glassybaby tales

New Friends & New Beginnings...Blooming Colors...Love for Mom

It’s a week of new life, new beginnings. Alice is in the Windy City, exploring the magnificent mile and relishing fine dining. Meanwhile, in Seattle we pine for sunshine but feel hopeful and inspired by spring blossoms and new glassybaby colors and sets!

 
 
In the realm of new beginnings and new friends, Lee is still smiling from her visit this week to The Nate Berkus Show, where she shared the glassybaby story. She enjoyed meeting Nate and his amazing team (including Marissa’s favorite beret-wearing set designer). We were so pleased that he chose to feature our company. Yet the best outcome was the birth of a new color: elegant charcoal grey "chango" (monkey en Espanol), so named in honor of a dear friend of Nate’s. 

 
 
Since glassybaby cherishes animals and so does Nate, we’re even more pleased to announce that "chango" is our newest goodwill color, with 10% of its sales donated to PAWS Chicago, to support their tireless efforts to alleviate pet homelessness.

Another happy result of glassybaby on The Nate Show was the introduction of our gorgeous "in bloom" set of spring-flavored hues: "happiness," "kumquat," "smooch," "taxi," "raspberry sorbet," and "seattle sunset." Just add candle light, and as spring storms pelt the windows, you’ll feel warm and cozy, basking in the glow of these beauties.

 
 

All told, this "new beginning" with a new friend has truly sprouted some radiant blossoms. 

 

Cristina tells of a wonderful mom who purchased 12 glassybaby--"pearl," "gratitude," and "dolphin"--for décor and party favors for the guests at her daughter’s 40th birthday party. But she also bought one more: "joy," for the birthday girl, whose favorite color is red. Joy for a beloved daughter. Lovely.

 

 
The time to honor all our mothers approaches, and in tribute, we’ve assembled a sweet set titled, simply, "mom." And the colors: "baby," "angel," "gratitude" say it all.

To all mothers, we adore you and the joy you give. And to new beginnings, we can’t live without you!

 

With love,

The glassybaby team

Dreamy Spring Colors... Royal Feathers... Lee & Nate Berkus

The flowers that bloom in the spring...tra la!

 
There are such gorgeous new spring combinations of glassybaby in our stores right now to celebrate rejuvenation and rebirth. Like a little nest of exotic eggs, they bring an unexpected twist of soft subtle dreamy colors: "friendship," "lavender," "arthur" and "chatham" look marvelous with a spray of your favorite pink or white tulips, or even a touch of jacaranda, for that matter. Mix with "dream," "hope" and "pearl" for an ethereal touch that seems too perfect for this world.

And speaking of other-worldly elegance, I am just in a total quandary as to what feathery refinement of sophistication I should wear on my head to the impending royal wedding. All the girls are doing it, you know:

And it looks quite regal really. But somehow, I just don't think so on me. (As my mother occasionally would say, "Dear, that doesn't become your style of beauty.") Perhaps I will prevent myself the injury of social awkwardness, send the happy couple a basket-full of good wishes and some splendid glassybaby fit for a queen, set my Tivo, pop some corn and wear my pajamas. That, I think, really becomes my style of beauty!

 

Thank you to all who sent their glorious renditions of glassybaby "fresh from the garden" for the photo contest. You have out-done yourselves! The winning entry will be showcased on our website May 1-3. Can't wait!

 

 

At glassybaby, we are charged with excitement that our Lee Rhodes will be featured on "The Nate Berkus Show" next Thursday, April 28 (NBC). The program's focus will be on Lee's remarkable story of cancer survival, the glassybaby commitment to community, and of course, spring holiday glassybaby colors with which to celebrate. Should be a marvelous show... (And there will be a surprise! So do tune in!)

Very soon we will be honoring our mothers on their important day. Some sumptuous colors to keep in mind for gifting, which look sublime together, are "baby," "angel," and "gratitude." She will love them.

 

Until next time,

Alice

aliceblog@glassybaby.com

 

 

Bon Appetit... Birthday Wishes... Revered Glass Artists

Before having friends over the other evening, I surrounded an azalea with "heart," "secrets," "little bear," and "wet dog," then added a Chinese dragon, and voila! I had my centerpiece. I never cease to be amazed at how beautifully turned out and spruce glassybaby makes my home décor look. The adjectives I find I use to describe them are preposterously larded with food imagery. The colors are lush, succulent, toothsome and, well, even ambrosial! Bon appetit, no?

 

There is some exciting gussying up being done around our Madrona homebase. The event space is getting, shall we say, "a little work done"! Our lovely events manager, Cristi, and uber-talented art director, Marissa, are applying their magic, while glassblower Alex contributes his painting talents. We can hardly wait to see the unveiling. And speaking of Marissa: May all your birthday wishes come true!

On the topic of magic and artistry, our production manager, Paul Cunningham, is taking a short break from the hot shop to work with the brilliant glass artist Lino Tagliapietra. Paul, who is also a consummate glass artist and teacher, is thrilled to once again be working with his dear friend and mentor. Kudos to you Paul. We look forward to seeing you back in our hot shop and studio soon.

 

Just back fromn New York, Lee, Debra, Valerie, Tracy and Marissa crossed paths there with the young, popular mayor of Newark, Cory Booker. In the course of the conversation he repeatedly dropped glassybaby names, inadvertently of course, but the ladies were astounded as first a "crocus," then a "fortitude," and lastly a "blue spruce" crept into the conversation. Talk about coincidence, and being on the same track!

 

 

A recent gift web order for the glassybaby "joy" was placed by a young man in NYC for his parents in Florida. In what can only be a celebration of his birth, he wrote: "Mom and Dad,  Here’s to another year of me!!! Sending you so much love, gratitude and JOY!!!   -James"

Here’s to mothers and fathers and their children wherever in the world they may be. And here's to the joy of glassybaby. 

 

Until next time,

Alice

aliceblog@glassybaby.com

 

Feast of Blossoms... Home, Sweet, Igloo... Celebrations of Love and Life

Even though at glassybaby we are reveling in the arrival of a feast of blossoms just emerging in the garden, I must harken back for a moment to winter. As egregious as that notion is, these pictures are too delightful to pass up: visualize a glassybaby-lighted igloo... in Canada!

Angi writes that when the whole family descended upon her brother and his family in Edmonton for the holidays, they all felt the squeeze and decided to "expand the family room" into the front yard! After online research and three days of building they were able to enjoy their roomy creation (enough for six people!) and light it with glassybaby for a cozy glow. 

                              

 

 

                                                    

We are happy to know that two months later the igloo was still standing and in use, complete with glassybaby warmth!

 

Cindy of our Bellevue store helped her daughter Kathleen celebrate with a bridal shower in her honor held at the store. The mood was joyous and the bride-to-be beaming as she opened gifts enlivened by the light of favorite glassybaby: luscious "first kiss," frisky "little bear," everlasting "pearl" and ethereal "thistledown." A splendid time was had by all.

 
Bride-to-be Kathleen 

 

Recently at the Madrona studio, a very touching event was held honoring the Pancreatic Cancer Network. Rick Gaffney, whose beloved wife, Kate, recently passed away after battling this horrific disease, helped to sponsor this gathering. (Kate, an accomplished nurse and a vice president at Pacific Medical Centers in Seattle, attended a similar event at glassybaby held just last year.)

All who were there in March felt the enormity of  Rick’s love for Kate and how it filled the store to the rafters. He recounted how much glassybaby meant to her: she delighted in buying them, for she so appreciated Lee’s story and the glassybaby mission of giving and community.

At the end of the evening, Rick decided to buy "peter pan" because his treasured Katy, he said, was his "Wendy."

                            

Delightful images are coming in for our "fresh from the garden" glassybaby photo contest, and I wouldn’t want you to be left out. The deadline is April 22, so get those creative juices flowing and enjoy yourself getting lost in the garden with your camera and glassybaby.

 

Until next time,

Alice

aliceblog@glassybaby.com

 

Fresh From The Garden... Passing Notes... Birthday Dreams

Hold on to your sunbonnets! glassybaby is celebrating spring like never before with the sui generis "fresh from the garden" photo contest. We can hardly wait to see all the beautiful, life-affirming, garden-meets-glassybaby images. (Inspired? click here to learn more: http://www.glassybaby.com/news.asp)

It makes me think of renewal and spring when I hear tales of the impending arrival of the stork bearing small bundles. And so it was in the University Village store, according to Christina, when a young mother-to-be came in with news of her first child due in four months. She had just found out that it was a boy. And which glassybaby do you think she chose to give to each new grandmother? Why, of course, "fortitude"!

As the mother of two boys, I don’t know how she could have chosen more wisely! I know those grandmas will love it.

Tracy and Debra related an engaging story: last week they were at the Special Olympics Breakfast when they heard a "psst!" Surprised, they looked to see that a  note was being passed to them from another guest at their table. (Memories of grade school!) The affable note read: "GlassyBaby Girls,  Relish your candleholders. glowing Beauty. Keep up the good work!!"  How nice was that? I almost thought it was a haiku.

   

Do you know how you dream of something when you are a young girl and never tell anyone?  Remember the refrain from the old Disney tune, "A dream is a wish your heart makes"? Well so do I. As I light my cadre of "dream" glassybaby and savor their magical radiance I know that no matter how many years pass, I will always dream. 

A little girl I know just turned eleven. Her parents had thrown her a lovely party with homemade cupcakes and a bevy of friends, and she went to sleep that night brimming with enchanted thoughts. The next morning her papa encountered her at the breakfast table looking wistful and dispirited. As he tried to glean the cause of her unhappiness, she whispered, "It didn’t come."

"All my life, every time I wished on a first evening star or on my birthday candles, I have dreamed of this and never told anyone, for I have been waiting for my eleventh birthday in hopes against everything that I know, it would come--I have dreamed of getting an invitation by post to Hogwarts and it didn't come, and now I know it never will." As she spoke a plump crystal tear hung in the corner of each eye.

Her father pulled her close, at a loss for what to say to this pure, perhaps fading remnant of childhood innocence and belief in dreams.

At about that time her eight-year-old, more pragmatic sister materialized and inquired, "You really believed in that??" Out of the mouths of babes.... Pop! Back to reality in a trice!

Here's hoping for sweet dreams for all of our glassybaby community!

 

Until next time,

Alice

aliceblog@glassybaby.com