Anthology

new & old; looking back, and forth

I feel a little at a loss as far as where to begin or end.  Sachi and I are still feeling rather worn out from the holidays, while the unseasonable weather has kept this week busier than usual.  Then there are the visits with out-of-town guests and the general catching-up of the holiday season.  We were ready to start hibernating, but that is more of a late January activity.  There is still inventory and year-end tax prep to get through.  Sigh. 

Well, at least I can look around the store for easy inspiration - wow, my desire to facilitate creativity even works on me!  This will be my last post of 2011 and it seemed appropriate to draw from the words that I see around me everyday, from our notecards and prints, from some of my favorite artists who have been inspiring me (for years even before we opened).

 

Amidst all the bustle of the holidays, I can't help coming back to the idea of how much has changed in a single year.  Although much of this time of year involves looking forward, making plans/resolutions/intentions for the new year, there is also, for me, an element of looking back on the year that has passed.  Part of this comes from the Blurb books that I work on (the year in pictures & projects, and the annual installation of the adorable girl photos) and my Christmas letter but this year in particular, I find myself marveling over all that has changed.  A year ago, there was nothing vague about my sense of dread related to Wisconsin politics, but, seriously, I had NO idea what was to come, nor what my involvement would be.  I certainly never would have guessed that we'd be closing in on 21,000 buttons made & sold since February.  It's bizarre to think of all that happened in less than 365 days.  And for all the planning that anyone does, there's so much we don't know about what the new year will bring.

I'm still kind of wrestling with my new year resolutions.  To be honest, I don't usually make a formal list and just have some vague ideas.  Last year I had my collage, which should carry over pretty well into another year.  It was rather comprehensive and perhaps a little over-reaching in terms of what a person could do in a year.  But I made progress.  The last line "don't forget your sword and your ticket," was a line from the adorable girl, but I kind of feel like it ended up being a sword-wielding kind of year.

 

For myself, the main thing that is preoccupying my mind is how I will be the change I wish to see in the world.  It is overwhelming to think of the scale of politics and economics, corporations and media... overwhelming and discouraging.  I'm not quite sure how I will go forward in that realm, though I do know that I am continuing my local buying and hopefully directing less money to the corporate and political realm.  Most recently, I've been caught up in the Madison Prep debate - thinking about the achievment gap here in Madison, and what a person, such as myself, can do about it.  I have this keen sense that we as a nation and state are failing our children. That parents who have the time and money and energy are taking their children out of the public school system and that we, as taxpayers, are abandoning our responsibilities to the public school system.  I'm not really sure what role is appropriate for me, just that I'm not ready to cede the education of our children to private industry.

And I am hoping this coming year that I can refine the work/life balance, which is hard when one's work IS one's life in the way that it is for me, this being my dream job that I choose to create for myself.  Still, the introvert that I am needs a little more quiet time.

As for the shop.  Well, who knows what is in store?  Every year at Christmastime, it is fun to look around at the products that arrived to the store, the new directions that we've gone in - It's always a bit of a surprise as I don't know what customers will be asking for, what artists will be creating, or what we will be inspired to pursue.  But that's the kind of change that is fun and intriguing. 

In the new year, we are looking forward to a buying trip to San Francisco. Our uncle lives in the area so we will visit with him.  The last time I saw him was a year before we opened Anthology; I was wrestling with some job dissatisfaction and I clearly remember one lunch where, after patiently listening to my complaints, my uncle said, "I think it's time.  You need to open your store."  So he gets credit for the first kick in the pants that got us going on this path. 

We have never been to this particular show, so we are curious to see what we will find (hoping that the Asian influence might be strong there on the West Coast since we'd love to find more Japanese goods for the shop).  We are also looking forward to a bit of a getaway; we tack on a few vacation days to the trip and are already making our list of places to go to in San Francisco.  I have always loved Flax, and am looking forward to seeing their paper collection.

 

Sachi has already started planning for the Valentine's window and is busily sewing some text for embroidery hoops (think romantic lyrics).  As usual, we seem to compliment each other; when one is tired, the other tends to step up to the plate.  I did muster up enough energy to change the Christmas Alice window to our New Year wishes - a collection of words that loosely represent our wishes for the New Year.

We are so thankful to all our customers, friends, family, artists, everyone who has been with us on our journey this past year.  Whatever your resolutions/intentions are, if you are the sort of person to make them, we hope that your new year holds wonder and inspiration and creativity. Thank you!!

 

protest buttons thanks

In celebration of the 18,000th protest button sold and in honor of the kick-off of Recall Walker petition collecting season, Anthology will be having a button sale on Saturday, November 19th.  Protest buttons made in-house will be 50% off - regularly $1 and $1.50, now 50 cents and 75 cents. While supplies last, though we will do what we can to keep up.  Stock up and bring some home for the holidays.  We still have "with Liberty and Justice for all," which I think means that there's a button for everyone.

 

This is the time of year when the slide from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day goes fast, when I'm thinking about giving thanks and wrapping up a year, about what has changed from last year (what new items do I have to offer this Christmas?  what have I accomplished in a year?), about what to write in my annual Christmas letter, about what I hope for in the coming year.

And it is not that there aren't other things in my life or the life of the store, but a big part of all those thoughts is... buttons.  Buttons, buttons.  A year ago, who would have guessed that would be so?  A year ago, I never would have predicted all that has happened and the role that buttons would play. 

Five years ago, to be precise, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, was when the plans for Anthology first solidified.  That was my light-bulb moment at 6 a.m.  It is funny to think about our path and the role button machines - which I first had to twist Sachi's arm over (She always wanted a button machine and I told her this would be a great opportunity since it would be a business expense and we could use it to make buttons for the store.)  We had so much fun making our own buttons that we ended up inviting customers to make their own buttons.  The button machine wasn't even in our business plan. 

Even the process of making protest pins started very serendipitously.  We felt very strongly that Governor Walker's actions were wrong and were going to be hurtful to our community at large, as well as to our customers, and so we stood with the protesters from the beginning.  Sachi made her signs, we teared up as the firefighters passed by, I installed our first protest window.  But, mostly, the first couple days, we stood.  We witnessed.  We felt kind of blindsided and helpless; and it felt a little lonely to be standing in the store watching everyone walk up to the Capitol.  Of course, it wasn't about selling, this was not the time.  But then our customers (who regularly walk by and point us out as "the button store") started coming in and asking where our buttons were.  A friend commented that we must be selling buttons like crazy since protesters love their buttons.  Of course as a business, we are always trying to think of ways to build our business.  But I believe that you can't really sell a product unless you really believe in it - you have to pick the things that speak to you so that your heart is in your store.  And in the end, while making buttons has been monetarily rewarding, I think it has saved my sanity this year in many more significant ways.  I can feel alone, helpless, powerless; and then I can check our sales history and be comforted by the number of people who have bought buttons and who agree with me (and extrapolate how many recall signatures that translates into).  I am not alone.  I can feel minimized, marginalized ('oh, you're just a hippie Madisonian') and have my day immediately brightened by a phone order for buttons to be shipped somewhere in northern or eastern or western Wisconsin.  I am not alone.  I can feel voiceless and unheard, and then I can come into the shop and vent my frustration by coming up with new slogans, not to mention that the physical act of making buttons can use up a little aggression.  I can feel worried or threatened about possible hostility, and then I can appreciate that civility prevails.  Most of all, providing the space of our button table has created little pockets of community, moments when random strangers come together and share a chuckle over buttons - these moments of laughter are so valuable to me, and to play a role in hosting them is something that I am truly proud of.

Yesterday we sold our 18,000th button since February of this year.  That is more buttons than we've sold in the previous years since we opened.  That is pretty close to the increase in sales between last year and this year.   A percentage of that funds our local non-profit donations, which have increased substantially this year compared to last year.  That is thanks to the people who have come into our store (or called/emailed) to purchase our protest pins.  THANK YOU!

good things & gratitudes

Good things come in threes.  Well, maybe it should be multiples of three since the list surely goes beyond three.  Nonetheless, Anthology is pleased this June 2011 to celebrate (a little belatedly, but, hey, we were busy):

1. Three years in business.

2. One paid-off small business loan.

3. Three more years, plus an option for an extension, on our lease.

We are so grateful to everyone who has been with us on this adventure, and to many years ahead! 

Christmas & New Year wishes

What an amazing year we had in 2010!  We are so grateful to our customers, our consignment artists, the people who inspire us, the people who were inspired by us...  Oh, so very many people!  As we looked around, the store is a veritable treasure trove of our thoughts and wishes for you this holiday season and into the new year.  And after the thousands of words that I've typed this year, perhaps it is best just to let the pictures do the talking.  Cranes for peace, more joy and on it goes.

 

 

 

and, ever and again, thanks, thanks and evermore thanks.

love from the world wide web

I know it seems a little self-indulgent, but sometimes I just love to wallow around in blog stats and see where everyone is visiting from and find out who is saying what about Anthology online.  And I'll confess that the thrill of seeing travel/nytimes pop up every few days has not waned.  I know, it was only one sentence, but being described as "a whimsical boutique filled with colorful crafts" in the New York Times is a happy compliment.

Today's highlight comes from Life Liberty & Lip Gloss, which reviewed the shop a few days ago.  Although it is a thrill to get a mention no matter what, this review was particularly enjoyable.  Of course it helps that they appealed to the fairytale side of me:

"Ever wonder what it might be like to step into a fairy godmother’s attic? Wonder no more. Anthology in Madison, WI is an enchanting three-dimensional collage of a crafting boutique. The place weaves a spell around visitors that makes it difficult to leave."

"If you have a single creative bone in your body, appreciate beauty in any way, and/or have a love of whimsy, don’t miss Anthology when you’re in Madison!  In fact, it’s worth the drive if you’re in range."

Aw, shucks.

gratitudes

"I've just fallen in love with this store. I'm so glad to have found you."*

I'm pretty sure that I've told this story before, but this time of year always makes me think of it.  Four years and six hours ago, I woke up after several challenging months.  Of course, when you are in the middle of things, it is hard to see what it is all leading up to.  Change had been underfoot at my job for months, I was doubting myself - my talents, my abilities, my plans.  There were tears.  I had even spent most of October updating my resume (which hadn't been updated since I started my job about 10 years before).  THAT alone was a stressful project - how DO you convey your skills and talents on one piece of paper?

"When I got home, I told them, 'I think it's daughters of elves and fairies working in there.'  I didn't want to go back out on the street."

But when I woke up, early for me, on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I woke up suddenly and everything was totally clear.  I know, I know, it sounds so cheesy, so cliche, but it was one of those classic light-bulb-going-on moments that people talk about but which I didn't really believe in. After months of deliberating over what I was going to do for the rest of my life, trying to make compromises to fit my plan with my boss' plan for me, thinking out loud while friends patiently listened and didn't say anything about my secretarial aspirations, trying to figure out what job I could take to "fill the time," when I woke that Wednesday morning, my only thought was, "we should open a store." 

Of course there were moments of doubts and anxiety which followed afterwards, but the clarity of that moment stays in my memory. 

"This store is very inspirational.  It strikes up memories, give me ideas.  There's not much like that out there these days.  Thank you."

I'm thinking about that moment especially this year because I am delivering a sermonette at church on December 5th.  The topic is preparing and I've been thinking a lot about ways that we prepare.  Times that we think we are prepared for one thing but are really preparing for another.  Times that we feel unprepared and yet we have never been more prepared.

"This makes me want to go craft.  Like, right now."

And that Thanksgiving day, I spoke my plans outloud to friends and family.  In some ways, I had never felt more prepared.  Because my Christmas letter for about 10 years kept saying, "by 40, I want a store of my own."  That was why I had my job in the first place, because that was the first step on that path.  Not to mention all the projects that filled my apartment, which could easily fill up a store.  But I wasn't 40 yet!  There was still so much preparing to be done.  In some ways, the timing seemed a little off.  I hadn't really been expecting my job to come to an end at just that moment.  The business plan wasn't written.  The adorable girl was just a month old, and who starts a business with a newborn?

"I appreciate you being out here and sharing your creativity."

In hindsight, the moment was just about perfect and I am so glad that we seized upon it.  The economy was still in pretty good shape, we cashed in on some stocks while they were still valuable, the bank was willing to give us a loan.  And, let's face it, starting a business with a newborn is, in some ways, easier than trying to set up shop with a toddler who doesn't sit still.

And now we are coming up on our three-year anniversary in a few months.  There's very little that I would differently if I had it to do over again, which is always a comfort. 

"Look how adorable!  I just want to eat this shop!"

I feel tremendously thankful - for my sister, my family, that adorable girl, our customers, our consignees, for the ways that risk and daring are rewarded and for the ways that I get to share creativity and inspiration every day.

"You have the cutest store.  I just love it.  You took something you loved and turned it into a store, didn't you?"

Nothing is perfect - it is a tremendous effort for the introvert that I am to be nice to stragners 6 days a week.  There are days when I feel tired or overwhelmed, anxious or crabby.  But every single day, someone comes into the store and pays us a compliment, thanks us, purchases the perfect present or just the art supply that they were looking for.  I have filled a notebook with the happiness of customers and I feel so grateful for having the opportunity to have an effect on the creativity of the world.  Happy Thanksgiving!

"I'm just in love with this place.  Everything here is so thoughtful. It makes me a little misty."

 

*actual customer overheads

fortunes

Happy New Year!  We hope that you and yours enjoy a very happy & successful, creative & colorful New Year!  We are thankful for every little thing that every person has contributed to Anthology - not just in terms of dollars and cents, but in terms of the moral support, the appreciation, the kind words, the creative inspiration... the list goes on.  We closed out 2009 today and are happy to report tremendous growth as we have learned much about running a business, have stretched ourselves as artists, have filled in spaces on the walls and in the drawers, and, yes, have even increased our sales (double digits, no less) compared to 2008.  Thank YOU!  Thanks to the many artists who share their work and fill our shelves, thanks to our customers who appreciate the collection we've gathered and our hours of hard work, thanks to our friends and family who provide such support and patience, thanks to this amazing and inspiring world, and thanks to every little ounce of creative energy.

Just last night a customer came into the store and said to me, "I love this place.  There is such care everywhere, everything in it has such heart.  It makes me a little misty-eyed."  And honestly, people tell me things like that EVERY single day!  Wow! Am I lucky or what?!

And really, all I was intending to say here on the last day of 2009 was thank you, but of course, there are other things that come to mind.  Chief among them is looking ahead to 2010.  Sachi and I are already busy thinking up some new projects, both for ourselves, and also for the craft table.  We will be going to the Craft & Hobby Association trade show at the end of January.  We are greatly looking forward to the trip, and not just because it is in southern California (though that doesn't hurt).  Last year, we found lots of new art supplies and project ideas and inspiration and we can hardly wait to see what we bring back this year!  I'm also hoping to add to our craft party selection and have been spending a lot of time browsing online.  So many things to see and do!  Martha Stewart.... well, it's Martha, what do you expect?  I've found a number of possibilities and, quite frankly, am a little overwhelmed with all the things to do, but I managed to focus long enough to make these little goodies.  They seem like an appropriate activity for the new year so we'll have them at the store just as soon as I gather all the supplies.  Super simple to make, but how fun would it be to have a bowl of these as party favors?  Ta da!  Martha used felt but I like to create a double-sided effect using some of my many quilt scraps.  Now I just have to decide on some suitable fortunes to tuck inside.  

And finally, I wanted to share an excerpt from my holiday letter here because it seems fitting:

Leaning out as far as she can, hoping she'll fall soon,
so she can stop worrying about whether it will happen or not. - Brian Andreas

There is something tremendously rewarding about taking a big risk such as starting a business.  Besides the financial risk, there is a great degree of vulnerability that many people are not sensitive to.  Yes, it can be painful, to open oneself up so publicly, to risk the criticism, the lack of understanding, the disinterest.   It is especially tempting, as an artist and an introvert, to just stay holed up in my studio.  But in pushing myself to lean, to reach, to connect, I have been met with such enthusiasm that the fall has a soft landing.  Daily I have people tell me how much they love the store and how much they’ve been inspired and I feel truly fortunate to be able to play such a role in so many people’s lives.

Don’t you hear it? she asked & I shook my head no & then she started to dance
& suddenly there was music everywhere & it went on for a very long time
& when I finally found words all I could say was thank you. - Brian Andreas

I am grateful to all the people in my lives who share their music, their passion, their art, and inspire me to share my own.

The world is filled with amazing inspirations, opportunities and fortunes; I hope you find the best of them in the New Year!

feeling lucky

and thankful too.  Two years ago today I woke up at 6 am with the proverbial light bulb moment.  It's one of the rare moments that I can remember having such clarity of thought.  It had been a rough year.  Changes at my job had been in the works since the beginning of the year.  Other changes were going on in the lives of people around me and I was wrestling with that pesky "what am I going to do with the rest of my life?" question.  At the time, it really felt like a mid-life crisis.  Only time will tell if there is more to come.  And then on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I woke up early and my path was clear.  Even though it was something I always intended to do someday, I had been busy coming up with jobs to fill in the time, but when I woke up it was suddenly obvious.  We should open a store!  This was the moment. 

That Thanksgiving day I went to dinner at the house of a good friend.  Though I had discussed it with Sachi, that dinner was the first time that I really stated our intention out loud and in public, so I always look back on Thanksgiving as the anniversary of this store.

There followed a whirlwind.  I worked through Christmas and into the new year at my old job.  We met with the realtor (there wasn't any looking to do, this was the space I had my eye on for a while).  We cashed in stocks.  Sachi wrote the business plan, met with the banker, met with the lawyer and otherwise took care of all those pesky and important details, along with a newborn Lily.  It really seemed like the perfect moment.  A lot of people look back on the economy in the intervening time and say, "whoa, this was a tough time to start a business."  But I feel really lucky that we started when we did.  If we had waited even 6 months longer, the window would have been shut and then conditions REALLY would have been hard for starting a business. 

In January we signed our lease.  Here's how the space looked when we first took it over.  We papered the windows with various quotations about creativity as well as assorted magazine scraps - a nod to our usual college decorating styles.  Working late at night Sachi heard some women stop outside the door and read our description.  One of the women scoffed and said "I give it 6 months."  Thankfully, other people have been much more supportive and I feel lucky to have so many great friends and family members, not to mention customers who have been with me along this path. Just today a customer told me that I was really lucky to work in such a creative environment.  I agree.

We will be open 2 years, come March 2010.  The store has filled in a lot since those early Pepto Bismol pink days.  We have over 40 artists represented at the store, as well as many items we love and craft supplies that are inspiring.  I can't count how many people have been inspired to go home and create something and for me, that is the answer to the "how am I going to make the world a better place?" question.

So, I am co-owner of a business I love, I spend my days in a colorful and creative setting, making stuff, moving things around.  I take a risk and open myself up to the possibility of criticism and crabby customers, but I also make new connections, hear compliments everyday and am part of an energizing and creating world.  And, oh yeah, I have an adorable niece!  Aren't I lucky!

 

45467

Once upon a time, it was 2027.... I think that was back in May of 2008 - the number of lifetime pageviews for this blog.  Now, I know, lots of those pageviews are infintesimal as someone is on their way to somewhere else, and it counts people who visit more than once on each of their visits and each of their page clicks.  Still, we're up to 45,467 for this blog.  Amazing!  Thanks so much to everyone for stopping in!

coming true....

"Wish for your deepest desires, she said & when I asked if they'd come true, she said they always do, so you might as well get them out in the open while you're still young enough to correct any serious mistakes." Deepest Desires by Brian Andreas

At various times (mostly on vacation in Door County)  I fantasized about having a store in such a vacation destination, where tourists could come on rainy days and work on art projects.  So well do I remember those days when hanging around at the campsite just wasn't going to do the trick, and we'd head into some nearby town to look in department stores whose height of business was decades ago, to poke through museums, maybe find some activity or tour.  And how fun would it have been to be able to work on art projects?! 

And here we are.  Not Door County exactly.  But the summer vacation season is  definitely underway in Madison.  If you catch us on a day that isn't too humid, summer in Madison can be quite idyllic.  Stroll around the Farmer's Market, people watch on State Street, watch the sailboats on the lake and enjoy your beverage of choice at the Memorial Union.  There are even the occasional tourists from abroad -- and I always wonder what journey brings them here to the Midwest. 

Yesterday a Minnesota family visiting their grandmother came downtown and two of the girls sat at our craft table and I helped them make their own little flower fairies.  The wings are made of Angelina's fusible fibers and are so sparkly and fun -- they really complete the look.  The girls seemed to enjoy themselves... and so did I!  We seemed to have an abundance of appreciative customers yesterday so that was a treat as it always is. I filled in many lines of the happy quotations book, though my favorite for the week is still from my altered books tutorial on Friday, when I was told that this (collaging, altered books) is "like crack."

Perhaps Door County will be the location for the second store, though we've had several other suggestions.  I still think it would be fun for each of us to get a month up in Door County running a shop for the summer and sitting on the beach in the evening.  Jen would be happy to open a Milwaukee franchise and yesterday someone said we'd do well with a store like this in Chicago, and someone else suggested opening a franchise in Missoula, Montana.  Hmm...