This weekend is the official start of the holiday season in our house. On Sunday morning,
we will attend a little Swedish Christmas fair in Montclair, New Jersey, as we have every year since our children were very little. You can read more about it here, in a post written in 2007. These lovely ladies dressed in authentic costume come out to greet us at the beginning of the event, and it is just a so fun time for us. It always puts me in the spirit of the holidays.
This week, I have been surprisingly reflective on the closing of my store, Black Eyed Susan's kitchen. It has been several years now, and I always thought that in time, I would detach and forget all about it...however, I am finding my feelings are quite
bittersweet right now, as the sign says. I thought, perhaps, you might like to see a little of what Black Eyed Susan's Kitchen looked like, so here are some pictures.
The front window was a favorite display area...especially at holiday time. Imagine, a pink shiny brite wreath in the window, backed by twinkling lights...it was magical.
The store consisted of three rooms.
In the front room there was a hutch full of bags made by Suzy and Beth. There was also this
hand painted, vintage black hutch which now resides in a local century home. I always stocked a mixture of vintage tableware (milk glass, silver, aluminum, dishware) and new items made by vendors like Two's Company.
The back room was filled with vintage linens. Lots of vintage linens,
and hand painted signs. One of the original artists to supply the store with signs was Carolee Clark. To say that her signs were a favorite of my customers would be an understatement.
I sold handmade pottery, and there was always a corner reserved for pink.
It made me smile when I would hear someone walk in the front door, focus on the pink corner and let out a loud sigh.
It was the type of place that would have made me happy, and I thought others would love it as well...and they did.
A month does not go by when someone will come up to me at the local market, or on the street, or most recently in my doctors office, and tell me how much they miss my store.
My answer is always the same...I do too...especially at this time of year. Like everything else, this feeling of nostalgia will pass, and I will move on to other projects. After all, the "what once was" is what makes us who we are today.
Thank you for indulging my bittersweet moment, and now it will be time to get on with the holiday decorating and festivities. Melissa at The Inspired Room is having a Holiday Linky party on Friday's. Go over and see how others get into the holiday spirit.
♥, Susan