Partnering for a Cause

We are in the throes of Partners Card this week, and, for retail babies like us (we’ll be celebrating our 2^nd birthday in a couple of weeks!), it’s fascinating to see what people are buying … and how this will bode for the holiday season.

 2013 Partners Card

For those of you who are not in the Atlanta area, are you wondering what Partners Card is and why all the fuss?  Well, it’s a fantastic cause that has spread like wildfire among hundreds of shops and restaurants in the Atlanta area, all benefiting Camp Twin Lakes, which provides a life-changing camp experience for children with serious illnesses and life challenges. When you buy a Partners Card for $60 (100% of which goes toward Camp Twin Lakes), you’ll receive 20% off at hundreds of supporting retailers in the area.

We have heard dozens of wonderful stories about how life-changing a week at Camp Twin Lakes can be for the participants and for their families, and we are so happy to support this cause.

In addition to being a great cause and giving early shoppers a 20% boost on their holiday purchases, Partners Card  gives us retail newbies a sense of what’s hot this holiday season.  So what is flying out of the store right now and what will we need to stock up on for the holiday season?  Here’s a look at our top 10:

 

 #10. Books! Like this fabulous new one from one of our favorite designers, Suzanne Kasler. Flying outta here!

  

Anything slate, from wine charms to cheese boards to napkin rings. Chalk up one for the teacher, we say!

 

 #8. Table and floor lamps are a big hit. Some of the big ones are pricey to begin with, so that 20% off is a real draw.

 # 7. Bags, wallets, purses and more. We had a joke a few weeks ago, when the bags were arriving in droves: Have we turned into a bag store?

 

 #6. Not exactly a stocking stuffer but popular nonetheless, we are selling a bunch of antiques like this console from Paris. Yippee, says one of us, I get to back to buy more!

 

 #5. We’re on our multiple reorder of these adorable French tops that are flattering on everyone and so fun to model. One of us says, “Hey if it looks good on me, you KNOW it will look good on you!”

 

 #4. Our customers are thinking of their holiday tables and everything tabletop is fair game and flying out. Alva got us to buy these fabulous beaded plates, bowls and serving trays. She hasn’t stopped smiling!

#3. Speaking of entertaining, our customers must be doing a lot more of that. We’ve had a surge of guest room and bedroom redo’s before the holidays, and 20% off our Swedish inspired furniture is quite the draw.

 

 #2. In addition to a bag store, we think we’re a travel store … because we only buy what we love and we do love to travel. Obviously we’re not alone because these cute roller bags are rolling right out the door!

And the number one item that people are buying up from our store? Well, it helped that it finally got cold on Friday, when Partners Card started, and everyone who poured in to the store headed for our warmest gear! Which may explain why these cozy, lightweight cashmere capes and scarves, which look fabulous on absolutely everyone, and come in a variety of colors, are our number one seller.

 #1 seller for Partners Card

Thank you, Partners Card, for allowing us to participate in this wonderful opportunity … and for giving us a preview of the holiday season. If the last few days have been any indication, we think you will be helping to send lots of well deserving kids to Camp Twin Lakes next year, thanks to this excellent partnership. We are so grateful to be a part of it!

Ta ta,

HH

Christophe Pourny - our new love

New products have been pouring in to the store since the beginning of the month, as we excitedly stock up for the holiday season, and though we love all our children, there is one that we have taken a particular shine to!  Drum roll …. Are you ready?  Christophe Pourny furniture polish!

 

 Christophe Pourny's delicious smelling furniture polish

OK, we can hear some of you saying, “Furniture polish?  Are you kidding?” and “Now they’ve really lost their marbles …” but honestly, the truth is that if you try it, just like all the people who have tested it for us, we guarantee that  you too will fall in love.

First off, Christophe Pourny isn’t just any furniture polish.  I mean, how many times has Pledge been on the Oprah Winfrey Show?  Or been selected as #1 product of the year by Elle Décor?  Or endorsed by Martha Stewart?  Christophe Pourny’s celebrity endorsements (and the fact that Monsieur Pourny is  an ever-so-charming Frenchman) aside, the reason we are gaga over this product is that it works!  And it smells divine.

 Christophe Pourny. Hmm... Could you turn down furniture polish from this man?

A little background is probably due here, so let’s just say that Linda, our NY Times aficionado (who doubles as our fabulous Gallery manager), comes to work every Monday waving  some article clipping in her hand, and has on more than one occasion referred to Christophe Pourny furniture polish.  Quite frankly, Meg and I have had the same, typical polite response to this, which is : “Yeah, yeah, yeah … thanks.”

And then, wouldn’t you know that at a recent product expo in N.Y., we got to meet Monsieur Pourny himself  and learned that he has been restoring fine furniture out of his huge warehouse in Brooklyn for years, and that he is French and probably the best known restorer in N.Y.C. (in fact, he has just recently completed two massive projects at Gracie Mansion and City Hall) and all of a sudden the light clicked and we realized that this WAS the man and  the product that Linda has been touting  for the last  two years!

 The display that caught our eye

His assistant demonstrated a little of the product’s magic and we bought it for the store immediately (although we may have done so a little to appease our sweet Linda).  And then we tried using it ourselves, testing it on some fine antiques at the store, and boy were we hooked and excited!  (You may be thinking naughty thoughts about chemicals being in these products and thus our enthusiasm masked as a naïve addiction …  mais non!  These are 100% vegetal, with no harmful bi-products or chemicals at all! Gwynneth Paltrow would be so proud!)

Truth be told, I had a wonderful Tom Sawyer moment when I told my daughter and her cousin about the product a few weeks ago in Maine (yes, I now travel with it!), after a family lobster feast around our huge teak dining table.  Soon, there were at least 3 adorable 20 year olds working the magic and proudly removing the lobster stains from the table, while the rest of the cousins gathered around to breathe in the exquisite scent!

When I headed to France last month, product in hand, I wrestled with a problem child Louis Philippe chest that I have gently loved for many years despite its stubborn refusal to give up its nasty water stains, and decided to put  Christophe Pourny to the test.  You be the judge!  I, was blown away, and Louis says that nobody has treated him this well since King Louis Philippe himself!

 

 Before: my Louis Philippe chest, wearing its stubborn water stain

After: the magic of Christophe Pourny and no water stain at all!

Proud Louis, shiny, stainless and sensationally scented!

And then I remembered that Christophe told us that it works on fine leather too, and that you can clean stubborn stains off leather.  My favorite wallet – and the one I always use in France, because it doesn’t de-magnitize the metro tickets – is white with a bright pink interior.  Except over the past few years, it's lost its "whiteness" and turned into a shameful beige. But not any more!

 The leather wallet that used to be white and used to be my favorite..

 Ta da! It really works.

 Back to being my favorite wallet again.

Not only do I feel like I have a brand new wallet but I think it smells divine too!

 Leather Cream - cleans, moisturizes and shines.. and smells divine.

We joked with Christophe that his product smells so good, we want to wear it ... much less drink it! He admitted that some of his fanatics have been known to wear it, and because it's all natural and doesn't contain any toxins, it wouldn't kill you to drink it (but he strongly advised against it!). So for now, we're just happy polishing professionals, eagerly waiting for our next container of French antiques so that we can slather away and shine all our babies to sweet smelling perfection!

Ta ta ...

Melissa Payne Baker: Inspiration from Family, Friends and Love

If you’ve been following our little blog, you’ll know that we have a really, really big event coming up at the gallery next week.

We’re beyond excited to host a new exhibit for two well-loved Huff Harrington artists: Melissa Payne Baker and Liz Barber opening Friday, October 18th from 6 -8 p.m. at Huff Harrington Fine Art.

Baker and Barber are both talented and inspired painters who effortlessly deconstruct subjects, mix glorious palettes and pile on the medium for a thick and layered texture.

 

Melissa Payne Baker’s The Present (48 x 24, mixed media on canvas) will be present at the show…

We love (and highly respect) both these artists who have such artistic integrity and talent.  We’ve been privileged to work with them for years and can’t wait to honor them with this show of new works.

 

Liz Barber, Promise of Spring, (24 x 24, mixed media on canvas.)

As artists go, these two couldn’t be more different: Liz Barber’s work is rooted in her love of nature, sunlight, water and plants.  (click here to read all about her inspiration in a blog we just published) while Melissa Payne Baker finds her inspiration from another source altogether: love, family and her strong faith.

Growing up in a family of artists in Mississippi, creativity was a part of her life from an early age and Melissa’s mother likes to say that they have paint running through their veins, not blood.  In Melissa’s case the paint runs thick.

Melissa painting in her studio (from Cobb Life)

With a degree in marketing from the University of Mississippi and a continued career in interior design, Melissa didn’t think too much about painting until a unexpected tragedy struck the family of a dear friend.  To help cope with the loss, Melissa took brush to canvas and found solace and comfort as she lost herself in inspiration: an angel, beautifully crafted; deftly painted and complemented by a soft, abstract background. The painting struck a chord and, as they say, the rest was history.

A lovely example of Melissa’s angels which have tugged at the hearts of hundreds of fans, friends and clients.

Fast forward several years and Melissa has honed and tuned her ability.  She’s turned her laser beam focus to loose landscapes and figures – and true abstract work where texture and form take center stage.

 

Melissa’s series of small but subtle and artistic crosses are distinctively painted.

We recently popped by Melissa’s studio to chat about works for the show.  To our delight,  Melissa’s walls were bursting with canvases destined for the show.

An early abstracted landscape from Melissa. (Countryside III, 30 x 22, mixed media on canvas.)

 

Melissa’s new take on the abstracted landscape. (Organic, 36 x 60, oil and mixed media on canvas.)

Paintings in mid-creation.

We were greeted by Melissa’s assistant, the adorable Payne, who is also a budding artist:

Melissa’s precious little son, Payne, takes a look at one of his Mommy’s paintings.

He’s already got his own style, which Melissa is happily nurturing.

Melissa and Payne.  This image makes us giggle and tear up all at the same time.

 

We might need to think about giving Payne a show one of these days.

It’s always such a treat to visit the artists in their studios and Melissa was, of course, the most gracious and lovely hostess…and didn’t mind as we poked around, oogled her work and chatted about her exciting new direction.

Melissa likes to use squares of cardboard to mix her palette. They’re just as interesting as her works on canvas.

In preparation for this exhibit, Melissa was ready to take on the challenge that faces every artist: how do you keep it fresh, innovative and new?  Being the creative soul she is, it wasn’t long before she came to us with some wonderfully creative and different work. Pulling from her deep-rooted love of the abstract, she’s found a clever way to work with the negative space (lots of white and places for your eye to roam over the canvas) and get really creative with the palette. We couldn’t be happier.

 

Melissa’s secret weapons.

 She’s having great fun working in oils and the results are plain to see on the rich and elegant canvases she presented to us. In fact, Melissa’s one of the most enthusiastic artists we know and we love the way her love of life infuses her work. She recently told us, ““I hope collectors can see the love I have for life. I paint with my heart and soul. I get excited once a painting is complete; it is like meeting a new friend.”

 

We fell in love with this beautifully honed abstract that’s headed our way for the show.

 

Oil paints have a certain richness to them and Melissa’s been having a ball experimenting with them. (Across Town, 22 x 30, oil and mixed media on canvas.)

We love the energy and momentum of Diva (40 x 40, oil and mixed media on canvas.)

Melissa’s also an undeniably sweet and caring person who has won reams of fans with her sweet personality and commitment to many non-profit and charity organizations around the Southeast.

 

Melissa donated a “live” painting to Atlanta’s JDRF gala a couple years ago…and patrons are still talking about it!

It’s been inspirational to see Melissa grow as an artist and all the accolades that have poured in over the years.  She’s been featured in dozens of magazines including Creative Loafing Magazine, Cobb Life Magazine, Skirt Atlanta and Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles.  She was published in CRAVE Atlanta in 2011 (a book showcasing successful business women), and in 2012, she was named Jezebel Magazine’s “Best Atlanta Artist”. And somehow, she has time for her adorable husband Rick and precious Payne…and extra hours left over not only to paint professionally, but to teach her techniques in workshops around metro Atlanta.

We’re not sure how she does it all but if we had to guess, we’d say it’s got a lot to do with her innate joie de vivre.  She’s a true pro in every sense of the word and we can’t wait to share this new work with you.

See you next week.

Ta ta.

What We're Loving Right Now: Barn Chic

It's been gorgeous around here lately and our attention is turning towards a glorious fall. We're daydreaming about fires on the porch, apples (we love the unbelievable crunchy Honey Crisps!), pumpkins and all things weathered and outdoorsy.

Is there anything that screams rustic elegance more than a good barn?

Amy Sullivan, a new artist at Huff Harrington Fine Art, just brought us some deliciously rendered barns - all slightly off-kilter and beautifully abstracted:

Amy Sullivan’s The Elegant Lady, 60 x 48, mixed media and wax on panel.

If we had a barn, we’d decorate it in all our favorite neutrals, letting the aged wood and quirky structure do all the talking.  Maybe a white sofa or two…

Crunchy walls and distressed wood scream for clean and simple furnishing. (from Pinterest)

We love this spartan Dutch-y look. (from Pinterest)

A sophisticated barn entrance. (from Pinterest)

Lots of light and plenty of white sing beautifully with beams. (from Pinterest)

 

Think of the entertaining possibilities. This is a Martha Stewart design but we discovered it on our favorite Quintessence blog.

 

Barns get cozy. From Quintessence.

Bonnie Beauchamp Cooke’s Bow III (48 x 48, mixed media on canvas) would make a nice barn companion.

 

…and you’d need some gorgeous riding boots when you took your horse out. (from Pinterest)

 

Things That Inspire ran this image of Ina Garten’s barn where she whips up her effortless meals for dozens of lucky guests.

 

Lots of white paint lets the materials do all the talking. (from Pinterest.)

Wide open space and plenty of rustic trusses. We love this….and there’s that white sofa again.  (from Pinterest.)

 

We’d serve all meals on this crusty teak and iron table we found in Provence.

…and candlelight would come from this silvered antler candelabra.

…and a little faux bois table from France would look right at home.

 

Simple but elegant fare for fall feasts. (from Pinterest)

Before  we know it, fall will be long gone and we’ll be ready for a cozy winter, barn-style:

 

A perfect little barn barn nestled in the snow. From Pinterest.

In the meantime, as they say here in the South: enjoy the fall, y’all!

Ta ta.