One Year Ago Today

Happy First Anniversary Meagan and Erik

We love you!

Acorns and Zips

The acorns are really something this year. While at Holly's this week it sounded like someone was throwing rocks at the house. For the grandson, they are new and wonderful toys. After an hour of picking them up, trying to put the caps on Mom Mom's fingers and throwing them, Dylan needed a bath. Acorn playin' is dirty business.

But the real story of this post are Dylan's red Stride Rite Zips. When Holly found out she was pregnant, we went into the cedar chest and pulled out the Santa sleeper and hat that she came home from the hospital in. We brought her home on Christmas Day. We also pulled out this pair of red Zips that both Holly and Meagan wore. Last week, I found the Zips in Dylan's closet. I wanted to see if they would fit him yet. The shoe laces were still double knotted from the last time Meagan wore them and slipped them off her feet. The little red shoes are a bit worn after the two girls played in them. I'm sure the Boy will add his own dings and scrapes.

Hope all have a wonderful weekend.

Christmas in Perry Hall 2010

Had inquiries for the Craft Show held at the Perry Hall Community Hall.
Below is the info for that show

Christmas in Perry Hall 2010
starts on November 5th and runs through November 28th.
A Collection of Crafts and Vintage


Directions to the Perry Hall Community Hall
From I-95, Take Rt43 west to 1st light, HoneyGo Blvd, make right
Continue to Joppa Rd, make right
Go through traffic circle and make immediate left onto
Gerst Rd Community Hall is on the right.
For info call 410-382-5142

The Last Day of Summer

On this lovely last day of Summer in Baltimore County, I am at my daughter's house. It's my Dylan day. Last year, when he was still a wee one, I was able to bring items with me to paint. No way is that going to happen now. So today I brought shelf sitter blocks to put into bags and then price them. He's napping now so I have a bit of time before he's once again full of energy and ready to roll.

Yesterday I worked on blocks for Halloween, Autumn and Thanksgiving, Christmas and Snowmen for the upcoming shows.

I pulled out Christmas items left from last year...not nearly as many as I thought I had...so tomorrow it will be Christmas in the studio.

I also am keeping a close eye on Holly's dog Dre. We baby sat for him this past weekend and on Monday, he hurt his tail. Don't know if he and Lucy were rolling around or if he fell but the poor baby isn't lifting his tail. Holly took him to the vet's and there isn't anything broken but he's now on an anti inflammatory. Hoping he'll be better soon.

Find my shelf sitter blocks at the website
www.countryworkshop.net

Oh Butt...Let's Get in Gear

Good Morning All...

From September to Mid December is a crazy time for artist/crafters. That means creating our craft all week and setting up for a show on the weekends. There are no fairies making product while we sleep. Once I started selling online, I started doing fewer shows which is physically much easier. (and Lou and I aren't as young as we used to be) It was nice yesterday to go as a shopper instead of a participant to the Bel Air Festival of the Arts. We made a quick run through, saw lots of wonderful creations, but didn't purchase a thing. We did visit with fellow crafter Dee of Icehousecrafts. Hope she had a successful day.

On Thursday, Lou and I had to drive to Reading, PA to pick up the wood we use for our signs. The local supplier didn't have the 1/2 wood we use and this time of year we can't wait until they have it back in stock. It ended up an all day trip as we took the time to stop at a one of the wholesale warehouses and some craft shops and Amish Market along the route home.

I laugh when people say, "Oh, you work from home. You can take off anytime you want." I put in more hours a week doing what I do now than I ever did when I worked a full time job outside of the home. However, you can rearrange your time, which was wonderful when the daughters were young. I was able to volunteer at their school and go on every field trip with them, except to the Harley Davidson plant. Lou went with Meagan on that one.

So today will be a "I really need to get my butt in gear day". Have 3 weeks until Colorfest.

I hope to be adding more Christmas items this week to the website.
www.countryworkshop.net

I Lost 2 Old Friends Last Week

I am a believer in the concept of use it up. I usually will not get rid of something until it has broken or no longer works. Well last week, we had to go out and get a new grill. The one we had, my parents gave us the year we moved into this house. That was over 30 years ago. This says something about Weber grills. We had replaced the grate inside but until last week the rest of the grill was fine. The old legs just finally gave out. We purchased another Weber kettle grill. There were several comments from family members who thought we should get a gas grill with all the fancy attachments, but I feel that if you have one of those, you might as well cook inside in the oven. So we will continue to grill with charcoal...on our new Weber. Looking forward to cooking the turkey on a shiny new grill for Thanksgiving.

I also lost my crockpot last week. I put chicken, potatoes, carrots and corn in to cook and the crockpot wouldn't work. Now, I really had been considering a new one with the removable bowl. The one that died last week was an original Rival that was a wedding gift all those many years ago. It was red and matched my red kitchen 35 years ago. But it was just so hard to clean. I think maybe it knew and just decided to get back at me for considering a new one. So I do need to go out and look for a new slow cooker. If anyone has a particular brand you like, let me know.

Birthdays in Bunches...

We seem to do birthdays in groups with the Husband's side of the family. Usually every other month we all get together for dinner and to sing Happy Birthday to those who have had birthdays since the last gathering. This Monday we celebrated the birthdays from the month of August. We had four. Lou, his sister Patti, our daughter Meagan and our fuzzy daughter Lucy. Lou's 94 year old Aunt Dot always bakes the cakes. This time we had a cold oven cake and an apple cake. We had the party here, a cook out with all the standards, hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, baked beans, etc. How wonderful it is that 4 generations still get together to sing Happy Birthday.

Yesterday was my Dylan Day and I caught him under the kitchen table, sitting in the dog's bed with Dre. What a dear pup this dog is. Dre loves Dylan and Dylan loves Dre.

Vampires and Werewolves

Okay...I must admit it...I really enjoy Vampire movies, books and tv shows. Not the tear out the throat, pull off the head kind, but the romantic, we can't ever been together kind. I think it started years ago with the Dracula movie with Frank Langella a version quite different from the movie starring Bela Lugosi.

Years later, I started watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the tv show, hated the movie). Again the "we can't be together because you are a vampire and I'm the Vampire Slayer" must have be the attraction. I had to laugh when my aunt told me she liked that show too. At least I wasn't the only grown woman watching that show.

Then along came Twilight and I have seen 2 of the movies based on the Stephanie Meyer series but I haven't read the books. My aunt, the same one, says I need to read the books. This series has both Vampires and Werewolves as the dangerous, dashing lead characters.

And now I faithfully watch HBO's True Blood based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries. This show is not quite as innocent as the others. Although it is still a love story between human and vampire. It also has werewolves, shapeshifters and now fairies. My daughter Meagan tells me I need to read the books this series is based on. She believes it will give more insight to rthe characters.

So now you know my secret...

Vampires, Zombies and Werewolves Oh My

Earl Has to Die

The East Coast is waiting to see the exact path Hurricane Earl is taking. Could make for a rainy Labor Day Weekend inland but the coastal areas are waiting to see and have issued hurricane watches. At first it looked like Earl might be taking the same path as Isabel did. Isabel went right up the Chesapeake Bay and did much damage to homes and properties along the bay, all the way up the harbor into Baltimore City. But now the forecasts say the path will be right up the coast.

For all that have plans for the beach, or weekend cookouts, I think we should all sing along with The Dixie Chicks.

Earl Has To Die!

Can't Hurt