Last weekend, I posted some photos of our work-in-progress of putting the shop “back together” (I still owe you the “finished” photos–see below!).  One of the things I am struggling with in my attempt to put together a new season of curated, handmade goods is that I like to make a cohesive “story”–a theme, as it were…

Vintage frames become beautiful magnetic memo boards, by Vintage Jane.

Looking back, it was so easy the first time!  I had a gallery theme, “Show and Tell,” to use as my centerpiece, and a the shop was a blank slate!  Using words, text, and inspiration as my guide, I filled the shiny, new space with mantras and words to live by, laugh at, or linger over.

Heading into this new season, I don’t have a specific gallery theme to guide me, and I also face a strange fear that I won’t be able to have the same magical success that I enjoyed during my first few months!  As a shop owner, I find myself questioning, “What if I have no idea what made it work the first time?  Can I do it all again?”

Some of the changes at Hello Bluebird...

My inspiration for February came from a random customer, an older woman, who spied some handmade ribbon-and-button ornaments by Kerri of A Little Sparkle.  She exclaimed, “Oh my goodness!  Are those Surprise Balls?!!”

Surprise balls (plus new bags from Dahling Accessories of Philly!)...

I, bewildered, explained that they were ornaments…but, of course, I was hooked!  Surprise balls?  What are those??  They sound super fun!!  She explained that, as a girl growing up in the area, she used to save her allowance to buy a “surprise ball” from the corner store.  ”Surprise balls” offer a miniature scavenger hunt in your hand, with a dozen or so small prizes wrapped in layers of crepe paper, wound around and around into a ball, and then decorated with ribbon, paper, flowers, and other embellishments.  Lovely!

Google to the rescue, I decided that I either needed to find someone out there who is making them, or find a way to make them myself!  Lo and behold, they seem to have made the craft circuit a bit, popping up in blogs and shops such as Not Martha, Kiosk, and Oh Happy Day, among others, each with their own take on how to make your own.  I learned that these little treasures are also given at special holidays, or played as a game, with each child unwinding a toy and then passing it to the next child, and so on, until the last child “wins” by getting the last, best prize in the middle!  What fun!!

Retro-inspired bird whistles at Hello Bluebird!

I found a source for Surprise Balls, handmade in the USA, and my theme for February!  With thoughts of the corner shop in mind, I am filling the shop with retro-inspired prizes, glass jars of plastic bird whistles (an old favorite, of course!), homemade marshmallows stacked on cake plates and filling glass bowls, cupcakes and gum ball-inspired bath bombs, paper pinwheels and party tins, and–well, you’ll just have to come in to see for yourself…

I wouldn’t want to TOTALLY spoil the surprise!  *wink*

A few more photos of our newest indie goods...