Hobby Lobby treats its employees extremely well. It gives every employee Sunday off, it pays $15/hr as the base wage, it provides insurance that covers all but 4 types of birth control, and it donates 10 percent of its profits to charity.

I don't get the sign thing though.

Arcy...where are the nasty comments you are mentioning? I don't see anything nasty on this thread.

I see mostly reasons why some people choose not to shop there.

ML

I dislike the signs but they are benign. I also wish the trend would burn out. As a child in the sixties we had a neighbor with a sign in her kitchen. It looked like a bread board on a handle and it said Board of Education. When I asked for an explanation I was told it was a spanking paddle. So I was biased against them from an early age.

beaglesdoitbetter1 and arcy_gw, Your comments are appreciated. It is reassuring to know that you have the facts concerning Hobby Lobby.

As stated in my previous post:
"We all choose where we shop, whether based on desire for a product or
political/ethical stance. However, when it concerns public information
regarding Hobby Lobby's position on female employee's contraception
coverage, we should be accurate on public forums so as not to misinform
readers."

Why should the article I posted be "deleted ASAP" as one poster stated? It presents the facts concerning contraceptives offered or not offered by Hobby Lobby to female employees.

If some people enjoy using signs to decorate, fine. If others dislike the trend, they simply don't have to follow it. It is the same with everything in life.

Our HL has terrible management practices that irk me whenever I shop there. They occasionally do not allow returns on clearance items. They always have long checkout lanes with clerks watching people wait. Their attitude is that they are doing you a service selling you those signs! and I can't believe they would invest in a new POS that doesn't scan barcodes.

Don't get me going on birth control- the Sister's bought the hospital where I have worked for many years.

beryl469, Very good article. The following quote from it summarizes the issue for me:

"Don’t women have a constitutional right to access to birth control and abortion?

They
do. But there is no constitutional right to have someone else pay for
it. The question in the Hobby Lobby case was whether the government can
force someone else to pay for a woman’s contraceptives even though that
person has religious objections to doing so."

Your "other option" is to protest by shopping somewhere else. Freedom is great, isn't it?

Our town just got a Hobby Lobby and I am very happy ...used to drive over 60 miles to get to one. I think anyone who owns a business should have the right to their beliefs, just like we all should have the right to our own and shop where we want or not.

Isn't that what they said? They chose not to shop there. Why is this thread all about Hobby Lobby now?

I'm tired of signs as decor, too, KSWL. I do think there are stylish examples, like the one posted by PipDog, where an unusual or vintage piece adds interest to an already stylish scene. But the mass-produced "Live Love Laugh" and "Breathe" signs sold at Hobby Lobby and dozens of other places do not have the same impact.

I do see signs in other people's homes and I'd say those homes usually belong to younger people just starting out. I think many young people haven't fine-tuned their decor tastes and they buy things to fill wall space.

When I was a kid in the 70's and 80's my mom and I used to watch a local real estate show on weekends that included interior photos of homes on the market in our city. I was always surprised at the number of newer, larger homes that had giant woven fans on the wall. They usually had nothing to do (so far as I could see) with the rest of the decor in the room and we did not live in the tropics, so ??? But there they were, almost every week. My mother said that people hate empty walls but don't know what to hang, so...voila.

I'd be glad to see the big box stores stop selling signs, but of course something else will take their place on the shelves. Wonder what it will be?

I am not a fan of words on walls or Hobby Lobby. They will be opening a store near me soon, but I will not shop there.

I guess some things haven't changed....

They do carry so much stuff, some, not bad, that it can be daunting ignoring so much. In general, I buy some art supplies and craft stuff and the baskets are decent.

In general, I see something there and it isn't quite right. Maybe something about the line or color but not exactly what I want. And then, I realize how wildly trendy it is, and decide to pass.

We have a Michael's and JoAnn's, and all of their home decor items seem kitschy to me.

We have a large antique store in town with consignment booths. Much of the "antiques" are from the 1960s - 1980s and are nothing more than yard sale pickings. There is so much of it, and I look at it and think how was this ever attractive? So what HL, and any of these stores today for that matter, really is doing is providing junk for the antique stores of the 2050s. Let's hope there's enough nostalgia so there's a market for it. "Look, a Keep Calm and Carry On sign!" I remember those!"

I don't mind signs that are vintage. I have three vintage advertisement signs myself, but I think they fit pretty well with the brick wall they are displayed on. They are rusty and the paint is chipped.

The mass produced "family" and "dance like no one is watching" kind make me want to say sarcastic things to the home owner. What really bugs me is when someone has a sign that says "Beach!" with a big arrow on it supposedly pointing toward the beach, or something like that, and there is no beach within hundreds of mile, and the house is a ranch or colonial style.

As for Hobby Lobby, I couldn't care less either way. If I needed to go there, I guess I would, but I don't really need to. They do what they want, I do what I want.

Isn't most of the stuff sold at HL, Michaels, Joanns, Target, etc, kitschy decor? I have 1, maybe 2 items from these kinds of stores, when I got lucky and they had something that I was looking for.

Otherwise, I am reminded of Magnaverde's rule, "Never confuse shopping with decorating."

I'm not a fan of most things that are mass produced including signs. I don't want anything in my home that may be in tens of thousands of other homes. It's not easy (or even possible) to be 100% unique but I seldom buy anything (except candles and other disposable things) from chain home decor stores.

I do have some signs, even some that are more-or-less mass produced but they are from small home based businesses. My favorites are the 2 Halloween ones and one Christmas one by a local woman because they are only displayed for a couple of weeks. They are nicely painted on wood. I also have some welcome signs which I rotate and an inspirational saying on a tile I bought in Holland. Also some in French as my late DH taught French so that seemed appropriate.

My very favorite sign is a one-of-a-kind one with my DM's first name and maiden initial. My parents found it while fishing out in the salt chuck off the Pacific coast. It was obviously a sign that had fallen off a boat. It's quite old and has real patina! My DM never displayed it and was happy to give it to me.

Even tho I do have quite a number of signs I seldom display more than one at a time. Sign overload is to be avoided, like any decor accessory overload.

I don't shop at HL very often, and mostly at Christmas for gift bags, tissue paper, or for the occasional glue or a piece of fabric. When I go in, I too am shocked at the ticky-tacky signs and such. It seems to go on and on in the middle of the store. I don't mind the true vintage signs like the one posted above. An old friend collected vintage Coca Cola years ago (when HL didn't exist) & they had some fabulous pieces.

Michaels has recently opened a store just a little further down the road so I think I'll start shopping there. It's just that HL is almost right next door to my favorite running store and also a very good restaurant we like.

My first and last trip to Hobby Lobby (I simply don't need what they're selling) was when ours first opened at the start of the 2013-14 school year. Being a college/university city, the place was jammed with "dorm room decorators" - shopping carts full of signs and assorted wall art.

I admit I am on the fence about signs. I love words. I love to read a well crafted quote. My problem with most signs for sale is that because they are mass produced, the words have been plastered all over the place so often that they have lost their power. Even then, when the words are staring at you day in and day out, you tend to gloss over them. I think what I would need in my house is a chalkboard, where you change the message periodically.

As far as HL, in general, once in a while I will find a piece that I like (recently was a cut out metal basket, perfect for my kids backpacks). They do have a rather decent selection of craft supplies. Politically, I am somewhat on the fence about them. I do find it rather remarkable (in a good way) that the stores are closed on Sundays. Some of the other stuff, I do take issue with. On the other hand, politically, I am concerned about the consumption of nonrenewable resources. HL is on the way of the main route I travel when I am in town and their store is better stocked than those who are out of my way. The easiest thing, politically, is to buy as little as possible because almost all of the places have something that I do not care for.

I saw a wooden STOP sign at Pat Catan's! Yeah, this store is full of stuff too; but I enjoy browsing their many holiday shelves and admit to compulsive buying. Mostly I just look and can't resist reading the Kitchiness. Some are pretty cute but not part of my decor.

I was at HL today. I crochet and the yarn they carry is the best available for what I like to do. Even so, I have always thought the store was strange and I don't necessarily enjoy going there. My pet peeve isn't the kitchy stuff, per say or where it comes from, that's to be expected in store like that. My problem is the way they subtly try to push their religious beliefs on to their customers and I've always been offended by all the religious stuff they have mixed in everywhere, it makes me uncomfortable.

We can say it's their perogative or if you don't like it get a job somewhere else, but their "policy" about contraceptives does set precidence that I think could be problematic in other ways over time. What if other businesses follow down that path and use the same logic for things they don't want to cover? In a society where businesses typically contribute towards healthcare, why should it be okay for them to single out a particular type of treatment due to a personal belief? If the owners don't want to use contraceptives in their private life that's their choice, but to single out a medical need to their employees that women are almost entirely burdened with is, in my opinion discrimination. And what will the next type of treatment be that a business singles out and refuses to include in the insurance package offered? Why is it ok for them to push a personal belief onto women in a business setting? Doesn't that put the women on staff in a vulnerable situation? Like it or leave? We can say working there is a choice, but in areas where jobs are hard to find, or even age is a consideration, is it really a choice?

Oh, and just to keep within the main topic too, I am with tishoshnm I love words, always have. I even have a couple in my home (hands over face in shame) but they were given to me, have sentimental meaning to me and I don't have the heart to take them down.

Those signs are just a fad, kind of like finding the perfect greige (hope I spelled that right) for your walls. I just think the signs tell the decorator where to put them. Like eat for the dining room........don't check out their bathroom though.

I am so depressed that the white subway tile I have wanted in the bathroom and kitchen for decades is/was trendy (moms place not mine) I am still going to do it, but only because the age and style of the house fit it, but I sure hate that people will look and think I followed a trend. I think setting the trend is better than following it, be even better is finding what makes you happy

Whether it's Hobby Lobby or Target, I can find things I like along with things I can't stand. Same with the grocery store. It's full of Lunchables and powdered donuts but I don't avoid shopping there just because I'm a person who would rather have kale and tofu.

I realized re-reading this thread that I cannot say I don't have mass-produced home decor items, only that most of mine were mass produced before 1960. A super cute vintage "motto" from the 1930's hangs next to my front door. Its message is in a quite small font so really I hang it for the delicious illustration, but it was definitely mass produced and probably sold at Woolworths for $1 when new. Maybe one day 70 years from now someone will be as pleased with their retro "Sisters are Forever Friends" :)

I think signs can be an interesting part of our artwork or decor as long as they haven't become ubiquitous, thus losing most of their meaning. Once we see a certain phrase everywhere we look, it's probably a good time to avoid it in our home, just like we avoid certain words or phrases in conversation after they become overused. So the overuse of an item lessens its impact and makes our rooms less creative--less a reflection of us and our families. (But of course, there will always be gifts or other things we have in
our homes for sentimental reasons that may even be an exception to
that.)

I don't have a Hobby Lobby near me so haven't seen what all the hubbub is about, but when we make a blanket statement like, "I never shop there", I wonder about the reason for the statement. Are we perhaps consciously or subconsciously hoping to influence others to do likewise through peer pressure? Do we think somehow our stance makes us a bit better than those who don't do as we do? If either of these answers is yes, I'm not sure a decorating forum is the place for that. I don't think for a moment that those who've said those things had any mean intent, but rather were likely expressing a thought quickly, so I'm certainly not trying to condemn. But decor is very personal, and everyone's budget is different. Why disapprove of those who shop at stores on either side of the price/politics/country of origin spectrum? It's a free country. Shop where you please without feeling me looking down my nose at you, and I'll shop or refrain from shopping also, without announcing it here.

Isn't the reason why we post here because we are hoping to influence someone? Give them ideas that they hadn't thought of? Help them out of a decorating predicament by offering up solutions? Share our experiences with others so they might learn from our mistakes or our good outcomes? If we thought our words had no impact on anyone, why would we waste our time posting? That is not the same as peer pressure at all. And that's not arrogance.

When I read this thread and looked around my house my first thought was hmmm, is that what people REALLY think when they come into my home? Should I hang my head in shame because I have couple of words or terms incorporated into my decor? Am I less refined for doing so? And if I am, do I really care? Nope, I don't think some stranger posting his/her opinions in a forum will influence me at all, but I do love the sharing of ideas, the range of creativity here and the camaraderie that is shared.

Actually, I think it has a lot more to do with writing style and less to do with peer pressure. Still, even if the intent isn't there, in posts like this one, are we being insensitive to a minority of folks who do like something that a larger group of people have either outgrown or never appreciated? The question reminds me of a few popular threads from years ago in Gardenweb, toilet covers anyone? Anyways, I seriously doubt anyone here would want or have the intent to make people feel that way, but I suspect that someone who does like that style may be gun shy about posting it here which is sad when you think about it. Again, I think its based more on writing style or even a level of confidence in one's expertise but all the same.

Or, if someone else also doesn't shop there, let them know they're not alone. Personally, I hate Walmart. I go out of my way to avoid shopping there. But I have a lot of friends who LOVE Walmart. I sometimes feel alone. But if someone were to post that they also "never" shop at Walmart, I'd be able to give them a virtual high five! It's nothing against those who DO shop there, like I said, many of my friends do, and I don't judge them.

Me too, I love reading about all the different perspectives of why or why not for most all topics even the wheres and whys of shopping.

I'm with lukkiirish - why all the hate? My best friend gave me this sign when my DH passed away. It's on my dresser in my bedroom. The sentiment was perfect then and remains so today. I'm blessed to have wonderful, non-judgmental friends who love and care for me and don't give a rat's hiney how I decorate. I almost didn't post this because of all the mockery and derision for those who have such pedestrian decor, and then decided I don't care. I like the sign; it means something to me; and the person who gave it to me is very dear to me.

I wonder if part of why these signs are so appealing is related to the trend of people being driven apart by technology? Maybe the general lack of closeness is reduced by a friendly sign with sweet advice (well, I'm not sure about the "EAT" sign in a kitchen, maybe that's just there to help guests feel more welcome, like "my kitchen is your kitchen"). Maybe with busy families and both parents working out of the home, it's a good reminder to sit and eat with the family instead of on the go.

The two I bought DO speak to me, and I like what they have to say. There's just nowhere to hang them right now :-/ so they remind me of wasting money on something I do not need or have space for. I'm hoarding them for if/when there will be a spot. One says "If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done" which is pretty much a MAJOR problem I deal with...waiting for the perfect time for this or that. The other is a "Family Rules". I have liked those since i was a kid, now that i have my own family I couldn't see why not to get one. The problem is, if the rules are hiding under the bottom of a shelf -- where no one can see them (and DH can't remind me I wasted money on useless crud) -- not sure they're accomplishing anything positive LOL!

"if it's meaningful to you and has a story behind it, by definition it is no longer pedestrian" Beryl, I think you hit the nail on the head.

amberm145 - virtual high-five. I never shop at Wal-mart. I know that a lot of people do but I don't.

I bought my kids a sign for Christmas, despite my not liking them, because it is my gentle reminder to them - "Never run faster than your guardian Angel can fly". I have boys in their early-twenties and they ski too fast, hike too precariously, play soccer and ultimate too fiercely.

Christmas afternoon I noticed that they both had the sign hanging over their beds.

Why all the hate? Because we don't all have to love everything. We've had these discussions before. I absolutely don't believe in the "if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all" motto. Certainly not on a forum. Now, I'm not going to say something negative about a "Look at my specific thing" post. But about something in general? I'm going to voice my opinion.

I guarantee, most everyone here would think the print I have hanging above my fireplace is hideous. But I love it, I think it's awesome, and it has meaning to me. That's all that counts. So love your "sayings" decor and what it means to you and don't pay a second thought about what online haters might think.

words have power, so the trend for these signs may fade, but probably never go away completely. I have a large "N" - yes, bought at Hobby Lobby, on my wall to remind me which way is North, because I'm directionally challenged. It amuses me and is a conversation piece. I'd like to see hand-calligraphed signs though.

Once you mass produce any idea, it loses originality and refinement, but many people do like to shop at low-end stores which are convenient, inexpensive, and available to everyone, myself included. I recall a recent post by someone who bought drawer pulls at Hobby Lobby and was very happy with them-- different and inexpensive. You can find some nice things and make them your own, but not everyone has the creativity or imagination to do that.

The opposite of "Because we don't all have to love everything" isn't hate. I haven't seen any hate in this thread. And you are right - no point in all being "yes" men on a decorating forum. That's a waste.

so true, I do love looking at their selection of pulls!

CRL: Go Giants!!! After the World Series I bought one of those big orange and black flags (similar to American flag) and it's hanging in my hallway. It has a word: GIANTS.

We don't have a Hobby Lobby where I live, but do have Michael's, JoAnn's and Target. I shop in each place when I need certain stuff. Most of their decor items are pretty hokey.

The only sign in my house is in the bathroom and it's handmade:

is that so your cat can find it? ;)

Lukiirish, I thought Hobby Lobby's drawer pulls were really fun!

And please note that in the OP I said "And somewhere out there must be good examples of this kind of decor, but where are they??" I have not condemned all signs or words to decor hell--- not that I as an individual have power to do that for anyone but myself.

Chicagoans, your sign is the visible expression of love from a friend, there's nothing whatsoever wrong with it and I'm glad you have it and have taken comfort from it.

I do think the lake house signs, welcome to the beach, eat, eat pray love, etc., have overstayed their welcome in the popular culture. But, hey--- that's an opinion. I particularly object to everyday household items like baskets tarted up with a sign that says "family." Since none of my loved ones would fit in it I am at a loss as to their raison d'être :-)

There is another thread for sharing signs.....have at it!

Speaking of Hobby Lobby and because I know we have a lot of animal lovers here, has anyone seen this dog-based reenactment of the oral argument in the Hobby Lobby case in the Supreme Court? The Notorious RBG is a Chihuahua, Kagan is a Bull Terrier, and the court reporter is a chicken.
Dogs on the Supreme Court

violetwest LOL. Thanks to my cats, I can't have nice things, like a friendly roll of toilet paper ready and waiting.

ha! mine leave my tp alone, but I have one who pulls receipts out of my purse and brings them to me for toys

"... you want to avert your eyes and pretend it doesn't exist...?"

Why yes, I do. I'm not compulsive about many things at all, but I cannot stop myself from reading words. Over and over. So if I'm in your dining room and facing the wall that says "EAT," I'm not just seeing some typography or a decoration. I'm reading EAT EAT EAT EAT, until I feel like hollering "Stop telling me what to do!" Yeah, that could just be me, though... Live Laugh Love is even worse. I literally avert my eyes. But if I like you, I will still come over, I just might not sit in the chair aimed toward the words, if I can help it.

Ha! Linelle, I LOVE your sign! That is hilariously creative!

KSWL, I sure hope you didn't feel as if my comments were directed at you, or anyone else for that matter because they really weren't. I also didn't say that things should be said nicely or not at all as someone wrote (and I'm not even sure that was actually directed at me), I was just expressing the thoughts I had after reading the thread as a whole. I'm glad that some pro word people finally contributed and shared their thoughts too though.

No, of course I didn't! We're good :-) I like that some people disagree or have different experiences or feelings about things. Threads where everyone agrees are boring!

We don't have a HL, but I like strolling through TJ Maxx, Marshall's - all those. I mainly enjoy going through the dishes and kitchen gadgets. I try not to buy decorative stuff in general anymore unless I really like it or think it can be versatile. There's only so much stuff I can display at once.

I haven't bought any signs, but never saw any that I really liked or felt were me. While reading this I realized I have typed and framed a few quotes. I have one above our main door (tea stained), one is seasonal, and the other is in a small, book type frame that gets added to vignettes occasionally.

A friend of mine has a bunch signs like Chicagoans in black and white displayed in a large wall grouping and they look fantastic. They fit her style and personality. Everything in the room works together very well.

Linelle - Love that!

I have some word signs. Hand made on reclaimed wood with a bible verse that is important to me and another with a saying that means something to me. I have noticed that word art is everywhere. I am not a fan of most of what I see in stores because I like that I made my art myself with words that I thought about before using and hanging on my walls. I do have one "store bought" sign (it's just the word FAMILY) but I bought it bc it is the perfect shade of red in a room that needed one more red item. When and if I find something else to take its place in the future I won't feel bad about replacing it because it didn't cost much. I bought it at Homegoods.

I didn't think my signs were pedestrian. But this isn't the first time that reading a thread has made me realise my decor choices aren't cool, original, or in vogue at Gardenweb. Regardless, I love what I put on my walls and it is me and my family that has to read them every day...so they stay. If a friend chose not to visit because of the way that I decorate...well that's a friend I don't mind losing.

Not big on HL really. Don't really care about their politics either Last I knew its a free country and they're still a privately held company and allowed to do business as they see fit. The free market will dictate success or failure of those policies. Apparently so far so good. Meh.

No signs for me though unless they're old. I have 2, one the says "Office" and points the direction to my husband's office downstairs, and a game preserve sign in my kitchen that I love... My neighbor has a very small, tasteful brass sign on his pantry that says "Slave quarters." I laugh every time I see it. He also has a small one on his kitchen windowsill that says "Martha Stewart doesn't live here." I can appreciate a little tongue in cheek....

I like old signs and/or signs like Vivian's "Office" that point the way somewhere. I live in an apple-growing area, so packing crate labels are in abundance. I think I have a framed one in the garage.