Asheville Ex Post Facto

It was a heck of a show; crowded, enthusiastic-I feel it was the best in the past three years. The interest in our lace was fantastic; I was so busy speaking with potential clients that I never got a chance to eat lunch in three days, and if a wonderful customer of mine hadn't brought me a few candy bars at a critical moment, I would have face-planted from hunger. Aside from the frequent comments about how distinctive and beautiful our lace is, I was also heartened to know that folks appreciated that we addressed both the English and American Arts and Crafts movements. William Morris' Cherwell was a hit and visitors also loved the Bradbury & Bradbury Art Deco panels-indicating that tastes are running further into the 20th century. My next post will be about my friend Bo Sullivan of Arcalus, who joined me in the booth, and displayed a collection of historic trade catalogs, so watch this space!

Arts & Crafts Mecca

The Arts and Crafts Conference in Asheville,
North Carolina, February 18-20, 2011

Cottage Lace exhibits at roughly half a dozen trade shows a year. Most of them are regional, meaning that their intended audience is from Seattle, Chicago, Minneapolis and perhaps Pasadena, although the latter has become the center for the West Coast faction of the Arts and Crafts Movement.

And then there's Asheville: this show is the grand dame of all of them, and folks travel from around the world to attend the antique show, the lectures and to visit the contemporary crafts-firms, amongst which is your favorite lace company.

This is our third year exhibiting at the 23 year old show, and the event is held at the legendary Grove Park Inn, a magnificent stone edifice with a breathtaking lobby. Most folks try and stay there, and if you're informed that it's sold out, keep checking; rooms often become available as the show nears. The hotel also has an amazing spa, that's certainly worth a visit.

Asheville, NC itself is a great college town, there are many lovely restaurants, including my favorite, The Laughing Seed. There are also good clubs for dancing or listening to music as well. For those of us who live in the North, the temperature seems balmy, even though it's the dead of winter. All in all, it's the perfect break for those of you passionate about the Arts and Crafts Movement, and it's always worth the trip.

Lace Around The World

Potential customers often ask if we can ship our lace curtains to foreign countries, to which we respond "gladly!" We have many customers in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia, as well as Eastern Europe. We'll also ship to the Middle East and Asia. Typically, we'll use Global Priority Mail; it takes less than two weeks and is very affordable. Using this method also saves the recipient processing fees that may be assessed by other shipping methods. We can and will use these other carriers if desired. For more information please email us at info@cottagelace.com or ring 413-549-1063