Time to say GOODBYE to the HOLIDAYS?

Is it time to start saying goodbye to the holidays now? Last night I went out in the beautifully falling snow walking around and just enjoying the peace and quiet, enjoying some of the memories of the holidays, the blessing of friends & family, taking in the last days of having our Christmas lights so beautifully done this year which I have wanted them for such a long time...so I was just grateful, happy & blessed. We have had snow almost every day now for seems to weeks. It is refreshing, pure and cleansing, yet the downside wet and darn freezing cold. Brrrrrrrrr!

Its been nice to be away from the shop and to gather up thoughts of new beginnings with the new year 2008 that is just days away now. Christmas will be gone when shop opens up again Jan 2. I will post some of my shop and business thoughts right after new years...so please stop back in.

vintage Jewelry ANGELS

I just cant seem to be able to box up the unsold angels with vintage jewelry, do you think its okay to keep them out through Valentines Day? Going to try it for awhile and see how it goes...of course the jewelry bottle brush trees will have to go...Christmas IS over...it will be back way to soon!

Here is How I deal with CHOCOLATE ADDICTION while losing weight:

MMMmmmmmm... this is how I live with my Chocolate addiction during weight loss times, which is NOW. It is the ONLY way I can cope as I am so into CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM. Look at the low points, oh my gosh, you could eat the whole box if you had to!

I also eat the Xocai dark chocolate in between, the anti-oxidants 3,320 orac in one nugget, that's equivelent to 12 lbs of spinach. You can find out more at http://www.mydrchocolate.com/ I just so happen to know this guy really really well!

ANTIQUE BED make-over BENCH

Here is an Antique solid Oak headboard and footboard we recently had made into a bench...you know in those days there were only twin and double beds, this is a double size we had propped up with a king size mattress for 12 years.
I said 'those days are over' and we are going to enjoy this lovely piece of furniture as a bench now. Now I need to figure out something for the bench part, but not until I decide exactly where it is going so the fabric will be fabulous in the space....so it may not get completly finished for a bit.
We also acquired the most stunning brass colored iron bed in the fall, it has been cut into a bench also, we are just waiting for the storage bench to be added onto it...really looking forward to this piece...will share pictures when it comes back home.

I need SUPERVISION please!

Seriously when I am left on my own to houseclean I get SO distracted by my projects...that's why I need "hazel" the maid to just come in while I am gone and do her magic. Only one thing though, I don't have a Hazel and I keep wishing and begging for one. I do the SECRET, however I beleive I am doing it wrong. You are suppose to beleive that it is happening already and not just WISHING for it to happen, right

So here is what I did yesterday in the name of doing housework...

In Dec. I acquired a big basket of the antique spools and my first intention was to spray paint them white,green,black or even pink. As I was admiring them from long ago and their beautiful patena I just couldnt' bring myself to get out the paint can and besides its 15 degrees here!

So,I tied some beautiful tea dyed ribbon on them and they will now be headed to "Just a bed of roses" where someone will find them as a CHARMING vintage treasure for themselves or buy as a gift for someone special.

My mind is on the "Romantic" look right now, lace, hearts, crystal, silver, vintage romantic love songs, roses, reds pinks and whites and lets not forget the chocolate...oh never!

Holiday Cards...LOVE THEM WITH PICTURES

One of my favorite things to receive over the holidays are Uniquely style Christmas Cards with family photos on them. Here is my collection this year...I will label them 2007 , tuck them away and then in 50 years someone can sell them on ebay as vintage photos's! Just kidding...well, maybe not!

NO EXCUSES fitness workout

AND THEN I HAVE THIS BOOK HAUNTING ME EVERY TIME I WALK PAST IT...should I just turn it over, throw a pillow over it, or put it out in the middle of the road?

Seriously, I started my weight loss program the day after Christmas, SO I will be reading it AND doing it like VERY SOON!

Jillions & billions of PROJECTS dancing in my Mind

Here is just one project I acquired right before Christmas...its a VERY LARGE WINDOW that I have placed in my entree and will hang on the wall, as you can see it is taped off to paint. I'm wondering about painting it in a burnt red antiqued in black and then show black and white pictures. It is next to my husbands GENERAL STORE, so I am also toying with the idea of putting old fashioned general store pictures artistically displayed on this window, what do you think? Let me know if you see some wonderful ones, I may be interested in them.
I literally have a jillion & billion projects that I want to do, need to do, and in every corner I look piles are even waiting for me to do! Maybe I should just get started now, but just which pile do I want to tackle FIRST?

January Country Living and Romantic Country is out

If you are wanting to curl up with some wonderful magazines this holiday, here are two that you surely will devour some quality time in: The Country living and Romantic Country for Jan. 2008 I adore the home of Debbie Dusenberry, at curioussofa.com, being a shop owner I can definitly relate to her and her style I love as its got the eclectic design to it which is my design too. I feel right at home. AND of course my sweet friend from Make mine pink Cathy at: treasuredheirloms.net has her very pink garden cottage & article in Romantic country. Congratulations Cathy, you are such a dear and so helpful to me at times.

VINTAGE 1920'S LAMP

Wanted to share a picture of my vintage lamp with you, I acquired it in Dec. it is from the 1920's and still in remarkable condition, amazing that the shade glass has never broken, chipped or cracked, so we had it re-wired and worked on so it can safely be lit up. Its such a pretty thing, and its all metal so its really quite heavy. The glass is called "slag glass" and is marbly looking. It did have a chippy look to it until the person restoring the lamp touched up the chippy paint, being a man of course...us women would never do that would we.

RED ROSES & CHOCOLATES for funeral Celebration

One of my dear friends 83 year old mother passed away and its her viewing tonight. They asked me to display her life pictures on a table, I was very honored to do so, my friend and her mother are and were delivery nurses.
When the funeral ends tomorrow they will have the granddaughters stand at the exit and present each guest with a wrapped red rose and a minty yummy chocolate wrapped in cellophane and tied with red ribbons. They wanted this to be a special celebration of their mothers life and since these are 2 of her most favorite things it will be very touching.
Oh, forgot to mention...I am the one in charge of getting 10 dozen red wrapped roses and 200 chocolates to the funeral on time! So I need to say toodles as I have 120 red roses soaking in my kitchen sink and they need to be fancied up now, gonna take me 5 hours!

Holiday Readings...

I thankfully received this stack of books for Christmas, looks like books for any type of mood I may be feeling. Usually I only LISTEN to books on tape so I can keep on being productive AND the time goes by faster. But I think its time just to rest the OLD BODY and relax with an interesting story...Now if I can just STAY AWAKE longer than 15 mins I will finish at least one during the holidays!

They all intrigue me...the one I am starting with is Jon Huntsmans, WINNERS NEVER CHEAT. Thinking of doing a post on it, so check back and I will tell you all about it. Have you read any of these books?

Altered Art Neclace...A favorite gift

In the shop we sell many wonderfully handmade altered art neclaces. Jayna brings them in every other day and we have a clientle that checks out her work quite often...some may have a slight ADDICTION to her neclaces.

Well, I too love them and here is one that jayna did for me to give to my daughter on Christmas eve. It is a picture of her father bathing in the kitchen sink, notice the saw hanging on the kitchen wall...WHAT was that for? Cutting up chickens for dinner? It shows of his humble beginnings although not born in a stable. He had Dutch parents, so he has the Dutch trait of having a big head, so on the back I had her put that for a saying as Shellie always notices people with the big dutch head.

Dont you think it's so artistically & cleaverly been put together...

Picture Memories of Christmas 2007

Just sharing a few Christmas pictures...(I am going to show a little respect to family and friends by not showing them or their gifts, you know how we all look Christmas morning!)

So...Remembering the gingerbread house contest, the 12 Christmas trees Shellie put up, the delicious red velvet cheesecake among tons of other yummy meals, grandchildren waiting for Santa to come,the ugly sweater contest party with gag gifts, the beautiful snow storms, my first Christmas at the shop, the months of shopping for just the right gifts for those we love, the stockings spilling over the top, and who can have Christmas without an old fashioned sock monkey?

Would love to hear about your Christmas...

Christ is Born

One thing I ADORE and love to collect is NATIVITIES, not just any kind, but I do love the ANTIQUE/VINTAGE versions...so I will share with you a few of my vintage pictures of the BIRTH OF CHRIST. My friends, My wish for you is that your Christmas be a peaceful & safe one with those you love dearly. That you will find time in each day to SERVE and LOVE ONE ANOTHER and those less fortunate as you, so that you may fill your life with true joy.

Have a MERRY MERRY MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Shop Owners Holiday Baking

I KNOW this may seem weird...but this is MY version of holiday baking...you ask WHY am I tea dying a thousand shop tags and 100 yds of lace...I DON'T EVEN KNOW...I think the holiday STRESS has handi-capped me mentally! It doesnt even smell yummy, however it is calorie free! Now THIS important task is out of the way, I think I will get on with the housecleaning and making sure Christmas is under control. Is yours?

P.S...LOVE the vintage cookie cutters? I came across them this summer at one fabulous estate sale.

Christmas ONLY IN OUR DREAMS...

Remember the days when we thought this is how Christmas got to our house...Santa drinking his coke with all the helpers fussing over him...dream on girls!

Christmas around the shop...

Heres just a sampling of what you will find inside of Just a bed of roses this winter...there is so much more, and I take pictures of the so much more and they just dont turn out...so my new years goal is to work on taking better pictures for my blog, isnt that a great idea?

Hope everyones shopping is about done, mine isnt.

The hot item this year in the shop is Jayna's altered art neclaces, oh my goodness, have they ever been fabulously fun. She was able to take customers home pictures and turn them into neclace treasures for really special gifts.