Lots of excitement in Atlanta

This is turning out to be a big weekend in Atlanta! It’s the International Gift and Home Furnishings Market at the Mart, and people are driving and flying in from all over the country to be here. Brooke and Steve Giannetti (from Velvet & Linen) are coming in from Los Angeles, and we are getting together for dinner with legendary designer Suzanne Kasler (I am hoping the weather does not impact our plans – we are expecting snow, which is a rare event in Atlanta, and we are not well equipped to deal with it!).

It is also Scott’s Antique Market weekend, and Scott’s is always at its best when it coincides with a big event at the Mart. Scott’s Antique Market is officially open from Friday to Sunday, but designers can go on Thursday when all of the vendors are setting up. It is a bit chaotic on Thursday, but the early bird gets first dibs! Image of Scott’s Antique Market via Velvet & Linen.

The Spotlight on Art Preview Market opens on Thursday night (1/7/10) at Saks Fifth Avenue at Phipps Plaza with a ‘Girls Night Out’ evening featuring best selling author Emily Giffin. The event is from 6pm-8pm, and all who attend receive a Saks discount card good for the evening of the event.

One of Atlanta’s best home decor stores, Simply Home by Addington Osborne, is full of charm and a new discovery for me. I was smitten when I saw the color of the front door – an enchanting shade of purple. The store has a fresh and casually elegant vibe and is definitely worth a visit.

Simply Home is hosting a reception for famous California designer Kathryn Ireland at the store on Friday morning, 1/8/10, from 10 am – 12 pm. Kathryn will share her secrets to entertaining in 2010. To RSVP, please contact the store - Simply Home by Addington Osborne/4209 Roswell Road/Atlanta, Georgia/RSVP 404.497.9781/jillmerkle@gmail.com. (To see a great blog post on Kathryn, see Cote De Texas’ post from last year – click here).

Eddie Ross is hosting a tea party and framing extravaganza on Saturday at 2 pm – it’s free for bloggers, and $10 general admission. Click here for more information (RSVP required)– it promises to be a great event!

Finally, The Mart has some exciting keynote speakers and events. Thom Felicia and Kathryn M. Ireland are on the schedule both Friday and Saturday, and Brad Ford of designtherapy.com will be speaking on blogging and design. Check the Mart event pages for more information (email subscribers, click here); typically the Mart is only open to buyers, designers, and ‘the trade’, so call ahead if you want more information.

For those of you in or near Atlanta, I hope you can make it to some of these great events! Let’s hope the weather cooperates!

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