glassybaby tales

Farming in New Mexico, MVP , and the Abundance of a Mother

   I had a wonderful store encounter this week. Lord knows I can spin a conversation yarn with our adored customers. A woman came in with a stroller side kick, her nephew, a darling toe head. Nephew remained belted and amused by color while auntie shopped. She deftly chose the perfect Seattle Sunset. I learned that she is steadily purchasing one glassybaby at a time, stockpiling, in anticipation of moving to New Mexico. She and her husband are taking over the family farm. How inspiring and rare...to take on the legacy of farming and go back to her husband's roots. The glassybaby will be her 'familiar' from Seattle, a beautiful reminder of family and place and experience. We are honored. Just to prove how wonderfully amusing life is, when I asked: "What kind of farm is it?" She smiled and said: "It is a cattle farm and I am a vegetarian."

   One of our most valuable customers of last week?...Safeco. An order of 180 gorgeous glassybaby in a rainbow of color was placed and went out. I had the pleasure of working with Claudia on this chunky order.  She explained that the Safeco Executive Vice President was hosting a party at his home to celebrate Safeco and the extraordinary service of many employees. glassybaby were given in two packs as gifts. So stylish. Thank you to Safeco for thinking of us.

   Thinking of us and conveying it in the most beautifully abundant eloquence, this email greeted us on Monday morning:

'Greetings,

The customer service at University Village on Saturday afternoon was outstanding. I purchased five glassybaby for a wedding gift. The  groom is a life long friend of my son who passed away two years ago after a 13 year on and off again battle with cancer, treatment and the consequences of treatment. The young man getting married has the heart of a giant. He once gave my son the gift of a motorized scooter.

So, hooked to his oxygen tank, Seth traveled on that scooter with the wind blowing in his face like all the other boys were doing skate boarding or skiing. I am passing the love on with your lights. Thank you for helping me give the perfect gift.

KK'

I can tell you...this message stopped us...the tenor of abundance...in her words of loss and love and thankfulness and celebration of true friendship. Thank you KK for having the notion to write us, Lee...you affirm what we do, and we are so thankful.

   Until Next Time, Nicola

Found and Sweet Remembrances

   Tuesday, as I rounded the corner of East Union and 34th on a bead to our caffeine pipeline, there was Michelle (Hi Spot Barista, manager, glassybaby friend, etc.) waving good morning and simultaneously sort of summoning me toward her. At our intersection she, dog whisperer, showed me the lost dog she had found...one of a us...a wonderful mutt. Poochie was Dalmatian spotted in the figure of a Lab hybrid. Her eyes seemed worried and slightly beckoning...translation: 'If you feed me a scone I might wag.' Michelle's dilemma?...where to hold poochie until Madrona was fully mobilized to find it's owner. This is where dog friendly glassybaby was able to step in. Indulge me as I bullet point our time line with Maggie the lost dog:

• Michelle helps me bring her back to glassybaby central. A plastic bag is fashioned as a leash.
• Jeanine our C.O.O. goes to buy treats and dog food. Maggie's first enthusiastic wag is recorded.
• Meanwhile...our Production Manager Ryan sends out a company wide email with a digital photograph of dog...hoping for some lead.
• Similarly, someone from the Hi Spot catches wind of lost doggy and posts her description and photo on the Madrona Mom's website.
• Signs are posted throughout the Madrona neighborhood with xerox photos attached.
• Various Madrona activists pop into glassybaby to survey the dog find...recognition to no avail.
• Noon rolls around and Jeanine dispenses me to her Madison Park Veterinary to find out if poochie is 'chipped.'
• Eureka...we find Maggie's information through her scanned microchip.
• By 3 o'clock the nanny was here to pick up Maggie and life is not the same. We miss Maggie.

   Tuesday just had this St. Francis overtone. Poignantly, two other animal passages came our way. Independent of each other, I received phone orders from two of my favorite customers, Susan and Erin. Susan called to send  a gift card to her dear friend who had just experienced the loss of her cat Mattie. Susan's hope?...that her friend would choose a color to memorialize her beloved feline companion. And Erin called expressly for a black glassybaby. Her great friends recently lost their Black Lab Maggie. Again the glassybaby was to provide the glow and peacefulness of loving memory found in the loss of a dear pet. So sweet. We love and cherish the animals here...part of the glassybaby credo.

   Until Next Time, Nicola

La Rentree, Murmurings, Mayor's Award

   I just learned that in France there is a term for the welcoming of September and the school year and the Fall...it is called La Rentree. What I gather, it is a kind of national mood, a surge of awakening, realignment and the promise of renewal. It relates to returning from the dormancy of August as collectively France dials down for respite.

   We are feeling a bit of La Rentree here and it is exciting. We are in steady production of Fall colors, welcoming originals like:

• molten
• frog hunting
• ankle deep
• windowpane
• hide and seek
• happiness

My personal favorite?...'windowpane.' It is sublime. I would describe it as a faint champagne, and mixed with 'frog hunting' could render one speechless. A teaser for the colorist in you. And it is fun to look over Marissa's shoulder as she tinkers with holiday palette cards. Should 'rudolph' go next to 'pine needle' or 'kelly?'...hmmmm.

   Other murmurings from September glassybaby. Two national magazines feature us this month, Home and Travel and Leisure. Both are great mentions. Home sweetly punctuates the giving in our step and Travel and Leisure sleuths out the hot spots of Madrona, including us among the sweet sorority we find in Hitchcock and Jaywalk etc...

   Also, we will gather with Lee next week...a nicely polished glassybaby entourage of high heels and suits, to witness her acceptance of the Seattle Mayor's Small Business Award. I believe there are 8 recipients. To be chosen and stand shoulder to shoulder with, among others, Macrina Bakery (home of Budapest coffee cake) is altogether thrilling.

   Store moment,honorable mention, of the week...a particularly well buffed town car landed curbside just outside of glassybaby today. A gorgeous, pre-flight, customer whisked into our store. She decisively plucked a purple hued glassybaby from the shelf, noticed that it is called 'prom dress' and exclaimed: "Perfect." As we boxed her we learned that she was off to Arizona to help a friend plan for her wedding...the glassybaby was being stowed in carry on as an arrival gift for her bride friend. It all came together in a 'glassybaby second' as the town car stylishly hovered nearby...and they were off. Wonderful.

   Fall colors are imminent. Until Next Time, Nicola

4 + 4 = 8...Tod's Bag...Gift to Teachers

   I am forty four today. By all accounts the double digit year is a good one. In terms of numerology I am an 8 fanatic...I love the digit. So, the implied quotient of my age makes me smile, not to mention the lovely date of 8-28-08. I woke up to new shearling slippers by the bedside, hot tea and breakfast made and the best gift of my daughter's utter glee in delivering to me a musical card, which screamed James Brown's "I feel good" as we opened it again and again and again. Priceless. Next to glassybaby...musical cards rank in my top five favorite things.

   Onto the glassybaby universe. Yesterday in the store I had back to back blog worthy encounters. Always, as Thursday rolls around...blog writing day...the post-its with notes start to stack up.

   The trademark color of yesterday was Burnt Sugar. It was a Seattle day shrouded in clouds, a dark umbrella veiled our city sky...our August city sky. The color pall seemed to evoke a fall nesting reaction. So many customers came in looking  for warm fall colors. One lovely, familiar, customer purchased a stunner mix of:

• jade
• luxury
• burnt sugar
• and 2 chocolate

The colors, even the names, of her purchase, felt sumptuous, seeming to channel a warm fire...the antidote to yesterday's skies. Our customer waived her packaging rights intentionally. She hoisted her all leather, Italian, Tod's satchel onto the counter and nestled 5 glassybaby within. She explained: 'I am preparing for the plastic grocery bag tax.' Indeed...preparing with style. I love it. Seattle is poised to adopt a 20 cent per plastic bag tax by January of 2009. We love being part of the conversion. Green is good.

   And just before the Tod's bag was filled, we had a marvelous small group in, two moms and two daughters. They were inquisitive and fresh to our product. I learned more through their time here. The moms, Janet and Kylene, are parent educators...they do the good work of teaching parenting skills. Months ago they had given a class together at the great learning institution...South Seattle Community College. Their knowledge and teachings were so well received by the parents taking the class that gifts were given at the end. They received glassybaby gift cards to the generous tune of 3 glassybaby each. Also, they received Hi Spot gift certificates...Madrona's delightful lunch epicenter. Such a perfect gift of gratitude. We loved welcoming them into our fold.

   Come in to feel the Fall. Until Next Time, Nicola

I Am Back And Reminded Of....

   I am back in the glassybaby saddle post vacation. It is great to be back. Signature of the week?... I am reminded of the rich culture here. My encounters with customers in the store so often usher forward stories that weave the fabric of life.

   For example, an energetic, marvelous woman was in to our Madrona store in the morning on Wednesday. She came in and left with one glassybaby in anonymity. In the afternoon she returned with a 'I could not resist coming back smile.' Then I learned her tale. She had just completed the Danskin sponsored women's triathlon in Seattle with her daughter. She had trained and flown in from her home in Florida. She carefully chose one then two glassybaby as gifts for her dear neighbors/friends who were the dutiful keepers of her dog as she went cardio vascular in Seattle. She revealed that of this couple, the gentleman is battling cancer. Her return to glassybaby was the result of reflection which she sweetly shared with me: 'They just both need a candle right now.' Through our discourse the attached meaning to our product of healing and survivorship and peacefulness and beauty was compelling to her. This message is the best soul food that our company can receive.

   And again, culling through the Customer Service emails, I came upon this same vein of meaning, reminding me of where our roots take hold. A young woman to be wed in October had just attended a wedding in Maine that was aglow with the light of Little Roy Blue glassybaby. She and her fiance were charmed by their beauty and moved by the glassybaby story. Her email revealed that her fiance's sister is in remission from Leukemia ( a lengthy journey as the cancer has reoccurred three times.) One of the essential wedding colors of this soon to be wed couple will be orange...to match the Leukemia ribbon color. glassybaby in the color navel will be present as a beacon of hope and healing and beauty...all to honor the sister and soon to be sister in law. This kind of message simply moves us, and in the words of my dear friend Jonathan: "Reminds me of...."

   Until Next Time, Nicola

Phantom...Gift of Love...Lombard Lemonade

   I am a phantom from glassybaby central right now, on retreat for 2 weeks with my husband, our 3 year old, our Airedale and our darling 17 year old nephew from France. (I am still desperately seeking someone for Matthias to play bass with in our basement.)

   Two sweet stories to convey as I sojourn. A treasured customer was in to our Madrona store...we had a little business surrounding a wonderful fund raising event that she is an integral part of. Our time together included the classic smattering of glassybaby activity. We talked about the auction and the tour that we are donating. She chose 3 glassybaby for her 28 year old daughter, a sassy, colorful trio. And she could not resist starting her 'drinker' collection with the astute purchase of one Hector. As we boxed and spoke of summer plans she revealed something so beautiful and personal to me. After a one week get away at the end of August, she and her husband will return to Seattle. They will check in to Virginia Mason Hospital where she will donate  a kidney to her beloved husband. They are a perfect match in more ways than one. The surgery will occur on the exact day in September when 14 years ago she moved to Seattle to be with her spouse. Unwittingly, my tears pooled as I was so moved by this act of love. She just beamed the perfect selfless smile. She quipped that she will have hubby sign a disclaimer that any of his future behavior can not be attributed to sharing an organ. We joked that he might start buying glassybaby. Godspeed to them both from all of us.

   Endnote...this is just a great summer tale. My sweet niece Audrey, lives in San Francisco, miraculously on Lombard Street...the crooked part. Every time I visit I am astonished by the sheer madness of backing out of their driveway. It is truly comical. Audrey, who recently turned 5, just took part in a seminal, for her, summer rite of passage. She and her neighbor pal Caroline, set up their first lemonade stand right on Lombard. Business was brisk and global. In one and a half hours they made sixty six dollars (and the dixi cups were on sale.) Not bad. My sister's footnote...the money will be donated to the San Francisco animal shelter of Audrey's choice.

   Happy Summer and August...Until Next Time when I will be back in the glassybaby saddle, Nicola   

Samson the Dog Revisited and Sam to Wed Kitty

  On may 30th I entered a Blog about a wedding rental and a dog and a lovely bride. Since then I have learned that the wedding was magical, the dog's name is Samson...and his wedding haircut was smashing. Emily, the newly betrothed, sweetly forwarded gorgeous photos of her day including the one posted here of her dinner table centerpiece, complete with glassybaby. I have to laud the absolutely stunning photographs by Joy Marie. For more photos of the wedding or Joy's contact information consult: http://joymariephoto/Thompson.

   Speaking of island weddings...Sam was in...soon to be married on Whidbey Island to his love Kitty. He arrived at our Madrona location on a scooter and entered our store with his movie star good looks. His mission was to preview color, then he would be off to meet his fiance at our U Village store. They were choosing a fiery mix of reds and oranges (think Red Licorice, Tangerine, Navel and Patent Leather.) The glassybaby would be given to their intrepid wedding planners...their friends. As Sam described it... the incubated idea of their nuptials began with a plan of simplicity...no wedding dress, a barbeque...a few friends. What has evolved?... simplicity plus...a gorgeous wedding dress...paella and 40 adults and 8 kids. It will be perfect. Sam's discerning eye really struck me. He took time and notes before going to meet his bride at our satellite location. We wish them every good blessing on their journey together.

  Post script...they chose 8 Pretty as gifts...fiery and gorgeous. Also...I had shared my story of waking up on my wedding day with laryngitis. Sam called to take a few glassybaby off hold. He also told me that his fiance's sister, host of the island wedding, was stranded by a rock slide in Canada. The ring bearer...11 year old Ericka was stranded too. We anxiously await the wind up to this cliff hanger. And hopefully photos.

   Until Next Time, Nicola

Vintage glassybaby...Geraniums Wilt...Chocolate Magnetism

   When you visit our store the glassblowing is visible through a windowed garage door. It is the dynamic in experiencing our store. We give tours quite often and the groups reside next to that window to view glassybaby production. We always use various props to explain who we are and how we are made. In this vain, Lee brought in 5 archival glassybaby. Their vintage dates back to the early days of glassybaby. They are unstamped, with a latitude of sizing. I presume they predate the glassybaby mold. Anyway, these sweet little soldiers are great props for our tours. They show from whence we came. Now we are down to 4 of the vintage beauties. To explain...Lee and I were in the store when a customer sidled up to the register proudly putting forward 3 glassybaby. In her line up, one stood out. This sensitive customer had chosen, unknowingly, one of the vintage darlings in a deep purple, a color that we call Iris. I wish that I could insert a photograph here of this glassybaby with such inner beauty. I summoned Lee over. She was, of course, thrilled that this dear customer had chosen the gorgeous motley one. In Lee's typically abundant candor she exclaimed: "It's yours...no charge." A great 'match made in heaven' moment.

   In the spirit of abundance...I harken back to a blog note that I have had stowed away. A member of the glassybaby fold is friend and glassybaby incarnate, Kristine. She is a 'lifer.' Her abundant humor fills a room as evidenced by the following tale. Flanking our store entrance are two gorgeous planters brimming with geraniums. Next to the geraniums resides our sandwich board which reads the glassybaby adage:

• flowers wilt
• chocolates melt
• glassybaby forever

In the spring when the old guard geraniums of '07 had, well, yes...wilted. Kristine in her inimitable humor threatened to put a melting chocolate bar on our sign next to the pots of wilted geraniums as a kind of installation before entering our 'forever zone,' the store. We expressly got new geraniums before her ruse...but it still makes me smile...the visual.

   Endnote...with our adage on the sandwich board and the maiden customers who skim read our sign...I wish I had a dollar for every time  baffled potential customers come in and ask: 'Where is the chocolate?'

   Until Next Time, Nicola

Lifeforce...Welcome Marissa...Wishing into the Future...Mikey Supports My Marriage

   The life force of two nascent glassybaby customers breezed into our store just yesterday...my kind of women. They had just enjoyed the famous scones of the Hi Spot and were on their way down the Madrona promenade of stores to enjoy the famous mini-cupcakes of Cupcake Royale. (Think butter cream frosting that makes your heart sing.) On their bakery odyssey they happened upon our glassybaby sandwich board and felt that a jaunt down the perpendicular street might be a good cupcake justification. They came in wide eyed and curious. We kibitzed and chortled over this and that; and it is always a pleasure to convey the glassybaby story to 'nubies.' Both PJ and Sherrie started their collection by the end of their store time and it was such a pleasure to meet both of them. Then they were off to butter cream and I wanted to go with them.

   Speaking of nascent...our team has ripened considerably with the wonderful addition of Marissa. She is a stylista, stellar with customers as well as marketing, and she is so computer proficient that the gloss of the website often carries her signature. Welcome Marissa, 'phew...you are here.'

   Recently as Marissa and Jeanine, our unstoppable C.O.O., culled through our website looking to make small tweaks and improvements, they found themselves in stitches over the humorous content of our online Registry, or as we prefer to call it...our Wishlist. They implored to me: 'This is great blog material.' I visited the source of their website glee. Let me just 'bullet' a few of the web wishlist entries. You will understand:

• event name: "I love glassybabies." date: Dec. 26th, 2020
• event name: "Stuff I want for my future house." date: Oct. 2nd, 2022
• event name: "Any time you want to get me a glassybaby." date: June 6th, 2018
• event name: "Robin's 60th." date: Sept. 26th, 2015
• event name: "House Warming/New Home" date: Jan. 1st, 2012
• event name: "Just Because" date: March 3rd, 2010.

I love the random dates, 'just because' they are so funny. Among the lists were birthday wish lists for a 60th, a 50th and a 40th birthday. It is wonderful to know that our demographic spans the decades. Keep wishing on us...we love it.

   Endnote...feel good story of the week. I spied a menagerie of hand blown goblets, crowning our annealer in the hot shop. Often our glassblowers tinker during their lunch hour, creating their own gorgeous glass pieces and often they work on goblets. These vessels are so lovely and each one is special and often ornate in the best way. I had this idea to buy 4 of the goblets to give to my hubby for an anniversary present. I believed Mikey would be the perfect goblet merchant to approach as I often see his hand at work making them. He would not take a dime...he told me to take as many as I wanted. He made my wishlist come true...so generously and my Frenchman is so happy. Thanks Mikey.

   Until Next Time, Nicola

Richard the Goat...Wow Factor and the Little Ticking Time Bomb

    Richard Conlin,the mini goat, was in for a visit last week. Never a dull moment around here. I must explain further. Jennie and her son Spencer reside in the Madrona neighborhood. I have had the great pleasure of getting to know them in the store. Spencer even came in one time with his Math club pals.

   Jennie mentioned to me, on one stroll-by, that her family had recently acquired a mini goat and, further more, that she would bring him in for a visit. A Seattle City Council member, Richard Conlin, has been the political patron saint of the mini goat,locally. His sponsorship helped to ratify legislation legalizing mini goat ownership within Seattle City limits. Hence, Jennie named their legal,pet, mini goat, Richard Conlin.

   True to Jennie's word in trip-trapped Richard one afternoon last week on a leash. He is inquisitive, noble, blue eyed and his horns have been shorn...he looks handsomely clean shaven.The glassblowers all came to the doorway to shake his hoof. It was a really sweet and wonderful store encounter. Thanks to Jennie and Spencer for the visit. It made our day.

   Another visit was memorable. Dena, a wonderful customer, who rarely buys glassybaby for herself and always buys for her clients, was in. She is a dogged and well ensconced Seattle Real Estate Agent with Windermere. She knows how to 'seal the deal' in style. She regularly dispenses glassybaby as closing gifts to her clients. On her recent visit, she graced us with a Manhattan friend in tow. Dena's friend, stylish by definition, designs and sells belts and bags made of wonderful vintage fabric. Dena's challenge? To bring her pal somewhere in Seattle with a style 'wow factor.' They landed at glassybaby. What a compliment. Dena just smiled as her friend stealthily navigated color. She dove right into our fold and purchased a sophisticated mix. We passed the litmus test. Wonderful.

   End note...the sweetest newborn was in with shopping mama...marsupial style. Babe was fast asleep in a front pack pouch. The axis of mom's knees were at work, gently rocking the little sweet. Urgency was in the air. Then came the maternal quip: "I have a ticking time bomb here." A Hidden Moss and a Lemon glassybaby were plucked from the shelf and purchased. Hidden baby and mom stole away.

   Here's to baby mini goats, Manhattan babes and sleeping babies. Come to our store...who knows what will happen? Until Next Time, Nicola

P.S. The above photo is Richard Conlin holding Richard Conlin.