Bringing the Sunshine to You

Maybe you're one of the lucky ones going on a cruise or heading someplace warm this winter.

Although I'm not planning a winter vacation myself this year, I'm busy getting ready for yours. We're ready for the 'cruise season' at the Wandering Wardrobe. We've moved things around in the store and made a 'cruise room', and we're tagging and hanging spring items as fast as we can. Isn't it handy to have a shop where you can buy capri's, shorts, tanks and sundresses in the dead of winter?

Even if you're not going somewhere warm, it's fun to find such cute summer clothing. You'll be ready when the sunshine finally comes.

Lest you think I've totally lost my mind, we're still selling winter clothing too. In fact, we get a kick out of selling coats and flip flops to the same customer!

In our attempts to make your life easier, we've made our own lives a little brighter. What is it about a rack of pastel clothing that brightens the spirit?

(Doesn't this picture from Coco-Kelley make you want to book that beach cottage NOW)?

A Cockeyed Octopus

My mom was a lover of musicals, and as children, that's the music we listened to. I remember her belting out "I'm Only a Cockeyed Optimist" at the top of her lungs, and picturing a strange, cross-eyed eight legged creature. I thought she was singing the words "cockeyed octopus".

My mom was a single parent during the 1960's Ozzie and Harriet, two-parent days. I'm sure life seemed awfully grim to her at times. She held her head high, and when she retired, she had worked for Senators, Congressmen, and Governors, and all three of her children were college graduates. She didn't believe in giving up.

I'm sure that my mom's innately positive nature has aided her this last week. A week ago, we were encouraged by her nursing home to say our good-byes. She had stopped eating and talking, and was sleeping most of the time. Yesterday, she ate almost all of her lunch and was laughing out loud at one of Kenny's dumb jokes. Kenny thinks his humor saved her, and I'm thinking it was her positive nature, or maybe because I told her that a Democrat was living in the White House again.

I'm sure I got my optimism, and possibly my stubborn nature, from my mom. I advised my customers last week about the new law regarding children's clothing and toys going into effect on February 10, because I believed it was my responsibility to do so. But in my heart, I believe it will be amended or struck by Congress, and all the worry will be "much ado about nothing". I can't believe Congress intended to put so many resale shops and hand made 'boutiques' out of business, and I just can't believe they won't fix the mess they made.

The benefits of resale are so many. To me, good prices are really at the bottom of the list of those benefits. Where else can you shop and find such different "treasures" all of the time? We don't have to order our inventory - it walks in the door, so our selection is as diverse as our consignors, and it changes daily. You don't have to wear what this year's fashion designers mandate. You can find the styles you were so happy with last year. You can feel that you're doing your part to save the earth by re-using and consigning rather than simply tossing the belongings you no longer need or want.

I am a firm believer that resale shops are a good and positive part of this country, and that Congress will figure that out, if they haven't already. Maybe I'm just a "cockeyed octopus", but that's what I believe.

CPSIA Information

Consignment store owners and shoppers need your help. Please click on the links below and read what Narts (National Association of Resale and Thrift Stores) and Kate Holmes, Resale Guru, have to say about a new law which may affect your ability to buy or sell your children's clothing.

Save Kid's Clothing Resale, Consignment & Thrift Stores from Closing!

http://auntiekate.wordpress.com/

I urge each of you to write to your Senators and Congressmen about this very important issue.

We know how many of our customers rely on secondhand stores and yard sales to clothe their children, and are also very concerned about waste and the impact this law will have on our already over-filled landfills.

Please write your letters today.

Happy New Year

I'd like to thank you for supporting the Wandering Wardrobe in 2008. You have no idea how knowing you has made my life fuller. Comments like "This is my favorite store" and "I LOVE this store" have warmed my heart.

For all of you personally, my wishes for a healthy and satisfying year, with a good share of laughter and love.

Now for your New Year's Resolutions: I'm hoping your number one resolution is to clean your closet. I've been reading lots of "clean your closet" tips, and I'm going to paraphrase:

Take everything out of your closet and make 4 piles:

1. One for the stuff you love and want to keep;
2. One to throw away;
3. One to donate to charity;
4. One filled with those items, purchased within the last couple of years, in wonderful condition, that you won't wear or use again.

Take pile number 4 to the Wandering Wardrobe. And while you're there, replace the items in piles 2 through 4 with "new" clothing and decor from the Wandering Wardrobe.

Now I know all those sites don't say "the Wandering Wardrobe" specifically, but I can dream.

I've been a little under the weather the last few days, but I'll be back on Monday, doing a little re-organizing, changing things around, and getting lots of goodies out of the back room for your shopping pleasure. It'll be fun.

As for me, my New Year's Resolution is to re-organize my little home office. Actually, that's been my New Year's Resolution for about three years now. This year I'm really going to do it. Kenny has promised to paint the walls and help me get my mom's old desk out of storage. I'm picturing something like this wonderful home office at housetohome.co.uk.

See you after you clean your closet.