Collection of Christmas trees

     
                           I have a collection of  Vintage
                Ceramic Christmas trees.
                             

                                            I have them all over the house.
            I really never meant to collect them, it just happened. 
 I happened to get my Grandmother's when she passed. Then I bought one at a thrift store for $2. Then a client told me they were pretty valuable & collectible. So if I saw one cheap, at a thrift store, I would buy it. I think I have 40 + of them in all shapes, colors & sizes. I have never paid more than $5. for one.

                 The very large in one in the middle was a gift from a friend, from Church. She had it in her barn, didn't want it any longer & gave it to me. The one on on the left, back... Last week, I was home with the flu, a friend calls, says that she saw one at GW for $4. but it did not have any lights, so she didn't think I would want it. I got dressed, not feeling well, drove down there, bought it for the $4. & the lights were all taped to the inside.... told her she could have gotten $100 for it on Ebay..... : )

                                   Playing around with them on the kitchen counter
                       I  am just getting out the decorations..... 
                      & they will all get moved around as I add : )

                                                  
                                      Back entry table.                            
                                              

              One of the few I have in the Beauty shop.... this one I bought just a few weeks ago at a thrift store, no base, no lights, I hesitated, as they wanted $5. But I bought it. Went back this week & there was the base.... they gave it to me for free.                     
                             

                                     Ceramic wreath, goes with the collection.
                         Back entry.... Goodwill $2. a few yrs. ago
                                           

                    
                  Mantle tree, not lit,  with mantle to be decorated
                      with greenery in the next day or 2.

          I am late getting at my decorating this year.
     I have been down with flu & busy with my wool business....
       I knew back in July I should have been sewing mittens & scarves : ) 
                          

                                            
               More on that later.... I still have to decorate my 2 trees, put up the Dickens village.... & an upholstery job to finish by the weekend....
            Better get to it......

                                                   

Just a little of where I have been....

  
 I have been M.I.A.  & before I start posting Christmas & all that goes with that, I will show you just a little of what I have been up to....
  The week before Thanksgiving I flew to Dallas. I go there 4 - 5 times a year to work.
And I need to explain the "work" I don't actually get paid in cash... BUT BOY do we work!!
                                           

         See these nice women all lined up. They are waiting to get in.


    It is kind of a long story, so I will try & give the short version. I have a friend in Dallas who is a clothing designer & manufacturer. And she is not small potatoes... she is HUGE.
 She started a small company years ago to put her husband thru seminary, now she has 4 of her own labels, owns maybe another 4, her clothing is in lots of small upscale boutiques, she designs a large line for Dillards, she does a lot of Coldwater Creek, does some for Nordstrom's ..... & lots & lots more.   Anyways 4 - 5 times a year they have warehouse sales in Dallas, & a few girlfriends & I fly in.  And we work the sale.  And work is not even the word for it... we bust ourselves for 3 days straight.  And they pay us in clothing.    How COOL is that??? !!!!!! 

                                                                             
                                                                      

                               (all pics just before the customers attack)

        Women stand in line to get in... there are great deals... $300 coats for $50. ,  $150 tops for $20.... Each sale is just a season behind, this sale was fall clothing.        
     At each sale, there will be 15,000 - 20,000 pieces of clothing. & I tell you the truth, I probably handle them all at least 2 - 3 times. We spend each day from before 7 until maybe 9 at night, hanging them back up, waiting on customers, picking them off the floor, squeezing thru the mobs & the racks to hang them back where they belong.
  But I can tell you this after the fact. It is great fun. (don't ask me while I am at it, it would be a different answer : )  And truthfully, each time I book a ticket to go again, hubby says to me, "I thought you said that you were never doing that again" : ) 
  ...MEN... they just don't get it... it is like child-birth, you forget until you are in the middle of it again, or the pain just after : ) 
  But my 2 good friends from Colorado, fly in. I come in from Michigan, & then the Texas girlfriends.... and we sort of have a big slumber party for 4 days in the guest house.  We take things back that we might like & at night, we all try on for each other.... that part is great for a lot of laughs. 
   I met all these great friends more than 20 yrs. ago, thru ministry & I am extremely blessed to have them all in my life.  The work is hard, but good, but the friends I have made & met thru this have added so much to my life.  
  The clothes don't hurt either & my family will plan that is what they will get for all occasions.. Christmas is coming : ) In fact they give me specifics on what they are in need of : )

                                   (one of the dressing rooms)     
                   
   I always come home extremely tired & I could write a book on flying these days... This past trip alone, in one day I was asked 3 times to get off a plane for mechanical issues, I was re-booked 4 times, took a bump, my luggage did not follow....  BUT.....I will forget that next time I book my ticket to go again....
   Now on to Christmas.... had the flu all week.... so now to get at it.....
                                                                                         
                                                
                                                         

Have you seen this??

  Had such a terribly busy week, last week.... Preparing for an art show (more on that later)
But This just brightened my morning, so I thought I would share it.
  650 voices joined together at a Macy's in Philadelphia. I am sure to the delight of many surprised shoppers.
   Wish that I had been there to experience this 1st hand
 ENJOY!!!

A Sweet surprise in my Mailbox

  
           Recently my husband & I took a week & went to Colorado...
           This was here waiting when we returned.
            Isn't this just the most thoughtful gift??
                                                   

  
             You see recently Kathy over @ Sweet up north mornings was having a contest / give-away.  She & her sweet husband took a trip & asked us along.  She blogged about thier travels & had us guess where they were.   And I won... with the most correct guesses.   Yippee!!!
      And I do confess, that I knew a few, guessed at a few & then googled one or two :)
                So Kathy sent me this great gift.  She packaged it just as one would expect from such a creative girl.... What fun to get a pink pkg. !
   And then her artful, fall notecard, that I know she must have made herself, was just too sweet.  She said, "Because you are a new blogger & I want you to really love it"  
    Well, so far I really do LOVE it.... I have not posted many yet. (I don't even know how to "Grab a button"  or "Join a party" :)   I am sure that this will help a LOT.
               Look at some of the great articles
                                                                        

                                                                            

                                                                               
       It is filled with beautiful pictures, very helpful & interesting articles.
  There is an article about The Vintage pearl, an online shop & blogging jewelry maker that I just Love. It was very encouraging to me, as you see I am contemplating an online business... (I will share that some day soon )
   There are articles on blogging etiquette, & how to take great pictures.
         This is 145 pages of blogging inspiration & encouragement.
  
              
       If you have never been to visit Kathy's place, you need to stop by... here
  She has the SWEETEST blog, takes the most incredible pictures & was the very 1st blog that I followed. So this is a very special deal for me.
   
      Thank You Kathy (& Dave) for such
                     a thoughtful gift!!
                             

































































                                                                   

Just about Perfect Weekend!!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
         We have an "Up North Place" here in Michigan. 
   And we go just about every weekend. This time of year is deer hunting, so if "we" (DIL's & I )  want to spend time with our hubby's, we all go. 
    A Perfect Friday would include a ride up, hitting every Thrift Store along the way. And I wish that you could have been along for the ride.... The color here in MI. is SOOooo beautiful right now. 

  This is in the parking lot of the little grocery store I stopped at on the way .

                  Getting close..... 
   Did you know???  The more red the leaves, the more sugar in the sap...

                    (Husband & sons do Maple Syrup also )

                
                  Part of my drive ......

 

Seriously?  Who but God could have thought of/created those colors?

                                  
 
                   Then on Saturday afternoon 2 of my DIL'S & I took a drive to the little up north Michigan town of Onekama.... wine tasting our way there
                                                                                    

                                                       The Winery on the way

                
                                                      Lake Michigan from Winery

                                                                                  

 Then...don't know why, but I have no pics of the town that was having an Oktoberfest  ?????  But we did a little wine tasting there also...                
                  (I didn't do much... designated driver...... but that may explain no pics :)    75 & sunny, little art in the park, in a park on the lake.....    
          a little shopping, beautiful day, beautiful color all around
                                   
          Sunday afternoon included a little river fishing.....

                                               

                                                     
                                                         
                            A little lunch at the river ........ 

                         
    And then as the guys took back to the tree stands we did a little more picture taking..........    (view from our bedroom window )

                         
                              Underneath an old railroad bridge
                              

                                                   
               Then Carrie snapped a pic of Chuck & myself...
       (I never share pics of me...... this will be it... squinting & all :)

The only thing that would have made this weekend more perfect, was had our youngest son & wife been there....

 they live in Colorado, moved there to do a Church Plant.... BUT...... we are leaving in just 1 more day to visit.....

.........just a little of our life........

             Linking this up to Simple Pleasures @ A little of this and that                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

A Little / A LOT of Art....& I am a Winner....

       1st........  I am a Winner.... : )
        
 
   Recently Kathy over at Sweet up North Mornings was hosting a party/contest. "Where in the World are Dave & Kathy?" They went on a fun vacation & invited us to go along. As she posted about thier travels, she asked us to guess where in the world they were. I was the lucky one to get the most correct guesses....
  This is especially sweet for me. You see I am a new blogger, don't even know how to do it all yet. BUT Kathy's sweet blog was the 1st one I followed.
 I don't even remember how I found her, but one night I just followed a blog trail & I came upon her lovely blog & spent the rest of the night visiting. 
  She has a wonderful, restful place, & takes absolutely fabulous pictures that make you just want to grab a cup of tea & sit for a while.
   Kathy is the one that inspired me to start. I am always anxious for her new posts, to see what great idea she has come up with now.
    Thanks Dave & Kathy for bringing us along on your travels.
   It was GREAT FUN!
     Make sure that you stop in & visit her here
. 
   
      And then earlier this week I spent an evening at Art Prize in Grand Rapids Mi.  An art contest/exhibit with over 1700 pieces of art, scattered all over the city.
  It was a beautiful Michigan night, perfect weather, huge crowds & some fabulous pieces. The public gets to vote & there are some huge dollar prizes.
  
                  A few pictures......

                       This lovely quilt was made from much smaller pieces than you can actually see here.... & with my LOVE of fabric, sewing & quilting, I was incredibly impressed with this one.

                                                
                     The painting above is not a painting but a mosaic.
                                Currently in the top 10.

                    This floor art is made entirely of sand.... a shame that it will be    swept up & soon, gone... : )

                                                 

                          Lion made entirely of nails...... & then the cubs....
                             This piece is also in the top 10

                         
     A penny made entirely of pennies... also a top vote getter.    
    
                 And then some questionable art ???? :) 
                                            

                                      
       This was a pile of junk....looks like it came right from the scrap yard.. :)
      If you look real close.... that is my DIL Carrie in the mirror & ME.. taking the picture :)
                And then my cheesy little camers died....
    We took in a lot in one evening & hoping to go back one more time. 
  There is one more week. Now, the voting is just for the top 10. All, in that group will take away some money, from $7,000 to $250,000 for the winner.  It is a fun way to spend some time..... with art & food vendors all over the city.
   This is only the 2nd year for Art Prize, but it has grown since last year & is bound to only get better.... A brilliant idea of Rick DeVos.....
                                                                                                    
 Linking this with Pam @ Becolorful for MotivatedMondays                                                                                

A Special day!

                                     
           These sweet boys are 1 today. Aren't they the most adorable?
            The one on the left is Alex, the one on the right, Ian.
         Thier mother is my little cousin, who is really like my sister.  
 Kim, had a few miscarriages & then a still born baby boy, Troy. And then after much doctoring, it did not look good for getting pregnant again.   Then after some special, expensive procedures.... she was told "Twins"    BUT one will most likely not survive....
           BUT God is SO good & she carried them all the way to term.
    We celebrated them this weekend....   I made them something I had seen out there in Blogland....

                                          
                                               A Travel High Chair

                                   

                
           I figured they will get a LOT of toys.... & heck they are 1, they don't know.... I'll do something for Mom.... 
            

                             
                                               She LOVES them. 
          Not a 4 pt. safety high Chair, but they will work. And instead of carting in 2 high chairs wherever they go.... these will do in a pinch.
             She said, "All the wiggling & they stayed put.
           
             
               Aren't these boys just the cutest?   Love them to pieces!!