Does the Preview of Hearth & Handâ„¢ live up to the hype?

They say you should write what you know.  I know that on November 5th, 2017, I will be using my extra daylight saving time hour by purchasing Hearth & Hand items.  H&H, the Magnolia Homes/Fixer Upper/Joanna Gaines brand for Target, has items available for preview, but won’t be available for purchase till this Sunday.  The preview allows consumers to pre-game their strategy for the upcoming release date. How early should I begin my camp out in front of Target?  Does the lady in line in front of me look like a fast sprinter? How aggressive do I want to be for a name card holder?  In short, is the Hearth & Home brand worth the hassle? Verdict: A Mild Disappointment Not all the items available at Target are home runs.  There are a few pieces that the world could live without.  For example, Joanna Gaines may have overestimated America’s love for goat-centric decorations.  Also, the collection uses a consistent color-scheme of black and white stripes with hunter green accents.  The overall effect is a Starbucks/Prison work release vibe. Regardless, the main concern with the Hearth & Hand experiment is that the brand would be too much exposure for the Gaines.   With the news that this will be the last season of Fixer Upper, I’ll take whatever exposure I can get. Verdict: A Guilty Pleasure In reality, none of these items are necessary, but what is fascinating is how cute frivolous items can be.  Wreaths that are 75% complete = delightful! House shaped cookie cutters = need.   Malformed dinner plates = manufactured artistry!   The collection even has a category called, “giftables.”  I wasn’t aware that there was a word fancier than gifts and presents combined. (In theory, I believe that all things can be “giftables”) However you wrap it, each piece of Hearth & Hand has the potential to brighten someone’s day. Verdict: Worth It A fortune cookie once told me, “Sometimes the anticipation of a big thing makes the actual thing seem small.”  Overall, the anticipation of Hearth & Hand looks like it will be worth the wait.  The collection promises to “add some nostalgia to your child’s playthings” with a vintage dollhouse.  And even though I desperately want to hate on a toy that brings “nostalgia” to toddlers, the result is so sweet it’s impossible to hate. Along with the Starbucks/Prison Work Release vibe, H&H also continues with a simple house motif.  The simplistic look, perfected by the Shakers, is clean.  The minimalist construction of one square house with one triangle roof is calming.  The clean lines remind me of when I used to draw one square house with one triangle roof.  The house motif adds some nostalgia to remind me of my child playthings. Oh I see what they did there. It’s hard to properly judge these pieces before you can actually get your hands on them. Sometimes you need to feel the heft of a good giftable before you gauge if they were worth all the hype.  If you need me, on Sunday morning, I’ll be doing just that.