Thursday, December 18, 2008

For the Person Who has Everything





Dear Santa,


I know we haven't talked much since that incident at Macy's in 1981 involving your beard and a handful of rubber cement but I'm hoping we can start fresh. I know what I want this year and I figure since you already have plans on the 25th, you can go ahead and give it to me now.


  1. I want to be seated at Bombay bistro by the sweet owners who bring out their new baby to meet you.


  2. I want Nate from Sabor catering to call me and say that dreamy (and 100% true) sentence "I've got it all taken care of."

  3. I want Susan from Accurate Bookkeeping to appear on a white horse whenever reports start making my head spin.


  4. I want Cheryl at Whole Foods to walk me way out of her department to teach me everything there is to know about organic non-dairy creamer.


  5. I want the teenager in the takeout window of Good Times to tell me she loves my hair.

Service like this makes me like humans. It makes me think that, given the option to live out my days on a deserted island with only Joy, Tina Fey, Javier Bardem, Jeannette Winterson, and the Dalai Lama I might decline.

"Gosh, no thanks. I think I'll just stay here at Joyful and take my chances on being surprised, impressed, charmed, irritated, and inspired by whomever comes through the door."


Your seasonal friend,
Em

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Why not?


Having always been 34, I can't speak from experience, but I think being a kid must be like being a visionary working as an IRS file clerk. Kids (at least the ones worth their weight in cheddar bunnies) have a million ideas for making things good and they spend their lives hearing why the ideas won't work. Some parents don't even explain why. They just pretend that the kids' voices simply couldn't be heard over the din of the nearby garbage truck/blowdryer/sunrise.


One sassy parent I knew had the same answer for every kid brainstorm.


Kids: "If we didn't have to go to school we could catch enough newts to put on a musical with them."
MOM: "Yes, and if our poop were purple we could sell it!"


Kids: "If we dug a huge hole in the backyard, we could put a fire in it and practice swinging over like Tarzan."

Mom: "Yes, and if our poop were purple, we could sell it!"


Kids: "If we painted the house and yard the same color as the street, we could hide inside and no-one would ever find us."


...and so on.


Lately at Joyful we've been swimming in this chasm between what we imagine and what we can realistically do. Thank goodness we still have the minds among us that say things like:


"Let's have a trapeze basketball game in the store!"


"Can Brandi Carlile play at our next party?"


"How many homeless people could we fit in here on a cold night?"


"Why aren't we selling sofas made from bathtubs cut the long way?"


or the seemingly practical: "How about we make four hall trees before the first day of winter?"


or the desperately necessary: "Let's figure out what an email authentication setting is, so I don't have to wimper to the support guy any more."




How do you cultivate both imagination and patience? How do you have these dreams and keep showing up to look at them half done? How do you accept what's impossible when you're secretly living on a steady diet of blueberries, beets, and grapes?

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

December Newsletter




Thanks for coming to our party! If you didn't make it, fear not, we are still stocked to the gills with gift items.



What to get everyone for the Holidays:





For your best friend who doesn't even try to hide her inner duchess...a freshly reupholstered antique settee $399 SOLD


For the kid who you think is cuter than my beloved neice, but isn't...a comforting felted wool pillow filled with lavender and adorned with a handstitched lamb $24








For your grandma who doesn't try to hide her inner grandma... a handknit tea cozy.










Why did everyone I know suddenly get pregnant as soon as the weather got cold? All I do when it's cold is watch movies. For Trixie, Jean, Amy, Sally (all names have been changed to protect the nauseated)...some natural, gentle, bath products from Mountain Girl Organics









They don't make teenagers like they used to. They make them better now. Despite all the same hormone-related physical deformities that we had, many of them are creative, confident and kind. If you know one of these, they deserve a one-of-a-kind mosaic and star nightstand $199 SOLD










For your sister with the bouffant, your brother with the wingtips, for my old friend Pammy whose heart would race a little at the sight of real Tupperware. Hip yet heartfelt, retro yet eco... Recycled paper letter press cards $13 per pack












Your wife is radiant after all these years and every day you count yourself lucky that she chose you over that professional athlete guy. If she's at all interesting, she does NOT want a $5000 diamond pendant in the shape of an heart....Vision Jewelry $15-$180






For the person who has everything but loves to be inspired....Glowing orange, sage and brown dishes $90 per set. Goes with everything, never goes unnoticed.







For the creative slob that you love. A place to hang a robe, candy necklaces, sweatsocks, origami birds, fairy wings, purple wig ...$119-$199







Events:

December 9th 4-5 pm. Chamber of Commerce ribbon cutting at Joyful Furniture. Some professional fun, food, and networking. Okay, if you want to stay home and get pregnant I understand.
I'm also starting to open up the space for people who want to have their low-key parties or meetings here. I provide the space, you bring me a few people who didn't know about my store. Free if I don't have to do anything but eat your food. $200 if I have to move all the furniture out of your way for a breakdancing competition.
Deals:
Free Sand! Lately, I suppose in conjunction with gifting and crafting season, people have been wanting to try their hand at painting furniture. It's fun, it's meditative, and (for better or for worse) you can make something unlike anything you've ever seen. In support of your creative impulses, we will sand and clean any "rough room" piece of furniture you buy in the month of December.


Warning found on most brands of Christmas lights: "For indoor or outdoor use only".