To Everything There is a Season. . .

Six years ago this week I made a decision to buy this business from Carolee and Ken
Bondurant. The day I announced my decision there was snow on the ground and holiday
decorations adorned what was to be my new store. At that point, this was the hardest and biggest decision that I had ever made.

Now, exactly six years later I find myself announcing another very hard, emotional decision...
I have decided that it is time I pass along this wonderful gift... Encore Artful Gifts is officially for Sale. I have had almost six amazing years... now it is time to move on. A dear friend and customer commented on my decision by saying that in life we all go through seasons and I am embarking on a new season. As winter comes, I need your help finding someone that is ready to embark on their own journey into small business. I will discuss details of the sale with interested buyers. I am, luckily, willing to help finance a part of the business if necessary.

I am sorry you are not all hearing this from me in person but I wanted you to know from me before you read it in the paper.

I will cherish my six wonderful years that I have had with you. . . more than you know.

Much love and many memories,
Stacey

*Please come and celebrate with us next Thursday as we will cheers to all of the memories and what the future has to bring*

You are INVITED!

Join us
next Thursday, December 11

5 to 8p.m.
for our

Annual Holiday Mixer and Gourmet Food Tasting

Shop
15% off Storewide

40% off of Holiday

Great Gifts from Dogeared---Under $40!

From humble beginnings as a rough grain of sand, the pearl slowly grows into an object of beauty and simplicity. symbolic of honesty, integrity, prosperity and wisdom. pearls represent the best within us. let your necklace be a daily reminder to open doors, make trails, and allow your best to shine. enjoy and believe!

Some cultures say you have to wear a horseshoe "open end up", to catch all the riches and luck from heaven. Others say you should wear it with the open end down so the riches can pour out on you. Call us greedy, but we didn't want to spill any -- so ours is a bit tipped to the side. Our necklace will hold all the luck you live and create -- and luck goes with everything, so you can wear it everyday!

Our gift to you... Time!

New Holiday Hours through December 24
Monday 10 to 6
Tuesday 10 to 6
Wednesday 10 to 8- OPEN LATE
Thursday 10 to 8- OPEN LATE
Friday 10 to 8 - OPEN LATE
Saturday 10 to 6
Sunday 1 to 5

December 24- 10 a.m. til 5 p.m.
Re-Open December 26 from 10 to 5 p.m.

Holiday Tip #1--- Use Coupons

See, it PAYS to get our emails!

**** Valid tonight starting at 6p.m. til Sunday at 5 p.m.! ****

6 ways to the Heart of a Hostess

As you travel for the holiday week, keep these hostess gifts in mind.

1. Keep her busy hands soft with Savannah Bee Company Royal Jelly, $23.99!

2. Great to serve with creme cheese. Bring a gift you can share with all-- Bella Cucina Marinated Onions and ChickPeas, $8.99

3. Nutty Girls' (sm 7.99, lg 15.99) Packaging and Flavorful Taste are sure to show you are NUTS for her hospitality!

4. Get a jump on Santa and give her kitchen a touch of Christmas with our Pomegranite Dish Soap, $15.99
5. Give the gift of the season with these festive Vintage Turkey Dishtowels, $8.99.

6. Sweet and Savory, Stonewall Kitchen Apple Jalepeno Jam ($8.99)is a nice surprise for any cook.

Great Teacher Gifts

$20 for three personalized pads!

Must order by December 10.

Visit http://www.shopencoreartfulgifts.com/ to view all styles and fonts.

Give the Gift of Ease!

Don't forget to to order your holiday gift baskets!

Our most popular are:

Fruit Bouquet

$25, $40, $65

Coffee & Chocolate

$30, $50, $75

Snack Attack

$30, $50, $75

Breakfast

$30, $50, $75

email us at encore@ntelos.net or call us at 639.2015 today to order. Discounts given for bulk.

A reason to GIVE THANKS!

Open 10 til 6, Friday after Thanksgiving!
We will be samplin lots of goodies and giving back with every purchase!

New Twist on an Old Favorite!

We had such a festive weekend at the Holiday Open House!

As promised, here is the recipe for the

Cranberry Horseradish Cheese Ball

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 package shredded cheddar
1/8 cup Stonewall Kitchen Cranberry Horseradish Sauce
¼ cup dried Cranberries chopped
¼ to 1/2 cup bacon, crumbled
1 bell pepper chopped
scallions, chopped

Work into ball and coat with chopped cranberries and pecans.

Holiday Music is Playing!

Shop while listening to the best holiday music in town. The other day I realized that we have over 300 holiday tunes on our Ipod! If nothing else, we have variety!

Two of our favorite 2008 editions are:

Warm December- Brushfire Holidays Vol 1

1. Someday At Christmas (Jack Johnson)
2. Santa Claus is Coming To Town (Mason Jennings)
3. All I Want For Christmas (Matt Costa)
4. No Christmas For Me (Zee Avi)
5. Stuck At The Airport (Money Mark)
6. Christmas Baby (G. Love)
7. Christmas Time (ALO)
8. The Man in The Santa Suit (Neil Halstead)
9. Christmas (Rogue Wave)
10. Rudolph The Red nosed Reindeer (Jack Johnson)
11. Silent Night (Zach Gill)

Winter Wonderland from Starbucks

1. Do You Hear What I Hear?--Pink Martini
2. Caroling Caroling--Nat King Cole
3. Rudolph, The Red Nosed Reindeer--Lena Horne
4. Mistletoe and Holly--Frank Sinatra
5. 2000 Miles--KT Tunstall
6. Winter Wonderland--Goldfrapp
7. Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow!--Dean Martin
8. Frosty The Snowman--Ella Fitzgerald
9. Greensleeves--Vince Guaraldi Trio
10. What A Wonderful World--Beth Orton
11. The Man With All The Toys--The Beach Boys
12. Little Drummer Boy--Peggy Lee
13. White Christmas--Diana Krall
14. What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?--Mindy Smith
15. Silent Night, Holy Night--Mahalia Jackson

I am CRAZY for Funky Chunky Candy Cane Popcorn!

If the saying "You are what you eat" is true then I am Candy Cane Popcorn.

It is a combination of peppermint bark and caramel popcorn. It's described as rich, buttery caramel popcorn with glazed macadamia nuts, smothered in smooth white peppermint drizzle and sprinkled with crushed candy cane.


Please come and buy it so I will stop eating it.
Your favorite Shop Girl,
Candy, aka Stacey

Who has Time????

We do! Shop our new Tokyo Bay Watches! Great gifts for guys and gals!

Also on SALE, Take $10 off on Day After Thanksgiving Weekend!

Ideas for Christmas Windows

Okay, I have one weeks before we unvail Christmas 2008.
We have great stuff but I must admit I am stuck on the windows.
Have no fear, fans, they will be great... But will they be as great as these
below? I always get inspiration from others!

Christmas is coming!

Over the next two weeks we will be DECKING OUR HALLS

with trees, ornaments and holiday decor! Stop in and see our elves
in progress.

Save the date for our
HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE WEEKEND

November 15 & 16

Saturday 10 to 5 p.m.

Sunday Noon to 5.m.

All holiday is Buy 2, Get 3rd Free

We will be serving lots of GOURMET FOOD SAMPLES

Also, keep your eyes on the mail for 2008 Holiday Mailer!

New Tulle Shipment

Dress, $85.99

Coat- $115
. . . and Champagne is the color!

Artful Snacking!

Check out these Spicy NEW Nuts we have in!

The artwork on the packaging looks GREAT in gift baskets.

Great Hostess Gift!

*We are filled full with LOTS of new GOURMET FOOD Options! *

Who doesn't love chocolate!

Raspberry Chocolate Creme Coffee. . . need I say more?
$10.99 a pound, ground or whole bean

Raspberry Dark Chocolate Truffles.. decadent & rich! Great flavor combo.

$1 an ounce, 1st sample is on us!

Chocolate Ganache Cake Mix... for that almost homeade AMAZING TREAT
$14.99 and worth every penny

Holiday Cards- Three Ways!

Get a head start on your holiday cards this year. With lots of variety in stock, we offer you

Buy2 Get 3rd Free for the entire month of November!

Want to do a picture card? Get your family photo printed and I will custom design it for $1.50 each. Also check out our imprintables already in stock! Ask for details!

Feeling creative? Don't forget that you can make your own downstairs by paying a supply fee!

(For instance, I BUYING my holiday cards (too many) but making the invitations for my Cookie Exchange!)

Big Buddah Bags in!

Groupie Bag, black $81.99

Denise Bag, red, purple & teal $81.99

Tyler, tan & camel $81.99

So Much Going on This Saturday!!!!!

Saturday will keep us busy in Radford with lots of festivities.

Stop by the store for a SIDEWALK SALE and food SAMPLES ! Take an extra 15% STOREWIDE and on sale items!

Don't forget there is a 5K in Bissett at 8 a.m. followed by a PANCAKE BREAKFAST downtown!

Stop by the RECYCLED HALLOWEEN COSTUME SALE located from 8 to 1 p.m. in the Farmer's Market Lot!

Still feeling SPOOKY?
Shop all of our Halloween Items for 20% off

The HIGHLANDER FESTIVAL goes on ALL day on MOFFETT QUAD at RU!
A special thanks to RU, Mainstreet Radford and especially to the hardworking Highlanders Festival Weekend for making this all happen!

Happy Festival Weekend!

Make Good Decisions- Election 2008!

November 4th is drawing near.

You may or may not have made a choice for a candidate but vote us #1 when it comes to invitations!

No matter who your vote is for, let us make your ELECTION PARTY more festive with

our CUSTOM ELECTION invitations!

Gullah Gourmet In!

Want to taste a little food from the South?

Straight from South Carolina, Gullah Gourmet is a great representation!

Fast and Easy Soups and Dips-- in UNIQUE flour sack packaging that makes a GREAT gift!

(Please note that all of the instructions are written with a Southern (or Gullah) dialect.

Our MainStreet Economic Relief--- Layaway

We may not have a bail out plan for you but we can make
shopping for the holidays more feasible!

Start your shopping today, tomorrow at our sidewalk saleor next week at the anniversary sale and put your items on LAYAWAY!


We offer a 25% down layaway plan that can be paid on over 70 days thisholiday season. We have great storage so why not use it?! Leave us yourto and from and we will wrap and tag them FREE of CHARGE. One less thing for you to worry about this Christmas!

New Gourmet Food in--- Perfect for Gift Baskets!

As you know the closer we get to November the more GOURMET FOOD we have in the store.
This is the time for parties... gatherings! We like to supply you with great options for appetizers and easy gifts.

Just in:

NEW COFFEE

Honey Maple Praline

Chocolate Raspberry Creme

(don't forget our old standbys- Snickerdoodle, 89er, Vermont Maple Nut Crunch)

STONEWALL KITCHEN

Bellini Brunch Jam
Apple Jalepeno Jelly
Aged Cheddar Beer Crackers
Blue Cheese Walnut Crackers
Cranberry Horeseradish Spread
Wild Blueberry Maine Jam

SNAP COOKIES from Flatau's Gourmet

Cinnamon Snaps
Chocolate Snaps

Peppermint Snaps

Butterscotch Snaps

We will be sampling on Saturdays so stop by to try a new treat!

Happy Birthday!

Encore will celebrate it's 19th birthday this October. Can you believe it?

I can hardly beleive that I have owned the business for almost 6 years!

We will celebrate October 16-19th by offering 19% off!

Also, a special happy birthday month to:

Polly Archer
Pam Clark
Mary Donnley
Rosa Anne Gilreath
Emily Goldberg
Janey Hazelton
Shirly Huffman
Katie Kestle
Linda P King
Paige Phillips
Nancy Rader
Beth Tanner
Olivia Walker

.... and Me, Stacey :)

All of these October babies get 15% off during their birthday month. If you have not emailed us your birthday pleasedo so you can receive 15% off your special month!

Send your birthday month to: encore@ntelos.net... we will be waiting!

It's no trick... we are filled with treats!

Just incase you haven't seen our window, our Halloween items are OUT!

We have some GREAT new stuff this year including
Door brooms
Electronic signsfor outside
Soap
Candy dishes
Ceramic figurines!

Also, come in to check out Karen's sister'shandmade dolls.

She has some great witches, egors and draculas for the Spooky Season!

*A special thanks to Jessica Harrison for making a super spooky special window, Good Job!*

Two Fall MUST HAVES!

Crinkle Scarves...
Worn three different ways can liven up any outfit.
Colors: Black, Brown, Purple, Teal, Yellow, Green, Grey

$23.99

or 2 for $40

Samantha Trouser Jeans by Level 99

I have worn these twice this week because I LOVE them so much!

They really do look great on most people. . . come and try them on!

$99

Mr. Peabody is so excited....

. . . new dog toys are on their way! Your favorite Rope Toys from Jax and Bones are set to ship this week along with some newbies below! Willy- 14.99

Mojo- 16.99

Ted - 14.99
Carly - 16.99

Artful store... Artful Food!

New Bella Cucina Products are in!

If you love their lemon artichoke pesto you will adore the new

Spinach Artichoke Brushetta!

Savory spinach is paired with artichokes to create the easiest appetizer for delicious
entertaining and snacking. Spread on crusty bread, perhaps with a touch of garlic.

Also, new, Carmelized Onion Fennel & Golden Raisin Antipasta.

Sweet caramelized onions combined with fresh, sautéed fennel and plump, marinated golden raisins in a sweet and vinegary bath creates a delicious agridolci savory-sweet condiment. Serve right out of the jar
as an Antipasti appetizer, use as topping for foccacia bread topped with Gorgonzola, a condiment
for roasted meats and chicken or toss with pasta and fresh, sautéed greens. Buon Appetito!