HOLLYWEEN...

I love our little village! Every year, the Saturday before Halloween, the streets are closed in town and the kids are all invited to do a children's parade and trick or treat from the merchants. It has become a tradition in our family for the grandkids to all come to "grandma's store" and make the rounds. This year we had 5 out of 8 there and it was so much fun!

Son Rich, his wife Val, Sydney and baby Peyton.

Our Sydney sure loves her baby brother!

This was Peyton's first Halloween and the poor guy slept through most of it!

Daughter Amanda with Ellie, Caroline and Jack.

Jack, Caroline and Ellie were anxious to get out there and get some candy.

Monday night we are all going to Amanda's house to trick or treat with 7 out of 8! Abbey is at a rabbit convention out of state, but we'll sure save her some candy. This will be our first Halloween without her!!!

Well, this weekend is pretty much it for fall goodies at the shop. Next week we will be moving furniture, packing away fall and transforming everything to a primitive winter wonderland. Don't forget, we will be closed Nov 3 and 4, but the holiday open house will be in full swing on Nov 5 and 6. Hope you can come join in the fun!

Have a great weekend and a Happy Halloween!!!

Until next time...

WHIRLWIND WEEKEND...

Oh my goodness! What a crazy, fun weekend Dick and I just had. We took off for Ohio for our final buying trip before we CHANGE the shop over for the holidays and we had so much darn fun. We met a customer in Findley and had a bite to eat and then off to Waynesville for a little exploring. If you're ever in Waynesville, OH, be sure to stop into an adorable prim shop called Sawdust & Stitches www.sawdust-n-stitches.com and meet Tammy and George. You'll be so glad you did! George and their son both have proudly served in Afghanistan and for that we thank them both. Tammy started out in a TINY shop across the street a couple of years ago and has now moved and has gotten better and better! Can't wait to go back and visit some more.
After we left Waynesville, we stopped in to North Shore Primitives in Washington Courthouse. What a blast of prim eye candy! Just beautiful.
Then on to Columbus to buy, buy, buy. You know all those last minute goodies like MORE and MORE battery candles, rice lights, greens, and tons of surprises. The only problem is, the storeroom at the shop is FULL of Christmas and now it is taking over at home and in the garage. Can't wait for next week to start changing EVERYTHING and getting all of the new prim wares into the shop for our holiday open house on November 5 and 6 (we will be closed on November 3 and 4 to dress the shop in her best prim accessories).

The reindeer are resting against the wall, taking their last nap before it's time to help Santa.

The boxes are heeping up and sneeking into the house one by one.

Oh my gosh, can't wait to get everything out!

SOOO, today I will be sewing, sewing and more sewing to finish up the last of everything I have sewn and stuffed. Dick will be creating like mad in the garage (I think he got really inspired after our trip)! Don't forget to mark you calendars and come have some fun with us at our holiday open house.

By the way, all of our fall/Halloween is now marked down to 40% off while it lasts. Time to broom out the shop and make room for all the boxes of fun Christmas.

Until next time...

THE PRIMS JUST KEEP COMING...

WOO-HOO! Dick was at it all day today and we've got lots of new goodies to take into the shop tomorrow. We are both getting so excited to make the Christmas switch and get out ALL of the great, primitive wares that have been hiding in boxes for quite awhile. Today he made this wonderful child's make-do chair. The base is an old wooden box and the seat and back are covered with feedsack in green and red - perfect for your holiday dollies to set on.

Closeup of the feedsack, but it is a lot more green in person.

I'm crazy about these candle holders made from old tin ceiling trim. You can either get one to hold one candle,

or two! I can just see them with greens for the holidays.

This one is the best ever! A floor lamp candle holder from an old masher and fur stretcher. Of course I had to keep one of these. (Excuse the background mess - we have been going crazy getting everything done.)

The top is wrapped with grubby cheesecloth. This one would be SO perfect to set next to a chair or on a fireplace hearth.

Can't wait to see what he's going to come up with next, maybe a fireplace mantle for the shop (hint, hint). I also have some great shutters and the perfect old screen door that would make a perfect cupboard!

We had another great day at the shop. Seems that new customers are discovering our cozy little corner of the world and the word is spreading. We have some of the best customers ever!

Some "new" antique pieces will also be arriving over the next couple of weeks and I can't wait to share them with all of you. But for now, guess I'll get on my p.j.'s and get some rest. Hope you're still cuddling, it was cold here today (only in the low 40's) and that bed is going to feel really great.

Until next time...

MORE NEW CREATIONS...

Hi prim pals! Wow, Dick has been so busy for me. Creating, creating and more creating. Just had to show you a couple of his latest projects. I'm CRAZY about this primitive towel rack with candle, towel and soap dish.

The soap dish is made from an OLD spatula with soap included.

The towel is grubby muslin with a patch of an old sled.

The battery candle (included) is mounted on an old wooden spoon. I've got one next to my kitchen sink, but it would also be adorable in a bathroom.

I have a thing for stitcheries on old objects. This one is attached to an old kraut cutter and would be so cool with a candle attached inside the box.

I'm a little partial to this verse.

Another one of Dick's creations is this towel rack made from old shoe forms attached to an old peely paint board. I need to hang a towel on here so people can get the idea!

Today was such a great day! I was SO busy with customers, new and old. I was so excited to meet Sue and Ted, their house was featured in a fall issue of Country Sampler awhile ago and it is one of my favorites. They stayed for quite awhile and we had fun getting to know each other, just sorry I didn't get their picture!

I put all fall and Halloween on sale in the shop at 40% off until it's gone. We've GOT to get ready to start preparing for our holiday open house on Nov 5 and 6. You should stop in any time and get a deal! Also don't miss some of the new prims that arriving daily.

There is a cuddle alert in this neck of the woods tonight, cold and rain! Hope you are all snuggled in and having a wonderful evening.

Until next time...

PRIMITIVE SINK...

Oh my goodness! I just had to share the latest creation that my retired hubby has come up with! This is really for you really prim pals though. It is a reproduction "sink" that can hang on the wall with a leather strap.

It has a mirror attached with an old leather piece, a batter candle and a rusty wire across the front for your towel.

Inside there is a soap dish with handmade soap.

And an old rusty bucket. This piece would be so beautiful filled with winter greens or whatever your little heart desires. Come on in and take a peek!

This has been a crazy morning. More sewing, sewing and sewing. Trying to get those handmades all ready before our change over to the holidays. The shop will be closed on November 3 and 4 and will reopen for our holiday open house on November 5 and 6.

Well, time to get back to it!

Until next time...

A HOME ON A HILL...

As promised, prim pals, I'd like to share a wonderful home tour with you, courtesy of my friend Connie in Tennessee. Grab a cup of coffee and be prepared to see some beautiful eye candy. Rick and Connie built this home a few years ago, it was their retirement dream and, sadly, Connie lost Rick to cancer a couple of months ago. This is a very dear home to me, one that wraps it's arms around you as soon as you walk through the front door.

See that window at the top of the garage? That's where we spent hours and hours and hours just sewing and sewing and sewing! What fun we had though. She even let me park the bug in the garage!

I couldn't do this post without sharing Rick's favorite spot.

Come on in! It was hard to get a picture of the foyer, but I tried to get it looking out from the dining room.

The sights and smells are fabulous as soon as you walk in. There are always candles, tarts and little lights burning.

She leaves her wool trees out all year and they are so great.

This is a beautiful Hoosier in the entry to the great room. On top is an old sign (I didn't get a picture), but we both bought matching ones just before she moved to Tennessee.

Let's go peek at the dining room. It is filled with wonderful prim antiques and accessories everywhere!

I love the one-door pie safe against the wall and how about the trencher filled with old bowls?

The sunroom is just off the great room and would be the most comfy spot to curl up with the a good book or some stitching.

Come on into the living room. Where else could you feel so at ease? We both fell asleep on each end of the couch watching t.v.

The living room opens into the breakfast nook and kitchen.

What a view! From the second floor, you can look down into the living room. The ceiling are all wood and just spectacular!

Isn't the kitchen the heart of the home? It sure is here! We ate the best meals while I was there, some inside and some outside.

Love the island with the old tractor seat sitting on top of it.

Aren't the signs just the best?

The master bath is just like a spa.

Right down to the old vintage dress hanging in front of the shower.

Couldn't show you Connie's house without showing you the mustard pie safe that came all the way from Holly Hills Primitives!

One of my favorite room is the breakfast nook. It is so bright and sunny and PRIM!

This half bath off the foyer is adorable. The cutting board with the old soap dish is as cute as can be!

Those old crows are near and dear to my heart. We each bought them on some of explorations of years ago.

Is this a cozy guest room or what? Who wouldn't want to dream away the hours here? I forgot to take pictures of the other guest room and I deleted the master bedroom by mistake!

Even the laundry room is wonderful! Her mom's African violets thrive in this room.

We spent a lot of time on the deck - whe it wasn't raining. Wish I would have taken a picture when all of our doll parts were drying out there!

This old "chicken coop" was all dressed for fall.

Connie's gardens are just exquisite, even though it is getting almost past the garden season. I loved this area under the deck.

Oh yes! Just prim garden perfect! This garden is filled with the greatest "junk" (I say that with love). Just walk through the arbor and follow the stepping stones to heaven.

Wish I could have seen this when it was in full bloom, I just know it was out of this world!

This garden is all along the side of the house next to the driveway. What a treat when you drive in!

My favorite place was to set on the front porch and gaze at the mountains in the distance. As much as I miss my friend, I can understand the calling of the mountains. It is magical! So there you have it, a beautiful home filled with love from my beautiful friend. Thank you Connie for sharing with us and for a time I will never forget.

Before I leave you, I had to share a picture of another home down the road from Connie. Every time I've been there, I just yearn to see the inside of this house. It is so beautiful, right down to the last blade of grass!

Even the mailbox was dressed in all of autumn's glory.

I hope you all enjoyed the tour and you're having a restful weekend. The weather is cold, windy and rainy in Michigan. I'm looking forward to a Sunday of rest, movies and maybe a little stitchin'.

Until next time...