Pop-up Studio?

Raise your hand if you headed off to the studio this past weekend and wound up staring at a sign on the door telling you to go to the studio's NEW Pop-up location? (You're not alone; one sweet, honest shopper admitted as much to me on Thursday) 

If you've been shopping at Brown Dog Open Houses over the past 8+ years, you've stepped into an extension of  my studio (or garage, etc), which resides in my home. What a joy to have welcomed so many of you into my homey studio! It made sense..If I needed something, I just popped right back into my work area. Because I had regular open shopping hours during the week, I usually left the studio set up most of the time...when I was doing maybe a FEW shows a month.

But the times have been a-changing! With 45+ shows a year (at last count), the studio stays in pack-mode so that I don't spend literally HOURS each week on extra packing when I could be making pretties for the studio. I also lose workbench time setting up one-on-one appointments in the studio. 

So, when Todd (Mr. Brown Dog) wondered aloud if I'd ever considered a different venue for my Open Houses, I started thinking...

hmmmm....better lighting, better parking, more elbow room, no stairs to the basement, none of my shoppers worrying about whether they could bring friends to a show, not to mention the teenagers' bathroom!

And a plan began to take shape! After a whirlwind search for open space to lease and a few disappointments, I finally (last minute) found a great, temporary site for both parts of this year's Christmas Open House and Stop and Shop. A HUGE location at 56th and South Streets, my set-up has been great for shopping and check-out. I have NOT opened a permanent location, and that isn't my plan...the studio travels too much to even consider a shop.

A big THANKS to everyone who came and found the studio this weekend. I took oodles of custom orders, which will be ready for pick-up in the SAME LOCATION, along with even more GREAT shopping in 3 scant weeks...Thursday Dec 12 (5-8), Friday Dec 13 and Saturday Dec 14 (10-8 both days).

Will I have this space again next year? Well, the leasing company probably hopes it will be rented before then, but I will plan on having locations for my Valentine, Mother's Day and Christmas shows. I've gotten so busy during June and when I usually have my Fall Open House that I'm deciding whether or not just to have you find me at one of the great shows I attend!

Pop-up studio EXPLAINED :)

Getting ready for the Fall Season...and on the road!

The studio continues to stay busy and I've been getting ready for a few changes with the beginning of my crazy (and wonderful) fall schedule! Thanks for a wonderful summer, to all of you who continue to follow and support the studio and to you new friendly faces I've just met.

So...it's gotten impossible to have EVERYTHING available all of the time...words, sports, teams, schools and more. In the past, my standard reply to special requests was to encourage you to look for something in a few weeks to see if I'd had time to make it. SURE, I'd just add a particular breed of dog, song title or piece of map to my regular line-up. Now, with all of the orders that fill up my workbench, I'm going to suggest that if you would like to make sure you can have your special word, phrase in one of my inventory styles of glass or metals, you should order it, either in person at one of my shows or on-line via email or the website. Otherwise, I don't always have time to make it happen. It's still just ME making all the pretties in the studio.

I have some major over-hauling to do over the next few weeks for displays and the website, and I HOPE that will make it much easier to order standard sizes and styles of charms that fall under the category of "regular line-up", therefore being the same cost as charms you would buy off of the tables! There will be an additional cost for extra customizing. Once you order and pay for your charms, you can be sure that they will be ready for you to pick up at an upcoming show or popped into the mail (and who wouldn't like a little Brown Dog love coming through the post!).

I have an impressive fall line-up, filled with shows and many new pretties. 

I'm VERY busy creating and running around to shows, in addition to mom-duties. The studio remains in pack-mode, except when I'm setting up for an open house in the studio, which will be the ONLY times available for shopping. There's no easy way for me to set up a place to shop while I'm working, and I need to keep myself on schedule to finish the pretties! But I'm always happy to take requests for a Drop-Box Pick-Up (more details to come...)! I WILL be offering times for Private Trunk shows in the week surrounding each open house. SO...If you would really like some quiet (?!) time to gather with some friends, make sure to ask to reserve one of those when they become available. 

The Fall Open Studio will be Thursday September 26-Saturday September 28, so I foresee offering times a few days before and after the show, before I become fully immersed in back-to-back (and then some!) shows in October.

Now...I'm off to Riverboat Days this weekend with a van FULL to the brim.

See you soon!

 

So...obviously I haven't been on top of all of my studio commitments...mainly THIS blog!

I have been to an unprecedented number of shows ALREADY this year...when you ask if I'm getting ready for the "busy" Fall schedule, I'm telling you sweet folks that I haven't STOPPED since my wee break between Christmas and kiddos heading back to school in January.

My show availability and oh-so full studio inventory mean that the studio is usually in pack-mode and I'm frantically working to keep up with orders and re-stocking charms and CreAtInG more unique pieces. Sadly, in order to keep the creative juices flowing, I cannot let shoppers in to take a peek through the packed boxes except when I'm having scheduled open hours (everything brought OUT of the boxes!) OR you contact me for a Private Trunk Show for you and 6+ friends. I LOVE to ship, bring pretties to a show or use the drop box so you can have an endless supply of goodies, when needed!

I am busily updating my studio schedule AND am going to take a few days to re-vamp the website. The remaining booty from the Studio Garage Sale is on the studio Facebook page, up for sale...$5 apiece for the glass charms...until July 20th when it all disappears!

AND...because the Piedmont Market has closed (for a good reason...new owners are going to make something GREAT out of that area, I hope!)...I am going to open the studio 2 more times this summer...

Saturday July 20 from 10-2

Saturday August 10 (10-2)

(remember, if you don't know where to find the studio, you just EMAIL me...that way my address isn't just floating around the world wide web!)

Hope to see you soon...have a safe and happy summer!

Rockbrook this Saturday, then Open Studio

This Saturday I'll be at Rockbrook Village in Omaha from 10-5 for their outdoor show! Hoping for lovely weather. Bringing along all the studio pretties for lots of shopping selection.

Next weekend is Mother's Day (and Todd's and my anniversary!). I'll have the studio open for great shopping and order pick-up...

Thurs May 9 from 5-8pm
Friday May 10 from 11-3 and 5-8 pm
and Saturday (anniversary day!) from 9-1, so that I can celebrate with hubby!

Postcard and e-mail invites go out this weekend with updated summer studio schedule...If you need help finding the studio, email me at browndogstudio@windstream.net

find me this Spring...

Yay! This Saturday is an extra-special show for Brown Dog Studio...I got an invite from my friend at Willow House (formerly Nelly's Nest, now in her NEW location) to join her for her Spring Open House. I LOVE doing a show with Janelle...did you know that oodles of my displays come from trips to her shop!?

Willow House is in Sutter Place Mall, 48th and Hwy 2. The open house runs from 10-5. 

I'm bringing glass charms, re-purposed vintage bits, my new wrap bracelets (and more!) and will be taking custom orders during those hours...

This show will be the final "in-person" chance to shop the studio in Lincoln before Mother's Day Open House (May 9-11)...you may shop on-line via the website or e-mail, but I won't be setting up in town or opening up the studio for shopping because I'll be packed up for out-of-town shows (have you seen my schedule!). 

After much thought, I have added one final option...I am going to open up a STUDIO ORDER DATE Monday April 22 (hours TBD). This will ONLY be to come have time with me to place orders. There won't be any shopping available, and these orders will make the Mother's Day cut-off date. Ta-dah!

Can't wait to see you at one of my up-coming shows!

On the road again...sing with me!

It's that time of year again...packing up the studio to begin the round of spring shows. I've really packed in some exciting venues. An eclectic mix of craft, antique and barn shows!

 

It all begins with St. Mark's (84th and Pioneers) this Saturday March 9, from 9-4. I'll be there, hopefully in my same LovEly spot, with Lucy and Emily, so there should be ample help over the busy hours! Lots of wonderful shopping and always a clipboard ready for your custom orders. I'm trying out some new displays and designs.

 

 

Remember that the WEBSITE is up and running. I still have some tweaking to do, and could always be posting some fun new pieces.

 

See you at one of my upcoming shows...

New Year...what's new in the studio?

The studio re-opened for orders last week, following a little break for family-time at Christmas. 

I've been filling on-line orders and several requests that arrive via e-mail. I'm still tweaking the website, but have been slow to add new items while trying to take better photos.

AND...it's time to start updating the studio schedule. Can you believe I already have some shows in slots for fall?!

More importantly, I need to start adding the spring shows to the list...

First, a Studio Open House

Friday January 25, from 11-7

Saturday January 26, from 11-3

Depending on the Long-family's February, I hope to get in a day or 2 next month, before the spring shows begin claiming weekends and I have to keep everything packed for shows.

Can't wait to see you :)