If we were gymnasts, this would be a "triple double"...

(This was originally sent as an email on July 24, 2026)

As July wanes and August is on the horizon, my anticipation is building. An eagerness about the rest of the year and a return to routine. (I know, I know, I'm a nerd that way!)

But as you know from the letter I wrote to you last week, a return to routine does NOT mean boring! We are deep in planning mode, which has just turned into doing mode, which will soon turn into beautiful changes and brand new things at the shop. Whew!

Starting Monday (on which we are closed due to summer hours), Hannah and I will begin a serious shop "flip" ~ this is something we typically do every season as new products come in.

However, this year's late summer flip is going to be a BIG one.

If we were gymnasts, it would be a "Triple Double." I looked that up; it's the most difficult gymnastic move ~ a double flip with three twists, aka the "Biles II." Sounds about right!

The last two weeks, I've been walking around with clipboards, creating a vision board on Freeform, scribbling lists in notebooks, drawing layouts, and making Google docs with detailed tasks in order.

Because this plan's goal is to make the best (and loveliest) use of our space for both our retail and workshop experiences, I've consulted with and involved many others whose input I value.

I've called and texted and emailed. I've met with several people on Zoom, WhatsApp, and FaceTime as well as good old-fashioned in-person-over-coffee. How refreshing!

The paper calendar of in-store happenings through December has been jotted on, erased, changed, and and changed again. Now the events have been cemented on the digital calendar. Soon they will be on our website!

As far as our gifts and goods, I've explored and researched and compared and curated. And the boxes have just started arriving.

(I warned our UPS delivery driver, Tim, that we will be seeing a LOT of him in the upcoming weeks. He laughed. I said, "No, seriously!" I will owe him a cold drink.)

And now... the hands-on tasks begin.

First mini-project: paint an upholstered chair in Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan.

I have to admit: Hannah and our friend Michele were right. The chair looks lovely in Olive. So rich and forest-y. It will need one more coat and then to be "set" with a blow dryer on high heat ~ and then it will be ready to be part of a display.

(And, oh, there's a hint to another aspect of this new display in the top left photo ~ I've been using the right side of my brain a bit too; more on that in a future letter. 🤗)

I had hoped to stay open regular hours while we complete this multi-step rearrangement and glow-up of the shop, of which this chair is a minuscule component.

However, the more logical people around me have succeeded in convincing me that we will need to be closed on Tuesday of next week. As with the chair color, I think they're right!

So we will be open today and tomorrow (see the PS for shenanigans these two days!) and then next reopen our door on Wednesday, July 29th. Hope to see you then!

xo,