Hi everyone! Emily here, firing up our long-dormant blog to share some photos from our March 17th launch event for the Lisa Congdon for Emily McDowell & Friends collection. (Despite the date, it was unaffiliated with St. Patrick’s Day. We did serve beer, but it was regular beer-colored, not green.)

Lisa lives in Portland, Oregon, and her beautiful shop and studio was the perfect location for an open house. We had a blast meeting our customers, and catching up with some local retailers, sales reps, and friends.

Lisa’s hand-painted tiger mural watches over all the merchandise and welcomes visitors.

We had a packed house, and it was so much fun to see what everyone picked out. There’s something really rewarding about being able to see our products in people’s hands, and I don’t often get to do this, since we don’t have a physical shop. Being at a trade show is fun, but in a different way, and looking at online sales numbers comes in a distant third in terms of customer relations.

Lisa and I were thrilled with the turnout, and we so appreciated all the folks who came by to meet and support us!

If you find yourself in Portland (or you’re lucky enough to live there!), definitely check out Lisa’s shop if you get a chance. She carries our whole collection, plus a whole bunch of other products featuring her work, including books, prints, buttons, magnets, embroidery kits, and lots more. You can even pick up one of her original pieces of fine art! The shop is located at 687 N. Tillamook Street, Portland, Oregon, and it’s open on Wednesdays and Fridays from 1-5pm.