My Window Display

As I mentioned in my last blog post "Post Christmas House Tour," I wanted to share one of my latest adventures. I have dreamed of owning a home decor store for years, heck for decades. I think one of the things I would enjoy about the store is setting it all up, putting displays together. I recently had an "a ha" moment. I have such a hard time explaining my passion - I feel like some people just don't get me. So the other day my daughter was explaining her passion about her sketchbook, how it is part of her, it is her work, she carries it every where. Her pallet is her sketchbook and her medium is Copic markers. I am an artist just like my daughter - my work is not a sketchbook but a room or a home or in this case a window. My medium is not a sketchbook but many 3D things such as furniture, lamps, trays, candlesticks, wooden boxes, garlands etc. etc. etc. That is why I practically have a warehouse in my attic - as I am putting my "art work" together, I need many 3D options (types of chairs, vases, garlands etc.) to put it together. That is the fun of it. To some people, I may seem materialistic, that I am out of control, but to me I am just acquiring pieces for my art - sometimes I know where they will go, sometimes I don't. And I really could care less where I scramble to get all the pieces - I am not above dumpster diving or Goodwill. Frankly, the cheaper it is, the more the thrill. Enough explaining that analogy.

We have kicked around the store option a bunch. We now live in center city Allentown and a store downtown certainly would be convenient. It also serves a larger purpose of helping the city to revitalize. Allentown needs more retailers. I keep sensing the timing is not right. I do work as a high value residential realtor and it does keep me busy. Not to say it will never happen, but the door does not seem to be open yet. I believe that God has a purpose for each of us, but I do believe that the right thing in the wrong time is still the wrong thing. I believe that if he wants me to have a store, it will happen, it will be his clear leading. My husband Dave and I both will be involved in the many aspects of opening and running a store. If God calls us to open one, he will provide what we both need in order to do it, be it time, be it financial resources.

I am going somewhere with this I promise. I share this backstory because this window display is a blessing from God. I am able to sort of dip my toe into retail by just doing a window. It is basically a 3D advertisement for my design business and a place I can announce any upcoming events. I have a pop-up store idea brewing for this Spring/Summer, but that is for another blog post. God is allowing me to be fulfilled by doing one of what I believe would be my favorite parts of retail. God is good!

Soooo, I thought it would be fun to share some pictures from it....

Here is the historical Americus Hotel that has been shut down for many many years. It has been undergoing restoration for several years now. The Americus is open for events but the hotel rooms are not yet open. My window display space is at the corner there - here it is closer up.

I picked up these fence pieces for FREE this summer while I was doing a yard sale tour. I had no idea what I was going to use them for! People probably think this is crazy - why would I grab these fences?! This is a perfect example of acquiring things for some future "art" that I was unaware of at the time! I also believe God had me assembling pieces for the window display before I was aware of it :). I painted these white and you will see them in my window display.

Here are many pictures of the window - during the daytime, at nighttime...

The set of 3 theater seats are from the symphony half a block away. I painstakenly painted the iron and sprayed the seats and then decided to add the grainsack detail. I will have to blog about that project sometime!

Today, I had the joy of switching the window over to a New Years theme. That is where the creativity comes in that I enjoy so much. I thought clocks, antique clock faces and that is what I went with! Next blog I will post some pictures with the new theme. I was in the window today and someone one walks up and takes a picture - one of my husband, David's, best friends just happened to be walking by! How funny is that! Isn't it appropriate that I am wearing my favorite La Lu Roe Eiffel Tower leggings that a dear friend sent me for Christmas!

I spy a clock face!