The holidays are over and it's time to move on to the New York International Gift Fair. But I'm still thinking about the 6 days I spent in NY, with family and just looking. I always soak up cities ... great places for me to get new ideas for Ceative Women ... for our products, or re-designing our booth (again), and for understanding the beauty of hand-made items.

So, three places that stood out for me; each for different reasons:

Adelaide, a little gem in the West Village, on Greenwich Street. This shop oozes good taste, a fabulous sense of design and the best displays. This holiday, the store was all dressed up for a '40s cocktail party ... reminded me of my parents and very young days.

Adelaide, 702 Greenwich Street, New York

In SoHo, Kindred Spirits, Native American Influence on 20 Century Art, at the Peter Blum Gallery reinforced what I already know, but in such a beautiful and dramatic way ... the beauty of hand-made is in the imperfections, the reflections of the human hand that made the object. I spent much time looking at the hand-made rugs ... the variations in color create by hand-dying, the lines that were not straight and the designs that were slightly random. I now know how to answer customers who want to know about consistent dye lots.

Finally, I walked by Canvas, in SoHo (full disclosure, they are a customer of Creative Women). They were featuring a Creative Women runner in their window; I was flattered and proud. I was wishing that I could magically bring some of the weavers and artisans who made the products that Canvas (also now in Chelsea) buys from us. How sweet to share the excitement of success with them. 

Canvas, 199 Lafayette Street, New York

Now we're planning for the the NYIGF. I've taken some of the display ideas I saw in NY and am using them in our booth at the Fair.  Come visit us  ... BOOTH 6308. One last vision of the holidays ... my amaryllis which just keeps blooming and makes me smile.

amaryllis