a new week and a different note

so... Friday's post got moved to it's own permanent page   I'm not proud of doing that, but felt it had to be said and if it saves one soul from the heartache then so be it.    After a rally of support, stories, and laughter from some very good friends and people in the know, my spirits are lifted once again.  It is truly a blessing to have some amazing and special people in my life.    <><><><><><><><>   It's another scorcher of a week with temps in the 90s and Matt is staining the house.  This time we are using a different stain with a 25 year warranty..... by then I expect we won't care if the siding falls off :-)

  a snap from the winter.     tis not a fun house to stain....    He did most of my momma's in the past few weeks, but she is all one floor, so it was much easier for him. 

  I will stay in and enjoy the ac for now.   This is my day to cook for the week for my momma.    I'm going to start the week off with moldmaking.   I've been saving some autumn naturals for just that, but in the meantime I've got the wax on for some autumn ornies.....   Autumn is so easy but so hard to work on... I am on overload with ideas and the vision of what I want my booth to look like.  two shows, two shops, and a few last minute additions to manage.  and there's wood, cloth, wax, etc Autumn patterns have been selling well, so I can tell I am not the only one!      

So anyway, wanted to start the week off on a different note! 

 

Enjoy your week, wherever you are and whatever you are doing....

Grand Olde Summertime Gardening

I am overloaded with orders and am spending most of the day chained to the sewing machine.  It's going to be another scorcher here, so it's a good thing I can stay inside!   Matt is next door staining my momma's house.    I end up most days with socks and a sweatshirt, but at least it's good for breathing easy.  The pumpkin pile is huge and growing by the day, and I will get them aged and painted on a day when it's nicer outside!  I have some more special orders to finish for Hidden Treasures, so if there's anything you want me to bring for you, drop me a line. 

 

The dry weather hasn't hurt our blueberry crop at all!   I have picked large colander fulls several times and have to pick again later today!   The raspberry bushes are also loaded.  We have had pancakes and muffins, but most of them are in the freezer. 

Matt planted a huge bed of swiss chard for me.  It's totally picking time.... Yay- I think tomorrow I will start the weekend with a yummy bacon/chard quiche.

The catnip bed and beyond.... sweet annie is in the back and limping along. 

Squash and cucumbers are a bit slower, but at least we're not having to fight the powdery mildew like we do with too much rain.  Matt brought in the first of the zucchinis and summer squash, and two overgrown pickling cukes he missed.... I hope we will have another year with "zucchini of the day".  I love getting lost in Pinterest finding new ways to make it!

 

I'm trying to decide on whether we want to go pickin for treasures this weekend, or work work work.  We love what we do, so both sound fine... Definitely an hour for Mountainview will be welcome.

 

Have the best weekend with what you have, where you are  >"<   Denise and Matt

 

 

 

Happy Independence Day

From our family to yours.... a wonderful July Fourth!       

Loving Life

After a heartwarming weekend at Walker Homestead, we are getting back to working in the gardens.   It's been a poor start to the growing season because of the weather.   I'm not sure I will have the amount of sweet annie I had last year, for the fall shows, but we are trying!  Hopefully it will catch up!   Silly catnip is EVERYWHERE though :-) Still need to make time for the catnip rats!    I am up to my neck in some long overdue housework!  I've been organizing my fabric and cleaning out the craft room(s) and getting prepped for the next great push.... onward to Autumn.  The list is extremely long already, but with inspiration from all my past show photos I will get it done!   Last year's Deerfield booth was a knockout and it will be hard to beat.   My road is being reconstructed which will be at least a summer long project.  They started work on it yesterday morning and our property is lined with black plastic barriers. lovely, but it will look nice when they finish...  Matthew has most of the vegetable garden planted, and I'm looking for a few things to add to it to dry for my prim shows.  The trees we had taken down should bring an abundance of sunshine.   We have some good prospects for another weekend picking trip, so Yay, that's always fun to look forward to.      Enjoy this beautiful day ~  Denise and Matthew  

Our Primitive Booth at Walker Homestead

 Well, it was another awesome show at Walker Homestead and we have not unpacked the vehicles yet, but already we are thinking ahead to fall, which is my favorite.   Our booth was jam packed with handmades and antiques, and we did quite well selling both.  We were both thankful to have the most picture perfect weather for the show!     I am taking a few days to find my house again.... show season is tough, oh wait.... it's always show season for us.  It's a good thing we enjoy what we do!  

 

some of our preserved sweet annie from last fall's harvest, and Matt's tufa planters.

 

outside our tent with some prim patriotic dolls and juicy watermelons.

 

the bucket bench stuffed with goodies.   above it our new handmades booth sign.

 

one of the back corners, with a mix of goods.

 

my favorite very heavy part of the display, onion drying racks make a great backdrop.

 

my trusty checkout stand.

 

some of our signs and boxes of ornies.... I like it better without the tree.  They all sold well.

 

the other back shady corner.

 

mostly handmades, and upcycled antiques under our new bigger Sassafras sign

 

 

front corner of the tent, looking out at Paul and Lynn Rulli's beautiful work...

 

Thank you everyone who made the journey to Walker Homestead to spend the beautiful day with us.  We came home very tired, but feeling very blessed.