World Trade Center, Dallas Marketplace Dallas was all I had hoped it would be and more. What a lovely show. Beautiful showrooms, nice mix of merchandise, and not too difficult to navigate through. It was a great time of year to go because not only could I buy for Holiday, I could see clear through fall and into Spring! It was like looking into a crystal ball! Over stimulating for amateurs, I'm sure! I bought for each season, and can't wait for you to see it!
My priority was Holiday. When I left home, I had only placed a couple orders for Holiday. The pressure was ON. I usually find my inspiration for holiday in January, but this year, nothing stood out and I was just a little panicked! By this time of year, I am usually rounding out the holiday buying, but this year, I was starting at the beginning in JUNE! I had a vague idea / concept I was working on, but I didn't love it. Every holiday catalog that came was one disappointment after another. I was stressed...until I hit the Dallas Market. In three days at market, my holiday took shape. I tossed out my original concept, took lots of notes, and sorted through it to see what would work together and what just didn't belong. I wrote down everything I reacted to, as well as what I was avoiding (looks I've done before: vintage, european, whimsical...) I studied it to see what it was saying...what direction it would take me. By day 2 I had some elements in place and a direction to go and on day 3 I wrote the orders. I had the vision in my head and the feel of it in my bones and I LOVE it! It's fresh, different, current....and... I can't tell you any more! I will tell you that on the flight home, I closed my very tired eyes, and tried to sleep. I was exhausted, yet happy and content, but sleep would not come. Words, ideas, displays, etc. were popping into my head ....good ones....I had to get out my pen and paper and start jotting them down. I let the ideas roll around in my head and on paper. Developing, evolving. Then it happened...first one word, that lead to another word that led me right to the perfect word to captured my concept / theme for Holiday 2010! I smiled out loud, made a note to call my graphics girl, put my pen down and finally slept. My mission was accomplished. Oh, how I sooooo love the process. It never gets old.
