Odds and Ends Before Vacation

After today I won't be posting until the end of the week. The day has arrived that I get to go on my first vacation with both my kids. I worked, scrimped, and saved and was able to afford a short vacation. I of course will be taking the camera to hopefully get some great pictures. Not of me of course as I NEVER take good pictures EVER. LOL.

I just want to show you some awesome shots I took with my phone on Friday night. We finally got rain in the afternoon and it was overcast most of the day. I went out early evening because their was an eerie pink cast outside. I looked up and found the most amazing sky. I am hoping it shows up on your computer screen just how beautiful.











I also worked on a new project... Sorry about the green cast but I used my phone since I just cleared out my camera. I am taking it with me to work on in the evenings.



I will hopefully be back on Wednesday, but I may just relax and not post until Saturday. I have to be back to work on Thursday :( Have an awesome week everyone!!!

Christmas in July!!!!

Wow two posts in one day!!! Up for grabs on the Gettysburg Mercantile are signs made by Steve. Please stop by and take a look. We need room to make new goodes for the upcoming holiday season.

Just a few teasers...

Busy Busy

Oh my word has it been HOT here at the Homestead! If you'll remember I worked Monday through Wednesday. I have to wear dark pants and boots for my job and a collared shirts with another shirt underneath. Girls let me tell you I was sweating in places that I didn't know I had. I looked at one of the digital bank signs on Tuesday and it read 101 degrees. To top it all off my partner and I went through 3 trucks in 2 days because the air conditioning went out. Our company basically ran out of available trucks to give out because others were having the same problem. I felt so gross by the time I came home at night. Today as I type this it is raining FINALLY. I haven't gone out yet so I'm not sure what the temperature is but they say it's suppose to be cooler at 80. Fingers crossed it will be.

Anyway, both Steve and I had off yesterday so we decided to clean up around the homestead outside. I think I won in the category of growing weeds. Holy Moley did I have a lot of weeds. I found flowers that I didn't plant after I weeded. I also helped Steve take salt to his parents rentals for the water softeners and mulch his rental. Yes it was still over 90 degrees yesterday. We were both sweating profusely too. I took more breaks than Steve did. For some reason the meds I'm on makes me feel dizzy when I'm in the heat and sun for long periods of time. But with my son's help we finally finished. Today I am paying for it as the muscles in my chest are so sore I can't bend my head down. I was the one who used the rake and spread the mulch around. So while my homestead still looks nice I thought I'd show you.







And what did I tell you in the Spring? Don't look too close because one of my flowers is dying on the left end. I have been watering I don't know what happened.



I have been looking at these boxes thinking how I'm going to decorate them for fall and Christmas already LOL. I am so excited.

I couldn't stand the empty peg racks so I threw some stuff up. I am coming up with other ideas I just need to have the time to make or buy what I want.





I am hoping to clean the house today. I took some Tylenol hoping it'll help with my soreness. Little do my kids know they are helping me because I'm hoping it will stay clean until next Saturday which is my Come Craft With Me Day. Not sure what I'm talking about look in the right sidebar and click on the picture of the little dolls. Have a great day everyone!

Some This and That

Sorry everyone for not posting sooner. You know how it is in the summer. Between work and the July 4th weekend putting my time in at the annual town festival. Notice I say "putting my time in". I did not enjoy myself. Since joining this new fire department no one will talk to me. Not the firemen and especially NOT their wives! I even tried to join in a conversation and I got "the look". You know the stop talking you are annoying us look. I guess I'm not in the little clique they have. Good thing I made Steve go with me the second day so I had someone to talk to. The first day I just took my old copies of Country Sampler with me to look through. It was like looking through new magazines again because I had forgotten what was in them. LOL. I really do not feel welcome at this new department. The wives kept sitting there talking about the "guys" who were working the festival. GRRRR... but anyway I may not stick it out there. I am normally not a quitter, but it is just volunteer. Who knows.

Anyway, while I was at work last week and after Steve passed his kidney stone he finished up my peg racks. I just LOVE them. Now I just need to decide what to put on the pegs. Please ignore the color of the pics. I have no idea why it has a peach look to it.





Of course now I have to show you what I bought during my excursion last week.

First, at the prim store... I have a weakness for candles. Don't ask why I just do. LOL. I have a an issue with making sure my house doesn't stink. There are so many times I walk into homes with my job that just plain stink. I sit there and think "oh my word I hope my house doesn't stink like this!"

I have never bought this brand so we shall see. Molasses and Sweet Potato Pie... Yum



My sweet potato garland. I know I could make one myself in my spare time. LOL. I really do want to try one though.



And of course a pair of stockings.



Then I had bought a candle from my friend Kim's store awhile back called Vermont Sugarhouse. I just LOVE this maple syrup smelling candle. So I ordered more from the company online since my friend Kim went out of business last month. They smell heavenly. The Indian Pudding smells like gingerbread. I am so set with candles for awhile... I hope...



Next my finds from the antique store...

These bowls I will be repainting. I haven't decided on colors yet.



This wood bowl I will not be repainting...



While I was there I got to talking to the shop owner and she told me about a product to use on wood stuff. You can buy it at Wal-mart. You know when you buy antiques the wood sort of has a white cast to it and looks dried out? She told me about this stuff...



Look at the difference on the bowl... The back part has this stuff on it and the front doesn't except for my hand print mark.



Other than that I made another "Gameboard" sign for my ex-MIL. It looks like mine in my previous post. She wanted one for her basement since she will be doing it in old toys. It's going to look awesome.

I work today and the next two days then two days off. We are leaving on vacation on Sunday. I am so excited. Other than my back flared up again over the weekend. I cancelled my back injection last week because I was feeling relatively good. Steve told me to reschedule so I wasn't miserable on vacation. I know he's right, but don't tell him I said that. LOL. Please keep your fingers crossed for him as he put in an application for a full time plumber job. He really needs a steady income and insurance. He's been sub contracting recently, but the work is slowing down. I am hoping he gets it.

Well, I am hoping to get caught up with some of you soon.

Some Redos and a Roadtrip

Yesterday I was off the entire day. I know before you say it I was going to post yesterday, but I had nothing exciting to post until last night. LOL. In the morning I crafted which I will get there in a moment. In the afternoon, I dropped my daughter off at a Bible study in the next town over and did some shopping. Then last evening Steve wanted to try a new restaurant so we went and then walked around the town and I took a few pictures for you to enjoy.

Alright lets start off with my redos. First, one is a new sign I made for over my gameboards. I took this pic outside thinking it would give more of the true color, but I guess not. It is black, red, and mustard.



Next, if you'll remember this was an old cutting board that had a flower painted on the front. Now...



Then with some help from my friend Ronda I have been wanting to make a pincushion to go with my boxes. So here you go.



I hate taking pics in the day time because of the glare from the sun.



Steve built me my peg racks for the dining room on Sunday, but they aren't done yet because he developed a kidney stone and was miserable. So I'll show you those when they are done.

Yesterday I visited two stores in Smithville, which is in Wayne County Ohio. There was a prim shop I was dying to go to, but just haven't. It is called Mimi's Memories. It was an amazing shop. I think I died and went to heaven. I bought a few treasures that I'll show you in another post because I didn't take pictures of that yet. It was prim perfect. No I didn't take pictures of the shop because the owner was not there for me to ask. Everything from amazing smelling candles, to treenware, dried herbs and garlands, to bonnets and aprons, you name it she had it. Then I went to an antique store that opened May 1st just down the street. I didn't want to look like a tourist taking pics so I was undercover in my car taking these pics with my phone. LOL





This shop too was so awesome. She had some really great treasures at very reasonable prices. There was stuff in every nook and cranny of that store and her hubby and son were bringing in more when I was there. I also bought some items at her store. I bought 3 bowls for display. One was wood, the other two were the kind that are kinda cheapy. Like the ones I have painted over before. So I have two new painting projects waiting for me. There was also a really neat picture I almost bought for the dining room, but I couldn't bring myself to spend the money for it. It was a hand painted colonial looking horse pulling a buggy with a colonial looking guy in the buggy. I may have to check if it's still there Saturday.

Then like I said Steve wanted to try a new BBQ place in downtown Wooster. Once again in Wayne County and is our county seat. It is such a neat downtown area. Lots of old buildings and architecture galore. I know it's hard to see but this was inside the restaurant. Big tall Victorian looking windows. The one wall was brick. I think it would be awesome to live somewhere that has an exposed brick wall. The food was excellent. I got pulled pork with sweet potato casserole and baked beans. They made it while you waited. Then for dessert if you weren't full you could order cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory. Needless to say I was full and didn't get dessert.



After dinner we needed to walk off our food so we walked around the downtown area. So as to not look like a tourist again a snapped only a few pictures with my phone. LOL. Most of the places were closed so I did a little window shopping.

I just loved these tiles that were on the front of one of the buildings.



Pottery need I say more.





Another antique store that I will need to go to when it's open.





Lastly, this antique store I remember the name. Antiques in the Vault/ Art in the Vault. Let me just say WOWZERS!!!!! This shop in the front is basically an art gallery where local artisans sell the items. It was fantastic!!! Anywhere from pottery to jewelry to handblown glass and even rug hooking. It actually was open so of course we went in. I know where I'm sending Steve for Christmas for me.

In the back was the antique part. They had some decently priced items. No one was back there so I took pics of my favorites.

As Promised the Dining Room...

Remember I am not done with it yet. I guess I will never be done because I move things around a lot. But I believe I will be putting peg racks on either side of my black bowl rack. Just gotta get a certain someone to make them for me. I've only asked him for like 3 weeks now. LOL.





























If you want to see more just click on home your pictures in my right side bar.