Thanks to my APJ sisters

I wanted to thank some of my APJ sisters who made our Christmas even more special. This fall the bear who frequents our home decided to tear through things behind our home. I had our fall and Christmas decorations stored in large "durable" plastic totes alongside our back deck. For the life of me I can't figure out why on earth the bear tore threw everything. The things in the totes were smashed, chewed, stomped into the wet snow and mud alongside our hillside. I've never experienced anything like it before with the wildlife. Obviously there was no food in it so I can't explain it's behavior.
One of the APJ sisters, Libby... began to gather some other sisters and they in turn sent me some very precious fall decorations and Christmas decorations. It was such a wonderful gesture and I don't have the words to say how special that was. As I was putting up the tree this year and trying to get other decorations up... I would cry when I realized my gingerbread man collection was gone, nutcrackers gone, kids special ornaments.... on and on. I still get sentimental and sad about the losses but when I look over and see the sweetest gifts ... I realize how wonderful people are and how not ever having met me ... they really gave me the best gift of all- love for another person!
I just wish I could hug each of them and for a moment let them feel what I felt when I received their gifts!!! Merry Christmas!!

SENTIMENTAL CHRISTMAS DECORATING

I was thinking of some decorating ideas that could possibly stir up some ideas of your own. Some ideas are included in an article I submitted in the Dec/Jan issue of the Prim Sisters Gazette. There are usually many momentos that we have of our loved ones that are tucked into the back of a closet or cabinet for safe keeping. Think of the items you have in a new way. You want to have them for sentimental reasons because these may have belonged to loved ones who've passed. Think of these items as small treasures you can share with other family members who will be thrilled with the memories. Wouldn't you rather have them be physically tangible and out there to remember them by than tucked away in a box?
If you have an old tablecloth that was always on your grandmothers table...can you use pieces of it in projects for yourself as well as other family members. The warm winter shirt from your grandfather or tattered wool coat of your favorite aunt can become treasures. I know it may be hard at first to take scissors to them but bring those memories from your closets to the every day living in your homes. Turn those items into long thin stockings, minature tree skirts, table runner & pockets for tucking in decorations. If you make a fabric pocket out of something special...you can prim stain it then fill it with greens, cinnamon sticks, a vintage photo clothespinned onto the edge, a whisk or spoon they used to cook up memorable holiday meals, or maybe sew on a couple of tackle box treasures. Bring out an old tool box of your uncles and set a miniature tree inside it with some pretty Christmas greens and tiny lights. Use the skates that you or your relatives skated with as curtain holders at the top of your windows. Use the small tab at the back of the skate to attach to either side of the top of your windows and slide a long length of stained muslin or warm plaid material through the blade in the space between the blade and the bottom of the skate. Bring out special dishes from loved ones table settings and use them to display ornaments, rag balls, salt dough ornies, etc.
I wish each of you a very blessed Christmas and an extra special wish for some new memories with some old treasures!! Lots of hugs to you all!!! Blessings, Dawn

School Christmas Shoppes/Fair

It has been 9 years since my first booth at the elementary school Christmas shoppe. Generally there has been several tables of trinkets provided by a large vendor for the school district. Things like tiny footballs, plastic paperweights, small stuffed animals, pens for favorite grandpas... the list goes on and on. They have risen in cost over the last few years.
We have some wonderful staff and a sweet lady who has overseen the shoppe for the kids and allowed a few of the parents to set up small tables as well. They have included items like fleece scarves, tiny stockings with candy, carob coated dog biscuits, jewelry,cute holiday pins, hot cocoa mixes, etc. I usually have a large table and a tall picket fence to display my things on. This area is beginning to catch on with some primitive decor and a little bit of folk art so mountain/cabin theme was the general theme. I have made snowman pots, painted muffin tins, snowman and santa pins, glass bead pins with vintage photos,handpainted canvas wallets, canvas cd holders, canvas aprons, handpainted hammers, handpainted combs, fresh wreaths, handpainted signs, small plastic toolboxes with handpainted scenery on them, homemade fudge inside copper cookie cutters wrapped in holiday clear wrap,handpainted glass ornaments with roses, mountains, and cute sayings, small lights, and too many other things to list.
I want something special for the little ones to pick out for their families. The teachers, staff and parents enjoy the variety of things at the shoppe. It's not that I don't love the tiny plastic ship/pencil sharpener that our son gave for Christmas one year. He beamed when we opened it! I just want to put some thought in what is made available for the kids to use their pocket money on. I knock down my prices a lot and make things very reasonable so they can have something special and not stamped made in China on the entire gift. It is without a doubt one of the best weeks I have at the school during the year for me emotionally. Dressing up in Christmas sweaters, wearing santa hats and helping the kids walk around is so fun. I don't think a single year has passed when we haven't seen many children whose parents or guardians have been laid off...they do not have any money to spare for a gift let alone getting one for their little selves. The highlight of the week is when the moms get things together and make a very special store opened only to invited guests during quiet time. We take anything we can spare and display it on the tables for the kids to pick from. They are absolutely free of cost and the children can have as many gifts as they feel they need. They also get to pick out something special all for themselves. As I'm typing this, I can't help but get emotional. These precious little peanuts are not greedy in the least... they are reserved, deliberate in their gift chosing, never one time greedy to get it all, and reluctant to pick out something just for themselves. I saw one little boy who couldn't have been over 3 1/2 feet tall...struggling with two plastic bags full and THE BIGGEST smile I think I've ever seen. He put them down and ran back for hugs and said thank you too many times to count.
I've always counted on making a little bit of Christmas money at this show, but honestly... more than that... I have counted on my heart expanding in size many fold while seeing compassion, relief, joy, and gratitude on the kids faces. Once our littlest girl leaves the elementary school in 3 1/2 years I've asked to have an honorary booth since I won't have a student there anymore. I just can't imagine not being there for years and years to come.
I'm posting a few pics of the items I have sold over the years there. The snowman pots posted earlier are one of them. Maybe your local school doesn't have a Christmas shoppe/fair... but perhaps you could go in and ask the Principal if they know of a couple of families really struggling this year. You could even go to the police dept/ social services and ask. They won't give you specifics but enough to make something personal for their families. People often think of baskets of food for them, but maybe if you make something you could donate it and wrap it for their family as a surprise. Nothing to embarrass them... but quietly "Santa" could bless them with some handmade gifts made with some thought of them and a lot of love! Please consider this and if your heart leads you to do something...how precious of you!
Have an absolutely wonderful Thanksgiving and meaningful start to this holiday season! May God bless you and your family richly!

Here is the APJ contest entry I finished. I LOVE painting on vintage wooden ironing boards. They invoke the warmest feelings and have a great surface to paint on. I don't know if you can see the details or not. Inside the larger snowman is a nativity snowman scene. It was a lot of fun to do! Hugs!!!

God Bless Our Veterans

I just wanted to send out a very happy Veterans Day to our Vets. Thank you and God bless you for your service to our great country. Our family loves and values every effort you and your families have made in your lives for each of us. It's our wish that each of you has a blessed holiday season and a prosperous and happy new year! Be safe and you are in our hearts!!!

Prim Grubby Iceskate

I had to delete the photo and the post for this tutorial. I asked that it not be copied or reposted without my permission and unfortunately it has been. I'm sorry for the inconvenience and hope that in the future the people that stole this & who were not artistic on their own without swiping my tutorial can find other means to find inspiration. I hope I can find other means to share my tutorials.

Taking time to do the shows

I wanted to post something about working a craft show or a booth. This past weekend I went to one of the largest outdoor craftshows in southern Colorado. The setting was absolutely gorgeous... in a historic landmark park, near Pikes Peak in the background, beautiful grounds. I have gone for many many years to this event and look forward to it every year. There are thousands of people who come to it.
I noticed a few less booths/tents this year and that is probably attributed to the economy. At first glance you see several EZ-ups in various stages of set up. This show opened on a Friday late afternoon and I was there first thing at opening on Saturday morning. That was a surprise that so many people had not taken the time to be finished setting up with hundreds of people already getting into line. I know that between getting the last of your items made, tagged and packed that you can be so exhausted during set up. The problem is... I don't want to stand there and wait for the set up while I have already stood in line for 30-45 minutes already to pay to get in. The vendors were still trying to assemble displays and then frantically hanging their items from the poles and the upper tent structure inside. That doesn't make it look appealing at all. Those are potentially lost sales because of a lack of preparation.
I also noticed very few attempts at a welcoming entrance to the space. Something autumn... cornstalks, scarecrow. mums... anything like you would use to draw someones attention and make it welcoming. The entrances into the booths were generally tight and not easy to manuever around in just by yourself. When you put decorative elements (or for sale decorative elements) at your entrance... attach it to the posts to keep it out of the way. Keeps the tripping and manuevering to a minimum.
I was surprised at how vendors didn't take advantage of using varying heights to display their items. Nothing up near the eye level mostly flat on a table or leaning on the front of the tables. It won't make your eye travel to see all of what is available in that booth.
Lastly... and most surprisingly I was so disappointed at the lackluster greetings if any I received when coming up on a booth/tent. I tried to engage the vendors, admiring their wares and they seemed very disinterested and sat solemnly in a chair behind some items. Very few smiles, hellos and just a general who cares attitude. In this economy every sale is important. Take the time to say hello, make small talk and make people feel welcome in your space!! If you don't... it is easy to just shrug shoulders and move on to the next one... which is what I did. It doesn't cost a single penny to wish someone a good day, smile, and be genuinely pleased that someone took the time to pause and look over the things you took such time to work on. People will remember that and perhaps the next year or the next show when they see you again they will be eager to say hello and come in again. Kindness matters !!! I hope everyone has a lot of success with any shows they are working on and enjoys the upcoming season when they can visit the latest booths of wonderful creations!! Wishing you many blessings and a delightful autumn season, Dawn !!