HAPPY HALLOWEEN - GOOD-BYE OCTOBER!

I have mixed emotions about "moving on" with the year....I love all the festivities of November and December in the store - time just seems to go too fast anymore (age??) as my Nana use to say..."just wait till you get old, then you will see how "fast" time goes" !  She was right (as always) !

I am EXCITED though - as today I am starting to put the fall and Halloween away (even with customers in the store) - yesterday I couldn't help myself and pulled all the fabric from the tables and benches and windowsills.  The biggest job is getting the store CLEANED and ready to decorate...I have sooooo many nooks and crannies LOL!!  I have tried to make a schedule but you know how that goes....we shall see.

One thing I do KNOW,  we have a wonderful "CHRISTMAS MERRIMENT" open house for you.  Oodles and oodles of wonderful "Christmas" will be displayed on Thursday - many unique just to THE CINNAMON STICK - the scents alone will put you in the "spirit" !

Wool Snowman with top hat (that you can't see) by Leah Webb....

TOO EMBARRASSED......

I was going to do a "before" picture of my cash counter and back wrap counter but when I focused the camera I thought.....NO WAY !!!  How silly for me to embarrass myself to the WWW !!  Bad enough customers had to come see the mess - I have too many projects going on at once...you know how that goes...you start one then go in to the next room and see something else you started and then you need to go in the basement for something and you start another project forgetting what in the heck you went into the  basement for anyway!!!  That is my story.   So I have made up my mind...tomorrow...yes TOMORROW for positive I am getting my counters cleaned up and organized....( you have no idea what an undertaking that is) !! 
I have been working my tail off and sometimes I feel like I am chasing it!!  LOL!!   Maybe tomorrow I will "catch it" !!!
Hope you are having a good week....time is going super fast these days.

PS - a friend sent me this pic to go with this post....LOL!!  It is titled - "getting ready to retire??"

...ah to be young in the mind and body as I am in my heart !!

MY SNOWMEN ALMOST MELTED TODAY...

Lucky for me that I kept them indoors....in the air conditioning....YES it was that warm today !!!  (not complaining...helps with the heat bill) !!
I am truly in the Christmas Spirit....counting the days till I can depart with the orange and black and start sprinkling the snow on the counter tops!!   Of course I am NOT near ready....but somehow figure it will all come together.
With Tony having shoulder problems I can't decorate the porches like I wanted too so that is another project I have to "think" about....(he can't raise his arms to wrap the porch posts with evergreens)...sigh!! (and the ladder is tooooooooo scary for me) !!
I got the bestest Christmas Potpourri in today.....the store smells so wonderful and I didn't even empty the box - just opened it for a peek....and this is what I found on top!!

...this is a bowl filler labeled "NAUGHTY FRIENDS ARE BEST"

see the coal in the middle....!!!

...and one little snowman all ready to find a new home!

Made of wool and situate on an old bobbin.

Almost forgot.....HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAD!! 

From this -

 To a husband and father of FOUR!!!  AND a great son!!  Love you!!!

PRETTY COOL OLD STUFF....

Lots of new "old" treasures have come into the store lately - Tony has been working hard as we thought he would have to have surgery on his rotator cuff but they are telling us it won't work (too badly damaged)....at sometime he will need a shoulder replacement (scary words).   Here are some pics -

...old tea tin - looks prim like it is or it is ready to paint!

...sweetest little doll/child's chair

...vintage string holder - really nice!

AND...the messes I am making (lucky I am married to Tony cause don't know who else would put up with me!!! (grinning)



SPIRITED FRIENDS...

The Paranormal investigators are coming back to our store tonight....can't wait to see if our "spirits" are chatty!!!

JINGLE BELLS..

Gosh it is not even Halloween and I am tingling with the Christmas Spirit!!  The basement at the store looks like a tornado went thru it!   Guess I am getting excited as I open boxes and boxes of Christmas treasures and feel the "magic" as I touch each little ornament - sparkling little keepsakes to pass on to sons and daughters, grandchildren and friends.  I love all the seasons but have to admit this time of the year - with all the glamour and sparkle - just makes me happy inside and out!

Today Tony is coming to the store to take down the cornstalks, haul away the hay bales and put our "Witch Scarecrows" to rest .   I know it is early - BUT he has to have "rotator cuff" surgery (on his right shoulder) soon and I count on my "he man" to do the hard stuff around the store.  Needless to say it just might be Christmas outside and Halloween inside...(big grin)...oh heck why not!!!

I am preparing for our next class....it will be constructing a "Wool Feather Tree"...( a picture of one is on our header)...very unique... and Joanne McIllmurray will give the class.   Check our  "Class Schedule" on our PT for details..(but not yet...LOL!!  still ironing out the details!!)

...and finally....my camera has been giving me fits (or vice versa if it could talk) however, I think !!, I fixed it so I will have some pictures to share and not all blurry ones...fingers crossed!!!

LET ME TELL YOU....

...how FAST these days are going...Cathie (sweet friend) reminded me this morning (XO) that I had not written on my blog since (OMG) Thursday!!  I swear I don't know where time hides - it appears - and then "whooooosh" it is gone.  In the past 9 days we have celebrated "3" grandchildren's birthdays...2 - 10 year olds and 1 - 9 year old.  Still have a "BIG" kid (son) to celebrate on the 27th !!  

AND....I am working and shopping for Christmas.  (sort of getting excited too!)   Today Tony and I went shopping at the local wholesale houses.  I have been fretting over a Christmas tree for the store....oh I have the little table top ones but I only put one main tree up.   I am not fond of "fake" trees (real dead trees - yes!) but fake ones sort of just leave me "blah".  I have tried - honest to goodness - to have a real tree in the store but they don't last...even the potted ones - so I broke down today (cause I can't fathom that twiggy, green fake one this year - maybe I will feel different next year but not this year...no way) and purchased a "fake" dead tree - with snow covered branches.  It is not real big so it will not take up alot of space in our small room....and I am really excited about it as I have lots of "glittery and shiny" ornies to make it sparkle!
Our theme this year is MERRIMENT and I want to create that in all our displays..."Life is just a bowl of Merry" .  

***FOR some special news.....this Friday the "paranormal" people are coming back to "do" their thing  in the store.   I am very anxious to see the results and hope the "gals" (we are pretty sure there are two) will give names - there is always something going on in the store...subtle happenings...I am quite sure they like when we are open and there is alot of activity going on. 
I am off to the store in the morning (even though we are closed) as the two seater desk sold and I have some furniture to move around to fill up that space...(gosh it looked so good in front of the mantel)...Enjoy it Mary Kate!!!

RAIN RAIN RAIN....AND MORE RAIN...

Seems like all summer we needed rain so badly and now we are getting it full force....geesch!!  Rainy days usually make me "lazy" but today I decided there was no time to be lazy.  I worked all day (limited number of customers today! :(   so I decided to get some of the Christmas priced....I really did good too.
Also fussed here and there in the store - messes just seem to follow me wherever I go!  I did take some pics of the old two seater school desk that I brought in yesterday....it is a fine piece!

..it is 43 in. long and take a look at the beautiful iron work -

(sorry about the blurry picture !)

All this for the great price of $75.  !!!   Hurry in....

Look what else finally arrived......the Pumpkin Pretzels and Pumpkin Crunch !!!

YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY

....Too good to believe....scrumptious.   The company has been waiting for 2 days of cooler weather so they could ship the cases to us.  We are closed Monday and Tuesday so that created a problem too....BUT they are here and samples are waiting for you!!!
I was singing Christmas Carols today....shhhhh...don't tell anyone!

HALLOWEEN GET TOGETHER...

Last night we had our Halloween Get Together....a group of kindred friends that love to create and decorate!

It was at Vicky's home sweet home - you can go to our picture trail if you would like to see some photos of her wonderful home and our fun time!  www.picturetrail.com/thecinnamonstick

YOU KNOW.....

Christmas is right around the corner....scary thoughts aren't they!!  As much as I love the fall and Halloween season my heart is starting to "flutter" with the thoughts of jingle bells and gingerbread!
BUT first....let's enjoy the season at hand....still lots of goodies for sale at the store!  Need a  "hostess gift"  for the Halloween Party you are attending ( or a "me" gift is a great idea too {big smile})...- here's a peek...

Bats and Crows and Owls

Green-faced good witches...

Black cats sitting upon pumpkin pinkeepes... and

a wonderful old desk for your counter or table... lots more - so stop in soon!



SO SO SO MUCH FUN - OUR WITCH'S NITE OUT !!!

Oh girls....what a great time....I wish everyone could come and join the fun.   I truly have the bestest customers and friends any storekeeper could have.   These witches came to PARTY !!  It got busy quickly and I didn't get to take pictures like I wanted too.....I am so bummmmmmed....but here are some of the fun!

..getting ready to light the candles

...hand bob for an apple and receive a discount

...How many candy corns...???  Marla Wickman guessed 1200 and there were 1174 !!!
She won the gift basket from Crow's Nest Primitives Shoppe

The back porch entrance....

Jars of "creepy specimens" could be found all over the place.....YUCK !

ME !!!!

Warlock Tony !!! (doesn't he look scary.....LOL!!)

Sharon and me...thank goodness for Sharon...don't know what I would
do without her!

...the treats!

Cameras were flashing all evening.....

....a White Witch and her companion...
(really Jennifer and Jim from Williamsburg, VA..Jennifer is a
costume designer in Williamsburg)

...there was every kind of witch you could imagine!

..from puppy witches - (this is Molly) to a
MANWICH !!

...Jim carried this can in his "pouch" and everyone got a good laugh when he pulled it out!
Everyone seemed to have a good time....I will post more pictures on my Picture Trail website....for now I am still  in "recovery"....did I ever tell you I LOVE HALLOWEEN !!!

TRICK OR TREAT...

Half of me is working on our Witch's Nite Out ...the other half is thinking Christmas Open House.. (time is going so fast) !!! 
The picture above is a gift basket created by Andrea of Crow's Nest Primitives Shoppe...I added the "after life fairy).  It will be our "award" for guessing how many "candy corns" are in a jar for our Witch's Nite.  The basket is filled with wonderful products from her very own gardens and herb shop - from soap to melting tarts- all so beautifully packaged.   Can't wait to see who wins it!

...from The Wild Gardener

                                                       

A new artist is coming to The Cinnamaon Stick...Jan from the Wild Gardener - She makes beautiful arrangements using antiques as the base.  The above is one of her creations in an old shoe last.   What great gifts her goodies will make.



Just one candy corn left from Terri of the Old Button Tin....Terri makes her creations look so old and worn with her very own technique - you would think this is made from an old quilt - It is sitting upon an old spool of thread.   Don't miss this cool piece!
Today the sun is shining...woohoo!!  Enough rain here in PA - and tomorrow is suppose to be fantastic...I think we need it!



RESPONSE FROM MICHAELS...

Just thought I needed to follow thru with what happened last evening.   When I went to the store this morning there was a message on my answering machine from "Lindsey" - a customer service rep from Michaels headquarters - She promptly let me know that all the stores ALL over the country knew about this "special" coupon deal and  she couldn't have been nicer in wanting to know where the store was and how it was handled.  I figured our time zones were different but I called anyway and left a message on her voice mail.  Just a couple hours later the head manager of Michael's in Pottstown (where the incident - that is what they are calling it) (big smile) happened.  He could not have been more apologetic on the phone....but I let him know how disappointed I was - and the trip in the rain on a cold evening only to be treated like "so what" was not easy to just put to sleep. He said  all his employees had been told of the "deal" for over a week (obviously not) but hey...your store is only as good as the employees who work for you....(it was the smile on that gals face that really got to me when she said the coupon couldn't be used) !!  I did not RAT on her though.   
I am a weekly customer at Michaels and YES I use my coupon each week but also purchase lots more...that is the "gimmick" and it is okay with me.    Since we give classes I have 4,5,6 or more of the same items...all purchased at Michaels - well some at AC Moore but most at Michaels.  Would they lose me as a customer...not really - but I would have an attitude dealing with a store that was not customer friendly.  I was satisfied when we hung up...
Tonight Tony and I went to Michaels - coupons in tow....(I told the manager I printed out two, one for me and one for my husband)...he told me to bring both back and they would honor both...I told him that I would not do as I obey the rules and the rules state "one per customer"....however ...Tony said he would go ( we had to pick up a birthday present for my granddaughter Kennedy who will be 10 tomorrow...my first grandchild - of course a week later I got my second.....a grandson Evan...(lots of birthdays in October) - {oh how I get off the subject - you should be talking to me in person it is really bad!! }  I got my crystal fine white glitter for snowflakes and snowmen and Tony purchased some green glitter - I know the lady waiting on us knew just who we were as she was super polite and came up special to ring us up.  The manager had asked me to ask for "Jen" when I came to the store but I really didn't want anymore apologies...whew...think I will print out a couple more coupons as they are good until October 16th BUT you can only print them out till 11:59 pm this evening!!!  GO FOR IT~~

HOW DISAPPOINTING...

I love using Martha Stewart's craft tools and glitter etc....and although they are more expensive than some of the other tools - hers are the best ...and the GLITTER..!! THE VERY BEST!!   So when I realized that Martha was going to be on Oprah's show today I made sure I was home to watch.  (I have the utmost respect for Miss Martha)  How exciting it was to find out that Martha was "gifting" all the viewers with a 50% off coupon on any...ANY ... of her products.  I quickly downloaded the coupon and after dinner Tony and I headed out to Michael's - only to find that they had ALL the Martha Stewart items on sale and therefore the coupon was not any good.  When I asked for a manager - she said the coupon states not usuable on sale items....when I said ALL the Martha was on sale...she smiled and said yes !!  Talk about a gimmick.   This is what I emailed Michael's and also sent this email to Martha's blog (it will be interesting to see if it gets published)...I am very disappointed...not so much the savings....but the attitude of big business that feels it can treat customers this way.
My email to Michaels -

"I watched Oprah today and was so excited about the 50% off coupon from Martha Stewart and Michaels.  I downloaded right away - ate dinner and took off for the nearest Michaels store....only to find that the coupon was NOT USUABLE because all the Martha Stewart items were on sale....??????  How sad and how crappy of you to do this.  I am a weekly customer at your stores - I am a business owner and send ALL my customers to you for accessories and supplies when I give classes - some come back and tell me that the class costs them $18. (my price) plus another $100. they spent at Michaels.   THEN YOU HAVE THIS PROMOTION THAT IS ONLY WHAT I CAN CALL A "GIMMICK" !!  That is not playing fair - I will forward this email to Martha  - and also let my blog followers know how I was treated this evening.  It is hard for me to believe Martha knows about this and hopefully she will make this right.  Judy Doyle "

On a good note....I finished my "exchange" gifts so now I can just concentrate on our Witch's Nite Out !!  Oh and what a good packaging idea I came up with....woohoo~~~!!  Will show all next Tuesday!!

WORKING, WORKING, WORKING...

Thank goodness my WORK is play....well not ALL play - !!  There is much to do to prepare for our Witch's Nite Out....mostly last minute stuff...but I need to have everything ready when it is time to set up....I am very anal (and sometimes ridiculous) about this.  I was a GOOD Girl Scout and always want to be prepared!!
It is chilly and rainy here today...56 degrees is the high ...(that's what I get for complaining all summer) However Friday is suppose to a high of 70 and a cool Autumn evening - PERFECT WITCHY WEATHER!!
I think we will have more "Warlocks" coming our way this Friday night so I had to come up with a "gift" for the men who come to the store this evening (a thank you for letting their sweet "witches" shop with us all year)!   That is what I am working on this morning.  
I still have to "finish" my exchange gift - almost done...just the last minute stuff and of course the "packaging" must be special cause it is half the fun....???????...still not sure what that will be...yi yi yi !
I ran into two of the exchange girls at the flea market yesterday morning (by the way- we found some really great stuff for you) and they are as excited as I am - I will take lots of pictures and post them here and there.

Hope you will join us this Friday....

...my Warlock hard at work !

...pretty witches !!