le petit hameau

Farmer's Market is BACK!

2010-04-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone...
The Farmer's Market is back in Keller. It is going into its 3rd weekend this weekend and I have heard great things so far. LPH will of course have their booth set-up, so stop by and see all the European goodies. The Farmer's Market goes from 8AM-1PM. It is every Saturday from now until the end of October, come rain or shine!

Check it out at www.kellerfarmersmarket.com

Happy New Year & SALE!

2010-01-04T11:55:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year everyone! Le Petit Hameau does not have sales very often. Especially on our highly sought after European goods. However, our Italian pottery is currently 20% off. The owners will be going to Europe in February for a buying trip and one of their stops will be to Massimiliano in Certaldo! I can't wait to see what new gorgeous pieces he has that we can start carrying in the shop.

So, please, take a look at his gorgeous work, and now is the time to take advantage of the discounted price. I assure you, once we get the new inventory the sale will be over!

Gift Guide 2009: Christmas Ornaments Part 2

2009-12-10T09:07:00.000-08:00

To continue to point out some of our special ornaments, I have picked the following. The first ones come from Australia. Although they are not European, the owners first found these while shopping in France. The are gorgeous and come in many different colors and scenes. We have the ball ornaments and the bells. The bells actually do ring and they all sound a little different. The art form that you noticed on the ornaments with the copper wire is known as cloisonne. It is an old Chinese art form in which the copper wire is laid out by hand and then each ornament is hand painted.

The second ornament I will feature today are these beaded beauties. They are all hand made in the Czech Republic. The are mostly gold, red, and silver. Aren't they pretty?

Gift Guide 2009: Christmas Ornaments Part 1

2009-12-03T11:33:00.001-08:00

We have ornaments, ornaments and more ornaments. Not just any old type, but specialty ones that are from all different countries. Some are mouth blown glass, some are hand-made out of wood, some have Swarovski crystals on them, and there are many, many others. They start at $9.50 and go up from there. I will talk about 2 different kinds today.

These first ones are made in Germany. The are wood ornaments and they have a middle part that mimics a traditional German pyramid. It actually does spin in the middle!

The next ones are glass ornaments from a Swedish company. They are technically made in the Ukraine, although the tag will say Sweden because that is where the company is based. These beauties have been inspired by the Faberge Eggs. It actually evens talks about the eggs on the tag when you buy an ornament. They come in many different colors and a nice little gift box!

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T08:23:00.000-08:00

Hope you all have a great Thanksgiving! We will be back blogging next week with more gift ideas! We have added new things in the store this week and will be open Friday and Saturday!

Gift Guide 2009: Patriotic Ornaments

2009-11-11T08:41:00.000-08:00

Since it is Veteran's Day, I thought it fitting to showcase some of the prettiest ornaments we have in the store. (At least in my opinion) Surprisingly enough, they are not American made. These glass ornaments are made in Germany. They are so beautiful and sparkly! They would make a lovely addition to any Christmas tree. Choose from the cute little teddy bears or the stars bearing the "stars and stripes".

Gift Guide 2009: German Smoking Men

2009-11-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

a.k.a. Smokers. These little guys are some of the cutest, unique gifts you will ever find. It is really the perfect gift for that someone that has everything. They are hand crafted in Germany and are really becoming more popular than the Nutcrackers.

Now what is a smoker, you might ask? They are basically incense burners. You take the body of the smoker off and place the incense cone on the inside. Light it, and put the body back on. Once you do that you can watch him "smoke his pipe"! They are really fun to watch and are very cute. The smoke lasts for about 15 minutes and then lingers in the air for about another 30 minutes. You can choose from about 8 different scents for the incense cones.

The Germans originally made them to be Christmas characters. Mainly Santas, but we do carry smokers that are of the 3 wise men and that are doing winter sports; skating and skiing. Also, we carry smokers that can be left out all year long and don't have to be put away at the end of the holiday season. We have smokers that are folk characters, some that are of certain occupations and others that represent hobbies. We have found them to be a great seller for our store and many people have started collecting them. They make a great family heirloom and a nice conversation piece to have in your home at the holidays, or all year round.

Here are some pictures of these little guys!

Smokers for occupations and hobbies

Winter Sports

Snowmen

Santas

The 3 Wise Men

More Santas

Not sure if you can tell, but this one is smoking.

Please stop by the store for a demonstration on how they work.

Gift Guide 2009: Mary Lake Thompson Treats

2009-10-29T08:51:00.000-07:00

I love these items as gifts! They are sooo cute and are sure to please anyone. I think they make the best house warming gifts, hostess gifts, and teacher gifts. Mary Lake Thompson is a company out of California and they sell all sorts of cute food and drink goods. Along with decorative wine bags, kitchen towels, etc....We currently carry the following:

Apple Cider and Organic Christmas Tea

Champagne Bottle Bags, Wine Bottle Bags, and Peppermint Cocoa

Another version of a wine bag. Isn't it cute: "Age isn't important, unless you are wine an cheese" Would make a good bag to put over a bottle of wine and give as a birthday gift, too!

Gingerbread Cake Mix, Cranberry Walnut Cake Mix, and Brownie Mix
All the mixes come with a flour sack towel

Mulling Spices

Aren't they pretty!

Gift Guide 2009: Balance "Toys"

2009-10-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

Yes....it is definitely starting to look a lot like Christmas here at the shop. It is not too late to buy your fall items, but we are starting to make the transition and make room for all things holiday! During the season I will be spotlighting items that we carry in the store that would make great gifts! So don't be surprised if I blog about it ALL!

Here is the first one: Balance Toys. For lack of a better word, that is what we will call them. We have them for non-holiday decorating, too, but here are some of the cute holiday ones. Not only will grown-ups like these, so will the kids. Although they are technically not a "toy", kids love watching them rock back and forth and balance. It is really quite interesting to watch and a very unique item to have in your home. We have these pretty ones for your selection:

FALL into Fall

2009-10-12T08:42:00.000-07:00

Although it is starting to look at lot like Christmas at the shop right now, we can't help but want you to fall in love with some of our Fall items! We still have a couple of months left of Fall and plenty of time for you to still enjoy these items around your home.

Halloween is just under 3 weeks away, so might I suggest these cute candle buckets for your patio or to use indoors.

Do you have your Thanksgiving centerpiece all planned out? Might I suggest:

Fall leaf tea-light candle holder

We also have started carrying olive oil from our favorite vineyard in Tuscany! It is so yummy and worth every cent. We only have a few bottles, so get them while they last. The oil is 100% made of Italian olives. In fact, a member of that family (and our favorite Italian) is coming to visit us in 2 weeks! We can't wait to see him!

We have a cute little collection of all olive items for all you olive lovers out there: Italian Olive oil, dipping spices, and olive napkins. Also, hand painted Italian ceramic bowls in 2 sizes that have olives painted on them and an olive oil dispenser. Put all the items together or mix and match a couple for a great gift idea!

Lighted Florals

2009-09-21T10:29:00.000-07:00

Welcome to our first blog entry featuring product that we sell here at Le Petit Hameau. We have only had them for about a month, but our lighted florals seem to be a huge hit! We offer many different styles that can be used in many different types of arrangements around your home.

The owners, Jack and Jetta McDonald, first saw lighted florals over in Europe when they lived in Brussels for 3 years. They remember walking by a shop window display and they caught their eye. They were very pleased to find them at a recent market so they know can sell and share them with you! They are lit by simply plugging them into the wall. They have an extremely long cord that allows for you to be able to use them in just about any corner of your home. The bulbs have a 8000 hour life, so you can be assured that they will be a great purchase for your home.

Prices range from $27.50-$47.50 per set. They come as pussy willows, willows, white mini roses, and plum branches. We also sell crystals in amber and clear to compliment your arrangement by reflecting the light. These florals are great year round, but will be especially nice during the holidays and the winter months to bring added comforting light during those long dark nights!

Welcome to our new blog!

2009-04-10T11:20:00.000-07:00

We would like to welcome all of our customers and friends to our new blog. We will feature new products, specialty items and keep you informed on what is going on over here at Le Petit Hameau!! Please check back often!