Crafts For Christmas

New gift shop opens doors

A yearly Christmas crafts sale at her Orland home led a Glenn County woman and her friend to open a gift and antiques store in Willows.

Berry Babes Farm Goods opened June 1 and hosts a grand opening today at its Wood Street location.

Heather Alexander and Cari Berlin said they've been doing Christmas sales for five years outside Alexander's house in Orland's Lake District, and the sale has grown with time.

"We have a customer base and thought Willows would be a good location," Alexander said.

The inventory includes Berry Babes jams and jellies made by Alexander and her mother, Sharon Barker, and a variety of other salad dressings, marinades and sauces created by Northern California companies.

Olives, lotions, soaps, candles, candy and other products also are available, the women said.

They also are featuring locally made bird houses and children's clothing created by teachers in the area like Eric Hansen of Willows whose barn wood creations are popular.

Also on sale are antiques of all types such as glassware, kitchen collectibles, furniture, vintage pictures, knickknacks and more.

"We have both been antique collectors all of our lives," Alexander explained. "Our houses are full of them."

Berlin added she tries to recycle or re-purpose as many objects as she can which is why antiques and vintage items make good gifts.

Her interests focus on kitchen goods like the 1920 Roper stove in the store that once sat in her Willows house, she said.

"I will be sad when it goes," Berlin said.

Milk glass, tin and enamel ware are Alexander's favorites, she said, although most kitchen collectibles are fun.

"We are hoping the out-of-town crowd will come from Thunderhill and hunting," Alexander said, to buy gifts and "take some of our local stuff home."

So far, public response has been positive to the store, she said.

Buyers from Elk Creek and surrounding communities are coming by instead of going to Chico and seem to like it.

It does gift wrapping and the women can assist people in creating a gift basket for most occasions.

"We will still have our annual Christmas sale on the Saturday before Thanksgiving," Alexander said, so the 200 people on her mailing list will have a new place to come.

The store also is on Facebook and has pictures of its merchandise on that site, Berlin said.

Contact Rick Longley at 934-6800 or rlongley@tcnpress.com .