Puppy Poppers For the Puppy on Your List

Puppy Popper Debut $6.95

I love when new ideas come along, our store is filled with them. When an idea comes along from someone I love, well, it makes me proud. My daughter, who many may know also owns The Velvet Frog, a young contemporary apparel store inside our store, decided to work on another idea to make money while her Velvet Frog funds go back into the business. So, she launched a doggie treat line – Peanut Butter Puppy Poppers. She developed the recipe with online ideas, created the bag and cut them in the shape of kitties. (Wrigley loves the idea, Vegas & Artoo – not so much). We sampled Puppy Poppers at our store on Saturday and sold the first bag. Then, customers came back with their dogs for a sample. All dogs agreed – Puppy Poppers were Delicious. So, now I watch my favorite vendor create and sell something new for our store. Proud? Oh, yes. Excited to have a new product in our store? Absolutely, feel it fills a niche in our growing pet section.
For parents who have children graduating from college in an uncertain economy, remember the little TCU Fashion Merchandising graduate who took all those negatives and turned them into a bow-wow-winning recipe!

Cydney & Wrigley, taste tester

And, the Season Begins

Magnolia Lane Dinnerware

Well, the season is officially off and going – so ya’ll come on down!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy the day!

Need I say more! For all the retailer friends – see you on the “flip side” as we head into the fabulous storm known as holiday. For all my shopper friends – see you Friday with a glass of Wine Glace!

For Our LSU Friends — This Gift’s For You!

Geaux Tiger!! $38.95

I know LSU had a hard day yesterday, but like TCU fans, you hang in there no matter what. So, thought I’d cheer you up with some of our great LSU goodies at the store this holiday. I love it when LSU, TCU, Texas Tech & Baylor fans find our collegiate items – I know the feelin’ – we get no respect! So, when the gold & blue or the purple & white are together, the LSU or TCU fan automatically gets a lift in their step and a twinkle in their eye! At the Silver Barn YOU-WILL-GET-RESPECT.
Oh, we also carry everything in University of Texas and Texas A&M and are just as excited to see these fans, but you guys EXPECT to see your colors! It’s okay to share the love!
And, @DianeTate, @cesLSU & @Kdepp my Twitter compadres – GEAUX Tigers….unless you ever meet TCU!

Fun dinner plate - $59.95

Tiger Type $34.95

Santa Arrives

Candy Cane Santa $34.95

Santa has arrived at the Silver Barn, and of course, I am showing my favorite – Candy Cane Santa is so cute and his little jacket has a fur trim. We also have Hunter, Cardinal, Wine Lover, Wine Giver, Chef, Fishing, Western, Gift Bearer, as well as Buck Master Santa. And, we wouldn’t forget our college santa friends – so, we have University of Texas, Texas A&M and LSU. To see all the Santa’s check our Facebook Fan Page (The Silver Barn). They range in price from $18.95 to $64.95.

Chef Santa $36.95

Silver Barn Reindeer – Reporting for Duty

Bucket of Helpers

Santa has his reindeer…we have ours. “Ranger”, on the left side of the container, likes to line up all the ornaments for the people to see; “Rufus”, in the box with his nose over edge likes to sneak around and watch the little kids who visit our store; “Rick”, climbing over “Rufus” sees his job as official reindeer manager, organizing the troops each night to put new products out for customers; and “Reggie” likes polish all the ornaments and fluff the trees each morning hoping he’ll see Santa in a few weeks. So, for all of you who think elves are the way to get a store decorated for the holidays…let me introduce my Reindeer Army!

Yummy…cookies

Yummy cookies. $9.95

I should’ve probably done this in reverse with last night’s post of the tray today and the cookie kits last night. Oh well! The tray inspired me in many ways. So, it is cookie recipe night. How about Gingerbread Cookie Mix with a tiny little gingerbread cookie cutter? Or, Sparkly Snowflake Cookie Mix with a tiny snowflake? My favorite, the Chocolate Reindeer Cookie Mix with a tiny reindeer cookie cutter. I’ve looked for one of those cookie cutters for years, now I have them! HA. We also have Monkey Bread, whatever that means, and darling tubes filled with hot chocolate mix and complete with marshmellows and a tiny Santa hat sits on top! My grandmother would’ve been all over this to do with me. I can hear her now, bossing me around. I can hear my granddad asking me to tell grandma to hurry up and get the cookies done. Nothing like being the kid in the middle of a couple of 65 year old kids!! Ah, maybe I’ll get my 24 year old daughter to help me make a batch and start our own memories!
Want a cookie?

A Silly Little Deer = Fond Holiday Memories

I was talking to a floral designer recently who said he was surprised that whimsical was not as strong this holiday. I don’t think holiday is all one look or another. But, what do I know? He was talking about being surprised by how fast folks went back to a traditional look “in this economy.” I was surprised he didn’t see a traditional season coming. The theory is, in an uncertain economy folks want to feel, well, folksy, comfortable, remember better times – even if to them that was 1955 and they were 2!
I actually think a traditional Christmas is always strong for more reasons than an up or down economy.
Like when I saw these cute trays. They pulled on those heartstrings of a bygone era and I thought they’d be perfect! Perfect because I could see them filled with all kinds of holiday cookies made by my Aunt Hazel, then I caught hints of my grandpa’s Old Spice aftershave on his shirt collar as I cuddled in his arms reading stories on Christmas eve, and hearing my grandmother (with her hair in a net and her teeth in a jar), trying to rush me off to bed. I, like many of my customers love a traditional Christmas, not because of economic concern, but because folks we loved are no longer with us and a silly deer on a vintage looking tray helps bring them back as we create our own traditions for our children and grandchildren.
Someday, this tray will be pulled down from the attic for the 40th time, someone will tell a small child how they remember seeing it for the first time filled with Aunt so-and-so’s cookies. Traditional or whimsical, whatever your taste, remember to create a magical season for someone near.

Santa Claus is coming to town!

When the Santa order arrived yesterday it was, well, like Christmas! I should’ve created little towns for Disneyland! I had so much fun taking some of our Santa guys and putting them in their own vignette. Chef Santa with fun cooking goodies; Wine Cellar Santa with our Wine Glace, and so on. We have 10 different Santas and I can’t wait to show them all. At $39 – $60 I think they are reasonably priced too. Perfect for the person who likes to collect Santa. I think the Hunting Santa may come to this house!! And, yes, there is a collegiate Santa group coming. And, yes, there is a TCU Santa…already in THIS house!!

Chartreuse – My Kind of Holiday Color!

Fabulous color combo...at $15.95

It was 100 degrees, it was summer in Dallas, it was when we had to pick our holiday colors, our theme, our look. What does one use for inspiration when you are hearing “Summer Time, Summer Time” on the radio and your walking around the Dallas Market Center in flip-flops and capris? THIS ornament. The minute I saw this ornament I heard “Oh Christmas Tree” and could see tiny angels flap their little wings! What a shade of green, what a mixture of jewel tones. What a way to say “new,” “trendy,” & “fabulous”! THAT is how the Chartreuse, Brown, Winter White, Peacock Blue & Silver holiday theme at The Silver Barn was born.