I'LL BE BACK SOON

Sorry to be gone so much this past week.

My In Home Show is Sat. and Sun. and we are doing our Christmas decorating and putting some of our regular things away to make room for the show items - what a job!

I'm doing the inside cleaning today and Doug is putting up garland on the fences and some of the other things...got two wreaths up so far! There will be 18 inch brick red stars in the center of each peak of the garlands.

Oh and he got my painted snowman window up right next to the door - we found it last month at the Wholesale Show and thought what a perfect greeting for our show!!!!



I have a huge project for my next post that I have been doing in stages and saving it.

I found something on the internet that I want to share...I LOVE IT! Hopefully tonight I will get it posted.

Wish I knew how when you insert a picture in the post that it wouldn't always load at the top....plus then there are tons of spaces that I have to delete - anyone help here????

Check back tonight to see if I got my special post on....you'll like it (well, I think you will...lol)

WHATCHA WORKING ON WEDNESDAY

What a busy Whatcha Working On Wednesday.

From the time we got up until dinner tonight it was a constant!

I had Doug helping all he could too - what a guy…so supportive I tell ya.
While I did some sewing he put some of our bagged products in celo bags and put the bag toppers on and stuffed some more pocket hangings and then started the second tree in a box.

Close up of box (this is the smaller of the other one we did last week.

Oh and I got my shipment of fresh preserved Sweet Annie….OMGosh does it smell wonderful. There was a time I didn’t like the smell of it but it has really grown on me. Anyway I ordered it from Hammelman’s in OR….I got 10 bunches of it - the more you ordered the lower the price.
I’m using some of it in my hanging pockets and seed bags w/candles.

This afternoon I took some grungy cheesecloth that I purchased on Monday and hung them over the tops of my valances just to see if I would like the effect and actually liked what I did - never intended to keep the white ones up but Doug even thought it looked rather Primitive so we'll leave them there till after the home show.

FREE MERCHANDISE!

Here it is....our

HELP THE ECONOMY
GIVE A-WAY
Well, don’t ever say you
“NEVER GOT SOMETHING FOR NOTHING”
Because here’s your chance to say just the OPPOSITE!

From November 15 thru December 10
we will be giving away a
FREE SHOPPING REFUND
TO ONE LUCKY CUSTOMER
now you can’t beat that can you?

Here’s all you have to do….
place an order from November 15 thru December 10
and your name will be placed in our drawing for the lucky winner to receive a
REFUND FOR THE
TOTAL
MERCHANDISE ORDER….
Up to and including $75.00

Winner will be drawn at midnight December 10th
and notified by e-mail and your name will be postedon the
front page of our website as our winner if you so desire
Take advantage of this ONE TIME OFFER
and get your order in today to insure fast delivery for your
Christmas Gift Giving or Holiday Decorating

*Shipping is not included in this offer
*For all on-line orders only
*Orders must be place during November 15 thru December 10
*You MUST tell us in the additional information box
in the shopping cart that you want to be entered - this is a MUST

So if you have ever wanted to shop my website
here's your chance to be a lucky winner!!!!!

Visit us at http://www.kmprimitives.com/

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Back in September I won a stencil from Becca of Folk Art From The Harbor and I ran out of time to get any boards made so I had our daughter in-law make them.

Today she brought 4 of them over for my approval before putting on the last and final touch - I guess the antiquing, anyway....I fell in love with them. So she's doing 2 of each, making that 8 for my Home Show! Bless her little heart!

So here's the ALMOST finished product:

THANKS BECCA!!!!!!!!!!!

WHATCHA WORKING ON WEDNESDAY

This is my first WHATCHA WORKING ON WEDNESDAY so not sure what I'm really doing, plus it's probably the first Wednesday I have actually worked on something that I could take a picture of.

I covered two sets of mache stackable boxes with fabric I purchased at a rummage sale - I got tons of fabric for a smidgen!









Still have to let them dry a bit more then I can stack them and tie 'em up with twine! I'll post a picture later when they're finished.

Now here we have a bonus item....we purchased several sets of stackable boxes last Christmas for our home show and one of them had poor graphics on the center box so I called the company and they sent out a new set - I asked what I should do with the set I had - they said keep it or toss it.....WELL, IF THAT WASN'T A BARGAIN!

So this year we are using the largest one as a tree base - we used expanding foam to secure the 3' tree and will put excelsior around the base, add mini lights and walla....a beauty of a tree. I will post the picture of the final product later.

So what do you think I could put on it as an asking price?????






TIME IS RUNNING OUT GIRLS....
This month on my Website: http://www.kmprimitives.com/ you can enter our drawing for Two Holiday Candle Huggers of your choice.

All you have to do is find the hidden Icons and send me an e-mail at kmprimitives@yahoo.com telling me which pages you found them on and you will be entered.

Drawing will be early this month because of Thanksgiving and my Home Show so it will be on the 22nd of November so come on over to my website and look around.
GOOD LUCK AND HOPE TO SEE YOUR NAMES COME THROUGH MY E-MAIL!

What a non-productive day or so it seemed. We did so much running around and I feel like I'm back to square one and need many catch up days but I did find some boards to make signs for my craft show and got a few other things.
Then I treated my husband and myself to the Olive Garden for lunch before coming back home.

I received an e-mail today from Caryn of Todays Primitive Home and I'm so impressed with it - they feature their best picks on the web/etsy.

Here's a brief description of their mission:

Please note this is NOT a solicitation for paid advertising.

Today’s Primitive Home is strictly editorial.

Items we display on our website to show our readers are our own personal favorites.

Simply put we pick ‘em because we like ‘em (so to speak). Our editorials are intended to be humorous and encourage our readers to visit TPH often to see our “Latest Picks”.

Readers are given the opportunity to view examples of our favorite Artists’ work and purchase featured or similar items directly from the Artist’s website/blog through the links provided for them in our editorials.

After two weeks, items appearing on our home page are categorized and moved to our “Prims We Loved” archives where readers may still view previously featured items and access links to the Artist’s website or blog.

Our Mission is to support the tradition of handcrafted American Folk Art and to encourage Internet shoppers to consider purchasing unique, handmade one-of-a-kind type items from American artists, as opposed to purchasing foreign mass-produced items.

They featured my 'TREES FOR SALE' runner a while back and I just loved the little story they put with it...so please go on over and check out their site...it's just so wonderful how they are helping all of us designers and crafters.
http://www.todaysprimitivehome.com/

Hop on over to Prim and Proper Folks Blog to sign up for this absolutely wonderful give away - plus she has such a great blog to read.

http://primandproperfolks.blogspot.com/2008/11/happy-holiday-giveaway.html

SUNDAYS PROJECT

New Header Picture Today!

Again today the headache! Will it never end....so I decided to start some put-together projects instead of sewing....I bought some wonderful pouches and filled them with some greens and a fabric stuffed candy cane....very Prim I think!

I only have three of them for my show so hopefully they will sell.



And to add to frustration my shift key is sticking and I'm forever getting lower case letters so have to keep going back and fixing which is time consuming let alone agrivating.

But I will prevail and overcome the shift key - I'm bigger than it right???

I also want to thank everyone for their wonderful comments and response to my Blogging. I never know just what I'm going to post and so it's a surprise to me as well!

Each day I get a step closer to getting things organized for my show - but the big part is deciding where everything is going - each year we have different products to display so the setups are somewhat different. Also, putting our regular stuff away so we can make room for products - we don't have much for storage space in our house - it's an early 50's Cape Cod and they weren't into storage closets in the 50's for some reason....so guess the basement gets it again.

Which reminds me....some of our things are still packed away from last years show. Guess if I didn't get them back out I didn't need or miss them. That's one way of clearing and weeding out.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Please go visit Tonya at Old Country Creations http://www.oldecountrycreations.com/ because she has a deal for all of you!

I FEEL CRAPPY

Happy Saturday everyone....well it's not a great day for me!

Yesterday was a rather odds and ends day, nothing really got accomplished, well nothing important anyway.

Here's what I posted on one of the forums I'm on - it's easier than retyping:


Morning Sunshines!!!Wish I felt like that statement.....here's the deal.....yesterday Doug and I got our flu shots, headed straight for Janesville for the Craft Show (small and not so worth the 1 hour drive), then went to Sam's Club and Michaels, then went to dinner.

Both of us immediately got headaches during dinner, got very tired and couldn't wait to get home....both took something for it, went to bed early and had the rotten feeling all night...I woke up at 4 still with the headache and upset stomach!

Sure don't know what hit us both like that. Couldn't be the shot I wouldn't think...never reacted before.

Anyway....the craft show (which I was supposed to be in but got the information way too late to be able to do it) was on the small side, not very festive like last years...well we stayed for a short while and HAD to purchase something - we knew all the vendors so felt obligated.

I bought a long basket stuffed with a Santa, Tree and Star....kind of cute and then a stuffed mouse pulling a baby mouse on a sled....it's okay but not my favorite thing but Doug liked it, and a snowman riding a crow!




Hope we feel better by 3 this afternoon because we're supposed to go to a play with our son and family to see Stuart Little.

So then even though I feel like...ROTTEN....head is still pounding, we went to get some groceries, lunch and then to one of our favorite little shops in the next little town which by the way SHE CARRIES SOME OF MY PRODUCTS!!!!!!!! Yippppeeeee.

Doug finished the yard work yesterday and cut down my Catmint and Lavendar and we hated throwing it out so put it in a crock - I will keep it till it falls apart...

The pictures you will be seeing in my header every few days will be different - they are cards I ordered from http://www.ofpurposeandspirit.com/home.htm


Each card is a 5x7 on heavy stock and the verse is on the back of the card so you can write your own note inside or insert a letter.


The one shown now has this verse on the back: "To carry us through the seasons".


Isn't that a beautiful thought!

This month on my Website: http://www.kmprimitives.com/ you can enter our drawing for Two Holiday Candle Huggers - all you have to do is find the hidden Icons and send me an e-mail telling me which pages you found them on and you will be entered.

Drawing will be early this month because of Thanksgiving and my Home Show so it will be on the 22nd so come on over to my website and look around.

SANDY over at FOR THE LOVE OF PRIMS http://fortheloveofprims.blogspot.com/ is having her 100th post GIVE A-WAY.

She has put together a wonderful gathering of items to please just about anyone!

A FRIENDS GIVE A-WAY

Ann over at http://annstreasurebox.blogspot.com/ is having a great Give A-Way for her Grand Opening. Go on over and check out her site - you'll love it. Sign up for her great Gathering of Goodies.

BEAUTIFUL TUESDAY

Oh my gosh we had a beautiful summer day today and it's still going! It reached 75 already and climbing.

Doug and I had some running this morning after voting and I put on my black slacks and a cotton jacket and boy was I warm....we went to Walmart and Menards and I couldn't wait to get home and get my Capris on. Winter is going to be hard on me with clothes...I'm just so in my comfort zone with my Capris...but I guess if I wear socks and a sweater with them in the house I'll be okay - for gosh sakes they're just a couple inches shorter than long pants...especially on this 5'-3/4" body!

Last night we got to see baby Aidan finally - took awhile but it happened. He was such a good little fellow and smiled most of the time. We got to cuddle and giggle with him for a few hours.

He was so funny at dinner - he just sat on our laps and looked like he belonged at the table. Got a few pictures but not good ones. I'm a horrible picture taker, well, except when we're going 70 miles an hour down the Interstate...then they come out clear for some reason.

Here he is with me and Grandpa

This afternoon I decided to take my sewing into our screen room - thought I'd get one last good day of basking in the wonderful surroundings.

We put plastic up this weekend to protect the screening from the wind and snow for the winter but it's still nice out there and the partially bare trees and bushes were still holding onto some of their beautiful red and gold leaves....just for me to feast my eyes on one last time.

We use the room up through Christmas by using one of the free standing Propane heaters and let me tell you IT WORKS.

We have the EXIT and the snacks for our IN-HOME SHOW in the screen room and it is always so cozy with all the warmth and the aromas of mulled cider and treats.

I purchased some beautiful cards from a company in MN with the most beautiful Primitive Colonial pictures on them and decided to post a few of them now and then in my heading...so hope you enjoy.

They are for sale by the way for $2.95 per card if anyone wants them. Each card is blank inside to write your own note or to insert you own letter and the back has a single line verse. All made in the USA.

IN HOME SHOWS

Planning a show in your home?

We are having our 3rd Annul In-Home Show Saturday/Sunday, November 29/30 from 9 am to 9 pm if anyone living in our area would like to come. Please e-mail me at kmprimitives@yahoo.com and I will send you details. We are in Burlington, the southeast part of Wisconsin.

Here are a few tips to consider

1. Send out invitations at least 2 weeks prior to show. Put large ad in papers at least 2 weeks before show and then the week before the show put a small reminder in.
2. Have more than enough small bills and change. Sometimes customers only have a $20 or a $50 if you are their first stop!
3. Be ready for a large crowd the first 3 hours of your sale - this is when the bulk of the customers show up so be prepared. It tends to get less after that and by the last 2 hours there are usually just a couple here and there.
4. Have one door for entrance and one for exit to prevent crowding at the doors.
5. Have spotters in all rooms. You may have friends bringing friends but you still don’t know who their friends are…it’s not a nice way to feel, but believe me it’s better to have someone in each room even if to help the customers.
6. Also make sure these spotters can help the customers as well such as getting familiar with prices and if you have more than the one of something in your inventory.
7. Offer your customers Special Orders if they don’t want to purchase ones you have - like different colors or sizes. Every order adds up!!!
8. Use Homespun fabrics to cover tables - use risers in the centers of your tables to get your items up off the flat surface - stage your products to make it more appealing to your customers.
9. Give them ideas - you really have to show people the different ways they can use the items you are selling. For instance BOWL FILLERS...put some Rosehips or Potpouri in a wooden bowl and put in the bowl fillers. Take some of your items and make an arrangement or a gathering of them.
10. Take plain candles and wrap them in grungy gauze or take some Kraft package wrapping paper, cut strips to go around the candle, rub it with a coffee/cinnamon/vanilla mixture (very thin) and tie it with some coffee dyed butchers string or twine...put a small sprig of Sweet Annie behind the string or tie two grungy bells onto the string. You have to catch their eye!!!
11. Keep your check-out area spacious so your customer can set their items down and have a place to open their purse and or write a check.
12. Wrap breakable items when possible and items that may snag on fabric items. So stock up on tissue paper.
    You can buy boxes of plastic bags at places like Office Depot, Office Max - Something like 250 bags for $5.00.
13. Have helpers wrapping and bagging so customers don’t have to wait too long in line.
    Try and have small baskets by the entrance door for ease in carrying the smaller items they pick up.
14. Have light finger snacks at the end of the show area such as where they are checking out. Things like cookies, brownies, assorted candies and to make wonderful aromas in the air, hot mulled cider, hot chocolate.
15. Set aside a space for signing up for the door prize if you are offering one. People won’t sign up if it’s crowded and they can’t get into the space.
16. Most of all be friendly to each customer as if they are the only one there.
    Put a business card in with each receipt.

I hope I have helped you with your HOME SHOW!

We have had much success by following these guidelines.

Here’s a few pictures of last years show in our home.

OTHER BLOG GIVE A-WAYS

Stop on over at ANGIES http://simplethymeprimitives.blogspot.com/ and sign up for her wonderful Primitive Snowman plus a couple of adorable Ornaments.

RENAE over at My Little Raggedy Blessings is giving an adorable Penny Rug away....click on her link and go visit and sign up.
http://mylittleraggedyblessings.blogspot.com/

WHAT I DID TODAY

Today was one of those days I got so much done and still have energy to go for more! lol

I finished up 7 orders, packed them up and ready to mail tomorrow....got another order and started sewing on it.

I also made some NEW MINI ORNIES...and posted them on my website...go on over and check them out...they are just the cutest! But I'll show you them here too - it's not nice to tease is it??? lol. These look so cute on a mini Feather tree.

Oh, and I made a new Candle Hugger too - ohhhh and a set of Coasters!