Inspired Design Notes

It's our Birthday

It doesn’t even seem possible.   In 1994 my sister, Liz and I hatched an idea to start a small retail business selling dried and silk flowers.  We looked on Main Street for a location but there were no spaces available.  Driving past the corner of Rio and Pine Streets I noticed an auction sign on this wonderful old, two-story house and thought, wouldn’t that make a great location for a store – albeit, four or fives times larger than we were thinking.  As I was the only person who showed up for the auction, the house was ours without even a fight.  We did an extensive remodel and our grand opening was May 5, 1995.  

Time has passed so quickly and we are now celebrating our fifteenth year in business, at the historic Kraft Library building, where we relocated in 2006.  Many changes have taken place in a decade and a half, but one thing that hasn’t changed is the support and loyalty of our customers, to which we extend an extremely heartfelt thank you.  It is because of you that we were able to realize a dream, and we can continue to share our passion for flowers, friends and community.

We hope you will visit May 1st and 2nd, and celebrate with us!  This year’s theme is Carnival and we are serving hotdogs, popcorn and ice cream floats.  Try your luck at the Ferris Wheel Raffle and take 20% off all your purchases – and don’t miss our annual Kraft Basement Sale where bargains abound.  Looking forward to seeing you next week. 

Visit our website at www.shophouseofdesign.com

Red Bluff Businesses Decorate for Round-Up

For quite a few years now, I and some of our staff have had the honor of ‘judging’ the decorations created by the businesses in Red Bluff interpreting the theme for the Round-Up Rodeo.  This Annual Decorating Round-Up Contest, as it is called, is so much more.  It is about the joy of sharing, working together, having fun and a heartfelt belief in supporting the wonderful community where we are blessed to live. 

The participants welcome us and share their stories, trials, insights and knowledge of Red Bluff and the Round-Up rodeo.  I also have to admit, because it is such a well known fact, that some of them even bribe us.  (In our defense, I would also like it known that the loot we receive is shared with the children in the SERF program at Rancho Tehama School where my sister, one of the judges, works.)

This year’s theme, Hats off to Western Legends brought out the stars – both of Red Bluff and the Silver Screen.  Until you live in Red Bluff for awhile, one isn’t generally aware of the talent, in many fields, that lives here or started careers here.  However, the rodeo circuit is an exception, because there are many superstars that have passed through the Tehama County Fairgrounds, and are known far and wide for their skills.

If you’ve never had an opportunity to visit the businesses participating in the competition you might take your lunch hour to check out what they have created.  There are stories, horses, history, humor, bulls, babes, stars and legends -  and one of my favorites, John Wayne is featured in several because when one thinks of the silver screen and the wild west, isn’t he one of the first to pop into your mind?  Don’t miss this once a year event. 

Oh, if you are wondering who won…  The entries are so varied and fabulous that everyone wins an award.  We even give out special awards for the Best Bribe.  The Best of the Best/Financial Services went to Placer Title Co. for their adaption of Tombstone, and the Best of the Best/Retail went to Crossroads Feed and Ranch for their One-Armed Bandit displays and Thurston the horse.