Flu Shots and A Few Shop Photos to Share

Yes, I have had mine! Have you had yours? Flu shots, that is! Hubby and I took advantage of the free flu shots that Exide Technologies (battery plant where Hubby works) offered to their workers and families a couple weeks ago. Then, just yesterday, I was able to get my H1N1 shot. Neither of us had a reaction to the "regular" flu shots. I had a little fever with my H1N1 but will happily fight that in lieu of the actual Swine Flu!

We are, of course, still active vendors with the Corner Nest Antiques and Gift Shop in Elizabethton, TN. If you live in NE Tennessee or SW Virginia or North Carolina, you may be close enough to treat yourself to a day of fun there. Trust me, you will love it! We get visitors from all over the world. There's even a little cafe there on premises. You can literally browse and shop for hours without having to leave the building!

Those of you who know me know that I love all things old, primitive, shabby and shiny. I took photos of just a few items and displays that caught my eye when I was there last time to drop off a "fresh" load of items and to "fluff" up our displays.

I think this is a charming little quilt that may just end up on my newest grandson's bed!

Does this look like a scene straight out of an old-time general store?

True, today's windows are more energy efficient and may be easier to clean but the old windows have so much character! I'm still puzzled as to why I didn't bring this chest home with me!

This primitive display is surrounded by autumn leaves and pumpkins - so very fitting for a fall day like today!

Have a blessed weekend!

Trying to Get Better, a Few Things to Share & Smelly Bags

See? I'm already getting better!!!! Two days in a row, two fresh blog postings! I did fail to THANK YOU for the well wishes you offered both my friend, Mary and myself. As you may remember, she was bitten by a rattlesnake and suffered severe consequences. Thanks to the many prayers offered up for her, she says she is near normal once again. As for myself, I did go through a couple really tough months with my RA (rheumatoid arthritis) and, although I have finally come to realize that my body will no longer move as fluidly as it did thirty years ago. If you or someone you know has RA you already know that we are never pain free but can reach a point where you can work with and through the pain. Again, I thank you with all my heart for your past and continued prayers. If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you've already seen this photo:

Yes, they are mostly feed sacks, and most are made from burlap. Some are old and others are not. I don't know which is which. Just being honest! I hung them out NOT because I washed them (because I didn't!) but to air them out. If you have ever met up with a feed sack you know that the odor is not one that you would expect, say Reese Witherspoon, to adapt as her own. IF you're interested, I'm selling them for $7 each which includes postage. They'll be available for awhile, as I won't put them in the shop until (probably) next week.

This photo and the next one, in case you're wondering, are being included here simply because I like the way the pictures look. The flowers are ones that I dried in our attic and I'm now wondering what to do with them. Any ideas are appreciated!

Meanwhile, I've been turning some of my attentions toward Christmas items, both to put in the shop and to include as gifts or within gift wrappings. For example, I have been able to hand dip some pine cones in scented wax (oh, yummmmm!), attach some faux sprigs of pine and some ribbons, etc. - well, here are some of the finished products:

Can't see them very well, can you? Darn. Well, okay, so I packaged these perhaps prematurely but I wanted to make sure the fragrance stays in tact. Trust me, they look really cute in a bowl with fruit (real or not), potpourri, etc. They're also really good to use on a gift instead of (or along with) a bow.

I've also been working on some tags and I'm not too sure what I'll do with them, either.

This snowman is one that I can't very well brag about. Poor guy. I started out with this great idea of stamping a Christmas tree on chipboard for his background, then stamping his image on a piece of cardboard, color it all, sparkle him up and attach him to the chipboard. Well, first of all I didn't off center the tree enough. It kinda looks like he's using it as a backpack. Then, I used sugar sprinkles on him and mica flakes for the snow behind him. The results are just okay. He needs more glitter everywhere. Maybe I'll take another pic of him after it's added and you can give me your honest opinion of the final product. This next tag is a different story.

I actually like this one but wish I had cut out more of the white surrounding the child she's carrying. I left the angel print itself un-glittered, glued her to lime green chipboard and glittered around her after giving the chipboard a pink border of paint. You can't really tell in this picture, but the pink ribbon trails down below the chipboard and is looped and attached at the top with a pink bead. Okay, now you've seen everything I've accomplished in the past five months and now I'm off to finish catching up on YOU and your blogs! Thanks for stopping by! Love ya!

Oh, My Gosh!!!!! Has it been that long????

It certainly doesn't feel like it's been almost five months since my last blogging post. Oh my gosh! I've shocked myself! Nothing earth shattering has really happened during the past few months. I've spent quite a bit of time on Facebook (okay, with the games on Facebook). There is one thing that I have to admit to realizing, though. Are you ready? Here goes: I am not as creative when I'm not blogging. True. I haven't even been thinking very creatively and you know what else? I miss that part of me. A lot. Oh, true, I've been doing a few things - making cards, re-thinking projects, rearranging displays at the shop - but my creative activity of the last few months is but a tiny percentage of my "normal" brain activity. Additionally, I've missed all of YOU! I've been remiss not only with my own blog, but visiting yours and that absence really has created a void in my life. I love reading your words, keeping up with you and your families, being so impressed with all the various ways you direct your own passions. Thanks so much to those of you who have chosen to stay in touch with me during this "break" of mine. Now, because I really don't have any photographs specifically meant for today's blog, let me just share a few that I have managed to take lately.

Imagine opening up your bluebird house, hoping to find a nest of baby bluebirds and finding - YIKES! A mouse and nest instead!!!!!

Our next project: Re-do this vintage wall cabinet! It doesn't look like much now but expect it to look wonderful with a fresh stain on its wood, a new handle and cleaned up leaded glass. Yes, I did say leaded glass. Wonderful, isn't it?

These luggage tags at Books-a-Million cracked me up!

And, finally: The beginning of a Halloween display I was setting up in the shop. It didn't quite get finished. The display, including the boxes, were sold before I finished! Always a happy occasion!