as a dead ringer for her favorite crayon color. I personally love people who love crayons. And they were off with a parting mention...their GPS had guided them to us, pronouncing glassybaby with a lovely british accent. Hail to the Queen Mother and Cheers to Denise and Brian. We are so glad that you found us...the London of Madrona.

   Until Next Time, Nicola

Bikram glassybaby, Bebe's Visit, Grand Theft

   It is official, we have heat. There has been a little known electrical glitch in our building matrix...no heat. If you have been to visit us in the colder months, you may remember being able to shop and see your breath at the same time. The furnaces pull so much amperage that we had to import more electricity. My overtaxed down vest has been laid down. Welcome Bikram glassybaby. We invite you into the warmth. It is divine.

   Every year a fantastic customer makes a pilgrimage from the distant shores of Bellevue to Seattle where we reside. I am always astonished to know that she begins her Christmas shopping in October...early October. So, today was the day that Bebe graced us with her presence...in holiday cheer of course. Upon entering the store she exclaimed: 'I listened to Christmas carols all the way over here...with the heat on high.' This is my kind of woman, like our new red glassybaby, a 'Fireball.' Merry Christmas Bebe.

   On the heels of Bebe came a deja vu customer. I had helped her just the day or two before. She came in with a disturbing exclamation: 'My glassybaby was stolen!'  Apparently she had carefully stowed, overnight, a single glassybaby (for the record Frog Hunting) in a Whole Foods shopping bag, in the back seat of her car. As her next day began curbside, she fell upon a ransacked car. The only thing stolen?...the one glassybaby. Obviously we extend a heartfelt condolence to our great customer; but somewhere in this exchange was a  kind of perverse compliment. Even thieves get it.

   Which reminds me of a left field anecdote...indulge me. Dear friends of my family are French. Years ago, the family home in Dax was broken into. Various antiquities and family treasures were sadly absconded with, but beyond this loss was the signature currency of the French thieves...they made off with the most important and valuable wines from the wine cellar. Surgical removal of the best years and vintners occurred. So dastardly.

   Stay warm, have a glass of good French wine and... lock your doors. Happy Fall from all of us. Until Next Time, Nicola

Nellie Cashman

   Last night was thrilling. We attended the 27th annual Nellie Cashman Awards ceremony sponsored by the amazing WBO Association (Women Business Owners.) Channel the Golden Globes...a dimly lit grand ballroom, swanky dinner rounds, autumnal florals, wine flowing. We encircled two glassybaby tables with Lee at our center. To explain, Lee was one of 5 finalists. In movie style, the winner was announced last night. The extremely lovely clothing designer, Luly Lang, winner of last year's award, sidled up to the podium after much ado. She unsealed an envelope and after suspended silence and cumulative heart palpitation announced: "...and the winner is Lee Rhodes." Our tables levitated with collective clapping and cheering Lee on.

   What a thrill and honor. For Lee to be in such esteemed company made it an even grander acclaim. In 'Nellie' solidarity we applaud:

• Kristen Betty of KBA Inc.
• Karen Say of Saybr Contractors
• Jean Thompson of Seattle Chocolates
• Tamara Wilson of Wilson PR

   A few anecdotes from the evening...Phil O'Reilley owner of Olympic Color Rod, who provides a lion's share of glassybaby glass, was in our fold. His customer service and friendship is not only outstanding, it can at times be outlandish in the best sense of the word. He arrived to the dinner table flanked by two Westin employees. A quick jostling of the floral centerpiece and water glasses, allowed him to carefully place a gorgeous hand blown pink vase full of flowers for Lee at the center of our table. With a team of glassblowers, he had made the vase for Lee. The scale of the vase conjures...well...Versailles. So celebratory and sweet.

   On another note. We all were splashy in attire. It was fun to watch each glassybaby dignitary enter and shimmer. Honorable mention goes to our lovely Marissa who wore a ruffled, 3/4 length sleeve, green silk dress. She would be in good company with, none other than, Sarah Jessica Parker and an Appletini.

   Lee nailed her moving speech. She spoke of the organic growth of glassybaby, the transcendence of simple, beautiful, glowing color, the signature business truth for glassybaby of giving back, specifically to cancer causes, and the daily testimonials of customers that move and buoy us always.

   Until Next Time, Nicola

   a special P.S. to Mimi Kirsch who, in all of her lovely wisdom, had the notion to nominate Lee.