GAS Works is Home to Musicians too!

Pam our resident autoharpist can be found singing and strumming traditional American folk and roots music at least once a week in front of our store. Not only is she a performer but she also is a patient teacher and was found giving my fiance Steve his first music lesson on autoharp. She had another advanced beginner join them later on! Here are some photos and a sound bite of the musical activities!

Wee! Stuff on the Shelves!

My good Skidmore College buddy Kate Bradley helped me populate the store this weekend. Steve & I did a couple of finishing touches and voila, I present, the almost ready store!
This is my vast window display, the other windows are occupied by the potter.

The wall of yummies. Obi belts, newly designed hair barrettes (only available in store), some of my purses and leather cuffs...

The converted letterpress drawer earring display.

My new handmade mannequin (yesterday I built this mannequin from newspaper, strapping tape and plastic grocery bags. I made a cover for her from a t-shirt. I'm rather pleased with the end result). A glimpse of the jewelry case, which we plan to light with a string of white x-mas lights.

The dressing room, made from a hula hoop. We rigged up a wooden stick to serve as the rod for clothing. Still need to come up with a lighting solution so you aren't in a super dark tent trying on clothes. Any ideas?

The corner shelf with a couple more purses and wine glass charms. What you see on the left hand side is some of the potters work.

Mmmm, Pointy Hand Open Sign

Steve & I set up several fixtures and display details in the store this week. The highlights include the dressing area. (Better pictures pending). We used a hula hoop and I hand sewed the curtains around it.

This is a vine a kind artist, Dan Brown, of the Salem Arts Association gave me. I've shellacked it and mounted it on these plant hangers that cast a lovely shadow when all the lights are on. Purses will hang from this to take advantage of verticle display space.

My store mate, a potter, found this great letterpress drawer which I've turned into a jewelry display rack. I strung wire between eye screws. Earrings will hang from this. The drawer has this delightful mechanism, originally intended to keep it from falling out of it's cabinet, which, now that I've oriented it sideways, serves as a simple mechanism that moves up and down when you press the button. I couldn't resist the opportunity to turn this into an animated sculpture complete with cheeky old timey "Press Here" label with pointy hand. After brainstorming a few ideas, I ended up with butterflies. When the button is pressed, the butterflies flutter.

My love of old timey pointy hands extends to my open sign. I traced the outline on a board, Steve artfully cut it with a skill saw. I sanded it and sculpted the knuckles and then painted it.