Grand Opening of Mabel's First Apothecary!

A picture can say a thousand words and this one sure does.  It invokes the child within any adult who has seen it.  Comments are interesting and varied although most agree on the words "stunning" and "captivating."  One friend had the nerve to report she will make her hobby room look that way!  [I gotta love Kari Pastor!]  What one person feels "stands out to them" another person will write me expressing a whole different angle that they see. I enjoy hearing every perception!   Everyone sees something different.  It moves people like a good painting and causes them to reflect and think. That is my best reward.  This is also one of the first times my major works have been on display together in one "symphony" for people to really understand what it is I do.  Bottom line everyone who sees this photo is moved and wants to study it.  [Clue - The products toward the bottom are on an amethyst  marble table.  The blocks of petals are blocks of soap with petals on them.  I had to take an Arial shot to capture the "Believe." The things in the yellow jar are not lemons, they are lemon creme bath seltzers.]  This is only 20% of the space...more photos will come.  The new address of the historical building's I remodeled for this location is 123 Midway Street Units "B & D" located in Spring, TX 77373.

The main purpose of this entire "real life" project was to inspire "hope" to other industrious people and set example for what beauty can be done on a shoe string budget, and trust I had a shoe string budget.  Stop watching the news is a fantastic start. I have not watched it in several months.  The television news makes people "mentally broke."  More on shop construction will be added to this page next week....such as lavender essential going in the paint and every detail laid out...

For myself the meaning was far more liberating.  It represents guts to move my entire life to where I feel I would be happiest-a place I have never lived, or even ventured to think I would.  I did not think I had "moxy" left at age 46 to be on my own, in a challenging economy, to not marry an old flame [my reason for coming to Texas in the first place], to opt to live alone and and continue to do what I love.  I have always lived for someone else and I was very terrified by the idea of "being alone."  Hundreds of people saw the predicament in my many walks of life and emotionally supported me through it.  I owe them success and to help others in my own light.  The shop is dedicated to my three daughters;  they will fly in soon to see it.

During my darkest hour in TX late 2008, post IKE-and the strain it put on my love life...my daughter in FL asked "Where is the strong and determined Mom I have always known?" I replied "I sold her on eBay for five bucks."  [Discussing the energy it would take me to move back to FL.] Well, she was right and I had the support of all three daughters to pursue what I loved and where I felt I would shine best.  After some fervent prayer and a trip to see my girls in FL, the answer was Old Town Spring, TX.  A tourist town I had visited many times over the last two years and was my only solace from a "control Nazi" who moved me to Texas.  Probably the only day trip I was "allowed" to go do.  IKE did make me reflect on my long term goals.  Anyway, I can be a better Mom doing what I love, near people in my age group-the boomers, 40-60 "Something's" as well as enjoy other artists of every walk, and visit the girls more frequently.  I was in no rush to be dependant on them next-or just be a high end cook and maid as I was in Pearland.  I hope I have 40 more years before living with kids is an issue.  But many people are faced with the parent/child live in situation in this economy-for some it is a brilliant move and chance to enjoy "family" and not material gadgets gone past.  The material toys come and go. 

"I am in Old Town Spring, TX, and I am half way to heaven ~ My little [100 pound] dog too!" [Yes it snowed in Houston Christmas 2008]

The shop quaintly located in a historic district 30 minutes above Houston known as "Old Town Spring, TX."   The preliminary Grand Opening is Saturday at 11:00, 2009 [this Memorial Day Weekend.]  The official Grand Opening will be Labor Day weekend.  My readers need time to prepare to make this destination a day trip or mini trip.  The excitement of the locals is why is has to be opened sooner than planned.  Countess people are peeking in windows, trying to open the doors, taking photos on the shop steps-even before anything is decorated out there. I was trying to keep a low profile-so we left very few signs there is a major under taking inside the 1910 "shot gun" house.  Why is it called a "shot gun" house?  Apparently you can run in the front door and out the back door in a straight line-or 10 seconds flat, with a shot gun I assume... 

All of our products will be in stock and continue to be in stock.  Customers will be able to buy retail product or raw materials if they aspire to be their own artist.  This will be a relief for long term web customers.  Formerly products were usually custom made for each order.  I also have more staff than I have ever had, so another relief for me and my web customers as well.  I will be adding many items to our sites, products we sell here and bulk prices as well.  We still use Americans across the country to make my soap and salts per specs. The product is shipped here and refined further, decorated, stamped or embellished.

Hugs,

 

Read about Ringo a dog flown in from Katrina.  Official Bio of his owner and short Bio RSS Syndicated Feeds on the environment.  How Twitter is best used.  Deborah Dolen Books on Amazon.   Review of her books on Open Library,  Paperback Swap, Good Reads and ReviewScout.  You can also read Google Profile.    Deborah Dolen on MySpace Facebook, and Flickr.  This is our favorite blogspot.   See Deborah Dolen on YouTube and her last book written London Apothecary and book.  For more environmental articles on water and oil.

 

Visit Deborah on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/deborah.dolen MySpace   http://www.myspace.com/deborah_dolen Twitter http://twitter.com/DeborahDolen or BlogSpot http://deborahdolen.blogspot.com/   Buy Natural Liquid Soap!  It is much safer than commercial brands.  Natural Liquid Soap for People or Natural Liquid Soap for pets.

 

             More About Old Town Spring, TX

Very much like the old architecture of London, compact antiquated spaces and cobblestone walk ways, Old Town Spring, TX, mimics many places I have loved and wanted to stay forever.  This time I did.

No surprise it has a Boston influence, most of New England was inspired from the United Kingdom.  Plush with boutiques specializing in unique and hard to find items, I find the shopping a second reason to endeavor in Old Town Spring. 

~The vast amount of trees and greenery is my first reason only paralleled by the historic surroundings.~ 

Only 20 minutes north of Houston, [Exit 70A off US 45] Old Town Spring is beyond charming.  As dusk nears the city changes like a chameleon and almost feels like Savannah and its gardens.  There are so many trees in fact, the summer is very tolerable and in fact enjoyable.  Parking and bathrooms are more than ample although well discreet and extremely clean.  Chances of parking under the shade of a tree is also more than probable.  Benches to sit and regroup are also ample and strewn all over the town.

My hair dresser is forty paces away, dog groomer maybe sixty paces and official photographer about 30 paces away.  Horses mulling around are only one hundred paces to my left and great places to eat and relax a stroll to my right.  Dog friendly, the town boasts four pet groomers/pooch bakeries.  My dog Ringo being welcome was the most important issue to me hanging my hat in Old Town Spring.  Needless to say he was well embraced and has some one hundred merchants who will slide him treats.

As I have reported to many people, "I am in Old Town Spring, TX, and I am half way to heaven" now-with my 100 pound puppy too!

A Good Time to Come Out to Old Town Spring

Cloudy and rainy days are the best time to come here, actually.  There are less crowds or heat to contend with.  It is like having the entire town to yourself, because you do have the entire town to yourself.  There are so many trees, chances of getting a down pour are slim.  Anyway, getting stuck in a store for five minutes as any rain does pass is a wonderful thing. 

Moving here I expected a very long hot summer.  Already I can see this is not the case and sporadic rain keeps everything in check as well as the clandestine trees.

 

Public Relations Portfolio

Honorable Mentions:  1  2  3  4  5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50

 

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