viva verde

because we have been making some big changes in our store, i decided (well more like had to) redecorate and design some of the displays in the store.

had these old wine cases in storage and with a little help from the drill and stud-finder, made a totally cute new product display, green goes well with natural wood colors!

(lovin’ the new Baby Section!)

took the old branches in the small space off and mounted them on the wall, took some old magazines and layered them to make large butterflies and attached them.

(this is a great party decoration idea that is easy for kids to do!)

the back space is almost finished with the major layout. i transfered some of the decorative items from the front and created a warmer area with lighting and Peace Lilies (they take out a TON of bad air!) and aloe.

i still have to figure out product and the work-station of the space…guess what i will be doing at 5am!

working on the new wing of the store, and what has become a moving project has now turned into a complete metamorphosis of the entire work place…YIKES! i was only thinking of the big changes, but what about the small?

one thing that was a real treat: Path Design left their awesome remodeled restroom. now i could repaint and tear out the floor, add a new window or even gut the whole thing, but why?!? Rachel installed these GREAT cork tiles, which i have been wanting for the other restroom back when they were in Domino Mag. they are super affordable and if you are patient, you can install them yourself.

(moving in the displays)

The entire back space is white and grey, good for choosing colors, but low on personality. Rachel painted the bathroom, Aztec, from Green Planet Paint and it is the only “warm” wall in the entire store…gonna keep!

I decided to go through one of the best deals on the planet: IKEA “as-is” section for shelving or other tiddies. i found these simple and clean looking glass shelves for displaying nick-nacks. they were only$2.49!! so i bought 4 just in case.
the rest is just what i already had in my old restroom and the store: vintage mirror from a display, local artist painting, Family Van candle, and various glass objects that were in storage corners.

(awesome cork flooring & the light teal really highlights the walls huh!)

(this is how we are come Sat evening…and boy am i tired!)

When our store expanded in early 2007, we joined forces with local interior design firm Path Design in a collaboration to provide services, furniture and awesome displays that highlighted the talent of principle, Rachel Hulan.

Now, after 1 1/2 years, Path has outgrown their office space and must relocate in order to accommodate their ever expanding clientele. NOW WHAT??

(what will be empty soon-what will happen next??)

I have been a little worried, not because of what i could do with the extra space, but the problem of how to display, organize and FIT what i would like to do.

Based on what customers and the industry have been telling me as well as my gut instinct, i really think that i should move into the home improvement/green building area as we are selling paint at an alarming rate. We also have a LARGE number of people coming in everyday wanting to buy and look at materials. Path had a “Design Bar” in the store that was open t0 the public about one a day month…this is giving me ideas…

(the Design Bar: was a good idea, but was only open 1 day a month)

I have also decided to reorganize the “original” part of the store. Not that i do not love eco-fashion, but over the past couple years, i most definitely have a better perspective on what people want out of eco-clothing.

Nicole, from Random Nicole (yes my niece) is now coming into RLT and will be setting up her ever growing Craft Kitchen DIY classes from the smaller space.

Keep reading over the next month & 1/2 to find out what the h-e-double toothpicks i do and how it is accomplished…lots going on…

there goes my summer vacation.

We were profiled in this month’s Riviera Magazine by journalist Victoria Namkung. I am usually not one to say anything, but this article is really too sweet.

(yes, that’s me sitting on the Loll- armless double)

Thank you Victoria!

Please read-Page 74

Finished up my version of Martha’s paper lamp project for our newest display here at the store. Story is as follows:

1. get yourself some paper lamps. I went to Ikea and right after that, found out about a place on-line that is 1/3rd the price….i still have a mark on my forehead from the slap. go to your local Michaels and grab a cheap set of watercolor paint (no not the little disks in the tray-boy did i feel stupid after i brought those home), you can get 10 for 4.99. while you are there, get 2 spray bottles (you dont need more, you just need to wash the ones you have)!

2. squirt the paint into the bottle (about1/4 of the container) and fill the rest with water. SHAKE well-this stuff likes to settle on the bottom.

3. spray the lamp (assembled, not flat) give about 1-2 feet distance from the lamp & keep rotating it or it is going to look like it should be at a Grateful Dead show. let them hang in the yard to dry.

4. hang. check it out! i love the way it looks from the side…very festive!

Just ready an interesting post about NAU clothing.   You heard of them?

Just in case you haven’t Nau is/was a eco-clothing company that literally jumped out of the  gates with 5 retail stores (like Bev.Hills, OR, Chicago, WA, and Boulder).  They had some really good donation/sourcing and corporate transparency ideas that wasn’t the marketing BS that is the new “hot” button for the big chains.  this seemed like a group that wanted to put responsibility first and was the only thing that they wanted to do.  They seemed to get a pretty big push (yes i am jealous!) from outfits like Treehugger hailing Nau as “iconic”.  However, when i think  of  the word “iconic”, i think of something that lasts a little bit more that one year.

yes you heard me, Nau has closed its doors after one year.

From what i hear, Nau was hit hard by the slowing economic times, which i can totally envision because this has been happening to everyone across the board.  But Nau also had about 35mil in financing as well which was shocking!  Things look a little different now that they had quite a bit of money (and probably advice that comes with such financing too).  I am surprised that they didn’t see the upcoming housing slump or assumed that the market would not always go increasingly up, maybe i am weird in thinking this, but couldn’t they plan on the on-line sales for the first year then slowly opening other stores in the following years instead of all at once?  also, did they expand their market by doing wholesale to other stores (such as me!), i get catalogs and line sheets every week from vendors and not a single one ever came from Nau….what gives?

has anyone ever shopped there???  the clothes are cute but just from my own experience, you definitely have to mix it up with the styles to attract a steady stream of customers…just sayin’

just when you think that the OC has nothing to offer in terms of natural living up comes one of the best natural living conventions to come along this side of the country: Expo West!

held at the Anaheim Convention Center, this event is a mecca for organic eats, supplements and now: organic living. you can really tell that the “green” movement has taken hold…parking on a Friday (the slowest day), was a no-no 30 minutes after the convention started…we took a cab, only 3 exits away to save on emotional distress!!

this convention is most definitely a power-company game: the big-time players in eco/natural-know-how are present with grand displays of the latest in natural living…definitely not for the tight budget little peeps (like us!), but all-in-all great to see what the marketplace is looking for..here’s a the scoop on what i found to be really interesting and prevalent vs. other times i have been:

-Asian companies really making a mark in the natural market: lots of green tea, and other items know as Asian (certain berries, veggies and garlic!)…you can tell the booth by their very similar and non-creative booth displays…lots of lights too-can’t miss it!

-regular, name-brand companies trying to market “green/natural”: basically take a look at you local grocery store (non-Whole Foods, you know the ones) and those people are starting to market “natural”..albeit with one product and therefore marketing the whole line as such.

-Convention Center greening: have to hand it to them, Anaheim is really embracing the biocompostables! love it! and thank you…lets hope they are composting it now…

bottom line: unless you are doing a grocery store or in the health food industry, this is NOT the place to be…i can actually see a spin-off of this convention catering specifically to the Real Deals:: Theo Chocolate, Sambazon-types who are now competing in the big leagues and i am so proud!!

great bedding n display from Under the Canopy (may see them in the store soon), so inspiring!

Earth Creations- I LOVE THEM!!!

every isle looked like this…complete craziness