Older Blog Archives

Graceful

December 13, 2009

by Sloane

First things first. I am rather self-assured, and am comfortable in my skin. I like me. And not in a self-centered, narcissistic way. I have been labeled passionate, spirited, a team player, gracious, witty and nice by others. All wonderful traits. Possibly not completely true, but welcomed and treasured as compliments to my person.

If there were one thing I wish I could change about myself, I would be more graceful. But it has never been in me. I have always been a wee bit clumsy and not altogether surefooted. The testaments in my past to my falling and fear of falling haunt me. High heels are my nemesis, and my size 12 feet, while providing stability, can be troublesome. I have steered clear of dancing in all forms, but I loved square dancing in Girl Scouts.

When I was much younger and working in politics, I was placed in the office of the mayor of St. Louis, Vince Schoemehl, who was running for governor of our great state. Like all good political operatives, I believed in all that he stood for, and I still do. (He was big on light rail between the major population centers of our state, among other things.)

My wobbliness came into full view on the morning I arrived at City Hall. I had entered the elevator heading to the 3rd floor when I heard, “Hey. Hold the elevator!” and there stood the Mayor. We spoke freely as the elevator rose. When it stopped, all I could see was the buffing machine on the thick, polished marble floors, and I could feel – all the way up to my throat – my little kitten heels. Stupid footwear choice.

Mayor Schoemehl stood there holding the elevator door waiting for me to exit. He was waiting because I was in a state of shock, since the image that had flashed before my eyes was me laid out in the hallway of that lovely building. He waited a bit longer while I devised the ruse of needing to return to my car for what I had forgotten, which was nothing. He left the elevator with a gracious “Have a good day,” and I rode the elevator down to the garage and then right back up.

In high school, my best friend tried out for our Pom-Pom Squad in our sophomore year. Our inner-city school supported a cheerleading squad AND a pom-pom squad. I did not try out for either. I knew better. I was holding out, quietly, for a coveted place on “Honor 9”.

You see, SOUTHWEST has nine letters in it, and each of nine young women in their senior year of high school wore a single letter on their chest on all spirit days and to almost every sporting event – football, basketball, track, etc. However, they did no coordinated kicks, jumps or swing dances. The W historically landed on the woman who was just a little bit crazy when it came to spirit. You can imagine my complete apoplexy late in my junior year when I learned that I would be replacing a mentor of mine, Stephanie Donaldson, as the W. I finally got to purchase black & white saddle shoes for the first time in my life. Well, and “blackies”, those amazing leotard bottoms that covered your “dainties” under your short skirt. I loved Honor 9 and still do.

This fall, our son took an “etiquette & dance class” with Kansas City’s treasure, Penny Vrooman. I have to admit to being just a wee bit jealous every time he left the car to enter the church basement with all his friends – boys and girls alike. They laughed and talked while walking away from the car and made the same happy tracks back to the car an hour later. The stories were glorious to hear in the driver’s seat. And, when the kids I was shuttling would drift to other topics, I would daydream about my lifelong friends and myself in a church basement learning to dance. My son is very lucky; he learned at least seven dance steps – two-step, swing, waltz, foxtrot, etc. He has only offered private lessons to our family friend Ryoko, and only on the nights right after class. I’ve asked for an application for private classes and been denied. I think he already knows how it would end.

I will never not want these shoes.

That brings us to this holiday season and all the parties to attend. When most women are out honing in on that “perfect pair of heels”, I’m in my closet polishing my cowboy boots. Kitten heels died for me when Mayor Schoemehl lost his election, and my desire for the amazing plaid shoes at Halls this fall subsided when I found out 10 was the size cap. Hey, my “party shoes” of choice have got heels: cowboys are cool, and those who rope and ride have a grace I will never know. Besides, I have two pairs of boots that are black, and black goes with everything.

I have fallen. I have stumbled. I have tripped. I have suffered soft tissue damage. However, I have only ever slow danced – in high school and at my wedding – and it is still the peak of my grace.

Christmas Santa

December 12, 2009

by Casey

I love art children create. They are not limited by judgment or concerned with interpretation. And often they feel free to re-interpret their work as needed. So here is this afternoon’s masterpiece, clearly influenced by the current environment of the artist’s life: “Christmas Santa”, crayon on paper. The image features Santa with his sack, large snow, children and parents.

Happy December.

To All We Hold Dear…

November 25, 2009

by Casey & Sloane

This past year has asked us to revisit and tweak every thing we’ve built our business on: purchasing decisions, business relationships, hiring, training, travel, and, of course, insurance. We have lived vividly in each challenging, exhilarating, brutal and delightful moment. But there is one thing we have not ever been more sure of in a changing world, and that is our deep gratitude to our customers. You are the reason this small business – this small dream – is holding on tightly to all we hold dear.

For that – for you – we are thankful. We humbly ask for your continued support of our local store this holiday season. When you shop locally, the impact is felt instantly. The members of the stuff family (the people we hire, the artists we represent, and all the people at the local businesses with which we do business) live where you live, go to your schools, attend your churches, support your charities, and live with you in your moments.

We are always counting our blessings; some days we do it silently, and some days we sing it from our rooftop. At our family table on Thursday, in that moment of silence so deep only our souls can hear, we will count upon you as that blessing that sees us through this amazing year.

Happy Thanksgiving and all our love.

casey & sloane simmons
sisters & co-owners

Our Alley Rocks

November 13, 2009

by Sloane

Adoption Policy

November 12, 2009

by Sloane

Cleaning It Out

November 11, 2009

by Sloane

Late last Thursday night, I went to a basement storage room at STUFF. My mission was to retrieve the sole remaining CRT computer monitor we owned. We replaced our CRTs four years ago with more efficient flat panels, and we’d been keeping this one as a backup in case of “flat panel trauma”, but that hadn’t come to pass. So Casey and I decided to take advantage of the Electronic Waste Recycling event near UMKC on Saturday and get rid of it.

Now, I had spent the preceding days with Casey getting the store ready for our holiday open house. We, along with our staff, had busted butt to make the store look amazing. We had traversed the stairs between our levels at least 100 times each. However, this last trip for me late Thursday night with the world’s heaviest Dell monitor almost put me over the edge. That sucker weighed 700 pounds, and I honestly can’t remember having ever used it in the store. Unbelievable.

I loaded it in the car and delivered it to two people I know who were volunteering at the event – my husband and our son. I warned them both that it was the most monstrous monitor ever developed and sold by Dell and to be careful lifting it. I mumbled something about stairs, but I’m sure it fell on deaf ears.

My husband Harl is an independent computer consultant, and in his zeal to keep his clients – small businesses, individuals, home businesses and not-for-profits – running efficiently, he had filled a small section of our basement at home with their old electronics. For years, his private mission has been to keep these items out of dumpsters and landfills. Trips to Surplus Exchange had become old hat to him. It had been a while since the last sojourn, so on Saturday morning we loaded my car to the gills and they were off….

And then, on Saturday morning, while those two were off making the world a better place for used electronics and Casey and I opened STUFF’s front door a few minutes early for waiting customers, the sweet sound of glass being deposited in the new Ripple Glass container across the street made us apoplectic. We’re that kind of gals – recycling makes us excited. Our staff at times has been afraid to throw anything away, and we have more than one recycling bin. All weekend, the tinkling and crashing of glass told us all was going to be well in the world of glass recycling in our home town.

Kansas City is making leaps and bounds in cleaning up its game. It delights me.

Turn Your Face to the Sky

November 3, 2009

by Casey & Sloane

Dear STUFF Family:

We read this year about a family recovering from their loss to cancer of someone close – a 36-year-old mother and wife who left a legacy of hope and happiness with her family, her friends, and the community. She shared her writings about her struggle with cancer – frank, honest and positive stories. She clearly always kept her face raised to the sky.

We didn’t know Laura. We are not close friends of her family. But her story inspires us. Her story reminds us why we dust off the Wings of Hope event notebook each fall and plan, once again, our holiday open house. Laura’s strength reminds us that giving up is not an option.

How many cancer benefits have you been to? How many pink ribbons have you worn? How many breast cancer months and awareness campaigns and parties and fundraisers and walks have we all participated in? Is it too many?

Yes, of course it is too many – not because we are bored with the events, but because we are sick and tired of cancer. Cancer has a way of dragging us down even when we don’t have it in our own bodies. But cancer will not win. A cure will be found. We must push upward and onward.

The first Mother’s Day after Laura’s death would have been her 37th birthday. On that day, her family turned their faces to the sky. They celebrated with a simple idea that soothed their pain, opened their hearts even wider, and spread hope – they wrote messages to Laura on balloons and released them into the heavens.

On November 7th & 8th at Wings of Hope, we will turn our faces to the sky. The first balloon we release will read “Laura…Thank you for reminding us there is always hope!”

Please join us to celebrate hope and happiness.

Until there is a cure…

Larger Than Life

October 29, 2009

by Sloane

When I turned 16 years old and all the driving lessons were over, my mother handed me the keys to the car and told me she doubted she’d ever go to the grocery store again. After 16 years of me and two other children, she was done with that particular chore. So Casey and I made a grocery store list template, and it was organized by aisle so that we would forget nothing while we were there. Also, this alleviated any backtracking in the store – never cool in my book.

So, off we went each time to Milgram’s in Brooskide, with me behind the wheel and Casey clutching the blank signed check from our mother. It was fun. The novelty soon wore off, but we still went together and did our fair share of laughing and arguing.

We have lived in separate homes for over 25 years, so we no longer tackle this household chore together. But just last week, there I was at the grocery store in Brookside, and Casey was right there with me. And even though she was with me, she wasn’t actually in the store. There she was – larger than life – looking at me through the window while I presented my own check as payment. Missouri Bank, STUFF’s new banking best friend, has put three huge faces on a 6 foot by 10 foot banner on the outer wall of their future location in Brookside, and Casey’s smiling face made the cut.

My sister is amazing and one of the true joys in my life. To see her at the grocery store every time I visit makes me smile and makes me vividly remember great stories from the past. And God knows she’s smiling at me – all 6 feet of her!!

Understanding Custer

October 27, 2009

by Sloane

This summer, I stood in wide open spaces in western and northern Nebraska and wondered at the stupidity of General Custer. How could he not have thought that there were more than four Native Americans wandering around? Well, I guess he found out when they all crested that hill headed straight for him.

We were trained to hold the cup flat in our palm and hold our arm out so that the runners – those who chose not to stop – could easily pick it up and carry on. And it worked. Over and over again.

We were at the finish line when our friend Gary Foltz crested the final hill at Grand Avenue right after 11 am. We cheered and clapped when he swooshed right by us. My son ran after him with the camera in tow to be there when his final time was registered. We wouldn’t have missed it for the world. Heck, he had just run 26.2 miles, and we wanted to see if he had any clothes on!!

The Best Burger Joint on the East Coast

October 14, 2009

by Casey

Dumpster Diving

October 13, 2009

by Casey

Challenge

September 24, 2009

by Casey

My daughter and I recently rode in the AIDS Bicycle Challenge. It was an amazing way to spend a morning.

It all began a couple of months ago when my 4 and half year old daughter and I purchased a tag-along bike. It’s a nifty attachment that lets her ride half a bike behind me. She loves it, I love it, and we have been known to ride all over town together. Of course, it also means that I have to pull an additional 70-plus pounds of weight, which can be tricky sometimes.

On the morning of the AIDS Bicycle Challenge, we took off from our house with a friend and joined the other riders at the Power & Light District. We signed on for the 11-mile ride – and truthfully, I was naive enough to think (silently) that it wouldn’t be that hard to finish the ride. We had already been on many 11+ mile rides this summer without much trouble.

But it turned out that the route was tougher than I expected. It was sprinkled with hills – some long, some steep, and some long AND steep. And many times we were forced to come to a stop near the bottom for traffic to clear. This eliminated the only advantage I had to having 70 extra pounds in tow – momentum.

And so we climbed each hill slowly but surely until we reached the top, again and again.

After the ride, with good humor and many laughs, it was pointed out to me that a change occurred during my ride. At the beginning, I was cheerfully supportive of my child, saying things like, “Way to go kiddo” and “You’re doing a great job” and “Awesome job, we rock!” Near the end of the ride I was heard saying things more like, “Sit down and pedal” and “Mama needs you help” and “We are almost there, promise” and “Stop shaking the bike!” (Insert panting between these words).

Since that morning, I have often thought about the how our ride was so similar to the efforts of the AIDS service organizations in Kansas City. These organizations are like my daughter on the tag-along bike. Even though I had to pedal, push and suffer to move forward, I didn’t have to do it alone. I had a loving and deeply caring spirit right behind me – kicking in when I needed it the most.

I know now that it was her belief in me that kept me climbing those seemingly impossible hills.

Finally

September 18, 2009

by Sloane

One-of-a-Kind

September 17, 2009

by Casey

Family Reunion

September 14, 2009

by Sloane

We live in the same town as a majority of our family. I work with my sister every day. I see my niece almost every day on her way to school. My mom, my dad, my stepmom, my step-sister and her family – they all live in Greater Kansas City. So my son has never been to a true, blood-relative family reunion with my family in his 12 years on this planet. What would be the point? We see each other all the time and we like it that way.

So in the wee hours of Saturday, when our son looked around the Live! Block inside the Power & Light District downtown and saw all the people he sees several times a year, it was just like a family reunion.

He knew he was safe, because he was surrounded by the people who have helped him to grow up to be the young man at the microphone thanking hundreds of people for caring about the 5,500-plus people in our town living with HIV/AIDS.

I knew he was safe because most of the village that is raising him was right there.

Art & Architecture

September 4, 2009

by Sloane

For years, I have been a Frank Lloyd Wright fanatic. I inundated my brain with facts and images of his talent, I collected too many books highlighting his genius, and I mentally traveled back in time to the places be built that are no longer standing, placing myself in them. I have traveled to Chicago to be a part of “Wright Tours” in Oak Park. I have been inside his home and studio in the bustle of a tour group. I have sat inside his Unity Temple in Oak Park in silence and cried.

But on Saturday night, I slept with him. Frank, not my husband Harl. Well, both of them actually. Does that make me a slut?

Harl and I traveled to Oklahoma with friends over the weekend and spent our only night away from home in Bartlesville at the Inn at Price Tower. Frank Lloyd Wright designed Price Tower, and it was completed in 1956. Fantastic and amazing architecture with comfortable and welcoming rooms. You would be hard pressed to find a 90-degree angle in the entire building except for the joins in the windows. I kid you not. Even the super small elevators had limited space for more than three humans, and they were unusually short on squared-off corners.

Frank Lloyd Wright designed Price Tower to be a multi-purpose building over 50 years ago, and it still is. It houses a museum, a small hotel, offices, a restaurant, and a bar. If an evening on the road finds you anywhere near Bartlesville, Oklahoma, stop and stay at this historic hotel. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and will fill your heart with joy in more ways than the Super 8.

Both museums house exquisite collections of American and Native American art – and they do it in abundance. The Gilcrease doesn’t have just one amazing painting by Frederic Remington, it has probably 20 or more. And the Philbrook has a world class assortment of Pueblo pottery and clayworks, besides a historic home and garden at its center.

We all got to take naps on a sunny Saturday afternoon, we all ate food at locally owned food joints (that my husband vaguely regretted when it came time to button jeans over the next few days), we laughed constantly, and we marveled at all the sights we were taking in. And I know two of us made lengthy lists of things left “undone” for when our roads lead us back to Oklahoma.

Art and architecture are unique. They pull you in, they hold on. And before you know it, you’re in bed.

Dog Smiles

September 3, 2009

by Sloane

52,000 Words

September 2, 2009

by Casey

When I was in school, I was the kid that always found the loophole in a syllabus. I really should have been an attorney, but my creative side just wouldn’t go dormant. I did, however, spend 10 years in political consulting. (You can’t really find a better job to hone your loophole finding skills.)

I always look for ways to “outsmart” the requirements for anything, often creating more work for myself, but thriving on the knowledge that I am thinking “outside the box”. So, if a picture is worth a thousand words, this is my 52,000-word essay from our recent trip to New York City to search for the freshest, most creative, cutting edge work for our store this coming season. And yes, I want full credit for all 52,000 words!

Enjoy!

Ahhhh . . . home at last!

Cravings

August 20, 2009

by Sloane

PS…The French fries at The Mixx are out of this world. I have not eaten at a McDonald’s in 8 years but, if memory serves, their fries were awesome. The Mixx leaves McDonald’s holding the greasy bag in the salty potato category.

My History of Goodbye

July 30, 2009

by Sloane

Today’s story should be short, really. I do not use the word goodbye. I tell friends when they are leaving our home, “See you soon.” My common phrase at airport departures is, “Have a great trip. I’ll miss you.” Even when all transactions have occurred at the store and a customer is leaving, I tell them, “I look forward to seeing you soon.” And not once while speaking at four funerals for four amazing grandparents have I ever said the actual word goodbye.

And I didn’t on Sunday when my husband and I took our son to his first two-week “away camp”. You know, overnights and far from home?

Now, this child has traveled extensively. London, Japan, Hawaii, Yosemite, The Bahamas. And those are just some of the places he has been that I haven’t been. Add Washington, DC, Baltimore, Florida, and most national parks and historic sites between here and the Continental Divide. And a few further West and South of that. He loves to travel, and with every one of his departures from me I have never uttered goodbye. Not even every morning for the past nine years when I have delivered him safely to school and he’s shutting the car door – “Can’t wait to see you at 3:30!!” or “Have a great day.” or “Love you.”

I may possibly be physically unable to say the word.

My parents had three children, and I only have one. My parents may very well be saints; I can’t say. They led busy lives when I was growing up. They were self-employed most of the time. They had business partners and businesses, a home to run, causes to support, and children to raise. They both, in all this chaos, made me feel like they were carving out time to be with each child individually. One-on-one time. Quality Time. Mommy Time. Daddy Time. Whatever. Call it what you will. I was warmed when the spotlight fell on me.

I waited several hours before I called him at his hotel and told him I was sorry. I remember him being a bit confused, but to me it was perfectly clear: Goodbye means forever, and I wasn’t ready to give anything – not even a silly word – that carte blanche.

And to this day I haven’t.

I do look forward to friends coming back to the house, and seeing my grandparents again, and delivering people to airports that will take them places that their hearts desire. And I treasure time with customers and the exchange of souls and stories that frequently happens.

And the word goodbye did not escape my lips a few days ago when my son walked away from my husband and me toward his cabin and his bag and his bedroll. And probably because, early on, my parents taught me that you could only use words if you knew their meaning and their power. My Mom is a firm believer that there are no “bad” words, only “strong” words, and by God you’d better know what you are saying before you put breath behind it.

I don’t really have a handle on the full power of goodbye. So, I’m not really ready to use it.

Body Memory

July 24, 2009

by Casey

I really, really, really loved this installation piece at the Smoky Hill River Festival. My sister and partner in crime, Sloane, has written recently about the festival and has even featured this piece of art. But I just can’t seem to get it out of my head. It made such a deep groove in my mind.

I was floating on my back in the ocean last week, and the tubular art came into my mind. I started thinking how cool it would be if you could somehow get inside and ride through the twists and turns – like slow rolling waves. At some sort of magical, no-impact, opposite-of-a-roller-coaster speed. Continual, smooth, peaceful movement that would lull you to sleep but would stay with your body movement memory like the waves do once you leave the beach.

I want Jason Peters, the artist, to come build one in my back courtyard. Three stories high, over-looking the park below, so everyone – including me – can marvel at it each day.

Another One Gone

July 22, 2009

by Sloane

Dog Days of Summer

July 17, 2009

by Sloane

These are the long, hot, dog days of summer, as my grandma used to say. She was an “August baby” and not a great fan of the heat. The heat follows each customer and dissipates after they open the door of STUFF and enter our cool oasis of art.

What He Did For Love

July 15, 2009

by Sloane

So I got out my debit cards and made reservations. For five.

I’m a sucker for the movie theater and the “going to the movies experience.” Not movie theater prices and not packed houses, but I do love going to the movies and enjoying the big screen. I can vividly remember when I saw Out of Africa on the big screen at the Glenwood Theater at Metcalf and 87th. It seemed to take ten minutes for the velvet curtain to make its way across the jumbo screen. It was magical.

Movie theaters used to be a place for me guzzle gallons of soda, but I gave up Diet Coke over 3 years ago, and I recently gave up the crutch I used after that – its sister, Coke. Those addictions are behind me, but they can rear their ugly heads when we walk by the snack counter. But I digress.

I kicked myself for not taking my camera on our midnight outing. Although our group of five did not get into the full Hogwarts spirit, the lobby and theater was full of young people who had dressed up in all things Harry. We spotted scars above eyebrows, neck ties with vests, capes, wands, round glasses, Gryffindor badges, and team paraphernalia. It was glorious, and I felt underdressed.

It was a good movie, and I would give it high marks for cinematography and set design. It was, however, a reminder that you should ALWAYS read the book first. So much was cut from its pages, it was mind-boggling. And that perception was universal in the comments we heard as we slowly made our way out of the theater.

My husband had a good time, believe it or not. Of course, I bribed him by taking him to Walgreen’s before the show and letting him buy all the candy he wanted. I said nothing. Shocking but true.

I think he really wanted to go all the time. He was just playing hard to get.

Artsy Fartsy Road Trip

July 13, 2009

by Sloane

This year I was a juror, and the added bonus of that honor is that two of the artists that STUFF represents every day – Kari Heybrock and Lori Buntin – were asked to do demonstrations. This made the trip doubly fun. For those needing indoctrination, Kari is a glass artist who loves to fire up her torch, and Lori is a fine art painter and an active member of Hoop Dog Studio – home of “The Dog Chair”.

Casey, her daughter, my husband, my son, and my son’s friend all crammed into small hotel rooms for two nights and spent two glorious days at “the camp” – the shady spot in Oakdale Park where we parked our coolers, chairs, tables and art supplies. From that vantage point, the wandering began. And the gorging, too. Stuffed cucumbers, deep-fried Snickers, Hawaiian wok fried noodles, corn dogs, frozen lemonade, BBQ ribs, and hand-cranked ice cream are just a few of the amazing food items that passed the muster of the jury that governs that part of the festival. And that passed the lips of our group.

Salina doesn’t need me to tell it that it is not a noted tourist destination. However, this festival is a class act that is accomplished with the talents of thousands of volunteers and hundreds of hours of planning. Casey and I fall back on our years of event planning and gossip among ourselves as to what it takes to pull off a celebration of this scope. We are also a wee bit embarrassed to think that for years we knew nothing about this fair. Shame on us.

It’s a great festival. If early next June you get a hankering for an art attack, go to Salina. For the whole weekend. Then hoof if back home before the sweltering heat of the plains sets in for the summer.

Go. Art is good for you.

Front & Center

July 11, 2009

by Sloane

I mentioned in an earlier blog that my son has been making great strides with his digital camera.

Now, even a novice like me knows that taking pictures of fireworks takes camera equipment that far surpasses what our little family owns – or will ever purchase. From my vantage point, it looked like my son attempted one shot and then moved on to pictures of his cousins and their glow-in-the-dark jewelry. That was my thought. I guess I turned my head.

When we walked back up the mountain from the lake, I asked if he had taken any fireworks shots. My son mentioned that he had decided to focus his camera on the moon. His quote: “They look different, but I like them.”

A few days later – all the way back in Kansas City – we sat down to download all the pictures, and I came across “the moon pictures” from his camera and loved them all. I think what I liked the best was how they all looked together as they flashed across the screen.

There have probably been millions of photographs taken of the moon rising over the Rockies. Multiple millions. None have made me smile in wonder like these do.

Professional vs. Amateur

July 10, 2009

by Sloane

I received an e-mail a few weeks ago from Izzy’s mom. She mentioned that she had caught up on her blog reading, and, although she was delighted to see Izzy’s photos in my May 14th blog, they were not her best poses.

I couldn’t agree more. Herein lies the difference between professional photographers and amateurs.

I had mentioned in my blog that poor Izzy had spent most of that evening being hounded by a 12-year-old boy and his new digital camera. My son is an amateur photographer if there ever was one. But he has learned all kinds of amazing things about his camera this summer, and his photos have impressed me several times.

I have never been able to take good photographs. Casey can. My husband understands the processes on most cameras he touches and takes good pictures. I have just never found the patience to learn all the little buttons and special features on the newer cameras. I can, however, hearken back to my art director days in a heartbeat. I can “see” a photograph in my mind’s eye and then have a professional capture it for me. That sweet action will spoil you, and I have found that spending time with an experienced photographer is never wasted.

Just yesterday, I returned to my inbox to see that it was time for FuzzyFotosKC, a cooperative fundraising effort between the Kansas City Free Health Clinic and No More Homeless Pets KC. And, joy of joys, Izzy and her beautiful mother had been chosen as a delightful couple we can vote for with our dollars.

I plan on voting – early and often – because both of these organizations couldn’t be more worthy or do more good for the community.

Vive La Izzy!! Vive La Missy!!

Mozy In to The Cozy Inn

June 23, 2009

by Sloane

A little over a week ago, we were in Salina, Kansas, for the Smoky Hill River Festival. Of course I loved the art, the music, the fantastic installations, and being with my family for two straight days. But what I talked about quite a bit on Saturday was how to “get back to The Cozy Inn before we leave town.”

So, this past Saturday I returned with my clan in tow. There were eight of us, and I had to show them all the tiny inside. We sat outside with our 2 dozen burgers to share, canned soda all around, and a bag of chips for my niece. Paradise on a clear blue sky night in central Kansas.

It doesn’t get more authentic than this anywhere. If you find yourself cruising down I-70 this summer, take a side hike into Salina. You can see The Cozy Inn neon sign from Iron Street and 7th.

Trust me. Go.

Scherenschnitt & Salina

June 16, 2009

by Sloane

I know I have written about my friend Patricia before. (See my October 2, 2007, blog.) We share a like sense of humor, a love of interior design, and a pragmatic view of raising children. She has three children and I have one, so I rely on her heavily for said pragmatism.

The first time I was ever a guest in her home, I visually took it all in – her design sense, her love of particular items, and her knack for perfect placement. But I left with the memory I carry to this day of the pillows in her family room that were silhouettes of her children’s heads. I think at that time there were only two pillows because baby number three was on the way. But I can’t be sure.

It was such an amazingly personal touch in a bright and highly trafficked room. I love handcrafted items, and these rang my bell. I admit I was jealous of such a great idea, and I also admit to never having copied it.

This past weekend, I was in Salina, Kansas, for the Smoky Hill River Festival with my family. It is an amazing celebration of the arts – visual art, fine American craft, artist demonstrations, art installations, music, dance, theatre, etc. We have been going to the fair for four years now, and it amazes us all every time we step foot on the grounds. We “set up camp” (blankets, lawn chairs, pop-up tables, cooler, wagon) in the center of the festival – in an old city park – under huge old growth trees and make a multi-day event of it.

The only piece of art I purchased at the fair this year was a small silhouette for my friend. I can admit to ogling a necklace, several pieces of fine art, and one sculpture – all from artists standing right there in their booths – but what blew me away was this piece for Patricia. I know she would have loved meeting the artist, Ursula Dunnewind from Kansas City, and seeing her demonstrate the amazing art that she accomplishes with her tiny scissors. I was entranced.

Road Show . . . And An Art Show

June 11, 2009

by Sloane

Chernobyl Cheese

June 8, 2009

by Casey

An Envelope in the Mail

June 2, 2009

by Sloane

Inbox

May 19, 2009

by Sloane

We have vases full of the button flowers you see here, and we have sold them for over 6 years – one stem at a time – for a local artist, Celia. They are handcrafted from buttons old and new, and Celia has a new variety that incorporates her ceramic “petals” into the button flower stem.

They are flowers that last forever and are used in bouquets that never fade. And they changed my moody Monday. Enjoy.

Seems Like Yesterday

May 17, 2009

by Sloane

So, on the day of the new Valentine’s window that year, I hopped up on the display riser and got started. And it was awful. I’d like to think that it just wasn’t the same because Casey wasn’t there, but it was really because I was inept. I take some pride in the fact that, even when I am failing at a task, I maintain my leadership skills. I therefore promptly turned to one of the young women helping me and said, “Here you go. Here’s the paintbrush, the paint, and the words. This is will be a great skill for you to learn as you consider a career in retail.” Pretty good. Huh? Empowering? She did a great job – as you can see. What I can say is that the inside of our front window got washed many times that day as we all got it right!!

I get excited about every window we do because I get to do them with my sister. She’s my #1 window collaborator.

Laughter is Contagious

May 15, 2009

by Casey

I have always loved that my family laughs. We laugh to survive, to celebrate, and to remember. To me there is no better drug than laughter. My sister, Sloane, and I have always had a special connection. Some people believe we are twins born three years apart. We have worked together for more than 20 years. Yep – TWENTY years. And, we are known for our laughter. We egg each other on. We get rolling, and the tears start flowing. When we are on a really, really good “falling out”, we make everyone near us laugh, too. We are complete fools, and it is marvelous.

There we were, huddled over my computer watching our ads, and we started laughing. We stopped short of a complete “falling out”, but we laughed, laughed and laughed some more. Partially because we have both changed so much since our first ads (hair, weight, style), and partially because the ads are pretty darned funny..

You see, our ads were an accident. We had this brilliant idea to create TV ads. We worked diligently on scripts, and we worked with our consultant John Kekisein to be prepared. The big day came, and we couldn’t pull it together. John was so brave. He put up with our endless “out takes”, our giggles, and our flubbed lines. He just kept filming and saying, “Let’s try that again.”

When he got back to the studio, he had nothing to work with. The footage frankly sucked. That fateful day, John had the genius to make something from nothing – and the first of the STUFF ads was born.

It truthfully takes a little guts to review an ad of yourself acting like a fool and say. “Great, let’s air that to hundreds of thousands of households in my home town.” But the one thing I can guarantee is that – with my sister at my side – I have guts to spare. I knew if it had backfired we would of just laughed.

Enjoy a laugh at our expense today. Search “pursuegoodstuff” on YouTube.com to find all of our ads.

The Playdate

May 14, 2009

by Sloane

On Tuesday afternoon and evening, our dog Einstein had a playdate with a friend’s dog.

While the children – four-legged and two-legged – slept, the three adults whiled away a few hours on the porch while the air cooled and the friendship deepened. Who says playdates are only for children?

PS…Go and see Bare. It is fantastic and proof yet again that Kansas City’s theatrical scene is cutting edge and amazingly diverse.

Nothing Like the Picture on the Box

May 6, 2009

by Sloane

Casey and I do not follow a recipe when planning the parties at STUFF. But don’t be too impressed. We do follow an outline, a budget, and a plan. Our previous careers taught us the power of all three of those.

We had an event last Thursday night in the back alley of STUFF for Fred Conlon, a metal artist from Utah that we represent. It was a celebration after a week of endless rain.

The s’mores were delicious – just ask every adult that attended the party. They aren’t just for the small people in the world. Big people love ’em, too.

Pick Three

May 5, 2009

by Sloane

Then, just last week, Casey told me all about a “3/50 thingee” and the benefits of shopping locally that they were touting. She made great sense while she was talking. Of course I agreed with her, nodded my head at all the right times, interjected comments of approval when appropriate, and said we needed to “check into it”. And life moved on.

So today I did it. We were called to confirm our involvement with the350project.net, and after the phone call I read everything they had put forth on their website. And here’s how it works, in short:

So, pick your three and love ’em up. They will thank you, your community will thrive, and the earth will breathe just a little easier.

PS…My thanks to Patrick Binder for the amazing photo of our store.

Treasures

April 14, 2009

by Sloane

Feeling Blue?

April 10, 2009

by Casey

Enough

April 1, 2009

by Sloane

My husband and I used to be so good. We used to start our taxes in early February and have them turned in to the tax attorney by the end of the same month. I think we probably got gold stars in our “permanent file” at the firm, but they never showed them to us because they didn’t want us to get big-headed.

However, last night, March 31st, we started our tax work for 2008. March and April are insanely busy months for both of us, and we seem to always put off the inevitable until my husband is truly fussy just from the prospect of the work – and then we start. All year long, I save every receipt my hard-earned cash produces when I’m out stimulating the economy, and at tax time I sort them all out.

It was while sorting the “Miscellaneous” sub pile into other sub-sub piles, “Food Expenses” and “Charitable Giving”, I was reminded of how lucky we are to go to the grocery store and buy food when we want it, not just when we need it. Every November and December, our local grocery store brings out the donation cards so that we can add a donation to our food bill for our local food pantry, Harvesters. It always cuts me to the bone to see the bounty I have on the conveyor belt while thinking of those with almost nothing, and my reach for the donation card is swift. You see, my family is one of the lucky ones. We have enough.

Harvesters does amazing and far-reaching work in our community. The newsletter I got from them recently spoke to how there has not been enough lately.

PS…My Kansas City friend, Patricia, otherwise known as Mrs. Blandings, had this to say in her daily blog today: “…Meg of Pigtown-Design and Chris of Easy and Elegant Life, have developed an initiative to help in the fight against hunger through Feed America. Feed America is a national organization that supports over 200 food banks nationwide, including Harvesters here in Kansas City.”

Indoor Sunshine

March 28, 2009

by Sloane

Two nights ago, my husband and I were in our regular seats at Kansas City Repertory Theatre for “Winesburg, Ohio”. It is a new American musical that is based on a novel by Sherwood Anderson. The new artistic director of The Rep, Eric Rosen, had written the book and lyrics of this play. It was fantastic.

Eric and my husband got to talking a bit – they share an alma mater – and, when I spoke with him directly, I can remember being very excited about the season of plays for which we had plunked down money just two weeks before. Eric has not let Kansas City down this season, and this current show is a masterpiece of human collaboration.

The rest of our weekend is full of birthday parties and lacrosse games in unseasonably cold weather.. But the sun will be shining in two of Kansas City’s finest artistic playhouses. If you have a chance, go and see “Winesburg, Ohio” before it leaves the stage and “Muraqqa” before it sails for Dublin.

Blue Glass and Green Art

March 27, 2009

by Sloane

I immediately made Casey try the “Asymmetrical” necklace on; she is my supermodel. It was amazing, and I loved the blue color on the upper ring. Kathleen has always used a great range of blues in her jewelry. It may be one of the reasons I’m always so entranced.

Lucky Ducks

March 19, 2009

by Sloane

This year we handed out 1,000 “Lucky Ducks” with numbers at their necks, and 100 of these ducks gave people the chance to win a $10 gift certificate at STUFF. Our friends dressed up in shower shoes, mud masks, robes, towels, curlers, PJs, and all things ducky, and we strutted our stuff for the people who lined the route and cheered us on.

STUFF is nestled nicely in Brookside, and we love the neighborhood. Every day finds us right here – strutting our stuff for the lucky ducks who cross our threshold.

PS…All of the photos from parade day will be on our website soon on the Events page. Patrick Binder may have been the only professional who brought a camera, but that doesn’t kick to the curb the others who had their shutters working overtime to capture the excitement.

Passed Me By

March 11, 2009

by Sloane

Valentine’s Day Surprise

February 24, 2009

by Casey

In my recent blog, I spoke about not knowing what would happen on Valentine’s Day but knowing it would all be “perfect” in the end. And this year a surprise made my prediction come true.

After an early dinner with my family at Minsky’s, my daughter joined her Nana for an overnight, and I went home and found myself in my home alone with no plans. I decided to use this rare opportunity to catch up with friends on the phone. And, since I roam when I talk, I found myself standing on my front stoop (yes, I have a front stoop). As I was talking on the phone to a friend about her new babies and all their trials and triumphs, I saw a man walking back and forth in front on my building and the houses next door.

It was dark and cold and I assumed he was a bit lost, but I just kept talking. The mystery man walked by again, and then I heard my name from the dark. “Casey, it’s Lee. I can hear you, but I can’t find you.”

That’s when I realized that the lost man in the hat was looking for my home. I quickly ended my call and called Lee over. There in the freezing cold was a friend holding a Valentine’s gift for my daughter and me.

PS…When a 4 year old with a very stuffy nose asks for her “big ‘S’ cookie”, it sounds amazingly like “big ass cookie”. So, if you have the opportunity to ask my daughter about her Valentine’s cookie, don’t be shocked if she tells you she got a big ass cookie from Elizabeth and Allison.

Early Warning System

February 23, 2009

by Sloane

I didn’t see the signs this year. I didn’t think I was cooped up. I had embraced the onset of winter WAYYYY back in November. And, being a natural “nester”, I had prepared the house and myself for the dark days ahead. I was ready to snuggle in, slow down a bit, and enjoy the change of climate. I pulled the heavy curtains on all the windows and French doors in the living room and had dug out the “snakes” to block the cold air from seeping into the house.

But, by the middle of this last week, I realized I had missed all of my warning signs for the restless behavior that sets in right about now. My friend, Mrs. Blandings, mentioned how cruel February was in a blog last week, and I found myself nodding my head in agreement on the grey skies. I had my family out hiking in very cold weather last weekend when one member of the family truly hates the cold. I found myself asking questions of my husband about wall colors for paint and what he could stomach. I found myself pulling sheets from magazines that showed colors I liked. And I considered moving most of the wall art in the house to new and exciting locations.

I was attempting to change what I could when I couldn’t make the sky blue and the sun shine. I had missed all of my early warning signals and didn’t realize it until today. It dawned on me that we really didn’t have a room that needs re-painting before we deal with a small construction issue on the upper floor of the house. I came to the conclusion that moving all the wall art would just drive me crazy because I like where things are now.

I know. Spring is almost here. Almost.

Lovin’ It

February 14, 2009

by Sloane

This is a man who, from the first of November through April, would wear a parka into the shower so as to not be cold when he got out. He deplores the cold, and it has been one of the only sticking points in our marriage when we use it as a psychological weapon against each other. I do get cold, but I also warm up long before he does.

A short time later, we were at Watkins Woolen Mill near Lawson, Missouri. The light dusting of snow we had at home the night before was deeper there and made winter beautiful again. Watkins Mill is a Missouri State Park and is fantastic. It is well kept, and the tour guides know their stuff. I work with the public, so I know it must be hard to put on a “good show” in the off-season for five tourists. But Randy, our guide, was awesome and very informative about the only 19th century textile mill in the country with all its original machinery intact. It truly was as if we had stepped in while the workers were at lunch!! I was a question-asking fool, and I was beyond intrigued at times.

Happy Valentine’s Day!!!

The Valentine’s Day Conundrum

February 6, 2009

by Casey

I spend the weeks before Valentine’s Day every year trying to act cool.

You know what I am talking about. You say things like, “Valentine’s Day is so stupid. I mean, really who cares? It is a made-up holiday that is designed to suck bucks out of people’s pockets. I don’t want to do anything special for Valentine’s Day – I would just be happy staying home. I don’t want anything for Valentine’s Day, really, I don’t.”

And all along you are secretly thinking, “I want to be swept off my feet. I want the perfect mix of love, passion, laughter and indulgence. I want to know that I am loved. I want to spill my fancy, prix fixe dinner in my lap and have my date think I am charming, cute, and even more beautiful with pasta sauce on my shirt.”

I want a full-blown romantic comedy.

It dawns on me that the true tradition of Valentine’s Day has become to act like you don’t care, but to feel your heart beat harder that week in anticipation of the possibilities. Knowing that it will never live up to your dream, but realizing the next morning that it was quite perfect after all. No matter what happened.

For the next week, I will help customers find gifts. I will help parents, children, lovers, wives, husbands, partners, and friends find the perfect “token” for their Valentine. And, with each gift, I will hear a story. I will get to share a bit of their insecurity, their desire, and their love. And I will be reminded every day of how easy it is to share your love with someone.

Another Day In Paradise

February 5, 2009

by Sloane

On Saturday, it was 60+ degrees in our fair city, and we had a party for an artist we represent, Kelly Aaron. I want you to have her tell you all about it – www.kellyaaronmosaics.blogspot.com.

26 Minutes

February 3, 2009

by Sloane

Today the power was out from 12:59 to 1:25pm at STUFF. It gets very quiet, very fast, when our power fails.

Several years ago, we had a man on staff, Parrish, who had the quietest sense of humor. It was sharp, however. On a day in December, we had a power outage near the end of the day that sent us running for candles so that customers could see – and even then it was a challenge. During this power struggle, he walked over to me with probably the most expensive necklace we had in the store at that time and told me he needed it gift wrapped. I knew he must be joking; that would be just like him. I quietly said, “Very funny,” and laughed. He said very little, but something like, “I’ll meet you back up front with my customer.” So I wrapped it. And she bought it. And yes, she knew the price; it had been shared with her even if it was too dark to read the tag!!

So, even on the darkest days at STUFF, we sparkle and shine, laugh and gift wrap.

Cover To Cover

January 25, 2009

by Sloane

In the room in our house that we call the library, you will find a set of books with extremely tattered covers. My son likes them to be housed in numeric order, 1 through 7. All of us have read them – as they were released – and in order. There were times when that was dicey, because my husband and I would tussle about who got to break the spine and dive in first.

We have loved every one of the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling. And although our son loved having them read to him by my husband, he chomped at the bit to be able to read them while ensconced on the lower bunk in his room – all by himself and by the light of one thin bulb. I inhaled these instances of pure magic every time I visited his room as the “lights out executioner”, and at times the emotions I felt were suffocating.

The One That Got Away

January 24, 2009

by Sloane

She did not steal the shell. Truly. She did, however, ask the owner about it. She may have even offered to pay for it – I’m not sure. The shell was a “treasured” thing in the owner’s wife’s life, and he could not part with it. Casey begged to differ – silently – in her soul while talking to him, but I heard about it in full color all the way back to work.

Incident #2: Probably 5 years ago now, my sister and I hosted our two best friends for a long weekend at a house our father was renting in Florida. The home was within easy walking distance from the beach, and the weekend was slow paced, restful, and easy – until the day we got in the car to “pick up a few things” as presents for our families and children at home in landlocked Missouri. While driving down the main two lane road on this skinny little island, I was asked by my sister to bring the car to a stop, turn it around, and head back down the road to see something shocking.

Now, as the driver of the car, I would like to believe that I would have been aware of any true danger. What I had missed, because I was looking out the driver’s window at the beach and ocean, was the collection of conch shells that had been fenced in on a shelf outside a gift shop. This was a five alarm blaze in my sister’s eyes. As Casey told us in plain English, “Just look at them. They’re chained up.” And, what bothered her the most, “And right where they can see the ocean.” She added something else about “no justice” and “disgusting”. Now, to be honest, they were not chained up. Technically, they were on a lovely, weathered, 4- or 5-shelf cabinet outside a locally-owned gift shop. True, they were behind chicken wire, and there was a lock between the fence and the wood, but we learned from the store owner that this was only for “overnight” and that during the day they were allowed to breathe more deeply of implied freedom. These were cool conchs – they were not shiny, and several had a non-fancy air about them. They were authentic specimens.

I can’t remember if Casey bought one or not. I can tell you that the ride back to the house was delightful, and no harm came to the group. I can only guess that the conchs that were left behind were sad when we pulled away.

Each incredible piece of art that Hoop Dog Studio delivered this week bears the inscription “When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.” This is a quote from John Muir, and each unique sculpture grabs you in a different way. One of them has me in its sway, but I haven’t plunked down any money yet. The one Casey chose was hitched immediately to her blue planet and all that swims in its water.

Come in and see them. They are phenomenal. We do lock the doors at night for their safety, but we leave the fresh air circulating and a few lamps on so no one gets lonely.

” No Paint ? ! “

January 11, 2009

by Sloane

These are the words that were asked of me in New York several years ago. Casey and I had flown to NY for business and, at the end of the “tour on foot” we had conceived for ourselves covering several neighborhoods between the convention center and a favorite place for dinner, we landed ourselves in the a place called Think Pink on 6th Avenue at 10th Street. My sister had been there before with girlfriends, so we spontaneously plunked down money for manicures. It was to be an adventure like nothing I had put myself through before.

You see, every member of the staff was using a different flavor of broken English, and I think I was having trouble expressing the fact that I can’t wear nail polish on my fingernails. My skin goes into “allergic insanity”, and we all know blood doesn’t look good on anything. So, since the ripe young age of 10 and what seemed like a few too many visits to my pediatrician, I have opted out of this rite of womanhood and style. (I can wear nail polish on my toes – who knows why? – and it has been my occasional joy throughout life, but not something I maintain on a regular basis. I save those finances for facials, my one true beauty love.)

I admit to not being much of a girlie girl. I can still count on one hand the total number of manicures I have had, and I can use the other hand to do the math on pedicures. I like them both, yet have never made them a part of my beauty regime. I tell myself I can’t find the time or the money, and I move on.

Most people think work trips are like vacation anyway, so we went crazy and plunked ourselves down for a little pampering – but not until I spent many long moments that were slowly filled with hand gestures as I tried to explain the “no paint” premise when it came to my fingertips. I had been walked by the wall full of little bottles of fingernail polish temptation and had been asked to choose “mine” at least twice. Casey could stand it no longer and finally stepped in and said, “No paint.”

Those two words registered. We were met with “No paint ? !” in a querulous tone understandable in any language. By now, I felt like a medical spectacle in a very small operating room. Everything in New York is designed well and wastes no space, and this salon was no exception. They have the ability to perform probably 12 manicures and 8 spa pedicures simultaneously while 20 people are parked at the nail drying stations. All this in about 800 square feet. If memory serves, at least 900 people were watching this spectacle, including the people that were looking through the street level glass at the Midwestern girl who wanted “no paint.”

It didn’t get better. My nails were cleaned up, the cuticles were restrained, and a slight shine was applied with a great manual buffer. Then, the top of my hands were slapped firmly two times each as a form of massage. I was handed my briefcase and handbag and was sent to the waiting area – two leather footstools under the coat rack, four inches inside the front door.

Now, my sister chose the “paint” package, and, when I was able to lift my head from its slightly embarrassed state, I saw that Casey was being escorted to the drying station by her manicurist. The woman walking toward me was bringing me her coat and bags to hold. What happened next still puts me on the floor with laughter.

At the drying station, my sister’s manicurist was treating her to a small shoulder and back massage, gratis. Her small Asian body was firmly bent into Casey’s shoulder, with her elbow providing the pressure. I had been slapped on the hand two times and sent to the corner – and she was getting a massage.

Our hands had been equally damaged. We paid the same amount of money.

But she had had a genie in her paint bottle.

PS…This past Friday, I had a spa pedicure right here in Kansas City at Persona. My son gave me a certificate for Christmas, and I wasted no time finding a time to go. Connie was the wizard who transformed my feet.

Institution, Not Institutional

December 31, 2008

by Sloane

Now, I believe eating food that, in our health conscious times, is labeled “bad for you” brings out all your food demons, and you blow it all on one meal. Heck, my favorite thing at Stroud’s is their incredible fried chicken livers with gravy as a dip, and my beyond-the-pale organic nut sister had thousand island dressing on her salad!! Goodness gracious, good food does that to you. It makes you yearn for the days when you were younger and you didn’t count every bit of everything you put into your body at mealtime.

PS…Check Stroud’s out on-line at www.stroudsrestaurant.com. Their history page is amusing and full of juicy bits. They are always busy, and the wait time can seem ridiculous. I knew my husband would never go for waiting several hours for the chicken he loves, so we went at 2pm on a Tuesday.

Craft Time

December 29, 2008

by Sloane

Let’s get one thing straight. Our family is not normal. But, none are, really. We enjoy entertaining each other in our homes, and, on special occasions we have a “craft” project during the evening we are together. Casey has had the entire family to her house many times over the past several years, and we have made ornaments after our meal. Just last year on Christmas Eve, we completed gingerbread houses from kits at my house.

Craft time in a family of Type A personalities is a dangerous proposition and one that must be entered into with a thick skin and a healthy sense of humor. I have taken years of ribbing for the fact that I complete my craft early so that I – in the words of others – can “be done with it” and can “move on to next task”. I must defend myself: this is not true. In fact, when I am given advance notice of the “craft” or am the one dreaming it up, I spend days thinking about what I’m going to create, and I hit the ground running. That can lead to finishing early – or first, as I see it.

Each piece turned out to be incredible, and my niece insisted on wearing her wreath as a crown until the weight of her chosen candies had it back on the table.

It was decided, at the end of the evening, that this craft would be duplicated next year early in the season so that we will have the pieces to decorate our houses with for the duration of the holidays. This was exciting to decide, but it left me with a quandary – what will we do on Christmas Eve? A new craft?

Most importantly, will I have time to prepare for my gold medal finish?

Inspired

December 26, 2008

by Casey & Sloane

We are proud of our family, and we wanted you to know we love you all.

The True Meaning of Christmas

December 15, 2007

by Casey

What Goes Around Comes Around

December 9, 2008

by Sloane

I had a friend ask me last week, “When is World AIDS Day?” It’s not like Thanksgiving and Easter, galavanting around the calendar of its own free will. World AIDS Day is always December 1st.

The quotes from all the activities that I never wanted to forget were hastily written down on my programs in half light and without my reading glasses. However, the one that stuck with me and gives me chills even now was spoken rather eloquently by Dr. Kevin Fenton, the director of the National Center for HIV/AIDS at the Centers for Disease Control: “We are the ones who have been sent to save ourselves.” Well put.

World AIDS Day has gone again and left me thinking about the year ahead and all I must do. I’m ready.

How I See Myself

December 1, 2008

by Sloane

This is how I see myself in my mind’s eye. I know I am deluded, but I truly live in my soul like these women look in these photographs. Look at the full color and the amazing smiles. To say I desire to capture their look for myself would be beyond truthful.

I live in full color every day. Join me.

Cue Snow!!

November 30, 2008

by Sloane

I think I speak for Casey, too, when I say we love Thanksgiving and Christmas. Thanksgiving is a fantastic day off for eating, resting, and being with our family. Low key. Peaceful. Happy. And the time between the holidays finds us happily ensconced at STUFF putting wonderful gifts in the hands of our fabulous customers. And that is exactly what we did both Friday and Saturday. It was a blast.

We Give Thanks…

November 24, 2008

by Casey & Sloane

We are asking you to choose to shop at our store this holiday season, and we pledge to you the same friendly services no matter your budget.

Our wish for you, your family, and your friends is a season filled with joy.

Thank you and all our love…

casey & sloane simmons
sisters & co-owners

Surrounded

November 19, 2008

by Sloane

Friends make your world go round. It’s true. But these women have held my confidences, my hands and my heart. They have laughed with me until every one of us could have peed in our pants, and several of them have waited for me to finish crying before speaking one word of solace. And they have had the strength to tell me I’m crazy, or wrong, or stupid.

I am surrounded by women who care deeply not only for me but for the world around us all. They are committed to their churches, their families, their jobs, and countless other humans. Their hearts are pure, and their trust in the unfailing power of friendship matches mine.

This past weekend, I was fortunate enough to have a handful of my friends come by STUFF so that the magicians at Kdog could capture the heart and soul of my friendships on film. I was the lucky one. Can you see me? I’m right here in the pictures, holding on tightly to what I hold dear.

PS…Next time we invite you to a party with portrait sessions as a “freebie”, get off your duff and come on over to our world. To say you’ll be glad you did is an understatement. See many of the pictures from this weekend on our website.

PPS…All photos courtesy of Kdog.

Making Magic

November 13, 2008

by Sloane

My sister Casey finished decorating the store for the holidays this week; STUFF is a winter wonderland. She is a magician in the way she brings together all of the favorite things we chose to have in the store for the holidays and all the great things the local artists we represent bring to us. Pure magic. It’s like erecting the perfect building without much knowledge of what your building materials will be; the artists don’t tell us what they are bringing, and we usually forget what we chose!!

Magic happens where you least expect it. Last year, mine was right inside the front door.

Cheesy

November 12, 2008

by Sloane

I believe sunsets are best enjoyed with your loved ones. In October I broke down, like so many times in my past, and took a few photos of the amazing sunsets my best friend and I were a part of over several nights. We would come out to the beach and spend the entire afternoon in the sun and surf, and only after the sun set would we pack it in for home.

They were breathtaking and fantastic sunsets – but these photos look a little cheesy and fake to me.

I Wasn’t Fully Prepared

November 10, 2008

by Sloane

Like my sweaters have a summer home, my geraniums “overwinter” with my Mom, just like retirees in Florida. She cared for them last year, and they came back happy. I know that geraniums may be the cheapest plants around, and most people just toss them and start new each year, but these are the most fantastic shade of hot pink, and I love how time has made them a little “leggy”.

So now were are all prepared, the plants and I. I can’t promise to wear socks all winter, and the cactus can’t promise that I won’t sneak it out for the one overly warm day that will arrive in January and scare us both a bit silly. But I can promise that my Mom won’t let me bring the geraniums home until they are fully rested on their vacation.

Angels Among Us

November 6, 2007

by Casey

As my daughter slowly closed her eyes, she looked just like this angel as a child.

I believe in angels. I inherited this belief from my younger sister when she died. Sloane’s and my sister, Lindsay, didn’t survive an auto accident over 10 years ago, and she was lost to us all. But, when she was alive, she was mesmerized by angels. She collected angel-related art, and she spoke about angels regularly. After her death, angels took on a new significance for me, and now I find myself collecting angel related art, reading angel related writings, and even creating art with angels and/or wings featured in them.

So…in these last couple of weeks, I have worked with Sloane on our Wings of Hope event. I have been captivated by the image that my friend Rachel captured for this year’s event. I have seen my child as an angel. And, as I am writing this blog I am looking up at the other small pieces of angel art that hang above my desk – mixed with some of the images from my life. And I am once gain struck with how prevalent angels are in my life and how completely unaware I am of this most days.

MY Chocolate Story…

October 27, 2007

by Casey

I read my sister’s blog tonight and wanted to defend the chocolate glazed donut. I mean really – chocolate glaze on a donut does not “seem odd”.

I love you Sloane, but I must defend the donut with the ever-so-yummy chocolate glaze.

Many people know that I am not a “sweet tooth”. I am a “salty”. I have been known to get into long discussions about the evolution of the flavored potato chip. And now that I have gone “wacky organic”, I must say that I am single-handedly keeping the blue corn chip industry “in the black”. No economy scares for that bunch – as long as I can still have my blue-corn-munch-a-lunch.

But I do have a weakness for a donut with chocolate glaze. The fresher, the better. The way the chocolate sticks to the roof of your mouth when you take a giant bite. H-E-A-V-E-N!

Sometimes I can’t believe Sloane and I come from the same folks – really.

My Chocolate Story

October 27, 2008

by Sloane

So it was with great fondness that I headed up the “personalized chocolates” project at STUFF. Casey and I have always wanted large jars of inexpensive – but good – chocolates at the counters at STUFF, and we now personalize for ourselves – and for our customers – Hershey’s chocolates. They rock, they are just the right size, and they say just exactly what you want them to say.

A customer of ours always hosts an election night watch party in Presidential election years – for all her friends, no matter their political bent – and she had us design 6 different amazing labels in red, white and blue. All 400 will be an awesome sight to see around her house.

Water, Water Everywhere

October 21, 2008

by Sloane

Now, to end the beach story. When we got to the island we were staying on, there was a “Mandatory Water Boil” in effect due to contaminated supply lines that ruptured during road construction. So we had to buy a super-big water jug for use in the house for drinking and for brushing our teeth, etc. You know, the kind that is rectangular and slides onto your shelf in the fridge? Super-big, like I said.

When we were leaving the island and taking our recycling to the designated bins on the beach, this plastic water bottle didn’t fit in the bin, and we were beside ourselves with what we were going to do. Honestly, two grown women, looking perplexedly at a plastic jug and trying to twist it down to fit in the round slot. There was no room in our luggage, and there was a pit in my stomach when we had to toss it in the trash can.

OK, the reason my carry-on was so full: I had already crammed in our flattened Wheat Thins box, my toothpaste box, and several other non-plastic recyclables. Maybe this is why I like road trips. I can just put my recycling in the car and deal with it when I get home.

I love the ocean. It’s a lot of water. Water, water everywhere. But not a drop to drink.

Voracious Readers #2

October 11, 2008

by Sloane

But in the past few months, although I am still not mixing books with magazines, I am reading more than one magazine at once. For the first time in my life, I have bookmarks in 3 magazines in the pile you can see right here.

This is perplexing to me, and I am interested to see just how long it lasts.

The Great Pumpkin Hunt

September 30, 2008

by Sloane

It happens overnight. One day there are no pumpkins in huge piles at the grocery stores, and the next day there are, and it makes my heart leap. I have passed this excitement onto my son, and he and I have a ball every fall picking just the right pumpkins from the piles at several local spots. Now, for clarification purposes, I have only ever been to one pumpkin patch in my life – and I loved it – but weekends this time of year have never seemed to hold time for that adventure since our son graced this planet.

The three pumpkins we brought home last night are fantastic. They have great stems, and one has a stem that is so thick it looks like a small hat; we’ll have a ball with that!!

OK. I confess. We brought home three orange pumpkins, one variegated gourd, and two small white pumpkin-shaped gourds. We passed on the turban squash, because Harl was looking right at us in the produce section; turban squash are hard to hide in the cart and and on the conveyer belt at the check out.

Fred is Family

September 23, 2008

by Sloane

OK. Not really. We don’t even look alike.

However, Fred Conlon makes Casey and me happy, much like our family makes us happy. He laughs easily, and, from the moment we met him at the Javits Convention Center in New York City, the three of us knew we were in for a good time and for a long time. That was 4 years ago….

We’ve met his Dad and he’s met ours. We’ve met his wife and he’s met my husband. We have yet to meet his children, but he has met my son. But the most overriding thing that makes him family to me is this: when he hugs you, you sustain soft tissue damage, and you are glad for it because you know he’s sharing a bit of his magic. I’ve always liked people who truly, deeply hug you when they see you after an extended period of time, because I believe they are expressing sincere greetings and taking time to do so by holding on a little longer.

Original and Unique

September 14, 2008

by Sloane

However, I know that Missy and JD will go on to continue making magic for themselves and others in all that they do. And I hope to be standing in their shadow when the lights go up.

PS…Bar Natasha will have special shows every night during the upcoming week, with their final “hurrah” on September 19th and 20th – a Cabaret Festival that will run each night from 5pm to 1:30am. Get your butt down to The Crossroads and share in the love. You will not be disappointed. I promise.

Dockside Delight

September 12, 2008

by Sloane

There are things you carry with you through life – from childhood to adulthood – that make you happy and bring you great joy.

Now, every engine that ever gets into a close relationship with water has problems. No matter what. And, when I was young, we would find ourselves at a marina called Links Landing when – not if – we had trouble with our boat. I was never happy coming “off the water” because it always seemed exponentially hotter on a dock, but I loved Links Landing because they had “feeder fish”. They had an old-fashioned candy machine that you loaded nickels into, and little pellets of fish food visited your palm with a twist of your wrist. Then the fun began. I can remember all the feeding theories my sisters and I bantered about – slowly dropping one pellet at a time into the water, putting in a “trail” to be followed, spilling your whole hand – and I can hear our voices laughing as the water roiled with response to our scientific methods. I can also hear our squeals when, by chance, the fish ran into contact with our fingertips. And I can still hear their mouths sucking and at the air for first catch.

This past weekend, Casey and I took our children to the lake to spend a true last weekend of the summer with our father and stepmom. It was cool and overcast, but that didn’t keep us from our water adventures.

On Saturday, after Casey’s daughter had her inaugural run on a tube pulled by the pontoon boat, Dad said, “Let’s go to Ozark BBQ for lunch by water.” No problem or push-back from us. A boat ride? Food? All of us together? That’s a done deal!!

I’m not quite certain if my father heard the little girl’s voice when I asked him several times, “Dad, did you see that one?” Or, “He’s huge. How old do you think he is?” Or, “Wow.” But I heard her, and she was very, very happy.

PS…It was a whole weekend of firsts. The first time my son had seen feeder fish, and the first time my niece took a spin on a tube.

Gustav’s Girls

September 8, 2007

by Casey

Big ocean! Really big ocean. Really, really big ocean. I mean there is nothing like a hurricane to kick up a bunch of kicka*s waves. Talk about your ultimate natural amusement park. Roller coasters pale in comparison to the scare-you-sh*tless-scream-your-head-off-heart-stopping-nerve-tinglin’ thrill of the big fat waves a hurricane offshore can land on a beach.

Two weekends ago, I was jazzed to head to Florida with my girlfriends to commemorate our 40th birthdays. We were outrageously excited to shed children, spouses, businesses, yards, homes, pets, laundry, bills, cooking, cleaning, and the seemingly millions of other daily responsibilities we all have.

And then the bad weather hit – the rain, the winds, the rising waters. Gustav – the hurricane – was gulf-bound. The hurricane then took a turn and left us safe and relatively dry. But it brought the waves. The big, massive, powerful waves that started this whole story.

We stood on the beach in awe. Humbled by mother nature in all her beauty and power. We then slowly stepped closer. And then we looked at each other and thought (whatever it is that crazy 40 year old women think that makes them desire to step into a wall of water).

I am not sure how many times we got “laid out”, but I know I was slapped down like a rag doll many times. I dove through waves that were twice my height and got sucked under by the undertow that was so powerful it felt like I was standing in the path of a rocket launch. We held onto each other with “the death grip”. We picked each other up and held each other back. But mostly we laughed, shouted, swam our hearts out, and begged for more. It was addictive. I was in a trance. My blessed ocean was calling me back. It was washing me clean. It was healing my soul.

I looked at my friends and saw the same look on each of their faces. Their soaked, exhausted, shaking bodies couldn’t distract me from the pure joy that shined from their faces.

It was worth every one of my 40 years to have that moment. That blink of an eye of a storm.

Note: We are all accomplished swimmers. Some with lifeguard experience. With years of ocean experience. And we were NOT in an actual hurricane. If Gustav had turned toward us, we would have hightailed it inland and been hanging at the airport Ramada instead.

Missouri Treasures

September 4, 2008

by Sloane

Over the course of my life, I have learned much from him about how the baskets are made, why they are important to the local economy, what time of year is best for making baskets, and why he loves owning a retail store. I have never called him anything but Mr. Davis, although a fabulous picture of him on their website uses his full name, Delmar Davis. (Check out his photo on their History page. He has changed very little.)

In addition to baskets, he carries Frankoma Pottery, Minnetonka Moccasins, and – my personal favorite – cheap beaded toys and decorations in the Native American style. If you ever received a bow & arrow or an Indian headdress as a child, you will know exactly what I’m talking about! He carries much, much more, and I can admit to not having been in certain aisles of his store for years and years.

Mr. Davis and Davis Baskets are Missouri treasures and should not be missed if you find yourself anywhere near the Lake of the Ozarks. It is just west of Camdenton, Missouri, on Highway 54.

He Nailed It

September 1, 2008

by Sloane

Three hours before the pool closed for the summer, my son perfected his dive off the high dive at Fairway Pool. He only started diving off the high dive today, so this was a big deal for our little family – hence the cameras and the cheering.

I can now proceed with my slight seasonal depression that has been known to set in around this time in the calendar year. But I won’t be as sad this year, because I can still see him in my mind’s eye with the 7pm sun shining on his body as he slices the water.

It was perfect. He did indeed nail it.

Upon Further Investigation…

August 28, 2008

by Sloane

I am rather jaded when it comes to “green” proclamations. Casey and I have worked very hard on making STUFF as ecologically friendly as possible (click here to see how), and we are continuing that quest by making changes all the time. But we’ve seen other organizations and businesses make statements that are misleading and are, in the end, fibs used to fool us into believing said company/institution is a brighter shade of green than it really is.

So, when I left a restaurant in New York last week (see yesterday’s blog), I picked up a postcard that caught my eye at their host stand. Ruby Foo’s is in the heart of Times Square and is a very large restaurant. It is also part of a chain called “B.R. Guest Restaurants”.

So . . . here’s what Ruby Foo’s currently does for the planet: It uses faucet aerators and pre-rinse spray valves for water efficiency and conservation; it recycles all glass, metal, plastic and paper; and, in the area of pollution prevention, it uses no polystyrene foam in the kitchens or in the takeout containers.

Mother Earth and I thank them.

Just Right

August 27, 2008

by Sloane

First Kiss

August 19, 2007

by Casey

I love New York City. I fell in love with it many years ago in a cab from the airport on my first trip to the Big Apple.

It was dusk and, as we crossed the bridge into Manhattan, there it was before me. It took my breath away. It was like a first kiss. It excited me, made my senses tingle, and scared me all at once.

This city is a special place for me, filled with abundant memories. I have come here to celebrate, to escape, to grieve, and to find answers.

What you can witness in one short block could take months to see in other places. On a warm night like tonight, I could roam for hours. I lingered in front of our hotel tonight and tried to absorb the sights, sounds and smells, in hopes of taking the feeling home with me tomorrow.

And, in case you are a regular STUFF blog reader (or a good friend) and you know about my passion for places near oceans, you won’t be surprised when I remind you that it is also an island.

I have never lived in New York City, but I have always felt like I belong. So earlier this evening when I stepped off a plane with only a purse on my shoulder, grabbed a cab with Sloane to Times Square, and was having a sushi dinner at one of our regular haunts with in a handful of minutes, I kind of felt like I was at home.

Trashy Chick

August 16, 2008

by Sloane

See? I was not only paying attention, I was creating art.

PS…If you take the lining out of your burrito bol when you have finished eating at Chipotle, you can take the bowl home and recycle it. It’s paperboard.

PPS…Come by the store and buy a raffle ticket. We’re sending this “trashy chick” home with the lucky winner. Come on – they’re only $1, and that makes her a cheap date.

New Shoes

August 11, 2008

by Sloane

My last pairs of new shoes have fabulous bows (see my April 16, 2008 blog). There are instructions on our website for tying new bows onto these shoes, and for this I am happy. I need the guidance. I have never been good at tying bows, and that was always a puzzler for my grandmother, who could very easily make an attractive bow from craft yarn and couldn’t understand how I had gotten through life with this humiliating handicap.

I will never have to buy laces for my new treasures. But if I did, I would have to look very carefully at all the million bazillion ways to lace them at this super cool website I found. Check it out. With these instructions as my guide, I could whip up a snazzy lace ensemble that would make my grandma proud.

However, for at least a year, these will be “party shoes” that I will wear gently and for only special occasions.

Go figure.

I Can’t Decide

August 1, 2008

by Sloane

Luckily, I don’t have to decide because until they go to a good home – most likely not mine, given the indecision factor – I get to see them every single day I’m at work. I can count on more than my fingers and toes the items I have “lost” at antique stores and art galleries because I haven’t acted with my pocketbook when I should have.

I know I’m taking a risk. But that’s OK. I can be at peace with that, because I know these pieces of amazing art will end up exactly where they are supposed to be. And then Lori will dream up even more remarkable paintings and bring them in for me to covet, and they will go home with yet more wonderful people who know great art when they see it and aren’t afraid to act with their wallets.

Until then, join me in celebrating the arrival of these one-of-a-kind wonders into my world. Maybe you should take one to your house and, when you’re ready, you can invite me over to visit it.

Christmas Every Day

July 31, 2008

by Sloane

It is amazing to work at STUFF. The human mind knows no limits in the dream department, and the hands that build those dreams are honored and treasured within these walls.

Grandma’s Jewelry Box

July 16, 2007

by Casey

50 Places . . .

July 15, 2008

by Sloane

A year in the life of a retail store in a fantastic, older neighborhood includes a sidewalk sale. Every year. In the heat of summer. No matter what.

Sidewalk Sale Days was this past weekend here in Brookside. The four days were exhilarating and full of bargains. But the best part happened on Saturday night right when the store was closing.

We had brought all the sale tables in from the sidewalk and were regrouping our tired and hot bodies for the chores yet to be completed when we heard a tap on the window. There stood a woman we had never seen before and who none of us recognized. Holly opened the door and told her that we were closed and would re-open tomorrow. She then told Holly that she just had to get in because her plane would leave on Sunday before we opened, and that STUFF was “one of the 50 places on her list to visit before she died”.

Now, Holly is an excellent bouncer, but that melted all of our hearts and we let her in.

Our staff had done it again; they had risen to the challenge of giving one last customer – after a very long and hard day – the best they had. At the best store in America.

Coming Down from a Rocky Mountain High

July 14, 2008

by Sloane

On the way out, my husband and I each had a small soft serve chocolate cone. It transported me back to my childhood for a brief minute; I could see my grandfather handing me my cone through the car window on a warm night. My ice cream cone had a little swirl on the top, like the kind you see in children’s books and that live in your memories.

It’s hard to come down from the high that is vacation. But, if you find yourself traveling on 40 highway just north of I-70 in Colorado, stop by the Empire Dairy King. They can help soften your landing.

Glazed & Confused

July 13, 2008

by Sloane

This desire did not die while I was on vacation last week in Santa Fe. These pots made my heart do a super flutter. They sang to me from their places in the back lot of Jackalope. And I sweetly muttered back.

Busted, Two Doors Up

June 18, 2008

by Sloane

We took off several weeks ago on a walk with our dog. This is something my son does every day, and this occasion found the whole family out together. Not unheard of, but rare, that the three of us walk the dog as a group.

We spent two hours with Philip, walking near our home. The time flew by, and the best part was the hour we spent with our dog off-leash in public places.

Burnt Toast and a Tie

June 10, 2008

by Casey & Sloane

Yum Yum Dim Sum

June 2, 2007

by Casey

Ryoko, who many of you know and love as much as we do, had planned to slip out of work and take the Max bus to Bo Ling’s on the Plaza to pick up the feast. But she was held up by a well-meaning customer on the street and missed the bus. That didn’t stop her.

I should probably stop and tell you that Ryoko has been a member of our family since I was two. She changed my diapers, taught me to use chopsticks, read to me, and sang to me. She is now an important part of my daughter’s life and, yes, changed her diapers too. And, since we are on the subject, she helped raise Sloane, our little sister Lindsay, and my nephew. She helps run the store and is the most over-qualified small business bookkeeper in America.

Anyway, back to the food: So Ryoko missed the bus.

She then walked – yes WALKED – to the Plaza from Brookside to make sure I would have my favorite food on my 40th birthday. When she returned (by bus this time) she placed the feast (not an understatement) in our kitchen downstairs.

Yum yum….

Voracious Readers

May 30, 2007

by Casey

I come from a family of voracious readers. I read a lot too…but I read slower than the rest of my family. I always worried that I was missing something – the gene that makes someone a fast reader. But over the years I realized that I suffer from the need to not miss anything (this isn’t limited to just reading, by the way).

I am a “re-reader”. I am so fascinated by the way people write that I re-read the lines I find interesting. I am not willing to leave a paragraph, illustration or photograph before I absorb it completely. I try to find hidden meaning. I admire a writer’s talent to paint a picture. I get lost in the visual fabric of writing and publishing. I also often find my mind wandering around in my own thoughts and ideas.

To read the dozens of publications my sister and I read in order to stay in touch with the arts and design world, I have had to develop my own approach so I won’t get bogged down in the amount of reading I have before me.

I figured out that if I let the publications pile up, it actually helps me streamline my reading. What happens is I am able to increase my reading speed, because I can ignore the repetition. I can eliminate the trendy and start to identify the styles with more depth and longevity.

This recent holiday weekend, I brought home 40 plus publications to read and review. I pull out articles & pictures and circle quotes while I read. I end up with this pile of clippings on my desk to keep or research later.

This is the same way I tackle our store. First, I worry I will miss something. Then, I get re-energized by the individual items. Finally, I find perspective (usually after a kick in the butt by Sloane). I am always searching for the story the pieces can tell collectively, so I just keep experimenting. It is a daily challenge to bring forward the many artists, ideas and products that we find. I am thankful to have my sister and an amazing team to work with. Some days are more difficult than others.

Yet, some days it just seems to fall into place. I hope today is one of those days.

Super Summer Sunday

May 26, 2008

by Sloane

Just a few days ago, as I was reading one of the many magazines that come to my home every month, I saw this ad for Dodge and laughed out loud.

As I was laughing, I was transported back to summers almost 10 years ago and the times I spent with my best friend Cathy in my minivan.

For 13 years, I was the director of a summer festival of sorts on the grounds of the Ford Motor Company’s Claycomo Plant right here in Kansas City. It was called “Super Summer Sunday” – a non-original name that stuck. For probably 7 of those years, I co-directed it with my best friend, Cathy. Super Summer Sunday was always hellaciously hot because it was always the last Sunday in July or the first Sunday in August. It was always held in the parking lot of the assembly plant. It was always a lot of work, and it was always wonderful when it was over.

Word to the wise: keep your car clean – you never know where you’re headed.

The Party’s Just Getting Started

May 24, 2008

by Sloane

Thursday was the end of 5th grade for my son. As we have since Kindergarten, my husband and I met him in the carpool line with “champagne”, and we toasted another great year.

So grab a bottle of bubbly and join us in celebrating all that is good – even if 5th grade for you was a long time ago.

Happy Summer!

Greg’s Perfect Gift

May 22, 2007

by Casey

I love my job! I work every day surrounded by art, creativity and wonderful people. STUFF is a happy place. When I meet someone new when I am out-and-about and they ask what I do for a living, I answer – I sell wonderful stuff to wonderful people.

Over the years, I have helped thousands of people find the perfect gift. And it never seems repetitive or impersonal. Actually, it is still magical. In the end, the “stuff” isn’t as important as all the people that are involved in bringing a smile to someone’s face.

I recently helped a customer get a companion necklace to a pair of earrings his wife loves from our store. After talking for a while, I suggested that he take a picture of the earrings and send it to me, so I could make sure the new piece would coordinate.

That is the magic of STUFF: we get to share in people’s lives every day.

PS…She loved the necklace. I know because Greg told me the next time he was in the store.

8:53

May 15, 2008

by Sloane

My son ran the inaugural Main Street Mile this past Saturday here in Kansas City.

It was a cloudy, cold morning, and he left early from home with his “friend Gary”. That’s how he says it: “My friend Gary and I are running on Saturday” or “My friend Gary and I ran the Main Street Mile”. What’s amazing to those to whom he tells these things is when they figure out that his “friend Gary” is 60+ years old, trains every day for marathons and sanctioned runs, and, along with his wife, has been a close friend and neighbor – we share a driveway!! – for 10+ years.

Now, this was my son’s first race, and he doesn’t train for marathons, but he was truly excited and ready to run. So excited, and so cold before the start, that he and Gary skipped running in the heat they had chosen – the Fun Run – and ran in the “39 and Under” bracket after averaging their ages!!

Gary is a good man. As my son would say, a friend. And this friend, on this day, saw to it that my son started the race, ran a good race, and learned a little bit more about himself during the race.

And when they came flying – he’s an only child; it seemed like flying – over the crest of the hill at Westport Road and Main Street, I nearly cried. You see, he was doing what he’s been doing since the day he was born . . . moving toward his dreams and away from me. But this time, like so many times in the past, he caught my eye and smiled. And, he kept right on truckin’.

As always, my son’s cheer team included not only his parents, but an extended family that included his aunt Casey and her daughter, my mother and her friend Lori, my son’s virtual grandmother Ryoko, and Gary’s wife Janie (also my son’s good “friend”).

I’ve never run a mile on Main Street in under 9 minutes. I probably never will.

But I am 11 years into the greatest marathon I will ever run.

Thinking Person’s Laugh

May 8, 2008

by Sloane

I can laugh easily. But there is nothing I like better than something that is funny, but has a twist that makes it just not quite right. Case in point:

Two years ago, we had to have a drain pipe replaced in our kitchen here at STUFF. Our kitchen is really cool, because Casey and I designed it to conceal lots of storage and to be sleek enough for the catering we bring in over the course of the year. However, it is on the “lower level”, has no windows, and has the main drain pipe running along one wall in plain view. So, when the plumber was done installing the 300 lb. cast iron replacement, we had it painted deep black and had our artist friend Jane Hosey-Stern come and paint a quote on it in her magical style.

Take Really Good Notes

May 1, 2008

by Sloane

My grandfather, my Dad’s Dad, kept a daily diary. It really was more of a ledger and was kept in a ledger book. It was amazing, because he limited himself to only one line for each day. If memory serves, each month was on a single, long page. He dated the covers of the books, and I can vividly remember reading some of them and absolutely loving it when I came across days when I – or my sisters – were included.

My grandfather was a farmer in Mid-Missouri. His daily diary was not the most exciting reading because he tracked things like when he planted a certain crop, the price of fuel, the weather conditions, when they turned the air conditioning on – and occasionally he included social activities like visits from us, birthdays, etc. I loved when he would go and reference it for data. I had to have been 11 or 12 when he asked me to “run down” and check his ledger – he told me to look in a particular month for a certain thing. And I can remember him being dead-on and me being stunned that he could remember such things.

Now I keep a travel diary, and I’ve been pretty religious about it since 1996. Each book has been different in style – where my grandfather’s were all exactly the same – but I now officially know I want one I can keep closed with a big, colorful rubber band. You see, I cram it full of important things to remember AND bits of keepsakes from the road. The books are usually bulging when I am done with them, and a little elastic help is welcome.

Part of the fun for me in keeping a travel diary is slowly decorating the outside. My son and I scour gift shops and checkout counters for great stickers. National park shops are great for this, and God knows they need our money!! We even cut up funky weird stickers to make cooler stylish ones.

All the diaries since 1996, and a peek into the one I’m finishing up.

What’s been amazing to me is that I’ve gone back – just like my grandfather – and referenced places I’ve been for return trips or for others’ adventures. I’m probably not keeping all the really good data like my grandfather kept, but I am keeping track of events that are beyond my everyday life and routines. It also reminds me that I’ve been so many places my grandfather and grandmother never saw, and for that I am able to count my blessings.

A new diary brings on the chance for me to change what I track. Maybe I will start keeping track of airline ticket prices, fuel costs, miles put on the odometer, etc.

Or maybe I won’t. Who needs reality in a travel diary that’s dedicated to escapism?

Off Island Burgers

April 20, 2008

by Sloane

Today was a great day, even though I had to leave Florida and the beach. It was great because my husband and I really just had light snacks until 3pm when we hit The Shake Pit on our way to the airport.

My father and I share a deep love for hamburgers that are really good. We don’t have a rating scale, and we don’t even talk much about a ranking system. He said to me several years ago, “The best burger on the island is Skinny’s, and the best burger off island is The Shake Pit.” Since then, I have tried both and not been let down at either. (The island is Anna Maria Island.)

Don’t miss The Shake Pit if you find yourself on Manatee Boulevard in Bradenton, Florida. It just may truly be the best burger “off island”. But “off island” is a pretty big place.

Brave Honesty

April 16, 2007

by Casey

And, during the experience, she kept her sense of humor, her mind was clear, and she was selfless. She asked about our lives in detail every day. She laughed, smiled and told jokes – which was the Grandma I grew up knowing. She was authentic in her character until she took her last breath. And even though that is brave in itself, it was her honesty that made me realize how truly brave you must be to reveal the truth.

She did not waste her final days re-writing history. She spoke about the good and the bad with equal frankness. She loved people very, very deeply. She also saw them with a clear mind’s eye. She talked about her disappointments and her triumphs with the same attention to being honest.

It was a remarkable experience to be holding her hand when she died. My father, my sister, my stepmother, and I stood around her and held onto to her while she passed. There was no pain in the room, only peace.

My sister, Sloane, spoke at her funeral, and as she spoke I closed my eyes briefly and could hear the same frank honesty, the same accurate and articulate telling of my Grandmother’s life that I had come to expect from my grandmother. She bravely told an honest story about an honest woman that hid nothing and revealed everything. And, once again, there was only peace left when the story came to an end.

Maybe the truth will set us all free?

With the Right Pair of Shoes…

April 16, 2008

by Sloane

My husband was vegan (plus fish!) for 4-1/2 years, but he never had as much fun as I’ve had in these vegan shoes.

Yes, they’re vegan, made-in-the-USA, massaging, anti-microbial, waterproof, top-rack-machine-washable, and recyclable*. And you can change out the spiffy ribbons.

If you thought that T-shirt from a few days ago made me happy and pushed all my “feel good” buttons, try to come between me and brightly-colored shoes in my size. (Not easy to find, as I’m a 12.)

Yes, they’re available at STUFF in five or six color combinations and many sizes. But don’t be surprised if we’re sold out of my size.

*When you have worn them to shreds, bring ’em back to STUFF and we’ll send ’em to the manufacturer in Georgia, where they’ll be shredded further and made into new shoes!

It Doesn’t Get Any Better

April 10, 2008

by Sloane

Life is all about partnerships, friendships, and jointly held beliefs. It doesn’t get any better than this T-shirt.

Story Box

April 8, 2007

by Casey

I came to STUFF this Sunday morning to do a bit of work and get the store “rolling” for the day. It took me longer than I had planned because, truthfully, I was caught in a moment alone with all the art that I am blessed to work near every day.

You see, STUFF is open 358 days a year, and to make that possible we work before and after hours too. So it isn’t often that I get the whole place to myself…alone, quiet and with a few extra minutes to stop and breathe in the beauty of it all.

What I realized is that, even though these boxes seem to be portraying a past story, it is our own story that is privately revealed to us by viewing them. Each of us projecting our own history into this storytelling, often inexplicably drawn to the piece that resonates with us personally, and comfortably expanding them into full-blown stories with dialog, emotion and thoughts.

In the end, my private moment was interrupted. But, just like these boxes protect a story from dissipating, my connection with them won’t fade either.

It’s a Family Affair

April 6, 2008

by Sloane

And this year my niece attended the event, as she has every year since joining us on the planet – but this year she was able to walk around on her own, turn to strangers looking at tiles near her, and ask them “Which one is your favorite?” and “Are you going to buy that one?”. (She’s charming and amazing.)

AIDS is a part of the world I live in, and my family has joined me in fighting something so much larger than all of us put together. Tell me I’m not lucky.

PS. AIDS Walk is Saturday, April 26th.
Check out details about STUFF’s team at http://www.firstgiving.com/stuffteam.

Happiness

March 30, 2008

by Sloane

I am at my happiest in a swimsuit. The perfect day, for me, is to go from PJs in the morning to a swimsuit to PJs in the night.

I love to swim. I may very well be some kind of a water goddess/princess/shaman – my palms actually itch when I see large bodies of water: pools, rivers, oceans, lakes. And my palms itch for the pool paintings that Lori Buntin creates. She too may be a water junkie. I don’t know.

I love the water for many reasons. However, when I was swimming last week it reminded me of my favorite quote. “stress can’t swim”.

So true.

PS. The paintings are available at STUFF. I suffer every day looking at them while fully clothed.

Breathless

March 22, 2008

by Sloane

Two weeks ago, my last grandmother died. But it was the week before that – the seven long days preceding that day – that had me experiencing all of life at a breathless pace….

My son’s math club meets every other Wednesday at 7:15 am. That Wednesday, we were at Lamar’s, the home of the best doughnuts in the world, at 7 am to pick up our four dozen for the group. At 7:45, I was at the hospital visiting Grandma, who, I was told by the nurses, “had a great night” and would “probably go home today” with her doctor’s approval. I was happy for her. In hindsight, I wish I had brought her a doughnut. Her last real food was the next meal – sausage, egg, hash browns, OJ – all prepared at the hospital. She loved it and told me so. My grandmother truly loved food. I can’t imagine what she would have said if I’d sneaked just one doughnut out of the box….

Forty minutes later, she began a series of strokes that most likely had begun the day before – although that one had not appeared on her CT scan – and that she would continue for the next 24+ hours.

Strokes are weird. The next three days were a roller coaster for her, gaining some ground and then losing it. She talked, she laughed, she made others laugh, she stood up with help, and she recognized every member of our family. My family and I were on a different ride – the Tilt-A-Whirl – our brains spinning with all the knowledge her fabulous doctor and the nurses were giving us and, finally, as the ride was slowing down, whirling with the knowledge that she was leaving us.

Thursday found Casey and me at the hospital very early and at STUFF very late. It was an awesome night at STUFF – eleven local jewelry artists all at the store with all their new hand crafted collections for 3 hours. The name of the event is EXTRAVAGANZA because that’s exactly what it is.

Months before this amazing week, Casey and I and STUFF had been chosen as a Top 25 Under 25 Kansas City small business. A fantastic honor. An incredible experience. And the week we were now in was the culmination of all the special events that are a part of the honoring process – radio interviews, the gala, etc.

By Friday morning, Casey and I pretty much just wanted to be at the hospital. My grandmother’s journey was one we didn’t want to just hear about – we wanted to be her bell captain and porter and help her with all her luggage. On our first visit to the hospital, she surprised us when she asked Casey how the party had been; the woman missed nothing!!

We did a little bit of it all that day. We got our kids where they needed to be, we were guests on a live radio program for half an hour with the publisher of Kansas City Small Business Monthly, we dealt with pressing issues at STUFF, we worked the floor of the store, we went to the hospital four times, we realized we had to deal with a few small personal issues regarding clothing for Saturday night’s gala, and I went to bed feeling like the times we went to the hospital were too few.

Saturday found each of us at the hospital and then with our families all day, and, in the evening, we were seated at the Marriott downtown with family, mentors and artists that STUFF represents at the rockin’est table: Number 56!! 800 people came to celebrate the “Class of 2008” in all their Top 25 glory. When Casey and I made our walk across the stage, I realized I was holding my breath in wonderment at the 11 years of business that had gotten us there.

It was a wonderful night, and it was extremely special. The view from my end of the table was breathtaking.

And Monday, early, my grandmother’s breath was taken away, and she handed it to the four of us at her bedside. But I knew right then that it was the wind power that had seen our little ship through the week.

Top 25 Things I Love at stuff

February 14, 2008

by Sloane

749, Unbelievable!

February 13, 2008

by Sloane

We finally met him last night at sit down dinner in a bank lobby downtown. And, of course, we told him how honored we were to meet him. And we were. You see, he rocked our world.

“The packet” was from the Kansas City Small Business Monthly magazine telling us we had been nominated to receive the “Top 25 Under 25” award, which is given every year to the top 25 small businesses in Kansas City with less than 25 employees. We read on through the packet and saw outlined before us the items we needed to pull together to submit to the judges, one of the items being financial statements. We hemmed, we hawed, we procrastinated. And not because we weren’t honored to have been nominated – that’s always been the part of the process that humbles us – but because it was November and our plates, as retailers, were full.

Then we came to our senses and called off the pity party. I was assigned the task of pulling all the pieces together and preparing the 7 packets for the panel of judges. One item was a letter of recommendation, and I turned to my friend Steve Metzler and asked if he would write it. Steve and I have yet to say “No” to each other, and he didn’t let me down. His letter brought tears to my eyes, as often happens when you are looking at yourself through other’s eyes.

Last night at dinner, we learned that 749 small businesses were nominated this year. I did a little math in my head – that’s all the math I can really do – and realized we made it into the top 4%. It blew me away. But small business had gotten us there. The individual artists we represent every day, the small businesses around the nation we seek out and support for their hand crafted goods, and – of course – Warehouse 1, Metzler Brothers Insurance, and David Riffel Photography.

Thank you, Tom Doty, for calling us so many months ago. You rock.

A 3rd Birthday Party…
Twenty Years in the Making

February 11, 2007

by Casey

She sat on my lap watching and listening to inspirational speeches, videos and singing. She was curious and asked me a constant flow of questions. She loved the music and was a good sport when she sat on my lap watching and listening to inspirational speeches, videos and singing. She was curious and asked me a constant flow of questions. She loved the music and was a good sport when she won a beer coozie and baseball cap when her winning raffle ticket number was called.

I listened to the stories being shared. I looked at my mother and sister and took a walk down memory lane. I remembered all the door-to-door canvassing, envelope stuffing, phone banking, and campaign work we did as children. You see, I come from a long line of strong, opinionated, articulate, justice-seeking women. It is one of my life’s greatest gifts. gifts that last a lifetime.

This year, AIDS Walk Kansas City is celebrating 20 years of offering a life of dignity to the people in our community living with this disease and joining them in their wish for a cure for HIV/AIDS. The men and women in the room that night have not wavered, and their commitments have only grown stronger over the last 20 years. Their selfless and tireless belief in a world with social justice is remarkable.

We did go on to have a “real third birthday party” the following weekend, but my daughter often talks about that night. She walks around the house with the beer coozie over her milk cup, wearing an AIDS Walk baseball cap, and she stops occasionally to asks, “Mama, why does LaLa wear an AIDS ribbon all the time?” I respond, “Because she helps to remind us that people need our help, baby girl.”

To learn more about AIDS Walk Kansas City click here.

If you would like to join and/or support the STUFF AIDS Walk Team on April 26th, 2008, click here.

The Magic of Mom

January 29, 2008

by Sloane

On Christmas Eve, I noticed my Mom was doing a little needlework; it may have been knitting. Since I was in “selfish grown child” mode and didn’t truly stop to notice, it could have been crochet. I know it wasn’t needlepoint. You see, she can do all those things. (I myself needlepoint, yet I send buttons to the tailor to be reattached to the item they fell off of.)

Something about her concentration, or possibly the clicking of needles, made me remember that I had some dresses that I wanted to “fix”. I didn’t like them the way they were, and I wasn’t wearing them. Big waste, because they are fabulous, lightweight linen – an anytime fabric in my world. I knew I wanted to make them shorter – but beyond that, I had no idea.

So I asked her to help. I ran up the stairs, and, on the way up, it hit me. Embroidery!! She can do that!! She had embroidered my French espadrilles in high school, and I cried when they “died” – as espadrilles inevitably do. Now here’s where the magic of a Mom steps in: I showed her the length I wanted, and I turned her loose. We briefly talked about colors, and I stuffed them in her bag. Out of sight, out of my mind.

Two weeks ago, I was handed the first one, and have worn it 6 times since then. I LOVE it. You see, it has been handsomely embroidered by hand with the coastline of Scotland, a sort of nautical map, and the embroidery loops the base of the dress with shoals, kelp beds, old wrecks, etc.

My Mom is a genius with the atlas, but I know she made half of it up. OK, not “made up” but “embellished” with the magic she holds in her two hands.

PS. If you think I cried over the espadrilles, stand back. Linen doesn’t last forever!!

Mother Nature Rocks My World

January 21, 2007

by Casey

I grabbed myself a copy, took it home, and sat on the sofa with my daughter to share it with her. She will be three years old very soon; she paged through the book a few times, then walked to one of the many dishes in our home that hold stones and said, “Look, Mama, we have some, too.” I just smiled.

She went on to drive me crazy about all the other stones in our home, and even wanted to go out to our deck in freezing temperatures to find the heart stones on our outdoor table. It was a truly magical evening. But that doesn’t surprise me…. Mother Nature works in mysterious ways.

Shame On You, Bad Man

January 6, 2007

by Casey

That’s it! I am pissed. If you dare to pick a fight with my sister, you pick a fight with me. I am saying “watch out” to the bad man – the bully – the lowdown dirty scumbag – that just lied through his teeth to save himself a handful of dollars. I mean, really! Is your good karma worth so little? Do you value your pride at such a bargain basement price?

Folks, this is why people go crazy and start freaking out in public. This guy knows he is wrong. He knows he should pay for the $950ish worth of damage – and maybe even say “I’m sorry.” But NOOOOOO! Instead, he’s trying to use the system to weasel out of his responsibility.

Here is what I know: My sister, Sloane, is honest, true and fair. ALWAYS! She is a moral compass for so many people. She inspires me. She inspires almost everyone who knows her, for that matter. She serves selflessly; she works like a dog; she takes care of her family, her friends, her community, and her world. She would never lie about a car wreck, and she would work three extra jobs to pay her debts. She deserves to be treated with respect.

So, Charles Randolph Williams, Jr. . . . get off your butt and write the check. Because if you don’t, you’ve just sold your soul to devil for a lousy nine hundred bucks.

Next Time

January 2, 2008

by Sloane

I have written before about how there are different kinds of friends in your life (see my October 2nd entry), and I can’t neatly put my friend Gina in a labeled box. We see each other rarely outside of STUFF, our children go to different schools, and we live miles apart from each other. We met many years ago when STUFF was in Westport and her children were members of a book club that met at The Reading Reptile, which was even then just a few doors away. She would grace our retail world with her smiling presence every couple of weeks, and we slowly got to know more about her and members of her family as she took her time choosing and purchasing gifts for them.

I’ve been blessed with a fairly rich traveling life. I’ve been to China and Malaysia with my husband; I’ve been to Rome, Italy, with my step mom; I’ve been to the British West Indies, Mexico, and many US cities, islands and national parks. But I’ve never been to a place that has left such a lasting impression as Scotland – an impression that begs you to fill it again by visiting.

Gina has shared her family’s adventures with me: their time in Edinburgh at the holidays; her son’s current desire to attend college there; her remembrances of shops she loves, castles she’s visited, and places she hopes to visit “next time”.

Because, when we talk, there is never the assumption that there won’t be a next time.

A Member of the Cabinet

December 30, 2007

by Sloane

Casey and I grew up in politics. In politics, if you were a candidate with any sense, you had a “Kitchen Cabinet” – a group of people you held close to you that you trusted to help you make important decisions. And, in politics, you occasionally had to make these decisions at breakneck speed.

STUFF has a Kitchen Cabinet. We don’t make lightning fast decisions because, unlike politics, most of our decisions don’t have to be made in two minutes. But occasionally the choices we have to make demand that we reach beyond the knowledge the two of us hold.

This past November, we dedicated our holiday open house, “Wings of Hope”, to Cathy. At that time, we crafted a letter to our customers telling them why. 4,000 invitations to join us at this two-day party were sent, and we endeavored to share with each of those customers our motivation to continue to raise money. Casey nearly fried the computer keyboard with her tears while drafting it, I couldn’t see the numbers on the telephone keypad while calling Cathy’s best friend to have the letter approved, and the tears continued to flow on and off throughout the “Wings of Hope” event – not just for Cathy’s condition, but in unison with those individuals that attend the event and shared with us their stories of fear, hope, and loss. This is your chance to read it again…

Cathy is no longer available by phone, and we will no longer find her at her office when we need her.

Cancer has left her alive in only one place where she has always been: our hearts.

Touched

December 23, 2007

by Casey

Yesterday, Sloane and I worked with hundreds of customers. But I went home with two customers on my mind. Both had been shopping for jewelry. Both were shopping with heavy hearts. Both were trying to find a way to change the inevitable.

A man was selecting jewelry to give to women in his life. His goal was to find pieces that would help these women remember his sister. His sister is dying of cancer, and she is a friend of all of us. It was important to him to find pieces that are a reflection of this amazing woman.

A woman was selecting a piece to give to her friend who is in a battle with cancer once again. Her friend has just begun another round of chemotherapy. It was important for her to find something that would “say” to her friend that she was surrounded by love and friendship. We know the woman because her children went to school with us.

These experiences got me thinking. Why do we buy these talismans? We all know that these tokens won’t change the reality that these women are fighting a deadly disease. I even wear a thumb ring in memory of my younger sister who was lost in an auto accident 10 years ago. I know my ring won’t bring my sister back.

So…I thought about it. I thought that maybe we fear that we will forget them without the reminders. Maybe we are just grabbing at anything that will help us stay close to them. And then I noticed that I was twirling my thumb ring. I looked down and watched my hands naturally and seamlessly twirl the ring. From years of practice, it is second nature to me. And I decided that we have these talismans because they are tangible. They are a physical presence. We can touch them. We don’t need them because we fear we will forget; we will never forget them. We aren’t grabbing for ways to stay close; we will always feel close to them. We have them to touch them. Because we want to touch them – our loved ones – and we can’t.

These experiences don’t happen at most stores. You generally don’t find people buying big screen TVs and toaster ovens to honor the people in their lives. But at STUFF we are blessed with these experiences all the time. When the world strips away everything, you will find art. It is in art that you find the pain, joy, challenge, and triumph of everyday life. I am thankful for the chance to help someone find peace in a work of art.

This year I feel truly blessed because my family is healthy, happy, and able to be together to share in the spirit of Christmas. My wish for you is that you are also blessed with a happy and healthy holiday and that you are touched by the people you love.

Liberate Your Soul

December 17, 2007

by Casey

I fell in love with Keith Haring’s art many, many years ago. His images spoke to me instantly. I was in love with his energy. He created an iconic language that everyone can “read”. He created tirelessly. He shared his vision with the public freely. His work is honest and revealing. But what Keith Haring did for me was to make art mainstream. He helped to take art out of the galleries and museums. He brought it to the people. People see art differently because of Keith Haring. He broke the boundaries and the rules. And breaking the rules always appeals to me. Ask my parents.

Since the exchange, I have been revisiting my passion for Keith Haring’s work. I have re-read some books and visited some websites. I even looked back at some of my old artwork that was from my “Haring Phase” and saw what I have brought forward in my own work both on and off the canvas.

It is difficult to always explain to people why I am so passionate about what I do for a living. To many, it seems like just a store that sells some funky stuff. But I believe it is something greater. I believe that art has a power all its own.

“I don’t think art is propaganda; it should be something that liberates the soul, provokes the imagination, and encourages people to go further. It celebrates humanity instead of manipulating it.” – Keith Haring 1985

So, if you have a few minutes, take a snapshot of the art on your walls, send it to a friend, and start an “art talk”. You may just be surprised what you discover about each other.

Thank you, Keith, for sharing your vision…you are missed.

http://www.haring.com/

What Sensational Weather!

December 12, 2007

by Sloane

My, the weather has been sensational! Or should I say sensationalist?

I can’t decide whether to laugh or become irate at the media’s lust for sensationalizing the weather. And I don’t mean the real, honest-to-goodness, look-outside weather. I mean the weather forecast – you know, that nebulous guesswork about what might happen but quite often doesn’t.

On Monday night, after a great day at work and a visit with the kids to see Santa at Corinthian Hall at the Kansas City Museum, my family went to our favorite pizza joint. We walked in at what should have been peak pizza-eating time. Instead of a packed house with a waiting list, there were about three tables with pizza-eaters. After a day of scare tactics by the local and national weather services and the media, everyone else seemed to have been too afraid to come out and play in the rain. It worked out for us, but it was obviously not good for the restaurant business.

I can personally attest that the maniacal, sensationalist media wreaks havoc on the local economy every time they start crying wolf. Will they ever stop? Probably not as long as people keep falling for the hype that keeps their ratings up. Casey and I are fortunate; surprisingly, the havoc it wreaks at STUFF is positive. For some reason our business thrives on the nastiest days.

I think it’s because we are a happy place.

I’m Dreaming of a White Christmas

December 7, 2007

by Casey

I believe this is why we all wish for a white Christmas. It is the ultimate snow day. The city is shut down, you are surrounded by family, the food is yummy, you stay in your PJs all day and YOU GI believe this is why we all wish for a white Christmas. It is the ultimate snow day. The city is shut down, you are surrounded by family, the food is yummy, you stay in your PJs all day and YOU GET GIFTS! It doesn’t get much better than that.

So…CUE SNOW!

AIDS Is Bigger Than One Single Day

December 6, 2007

by Sloane

I was at a fabulous reception on Wednesday night, the 28th, at a wonderful loft in the Crossroads District. I would define this event as a “party of the faithful” – a party of people who either work every day at organizations that support those living with HIV/AIDS or who regularly give of their time or their finances to making sure that AIDS doesn’t gain a greater foothold in our area. And the main topic of conversation in all the little pockets of people was doing more, giving more, adjusting strategies, and making greater change. Dr. Cargill had humorously spoken earlier in the day of being “54 and tired” but that it didn’t deter her. It made her realize she had more to do in order to leave this world a little bit better than she found it.

I was at work tonight and a group of women in Kansas City – True Blue Women – found it in their hearts to have a party at our store and to have it benefit the AIDS Service Foundation of Kansas City. Their website says they “gather progressive women to advocate social change, provide education and promote camaraderie”. They were doing exactly that and shopping at the same time!!

This ended my World AIDS Day Week. In my heart, and in my mind, AIDS is greater than just one day.

It’s every day.

At a Loss for Words

December 5, 2007

by Casey

Amazing Grace

November 29, 2007

by Sloane

On Friday night, November 9th, STUFF hosted – along with our friend Susan Henke Miller – a private party within the walls of the store. It was a fundraiser for a breast cancer research fund, held at the KU Cancer Center, that is named for Susan. It was a wonderful success and kicked off our Wings of Hope holiday open house weekend.

What very few people know is that the ambiance that night – mood lighting accented by candlelight – was not planned. Actually, it was furthest from our dreams. You see, the team at STUFF had spent whole days – and nights! – preparing a winter wonderland here at STUFF for our holiday open house. And the last thing we all wanted was for no one to be able to see it in the pitch black!!

Less than one hour before the party was to start, we had a power failure that knocked out 1/2 of our lights, our furnace, the phone system, the computers, and the credit card machines. This didn’t mean we couldn’t have a party. This didn’t even mean we couldn’t check people out. This meant we needed to get our hands on 100 tea lights jiffy pronto, and to reacquaint ourselves with the manual receipts we used 11 years ago and always have on hand for emergencies.

The women who worked with Casey and me that night pulled off the deception beautifully. There was much behind-the-scenes drama before the event, but none of it carried over into the party. We could not be more proud of the women who grace us with their presence at work.

Everyone had a wonderful time. The food was fantastic, the drink plentiful, the cause just. And the lighting was perfect.

Cancer, Socks, Susan & The Holidays

November 19, 2007

by Sloane

We almost lost my friend Susan many years ago to breast cancer. Stage 4 right from the start. The inspiration of her victory over cancer was the impetus for our “Wings of Hope”.

The first year STUFF had an official holiday open house we called it “Sock It To Breast Cancer”. We partnered with a great artist in Vermont for her handmade socks (an artist we still represent!!) and built an event around it. That event, and every one since, has benefited the Susan Henke Miller Breast Cancer Research Fund at the KU Cancer Center.

Then, in 2000, we founded “Wings of Hope” and the rest, for us, is history. 2007 was the 8th year of “Wings of Hope”, and it is still a fundraising partnership between STUFF, Susan, and the KU Endowment, where Susan’s fund resides. Susan joins us every year and helps us with our customer service for two days straight. KU comes and sets up a table with important information on all types of cancer. Casey and I, along with our staff, put on a holiday party that is a winter wonderland. A joyous, happy and delightful shopping experience.

I have much to be thankful for. Amazingly, cancer is one of them.

PS. You can read all about our “Wings of Hope” celebrations through the years on the Events page of our website, www.pursuegoodstuff.com. Check ’em out.

Trick or Treat on Our Street

November 14, 2007

by Sloane

Brookside is a wonderful neighborhood. A neighborhood in every sense of the word.

Every Halloween, many merchants on our street sponsor a “Trick or Treat Street” that basically equates to us ooohing and aaahing over all the little kids who parade past on the sidewalk outside our stores. A majority of the kids that come by are the ones that are probably too young to go out in the dark later that night without full blown crying fits from exhaustion!! So, their intelligent parents bring them here in the daylight where the kids can safely get mounds of candy.

This year, STUFF handed out 3,200 pieces of candy.

That’s a big mound of candy . . . . and a big mound of kids!!

Just Down the Road a Piece

October 29, 2007

by Sloane

General Arkansas Highlights:

• “Bubba’s” Bar-B-Q in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. The meat is good, but the French fries are out of this world.

• Never miss a chance to eat in Jasper, Arkansas, at the Ozark Cafe. It’s right on the square, and you absolutely can not miss it. The French fries there were fantastic as well. Maybe it’s an Arkansas thing. Beats me.

• Exit the car at state parks near rivers. The waters are so clear that they scream out to be touched and listened to.

• Visit Mountain View Music in Mountain View. The staff is amazing, and the instruments are just begging you to play “a little foggy mountain breakdown”.

• See if Marsha is working at the Jasper Conoco (right off the square). You will like her. I did. When she came out to put the gas in our car – which is rare and not an experience I’ve had more than 2 times in my time behind the wheel – she told me that it was a self-service pump but that the owner, Bob Reno, is “from the old school in Louisiana” and just likes customer service. We ended up talking long past the fill-up about my hybrid car and how much I love it and how much she wants to own one. She says her farm “needs it”, and she was taking her husband to look at one like mine.

If your travels find you anywhere near Mountain View on a Friday or Saturday night, take time and stop. You won’t regret it. I promise.

Are You Looking At Me?

October 17, 2007

by Sloane

When our son was young, he was given a book titled “How Are You Peeling?” by Joost Elffers. It is a wonderful book. However, I think whoever gave it to him was making a slight jab at me, because I’m not really adept at “sharing” my feelings.

Don’t get me wrong. I have opinions and I share them. I have passionate beliefs, and I share them with others to try and get them to change the world with me. However, I’m not one to immediately open up and pour out my emotions.

Now, this book is a fabulous picture book of fruit and other food items that have been chosen because their outer shells or skins seem to have faces on them. And, with careful placement of other food items and partial peeling of the fruit, even more fantastic faces appear. It is a mesmerizing book and not just for children.

I’ve always loved finding the “face” in manufactured items, so my love of this book was a natural progression. I always swore there was a face in the side of my grandfather’s Allis-Chalmers tractor; I think there is a face – in profile – in every crescent wrench. And STUFF’s last vacuum had a face when the vacuum bag was being changed.

And then, over a year ago, a face appeared in the peeling paint on the outer walls of STUFF, where I park my car every day.

Presto Change-o

October 8, 2007

by Sloane

We have lived in our house for 14 years. For a majority of those years I re-designed the kitchen in my head, on paper, and, occasionally, verbally directly to my husband. Sometimes I demolished the entire thing, moved exterior doors, and saw all new things in all new places – furniture, appliances, rugs.

And then I was part of a “No Place Like Home” tour with SAVE, Inc. (www.saveinckc.org) and toured the apartment of a person whose life is a daily battle with HIV/AIDS. But all of those problems seemed to stop at the door, because this one bedroom apartment was a “home”. And it was perfect in the eyes of its inhabitant – our tour guide – and was everything he needed to make his life better and balanced and safe.

I just needed a stranger to show me his “dream kitchen” for me to see that mine already was one.

Sappy Mothers

October 5, 2007

by Casey

I know many mothers. I turn to them for advice and strength when I need help. Mothers have an instant bond. They can take one look at you and know what to say that will make you feel better about the “bad mother” moment you just convinced yourself will scar your child for life. They can also help you know what to expect when your child heads off on a new adventure.

Her cousin (my nephew and Sloane’s son) has been at St. Paul’s for 8 years and had been “showing her the ropes”. She marched in and only hesitated briefly before she said goodbye, and I walked out feeling happy. No tears. I thought, “Look at me – no tears, no big scene – what are these other sappy moms talking about?” And the year began.

It’s In the Bag

October 4, 2007

by Casey

I have learned from this addiction that every bag IS actually perfect. It depends on your destination and mood. So…today the “perfect bag” is my new STUFF favorite. Which we offer because it is the “perfect bag”…at least today!

What’s in your bag?

The Big O

October 3, 2007

by Casey & Sloane

That’s “Big O” for Omaha.

What were you thinking?

Friends – Can’t Live Without ‘Em

October 2, 2007

by Sloane

This is not a competition. I have the best friends and am lucky to have them. I’m no fool. I know there are all kinds of friends: best friends, lifetime friends, family friends, work friends, college friends, friends from high school, etc. And then there are friends that don’t fit an easy, tried and true description.

My friend Patricia came to be my friend when I was pushing forty. We met at our son’s school (her oldest is my son’s age) and made the general early acquaintances that moms make look easy. Heck, we had an interest that we shared that we both cared deeply about – a child. But I have to admit: from the beginning, I knew we probably shared a lot more than that, and I was willing to commit good amounts of time to figuring out why I felt that way . . . to find out why I had a feeling we were “soul sisters”. I’m not a stalker. Really. I just know a friend . . . right from the beginning.

And then she started a web log – a “blog” in computer speak. It is charming, full of beautiful pictures and witty, witty words from Patricia. She doesn’t mince words, and her honesty is refreshing. She takes no prisoners, likes what she likes, and makes no excuses. Hurry. Go and check it out. www.mrsblandings.blogspot.com.

But remember, life really is like 5th grade, and she was my friend first.

O’ Boy, A Trip to Omaha!!

October 1, 2007

by Sloane

There are many reasons that the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha constantly ranks in the top 5 of American zoos. I will be honest right now: with a two and a half year old in tow, we didn’t even see the entire zoo, but the parts we experienced were wonderful. Penguins, an amazing glass tube you walk through under an “ocean” of sea creatures, a desert dome, a feature called “Kingdoms of the Night” that had nocturnal animals active in the daytime (it was dark inside!!), an amazing number of gorillas, orangutans in an outdoor – and huge – environment, a tropical rainforest environment full of plants and animals, polar bears and way more. I’m still stunned.

And I’m ready to go back next year with a 3 and a half year old and her 11 year old cousin. And this time, we’re gonna see it all.