Chalk it up

Check out the new Fall window display I just completed at Bop to Tottom in Kingston’s Historic Uptown Stockade District.

My design was to create a retro-class room vibe… Since many students would be learning online and missing the IRL experience. The client wanted to save some money on this display so I figured out some inexpensive alternatives for this window update.

Inspired by the artist Cy Twombly and chalk scribbles, I created these simple chalkboard vertical banners of 1/4” lauan wood and chalkboard paint with fun chalk scribbles. Since face masks are now top sellers, I printed photos of the owner and staff at a large size and hung them on old cork boards that were in the basement of the store - added bonus for the classroom vibe. Then I used photo murals on the back and side walls for that high impact fall colors background.

Initially, I wanted to get vintage school desks and chairs as props but they were to expensive so I just used some furniture I had lying around. And voila… Instant store window display on a dime.

Say Watt?!?

The new window installation for Half Moon Books is all lit up… This installation is a trio of chandeliers made of books. It was challenging, as it is with books, because of their weight, but I think it turned out fab.

Just a few drill holes and some basic elec wiring and voila… Book Chandeliers!

And a huge thank you John Cox for letting me take over his workshop.

design, display, Half Moon Books, installation, Retail, window displayChris BickSeptember 2, 2020Installation, window display, window shopping, store window, books, chandelier, lighting, lighting design, Half Moon Book Store, Vintage Books, used booksComment

All Apologies

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SORRY, I’M SORRY… no, really!

A recent phone argument with my dad which resulted in him yelling at me, hanging up and then a lame attempt at an apology leading me to learn how to make a true apology.

A true apology does not include the word “but” (“I'm sorry, but …”). “But” automatically cancels out an apology, and nearly always introduces a criticism or excuse. A true apology keeps the focus on your actions - and not on the other person's response. I did not know this, but there’s four steps to a correct and sincere apology. Here goes…

Acknowledge the offending behavior. Use “I” statements. I’m sorry I didn’t show up for our date. I’m sorry I didn’t pay you back. Etc.
Show how the behavior was hurtful, and express remorse. Don’t say how the other person’s behavior contributed to the problem. This is less than sincere.
Make amends. Tell the person what you’ll do to make things right. Even better, ask the other person what he or she would like from you.
Promise that the offending behavior will not happen again.

If you want to read more (like tips on how to apologize) click here.

Many thanks to Anne Brandt for the research.

apology, tips, info, how toChris BickAugust 26, 2020how to, tips, apology, I'm sorry, helpfulComment

Garden Party

Among the other home improvement projects I’ve been working on during the pandemic, my garden is also on the list. I work hard on it every year, but this year, with the added free time, I’m very happy with the results. Rather than talk all about it, I thought I’d like the photos do all work ‘cause I’m tired. :-)

August Update - The Black Eyed Susan Festival

From The Garden, Garden, LandscapeChris BickJuly 28, 2020gardening, landscaping, Catskills, catskills cottage, Mount Tremper, Flowers, patio, yard Comment

I've got the Magic RE-touch

I am so grateful that ever since the pandemic hit, that I’ve been busy with freelance work. Marketing, Social Media, Web development and Photo Retouching.

I’ve been retouching in Photoshop for over 15 years now and am 100% self-taught. Aside from watching YouTube tutorials, I’ve never once taken a single “official” class. I started back in my Fred Flare days knocking out backgrounds and whitening model’s teeth for the website.

Well, I’ve come a long way baby… I thought I would share some of my recent successes with you. Initally, I didn’t think I could do it, but with some persistence and perseverance, I made it work.

Check out the before and after wonders…

FIREPLACE: I lit up the wall sconce and added a fire in the fireplace.

KITCHEN: I removed the clutter in the background and the box at the door.

LIVING ROOM: Brightened it up, removed the finger in the upper right and also removed the door hinge.

If you need any photo retouching, please drop me a line. I’d be happy to give you a quote.

Advertising, design, marketing, photography, retouching, PhotoshopChris BickJuly 21, 2020photography, photo retouching, retouching, photoshop, creative suite, marketing, digital marketingComment

Mid-Century Mountain

As my quarantine house painting project draws to a close, it’s time to pop back inside and check in on my Living Room. Because of the cathedral ceiling height, I had to leave this room to the professionals as well.

In keeping with my clean, modern Scandinavian look, I went with Benjamin Moore’s Decorator White on the walls and White Opulent for the trim. I really like the 2 contrasting whites. Why no color you may ask… Well, it was gray before and I wanted a brighter change.

I’ve coined my interior “Mid-Century Mountain,” I better copyright that. In addition to some great vintage items, I’ve collected pieces and furniture from some of my favorite brands with a retro spin…

Urban Outfitters, Design Within Reach, West Elm, CB2, Crate & Barrel, Jonathan Adler, Patch NYC, Annie Poon, Cardboard Safari, Muji, Crosely and IKEA… Quite the melange. But my fave is still the pink horns from Cody Foster.

home improvements, Painting, QuarantineChris BickJuly 15, 2020Living Room, home improvements, Mid Century Modern, catskills cottage, Interior Design, Benjamin Moore, FurnitureComment

Chronogrammies

I’m so excited… My new fave client, Kingston’s very own Bop to Tottom has won a ChronoGrammy for BEST GIFT SHOP! Check it out here! Congratulations Karen on an award well deserved! I’m thrilled to be part of the Bop to Tottom team as we build their first ever e-commerce website. STAY TUNED. 🏆🥇🎉

Bop to Tottom, kingston, ChronogramChris BickJuly 8, 2020Chronogram, chronogrammies, bop to tottom, winner, award, retail, Kingston, Gift shopComment

Sweet Sue's

Dreams came true for me in an otherwise crazy time. I got to create Sweet Sue’s new website and their first ever “official” Facebook page? After being closed for the Covid-19 pandemic, Sue Taylor, the founder, decided to reopen for Take Out and wanted some help. I was thrilled that I got the gig.

Since started her business in 1984 and being famous for the most delicious pancakes that are as big as your head, Sue really didn’t ever have to market her business… It was all just word of mouth. But now we live in different times. Small businesses need a digital footprint to remain relevant and communicate with their fans/customers.

So, she wanted a simple, one page website that communicated the new Take Out policies in addition to her reduced menu. I used a GoDaddy platform site builder to keep her costs down. And the second I made her Facebook page, it was like the flood gates opened with eager fans ready to feast.

Who knows how this pandemic will playout, but I’m happy that my Pancake Dreams got to come true! Bon appetit.

Click here to view the project gallery.

The day Sweet Sue’s reopened… 6/27/20

White Dove

Let’s take a break from painting the inside of my Catskills cottage and check in on the outside…

I get major vertigo if I go on just the 2nd rung of a ladder, so I had to leave this project to the professionals. I’d never painted my house in the 10 yrs of owning it and believe me when I say “it need it.” There were more chips on the house than in a Vegas casino. I also had water damage around the kitchen chimney which had infiltrated info the roof structure a bit - that was a fun surprise.

BEFORE - A paint chip extravaganza. The house was a “linen white” color which had a hint of yellow - but it was all basically flaking off and dirty, dirty, dirty!

POWER WASHING - The first thing the painters did was power wash the house. It was amazing. I know it looks crazy, but I was into it…

WATER DAMAGE - Then I had to hire a carpenter to repair the water damaged area at the kitchen window / chimney. He had to first rip out all the rotten wood siding and beams. Then replace it with pressure treated wood and re-flash around the chimney to prevent future damage. Check out the start to finish process.

AFTER - Last but not least, the finished product. I wanted the house to be a brighter white color but not “burn your retina” white, so I went with Benjamin Moore’s White Dove in an exterior luster finish. I think it turned out great. I love it, especially the Bilco Door painted in geranium red!

Brian, the painter and me! He and his partner Skyler were GREAT!

Painting, home improvements, paintingChris BickJuly 2, 2020house painter, home improvements, painting, Benjamin Moore, white dove, power washing, water damage, repairs, increased value, home owner, catskills cottageComment

Let's Grow Your Business

Hi, my name is Chris Bick and I wanna be your new marketing guy. My mission is to help small Hudson Valley businesses make and save lots of money! And in this post-Covid 19 landscape, this is an even more sacred task for me.

MY SKILLS: I can manage your social media accounts. I can launch or revitalize your website (utilizing GoDaddy, SquareSpace, Wix or Shopify e-commerce templates) and can design and implement your email marketing campaigns. I can help rethink and re-energize your business both online and on-site. I work hard and never give up. And with over 17 five-star reviews, you know you're getting great service with Pioneer.

Message me today for a free consult and we can review your business goals and budget!

Check Out My Portfolio

Advertising, marketing, web development, Social MediaChris BickJune 29, 2020Post Covid 19, ecommerce, marketing, web design, social media, email marketing, GoDaddy, SquareSpace, Wix, Shopify, Mailchimp, Constant ContactComment

I Don't Search I Find

pioneer marketing chris bick half moon books word search puzzle.jpg

My latest store window design installation for Kingston’s Half Moon Books is a Word Search Puzzle… There’s 5 words that are hidden in the puzzle of letters. Can you find them? See below for some spoilers.

When Jessica, the owner of Half Moon Books and I first met to discuss this window design, we wanted something fun and lite yet celebratory since this was to be her Post-Covid 19 Pandemic “reopening” Summer window. I honestly don’t recall how we landed on a giant word search puzzle, but when Jessica and I brainstorm, it’s like lightening in a bottle. Shablam!

And since it had to involve books, I thought if we opened books you could paint one letter per page. I went with a rainbow assortment of colors to make it fun, positive and happy… It’ Pride Month after all. Then I found this great website that generates Word Find Puzzles for you. The puzzle consists of 32 total books, 4 across (opened) by 8 down - essentially an 8x8 character puzzle. And voila… We had ourselves a window. I always feel like I’ll run out of window ideas but they keep coming. A reminder to believe in yourself.

The construction went so smoothly. I’m usually defying gravity, but compared to some of the other window installations, this one was pretty easy. And that’s exactly what I wanted.

Okay, can you find the following 5 words that Jessica picked: Justice (we gave you this one), Peace, Liberty, Equality and Love… There’s other ones but those are bonus!

Be safe out there. xo

SPOILER ALERTZ! Don’t go any further if you want to find the hidden words on your own.

pioneer marketing kingston ny window display half moon books.jpg

pioneer marketing chris bick half moon books word search puzzle i love you.jpeg

Porch Chops & Apple Sauce

The next chapter of my Coronavirus / Covid-19 pandemic quarantine home improvements project (wow, that’s a mouthful) was painting and redecorating my 3-season front porch.

This porch is one of my fave rooms in the house but it was beyond dirty. I think because it’s so wet in my area and the room isn’t totally air-tight that it gets really dirty and moldy. I was at the paint store and this guy said to just wash the walls with bleach and it would kill the mold. Aside from the stinky smell, he was correct. I barely had to wipe down the walls… The bleach just annihilated everything and left beautiful walls that barely looked like they needed painting. But I forged again… Besides, I wanted a slight color change.

Here’s the before. Not too bad, just a bit shabby.

Look at that beautiful fresh painted floor.

For the walls and trim I went with Benjamin Moore Exterior, White Dove (OC-18), Semi-Gloss. The floor is Benjamin Moore, Floor & Patio Latex, Light Gray and then there’s the ceiling, which I did in Benjamin Moore, Icy Blue (2057-70), Flat. And here’s why…

The existing ceiling was painted a light blue and I always wondered what that was all about. Was is supposed to evoke sky? Well, I did some research and here’s what I found: It’s called Haint Blue and it’s a tradition of painted porch ceilings blue in the South - originally created from crushed indigo plants.

From Wikipedia:

Originally, haint blue was thought by the Gullah people to ward haints, or ghosts, away from the home. The tactic was intended either to mimic the appearance of the sky, tricking the ghost into passing through, or to mimic the appearance of water, which ghosts traditionally could not cross. But while the enslaved Africans of the Low country and their descendants believed in the protective power of haint blue, the cultivation of indigo to produce the dye energized the 18th-century transatlantic trade, thereby increasing the enslavement of Africans.

As Gullah culture mingled with white southern culture, the custom became more widely practiced. The use of haint blue has lost some of its superstitious significance, but modern proponents also cite the color as a spider and wasp-deterrent. However, the color has not actually been scientifically shown to stave off bugs.

Once the painting was done, it was time to sass up the decor… I kept what I had but took out some of the wicker chairs to highlight the 2 vintage Eames chairs I have. They also compliment the orange Jonathan Adler chair. And then I brought out the 2 Lilly Pulitzer for Target lounge chairs. And doncha love that orange pouf from CB2?

And in my little dining area, I put my Bea Åkerlund (Lady Gaga and Madonna's Stylist ) for IKEA crown bowl as my centerpiece surround by fun thrift store floral art.

And the after image… Can you feel the HAINT?

design, home improvements, Painting, QuarantineChris BickJune 19, 2020Interior Design, Painting, porch, Decoration, screened in porch, home improvementsComment

Kitchen Confidential

Next stop on my Coronavirus quarantine home improvement to-do list… Painting the kitchen.

My kitchen has been the same ever since I moved in back in 2009. I’ve wanted to paint it forever, but never was able to find the time… Quarantine Silver Lining alert!!! Painting was what it really needed; Head to toe. The cabinets, the walls and the fridge.

I took it out of its 90s purple vibe into a minty retro realm. I was always obsessed with Martha Stewart’s green accents and I’ve been dying to have a mind kitchen. Dreams came true with Benjamin Moore “Mantis Green” (2033-60).

I also had the ugliest and rustiest refrigerator that I’d ever seen. It was easy to get it to a brand-new look once again. All I did was sand off the flaking rust and then dazzle it with some high-gloss white from Rustoleum. Check out the photos.

The essential “Before” image… I love purple but on in my kitchen.

Shelves of vintage treasures and curiosities. The Owl cookie jar is my fave.

My vintage Sputnik clock is going to my grave with me! #bananas

Up next… The three-season porch!

home improvements, design, Quarantine, Kitchen, PaintingChris BickMay 15, 2020Kitchen, Painting, home improvements, quarantine, Benjamin MooreComment

Home Improvements

Since I’m trapped in my house for the Covid-19 quarantine, I thought I’d stay productive and start doing some home improvement projects. I started small, by painting the Bathroom and Laundry Room. Here’s how they turned out.

And doy, I should have taken before pics (they started out ruff)… My bad. And my next project is painting the kitchen refurbishing my rusty fridge. Stay Tuned.

How are you staying busy and productive during these important times?

Laundry Room - Custom designed plywood cabinets by yours truly

home improvements, bathroom, LaundryChris BickMay 6, 2020covid 19, coronavirus, home improvements, bathroom, laundry, quarantineComment

Chains of Love

I took the day off from work to install the new Spring store windows at my fave Bop to Tottom… I guess I was in a bubble up until because this was the day when the Coronavirus Covid-19 hit home for me. I heard of toilet paper hording and social distancing for the first time ever. No sooner did I finish the window than Bop to Tottom had to close and I then I was laid off at my full time job.

Once this ends, there will be super fun and colorful store window Bop to Tottom to bring you some happy cheer. Even if you need a quick pick me up, drive by and enjoy this colorful tribute to Spring re-birth!

This too shall pass as we will get thru this… Alone together.

To see the entire window display, click here.

Bop to Tottom

DREAMS COME TRUE. I’ve always wanted to do the windows at Kingston’s signature gift shop, Bop to Tottom. The windows are incredible. They’re a vintage style, foyer wrap around on the corner of N Front St and Wall St. It’s reminded me for so long of Fred Flare. Giving me that nostalgic rumble.

When I heard that Karen, the owner, wanted me to do this year’s holiday windows… I was sooo happy… Absolutely thrilled. We had a tight schedule but it was so fun. I had a blast with Karen and her team. And here’s what I made…

The motif is “Sex and the City get an AirBNB in Pheonicia for the Holiday.”

Let’s take a tour…

The front girls… Rita, Dolores and Simone… At their front door.

THE NORTH-FACING WINDOWS: This is loosely interpreted as “inside” the girls’ AirBNB in Phoenicia. I merchandised little rooms and wanted to pack with the windows with great gift merch… So, every time you looked at the windows, you’d discover something new.

Check out the stumps as product platforms.

THE SOUTH-FACING WINDOWS: This is loosely interpreted as “outside” the girl’s AirBNB. I used a winter photo mural and loads of trees to give it that forest vibe.

It's Ornamental

Here’s a “how to” demo on making books as ornaments…

BOOKS AS ORNAMENTS HOW TO:

I picked a bunch of books that made nice fans. The paperback “romance novel” size seemed to work the best.
I drew lines on the covers where I wanted to cut them. 2 diagonal lines gave me the diamond shapes. Explore shapes!
Using my friend’s woodshop, I cut the books using a bandsaw. Be careful… Safety has NO QUITTING TIME!
Next, I cut 7/8” red ribbon in all different lengths and hot glue gunned the ends to the spine of the books.
Finally I would fan the book and hot glue the covers to each other… Creating an awesome fan effect.

Using my friend’s woodshop, I cut the books using a band saw. Be careful… Safety has NO QUITTING TIME!

Cutting the red ribbon in all different lengths and hot glue gunned the ends to the spine of the books.

About to glue the covers to themselves.

And voila… The finished product!

Wanna see it in real life? Be be sure to visit Half Moon Books on N Front St in Uptown Kingston this Holiday Season. Happy Holidays. xo, Chris

design, display, Half Moon Books, Holiday, installation, kingston, marketing, RetailChris BickNovember 27, 2019books, Bookstore, ornaments, Holiday Windows, Holiday, retail, window display, InstallationComment

Your Kiss Is On My List

K.I.S.S. 3rd and final LIPS bike rack installed at the Post Office on Cornell in Kingston, NY… MWAH. ❤️🚲😘 #bikerack #postoffice #installationart #lips #swak #mwah #love @opositivefest @ Post Office-Kingston

installation, bike, bicycle, lips, bike rack, kingston, O+ FestivalChris BickJune 14, 2019Kingston NY, O+ Festival, Post Office, lips, Bike Rack, bicycle, swak, kissComment

Tens Across the Board

Another fantastic window collab with Half Moon Books. They’re celebrating their 10 year anniversary, so of course, I wanted to give them a cake of books! 🎂📚 Happy Birthday Half Moon Books. I love you!!! 🎉🎈🌜 #windowdisplay #bookstore #happybirthday #installation — at Half Moon Books.

display, design, Half Moon Books, installationChris BickMay 10, 2019retail, display, window display, anniversary, ten, Bookstore, books, Half Moon Book Store, used book, cakeComment

Less is More

half moon books winter 2019 pioneer agency kingston ny.jpg

For the Winter 2019 Half Moon Books store window update, I wanted to do something interesting but also minimal. I think after Holiday, minimalism is a great motif. I thought of just one solid pillar of books spiraling. There’s repetition and pattern in the simplicity. #monolithic