'Tis the Season

Wow, what a weekend! We were so busy and having a great time, all the while remaining truly grateful for all our wonderful new Celebrations' customers and always for our regular loyal ones.

Anyway, we had a huge selection of scarves in our "closet" display on the second floor. "Had" because by the end of the weekend, they were almost all sold! So we put in an emergency scarf order. It arrived the other day, and we are re-stocked with a variety of colors, styles and prices.

Thank you to the Scarf God...we are having a blast. ~ Deb

Let the Celebrations "Elves" help dance you into the spirit of the season.... Enjoy our "Elf Yourself" video. Please be patient, it might take a minute or two to load. We wish you a fun & festive holiday season...

~ Jean ~ Deb ~ Jackie ~ Nora ~ Cris

Happy Thanksgiving!

Everyone at Celebrations gives thanks for our friends, family, artists, customers, and each other. We are grateful for the continuing success and evolution of this creative, inspirational endeavor and to be able to share it with the world.

Thanks also to everyone who joined us for the "Small Works: Artful Treasures" Meet the Artists receptions this past weekend. The opening weekend was a huge success and a lot of fun. This show will continue through January 3rd.

To help make your holiday shopping more convenient, we are extending our business hours starting the day after Thanksgiving.

Starting Friday 11/27: Wed – Sat, 11 to 6; Sunday 11 – 5
We will also be OPEN Mon & Tues, Dec. 21 & 22, 11-6

OPEN 11-3 Thanksgiving Eve, Closed Thanksgiving Day

OPEN 11-3 Christmas Eve, Closed Christmas Day

OPEN 11-5 Sat. 12/26, 11-4 Sun. 12/27, 11-5 Wed, 12/30

OPEN 11-3 New Year's Eve, Closed New Year's Day

Hope to see you soon! Cris

Happy Halloween!

We hope today's wicked wind doesn't keep you from trick-or-treating tonight! At least it is weirdly warm...

Today we received a slew of new artwork from one of our most popular artists, Regina Thomas, who works in mixed media/collage. Come see new work by this prolific artist.

We also have received a couple of gorgeous new pastels from Lynn Wrona. It's hard to keep Lynn's work on our walls, so come visit soon!

Our artists are currently delivering pieces for our upcoming "Small Works" show, so stay tuned for more information on this special holiday exhibition and sale.

An Anniversary

Columbus Day weekend was a special anniversary in the life of Celebrations. It was 10 years ago that the doors of Celebrations Inn were opened! And although the bed and breakfast portion of the business is no longer operating, who knew at the time that the tiny little gift shoppe would eventually expand into 10 rooms on two floors of this 1885 Queen Anne. So of course there is much reason to celebrate!

One of our frequent customers Rev. Jack Shackles, along with his buddy Lydia, came to celebrate and bless this occasion and the implementation of our computerized Point of Sales system, fondly named “Posy.” The blessing was so touching that I asked Jack if we could post it on Celebrations' Website for all to read…

This continues to be quite the adventure! I am grateful for the many friendships that have developed along the way with enthusiastic and supportive customers, talented artists, local business partnerships, and of course the fabulous Celebrations Creative Directors Team. Who knew at the time how relationships would expand and develop?!?

Nine years ago this very weekend, Deb started here helping out with the bed and breakfast and still supports Celebrations in operating smoothly. Their dream of opening a tea room is moving up the priority list. In 2003, when Jackie approached me with the concept of having a one day “Artists Gathering Celebration” who knew that it would eventually expand into this. And through the years, Cris and Jean worked together promoting local tourism as well as their B&Bs. The friendship that Nora and I share began through an invitation to her tea party when several people told her we just had to meet.

There have been many others as well, supportive little angels stepping in to assist moving things forward. And then there is the amazing and unending support from my husband Bill. He is a true partner in every sense of the word!

With much appreciation, Jean

Chocolate has arrived!

Chocolate lovers, be happy that summer is over so we can again carry chocolate (without fear of it melting!).

Our new Lake Champlain chocolate (made in Burlington, VT) includes bars in "Rum Caramel," "Hazelnut Praline" and plain old yummy Dark Chocolate. We also have Dark Chocolate singles with 54%, 70% and 80% cocoa content and beautifully packaged set of 9 pieces, perfect for a hostess gift or your favorite chocoholic.

We also welcome new Artist Wolfgang Schweizer, a German native who now now resides in Connecticut. Wolfgang works in acrylics and also makes handpainted jewelry boxes plus jewelry. His work is wild and colorful; many of his paintings are inspired by music.

“My field of activity as a painter is to recreate feelings on canvas while leaving the business of exact definition of the world to scientific study. I see life as colorful and not gray. I follow my internal rules of proportion and color, leaving minimalization and elimination concepts behind. Thus the inner music can come forth with no restriction....”

More new artwork and retail arriving daily... come visit!

~ Cris

Happy Labor Day

Labor Day implies the end of summer but at Celebrations, we greet it as a breath of fresh, cooler air and a look forward to our busy fall foliage season. Soon we will be hanging seasonal artwork, so come look for vivid fall colors and harvest themes. John Volpacchio has delivered hand blown glass pumpkins and we have wonderfully scented new candles from Root, in pumpkin spice, mulled cider and more, plus more new items arriving all the time.

We also welcome several new artists this month, including watercolorist Mary Green La Forge, whose "works captures the freshness and light of the natural environment with rich yet subtle transparent colors of her watercolors and the brilliant colors of her oils. The results are impressionistic paintings that go beyond realism to capture a moment in time."

We will write more about artist Wolfgang Schweizer, who works in acrylic and pen plus jewelry made of aluminum, brass and copper and handpainted boxes, next week.

Enjoy the long weekend! Cris

Welcome new photographer...

Welcome to new artist, photographer Carol Wontkowski!

“My desire is to create the most evocative image possible; to portray common things, often, in an uncommon way, in order to capture some of the essence of the Designer and to transport the viewer, no matter how briefly, to a more tranquil and serene view of this world..."

Stay tuned for more new artists coming this September, including Wolfgang Schweizer and Mary Green La Forge, plus seasonally inspired work by old favorites.



GOOD NEWS!
Read about our lovely town in "Picture Perfect Pomfret" in the September/October 2009 issue of Worcester Living magazine...

Also, thanks to Larry of Brownstone Birder Blog for showcasing the wonderful avian watercolors of David Stumpo (one of our favorite watercolorists returns!) and Sharon Rowley Morgio.


Have a great weekend! ~ Cris