Last Week of School

I always dread the last week of school. There are so many activities going on that I end up over scheduling myself. Ballet and baseball are over now, whew!!! I have 3 end of the year parties this week and then we are done with school. I really like it when the kids are home. It gets a little messy around the house but I like the relaxed schedule. The kids end up sleeping a little later and we just relax around here. I am taking a day or two off a week this summer to spend much needed time with the kids. There are a lot of things around Atlanta that we haven't done yet and I'm hoping to enjoy the time with them. Matthew is going into junior high this coming school year. It really makes you stop and think that time flies. It seems like yesterday, a foggy yesterday that he was born and we brought him home. Now junior high, tomorrow, high school. I'm going to enjoy it while I can.
I took some time off this weekend and have to go back to work tomorrow with 2 appointments, possibly 4. A busy day. I have 2 orders to finish up this week. I'm hoping to be able to squeeze some of my own stuff in this summer. I need to get all this finished up around my house.

Run, Run as fast as you can....

Today, I just went non-stop. I had to take cupcakes to Ben's class at lunch, then come back, do some work, go pick up Eva, bring her home. I then had to go to Norcross and pick up linings, then to a decorator's house to drop off pillows, then to one of her customer's house, then to another decorator's shop, then finally to my last appointment of the day at 6pm. I stopped by to try and get a belated birthday present for Ben but they were out as well. So, home I went.

We have been trying to get some orders knocked out this week. Lisa got a lot done while I was running today. I'm so glad she was here.

The appointment tonight was for arched panels.....yes, arched. I guess the last set was just practice. These will have an attached valance and the arch is a little more pronounced. It ought to be pretty interesting. The dining panels are going to look really pretty. We have done the tab top with cuffs before and they look really nice. I hope the fabric she picks out looks good.

The above picture was of the valance and panels we hung yesterday. It was around feet long and very heavy. It took two of us to get it up there. I thought it turned out really nice though.

Exciting Week's

It was really an exciting week here at Cherry Lane.

Lisa and I went to the International Window Coverings Expo on Thursday. I have to say that I was just a tad disappointed because it was smaller than in years past. Some of the vendors that I was looking for were not there, but some of my favorites were such as Award Fabrics. Mark was on hand making bloody mary's for everyone. (we took the bottled water). We opened accounts with LA Freds for a new line of fabrics and we also ordered and new line of trims. We are also carrying Norman plantation shutters now. Very exciting. Can't wait for my first order.

We visited the "Custom Home Furnishings Academy" booth and ooohhhed and aaaahhhed at all the samples that were hanging. We also went to the Dofix booth and found the most amazing iron. It was definitely something to save for and purchase next year. I renewed a lot of my subscriptions as well. I wasn't thinking and I wore new shoes to the show. The day ended when my feet screamed, "ENOUGH ALREADY".

We also got several orders finished last week and tried to keep as much to our schedule as possible. Keeping up with who, what, where and why is really working out for us. Lisa and I did work late on Thursday night to make up for being at the show.

The show got me to thinking and doing some self examining. I really want to take the business to the next level and I'm just trying to figure out what and where that is. I've been doing a lot of soul searching this weekend (in between company, ballet, baseball, etc).

The photos above are from the Expo. Hope you enjoy. It really was a good show.

On Schedule

I'm so surprised. Monday, we made a schedule of everything that needed to be done, everyday. We are sticking to it and it's working our pretty good. I have some paperwork to be done in the evenings but I'm not in the studio working every night. I could get used to this.

We got an order out today and then worked on some pillows and got some ordering done.

I had an appointment this afternoon to work on some panels and roman shades. I think it is going to turn out really nice.

I love doing window treatments. When you love what you do, it doesn't ever seem like work and you could find yourself "working" all the time before you realize what is happening. I have to be careful about that. I do love it, though.

The above picture is of the nursery for the first grandbaby of one of my favorite clients. I made the bedding and window treatments but they are so talented to decorate the nursery like they did. It is such a serene place to sit up nights feeding a sweet little baby. It's the kind of room you just want to go in and sit down and rest. Prayers and best wished go out to the Horne family on their pending arrival. They didn't find out if it was a girl or boy so double the excitement.

Today Was an Awesome Day!!!

Today was great. I got up this morning to find and email stating that I was chosen as one of the "Citizen Blogger" positions for the International Window Coverings Expo in Atlanta next week. It is a venue for vendors, designers, workrooms to come together and show off all the new products and technology for the industry. All the big names in the business will be there. Vendors come from as far away as China to market their new wares. It really is like "Disneyland" for the drapery professional. I'm really excited about the opportunity.

I hung the massive 2 arched panels today. They look great. The customer was so happy as was I. I had had nightmares about these panels. They really did complement the space.

I went on a new measure, guess what? Arched panels. Can you believe it? I guess today was just a practice run. Too funny.

I have an install tomorrow as well and those panels are in pieces on my work table. I will get them finished in the morning and delivered tomorrow afternoon. Then off to a measure tomorrow night.

I'm still working on the packet for the big house up in the mountains. I really want this to look good.

The picture above is from the install today. Hope you like it.

They Are Done

The massive 2 story, double width arched panels are done. They are in the workroom, in a bag and ready to go. I'm so happy. I just have to finish a shade and this order is ready to go out. Lisa and I worked all day on them and some of the weekend.

I have several of my decorators that have appointments tonight with potential clients. Saying a prayer for them to get the jobs.

This week is going to be crazy. The end of the school year is always busy for 1 student, multiply that by 4 and then add baseball, ballet, work and husband out of town and you have madness.

The above picture is of a house that was done by one of my decorators. We did the window treatments there. We are putting a portfolio together for a possible client.

Don't forget, this is the last week for the Atlanta Symphony Decorators Showhome. A great idea to take mom out for Mother's Day. Make a day out of touring the house and gardens and have lunch at the cafe. Check out all the details on the web http://www.decoratorsshowhouse.org/ . Don't forget, we made all the soft furnishings for the guest bedroom on the main floor.

Getting Some Rest Today

Even when I have to work on the weekends, I really enjoy a lazy Saturday morning and afternoon. I got caught up on my sleep and then went to my son's baseball game. They didn't win but he played really well.

I am still working on those 2 story panels. I have such a mental block. I usually look at everything as a challenge and I am really trying to with these. I have another busy week ahead with several installs going on. I am "redoing" my daughter's room so I can put both girls in the same room. Maybe I can squeeze getting their stuff done somewhere in here. I don't have a clue what I'm going to do yet.

May 14th is the annual Window Coverings Expo at the Georgia World Congress Center. I am scheduling quite a few classes for Lisa and myself and am looking forward to it. I am also saving my money to buy some new equipment. I just bought a new computerized Mitsubishi industrial machine and would really like to get either a "tacker" or an industrial blind hemmer. We will have to see.

The above picture is of a house we did in Alpharetta. I will post more pictures of it later.