Clutter My World

Clutter your world with a day to reflect....

2011-12-22T12:28:00.000-08:00

It's a beautiful snowy day outside and things are quiet at the store...people are shoveling out of the 12+ inches of snow Boulder received last night! We have had a few customers but for the most part, I've had plenty of time to reflect on this past year and I'm loving it! It has been a wonderful year and I am very blessed...

I have the best employees in the city! I have wonderful consignors who trust me with all of their beautiful furniture and home decor. I have great customers who appreciate the standards that we have set and know that we do the best we can to offer them quality furniture at a great price. I have a wonderful location on the West End and great neighbors! I have a wonderful family who have supported me since I opened Clutter in August of 2009 and continue to support me as I put in the hours to keep my consignors, customers and employees happy!

I have been absent from my blog for a long time....things just got a bit busy..but I understand the importance of communication so I hope, in 2012, to do a better job of keeping up with it. My blog is Clutter My World and there is so much to talk about as I journey through this world and life.

I wish for all of you the joys of the season and a wonderful New Year! I hope that we get to see you sometime!!

The pictures are pictures of wonderful, down, white cotton pillows that I have in Clutter...

For pictures of furniture, please like us on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/clutterconsign

De-clutter your world by passing it on...

2011-07-12T19:42:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! We have been getting so many wonderful consignments lately and with many of them, there are stories. Some of them are sad and some are happy and all of them have to do with passing it on. It's hard to get rid of stuff....so often, an item reminds you of something...it could be the rock that you found when you were 10 and decoupaged a picture of you on it (I actually did this!), or it could be the painting that you bought on the streets of Florence when you took a vacation there. It could be the aluminum vase that your mom used to put flowers in, or the set of china from your wedding so long ago. Yes, it's hard to get rid of stuff but think about where it goes once it leaves you and smile.....here's one story:

The other day I had a little girl (around 9 years old) come into the store with her mom. She was looking for a jewelry box. I'm sure you are picturing a jewelry box right now like I pictured one...kind of like the one I had as a little girl with a wind up ballerina. Anyway, we didn't really have a jewelry box that I thought she might like but then I showed her this beautiful carved wood jewelry box with a drawer, brass accents, an asian motif. It had been the consignor's Grandmother's and she was ready to pass it on. It is now in the bedroom of a darling little girl...a present from her Grandmother (that's who paid for it) to her granddaughter....things can't get much better than that.

That jewelry box will store many treasures over the years for this little girl...she will grow into a beautiful young woman and the box's contents may change....from best friend necklaces to diamond earrings. And she will remember shopping in a consignment store for a jewelry box and thank the person who passed it on.....

Here are some things that people are passing it on...I hope that you come into Clutter and give them a new home...

Clutter my World with a trip to the Galapagos!

2011-06-07T20:34:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! In March, my husband, youngest daughter, and I experienced another trip of a lifetime! My list of must dos and must sees is growing: An African Safari, a trip to the Amazon, and now, a trip to the beautiful Galapagos Islands! My youngest daughter, Alex, studied the Galapagos Islands when she was in 4th grade at Crest View Elementary school here in Boulder. Ever since then, she has asked us if we could take a trip to see what she had studied. She just graduated from Boulder High School and we don't know how many more trips we will be able to take with her, so we decided to make this her Senior year, Spring Break trip...and it is something that we will always remember.

How often to you get to visit a place that has been virtually untouched for millions of years...at least, untouched by humans? The Galapagos islands are such a place. Charles Darwin visited the Galapagos on the HMS Beagle back in 1835...he was 22 years old and invited to be the captain's companion because he was educated and interesting. While traveling the world, they landed upon the Galapagos Islands and to simplify things, Charles Darwin developed his theory of evolution based on what he saw there...the crazy thing is that he really didn't "publish" it for 20 years...he took that long to "perfect" it. Today, the Galapagos Islands are really one big National Park..only 3% of the islands are inhabited by humans, the rest is occupied by Giant Land Tortoises, finches of every shape, size and name, marine and land iguanas, Blue footed boobies, nasca boobies and red footed boobies, Galapagos sea lions, frigate birds, penguins, and so much more, including those animals and fish that we see under the water...hammerhead sharks, rays, octopi, etc. etc. We spent a week aboard the Flamingo...a 20 passenger boat with approx. 8 crew owned and operated by EcoVentura http://www.ecoventura.com/home.aspx, a company that has been "leading the way in Expedition Cruising in the Galapagos Islands since 1990. We had 2 guides, Alexis and Maurice...I think the best guides in the islands...between them, they have more than 40+ years of Galapagos guiding and they were so knowledgeable and eager to share. As I mentioned earlier, it was the trip of a lifetime and if you have the time and the wherewithal, I highly recommend that you put this on your bucket list...

Just as I Clutter My World with trips to wonderful and interesting places, I try to clutter Clutter with wonderful furniture and home decor...much of it from places around the world. Right now we have a piece of painted art from Bali, a large open front cabinet from India, a Mexican Trastero, A hand hewn Poplar table from Boulder, a red lacquer cabinet from China, and so much more...

Pottery Barn Wine Cabinets-3..priced individually

Bar Height Dining Table with one leaf

Bar Height Dining Table with 4 chairs

Leopard Print Chair...we have 2!

Mitchell Gold Leather Chair

Natuzzi Brown Leather Chair...swivels!

Green Painted dresser

Red Dresser with gliding drawers

Green Sleeper sofa with air mattress

Beautiful Plush Green Sofa

Design Within Reach Red Futon

Red Lacquer Cabinet from China

Open Front cabinet from India

Really neat Orange patterned chaise

I hope that you come in soon to take a look...don't wait too long....the things I mentioned will be gone soon!

Clutter My World with a Guide Dog Graduation!

2011-03-17T22:24:00.000-07:00

Alex, Mercury and Keith

Mercury looking at Keith

Mercury as a puppy!

Hi everyone! I have to brag just a little bit....I am so proud of my daughter, Alex, for raising a Guide Dog puppy that actually graduated! That's not an easy feat...approx. 50% of the guide dog puppies don't make it to graduation so when you have one that does, it's quite a wonderful feeling. Alex started raising Guide Dogs when she was in 7th grade after hearing the a blind woman speak about her life with her Guide Dog. This woman was the sister of one of Alex's middle school teachers at Centennial Middle School and she inspired Alex so much, that Alex came home that day and said that she wanted to raise a Guide Dog. I kind of nodded my head and thought..oh my gosh, that sounds like a lot of work...and then tabled that discussion! A month or so later, I was at a training session at the Humane Society for people who wanted to foster puppies (yes, we were going to do that...shorter duration, cute, darling puppies) when I met a woman/puppy raiser from the Boulder Guide Dog Puppy Raiser group...a wonderful group of volunteer puppy raisers for Guide Dogs for the Blind. Jill talked to me about raising a guide dog, the sense of accomplishment, the paying it forward aspect, how rewarding it was...that I went home and told Alex that I was ready to help her raise a Guide Dog puppy. Mind you, I said "help" not raise! Anyway, that started our journey with raising Guide Dogs...and to date, we have raised 3....or should I say, Alex, has raised 3. We co-raised our first one, Bosley, with a classmate of Alex's. He was a beautiful Black Lab with a stubborn streak and didn't make it to graduation. Our second one, Rufus, was also co-raised and he was a darling, lovable Yellow Lab that due to excessive flatulence (yes, flatulence!) and excessive drooling, and stress induced colitis...didn't make it either. Then along came Mercury, a darling, energetic black lab that Alex raised all by herself (with some help from Mom and Dad!). Many of you met Mercury at Clutter...he was often sitting behind the cash stand with his nose out in front...observing all who came in and went out. It wasn't easy to raise Mercury, Alex had to wake up with him in the middle of the night when he had "issues", she had to clean out kennels that had been soiled (fortunately, this didn't happen often), she had to take him to school and the movies and the mall, etc. etc. She had to feed him and walk him and care for him. She had to endure the teasing of classmates when they said that he was going to fail because he was so unruly. It's a big job and at times, we wondered whether it was worth it....and now we know it is! Last Saturday we were fortunate to go to his graduation in Portland, Oregon at the beautiful Guide Dogs for the Blind Campus. We met Mercury's new "handler", the man, who in a year will be considered his owner, if all goes well. Keith Bundy has been blind from birth and he is the Associate Dean of Students at South Dakota State University, where he is charge of the counseling office and he also teaches computer skills to disabled students, he hunts and he goes to sporting events, he's active on Facebook....and he does all this blind. He has had 2 previous Guide Dogs and Mercury is his third. Guide Dogs only work for about 8-10 years, then they just get a bit too old and they retire and live out the rest of their lives as pet dogs. Keith is a wonderful man with a wonderful family...a loving wife and 4 handsome sons. Not only is he the Associate Dean but he is also a pastor. We came away from this experience knowing that Mercury is going to have a wonderful life and Keith's life is going to be made that much more wonderful because of Mercury! I am so proud of my daughter and of the wonderful, darling, energetic black lab that she raised! If you want to find out more about Guide Dogs and raising them, check out the Guide Dog for the Blind website: www.guidedogs.com. You can also check out the Boulder Puppy Raiser group by going to this website: www.boulderpuppies.org

While there is no longer a guide dog puppy at Clutter (who knows, maybe someday we'll raise another one!), there are a lot of other great things....check out all of the pictures below and come on in to see them in person!

SOLD

SOLD!

Clutter My World with a College Decision!

2011-03-06T16:25:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Well...my third and last daughter will be graduating from Boulder High this May and we are in the midst of that much anticipated but nevertheless nerve-wracking college decision! Alex applied to 11 schools and while Ted and I have our favorite (University of Michigan-our alma mater), we realize that this decision must be Alex's and Alex's alone! No pressure from us, honey!

Speaking of the University of Michigan...we thought we would give Alex a taste of Michigan in the winter so we planned a college visit for the U of M Campus Day during President's weekend. Well, wouldn't you know it but we had beautiful blue skies and sunny days for the first part of the weekend and got out just before a winter storm hit on Sunday afternoon! It was great to see that while some things have changed in the 30 years since we graduated, mch has stayed the same...my sorority house (ADPi) is still as wonderful as it was when I was there and the girls seem just as nice as all of us were (ok, I'm not too modest!), Ted's fraternity house (Fiji) is still standing although after seeing the interior, I can't imagine how...it definitely looks like a house with 50-60 teenage boys/young men living in it with no adult influence...yuck! "The Rock" is still at the corner of Hill and Washtenaw and it must have at least 1000 layers of paint on it...the Diag is still bustling but missing the craziness of Crazy Jake (an icon when we went to school in the 70's), Mason Hall still has the Fishbowl, the UGLI is still ugly although it's now named the Shapiro Library, West Engin still welcomes you to the diag even though the Engineering school is now up on North Campus, Ulrich's, the bookstore, is still there although their inventory seemed a bit low, the Law Library is still the quietest place on campus, and the Michigan Union, the gathering place for students, is still the same place where John F. Kennedy started the Peace Corps!

It was a great visit for Alex and Ted and I....2 of us looking back at the memories of 4 great years (in Ted's case...5!) and one of us looking forward towards all of the memories that are yet to come!

While Alex's mind is cluttered with decisions yet to be made, Clutter is cluttered with wonderful furniture! Here is just some of the inventory we have in the store...we hope you come and check it all out...

SOLD!

Modern Bookshelf

SOLD!

The End for now....

Scuba, Sundance and Shopping (at Clutter!)

2011-02-01T18:19:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone! Wow...it has been way too long since I sat down and wrote a blog...I have found another way to show you pictures of what is in the store....just become a friend of Clutter on Facebook and you will be able to see lots of pictures of the great furniture and home decor that we have in the store. I will also be better about updating my blog...I love to write and I love to show you what we have...I just need to find the time!

So, what have you been doing with your time? I hope that it's been fun...whatever it is! Speaking of fun...my family has added a new activity to our already long list of activities...Scuba Diving! This has been a long time wish of my husband's...to get all of us certified to dive. We love to travel and we have been to some amazing places and now, not only can we experience "life" on and above the ground...but also "life" from the viewpoint of a fish! We took Scuba classes at Ocean's First Divers www.oceanfirstdivers.com in Boulder in November and even though I had a bit of trepidation, I passed and all was well.

This past weekend we did our certification dive...in Park City, Utah, of all places! Just outside of Park City, in Midway, Utah is Homestead Crater www.homesteadresort.com/Crater. Homestead Crater is a 92 degree natural hot spring covered by a calcite dome. At the dome's base, it's 400 ft. in diameter and the crater itself is around 60 ft. deep. Because of the water temperature, there is no need for a wet suit...which makes diving there pretty easy! Of course, there are no fish, coral or anything else you might associate with scuba diving but you will see a large plastic alligator and turtle lurking around, and whatever else that might have dropped to the bottom..such as the triangle bench that was once part of the "hot tub" that has been partitioned off from the main "pool!" It's an interesting experience, that's for sure..and I'm happy to report that my husband, daughters, and I all passed our certification dives with flying colors! I'm so glad that this is over and I'm ready to go see some real diving sights (and sites, for that matter!).

As an extra bonus, this past weekend while we were in Park City, happened to be the final weekend of the Sundance Film Festival! It was so fun to luck into this event and the energy in the town was noticeable! We were able to get tickets on the final night to one of the award winning documentaries...The Redemption of General Butt Naked. It was filmed over a 5 year period and as tough as it was to watch, it was interesting. It was about Joshua Milton Blahyi, General Butt Naked, a Liberian warlord who says that between 1980 and 1996, with his "army" of boy soldiers, he was responsible for over 20,000 deaths. He led his troops naked (and they were naked too) which he says gave them protection from bullets and surprised the people so much that it was easier to kill them. According to the documentary, he has since found Jesus Christ and is asking for forgiveness from the families of those he killed. Needless to say, it certainly was a thought provoking documentary...I'm not convinced that he will be given the redemption he seeks....

Ok...let's get back to positive energy....Clutter is full of it! Take a look at some of the great furniture that we have in the store right now...

SOLD!

Merry Christmas from Clutter!

2010-12-21T20:27:00.000-08:00

Tis the Season..and boy, what a busy season it has been! We decorated the store for the holidays in mid-November and as you can imagine, we have been decorating every day as new holiday items come into the store. I'm sad to say though, that it's come to an end, but only til next year! For those of you who didn't make it in with your excess Christmas decorations, save them for us next year...and come to the store around mid-November 2011 and we will be happy to take a look!

My Christmas season started with the Las Vegas Great Santa Run...every year, Las Vegas tries to set the world record for the number of Santas that run this 5k race. When you register, you receive a Santa Suit....complete with suit, belt, hat and beard...what a riot! This year I think there were over 10,000 Santas that ran the race...my entire family ran it...we had a hard time figuring out which Santa was which...here is a picture of my 3 daughters and myself...pretty funny isn't it?!!

Even though we are no longer taking Christmas items, we still have plenty in the store for you to buy! This week we are selling our Christmas goodies at 25% off so if you are missing anything on your decoration list....come on in...we are likely to have it. We have ornaments, beautiful wreaths, Santa figurines, holiday baskets, Dept. 56 houses, etc. etc....all at 25% off!

In addition to our Christmas goodies, we have lots of fabulous furniture in the store...I think as people are getting ready for the holidays and perhaps, visitors, they have been taking a good look at what they have and what they want to change in their house...and Clutter has been the lucky recipient of some fabulous furniture and home decor...we hope to see you soon!

From Patty, Susan, Diana, Carol, Karen, Julie, Lisa, Melissa and Alex
We wish you all a joyous Holiday season!

One of our vignettes...black Club chair, cute table, beautiful wreath!

SOLD!

Custom made console...silver and black....$395

SOLD!

Marble top coffee table....$325

SOLD!

Mahogany Partner's Desk....$1295

Theodore Alexander Desk....$1500

Sherrill Chair...down wrapped.....$125

SOLD!

Black leather Club chair....$595

Upholstered Chair..paisley pattern.....$495

SOLD!

Asian Style china cabinet....$925

Z Gallerie china cabinet....$695

SOLD!

Marble top kitchen table.....$225
Black chairs....$35 each

SOLD!

Ethan Allen Dining table/ 6 chairs.....$995

SOLD!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas hours:
Christmas Eve day...10-2
Christmas Day...closed
New Year's Eve....10-2
New Year's Day....closed

Clutter My World...with Scuba!

2010-11-21T20:08:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Well, I spent my weekend wet! While all of you were enjoying your last visit to the Boulder Farmer's Market or watching the Flagstaff Star get lit, my family and I were in the pool at Ocean First Divers www.oceanfirstdivers.com learning to Scuba Dive. I must admit, I was a bit apprehensive and not in the best of moods Saturday morning when it really hit me that I would be spending all day Saturday and all day Sunday learning to Scuba Dive. Don't get me wrong, I know how important it is to learn how to dive properly....while most of the time it's safe, it can be kind of dangerous under the water...especially if you don't know what you are doing! This is my second attempt to learn to Scuba...many years ago, when I was a spring chicken, my husband gave me a Scuba class for a Christmas present. I was gung-ho to do it and dutifully read the materials, attended the class, did the pool dives and...nope, never did a certification dive. I had planned to when I was in Hawaii for a sales award trip when I was with NCR...but I never wanted to take the time away from the pool or the parties to go on the certification dive...and Ted wasn't there to prod me to do it...so I didn't. I don't think I can get out of it this time...and honestly, I don't want to. It's about time I see what is really under the water. I love to snorkel but snorkeling can only show you so much....I'd love to be eye to eye with an eel or an octopus or a shark...or even a swimming iguana which we hope to see when we visit the Galapagos next March. Don't worry, I'm sure that will be fodder for another blog! Anyway, if you ever get the urge to dive..I highly recommend Ocean First Divers. They were friendly and professional and our instructor, John, was highly knowledgeable and easy to learn from. Yes, I was wet and a bit shriveled, but in the end, I think it will be well worth it.

So, while I was spending time in the pool, Clutter had lots and lots of customers! Last week we received in a wonderful array of furniture from a new consignor who had moved here from California. I'm happy to say that almost all of it has sold so I think we have many happy customers out there and hopefully a very happy consignor! Here are some of the things you missed ( I just had to show you so you can see the quality of the furniture we receive into the store!)

Leather Club Chair...SOLD!

Teal Chaise Lounge....SOLD!

Black and White Decorator Slipper Chairs....SOLD!

Down Wrapped Upholstered Chair....SOLD!

Now for the Furniture that we currently have in the store:

SOLD!

Wonderful Carved Bar....$995

SOLD!

Small Black Metal Table....SOLD!
SOLD!
Marble top coffee table...SOLD!

Game Table..top flips for dining table....6 chairs! SOLD!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Clutter My World...with another Marathon!

2010-11-10T19:55:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone! Boy, it seems like it has been forever since I've written a blog. I'd like to blame it on my Marathon training but I can't. I actually have to blame it on the fact that we have been SO busy at the store...both taking in furniture and home decor and selling it! October was a great month for sales and November is looking strong so far, so keep the great stuff coming and come on in the store to shop! Only 44 more shopping days until Christmas...did I really say that?

Anyway, I had an exciting Halloween...no, I didn't dress up and go trick or treating...I was actually too tired because that morning I ran the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC with my husband and 3 other friends. This was my second marathon and I have to say, it was as hard, if not harder, than my first, but a bit more enjoyable. This time Ted and I trained, ran, and celebrated with friends. Being that it was the Marine Corps marathon, you can imagine the sense of pride that we all had...both for our country and for the 30,000 runners! It started near the Pentagon and finished at the Iwo Jima Memorial (which, by the way, I totally missed since I just followed the crowd, picked up my medal, and "collapsed" by a fence and laid there for about 30 minutes as I recovered from the earlier 252 minutes! We actually returned to the Memorial a few hours later to take a picture with our medals to prove that we finished there!

It was a tough race but during the 4 hours and 12 minutes that it took me to run it, I had many people inspire me...there were a number of Veterans in wheelchairs and since the wheelchairs only started 15 minutes ahead of us, you can imagine that many were right in the thick of the crowd shortly into the race. Can you imagine wheeling yourself 26.2 miles through Washington, DC? Wow. One of the wheelchair racers that we passed had 4 soldiers running with him...2 of them were carrying his prosthetic legs and 2 in front were leading the way...one of the soldiers in front had lost an arm....they were all an inspiration to Ted and me. Another of the wheelchair racers was a soldier named Eddie Ryan, who, while serving in Iraq, was shot twice in the head and suffered a brain injury. He was paralyzed from the waist down. 3 years after he was injured, he predicted he would not only walk again, but he would run.....let's hope he does someday....he certainly has the determination...you don't do a marathon without some determination! Another runner that we passed was blind...can you imagine how terrifying that would be to run 26.2 miles in the dark. It's hard enough to run in the light...I was in awe!

It was an amazing event and an amazing experience....While you may never run a marathon, I hope that someday, if you haven't already, you experience what it feels like to accomplish a feat that you never thought you would be able to do. It's amazing what you can do if you are determined!

Speaking of being determined, all of us at Clutter are determined to make it the Best Consignment store in Boulder and the surrounding area. From the quality of our consignors and consignments and from the wonderful customers that we have, I think we are well on our way to accomplishing that! Speaking of great consignments...here are just a few...we have plenty more but you have to come in to the store to see them! Enjoy!

SOLD!

HW Home Buffet....SOLD!

Mahogany Hutch...SOLD!

SOLD!

Carved Asian Chair....SOLD!

Adorable Decorator Chair ...$265

SOLD!

Laz-y-Boy Leather Sofa....SOLD!

SOLD!

There's lots more in the store!

Clutter my World...at Munson's...with 4 dogs...

2010-10-10T21:26:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone! Well...Fall has arrived and I am so happy! Don't get me wrong....summer was great! We had a graduation, a wedding, and a wedding anniversary....many beautiful days, great sales at Clutter, lots of fun with friends....and lots of hot, hot weather! It's nice that it has finally cooled down and I can put my flip-flops away and pull out my boots...especially my bright yellow Fryes! I'm sure in about 6 months, I'll be ready for my flip-flops again, but for now, I'll enjoy the cool days and my collection of cowboy boots!

Along with Fall comes a trip to the Pumpkin Patch and our "patch" of choice is Munson's. Even my 24 year old married daughter and her husband wanted to go...it's actually a tradition. This year, we piled 2 daughters, one son-in-law, 4 dogs, myself and my husband in our car and headed out to pick out the perfect pumpkin. The dogs were: Mercury (our black lab guide dog in training), Rufus (our career change second guide dog who was adopted by our daughter, Kimberly), Meyer (another career change guide dog who was adopted by her raiser and was staying with Kimberly and Kevin for the weekend), and Mozart, our 11 year old pet dog. You should have seen us all pile out of the car and head for the pumpkins....

We had a successful pumpkin hunt, eventually piling 7 pumpkins of all sizes, shapes and colors in the yellow wagon that I was pulling. We got to the stand and Mr. Munson made me a deal...he said that for $125, I could fill the wagon with squash, pumpkins and gourds as long as I kept it level with the top of the wagon...well, I couldn't resist! I just kept thinking of the butternut squash and pumpkin soups that I could make and the acorn squash with butter and brown sugar that we could eat on those cold fall days....It was great fun piling it in the wagon.....UNTIL...we had to load the car! With 5 adults and 4 dogs, there wasn't a lot of room left...we had pumpkins and gourds all over the place, 3 dogs in the back of the car and Mercury on my lap...it was so funny and we had a great laugh! As you can see from the pictures, the dogs weren't too sure about the whole thing!

Mozart, Meyer and Rufus...and pumpkins!

Speaking of not a lot of room....we have a store full of great stuff! On your way to your pumpkin patch of choice, stop by Clutter....I think you will like what you see!

SOLD!

Small side Table...decorator....SOLD!

SOLD!

Antique Entryway cabinet.....SOLD!

Painted Pie Safe....call for price...303-386-3423

Tiger Maple Buffet.....$425

Hickory Chair Buffet...orig. from HW HOME....SOLD!

SOLD!

Yellow Chair...we have 2! SOLD!

Clutter Your World with Fire Relief Charity!

2010-09-16T07:41:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! First of all, I'd like to say that our heart goes out to all of you who have been affected by the Four Mile Canyon fire. Every day someone comes into my store with stories of friends, neighbors, or acquaintances whose houses were lost or houses were saved due to the courageous efforts of firefighters, neighbors, or even themselves! Every day we read a new story in the Daily Camera and every day we see opportunities to help.

I had the fortune of meeting one of our consignors yesterday, a woman named Gwen, who came in last weekend with a handful of really cute bookmarks that she has collected over the years. She asked Diana if she could consign, but she didn't want the money for herself, she just wanted to pass it forward and donate whatever money she got from the sale of her items. So, Diana said "of course" and we set up a consignment account called "Charity Clutter." All of the proceeds from this account will go to the Boulder Mountain Fire Relief Fund which is a new emergency relief fund set up to support local fire departments and mountain residents affected by the Four Mile Fire. The Greenlee Foundation is matching the first $10,000 donated. Yesterday, while I was in the store, Gwen came in again with a number of small, but nice, items. She explained to me that she is approaching 80 and that she has had a wonderful life and now it's time to pass it on. I found out that she lives about 1/2 block from the store, and she said she was so happy to have my store open after a long stretch when there wasn't anything of note at 1909 9th Street. She made 2 additional trips to the store with a bagful of great things! So, now we have an account for Charity Clutter and the proceeds will go to a local charity in need.

I'd also like to bring your attention to a street party that will take place on Sunday, Sept. 19th on Main Street in Louisville. It's to celebrate Yellow Scene's 10th anniversary and the proceeds will be going to the Volunteer Connection, another local charity, who matches volunteers with opportunities in Boulder County. Right now, their focus is on the Four Mile Canyon Fire. You can find our more information if you go to www.yellowscene.com/bday/.

Finally, Clutter is also going to do our part for the people affected by the Four Mile Canyon Fire. I will be donating 20% of the sales for the weekend of Sept. 25-26 to the Boulder Mountain Fire Relief Fund. Weekends are our busiest sales days, so please come to the store and if you buy something, know that 20% of the sales price will be going to support this great local charity.

There are so many great sayings having to do with giving: "There are no pockets in a shroud," "Pass it forward," and one I particularly like, "It's better to give with a warm hand than a cold one!"

Thank you to Gwen who is such an inspiration when it comes to passing it forward...

SOLD!!

SOLD!

SOLD!!

SOLD!

Stickley chairs.....SOLD!

SOLD!!

Clutter Your World with Thoughts of Compassion and Help for our Neighbors affected by the Fire!

2010-09-08T20:27:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! First of all, I want to say that all of us at Clutter are sending prayers and good wishes to all of you who are affected by the Four Mile Canyon fire. Many of us know someone who was evacuated or lost their home and we are sending prayers and positive thoughts your way.

I'm in a funny business. I am surrounded every day by things that people willingly consign...whether they are downsizing or moving or just don't need anymore, they are in a position to be able to pass it on and are usually happy to do so. They hope that it is going to a good home where someone will treasure it as much as they (or their loved ones) did at one time. For the people who have lost their homes this week in the fire...they didn't get the chance to willingly give up their treasures and mementos. Many of us dream of de-cluttering, but not this way....we feel your pain.

I'm sure many of you have had a conversation similar to the one my daughter and I had this afternoon....what would you take in the event of a fire and you only had limited time to get out?My 17 year old daughter would take as many clothes as she could grab, the picture of our dog and her that is on her windowsill, some pictures/artwork from her walls, and her beloved stuffed animal that she got as a birthday present when she was one year old....a black lab named Mookie (after Mookie Blalock, a basketball player who played for the Atlanta Hawks (?) where we lived when she was born.

What would I take? First of all, I would take my computer because it holds so many pictures that I have taken over the past few years. Then I would run downstairs and grab as many boxes of pictures of my 3 daughters and Ted and I that I could get.....I know I have those memories stored in my brain, but it's nice to be reacquainted with them every once in awhile!! If I had more time, I would take as much artwork off the walls that I could since most of our art is from our travels and our time living in Paris and it holds many fond memories. Finally, I would take my jewelry...I am a jewelry fanatic! It's not fine jewelry, most of it is costume, but again, much of it holds fond memories of places that I have been to or events that I have celebrated.

All of this, of course, is assuming that my family and pets are all safe and sound because our life is the most valuable possession that we have.

It doesn't feel quite right to post pictures of the furniture and home decor that I have in the store, so stay tuned, I will post it soon. We have lots of great things so if you are looking for something to do, come on into Boulder and visit us at Clutter. Also, look for local fundraisers that are being held for the victims of the fire...on Thursday, Sept. 9th from 4-8, our friends at Common Threads on Spruce Street (between Folsom and 28th) will be holding one....go check it out...let's all do our part to help our friends and neighbors. Stay Safe! xoxo

Clutter My World with consignment shopping in Vegas!

2010-08-28T16:01:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone...and Welcome Back Students! It's been so much fun to have you come through Clutter, either with your friends or your parents, finding treasures to furnish your apartments, houses and dorms. I did the same earlier this month with my middle/second daughter. She graduated from Tulane with a Master's in Environmental Biology and was fortunate enough to get a job in Las Vegas with the Bureau of Land Management! All she had for her apartment was her bedroom furniture and her collection of knick-knacks, wall art, mardi gras beads, Zulu coconuts, and a couple of cases of Abita Strawberry beer! So....I flew out to Las Vegas and spent a few days driving all over the city in search of furniture and home/wall decor. It was a great exercise for me...first of all, I was able to get a glimpse of my daughter's taste (she has great taste!) and I was able to experience consignment from a shopper's standpoint...seeing some things we liked, measuring them, putting them on hold, checking out other stores and eventually going back and buying what we liked. I also found out that the prices in Clutter are pretty darn good and that Clutter is a unique store and shopping experience! The consignment stores in Vegas are thousands of square feet and almost too big to have a personality....I'm glad that I/we have Clutter.

Speaking of Clutter...boy, do we have the furniture in the store right now! We have been busy all month and furniture has flown out the door almost as fast as it has flown in the door! We had 2 large deliveries this week from consignors, so the pictures you see below are some of the new things that have come in. If you see anything you like, don't wait to long as it's likely to be gone by next week!

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Upholstered Chairs....SOLD!

clutter my world...with students!! Welcome Back!!

2010-08-12T21:57:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone! Well, it's that time of year..the students are back!! Usually I write my blogs about travels or wedding or races or whatever but today, it's all about the students!

Dear CU Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, Senior, Law Student, MBA student, PHD student, Med Student, Naropa Student, Front Range student, you get the picture! Welcome back (or if you never left, welcome to the new year of school!) I hope you are as excited to be back as we are to have you. You bring a certain amount of Vitality to Boulder and yes, a certain amount of news, at times. You rock the stadium when the Buffs are doing well (or not), you keep the bars and restaurants hopping til all hours of the night, you are diligent about hiring taxis when your DD can't drive (I hope!), you provide great people watching on Pearl St., you bring business to the tattoo parlors, nail and hair salons, and the Sink, and you bring business to stores like Clutter when you are looking for that perfect piece of furniture to fit into that odd nook and cranny that is in your new apartment!

Speaking of Clutter...we have some great furniture in the store right now at great prices. I hope you will take the time to walk down Broadway, cross Walnut and come into the store with the yellow awnings...I think you will like what you find! Here is a sample of some of the things we have in the store:

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Clutter My World...with a Wedding in Hawaii! Part two!

2010-08-01T20:52:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Well...I've been a bit distracted of late....first with a wedding (my oldest daughter got married in Hawaii on July 10!) and most recently, with moving my middle daughter to Las Vegas (she is going to work for the Bureau of Land Management) and helping her to furnish her apartment. However, that will be the topic of the next blog! Let's talk about the wedding!

It was perfect in every way! The setting was on the beach at the Fairmont Orchid www.fairmont.com/orchid on the Big Island of Hawaii. We have been vacationing on the Big Island since Kimberly was a little girl (1991) and she has grown up to love everything about the island....from the different colored beaches, to the black lava with it's white coral graffiti, to the large telescopes/observatories on the summit of Mauna Kea that you can see from the ocean on a clear, blue sky day, to the turtles and manta rays that come into our little bay where we vacation, to the multitude of fish, eels and octopus that we see while snorkeling, to just hanging out on "our" beach in Puako. The Fairmont Orchid was a perfect place to have a wedding...the setting on the beach was incredible, the reception spot near the hotel was beautiful and intimate (it was supposed to be near the beach but the forecast was for 25-30 mph wind gusts that would have blown sand into all of the delicious food), the staff was attentive, food delicious and gratitude and love was in the air. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect night with perfect guests and of course, a perfect couple!

Of course, just because I go away, it doesn't mean that things stop at Clutter (ok, maybe the blogs get fewer and farther between!). The incredible women who work at Clutter keep it all going, from taking in consignments to merchandising what we have. We have some great furniture and home decor in the store right now....perfect for furnishing your new apartment, condo or home. We have been selling things almost as fast as they come in...so don't dilly-dally...come on in and if you see something you like, be sure to take it home with you before someone else grabs it! Here's just a sampling of what we have:

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Clutter My World with a wedding in Hawaii-part one!

2010-07-02T22:16:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone...well, tomorrow I leave for my daughter's wedding in Hawaii! She is getting married on the Big Island on Saturday, July 10 and we are going to have one great time!! We love the Big Island and have been going there every few years since 1991, when we first went to watch the total eclipse of the sun...what an experience that was, but that's a story for another day.

Anyway, Hawaii is near and dear to our heart and a perfect place for a destination wedding. We are so fortunate to have over 80 people coming to the wedding...from all walks of our life...Michigan, Atlanta, Boulder and points in between. What wonderful family and friends we have.

While I am gone, the store will be in wonderful hands...please be sure to stop in, look around and maybe even buy a piece or two. Say hi to Susan, Diana, Carol, Karen, Julie, and Melissa while you are at it!

Here are some of the great pieces we have in the store right now:

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Clutter My World..in Vegas...again!

2010-06-20T21:33:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Happy Father's Day to all of you fathers out there...it was a beautiful day in Boulder, I hope you were able to take advantage of the wonderful weather! Maybe you even got out with your family and came downtown to Clutter!!

Anyway, you know the saying...what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas? Well, that's not always necessarily true. Especially when you take a trip with your 23 and 17 year old daughters! My 23 year old daughter, Kelly, just got her master's degree in Environmental Biology at Tulane and will be working for the Bureau of Land Management in Las Vegas starting in August. I had the opportunity to take a quick trip with Kelly and my youngest daughter, Alex, to Vegas to look for apartments. There is actually a real and thriving community just outside of The Strip and there were lots of great apartments and neighborhoods to look at. The scenery is a bit different...lots of cacti and brown and beige dirt but there were "mountains" in the distance and wide open sky. It was actually quite pretty, albeit....Brown! I'm happy to report that Kelly did find an apartment that she likes and I'm sad to say that she will be moving there at the end of July...we'll miss her! It's a bittersweet time for me..I'm excited that she has a great opportunity and sad that she will be leaving Colorado.

Anyway, back to Vegas....the girls wanted to go see a show so we went over to the half price ticket "shop" to see what they had to offer. There were a lot of great shows to see...Cirque du Soleil, Jersey Boys, Lion King, etc. etc....and then there was Divas Las Vegas! Now, you can see a Cirque du Soleil in other cities, you can even see the Broadway shows in NYC and other cities as well...but you can only see Divas Las Vegas in Las Vegas!!

Divas Las Vegas is a female impersonator show and it's star is Frank Marino, who, over the past 25 years, has schticked and strutted as Joan Rivers!! I even heard a rumor one time that he has had plastic surgery to look more like Joan Rivers, but that's only a rumor. Anyway, his show highlights female impersonators who perform as Cher, Madonna, Whitney Houston, Diana Ross, Liza Minelli, Tina Turner, Beyonce and Celine Dion to name a few. I'm not sure I would take young kids but it really was entertaining, totally Vegas and I would rate it an "R" due to profanity...but other than that, everyone is covered up and it's a great show! If you are ever in Vegas and want to laugh and smile, check out Divas Las Vegas www.frankmarino.com

Frank Marino is famous for his lavish on-stage wardrobe...many of the gowns he wears are designed by Bob Mackie and they are truly beautiful! He has a gown change every time he comes out on the stage...probably 10-15 times. Speaking of changes...almost every day, something changes at Clutter. We have furniture coming in and out constantly, almost as fast as Frank Marino changes his gowns! We have such fun re-merchandising based on what came in that day. Below is some of our new inventory...please come check it out!!

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Pine armoire with fold up table...call for price 303-386-3423

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Clutter My World with MeeMaw and Georgia!

2010-06-02T08:45:00.000-07:00

From the mouth of babes....

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend and month of May...mine was busy, as usual! I traveled to New Orleans mid-May for my daughter's Graduate school graduation (she got a Master's in Environmental Biology!) and of course, ate my way through the city...beignets, oyster po-boys, beignets, sno-balls, seafood, beignets....you get the picture! I also flew down to Dallas near the end of May to help this same daughter drive the remaining 13 hours home to Boulder...her layover point til she heads to Vegas for a job with the Bureau of Land Management in August...yes, she is one of the lucky graduates to have a job....woohoo!

Anyway, my blog is usually about my travels, but you have all heard about New Orleans numerous times and to be honest, there is not much to tell you about a drive to Colorado from Dallas except to say that there is a whole lot of nothing out there! Oh, we saw a turtle trying to cross the road and lots of farm land, but that's about it! So, my blog is going to be about Meemaw and Georgia!!

A wonderful woman (Meemaw) came into the store last week on the advice of her 2 1/2 year old granddaughter, Georgia!! Apparently, Georgia has been in the store numerous times with her dad and one of those times, she bought a birthday present for her Grandma. The conversation between Georgia and Meemaw went something like this:

Georgia: Meemaw, Do you know where I got your birthday present?

Meemaw: Well Georgia, I'm sure it was someplace VERY special!

Georgia: Clutter!!

I couldn't have said it any better....I hope you come into Clutter and see how special it is!

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Pine Armoire, built in table....$695

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Clutter My World in New Orleans...one more time!

2010-05-12T14:39:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Well, I'm about to head down to New Orleans for the last time to visit a student! My daughter, Kelly, is receiving her Master's Degree in Environmental Biology on Friday at Tulane. She is a "Katrina" kid...she was a freshman the year Katrina hit and she stuck it out! She was one of the many who went back and helped Tulane survive the devastation of a major hurricane...and not only did she happily stick it out for 4 years as an undergrad, she decided to get her Master's there as well. She will soon be heading off to Las Vegas to work for the Bureau of Land Management as a Project Manager....a job that she got from being nominated and chosen as a Presidential Management Fellow. Needless to say, we are very proud of her!

Back to New Orleans...I can't wait to be back! I love visiting that city...there is a certain joie de vivre that the people of New Orleans have. I fear it's going to be a weekend of eating...we are already planning our stops at Cafe du Monde, Gallatoire's, Commander's Palace, the levee for crawfish and daiquiris, and I'm sure a few other eating spots in between. I will have to pace myself because the last time I went, I came back 5 lbs. heavier and that was after running a half marathon!! Aside from the wonderful food...New Orleans has STYLE! From the artists that rim Jackson Square to the people who walk the French Quarter to the stately mansions that are in the Garden District...yes, New Orleans has STYLE.

And speaking of STYLE...one of our many wonderful customers is a style consultant...for your closet, your home, your life! Her name is Liz Finkelstein and her company is "mile high style."

I know that Liz has style because at least 3 months ago, she purchased from Clutter an old Victorian style settee/sofa that really needed an updated look. Go on to Liz's website:

www.milehighstyle.com and scroll through her pictures...you will come to one of a Victorian settee that has been refinished and reupholstered and it looks fabulous! That's from Clutter! Thanks to the style that Liz has, it is now a gem!

Speaking of gems....we have some great furniture and home decor in the store right now. Come on in and take a look!

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Clutter My World...In New York City!

2010-04-28T21:55:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone! I just returned from a wonderful weekend in New York City and believe it or not, my first time in Central Park! If you don't already know by now...in the past 7 years (wow, it's been that long!), running has become one of my passions and while I would not say that I'm obsessed, I do enjoy a good race every now and then and have been known to train for them 3-4 days per week. (I used to run 5-6 days/week until I herniated a disc and was told by my PT that I can't do that anymore if I want to keep running...I actually took that advice!)

This past weekend I had the good fortune to run the More Magazine Women's Half-Marathon with 3 of my sorority sisters (ADPi) from our days at the University of Michigan. Linda came from Birmingham, Michigan....Lisa came from Grand Rapids, Michigan....Lucy came from New Jersey (she's a Michigander to her core!), and Kathy came from Pennsylvania...not to run, just to enjoy! Until we celebrated our 50th birthdays together in 2008, I hadn't seen Lucy or Kathy for 28 years! Lucy and Lisa have always been runners and while I used to marvel at their ability to run, I also used to think they were crazy! Lisa has run 7 marathons, Lucy two, me one and this was Linda's first half marathon!

We had a great weekend in New York and while we didn't do everything we had planned, we sure had fun. We saw the play, Chicago, on Thursday night...getting tickets at the last minute at a pretty good discount just by going to the box office 15 minutes before the show started! We took the subway to SOHO and Nolita and did some shopping...I even found a Custo outlet...probably the funkiest clothes on the planet...check out their website at

www.custo-barcelona.com, we waited for 2 hours for "the best pancakes in the City" at the Clinton St. Baking Company (www.clintonstreetbaking.com)...I have to say, they were delicious....I had the Banana Walnut pancakes with the best Maple butter I have ever tasted...and finally, we ran the half marathon on Sunday morning in Central Park...in the POURING rain! The weather had been great all weekend and rain was forecast but we were hoping that it would at least wait until the afternoon...well, it didn't. I'm not sure I would have run the race but Lucy, Linda and Lisa wouldn't let me sleep in! Not only was it pouring...but it was cold and by the end of the race, even with all of the tech layers that we had on plus the big size black garbage bags that we had over us, we were looking like drowned rats! I think even the rats in NYC were drier than we were! We had a blast, in spite of the rain and I think it was one of the more fun races that I have ever done...probably because I didn't race it but ran at a leisurely pace so that I could talk to my friends. After the race, just to get a little warm, we treated ourselves to a nice warm coffee at the Starbucks in Trump Tower...and I must say we did not look like any of the clientele!

Speaking of rain...I think it's supposed to rain in Boulder this weekend. Now, I know that you don't like to come out in the rain...but we have received in some wonderful "clutter" at Clutter this week and I think you should let those raindrops keep falling on your head as you wander down to Clutter...here are a few of the things that you will see:

Me, Lisa, Lucy, and Linda in the latest running fashion!

At Starbucks, savoring coffee and our medals!

All warmed up and ready to run...again! This time to a hot shower!

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Clutter My World...with a New Intern!

2010-04-13T10:12:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, my name is Emily. I'm the new intern at Clutter! By working here, Patty is helping me graduate from the Art Institute of Colorado, which requires an internship to complete the program. I'm studying Interior Design and hope to go into residential and hospitality field when I'm done with school. Working at Clutter gives me the opportunity to see all different kinds of furniture and fabrics from all types of styles and time periods, as well as great ideas for my own home.

I love to travel and I get to have one last hurrah(!) before graduating and joining the work force... a trip to Europe over the summer! I can't wait to see all the great architecture and eat some delicious food. I'll be done with my internship by then, but I will be full of new knowledge and work experience to carry on with me in the future. Nice to chat with you all! I look forward to meeting new and old customers...

Emily the Intern

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ALL SOLD!

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Clutter My World in Costa Rica!!

2010-04-08T07:28:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!! Wow...it's been a long time! After taking 9 days off for Spring Break I finally have time to breathe. It's amazing that I can leave the store for that long without worrying and know that I can come back to wonderful staff who took care of the store, customers and consignors! The store looks great...maybe I should do this more often!!

Costa Rica...ahhh...sun, heat, humidity, monkeys, dolphins, waves, not so great cuisine, volcano, zip lines, curvy roads, vacation! We decided this year to take a break from the snow and get some sun and Costa Rica came highly recommended. It is a beautiful country and it was great to see another part of this world. We stayed at a little hotel in Playa Samara in the Nicoya Peninsula...the hotel is called The Hideaway Hotel (www.thehideawayplayasamara.com) and it is owned and run by Rosy and Doug from Reno. It's a beautiful little hotel with wonderful staff and great food...plus it has air conditioning and a pool...a must when you are on the beach in Costa Rica! It's about a 2 mile walk down the beach to the little village of Samara and we walked it every day for lunch (we had breakfast at the Hideaway...yogurt parfaits with pineapple...yum!). There are a number of beachside restaurants in Samara where you could get whole grilled red snapper, ham sandwiches, rice and beans, etc. etc. The town isn't much but if you stay on the beach, you never know what you'll see. One evening we were enjoying a beer under some palms and along came about 20 cows...without a cow herder...looking very determined to get where they were going! We had no idea where they were going but apparently they came from up the hill where every once in awhile someone leaves a gate open and the cows escape! I can't imagine having to explain that to my boss in the morning!

We had a couple of great experiences in Samara...one day we kayaked over to a little (very little) island that is inhabited by hermit crabs and iguanas! We were the only people there and the beach was alive with crawly little crabs in all sorts of different shells. It was amazing to watch the beach crawl. Someone had left the remnants of a watermelon and between the iguanas and the hermit crabs, that watermelon was not going to last for long! Another day we hired a small boat to take us out to look for dolphins. We were not disappointed! We ended up in a pod of at least 100 spotted dolphins who were racing the boat, jumping and flipping and showing us a great time...it was incredible. I felt I was in a movie and as the boat was racing along, on either side of us the dolphins we racing with us...it was amazing!

We finished our trip in the Arenal Volcano area where we hoped to see some lava flowing down the volcano...well...the normally active volcano was not very active the 2 nights we were there so that was a bit of a disappointment, but it was neat to see that part of Costa Rica. We had a great time doing a zip line...even me, who is a bit afraid of heights and tried not to think about that when I was 200 feet up in the air zipping down on a relatively thin cable above a canopy of trees!

So, after 9 days away and a bit of catching up to do at the store....all is good. We have lots of great furniture and home decor in the store right now so come on down and take a look...you will not be disappointed! Hope to see you soon....Have a great day!

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Clutter My World...with another Half Marathon!

2010-03-08T20:45:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! On February 28th I ran my 5th half marathon and had a great time doing it! My husband and I ran the Rock N Roll Mardi Gras Half Marathon in New Orleans. If you have never run a half marathon...after you get over the fact that it is 13.1 miles, you realize that it's actually a fun distance to run...provided you train well! I like to run them because for me there is less pressure to "race" the race...although because I am so competitive with myself...I race it anyway. This time I finished in 1:54:57...not my PR but I was 16 out of 407 in my age group so for that, I was happy! If I last another 3 years and run in the 55-59 age group, I would be about 5th or 6th in my age group...one good thing about getting older...but I won't wish my life away!

New Orleans...I love it! I have been going down there 2-3 times a year for the past 5 years since my daughter has been in school at Tulane. She is now getting her graduate degree and we only have one more time down there while she is there, as she is most likely moving away come May. As always, New Orleans doesn't fail to deliver....the beignets at the Cafe du Monde are still the BEST in the world, the Po boys at Frankie and Johnnie's are the yummiest (this time I had a crawfish po boy since it's just starting to be crawfish season!), Plum Street snoballs are the smoothest and most refreshing, especially chocolate and coconut, and Bourbon Street still smells like beer, in the middle of the day! We actually did something this time that we had never done...we went out to the Art museum at City Park and saw the Disney exhibit, which was great! We also finished the half marathon at City Park on a bright blue-sky, cool kind of day.

I think you should plan a trip to NOLA this year...you won't be disappointed! In the meantime, run on down to Clutter and look at all of the great clutter we have in the store! Here's just a few pictures:

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Had to show you my daughter's Mardi Gras tree! Decorated with throws from the floats...look closely, there is a ton on clutter on this tree....Priceless!

Clutter My World....with Billy and Elton!

2010-03-01T12:40:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of going to the Billy Joel/Elton John concert at the Pepsi Center. It was supposed to be last fall but due to Elton having the flu bug....they postponed it til last week...thank goodness it wasn't cancelled as it was one of the best concerts I've been to! I've seen Elton before and he didn't disappoint...but I've never seen Billy and I have to say, he was fabulous...not only his voice and music, but his personality! He really connected with the audience...even those of us in the nosebleed section and those behind him. In fact, his piano rotated on the stage so that those sitting behind him had a chance to see his face and not just his bald, graying head!! The concert was 3 1/2 hours...Billy and Elton played together, then Elton played alone, then Billy played alone and then they came back together for 4 or 5 songs finishing with "Candle in the Wind" and "Piano Man!" If you ever have the chance to see them again, make sure you leap at it.

Anyway, as I was taking pictures of furniture that we have in the store, I was trying to think about what Elton and/or Billy would like if they happened to come into Clutter...here are some of the things we have in the store that the 2 superstars might enjoy having...come take a look at them yourself!

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Grandfather clock! $1800

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Kreiss Chair...orange with furry back pillow....$425

Clutter my World...away from the Snow!

2010-02-21T18:51:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Well...as I'm sitting here looking at the snow that is STILL falling (it's been 3 days!), I'm thinking of the great weekend I had last weekend with my husband in Cabo. Ted decided to take me on a surprise trip....he told me to pack for warm weather and that's all. We left for the airport at 6 AM the morning of Thursday, Feb. 11 and I had no idea where we were going. In fact, we flew to LA and I still didn't know where we were going until we got to the gate for our next flight and found out it was Cabo! We have never been to Baja California so it was going to be a new adventure. We stayed at the Hilton which is between Cabo and San Jose del Cabo...it is a beautiful resort and we had 3 days of peace, quiet and relaxation in the sun...a much needed rest!

On Thursday nights in San Jose del Cabo, it's art night and all of the little art galleries are open until 8 PM. It was really fun walking the streets of San Jose and meandering in and out of the galleries...one of the galleries that I loved is called Zoko. It's owned by a husband (Arturo Ortiz) and his darling Swiss wife who do beautiful sterling jewelry. They don't have a website but if you are ever in the area, their store is on Alvaro Obregon St. in San Jose del Cabo. You must check them out!

Speaking of jewelry...I have some fun jewelry in the store right now. The artist is Melissa Fannis and she makes earrings and necklaces from broken windshields! Please come take a look, I think you will find that they make great gifts for someone who enjoys something different!

We also have some great furniture in the store right now and more coming tomorrow....so if you haven't been to Clutter in awhile or if you came in yesterday...come in again and see what we have!

SOLD...but we got a neat pine one in on 3-8-10!

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Laurier long black dresser....call for price

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Art Deco Hutch....$225

Clutter Your World....with Football! GO SAINTS!

2010-02-07T15:26:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Well, I can't really say that I am a football fan. I've really only been interested in it a few times in my life...when I was at the University of Michigan during the Bo vs. Woody days....when my daughter was at USC and they were playing for the National Championship (Texas won...boo!), and today....the Saints vs. the Colts. I still can't say I'm really a football fan, I'm more a New Orleans fan and have been ever since my daughter, Kelly, had to evacuate from her freshman year at Tulane due to Katrina. That was quite an experience...but Kelly survived and went on to graduate Phi Beta Kappa from Tulane with 3 degrees in 2009 and is currently getting her graduate degree in Environmental Biology from, you guessed it...Tulane! New Orleans also survived, but it's been a tough road for so many people down there. We have been going back to New Orleans at least twice a year since the fall of 2005 and we have seen New Orleans recover slowly but surely. Those first few trips back were sobering....visiting the 9th ward and seeing the devastation....homes obliterated, no one in sight except volunteers helping to sift through debris....driving down Carrolton and seeing the bathtub rings on the sides of houses and the large X indicating if there were any deaths at that house, seeing restaurants that we had been to boarded up.....running down the empty St. Charles Street Car line and watching the weeds take over the tracks. As the years have gone on though, we have seen the joyous signs of recovery....schools once again alive with the sound of children, houses being built in the 9th Ward thanks to the efforts of Brad Pitt and his Make It Right foundation, restaurants like the Camellia Grill once again open for business, street artists rimming Jackson Square....and now, a great football team seeing their first Super Bowl!

So, even if you aren't a football fan....for today, please cheer on the New Orleans Saints...that great city that is so full of life could use the win! Laissez les Bon Temps Rouler and Who Dat!

And while you are cheering on the Saints...think of Clutter and all of the wonderfully comfortable sofas and chairs that we have in the store right now. It's too late to buy for this Super Bowl...but there is always next year and if you buy it now, it will be well broken in for the Super Bowl next year!

Bring in any type of Saints paraphernalia (t-shirt, hat, bumper sticker) and get 15% off any one item. This offer is good through Feb. 12, 2010!

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Clutter Your World....learn something new!

2010-01-29T13:06:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! I'm up in the mountains right now, recovering from a bout of the stomach flu! Not fun but I think I am on the mend. I was just priding myself on the fact that I never get sick and then BAM....the dreaded stomach flu...yuck! It did make me realize that every once in awhile I need to slow down, so as my husband and friend went off to ski today, I am in the condo relaxing and writing my latest blog!

The theme of this blog is....Learn Something New! How often do you take the opportunity to learn something new? Especially as we get older...we tend to fall into certain routines, go with what's comfortable, not make the effort.....but there is so much out there to explore!

As most of you know, I'm a runner and last winter I was looking for something to do outdoors to supplement my running. A friend suggested that I learn to Skate Ski so I did just that! I took the 6 week program up at Eldora and started to learn to Skate Ski....it is a wonderful sport, especially when you can get into the rhythm of the skiing, I encouraged my daughter to learn as well and this year, I encouraged a friend to learn. Last weekend we spent the weekend at Snow Mountain Ranch and did a Learn to Ski ( Cross country) program with Women's Quest...

Women's Quest was founded by Colleen Cannon after a very successful career as a professional triathlete. She is so positive and has so much good energy and she founded Women's Quest to introduce women to new activities and watch their attitudes shift from uncertainty to empowerment. Check out her website at www.womensquest.com....you will find so many neat opportunities or Quests to go on!

Speaking of Quests...Make it your quest to come down to Clutter to check out our new items...we received in some really neat lamps this week and a few other things...it's going to be a beautiful weekend so come on down and Clutter Your World!

SOLD!

SOLD

SOLD!

Clutter My World...with an Award!

2010-01-20T21:18:00.000-08:00

======Hi everyone! Well, the Clutter gals had quite a nice day today! I received a phone call/phone message last week from Downtown Boulder asking me to attend the Annual Awards Banquet because Clutter was receiving an award. Actually, Diana listened to the message and excitedly told me that we were getting an award and that I needed to call Downtown Boulder, Inc. right away! If you have had the pleasure to meet Diana, you would know that sometimes she pulls your leg, so of course, I thought that she was doing just that! How, after only 5 months in business, could we be getting an award?! Soooo, I listened to the message, called DBI (www.boulderdowntown.com), and sure enough, we were receiving the "Rising Star" award! I am quite proud because they only give out 6 awards and we are thrilled that we received one of them!

Opening a business is quite a journey...first you have the stress of finding the right location, then the stress of negotiating a lease. Then you have the stress of figuring out a name, spending what little money you have to purchase store fixtures, computers, awnings, advertising, and supplies...then you have the stress of getting the inventory and of hiring employees! Boy, did I luck out in that area...I have the most amazing people in the world working at Clutter and the Rising Star award is a testament to their dedication to making this store work on the stretch of 9th Street that so sorely needed a vibrant, successful store. I know that it's only been 5+ months, but the energy is so good, our consignors and customers are so wonderful, that I have to believe that Clutter will be a success for years to come.

There's one more thing....it takes a village to have a successful business and a vibrant community. Many of my customers are the owners of local stores/restaurants....Sherpa's, Chelsea, Savory Spice Shop...to name a few. Speaking of Savory Spice Shop...Dan Hayward ( the owner) also received an award today: Business of the Year! Kudos to Dan and his wonderful store..check it out, it's on Broadway, just south of Spruce. www.savoryspiceshop.com

You can see some video advertising of both Clutter and Savory Spice Shop at www.metroseen.com

It has been rockin' at Clutter this week...stuff has been coming in and flying out! We do have some great furniture and home decor...take a look at the pictures below! Please come in and Clutter Your World!

SOLD!

Beautiful Asian pot on Stand...black/floral. Again, call store for pricing

303-386-3423

SOLD!

Clutter Your World with Everything!

2010-01-13T19:50:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Wow, what a week it has been and it's only Wednesday! On Monday morning, when I came into Clutter and saw some empty spaces ( due to great sales in December and early January) and no e-mails of furniture, I had a moment of panic! I knew I was going to see a storage unit that morning, but I had no idea what would be in it and I kept thinking, how are we going to sell things if we don't have things!! Well, I didn't have to worry at all! The storage unit was full of wonderful furniture and home decor and thanks to the recommendation of Sheryl Hadley, founder of Organization and Relocation ( a professional organization service),www.organizationandrelocation.com, the consignor chose Clutter to sell her beautiful furniture! In addition to the storage unit and new consignor, I sent out an e-mail to all 541 ( and growing) of our consignors for consignment items and boy, did they rally! Empty on Monday and full by Wednesday, I couldn't ask for more!

Here is some of the wonderful furniture we currently have in the store....

P.S. Also on Monday, I received a call from Downtown Boulder, Inc. inviting me and my staff to the annual Awards luncheon because we are receiving an award! What award? Well, the Rising Star award and I couldn't be happier! So stay tuned for a report on the luncheon and come on down to Clutter to see the Rising Star ( the store of course!) for yourself....

Mid century modern Dunbar chair...orig. fabric ( orange boucle?)...$795. The picture does not do it justice!

SOLD! To a discerning buyer

Asian style coffee table....$225

SOLD...both the table and the mirror!

SOLD!

Haywood Wakefield Vanity with Mirror and stool....needs some

Tender Loving Care but a great deal at $295

SOLD!

SOLD!!

Clutter Your World....with New Year's Resolutions!

2010-01-10T18:53:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone! Well...the Christmas clutter is finally being put away, the checkbook is balanced, the dogs are fed and it's now time to think about New Years Resolutions! Just so you know, I NEVER make a New Year's Resolution but I think they are good to make, in some cases. One New Year's Resolution that I think is good to make is one for your health. We live in the best little town in the world and we have so much just outside our front door to help us lead healthy lives. We can hop on a bike and pick up a bike path anywhere in the city.....we can drive to a hiking trailhead and hike in all around the foothills ( Sanitas, Chautauqua, Wonderland Lake, Dowdy Draw, just to name a few), and we can put on some running shoes and open our front door and fly like an eagle!

Speaking of running....I am in a great little running group with a fabulous coach...Gabino Toledo. Gabino has been a runner all of his life and competed in many marathons before being forced to "retire" due to a heart valve complication, which he had surgery for last year. I have been running with Gabino for almost 5 years now and I started as a novice...swearing that I could never be a runner...and I had every excuse in the world! I didn't want my knees to hurt ( I have never had hurt knees in my life!), I didn't have the time , I couldn't run on a full stomach...I couldn't run on an empty stomach, I had to be home for the kids. But one day, I stepped on the scale and noticed a few extra pounds...and I was heading towards my 50's and I knew that my metabolism would be slowing down and that I could start putting on weight if I didn't do something. Furthermore, I wasn't doing any kind of cardio excercise and I knew that to stay healthy, I needed to do something to get my heart rate up. I also LOVE to eat and I figured that if I started running, I could stop worrying about that scoop of ice cream that I wanted to have at night. A friend of mine had been trying to get me to join her small running group for a year and finally, I decided to go try it out. That was 5 years ago and I have been running ever since...I even ran my first marathon last October and plan to do another.

So, if you want to make a New Year's Resolution to get healthy ( forget about losing weight, just say you want to be healthy), then e-mail me at patriciafross@gmail.com and I will tell you about my running group. We range in age from 30-65, we have fast runners and slower runners and novice runners and experienced runners. We don't just go out and run around...we do distance runs, short runs, track workouts, hill workouts, timed workouts and if you want to, we run races. We just ran the Lafayette Oatmeal race and had a great time! We run in cold weather and warm weather, we don't run in rain or bitter cold. We also do some fun social things....I have a Bolder Boulder party every year and a Running of the Lights party at Christmas to run and see the Christmas lights in my neighborhood and the surrounding neighborhoods. Some of us ( like me!), can even be talked into breakfast after our long Saturday runs. We run Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:30-6:00 and Saturdays at 8 AM...you won't believe how great you feel on Saturday after you've done your morning run! We do pay Gabino $65/month for his coaching but the first month is free. You can check out Toledo Runners at Gabino's website:www.toledorunners.com.

So, make your New Year's Resolution to get healthy and why don't you try running! In the meantime...Run on down to Clutter and Clutter Your World...we have some fabulous furniture and home decor in the store right now!!

SOLD! To a discerning buyer!

SOLD!

Table...SOLD! Red Chairs....$25/ea.

SOLD!

SOLD! To a discerning buyer!

SOLD!

Clutter your mind at the movies!

2009-12-18T21:45:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone...Happy Holidays! For some reason, today felt like Saturday, all day...thank goodness it wasn't...we still have the weekend! After a week of holiday events, we had a free evening so Ted, myself and 2 of my daughters went to a movie...with our little puppy Guide Dog, Mercury, of course! I've decided that this year, I want to try to see some of the movies that are getting the Oscar buzz so that at least I would know what everyone is talking about. Tonight we picked "Up in the Air" with George Clooney. I'm still trying to figure out the message but suffice it to say, if you are a single man who travels a lot for your job, it might strike home....If you aren't a single man who travels a lot for your job, then you will feel sorry for the single man who you know who travels a lot for his job! Actually, it was a somewhat entertaining movie if you could get over the rather depressing subject matter of a man whose job it is to fire people...this is the same man who travels a lot. Ok, enough of that!

Anyway, while you are trying to figure out what movies you want to see this holiday season, take a look at all of the great stuff we have in the store! I received some feedback this week that a lot of the things I put on the blog are really expensive, so I decided to show you some of the less expensive things we have. We do try to have a wide range of prices...I just highlight some of the more expensive items because they tend to be brands that people can recognize...or they are artsy and unique. You can bet that for every $2000 table, we have a $200 table...so please come in and check it out!

SOLD!

Sold!

SOLD!

Pink Dollhouse! SOLD!

Cedar Lined Trunk....SOLD!

SOLD! To a discerning buyer!

SOLD!

SOLD! To a discerning buyer!

SOLD!

And for those of you who haven't bought your stockings yet...$25 ea.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Clutter!

Clutter Your World during the Holidays!

2009-12-13T18:26:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone! Every year my husband and I get together with 5 other couples during the Holidays for our annual White Elephant party! We usually go to a restaurant, but this year, my friends convinced me to do it at Clutter ( it didn't take much to convince me!). We closed the store at 6 PM and by 6:30, it had been converted to a party site...how fun! We put 2 of our beautiful tables together, we used the "kitchen" to stage the bar and the food and we decorated boda bags while sitting on one of the comfy sofas and the 2 comfy leather chairs that we have in the store. We catered the food from Dish www.dishgourmet.com (on Pearl St.) and it couldn't have been tastier! As always, we had a great time exchanging the white elephant gifts and had some great laughs...the chest "rug" that Andrew got had us in tears....and the pink and leopard print snugglies were a big hit! The best was the bodacious western belt buckle that I stole from Trace...it's about 6 inches in diameter and it has a bucking bronco and cowboy on it and it's copper! I'll have to take a picture so that you can see it!

Well.....I hope you all have a fun Holiday party on your calendar....if not, plan one..it's not too late!

In the meantime, take a look at some of the fabulous furniture that we used last night at our party and that is available for you to use at yours!

SOLD! To a discerning buyer

SOLD!

Ted and the Boda Bag on the plaid sofa!

SOLD! To a discerning buyer....

Jerry Wingren Table.....SOLD!

Scovby Table and Jerry Wingren Table put together!

Santa and the boda bags

The gang at Clutter!

Clutter Your World!

Clutter your Home for the Holidays!

2009-12-04T21:02:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays everyone! We have been busy little elves this holiday season and judging from all of the wonderful things we have received into the store, you have been too! I think everyone is clearing out their closets, drawers and shelves getting ready for that company that is coming for the Holidays!

If you need a dining table to accommodate Great Aunt Shirley, Uncle Hal, Grandma, Grandpa, cousin Bob, little Cindy Lou Who and Santa Claus, then we have just the table! Check out the pictures below...

Or how about getting that guest room ready for your mother-in-law...we have some fabulous armoires and dressers to take care of all of the clothes she's bringing as she moves in for the next month!

We have the perfect sectional for that TV room that you just finished downstairs...snuggle in to the down wrapped cushions and settle in to watch "White Christmas" ( MY favorite holiday movie!)

Whatever you are doing and whoever you have visiting, all of us at Clutter want to wish you a very Happy Holiday season....and when you are looking for something to do with the relatives that refuse to leave, bring them on down to Clutter and let us do the entertaining for you!

Happy Holidays! All of us at Clutter!

SOLD!

Sold to a discerning buyer!

SOLD! To a discerning buyer!

Jerry Wingren Table....SOLD!

Clutter Your World at the Historic Boulder Tour of Homes 2009!

2009-12-04T20:41:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidays everyone! Wow, I just realized that it's been ages since I blogged...and I have so much to show you and to say!

If you are looking for something to do this weekend, check out the Historic Boulder Tour of Homes that's taking place on Saturday, Dec. 5 from 10-4 and Sunday, Dec. 6 from 11 - 4. We are honored to be able to participate this year by setting the tables at the Historic David Hull Holmes house at 720 11th St. near Chautauqua. This beautiful mediterranean style house was built in 1922 by David Hull Holmes, a prominent Boulder architect. It's going to be a beautiful, wintry weekend in Boulder, so get out and see some beautiful, historic homes....and when you are done...come on in to Clutter and Clutter your Christmas stocking!!

Here are some pictures of the tables that I set!

Some goodies from Clutter!

Candy Canes and M&M's....yum!

Beautiful Franciscan China, flatware and crystal from Clutter...SOLD!

David Hull Holmes House at 720 11th St....come see us!

Clutter My World...getting ready for the holidays!

2009-11-20T10:25:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! Ok...so it's officially the Christmas Season!! I say that because KOSI is now playing Christmas music, so if you like that, you will have a smile on your face til December 26 when they stop playing it!

Check out the article on Clutter in the Downtown Boulder Holiday Gift Guide....we rated 2 full pages....woohoo!

We have a store full of wonderful furniture and home decor and getting more in on Monday. Furthermore, we are decorated to the hilt with trees and wreaths and smell good pinecones, so please come in and check it all out!

Happy Turkey Day!

xoxo

SOLD...to a discerning buyer!

SOLD!

SOLD...but we have more!

SOLD...to a discerning buyer!

Christmas Stockings by our local artist....$25 ea.

Store Christmas tree decorated with lots of ornaments...PRICELESS!!

Clutter My World...with a Guide Dog in Training!

2009-11-12T22:32:00.000-08:00

Hi everyone! wow...I just realized that it's been awhile since I "blogged!" I have been so busy with the store and have just added something new to take up the little time I have left...raising a Guide Dog in Training! Back to the store...we have had some rockin days and we continue to get wonderful furniture and home decor! It comes in and out so fast that I haven't had time to take any pictures..by the time I post them, most likely, the furniture that I am featuring will be gone! I will do my best to take some pictures tomorrow (Friday) and work on a new blog this weekend.

As for our new little shop dog....his name is Mercury and he's a 10 week old black lab. You can find him at Clutter most days, chillin out and enjoying all of the attention he is getting. He's already made friends at the Great Western Bank branch across the street....they have even become babysitters when I have to leave the store for any length of time! Mercury is actually my 16 year old daughter's project....he is the 3rd Guide Dog that we have raised and we are hoping that he will actually graduate and become a working dog...only time will tell. He will start going to Boulder High as soon as he is old enough to handle school....just for an hour at first but by next spring, he will most likely be going full time and I will probably miss having him at the store. He's a pretty mellow little fellow and right now, he sleeps, pees and poops...not exactly in that order! He's already house-trained, thank goodness! If you want to fall in love, come into Clutter and check out Mercury! If you are interested in possibly raising a Guide Dog, then check out the website for the Boulder Volunteer group atwww.boulderpuppies.org. It's a wonderful organization and a wonderful cause!

One more thing...speaking of causes....during the month of November, if you bring a can of food into Clutter for Community Food Share, you can receive 10% a single item...

So...Clutter your world with guide dogs and good deeds!

Mercury being held by Alex ( second from right). His sister is being held by Alexis ( second from left...her name is Monica)

Mercury ( 8 wks old) with our friend, Melissa

Clutter My World...in New Orleans!

2009-11-02T22:03:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone! I just returned from a very fun and crazy trip to New Orleans where my daughter goes to school at Tulane! I have been very fortunate to be able to visit New Orleans many times since Katrina and every time I visit some old, tried and true places and I also usually find something new to see or taste or smell ( trust me, there are a lot of smells in New Orleans...from the oyster houses that we have run by to the stale beer smell of Bourbon street to the fresh rain smell wafting through the open windows of the streetcar as we are heading to the French Quarter. My daughter, Kelly, is now in her graduate year getting a Masters in Environmental Biology, but she was part of the Katrina class...the class that moved into Tulane just days before Katrina hit and didn't go back for almost 6 months. It has been quite amazing to see New Orleans come back to life...from that first joyful Mardi Gras post Katrina where the parades and crowds were scaled down to the reopening of schools, the fading of the "bathtub" lines on the houses and buildings, the return of the artists to Jackson Square and the French Market, and even the rebuilding of the 9th ward thanks to Brad Pitt and his Make it Right Foundation.

As with every other trip that Ted and I have taken to New Orleans in the past 4+ years, there are some things that we NEVER miss. We always head straight to the Cafe du Monde for a Frozen Cafe au Lait and the best beignets in the world! We also ALWAYS have a po-boy, oyster for me, fully dressed and totally yummy! We have tried a number of po-boy restaurants...my favorite is Frankie and Johnny's but we have also tried Parasol's, Felix's and Domilese's and this time, we tried Mother's ( on a recommendation of my seatmate in the airplane!). Next time we'll try Mahoney's on Magazine Street. And you can't visit New Orleans without getting a snoball...the only problem is there is a season for snoballs and usually the snoball shops/stands all close in or by October. We lucked out as Kelly's favorite snoball place (Plum Street Snoballs had set up a stand at a neighborhood art fair so we high tailed it over there after touring the Abita (beer) brewery and I had a delicious chocolate cream and coconut cream snoball...yum! Finally, we have added another must-do to our list of things to do in NOLA and that is going to the Piano Bar at Pat O's ( O'Briens...a Bourbon street mainstay!). They have dueling pianos and people line up for hours to get in. We lucked out this time, we went rather early ( 9 PM) and after waiting for about 30 minutes we were taken to a front row table...where we stayed for 4 hours, sang many songs, and consumed a few too many Hurricanes ( not me but others in my party who I won't name...like my husband!).

The highlight of this trip however, was walking down Bourbon street on Halloween. I compare it to that scene in Star Wars where Hans Solo is sitting at the bar and there are so many strange "people" walking around and sitting at the tables...that was Bourbon Street on Halloween! You should have seen the costumes...some of them rather tame but many of them pretty bizarre...check below for some pictures.

Before I sign out, I want to mention one of my favorite artists in New Orleans...his name is Oscar C. Donahue, III and he makes jewelry and whimsical, colorful wall art from fish to fleur-de-lis to self-portraits of himself ( at least I think it's a self portrait!). You can find his work at the French Market Flea Market and if you are lucky, you can find Oscar there as well. Check out his website at www.oscarofneworleans.com. Having something that Oscar made is a great way to Clutter Your World!!

So, for all of you who have been trying to figure out where next to go...give New Orleans a try...you will love it!

My future son-in-law Kevin having his first beignet(s) at Cafe du Monde

Just some of the bizarre Halloween costumes on Bourbon Street!

Too many hurricanes at the Pat O's piano bar....where's the tylenol?!!

Favorite New Orleans artist...Oscar C. Donahue with a self-portrait!

BRRRRR...Baby it's Cold Outside!

2009-10-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

Hi all! A little bit of snow won't keep us down!! Clutter is open today so poke your head in. If you can't make it today, come on in this weekend...we have a lot of fabulous stuff and we're getting more in tomorrow....

Here is a list of a few things we are getting:

Small sectional sofa

dressers, dressers and dressers

Bookshelf

Antique Icebox

and plenty more...so get your boots on and come enjoy the shop!

Clutter Your World...from India!

2009-10-26T20:49:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! One of our favorite stores, Gypsy Jewel, is moving to the West End and we couldn't be happier! Maruta ( Gypsy Jewel) is moving to 820 Pearl Street, across from Bay Leaf and she is taking all of her jewelry, most of her Ganeshes, and little of her furniture! Clutter is the lucky recipient of some of her wonderful furniture that she has imported from India and we have it at tremendous prices...so come on in and Clutter Your World!!

Take a look at what we have in the store right now...and this is just a few of the pieces!!

Carved, Colorful Painted Chest/Buffet.....$850

The picture doesn't do it justice!!

SOLD....to a discerning buyer!

Teak Armoire with Glass Doors...carved...$1100

One of those days to sleep in!

2009-10-21T06:26:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone...well, I woke up this morning to cold, icy rain....a perfect morning to hit the snooze button on your alarm clock and catch a few more winks! When you do wake up, after you come to CLUTTER to see what new things we have, I think it's time to go back to your warm cozy home, light the fire, and nest.

We have the perfect furniture to aid in your nesting....take a look!

SOLD!

Lovely Rattan Lounger for those cold winter days....

SOLD...to a discerning buyer!

After you do the laundry, put it away in this beautiful handpainted armoire for $950

Clutter Your World...get ready for some feasting!

2009-10-18T09:41:00.000-07:00

Hi! Ted and I went to a wonderful dinner last night...it was a thank-you dinner by Pastures of Plenty/Big Bang Catering for all of it's CSA members. For those of you who don't know what a CSA is, it's Community Supported Agriculture. These are local farms and local farmers who provide organically grown vegetables, herbs and flowers to their members. This past "eating" season, we joined Pastures of Plenty, a wonderful local farm on Ogallala Rd in Longmont owned by Lyle Davis and his wife, Sylvia Tawse. The farm has 35 acres and was first homesteaded by the Springsteen family in 1887. It's currently stewarded by the Tawse-Davis family, only the third family to live on and farm the land.

Every Wednesday, starting in June, we took our Pastures of Plenty bag to the Farmer's market to pick up our farm share. Every Wednesday, we were so delighted with what we got...from sugar snap peas, to eggplant to fresh salad greens, fingerling potatoes, baby carrots, tomatoes, and my favorite treat...bouquets of fresh cut flowers! Our bags were overflowing with fresh, organic vegetables and herbs. They also include a newsletter with recipes ( for all of you cooking challenged!) You can get in touch with Pastures of Plenty by e-mailing them at

pasturesofplenty@aol.com or look them up at/www.bigbangcatering.com/pastures_plenty.htm.

So, now that you have your food...we have some great furniture and kitchen items at Clutter!

We have some great dining tables, a beautiful set of flatware, crystal wine glasses and water goblets and china to die for (Wedgewood!).

Come on in and "Clutter Your World!"

SOLD...to a discerning buyer!

Gone home!

SOLD! But come and see what else we have!

SOLD! To a discerning buyer!

The Wind is blowing some great stuff through our doors!

2009-10-15T21:44:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! I hope you have been enjoying these windy, fall days. We have been loving them at Clutter....the wind is blowing in lots and lots of wonderful things.....come check them out!

SOLD! To a discerning buyer!

SOLD...to a discerning buyer!!

Sent Home

SOLD...to a discerning buyer!

SOLD...but come on in, we have more tables!

Marathon and discounts!!

2009-10-12T08:51:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Well, I just finished my first Marathon in Victoria, Canada! It was a beautiful fall day, sunny and around 40 degrees, perfect running weather. Growing up in Michigan, if you would have told me that I would someday be a runner, let alone, finish a marathon, I would have said you were crazy!

To celebrate, I'm offering anyone who has a marathon medal a 10% discount! Bring your medal into the store and we will give you a 10% discount off of a single item.

Run on and run on down to Clutter!

Clutter Your Stomach..in Seattle!

2009-10-10T22:07:00.001-07:00

Clutter your Stomach….again!

We’re sitting on the Victoria Clipper on our way to Victoria, BC for the Royal Victoria Marathon. This has been quite a year for me….our oldest daughter got engaged to a wonderful guy on January 1, I quit a job I loved on May 18, opened a store I LOVE on August 3... and now, I am running my first marathon, at the age of 51! Ted and I arrived in Seattle on Thursday to beautiful blue skies and pleasant temps. Every time we visit Seattle, we have been blessed with beautiful weather, who says it rains here?!! We decided to fly into Seattle and then “cruise” to Victoria on the Victoria Clipper….for one thing, it was cheaper…but the real reason is that I figured on the trip back to Seattle, we had a better chance of walking around and stretching our (what are sure to be) very tired, stiff and sore legs, on Sunday evening!

Anyway, back to Seattle….we arrived mid-afternoon and after dropping our luggage off at the hotel, decided to walk to the Pike Place Market and the original Starbucks. If you have never been to Seattle, one place you must go to when you do go, is the Pike Place Market. It is a cacophony of sounds and smells….mostly of the fish hawkers selling their fish and pretending to throw them at unsuspecting passers-by! The fresh fish and Dungeness crabs are a sight to see and the smell is…well, you can imagine! Not only is there seafood, but there is wonderful fresh produce and I was dying for a big, juicy apple and some cheese to go with it. I bought a BIG apple ( and asked the nice young guy who sold it to me to please cut it, which he did) and then went across the street to Beecher’s Cheese shop for some of their delicious aged , semi-hard cow’s milk cheese..yum! Then we stopped at the original Starbucks and Ted got a latte and from there we proceeded to a small waterfront park to drink our coffee and savor the apple and cheese….yum, yum (again!). After enjoying our snack and the view of the harbor, we did a little bit of shopping ( ok, ok…since I’m the ultimate shopper, we did a lot of shopping with little buying!) and then finally it was time for dinner.

When I was traveling last week to Michigan, I picked up the airline magazine and read about a pizza restaurant in Seattle called Serious Pie (what a cute name!). How fortuitous since I was going to be in Seattle this weekend and a great pizza at a casual restaurant would be perfect.After shopping, we set out to find Serious Pie, which wasn’t too hard to do, it’s on Virginia just past 3^rd St. It’s a small restaurant with a big line and there aren’t too many tables so you are eating with your neighbors…I call it community eating. I’m usually not a fan of this type of eating, but to be honest, it didn’t bother me at all, when you want to, you can really focus on your tablemate, be it a your husband, friend, and/or both! If you don’t really want to focus on the person you came to the restaurant with, you can easily eavesdrop on someone else’s conversation! The menu is small, which made it easy to select what type of pie we wanted to eat. Ted and I “played” a game, one at a time, we eliminated the “pies” we didn’t want ( Wild boar sausage, Yukon gold potatoes, egg) and settled on a wild chanterelle with truffle sauce pizza and salads for each of us. We picked just right…the salad was delicious and the pizza perfect and best of all, the company was the best!

Seattle is a lovely place to visit, there are many places to shop and “Clutter your World” and great places to eat and “Clutter your Stomach!”

And speaking of eating....we have some great dining/kitchen tables in Clutter right now...Have a look!

Sent home!

SOLD....to a discerning buyer!

Round pedestal table...$125!

SOLD...to a discerning buyer!

Come on in...Clutter is full!

2009-10-07T19:51:00.000-07:00

It's the night before I leave to run a marathon and I have so many things "cluttering" my mind! I'm looking forward to this trip. It's my first marathon and believe it or not, I'm excited to run and experience it. The marathon is in Victoria, BC and it's not only at sea level, but it's supposed to be a beautiful run. I'll be running but I will also be on the lookout for something that can Clutter your World...so stay tuned!

One of the things cluttering my mind is Clutter....I just love my store! The women I work with are so wonderful, the consignors are great and we love our customers. I was in the store today, taking pictures so I could post them before I leave. The store is so full right now with lots of incredible furniture and home decor. You'll see the pictures below...I hope you visit soon.

Oh...before I forget...check out our new advertising at www.metroseen.com. I think you'll like what you see! Also, call us with any questions....303.386.3423.

Have a wonderful day!

SOLD...to a discerning buyer!

SOLD....to a discerning buyer!

A blustery day in Michigan!

2009-10-04T17:51:00.000-07:00

Sunday, October 4, 2009

It’s a blustery day in Michigan and I am sitting at my parent’s house with the TV blaring in the background but enjoying the smell of my childhood. Fall is in the air, the leaves are red and orange and falling, it’s cool and damp outside and warm and cozy in. I started the weekend with 10 of my sorority sisters from the University of Michigan…we get together every year and this was the 18^th year since we started our reunions. We spend the weekend at a friend’s lakehouse on Zukey Lake, about 30 miles from Ann Arbor….it’s a wonderful weekend of eating and sipping wine and shopping ( Livingston Antique Mall near Howell, Howell Western Wear in Howell!) and laughing and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. This morning started with my alarm going off at 6:30 so that I could rouse the others and encourage everybody to get ready for a 5K that finishes on the 50 yd. line of the Michigan stadium! The race is called the Big House/Big Heart run and it supports the U of M ALS research, Mott Children’s Hospital, U-M Cardiovascular Center and the charity of your choice. When I graduated 29 years ago, I never imagined that I would get the chance to stand on the 50 yd. line of the U of M Stadium, let alone with 10 of my oldest and dearest friends.

Back to the blustery part of my story….one of the real treats when I come home is to go visit the Franklin Cider Mill in Franklin, Michigan. You know autumn has arrived when the smell of donuts and cider permeates the air. The Franklin Cider Mill was built in 1837 and while it hasn’t always been a cider mill, it’s been one for as long as I can remember ( and that’s a LONG time!). Cider is still made the old fashioned way using an apple press, and good, greasy donuts are made fresh daily. You have not tasted apple cider until you have tasted Franklin Cider Mill’s apple cider!!

So, if you find yourself in or near Detroit, Michigan and it’s a blustery fall day, make a trip to the Franklin Cider Mill and Clutter your Stomach!!

www.franklincidermill.com

Some more fabulous finds at Clutter!

2009-10-01T18:32:00.001-07:00

SOLD!

Sold...to a discerning buyer!

Sent Home!

Come back next year!

SOLD...to a discerning buyer!

Dine in!

2009-09-29T13:14:00.000-07:00

With a few new great pieces in this week, our floor has a terrific variety of dining and kitchen tables. Whether you are planning for that formal holiday dinner or are hoping to add a unique flair to your kitchen, here's a snapshot of what we have in-store this week.

GONE!

SOLD...to a discerning buyer!

SOLD....to a discerning buyer!

...also have a matching buffet table

Pewter 6-chair glass-top table...$350

...also have 2 matching high top bar stools at $40/ea.

GONE!

Tea Time

2009-09-27T17:22:00.000-07:00

Written on August 13, 2009

I’m writing this as Kimberly, my oldest daughter, is driving through Oklahoma City on our way to New Orleans to take our middle daughter, Kelly, back to Tulane to get her graduate degree.

The day started after spending the night at the Sleep Inn just East of Colby, Kansas….we were going to stop at another hotel, but to be honest with you, at 11:30 at night, with it’s handpainted $39.88 sign, that hotel looked more like the Bates hotel and less like a hotel that I would like to sleep in for the night….can you say “Psycho!” The Sleep Inn was just right…it had only been open for 5 weeks so things were fresh and clean….and it offered a free breakfast! After only 5 hours of sleep, we were up and ready to roll….and Kimberly was bound and determined to find a coffee shop to get an iced chai! “Iced chai?” I said…..darling, we aren’t in Boulder anymore!! I had drive duty so off we went in search of a coffee shop with iced chai, after stopping at McDonald’s so I could get an iced hazelnut coffee ( I had heard they were pretty good and since I don’t really drink coffee, nor do I frequent McDonald’s, I kept my fingers crossed.)

Anyway, with our arsenal of high tech gizmos, I-phone and a Garmin, Kimberly was able to locate a coffee shop in Hays, Kansas, about an hour from Colby. I got off at the right exit and we proceeded to follow the Garmin to 11^th street., drove past a bunch of industrial looking buildings and wondered where the heck was this coffee shop. Pretty soon the concrete ended and a brick street began ( follow the yellow brick road)…and it led us right to the heart of Hays….and lo and behold, there was this darling coffee shop called Semolina’s! Believe it or not, they had Chai! Dorothy, it may not be Boulder, but we found chai!

While waiting for Kimberly’s chai and Kelly’s hazelnut hot chocolate, I was looking into purchasing possibilities and discovered Numi Tea. Numi tea has a really interesting tea called Flowering Tea. When you put it in a teapot, clear is best, it actually opens up like a flower and it looks amazing! It's an organic tea, perfect for Colorado, and there are a number of flavors.

The company aspires to be environmentally responsible and globally sustainable by using recyclable and biodegradable packaging....what more can we ask for?!! I don't know where to tell you to buy it in Boulder, but you can check out their website at www.numitea.com.

We have some teapots and teacups in Clutter, and tables to sit at while having your tea, so after you check out Numi Tea...come on in to Clutter and.....Clutter your world!!

Bedroom Beauties...

2009-09-25T15:35:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd feature a few of our current bedroom pieces...Sweet Dreams!

SOLD....to a discerning buyer!

SOLD! but we have another one like it!

SOLD...to a discerning buyer!

Hand painted green linen cabinet...$950

Gorgeous Rosewood and Funky Finds

2009-09-22T15:13:00.000-07:00

We just received some beautiful solid Rosewood pieces with brass inlays.

All 3 pieces...SOLD...to discerning buyers!

SOLD....to a discerning buyer!

And on the funkier side...!!
Rare Antique Banana Box...$125

Vintage and Antique Kitchenware

And our resident pet Cheetah...SOLD! ( but we still miss her!)

Don't worry, it's made of Sisal!

Items in Clutter week of 9-20-09!

2009-09-21T09:49:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone! Here are some special things that we have in Clutter this week!

Come on in and visit us and Clutter Your World!!

West Elm White Table....$195

SOLD! to a discerning buyer!

SOLD! to a discerning buyer!

SOLD! to a discerning buyer!

SOLD....to a discerning buyer!

Hula Time

2009-09-18T10:42:00.000-07:00

I’m so excited! Our website just went live and today I am learning how to write in my blog! I decided to name my blog, Clutter My World and would love to tell you why. First of all, one of my favorite bands is Chicago and one of my favorite songs is “Color My World.” That’s the song that my husband and I danced to at our wedding 28 years ago! Ok..that’s dating me, but we’re really not that old…we were 2 when we got married! Seriously, another reason why I named it Clutter My World is because one of my favorite pastimes is to travel, and everywhere I travel, I shop. I hope you enjoy reading my blogs and if you find yourself in one of the places I mentioned, you’ll at least know one place to go!

This summer, just before opening Clutter, I went to Hawaii for 2 weeks with my husband, 3 daughters, one son-in-law to be, and 2 friends of my daughter’s. When I say “just before,” I mean “JUST BEFORE!” I returned to Boulder on Aug. 1 and we opened the store on August 3….all due to the fantastic women who work at Clutter, especially Susan Larson and Diana Farran. Thanks to them, I had a worry free vacation and I am so thankful for that.

Anyway….back to Hawaii…we were on the Big Island, one of our favorite places to go. We have been every 3 years since 1991 and it has become a family tradition. Every time we go, as we head into Kona from the little grass shack that we rent (actually, it’s an old beach house in a wonderful area called Puako), we pass by a store that has a banner hanging outside that says “Hula Lamps of Hawaii…motion lamps.” Every time I see that banner, I say “I really want to go to that store!” Every time we leave the island, I say “Darn, I never made it to that store,” until this summer! We had just left Target ( yes, they now have a Target on the island!) and I knew we were close to the Hula Lamp Store…so I convinced everyone that I had to finally go see what the Motion lamps were all about. It’s not all that easy to get to, it’s off the highway and in a somewhat industrial/retail area and you have to turn here and turn there and oops, back up and go around and finally, you find it! When you walk into the store, it’s a glorious sight! There are beautiful bronze hula lamps designed and created by Mr. Charles Moore. He began his production of the lamps, in 1997, based on vintage topless retro hula lamp styles of the past and is now creating more detailed and contemporary styled hula girl lamps. Needless to say, I walked out of there one happy camper ( while the girls rolled their eyes). I purchased my very own, vintage topless retro hula girl lamp…and the best part about her…she hulas!! She now has a very prominent place on the buffet in our dining room and every evening I turn her on and every evening I watch her hula and I dream of being back in that little grass shack in Hawaii! So, next time you are on the Big Island, don’t forget to visit the Hula Lamp of Hawaii Gallery and Showroom (http://www.hulalamps.com/) and …..Clutter your world!!