The word on the street — that is, the aisles here at the show — is business is picking up. All the showrooms are claiming they are seeing better sales and positive attitudes than the January show. Well, I certainly did my part to contribute to the upswing! Hopefully the fall will bring the same kind of changes to Michigan. I ran into lots of store owners from the Lower Penninsula who were just as excited as I’ve been over finding new products, placing orders, and bringing new goodies to you, our loyal customers. Our fingers are crossed.

Ready to see what I found for you today?

Design Legacy out of Dallas, TX makes all those cool hooks I’ve been carrying, including the numbered hand hooks and the elephant hooks. I ordered lots and lots of new styles for you….bunny’s, clowns, tarot cards….along with some precious circus-themed objects and wall hangings. I’m totally into elephants these days…go figure….which I’m also sharing with you. Cute huh?

I found more cute homegoods from Park Hill, a Little Rock, Arkansas showroom that creates charming vintage reproduction pieces. Start getting excited over the green mirrors, rustic birdhouses, primitive bin box, and hand painted bunny rabbits on wooden plaques. I am!

I always enjoy seeing Ian Nicholas at this show. Seeing all his work displayed together is a breath of fresh air….and sweet air at that. Atlanta GA-based, Ian has come up with more of his dear wisdom plaques and little art pendants and magnets in time for fresh holiday shopping (yes, we are already planning for the crazed holiday season). And at recession-era prices. Thank you Ian!

I had a great time in the Peddler’s Home Design booth. Based out of Honey Brook PA, they come up with fabulous retro home goods that make you want to be whisked back to the ’40′s, living in a little cottage with dirt floors and bare lightbulbs. Ah, the 21st century: we can evoke that feeling with reproductions from days past. Here’s a gaggle of worker bees from the company, after we had a good laugh over……was it something I said?

A highlight today was getting to see my friend Emily Sugihara pushing her wares in the show. Her business is very familiar to y’all: Baggu Bags. Emily has been hard at work…she’s come up with a new shopping tote made from recycled cotton duck and new Baggu colors to spice up your life and holiday shopping. Born and raised in Southern California, Emily graduated from U of M in Ann Arbor (her parents did too!), then studied fashion design in NYC, which led her to creating the brilliant biz she and her mom, Joan, began not too many years ago. I’m proud of her and looking forward to your struggling over even more colors to choose from!

Let’s see….what else?

* Red Chair Studios Christine Herron from Rhode Island hand dyes and sews the luscious silk scarves I’ve been carrying for several years. Last xmas season I had to reorder four times in December, they sold so well! And with good reason. They really are beautiful and priced well for a handmade piece of wearable art. She has new colors and a brand new velvet silk trimmed collars. Really really REALLY beautiful! Just for you.

* A brand new title from Patrick McDonnell titled Wag…..another sweet story featuring Mutts, with a new friend named Earl. Plus a holiday-packaged edition of The Gift of Nothing.

* Bow Wow and Meow, the somewhat comprehensive books of dog and cat names from Faye Passow (y’all loved her Demerit Badges and refrigerator magnet’s Choose Your Disaster and Choose Your Fantasy.)

* Cavallini Papers (who manufacture gorgeous paper products in San Francisco): very pretty packaging of pretty stickers…great grab and go gifts.

* A birdcage rubberstamp set from a new design company Yellow Owl Workshop based out of SF, CA.

* Dear little story picture pillows from Stoneheart from Cotuit, MA. Peoms and story’s with little drawings….another sweet gift item.

OK! That’s enough! The rest will be surprises when they arrive! Now I can report that I am DONE with the show, completed in record time. I get a little R&R today in Queens with a friend and then home to Lucy and back to work!

Let me know how I did! Are you looking foward to all these new goodies? I sure am!