Patricia Breen in Tampa

Well, no ornament news yet … just a quick visit to NM where all seemed relatively calm. Staffers were labeling bags filled with ornaments … but drats … everything was sealed up tight!

I did meet up with Jim Elia … we were both trying to print out our boarding passes for our journey home tomorrow evening.

More tomorrow … the fun begins!

Connie (in Tampa)

From DeCarlini

It is always a pleasure to meet with Luca from the DeCarlini workshop and today was no exception. Luca’s family owns over 3,000 designs so he has a large “catalog” to select from. This year, he brought a group of ornaments that were not shown last year.

He is allowing us to select another group of whimsical Italian designs that you will be able to pre-order for fall delivery. I took photos and will upload them as soon as they are edited. Based upon your requests as well as the most popular style of the sample ornaments we’ve been selling, Margaret & I narrowed our choices to nursery rhyme & fairy tale characters as well as those feathery ladies that you seem to love so much!

Luca was offering an Italian version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. As Margaret instructed me, you can’t have Snow White without all of the dwarfs! So, we have them all available for pre-order and you can decide which ones you “need”! This is the only little guy that I had time to edit this evening.

He did not have as many “ladies” as last year … but of course, we selected the very best of those on display. AND, we selected a lovely Nativity finial with a tall, delicate spire.

More later … still LOTS of news to report!

Connie

More…

Oh, I just couldn’t stand it! I just had to stay up and post a few of today’s great sightings!

These receive “Two Thumbs Up” from Connie & Margaret … Sorry I can’t give you names. I have the photos … Margaret has the notes!

Christopher Radko

Robot with clear glass helmet … too cool!

Joy to the World Collectibles

Glitterazzi selection … incredible, intricate detailing. WOW!

And, now we can all say “We knew him when …” Scott Smith, Rucus Studio for Bethany Lowe Designs. “Skeleton Sam” made the back cover of the catalog. Awesome!

We did a quick overview of the Radko showroom this afternoon and will be going back tomorrow for a full look and note-taking. While a number of things caught my eye, I would love to own the Santa that the Schaller workshop created as a Christmas gift for Christopher. It stands about 20+ inches high and is a full-figure Santa holding a tree with decorations. It is incredible. Of course, that pesky detail known as a price tag does take one’s breath away … $1475 (no decimal point!), if I remember correctly. I’ll post an image tomorrow. Jan from Recollections was in the showroom … and I believe you can order yours from her!