The Oakland Press – 9.5.07

Catching Fireflies, Leon & Lulu win gold in retailer awards

At the recent 2007 Retail Excellence Awards held by Gifts & Decorative Accessories Magazine at Tavern on the Green in New York City, two metro-Detroit retailers were awarded gold.  Catching Fireflies of Berkley and Leon and Lulu of Clawson were selected as winners from entries across the United States.  Catching Fireflies was chosen as the winner in the category of Integrated Marketing.  Catching Fireflies, with two locations in Rochester and Berkley, is owned by April & Steve McCrumb.  Leon and Lulu was selected as winner for Outstanding Visual Merchandising.  Leon & Lulu is owned by Mary Liz Curtin.

domaci gallery – worth the drive

Meet Mary & Tim Pritchard of Domaci Gallery in Rogers City, Michigan. 

Steve and I met Mary & Tim years ago while doing the ‘art fair circuit’ and have kept in touch ever since.  This past winter I got a phone call from Mary with some exciting news… They bought a beautiful old building and were opening a gallery!

We finally took a road trip up north this week and got to see their ‘new baby’ (as Mary & I affectionately call it)

They divided the space so part of it had a true ‘gallery feel’ featuring a single artist’s work.

I love how they framed the current exhibition artist’s statement with an old truck door.

The opposing rich turquoise wall creates a magnificent backdrop for all the other handmade goods they offer (like a.i. paper design)

Mary displays her full line of H.B. Jewelry in these wonderful antique display cases.  * We also offer her lovely pieces at our Berkley & Rochester locations. 

Before creating her jewelry line, Mary and Tim primarily made artistic tiles as seen in this beautiful fireplace installation.

After visiting the gallery, Tim invited Steve to take a trip back to their home on Hammond Bay in his rat rod. (his artistic outlet)

And believe it or not … THIS IS THEIR BACKYARD!  Can you imagine waking up to that every morning? 

If you need a little refresher from the hustle and bustle of life, I highly recommend a road trip to this pretty part of the state.

everyday hostess feature

The girls at Everyday Hostess think we have some wonderful wine party accessories.  Every week they have new tips on all of the types of hostessing that you might do on a daily basis.

Here’s what they had to say, "This wine-tasting-in-a-box kit from our favorite online and offline store, Catching Fireflies will get you going quickly on your blind-tasting themed party. For $24.95, you get cloth wine bottle covers, tasting notepads, a cheat sheet of wine terms, glass markers and an entertaining book to introduce you the ins and outs of hosting a wine tasting party. A great product if you’re short on time!"

"A few other great accessories from Catching Fireflies: Elegant candles made to look exactly like wine corks that will work well in a few empty bottles (we know you’re going to have a few glasses before everyone comes over anyway!) and a beautiful cheese tray made out of an actual melted bottle. We would display this even when not having a party!"

Thank you Everyday Hostess for including us in your party plans!

glam as she swam

Who knew snorkeling could be so fashionable?

This very silly photo was forwarded to me from a friend (knowing that a shoe lover like me would really appreciate it).  I laughed out loud and had to share it with you.

I searched on-line trying to find a web store that carries these fashionable flippers, but no luck… so no diva diving for you quite yet.

catching fireflies may be a gift shop, but I still love to talk about shoes.  What… you too?  Then by all means, stay in the loop by signing up to receive these blog posts in your email inbox.

being jackson pollock

What do you get when you type in www.jacksonpollock.org?  A beautiful blank computer screen canvas waiting to be painted on.

With a drag of your mouse and a click to change colors… you’ll be creating your own masterpiece in seconds.

Not happy with your work?  Just hit the space bar and ‘poof’ a new blank canvas awaits!

I can’t imagine a better way to honor this ground breaking artist.

giving does a body good

Catching fireflies happily gives back to the community by donating numerous $120 value gift card books to various charities and local schools throughout the year. We are proud to support these outstanding organizations:

Queen for a Day is a national charity whose mission is to raise the self-esteem and self-confidence of young ladies, ages 3-21 with cancer. We do this through personal visits and Tea Parties where we give makeovers, manicures and lots of love.

Christ Society of Detroit is a  non-profit, qualified, Catholic-affiliated organization of volunteers embracing members of all denominations dedicated to expressing their love of God through serving the Metropolitan Detroit and out-state areas of Michigan by promoting the well-being of disadvantaged children and their families.

Alternatives for Girls helps homeless and high-risk girls and young women avoid violence, teen pregnancy and exploitation, and helps them to explore and access the support, resources and opportunities necessary to be safe, to grow strong and to make positive choices in their lives.

Detroit Institute for Children‘s mission is To care for children with physical or developmental disabilities, neurological or behavioral special needs in a way that is positive, passionate, integrated and family-centered so that the children can maximize their potential within their families and the community.

Growth Works has been serving individuals and families throughout Western Wayne County for since 1971. Through this experience, Growth Works has developed current, relevant and successful programming to meet the needs of individuals struggling with chemical dependency and delinquent behaviors.

Sierra Club‘s members and supporters are more than 1.3 million of your friends and neighbors. Inspired by nature, we work together to protect our communities and the planet. The Club is America’s oldest, largest and most influential grassroots environmental organization.

Hearts of Hope was founded by a group of mothers whose children all share a complex heart defect. We are dedicated to providing support, hope, resources, and networking to families affected by congenital heart defects.

Relay for Life Much more than a walk around a track, Relay is a time to celebrate those who have battled cancer, remember those lost and get inspired to fight back. Those who have shared the same experience find common ground, hope and healing at Relay.

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Rochester supports 200 CF patients and their families in the 9 surrounding counties of Monroe, Wayne, Ontario, Genesee, Steuben, Livingston, Yates, Wyoming and Chemung.

Paint Creek Center for the Arts has been dedicated to enriching the lives of the community through art while creating increased opportunities for Michigan artists.

Scleroderma Foundation is the leading non-profit supporter of scleroderma research in the United States, allotting more than $1 million annually to find the cause of and cure for scleroderma.

United Way of South Eastern Michigan believes that to truly improve lives in our region we must act collectively to impact the critical issues affecting residents of Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties. We are committed to bringing together partners across all sectors in order to address community concerns before they become problems. In so doing, we create sustainable community change.

Rochester Schools: North hill Elementary, Oakland Steiner, Rochester H.S. senior all-night party, West Music Boosters, Orion Oaks Elementary, McGregor Spring Carnival, Woodland Elementary, Oakland Youth Orchestra, Romeo Montessori

Berkley Schools: Early Childhood Programs, Angell Elementary, St. Mary Catholic School

Other organizations: Mom’s Club of Berkley, Congregation Shaare Zedek Sisterhood youth leadership scholarships, Holy Family Mother’s Dinner

If you’re having a fundraising event, we welcome you to bring by your information to either store.  Both locations have designated amounts of our "dozen days gift card book" valued at $120 and will be happy to consider donating to your cause.

Unfortunately we can’t give to every charity, so thanks ahead of time for your understanding.  We’d also like to thank all the volunteers that take the time to plan these special fundraising events.  It’s people like you who make the world a better place to live, play and work in.

kitty said what?

Since we’re promoting catching fireflies’ participation in the Humane Society’s Mega March this month, I thought it’d be fun share these very humorous YouTube videos with you.

… one for the kitty lovers

… and one thug pug (who like to rub his butt on the rug)

window shopping in nyc

Each time I visit New York, I always make a point to stroll by the Anthropologie store windows near the Rockefeller Center.  They’re really quite works of art and always inspire me. 

A few of the windows had a sewing theme.  There are random scissors tied to the ends of the cut fabric hanging down.

I like all the various sizes and colors of the thread spools attached to the wall.

I wish I could say my craft desk looked this cute.

On to the wood shop… look at all those shavings with treasures peeking out of them.

Next… the kitschy kitchen theme.  That drawer is filled with sprinkles and other delightful goodies you’d top a cupcake with.  (I also like that center green cardigan)

And to the bake shop… the hanging backdrop is made from flattened pastel cupcake liners.  Plus all the faux cakes look good enough to eat (unlike my gigantic birthday cake for our window)

thank YOU for being such wonderful customers

During a recent Best Of Contest, many of you took the time to let us know why you like shopping at catching fireflies and all your wonderful compliments made us smile ear to ear!

Jessica

"I LOVE all the great gifts they carry!! And they LOVE their customers!! They are so personable and accommodating…it’s amazing"

Sharon V

"I love going into this store. Everywhere you look there is something new to explore and buy. The variety is great and it seems I can find something for anyone I need to buy a special present for. Love it! Love it! Love it!"

Alaina

"Catching Fireflies always makes me smile when I walk through the door….it’s the perfect place to pick up that unique gift that the person on the receiving end will never forget. "

Maureen Monte

"Catching Fireflies isn’t a shopping experience, it’s an inspiration experience! Plus, you’ll find things here that you won’t find anywhere else. It helps avoid that embarrassing "Oops! You bought the same gift that I did!" at those baby or wedding showers. Never, ever, EVER buy something for a child or female friend without visiting Catching Fireflies first! "

Nicole

"I love this store! There are always new and exciting gifts that you won’t find at the mall. They support crafty artists from all over and it’s refreshing to see that. I also enjoy the story of how a crafty girl followed her dreams and started a store with fun gift items!"

Sue

"I’ve been shopping at Catching Fireflies since they opened. Any store that can keep me coming back for 8 years must be doing something right!!!!!"

Heather Meloche

"Catching Fireflies is truly a diamond among the stores of downtown Rochester. "

KathleenM

"No matter what the occasion, I can find something that’s right for the person I’m buying for, no matter what their age, no matter what my price range!! Their unique gift items make shopping here a must!!!"

Annette Manwaring

"One of the neatest gift shops ever! This past May when I was having a bummer of a day I found a $63 gift card from catching fireflies in my mailbox! I had won the monthly drawing. It was like winning the lotto I was so happy! Catching Fireflies is truly unique and I just cant visit without finding a "one of a kind" something! "

Ellen Wexler

"Catching Fireflies is like a great work of fine art, photography. You never really see everything there is to see the first time looking. You never tire of gazing, browsing, SHOPPING! as there is always something new and wonderful to discover. On top of the owner’s fanciful, artistic, creative items that she spends countless hours crafting, she is an incredibly generous patron to animal welfare and other causes. And her shopping trips out of town yield heavenly finds for us to buy. A little of everything and then some. I am so happy to be able to brag about this BEST gift shop in Michigan and beyond."

Jan

"They always keep me posted online of specials. Every order comes with a hand-written note and candy! Just great people!"

Grace

"They have the kind of items that make people ask, "where did you get that?" and then they go out and get it too!"

B. Dunn

"I live in Livonia, but I’ll drive to Berkley just for this place, because of the nice selection of things for gifts and for myself that they have. My daughter took me there for a Mothers Day outing and I fell in love w/ the place. I go back often."

Thank you for being such fabulous customers… we couldn’t do it without you.  There should be a contest where we can vote all of you the best!  (I know that sounds super sappy – but it’s true)

emily allyn feature

Emily of the emily allyn blog loves our little miracle ribbon frame.

Her blog raves, "Miracles, are they real? I can bet almost any mom would answer, ‘Yes, miracles happen every day. Look at my children, look at those children over there, or go to the maternity ward in a hospital and you will see miracles – little miracles.’

This Little Miracles picture frame from Catching Fireflies is adorable. You can pin an ultrasound picture up, a newborn pic, or even a 7 year old picture of your child! Whatever the age, they are still miracles, maybe just not so little when tweens.

Catching Fireflies (love the name) carries a wide range of gifts for yourself or a friend. Beyond baby items, they also carry things for the kitchen, paper goods, gifts for little fido, handbags, jewelry, and even little wedding gifts. If you are in a rut and have no clue for a gift, surf Catching Fireflies. You are sure to find something within it’s ‘doors’."

Thank you Emily for the fantastic recommendation. 

Emily also is the artistic talent behind these adorable tops for your kiddies…