~ ~ ~  ! ! !  S   *  O  *   L *    D  ! ! !  ~ ~ ~ ~

For two and a half years, I've been waiting for those four little letters to appear in front of my house.   Three realtors, 104 house cleanings, and 912.5 days of living in the shadow of a possible showing later ... in rode Curtis Semenza from Prudential Montana on his white horse.  He single handedly save me from real estate hell.   Curtis didn't really ride a white horse, but he might as well have.

At this point, I thought I had the super ugliest, most undesirable, un-sellable two bedroom home in the world.  My house, I’m sure, was feeling the same frustration.  Curtis must have sensed this to be the case so he started by administering the tough love treatment to mend our house/owner relationship.  I protested, but Curtis ordered that every corner of my home be touched, cleaned, reconditioned, spiffed, fluffed and shined.  When I thought it was good enough, he inspected ... and we did it again.   Just a little bit more polish was added until finally, Curtis was convinced that my house was the shiniest penny in state.  I believed it too!  It was beautiful, and I loved my house again.

I moved out (just so it stayed all nice and spiffy), and Curtis worked his magic.   Well, once again, it wasn’t really magic, but rather it was Curtis’s professional, attentive and committed approach to his job that actually sold my house.  Curtis believes that Real Estate is still a business best done face to face and his results are proof.   Within three weeks, I had two offers - both above asking price.   He found my house a real owner.

Don’t worry,  this is a GREAT thing for Echo Home Furnishings and I’m not going anywhere ... ever ..

but  lets just leave this Friday note to say --- in this age of  foreclosures, investors, renters, short sales, virtual tours and all the harshities of home sales -- we still need real people to sell our homes, buy our homes, cherish our homes and build our neighborhoods.    I am so, so happy that I took the time to find and work with Curtis and that he found my house a new owner who will live in it, love it and care for it just as much as I have.

AND ... It goes without saying, the same principles apply to furniture, but of course!!

Top o’ the mornin’ to ya!

And here we go ... rolling into another St. Patty’s Day.  A bright green spot in the otherwise zillion day, gray month of March.

My heritage is a blend of many things - not Irish.  Regardless, I will probably drink a green beer and tip a cup to Tommy the Leprechaun.  Remember him?

In the early 80’s when I was in college I had a job working the box office for summer theater in Caras Park.  Sometimes,  a guy wearing green tights, a dirty green smock, pointy shoes and a makeshift top hat would dance through our turf.  When I saw him coming, I would duck and hide.  I figured that anyone wearing that kind of getup was probably up to no good.   Besides, a smart, sporty, sophisticated college girl like me really had no business messing around with leprechauns.

Well,  as it turns out ... no good was not a part of Tommy’s agenda.  Oh what I would give to have just one more encounter with him.   It seems that Tommy the Leprechaun was the guy with all the wishes and his deal was to grant a wish and a song to anyone who might need it on any particular day.   

Today --- I ran across his Facebook page .... 

http://www.facebook.com/AKA.Tommy.The.Leprechaun

Scroll down a bit and you will find his business card.   There you go .... my gift to you this St. Pattys day .... an authentic wish from an authentic Leprechaun.  Please only take one and enjoy the magic of one of Missoula's long lost characters.  

Happy St. Patty’s weekend everyone!

Jennifer and Duncan - Echo echo - Home Furnishings Worth Repeating

Also --- 10% off all the green stuff in my shop on March 17th.

Pinterest Interest!

What’s with all this interest in Pintrest??

You know, Pintrest ...  the new princess of social media.

It’s kind of like sitting with your imaginary friend, looking through magazines and saying “look,  I like this ... I like that ... let's tear out this idea and put it on our bulletin board for all our friends to see!”   Then all your friends see it and say  ... I “Like” it too, and they take it off your bulletin board and put it on theirs!

What a great concept for a idea junkie girl like me!

I first heard about it from a couple of friends and customers ... then I found out that for this exclusive club, I needed an invite.    I put on my nicest party dress,  tried to act all designer / blogger - ish when I went to the “ask to be invited” button .... and then I waited.  Okay ... I’ll admit ... while I was biding my time ... I kind of peeked at the site and even tip toed around a couple of peoples boards ... but I was very quiet and just watched nicely until I received my invitation to join .

Finally, the e-mail came through that I was accepted!  I got all signed up,  got my bulletin boards all ready... then I FROZE.   Can’t think of even one thing to pin to my bulletin boards.  I mean ... the boards are out there in full sight for everyone to see and comment and critique and share.  There sits mine ... at a loss for anything clever.   Go look .... see for yourself   http://pinterest.com/echohome/

Duncan thinks we should just  go back to the old fashioned way of idea hunting, where we sit on the couch, I peruse and he sleeps ... but ... progress happens!   Meanwhile ... it's Friday ... go sneak a peek at Pintrest for yourself!   It's fun ... AND  it will be just fine with your boss ...

Ma'am Caves!!

When Duncan and I are in a pickle and all booked up with “other” obligations, we sometimes call in the third string and Dad takes a shift or two at the shop.  His brand of customer service is to report the news, the facts, to know basic information and most importantly, to know who to call for what.   With decisions regarding design, decorating, color, texture and “Does this go with that?” ... he is mostly non- committal and you’re pretty much on your own.

That’s why I was fairly non-plussed when he decided to get in on the action and be the first to announce the new thing in decorating.   He had just reviewed the 2012 Old Farmers Almanac and learned that “women caves” are trending! 

While I gave Dad a dose of his own medicine and acted non-committal and uninterested .... I quickly ran to my trusty Mac to check out the facts.   Indeed, we have a “Ma’am Cave Revolution” on our hands!

The idea (while still in it’s infancy)  seems to be ... Take a room, any room ... make it bold, make it beautiful, make it fun, make it fancy and make it yours.  Your special place where you are in charge ... where you don’t ask permission, you don’t seek advise or approval, and you don’t have to share or compromise on anything!  Decorate it however you want ... as long as you follow your heart!   Here is a fun site to check out and get a feel for how these woman cave deals work ... http://laurieraphaeldesign.com/2010/11/enter-the-woman-cave/

Here is my contribution to this fun new trend ..... a 10% discount off of this leopard skin occasional desk (which clearly belongs in a ma’am cave) to the first woman who plunks down the money and says that she read it here first!   

Also --- my contribution to the trend ... If you come into my shop and say “I have to ask my husband” .... you WILL be DINGED!  

Oh and one more thing  --- if you need a fun lamp - they are still 10% off!   Every last one of them.  

Happy “Cave Fever” ladies!!

Bird Dogs, Birds and Mom's incredible Christmas Tree!

I know ... it sounds like another scrambled Friday note - but hold on, in just a second it will all make sense.

Bird Dogs ---  Mine  --- (he is really more of a furniture dog, but his breed is a bird dog - so we’ll go with that).  He turned four on Winter Solstice!   Happy Birthday Duncan, my friend!

Birds -- My grandmother passed over in September.  One of Grandma's passions (aside from second hand stores), was birds.  It is kind of weird, but lately, birds have been appearing in my family’s life in every way shape and form.  Bird cages, a whole city worth of bird houses, and two little cut out birds recently appeared mysteriously in my shop.   Dad’s six chickens started laying beautiful green eggs (five of them so far), and Mom’s bird theme Christmas tree is more lovely than ever this year.

The tree is kind of a collaborative effort.

Dad, being an ex- Forest Ranger has the job of  securing the proper United States Forest Service permits and licenses, then journeying forth into the woods to choose the perfect tree configuration - one for real and remnants for back up.  Not too many limbs,  not too few.  Not too young, not too old, about 1.75” in circumference and roughly 5.2 feet tall.  Needles must be securely attached, a little bit soft, but held together on a strong steadfast branch.  While Mom always orders - “Just pick up a Charlie Brown tree” .. we all know better.  Tree selection is a science and lucky for Mom, she has a credentialed, permitted scientist on the job!

Once in her possession ... the magic begins.  An odd collection of ribbons, bells, lavender, wheat, grass and cat tails, puppets, bird cages, eggs, balls, lights and of course ... millions of birds ...  all sit on the floor next to the tree ready to find their place.  To the inexperienced onlooker,  it might appear that mom is preparing to build a bird refuge.  Hours ... Hours ... Hours ... of ribbon flying, lights blinking, bird, egg and grass ornaments perching here and there .... and finally ... the masterpiece is unveiled.

I am proud to present .... Mom’s magnificent “bird tree” ... inspired this year by grandma, (I think),  Merry Christmas little birdies!

Bits and Pieces and Random Updates

Okay, okay, okay ....   NOW!

NOW we can start to make our lists and begin to start thinking about the holidays ...

Duncan and I decided that this years “biggest shopping day of the year” drawing give away is going to be a lamp!  Surprise!!!   We’ve been working to customize this one, but it still needs a little something.  We keep applying coats and coats of red paint, and eventually it will look just great!

Our “40% off small stuff to make room for fall stuff” sale continues - but it can’t go on forever.  Fall is almost over - so technically, it is our Fall vendibles that should be wrapping up to make room for holiday fashion.  Regardless, hurry in and look over our sale room.  At very least, you are bound to find a special stocking stuffer, a great white elephant gift or that little pick me up for yourself.

We are shaking, moving and pushing stuff around in preparation for a new “pretty big” shipment of really cool stuff due in sometime this month.  We’re not sure when, but we are ready!!

And finally, this year we acquired three artificial Christmas trees in our consignment line so we're busy trying to figure out how to decorate three trees using nothing but items from our 40% off room!   Wow!

Happy Friday Everyone!

P.S.   You may not have noticed, but for the past several months, our model Duncan has been out of commission.   This summer, he sat on a bee during one of his shoots, filed a big workmans’ comp claim and sat it out for a few months ... but now he’s back!  FINALLY!   Great to have you back Duncan!

Grandma Esther

Last weekend was the debut of the Prairie Sisters Vintage Party and everyone who went reported that it was a smashing good time.   I’m guessing that it was the memories of the simplicity of our past and of all our charming Grandmas that helped inspire such a sweet event.  

Also, last weekend my Grandma Esther passed over at the age of 95.  

As is our family tradition, tomorrow we will plant a tree and we will memorialize Grandma Esther.  

I will remember her for her strength and her drive and her resourcefulness.  For being stylish with fashionable hats beyond her time.   For being smart and determined and for leading the way as a business woman when she was handed the responsibility of a day care in the mid 40’s.  

I will remember the spritz - spritz - spritz of her perfume bottle and suddenly, the whole room was engulfed with the smell of a powdery rose garden as she sat at her vanity applying the finishing touches in her morning ritual.   Her light blue hair was perfect (well kind of), and now we were off to the garage sales, thrift stores and the Five and Dime. A typical Saturday morning in Lincoln, Nebraska with Grandma.

I will remember her fondness for ice cream, her care taking of birds and her indulgence in afternoon beauty baths.  A fresh day dress, the evening paper on the porch swing and always time for neighbors.  For decorating her oak tree with seasonal plastic ornaments back when plastic was novel. And oh yes, the candy dish was always full.   For keeping a tidy house and raising respectful children.  For drinking grandpa’s home-made beer and letting him use her washing machine to make it.   For  agreeing with me that passing second grade math and learning my multiplication tables was the hardest thing I would ever have to do and for inspiring me to use those second grade math skills to start my own consignment furniture shop.    

As my mother wrote in her anthology of Apple Street Stories regarding Grandma’s day care when a stranger entrusted her with his child for a month .... 

"On a humid April day the bearish looking stranger came back. 

Mother pushed the door open wide this time.

"Come in."

A crowd of mild mustached youngsters stared as hands gestured.  The stranger nodded his head; Mother shook hers.  No money exchanged pockets.  Trust and benevolence prevailed between my mother and a total stranger in his new world.

Charity began at home, we learned, and we watched it spread way way past our Apple Street boundaries."

This was my Grandmas super special "Tweety" phone .... now, I keep it in my shop ... just in case!