Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Reflections of My Christmas!

I love Christmas---HATE the hustle and bustle to get to the day---but muttle thru as best as possible without going to jail from hurting perfect strangers...LOL  I found myself trying to 'find' Christmas in my heart for some reason this year---I felt as though I was missing it--that warm fuzzy feeling---usually it is there all on its own--but this year---this year was different---I watched all my favorite Holiday Shows---Charlie Brown and Rudolph and the Grinch---I did all of my usual baking---met up with friends and peeps for holiday cheer before hand and yet nothin'---until this one day---this one day that I went out shopping and left the house with a mission to get it all buttoned up and finished.  Lists of scribbled notes of this and that on paper that had been crossed off of and re-assesed just to be crossed off again---food purchase lists mixed in with electronics mixed in with housewares and toiletries---unorganized would be putting it mildly! Here's what happened: 

I went into the first store---outside was this young and very sweet tall and gangly African American boy---ringing the bells for the Salvation Army---singing Christmas songs with the biggest smile and the voice of an angel--I stopped and listened for a moment and said to him---Bless you for Ringing the Bell sweet child---and he hugged me and said Merry Christmas!  Blessing number 1

Then I proceeded into the next store---I was at the checkout lane standing in line and I saw this old couple walk by holding hands---and when I say old I mean they were in their 80's---with this look of complete and udder love and happiness for each other and very smartly dressed---I noticed them stop to look at something---here it was this young boy---about 6 or 7 years old---whistling Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer---with a look of enchantment and joy on their faces ----he and his two other siblings and his mother came into the very line that I was in---and he continued to whislte away---I reached my hand out to touch the top of his head and smiled at him---he was so sweet.  Blessing number 2

Then the last store I went into---I was wandering around for what seemed like HOURS looking for where in the heck one would put the Wax Paper if one were a stock person who even knew what wax paper was---I kept passing this woman pushing this cart full of stuff---she was a bit overweight and had the most happy and sweet rosey cheeks and pretty smile and was struggling to even walk----she says to me---you look like you are lost---to which I replied---I think I may be---I just wanna find Wax Paper and get the heck out of here---she says---and mind you ---she is not an employee at this store---I can take you there--so she does and it is quite a ways away from our original destination--and I say to her---awwww thank you---I think I need to take you with me the next time I go shopping!! She says to me with MUCH delight---that would be just fine---as I have no one---I hugged her and wished her a Merry Christmas---Blessing number 3

We go to Mass on Christmas Eve---and the Church is packed FULL---there are parents coming in with their children all dressed up---I had the best time before mass started--looking at all the children in their fineries--as I totally remember those days when my kids were young---so dang CUTE. As luck would have it---the Childrens choir was singing---during Mass---Silent Night---tears came strolling down my face as I sat and reflected on the things that I previously mentioned---and at that VERY moment I finally got the warm and fuzzy feeling that I had waited and wondered about---and that my dear friends---that was my Blessing number 4----

I would like to say at this time---Blessing number 5 for me will be..... that each and every one that reads this will think about the small incoincidental blessings that come our way daily---that you will stop and really take note to the great STUFF that is going on around us constantly---stop and think about the simple blessings we all have in our lives---they are there--trust me they are---we just don't always take the time to see them---take the time people---and know that if you do.... your heart will always be warm and fuzzy mode!  Here's to a Happy 2011 New Year to all of You and Yours!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Look at This Gorgeous WINDOW!!!

This was made by a customer of mine who purchased my 'JOY' window sconce pattern ---Her name is Cathy---is this not gorgeous or WHAT!!!  I love that she sent this to me as it truly made my DAY! I love the tone of the window and the color of the wood around it---the warmth and style is incredible---it is always so nice to see when things are done up in someones own style---she added some really cool snowflakes to it as well---FABULOUS Fa-La-La-LA LAAAAAAA Cathy!!!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

A Couple of Freebies for You this Holiday from Birchberry Farms!

Happy Holidays to you and yours---here are a couple of Ideas I have for making your moola go a little further---my gift to you and Birchberry Farms Original work and concepts---

We make our gifts every year here at this house and have been doing it my whole life---these are easy and ECONOMICAL to make and are very lovely to give as gifts---My sisters and I love giving and receiving homemade handmade gifts---they are truly from the heart!  ENJOY!!!!  Oh---they are in the next two posts so scrollllllll on down!

My Little Snowman Globe!

Awwww this one is so cute---I made these for the shop and they went like MAD---easy and very cheap to make--Let's get started!

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
Glass jar with lid (I have used pickle, spaghetti sauce,molasses,fruit & picante jars!)
plaster of paris
mica flakes or fake snow
snowman ornie (got mine at Target for $3 and its wood and has the cutest wire arms)
jute
faux pine
chalkboard paint (optional) for tag
cute cardstock & tagboard
chalk
wire
enamel cream colored paint (ceramcoat 'E')
glitter and glue
Hot glue gun


I took the plaster of paris and mixed it in a clear plastic bag---I cut the corner of the bag and squirted it into the bottom of my clean empty jar----about a cup of Pof P.  Let it sit for a day--if you are inpatient--I put mine in the oven at 170* then shut the oven off and let it really just sit in there while I prepared the following. The ornie I got from Target I took the hanger out of and the hokey scarf from its neck--I painted him with glue and rolled him in mica flakes and set him to dry. I took a piece of tag board and cut a cute tag out and painted it with chalkboard paint and backed the tag with cute paper after the paint dried.  I punched a hole thru it and strung about 24" of jute thru the hole and set my chalkboard tag aside for now.  I took my jar out of the oven and made SURE the Plaster had dried, then I took my glue gun and dropped a GOB of glue onto the middle of the dried plaster in the jar---I also added a titch to the bottom of the snowman and I carefully set him on to the glue--I hurried and threw a handful of mice into the jar before the hot glue dried so it would stick to the mound and cover that up---I kind of swirled it a bit while keeping a FIRM finger on the snowmans head so he wouldn't move.  I painted my inside and outside of the lid with cream colored acrylic enamel and let that dry well then I painted it with glue and glittered the lid top so cutely! I then wrote 'JOY' with chalk onto my little tag and then I wired a piece of wire around the chalk and twisted it then around the top of the jar below the 'lid screw line'.  I then wrapped my jute around the top of the jar and added the little pine sprig and tied my jute into a bow.  I then made on my printer a little slip of paper that reads---Let it Snow Let it Snow Let it Snow and I decopauged that to the jar on the bottom edge and I glittered that as well ---carefully avoiding getting that glue and glitter onto the glass part---just the slip of paper needs that! I twisted the cover onto the top and smiled cuz it is so dang CUTE and easy!!!!

My 'Believe' Crenolin Hanger!



WHAT U NEED (MATERIALS)
crenalin or stiff fabric enough for your triangle size
instant coffee
sewing machine & thread
red tinsel wrap (preferrably with wire thru it)
red ink pad (staz on is the best ink ever!)
letter stamps & snowflake stamps
rhinestones---fake will do JUST fine

This is made from Crenolin or very stiff fabric that was used in earlier times for stiffening under dresses and bustier's.  I cut triangles out of it that were approx. 8" from bottom point to top edge---I coffee stained them all and put them in the oven at 170* until dry---I got some red cheap tinsel that you use to wrap up gifts with at this time of year and I stitched the triangles ( finger folded the crenolin first) over that tinsel then with a zig zag stitch making sure I left plenty of tinsel on each side to hang the piece on a window or cupboard or tree---I also tied knots on the ends of the tinsel after I cut it so it wouldn't come apart--after I got my 7 triangles sewn onto the tinsel, I clipped the loose threads, and I stamped my letters one by one on each triangle and I also did snowflakes---in RED--the stamps I got at Archivers for $10--they come in a clear package and are made of foam--they have all sorts of them in different styles and fonts.  I then glued little rhinestones in each of the centers of the snowflakes using gem glue and viola!  I also did these up in the word JOYEUX in black with silver tinsel and black snowflakes and clear rhinestones---way way cute!

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

It's the 5 Golden Rings Promo on WSOAPP!

The peeps at WSOAPP have been hard working and hiding things within the shoppes---they have hidden 5 Golden Rings (one per day) and the first one to email in and tell where the numbered ring is for that day wins a prize! I have to tell you that the shoppes are looking great and are stocked and ready to roll---so make sure you go on a treasure hunt for them there rings!!! Don't you just LOVE surprises!!

Go into WSOAPP.orgs group and click on the 5-Rings promo tab to get in the FUN!

Monday, December 6, 2010

Market Street Listings on WSOAPP Dec. 7th!!


Howdy peeps---it is Market Street TIME at WSOAPP and the Listings are up for the 7th of December Launch---head on over with a cup of coffee and take a gander and what everyones got cooking for this Holiday! I will be listing several more items tomorrow morning---just don't have the energy tonite----pooped out! I also will be sending out my December Newsletter tomorrow with special deals for the month---so if you would like to be included in that and you are not already a recipient of my newsletter ---please do gimme a shout and I will see to it that you get on the list!!! These are my Belsnickel Santa's (don't even know if I am spelling that correctly) and a Rolly Polly Felted Wool Santa that will be listed tomorrow---Enjoy the rest of the evening!!  Oh!1 and I just got 15 new pairs of my signature repurposed wool 'Love You Winter' Mitties which will be on Etsy tomorrow then up to the Round Barn Potting Co. as well!

Why is Some Handmade Soap More Expensive Than Others?

This is my Mom and my Grandma----two people who are/were very influential in my soap making endeavor.  I make soap the very similar to th...