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In the meantime

While still awaiting the new iMac/POS/ecommerce setup, I started a little tumblr blog.  Its called Still Life Musings and its focus is design, music, and any assortment of things that have caught my eye, but aren’t necessarily directly related to the store (although sometimes they will be).   I’m constantly bookmarking and saving photos and whatnots from my travels across the intertubes and decided I needed a place to put it all, and share!

There will be a link to it over there ——>

But in the meantime, head over HERE and see what sort of musings I’ve been collecting.

Look at all the pretty pretties!

aka Hey look!  I took new pictures of the store and the merchandise!

The store is incredibly well stocked for the holidays and everything is just looking so great right now, I’m quite pleased.  I’ve posted the whole lot of new photos in the Flickr photoset (they’re at the end of the group edit: just figured out how to reorder the photos in the photoset so the new ones are at the beginning, that’s me, hurtling right into 2006!) but here are a few highlights of products I’m especially loving right now.

***woodland critter ornaments by roost***

***ceramic bird box by jonathan adler***

***amazing blue pottery vases by roost (these totally remind me of vintage west german pottery)***

***i am not a paper cup***

***handmade pottery wine stoppers from sicily and silicone wine tags by modern twist (these would make a great hostess gift with a bottle of wine!)***

***candles by skeem (just 2 of the 8 options in the store right now, and the beautiful glass is reusable after the candle is gone) and owl salt and pepper shakers***

***a little bit of everything (notice a theme happening, hoot hoot)***

***handmade nation DVD and companion book***

***shoshona snow’s amazing work***

and really, that’s just the beginning.  It is so fun to be surrounded by so many beautiful objects and inspiring books everyday I’m in the store.

And as always, any of these items can be shipped and I’m happy to do a purchase over the phone or via email.  Just email me at stilllifemercantile at gmail dot com or give us a call at 845-679-5172 between 11-6.  We’re open everyday between now and Christmas eve.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season!

Hello again lovely Design*Sponge readers!!

What a joy to see the wonderfully put together Hudson Valley guide posted on Design*Sponge today!  I had been thinking for quite some time that our neck of the woods was about due for a D*S guide and I’m so thrilled that Raina Kattelson took on the not-small task, and did it beautifully.  I was also honored and surprised to see that Still Life was included in the Woodstock list of shops to check out.   This also couldn’t have come at a better time with Holiday shopping season now in full effect.

Also, this Friday, December 4th is the Annual Woodstock Holiday Open House from noon-9pm.  Shops will be open late and there are tons of events and promotions planned all over town.  The shops also participate in a holiday window decorating contest so there should be plenty of eye candy to get everyone in the festive holiday spirit.  Stop by for some hot cocoa or a glass of wine Friday and feel a little warmer and fuzzier this season knowing that by doing your holiday shopping at independent shops you’re helping to support and sustain local small businesses and helping to keep the indie dream alive!

image above via design*sponge

Coming soon…

So I know I promised a full ecommerce site by October and to post more frequently.  I have failed on both counts and feel terrible for doing so.  However, the reason for the delay on the ecommerce site is that I’m holding out on building the site until I have a full POS (point-of-sale) system in place for the store.  What this means is that once the site is up and running, it will be fully integrated with the retail location in terms of inventory management.  The initial plan had been to build a site through bigcartel.com and manage all my inventory manually.  However, the major drawback to this plan was that every single in store transaction would require then going into the bigcartel interface and updating the inventory numbers to avoid overselling an item (airlines may be cool with overselling seats, but I’m not down with overselling merch).  So, I’m not 100% sure that this will all happen before the holidays.  Its a relatively big undertaking for me and includes choosing the POS system (which shouldn’t be too tough since there are only like, 2 for Mac), getting every item entered into the system and then for the website, photographing each item and finding someone to create the graphics for the site.

So all I can say at this point is that hopefully in the next couple of months all of these things will happen and I’ll have a fully functioning website and inventory system.  In the meantime, if you’ve been in the store and saw something that you loved or thought someone else would love but didn’t buy at the time, email me at stilllifemercantile@gmail.com and we can arrange for the item to be shipped to you or your loved one.

Wishing everyone a very Happy Turkey Day!  And I promise to keep everyone posted on the progress of the site and shop.

Welcome Design*Sponge and Lonny Magazine readers!

I had a very lovely surprise today while perusing one of my all-time favorite design blogs Design*Sponge.  Over the summer, Grace Bonney, bloggetrix extraordinaire, was in the shop and bought a vintage red ceramic horse head lamp.  It was one of my favorite vintage finds and I was so thrilled so have someone who’s work and home I admire so much take it home with her.

This is why it was an extra thrill to see her post about a new online shelter magazine, Lonny, and some shots from the feature they did on her Brooklyn apartment in their premier issue.  And, even better, a gorgeous shot featuring Mr. Red Horse Lamp himself in a place of honor next to the sofa!

I haven’t had a chance to pour over all of the loveliness that Lonny has to offer, but I will say that so far, it looks like it may just fill the hole in my heart that was left when Domino was closed.  The photo above is on page 130 and a feature of the online magazine format that I’m loving is the roll-over for resource info feature.  Kind of like rolling over a photo in Flickr and seeing comments people have made.  Rolling over the lamp in the photo pops up a link to my site, and if that’s how you found me, Hi there!!  I’m thrilled you popped over to see what my little shop is all about!

I’m in the process of putting together a full ecommerce site, but in the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, you can email me at stilllifemercantile at gmail.com.

Now, back to virtually flipping through Lonny for a few minutes before picking up Indian take out for dinner, yum!

photo via design*sponge

“a reservoir of ideas and feelings…”

I’m in the planning stages of some major styling changes in my living and store environments.  The store is getting a mini-makeover in the next few weeks.  Nothing that involves hiring a contractor or anything, but some additional display areas and a few decorative/installation ideas that I’m playing around with.  The “bones” of the store are all there, now its time to start styling her up a little bit.

As far as my home environment goes, we’ve been mid-kitchen renovation for pretty much the entire summer so a major goal is to get the finishing touches on that.  I’ve decided that its also time to shake things up a bit.  We’ve had pretty much the same furniture/layout/color scheme going on since we bought our house 7 years ago and while I love certain elements, its definitely time for some updating.  New changes, new energy, new ideas.

SO, with all those thoughts and ideas floating around in my head, not to mention the tear sheets I pull for inspiration and little trial layouts and sketches I jot down furiously in a fit of inspiration, I need a place to put them all.  My Moleskine notebooks that I’ve been keeping in my bag for the last year or so have been my favorite in an endless string of journals and notebooks I’ve kept for who knows how long.  I started selling Moleskine’s in the store when I opened in the new location.  I love how happy it makes fellow Moleskine users when they see the little selection of them in the store.  A new journal of any kind holds with it the promise of endless possibilities, but a new Moleskine is somehow a little extra magical.

The hardcover style have a pocket in the back for stashing little bits of ephemera (I also use the pocket to stash business cards which at trade shows is a life-saver), a bookmark ribbon and an elastic strap to keep everything contained.  I also have the softcover version which come 2 to a pack and in those lovely pinks and blues and greens you see in that picture right up there.

This line from the insert that comes in every Moleskine and tells the story of the notebook’s place in the creative make up of society as well as the history of its manufacture for the past two centuries really summed up the sentiment nicely:

“To capture reality on the move, pin down details, impress upon paper unique aspects of experience: Moleskine is a reservoir of ideas and feelings, a battery that stores discoveries and perceptions, and whose energy can be tapped over time.”

Well said, little black notebook makers, well said.

And don’t even get me started on the calendars they make (I’ve got some pretty awesome 2010 ones in the store as well).

Not making any promises…

but I am making a personal commitment to return to blogging and toward the goal of having a full ecommerce site for the store rolling in the next 6-8 weeks.  This first 4 (almost 5!) months in the new location have been amazing and have only helped to reinforce the goals and plans I have for this venture of mine.  The feedback has been incredible, and though constructive criticism can sometimes be a bit of a bitter pill to swallow (I know, I’m working on getting more merchandise in the store, I have a long term plan going on here!) I’m grateful for all of the comments and compliments.

I’ve been spending these last few months really focusing on the physical presence of the store.  And while its not exactly where I envision it, it is getting closer and closer.  This focus has meant that the online presence, whether it just be this little bloggy thing or a full-blown ecommerce site, has taken a backseat.  It also means that I have not been making as much jewelry as I had been, which quite frankly, was the catalyst for opening this retail venture to begin with.   What I have done is made some amazing connections with people on a face-to-face level and have really gotten a sense of what works and what doesn’t work quite as well in the brick and mortar environment.

Now that the business has been open for a full year (between the two locations) I feel like I can move into the next phase of things.  I’ve found my stride, I see how to keep this business financially sound while still staying true to my vision and now I’m willing and able to push forward.  This means being able to remerchandise the store in a way that will more wholly reflect the environment I’m looking to create.  While I’m incredibly proud of what I’ve created so far, I have a vision of how much more amazing it can be.

Some really incredible opportunities have presented themselves in the last few weeks and I hope to follow through with them and in turn benefit the store and its physical and online presence (which is coming, I SWEAR!).

So, I guess what I’m trying to say in way too many words is, stay tuned, please keep checking back and if you’ve been into the store and were hoping to find a full scale ecommerce site where you can buy all the amazing things I’ve curated from far and wide, please email me at info AT stilllifemercantile dot com and ask to be put on the mailing list so I can update you when the awesomeness happens.

Thank you…and good night. xoxo

GRAND OPENING PARTY!!!

I hope you can all make it this Saturday for the “official” grand opening party in the new location at 3 Mill Hill Road in Woodstock (MAP HERE).

From 4-8pm this Saturday 4/4 there will be cupcakes by local baking company Tess Cake and champagne will be flowing AND there will be 10% off storewide (and keep in mind, there are still some clothing styles on sale that have moved up from the 40 Mill Hill Road location, those will be an ADDITIONAL 10% off!).

For anyone familiar with Woodstock, its the former Tails location and just at the top of the hill near the village green. Parking is in the municipal lot off of Rock City Road.

Bring your friends, and spread the word! I’m looking forward to a fun evening to show off the new digs and meet and mingle with all of you amazingly awesome people!!!

And please email me at stilllifemercantile@gmail.com with any questions or for directions!

Oh, and the store will be open at 11am on Saturday, but the cupcakes and champagne won’t arrive until 4pm, so plan accordingly :-)

Now Open at 3 Mill Hill Road

That’s right folks, the new location is open for business.  I’m going to let the photos speak for themselves right now.  We’re still in soft opening mode, but the official grand opening is planned for April 4th, with details to come…

clothing, pillows, center table

looking in from the front

left hand display wall

display window

Right Brain Terrain posters and Suddenly Its Real Mustache key rack

fitting rooms, clothing and center table

back wall and fitting rooms

A momentous occasion

via Chronogram, via Nervous System

via Chronogram, via Nervous System

Still Life Mercantile has received its first tag in a magazine!  Now this might not sound like much, but being in this retail circus for quite some time, this is a very big deal to me!

HERE is the article online, the print version is by far more beautiful, but nevertheless, any way you read it, its an awesome feature of an awesome line by two awesome people in an awesome magazine and I’m incredibly grateful to have the store mentioned.

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