When Martha Stewart Calls…it usually means I’m going to New York. I have always thought of New York as a very vibrant, exciting city. For me, it always goes up a notch when you have “been summoned” by the powers that be and are coming to see her and be a part of any event she organizes. You just know by now, it is going to be fabulous!
It’s become my home away from home. I don’t go out of town much anymore, until our son is older and can cope with the changes in his routine that come with travelling, it is not going to happen as frequently. He may never adjust easily and it is something we are perfectly fine with. When I do, if it isn’t with my family, it is to New York City to see Martha, her crew and embark on a journey that most people only get to read about.
My arrival to MSLO headquarters came after three hours of sleep, a very early flight, arriving late morning to a very rainy day in the city. Nothing was going to dampen my excitement of being back. Not even wet hair. No bad hair day was gonna stand in my way. At my arrival to the Starret Lehigh building I was taken up to the 9th floor where all the makers had been scheduled to set up and have their space ready for the activities the next day.
Enter into this amazing, huge, bright gorgeous clerestory bustling with all kinds of activity. People setting up, going back and forth, in and out prepping for the event. This year, ROC Paper Scissors was representing the many makers that are part of the American Made Market at Handmade at Amazon
Honoree displays were placed right at the entry of the clerestory. Each one was so fascinating, well deserved honor!
Carpet being rolled out before the chairs were placed. No detail was spared. It never is. That is just they they roll. These people are something else! This image was taken with the stage to my back. Beyond that small white wall in the far back was the display for the honorees and the entrance to the clerestory, to your left and to your right were the vendor tables…fyi)
I was greeted by Senior Brands Relations Manager for SBG ( Sequential Brands Group) Kimberly Dumer. She was a “new ” contact for me. I had never had the opportunity to meet her in person with my prior visits to NY. We had started our communications prior to the trip. She helped organize the American Made 2016 event along with Hannah Milman.
MSLO had been purchased last year by Sequential Brands Group ( SBG). They “manage” not only Martha (MSLO- Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia), but Bono, Jessica Simpson and a whole other list of celebrities and their brands. Kimberly is the Senior Brands Relations Manager. With all the communications that went on prior to the trip , it was like I was seeing a life long friend I hadn’t seen in years. Totally hit it off with our tons of out- of-this-world e-mail exchanges , that always make me smile when I think of them.
“Rosa, you are family to us” was one of the first things she expressed. Next thing I know she proceeds to take me to the area where I was to set up my vendor space.
Next to the stage.
Really, really close to the stage.
As in…can’t miss me for anything …..close to the stage.
So here I was placed in what I considered, honored and prime real estate with ther vendors who included an Honoree from 2013. Kimberly starts to tell me “Martha wanted to be able to see a familiar face out in the crowd of so many people she wouldn’t know. She wanted to be able to look out into the crowd and see you”…
Ha ha (insert nervous laughing) and I thought I was coming to see her. Which I totally was.
Here is thing: Martha, I understand now through very reliable sources, loves to be able to surround herself, with faces of people she knows and is comfortable and appreciates. I can’t tell you how honored I felt friends. I know I wasn’t the only one. I saw her “go-to” people sitting out in the crowd during the sessions. To have been part of that was… just wow.
Here is how my table looked once it was all set up. To my right is Spoonflower, Honorees from years past.To my left Anthony Maxwell (Milliner) NY. Spoonflower, were the ones in charge of printing those pretty banners like this one displayed here and the giant USA collage/map behind the stage.
As you can tell, I wanted to showcase the 3 sizes of paper portraits we offer.I also included an original photo to help people understand better what the Paper Portraits were all about. For my 12 x 12 I made Martha a special gift. A commemorative paper portrait for it’s 5 year birthday.
These were the other two portraits that were displayed at the summit with a small side by side photograph .
8 x 10 Custom Paper Portrait sample
11 x 17 Custom Paper Portrait sample
It wasn’t long after set up people started coming by to take pictures of the paper portraits. They got allot of attention and allot of people took photos of them, including Martha.
Sweeeeeet!
A special thanks to Sitehook Creative Services and Ybor Flyers for the design and printing of my gorgeous new Business cards. Check out the front and the back. Which side is your fav?
I was all set and ready for the big day.
Tomorrow’s post. I’ll be sharing about the day of the event, behind the scenes happenings and the people that made my time there so special.
