At the Back of the North Wall

Will wonders never cease? We've all been so intrigued (and occasionally frightened) by all the banging and clanging inside the north wall at Castle in the Air that today I decided to investigate what could be causing such a racket. A tiny bit of plaster had fallen away from a space lower on the wall, about knee-high from the floor. I crouched down and peeped in, when what did I see but all the resident gnomes hard at work on the other side! Apparently someone's told them about our (until now) secret plans to stretch out and expand all of the marvelous things we do here in our store, studio, and study!

When the gnomes -- along with a few of their human counterparts -- have finished their work, things will be very different here at Castle in the Air. The most noticeable change for our everyday visitors will be the addition of an upstairs art gallery to showcase some of the more spectacular works of our artists. The gallery, which will be built in what is now the shop office, will also serve as an expansion of our classroom. One of our Hoopoe messenger-birds has been flitting through the town and across the countryside, delivering invitations to renowned teachers who will be able to come and lead some special super-sized classes in our Studio for the Imagination. During the winter months, we plan to use the extra space to offer even more holiday marvels.

On the other side of the wall, the behind-the-scenes work at Castle in the Air will continue in a spacious new setting. Our Online Shoppe has grown since its launch last fall, and we are using measuring tape and sketch-pads to dream up a space where it can continue to thrive and serve more and more friends who live too far away to visit Castle in the Air in person. We will also have a new workshop for the creation of one-of-a-kind items, as well as our beloved ephemera packs.

Finally, the expansion is helping me further realize a dream I've had since the days before I first opened the doors at Castle in the Air. The relocation of the shop offices will afford us the space to grow Dromedary Press. My own publishing company, Dromedary makes many of the greeting cards we sell at the store, as well as the limited-edition book, Castle in the Air. Our next title is on its way later this year, and the extra space will help us to keep going with more books and projects that reflect the artistry and ideals we've all built up at Castle in the Air.

So if you come by the shop in the next few weeks and see a bit of plaster on the floor or hear a knock in the wall, don't be surprised if you find a dusty little fellow adjusting his pointy hat and picking up his hammer or pick-axe. He's just one of the many helpers who are bringing about a new era at Castle in the Air.