Highlowaha: Black Friday: Whooo, Whooo is Shopping?

By the sound of it, everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. Ours was no different! The company was great, the food was delicious, and the night was capped off with coffee and pumpkin pie from Richard's infamous espresso machine.

Special thanks to Maureen who shared her last minute idea about the Tree of Gratitude. Matthew and I took a walk at the local park to gather branches. I bound the branches together with raffia, hung paper leaves so people could note the things for which they were thankful, and stuck it in a vase. Easy, peasy, but it was a nice addition.

Also, yesterday Chaotic shared her blog address, so you could check out a picture of the fun turkandles (fun name, Chaotic) she made for the host of her Thanksgiving dinner. They were CUTE and a great variation on the ones I made (I wish I would have seen hers first!). Incidentally, live and learn. If I were doing mine over, I would use tissue paper in a variety of fall colors (as opposed to just yellow and orange). It would have added dimension to the flock to see turkey in different fall color combinations.

Now onto the business of today. Shopping!

I've arranged a fun little gig for the readers of Highlowaha. I hope you can get as excited about it as I am. In the town where I live, we have the cutest little toy store. It is the equivalent to Meg Ryan's quaint bookstore (The Shop Around the Corner) in the movie, You've Got Mail. There are no isles - just quaint little nooks and crannies stuffed with all sorts of novel items that you'd be hard pressed to find somewhere else. Shopping in this store is like being on a treasure hunt. Total stimulus everywhere you turn.

The toy store is called the, Owl's Nest. Smack in the middle of the store is a a big tree with expansive branches. The leaves and branches automatically make you feel perched in a nest, chock full of curiosities. The owner has an impeccable sense of detail, meaning the store is masterfully laid out and the epitome of what a toy store ought to feel like. Add to it, their beautiful wrapping (and that coming from someone who LOVES packaging) and you have the ultimate toy store.

In honor of Black Friday, here's what I'm proposing... Kids or no kids, Texas resident or not, join us for this fun holiday shopping experience.

North Texas readers (Grapevine, Euless, Bedford, Arlington, Addison, Denton, Grand Prairie, Addison, Richardson, Southlake, Irving, and Dallas, ) join me on Saturday, December 7 in visiting the Owl's Nest. Our assignment... scour the store for the one "hot find" you want to tell our readers about (name of item, age range, cost, general description, etc...). For some added fun... search the store for the hidden Ray and you will earn 10% off any purchase you make.

There's more.

Not from North Texas? Have no fear. We wouldn't dare forget about you. We want to "pinch shop" for you. Tell us the sex and age of the person for whom you are seeking the ultimate gift and I will appoint one of our North Texas readers to search for you. Then, read the blog later that day or on Sunday to find out what treasures we've found. Decide you actually want the item? Place an order by simply calling the store on Monday.

And, as if that isn't enough, there's more. Teams (North Texas shopper + assigned person from another state) will be entered in a drawing. One lucky "team" will win two lap desks (each personalized and then mailed to your respective homes). The lap desk colors range to include red, green, blue, pink, purple, yellow. Boys and girls alike will love one!

One more thing. North Texas readers, this is a PATCH YIELDING EVENT! To earn you own great owl patch, simply (1) Visit the store on Saturday, December 7, (2) post your review of a favorite item, and (3) window shop for an out-of-state reader. Tell me you're in, so I know whether I can pair you with a non-North Texan. Don't know what I'm talking about? Visit the post titled, Patchwork (8/7).

O.k., I'm having fun with this. One more thing. I was in the Owl's Nest the other day and - of course - found a "have-to holiday accessory" Come closest to guessing how many licks it took me to eat a Tootsie Pop and you win the accessory.