And then, the calm.

The storm before the calm

As a relative newcomer to the World of the Furniture Industry, there are things that continually make me laugh (and at the same time, continually make me scratch my head at exasperation). Most notably, the absolute lunacy that happens the week before each furniture market.

And since I don't quite understand it enough to put into words, it's outright impossible to explain "the insanity that IS High Point at market" to my friends.

So this market, I took photos. And remember: the furniture market (with an expected turn-out of 75,000 buyers arriving from out of town) is 2 DAYS AWAY at this point.

Raleigh, I think I may have met my match

There's nothing I like better than wandering into a store and being caught totally surprised at what the store has to offer.

And believe me, the naked mannequin graveyard DID catch me by surprise when I was looking for table tents at a local supply store.

A brief moment of blatent friend promotion

It's one thing to hear your best friend say that she wants to write a book. And wants to get it published. But it's another thing to actually hold this living thing in your hand and see that it is real. And this time, it was for real in BookPeople in Austin. Cupcakes to celebrate followed immediately afterward.

Just Don't Call Me Ma'am is available on amazon.com, and find out more about Anna's life after the book at annamitchael.com/happinessproject/

Yes, I will Marais you

In Paris this February, I was instructed by one of my best friends that I HAD to check out a new store 'merci' when I was there.

So of course I dragged my mom through the Marais to her absolute limit (hitting 2pm without any lunch or caffeine) until we came to Heaven. How could I not just smile when I walked into the storefront courtyard and was greeted by my very own Cabbage Patch Kids (of sorts?)

Having that pang in my side (exactly where my wallet resided) I knew I had to buy SOMETHING to remember this store... and I went for something that I knew I could pay forward in terms of this wonderful surprise element.

Thank you to one of my muses, Finn, for modeling my wares for the camera.

For the Love of Onesies

My best friend in Texas and former advertising partner (she wrote, I art directed) and I decided to ring in her newest creative project with with one of our own.

Aren't they cute?

Don't you want one for yourself?

(or well, not yourself because that might be creepy looking... but maybe for your own baby?)

I think sometimes the shortest statements are the most powerful