THE ONE THING THAT HASN'T CHANGED IS THAT THIS IS , AS ALWAYS , MY FAVORITE TOPIC ! THE FIRST BIT OF NEWS IS THAT THIS YEAR THERE IS GOING TO BE A REPEAT , OF STOREFRONT , THAT IS . WE WILL BE MOVING BACK INTO LAST YEAR'S LOCATION IN RAVINIA PLAZA , AT 15210 LA GRANGE RD. EVERYBODY , INCLUDING CLEO AND I , SEEMED TO REALLY LIKE THE SPOT , EASIER PARKING , AND ACCESS . THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING US FOR A WHILE , REMEMBER THAT WE SPENT TWO SEASONS NEXT TO JARED'S , BUT THERE WAS A ONE YEAR GAP BETWEEN THEM. NOWADAYS , CLEO CALLS US CHRISTMAS GYPSIES !

WE HAVE BEEN MAKING A MAJOR EFFORT TO BRING IN MORE OFFERINGS OF ITEMS THAT ARE MADE RIGHT HERE IN THE GOOD OL' USA . SADLY , IT REQUIRES QUITE A BIT OF WORK AND DETERMINED SNOOPING , BUT CLEO SAYS I'M NOTHING IF NOT STUBBORN , WHILE I MUCH PREFER BEING REFERRED TO AS DETERMINED ! IN ANY CASE , WE HAVE HAD SOME GOOD LUCK TURNING UP GREAT NEW SOURCES : OVER A DOZEN NEW AMERICAN CRAFT WORKSHOPS !

WHILE SHOPPING IN WILLIAMSBURG , WE FOUND SOME WOODEN HOUSES THAT LIGHT UP , AND WE WERE ABLE TO CONTACT THE FOLKS . WE WERE QUITE PLEASANTLY SURPRISED TO FIND OUT THAT "T.R.C.DESIGNS" OF MECHANICSVILLE , VIRGINIA ALSO MAKES GORGEOUS NUTCRACKERS AND SMOKERS (INCENSE BURNERS) . ONE OF THEIR NUTCRACKERS WAS FEATURED ON A 42 CENT STAMP BY THE US POSTAL SERVICE ; HOW DID I BLOW CATCHING THAT ONE !! THE WOODWORKING CRAFMANSHIP IS EXCEPTIONAL , AS IS THE DETAIL . IF CLEAN LIVING DIDN'T PAY OFF ONCE IN A WHILE , I WOULD HAVE TO GIVE IT UP !

YOU HAVE BEEN ASKING US FOR MANY YEARS FOR CHRISTMAS CARDS , AND THIS YEAR ,FINALLY , WE WILL BE ABLE TO SAY "STEP RIGHT OVER HERE PLEASE" ! PUMPERNICKLE PRESS PRINTS UP A GREAT LINE OF DELUXE CHRISTMAS CARDS RIGHT IN DOWNTOWN BERRYVILLE , VIRGINIA . THE ARTWORK IS EXCELLENT AND EVOCATIVE , WITH WONDERFUL SENTIMENTS . THE QUALITY OF THE PRINTING IS VERY HIGH , AND ON EMBOSSED, TEXTURED PAPER . THE PAPER ITSELF AND THE PACKING IS ALL FROM RECYCLED PAPER , QUITE THOUGHTFUL .

DANIELLA , BORN IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC , MAKES GORGEOUS , TRADITIONAL EGG ORNAMENTS . EACH IS INDIVIDUALLY HAND-PAINTED BY HER , AND COMES IN ITS OWN GIFT BOX . WALT COTTINGHAM MAKES BIRD HOUSE ORNAMENTS FROM RECYCLED WOOD FRAGMENTS , QUITE UNIQUE .

WHILE TRAVELING , WE STOPPED IN LANCASTER , PENNSYLVANIA AT A CRAFT MARKET THAT CARRIES ONLY AMERICAN MADE ARTICLES . MOST OF THEM ARE MADE BY THE LOCAL AMISH , PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH , AND MENNONITES. GREAT WORKMANSHIP , AND THE PRIDE SHOWS THROUGH !

IN CASE YOU ARE THINKING THAT WE HAVE FORGOTTEN OUR EUROPEAN ROOTS , REST EASY ! WE WERE QUITE BUSY ON OUR ANNUAL BUYING TRIP . WE FOUND AN ITALIAN COMPANY THAT SPECIALIZES IN PINOCCHIO : FIGURINES , ORNAMENT S, PENCILS , YOU NAME IT ! THERE WILL ALSO BE A NEW GERMAN LACE ORNAMENT MAKER , AND A NEW (FOR US) POLISH GLASS ORNAMENT COMPANY THAT SPECIALIZES IN TRULY UNIQUE WORK . REMINDS US OF RADKO'S OLD EFFORTS . OF COURSE THERE WILL BE ALL THE LATEST FROM OUR REGULAR SUPPLIERS , INCLUDING SOME SPECTACULAR INTRODUCTIONS .

SO , COME SOON , AND COME OFTEN , AND ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT THE EARLY SHOPPERS GET THE VERY BEST SELECTION !