THE BLISSFUL on Facebook & Twitter

Photo courtesy of Flickr.

Two new ops for ultimate insiders...

THE BLISSFUL is now on Facebook, where friends and fans can view photo archives of the shop and go behind the scenes at our special events. {If you've shopped in our brick and mortar store, you may even spy yourself in some of these shots!} Eventually, we may even post our first-ever videos of the shop! Click HERE to become a fan today.

Also, you can follow us on Twitter by clicking HERE. If you're not yet familiar with Twitter, it's like a stream-of-consciousness online log of thoughts, opinions, happenings, and just about anything else that crosses the writer's mind. {Did you see last Friday's Oprah Live in Chicago with Ashton Kutcher on his battle against CNN to be the first Twitterer to reach one million followers? Guess who won?} I'll be "tweeting" about daily goings-on at the shop, behind-the-scenes prep for special events, my private thoughts on shopkeeping, what we're unpacking this very minute {!}, and more.

Hope to see you online with us!

What Flower Are You?

These solid pewter cuffs engraved with a flower have the corresponding month of the year engraved inside the band. Give one to mark a birthday, an anniversary, a special occasion, or even just a favorite flower. We love this idea as a gift for the whole bridal party, or a special token for the girl who's graduating. Moms of all ages love them, too. {Mother's Day is Sunday, May 10th.}

January. . . Carnation
February. . . Violet
March. . . Jonquil
April. . . Daisy
May. . . Lily of the Valley
June. . . Rose
July. . . Larkspur
August. . . Poppy
September. . . Aster
October. . . Cosmos
November. . . Chrysanthemum
December. . . Narcissus

Dreaming of Design on a Rainy Day

It's cloudy here. Overcast. A bit rainy. Perfect weather to stay in and dream. If I could, I'd be tucked into the corner of a really comfy sofa right now, in my PJs, drinking something hot {like the Wild Blueberry Tea I enjoyed last night at Caffe Gelato in North Canton}, and skipping from blog to blog on my laptop.

Just in case you're desirous of some quiet inspiration this afternoon, I thought I'd share this design quiz I found on Melissa Michaels' wonderfully fun and totally down to earth blog, The Inspired Room. {If you don't already know Melissa, stop by and say hello and be sure to tell her Abby from THE BLISSFUL sent you.} And to give credit where it's due, I should mention that Melissa came to this quiz by way of the gorgeous design blog {this is glamorous}--how's that for a blog name? Take a look!

But back to the design quiz: all you have to do is click on the photo that represents your answer to each question. At the end, the website generates a thoroughly detailed portrait of your {apparent} design tastes, along with a "label" that could best describe your style.

The quiz tells me I'm a Pot-Luck Pro. Here was my description {and tell me this doesn't sound like the shop}: You love to indulge the senses, to pamper and prettify. Just as feminine iconography ranges from the Junoesque to the gamine, from English apple blossom to vampish vixen, so can feminine interiors be expressed in myriad styles. . .You're a maverick [ooh...I'm maverick-y], blending a melting pot style that's all your own. . .What might end up looking like chaos if other people tried it has harmony and style in your capable hands. . .You revel in the juxtaposition of furnishings and objects that have caught your eye. Who needs rules when you've got great style?

Try it, have fun. . .and let me know your results!

Easter Blessings

Hallelujah to the Risen One!

Shop Indie, Save the Local Economy

Think about which three independently owned stores you'd miss most if they were gone...Your contribution is what keeps those businesses around.

This idea is at the heart of a new nationwide movement to save independently, locally owned brick and mortar stores. It's called the 3/50 Project. Brick and mortar stores around the country are rallying their loyal fans and customers to help support the local economy, three stores at a time. Click the graphic at left to enlarge the flyer and read about how YOU can help preserve the citizen-driven economy that America was built on! If you like this idea, I encourage you to print the flyer and pass it on to your friends.

THE BLISSFUL thanks you for supporting this indie establishment.

Last Minute Easter Gifts

Ideas for grown up Easter gifts. . .

By the way, if you're a blog reader from outside of our local area and interested in ordering anything featured here, please scroll down to the bottom of this post for ordering instructions. Merci!

Yum. Each chocolate truffle egg in our Petit Egg Sampler is individually speckled, splattered, or swirled on the outside and filled with ganache on the inside. And the packaging...


is just as sweet. Available in Robin's Egg Blue, Spring Green, or Royal Purple.


Enjoy your Easter feast to the sounds of Stacey Kent's Breakfast on the Morning Tram. This tuneful compilation of jazz standards, French chansons, and original work is sung in Kent's honeyed, lilting soprano. A favorite at THE BLISSFUL. Makes a great gift for the music lover.


A mercury glass chalice votive with one of our Olive Tree, Patchouli, or Rosemary Sage votive candles makes a great Spring hostess gift, especially when paired with...


an Iris Matchbox.


Terracotta Owl for the hostess with the mostest.


Herb Planting Kit all dudded up for Spring. Click here to learn more and purchase.


A peek at our herb sprouts, plus a look at these really cool Zinc Gift Tags {all pre-punched and ready for ribbon or twine} and Placecards. Easy to write on with chalk or, if you're feeling more permanent, a fine-tip Sharpie.


My favorite tablecloth from our new shipment: meet the Lotus, a garden print of happy flowers in Spring-y brights, with crisscrossing pink ruffles. Feminine and cheery. 60" x 60". Also makes a great throw for over the back of a plaincovered sofa or chair. Pairs perfectly with our handpainted Quince Glasses.


100% beeswax Noir Crown Candles by Tatine. Ideal for burning at the table. A reminder of the King of Kings, our reason for celebrating Easter.

A darling small thing, these dyed pink Quail Eggs are uniquely speckled and ready to fill a bowl or nest. Also available in Blue or Green.



Our Mirrored Glass Reflecting Balls have rusty chains and a rusty iron bird hovering above {seen here, flying above our cash wrap}. The small ones, especially, make hot little hostess gifts.


Sid Dickens Memory Blocks to commemorate all of life's moments.


Wonderfully fragrant candles in soothing blue-green-cream packaging. Easy on the eyes and the nose.


Colorful patterns borrowed from William Morris adorn this collection of Gardening Tools. An irresistible gift for those with a green thumb, or for those who want to cultivate one.


These Mercury Glass Finials can go anywhere and look especially great in contrast with live, green things. To view more of our Preserved Boxwood collection, click here.


What is it about pom-poms that makes whatever they're attached to so irresistible? These kelly green poms are attached to our Shilps Table Cover. 60" x 60".


Our rectangular Chicken Wire Baskets are shallow enough to hold paper napkins, guest towels, correspondence, even small planted pots. A multipurpose hostess gift that anybody can use, or use in lieu of a basket for Easter gifts.


Paris-themed goodies to pop into baskets.


Boho-hip Cross Stretch Bracelets.


This canvas seems to make everyone smile.


I love a little Cast Iron Urn as a candle holder.

Saw these Dandelion Metal Tealight Holders {they come flat, then you punch out the design and bend each piece to stand it up} on an episode of Giada at Home on the Food Network, the one where she prepares a spread for a fashion designer friend. I love these outside, as even the gentlest breeze will stir the silver fronds and stem.

NOTE FOR BLOG READERS FROM OUTSIDE OUR LOCAL AREA: Not all of these items are currently sold in our Online Boutique, but everything you see here is for sale while supplies last. Please e-mail us at sales@theblissful.com for pricing and more information. In the event the item you'd like is not featured in our Online Boutique, we'll invoice you via PayPal or take your order over the phone using your credit card. All orders placed before 3 PM Monday-Friday will ship UPS Ground the same day; if expedited shipping is needed, please e-mail us your city, state, and zipcode and let us know how quickly you need it and we'll reply with a shipping quote within just a few hours.

Merci, Happy Easter, and Happy Spring!

What's Abby Doing?

Not Abby. This is Jamie, one of our Johnny-on-the-spot models when we shoot apparel and handbags for the Online Boutique. Learn more about this handbag here.

Sometimes I wonder just what customers must think when they're shopping the store and they see me standing at my cash wrap, behind the computer monitor, tap-tap-tapping away on the keyboard. This is a daily occurrence {especially on days when staff is busy elsewhere in the store and I'm not tucked away in my office} and is probably the most familiar vision of me that most customers have. I swear I'm not catching up on my personal e-mail or looking up recipes! I'd like to tell them.

Abby's view of the store when peeking out from behind her keyboard. The pale blue thing with brown detail, at left, is the robin's egg blue vintage vase that holds pens at the cash wrap.

Instead, I'm likely doing one of the following {and sometimes two or three at the same time, switching between screens like nobody's business}: firing off an e-mail to a sales rep {"Where's my tissue paper??!!!"}; making an inquiry to a prospective new vendor {"I believe your line may be a great fit for our mix at THE BLISSFUL..."}; checking in with an existing vendor's customer service department regarding a billing or shipping issue; writing a blog post like this one or networking in blogland; responding to a request for information about our products that someone in Greece or North Dakota saw on our blog or Online Boutique; reviewing orders that have come in via our Online Boutique; generating Sales Receipts and shipping tags for Online Orders that will be shipped out today; writing orders for new merchandise; answering an e-mail question from another shop owner or wannabe shop owner; working on a a marketing piece; researching new products, lines, ideas, Markets, other stores I admire; watching and reconciling our bank account online; planning my next season in the store or buying trip; making to-do lists for myself and staff; communicating with advertisers. Some customers might be surprised by the amount of detailed, office-y, computer work that a business like this requires, and just how tied to my computer I really have to be to make sure everything's well in our world. Indie retail in the digital age is a business in which office-lovin' paper pushers like me can really thrive. At least the type of indie retail that THE BLISSFUL is. Around here, I handle the gross majority of the paperwork...and truth be told, I love that element of this business!

Customers may notice that I've been spending a lot more time behind the scenes lately. I've been learning more about the art of making an indie retail shop spin, and this takes me off the sales floor more and more. Trust me--I'm far from perfection but learning more everyday. Our shopgirls, however, are closer to perfect than I deserve.

I offer the above image with tongue firmly inserted in cheek. Check out the rest of the image here.

In fact, I have to run off in a second to make some more gears spin, but first I wanted to show you some of the new items we've recently added to our Online Boutique for Spring {just one more thing I might be doing when you see and hear me tap-tap-tapping away on my keyboard}. Click the link under each photo to be transported directly to the page where you can learn more, and maybe purchase. FYI, I'm in the process of uploading about 100 recently arrived items, so this is not all. Keep checking back!

Our next buying trip-in-the-works: we'll be heading to Chicago at the end of the month to attend Stylemax, a fashion/jewelry/accessories circuit. We'll also meet up with our friend Margo, candlemaker extraordinaire of Tatine, who made the candles above with her very own hands.

Tanks with a timely message. Click here to learn more about this one and view other styles.


Grow your own herbs with these cleverly packaged Herb Potting Kits. We tore off a bit of our lush cilantro yesterday just to taste--and ah yes, totally salsa-worthy. The recycled paper pots are lined with sturdy plastic {so you can actually water right into them} and arrive in a round open weave bamboo basket. The dirt and seeds are included! A great gift idea for the home cook or someone who's looking to live a little more green. Rather than buy fresh herbs from the grocery store once a month when you need them for one recipe {and then throwing away what you didn't use}, grow your own at home for a fraction of the price and enjoy them daily. Thyme is great on eggs; basil is sublime when pressed in a George Foreman between two halves of a baguette or focaccia with mozzarella and tomato.

When on the go, tote along just the essentials in a Royal Robin zip pouch adorned with subtle swarovskis. Click here to see other styles.

Allow for small pleasures, like our made-in-Spain lip balms.

A new collection from KOBO to delight you. Today we're burning Orange Amber.


A great new influx of books to inspire you. This is one of my favorites.

This is the first day all year that we've been able to prop our shop door open. The breeze feels like sweet elixir right now! The signs of Spring are all around us. {Readers in more temperate climates, please bear with all the weather-related talk on this blog. We in the Midwest long for the change of seasons.}


One last thing: a notice of a Last Chance Sale: we are offering 50% OFF select Pyrrha jewelry until it's gone {Silver Initial Necklaces not included in this sale}. We've got some beautiful rings in store {but only in select sizes}, along with some pretty amazing necklaces. If you've ever wanted a piece from this truly heirloom-quality collection, the time to act is now during our Last Chance Sale. We've got one Silver Initial Ring in a 'C,' band size 8, eligible for sale to the first person who contacts us. Local customers, please call the shop at 330.492.2500 or stop in. Non-local customers, please e-mail inquiries about what may still be available to sales@theblissful.com. Merci!