Our New Year's Wish

Our wish for you is that 2009 will bring nothing but things that draw you closer to your family and friends! Thank you so much for becoming not only our customers at Artifacts, but our friends as well. Helping you find gifts for others or things for yourself, and then hearing about how well it went over or how much you smile every time you see the piece -- well, that's really the most satisfying part of what we do.

Here's hoping for great things for all of us in 2009 -- may we all grow closer as family, friends, neighbors, and a community.

Happy New Year!

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like....

...something other than Christmas! :) I have everything down at the store except the tree & the Santa & Snowman in the back window. But.... we still have some great Christmas ornaments and some Christmas decorations at 50% off -- a couple of the sleek white Mary/Joseph/Baby Jesus figures, the glittery metal Santas, some angels, and lots of ornaments.

The front window, though, sure looks sad to me without the lights and the glitz. I will be changing it out tomorrow, probably something BRIGHT after having only black, white & silver in there for the holidays. Check it out in person, or the picture I plan to post tomorrow night, and let me know what you think!

Last minute gifts....

... if you're like me, despite your intentions to do better you have ended up with a few last minute gifts to buy. I have been pulling stock and putting it out for the past two days, and Artifacts WILL BE OPEN Monday, Dec. 22 & Tuesday, Dec. 23.

Also, if you're stumped, don't forget that we offer gift certificates that do not expire -- so the person you are giving to is not under any pressure to pick something by a certain date. They can wait until just the right piece shows up or they can do like a couple of people I know who are "stockpiling" those gift certificates to use on a big piece!

Just let us know if we can do anything to help you out -- give us a call at 662-983-8481 or email us artifactsbrucems@hotmail.com

Tour of Homes - 759 homes, for FREE and GUESS WHAT!!

Wow... I just found this & had to share it with you. You might snag some ideas for your own home! You can go to

and see her photos, and then if you scroll down there are links to SEVENHUNDREDFIFTYNINE other blogs with photos of their homes at Christmas!

You might even want to join in, but be sure & leave a comment here to share you favorite with me!

And for the guess what -- Artifacts' Christmas windows are featured in the Tupelo BizBuzz blog -- Click here -- to see our store window along with some other gorgeous ones from around North Mississippi. It makes me want to start planning now for next Christmas!

Appreciation for All Things Southern

How many times do we overlook what's right under our noses while searching for the latest chic item they are promoting on the West Coast or in New York City? Well........ guess what?? I found this photo on a blog called ArtsyMama and she has photographed her favorite store in NYC - Anthropologie. That's a pretty famous store -- locations on 5th Avenue & Broadway, but look at the items they've chosen for their display:

Yep, that's a rusty old tub of some sort with a rub board leaned up against it & filled with..... COTTON!! Wouldn't that be pretty on a hearth or on a front porch -- with maybe a few sprigs of evergreen in it and a big red ribbon somewhere? (don't know why Yankees didn't use color here, do you??)

But hey, if cotton and a rub board are good enough for 5th Avenue in NYC, it's good enough for Misipi, right!??

Beyond "the stockings were hung..."

... by the chimney with care. :) Look at this photo a customer sent me today -- it was just one of many she shared of the pretty Christmas decorations she and her kids have put up around her house.

I wanted to share it because it shows how adding little things like a collection of ornaments or Christmas plates to an unexpected spot like a window can say festive all by themselves! The great green vase on the left is similar to some we had for Christmas at Artifacts -- ours are thick mercury glass, like the thin, shiny stuff you see on old-fashioned glass ornaments.

Have you added just a little something to a spot where you spend a lot of time? Perhaps your kitchen window or your bathroom vanity? Think of a way you can perk up what's there year round -- maybe steal this idea and hang a group of ornaments with a similar theme. And then share what you do with me!

Pretty Kitchen

A very nice lady in Midland, Georgia recently ran across the Artifacts website and talked me into shipping her a set of taupe canisters and some accessories. And she was nice enough to send me photos of her beautiful kitchen showing how great they looked!

I'd like to drive to Georgia and eat at her counter, wouldn't you! More photos from her will be on the website soon.

That's Elvis, not Mike...

...wishing you a Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year -- if you have your speakers on, that is! If you don't have them on, turn them on to enjoy some Christmas music while you're on the internet! If you don't want to listen, you can click on the "pause" button on the playlist to the right of the screen (that's the one that looks like this ).

Since the newsletter, we've added another couple to our Bridal Registry -- Kelly Quinton, Bride-Elect of Chad Logan. Check out their photo on the Bridal Selections Page.