WHAT TO DO ON A RAINY DAY - (again)

Think I titled a post not too long ago with that - hmmmmm...well it is a very rainy day here in PA....all day.....cold and damp so of course you need to go shopping AGAIN...  I was headed to the store today to mess around cleaning up etc...and remembered that a favorite wholesale warehouse was having a sale today - so the car just kept going instead of turning where we usually do to go to the store.   Then since JoAnn's and Michael's (a second one ) were not too far from where I was headed I went there first.   Can't say what I purchased as I have to TRY to make one first ...and then see if we can do a class with it.   I did get to the floral warehouse and spent way too much money on really cool items - then I went to the store where I couldn't wait to try my new stamp/punch on these....

This "nest and eggs" stamp came from Lisa of http://www.potsnprims.blogspot.com/ - it was a sweet and surprise gift....(thank you again Lisa...see how much I love it!!)  Doesn't it make the best price tags.... One thing I did  purchase today was Tim Holtz Distress Ink Pad in blue...called Broken China - I am loving the distress ink pads - Tony made me really cool handles to use for distressing too....so easy and instant vintage look on tags.

Here are some "Twigs and Teacups" we have for sale....perfect Easter gift for someone special - for $10.00!

Last week when Tony and I were shopping we found 3 old agate cups in a mint greenish light blueish color...I planted real pansies in them and sold them right away...wish I had taken a picture to share.

I also purchased this "stack" of hardcover country decorating books...that will be for sale in our Tattered Pages area as soon as I get them priced.....whew....long post....I had the jabbers today!!!

MY NEW "MARTHA" PUNCH...

I had to go to the mall this morning....I was in much need of some new clothes.  I will admit that it is not the fondest thing I want to do - try on clothes.  The diet went kaput - so I couldn't hold off any longer (being seen in the same old thing just wasn't working anymore).   It is a well known fact that I am a BIG girl so trying on clothes is not fun - however I went to the big girl store....and everything I tried on fit - so I purchased it all !!!  Of course I couldn't go to the mall and be that close to Michael's and not stop there - especially with a couple coupons in my purse!! SO THIS IS WHAT I GOT....a new stamp punch of BIRDS....anything with birds is going to be mine  - and this is what it does...woohoo!!!

You stamp the birds (there are three different ones) on the end of a piece of paper...I used blue paper to make bluebirds -  and then you take your stamped paper and put the punch cutout right over top of the stamp and squeeze!!!  You have the bird with wings, eyes and feathers!!I LOVE IT!!  I use the punchouts at the holidays to put sprinkles in the customers bags...(right now we are sprinkling sheep and rabbits)!   I will be making all kinds of fun things with this new punch.  The other bird punch I have is one that is flying....so this one is really different!!!  Boy working is sure hard!!! 

WORKING - WORKING - WORKING....ALWAYS WORKING..

If you can call what I do WORK !!  It is work... but I will be the first to admit it is "fun" work!!  I have been trying to plan our 18th Annual Herb Faire!  (that's alot of years for doing the same thing over and over again).....Every year I try to think of something new and more exciting than the year before BUT and HOWEVER...it is such a good event that I don't think I can make it any better than it already is.   I might give the Garden Fairies a couple different herbal recipes to try, but other than that I think our Herb Faire is just fine the way it is....we hope you can come! 

I pulled out  my herbal books...scoured the pages and finally decided we have the best herbs for sale (thank you Alta and Glenn)..so I should let well enough alone!  Guess what the "Herb of the Year" is...you guessed....DILL - a very favorite of mine....I have dill growing everywhere.  I let the first crop go to seed and it blows all over and comes up in the wildest places.  (Tony hates that I do that...he really does, but this is one garden thing that I win)...He does MOST of the dirty garden chores so I pretty much let him do his thing....but not the dill ....DON'T touch my dill!!!  AND I am sure he will not let me keep my upside down flower pot border this year..he says it is a pain these past years moving them when he mows and putting them back just so...!!! 

 In the olde bottle is Catnip....(also coming up all over the garden area....it even came up in a crack in the sidewalk)....The catnip is growing like a weed (some might say it is a weed....(smile)  so I am picking it and enjoying some fresh herbs in the store.......I have had to live with these the past two months...

Fake Rosemary and Basil...but fun cause it really does look real!

Tony has been finding some good garden treasures....it is hard not to put them in the store already.....just might have to after the Easter decorations are put to rest for another year....the store is ready for a "makeover" and I am anxious to redo!

SOMERSET LIFE MAGAZINE...

...arrived this morning and what a great issue it is.   You can find it in our "Tattered Pages" area of the store.... along with Somerset Studio Mar/Apr issue.    So much inspiration can be found on these pages.....almost too much as you want to create and create and create!!!

(that's my new box I found on Monday when Tony and I went out antiquing....it is perfect to display the magazines...)

I am working on our next class project.....it will be called "Bird Song"... I was having lots of fun making the sample.  Once all the p's and q's are worked out I will send out an email and post pictures here and on our Picture Trail with date and costs.  

NEW ARRIVALS AND A PRESENT...

It is always fun to open my mailbox (we receive our mail in a box at the Post Office - which is right across the street from the store) - and find a yellow card letting me know there is a package waiting for me!!  Today two packages came from Terri Leamer of The Olde Button Tin!   Could hardly wait to get to the store to open them.....I never know what I am getting from most of our crafters...they just know me and know what will make our store special - (I am a very lucky storekeeper indeed!)  Here's some of Terri's creations....two prim pillows, hand appliqued and stuffed with olde cotton stuffing !

Peeps, peeps and peeps.....one sitting on top of a calico egg - neat make-do~~~~The vintage doily has a peep embrodiered in the plain linen circle...

.....and a Hen pincushion....Terri has her own way of aging her creations....they always look so olde but well kept...a strawberry "emery" is hung from her neck and the tailfeathers are olde straight pins...!!!

AND what a nice surprise I received today....from Joanne of http://snippetsandscrapsandpieces.blogspot.com/  Joanne read my blog yesterday and decided to "cheer" me up with a very special "zinc canning jar lid" since two of mine were ...ah....let's say "misplaced" !!  Isn't it the sweetest!!   I am going to keep it right on my counter at the store - it will get plenty of use!!  Thanks again Joanne - I l ove it!

Today was very much a true March day.....very windy...had to take down the hanging slateboard from the porch and the Easter decorations so they didn't blow away ~~ the sun was shining all day so all was good!

WHAT TO DO ON A RAINY DAY...

Thank goodness all this rain we are having is NOT snow...We didn't have the "onion" snow here in my neck of the woods - (you can't plant your onions till after the "onion snow") - hmmmm - thinking Mother Nature might just spare us this year -  so go ahead....PLANT THOSE ONIONS !!
Today Tony and I went antiquing at The Olde Factory in Hummelstown....we had our arms full before we even walked down the ramp - (they display items right as you walk in the door) !   Found -  some much needed -  zinc canning jar lids - (can you believe "someone" has two of our lids that they took off of the olde jars and put the jars behind the others in the cupboard???) 
 It was a good day shopping - lots of treasures were found!  It rained and rained all the way to and from though - over 1 1/2 hours one way - but certainly worth the drive.   The disappointment was,  there are so many "crafty" booths.....imports....and that is disturbing when you are thinking it is an antique mall.   NOW I love BOTH....and our store is filled with both - antiques and gifts - but I think if an antique mall wants to have craft booths then they should be altogether in one area.  Just my opinion - (it won't keep me from shopping there but still disappointing to see so much of it)   Rent is rent I suppose.

On page 137 of Flea Market Style magazine...is the picture of an old bedspring hanging on the wall and used to display photos....don't ask me why....but I want one.  There was one "similiar" at the antique mall, but of course NFS (I wouldn't sell it either) !!!  That one was even a bit cooler as it was made of very thin wire springs...really neat!  

With these warmer days and the rain...the woods are starting to have hints of green and the red bud trees are ready to bloom.   Spring....glorious spring!   

HAPPY SPRING...!!!

What a glorious day today was  - picture perfect - warm spring breezes,  sunny skies and lots of customers without any weather complaints!!!
Tony minded the store while I "played" with the girls making our Easter Bookcover.  We had a great group today and we had lots of fun (at least I did) !!  I forgot how much fun our classes can be as we haven't had any for awhile....on the "TO DO" list is dream up more classes!!! We had some "experts" with us today too - husband and wife - Toni and Jim.  They taught all of us so many useful things....I swear they have every scrapbooking tool imaginable.  Toni works in a scrapbooking store and they always take classes together.   This "teacher" learned alot today!!!    I am not a scrapbooker nor have I ever attended any classes...I just "wing" it - but I think I am going to start taking a few classes cause there is SO MUCH out there to learn.   I love working with vintage papers etc....not the cutesy little things that is most scrapbooking - nothing wrong with that - just not me. A little knowledge goes a   L  O  N   G   way and I am psyched!!  Soon the flea markets will be opening and I can go on the "look out" for great stuff to work with.
We went  -  FROM THIS -

TO THIS -

Pictures of the class are on our picturetrail......   www.picturetrail.com/thecinnamonstick

Have a picture perfect Sunday....

NEVER ENOUGH THYME...

(you can you tell I have "spring fever" when I start to "talk" herbally)!!!

Lots on the agenda the last couple days....getting ready for our Easter Bookcover Class tomorrow - getting all the 2009 papers filed away (hopefully forever) and trying to unpack boxes and price the goodies inside - well that didn't happen.   Leah brought us ~~APRONS, BONNETS, SEWING ROLLS AND POCKETS!  All in wonderful browns and creams  !!~~they did all get priced and displayed -

...as did the new floorcloths  -  I love floorcloths and one day I am truly going to learn how to make them!

(don't you love the floorboards on our second floor!!!  Some are 20+ inches wide with cracks that let you look down to the first floor)

Two big boxes came in today from Pinecreek Traditions.....that I didn't get to open....(sad face)...You have to know that my most fun is when the delivery trucks pull into the parking lot and brings me presents (of course I have to pay for these presents but.....still presents right?)   I will admit I much rather have customers keeping me busy and taking my time away from opening those boxes....tomorrow is another day!

I just took a cream cheese pound cake from the oven....our "treat" for tomorrow's class and some springthyme (herb words again) lemonade with a sprig or two of rose geranium floating around!  (even though Tony just about scalped my rose geranium plant last fall, it is looking healthy and beautiful !!)

We are still having our super duper weather here in PA - tomorrow is suppose to be 73 degrees....no complaints from me!!!

....CAN IT REALLY BE????

I am so full of SPRINGTHYME right now....it is a glorious day and the weatherman said it was going to be this way all week...how delightful.  We sure have had our days of bad weather - I am not sure I believe spring is really, really here but I will take it one day at a time and enjoy to the fullest!!

Taxes are done for another year.....that is always a weight well lifted - !! 

 The birds have been so busy today chirping away, making nests and well.....I suspect some of them were making babies (lots of loud chirping and fluttering going on).  I love the robins....humble and hardworking....nothing too fancy about them except those beautiful blue eggs!  Just like THE CINNAMON STICK - hardworking and humble, nothing too fancy except those beautiful Easter Eggs for sale !!!

(borrowed with permisson from http://the-feathered-nest.blogspot.com/ )

'TIS THE IDES OF MARCH and A VERY BUSY DAY...

I am FINALLY ready to see the accountant tomorrow morning...whew!!!   Procrastination caught up with me but it is a "GO" !!  I ran around "crazy-like" today getting supplies for our Easter Bookcover Workshop...Vicky has all the kits made up and I will pick them up early tomorrow morning before going to  the accountant.   Teaching something like this will be a FIRST for me - so hoping the gals (and we have one gentleman) will bear with me as I get my ducks in a row.  Did you know there is such a thing as a "waterbrush" ???  We will be using watercolor crayons and you use this waterbrush (top unscrews so you can put water in the handle  and no messy water to deal with!!) Oh I can see me now....I think we will use regular paintbrushes and little cups of water...safer!   I finally taught myself how to us my "cropadile" too....I have alot of the gadgets but it seems there are always more and more that you just HAVE to have.  I suppose if I had taken some scrapbooking lessons I might be more aware of what wonderful gadgets are out there...just might have to do that!
The rain is suppose to STOP tomorrow....another FINALLY ... and the sun is suppose to shine...Things are looking up!

Wool felt eggs with vintage ribbons and stuffed with rags - UNIQUE!

There are some new items that need to be priced and displayed in the store.....really neat copies of olde butter and cookie molds made of a resin and stained to look like the originals.(the molds are made from the originals).  Super Neat!  To hang on your kitchen walls or cupboard doors. 

SPUR OF THE MOMENT...

We have the opportunity to have an art class next Saturday, March 20th - to make this -

It is an olde bookcover made into a wall hanging. Vicki Schubert will  make up kits for us using her wealth of vintage emphera and is willing to share her "secrets" in making one of these for ourselves. This is a "layered" piece using all kinds of "magic" to construct. The size is approximately 9" X 5" !! We will cut, glitter, paint, and glue !! AND while glue is drying we will have some other little fun projects to work on...such as this -

A cute little paper Easter basket....and some Easter tags !!  This class should be lots of fun but we do have to know ASAP if you would like to attend.

Easter Bookcover Wallhanging Class

Saturday, March 20th

11 am to 2 pm (?)

Cost. - $15.00

All supplies included - Refreshments served...

Call the store - 215-541-7907 or email - cinnamonstick @comcast.net to sign up.
We always have lots of fun in our classes and hope you can join us!!

PS - update on CD player....the wires didn't fit BUT I did find a place in the store to "sort of " hide the speaker and player and we FINALLY had music all day...(I had to lay on the floor to work the buttons with a flashlight in hand...yi yi yi !! - now all I have to do is learn how to use the remote control and I will be in A+ shape)

FOUR STORES LATER...

You really "feel" your age when you go to purchase new "Electronics" without a teenager in the house!  My CD player at the store died....kaput!!  I have spent the last 2 days in silence....it is weird....I NEED WHITE NOISE !! So tonight Tony and I went searching for a new CD player...nothing fancy...just simple - I only need one CD to play at a time as long as it is continuous play....HMMMM TRY TO FIND ONE !!  I also needed one that the "speaker" wires (that are already applied to the middle of the ceiling and to the outside) - would fit into the same holes...OR we would have to rewire the store again...not any easy job.  After going to Best Buy, Walmart and Target and NOTHING....we finally stopped at the little olde KMART close to our home....and YES...there we found one...it doesn't have a place for an IPod - or it doesn't have a wha'chama callit...or a gizmo...or a begoogle....it just plays one CD at a time continuously.  HOORAY!!   Now we have our fingers crossed that the wires will fit in the back....tomorrow will tell.  Wish me luck!

Helen Voytilla stopped in the store today for some decorations for her "Easter Tree" !!  Helen makes some wonderful goodies for our store....like this...

AND THIS...

AND THIS !!!

SPRING SCENTS...

Today my order from Briarpatch Primitives came in....and the whole store smells so "springy" and "happy"...(if you want to know what "happy" smells like stop in and treat your nose)!!   Almond Lime potpourri has got to be one of the best scents for spring!!  Lavender/vanilla beeswax candles and lots of molded tarts of sheep, rabbits and peeps all  in a primitive robin's egg blue color ( I don't know the scent).  Mix all this together in one little room and all you can smell is "spring" and "happy" !!!  I was busy and didn't take pictures (thank you Joanne you started a bit of a rush)!!   She took my picture today and it was not a good day....so I took hers and wouldn't you know it I can't upload it...keeps saying "failed"....I know you are laughing right now (she didn't want her picture taken - but it turned out good)... that never happened to me before?????

I have been working on my Income Tax....(I always wait for the last minute) - I have to go next Tuesday to the accountant...so you can say today I was pre-taxapied...!! 

Starting to think of "what happens" after the Easter Bunny goes home....last year was Bird Soup....this year might be Bird Songs.....I like the sound of that!

AHA!!! now the picture will upload.....Joanne also brought some "show and tell" in for me to "oh" and "ah" at.  Lori from  ( http://www.homespunprims.blogspot.com/) sent her this wonderful wall hanging all hand pieced and hand quilted.  Her work is just the best I have seen.  I should have gotten a picture of it....very, very nice!

FUN DAY ANTIQUING...

My store 10 years ago was in a little town called Morgantown, PA. The store was connected to The Mill Property Antique Mall.....we were at the end of the building and it was a tiny little room with an office that I used as a workshop.    I really loved it there and met so many wonderful friends in that tiny room.  Many still shop with us - and some I have become bestest friends with.   You know how they say you can't go back home.....well I go back home often...and today was one of those days.  Sharon and I went antiquing at the antique mall.   Found some good treasures to take to the store this week too.  BUT - geez....when I go into the room where our old store was...( they now have closed off the outside entrance and broke thru the wall so you can walk in from the antique mall...when we were there we had our own entrance.)  Anyway....what memories flooded me today when I visited that room....it is SO VERY HARD to believe our store was there....it is so small...but back then I thought it was BIG !!  I stood in the room and remembered how horrid it was when we rented it and how hard Tony and I worked to make it great....and you know....I do think it was great.   Nine years we did business there until we knew we needed to grow.   I tried to keep both stores open...(that lasted 9 months) - dear me that was not fun at all!  I will admit I was a bit homesick for a minute or two with so many wonderful memories tugging at me.  
Today was a fun day...we had a nice lunch at a nearby tea room...and then went to Michael's ....I HAVE TO STAY OUT OF THAT PLACE !!!!

SPRING ~~ SPRING ~~ SPRING

Well....50 degrees feels like SPRING here...two full days of beautiful weather and a couple more yet to come.   We had a grand week....fun customers (spending money - rah rah !!) and new items in the store each day.  Leah Webb brought me aprons and bonnets....sold everyone .....so today she replaced two bonnets and one apron (thank you Leah!!)  Connie Steinbeck brought the sweetest cross-stitch pillows and bunnies...all sold!   This is all great news as it does make one feel that people are ready to get out and shop again. 

A visit from Connie (http://www.logcabinprimitives.blogspot.com/) was a highlight of my Friday...she came with a pot of spring daffodils too... 

Sharon and I are going out tomorrow for a fun day.....antiquing of course....we haven't gotten out for quite awhile and  I am anxious to spend a day with a good friend....heals the soul.

Happy Monday to you....

MAKING DO.....

Don't you love this piece...an olde cobbler's bench...Tony had to remove the leather from the seat as it was all crappy and broken (but he left the olde nails in - just for looks)!!   I think it makes the bestest sofa table... 

I put an olde agate bowl in the hole and it fit perfect....so did a stoneware crock we have for sale...you could put a candle in the bowl, a plant or some water and float candles.....HEY perfect to serve up your popcorn while watching TV !!! 

The bench was made using an olde ammunition box - a bit of "pinkish" paint is still visible.  I love make-do's - my house is full of things like this.(cause that is where my heart is) !!

Just some "wool peeps" roosting on olde wooden spools..(and an olde toy block "P" is for Peep!)

A FAVORITE CRAFTER...

Some people don't like to be called a "crafter" but I certainly don't mind...sewing is my "craft"....Dianne Galloway has been making things for us for over 20 years - she is an excellent and imaginative crafter.  Dianne started with framed samplers and then dolls of all kinds.  She was NOT primitive and I had to teach her it was okay to make the items look "dirty"....we had a good laugh last night cause now I am trying to get her not to make things so "dirty"..I love olde and worn but not the extreme prim look - it is not popular with me or most of our customers.  Like the rest of the gals....HALLOWEEN...is her favorite holiday to make treasures for us.  Here is Dianne...at our Witches Nite Out...

And here are the treasures she made for the store....

...the eggs and peeps are made from wool felt and stuffed with rags.  She used "food coloring" to dye the wool and added vintage ribbon ( Dianne has the best collection of antique ribbons)  The same with the little eggs.   The bunnies on springs are made of paper mache and hand painted.  The "tag" in the center is aged osnaburg and hand stitched...some say "Hippity Hoppity Easter's on it's way"  and some say "SPRING...when everything olde becomes new again"  ( I love that saying and wrote it on one of the slateboards in the store)  And last but not least...the Chickadee's.....oh so sweet.  Paper Mache head and body, painted stick legs with panteloons,  hand painted wings - and a pretty dress.  They all have their own "prize" egg that they found at the egg hunt !!  Dianne's treasures just made the store look so special today!

OH I GOT FUN HANDMADES....

Dianne brought me some really great Easter treasures....No time for pictures but I will take some when I make my displays at the store....today is going to be a fun fun fun day!!!

I HAVE TO STAY OUT OF CRAFT STORES...

I had to go to the bank and run a few errands today and somehow that car just headed to Michael's Craft Store.   AND didn't I just happen to have a coupon for 50% off !! (I really needed 10 coupons )....deciding what to use my 50% off coupon was the dilemma...!!   I wanted so much - and then said "what the heck"  and bought everything I wanted !  I KNOW I am behind the times with the wonderful time saving "tools" that are out there.  I hardly ever went to the craft supply stores as I just figured I had all I needed.   WELL, I have found so many fun and useful items to help me make STUFF that I "have" to "have" TWO of everything - one for home and one for the store.   Like I need TWO jars of "robin's egg blue" glitter!  (It isn't really called robin's egg...I think it is called "turquoise" but I can call it anything I want - right!!
I have an idea for a springthyme class and need that glitter...(smiling)!!!
Tony has finished up a whole "van full" of antiques for me to take to the store tomorrow....an olde "cobbler's bench - the leather seat is long gone but he left the old nails there and an olde wooden bowl will fit perfect in the space...or a flower pot, a crock with a candle...so many ideas - a little bench (sweet) and a small barrel with both ends intact !  I have 16 pieces of Buffalo China in blue and white - dessert plates and bowls...stamped and dated 1906 and 1933(?) Have to check that again but now they are all wrapped safely in a box for travel.  (I see two wooden bowls, rolling pin and two lg. bread boards - not sure if they are ready to go or not...)
Dianne is coming this evening with some handmade treasures for the store....I never have a clue what is coming and can't wait to see.....I will post pictures tonight if I have extra time. 

THREEONETWENTYTEN

I was happy to flip my calendar this morning - not that I want to wish my life away, but really February is a most depressing month for me.....it seems to have many more days than any of the other months.  Maybe because there is not alot to look forward too...now take MARCH...you have APRIL to look forward too...see what I mean?   AND now it is not too early to start thinking herbs and flowers and gardening and BIRD SOUP!!!  I checked back in the older posts for some "inspiration" and now that I am all filled up, my cheerfulness is going to be contagious - PROMISE !!  Even that little hint of snow on Wednesday will not make me grumpy...cause guess what ??? IT IS MARCH.....yippee!!!

Last year's bird soup....wonder what I can add this year to make it more special???   Maybe a few robins!