End of Summer Sale

ESS_socialWhile I must admit, fall is my favorite season, especially in New England, I can’t believe Summer is over!! Every year I say it fly’s by faster and faster ( I feel old saying that). Labor day does mark the end of this beloved time for most, it also marks sales weekend!!!

Stella and Dot of course is doing one of their own – 25% off all SALE items!! Check out a few of my favs 🙂

Check out the rest of the sale items at www.stelladot.com/brandcheerleder .

 

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The Art of Lettering

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Last week I had the pleasure of taking my first calligraphy class with the uber talented Liz of Calligraphy Boston. I arrived at her South Street studio to a table set up with individual place settings, instruction cards, pens,  name cards and goodie bags for each student. Her adorable office felt like a real life Pinterest board, she had examples of her work all over her walls, I couldn’t wait to get started! After a brief overview and show and tell we got right to work on – with small class sizes you get the perfect amour of 1-1 attention and work time.

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I learned so much I couldn’t possibly tell you all of it without being boring and certainly not doing the class justice.

She explained:

  • each letter has hairlines and — lines (thick and thin) and they are created by using different amounts of pressure on the pen
  • you must sit with the paper at 45 degree angel and your elbow on the table
  • its hard, you have to practice, a ton

Liz was such a good teacher, she had us trace the letters on the worksheets and told us the more you do this the better you will get for more than the obvious for muscle memory and equipped us with take home papers with numbered strokes. One of the best parts I just have to mention is the ridiculous amount if goodies you get to take home and practice with – the pen, ink, paper, pre cut cards to make things with – none of which I knew about before! If you want to take Liz class just click over to her website and pick a date – its as easy as that!

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Its all in the details

I hate to admit but growing up in a town just outside of Brimfield Ma with a mother who couldn’t collect enough antiques (which I considered junk), she would pull over on on any road if she saw a sign with furnature on the lawn, all I remember is thinking you are going to kill me with embarrassment…  I was a bit jaded to just how cool some of the pieces you can find really are.

Fast Forward to me at 25… I am in an apartment in Boston with my BFFL + I am finally ready to start purchasing things here and there that I will have for a long time. My friend Lauren, an interior designer with the most amazing eye had a white hutch in her small apmt that she used for her tv and storage underneath. I was desperate for something like it! Naturally the next time I was home I told Memre what I was looking for, before I knew it she had canceled dinner plans and we were on the hunt. After about 5 stores I came across this beauty:

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So, what do I do… wait another week till black friday + then purchase at $100 less than the asking price + beg good Ole Pepe to help a sister out + bring this piece back to Beantown.

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It fits perfect in our large (very large for the Northend) living room with brick walls. The details are my favorite, I feel like such an adult actually investing in something other than IKEA.

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Design Salon: You’re always selling

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I attended the design salon at twelve chairs this week with my friend molly in an attempt to get molly the kick in the butt she needs to apply to designs school and selfishly to finally meet the gorg Erin Gates of Elements of Style (while also trying to invite people to the Bona Clara launch party).

Erin and her amazing hubby Andrew discussed the sales side of business. He touched on a few key points:

  • you don’t have to sell to everyone
  • let the customer lead the convo – everyone loves talking about themselves
  • be confident in your product (even if thats you)
  • read marketing books not sales ones

Over all be genuine and caring. Develop a relationship with your potential customer and figure out how you can help them. It was a great discussion but I cant help but mention their chemistry. They are just perfect! Balance each other out perfectly, Erin is a self proclaimed, insecure, pessimistic, worrywart and Andrew its an optimistic, confident, sales man.

I left Monday evening with an extra pep in my step. Knowing I really can do anything I want and I will blog till I get there (and after)… not that I even know what I want really… I cant wait for the next design salon!!