New Blog & Website!

Today's the day! We've moved our blog to a new URL. Please visit us here, and please be sure to bookmark our new blog site for future visits. Our blog is now called Lettres from The Blissful, and as you will see, we've re-styled a few things! The blog you are currently reading will remain active and will serve as our archives.

Also, when you have a moment, please stop by our new website at theblissful.com! As anybody who has created one knows, designing and building a website is a labor of love. I am so pleased to make its debut.

Thanks for reading and we look forward to visiting with you on our new sites!

No Longer Under Wraps

Waiting for the moment when everything will be unveiled!

I admit it. We've been savoring a secret around here. It's been a little tough to keep under wraps. And today, after many, many months of dreaming, planning, and behind-the-scenes work, today is the time to debut it.

Many of our local customers may have caught the item about our shop in Diana Rossetti's Boldface column in yesterday's Canton Repository (click on the highlighted link above, then scroll all the way down to the bottom to read about us under Omnium-Gatherums).

While the final touches are still being prepped for our Big Reveal ("officially" scheduled for October 1st), I think now's a good time to bring you all into the loop!

As we approach the anniversary of the opening of our brick-and-mortar location here in Jackson Township, we are simplifying the shop's name. As of October 1st, the shop you have known as The Blissful Home will now be called, simply, THE BLISSFUL. Our new tagline, French-Inspired Finds & Furnishings, completes the package. As you know, I frequently refer to the shop in print as The Blissful. Now we are "officially" simplifying for two reasons: 1) to better reflect our Euro sensibility (with the new tagline), and (2) to better reflect the breadth of our offerings. Our scope stretches way beyond the home; not only do we offer accent furniture, art, lighting, mirrors, and home accessories, but we also have an array of apothecary, candles, jewelry, stationery, gourmet products, unique gifts, and ladies' apparel and accessories. THE BLISSFUL reflects our lifestyle approach to appointing your home and yourself.

Over the next few weeks, watch for our chic new storefront signage to be installed, as well as our new sign on the corner of Fulton and Dressler. Our gorgeous new website will go live on October 1st at http://www.theblissful.com/. There's nothing there yet, but please bookmark us for future visits! (For all of you who have asked, we are adding online commerce in January.) In addition, our blog (which you are currently reading) will be re-styled and make its home at a new URL, to be announced in about a week. Check back here for one last post, which will lead you to the new URL. The blog site you are currently reading will remain active and serve as our archives.

Local customers, please watch your mailbox in October for a personal invitation to THE BLISSFUL Unveiling & A French-Inspired Noel. This weekend soirée will feature shopping promotions, gourmet food and drink, and of course all of our wonderful holiday decorations and new finds perfect for gift-giving or for keeping! Please save these dates: Thursday, Nov. 1st, Friday, Nov. 2nd, and Saturday, Nov. 3rd, during regular store hours. Watch for our next post!

We're Going to the Fair!

I love fairs! Love almost everything about them: from the temperate weather of early autumn in which they're usually held to the people-watching to the fair fries and caramel apples...the ones with nuts. There is something about an outdoor festival that brings people of all ages and types together. The air buzzes with a feeling of community spirit, and whenever I can be, I'm right along for the ride. If there's a carousel around, I'm probably riding that, too.
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On Sunday, September 30th, I'll venture for the very first time to The Country Living Fair, sponsored by the beautiful and always inspiring magazine of the same name (maybe you've heard of it? :)) This year, the Fair will be held in Morrow, Ohio, at The Workshops of David T. Smith from Friday, September 28th through Sunday the 30th. Over a hundred artisans and craftspeople will show and sell their specialty wares while visitors wend their way through booths and stands chock full of the best of what's around. Among them will be our friends and fellow shop owners Kara and Darcy from the "petite department store" in Greenville, Ohio, McMaster & Storm. Perhaps next year The Blissful will be persuaded to set up a booth of our own!
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Making the trip with me will be my new, dear friend Rebecca, a designer with an eye for detail like nobody's business. What a pair we'll be: a designer and a boutique owner together at The Country Living Fair! You can bet we'll be lavishing in all of autumn's splendor and the creative handiwork of all the artists. I'll be taking my camera and will be sure to report back on the blog in full-color detail.
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Stay tuned!

Photo courtesy of CountryLiving.com

Welcome to Autumn

Our much-loved French Doormats are back, this time in spiced-up colors for fall.

Sorry to all of you hot weather lovers out there, but we are so over summer here at The Blissful! We're fall and winter weather people anyway, and we love how these shorter, slightly crisper autumnal days make us feel like nesting. How about you?

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New arrivals are showing up weekly as we make Le Grand Slide into autumn and [gulp] winter goods. Don't worry--we're not rushing things. Come in and see our new soy candle line (in chic, chunky boxes complete with matches!), our Bibliotheque Bangle bracelets, beaded candelabra, and extra large 2008 wall calendars by Cavallini & Co., among lots of other great finds.
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Much, much more is in store, as I've got a storage room, a warehouse, and a living room, dining room, and basement full of boxes. All of the contents will make their way into the store between now and December...there's only so much we can pack in each week!

P.S. If you are in need of a beautiful fall scarf, stay tuned, because we've got a new shipment in that hasn't yet made its way onto the sales floor.

Enjoy the good sleeping weather!