I’ve always believed what is meant to be will always find a way. A few weeks ago, my life’s path took an unexpected turn that has left me fully immersed in the world of IKEA. The blinders have been removed! I have learned so much in such a short amount of time, not just about the products, but about the company itself, that I’m seriously questioning my use of those blinders for so many years! And there’s the added safety net of having my nearest store four hours away in Atlanta!

HAHA Or so I thought! How quickly I’ve forgotten how often I visit Atlanta, even if it’s just passing through, my path taking me within blocks of the store! And so it was, this past Saturday I found myself visiting an IKEA store for the first time ever! And not to thoroughly overwhelm myself at all, I chose to do it on the first Saturday of the Summer Sale!

Of course I went with very stern instructions to myself that I was ONLY going to purchase the SUNNAN lamp that I had blogged about before. I succeeded………..sort of. I also came home with a $7 set of sheets for my daughter, a large stuffed hippo for the hubby, and the big green leaf for my son’s jungle themed bedroom. Not too shabby!

You can see the rest of photos from the Sea of Yellow Summer Sale Signs over in our Forums! Yes, I’m already planning a return trip! Next time with another six hours to spare to do some real shopping! – K

“think I’m going mad, and so’s my wife: We distinctly remember seeing a green
PATRIK chair online or in a catalog, but cannot find it any longer. Can you ask
your readers? Was there a green PATRIK that was perhaps
discontinued?”

JR
…

Product Link

Happy Fourth of July
From positivefanatics.com

© 2006 ABF
…
First 4 people in line (18 and older) dressed as the Statue of Liberty  from head to toe will receive  a $250 gift card at the IKEA Schaumburg. Check your nearest store to see if they’re participating in this promotion.

“ALMHULT, SWEDEN — Most furniture chains don’t have hard-core fans who camp out in parking lots before grand openings or blog about copycat competition in China.

But Ikea is more than a chain. The blue-and-yellow warehouse jammed with low-cost, high-style furniture and housewares is closer to a design revolution.

At company headquarters this spring, project manager Lars Dafnas summed up Ikea’s appeal in just three words: “Natural. Blond. Solid.” It’s a short profile that has cut a long swath through the global
furniture market, making Ikea the world’s leading home-furnishings retailer….

…With $18.3 billion in sales last year, the world clearly likes what Ikea is doing.

At www.positivefanatics.com, the self-proclaimed “unofficial Ikea web journal,” megafans blog about Ikea news and share photos and wish lists.

Armand Frasco, who created the blog in November, said the site is so popular that people think he works for Ikea and regularly ask for him for job applications.

“It’s amazing,” Frasco said. “I hear from people in Michigan, Russia, Malaysia, everywhere.”

When the Houston Ikea opened at its new location in August 2004, the first customers lined up nine days before the doors opened. With a  $10,000 gift certificate as an incentive for the first, it’s easy to understand the motivation. But living in a tent city in the middle of a Houston summer is, as they say, a whole ‘nother thing..”

LINK

[Thanks to Allen Reid!]

Image: “Thar They Blow!” @ IKEA Lovers/FLICKR
ABF © 2006

Titta and the Peeps
IKEA “Titta” finger puppets by Anna Efverlund and Marshmallow Peeps.

Image: ABF. View larger size @ FLICKR

The “Little Wanderer” is a sculpture by Japanese artist Yoshitomo Nara, (b. 1959).

Image: © 2006 ABF

I visited the Chicago Flower and Garden Show at the Navy Pier last Saturday. The nice guys at Exotic Hibiscus even showed us how they come up with new varieties!

More @ FLICKR.

Excuse the slow updates. As you can see, we’re working on my new place. Thanks to Daf who came  straight from work to help:)

Images: ABF © 2006 All Rights Reserved.
…
Uh-oh. I just checked my referrers list.

Thanks guys.^_^
…
Update:

Reminder: We are getting lots of emails inquiring about
jobs at IKEA. Wish we could help but Positive Fanatics is not
officially affiliated with IKEA. Please direct your applications to
their corporate site/offices. Good luck!

And thanks to all the folks from West Sacramento, CA. and Canton, MI who
are inviting us to their store openings. Let’s see if we can hitch a ride
there.