Store Closing--temporarily

Tomorrow Jon and I will be heading up to the land of sky blue waters for our annual canoe trip. Just us and about 40 of our friends. . . We'll be canoing the Wisconsin River near Spring Green (of House on the Rock fame). Campground Friday night, then loading up all our gear onto a bus that will drive us up the river about 10 miles to our awaiting canoes. Load the canoes, slather on the sunscreen and bug repellent, and crack open a beverage. . .ahhhh, nature! Saturday night will be spent camping on an island in the middle of the river. Campfire, eating, drinking, and this year--a band. We were all told to bring an instrument to play in the band. I'll be bringing my cowbell. Then back to where we started on Sunday. We all go out to eat and to a farm stand (with petting zoo) before heading home. It should be a blast.

So, Fly Right will be closed Friday-Monday. I'll be there regular hours next week, all sunburned and bug bitten and happy.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Allison M. of Berwyn on winning the raffle for the free Melissa and Doug puzzle! I'm sure her daughters will enjoy it for years to come. (her older daughter, Piper, was the little girl in the desk on the newspaper website back in July). Thanks to everyone who entered, and came by to help us celebrate the neighborhood anniversaries!

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign

Good news! I have a professional window sign now! It looks great! Now I just have to get George The Landlord to replace the wood on the front of the building (under the window) and I can paint the exterior. I want to get an awning above the door/window to hide a multitude of issues, too. As money comes in, I'll do that. . .




Since I had the camera at work with me, I took some product pictures, too. Here's the Gulpy Water Bottle in action (thanks to Callie the pooch and her family for buying it and letting me take her picture)!



And here's the greatest little toddler hat for Fall from Idle Hands Workshop--all the cool kids in Berwyn will be sporting one:

Window photos--Time for School!

These are going from right to left across the front. Nursery, Obedience, and Art School. . .





Then Beauty and Cooking School, and finally the Correspondence Course, which of course has no lunch tray. . .

Then we have the teacher figure in her lovely Berwyn Tshirt and paper skirt. . . You can see the train reflected in the window.

We all scream for ice cream!

We have a few events going on in the Depot District this week. Tomorrow is the last car show (aka Cruise Nite). I have my dip chiller ready, and I'll be serving up some delicious dips with chips and carrots.

Saturday (and here is the relevant ice cream reference)August 23rd the neighborhood merchants are celebrating the anniversaries of Exquisite Revisit (antiques) and Over the Rainbow (ice cream). There will be a sidewalk chalk drawing contest for kids all along Windsor Avenue. The Fillmore Used Book Store will have half price books (from August 21-24). Mary Memories (antiques) will have free coffee and sweet rolls from 10-noon, plus a 10% discount on purchases. Exquisite Revisit is playing the Oreo game--you pick an Oreo (they're fake cookies from an old game) and open it to reveal your discount from 10-25% off. I'll be having a free gift with purchase over $20. The Windsor Cigar Depot has 10% off cigars (for the grown ups) and Over The Rainbow will be dishing up free ice cream for the kids between 1 and 2 o'clock (birthday cake flavor--I tried it, and it's good!). Then at 2, they have a magician performing. I will also be raffling off a Melissa and Doug puzzle--just come in and enter--I'll email you if you win. And yes, by entering you agree to be on my email list. *insert evil laughter here*

The Open Market (formerly known as the Farmer's Market) will be held, as usual, in the parking lot on Grove Ave. just North of Windsor from 8am-noon. What a busy day! There is also a street fair on Roosevelt Road by Fitzgerald's Nightclub with bands, food, and "green" vendors. I couldn't swing (i.e. coerce anyone to help me with this) a booth at it, but I'm hoping to head up there after I close to catch C.J. Chenier and grab a beer.

Back to School (window)

I have recently redone the front window of the store. It's almost time for kids to go back to school, so that's the theme for August. Since I don't really sell school supplies, I had to get creative with the theme. . . I found some old school lunch trays at the thrift store, so I made each of them into a little showcase of products that I sell, with a corresponding school name added to highlight them. Here are the trays/themes/products:

Nursery School: things for babies--toys, bibs, clothing
Obedience School: dog and cat toys and treats
Cooking School: foodstuffs and kitchen things
Beauty School: bath and body products
Art School: handmade jewelry, hair bows, coasters, candles

I only had 5 trays, so on the side I did a little "Correspondence Course" with note cards and office supplies, and "Play School" with some toys and puzzles scattered around.

Some of the items fit on the trays better than others, but I think it's a cute idea. I also put the little school desk in the window and the dress form is the "teacher" wearing my new T shirt. It says, "Ich Bin Ein Berwyner" and has JFK on it (yes, that's definitely a local product)! I just got a delivery from Sheriff Peanut which consisted of handmade bibs and screen printed onesies for babies, and the aforementioned T shirts for adults. It's all really cute stuff--thanks, Norah!

Other new things that have come in are MORE TOYS from Melissa and Doug (check out their wooden sushi slicing set) and Lauri toys (made in the USA from non-toxic rubber). I remember the Lauri toys from when I was a kid. I still kinda wanna put 'em in my mouth. . .

Shop for the Good

I was recently contacted by (and featured on) a blog called Shop for the Good. He really provides a great service--checking out companies and ways to make your internet (and regular) shopping experience easier and more socially responsible. I think that services like that will help "this green thing" take off even faster. I can tell just by talking to my customers that using natural products and buying things that are recyclable/recycled/local, etc. is important to them, it's just that they don't always have the time (or motivation) to do the research. You can link to that blog at the bottom of my page or by clicking on the title of this post.

I know that Oprah Winfrey has had a lot on her show about natural stuff lately (a customer told me so, so it must be true!). Many of my suppliers have mentioned that Oprah loves their products (Sunfeather Soaps and Pacifica are two of them). Although I am located near Oprah, she has yet to come into my store. (hint, hint, O, if you're reading this, come on over!) Oprah has a very wide audience, and from what I can tell, they think her word is gospel (and it sounds like she's preaching my language!). I think it's great that somebody with her demographic reach is on board with people like me. It's kind of funny to think that I have something in common with Oprah (besides living in Illinois and bathing).

Baby, it's hot outside. . .

. . .but I'm getting together my orders for holiday merchandise! It's really hard to look at Santa all bundled up when it's 90 degrees out, but that's what I've been doing. I have some great things in mind for the Christmas/Winter season. I have already gotten in some adorable Christmas/holiday cards. Don't worry, I won't put them out until around Thanksgiving--I'm not Walmart, you know! And for the kids, I have a Rudolph puzzle that is soo cute! The holiday table cloths, napkins, and dish towels are great vintage reproductions that I can't wait to see in person! I even got some holiday-themed dip chillers for your party hosting pleasure.

On Saturday I had a surprise visit from some hometown friends who were passing through on their way to Detroit. Milly is one of my crafting idols, and she brought me a little dress she made from a vintage hankie, and she showed me how to make them. She said she decorated a whole Christmas tree with them one year and it looked amazing (my mom confirmed this). So if I get my craft on, you will be able to see some in my store (and maybe buy them, depending on how I do. . .). I can't wait to get started on them--the Readers Digest trees are getting boring, but the forest is growing!


If any of you have old issues lying around, I'd be happy to recycle them for you. I might have a little seminar in the store to show people how to make Christmas decorations out of things they'd normally throw away. I'm not much of a teacher, but I'd be willing to give it a try!