Market or Bust!

To market or bust has been our mantra for the past few years traveling to the Highpoint furniture market. Historically, we have faced a devastating cold (past amongst ourselves of course), engine trouble (leaving us stranded along the highway), extreme fatigue, vendors who do not deliver on their orders, vendors who have suddenly disappeared/ gone out of business, etc.......but we have always conquered these numerous blockades and have had a blast!
Here is Tif, posing next to a giant decorative piece of yard art? Too cool! I can just see a series of these balls in various colors spread out across an English garden like giant Crockett balls. Speaking of the English, Hail to the Queen!!!

This company, though a little snooty, wins the award in my book for best merchandising in history! As an English wholesale company, they have boldly and imaginatively displayed their wears, not only on the inside but outside as well (understatement). Who could resist visiting this shop! Their displays ooze out the door and demand your attention! The size is so over exaggerated it feels like you too are a prop in their performance and those fantastic flags pulled back serve as stage curtains.

Liz Bessel, I could only think of you the whole time I was trying to absorb all the creativity that went into this spectacle (and yes that is a gigantic couch slip covered with the Union Jack). Liz is my dear friend who was a Brit in a former life and would like to return to her homeland as soon as possible. If you visit her blog, http://www.libbysworld.com/ you will learn more about this interesting woman and her love of England.

Journeying inside, you can see the sky is falling and raining down books!! The ceiling is only about 20 feet tall! How much time did that take I ask you? Then, to my right you can see the old typewriters mounted to this masonry wall. Talk about the words falling off the page! The entire display had tattered paper hanging from the typewriters and the red ribbon is frantically intertwined throughout the display, tieing it all together!!! (I will pause for an applause)......

I did ask to take photos of their display, which I think everyone should do before clicking away. Having owned a store, nothing is more flattering when someone politely asks to take photos, and on the other hand, nothing is more insulting when people brazenly go "paparazzi" on you and steal your creativity. Sorry, I did not document the rest of our trip. This was early in the morning and as the day progressed we had so much to do and so lilttle time.