Batter Up!

NOW it's officially spring. Today is Opening Day of the Baseball Season!

Yes, I know it was snowing yesterday. But today, the sun is shining, the grass is green, and the boys of Summer take the field for a six-month long celebration of Americana. Flag-waving, hot-dog-eating, popcorn-popping, cold-beer (or Coca Cola)-guzzling crowds will worship at the Church of Baseball. (And if you don't get that reference, you're not a fan. Period.) From March through October, America's national anthem becomes 'Take Me Out to the Ballgame'.

Today's creative thought: Whatever your business is, make today less about business and a little bit about life. Turn the radio dial (yes, a radio....thrift stores have them....) to an AM station that is broadcasting a game. (Any game - any team, anywhere. Majors or Minors. It's the sound of the announcer, the crack of the bat, and the goofiness of the organ reverbing through a stadium that matter, not who is playing.) Pop some popcorn. Open a bag of pretzels. Get some ice-cold bottles of Coke. Have your staff wear baseball hats - how about ones with your business logo?

Make today a Funday Monday and celebrate America!
Go DodgersAngelsMarinersRockiesRedSoxDiamondbacksPadresYankees. (Neil, that last one was for you) ;0)

(UPDATE: Rangers 2, Mariners 7. Holy Toledo, they won!
And as of right now, this moment, the Mariners are in first place in the American League West! LOL Because no one else has played yet.....)

Brocade Home has a Blog!

Another new resource for ideas has hit the web. The very chic design house of Brocade Home launched a new design blog this week. Included so far are fabulous fashion photos, links to event decor they've created, awesome products (like the lace light, above), and the same off-the-wall displays that they include in their catalog shots. Very inspiring!

There are also some shots of a store interior that caught me completely off guard. It's the Viktor & Rolf Boutique in Milan, Italy. Totally amazing! A store built completely upside-down! You have to see it for yourself... go to http://brocadedesignetc.blogspot.com/

Photo from Brocade Design Blog

Growing Ideas...

Over the weekend, I visited Christiansons Nursery in the Skagit Valley. They have the most beautiful buildings there - greenhouses, boutique shop, garden store - most of which were designed by local garden visual legend Michael French. He's big into using recycled materials for these projects. Take a peek at the glorious setting they have created...


One of the workers told me that these spaces above the old windows used in the new greenhouse weren't planned. The idea to place rows of stacked terra cotta pots there came as a flash of brilliance during the painting process. (Kind of a 'What they heck are we gonna' do here?' moment...) It made use of hundreds of pots that they have on hand. What a perfectly appropriate solution! Here are more, neatly displayed under the greenhouse potting benches:

I love the boutique shop and it's antique garden furniture & lovely accessories. Very Shabby Chic. I wandered the greenhouses, sniffed the orange blossoms, and photographed the bloming tulips & daffodils out front. It's a great place to renew your spirit, and great inspiration for display ideas.

This is the setting of the nursery in spring...surrounded by acres and acres of daffodils. Breathtaking! In a few weeks, it will all be tulips and the valley will be teeming with tourists snapping photos. (I prefer the daffies!)

And this guy was hanging out in the parking lot, barking his head off - appropriately!

It's a dogs' life, I tell ya......