Finally, done with shows for the year

Well we finished our last show, had a great time.  It was a good show, we sold alot, still have some left over inventory, that I will be listing on ebay this week. I don't want to hold anything over for next year, start fresh with new items. Friday was pretty good, considering we were competing with the mall sales, but they came out in force about an hour after the show started.  Then on Saturday, it stayed busy and steady until late afternoon.  Surprising Sunday sales were good for a Sunday.  We stayed steady up until the last hour and half. So all in all, it was a good show, we were up slightly from last year which is always good, heard from some that sales were off about 30% or more.  But I do know this is the last year for this display. It took us over two to hours to get it all taken down and packed in the trailer. It is way too heavy for us anymore and I want simpler, lighter displays for next year.

Here are a few pictures of my booth, we had a prim tree set up in the middle, I don't know how many times I could  have sold it.

A few of my dolls and Christmas items.

My all time favorite pattern I did this year was the Mice from Old Road Primitives, pictured below on the shelf.

I met some fellow bloggers that stopped by to say hello. It is always nice putting a face to a name on the blog. I will be having a huge giveaway this week, so keep checking back, I want to thank everyone who reads my blog and comments. I haven't had much time lately to comment back, but want you to know that I appreciate everyone of you.  I have to get the trailer unpacked and make about 5 dolls and hopefully I am done sewing for the year.  I am ready for a break, this has been the hardest year of my life, losing both my parents and going through the holidays, knowing they won't be here anymore.  But, have to move on and get busy and focused again. I have some new ideas for patterns which I hope to get done before Christmas.

So take care and watch for my giveaway.

My daughter had a wreck and busy week

HI, It has been a busy and stressful week, My daugher was going to see her boyfriend the other night, she had not been gone even 10 minutes and I get a call.  She is crying and almost hysterical.  She told me she hit something, my heart dropped, my first thought Oh My God, she hit a person.  Then she told me it was an animal she thought, but her car was ruined.   She was so scared.  We rushed out there, sure enough the car was badly damaged and we found the deer, it was dead, killed on impact. It hit the right fender, bounced onto her windshield, over her hood and then down her door.  So far, they are estimating the damages at 3700.00 dollars.  The highway patrol man told me she was luck she wasn't killed.  There was deer hair, blood and pieces on her car.  But she is very unhappy, no car for about 2-3 weeks.  She is not wanting to drive the van, it is too embarrassing to be caught in our old van.  So her dady has been getting to play chaffuer, I think he loves it. 

I have been so busy working on items for the show this weekend in Jacksonville, Florida.  So many emails to answer back.  Running behind on pattern orders, phone calls and emails.  But after this weekend, it will slow down.

I recently purchased this mouse pattern from Old Road Primitives and absolutely love it.   I used the dark reds and glass glitter, definitely not too prim.  My husband who usually doesn't say much, said why don't you make a bunch of those, they are really neat.  Of course, If I had time to make a bunch, I wouldn't be stressing about getting everything I want done.

I have to unpack the trailer tomorrow and repack, so planning on taking more pics of things I have gotten made this week.

So hopefully , I will get to post tomorrow.

We are back from Savannah

Well, we made it back. One more show to go and we are finished for the year. I guess I am getting older, these shows are getting harder and harder to do. I know one thing, that we are going to have lighter displays next year. This display is my favorite, but way too heavy to tote anymore. It is hard for my hubby to handle it mostly by himself.

We had a good time at the show, met a bunch of "old friends" , it is funny, some of these people you see only once or twice a year and you feel as if you are old friends and known them forever.

The Show was good, it was down slightly from the past year. Everyone said it wasn't the best, and of course the economy was blamed, but who knows. But everyone I talked to, wasn't ready to give up the show yet. The Convention Center is one of the best we have ever been too, they furnish free parking to everyone, vendors get half price off their food. People are very friendly.

I took alot of pictures of the shows and some of my "friends" booth. They were very happy to share the pictures of their booth with you all.

I made up a few of the larger Annies from my Angel Annie pattern on the YAS line, but made her into a doll instead of an Angel.





My elf wreaths , reindeer wreaths and Annies.





My table with the tarts were set out front, tarts sold very well, everyone stopped to find out what the smell was. Alot of the older men seemed to love the tarts.

View of the Convention Center from across the river.

Entrance to the Show.

The entrance hall was all decorated with lighted trees, so pretty at night.

We went across the river, and anyone who has been to Savannah knows about the River Street Candy store. They have the best pralines and gophers. Bought over 2 pounds and some taffy.

My daughter, Samantha and her boyfriend, Sean, came up Friday night and stayed all day Saturday and Saturday night. They watched the booth while Todd and I went across the river and looked around. This picture is taken in front of the candy shop. They have a Santa sitting in the window and you can sit on his lap.

My Husband loves to come to Savannah, he loves all the old buildings and riding the ferry. Of course, every Satuday night after the show, we eat at one of the restaurant on the water front and get sea food. We especially love the crab shop they have.

One of the large ferry boats.

One of my favorite booths. Penny does the neatest wooden ornaments and personalizes them. She does a great job and has a terrific looking booth.

She was still setting up when I took these pictures, but she wouldn't let me snap her picture.

Penny's tree is decorated with painted lightbulbs that look like snowman.

Picture of Penny's booth

Another one of my favorite booths, this lady does extreme primitives, does not use a pattern. So most of her items are one of kind. She has great looking booth.

More of her prim dolls.

Her prim dolls and bears.

Some of her hanging angels, she uses a lot of recycled fabrics and cutter quilts.

this booth is anothe favorite of mine, it is by Marcia Sebastian and Gina Eibest and their business is called "Inspirations" they do the cutest bears.

I have several of their Christmas bears, I love boyd's bears and became a collecter some time ago and then saw theirs and have to get one every year now.

So we did enjoy the show, got caught up with other crafters. The ladies I have listed above will all be at the Christmas made in South show in Jacksonville Fl, on Thanksgiving weekend. That will be my last show for this year and kind of glad. This has been an extremely hard year for me and ready to relax a little and get ready for Christmas.

Snowman sleds and Longjohn pattern

Been working really hard these last few days. I made a couple of my Snowman heads from the Prim Snowman Wreath pattern and put them on some of the rustic sleds. I had these sleds in my shed, finally unburied them and they turned out really well, now I wish I had some sleds to use for my Santa Heads.
I have to get the trailer packed up tomorrrow as they are forcasting rain from the hurricane headed toward the panhandle. I didn't even know anything was out there, been so long since I watched the news.
I had many requests for the longjohns pattern, I have added to the sharebox. If you have any problems, just let me know.
Well, this is a short post for today, back to work, but wanted to share the pattern for the longjohns.

Quick and Easy

I wanted to get some quick and easy items done today. While going through my mom's crafting supplies after she died, I found some coal she had been keeping. I ran across the old feedsack image from ewe n me printables and found one that work with a lump of coal . So I transferred the design onto iron on transfer paper and ironed them to my little muslin bags. I put one lump of coal in each bag. I will put a low price on these for stocking stuffers.

Next, I made up some little long johns. These were fun and quick to make. I put little buttons down the front and on the flap in back. I had some white doll clothes hangers left over and used these with the longjohns. I put a little prim tag that said "Santa's Long johns" on it. I hope to get enough of these made to decorate a small tree.

I hope to get some Santa's finished tonight and hopefully pictures of them to post tomorrow. Happy crafting and please check back.

More Crafting

It has been a rough week, it started out with just a tiny ache in my tooth, which of course, I ignored. I just keep pretending it isn't hurting and you guessed it, woke up Wednesday morning with my jaw all swollen and tooth hurting so bad, I wanted to cry. I went to the doctor and he prescribed a strong antibiotic and painkiller, it has been 1 day and the pain isn't as bad. But why didn't I go to the dentist to start with, instead of waiting. It is so hard to work when you are in pain.

But did manage to get some bears done, using a Sweet Meadows farm pattern. These have always sold well for me.

Next, I got some 12" wreaths and made my Santa's reindeer head and stuck in the wreaths, and finished off with some wooden signs and a Peace ornament I bought from Walmart. These are so easy to make.

We leave for the show in Savannah next Thursday, I don't know where all the time has gone, didn't get nearly half of what I wanted to get done or finished yet. So I will be up late for the next few nights working hard.

Should have some other items ready to show you tomorrow.
take care and happy crafting