Hi there. I’m Janelle, Rejuvenation’s newest writer.
Let’s get this out of the way: I used to work for Martha Stewart. I was there when she went to prison, knitted the infamous poncho, and returned wearing an ankle bracelet. Although I learned much too much about the perils of insider trading, Martha also taught me tons about domesticity, decorating, and antiques. Which was handy, because after seven years in New York, I moved to Ohio and into a 1860s brick Italianate.
I have yet to find a lovably timeworn heap to call my own in Portland, but my itch for the historic, the genuine, and the one-of-a-kind receives regular scratching at Rejuvenation. Surrounded by lighting wonks and antique geeks, I feel just like I’m back at Martha - except that around here, when people talk about conviction, they don’t mean jail time.
Two truths and a lie:
My fondest hope is to start a goat farm
I have two French Bulldogs, both named George Foreman
My master’s degree is in theology
This year, we have been sharing our Labor of Love stories with you. Some have been about products and some have been about personal experiences, but they’ve all reflected on our appreciation for the handmade, the hard-won, and the heartfelt. To honor this weekend’s holiday, we wanted to pay tribute to the biggest labor of love of all: motherhood. We hope you enjoy our stories—and feel inspired to share one of your own with us. Or, even better, share it with the special ones near to you.
Last time she visited me at work, my daughter wrote this sweet little note on the white board in my office:
This year, we have been sharing our Labor of Love stories with you. Some have been about products and some have been about personal experiences, but they’ve all reflected on our appreciation for the handmade, the hard-won, and the heartfelt. To honor this weekend’s holiday, we wanted to pay tribute to the biggest labor of love of all: motherhood. We hope you enjoy our stories—and feel inspired to share one of your own with us. Or, even better, share it with the special ones near to you.
Dear Mother,
Spring is here.
Blue skies playfully peeking out from behind the clouds.
The warmth of the sun smiling from up above.
Baby birds chirping, as they are fed by their parents.
As part of our ongoing mission to help improve the communities in which we do business, each of our retail stores has a charitable partner. In Portland, we work with p:ear, an organization that offers education, art, and recreation programs to homeless and parentless youth, enabling them to live healthier, happier lives. To date, p:ear has provided assistance and education to more than 2,500 young people.
This Saturday, May 12, p:ear is celebrating 10 years of making a difference in the lives of homeless youth by hosting its largest event of the year. With a sit-down dinner, inspirational performances by The Northwest Dance Project and Y La Bamba, 100 silent-auction items, and specialty cocktails, the evening will not only be a great time, it will also have a great impact. By participating, you can help p:ear serve the nearly 1000 youth who benefit from its programs each year.
To find out more and to register for the event, please go here.
We can hardly wait for late June, when our new Berkeley store opens! The place is really coming together: Our team is busily stocking shelves, installing hardware, salvaging salvage, and ogling the restored antiques…We’ll also post job openings soon, so tell your historically minded, handcraft-obsessed friends.
Stay tuned to find out the exact opening date and all the fun details about our Grand Opening Party on August 2nd. As part of the event, we’re holding a silent auction and raffle with proceeds going to our Berkeley charitable partner, Berkeley Food and Housing Project (BFHP). Founded in 1970, this organization works to ease and end the crisis of homelessness for men, women, and children in the Berkeley community.
In short, we’re almost ready for you to come visit. If you want to get the inside scoop on all things Berkeley, sign up for emails here.
Here at Rejuvenation, we’re planning for Earth Hour. (Yep, your heard that right: Earth Hour. Earth Day is in April, and we’ll be celebrating that, too.) For one hour on March 31st, from 8:30 p.m.to 9:30 p.m., this lighting company is turning off our lights to support better environmental stewardship.
Earth Hour began in Sydney, Australia, in 2007, as a statement against the biggest contributor to global warming: coal-fired electricity. Since then, the event has grown larger every year. Here’s how the organization describes it:
Hundreds of millions of people, businesses and governments around the world unite each year to support the largest environmental event in history – Earth Hour.
More than 5,200 cities and towns in 135 countries worldwide switched off their lights for Earth Hour 2011 alone, sending a powerful message for action on climate change. It also ushered in a new era with members going Beyond the Hour to commit to lasting action for the planet. Without a doubt, it’s shown how great things can be achieved when people come together for a common cause.
We invite you to join us in the dark. Spend the time with family and friends, enjoying the simple pleasures of candlelight and conversation. If you like, tell us how it went and if you have plans to go Beyond the Hour.
