All schools in Upshur County will close at 1 p.m. today. All B-UHS sporting events today are canceled.

First Lady Cathy Justice unveils official 2022 Limited Edition Christmas Ornament

CHARLESTON, WV – First Lady Cathy Justice joined West Virginia Arts, Culture and History Curator Randall Reid-Smith today to unveil her official 2022 Limited Edition Christmas Ornament today.

This year’s ornament was designed by Charleston stained glass artist, Amanda Buckner.

“Babydog has been a true pleasure as a beloved pet for the Governor and me,” said First Lady Justice. “She was a gift to the Governor on Christmas Eve a few years ago and immediately became his loyal companion. She brings such happiness to our lives, and we’re thrilled to share some of that joy with our fellow West Virginians. Amanda Buckner has created a wonderful Christmas ornament, capturing the true cheerful spirit of Babydog. I hope everyone who takes one of these ornaments home will enjoy it for many years to come.”

“The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History is always excited to help First Lady Cathy Justice in unveiling her annual Christmas ornament design,” Reid-Smith said. “This year’s artist, Amanda Buckner of Amanda’s Glass Art, has created a beautiful piece, and we are proud to continuously work with the First Lady to promote artists from across the Mountain State.”

The 2022 ornament features the Governor and First Lady’s beloved pet, Babydog. The ornament was created using a white opalescent glass base, crushed glass in four colors along with hand cut glass eyes, nose, and a red tongue. The ornament is finished with a red velvet ribbon for hanging and a wooden bone-shaped tag, made by West Virginia artisan Sam Laxton, with a special Christmas greeting from Babydog.

“As a native of West Virginia and the owner of Amanda’s Glass Art, it was a privilege to be selected to produce the 2022 First Lady ornament,” said Buckner. “I am working hard every day to Do It For Babydog!”

The limited number of 500 ornaments, priced at $33.00 each, will be released in stages, due to the intricate design of the ornament. One hundred and twenty ornaments will be available for purchase on Wednesday, November 16th at the Tamarack Marketplace at The Culture Center in Charleston. Later in the holiday season, the additional 380 ornaments will be released with 250 being delivered on December 14th and a final 130 delivered on December 21st.

People interested in purchasing an ornament may also call (304) 205-7911 and leave a voicemail message with their name and phone number. It is strongly recommended that anyone leaving a voicemail leave only their name and number, not their credit card information. If you need your ornament shipped, Tamarack will advise on packaging and shipping costs.

The Tamarack Marketplace at The Culture Center is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Gift shop hours are 9:00am-4:30pm Tuesday-Saturday. Any voicemails left regarding the ornaments while the shop is closed will be returned in the order they were received on Tuesdays.

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