SO HARD TO WAIT...

Hooray, Friday evening! Just got back from our old house with another load of "stuff" and I'm having such a hard time holding off starting on my holiday decorating - but I'm going to wait until after Thanksgiving - at least at this house. I did haul over a lot of my greens, a couple Christmas dolls and a few other goodies though, might as well start sorting! I went to one of my favorite shops in Brighton, MI last night called Homespun-Spare Parts For The Home and couldn't resist a few things. I'm so sad that she will be closing her doors after 20 years! It's so much fun to visit other great shops and get inspired all over again - and this one always does it for me! Today the "town tree" went up across the street from the shop and is getting ready for the tree lighting next Friday evening. It is the official kick-off to the annual Dicken's Festival - which will last 3 weekends. If you're in the area, stop into Holly and have some family fun. There's nothing like a carriage ride after dark with the town all aglow with Christmas lights.

The workers did a great job!

I just love our little snowman that Terri brought in! He looks so cute with the candy sticking out of his pockets.

Just got this BROWN primitive pre-lit tree. There's so many things that could be done with it!

We call this beauty our "Dicken's Cupboard". I've never seen anything quite like it before. It has painting on each panel on the doors and the sides. It really is quite something!

I got two of these little "top-hat" lights and they are keepers. Maybe Scrooge will wander in during Dickens and find his hat!

Another beautiful "post-card board" with velvet ribbon. This one is so serene and wonderful.

Some guy out there might be collecting old metal tractors and trailers.

I got two of these great, BIG, knit stockings. Wouldn't these be something on a fireplace?

One little metal greenhouse left, it is so peaceful looking with the berries and lights.

I should be receiving three more orders next week - just in time for Dickens! Can't wait for our new tart burners, candy-cane battery candles, PRIM reed diffusers and lots more.

SO - since it's not quite time to decorate at home, I'm going to take a haul up to the Little House and start up there tomorrow night. I'm so excited to turn on the stereo, light the candles and just putz! It's been a long time since we've had time to just go up there and enjoy. Only one drawback, I came down with a crummy cold. Oh well, it will be cozy inside! I'd like to put on a big old pot of soup Sunday morning and just let it simmer until we're ready to have some. I can just imagine the smells and the feelings of that little place. Oh yes, I'm more than ready!

Tonight we are taking my mom out for dinner when Dick gets home from work. She always looks forward to getting out of the house for an evening. Maybe Italian?

Well friends, time to start sorting while I'm waiting.

Until next time...

WEDNESDAY ALREADY...

Oh yes, Wednesday is already over. The weeks seem to be flying by this month! Whew! It's hard to believe that another weekend is almost upon us already.
I had a great surprise today. A blog reader stopped into the shop with her two sweet little boys to ask if she could take Christmas pictures in front of the store. OF COURSE! I asked her if I could sneak one to share. This is Owen and Matthew - don't you just love the hat???

I also have a few more goodies to share tonight. This snowman is so cute, he is done on an old glass lamp base.

Stockings full of toys line our fireplace. I especially like the middle one.

This Santa is so adorable in his reindeer slippers!

Old gumball machines (including their keys) would be so festive filled with candy canes.

Does anybody remember skating on these kind of roller skates?

This little mouse in the baby shoe is SOOO cute! It has a doily on the back and ribbon laces.

More retro decorations.

Who doesn't love gingerbread men? This one even has a baby in the pocket.

My favorite of the year are these needle "keepers" made from old knives. They have a cork in the top and come with attached scissors on a silver chain.

More necklaces by Kari are here. Love the Christmas ones!

That's it for more goodies today, but they are arriving almost daily now. More coming tomorrow too!

I ran up to visit Dad after work today and we had a great time. He was in good spirits and we joked and had lots of fun. One way or another, we are going to be someplace other than the nursing home for Thanksgiving!

Dick and I actually met and had a dinner alone tonight too. What a treat! It seems like we have been on a constant treadmill for months, it was so nice to be able to just sit and visit with each other.

This weekend, if everything goes okay, we plan on making another trip up to The Little House and have some fun. Dick wants to do some fishing for White Fish and I want to decorate for the holidays. I'm not quite ready to do it at home yet, but it will be so much fun up north. There is nothing like walking in the woods to cut fresh greens for garlands, finding my special stash of rosehips, putting up the lights... It's all so very festive and old-fashioned. (Of course, it has to look just right before Connie and Rick come!)

Well friends, have a wonderful evening and we'll talk again tomorrow.

Until next time...

GREAT FINDS...

Good Tuesday evening gals. Hope you had a wonderful day! I spent a lot of time tweeking the shop (again) and adding lots of new prim goodies. It's so much fun to have blogland to share the latest finds. Took down the reindeer and added this big, old carpenter's tote (on it's side) filled with all kinds of prim ornies.

Picked up this old janitor's mop bucket. It just makes the perfect place to put a tree - complete with squeegee!

My favorite find was this old, folk-art whirlygig! It ALMOST came home with my for my hubby's Christmas present.

This armchair is so prim and sturdy. I could just see the right pillows on it.

This big sled is unbelievable and HEAVY! It is truly a work of art that some old grandpa must have made for the children. What a porch decoration statement this would make!

This sweet little bench is perfect for a foyer. Oh where, oh where could I put it?

Love the small OLD green and cream cupboard. Who doesn't have room for one more little cupboard?

This wagon isn't VERY old, but it sure is a cutie. It would be perfect for the right tree and packages.

Two old stools. One is red and white metal and the other is old green wood.

This old, red room divider screen just screams Christmas! Wouldn't it be the perfect backdrop for a tree?

Need a washtub for your tree? We have lots!

Talk about sweet! This little white cabinet is it! Love it with the old white ice skates and greens.

Just got quite a few retro "light-ups" (and they are the real thing). They are scattered all over the shop.

Need black chairs for the holidays? We got a set of four with rush seats in great condition. This one looks so good with the old, black desk.

What a great time of year! I have more antiques and handmades coming again tomorrow. The holidays are just the best, I get new goodies almost daily this time of year. It feels like CHRISTMAS!

Don't forget, I will ship everything but furniture. So, if you see something you like, just give me a call at the shop or send me an e-mail.

I'M SO EXCITED! I talked to my friend Connie today (by the way, she already got her new furniture in place and decorated) and they are coming to Michigan at the end of December. We are trying to make plans to go up to The Little House and have an "up north" Christmas together. It will be so much fun to exchange our gifts in person, light up the holiday lights, cook dinner together, make popcorn (in my grandma's old popcorn popper) and just enjoy our time together. Can't wait!!! Rick has never seen our cottage, so that will be a fun adventure too. Hurry up you two!

Well, time to get another order together and get dinner on the table. Be watching for more goodies!

Until next time...

BUSY WEEKEND...

Good Tuesday morning prim friends! What a weekend this has been! After the shop closed on Saturday, I ran up to visit my dad, came home to babysit for Lucy and Abbey (just for a couple hours), and then we headed up north to "The Little House". We raked leaves ALL DAY Sunday - we think they multiplied since last year! Abbey rode up with us and she raked like a little trooper.
Monday morning my friend Connie's husband, Rick, and his friend, Gene, drove up from Tennessee to pick up the furniture they had bought a couple weeks ago. They pulled an all-nighter, left at 1 a.m. and were home last night by 9 p.m.! Yesterday morning, Rick had to take Gene to the Peppermill for a great Michigan breakfast before they came to the shop. (Then a little birdy told me that they stopped at the Holly Donut Shop on their way out of town!) Gene (on left) and Rick (on right). These two reminded me of a couple teenagers, they were having such a great time!

Gene's Suburban all loaded and ready to head back to Tennessee. A great old prim MUSTARD pie safe and a beautiful oak ice box went home with them - and then we added a big old mustard carpenter's tote. Can't wait to see pictures of everything when it gets all primmed up in their home! (Have fun Connie!) Rick and Connie will be back to Michigan at the end of December and we actually get to have some holiday time together this year - can't wait!

Saturday afternoon I took my Rosie dog up to visit Dad. He just loves to have her come visit! I always just throw him her leash and he takes over for the remainder of our visit. This nursing home is wonderful, but it still breaks my heart every time I leave and can't bring him home with me. It's so hard for Mom too, they will be married 64 years in February!

Another shot of Dad and Rosie.

Yesterday afternoon I took in LOTS more goodies to the shop and hope to have pictures on my next post. It's going to be a busy day getting everything tweeked again, but always fun!

Poor Dick had to rake leaves - again - at our old house yesterday. My friend Debbie came to help me move more things out and SORT! The light at the end of the tunnel is getting a little closer, sure hope it's soon!

Hope you all have a wonderful, creative day!

Until next time...

SUCCESSFUL LADIES NITE OUT...

My day began by doing a lot of tweeking in the shop and getting things ready for our Ladies Nite Out. New dolls are arriving on a regular basis now, so I had to price and put them out.

Snowman on a funnel.

Big snowman doll with a quilted jacket.

Big Santa doll.

Santa with his toys in his pockets.

Large angel in her Christening gown and old Bible in her pouch.

Prim Santa.

Then the balloon bouquets arrived and pink balloons were going up all over town.

My old vintage snowpeople greated customers as they came in the door.

The DDA (Downtown Development Authority) passed out pink bags with specials and coupons to the first 300 shoppers.

Our Abbey ran into some friends and they were ready to shop!

My Ashley did the baking for the event. Isn't this prim snowman cake (with real sticks and buttons) the cutest thing??? He was a big hit!

Then came the music!

Oh thank you Eddie for your wonderful music! Can't wait until Dickens and your dulcimer!

I took a short stroll after dark and the town looked SO pretty. This is my front window. You are looking into the dining room of Scrooge!

Zanie Janies coffee shop (next door to me) was crazy busy all night!

Marta's Loft, a beautiful women's clothing store, was very elegant.

My Sweet Holly was adorable.

And then it was over. Battle Alley was clearing out, but the pink lights were still ablaze. All in all, it was a successful evening with large crowds. I don't know what I would have done without our Kim. We sure were lucky when she became part of our family! She helped me all evening and was a trooper.

We still have TONS of holiday items with more arriving daily. Hope you get a chance to stop in to visit us soon. Now it's time to curl up and take a break - until tomorrow.

Until next time...

GOOD MORNING AMERICA CAME TO TOWN...

November 11th, what an important day for our great nation. I would like to take a moment to thank all the veterans for their unselfish service to keep our country strong and free. I have two very important veterans in my life. First of all my husband Dick. He served during the Viet Nam war and was there from August, 1966 to October, 1967.

Then there's my dear Dad. He was a medic in WWII and was gone from home for 3 long years. Thanks to both of you.

It was also a very exciting day in our little village of Holly. Good Morning America came to film!!! There were people everywhere right in front of the shop and the excitement was intoxicating. There were children, shopowners, adults, dogs and everything in between!

The film crews were on the second floor of the building right across the street from Holly Hills Primitives.

That's my shop in the background with the green paint and little window panes.

The police blocked off Battle Alley from any traffic while the crowds were on the main street.

My new friend Janie (Zanie Janie's Coffee Shop a/k/a Simply Coffee) and I decided we needed to get our sign into the film. We stood on stools at the back of the crowd and hoped we would get our chance to be on t.v.! Anyone interested in viewing our exciting episode should tune in to Good Morning America on November 27th - just before opening weekend of the Dicken's Festival!

You've got to love these holidays for the women that have the day off! The shop was BUSY and lots of goodies went out the door. I have LOTS to price and put out tomorrow. I am trying to get fill the shop for our Ladies Nite Out on Friday night. Hope to see some of you there.

Well, it's late, I'm tired and ready to snuggle in for the night. Hope you all have sweet dreams!

Until next time...

GREAT WEEKEND...

What a wonderful, fun weekend we just had! Saturday was quite busy at work (thank goodness), then Dick and Tony (son-in-law) brought a few more furniture pieces over to the new house. I ran home and threw a lasagna together and we had our first dinner guests, our friends Kenny and Debbie. It felt so great to have company and just a "normal" evening. Debbie and I did some craft brainstorming and we all had a great night. I was sorry to see it end, but we'll all be together again soon.
Then Sunday I got up and ran down to Lisa's Country Cupboard to check out her holiday open house. Everything was way cute and she had a wonderful "treat" table. Couldn't stay long, had to get back to get my shop opened up. I was outside taking down the cornstalks and I heard a familiar voice telling me to throw those things away. I looked up and saw my best friend Connie and her husband Rick walking down the sidewalk - all the way from Tennessee!!! What a way to light up my life! We only get to see each other a couple times a year and it was such a surprise. They came back to Michigan for an appointment and we got to spend one afternoon and evening together. It was so much fun to show her the shop, go out to dinner together and then show her our new home. She ended up buying a couple pieces of furniture - so Rick is going to make another trip to Michigan to pick them up for her! Yup, it was a great weekend! Connie and I inside the shop.

Connie and her hubby, Rick.

Today started out being quite restful (I'm closed on Mondays). We took Mom to pick Dad up at the nursing home. Thought it would do him good to go out to lunch, but he ended up not feeling very well and had to take him back a little early. Our Chad and Kim came to meet us too. Maybe it was just too much excitement, but it sure breaks my heart.

Then back to the other house to pack a few more boxes. It looks so darn lonely over there, but it's coming - little by little.

Tonight I'm going to grunge dolls and more and try to get some things ready for the shop for Ladies Night Out (this Friday night).

Well girls, hope your weekend was as much fun as mine was!

Until next time...