So when all is said and done…

I finally have free time…minus some last minute Christmas shopping – but then it wouldn’t be Christmas if that didn’t happen.
I thought this day would never come. It has been MONTHS since I’ve had free/me time and that’s not an exaggeration. From getting orders done, wholesale orders finished, craft show over with and getting the house decorated for Christmas I’m wiped! It has been a push to get it all done.
I feel great because of that but the body isn’t all that good, but that’s for another day – I’m not going to let it stand in my way of my ‘finally’ free time.

Today was my annual Christmas luncheon here at the house for my former co-workers. We have not missed a year celebrating Christmas together for the last 30 years – I find that amazing.  We are a very tight group of friends.
Normally I have a sit down luncheon or evening dinner – but we all are getting ‘older’ and lunch and a light fare seems to be the way for most of them.  And a light lunch at that and most of them take part of theirs home with them lol.

Our light lunch was Chicken salad wraps, Turkey wraps and Ham wraps along with baked beans, Asian salad and a Strawberry Jell-o whip and Éclair cake….very simple but tasted great.

A basket of Cranberry nut bread and Banana nut bread that got overlooked and they didn’t make it home with the ladies…so sad.

On Monday night we have our friend Dan DiPaolo and my brother and sister in-law coming over for evening cocktails and dinner.
For the last 3 years we have been going to have Dan over and it just never worked out but FINALLY it is going to happen.
Hopefully we can get some pictures taken!!

Christmas decorating is done as far as I’m going to do it so here’s a few pictures.
I did get around to visiting some of your blogs and see your beautiful decorating – I wish I could do some of the things you all do and especially with your fireplaces.  We have the little ones yet and so I keep with the Snowmen and Santa's – one day maybe I will be totally like our tree is decorated so our family room especially is kind of half and half – fancy and fun.  But I guess it’s a good mix.

Didn’t get a picture of the front door decorating and by now it’s too late so here’s what greets you at the back door – but basically our main entrance.  I like how the reindeer fits in with the rest of the decorating.

I don’t ever seem to change out the back porch bench – my head just can’t wrap around something different and then what would I do with all that’s there?

A little over a week ago we had a dusting of snow and I loved how it sat on the bow and wreath

Kitchen
 
 

Paper Mache houses/churches on top of Armoire in bedroom

Simple little tree in guest bedroom

In hallway outside the guest bedrooms

Family Room

Our  crazy Charlie Brown tree!
 

Dining Room

 

This close up is  from last years pictures – I couldn’t get a good shot this year for some reason but it’s very similar to this years.

 

 

 

 

 

Den

 

Bathroom
 

 

Screen Room

Thanks to everyone for staying with me this past year with all the times I’ve been MIA – it was a crazy year.
I am making some very much needed changed to my business this year so hopefully I will be able to have more free time to do what I want.  You all heard that from me before but this time it’s going to stick…it has to!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AL ALL

KAREN

 

IT’S ALMOST HERE!!!

And I’m not talking about Thanksgiving - although I’m really looking forward to it!
No…what I’m talking about is the craft show…one more week and it will be here so I have a few more days to create and tie up loose ends.

That’s what I am doing today – sewing pillow seams, making product labels, making sure every string is nipped, any wrinkles ironed out and it goes on and on.

I’m giving myself through Monday because I need to price EVERYTHING YET, and then it will be all packed up in totes until a week from today when we can go to the cabins and set up our booths.

But…being I haven’t been on here since the 6th I have a few things to share.
In October we went to Oaks, PA for the wholesale show. I was looking for great hand-mades for my show…even if we didn’t make it ourselves we can sell it at the craft show if it is ‘handmade’.

Got a few treasures to sell
I found these in one booth – these snowmen are about 30 inches tall

These Santa pillows are a good size – approx 12 x 15

And a smaller size

I bought a few more items but they are packed in a tote and couldn’t get them out.

And…2 weeks ago we went to Arthur, IL for HOMESTEADER’S ON THE PRAIRIE show. AWESOME!!! Fantastic Primitive antiques and a few vendors had lots of wonderful handmade items. I found some grungy wax molded snowmen and a tree.
One of my fun purchases was from Rachel Engles of Too Far Gone Primitives.
This fine looking reindeer

And from Carriage House Lighting we got 4 wonderful lamps – I think 2 or 3 of these may go to the craft show (they are HAND MADE)

 

While in Pennsylvania I found a sweet little bear that just melted my heart (as much as a stuffed bear can lol )
He has stuffing coming out being held in with a rusty pin – his sweater is ragged and pinned as well. And sitting as his feet is a cute little sheep.

You know I love baskets and I found 3 that had to come home with me
The one on the right is a towel hanger. The middle one is an antiqued blue but it’s hard to see
 

You know those Luminary flicker lights, well we found a vendor booth who was selling grunged up ones.
So I bought a 4 inch and a 5 inch.
She said she only uses the Ivory colored candles, dips them in hot wax and then rolls them and sprinkles them with Cinnamon and Cloves.

So…I’m about done sewing, painting and gluing and so tired of working from 8 am to 9 pm.
Here’s some of what is sitting out

I had fun making these bell hangers – simple to do and will hopefully sell.
I have one that I leave hanging on a nail on our pie safe door

Several pillow – many are packed in totes but these were finished up this past week
I love these sleigh pillows!
 

Two Christmas ones (and again, several are already in totes)
 

So much to go through and start pricing!! That’s the only part of this I do not like!

Our daughter in-law is sharing the cabin to sell her hand thrown pottery
Here’s a few of her Christmas items…see the sleigh plate!

At the moment I’m working on two Penny Rugs done on a woven
piece of Family Heirloom fabric – I love the design on it and love how it’s turning out.
 

See the design on the runner part of this

On to something fun now….Monday night we went out to dinner for our grandson Jesse’s 25th birthday
I can’t believe he’s that old – I remember like it was yesterday him running and playing through the house and being just a fun little boy – but he has turned into a wonderfully handsome, polite and intelligent young man.

Jess, dad Dan, mom Jamie, Doug and me.
 

I so want to thank all of you out there that have hung in there with me being MIA for so long.
And through all of this I still have been getting new followers and new followers on Bloglovin.
I’m looking forward to the 29th be over with and then I can concentrate on cleaning our house and getting out the Christmas decorations….and maybe I can finally get back to visiting my blog friends.

I probably won’t post again until after Thanksgiving so I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving however you celebrate it!

Blessings to all
Karen

Christmas Craft Show Invite!

Hi All

I've been MIA for quite some time and I'm sorry - it hasn't been because I don't want to be here but with the show coming it's imperative that I stick to it and get the work done.

Anyone who does shows knows what is involved
I sew and create and still feel like I don't have enough.

I've tried to keep my items to 3 of each so there isn't an
overload of 'one style/design' - people feel like the items are a dime a dozen if you have 8 - 10 of something.
They want to feel they have something someone else doesn't!

Anyone living in the area I sure hope you can make it - it's such a fun experience doing the show as the vendors are in the log cabins throughout the property.

I did sent out 60 invites to those that have attended my prior shows
…so if you were one of them you should be receiving your invite very soon.

Any questions email me and I hope I can help

 

LOST MY EMAILS....please help

THIS IS GOING OUT TO ANYONE WHO SENT ME A MESSAGE THROUGH THE E-MAIL (Sheep icon) ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF MY BLOG
this past week or the week before at least.

I was cleaning out my messages and trashed EVERYTHING...and there were a couple emails from 2 ladies in particular that asked for something - one was a paint color the other was 'traveling' information.

SO PLEASE whoever hasn't heard back from me send another email - I'm not ignoring you just got crazy for a moment.