Pumpkins and Mums

The garden is colorful most of the year thanks to Peter, our gardener from Heaven (and Germany).

A FABULOUS FALL FEST for 2010

We had a fabulous Fall Fest this year!

We served a thousand cookies and ten cakes in one day!

Everyone loves the Christmas Cookie Cookbook-all the cookies are so delicious!

Here's a photo of all the elves and me
relaxing after hours.
Our tradition of hors d'ouerves and Scarlett O'hara's.

Woodcarver, Eric Rinkleff,

Santa, me and Santa's elf, Chris

ILMATAR-Finnish Goddess of Creation

Pipka completes the painting of Ilmatar, Finnish Goddess of Creation. Ilmatar created the moon, universe and waters from the eggs in the nest resting on her knee. I added a blue egg to the nest thinking she created "man" after all was done. Pipka's painting is shown at the Peninsula Art School's "Noric Gods & Goddesses Exhibit"through November 2010.

Creative Connection - Septemer 2010

Cindy and I attended Creative Connection in Minneapolis. It's a show of finished work by artists of collage and assemblage, many nationally published. We were so inspired, especially later at the "junk" show in Shakopie. Hundreds of booths filled with items to be "re-purposed". Minneapolis has so many great shops and restaurants. We had a ball and are planning many creative projects using the treasures we found. My car was loaded!

Busy, busy summer!

It just wouldn't be summer at Pipka's without a few VERY fun summer events! I was lucky enough to be involved with two of them this week alone -- a fundraiser for Door County's own Peninsula School of Art called "Tablescapes," and a small little Cherry Art Reception that we had at our store in Sister Bay. Summer is the BEST time of year for entertaining -- and these two events had plenty of great ideas to make even the smallest event a great one:

Above is a photo of what my table looked like for Peninsula School of Art's Tablescapes event! This is the second year that the school has put on this event, with some of the peninsula's finest decorators and designers each decorating a table in their own style. All of the tables (over ten total) were won by event-goers through a lottery drawing, and after the lottery, an amazing summer luncheon was served. My table was simple yet was full of the things that I love best: candles, flowers, and plates adorned with rabbits!

Here are some of the other Tablescapes. This one was done by my friend Angie at Ephraim's Viva La Cottage:
And this fun, beach-themed one was from Ephraim's City Farmer/Celeste Wegman Interiors:
As you can imagine, it was great event to be a part of -- and I came away with many, MANY new ideas for decorating - not just the store, but my own home as well! I plan to post more photos in the next few days of our Cherry Art event at the store -- but it's a busy 4th of July weekend in Door County, and I want to help our elves out as much as I can!

Hello, Summer!

Even though it's still a few days away, it seems like summer is finally here. It seems like it's been raining forever, and although I know that we need it, it makes everything seem so dreary!

The good thing about rain, though, is how amazing our gardens look. I took recently took these photos of the gardens around the shop because I couldn't get over how beautifully in bloom everything was! I hope that you like these photos...and that you make your way to us soon to see them for yourself!

The shop is now open daily from 10 am - 5 pm. The store is busy with people checking our new merchandise and the 2010 Collection...life is good, but we miss you! Stop in for some coffee and cake sometime. :)

New Arrival

Happy day today! May 20th my first little grandchild was born, Avelynn Starr, 9 lbs. 4 oz. She's a beauty. Hope you won't mind future gushing and photos...typical grandmother! Life is good.

It's Spring...and we wish you were here!

As I write this blog, it's an absolutely beautiful day in Door County -- the gardens at Pipka's and around the county are filled with blooming daffodils and tulips, visitors are up for the weekend (the third-annual Door County Half Marathon is this weekend, which will bring over 1,800 runners and their families and friends to the peninsula), and plenty 0f Door County businesses are in the midst of spring cleaning, getting ready for May and the busy season ahead.

We at Pipka's are doing a bit of spring cleaning ourselves -- actually, more of a "reinventing." We've been bringing in new merchandise by the boxful -- new necklaces, bracelets (as pictured at left), and other precious adornments created by Pipka and Cynthia Wolfe; Toyko Milk soaps, lotions, and perfumes; many new original collage pieces; a variety of new cards and stationary (the Papaya Art line is my favorite!), home decor, new books...and of course, Santas!

To help us celebrate the spring season and all that it has to offer, we're inviting you to enter our Wishing Well Santa contest! This is my favorite Santa of the 2010 Collection, and I am giving one away (signed, of course! to one very lucky winner. To enter, just send us $2.00 as well as your name and address to:

Pipka's of Door County
Attention: Wishing Well Santa
PO Box 348
Sister Bay, WI 54234

If you're wondering what the $2.00 is for, it's for a special Habitat for Humanity donation that I'd like to make to the organization at the end of May. Door County's Habitat for Humanity chapter is a wonderful organization that I have supported over the years, and I would love to be able to help provide a home for a Door County resident that is in need of one -- with your help!

We'll draw a winner for the Wishing Well Santa on Friday, May 21 -- which means all entries need to be postmarked by Friday, May 14. After the drawing, we'll reveal the lucky winner in another e-newsletter, and send the personalized and autographed Pipka Santa off to its new owner! It's just our way of saying that we miss you...and we wish you were here!

Pipka's is open Friday and Saturday from 10 am - 5pm for the next few weekends and will open full-time in mid-May. Stop by -- we have MANY new and exciting things to show you!

Love,
Pipka

PS -- After a bit of a hiatus, I am back at my blog and hope to be posting to it frequently, even during the busy summer months! Be sure to check my blog for special sales, events, drawings, and more...it's a great way to keep connected to Pipka's all year-round!