Where to find us
We are located downtown historic Fayetteville at:
225 Franklin street
Fayetteville, NC 28301
(910)323-0072
Taylor wanted me to post about our newest family member, We have actually had Prudence for almost a year now. I wanted to name her a sweet name and my daughter wanted a tough name and started researching Roman and Greek names and the girl names just weren't cutting it. Taylor loves the Beatles so she came up with Prudence and we all agreed she was a Prudence. I had been holding out on getting a dog for 17 years but, Dana and the kids wore me down and we all love her so much. She's the first one in the morning to get a kiss and the last one at night to get a hug and for the most part the kids have taken to all of the responsibilities of having her.
This has been a great week at the shop, August always seems to be a slow month. It looks like I have to go shopping soon. I really love the hunt of finding new treasures for the shop.Not having any expectations of what you might find and the thrill of finding something so wonderful you question selling it or keeping it for your self. For years I pondered what I should do as a career and now that I have found something that I love so much, it is such an amazing feeling know that I am doing something that is calling my name and leaves me feeling fulfilled.
Just another Manic Monday... Well Dana left on Saturday for Iraq (4th year long deployment) I haven't heard from him since Saturday so I am assuming that he's still in Kuwait. The kids are OK, it hits us all at different times, my breaking point will be when I am overwhelmed but other than than I try to live in denial and act like everything is OK.It's just a year of missing so much, Taylor will be a senior and Tyson will be in the 3rd grade and the idea of everything that he will miss over the next year just breaks my heart. My friend Nicole and I got together today to discuss the Yule Mart on Post and will let everyone know dates and times. She will be doing her "Sew darn cute" she does sewing and embroidery and will be doing her Stampin" Up. I of course will be making wreaths, Christmas Trees, signs, boxes, lamps and tons more primitives we hope to see you all out there it is the end of November.
We have lived in our home for 2 years now and even though I love our home, the open floor plan makes decorating a challenge. I have been so busy with the shop and with family that I have sort of neglected my home. I have been itching to dig in, I always get like this when Dana leaves, it help the time pass if I am really busy. I have been thinking of redoing my dining room and sold my "Hoosier" and bought a nice grubby cupboard, I loved it but I could tell by Dana's eyes when he helped me get it off the truck he was not sure, of course now that I have it in and decorated he loves it. I now have most of my kitchen (I want to get new counter tops) and dining room finished. The real dilemma is that our kitchen, dining room and living room is really one big room and my living room only has 2 usable walls but, I am always up to a challenge.
Please pardon my blogging ADHD, My daughter Taylor says that I bounce all over the place. But, anyway, I was thinking about how awesome the Internet is, I can keep in contact with friends in Germany and family and friends from Washington to Nevada to New Hampshire. It is almost too easy, what did we do before all of these conveniences that truly make life so much easier. Do I have more to do than my mother did or her mother or her mother. Absolutely not, but why does it seem like we can not juggle all of the responsibilities. Now we have so many options and distractions that it feels like a chore. I dread laundry and the thought of what's for dinner makes my head spin. The pride that my mom takes in just her ironing, I have such fond memories of the smell of baking bread at my grandmother's house which she did weekly. My partner, Tammy, her mother, Anne finds so much joy in little things. She is so grateful to mow the grass, I can actually imagine her skipping to the trash can as she takes the trash out. The pride she takes in her home, it is contagious. Do we spend all of our time wanting and planning what we want that we can not appreciate what we have or really enjoys ourselves.I challenge you to be mindful of the little thing and find joy in the day to day.
Tammy and I would like to welcome Toni to the shop, she's a country girl and has a great sense of the primitive life and will be an asset to the shop. We are already starting to think about our Fall Open House, it is scheduled for Saturday October the 17, we will have light refreshments and of course 10% off. It is hard to believe that summer is winding down with only a few week left until school. I must admit I am looking forward to the weather cooling off a bit.
How to grubby paper or coffe stain
You can use any kinds of paper, candstock, printer paper.
I like printer paper, it's easier to use in the printer than cardstock.
1. Pre heat oven to 200 and line both racks with crinkled tinfoil
2.Take a rectangle cake pan and put a little bit of water, it doesn't have to cover the whole pan.
3. sprinkle instant coffee down, now spay the coffee with a water bottle to moisten the coffee, leaving some areas wetter then others.
4.Dip one side of the paper then the next and put into oven to dry. You can flip paper in the oven to make sure it has dryed.
5. if you will be printing on the paper you might have to iron it, set iron on the lowest setting and iron one side then the next.
6.Now you can print on the paper or stamp and not worry about coffee staining running the ink
Grubby candles
This project can be messy, when I do this i do a large amount at a time. I have read tutorials about this and have found the easiest way for me. I buy cheap candles, at the dollar store or walmart you can also grubby up other things I have done old fashioned clothes pins and made bowl fillers with and added old buttons.
1. You'll need wax, I use left over tarts or candles or i buy the cheap candles at AC Moore, I use the spicey ones like cinnabon or banana nut bread. When they are on sale you can get a large candle for a few bucks.
2. Create a double boiler with a small pot with water boiling and put glass canle in boiling water and once it melts, I also sometimes use and old coffee can.
3.Create a work area with parchement or wax paper close to stove. You'll need an area to put the candles to set up on paper or parchment.
4. Remove wax and dip candle into the melted wax a few times to get it soft.
5.Sprinkle cinnamon,(I do this on a paper plate so I can reuse the cinnamon) and dip it into the wax holding the wick or use a paint brush. Repeat until lumppy and bumpy.
6.Sprinkle with cinnamon and let dry.
Cinnamon bowl fillers
I love cinnamon bowl fillers or ornaments. They are cheap to do and people really love them.This can be a messy project and when I make this I make a lot( Like 3 cups of each.)
1.Mix equal parts cinnamon to equal parts apple sauce.
2.Roll dough out onto parch ment paper to desired thickness.
3.Cut out with cookie cutters.( I have a crow and a star that's really cute)
4. Lay out on parchment or wax paper and let dry, you can also speed up the process by baking at 200 but, this can take a while.
5.Optional you can sprinkle with cinnamon while wet.
6. If you are going to make ornaments you'll have to put a hole in them while they are wet, I use a straw and add twine once it has dried.
They are cute as bowl fillers or with potpouri or as ornaments. You can use any smell good spice like pumkin.
Coffee stain fabric
I really like my projects to look really prim or grubby so I like to use instant coffee for my projects.
1. Wet fabric.
2. Remove as much water as possible.
3. Lay flat, do this outside if possible, it's messy. and spinkle with instant coffee, do it heavier in areas you want darker, Spay water with a water bottle to moisten coffee.
4. Let dry in the sun.
5. Rinse out or leave it depending on prefrence.
6. you can also put in the dryer to try and heat set it, I usually only do this if by chance someone might wash it. But, most of my projects aren't to be washed.
