Pick Up Sticks Mentors III – Gil Tani and Lothantique

When we were just starting out in this biz, we didn’t make a concerted effort to find mentors.  We just sort of stumbled upon them.  Remember Hondo and Alice?  We met him while taking a break.  Carol the Seaglass Girl?  Sat up down the aisle from us and took us under her wing.

Gil's Pick Up Sticks booth in Toronto

Always, just at the moment when we felt like maybe our business needed a bit of tweaking, someone came along who had knowledge and experience, and by paying attention and listening, we learned amazing things.

It’s difficult to say which of our mentors gave us the most guidance, but we definitely want to recognize Gil Tani and Lothantique.  We wrote about him before in this blog – we called him our own Pick Up Sticks rock star.  Gil is our distributor in Canada and his distribution company operates under Lothantique, Inc..  He’s also the owner of gorgeous retail space, Belle de Provence, in Toronto, so he has vast experience selling elegant gifts.

The rock star himself, Gil Tani at the New York International Gift Fair

Meeting Gil and his wife Yvonne when we did always felt a little like serendipity.  Things hadn’t worked out well with our distributor in Canada, and Yvonne  happened to walk into our booth in Atlanta on the right day.  After discussing our needs, she led us to Gil so that we could talk to him about taking over the market in Canada.  We’ve often discussed how we felt an instant connection with both of them.

Our business in Canada soared under Gil’s direction, and this year he’s helped get us into the European market.  We’re headed to London to do a show this fall, and all the credit goes to Gil!

Gil is a man of much action and few words, so when we asked him to give us a paragraph or two for this blog, he predictably didn’t waste a lot of space.  Here’s what he said:

“We initially got acquainted with Pick Up Sticks as a retailer, we found the line at the Atlanta Gift Show, and carried it in our Belle de Provence store. Two years later we were doing well with the product in our store and Sabrina & Glena were looking for a distributor in Canada.  As we love the line we volunteered to represent them in Canada. We found Glena & Sabrina very open & friendly and the connection was instant.

In regards to advice, I told them to concentrate on what works!”

Gil's fabulous sales team selling Pick Up Sticks in Toronto

We’re forever grateful to Gil and Yvonne for taking a chance with Pick Up Sticks and for continuing to give us ideas for building our business.  Check out their websites – their product is gorgeous and very luxurious and we’re sure you’re going to want to place an order.

And if you’re in London in September, stop in and see us.  Thanks, Gil, for inspiring us to make that big move!

Pick Up Sticks Mentors Part II: Carol the Seaglass Girl

Here’s the second in our series on the folks who have been such incredible mentors to us over the years.  As we said in our post about Hondo and Alice, we never could have been so successful without the help of our fellow artists.  Carol Hall (we’ve always just called her “Carol the Seaglass Girl”) was one of the first people we met at the Atlanta show at AmericasMart.

Carol Hall and her beautiful daughter, Rowan

Back in the day when we really had no idea what terms like “net 30″ and “lead time” and “minimum order” meant, Carol sat across the aisle and gave us great tips.  She shared show stories and advice on where to spend our market booth budget wisely.  And she told us hilarious tales about how much fun this life would be once we figured out what we were doing.  When we asked her to write a bit about our relationship, she totally skipped the details about herself and her fun jewelry and only wrote about Pick Up Sticks.

A pair of Carol's seaglass earrings. Find them and more at http://www.seaglass.us/

Our advice to you?  Check out these photos of Carol’s beautiful seaglass creations and then check out her website at http://www.seaglass.us/.  You can also follow her on Facebook.  It’s a totally different look from Pick Up Sticks, but we love Carol’s jewelry!

Here’s what Carol had to say about Pick Up Sticks:

“I can’t remember the first time I met the Pick Up Sticks girls, and I’m not sure any of us want to mark that many years going by, for the sake of our own vanity. We clicked so fast it feels like I’ve known them forever. I do vividly remember the first time I introduced my daughter, Rowan, to them.

She was about 12 and knew their work from seeing it scattered throughout my enormous jewelry box, and from having a few special pieces of her own. She loved the eclectic, glamorous aesthetic, that felt like they had been made for her, so she was excited to meet the two girls that she believed personally created her entire jewelry wardrobe.

Little did Rowan know that Glenna and Sabrina are as fun and beguiling as their work. We were at a trade show (an important working event for both the Pick Up Sticks Girls and myself, where we meet our clients and write orders for the coming season). I thought we would dash by for a quick meet and greet.

Rowan modeling her Mother's seaglass jewelry

The introduction quickly turned into a “Rowan, come by the booth at the end of the day and hang with us!” And “hanging” turned into exploring through all their beautiful jewelry, and exploring turned into Rowan, Glenna, and Sabrina playing dress up; wearing more necklaces than I would have thought possible and still looking effortlessly fun.

My daughter is 18 now, but she, the girls, and I still make time to “hang out” during every show. Dress up with Sabrina and Glenna after long days of work is always the best!

One of our favorite pieces from Carol's collection - the Coca-Cola bracelet

I have always been smitten with the loving relationship the girls have with each other, and how that translates into jewelry that feels so personal. Their designs have always spoken to a desire to express individuality – revealing unexpected choices by layering designs or finding hidden messages on the backs of pendants, and combining simple style with over the top bling.

There is joy in their work and in their working together as soul sisters. I can remember being across from them at shows and secretly desiring to be 6″ taller, blonde and have a buttery Texas Drawl. Ah, to be a Pick Up Sticks Girl…..

But that’s them. And isn’t it joyful that two girls so different than I am, can so effortlessly express what I want with their jewelry, and what a young girl wants, and so many others. They prove more than any artists I have met, that joyful work attracts people into your spin. I am lucky I was one of the many drawn to them!”

Awww!  Thanks Carol.  Your kind words bring tears to our eyes.  Can’t wait to see you down the aisle in New York soon!

We’re Headed Back to Chicago! (And Atlanta and New York. . .)

Pick Up Sticks Show Booth

The big news this week at Pick Up Sticks?  We’re going on the road!  The bigger news?  We’re headed back to Chicago to Beckman’s Handcrafted Show from July 30 to August 2 – we’ll be in Booth #8-7029.  It’s been a couple of years since we did the Chicago show and we’re really excited to have added it back into our schedule.  We love our Midwestern retailers, and we love the city -  where else can you go to market during the day and then catch a baseball game and eat Harry Caray’s fries in the evening? 

Adding Chicago this year meant that we had to leave out the Dallas market.  If we missed you in Dallas, we’re hoping we’ll see you in Atlanta at the International Gift Market at Americas Mart (Building 3, Floor 2, Booth 802 in the Atrium from July 15 to 19) or at the New York International Gift Fair (Javitz Convention Center, Booth 9285 in Handmade from August 13 to 17). 

As those of you who have attended market know, there’s really no comparison to buying at market.  You get to see our jewelry on display, you get to handle and try on the new charms, you have the chance to ask questions, and this year, you’ll get a hands-on demonstration of the new magic clip.   You’ll also see how pretty the new spacers make every charm combination.  Because our new dots initials and numbers don’t photograph as well as they look in person, you’ll be able to see that  they truly are stunning.  And best of all, buying at market gives you access to our show specials - something you can ONLY get at market.

But sometimes market can be daunting.  After years of attending, we came up with a list of hints we think you’ll find helpful.  We’re not experts, but if you want a truly productive and less wearing market adventure, consider these tips:

1.      Comfortable shoes are not an option.  Some exhibitors even make the joke that if the buyer is not in comfortable shoes, they’re not a serious buyer.

2.      Get a market directory with a good map and hold on to it!  Get ready to dog-ear the pages and make notes in the margins.  If you see something you really like, circle their information.  That way if you don’t have a chance to get back to order something that appealed to you, you’ll at least have contact information when you get home 

3.      Bring A LOT of business cards, or our favorite… stickers!  This way we can make sure your order will be shipped to the right place.  Complete and accurate contact information is crucial.  Please include the following information: your name, store name, billing address, shipping addresses, fax number and email address.

4.      Carry a copy of your Tax ID and Business License in your bag.  Exhibitors need this number on file for tax purposes. 

5.      Please don’t take photographs unless you have permission.  Most markets don’t allow any photography.

6.      Strategy:  Shop the Temporaries FIRST.  You’ll often find designs in the Temporaries that can’t be found anywhere else.  Most buyers agree that the Temporaries have the newest, freshest and most original products.

7.      Next, shop your top merchandise categories.  Having a plan ensures you don’t miss floors or aisles you intend to see.

8.      If you find a new line that you can’t live without, the best place to buy is at market, in person.  Why?  Booths in the Temporaries often have the owners and designers in attendance.  There is no one better to tell you about the line, help you sell more, and guide you through the ordering process than the person who created the product.  And it’s always good to be able to tell your retail customers, “I met this artist, and you’re going to love this line. . .”

Find products that you love.  Comparison shop.  Trust yourself.  Place an order.

And finally, if you can’t make it market this year, take time to browse through our online catalog at www.pickupsticks.net and then call the studio with any questions or for suggestions.  We want your Pick Up Sticks experience to be successful and fun. 

See you at market!

Pick Up Sticks – New Booth Design

We’ve already said it in a previous post - January 2011 was a month for the record books as far as wintry weather goes – Atlanta and New York both received FIVE times as much snow as they usually do – and we were right in the middle of it during show season.  

We know that meant some of you were unable to get to market to see our new booth design (special thanks to booth designer Raymond Kaiser from Toronto, Canada).  So, here it is! 

We received great feedback – everyone seemed to like the new look, especially those cute little white stools.  Judy fit right in – in fact, she was the belle of the ball wearing her black and silver.  And we had lots of people ask about the new display boards in the white frames.  So many, in fact, that we decided to use this post to give you directions for creating your own boards. 

Glena and Sabrina in Atlanta booth

We bought picture frames from IKEA ($19.99 each)  and removed the glass.  We then replaced the frame’s backer board with fabric-covered foam core board (we used spray glue to get the black fabric to adhere to the foam core board).   Once you have foam core board in the frame, you can use u-pins( http://bit.ly/egU8op) to display the charms on the foam core.  

If your store has a specific color scheme, choose a coordinating color fabric, hang the frame on the wall and you have a great jewelry display that matches the décor of your store!

See You at AmericasMart, Dallas Market Center and the New York International Gift Fair!

 

 

Here's what our designer says our new booth will look like!

Only 17 days until market!  Early in December we packed up Judy and a pile of  jewelry and sent her on her way to the Americas Mart/Merchandise Mart in Atlanta.  We’ll join her there on January 14 – and we can’t wait to see you there as well!

The most exciting market news is that we have a new booth design AND we’re going to be easier to find in Atlanta.  We’re in the same building (3), floor (2), section (Handmade) and row (800), but now we’re on the front of the aisle in the atrium.  Our new booth number in Atlanta is 2-802. 

Come by and say hello and let us know what you think of the booth and our new charm designs.  We enjoy going to market - it gives us a chance to see all our old friends and make new ones.  If you’re a retail customer and want your local retailer to carry Pick Up Sticks, send them a copy of our schedule – we’d love to meet them and introduce them to the line.

Our formal schedule is listed below.  See you there! 

Atlanta International Gift Market, Americas Mart/Merchandise Mart, Booth #2-802, Handmade, January 14 – 18, 2011 (Attending:  Glena, Sabrina, Bruce and Candace)

FINDS, Dallas Market Center – Booth 9304, 13^th Floor, January 21-24, 2011  (Attending:  Glena and Sabrina)

New York International Gift Fair, Javits Convention Center, Booth 9285, Handmade, January 29 – February 2, 2011 (Attending:  Jalaina and Brenda)

Pick Up Sticks Summer 2010 Market Season – Come to see us!

 

Sabrina, Jalaina, Candace, Glena and Bunny - Atlanta - Winter Market Season 2010

Every six months we get to do what we love best – we go to market!  We pack suitcases full of boots (Winter season) or flip-flops (Summer season) and we head off to our favorite cities for a week at a time.  This year we’re going to Dallas, Atlanta and New York, where we’ll get to see old friends, make new ones, eat great food, AND show off Pick Up Sticks’ new designs. 

 

Glena and Bunny in the NY booth - Winter 2010

 

Judy goes with us, of course, and in addition to the full days spent in our booth selling jewelry, there’s plenty of fun to be had outside the booth.  There’s always the rush to greet all our old aisle mates, pick our new Glenda Gies bag for the season, have dinner at Two Urban Licks in Atlanta, make a run to the Hobo booth, shop with all the other frenzied shoppers in cash and carry, take in a a Broadway show in New York, (we saw Hair in January), and hopefully squeeze in a concert or two (remember Kool & the Gang at the Americas Mart?  Lenny Kravitz and Aerosmith?  Kenny Chesney?).    

But the absolute best part of going to market is getting to visit with Pick Up Sticks wholesale customers.  Whether you’ve been with us since the days of the soldered charms or you’re brand new, we truly enjoy meeting you (again) and hearing what you have to say about the line.  You tell us what you like, what doesn’t work, what you’re like to see next season, and how your customers are responding.  There’s nothing like that sort of information to make our jobs easier, which should then make your job as a retailer of Pick Up Sticks easier.    

Here’s our market schedule for Summer 2010.  If you’re going to be at any of these markets, let us know ahead of time so we can watch for you.  We’d love to see you there.  And if you have great ideas for something fun to do or an amazing restaurant in your market city, let us know!

We’ll be at:

FINDS, Dallas Market Center – Booth 9404, 13^th Floor, June 25 – 28, 2010

Atlanta International Gift Market, Americas Mart/Merchandise Mart, Booth #2-815, Handmade, July 16 – 20, 2010

New York International Gift Fair, Javits Convention Center, Booth 9285, Handmade, August 14 – 18, 2010