SHOP TALK

The Roof, the St. Bonifacious furniture and home accessories store, is liquidating its warehouse contents and store at 4201 Steiner St. Among the items to be found at discounts of 50 percent and more, though February: all seating including recliners and sectionals, sleepers, rugs, lamps, architectural elements and other accessories. Partner Bob Kratch said his other business, Mudd Lake Furniture in Watertown, is unaffected.

If you intend to give a fresh bouquet, a poinsettia or an orchid as a gift, be sure to wrap it well before you leave the store. Double bag it if you can and don't leave it in a cold car for more than a few minutes. Our winter weather can shorten the lifespan of any of these tropical beauties.

•"Sum of the Parts" is likely to awaken your dormant creativity gene. The free exhibit, by members of the Surface Design Association at the Goldstein Museum Gallery, features 100 textile installations constructed with materials ranging from bamboo, to baling twine, to wire screen, put together with techniques such as felting, knitting and stitching. Through Jan. 18; 241 McNeal Hall, University of Minnesota, 1985 Buford Av., St. Paul, 612-624-7434. Details at goldstein.design.umn.edu.

• Finch's Holiday Time Boutique this weekend displays works by about 40 Twin Cities-area designers and crafters. Find home accessories, stationery, pillows, prints, photos, candles, soaps, journal books, artworks and other items at the sale, 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sat., noon-5 p.m . Sun.; 3615 25th Av. S., Minneapolis; details at http://finchs boutique.blogspot.com.

Meredith Corp. has built on its line of branded Better Homes and Gardens furniture, introducing more than 500 products for bed, bath, dining and living rooms sold only at Wal-Mart stores nationwide. From window hardware to picture frames, bed linens to chair pads to dinnerware, towels and shower curtains, the lines feature coordinated colors and materials. Prices start under $10 for an Egyptian cotton bath towel to just under $100 for a 12-piece bedroom ensemble. See pictures at www.bhglivebetter.com; the publisher said it expects to soon add more bedding and bath products as well as outdoor and garden pieces.

For how-to tips on choosing a Christmas tree, dressing up a plain-Jane wreath or creating an eye-catching window box, go to www.startribune.com/homegarden.

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