CHRISTMAS FUN...

Hi Prim Pals,
What a busy time we've been having, but lots of fun too!
Today we are going to Frankenmuth, MI to have dinner with all of Dick's brothers and sisters. It will be so much fun to walk the shop, check out Bronners, and have a fabulous dinner with great company.
Last week, Gannon started his job with me. He is coming in one day a week and it is SOOOO wonderful to have him home. He loves going next door to Zanie Janie's, so we are sharing his duties between us.

Lucy got a message from Santa on the computer and I think she watched it at least 10 times. Isn't this what it's all about with the little ones?

Last Friday I went to watch Ellie's kindergarten program at her school. It was so adorable!

Her little eyes lit up when she saw that I came to watch her!

Sunday we took Ellie shopping with us and, of course, she had to have a ride with Alvin!

She also lost her second tooth and what a big deal that was!

Monday Abbey and I went shopping for the entire day. We had such a great time. We sang carols in the car, she got a headband with a mistletoe above her head, we went to lunch and just had a ball.
The presents are finally wrapped and I just have to finish up a couple loose ends and go to the grocery store. But for today, Dick and I are going to just go have some old-fashioned Christmas fun. I'll talk to you again soon.
Until next time...

ON THE THIRD DAY OF DICKENS...

And then it was over. What a great weekend we all had in Holly. The mood was festive, the customers were buying, and it really felt like Christmas! We had a choir from Ann Arbor come into the shop and sing for all of us (plus they probably wanted to get warm). It was so much fun for the customers to be able to shop and listen at the same time.
One of our little granddaughters, Sydney, did a dance with Starstruck Dance Studio our in front of the shop. (She is the one with the dark brown snowpants and hot pink tutu.) I'm so glad that Dick was there with me this year so he was able to watch her.
Ken McKaye (from McKaye's Hardware) drove the horse and buggy all weekend, but today he parked this beautiful sleigh in front of our shop for people to use for their holiday pictures. What a wonderful gesture.

A LOT of Christmas goodies sure left the shop during the weekend, so Dick and I are brainstorming new ideas for January already. When we reopen the store on Wednesday, all Christmas will be marked down by 30% except battery candles and lights. Come on in and pick up your last minute gifts and decorations.

Well friends, it is time for jammies and a pillow and blankie on the couch for this shopkeeper. We'll be talking again soon.

Until next time...

ON THE SECOND DAY OF DICKENS...

All of the fun continued this morning! We got up early and opened the shop about 9 a.m. The "Run Like The Dickens" 5k and 8k race was taking place and was so much fun to watch! There were hundreds of runners and I couldn't believe the costumes that some of them had on.
There was even a guy dressed up like a Christmas tree!
The Charles Dickens "Christmas Carol" play was acted out several times during the day.
Our village had warming stations set up throughout the town so people could get warm - the temps were only in the 20's! BRRRR!!!
Some of the characters came into the shop to get warm throughout the day. It was so festive and fun.
The very best part of the day was when our Gannon walked in! He had a pass from the hospital and came to spend some time. The good news is that he is coming home on Monday and will be working in the shop with us every Wednesday afternoon.
He got right into the swing of things today. He helped decorate trees, wrap people's purchases, and even carried out packages for our customers.
Gannon, Jack, Ellie and Caroline loved the snowmen! They were so darned cute.
Amanda, Greg and Caroline all enjoyed some hot chocolate at Zanie Janie's!
The ice sculpture across the street was amazing.
This evening Ashley's family came to town and Abbey and Gannon took their annual carriage ride.
These two have done this for several years now and I'm so happy they got to do it together tonight too.

All in all, it was a wonderful day in Holly. We were SOOOO busy, sold so many great prims, and we can't wait to get back there tomorrow for the final day of the Holly Dicken's Festival. It's your last chance for this year, so we hope we get to see you!

Until next time...

SANTA CLAUS CAME TO TOWN...

Good evening Prim Pals! Well, tonight was the kickoff to our annual Holly Dickens Festival and what a kickoff it was! Our little village was aglow with Christmas lights, including our shop and Zanie Janie's Simply Coffee next door. The whole day was a busy one, even though it was cold and we got snow.
The people kept coming and coming (a good thing) and we met so many nice folks. I was tickled to see Bobbi again (The Evening Stitcher blog) and meet her hubby and two grands. We also have a sweet customer named Lisa that came in and talked about redoing her house in prims.
Our village tree is now lit and as beautiful as ever.
Then it was time for the light parade. Ken McKay drove the horse and carriage with the grand marshalls.
The Baptist church had a float that really shows what this season is all about.
Even the rescue squad and firetrucks got in on the lights.
And then it was time! Santa Claus arrived just in time for our festival.
After the parade, Dan Hayes sang beautiful Christmas carols in Zanie Janie's shop - next door. I love that we can leave our French doors open and share in the fun. The customers were singing and we noticed that everyone seemed to be a lot more in the spirit than they have been in a few years.

Can't wait to get back there tomorrow morning and partake in all of the activities. We might even make the pancake breakfast at the fire hall! Come on out to Holly and have some old-fashioned fun!

Until next time...

SANTA PICTURES...

HOORAY! Dick hung my shelf tonight and I finally got to get some of the old Santa pictures out, after having them in storage for two years. Oh my gosh, I spent forever pouring over those little faces of long ago and remembering each year and what we were doing. The only gift I ask for each year is a Santa picture of all of the grandchildren. After the holidays, I will carefully pack them away until the next year. Is there anything more precious than the magic of Christmas and the look on children's faces? We are so lucky to have such a "gallery", I couldn't even get them all out, but maybe someday.

We're also getting excited about the weekend. Tomorrow night is the village tree lighting and light parade. Holly Hills Primitives will be open throughout the excitement with lights twinkling and Christmas music playing softly in the background. Hope you can stop in!

Until next time...

HOLLY DICKENS FESTIVAL...

YIPPEE! The weekend we all wait for is fast approaching - the annual Holly Dickens Festival is December 9-11. Friday night is the light parade and tree lighting, then Saturday morning is the "Run Like The Dickens" 5k and 8k race. The festival will run all day Saturday until 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon until 6 p.m. This is a great way to spend some quality family time.
It is so much fun to take a carriage ride through our quaint little village.
The carolers even come in the shops to sing (and get warm). For more information, go to hollydickensfestival.com
Our reproduction furniture is growing, growing, growing. I'm just crazy about the prim sink, complete with old bucket, shaving mug and brush, soap and candle.
It even has an old leather strap to hang it from the wall.
Our new chimney cupboard is so great! It would be perfect for a kitchen pantry. The door is actually an old screen - complete with holes.
The sides are beadboard and it's so hard to leave it at the shop.
One of my favorites is the settle bench.
Wouldn't this be great next to a fireplace or woodstove?
These little houses are so beautiful, but my favorite is the white tree.
A few new snowmen snuck in and are ready for the weekend.
This guy is on an old spindle with a pouch of candy canes.
Sorry this one is so dark, but it is a table filled with all kinds of gingerbread, including towels.
Our Sharon was busy again too. Just LOVE her painted pieces. This chair would be so cute on your front porch!
And Santa's lit chair would be so adorable next to a tree and packages. Comes complete with "milk and cookies".

The walls are brimming with new goodies just waiting for your shopping pleasure. Hope you can make it to our Dicken's Festival this weekend!

Until next time...

FIRST SNOWFALL...

Hi Prim Pals! Whew, seems like it's been quite awhile since I've posted. Our Thanksgiving was very nice and quite a quiet day. Mom, Dick and I had a lovely dinner, but it was so sad that we had an empty chair where Dad should have been. After dinner, Ashley and Chad brought their families for dessert. The first thing Lucy wanted to do was go to the backyard and feed the ducks!

She LOVES to call the ducks and they come up pretty close to her - until she gets REALLY excited!

Abbey has been doing this for so many years that she "gets it". So all in all, it was a very nice Thanksgiving. Hope your's was the same.

Last night we went on quite an adventure. We went to see Gannon in the hospital and part way there our windshield wipers quit - in a rainstorm. We had a great time with Gan and then headed home. It wasn't bad enough that it was raining, oh no. It started snowing. SO...the trip that should take us a little over an hour took two hours to get home. The roads were bad! Poor Dick would pull over to try to clear the windshield and it would be covered again in about one minute. I was SOOOO glad to see our own driveway!!! Even with the adventure, I was still glad that we went and I got to spend time with our Gannon. Look how tall he is getting!

This morning I got up and look what the view was from our doorwall. Yup, the first snowfall of the season. It is really beautiful. The pine trees are covered, the water is still open and the stillness of the morning was breathtaking.

Looking down our street was also beautiful. This one isn't going to last, it's supposed to get quite sunny this afternoon and it will all melt away. Guess it's time to get the boots, hats and mittens out and ready.

There's still lots of goodies for sale in the shop and more coming in almost daily. We're hoping to have a really great chimney cupboard by this weekend. So, head on into Holly and see what we have to offer.

By the way, Dec. 9-11 is the annual Holly Dicken's Festival. You won't want to miss that. Bring your whole family for some old-fashioned fun.

Hope you are all warm and snuggly this morning.

Until next time...