Santa's list isn't just divided between naughty and nice. There are the hard-to-please people, and the very special someone's who deserve something unexpected and unique. If you're tracking down some of those hard-to-find gifts, you're in luck. From locally made to one-of-a-kind vintage gifts, we've got just what you're looking for....and we might even gift bag it for you, to boot.

Do you have a friend with a small business? Chances are good that you do. Small businesses make up 99.7% of all businesses in the U.S. Those are the businesses whose owners are your friends and neighbors. They pay local taxes and support local causes and charities. They employ your teenager looking for a first part-time job. 

And their businesses are what make your community unique and different from any other. Practically every town has national brands and chain stores and restaurants. But it's the small, one-of-a-kind shops and independently owned businesses that set your town apart from all the rest. ​And it doesn't matter if your friend's business is freshly minted or a local landmark, here are some ways you can support them....and your community.

I'm going back to the future to revisit one of my favorite blog series: my bedroom makeover. It's probably about time to tweak some parts of it...but to be honest, I still really like it, even after two years.

Customers and friends often ask us if our homes are as beautifully decorated as the shop. We get a chuckle when we hear their speculations, because it's the age-old paradox: the cobbler's children have no shoes; similarly, we have little time or energy left over to pour into beautifying our own living spaces.

​But occasionally, we do both get an itch to change things up on the home front, and Sherri and I were both working on updating our bedrooms when this was first published. Ready? Here we go!