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Saturday, December 31, 2022

The Nutcracker Book Shop

The Nutcracker Book Shop 2022

When I was young, many years ago, my grandmother told me that "if I could read, I could do anything" and  I believe it was at that point my love for books began.  


Combine that, and finding the most wonderful "Nutcracker", and 
The Nutcracker Book Shop was born.

I always like to begin looking at one of my shops from the outside, just like a patron might.

When we peek in one of the shop windows we see our bookshop owner designed a unique "Christmas Tree" with books and fairy lights.

Each bright lace trimmed window gives us a glimmer of the delights within.  Are those Advent Calendars on top of the shelf?

And in another window, we see cards and books galore.


As we step up onto the porch, where packages have been left, we are greeted by our namesake Nutcracker.   On the door, repurposed book pages create a Holiday Wreath complete with Nutcracker book, Figure and a bright red bow.

As we enter the shop some of the items that catch our eye are......

  beautifully glittered Christmas cards filling a handmade rack,

and shelves and shelves of books (163 all handmade to be exact :). 

 Hand gold-gilded Nutcracker Bookmarks fill a basket on the table where she is gift wrapping literary gifts in a selection of holiday gift papers. 

  And, oh my goodness, look at that "Sleigh Chandelier"!

A warm cozy fire decorated with three tiny lighted Putz Houses fills the room with the warmth of the Season.

After a busy day our shop owner can retire to her bedsit located above the shop.  Just a quick trip up the spiral staircase and she finds her own retreat.

It's the little things that add whimsy to a design and here we find a little mouse (too smart to be caught) looking through a book which fell to the floor.  Maybe Cinderella or The Snow Queen will be his next selection.

The handmade bed and linens, along with the cozy handmade chair and petit point pillow, are perfect for her needs.  Did you notice the stained glass "Nutcracker" window in the alcove?  Her own private book collection is here and she even managed to bring up a cup of tea and fruit tart for an evening snack.

On the bed is one of her most unique books.  It's a handmade "dollhouse foldout" book.  What a delightful gift for any little girl to find under the tree!

The Nutcracker Book Shop was a labor of love and I can still hear my grandmother whispering in my ear, 
"if you can read, you can do anything".

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
J