Craft Show Goodies – Fun with Kids

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I  hope you all did too.
Two of the boys/family went to the in-laws so we had a small gathering but still wonderful…as usual there was enough food for an army but oh it tasted so good. We had leftovers last night but that’s the last I want to see of it. Love it but enough is enough.
Now I’m ready for something else.

We had two of our grandchildren here Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday and had lots of fun planned.

Emily made place cards for our Christmas dinner while Joe played with his Lego’s (his favorite things to do in his spare time)
I had printed out an old time Santa head on aged paper and Emily glued them onto aged tags and then wrote names on – we’ll tie them onto the napkins…all her idea!

 

They also made ‘snow’ – we bought the pack at a prim shop and thought they would enjoy it and they did…we also bought some Winter figurines to use with it. I think you can buy that snow most anyplace, especially at places like Walgreens, CVS and the like…it’s called ‘REAL SNOW’

This is Emily’s – two boys throwing snowballs
 

And Joe’s is the snowman and deer

We also made Marshmallows! What fun that was…messy but fun!
 

Emily had a Mickey Mouse sweatshirt that had shrunk up quite badly so she asked if I could make a pillow out of it so we did that too. I think it turned out adorable and she was a happy camper to be able to still have it in some form.

From sweatshirt…
 

To pillow
 

Now onto my weekend…well, it just started but it started out great.

A friend and fellow blogger ANN from A Hole In The Basket Primitives, from Ohio, is in Wisconsin visiting family for the holiday and she and her husband Kevin came here for the morning.

 
We first exchanged gifts (her husband had made an extra blanket crane and I wanted one and she chose some of my items plus I threw in a little surprise too) then went out for breakfast and then on to a craft show…it wasn’t very good…lots of fleece, painted items and jewelry – hard to find anything fun or Prim…but I did get a PEWTER CREAMER & SUGAR SET…loved the patina on it and it was only $12.00 for the set.
 
but…this was on the other side…now I just think it was horrible to destroy an antique like this! I’ll display it turned around – I wouldn’t use it as a creamer and sugar anyway because of the lead content.  But isn’t the design pretty?
 

We left the craft show and went to the one and only Prim shop near me – Finders Keepers – and I bought a MERCURY GLASS SANTA that stands about 9 inches.

Here it is next to the pewter for size
  Also bought one of these trees (not sure what kind it’s called though – do you know???)  I have a 3 ft. but wanted a taller one too so this is a 4 ft.

On Thanksgiving we gave Jamie a gift for always taking care of the kitties when we go away…my niece makes rag quilts and Jamie loves ours so it was the perfect gift.
 

My goodness – we NEVER go shopping on Black Friday. Never had the desire but Friday we went to Janesville to meet my brother/wife and niece and I wanted Tina to help me pick out fabric for quilts for our two granddaughters…well let me tell you it was a zoo. CROWDED to say the least…LINES OF PEOPLE waiting to pay and even bigger lines of people waiting to have fabric cut.

We finally got to get a number to wait in line…I had F08…they were on E24 and it went to 100 and then started on the next letter.
We had a loooong wait ahead and they weren’t calling off numbers very fast. People had carts heaping (I mean HEAPING) with fleece fabric – they had a HUGE SALE and people were taking advantage of it.

It would have been at least an hour and a half before we would have gotten taken care of – people said they had been in line for over an hour (they had numbers in the E) so we put my fabric back, bought what we had of other things and away we went to lunch to Applebee’s (good choice!).
So my Niece will go back this week and get what I had picked out.

So that’s my long weekend – now I’m ready to finish orders and get the fall decorations put away and start on my Christmas decorating which will be on-going for a week or so…it’s not getting done in one day cuz I just don’t have it in me anymore.

Now getting ready to watch the Wisconsin game…wish us well so we can go to the Rose Bowl !!!

Have a great weekend
Karen

Some of this – Some of that

It’s Saturday afternoon and I have been on the sofa with the heat on my lower back…yes, still at it.

So as I sit here relaxing I am trying to drown out the College Football on TV. Not that I don’t like it or support it, I DO – but there has been ONLY THAT for days now!  Hoping Wisconsin goes all the way and to the Rose Bowl. (Yeahhhhh they won!)
Badger Football - University of Wisconsin, Madison

I’ve been sewing up a storm too – finishing orders and making some new Pillows.
I bought some remnants from Family Heirloom Weaver’s at market in October and didn’t really know what I was going to do with them.

Friday while Doug was at a football game I made 14 of these cuties..several of them are promised out already but will hopefully get some more made after Thanksgiving. I have another red/taupe and a solid taupe left similar to the one shown.

These are the two colors I made – still have to stitch the bottoms

I made a special order one for my best friend Renea – she wanted one with a branch instead.

Yesterday we had some shopping to do and so stopped at Goodwill to see if I could find some Pewter Creamer and Sugars – sometimes they have them but not this time but I did find a darling woven seat double rocker (toy size) and at Christmas I’m going to put my Antique bear on it and a Santa hat on the Bear.
$4.99!!!
 

I put it on my bench for now – looks okay I think

Also found these darling bowls for my kitties dinners ($1.00) and two wonderful Ironstone pieces - a gravy boat and a pitcher (1.00 each)…. White serving pieces go with everything.

Also purchased 4 yards of decorator fabric for our holiday table cloth. When it’s 50% off at JoAnn’s I take advantage of it and the fabric works the best because it’s so wide.
Also we had a 30% Kohl’s coupon and took advantage of it and bought flatware. Plus it was already on sale so they ended up being $22.00 per box. Great deal huh…and we needed some badly – well not badly, just wanted it badly…

I’m showing the larger picture of the flatware so you can see the pattern better – tried to find something rather Colonial looking – this is the closest we could find. Cambridge ‘Andover’ from Kohl’s

Last night we went to Dan DiPaolo’s Open House at the Barn..it’s so festive there and cold but with hot chocolate, wine and treats and wonderful treasures to buy you didn’t even think about the cold. I bought 2 of Dan’s products and had some hot chocolate, went over to the ‘cabin’ and warmed up a bit and got a great picture with Dan. He and Jamey are just the best – great people, friends and talented designers. Thanks Dan for the words of encouragement.
I will show you later what I bought…it’s all packed up in the basement.
(Photos aren’t good…very dark in the barn and outside)


Off we go to the Cabin (Dan’s studio in the making)

Seth David Roth (former corporate chef to Oprah Winfrey) was in the Cabin with some very special delights.
 

Me and Dan
 

Oh dear…this is what happens when a CD gets stuck in your stereo and the door won’t open and it won’t play…59 screws later here it is!
Needless to say I have a new one out of all that! lol

Tonight we are going to our oldest grandson’s 21’st birthday party. I Just don’t know where that time went. Jess basically lived with us the first 6 years of his little life so we got to know him well – he was like our 4th son.

Let me see – what else…can’t think of anything except
HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE
GOD BLESS YOU ALL

 

Karen

Tobacco Cloth Panels & Photos

On Monday after returning home from the Simple Goods show I got busy rinsing my Tobacco Cloth panels for the family room windows – hopefully the other rooms will get theirs soon – they’re washed but I’m just too pooped to put them up.

I had my Flu shot on Tuesday night and it knocked me every which way!
Horrible headache and very, very sick – on the mend now but still feel punky – nausea won’t go away as well as a nagging headache in the back of my head. Dr. said it was a reaction to the shot…had it last year the same. Going to re-think getting the shot next year.

Well, onto the panels…I had to use 2 panels on each side otherwise they would be too thin – and as things go, one thing leads to another.
Now the walls look rather dingy and too light for the panels. A little bit darker maybe???

I’ll have to take a panel with me to pick out paint though because they look different in different settings.

The opposite wall has our sofa and some tables and chairs – but the windows above are long across the wall and high up – not sure what to do there. Maybe just keep what I have up because they work with the privacy panels in the bow window.

You know, last weekend at the show we went to the Seraph (Colonial furniture store) in Delaware, Ohio and I forgot to put pictures on. Nice shop and I was told it was their first/original store.
Now we loved the furniture and all but the store really was in total neglect. Very dusty and dirty – things just didn’t look fresh and clean to represent the prices on the pieces of furniture, but still a nice store if you wanted Colonial furniture.
 
click on photo box to open – then click on slideshow

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Oh at the Buggy Seat Antiques they had this adorable
Miniature Pony…and they put a Christmas hat on him!!!!

Have you seen the photo books you can make yourself through any photo processing company?
I made one up for our Grandson’s 21st birthday on the 17th.
I started with his birth photo for the opening picture in the cover box and then added photos for each of his years.
You can add more than one photo on a page…just too cute.
I think he will love it.
I had a 50% off coupon for one too so that was a plus!

So there you have today’s entry

I know there’s more but I’m tired.
Have a wonderful weekend everyone

Karen

Back from the Simple Goods Show

The last two weeks it seems like all I’ve done is ride in cars and shop – but I’m told I do it well – Shop that is!
And proof of that is all I bought this past weekend. Just look at the haul.
Photo intensive post…beware!

After meeting up at the hotel on Thursday evening we all went off to get to bed so we could head out the next day.

 Friday morning the 6 of us piled into our van and headed out – Doug likes to drive and we have a van so it was fun having us all in one vehicle.
It gave us all a good chance to get to know each other better and that we did…I think we all laughed more than we talked but it made for a great time.

First stop was Curry’s (their home wasn’t open this time) – they have the most beautiful setting I’ve ever seen – it sits on top of a hill and has several log cabins. They also bring in, restore and sell old log cabins.

The photos are of the shop, grounds and our group.
I’ll try and put the photos in order of how I took them

These adorable ‘cement’ snowmen were popping up every now and then.

  



 

Some inside the shop pictures…it was jam packed with people in there so very few photos – but it’s gorgeous in there



Inside the little cabin ladies were giving demonstrations

Inside the Smithy Cabin
 

And off we go with purchases in hand
 

Jill Peterson was there doing a book signing of her newest book 'Homecoming’ and I bought one…Jill is as sweet as her face.

The 4 of us girls – Linda, Me, Sandy and Grace in back

The group

Doug and I

Linda and Ben (they came all the way from Florida! And I thought we drove far for things!

Grace in red from Lancaster, PA and Sandy from New York
 

From there we headed on over to Miller’s – the day just kept getting better and better.
Isn’t it just gorgeous????

 

 

This is one of the cabins from Curry’s
 

There are a couple shop photos and the rest their home
Click in photos to view full album

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We were finished with all of this by 12:30 and decided to head to Waynesville, Ohio which was about 2 hours away but it was worth it.

We went to Olde Glory Antiques, Days Gone By and I think another one – all just wonderful.
We didn’t have time to go into the Wooden Sunflower – that’s going to be another trip – the shop looks fantastic:  http://woodensunflowerprimitives.com/shoppictures.html 

Looks wonderful doesn’t it!!!1

Then it was back to the hotel. Grace and Sandy were supposed to go to the SG’s vendors dinner but were too late. Guess we took too much time in Waynesville. I felt so bad for them.

We all went to bed early Friday night so we could be up early to get in line. I know…we’re crazy but you know what? Getting in line with 26 degree temps at 6 a.m was more fun than you would think. We met many wonderfully crazy people like us – now how bad can that be???
Between the 6 of us we took turns going to some of the outside vendors and going back into the hotel lobby to warm up.
There was hot cider and donuts for those wanting it and a nice bon fire to keep everyone warm.
Here are a few outside photos – click in photos to view album

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Here are a few friends I got to meet up with – many, many people but quite easy to find each other in the crowd.

Tiffany (Twigs) from Mercantile Gathering

Carmen from ‘Primcats House Blog’

Me and Kris Thomas

Me and Lauren

Me and Linda Fiorita

Me and Lisa Adkins

WE’RE ALMOST DONE EVERYONE….JUST A FEW MORE TO GO.

Our group just before heading out on Friday’s power shopping!!

We at all our evening meals at Jakes – we found the food delicious and reasonable and the wait staff was so friendly. I hope some of you who stayed over had a chance to eat there as well. 

Ben got a small Make-Do chair in honor of his wife Linda finding her long awaited Make Do chair. He’s not crazy about those kind of chairs but being the sweet guy he is…he didn’t care if she bought it so Sandy gave him his own chair

.

Our last night together at Jakes

After dinner we all went back to our rooms and had Show & Tell (our purchases!)

Ours

Ben and Linda

Grace

Sandy

Here are close-ups of my purchases
Click in photos to see all of album

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Thank you Linda for these wonderful gifts:

And to you Sandy for your lovely gifts:

Grace…the dinner was so much appreciated and Ben…the gas was also appreciated!

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My husband and I haven't had so much fun with 'friends' in a very long time...there were 6 people with the same kindred spirit – even the men enjoyed themselves and provided us with some very funny moments...we just meshed that’s the best way I can put it.

And the only person Doug and I had ever met in our group was Grace...I've chatted with Linda through e-mails but that was it, and Sandy we never knew before then.

THANK YOU GRACE, SANDY, LINDA AND BEN for sharing this wonderful weekend with us.

There were more laughs, wrong turns, driving in the wrong direction and 'OPPS'  coming from our mouths...but it all made for a wonderful memory.

On Sunday morning we headed back to Wisconsin, Ben and Linda back to Florida, Grace to Pennsylvania and Sandy to New York…

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Hope you all enjoyed this weekend with us through these pictures.
Karen