Great giveaway!

My friend, Pam, at Antique or Not is having a great 100th post giveaway! She is offering a $25 gift certificate from her store or website. Her store is right up the road from my work and let me tell you . . . it is awesome! Jump over to her blog at Antique or Not and get your name in the hat! Although, I hope I get it so I can do some Fall shopping! Her stuff always looks so inviting!

Change of Plans!

Well, I started the shop with the plans to be open Thurs-Sat. I work part time as a Bookkeeper for an Electrician in Indian Trail, NC. I was just informed that they need me to start working in their office on Thursdays. I am looking for an alternative so that I could still open the shop on Thursdays but it looks like, until I figure something out, I will have to change the store hours.
I will be open Fri - Sun.
I have been talking to a lady who has some great handmade decorative jewelry. She is going to be bringing some items to the shop and says she may be able to work on Thursdays in return for placing her items in the shop. This actually would work out great for both of us!
I am going to start this Thursday to help them out. Of course, it is more hours so that equals more pay but I won't get to open the shop!
I am sorry about this and hope to have something figured out pretty soon. Until then, please stop by our website, Back In The Day, to shop 24/7!
Thanks!
Nicole

Sunflowers, sunflowers!

I found this cute sunflower idea and they were so easy to make! I sat down with my muslin and Fall fabrics and got to work! I think they turned out so cute! I am going to make a few more for pin cushions and attach them to springs and clay pots but for now - these are the ones I finished. I just inserted little white lollipop sticks into the bottoms and VOILA instant flowers!

I had this cute water pitcher on hand and just stuck them down in it. I couldn't believe how easy they were to make. These are perfect to make out of those scraps of fabric we all have around!

A new giveaway!

It is Jen's birthday and she is celebrating by having a giveaway! What an adorable doll! I can't believe she is giving her away! Be sure to go over to http://purtygirlprimitives.blogspot.com/ to register!

Thanks Farmchick!

I participated in Farmchicks "Pay It Forward" game a week or so ago. I opened my mailbox today to find my package of goodies that she sent out! First was a tube of her handmade soy chapstick. It was her "Honey Bee Mine" scent. This stuff is amazing! I am hooked! The second item was a rusted tin Christmas tree with Santa painted on the front. It came with a wire hanger.

I was so excited! I immediately took a picture of my treasures before I tore open the chapstick! I couldn't wait to try it. I have never used Soy chapstick so I was interested. She makes these as well as lots of yummy candles. You can check out her blog at "Fresh From The Farm" and her website "Prairie Acscents" for more of her great homemade treats!

Thanks Farmchick!

~~I LOVE YOUR BLOG AWARD!~~

WOW! I just received my very first Blog Award! I am so excited! I received this award from Sandy at For the Love of Prims and Farm Chick at Fresh from the Farm! Thank you so much guys! I read both blogs daily and love thm! You should jump over to their pages and check them out! They are awesome!

Now for the rules of the award are as follows:

1. The winner can put the logo on her blog.

2. Link the person you received your award from.

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs.

4. Put links of those blogs on yours.

5. Leave a message on the blogs of those you’ve nominated.

So, here is who gets my "I Love Your Blog" Award in no particular order:

1. Linda from "Behind My Red Door"

2. Covered Porches and Wooden Screen Doors

3. Carolyn at "Cranberry Crossings"

4. Farm Chick at "Fresh From The Farm"

5. Mandie from "Life in the Craft Lane"

6. Merrie from "Where the Blackbirds Sing"

7. Rondell from "Tomatoe Creek Primitives"

8. Tiffany from "Tiffanys Primitive Place"

This was very hard to do and I really wanted everyone to get the chance to have this award because it is so true. I think everyone has already received this award in my blog list - (I am not the only one who knows how great these ladies are!) In my favorite blog list, I believe that everyone deserves this award because I try every day or every other day to visit everyone's blogs. I just LOVE them all.

Thanks!

Nicole

Customers gift

A few weeks ago, a lady came into my store on a Saturday afternoon. She had been in before when my daughter was working so this time she was just "popping in" to see what new things I had gotten in. Her name was Flora or Ms. Flora as I call her. She was retired and loves all things primitive and country. She is from El Salvador and we instantly hit it off.
She had told her husband that he was in need of a haircut! Come to find out, she only did that because I am beside the Barber Shop in town. She thought she could pop in while he was getting a trim. She was telling me that she and her husband had just moved to North Carolina from New Jersey because their daughters had moved here. They didn't know many people and wanted to know the best places to eat, shop, and so on.
Once her husband had finished at the Barber Shop, he stopped over to get her. She invited me over to their house so that I could see how she had decorated her home in Country and Primitive goodies. I told her I would love to. She gave me directions and we made plans for me to come over after I closed the shop.
About 5:30 or so, I headed off to Ms. Flora's house. I pulled in her driveway and noticed all of the cute buckets filled with plants and a set of old rocking chairs on her porch that were the same set that my grandmother always sat in. As soon as she opened the door, she gave me a hug! She took me on a tour of her beautiful home! She kept joking that she loved Country and she wasn't even from this country! Her husband just let us do our thing - he paid no attention to us roaming all over the house! Finally, we all came to rest in the living room. We talked for hours about decorating, her life in NJ, my life in NC, . . . .
She had a stencil that read "All Because Two People Fell In Love" and she showed me where she wanted to put it in her living room. Her husband, Mr. Louie, expressed how he did not like the look of the stencil directly on the wall in the living room. We tried to think of other places she could use the stencil and left it at that. After a few hours, my own family was starting to think I was missing in action so I thought I better head home.
A few days later, I started thinking about them and how nice they were. They welcomed me into their home as if we had known each other for years. They even had joked that I was younger than their own children.
I wanted to repay them for their hospitality so I started thinking. I made Ms. Flora a stitchery for her wall . . . in her living room . . . just like she had wanted. It was the saying that meant so much to her . . . "All Because Two People Fell In Love". Except this time, it was framed, just like Mr. Louie had wanted.

She came by today to visit with me. I pulled out the stitching and gave it to her. She was so excited! She couldn't wait to get home to put that up on her wall!
I never knew when I opened the shop that I would get to meet so many amazing people! I love talking to each and every customer that comes in! There are so many stories told in that little shop! I feel blessed to have met so many wonderful people in the three months that I have been open!

A Great Fall Giveaway!

Ok folks! You have to check out the wonderful Fall Giveaway over at Behind My Red Door. She has a great selection of Fall goodies that she is offering. If you want to play in the giveaway and you are on my blog BUT you are NOT listed under favorites on her blog leave her a comment to say I sent you. You only have a few more days to get your name in the hat! Good Luck!

Whatcha Working On Wednesday . . .

Man, what a dreary day! It has been raining all day - not that we don't need the rain but it sure makes for a sleepy day! I have been so busy getting everything ready for Fall! I have been working day and night on new items for the store and website. I couldn't wait for Wednesday so I could show all of you!

Anyway, I love crows. I guess everyone into prims probably does! I wanted some to "stand around" on shelves, tables, etc. I have been looking into the rusty bed springs but they seem to get a bit expensive. I hate spending so much in material - then you have to charge more for the item just to recoop your costs! I started looking around the house for something to make them stand on their own . . .and then it came to me - I have a whole bag of old wooden spools that I bought a year or so ago. These would be perfect!

My final project . . .

I gave them some cute buttoned eyes and I think they are adorable! I think I am going to make a few more (without the spools) and put them in a fall wreath. Who knows? That may be my project next week . . . lol!

Pay It Forward!

My dear friends, Rondell at Tomatoe Creek Prims and Farmchick at Fresh From the Farm posted this "Pay it forward" on their blog and I decided to play along. It looks like it will be a lot of fun!

This is how it works: I will send a gift of my choice to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this "Pay it forward" exchange. You must make the same pledge on your blog! Please keep the item small so that it can be mailed in a mailing envelope or small box. So, if you want some goodies from me and you are willing to do the same on your blog, leave a comment and let me know!!! I will need your email and mailing address from each of you so that I can get your goodies out in the mail.

Let's PAY IT FORWARD!!!

Some alone time!

Yesterday, my husband helped a friend move some tractor trailers from Charlotte to Georgetown. Each trip took about 7 hours! On top of that, both kids were gone for the weekend! Finally, I was home alone! What am I going to do! No dinner to cook . . . Nobody to clean up after . . . Nobody needing anything! WOW!

Now it has been a long time since I have been home alone. The first few hours I managed the remote. I watched all the HGTV and TLC I could stand! At one point the cable froze and there it was . . . silence! The kids TV wasn't on, there was no one tapping on the computer keys, no phones ringing, no text messages ringing . . . silence! At that moment I realized one thing . . . I did not like it! I missed the kids, the husband, the mess, the noise, all of it!

So, to distract myself, I did the only thing that would get my mind off of it . . . I started crafting! I grabbed some Muslin and started going through my pattern book. I stitched this cute saying that I found online a few months ago.

Then, I started on my Candy Cane Ornies. It didn't take long to do these - just a simple pattern, paint and stain.

I then started on a set of 5 sunflowers. I had a cute pattern for these and started on them but they aren't quite finished yet. As soon as I get them completed, I will be sure to post pictures!

All in all, I had a good night. Finished a few projects, watched a little tv, good times! I probably shouldn't have watched so much HGTV though. I started looking around the house and noticed things I needed to paint, rearrange, update . . . UGGGGH! I guess as long as I have projects to do, I never have to worry about being BORED!

I hope everyone has a good weekend (what is left of it!)

Whatcha Workin On

Well, as usual, I am a day late. I am supposed to write on Whatcha Workin On Wednesday but, as you can see, it didn't happen. So . . . I wanted to share with you all these new pillows I am working on. I had some of this red gingham fabric left over from my curtains at the shop so I decided to make a few small pillows! Once I got the pillow itself made, I handstitched different sayings on the front.

I thought these would be so cute on a shelf, bed, just about anywhere! These were a lot of fun to make! My daughter came to the shop and helped me stuff them! We had the best talk while stuffing!

I thought about how ironic it was that the "Bless Our Home" pillow actually allowed us the opportunity to sit and chat! With the hussle and bussle of teenagers, working full time, dinner, and so on, there isn't a whole lot of time to "catch up". We had the best afternoon, sitting, stuffing and chatting! I can only hope that these pillows bring others as much joy as they brought me that afternoon!

Getting ready for Fall!

We have been busy getting the shop ready for Fall and let me tell you guys, it has taken a life of it's own! Every time I would think "Okay, it is time to bring out the pumpkins" I would look around the store and think "Well, let me paint that first" or "That shelf would look better over there". Both of these required assistance in getting it completed. My wonderful children came to the rescue!

My daughter, Miranda, opened up with me on Friday. She painted a table for me and helped me move the Americana stuff to another wall. Of course, that required moving the items from that wall to another wall and so on! By the end of the day, I believe everything in the store had been moved at least once!

Then today my son, Colton, came up to the shop around lunch time. (I only live a few blocks from the shop so they stop in from time to time when they are bored!) I was busy finishing my candy corn ornies. We then took everything off the tables (yes, the same stuff my daughter and I set there the day before) and put the Fall tablecloths out. I couldn't believe the difference with just a little bit of fabric! We went to the back room and pulled out ceramic pumpkins, fall leaves, grapevine wreaths . . . Finally, it all started coming together!

I am still busy working on my handmade fall stuff (pumpkins, candles, ornies and bowl fillers) but for now, Fall is among us at Back in the Day!

We are planning our Fall Open House on August 14th-16th. We still have a bit to do but if it wasn't for the kids coming by, I would still be knee deep in fabric and pumpkins!

I have posted a few pictures to show what we have finished so far . . .

Not too much finished here - still a work in progress!

This is the shelf we painted black on Friday. A much neater way to display stuff!

I love the old watering can filled with the birch branches!

My favorite corner! So Shabby Chic!

Well, there you have it! That has been just a glimpse into our busy weekend! Keep in mind that I may post pictures next week and everything will be moved again! I get bored and move stuff around all the time so . . . you never know what it is going to look like! I have customers ask me all the time "Is that new" and I tell them "No, I just moved it from over there!"