OK, I am in Atlanta at the biggest gift market show in the world!  Time to shop for Holiday 2010 and look for some amazing little new finds for now.  For those of you looking for a glimpse this is how it works.  So the first of November hits and one gets a reminder the hotel reservations that were made the year before.  Before printing out the hotel confirmation number, a quick log in to united milage plus to book the ticket confirms that the flight matches the hotel.  Not much more happens until mid-December.  So just about the day where hourly fantasies about of some January time off start, this shows up:

Yes it is the 8# book of all the showrooms and booths one can’t miss!  

This is the show where I can concentrate and stay focused.  That was until this trip.  I have never done anything in Atlanta but attend this show.  Literally the last trip I never even took a breath of fresh air. The airport in Atlanta has the MARTA (their subway system) straight into the airport.  It is really easy and cheap, $2.25 will take you right to the hotel.  MARTA has a stop at AMERICASMART, that takes you from underground right into the showroom lobby, from there you go through the above street level walkover and straight into the Westin.  The Westin has a lovely bar to meet some of my friends later in the evening.  At the end I just reverse the walk and bye-bye Atlanta.  Well that was then and this is now!  I am running to the most amazing ribbon store I have ever seen while I am here.  Also I am sitting on a panel with 19 other independent retailers from around the USA and we are talking with the heads of industry magazines and some other media types about what we see as the future for the independent retailer.  Yes, they asked me, I am not a white house party crasher. I can’t believe they asked me, feeling pretty honored right now. 

Anyway since I am here, thought you might want to see the good the bad and the ugly.  Trust me the ugly might need one of those warnings before you view it.  I will post more about pretty tonight as it was mostly christmas stuff for day one and we are all sick of Christmas (for a couple of weeks anyway). 

So lets get the ugly out of the way:

So the big blob to the right is a fake evergreen pre-light 6′ elephant.  Does anyone need one of those?  Call me on my call 510-387-3968 and let me know. 

Next check out what this lady has on:

You really has to see the hair.  You can’t see her from the front but I am proud to tell you her name is Betsy and she is a proud grandma.    

Then when I thought my eyes couldn’t take anymore and if I heard one more Christmas song I was going to take a hostage, I found this bell jar.  

They are made in Spain and so beautiful.  

Anyway if you thought I just walked around these shows and looked at pretty stuff all day remember I have to meet a whole lot of Betsy’s and see a lot of 6′ elephants before I find a bell jar.  

So you have my cell phone and my email.  So if you think of anything you would like to see at Daisy’s text or email the magic iphone and I will get on it. 

Barb