• Two Frogs Hugging expands • New pillow business opens • Tips for finding a tax preparer • Free consulting for small businesses Two Frogs Hugging expands In an economy when many retail businesses are making serious cutbacks and even closing their doors, Rudy
• Two Frogs Hugging expands • New pillow business opens • Tips for finding a tax preparer • Free consulting for small businesses
Two Frogs Hugging expands
In an economy when many retail businesses are making serious cutbacks and even closing their doors, Rudy Bosma has opened two new showrooms at Two Frogs Hugging, his retail furniture store in Lihu‘e.
On Feb. 26 and 27, the store held a grand opening of the new showrooms that expand the space at Two Frogs Hugging from 12,000 sq. ft. to 17,000 sq. ft. Live music, refreshments and a generous sale were on the agenda both days at the furniture store, located on Kuhio Highway, kitty-corner from Hilo Hattie’s.
Two Frogs Hugging is named after a life-sized figure that Bosma saw being carved while on a visit to Indonesia and that he continues to order from that craftsman in a variety of figurine sizes.
All furnishings in the showroom are imported from different Asian countries and fall into one of three environments. A bamboo forest area features high-quality bamboo items made in the Philippines; a Chinese area is back-dropped by oversized, one-of-a-kind Chinese screens and furnished with antique pieces fully restored by expert craftsmen; and a teak collection from Java completes the showrooms, all of which are appointed by an interior decorator.
Bosma keeps the inventory moving, traveling to Asia three-to-for times a year, visiting trade shows to keep up on market trends.
For more information, contact Rudy Bosma at 246-8777. Visit online at twofrogshugging.com.
New pillow business opens
Blue Moon Kaua‘i is a recently developed business in which a portion of all proceeds of sale is donated to The Friends of the Children’s Justice Center, according to a press release. Blue Moon Kaua‘i started by Kaua‘i resident and social worker Deborah Morel.
In Morel’s work, as a social worker and investigator in New Zealand and Alaskan Yupik Villages, child interviews were sometimes required of Morel and with children having experienced trauma or the loss of a loved one. While living in New Zealand, and working as a member of a trauma team, Morel began to hand sew comfort pillows for the children required counseling or a child interview by Morel, and used the items as part of the set-up. The comfort pillows were child size, infused with soothing natural herbs such as lavender and chamomile, and essential oil. Finally, the pillows were beaded to appeal to children. A child required interviewing could take one of the pillows if wished.
In the customs of Maori and Yupik traditional practices, the pillows are hand sewn and hand beaded. This deliberate time, invested by the crafter to hand sew, speaks to intention and reverence to all children who may have gone before, and all children facing losses and harm. The deliberate process, in the making of the craft, attends to the spirit (qela, Yupik and wairua, Maori) of a child.
In 2007, Morel started to hand sew the same lavender pillows for our Island Friends of the Children’s Justice Center. In very generous fashion, a number of community merchants began to donate fabric, stuffing and herbs to contribute to the making of the pillows.
Currently, the crafted pillows may be found at North Shore Creations, located at the Kaua‘i Products Fair in Kapa‘a, Island Canvas Works, Kapa‘a, and The Kapaia Stitchery in Kapa‘a.
Pillows range in size to appeal to all ages, and in a variety of Hawaiian prints. The pillows continue to be hand sewn, infused with essential oil, Ali Kula Lavender grown and harvested on the Island of Maui, and stuffed with organic cotton. The pillows are beaded with shells, driftwood and seeds found on our Island of Kaua‘i. At requests, Morel has added several other crafts including pillow cases, scrunchies, plastic bag holders and tea candle sets. Special orders are available.
Tips for finding a tax preparer
Most taxpayers will pay for help to file their taxes this year. Hawai‘i’s BBB encourages consumers to be careful when selecting tax preparation help or they may get hit with frustration, fines and fees if the return isn’t correct or is filed late.
According to the IRS, 80 percent of Americans get help from a tax preparer or tax software when filing their taxes. Unfortunately, every year BBB receives thousands of complaints from consumers against tax preparers. Commonly, complainants state that the tax preparer made errors in their return which resulted in fines and fees.
Check the BBB Reliability Report on tax preparation services at www.bbb.org.
Free consulting for small businesses
“SBA Resource Days” are increasingly important in providing tools and information for Hawaii’s economic recovery. These special community-based events offer 30-minute free, confidential consultations with small business specialists from the federal agency and address critical issues like access to capital and credit. The full range of programs and resources available from the U.S. Small Business Administration can help small business owners get back to the business of doing business.
SBA’s experienced staff can help existing small business owners and start-ups evaluate their current operations and find resources available to deal with the current economic slump. Information is available about the agency’s guaranteed loan programs, government contracting certifications and other sources for training, business counseling, planning, and technical assistance.
The event will be held March 25 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the American Savings Bank in Lihu‘e.
Reservations are recommended for the 30-minute appointments. Registration is also available at www.sba.gov/hi. Appointments will be confirmed by SBA.
For more information call 808-541-2990 ext. 212.
