My Tim Holtz Prize Came!

Ok....so last year I came across Tim Holtz' 12 Days of Tags and just fell in love with all of the neat techniques he used.  So I made sure to catch this years too!  I never knew he gave out so many generous prizes during the 12 days either.  Each day I checked out his blog before leaving for work in the morning to see what neat creation he posted overnight.  Never did I expect to win anything as he has such a following.....each day could get 2-3,000 comments!!!!  OH MY STARS!!!!!   But on Day 12 he posted the winners from Day 11 and there was my name amoung about 20 other people.   I had to double check, make sure that's how my name appears in my posts.....sure enough it was me.   And then when I finally got my envelope.....oh my, not only was he so generous to so many people.....I would have been happy with any little tidbit he sent but look at the goodies I got!!!   Journaling Tickets, Chipboard Thickers, gorgeous glittered stickers, an awesome christmas rubber stamp....very vintage christmas!, a mask and the neatest tiny paperclips. So now that the holidays have settled, I'm off to play with my new found goodies.   Off to youtube to check out his tutorials!!!

The Barely There Primitive Bear Giveaway

I just love coming across new blogs, sometimes I get so caught up in going from one blog to another to another that I sometimes stop and wonder "How did I get to this one???"   Well, while reading Willa's new post from The Country Cupboard Door, I stumbled upon The Barely There Primitive Bear.  Her name is Karen and I'm looking forward to catching up on some of her latest posts.  She's got a current giveaway going on right now, so hop on over and go meet Karen!!!

http://thebarelythereprimitivebear.blogspot.com/2009/12/my-christmas-give-away.html

Here's a picture of her giveaway, isn't it adorable?

The show was a success!

Wow!   I'm still tired from yesterday!!  The past few years I've taken the week off before this show just to finish up last minute items and all of that....although each year I swear I'm doing it differently so I'm not doing things at the last minute.  But I think most of us that do shows are always gluing and painting right up til the last possible minute!!  :)

Mom and I set up our display the night before.  Unfortunately we had a late start on Saturday morning and knew we were going to be rushed to set out our products.  We walk in and go ACK!!  The night before, the booth to our left was all set up.  The booth to our right just had tables set out....but we didn't realize that they were going to bring a 3rd table and butt it right up alongside our table.  Well we had our display facing so people would walk around the outside of it.  So we had to scramble and rearrange our display.  I think if I would have checked, I think the other booth was over their markings but at that early hour in the morning I didn't want to start a neighbor feud!  :)

All in all, it was a successful day.  Sales were up from last year and I noticed that more of the bigger items going this year as opposed to last year.  Always great to see repeat customers....we look forward to seeing them each year as they seem to be to find us!  Great to also hear from the woman who kept waiting for our website to open and she made a point to tell us she already knew it was done and she's visited it already.

Prim is starting to catch on a bit more though...some extra competition this year.  Our "neighbor" came back and said that this persons stuff was too cheap, said it was handmade but she didn't think so. She showed me what she bought and I said, no way.....this is handmade and I couldn't believe her pricing.  So Mom and I eventually checked out her items.....adorable prims and many of the same patterns Mom and I use.  I have a rule for craftshows that I'm selling at......I don't allow myself to buy anything.   I go as a shopper to other craftshows and buy til my hearts content......but I was SOOOOO tempted to buy from this girl......way cute stuff!!!   And she eventually made her way over to our table too and we laughed that we both had to check each other out.  It was really nice to talk to her....we discussed other patterns and supplies and everything.

SANDY......Olde Country Cupboard/You Are Special......if you read this she did up your snowman head wreaths!!!!   As soon as saw them I knew whose pattern that was!!!  :)

So now for the annual cleanup/clean out of the craft room.  I use our display for my storage in the craft room so the night before this show everything gets dumped out and I come home to a horrible mess!!!

Didn't have too much of a chance to take pics of all of our booth, but I took a few.  I wish I had taken a picture of the new building we were in though.  It's 3 buildings connected.....a greenhouse, then our building (which is gorgeous inside....some of the pics you can see the gorgeous wood in there and the lights...loved them!!!) and then a 3rd connected building where they had a few more crafters and the concession stand and tables.    And shhhhhh.....don't tell Mom I caught her in a pic.....she will be sooo mad at me!!!!   But isn't she so cute!!! :)

You can see part of the building in these next 2 pics!   Check out the chandelier light in the top left corner pic.....they were nice prim lights. 

Dawn "Aunt DeeDee"

We're off to our show!

Mom and I are off to the craftshow!!!   A dollie wanted to wave goodbye to everyone!!  Not sure if we like the setup in the new building yet but we'll see how it works out.  We had trouble setting up our display last night.  Nothing seemed to look quite right but we think we finally got it to where we like it.  Now to go finish packing the car!!

Dawn "Aunt DeeDee"

Getting ready for the craftshow!

Mom and I narrowed down our craftshows to just one a few years ago. In our area it's hard to find a good quality craftshow that brings in the not only the customers but other great crafters as well. So a few years ago we decided to put all of our effort into one of the local shows for the Northwest Christian School. We've had a spot at this craftshow for many years....first it started with my parents when they made birdhouses. Then they gave me their spot after I got out of college and started doing my own shows with country items. I stumbled upon the world of primitive thanks to a wonderful crafting community called Primmart http://www.primmartcommunity.com/ and that started me towards my path of primitive crafting. At that point my mother started crafting again and we now do the show together.

The show is always the weekend before Thanksgiving and it seems like a perfect time for the show. This year they are using a new building at the fairgrounds so I'm not sure what to expect...luckily we can get in the night before and set up our tables and display and be able to see how the new space will work.

So while other people tend to take vacation time at work to go away and visit places....I take my vacation time the week before the show to get ready and finish last minute items!!

Ack.....so much crafting to do....so little time!!!!

Dawn "Aunt DeeDee"

Not a creature was stirring......

I have loved mice ever since I was little. My sister's nickname for me when we were younger was "Mouse" and I have so many mice ornaments that I could decorate my Christmas tree with just those (hmmmm.....maybe I'll have a theme tree this year!!)

So when I came along Old Road Primitives blog and her adorable giveaway I just had to share it!!! HOW CUTE ARE THOSE MICE???!!!!

http://oldroadprimitives.blogspot.com/

Keeping my fingers crossed on those cuties!!!

Lookie what I won!!

Well, first I have to say what an "icky" Halloween we had here! We were without power most of the day....so not fun! But then I check my email (somewhere between the first power outage and the second!) and I have an email from Brenda at the Rusty Thimble saying I won her giveaway! Let me say the picture she had on her blog did not give her creations justice! I was so surprised when my box of goodies got here, they were so much bigger than I expected! So I now have some new stocking ornies to go on my prim Christmas tree, a neat prim Santa on a spool, a new prim dollie (she's already made friends with the other dollies!) and the COOLEST dove on a rusty spring...which I just LOVE that one to pieces!! Thank you so much Brenda!!!!

If you would like to go see some of Brenda's creations, click on over to her blog (while you're there click to follow her and visit some of her other blogs too!)

http://therustythimble.blogspot.com/

Ok....back to the sewing machine I go.....EEEK, only 3 more days of crafting left before our craftshow!!! Why do I procrastinate??????

Dawn "Aunt DeeDee"

Lynn @ Painting Thyme Needfuls is Celebrating!

Now what exactly is she celebrating you might be asking? Well you'll have to hop on over to her blog to find out what all the excitement is for and you might find a surprise!! Ok...you'll find a HUGE suprise....a giveaway that is for her 100th post. So go on now, shoo...run! What are still waiting for...OH!!! You need the link huh? Well here it is!!

http://paintingthymeneedfuls.blogspot.com/2009/11/im-celebrating-my-100th-post-with-give.html

Pumpkin Patch Primitives Quilt Shoppe

My oh my....I just keep coming across the cutest blogs and neat giveaways!!! You have to go check out this AWESOME giveaway.....a MUST see for fabric lovers!!!

http://pumpkinpatchprimitivequiltshoppe.blogspot.com/2009/10/its-happy-halloween-giveaway.html

Aunt DeeDee

Sugar Creek Hollow Blog and Giveaway

I hope anyone visiting my blog is enjoying all of these neat blogs that I've been posting about! Here's Sugar Creek Hollow who has an etsy store as well and is also having a fall giveaway. Go peek!!

http://sugarcreekhollow.blogspot.com/2009/09/halloween-candle-trio-giveaway.html

New Blog Alert: Mill House Primitives Giveaway

Well, I came across another great blog and another great giveaway. Scoot on over to check out her blog, new website and giveaway.

http://millhouseprimitives.blogspot.com/2009/09/fall-give-away-and-sale.html

Aunt DeeDee

Old Farmhouse Gathering - Fall Giveaway

Ok....one more for the night!!! :)

Old Farmhouse Gathering is having a GIGANTIC giveaway that you just have to go over and check out!!!! Such great talent...you have to peek at all of the different artists!!!

http://oldfarmhousegathering.blogspot.com/

A Birthday Giveaway - Stitchinsprims

I keep coming across all of these great blogs lately and so many of them are being so generous in treats and giveaways!

Today's find is Stitchins House of Prims who is doing a great birthday giveaway!!

http://stitchinsprims.blogspot.com/2009/09/birthday-giveaway_21.html

Go over and take a peek!!!

Aunt DeeDee

Another great giveaway.....Thimbleprims Studios

Creepy crawl over to Thimbleprim Studios for another great Halloween giveaway!! I for one, am a HUGE Halloween freak....just LOVE the holiday and I love coming across all of these Halloweenie blogs!!!

Go check it out.....
http://thimbleprimsstudio.blogspot.com/2009/09/announcingthimbleprims-studio-blog.html

Aunt Dee Dee

Fly over to Painting Thyme Needfuls!

My oh my this is a week of giveaways!!! Hop, skip or FLY over to Painting Thyme Needfuls and check out her WICKED giveaway!

http://paintingthymeneedfuls.blogspot.com/2009/09/thyme-for-my-first-give-away.html

Giveaway on Krazy Kraft Lady's Blog!

Denise is having a giveaway on her blog for an ADORABLE Pumpking Mouse shelfsitter. Go to her blog to check it out!!

http://thekrazykraftlady.blogspot.com/2009/09/time-for-fall-giveaway.html


Aunt DeeDee

Halloween Giveaway!

For all of your Halloween lovers out there, I just came across a great Halloween giveaway over on Artistic Halloween Queens! Head on over and check it out!!

http://artisticthalloweenqueens.blogspot.com/2009/09/halloween-queens-are-celebrating-their.html

Rainy day weekend..things accomplished!

Yesterday was a nice fall-like rainy day and I was able to stay in and get some things done! Mom and I cut down to 1 show a year and that one show is coming up in November and I've been busy getting ready. Mom and Dad had some home projects going on this summer and Mom hasn't been able to craft like she usually does. She'll be able to get back into the craftroom soon but I've been trying to stock up for the show in case she doesn't get as much done this year. Although I hope she gets a good stock done of her ornies as they are always a great seller for her!!

So I was finishing up some of those "unfinished" profects I had sitting here before I fully got into the Christmas craft mode!!

I finished up a framed Black Hat Society stitchery (pattern by Chestnut Junction)



Next I finished up some Americana Stars bowl fillers(pattern by Megan at American Prims)




And lastly are some Pinkeeps that I made from a tutorial from Robin at Bird in the Hand Primitves.



So....a little accomplished but YIKES! My "in the works" stand still has quite a bit of stuff on it waiting to be finished!!! So back to work I go!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!!

Aunt DeeDee

Found a great giveaway!

I came across this great giveaway and discovered a new yummy website that was posted on The Jolly Jabber blog!! What an awesome giveaway!! Hope you go check it out!! And check out The Fig Club too...sounds like an awesome club for quilters!!!


http://fatquartershop.blogspot.com/2009/09/bom-mini-series-part-6-fig-tree-club.html

http://www.fatquartershop.com/Fig-Tree-Quilts-Fabric-Moda-Fabrics.asp

Infinite Grace

My grandmother passed away on June 27, 2009 and it feels like we lost such a huge part of our family. My grandmother was a talented artist and most of her paintings were of animals and wildlife. She had such a love of animals. While going through some of my digi scrapbook pages, I came across one that I had done with a picture of my grandmother when she was younger. I thought I'd share it here.



I had come across this great poem that I had asked the pastor to include it in my grandmother's service. I just felt it really expressed how so many of us viewed my grandmother. It's called The Living Presence - author unknown.

The Living Presence

The young mother set her foot on the path of life. “Is this the long way?” she asked.

And the guide said, “Yes and the way is hard. And you will be old before you reach the end of it. But the end will be better than the beginning.”

But the young mother was happy, and she would not believe that anything could be better than these years.

So she played with her children, she fed them and bathed them and taught them how to tie their shoes and ride a bike and reminded them to feed the dog and do their homework and brush their teeth.

The sun shone on them and the young Mother cried, “Nothing will ever be lovelier than this.”

Then the nights came, and the storms, and the path was sometimes dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and the mother drew them close and covered them with her arms, and the children said, “Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no harm can come.”

And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother was weary. But at all times she said to the children, “A little patience and we are there.”

So the children climbed and climbed. They learned to weather the storms. And with this, she gave them strength to face the world.

Year after year, she showed them compassion, understanding, hope and most of all unconditional love. And when they reached the top, they said, “Mother, we could not have done it without you.”

The days went on, and the weeks and the months and the years, and the mother grew old and she became little and bent.

But her children were tall and strong, and walked with courage.

And the mother, when she lay down at night, looked up at the stars and said, “This is a better day that the last, for my children have learned so much and are now passing these traits on to their children.”

And when the way became rough for her, they lifted her, and gave her their strength, just as she had given them hers.

One day they came to a hill, and beyond the hill, they could see a shining road and golden gates flung wide.

And mother said: “I have reached the end of my journey. And now I know the end is better than the beginning, for my children can walk with dignity and pride, with their heads held high, and so can their children after them.

And the children said, “ You will always walk with us, Mother, even when you have gone through the gates.”

And they stood and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates closed after her. And they said:

“We cannot see her, but she is with us still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She is a living presence.”

Author Unknown

Aunt DeeDee

Aunt DeeDee's Designs is finally opened!

Whew....it seemed to take forever but Mom and I finally opened up the website.





Please stop by for a peek! And please please please tell me if you see any boo-boos, typos, words of stupidity! I kept looking it over and over hoping that everything was good but I'm sure I missed something.

Today we're having a picnic at my sisters house for a combination of multiple birthdays including our Dad's and also my sister finishing up her Master's Degree.

Will post some pictures when I get back home tonight.

Hope everyone is having a great Summer!
Aunt DeeDee

Great Father's Day!

We had a great Father's Day on Sunday! We went to my Uncle Greg's cabin at Lake Swartswood with my parents, grandfather "Poppy", Uncle Greg, and my sister and her family. Had a great picnic and watched my niece Becky fish for awhile. My uncle got the boat in the water and first he and my mom took out Becky for a ride around the lake, then Becky went out with her parents. All in all great day with the exception of me getting a little sunburn. And unfortunately we were missng Aunt Patty; Patty is a nurse and sometimes misses out on some of our get togethers.

Becky, Nancy and Ben

Mom, Uncle Greg and Becky

Aunt Dee Dee and Becky

Poppy and Becky

Grampa and Becky

The Lone Fisherman - Rebecca!

Great Giveaway at Krazy Kraft Lady's Blog!

Just wanted to let everyone know that Denise at Krazy Kraft Lady's blog has a great giveaway! She has a great blog and lots of neat reading!!! Check her out!!!

http://thekrazykraftlady.blogspot.com/

Aunt DeeDee

Craft It Forward Girls!

I'm so happy to see that 3 people have continued the Craft It Forward idea!!!! Keep on eye out in your mailboxes in the next few weeks.....you never know when a package may be on your way!

Aunt DeeDee

Craft it Forward!

I was visiting a blog tonight ..... http://memoriesforlifescrapbooks.blogspot.com/ and she was hosting a Craft It Forward, which I am now continuing on my blog!

What is a Craft It Forward you ask??? Well the first five people to respond to this post will get something handmade by me!

Here are the restrictions that come with this:
*There are no guarantees you will like what I make...although I sure hope you do!
*What I create will be just for you
*You'll receive it this year (2009)
*The item will be a surprise to you and can be ANYTHING handmade
*And in return, all you need to do is post this text into your blog, email me the link back to your Craft It Forward blog and make 5 things for 5 people.
My email address is: auntdeedee@embarqmail.com

Let's keep this going!

Aunt DeeDee

Giveaway at KeepsakesbyMelissa!

Any fellow paper crafters out there?

I was browsing around paper crafting blogs tonight and came across this one and wanted to share it!!!

http://keepsakesbymelissa.blogspot.com/

She's got a great giveaway going on right now!! Stop by and check it out!!!

Aunt DeeDee

National Scrapbooking Day 2009

Well that just figures!!! LOL When my computer had that NASTY and EXPENSIVE virus last month, I found out that I only had 4% left on my computer!! OOOOOPPS!!! I guess all of those digital scrapbook graphics have added up!!! SO I went out and bought a 750GB My Book external harddrive. Was a good girl, cleaned everything up and got organized (well....somewhat!! LOL) and now what is about to happen.............

NATIONAL SCRAPBOOKING DAY 2009!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just THINK of how much I can download this year in awesome graphics with all of this new room I have for storage.

Shhhh.....don't tell my mom.....she doesn't think that I need anymore graphics. That's like saying I don't need anymore fabric, or patterns, or craft gadets.....ok ok ok let's just say all craft related items as a general topic!!! :)

I really do like digital scrapbooking. I started out paper scrapbooking but that was just too expensive for me. I like digiscrap because when you buy a set of graphics, you can reuse them whereas a sticker, a piece paper, etc you can only use once!!!

If you want to peek at some of the scrapbook pages I've done, you can see them here....
http://www.picturetrail.com/auntdeedeesdesigns

Well, I'm off to bed and try to sleep off this icky cold I have!
Aunt DeeDee

Remembering the Past

I'm finally getting back on track now! While in the midst of us preparing my grandparents 60th anniversary party, my computer got infected with a nasty virus and had to go into the computer repair shop for about a week.....a WHOLE WEEK without my computer!!! It was pure torture!!!


But it's back and totally healthy, and I was able to get the anniversary party favors and the digital scrapbook done in time. While working on their scrapbook, I went through alot of their old photos and I started getting interested in our family history. So I started working on our family tree, and I'll admit that once you get started on genealogy.....it becomes quite addicting!!


Here are some of the photos I came across for their scrapbook:

For anyone interested in looking into their family history, here is a list of some websites to get you started:

http://www.ancestry.com/

http://www.myheritage.com

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp

And if you're like me and also like to digiscrap, this site has awesome graphics for family history pages:

http://www.heritagescrap.com/

Wishing everyone a Happy Easter!

Weekend Project

Well I can't believe it, but I made a HAT! My crafting ability usually lies in primitive crafts and paper crafts, but this month I took some time and tried my hand at knitting and crocheting. Normally I can manage to just do some straight knitting and make a scarf or crochet some granny squares (but they never seem to make it into an afghan). But you know how the wrappers on the yarn usually have free patterns??? Well there was a pattern for a hat and scarf set. I turned it over and looked at the directions.....hmmmmm it's SAYS easy or beginner. Ok, uses a big crochet hook and 2 strands of yarn.....I prefer that. AND ONLY 10 ROWS????? Say it isn't so!!!

So at 11pm Friday night I start on it. I was half way through it when I decided I needed to head to bed. And a few hours on Saturday and IT WAS FINISHED!

I was so amazed that it actually resembled a hat!! I really like it.