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Let the Rainbow House Collection Take You on a Journey to New Orleans

Let the Rainbow House Collection Take You on a Journey to New Orleans

The history and the architecture here in New Orleans piques my interest like nowhere else.

A collection of paintings and mixed media art that will take you on a journey to New Orleans. The Rainbow House Collection features the rainbow colors of the houses in New Orleans, created by Gallery Haven artists with original acrylic paintings and one-of-a-kind mixed media pieces. Each piece has its own story, but they all share in common a love for this unique city. If you're looking for a way to bring some color into your life, then our gallery is where you'll find it!

Each painting has its own story, it all started with a very interesting Red House in the Bywater, just off St Claude. From this angle you see only the side of the house, it is a mass of red as you cross the tracks. New Orleans is filled will colorful houses, but a solid color like red stands out. I just love this house and had to paint it. Colors in New Orleans always look best to me before a rain, the sky in this painting was done to emulate that moment.

The next painting was not as easy to paint. I found this little pink house in the Marigny, and it had a lot of detail from the corbels, lattice, and sweet over house vent. It's painted from an angle looking up at the front porch with its full-length shutters and thin iron fence - my favorite thing about New Orleans is that people love living here so much.

The next house is a favorite. I can't even remember where it was, but it's just this gorgeous solid green with a pink window trim on the side. It's painted again from the side. The surrounding boxwood is as green as the house. The entire house is green, corbels, shutters, and roof all green, I think this is the theme for my inspiration.

Back to the French Quarter for this painting we titled Easter House. This painting features two houses side by side, smooth plaster walls on them in contrast to the dark shutters. Subtle tones of the plaster color in buttery yellows and coral pink on the other. The gentleman’s jacket in soft mint green with a straw hat, morning sun fills the street as he briskly walks to Easter Breakfast; I imagined he would start with a milk punch.

Our next painting in the Rainbow House Collection is another very special Little Green House. It's an original mixed media painting of a home that survived Katrina. With a beautiful pink heart covering the mark they painted on the front to let everyone know it had been searched. Had fun painting the banana trees on the side, again more green. This little house is amazing to me; it survived so much and is still standing.

This series was created by Susan one of the artists of Gallery Haven to help us share with you our love of New Orleans, its amazing people, and the beauty they live in every day for everyone else to see. And if we can make your home a little more colorful while sharing this story with you that would be even better!

"There are more houses to paint. I can't wait for you to see what our next painting will be! I can tell you it is currently on the easel and it will be orange" Susan

A little about our paintings they are full of texture, we use a variety of papers, we tear, we glue, we paint washes of color over them to perfectly create the sky, the walls, the decay, and rust that makes New Orleans so wonderful. Texture comes also from heavy acrylics slathered on with palette knives. We work on our custom cradled wood gallery panels, two inches deep. A sturdy wood cradle allows for hanging without a frame. We think this is a sleek contemporary design that goes well with many interior styles. If you do prefer a frame we offer compemtery framing in house at our Uptown studio and delivery or ship to your location.

Our paintings are now on display and available in our French Quarter Gallery in New Orleans. We offer a variety of size prints as well made from our original mixed media paintings.

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Can You Believe It We Opened A Gallery in the French Quarter

Can You Believe It We Opened A Gallery in the French Quarter

On our honeymoon, 34 years ago last month, Gregory and I stood on Conti Street looking at the line of people wrapping around the corner to get into the then red hot K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen Restaurant (which sadly closed in 2020), and said to each other "If we could ever make a living and live here in New Orleans we will do it." By late 2012, both retired from our long careers in advertising; we brought our 2-year-old business, Slippin Southern, here to NOLA. Now 11 years later, we not only have our studio in Uptown making all our great wooden products, but now the Gallery in the French Quarter offers something totally different!

This was actual labor of love, two years in the making--we've looked at 20+ commercial properties here in the Cresent City, and a focus change from Uptown to the French Quarter, trying to find a retail location that was perfect for our business. We wanted that classic New Orleans style, super high ceilings, historic, great site, and when this one came up with a courtyard at 612 Toulouse Street, it threw it over the top for us. We wanted to be in the heart of what has become the New Orleans French Quarter Art District. New Orleans has a very vibrant art scene, and it is only getting better. Locals and tourists alike thirst for it keeps it strong and alive. We finally decided that the best place was where our existing customers were probably staying too in the Quarter would be the best location. We wanted to be a part of French Quarter events like Satchmo Summerfest, French Quarter Fest, and of course, Jazz Fest. Plus, it gives us a base camp to enjoy all the fun and happenings!

Gallery Space Before Photos


Gallery Before--Did I say it was all purple before we painted it for a whole weekend. Tate is a Painting Goddess! Gregory spent a lot of time on a ladder through all of the reno. 

The demo and the reno come first before the art can go up on the walls with all spaces. I think we painted every surface we could. We wanted to make it feel more historic, warm, and inviting. Opening up space was first, and as we did, we found out that is how it was originally. The sizeable continuous wall space made my heart happy to see. Then the significant discovery we had three more feet above a dreary 1970s drop-ceiling, wow what a find now the ceilings are 14 feet, and in great shape, we painted them too! Rerouted AC, add fabulous lighting in all the rooms, and oversized handmade ottomans to make space beautiful, giving the perfect relaxed gallery vibe we love. We also enlisted lots of help from family and friends in doing the overhaul too.

Gregory Installing Art on Wall of Gallery Haven NOLA

Gregory again on a ladder. He spent 95% of his time on the ladder during reno.

New Orleans French Quarter is the perfect location for our NEW art, mixed media paintings, and prints. We wrestled with the subject of the art, the medium, the scale but ultimately themed New Orleans wall art won, our love for the city, the culture, the history, and the people who make it, so fun to live here. We have endless subject matter, "We are both artists at heart creating just feels good, and for us now to touch each piece fully is a great feeling," said Gregory Morris.

Front of Gallery Haven in French Quarter New Orleans

Gallery Haven is located at 621 Toulouse St in the historic French Quarter.

We named it Gallery Haven; it is located at 621 Toulouse Street; we are right between Royal and Charters, a block from Jackson Square. A super cool French Quarter location! Our grand opening was June 30th; we had to force ourselves to dive in and open the doors. Saying everything is good, OK maybe the drywall is not quite perfect, but it is about the art, not the drywall. Anybody opening anything will tell you it is never perfect enough. But so happy we did it, our friends and family came out, saw people we have not seen in person in years, it was a lovely night filled with laughter and fun.

Opening Night Party Galley Haven New Orleans

Opening Night at Gallery Haven!

Our Gallery's logo is a spin-off of our new Haven America logo Gregory designed last year, featuring a significant live Oak Tree, moon, and stars. We felt the crescent moon, the symbol of the mighty Mississippi River, only two blocks away from the Gallery, and stars were what the Gallery symbolized our love for this Crescent City. The stars represent the magical years we've been in business. There are 10, one for each year Slippin' Southern has been in business in New Orleans and how it went from a little barn in North Carolina to now an art gallery in the great city of New Orleans. Our shingle sign out front was done in gold leaf, so it sparkles at night from the glow of the dim French Quarter gaslights.

After Renovation - Inside Gallery Haven

The After-- Inside Our Beautiful Gallery

Opening the Gallery is about putting roots in the community that I think we have both longed to do in the city for a while. We both love the French Quarter; we had a chance to live down there for about nine months in 2016. The liveliness is fabulous; watching second lines go by on Saturday afternoons is a great joy; you run to your gallery soak in the sound of the brass band's music; it is an absolute joy. Our art gallery space is lovely, Gregory commented to me once the reno was getting near the end by saying, "Don't take this the wrong way, but it looks like a store you would see in a mall-like Water Tower Place in Chicago" my comment back was "You mean designed? Like it was planned?" It was the best compliment he could have given me. Over the years, Gregory has learned to go with my designs, they may not make sense at first, but they are grand when they are done. We are so pleased to be a part of the New Orleans community, the excellent art district.

Our Gallery Consultanting Krewe, from left - Brittany, François, Tatham & Bushra. François selecting art for the gallery. François & Gregory/Artist meeting.

We are so excited that our first festival back is Satchmo Summerfest in a couple of weeks for us to meet all our old and new customers in person! See y'all in the Quarter darlin'.

Gregory + Susan
and the entire Consulting Krewe

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Holiday inspired home décor from Haven America

From Angels and Reindeer to Guiding Stars and outstretched wings, enjoy and explore our unique collection of handcrafted wooden Holiday Decor for Christmas.

Whether you’ve already established a unique theme for your home or if you take a more traditional approach, decorating during the holidays doesn’t have to loom over you as a burden — especially if you’re a new homeowner just starting to fill those Rubbermaid buckets with beautiful decor you’ll use for years to come.

For us, the holidays are all about bringing families together, spreading goodwill and of course, decorating the house inside and out all while spreading the cheer of the season. Our unique selection of handcrafted wooden holiday decor is designed to let you do just that, with a little bit of added Coastal and Southern flair.

Santa Retro Print on Wood 

Santa Retro Print

If your personal style leans a bit more on the vintage side, our Santa Retro Print is a perfect addition to your home for the holidays. Handcrafted from Southern pine plywood, this holiday themed wooden wall art sports a distressed look and retro styling, making it the perfect addition to your home this Christmas season.

Holy Night Star Wooden Wall Art

Holy Night Star Wooden Wall Art

Taking a more modern approach, our Holy Night Star Wooden Wall Art displays one of our favorite Christmas carol lyrics. Screen printed into our large wooden star in a distressed silver color, this holiday wall art is a beautiful addition to your home, nativity scene and more.

Cut Your Own Christmas Tree Wooden Sign

Cut Your Own Christmas Tree Wooden Sign

Every family, especially for those of you in the South, has that one relative that takes matters into their own hands and doesn’t mind a little dirt underneath their fingernails. This holiday wall art is the perfect addition to any home that prefers the good old way of doing things - from cutting their own Christmas trees to making homemade gifts. Cut from half-inch Southern pine plywood and featuring our signature rustic, distressed finish, this sign makes the perfect gift or addition to any hard working home.

Angel Wings Art Block

Angel Wings Art Block

Taking a more traditional approach, our Angel Wings Art Block is the perfect way to add a touch of beauty and grace to any space - including side tables, as a centerpiece and more. Sitting on a 6 inch square of reclaimed barge wood from a former New Orleans structure, this wood sculpture is carved and paint finished in any one of our 27 colors to match your personal holiday style.

Joy Letter 3 pc Set 24"

Joy Letter 3 pc Set 24"

The holidays are full of joy, both inside and outside of the home. Share your love for the season with our Joy Letter 3 piece set, which can be displayed indoors or outdoors. Cut from half-inch wood and finished in our signature distressed finish, these letters are available in all of our 27 colors, so you can match your holiday spirit inside and out.

Whether your personal home decorating style takes a traditional approach with angels and reindeer or if you’re taking a more rustic or humorous approach this holiday season, Haven America has everything you’d need to create the perfect atmosphere with our holiday themed wall art. Explore the full Holiday Home Decor Collection today!

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2020 Holiday Gift Guide: Inspired artwork, perfect for every home

The past few months have been far from normal, and the upcoming 2020 holiday shopping season will be no exception. The idea of circling a packed parking lot for hours before waiting in long lines at areas shopping is no place to be. Which leaves us all thinking about how we’re going to find that perfect gift for everyone in our lives.

Luckily for you and for thousands of small business owners, online shopping is the perfect match. You have countless options for gift giving, but also get the opportunity to support local economic growth directly through stores like ours, making everyone’s holiday season a little bit brighter.

Here at Haven America, our background in design combined with our Southern lifestyle has inspired us to create our collection of handcrafted home decor, making finding that perfect holiday gift for 2020 a whole lot easier. From art enthusiasts to new homeowners looking to add a little life to their spaces, we have the perfect gifts for you. As an added bonus, all orders for the holidays include free shipping in the U.S.!

Carved Wooden Wall Art

Our series of Carved Wooden Wall Art is the perfection collection to shop from for any friend, family member, coworker or loved one who enjoys art pieces with a natural and rustic beauty to them.

Carved Wooden Whale Framed Wall Art

Our Carved Wooden Whale Framed Wall Art is the perfect addition to any beach house. Handcrafted from natural pine wood and framed in 100 year old reclaimed wood, our nautical themed holiday gifts are available in six colors and all finished with a distressed texture.

Carved Great White Shark Framed Wall Art

If you’re looking for a holiday gift for someone a little more adventurous, our Carved Great White Shark Framed Wall Art is the perfect find. All of our carved wall art pieces are unique, as the carving results will depend on the wood meaning no two pieces are exactly alike!

Carved Wooden Swordfish Framed Wall Art

It’s always tough to find a holiday gift for a fisherman or fisherwoman in our lives, but our Carved Wooden Swordfish Framed Wall Art is the easy solution! All of our carved wall art pieces are available in multiple sizes, and arrive ready to display and hang.

Our Moby Bookplate Prints

One our favorite authors, Herman Melville, helped inspire not only our design aesthetic, but also a generation of readers both children and adults alike. Thats why, when we started Haven America, we knew a collection of Moby Dick inspired artwork would not only make a great addition to our regular collection, but also a wonderful holiday gift idea for avid readers or literature lovers. Featuring 12 of the greatest quotes form the book, From Call me Ishmael to Queeque in his coffin, one of our most popular is the Pacific No. 111 Moby Dick Framed Book Plate:

The Pacific No. 111 Moby Dick Framed Book Plate

 

The Pacific No. 111 Moby Dick Framed Book Plate features a quote from one of those final chapters, the showdown between Ahab and the white whale. Ishmael is trying to find the serenity that most seamen find in the waters of The Pacific, but the turbulence of Ahab's soul is stirring.

We select strong, meaningful quotes for all the Book Plates, you will find yourself reading them over and over. Each bookplate is handcrafted and printed on hand painted wood, available in three colors.

Again the Whale Went Down Wall Art

One of four art pieces that go with our Moby collection, Again the Whale Went Down Wall Art is the perfect holiday gift for an avid reader or fan of nautical art. The white whale is the focal point for this beautiful piece that uses a 3D wood on wood design, allowing Herman Melville’s words to literally jump off the page.

All pieces in this collection feature Moby Dick as the main image, some feature the ship, the Pequod, and the deepwater of the oceans they sail in search of the white whale.

SOUL Framed Wood Prints

This holiday season, bring the warmth of words into your home and onto your walls with our SOUL Framed Wood Prints collection. This line of handcrafted, all wood framed prints speak right from the heart and make perfect holiday gifts for your significant other, the newlyweds, or your own family room.

I Carry Your Heart SOUL Framed Art Print

The I Carry Your Heart SOUL Framed Art Print features E.E. Cumming’s classic poem beautifying a deep, deep love for one’s significant other. Printed on hand painted wood and framed in reclaimed wood, this beautiful yet simple wall art is the perfect gift for a new couple.

Change the World SOUL Framed Art Print

Our Change the World SOUL Framed Art Print combines the lyrics from Ben Harper’s 1994 classic hit with a rustic peace sign, all handcrafted by Haven America. This inspiring wall art pairs iconic imagery with words that tell your loved ones just how much you care, and would make a fantastic gift for a children’s bedroom or any room in your home.

Whether you’re looking for nautical themed wall art for holiday giving, or something a bit more personal, all of us at Haven America are proud to offer beautiful handcrafted home decor for every occasion. Browse our collections today for your holiday gift giving!

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Haven 2.0 Website Improvements

Haven 2.0 Website Improvements

Recently, we had a customer purchase a Running Fox from our Etsy shop, and she left a comment that made us ill...

[Note from Buyer] Your website sucks. I tried several times to order direct, and it would not allow me to make changes, contact you for help, etc. If I really didn't want this as a gift, I would not order from you. Thank goodness for Etsy!"

Her words, not ours. But that got us thinking...Hey, we need to make this a little easier for our customers to make a purchase. Because if one customer is saying it, a hundred more are thinking the same thing. So, we came up with what you see here today! Let's call it HavenAmerica 2.0.

The key improvements to our site are:
- It generally looks cleaner/easy to navigate. The most important links are right at the top of the page.
- Easier to shop on your cell phone
- The search area is easier to use
- Photo of each item ordered is printed on packing slips and orders
- And coming soon, the ability to choose indoor/outdoor with each item

The reason we have our HavenAmerica.com website is to have a web presence outside of Etsy. First and foremost too, it's here for wholesale customers. Qualified brick and mortar gift shops as, well as interior designers, can place orders. We also take individual retail consumers, hotels, resorts, restaurants, eye care, and pediatric dental customers.

If you had a retail or wholesale account with us here before, it should still be here with the history of your purchases and so forth. You will just need to sign in and enter a new password. Please tell us if you can't find your account and, we can retrieve it from the old site for you.

Also, if you currently have an order in progress with us, your order is being processed. Typical orders take about 10 to 15 business days before shipping.

If you did not have an account, we highly recommend that you sign up for one today so that you can always have a history of your purchases and, you will be on our mailing list for upcoming news and promotions.

Of course, you don't have to join, guest purchases are always welcome too.

We would love your feedback on our new site. Please tell us below if you encounter any problems or you can't find an item that you are looking for, we are always here to help.

Susan + Gregory
Haven America

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July 1916 "Beware of Sharks" When America Realized Sharks Bit

July 1916

It seems like sharks are as popular as ever. They're in the movies. They're in the news. They even have their own week. They're everywhere! With all the success we've had selling our shark inspired wooden wall art, we, at Haven America wondered why? To help answer that question we went in search of America's fascination and fear of these popular aquatic predators.

Shark Jaw, Mak Shark, Shark Tooth, Shark Head
To begin, we thought it would be (insert pun adjective here) to examine America's history with sharks. No, not the history of the species that started about 450 million years ago during a period of time that looks like it belongs in a SyFy movie but instead a major flash forward to pre-prohibition era America. A time when most folks didn't think twice about "what's out there".


The beginning of America's shark fascination seems to have started with some infamous shark attacks that happened in New Jersey exactly a hundred years ago this month. "The country's fear and fascination with sharks has often been credited to a series of shark attacks in 1916 in New Jersey that saw four people killed and one injured during a two-week period. The attacks led to widespread panic over sharks and a wave of shark hunts,".

That led us to dive a little deeper into just what exactly happened during two frightening weeks in July 1916. Found a bit from a National Geographic article that details the horrific events.

"In the twilight of July 1, 1916, 25-year-old Charles Vansant died in a beachfront hotel in New Jersey. Several men had pulled his maimed body from the water. Five days later, bellhop Charles Bruder, 27, was killed during an afternoon swim along the Jersey Shore, beachgoers gathered around his remains in disbelief  The following week, 10-year-old Lester Stilwell was swimming in Matawan Creek (also in New Jersey) with his friends when he was eaten alive. Then ...the terrified boys ran down Main Street screaming that there was a shark in the water,". What's interesting here is that this would become the first, modern-day shark attack story in American history.

That had us thinking, "Well surely there had been other attacks, right?" Nowadays you hear about a least one shark attack each year. Not the case. According to the National Geographic article, there was a different sentiment towards sharks: they don't bite people.

Shark Wall Art

One of the lighter topics in this NG article is about a seemingly eccentric American millionaire, and athlete, named Hermann Oelrichs who felt like many: "Sharks Didn't Bite People". "He was so sure that in 1891," the article indicates, "Oelrichs offered $500 ($12,000 in today’s dollars) to anyone who could prove him wrong. He was so sure that once, when he hosted a party at his seaside home, he jumped in the water with a shark to settle a $250 bet with his guests, according to an 1891 Pittsburg Dispatch article. Some partygoers screamed and covered their eyes. Others called for help. But the fish swam away, possibly frightened by the splash. Oelrichs later repeated this stunt on his yacht." That was that. Like Oelrichs, the general public didn't realize what they were swimming around with until these 1916 attacks.

Anyway, what makes these shark attacks so relevant to the fascination and fear question we had was that they were the basis for the 1974 bestseller novel about a small east coast island town that's attacked by a killer great white shark. The following year, Hollywood got involved and made a film about the book with a young Steven Spielberg directing and kept the original title "Jaws." The movie was big summer blockbuster and kept everybody second-guessing themselves when it came to swimming at the beach just the way its inspiration had in real life.

For us, too, the fact that the "monster is real" is another reason why we feel everybody is still so shark-obsessed. They're out there. Just like a hidden undercurrent, they can get you. That fascinates people. Sharks are so mysterious and still so little is known about them.

Continuing on with this rough timeline of shark events that has captured American attention, most people will tell you that "Shark Week" only kept the fascination and fear of these multi-toothed fish up. We found another great 2012 article, this time from the online side of the Atlantic about the birth and rise of this fantastic shark programming on The Discovery Channel. One of the main sections in the article is about how some executive producers were grabbing drinks after work and discussing what would be something entertaining Discovery Channel could do. Gotta say, we do that here, too when we're concepting new pieces and talking about show booths. We totally get where they're coming from with that. We've learned major business meetings are best done over dinner!

Surfboard Towel Hook with Shark Bite
"It had been a decade since Steven Spielberg's Jaws gave moviegoers the collective creeps about open-water swimming, and the fledgling network (Discovery Channel) had noticed a spike in ratings whenever shark-related programming was aired... So the three amigos (the first executive producers of Sharkweek) got to work back at the studio, and in the late summer of 1988, Shark Week hit the airwaves...The first Shark Week opened on July 17, 1988, with Caged in Fear, a science-history special...Ratings that week surged to twice what the network usually garnered in primetime. Bunting (one of the Discovery Channel executive producers) told the State News he wished he could say he'd had some inkling at the time that he'd created a pop-culture titan—but frankly, he said, he was 'as surprised as anyone else' to see it take off so explosively. Its success spawned a sequel in 1989, and its ascent from there, remarkably, never faltered. 'Everybody was always fairly surprised that it kept working,' Runnette (another one of the Discovery Channel execs) says. 'It kind of taught us what it wanted to be, in a way.'"

After that, the rest of the shark craze is anything you can make of it. Whether it's the most recent attack in North Carolina involving an 11-year-old surfing to Sharknado 3 coming to SyFy July 31st, 2016, we thought it'd be (insert pun adjective here) to take a look back at it.

Going back to the executive producers of Shark Week and how it came to be. Honestly, that's kind of how it begins for us, too when we started doing shark pieces. At the time, we were doing all kinds of word signs, Southern-themed pieces, and just starting to wade into the beach and coastal. We went experimenting like the young Discovery Channel with what would be fun to make. Our Mako Shark was made in 2012 when our studio was a renovated barn in North Carolina.

It was just a simple Mako cut out of pine and engraved with gills. We featured it in a few different blues and from there we knew sharks were popular. So, we did a Great White and it took off, too. People also began asking us to customize the size. We issued a standard three sizes: 23", 36", and 48" long, only furthering shark love. In New Orleans 2014, I remember we made a length sheet for our shipping employees to reference because there were so many orders and people didn't know what size went to whom. Since then, we've created a Shark Trophy Head, Shark Bite Towel Hook, and the really unique piece which was our feature photo, Sharks Swim Below, all kinds of other pieces that really punctuate any shark lover's living quarters.

Not only do we believe the shark phenomenon is part of our success with these creatures, but also the handcrafted feel we put in them, like everything we do. You can't find these in big box stores and we think that people find something special in that. The teeth are sharp, the fins are smooth, and the edges are tight.

The only thing missing about our sharks, and sharks, in general, is "why can't we get some friggin' sharks with laser beams attached to their heads?"

If you enjoyed this post, check out our wonderful products and would be grateful if you’d help it spread by sharing it on Twitter and/or Facebook.

Thank you!
—Greyson Havens-Morris | Partner and Master Craftsman, Haven America

Twitter Haven America  |  Facebook

 

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Woof Welcome! Chicago Dogs in the City

Woof Welcome! Chicago Dogs in the City

In today's cities, an apartment building being “dog-friendly” is about as important for most as having a washer and dryer in your unit and private garage parking. From what I’ve heard back in the 80s and 90s, this wasn’t the case. “Sure there were some buildings that were ‘K-9 kool’,” my mother and father point out. They had lived in the city from 1984 to 1998. “Thirty years later, you’re hard-pressed not to see someone’s ‘four-legged child’ panting down the street, or riding stroller style looking for the perfect fire hydrant.”Doggie in stroller


Dogs at Starbucks
Moving back to Chicago from New Orleans, where I lived from 2012-15, I've noticed this “Dog-Friendly” trend between both cities. And, because the pooch is in the penthouse now there are all sorts of ways dogs are enjoying their newfound acceptance aside from apartment buildings. I’ve seen Dachshunds and greyhounds grabbing coffee with their owners in the morning. Pugs and poodles acting as service dogs. Talking with friends who live in New York and Los Angeles, I’m even heard of terriers taking taxis and Frenchies eating French toast at brunch!

Two Pups logging with Owners With all these dogs doing this and that, I’m lead to believe most American cities, are seeing exponential growth in "pooch-related purchases”. I’m not just talking about the rise of all-natural dog food, harness over a leash, or "doggy daycare services” but dog-related wall decor for owners' homes, too! Whether it’s items for your dog or concerning him/her, there’s no denying the "dog friendly-ness" has created an amazing home decor market.

Frenchie Wall Decor with DogsFor us, it all started out with creating silhouettes of popular dog varieties based on the American Kennel Club "Top Ten Breeds of 2011" Ranking in the top five that year were: 1. Retriever (Labrador), 2. German Shepard, 3. Beagle, 4. Golden Retriever, and 5. Yorkshire "Yorkie” Terrier. So, we began doing the Labrador shape first, naturally. As they began to sell, we also were contacted by customers about doing a breed that wasn't in the top five but made the top ten, the English Bulldog. Dachshunds and German Shepard owners were also eager to mount wall decor in their homes based on their breed.

Another specific item we offer, that's a result of this trend, is our Labrador Leash Hook. It's become a super popular best-seller on Etsy over the last few years. Essentially, it's a silhouette of a lab standing atop a bar with three small hooks. Dog owners hang the piece next to or near their entryway doors. On a side note, this was one of the first pieces where the art also became functional, adding a whole new dimension of value. Customers enjoy color customization based on their Lab's coat or any one of our 27 unique, fun colors.

English Bulldog and Frechie Bulldog Flag Wall Decor

Another leash hook we offer is the shape of a Bone where we will custom paint on your dog's name. We also will paint the French Flag on Large French "Frenchie” Bull Dogs or the Union Jack Flag on large English Bull Dogs which customers also get a kick out of.

 

So popular are the dog silhouettes where you enjoy them alone or as a hook, we have now added four more breeds, Golden Retriever, Beagle, English Bulldog, and of course a Pug. 

 

Dog Talk Leash Hooks

"Dog Talk” is our fun new line of doggy words leash hooks. Some examples include ruff, growl, bark, whoof, and snort. We do wish we had a little Dr. Doolittle in us to know what they were saying. It's funny to think, depending on your breed, what their words would sound like with all their K-9 accents. We, being Pug owners, hear a lot of snorts and sniffles as oppose to a Lab per say. Y'all might hear a lot more serious barks and ruffs, and maybe the occasional growl. The idea behind "Dog Talk" is you pick what you hear the most from one of our fun new leash hooks. 

One particular order I remember we all had a lot of fun making at the Haven Studios was a combination of nine different dog breeds, all in our Barnwood Red color for a Veterinarians office. It was a lot of fun because we actually scaled them to the dog's true life-size.
Cutout dog breads project

I'd like to sign off this blog with one adorable face of my K-9 companion in and around the streets of downtown Chicago, IL. 

Woof!--Greyson Havens-Morris

My PugSpecial thanks to my neighbors for letting me take snaps of them and the pooches. 


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Lovely, Lovely Mermaids all Gathered by the Sea

Lovely, Lovely Mermaids all Gathered by the Sea

Far out into the ocean there dwell the Sea King and his subjects...

The romance and folklore of mermaids are what is so appealing to us all. Mermaids are depicted as beautiful creatures with the upper body of a woman and the lower half of a fish complete with scales and tail fins. Mermaids have been a folklore legend that has been a part of many cultures worldwide since men sailed the seas. Many have concluded that Mermaid sightings were actually sightings of Sea Manatees since manatees' faces and arms resemble humans.

Today Mermaids are in our everyday life...

American culture is the Starbucks mermaid, she is a two-tailed Mermaid and Walt Disney Studios struck gold twice with the Mermaid theme. First with live-action in Ron Howard's "Splash" (1983) with Tom Hanks and Darell Hanna and in animation with "The Little Mermaid" (1989) adopted from the 1836 tale by Hans Christian Anderson. The image of the Mermaid still is a powerful symbol that still captures our imagination today.

Haven America Love for Mermaids

We offer three Mermaids to adorn your living space to date in our collection. All of these creations are our original art and we posses U.S. copyrights on all three. 

Haven America has sold hundreds of mermaids to date. We've also created larger versions of our Mermaids for outside of customers boathouses, and beach houses, some up to 8 feet long, and she was is Passion Pink!

We would be happy to make one of our Mermaids just for you! Please order from our links above or, if you are interested in a larger one just email us at office@HavenAmerica.com for a custom quote. 

Ahoy!

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Haven America Exhibits Kitchen Art at this Chicago One of A Kind Show

Haven America Exhibits Kitchen Art at this Chicago One of A Kind Show

MERCHANDISE MART CHICAGO —The show is over now but in case you missed it, here is a recap of our exhibit space at the One of a Kind Spring Show which ran from April 27-29.

This Spring, Haven America's theme was Food & Kitchen and featured over 50 new handcrafted items including cutting and serving boards, kitchen and cooking wall art, and a new industrial table. We designed the booth with your home in mind. We painted the booth a deep blue and gray to model the outside evening as a dinner party would sit on the patio at dusk enjoying the evening air as they eat. We truly are foodies at heart and we want your kitchen to look as colorful and lush as the food be created in it is.

We even take lighting into account. Have you ever been to a restaurant and you feel like you are eating under a bright spotlight? We don't enjoy that either. So we strung up the old fashion bulb lights that brought that warmth and glow to the artwork. It creates a cozy space to bounce light, but bring a sense of intimacy that you try for at a garden party. 

We are slowly putting up these new items in our Etsy Shop and here at HavenAmerica.com.

Also, on a side note, when you stand at a trade show for several days, you meet new and interesting vendors. This show was no exception. Check out these exhibitors (who are now practically family). 

To our left was Trace Mayer who makes what he calls Museum Bees. A collection of miniature wall art pieces comprised of remnants from antique picture frames. Each is crowned with a tiny item, usually a Bee, but it is also sprinkled with other surprising animals like foxes, hounds, and deer.

To our right was String A Strand on Wells. A local shop, right here in Chicago that offers the experience of stringing your own neckless creation with their collection of thousands of beads, trinkets, and treasures. What we learned from watching both of our booth neighbors do their thing is that customers at a show love to engage in "the hunt" for finding the perfect combination of their product to make their own personal creations. Something that we may want to try at a future show?

Sring A Strand on Wells actually purchased a Custom Sign from us for the front of their Wells Street Store based on our BOURBON WHISKEY sign, which I'll try to get up shortly. We oftentimes receive requests from customers to make a sign based on one that we already make.

Across the aisle, we met Regina who was selling art made by Chicago high school Teens in her booth called After School Matters. A local charity that offers high school teens the opportunity to make art and sell it through local channels like corporate sponsors.

Anyway, back to our new items... We offered 50 new pieces at the show. 

Here is a recap of the top 7

#1 Butcher Deer Rustic Wall Art

Part of our series of "Butcher Cut" animals, these cut out butcher-cut shapes are great decor for the kitchen or dining area. The Rustic wood background is made from actually salvaged timber that is over 100 years old. The Deer is shown in Cast Iron Black with Oyster White lettering. This item is also available as a Cow, Pig, and Hen.

#2 A Man Walks into a Bar Wall Art

This was probably the most talked about the piece at the show—everyone giggled and tried to finish the sentence. This is a great conversation piece for your bar! The wording "A MAN WALKS INTO A BAR..." is engraved into pine wood. It is shown in Cast Iron Black lettering and frame with an Oyster White background.

#3 Bon Appétit Framed Wall Art

38" W x 12" H x 1" D — I remember the customers mimicking Julia Child's famous "Bon Appétit" catchphrase as they passed by. This engraved/hand-painted sign is derived from a French kitchen towel design and uses classic red and white colors. It's is finished with a blonde pine frame. It's the perfect sign for your French bistro! 

#4 Coffee+Tea Cyber Cafe Sign

This Coffee + Tea Cyber Cafe Sign is perfect for your breakfast nook. Inspired by vintage New York subway tiles, it reminds you of how much you love your first cup of coffee in the morning. Finished in Cast Iron Black and Oyster White.

#5 Kitchen Mixer

Coming online soon, this piece from a new Kitchen line that we have designed originally was designed to have lighting installed in the back so it is lit. It is not sold with the lighting at this time but is still very cute and sold well at the show. It is finished with a buttery yellow background color and framed in vintage blond pine wood. The opaque white plexiglass is attached to the back of the board.

#6 Black Walnut Triangle Cutting Board

Part of a stunning new Black Walnut serving boards featuring a custom ceramic condiment and garnish bowl, perfect for cheeses and charcuterie. At the show, people loved how gift-able it was. It's crafted to fit in with any kitchen decor and add that "wow" factor to your presentation. 

#7 Oval Maple Cutting Board

This new line of Maple Cutting Boards features a dozen designs that are inspired by antique French breadboards from the turn of the century. All are about 3/4" thick and vary in size. No listings for this item are up yet, email us for more details. 

Special pricing is available for buyers who are purchasing large commercial or wholesale orders for the cutting and serving boards. Just email us and tell us what you are looking for at office@havenamerica.com 

To see more, visit us online at either HavenAmerica.com or etsy.com/shop/HavenAmerica. 

Written By:
Gregory Morris
Owner, Designer, and Partner 
Haven America

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