BACK TO NORMAL...

Come on in! Dick and I spent all day yesterday taking down Christmas and rearranging the shop. Want to see what we've done so far? We're trying to get things ready to bring back lots of goodies from the markets and make room for the new handmades and furniture. The fireplace is still up front waiting to warm you up when you come in the door.

I showed you a picture of our primitive "sink" yesterday, but I forgot to take pictures of the inside. What a great conversation piece this one is!

We moved the dough box up front too, it holds the old handmade towel holder.

We have lots of lighting left for your "redecorating" needs. Rice lights, dipped lights and more!

Lots of 1803 and Black Crow candles are ready to make your homes smell YUMMY!

We moved a section to showcase the mustard pieces together. The dry sink is finally in it's temporary home and is the icing on the cake! The big chimney cupboard with the old screen door has great storage and looks so prim.

The dry sink deserves a second look!

This old table desk with the original pumpkin paint is SOO great. I could just see it on the right countertop to keep bills, misc papers, etc in.

Got grandchildren? The old hired hand's bed would be just right for overnights.

We could set down at the trestle table and get a cup of coffee from Zanie Janie's.

This big laundry tub would make a great place to plant flowers this spring or fill with pumpkins in the fall.

Just got a tool box filled with little drawers. Do any of you "jewelry" gals need a place to store everything?

Who doesn't love old children's furniture? I could just see this in a country kitchen!

Another new piece is the old buggy seat. Just think what you could do on a big trestle table with this one!

Anybody into blue? I LOVE the OLD blue baby bathtub and stand, the little cupboard is an old trunk turned on end with wooden spool legs.

Any doll collectors out there? What am I thinking??? Of course there are. The mid 1800's youth bed would be a real eye catcher for a display.

And last, but not least, is the beautiful OLD tavern table with original green paint.
Are you still with me? It sure feels great to get things back to normal. New prims will be arriving daily by next week and then its time to be off to the markets the next week. I'm SOOOO excited to get the new items in and displayed for your shopping pleasure. In fact, we are going to pick up a load this weekend!
But for now, it's time to pack my bag and get ready to head up north to the Little House for the weekend. I can hear that nice, soft couch calling my name! Looking forward to rest, some movies and a little stitching. The shop will be closed tomorrow through Tuesday and we will be back first thing Wednesday morning just waiting for you.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO THE BEST BLOG BUDDIES A GAL COULD HAVE!
Until next time...

REPRODUCTIONS....

WOO HOO! Time to start playing in the shop again, and play we did. I'm leaving Christmas at 50% off for the rest of the week and then it is going to GO! But, I wanted to share some of the great reproductions we are getting in right now with many more to come. I'm crazy about this tinderbox brown dough box. It has leather "hinges" on the top and would be a great end table or storage in any room.

Another really cute piece is the screened, table-top pie safe. Couldn't you just see it filled with antique tins and battery candles in a kitchen?

We got another primitive sink in that is just prim perfect! It can hang from the wall from an old leather strap. It has a rusty bucket for the "sink", a ledge with a candle holder and battery candle, mirror held on with leather straps, a soap dish with soap, an old shaving mug and brush, and a wire towel holder with towel. What a great conversation piece!

This mustard bench is also a cutie. Just right for a mud room to keep hats and mits in.

BUT, the cream of the crop should be at the shop by tomorrow or Friday. I'm SO crazy about this dry sink! The picture does not do it justice, it's lots darker and looks way more prim. A matching shelf/cupboard will be following soon. I'm hoping to have one of these in our home soon too!
We should be having LOTS of new goodies in after January 13th, but things are trickling in daily now. My friend Peggy came to visit today and got my creative juices flowing with lots of new ideas. The handmades will be flowing in now! You'll have to see some of the new stitcheries - a whole new style for the beginning of the new year.
Can you tell I'm getting excited to share?
More new news - we will be starting a selling blog very soon - so keep watching.
Hope you're all keeping warm on this cold evening. The thermometer said it was 14 degrees here in Michigan tonight. A great night to cuddle up in a blanket and stitch the evening away.
Until next time...

AND THEN IT WAS OVER...

There is nothing like Christmas through the eyes of a child. What a great day we had yesterday! We started out with a relaxing morning at home and then on to son Rich's home to spend time with the next house of grandchildren. Peyton is our youngest this year and it was so fun to watch him crawl and be excited about the wrappings.

Valorie and Sydney were having a ball. Valorie made us yummy cinnamon rolls and coffee while we opened gifts.

Rich couldn't be a prouder father. Sydney is definitely his little princess.

All of the children were just what the doctor ordered for Mom this year. I think it took her mind off of Dad not being with us this year and it really helped.

Sydney LOVES pop-up books and she got a couple new ones this year.

Papa and Peyton had lots of fun with his new little toys.

And I could hardly keep my hands off of him!

Sydney was so excited when we got to her house that she could hardly wait to start opening gifts.

We came home for awhile and had a gift exchange with Mom and our Rosie dog. Rosie was so excited about her new toy that she had to snuggle with it for awhile.

Dick got lots of new goodies this year!

Mom's favorite was her new outfit and she looks so good in it too!

Then it was on to Ashley and Tony's house! Whew! Her table was set so pretty and the food was delicious. It was fun to have ham at Amanda's the night before and turkey for Christmas.

Abbey had her own special tree in the dining room decorated with all of the ribbons she won this year showing her rabbits. Adorable!

This year we were honored with a new special guest and "member of our family". Jessica has been staying with Ashley and Tony quite a bit and it was a joy to have her with us this year. I have a feeling that she will be a big new part of our family!

Abbey and Jessica got new rabbit show aprons and had to model them for us.

Jessica was happy with her cozy new bathrobe. Nice to snuggle in to watch movies and hang out at Ashley's house.

Our little Lucy was beyond excited. This is her first year to really "get it"! BUT, the poor little thing didn't get a nap with all of the excitement and was getting SO tired. We got a Cinderella dress and accessories for her very own. I'll bet she'll want to try it on today.

Our Abbey had a ball too. She got a new camera from us and a phone from her parents. Doesn't get much better than that! Can't wait to spend time with her while she's off on vacation.

It was finally time for jammies, but Lucy had to have one last look at her zoo. Ashley said she was asleep within 3 minutes after we left.

Chad and Kim were the ultimate Santa's this year! They gave me a wonderful Canon camera with a big zoom. Can't wait to learn how to use it and starting taking regular "photographs" again!
All in all, this was one of the nicest holidays we've had in a long time. I was very hesitant about not having everyone here, but it turned out so nice. We got to visit each home, spend quality time with all of the grandchildren and children - AND I DIDN'T HAVE THE MESS TO CLEAN UP!!! I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!
Now it's time to get back to business. Today and tomorrow will be spend sewing and making new goodies for the shop. Dick is busy building some fabulous new pieces and then we will be back to work on Wednesday with great sales to ready everything for new merchandise.
Until next time...

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS...

What a wonderful "kick-off" to our Christmas holiday we had tonight. Dick, Mom and I went to daughter Amanda's home and celebrated with her beautiful family. This is the first time in 36 years that I haven't hosted the holiday. We had a great meal, opened gifts and had a great time. Great-grandma read a story to Caroline with her new "Abigail" talking bunny.

Ellie looked so adorable in her "sock monkey" hat!

Caroline finally got her own tea set. Now she won't have to sneak into Ellie's room to play with her's anymore.

Jack squealed when he opened his "Pirates of the Caribbean" ship!

Then it was Gannon's turn! He thought we only brought him a couple of gifts. Oops! We brought in his special gift - a new guitar. He was so happy and thankful. He was my special gift this year, I'm so happy he was home from the hospital and we were able to spend the holiday together. Nothing could have been better!

Then it was time to put the reindeer dust outside - some oatmeal for the reindeer and a little glitter so the stars can glisten and the reindeer can find their way. And of course cookies for Santa...

And is anything much more precious than children listening to the old favorite - Twas the Night Before Christmas? I could have cried.
I hope all of you out there in blogland have a magical, wonderful Christmas filled with love and happiness!
Until next time...

IT'S ALMOST HERE...

AHHH! Okay, the presents are wrapped for 5 kids, 5 "in-law" kids, 8 grandchildren, my mom and Dick - and do we have presents! We're going to start taking them to everyone's house tomorrow so we have room in our car to go on Christmas Eve and Christmas. Whew! The groceries are stocked and ready for yummy dishes to be prepared. The house is cleaned and ready for any company that might pop in. Now just one more full day at the shop and part of the day on Saturday and the fun will begin.
This year is going to be a little different than most, but I'm looking forward to all of it! I always have Christmas, but with all the little ones this year, we are going to make lots of stops. Christmas Eve we are going to Amanda's home, Christmas late morning we are going to Rich's home and late Christmas afternoon we are going to Ashley's home. All of the children are so excited for "Bebe and Papa" to get there, and we are too!
So, are you ready? Time to set back, relax and enjoy what we've all worked so hard to create. Time with loved ones, good food, and peace. Most of all, give yourselves a break and just have some fun. Talk to you again soon.
Until next time...