FRIENDSHIP......a powerful word!

How lonely and sad life would be without friends....my life is so full of wonderful people I could just burst.  When you least expect a kindness (or deserve one) I get ten fold !!  A hug from Connie today (from Log Cabin Primitives) and Susan was so uplifting...a bouquet of flowers and a dozen  homegrown tomatoes from Kathy of Gardner's Candy Store - a sweet visit from Joanne - a bagful of "knives" from Beth to make "Posie Pockets" (thank you Beth!!) Kelly - our shopgirl who came with directions to Williamsburg and all the "right" places to go (her Mom lives there so she KNOWS) - and sadly had to tell her we couldn't go...Ed..our store neighbor who mowed the grass and did the weedwacking...and a handful of well wishers...I am truly blessed with friends !   My heart is filled !   Out of state friends who called to wish Tony well (and some "hang in there" wishes for me)...LOL!!  (sorry Lisa will call you back tomorrow) !!

My bouquet of zinnias from Kathy...they are huge and bright!

FUN STORE STUFF came today too.....just ordered on Monday and already here.....I love that kind of service.  Talk about "scents".....fall potpourri, melting tarts and taper candles are just egging me to decorate for fall.....!!!  Here is a "sneek peek".....

My wish for "me" is to be a good friend and to be there for you......A Grateful Blogger, Storekeeper, Wife, Mother and I hope a Friend.

GOING LOONEY TUNES HERE...

Men who can't sit still.....enough said !!

All's Well.....UPDATE !!!

Giving Tony the BOOT....no...not getting rid of him...just helping him with his "new boot" !! Thank goodness no cast...(he had a choice and it was an easy one...lol!!) This will have to stay on for 6 to 8 weeks and hopefully (GOD willing) his ankle break will be healed !! His shoulder shows no signs of tears however only time will tell - if the pain does not get better they will do a MRI (he is so claustrophobic) to see what is wrong ! Everything is hurry up and wait but it was all good news to our ears!!

\

 (I love those skinny legs)

After two beautiful days it got HOT again today....this has really been a heck of a summer. Goodbye July....ready for you to be over!!
One thing for sure is the garden has been growing - here is a picture of of an heirloom tomato plant that is visiting us from last year (just decided to plant itself here along with a few sunflowers)....lots of small tomatoes on it - Tony has pinched it back as it was growing out of control.

My first tomato from the store's garden...woohoo!!

JAR CANDLES, VOTIVES AND ROOM SPRAYS...all arrived today from Scentsible Scents....love her candles and sprays...!!! Two new ones - Nutmeg and Cream and Indian Pudding....EXCELLENT! Janene also sent me a jar of one that I named.....TWIGS AND TEACUPS ... Now I MUST order them too as the scent is wonderful. (for those waiting for SUGARED PUMPKIN candles and room spray...they are IN)

Our candle room is filled with the best scents - Soy Candles and melting tarts from Crows Nest Primitive Shoppe, Canning Jar candles and tarts from Early Homestead Primitives and Scentsible Scents - votives, jars and room sprays.....come enjoy how wonderful the store smells!!! (new fall potpourri's are on their way too...that will delight all your senses - well maybe not your ears.....oh yeah...your ears will delight in hearing how wonderful your house smells!!!)

Thank you to everyone sending Tony get well wishes...he really was touched...made him feel that the people I talk to on here are not some of my "spirits" but REAL HONEST TO GOODNESS FOLKS - with very big hearts...XOXOXO to all from us both !!

WHAT A DAY...

Not so good when your cell phone rings and you are coming back from a trade show....your daughter is on the other end and asks " are you driving"...you answer..."yes"...she replies, "then pull over so we can talk".....AND you know that AIN'T a good thing. 
Tony (hubby) fell down steps and broke his ankle while working this morning...also messed up his shoulder that he had rotator cup surgery on a few years ago....YI YI YI !!!  She wasn't suppose to tell me but Shannon (daughter) and I have this special "thing" where we share everything and don't spill the beans when we know more than we should because one shared more than she was suppose too.  That is a good thing between us!    To make the long story short...Tad (son) went to NJ ( that is where Tony was working) and took him to the ER and then home.   Tony didn't want them to call and upset me... (rolling my eyes)...Doctors appointments are made for Wednesday when they will tell us the outcome of more X-rays. 
The bad news gets sadder....vacation is off for us....(sad face) - but I am a believer in things always happen for a reason so I will not question "why now" instead of next week!!
The good news is the trade show was great....found some goodies that I know customers will love (some great scented orange tapers and black tapers....new company and I love them - pumpkin flavored chocolate covered pretzels - so yummy!!!) ... now I am so very anxious for fall to come!
Never a dull moment around here....Tony is doing okay- has pain meds and is letting me "fuss" alittle bit over him...(dang just thought - now I have to mow the grass - I job I do not like)...

Stay tuned....you never know what will happen next.....(sigh) !!

FAMILY FUN...

With 11 grandchildren there is ALWAYS a birthday party to attend....and yesterday was Cullen's 6th birthday (the little ones always get TWO...one for their school and neighborhood buddies and one for family)...This was the family one...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO CULLEN !!!

Crew ...sad cause he wanted it to be his birthday!

We had a horrid thunderstorm and then the sun came out and everyone could go swimming again.

Shannon and Jeff had the pool put in this spring and it was great to have the party right at the poolhouse - the rain cooled everything down and it was a delightful evening after a hard week at the store!

Tad and Wendy just got their pool finished and filled....but my pictures are not great as I took them at night...I swear these kids are part FISH...all can swim and have no fear of the water...

Tad and Wendy's pool....and three little fishes....!!

I am off to the Philadelphia Gift Show this morning....hoping to find some goodies for the store - this show is more "gifty" than handmade BUT there is ALWAYS a treasure to be found.  (wish me luck) !!

WHEW!!!

Well.........got that at of my system...the Yard Sale!  Hottest day of the summer...(poor hubby) and I guess my "junk" wasn't that great cause we had a "van load" that we took to the Church Thrift Store after the sale.(They LOVED IT!!!) Of course it was FREE...but it still left you with a good feeling that all the "attic" work wasn't for naught!
One REALLY GOOD thing happened at the yard sale...besides seeing some friends I haven't seen for awhile...we did have a FABULOUS day in the store and quite a few very NEW customers!   So it was worth the advertising monies!!  AND the attic is well on it's way of getting orderly. (still quite a bit of work to do up there....ah...39 years of stashing and hoarding is certainly catching up with me) !!!   But I do think the rest will go RIGHT TO THE THRIFT STORE!! (big smile) !!
Now this week's task is to - first get my house in some kind of order and then get ready for vacation...much needed at this point.  We leave very early Sunday morning for Williamsburg, VA for a 4 day adventure.   No computers - cell phones will only be used to find out where the rest of our crew is -( this is our family vacation with son, daughter and the grandkids....all but Anthony (14)..he is in Australia with People to People - and having a great time.   The kids stay a week but that is just alittle too much for us.....(SIGH) as the little ones will keep us hopping)!!)  AND I will truly only think of the store on my way home!
This morning at the flea market I ran into two of the artists that make items for the store....Vicki is already working on Halloween goodies....woohoo!!  That will be my focus when we get home - I love the fall season.  Be sure to check out the Trick or Treat class we will be giving August 12th and 14th - Lots of fun is in store for THE CINNAMON STICK!!

BIG SURPRISES COME IN LITTLE PACKAGES... CONT.D

Late posting tonight as I had to go get "beautiful"  (i.e. hairdressers) before she takes off for vacation...(she goes this week coming and I go the next!! )
HOWEVER !!! You will have to wait till tomorrow to see the goodies that arrived in this "little" box today - from Terri Leamer!!  Terri is a true spirit that not only loves the past...but lives it and makes her treasures by hand the way it was back in the 1800's!  

Be sure to check back tomorrow to see what goodies I received!!!

PS We are having horrid thunderstorms and I have to get off the computer...YIKES!!!  BANG BOOM


7/22/10
CONT'D....from last night!!!

What great goodies were found in that little box...Terri always makes the store look so much fun with her handmades!!

2 prim towels to go over your towel bar - 2 handmade "starter" quilt patches
a doll's quilt - a pincushion and two sweet little dollies!

hand stitched pincushion filled with old cotton and wool !

These are whatTerri calls "starter quilts"  Her tags always have a fun description on them -
 the one on the right reads
"Made by mother when she was a small girl.  The red fabric was from her sister's dress"
The one on the left reads - "made by Sallie Lamborn "1885"
aged 12 yr. 3 mo. 1 day

AND.. the "dollies" well...she just labeled them "a simple doll" !!  They are so sweet and you just want to hug them over and over...Thank you Terri for making THE CINNAMON STICK be so special with your treasures!!!

PLAYING....

I have always "sort of " been offended when people don't think I have a "REAL JOB"... some think owning a store is a "piece of cake"....well....honest to goodness yesterday was just that...!!!  I was really in the "Halloween" frame of mind and started pulling out my ribbons and craft supplies to "play" !!  I made lots of messes - and still "played" store for the customers!   I was humming and whistling and having a grand old day - pretending I didn't have anything else to do but "play" !! 

Of course this morning I have to go in early and BE the storekeeper to clean up the "messes" that I played with yesterday - and you know - vacuum two floors of antiques, dust, (try to stay ahead of the cobwebs that those tiny little spiders make), water the flowers, fill the counter with bags, sweep the porches, do the paperwork and price the new old goodies Tony worked on yesterday.   PIECE OF CAKE !!!!

CREATE YOUR OWN....

I am having a fun time with the new "jewelry" in the store....."Vintage Finds" necklaces....made right on the  premises.   Using vintage keys, sewing implements (thimbles, bobbins etc.), silverplate spoons, butter knives and old game pieces, (and whatever else I can find) to put together jewelry for the prim lover is keeping me busy.   I can stamp most anything on the spoons "Penny for your Thoughts"..."You are my Sunshine"..(thanks Laurie from The Gatherings in Colorado!!) while you wait !!   Here is a picture of what I am so excited about !!

The necklaces run between $13 - $15. depending on what you put on them....some are already made up and what a great and "unique" gift for someone.   I wear the one I made for me everyday...(of course it says THE CINNAMON STICK) and I love all the sweet comments I get about it!!   Stop in and personalize one "just for you" !!

AND NOW TEASER #1 -

I love Halloween!!!

I'M AFRAID I AM QUITE BORING LATELY...

It is that time of the year when nothing really exciting is happening....customers are on vacation...we are right "in between" seasons so the folkarty stuff is dwindling (we do have lots of pincushion make-do's etc from Leah Webb, some new dolls and new candles, melting tarts and room sprays are on their way)...  the only other new items coming in the store are the antiques (some pretty cool stuff too) !!   I am receiving boxes of fall, Halloween and Christmas but they are just filling up the basement storage for now.  
I received a phone call this morning from the owner of a Floral Warehouse that I go to telling me the "Witch's Hats" that I had wanted last year are IN this year....woohoo...gotta go pick them up and work some magic on them - (isn't it terrible that I am so much into the fall/Halloween mode already!)  I hate making my life go any faster than it already is...and I CERTAINLY  can wait for winter to come...blah!!!
The little Pairie Doll pictured above is made by Helen Voytilla....she is so sweet - about 12 in. tall and only $26. - the little slips of paper in the tole painted grain scoop are complimentary sayings  from us..."Magic happens to those who believe in Fairies"....I  AM A BELIEVER and I know some magic happens everyday at THE CINNAMON STICK !!!  Stop by and pick up some "magic"  it is free !!!

PS  - just wanted to mention for those that read Connie's blog - http://logcabinprimitives.blogspot.com/  (she has been helping her sister who had a knee replacement) - but thought you might want to wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY tomorrow !!!  Won't she be surprised...!!!

BACK TO NORMAL...???

Well.............I thought I was back to normal (whatever that might be)...slept in my own bed last night...but I am having trouble with my Internet Server (Comcast) and sometimes have NO service at all....they aren't coming out to check till Tuesday morning...never a dull moment here!!
BUT right now I have service and wanted to show you the new items in the store....this is a really great wash bench...complete with wringer and great graphics...for only $145.00.....clean as it can be (Tony works so hard taking the wringers completely apart - cleaning all the old soap and grime from them - so they are "sparkling" when you purchase it!!!)

Both sides open us for the wash tubs to sit on...fun piece for any room in the house!!! ( I have one in our bathroom...only one side can sit down because of space ...right now I have both sides up -)  Here is a picture of mine..

(Yes the bathroom is lavender - it is the fru-fru in me!!)  I have a neat old wicker wash basket that sits on the wash bench when it is open.....and sometimes you will find a Christmas tree sitting there!!

Above is a wonderful old apple basket.....it has seen better days but still intact and would look great on top of a cupboard (some breakage - but still strong)...$29. and this is a great deal~~~!!!

And...for a bit of whimsey...a rusty old bedspring with a paper cone made from vintage music with a flower water tube surrounded by paper shreds and a pretty "posie" to delight!!!

The spoon, forks and knives that I have been stamping are selling great and now Tony has taken the old silver plate knife handles and made "posie pockets" from them....you can fill them with water and fresh flowers or a sprig of dried flowers...just something sweet and what a neat little "thinking of you" gift!

It is cooler here this morning and I have lots of work to catch up on...so I best get busy....have a great Monday!!!

NIGHT FOUR!!

FINALLY...got the boys all settled for the night...whew! Not use to all this commotion!  They are really good and so funny but nighttime...YIKES...it is a struggle to say the least ! 
I took lots of pictures today at the store but have to wait till I am home on my computer to download and post them.  The store is filled with some great old treasures!
It is still unbearably HOT here - the poor lawns are brown and flowers/herbs wilting. 
When the UPS truck pulled in today he had a great big box full of fall and Christmas for us...which made me think I had best figure what I am going to need for displays and such...the first week of July is already gone...geesch...time goes so fast the older you get!!  I get excited for the change in seasons....especially when I change the store around.
Stay cool everyone....I will too!!!

SUMMER AND MELONS...

Tried to make my blog color look all "cantalope-y"  - as this is the time of the year melons are piled high in the supermarkets and roadside stands.  A trip to Morgantown (my old stomping grounds) up Rt. 23 towards Lancaster, is a festival of roadside stands selling their farm goods of corn, tomatoes, cucumbers and lots and lots of melons.  I love to make that trip - stopping over and over again to purchase goodies to take home. 

July always seems to me to be the month to REALLY enjoy the summerthyme - with picnics and family get togethers - visiting the beautiful Pennsylvania State Parks - watching the lightning bugs at night (or fireflies as some call them), sipping iced tea and enjoying the neighborhood !  An impromptu overnight trip to the Jersey shore is always a special treat too!  Just might have to do that soon!!

Hope your July is fun-filled with lots of picnics and impromptu trips!!!

CHECK THIS OUT...

Great old  "butter churn" - excellent condition (one metal band missing at bottom though) .. all the other parts are complete and original!     Glad my butter comes from the grocery store.  Although I have to tell you one of our artist....Terri Leamer...has her own cow(s) and makes her own butter AND ICE CREAM !!!   She is raising four boys and they are "studs" !!!

It has been such beautiful weather for the past two days...after all that heat from the past two weeks I am finally enjoying summerthyme!

My mind is thinking HALLOWEEN...I am trying to get one of the tables cleared off in the basement of the store so I can start pulling out what might be leftover from last year and see what we are in need of in the way of florals, wreaths and garlands.   I ordered quite a bit new at the Market Show!!!

Yesterday fall prints came in and I decided to display them for the summer shoppers as I can reorder if I need to - this company is pretty quick on reorders - I love these prints!!!

The iron candle stands are back in stock and we received two new Spoon Cupboards in mustard over red...pretty cool!!! (I am putting my stamped spoons in them to display!!)

Tomorrow I will show you what I found in the attic.....the very FIRST craft item that I sold for MONEY!!! Once I got the "fever" I never stopped...that was 31 years ago...!!!!