Wallingnford Center
Crackerjack Contemporary Crafts Newsletter
Celebrating the Handmade since 1986
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Scarves...What do you do with them?
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Issue: # 1 July 2008

Welcome to the Inaugural Crackerjack Newsletter!

Having been pushed, prodded, and enticed into the modern age of email communication, I must confess to finding it quite handy a way to communicate quickly with artists, vendors and other store owners regardless of the hour or the distance. I hope now that I can use it to stay in touch with all of you so you know what is going on at Crackerjack and keep informed about new merchandise, artist interviews, sales and special promotions (check out the coupon at the bottom of this page!).

It is entirely due to all of you that we are here and able to continue to promote and show some of the best hand made merchandise to be had! I sincerely thank you for your support these past 22 years and I hope you enjoy this new endeavor!

All my best - Kathleen
 
Upcoming Events
Crackerjacl LogoMark your calendar!

22nd Anniversary Sale
   July 12th - 27th

    Preview on July 11th - see coupon below!

Art Walk - First Wednesday of    the Month - 6 -8 pm
    August 6th - Jewelry Artist Cecelia Otto

Wallingford Farmers Market - Wednesdays 3-7pm
Scarves
What do you do with them?

     Wall of Scarves

I was thinking this morning about what a great thing a scarf is. Mine are in a couple of pretty, fabric-covered boxes I keep on my closet shelf. Of course, all of them don't stay in the boxes - there are always those which are current favorites and which have escaped and live outside or on top of the boxes. There are scarves that always get worn with a particular outfit and there are those which get worn at the neck of a coat for added warmth and a peek of color at my neck. These are the silks and the silk-like, the lightweight cottons and rayons, those you can fold and wrap. The diaphanous with no weight, but warm if wrapped several times around. The colorful bits of pattern you could never pull off as a skirt or dress, the ones with silver shot through, or sequins, or pompoms. There's the classic navy with white polka-dots which was my mother's, the silk with vintage dogs given by a long-ago co-worker, the leopard print I snatched up, and on and on. And then there are the winter, woolly scarves which provide not only warmth, but color on the grey Seattle days. These include the fake furs, the yummy soft wools, the fluffy knits and the polar fleece.
     Oh! Let's not forget a more recent addition to the scarf scene. Or is it an oldie by a new name? The must-have pashmina! Whether it is truly pashmina (the wool of a Himalayan goat) or not, the standard shape of this item is a long woven rectangle with fringed ends. Some are solid in color, a lot have wonderful woven patterns that vary from simple blocks of color to very intricate designs. These enter into the realm of wraps and shawls, a near cousin to scarves, but are as versatile and collectible. Again, even though woven, some are heavier than others, but all lend themselves to dramatic draping. They instantly give impact to an outfit.
     So, what does one do with all the scarves one has collected?
     Wear them, of course! Wearing pink and brown? A scarf with pink and orange can add some interest, pattern and a bit of a third color, and now that orange handbag will work! Does that all black outfit look too dour? How about a drape of color loosely tied around the neck? It could be any color that looks good against your skin, makes you feel pretty, or happy, or picks up some color in your jewelry, purse or shoes. A black and white scarf with a black outfit instantly adds freshness and sophistication. A bright red adds drama.
     I almost always wear a scarf under a coat, both for warmth and to protect my throat. But I love to play with that bit of color that shows at my neck. It has to go with the coat, of course, but you can again play with mood and the rest of your outfit. Maybe the fake fur gives a bit of glam, but if it's red fake fur, it's a different mood! A nubby woven plaid might go better with Westen boots than the burned-out velvet.
     What I love about scarves, too, is that they're relatively small. You can have a whole store's worth neatly folded in a couple of nice pretty boxes, or a drawer-full of tousled color and design. Scarves come in all shapes and sizes. There is your classic square measuring anywhere from just big enough to tie arund your neck, to one large enough to throw over your shoulders as an accent on top of a coat, or to keep you warm when you step out in that sexy strapless dress. And there are rectangles of every proportion imaginable. And then, of course, there are all the ways to tie a scarf! It can be casually tossed over one shoulder, or wrapped around your neck several times. It can hang long, it can be folded and woven back on itself. It can be tied to the back, or the side, or the front. It can look perky, sexy, cuddly, dramatic, chic, girly, soft, sophisticated, trendy, vintage. It can look like you and how you want to be that day.
     The right scarf can totally transform an outfit. It can totally transform your mood. That's a lot to get from a little scrap of fabric!
Next Month: an Interview with Ann DeVuono, Milliner
I hope to see you during our sale - there are lots of bargains to be had! And remember to come by for the Art Walk next month to enjoy a glass of champagne or sparkling cider, chat with Cecelia and see her latest creations.

And enjoy these fleeting summer days!
 
Sincerely,
 

Kathleen Koch
Crackerjack Contemporary Crafts
Save an additional 10% on Sale Items
Anniversary Sale Preview Day!
FRIDAY JULY 11TH
Print this coupon and present at time of purchase to save an additional 10% off Sale Items. Not valid with any other offers. This is a Newsletter Special Offer and requires presentation of the coupon at the time of purchase.
Offer Good on Friday July 11th ONLY!