Made in America with Gatewood Hall: Are You In?

Recently Shawn and I have been following a story on ABC World News with Diane Sawyer (http://abcnews.go.com/WN/mailform?id=14998335) that really struck a chord with us. The story is “Made in America Christmas”. According to this report the National Retail Federation estimates that the average American will spend a little over $700 on holiday gifts this year, totaling more than $465 billion. If that money was spent entirely on US Made products it would create 4.6 million jobs. But the story goes that it doesn’t have to even be that big…if each of us spent just $64 on American made goods during the holiday season, the result would be 200,000 new jobs. (That is AWESOME!!)

We would love it if all of our merchandise were made in the US…sadly it is nearly impossible to do that. We have always loved made in the US products and especially those with a Georgia connection. With this in mind Shawn and I are asking “Are you in?” and in order to help we are going through our product lines and marking them with signs and labels that show American products as well as those with the Georgia connection. So if you are in, you can easily spend your $64 on wonderful made in America products (and we have some good ones!!)

Look for the following signs throughout our stores! Feel free to ask us if you have any questions. Also we want to say thanks for shopping locally with us! We can’t begin to tell you how much we appreciate it!! Please forward this message to your family and friends so they can think about this no matter where they shop! Happy Holidays!

Gatewood Hall Gracious Home Presents Trunk Shows and Specials This Weekend!

To help you get you ready for the Holidays we will be adding even more fun to Light Up Blue Ridge this Saturday November 27, 2010!!

We will be hosting Trunk Shows and special friends from some of our favorite lines like Beloise, Waxing Poetic, Pure Sanctuary, and Lenny & Eva Jewelry. Steve the owner/designer from True Riches will be here with some of his wonderful new one-of-a-kind crosses and we will be showing some cool belt buckles from a great line called Princess & Butch.

We are the place for Gracious Gifts and we can't wait to see you this weekend!! HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Join Gatewood Hall for Blue Friday & Light Up Blue Ridge!!

The most wonderful time of the year is upon us and we are celebrating in Beautiful Downtown Blue Ridge!! The fun starts early on Friday November 26th. You've heard of "Black Friday"...well, we will be celebrating "Blue Friday". It will be old-fashioned shopping at its best! Stores will be opening early, and staying open late!! There will be early bird specials and strolling holiday entertainment!

The fun continues into Saturday, November 27th, for Light Up Blue Ridge!! Santa and Mrs. Clause will arrive by train, there will be entertainment by Bartlee Norton and 64 Highway, and Maxwell Taylor. (Maxwell is WONDERFUL! We discovered him a few years ago when he performed at our friend Marlis' birthday party in Atlanta and we have enjoyed him ever since!). At dusk the lighting of the great tree is always loads of fun!! Please be sure to come downtown and see us! Remember our customers are welcome to park in our private GH lot behind our building!! (Please be sure to come in and get a parking pass)

We can't wait to see you! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Wonderful Things!

It has been a very busy week at Gatewood Hall, as many of you know Shawn is in Europe so I can't thank Becky and Brenda enough for helping "hold down the fort" while he was away. We have received so much new inventory (a bunch of Holiday arrived this week...Oh just wait until you see!!!)

One of the new items we have just put out is a limited edition fragrance by Archipelago called Black Forest. It is the soothing scent of Douglas Fir and Ebony wood and a subtle hint of Black Currant so perfect for the mountains especially this time of year. We have the 8 oz. diffusers and the hand poured, soy wax blend candle (which will burn for more than 50 hours). The packaging is beautiful and would make a very nice gift. Come in and smell for yourself.

A few weeks ago artist Ande Cooke turned me onto this blog called Honey and Jam and I have to tell you I love it. Here is the kicker...the writer and food photographer is local, she along with her mother and the rest of the family are said to make some of the most wonderful artisan breads that they sell locally, usually at the Blue Ridge Farmers Market. Well I fell in love with the blog the young lady is named Hannah, and her photography is absolutely beautiful! I probably sound crazy but I believe she captures the essence and feeling of the food with such simple nuance. Twice while at the farmers market I have looked for her so that I could introduce myself (I know...now I sound like a stalker!) unfortunately Hannah and her family haven't been there.

This past Sunday I arrived late to the store and Becky is helping some folks and I just jump in to do my usual wrapping with tissue and bows and the customer says these things are for my daughter she is a food photographer...(Ping, my ears perked up) I said who is your daughter because I think I am one of her new groupies...and sure enough it was Hannah turns our that she and her family have been in a few times and she buys some of her photo props from GH! The entire family (her sisters were there also, I think they thought I was nuts because I was so excited to meet all of them) were so very nice. Turns out they have been really busy with other stuff and that is why they haven't been at the market. Hopefully they will get back there before the season ends. In the meantime grab a cup of tea sit back and enjoy Hannah's beautiful, mouth-watering blog http://www.honeyandjam.com/ you will enjoy it and you deserve it!

Finally, while Shawn is away Becky and I decided we'd have a sale (teach him to leave us behind!!). Handbags and wallets are 15% to 50% off, all in-stock jewelry is 20% off, Cat Studio is 25% off, and we are still marking down. It is almost time for the High Point market so we need to make room for more new things! Stop in and see us this weekend, the fresh autumn weather has been AWESOME!

Gatewood Hall Is Celebrating Their Fourth Birthday!!

Our wish is already coming true!! It is so hard for us to believe but it is already our fourth birthday! I guess the years fly when you are having the time of your life!! Thanks to all of you we are ready to roll into our fifth year in our new location and are we ever thrilled.

We will be celebrating this Saturday with lots of fun specials, and refreshments heck, we may finally have the design center open...who knows!! Please come in and celebrate with us, we look forward to seeing you!

TO OUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, CURRENT AND PAST TEAM MEMBERS THANK YOU FOR THE PAST FOUR GREAT YEARS WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU!!

Corky & Shawn

We're Having A Block Party!!!

We are having our very first ever West Side Block Party this Saturday night, May 1st, 2010 from 6-9 PM! West Side shops and restaurants will stay open late, there will be evening shopping, art, refreshments, entertainment and prizes (you could even win $100 cash!!) Come enjoy a lovely spring evening in beautiful downtown Blue Ridge. We look forward to seeing you!

OPEN FOR BUSINESS!!!

It's true the new and improved Gatewood Hall Gracious Home is finally open! While we still are missing some new products and we have a few kinks to work out we are ready for you to come by and see us! So far we are thrilled with our new place and hope that you will love it as much as the old location. Please come in and see us and our new digs this weekend! We'll post more photos later but in the meantime...We can't wait to see you!!

Final Days of Our Moving Madness Sale

WHEW! We are nearing the final days at our current location and pulling out all the stops! We have so much stuff on sale you won't believe it!! Come on in and SAVE, SAVE, SAVE!!

PS- We can't wait for you to come to our new place (a lot of new stuff has been arriving!) but we are not quite ready...we are so excited!!!! Please note our computer was moved this week therefore we will only be able to accept cash or check. See you this weekend!

Moving Sale Madness Continues This Weekend!

YES, THE MOVING SALE MADNESS CONTINUES!!! We are making great progress at the new location, but we are starting to realize how much stuff will have to be moved...UGH! So we have gone crazy marking even more stuff down! Everything in the store is at least 25% off! There are a ton of items spread throughout the store that have been red-lined now to 50% off. Finally, for some really outrageous bargains check out the "Last Chance" items which include samples, odds and ends as well as some slightly damaged merchandise that are more than 75% off...If you're like me this is the stuff I love to find at sales...I guess it brings out the creative treasure hunter in all of us! (The one that loves it when someone admires something in your home and you get to say you won't believe what I paid for this..it was such a great deal!). We look forward to seeing you soon! THANK YOUR FOR YOUR BUSINESS, ENJOY THE MADNESS & HAPPY SHOPPING!

MOVING SALE 25% to 75% OFF

You have been patiently waiting and now it is finally here The Gatewood Hall Gracious Home Moving Sale!! Starting tomorrow everything in the store is on sale at least 25 % off or more! We really don't want to move a bunch of stuff to the new store so our "laziness" is your opportunity! While we have decided to drop a few lines because others on our street have now started selling them, most of the items on sale are our exclusives which we will continue selling at the actual suggested retail price once in our new location so, now is a great time to stock up on your favorites, pick up some gifts or just treat yourself for pushing through this freezing cold winter!! Come by soon to get the very best selection. We can't wait to see you!

SWEETHEART SALE

We are having a Sweetheart Sale at Gatewood Hall! Today through Monday you will find lots of great goodies for your special someone. A beautiful coffee table book, luxurious bath products, decadent sheets, a sexy candle or even some Waxing Poetic or Silver Seasons jewelry there are so many good options! Come in and see us and we will help you find that perfect gift!

Blog Reader Special! We love our blog readers! Print this post, bring it in and we will take 25% off of any single regular priced, in-stock item of your choice. This offer is valid until 02/16/10!

We look forward to seeing you!! Happy Valentines Day!

"I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm"

"The snow is snowing, the wind is blowing, but I can weather the storm ...I've got my love to keep me warm". Kelli and I are in the store today! We have some excellent Valentines gifts and vignettes out, and we have some great sale items throughout the store so put on your coat and gloves and come on in!!

The cornerstone items from Juliska make wonderful gifts. The small square “Love Conquers All” tray that celebrates the splendor, artistry and romance of the season. Perfect for a special someone, with the heart on the front and inscribed with "Love Conquers All" on the back this ceramic tray will be sure to please lovers all year round. (It is also beautifully gift boxed!).

The Heartblessing wine stopper by Jan Barboglio is another wonderful Valentine gift! The iron tag says "In most wise and ancient cultures, it is customary for people to talk to their heart" and then it has a quote by Helen Keller "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched...but are felt in the heart". What a beautiful, romantic yet practical gift for him!

We look forward to seeing you soon!

CABIN FEVER SALE!

We hear you! The roads are finally passable, the temperature is above freezing, we even saw the sun peek out today...So we figured we need to have a sale because you need to get out. Please come see us this weekend we will be open Saturday and Sunday. And we will have some great specials on regular priced in stock merchandise: Pine Cone Hill PJ's up to 50% off, select Caldrea 50% off, some fabulous candles up to 5o% off, French Water L'eau 50% off, Natural Life 20% off, Cucina 20% off, Peacock Alley and Pine Cone Hill Bedding 20% off and select furniture is 20 - 30% off. There will be some other surprise savings too.

BLOG READER SPECIAL- Print this post and bring it with you to save 20% off one regular priced in stock item of your choice.

See you this weekend!

Happy New Year From Gatewood Hall!

Happy New Year to all of you from Gatewood Hall Gracious Home! We hope that this will be a wonderful year for you and your loved ones! We also want to take this opportunity to say thank you for a great year we sincerely appreciate you! We are looking forward to an exciting new year at our new location. We plan on bringing you the best, and most unique merchandise with the best service experience in Blue Ridge! Stop in this weekend for our NEW YEARS BLOW OUT SALE!! There will be some outrageous savings ranging from 20% to 60% off of the items you love!! See you soon!

Merry Christmas From Gatewood Hall

Merry Christmas! We hope you all had a wonderful and happy holiday with your loved ones! Tomorrow we will start our annual after Christmas sale. All holiday merchandise is 50% off and all regular priced merchandise is 20% off. YES THAT INCLUDES THE WHOLE STORE, FURNITURE, ART, AND LINENS!! There will also be some other surprise savings so please do come in and see us! (The Fine print- In store items only, no previous sales, no special orders, all sale items are final)

Last Minute Christmas Shopping!!

Happy Christmas Eve Day! Have any last minute holiday shopping left? Are you like me and always leave the toughest people on your list until the last?...If so please do come on in and see us! We have several great gift ideas to help you, many items are on sale and as always remember we offer free gift bags and wrapping to our customers. All holiday merchandise is now 30% off (woo hoo!) and there are still some great things available that would make very wonderful, thoughtful gifts. Please note we will close a little early today, probably around 1PM. If we don't get to see you today we want to wish you a very merry Christmas!! Enjoy your holidays!

Holiday Sale This Weekend!

This Friday, Saturday and Sunday all holiday merchandise is on sale 25% off! Great savings on all Christmas ornaments, napkins, books, CDs and candles! Come in early before all of the "good stuff" is gone. See you this weekend! We hope you are enjoying your holiday season!

Preferred Customer Holiday Open House

Just in case we don't have your mailing address and we missed sending you a "paper invite", I wanted to make sure that our blog readers knew about our preferred customer holiday open house tomorrow night 6-8 pm.

We will be open late (as will our neighbors The Little Shop and Love Dogs & Cats Too) with some great prizes, delicious refreshments and wonderful holiday savings just for you! Please try to make it...it won't be the same without you!

Happy Thanksgiving

We wish you a very happy Thanksgiving! Shawn and I are thankful for you our loyal customers, friends and family...as always we sincerely thank you for supporting us! And we couldn't miss this opportunity to say thank you to our GH gals Kelli and Rebecca for all of their hard work!

Stop in tomorrow for some great "black friday" savings throughout our store! (PS..You will also probably hear about some exciting news that is breaking for GH!! Stay tuned for details!!)

Fall Sale Ya'll!!

Please come by and see us today through November 14th, 2009 we will be having a sale on most of our fall merchandise! Fall wreaths, napkins, candles, some of our delicious gourmet items and more! It is a perfect time to stock up for your Thanksgiving and holiday entertaining needs. We will also have some of our dinnerware and serving pieces on sale (Hint Hint! even some of our Match, Arte Italica and other pewter will be on sale!!) The weather is WONDERFUL in Blue Ridge today so come on in and visit with us!