GOOD BYE 2009...

As the new year is coming upon us, it was definately time for a shop redo. It felt so great to move all the Christmas goodies to the back of the shop and put them all on sale for 60% off! While our friends Connie and Rick were here, we went on an antiqueing adventure and definately found some great prims! I couldn't wait to share with you. I LOVE this old nesting box! Sadly, it's for sale, but doesn't it make a great display piece??? I could also see it in a bathroom filled with towels, lotions and prim goodies.

This island is fantastic - with towel bar and all.

This double laundry tub (with the top) could be used for so many things. How about ice and beverages for a party, or a planter on the porch?

This carpenter's tote is the best one I've ever found. It is so big! It covers the top of the trunk. What a wonderful piece on an old harvest table.

This BIG old wooden box is also a keeper! I could just see it next to a fireplace filled with firewood.

It's hard to see this side table, but it is beautiful. The base is an old sewing machine bottom.

I have carpenter's totes in every shape and size!

This old bucket with the screened spout is so different. Wouldn't it be beautiful filled with spring flowers?

Couldn't resist this old rusty mailbox and wooden drawers. I use a wooden drawer to put our dog dishes in - great way to hide them.

I finally found another old chicken feeder. I almost brought it home to use for the birds this winter.

That's just a sampling of what is arriving at the shop. More will be coming in next week, along with handmades and Valentine's goodies.

Oh, I almost forgot! My new winter hours for January and February will be Wed. thru Fri. from 10-5 and Sat. 10-4. This much needed time off will allow me to scout out more prim antiques, create some handmades, go to the shows, schedule our "cabin fever" classes and more.

Be sure to stop in and check out our new look!

Until next time...

LEISURELY DAY...

What a leisurely day! I had my Abbey for most of the day and I'm going to venture out to go see Dad in a little bit. I can't believe that it's 4:30 in the afternoon and I still haven't got dressed yet - but what a great feeling! It's been a very long time since I've had a day like this. I wanted to share a few of my Christmas gifts with you. Connie made me this prim, wonderful snowman head on an old rusty can. In case you ever go see Rebecca's Thyme in Pigeon Forge, Tn, Connie is her "funky Tennessee artist".

His hat has a mouse, a pinecone and a poinsetta.

Love his prim old face. The mouth is made from sticks.

He even had a snowman recipe for a tag.

She also made this old, prim doll. She has flax and an old bobbin in her pouch.

She sure is going to look great hanging from an old cupboard!

Friend Debbie brought me this prim Santa. Love his colors, more of a muted mustard. Sure looks great standing on the floor.

Dick and Mom got me this BIG, OLD butter churn. I've never seen one this big or old and I just love it. Perfect to hang an old mustard apron from.

I'm looking forward to having an evening to get my creative juices flowing and decide what handmades are going to come first for the store. Do you ever lay in bed and have your mind just swirling? I have so many ideas, just hope I can find the time to get them all put together! I want to do dolls, stitcheries, signs... Time to drag the materials back out and get moving.

I'm going to take some pics at the shop tomorrow so you can see some of the really PRIM items we found this weekend - I'm so darned excited! I can't wait to share.

Well, time to go visit Dad. Have a great evening my friends.

Until next time...

AND CHRISTMAS IS OVER...

On Saturday afternoon we headed to daughter Amanda's house to continue our Christmas celebration. We had lots of good food and great times with children and grandchildren. Amanda and Greg had a nice buffet set up and daughter Tricia had arrived from Oregon.

The kids couldn't hardly wait to open their gifts. Big sister Ellie helped Caroline with opening her first present.

We decided to get the 3 oldest kids ice skates. We have a canal behind our new home and it will be so much fun to have some skating parties and bon fires this winter. Gannon loved his new hockey skates.

Jack was pretty excited too. Did you know they make skates that adjust to three different sizes now? What a great invention!

Ellie had to try her's right on and see if she could walk in them!

Since Caroline was too little for skates, she got her first baby doll. A little birdy told me that Ellie had it in her bed the next night! Big surprise!!!

Grandpa and our little Caroline.

Tricia and Gannon enjoying some ice cream. All in all, it was a great evening and we had a ball.

The next morning our friends, Connie and Rick, arrived and our day began. And a fun day it was! They sure couldn't believe the cold and snow - they've been in Tennessee way too long!

We all opened presents in the morning before we took off and I'll have to take pictures of the wonderful gifts that Connie made for me! I was SOOO lucky. We all took off for an antique adventure and we hit the jackpot! I loaded up with new goodies for the shop and Connie got lots of fun things to take home with her. We ended up in Bay City, had a nice lunch, then came back home to visit for a little bit.

This morning we met them at the shop and Connie helped me take down a lot of Christmas and move things around to make room for our new antiques. Dick and Rick took off with a pickup to gather up the things we bought. It was snowing like crazy and it was fun to just be in the shop with my friend and some fresh ideas.

One of our new pieces is this old nesting box and I love it! I'll probably put it for sale, but it is sure a great display piece.

All too soon it was time to say goodbye.

What a fun time with my dear friend and kindred spirit. It's always hard to leave each other, but we're hoping to meet in Ohio in March.

I stayed at the shop until about 6 p.m., at least long enough to get most things put back together. I still need to straighten out our sale area (Christmas) and get the new things priced. It feels so good to have a new look and the anticipation of all the new merchandise for the new year.

Since I am starting my new January and February hours, tomorrow I am having a "you and me" day with Abbey. Looking so forward to having some time to actually get some things done!

Hope you had a great weekend too.

Until next time...

THE DAY AFTER...

Good morning. Are you all putting away your gifts, drinking your coffee, and trying to get your bearing again? We had a wonderful Christmas day. We had time yesterday morning for a leisurely breakfast and gift opening with my Mom and then off to pick up Dad for the afternoon. This was daughter Ashley's first Christmas to host our party and she did a wonderful job. Her house looked so festive and the food was terrific - and we all ate way too much. It was so great to be able to have my Dad with us for Christmas too. He has slipped quite a bit since Thanksgiving, but he enjoyed getting out and being with his family. Chad (son), Dad, Mom and Ashley (daughter).

Dick, me, Mom and Dad - just look at that smile!

This was our little Lucy's first Christmas and she was so good! She loved all the action, people, paper and gifts. She looked so cute in her little Santa outfit.

Uncle Chad sells bikes, so Abbey was the lucky recipient of a beautiful new mountain bike. Guess what she'll be learning to do this summer? Uncle Chad and Aunt Kim are both ski instructors, so she got started skiing when she was two. What a lucky little girl to have such a great aunt and uncle.

Abbey, Lucy and Aunt Kim.

Lucy and Great-Grandma.

Abbey and I (my first best girl) opening her new scooter.

Aunt Kim with Lucianna Kimberly.

Ashley and Tony (our hosts).

Chad got himself and Grandpa matching shirts with a guy in a wheelchair and one in a walker and told him it was the two of them!

It was really hard to take Dad back, but at least I'm thankful that he was able to be with us this year. All in all, it was a great afternoon.

Then on to son Rich's home for the evening.

Granddaugher Sydney was sure glad to see us. We got her a new sled and boots (along with some other things), but she had to set in her sled the whole evening and wear those new boots. She will be two on New Year's Eve and was having a ball!

Grandpa had to give her a ride in her new sled.

Isn't this the perfect place to feed your new baby?

Sydney, Val and Rich.

Well part one is over and this afternoon we will continue the festivities at daughter Amanda's home with our other four grandchildren. Daughter Tricia flew in from Oregon last night and we are looking forward to another fun afternoon!
THEN - HOORAY - my friend Connie and hubby Rick are on their way from Tennessee! They will be in this evening and we will be able to spend time together for the next couple of days. Can't wait!!! Tomorrow we will be able to get up and go exploring (antiquing) and just have a great time. It's been a long time since we've been able to spend any time together for Christmas and I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.

This Christmas I am so thankful for so many things. God was watching our son-in-law on the side of that mountain. I am so proud of all of our children and grandchildren. I'm so glad we could move here and be with my Mom in this hard time of her life. I thank God that I am able to spend time with my Dad and he knows me and we can still talk to each other. We are blessed with wonderful friends. But most of all, I am proud to be the wife of a wonderful man and best friend.

So, I'm off to have more fun and I hope you are too!

Until next time...

OUR CHRISTMAS MIRACLE...

Merry Christmas my new friends. What a year this has been! I am so thankful that I discovered blogging and have "met" so many wonderful gals from all over the world. I've never known anything quite like this before. I wish I could just meet each and every one of you. Now I have to share our miracle... Last evening the merchants in town were given free passes to dinner and the comedy club at the Historic Holly Hotel (which is very beautiful). We all rushed home to get "prettied" up and make it there on time. The whole thing was very festive and we all laughed until it hurt. When my husband and I arrived home we had a text message from our daughter in Oregon that her husband's plane had crashed into a mountain in Idaho. He does thermo photography from a plane and is a very accomplished pilot. There were search parties out looking for him and word finally came that they had found the wreckage and the rescue workers may not be able to get to him until the next morning. Well, they went as far as they could with snowmobiles and climbed the rest of the way to find him alive! The crash had blown out all of the windows and doors and he was perched on a mountain ledge for over 3 hours with temperatures at 13 degrees. They got him out, strapped him to a backboard and got him down the mountain. Again, word came that he was alive and in good spirits, but no other information was available. Sometime in the early morning hours, we finally got a phone call that he had been treated for hypo thermia, but nothing else was the matter - not even one broken bone. Tonight he is flying home on a commercial plane to be with his family for this Christmas Eve. A guardian angel was definately on his shoulder and God heard our prayers. Do you believe in miracles?

So tonight we have the lights turned low, the eggnog chilling and doing all the things you do to prepare for the holiday. Tomorrow we will go pick up my Dad at the nursing home and take him to my daughter's home for a beautiful Christmas dinner.

This is truly the time to count our blessings and we have many on this Christmas Eve. I hope you and yours are all snuggled in with your families and enjoy every minute of the magic.

Merry Christmas my dear friends!

Until next time...

SHOP CHRISTMAS PARTY...

What a FUN day! Got up this morning and hurried around to clean house and get everything ready for our shop party this afternoon. Everyone that helps me at the shop (except Terri couldn't make it) showed up and we had a ball! Daughter Ashley (our resident baker) sprung Abbey early from school and brought our Lucy baby.

Daughter-in-law Kim makes some beautiful things for the shop and helps out on special events.

Zanie Janie (my new coffee shop neighbor) is a ball. I'm so glad she moved in next door to the shop! And of course my Abbey helps out whenever she gets the chance.

Kim's mom, Sharon, fills in on a lot of Sunday afternoons for me.

And then there's Debbie, who I couldn't have even gotten started without. She finds the best antiques, is a huge moral support and just a plain great friend and kindred spirit.

Lisa and Bonnie both jump in whenever I need help. They are always willing to work when they can, help move furniture (big job), or do whatever they can to help.

I finished up making their pillows at 3:30 a.m., but at least I got them done!

More pillows and Abbey's Christmas activity book.

Ashley and Kim both love mercury glass (and they have LOTS of my handmades), so they both got an ornament.

Debbie came early today and we exchanged our gifts and spent some time together chatting and getting things ready. I'll have to post pictures of my gifts from her. I got a big, prim Santa, some darling little grubby mittens, and the most awesome embellished jacket! Bonnie brought me a Christmas tree pin made out of buttons - so darn cute.

I kept things simple. We had chowder soup, cornbread and cake. I wanted to have time to spend with these special friends. They have all contributed in their own special way and helped make Holly Hills Primitives a success. Thank you all.

After everyone left, I went out and finished my shopping. It was the perfect evening. The snow was falling, Christmas carols were on the radio and the stores weren't even that busy! I came home and wrapped and wrapped and wrapped, but everything is done and I'm ready to enjoy the rest of the holiday season. Hope you all had a fun day too!

Until next time...