Opening a Shop: Erin's Adventure UPDATED

NP Land Logo

Needlepoint Land is making the transition from a business run out of Erin's home to a real brick-and-mortar shop.  I thought everyone would like to read about Erin's adventure, particularly those of you who dream of opening your own stitching shop one day.    Start here.  I'll update this as Erin gets closer to Opening Day.  So far you'll laugh, you'll cry, you will be astounded!  (By the way, I never thought to mention that Needlepoint Land is located in Stuart, Florida.  It's not open until July, though--the formal opening will be in October--so you'll have to wait a bit longer while Erin gets ready.)
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/03/thoroughly-modern-erin/

Where will the furniture and displays go?
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/04/fixating-on-fixtures/

Why We Hate The Electric Company
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/05/shocked-by-fpl/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/09/lost-in-the-funhouse/

Twitter (not to worry, I'll get her into NP Nation)
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/06/hello-bird/

The land of plastic bins....
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/06/unpacking/

Choosing a Layout
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/07/store-layout-ver-1/

Display Options
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/07/what-a-corker/

Finances
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/08/the-business-of-needlepoint/

Near Disaster
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/08/crisis-management/

The Shop's Findable Via Google Maps
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/12/made-it-to-google-maps/

Well, Maybe the Google Maps Widget Doesn't Work That Well!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/13/google-widget-blues/

Back to Layout Planning
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/13/right-wall-planogram/

The Power Went Out (and the Implications)
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/14/jill-of-all-trades/

Tape for Canvas Edges
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/15/the-tale-of-the-tape/

Choosing a Cash Register or Other Payment System
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/17/the-point-of-a-sale/

A Peek Inside the Shop
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/17/needlepoint-land-sneak-peek/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/18/chalk-painted-cabinet/

How to Display?
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/19/space/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/19/canvas-thread-displays/

Choosing a Checkout Counter
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/20/the-l-shaped-counter/

Business Card Hell
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/20/ready-typeset-print/

The Plan
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/21/the-pause-that-refreshes/

Using Amazon as a Sales Tool
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/22/my-beautiful-online-channel/

Locks and Racks and Deadbolts and Getting Jeff to Listen
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/22/racks-and-bolts/

Getting Jeff to Listen Part Two
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/23/dear-jeff/

Finding a Carpenter
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/23/self-reliance/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/24/frank-saves-the-day/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/24/hard-part-done/

The Pegboard Blues
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/24/pegs-r-us/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/25/down-a-peg/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/26/the-pegboard-artiste/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/26/the-paint-job/

The Slideshow of Progress
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/27/big-day/

Paint and E-Commerce
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/28/watching-paint-dry/

Paint and the Firemen
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/28/180-large/

Big Plans
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/30/channel-surfing/

Bookshelves and Panels (and accident prone tradesmen)
http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/31/cubism/#comment-3572

http://needlepointland.com/2014/05/31/panel-discussion/

The Table Adventure
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/01/motoring-down-rt-1/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/01/pretty-polly/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/03/solid-plank-pine/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/03/stitch-table-redux/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/04/the-missing-drawer-verb/

More Display Gadgets
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/05/hooks-and-spinners/

The Hidden Costs of Online Shopping
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/06/seller-beware/

Keeping Your Cool
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/07/23-days-to-go/

The To Do List
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/09/the-glades/

We Might Have a Phone Line!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/09/pots-luck/

Call Me
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/10/intra-latte/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/11/peace-of-mind/

Thread Tower and Panel Display
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/10/work-in-progress/

Display Test
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/11/splash-wall/

We have Threads!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/11/thread-bare/

The Counter and Cable
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/12/store-anchor/

Needed:  Custom Display Racks
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/12/custom-display-rack/

Challenges to the Left of Me, Challenges to the Right....
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/13/murphys-law/

Things Are Looking Up
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/17/if-its-tuesday/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/18/the-beat-goes-on/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/18/never-a-dull-moment/

Signs and Counters
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/19/whats-my-sign/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/19/waste-not-want-not/

Corkboard!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/20/cork-blimey/

Looks Like a Real Shop
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/21/getting-there/

Not a Real Desk
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/22/office-demon/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/23/its-all-ingvars-fault/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/23/13519/

"Limited" Liability
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/24/the-tattered-veil/

Banking in the 21st Century
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/24/i-aint-no-sisy/

The To Do List (Bureaucracy Included Free of Charge)
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/25/water-works/

Moving Right Along on All Fronts
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/26/here-comes-the-sun/

Parking
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/27/deep-freeze/

We have a merchant account!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/06/27/the-thing-is-said/

A New Sign and a Peek Inside
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/09/needlepointland-by-the-sea/

Visits from Friends
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/09/surprise-visit/

Customers!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/11/today/

Belts and Blinds and July 18th
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/12/window-treatment/

Credit Card Sale!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/12/it-worked/

Photography and Other Challenges
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/13/hmmm/

Starting to Look Like a Shop!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/13/f-stop-go-stop/

We Have an Opening!
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/21/thanks-marianne/

A Bench to Park the Waiting Visitors
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/25/alisons-bag/

http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/26/tropical-sleigh/

Soft Opening Scorecard
http://needlepointland.com/2014/07/27/report-card/

Erin Goes Dark
http://needlepointland.com/2014/09/24/the-big-picture/

Opening a shop is an amazing amount of work.  Running one is even more work. Some days I wonder how shop owners manage to do it!  Many hugs to all of you doing retail needlepoint.  You are much appreciated.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 5, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Friday Finishing: Lights and Tables

Trust me, you have never seen a glow-in-the-dark Halloween piece like this! 
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2014/04/boo-its-halloween.html

This was the fall mystery from Bedecked and Beadazzled, using a canvas from Hal Mayforth.

The second piece is also from Bedecked and Beadazzled.  This is a Lani collage stitched in a Meredith Willet class by the wildly talented Palma Seljan and made into a table.
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2014/04/another-great-finish.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright April 7, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

The Russian Santa Models, Straight from Market

Leigh's Russian Santa Models

Leigh Designs has posted photographs of the Russian Santas Sandy Arthur and I stitched on their website. These are the models who went to the trade show to tempt your shop to import Russian Santa canvases for your stitching pleasure. Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the Santa you wish to view.  I hope you enjoy seeing how they turned out! 
http://www.leighdesigns.com/SG-Home.html#8333

The finishing is by West Coast Finishing.  Each Santa has white fabric on the back side, similar bi-colored twisted cord around the edge and are shown on plastic easels which I believe are L-shaped so that one end is inserted through the bottom of the Santa.

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Not Too Busy

Ruth Schmuff's new mystery class uses Shelly Penko's "Bohemian Beauty" canvas and plenty of overdyed threads.  
http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2014/04/just-chillin-with-friends.html

http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2014/05/youre-never-fully-dressed-without-smile.html

http://www.notyourgrandmothersneedlepoint.com/2014/06/the-magic-of-overdyes.html

I have to admit I probably wouldn't have thought of using an overdue on the areas that already have so much color.  I would likely have chosen a black thread for the skirt and perhaps a dark green for the blouse.  Does Ruth's overdyes look too busy? Not at all!

This is why Ruth Schmuff is a genius.  (Check out what she says about offsetting the pattern on the chair to create dimension in the third link from the top.)

I almost didn't call this article Not Too Busy since Ruth certainly is one busy lady but it was too perfect a title.  I hope next time you have an area with lots of color you think of Ruth's overdye magic and consider using an overdyed thread there.  I certainly will!

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright May 5, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.

Acid Free

Kreinik sells sheets of acid free tissue paper to store your precious stitching. I didn't know they had this but it makes sense. Here's a bit about the tissue paper, from the Kreinik blog.  You can actually buy this directly from Kreinik.  There are links at the bottom of the article for the packets and sizes they sell.
http://kreinikthread.blogspot.com/2014/04/practice-safe-storage.html

Written by Jane/Chilly Hollow
Blogging at http://chillyhollownp.blogspot.com
and at http://chstitchguides.blogspot.com
© Copyright April 14, 2014 Jane M. Wood. All rights reserved.