Springtime Hoopla

From time immemorial, spring has been the harbinger of change. Whether speaking of seasons, or the weather, or of something more personal, springtime is the most popular time to make a change. You'd think that New Years would have that designation, but no, it's spring that people change, or transition.

Changing up some accessories in your home is one way to make change for spring. Adding new pillows, window treatments, even picture frames, can liven up your environment and help make it feel fresh. Same thing in your garden! Adding new decorative elements in your garden can also make it look more festive, particularly in water-wise gardens. Hoopla Emporium has brought in some very fun outdoor décor that we think you'll love! Spring gnomes, solar powered fairy houses, wind chimes, plant stakes, and fairy garden components are fun and colorful, and will help accentuate focal points, or even become a focal point, in your garden spaces!

We also have some beautiful spring jewelry for you here at Hoopla - vibrantly colored sea glass bracelets from former Altadena native Shayla Diamond and her company, Lotus Moon Arts, are perfect for brightening up an outfit; as are her lovely turquoise and red coral bracelets and earrings! Long, vintage look watch necklaces are a huge trend now, and we've got some that would make fabulous Mother's Day gifts; and Lotus Moon's adorably chic key chains are always in fashion.

Spring is wonderful time for art, as well. There's new art on the walls here at Hoopla, coordinating with our gnomes and fairies. Here's a picture of Janell Mithani's beautiful painting of a fairy on tree bark:

Speaking of art, the Alta-Pasa Open Studios Tour is scheduled for June 6 and 7 this year, and Hoopla! Emporium will once again be a stop on the map. We will be hosting young artists involved in Room 13 studios in public schools in the area, and we're looking forward to it! Here's a poster that gives greater detail about the upcoming tour:

We know this will be the best Open Studios Tour yet - stay tuned for more information!

Perception

Hello, friends, another Monday has come and so it's time for a blog post.  Last week we discussed Sally Hogshead's new book, How The World Sees You.  In it, we posted a link and a password to take the perception test at no charge.  Did you try it?  We'd love to know what you thought - leave us a message and let us know your two defining traits and your archetype!  To have a little fun with this, here's what your archetype would be if they were named after super heroes:

Speaking of perception, we'd like to share someone else's blog post with you today, with a hat tip to our good friend Rose Eliff, who brought it to our attention.  The blog is called Momastary and the post, here, is called "Give Me Gratitude Or Give Me Debt".  It's a very uplifting post, and we hope you enjoy it!

Why would a retail store want you to read a post about someone who is consciously avoiding keeping up with the Joneses?  Isn't that what retail's all about, trying to get everyone in your store to buy the latest geegaw and gadget?  Most of them do, yes indeed they do.  We're a little different here at Hoopla.  We are An Emporium Of Good Things, and as such, carry products that are mostly sourced locally.  We have the largest collection of books written by people that live in and around Altadena.  We carry products like soap, tea, sauces, and caramels all made by local or regional folks.  Real people with real names, that you may bump into while shopping.  Greeting cards, art, music, wall decor, even pens made locally.  We carry fair trade gift wrap, bags, shoppers, scarves, jewelry, and journals.  Of the imports that we do carry, we carefully vet the companies to ensure that manufacturing laws and workers are not being abused.  No children were harmed in the production of our merchandise.  It's always a nice bonus when we find these type of companies locally, as well.  You see, we're a feel-good store, and we figure you can never get enough of a good thing, right?  You'll come in, there's no need for us to shout about how much better we are than your other choices, but cheering sections are always welcomed! 

So what does this have to do with perception?  It says we care - deeply and truly care about what you bring into your home.  We know you could buy products anywhere, so we specialize in finding products that not everyone has.  We know you could patronize any business, and we're very thankful you choose ours.  This is why we're so choosy - because you are!

With that said, we've got some great new garden items coming in from Regal Art And Gifts, a California company located in Concord.  There will be some great solar yard stakes and wind chimes that are just perfect for your late summer garden!  We can't wait until the fall yard decorations come in because they're so cool!  Here's a little peek of what's coming:

Dragonfly Bell

Solar Bubble Light Butterfly Stake

Solar Lantern

Hummingbird Bell

Coming soon - Halloween Yard Stakes

 

Remember, we also have beautiful Leoj Wishing Balls.  These are extremely well made (in the U.S.!) glass objects that soak up the sun's rays during the day, and glow softly at night.  Almost as wonderful as fireflies, these shapes will fascinate you!

Leoj Wishing Balls, Large & Small Spheres

 



That's it for this week, friends.  Have a great week, and we'll talk next Monday!

Lori and Scott

It's What's Inside That Counts

"Truckin' like the doodah man
Once told me "Gotta play your hand
Sometimes the cards ain't worth a dime
If you don't lay them down"

Sometimes the lights all shining on me
Other times I can barely see
Lately it occurs to me
What a long strange trip it's been"

----The Grateful Dead


With the lyrics from this song reverberating around my head, I can't help but relate it to our life these past two years. Creating Webster's Fine Stationers from an erstwhile pass-through department has been a long, strange trip, indeed. Fraught with obstacles and setbacks, it's not a stretch of the truth to say that we've been tempted to call it quits several times. But just when things seem bleakest, Scott and I remember why we're doing this - why the challenge of creating a thriving shop against all odds is important to us. It's because we believe in Webster's, we believe in Webster's Fine Stationers and we believe in Altadena.

As we come up on our two year anniversary, we can look back and see all the tangible things we've done to improve WFS. The layout, the decor, the merchandise have all changed for the better but one thing has remained a constant that's not tangible - our dedication to providing Altadena with a shopping venue that's hip and on the cutting edge of cool! There is no other place in the area that offers as much sustainable merchandise as we do. No one offers the amount of products made right here in the U.S. as we do, and no one offers the ambiance and the customer care that we do. We prefer to deal with local vendors and artists and when we can't find what we want inside the U.S., we are trending toward companies who offer fair trade practices in those countries where they have their merchandise made.


We love to deal with those companies who donate to charities. Open Hand is one such company and we're expecting their first shipment any day now. Open Hand is based in Atlanta, Georgia, but their products are made all over the world using fair trade practices. Their employees are paid well and they make sure that they and their families are covered by adequate medical insurance. If that weren't enough, they donate 10% of their proceeds before taxes to charities here and abroad that fight human trafficking. Praols, another new company for us, makes their beautiful jewelry right here in the U.S. and employs financially distressed, stay at home moms and women who are heads of their households. Two new card lines for us, Wiley Valentine and Uncooked, Inc., are U.S. made - Wiley Valentine is made right here in Orange County, CA. As always, we feature handmade jewelry by local Altadena artisans, Jewels of the Earth by Diana, Ruthie Castro and Julie Lyn Pircher. We carry handmade cards by local artists Donna Barnes-Roberts and Athena Meltzer, and are searching for more local artists.

Companies that use recycled materials is important, too, and many of our vendors do. Most importantly, however, is their use of post-consumer waste materials and two of our major vendors do just that. Amber Lotus, maker of fine cards and calendars (in store now) and The Green Paper Company are both producers of products that contain from 30% to 100% post-consumer waste. We believe that this is important and we hope that you, do, too.


It's been said by several of our Very Important Customers that it would be wonderful if we had windows like the adjoining stores do. I wish we did, too, because what a statement we could make with them! However, price precludes that option at this time. We'd rather spend what little money we do have on products like I've mentioned above, and we do have to pay rent. Until we can address the situation, Scott came up with our new tag line, which is the title of this blogpost. My husband is a genius, because that little tag line says it all and more! It's IS what inside that counts....not only the merchandise but inside the hearts of everyone who works at Webster's Fine Stationers. Come in today and experience it for yourself! Follow us on Twitter (@lorinscott), become a fan of our store on Facebook and see our pictures on FlickR!

Different & Special? California Gift Show Report, Summer 2009

WSL: Women ready to spend on home – if goods are ‘different’
-- Home Textiles Today, 7/23/2009 10:55:00 AM

New York – WSL Strategic Retail’s recent consumer survey found women are itching to spend again, if carefully. The top four items on their list: apparel, vacation, a night out and decorative home items.
But they’re not seeing the kind of merchandise that would stimulate a purchase, according to the consultancy.
WSL’s “How America Shops/Pulse of Shopping Life” found 48% of women surveyed could afford to shop but want to spend on items that are “different and special.” Among girls age 13 to 17, 50% would be willing to cut back on small purchase for something more expensive “if they really wanted it.”
One-in-four women said they were tired of penny-pinching and “ready to splurge,” according to the survey.
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That’s the article I received from a retail-specific publication in my email today. Great news and something that I think Webster’s Fine Stationers can definitely offer our customers! Our fabulous WFS buyers, Lori and Michelle, handpick everything here. We also have the input of our crew, who hears what you’re saying about what you’d like to see in our store. All our merchandise is special and isn’t something you’d find elsewhere. From our hand-made Altadena signs and cards to original oil paintings and picture frames, we’re stocking the decorative items you want at prices that aren’t out of this world. Even our office supplies are different. Many companies we feature are made here in the U.S. and you don't have to buy a pack of 50 file folders, envelopes, Post-It Notes or sheet protectors. Pens, pencils, binder clips and report covers are also available individually.

The Summer 2009 California Gift Show just ended Monday and I thought it was the best show we’ve been to. Granted, attendance was down due to the economy but those who were there were upbeat and looking forward to happier times ahead. The mood was lighthearted and we were happy to spend time in those showrooms that had the best and brightest to offer. It was nice to have time to make critical decisions and not be distracted by hundreds of buyers clamoring for attention.

I was personally very enamored by a newish company called Open Hand, out of Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Although their merchandise is made outside the U.S., they are a fair-trade company and provide all their artisans with safe, clean working conditions, fair wages and medical insurance for their families. Their products – scarves, wraps, jewelry and bags – are made out of post-consumer waste material and are uniquely beautiful. I love their messenger bags made out of recycled billboards and rubber tires! What’s great about this company is that they donate 10% of their profits across the board, before taxes, to organizations committed to helping people who have been subjected to the injustices of human trafficking here in the U.S. They’ve partnered with Wellspring, an Atlanta-based non-profit that helps women and girls who’ve been victimized by the effects of alcohol and drug addiction, depression, and working in the adult entertainment industry. Human trafficking takes many forms and is a complex problem. As long as there is a demand for products and services, and there are people living in poverty who are easily taken advantage of, trafficking will continue. We’re proud to be helping in any small way we can…look for Open Hand to arrive in store shortly.

Just in is inspirational jewelry and décor from Praols, a California company who manufactures their merchandise in Chula Vista. They create unique handcrafted jewelry and believe that everything in life carries a message. Therefore, their bracelets and necklaces aren’t just jewelry, but a fun way to pass the message on. Stay-at-home moms and low-income single mothers that find themselves in dire circumstances make the line. Working for the flexible company, these women are able to earn an income without the burden of day-care expenses. This great company’s merchandise arrived this morning and we couldn’t be happier to introduce it to you!




Check back in soon for another sneak-peek of the new items we’re expecting in.