New Christmas Store in Town

Good afternoon. I hope you are having a good day so far. We had a new Christmas store open up in town last week. It is a small town and the store is owned by a younger couple who also own the furniture store. They have done so much for our town by fixing up the old buildings and giving them new life. It is so neat to see that in a little town. Anyway, I had to go to the post office which is right next door to the Christmas shop. Well, I had to go in right? It would be rude to just walk right by!! Wow. It was so neat inside. It is your typical Christmas store with all varieties of decor, but it was so pretty. I walked around quite a while just taking it all in. They had so many garlands and berry sprigs and wreaths. I had trouble deciding just what to get. Finally, I decided on this little tree and these berry sprigs. The close up of the berries was fuzzy so I didn't put it on. There is a really pretty berry wreath/candle ring that I may need to back up after. I was trying to decide just where the right spot would be. Oh, it's a good thing that store isn't a prim one or there would be trouble. So now as I sit here typing, I am listening to my New England Christmas CD and wondering if Sunday is too early to take down the fall stuff?? I hate to skip over Thanksgiving, but I just love decorating for Christmas. I know you are all the same. I feel just like a kid!!




I had to take this picture yesterday. I stepped outside and the color just caught my eye. Isn't it beautiful?? And the leaves on the table with the pumpkins? I feel like God just put things that way so I would take a minute to really enjoy all He has given us.




Well, I'm off to finish cleaning our bedroom and switching the closet over to cold weather things. Oh, how I wish I could just snap my fingers and have that job done. Have a great rest of the day.

Thanks for stopping by.
~Melissa~

I Feel Like Walmart~~~Lowering Prices!!

Hi there friends. I just wanted to pop in for a minute and let you know that I have lowered the price and included shipping on my cupboard light sets found on my selling blog. With the holidays quickly approaching, I know how important each dollar is. It's also great to have a few little extra gifts tucked away for those surprise give aways. These cupboard lights will take care of each of those problems. You get a set of 3 lights. They are hand poured blackened beeswax. They also come with a rusty wire hanger to use as ornaments. Stop on over and check them out. Have a great day.

~Melissa~

What I Was Up To Last Week

Hello, everyone. I hope you have had a great weekend. We were busy Saturday with a quick shopping trip with the girls and an afternoon football game for DS. It was a little cold to be sitting out, but with lots of layers, blankets, and hot chocolate, it didn't seem too bad. Sunday was just catch up day.

Last week was a very nice one. We had some beautiful weather early in the week. It ia amazing how much more energy I have when it is not dreary outside. I made good on my promise to myself to cut back flower beds in the fall instead of waiting until spring. Wow, that is a good feeling. I also planted tulip bulbs the girls and I picked up several weeks ago. I don't know if you can tell from the picture, but one package is for black tulips. I have never seen them but thought they would look nice with the red and white. I had to plant more this year because a ground mole must have eaten my bulbs last winter. I had very few blooms this past spring. My speed planting tip is to dig a big hole and drop about 8-10 bulbs in it and cover it up. Way quicker than one at a time, plus it gives more impact. I can't wait until spring to see them.

Another project I tackled last week, and I may try for more this week if the rain holds off, is spray painting my GW finds with a base coat of black. I can't spray the paint in the garage because of DH's car and it will be too cold outside soon. This way, I will have things primed and ready to go. Maybe that will inspire me a bit more. Here are a few things I worked on. I have 2 full boxes of things in the attic...my how things accumulate.

Speaking of GW. Our local store is in the process of opening up a larger store. It seems like it is taking forever, but it is to open sometime next month. I have been going to a couple of other TS lately. Things are really picked over, plus I feel I am getting more particular about what I pick up. I don't need everything. Here are a few things I have found recently. I found 2 of the candles--$2 a piece. The mug says Delaware, OH on the front so I just turn it around. The box is so ugly, I can't wait to redo it. The plate was only 55 cents. I think I did pretty well.

The kids carved pumpkins yesterday. It was nice enough to do it outside. Husky the cat decided to join the fun. He was intrigued by the little battery cutter. Notice the seed on his head.

Then he was in the leaf pile with DS. It looks like he is being choked...he wasn't too sure about that. He was willing to help with the wheelbarrow, however.

We also made caramel apples. I usually would use a homemade recipe for the caramel, but was never happy how they turned out. This year, I just bought the Kraft caramels. They have them now where they are unwrapped little caramel balls that melt in about 3 minutes. They turned out great and tasted really yummy. Sorry, there is no picture. We ate them too quickly.

Well, that's all for now. The weather this week is supposed to be warm again. They just changed the forecast--it was supposed to have been rainy. Good change!! Hopefully I can finish cleaning our bedroom and then get to work on some crafting. It seems the crafting plans always get put aside for all of the other non fun things. I really need to work more on making time for what I want to do instead of what I think has to be done. I think I may have posted that comment before. How do you all balance your everyday chores with getting all of your wonderful projects done? Maybe your tips will inspire me.

Have a great week.

~Melissa~

Help for Curtains!!!

Hello. Because it was so bright and sunny and warm here today, I decided to take down my bedroom curtains and wash them. While ironing them to put them back up, I really got to looking at them. Yuck is all I can say. I made them several years ago to save $$$. They are faded around the edges where I didn't line them, and it seems they have shrunk some as well. I can't get them to iron flat...they are all whopper-jawed (don't know if that is how that word is spelled or not!!). I have seen so many of you with great prim curtains, I would love to know where you get them. I have a few catalogs, but new sources would be great. Thanks so much!!

~Melissa~

New Selling Blog Item

Just wanted to pop by and let you know that I have a finished framed Halloween stitchery listed on my selling blog. It is a Primitive Stitchin' pattern. I just love those.

I haven't been up to much. It is pretty boring around here...just the day to day stuff. I would like to get some fall cleaning done. Actually it is spring cleaning that I didn't feel like doing last spring. I am waiting for the weather to cooperate a little. It has been so cold and rainy here for so long. It is sunny and warmer today but wow is the wind blowing. Too hard to hang curtains on the line!!

Harvest is in full swing around here. I will get some pictures of the combines and all in the fields when they are a little closer to home. I thought it might interest some of you "city slickers"! Check back later.

Our oldest DD went to Homecoming a couple of weeks ago. It was at another school. We don't have ours until the winter. I am just showing her picture. I didn't know if she wanted me to post one of her date or not. It was their first "date". He's a cutie.

Well, that's all for now. Hope to be back soon with some fun stuff to share. Take care.

~Melissa~

Some More Fall & Peach Pie

Good evening. I hope it is nicer where you are than it is here. It has been raining ALL DAY!! I feel bad for our DD who has to march in the cold rain again this week. It is an away football game so we didn't go. We will catch her next week at home. Maybe by then the rain will have stopped!!

Again, I haven't done much this past week. I'm still working on a pinkeep from last week. I messed up my counting and had to tear a bunch out. Ugh!! So I'm hoping to finish it in the next couple of days. It isn't very big, I'm just rather slow this week.

I took some more pictures of fall decorations around the house and wanted to share them with you. I wish I could figure out how to take really good pics. They are either so dark you can't see what's in it or so bright it looks bad. I guess you get the idea even if it isn't perfect lighting.

I bought this fall plate this year at Wal*Mart. Never thought I would buy anything prim there!

The basket in the back was a birthday gift a few years ago from my friend Ann at A Hole in the Basket Primitives. I filled it with my sweet annie from last year.

This shelf was a TS makeover. I just love Jack!!!

Here is some of the wax corn I made earlier this fall.

Since it is so cold and rainy out, I decided to make a peach pie after supper. It smells so yummy!! I will share the recipe with you. It's very easy and I use it as a base for all fruit pies. We like a crumb topping on our pies so this goes over very well.

Streusel Top Peach Pie

Filling:

4 cups peaches

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/2 t. cinnamon

Topping:

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup butter

1/2 t. cinnamon

Prepare crust in 9" pan. Heat oven to 375. In a bowl combine filling ingredients. Mix well. Spoon into crust. Blend topping ingredients together with fork until crumbs form. Sprinkle over filling. Bake for 40-45 minutes until fruit is tender and topping is golden brown.

I have been asked about selling items wholesale. For those of you who do that, how do you figure out a price that is reasonable enough while still doing more than breaking even? I would appreciate any input on this. Thanks.

Well, guess I'll go for now. Warm peach pie awaits me!!! Have a great weekend.

~Melissa~

Good evening. I hope you are all doing well. Things are the usual around here. It has been a busy week again so I don't have any projects to show you. I have done a couple of pinkeeps which I have listed. They have both sold. Yeah!!! I have another Halloween stitchery to finish up and then I think I will start some Christmas ones. It will be here before we know it. I changed up a shelf in the kitchen today with some more fall pieces. Nothing too dramatic, but at least it is a little different.

I stopped by the TS today also. I found this great little tote. It had the original price of $28 on the bottom. I paid $4!! I love the handle. I was going to paint it, but the plain wood is growing on me.

I also stopped by a little country store in town and picked up this new candle ring. I really like the leaves. It is around a Fall Festival candle. I can't smell it too much yet, but hopefully soon.

It is a cold, damp evening here. Thank goodness the football game is away. Our DD plays in the marching band. She is okay with us not going to the games that are farther away. I still have to pick her up when they get back so it will be a late night. At least I'm in where it is warm and toasty. I think I hear my stitchery and a cup of hot cocoa calling.

Thanks to those of you who have stopped by my selling blog. I will try to get some more things added soon--I hope.

Enjoy your evening and have a great weekend.

~Melissa~