Take Time To Smell The Coffee...

I've been working on merchandise for the fall shows we are participating in. Of course Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas are on the list, but beverages are also popular. So today I will be working on Coffee.

Seems that everyone knows a coffee addict...that someone who always has mug in hand and will only drink a certain kind of a special blend.
Coffee items are always a great gift idea for those who live on caffeine.

When daughter Meagan worked at Starbucks (she was in high school) our freezer was filled with
various coffees from that well known company.

But now I much prefer Baltimore Blend from Baltimore Coffee and Tea , a local company that will shipped their wonderful blends right to your door.

Other Coffee Signs

On a different subject...Just want to let you that there are still honest people in this world. I posted about going to the Samos Restaurant last week. Holly and Chad couldn't find their camera (a very, very nice camera) this weekend...pulled the house apart, searched the cars, no camera. The last place they could remember having it was at the restaurant. The camera case must have been pushed under the table, and with gathering together
Dylan, diaper bag and take home leftovers, it wasn't picked up.
When Holly called the restaurant, they had it and were waiting for someone to call.

My Husband Another Woman in His Life

We are watching my brother's dog, Callie for a few days while he and his wife are away. I always knew that Lucy loves Lou best. She makes that quite clear. I know she loves me, but Lou is her favorite human. Callie also loves him the most. My brother is Callie's favorite human, but while she is here with us, Lou is the number 1 in her heart.

Thought I'd get some photos of the "cousins" together but neither one would look at me. Both of the girls are sweeties and they get along so very well. Lucy comes up to the workshop with me everyday and I thought Callie would like to also, but short of dragging her by the collar there was no way that she wanted to come up here with me. So she is spending the day in the house, most likely sleeping right in the middle of our bed.

I'm sure when Lou gets home, Callie will be more than hapy to join us in the shop.

Open the Windows...It's a Beautiful Day!

It's a beautiful Friday in Maryland. The past several days have been a welcome relief to the hot hot hot summer of 2010, but today is particularly wonderful. I haven't been doing much gardening, just pulling a weed every now and then, because I just couldn't deal with the temps and humidity, and it shows. Haven't been porch sittin' because of this weather the "skeeters bugs" have been monsters.

This morning I turned off the air, opened the windows and turned on the whole house fan to pull all the closed up air out of this house. I mowed the lawn out back and dead headed the flowers in the garden and those in pots by the front door. Next on the list is pulling out the vacuum to use it on the porch carpeting. Maybe we'll actually eat dinner out there tonight.

Yesterday I spent the day taking photographs of some new signs and blocks I'd been working on for Halloween. If you get a chance you can take a look at Halloween at The Country Workshop
I do need to go the shop and basecoat some things for orders but for most of the rest of the day I will be enjoying a magnificent day in my little corner of the world!

Grandmothers...

Yesterday was my day this week to be with my adorable grandson. I am so lucky that I am getting to spend time taking care of him and watching him grow. I want him to have all the wonderful memories I have of my two Grandmothers, both of whom were amazing women.

My girls are also so blessed to have had wonderful Grandparents. The photo above is of my Husband's beautiful Mother with her 6 grandchildren. They always had a wonderful time at Yia Yai's. In this photo they decorated her with ribbons and a paper cup for a hat. She always had art projects to do. If you ask my girls about her, they will tell you that every time they would walk into her house, she wanted to feed them. (she always had mac and cheese ready to heat up) Just like in the movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding. She was Greek and her family was so much like the movie that Lou and I laugh every time we see that movie. There are aunts, uncles and cousins that could have been in that film.
Yia Yia's house was always filled with food and love.
She would have loved having great grandchildren.

Where Ever Did The Summer Go ...

Don't know where the time goes. It's been over a week since I last posted. I've just been catching up reading the posts on the blogs I follow. Seems like we all feel that the summer has slipped quickly by this year. Having a home based business where much of the time you are jack of all trades certainly does make the time fly by...sometimes just not enough hours to do all that needs to be done. I am trying to get as much product finished for up coming shows so I'm not stressing the day before each show. How's that going? Not as well as I'd like...

Last week, we were able to slip in a birthday dinner for my "baby" girl, Meagan, who turned 27 on Thursday and to celebrate the Hubby's birthday which was actually on the day he ended up in the hospital on our way to the beach. That will certainly be a birthday we won't ever forget.

We went to Samos Restaurant in Baltimore's Greek Town. The Girls have been wanting to get their Father there for quite sometime. Wonderful little restaurant located in a corner row house with amazing Greek dishes.
Below are "The Men" outside the restaurant.

A shot of Baltimore's famous marble steps.

Dylan with his first anchovy.

On Friday, Lou and I had Darlin' Dylan overnight.
With all the toys this child has, he is just as happy with
a paper towel roll.

Gonna get back to work but just popped to take a break.

Hope all are enjoying the last days of summer!

Darlin' Dylan Sees the Atlantic

But it almost didn't happen. For quite a few years, Lou and I have participated in a wonderful little craft show in White Horse Park in Ocean Pines, MD. We decided not to set up for the show this summer. Didn't want to chance another 100 degree show. We did want to walk through the show and planned to stay at my Mom's place at the beach. So with Holly, Dylan and my Mom we set off on Friday afternoon. Lou had started on a new medicine for his high blood pressure last week and we were on the road about an hour when his heart started racing and he was lightheaded. We stopped in Denton, just about half way to Ocean City and called 911. After an ambulance ride we ended up at Easton Memorial Hospital. Seems the new med and the diuretic he was taking caused his potassium levels to drop. The doctors gave him potassium and medication to slow down his heart. After several hours in the emergency room, Lou was admitted for observation overnight. The Denton EMT s were kind and caring and made sure that all of us were holding up. The hospital was wonderful. Maybe because it is located in a small town, but the nurses and doctors and techs couldn't have been nicer or more caring. We decided that Holly, the baby and my Mom should continue to the beach once it was determined that Lou would be staying overnight. I was able to stay in the room with him. He was released on Saturday afternoon with some different medicines, Holly and all came back to pick us up. We went back to my Mom's place for the rest of the weekend, extending our stay through Monday.

So Dylan did get to see the ocean and the beach....

and he and Gramps got to go the Boardwalk.

Lou is doing fine after quite a scare. Our family is so very thankful for that.

Halloween Offerings

Some Halloween Goodies to decorate for a Spooky All Hallow's Eve

Hand painted Three Jacks...Grinning a Halloween Welcome

One of my favorite sentiments...
From Ghoulies and Ghosties and things that go Bump in the Night

A Vintage Look "Spirit Board"

www.countryworkshop.net

Lunch at the Wild Duck

We got a call early afternoon from friends, David and Ann. David and my Hubbie have been friends since they were kids. For over a year, David has been talking sailboats, although Lou always thought David would want a "go fast boat". But he and Ann took sailing lessons, found a sailboat and they've been working on it all summer. They took it out this morning and called to ask us to meet them for lunch at The Wild Duck. (picture above) They came in by boat and we drove in by truck. We sat on the deck and drank iced tea and had sandwiches. Had lots to talk about, laughed alot and had a wonderful lunch together.

Congratulations Ann and David on your new adventure.