glassybaby tales

Howling Good and Operatic...Boobies...Welcome Ellen...Happy Birthday 555 Hudson

   Last Saturday night glassybaby housed the best "Howling Good Halloween Party" that I have ever witnessed, thanks to the brilliance of Peggy Obrien Murphy and Mary Alice Pomputius...of the Lakeside Opera Preview Group. This group is a marvelous mix of opera patrons who raise funds to support aspiring local opera talent (think...flowing gowns, competitions, airfare, voice lessons, etc., etc..) It is pricey to be a gifted soprano. Lakeside has been helping for decades...a local patron saint to voice talent. The Lakeside glassybaby Event was a marvelous fundraiser and included the following details:

• a pair of harlequin tights won the "best leg wear" competition
• one auction item was a home made teddy bear inspired by the opera character Lucia...holding a dagger, dripping blood from the chest area (winning bid: $150)
• Kari Ragan...the gorgeous local soprano...sang in three installments...levitating the adoring crowd
• guests could be photographed beneath the sinister talon of perhaps a griffin...for a nominal fee...funds of course, back to Lakeside

 

• Taryn and Carrie...our delightful glass blowers, who were present...dressed up for the affair

 

• many guests received a single glassybaby with their ticket price
• tasty hors d'oeuvres, desserts and wine were served...with a proclamation: "absolutely no chance you will depart a skeleton"

What a marvelous evening...for a marvelous group. Thanks Peggy and Mary Alice, et al.

   I had the complete pleasure of meeting Heike Malakoff today. She is the founder and visionary behind the local nonprofit, "Check Your Boobies." Take a journey through the CYB website (http://checkyourboobies.org/.) Their mission is important...breast enlightenment...what could be better? We are joining forces with CYB beginning November 1st...mention or type in the promotional code: "boobies" when purchasing a glassybaby and 10% from your purchase will be donated to CYB. This will run until Santa has come and gone (December 31st.) Holiday shopping with signature giving...join us in supporting CYB.

   We would like to extend a rousing welcome to our new, New York glassybaby, Store Manager. Welcome Ellen Lee...we are absolutely thrilled to have you on board...no pop quizzes on glassybaby color yet...just a warm welcome. And another New York mention...Happy Birthday to our New York Store...1 year old this week.

   Happy Holloween. More Soon, Nicola

Delightful...Delicious City Catering...Moms Visit...Joy

   The City Catering Company, local, brilliant, gastronomic force...recently debuted their culinary craft at a high end wedding show called: "Urban Unveiled." City Catering was one of five featured caterers (i.e. chosen for excellence.) Along with an exquisitely choreographed menu offering...their table featured a romantic bevy of glassyaby (think, true love, dream, cream, happiness, taffy etc..) Davey, my favorite, shared their table top design:

 

Davey also shared the menu...which would make anyone want to get married just to have City Catering:

• port seared duck breast
• wild mushroom risotto cake
• cherry sauce
• fried shallots
• potato croquettes
• citrus aioli
• vegetarian french onion soup
• gruyere fritter
• French macaroons
• chocolate cake with kahlua butter-cream

Lovely...Thanks Davey and City Catering...great share.

 
 
  A glance back to early September reminds me of a great blog tale. Two moms (see above photo) entered our Madrona Store beaming with anticipation. We had a lovely exchange and charming details of their personal connection spilled forward. Their kids are married...if you can follow this...Julie's daughter, Teresa is married to the other Teresa's son, Patrick. Their kids reside in Ireland as Patrick pursues an MBA there. The mom's have each other. They take field trips together, like their visit to glassybaby, a nice antidote to kids far away. They purchased a fertile glassybaby for a friend who desperately wants a baby. I believe that it was Teresa who described that her husband was having hurdles at work some time ago. In a stroke of brilliance, she stealthily placed a whiskey glassybaby on his desk with a taller companion...bottle of his favorite whiskey...so stylish...and her report: "It worked." Ahh the many powers of glassybaby. Another great store passage.

   If you have not already seen it, joy is a newish red that sings "Joy to the World" when lit (figuratively.)

   Joy to glassybaby blog readers. More Soon, Nicola 

  

 

Jack and Fastey...Sarah and Survival

  

  
   I always think that it is really brave when customers fearlessly enter our store with active kids in tow. We embrace the childhood wonderment of visiting glassybaby...kids are always mesmerized by the glass blowing and always welcome. They are drawn to the signature glassybaby 'Mecca' of the hot shop floor. And, generally, kids want to touch the hundreds of colorful glassybaby...this is where adult bravery enters. One lovely customer visited our Madrona Store with her charming, kinaesthetic, 5 year old, grandson, named Jack. He watched the production floor.  He blew out all of the candles on one of our display tables (I gave him the green light on this.) Also, he actually balanced a glassybaby drinker on top of his head, with a slight assist from his opposable thumbs. Nothing was broken during this marvelous visit...his "Mimi" chose the most gorgeous BFF glassybaby and before leaving, Jack named our store squirrel: "Fastey." Fastey is our beloved, bronze, squirrel hook that hosts our laminated media pages (see photo above.) Another great store passage.

   In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month (October,) we want to share the incredible words of a breast cancer survivor named Sarah Thompson. She is a key member of The Young Survival Coalition of Seattle (www.youngsurvival.org/seattle):

"Several years ago I was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 38. After making my way through chemotherapy, radiation and surgery, I stumbled upon a very special support group for women diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 40 called the Young Survival Coalition. I began attending support groups and volunteering for outreach and education programs sponsored by the YSC Seattle. Over the course of the next few years I forged some amazing friendships with other members of the group; these are connections I will have for the rest of my life.

As sometimes happens in a group of cancer patients, we lost a very dear friend to our disease. She was so young, vibrant and beloved. Our lives are forever touched by her and her loss with always be felt among our group. A  few of our members received glassybaby when they were diagnosed as gifts of hope from loved ones. We began bringing our glassybaby along with us when we got together to light in remembrance of our lost friend. I have attached a photo for you to see the light that always shines for our girlfriend and the love she left behind.

 

As you can imagine, glassybaby has become so special to our group. The Young Survival Coalition Seattle is so proud to partner with glassybaby for our upcoming Drink Beyond Pink Auction. glassybaby won't just be there to provide decoration and lighting, you will be there to provide reminders of hope and strength and will offer an enduring light for us to remember our friends by." 

End note...the recent YSC "Drink Beyond the Pink Auction" raised more than 25 thousand dollars in one single candle lit evening. Thank you Sarah for your words and inspirational advocacy of young survival. You are incredible...and, by the way, Happy Birthday to you from glassybaby.

   More Soon, Nicola

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

RxArt+Cynthia Rowley+glassybaby...Lemon Love...Leaf Volunteers

   It is a good day when Cynthia Rowley visits glassybaby, and that she did at our Madrona flagship store as summer drew nigh, this past August. Designers, like Cynthia Rowley, are divining rods for color. On her recent trip to Seattle, glasssybaby color drew Cynthia to us...and stylishly she left Lee, our color author and Owner/Founder, the sweetest note. Cynthia drew a glassybaby shape, added a face, arms and legs and sung the praises of her time with us. Speed forward, through various channels and pipelines, we have arrived, in solidarity with Cynthia, to this trio:

It is our joy to roll out this, Cynthia Rowley chosen, trio named RxArt. It is comprised of raspberry sorbet, peter pan and eggplant. When the trio is purchased, 10% of the sale will be donated to RxArt. Have a look at this amazing website (http://www.rxart.net/.)We have found amazing synergy with RxArt and Cynthia Rowley and the power of art and color to heal.

   Lemon is a color we love...we received an inquiry recently, from a, darlingly young, member of The Little Lemon Drops Junior Guild. These young sprites have galvanized their youthful energy to create a guild that raises funds for Children's Hospital. Have a look at a recent fund raising event that they held:

The event, a pickle ball party, was lit by the light of glassybaby. The color mix included:

• lemon (who could resist)
• dream
• goldenrod
• pearl
• citron
• remembrance 

These, generous of heart, kids raised $6600.00 for uncompensated care at Children's Hospital...We now love lemon even more. Inspirational kids.

   End note...as I walked in to work...with the rustle of fallen leaves underfoot...these leaves volunteered for an informal glassybaby photo shoot. Enjoy the fall leaves and glassybaby autumnal colors (left to right): warm gravy, taxi, curry, joy and lipstick. 

   More soon...Happy Fall, Nicola

 

Family Reunion and 18 glassybaby...Anniversary and 2 drinkers

   On Thursdays I get a stint in the store. I leave 'Middle Earth,' our term of endearment for command central, our bricked in office area. I love store hours for what each customer brings...their story. This Thursday, I helped a Madison Park neighbor cull through our dozens of colors. While in the store, she created a list of 18 names. She gave these names an age span of 4 years old to 90 years old. Each of the 18 family members would receive a hand picked glassybaby at their family reunion in Sedona, Arizona...there would be some lighting ceremony involved...I love thinking of the ceremonial possibilities. The goal of our wonderful customer, choosing the colors, was to match the glassybaby and name to the spirit of the recipient. This mission was embarked upon in earnest and I was there to provide support through keenly listening to spirit descriptions. Here are a few of the choices to share:

• tennage grand daughter, possessing a certain sophistication...raspberry sorbet
• son in law, fire fighter, questing for new work and change...creme brulee
• son, graphic designer, who really knows his colors...crayola
• three daughters, who are very different from each other, yet possess a single resonance together...beach x3
• nonagenarian, patriarch, wise one, who has a penchant for wearing blue...sea glass

And the list went on, and all 18 colors worked together and alone, and this family metaphor guided choosing the family of glassybaby color...it was simply lovely to behold this meaningful process.

   On this same Thursday, the gorgeous beams of September sun light, seemed to usher in, another wonderful customer, with a story, on a mission. Jennifer asked me to show her glassybaby drinkers. In a cool ten minutes she had chosen Christine and Tracy drinkers, a pair to be gift wrapped. As we waited for Kim's gift wrapping service in the back, Jennifer explained that she was destined for Orcas Island to celebrate her 11th year of marriage with her husband. The drinkers were his gift. We wish them a Happy Anniversary...with a crisp chardonnay, a drinker toast to happiness and strength together, and an ocean view to the future.

   More Soon...think pumpkin glassybaby...good luck choosing this year's Halloween costume. Nicola