Imagine! will be celebrating its 6th year in May. During five of of those previous years, the shop was open year round. That made Imagine! the only store in Bemus Point that was open 12 months out of the year. We wanted our year round knitters to have a place to gather,sip coffee and work on projects. They would bring their knitting or beading and sometimes just stop by for a visit. The winter of 2010/11 was really severe so we determined that we would close after the holiday season this past Christmas just as the other shops do. That was because the snows were so deep they were hard to negotiate. But, of course, we had a record mild winter this year. Who knew? No complaints. So what did we do with our time?What we didn’t anticipate is the wonderful respite we got from taking a few months off. Yancey and Dayle and I worked at the store almost every week but it was with a more leisurely pace and we came up with new ideas.We did a lot of organizing. We did some extra traveling, particularly to shop for the store. We feel we got excited all over again. So the unexpected benefit of taking a break is that we were able to be a little more creative. We are pretty excited about the changes, some of them are physical with new fixtures that are still arriving and some of them are creative, with great finds from our voyages that are coming in daily now.
We were able to garner items from a lush array of hand crafted gifts from nationally known artisans. We found beautiful yarns and exotic beads to bring home to you.
We also visited our favorite vintage jewelry purveyor and found interesting pieces. We contracted to have some specialty items made just for our shop and are enthusiastically designing a more streamlined way to offer classes with better service to our students. Taking time out to think and rest made it all the sweeter to look forward to welcoming you back to the shop. So please come by and see what is new. We’d love your feedback, thanks.
Imagine! Opens April 4th.
Jewelry Jewelry Jewelry
Brooch from Michael Michaud
Yancey and I just recently returned from Philadelphia where we shopped at the Buyers Market of American Crafts. We met with artists like Barb Levy http://www.barbielevyjewelry.com/ and Jill O’Reilley http://jilloreilly.com/artist.html whose jewelry has been featured at our shop. We bought great new pieces from them and other jewelry artists whose jewelry we love to carry. And we found some artists that will be completely new for this coming season like Starbird http://starbirdjewelry.com/index.html They are a mother/daughter jewelry- making team from Texas. Their work is so unusual because of its textures. We drooled over the work of Megan Auman http://www.etsy.com/shop/meganauman who designs in clean lines with steel and sterling and Kevin O’Grady who makes bracelets of glass. We put them on our wish list for the near future. In all we visited over 250 jewelry booths. There were so many choices, it took several days of contemplating. We got so excited that we decided to re-do our jewelry displays and are currently working on them. One of the artists that we have been wanting to carry for several years is Michael Michaud who designs for Four Season’s Design Group. He is a nature jeweler. His pallette is the garden, or the woods, anywhere nature is displaying its beauty. His designs are actually cast from real flowers and leaves and they are stunning.http://www.fourseasonsdesigngroup.com/silver-about-us We found necklaces made to look like pussy willows and pink miniature pearls that circle your wrist like lilac stems. We can’t wait untill we open the boxes and show them to you! By April 4th. we hope to have them start streaming in for you to see and enjoy. In next week’s post, we’ll tell you about what we bought besides jewelry. Can’t wait to share our shopping experience with you.
Shopping!
- The georgeous blown glass hearts from Chicago artist Jeff Price
We are pretty excited, because on Friday, Yancey and I are headed for Philadelphia and the Buyers Market of American Crafts show. This is a wholesale-only event that features the work of hundreds of extraordinary artist from the U.S. and Canada. It is held at the Philadelphia Convention Center. We’ll get an early start because we want to arrive by 4p.m. That is when they will open about 1/3 of the floor, the jewelry exhibitors area. Usually, they greet you with Mimosas. Lovely, you can sip and browse. Everything is artisan- crafted and it makes you proud to see how ingenious our American artist are. It can be overwhelming, though, Last year there were about 250 jewelers represented. It takes hours to view. The work ranges from diamonds in minimal classic settings to very artsy or whimsical designs. Nothing looks like the jewelry in stores at the mall. These designers are award- winning. And we get to meet them and talk about their work. We are looking for new trends from artists we already carry and hope to add some new ones to our collections. After hours of browsing and taking notes, we head out to find dinner. We usually end up at one of the Thai or Asian Fusion places just down the block. But we know that before we leave Philly, we’ll make our way over to the Italian restaurant that everybody from the show loves. After dinner, we comb through the catalogues that we have gathered on the show floor and mark booth numbers that we will re- visit. Then we crash. In the a.m. I’m up and out by 7:30 in order to grab a cup of coffee and attend the seminars offered by national experts on all kinds of topics. Last year I was really inspired by the editor of Gift Ware Magazine who did a slide presentation about store windows. As soon as I got home, I asked Vern Johnson make a platform and had lighting installed in our windows. All year, we had so much fun designing displays, using information that I learned from the speaker.
So then for the next two days, its hour and hours on the floor, checking more than 500 additional booths in aisles divided by categories such as “Glass” “Ceramics” “Apparel” “Mixed Media”etc. Its a little crazy- making because there is so much to see, so many decisions to make. We get sore from walking. Aspirin. We have to take short breaks. Creme Bruelee. We have to keep checking our budgets. Coffee. We have to try not to fall in love with too much. Wine. Every night we go over our work sheets. Tums
So we’ll let you know how our trip went this year. Here’s the most important part, we will be thinking of you when we shop, because that is what it is all about. We want you to come to the store with the same excitement as we feel at the show. We want to find the most wonderfu, fun, interesting, treasures in the country for you. Cheers!
Araucania Yarn Linen and Cotton
Lontue by Araucania
When the yarn representatives come to the shop with their suitcases full of samples, its an exciting day. How the mills keep coming up with new temptations, I can’t fathom. We vocalize our approval involuntarily,”ohhh…oooo…ahhh” as we pat the skeins, as if they were kittens. But we really try to be restrained,too.We want to buy the most beautiful for our customers but not every yarn we see. Invariably, however, when the reps are leaving, they always give us a skein or two to worry over. What do I mean by that? Well, its usually something we hesitated over but then pass up. Maybe it is too expensive, maybe doesn’t fit in with our current stock, maybe got over looked because there were so many stars. But then its left with us, there it is, the yarn you didn’t buy,one skein. Two weeks ago, we were left with a beautiful skein of yarn. Its Lontue by Araucania. Its a 50% linen and 50% cotton, hand- dyed in Chile and meant to be worked on a 4 needle. I said,”Its a sophisticated yarn, I love it but not sure our customers would buy it. For one thing its on size 4 needles.” And there it is , sitting on my desk for the last two weeks and I am absolutely being seduced by it. We had seen a scarf made of it, not very wide, not very long, but it had a lovely drape. The skein is 249 yards so I think it only took one to make the scarf. The picture doesn’t show the texture very well, the fiber is matte and that makes the colors seem rich but still earthy since the linen running through features the natural texture. So here’s what I’m thinking, I’ll just knit up a scarf, like the one we saw and then I’ll show it to the knitters that come into the store and see what they think. Or, if anyone has ever used it and you’re reading this, let us know what you think. I used to hate to knit on such small needles, but lately, I am beginning to enjoy the delicate beauty of the smaller stitches. I just finished a lovely Steve West scarf with Madelinetosh merino light and love it. I’ll write about it soon. Meantime, I have to go wind some yarn.
Gift Shopping in Chautauqua County
Niche Award winner 2011 hand sewn leather bag by WiliNilli
- Lake Erie Glass pendant
Ruby Bracelet
Shopping on vacation is part of the fun,right?. There is a sense that you won’t find this item at home. And you’re probably right. If you are a boutique shopper, cool little indie shops are where you find your visual fix, so don’t miss Imagine! in Bemus Point when you are cruising Chautauqua county. Imagine! is an ever changing mix of eye candy and carefully selected eclectic treasures. Some are from county artisans and some are produced at the shop itself. The store features American made, artisan- crafted gifts gathered from travels throughout the U.S. . So that means local customers don’t have to leave the county to see some of the most stunning work that is available. They can find it anytime at Imagine! You’ll see a mix of fiber, wood, ceramics, leather, glass and particularly jewelry of every kind.The staff is particularly fond of estate pieces with diamonds, pearls, gold as well as contemporary work from national and local artists. Here’s the thing about Imagine! , the work of the artists is inspiring, so then walk into the back of the store and you’ll find a classroom where visiting and local instructors teach you how to make something of your own. Luxury yarns and beads from around the globe are available for you to play with. Some of the items are so easy to make, 12 year- olds have mastered them in minutes. There are jewelry techniques, clay, fused glass, felting and more. The atmosphere is fun and welcoming, so if you are a curious shopper, we’ll see you there. Hours are seasonal so check our website or call 716 386 2244.
Counting skeins of yarn
- Pima Fresca cotton yarn
How fun is inventory. Not. But it does slow things down. You have to visit each and every skein of yarn that is in the store. You have to pick each one up to count it.You have to touch it and really look at it carefully. Something we don’t always do except during inventory and when one of our customers picks out a yarn and brings it up to the counter, we remember how much we love it. Pretty soon you get caught up in those yarn dreams. You know, ideas that spontaneously sprout in your head about how buttery and lush an Eco Duo hat would feel and how you always wanted to make a sweater out of the eggplant heather pure alpaca. So inventory starts to get a lot more interesting. Also, the sales reps are calling and we are ordering the same week as we are counting and we tend to fill in the blanks with yarns we need in the shop. Then,of course, we splurge on yarns that really stretch the budget, but are so beautiful, we have to have them in the shop for you. You might never meet these yummy yarns otherwise….So here’s a picture of a hand- dyed yarn that we appreciated while counting and here’s a list of a few of the things we ordered this week that are going to come in this spring. From Cascade, a new braided Merino/Alpaca called Cloud…it is soft, soft.It has that new and trendy channel of braid for texture. We got some tasty shades of super-wash Peruvian wool in variegated colors and some bulky super-wash solids to add to the current stock. For the sock knitter we ordered more, indulgence at- a- bargain Heritage Paints. Got a bunch of wild scarf yarns, the kind that ruffle as you knit, so popular that they are hard to keep in stock.We found some from Queensland and some from other sources. We ordered a new yarn that actually has charms stitched in it which would be fun for little girls (maybe big girls,too). We got an assortment of embellishing fibers including railroad ribbon that everyone seems to be turning into necklaces. Cottons for spring and fall in various weights and lush colors are coming in as well as lovely wools, and hand dyes in every weight. We can’t wait for a new, darling baby book from Sublime. Hand dyed skeins from Shaefer, Blue Heron and Ironstone. Ruca in melt- in- your- hand sugar cane in sherbet shades and a great booklet for them.Super cute kid patterns. Meantime, back to counting and dreaming. Hope you are knitting wonderful things this winter.
Closed for the winter
Catching up with the evolution of Imagine!
Its been 4 1/2 years since we started Imagine! arts boutique and its turned out to have a life of its own. Kinda like having a child that takes off in a direction that you hadn’t seen coming but is more original and wonderful than you Imagined.
Imagine! continues to be a place where you can shop for hand crafted items from the county or the country and Canada or find elegant antiques and jewelry. Its also a place where you can make your own wonderful art. We have supplies for knitting, beading, glass fusing and more and we offer classes listed on our web site www.imagineinbemus.com
Firstoff, I have to tell you that we were thrilled and honored to find out that Imagine! was featured as only one of 11 “Not to be missed boutiques” in the Holiday Shopping issue of Great Lakes Life magazine http://www.erielifemagazine.com The shops included were as far north as Buffalo, as far south as Pittsburgh and as far west as Westlake Ohio. I kept blinking at the page with the listing and thought somebody better pinch me, this might be a dream. And here’s the kicker, I don’t know how it happened…very classic- some undercover shopping sleuth with cutting edge taste gave us the dizzying “advance to go” nod. Thank you, sleuth, and thank you Imagine! friends and fans. You know what this means? You have totally encouraged us so we are off with new energy to up the ante (again.)..but we need your input…what is your wish list for our little journey together. We are trying to make space for shopping and for creating that is comfortable, inspiring and most of all that you can share with us and with friends. We are interested in your thoughts and ideas.
And to that end….we are completely remodeling the former kitchen space and painting it an unapologetic PURPLE..Here is a picture of one of the walls with our little switch plates added.We’re dedicating a cozy space with cushioned comfort for you to curl up in and we are filling our lending library with dvds, magazine and books…
the coffee/tea makers are in the same room ,so help yourself. Bring your project to work on or not ..come hang out with us….
Meantime, its off to trade shows to learn and to shop so we can bring back the very best and latest for you.First its Buyers Market of American Crafts in Philadelphia in Frebuary. This is a pretty exciting market that we are going to ferret because all of the work featured in the approximately 650 booths are hand-made. And they are juried so the quality of the work is extraordinary but no necessarily expensive. In March we go to Columbus for those great little gifty items like the funky, fabulous purses we got this year from Rivertide.
Then we are going to scour the Bead Market in Minneapolis at the Bead and Button Show. This is a great place for inspiration for projects we want to bring to you in the way of classes and kits.Then its the annual The National Needlework Assoc. show where we buy yarn, accessories and see all the new trends…
If you have a particular interest, let us know so we can shop just for you.
Well, that’s all for now but I promise to keep you up dated. Meantime, please let us know if you have questions or suggestions we want to here them and thank you for making Imagine! so much fun. Myriam
Celebrating our 4th Anniversary SALE
20% off all yarn and patterns on Saturday June 5th. and Sunday June 6th. 10-5. Come join us for coffee and cookies. Thank you for being a part of us….4950 Main Street Bemus Point, New York 14712 Phone: 716 386 2244
info@imagineinbemus.com www.imagineinbemus.com
