Friday, April 5, 2013

My Day at Anthropologie

Yesterday I was able to attend the Display workshop at my local Anthropologie store. About every quarter, they invite customers to come and help with the making of some of the things they use in their displays. This one is for Earth Day, and they are doing a big peach tree in one of the major windows. Peaches to celebrate our famous Texas peaches from Fredericksburg. The design team had already constructed the peach forms from masking tape and plastic bags. Everything they make is from ordinary materials, and becomes "upcycled" into amazing things. Those of us who came to help were given the task of gluing torn bits of coffee filters to the shapes, basically we were making papier mache'. They looked pretty odd as their naked selves, but we were shown the sample of how they would look when painted and having leaves attached. The tree will have about 100 peaches on it. A couple of the design team members were making the leaves from wire and green landscape cloth, or painters canvas, I can't recall which they said. We were all seated at a long table in the middle of the store and other customers kept stopping by to see what we were doing, some of them joining in on the fun. They had lemonade and snacks and lots of good conversation going on round the table. I always enjoy myself when I go, and it is so fun to connect with other like-minded people. Everyone has a story, and they are all interesting to me. A couple of ladies had come over on their lunch hour, made some peaches, then went back to work. I'll be going back in a couple of weeks for their actual Earth Day celebration, and will take photos of the finished windows.
You can see the peach sample hanging from the top of the small blackboard. They had also done these seed sprouters using toilet paper tubes cut in half. They can be planted as is. They take the place of the peat pots you would have to buy.
Sweet Little Basil Sprouts
 
Naked funny looking peaches,waiting for their blush.
 
While there, I did stroll around and take a few photos of other things that caught my eye. As you all know, I love those Anthropologie displays.
 
Different size painted birdhouses clustered together
 
White porcelain and driftwood
 
Love these coral bowls and spoons, they were too pale in the photo, so I Lomo-ed them to make them more vibrant. Would make great ice-cream dishes.
 
Flowers covering one wall, made of dyed and twisted muslin.
 
An entire shelf of lamps.
 
That's all the Anthropologie I have for now.