Ta Da!

Here's the beginning results of our party, and it was lovely.

We just relaxed, yik-yakked, and made pretty paper flowers.

My favorite ended up being this style, which we all disliked very much when we started!I can just hear Carol now... where's the color?

Sorry, I can't help myself.

We did make some very colorful ones that did not work in this area at all!

I just love the outcome!

Thanks for the help, ladies... I hope to do it again soon.

When They Say They Want to Help!

It's a party and you're invited... tomorrow (3/22/2012) at 11am, and it's not a blog party, it's the real deal. Real warm bodies, the real smell of a hot glue gun and lots of chatter.

Katie and I have been working on back drops and displays this winter.
Tomorrow brings on paper flowers, and when I have mentioned this, a couple of you have piped right up and wanted to join in on the creating.

Well, come on.

Bring tissue, paper grocery bags, scissors, glue guns, staplers... whatever.

Bring a lunch as well.

We've got it all planned out... well not really. But hey, sometimes that's when the most creative energy flows and glows!

Fun in the "off" season.

xoxo
Angie

ps... if your flowers are a dud, it just won't matter!

New Arrivals at the Shop!

We just recieved a great stash of the memo boards made from vintage burlap and cotton seed and grain bags! I love how they look on the old barn walls we had made.
Different shapes and sizes,

Embelishments

and pockets.

We're open Saturdays, so stop in!

We'd love to see you.

Angie

You Can Take the Girl Out of Texas... Three Things.

Have you ever read the Talkin' Trash blog?
Well, she's from Texas, my home state.
When she's not blogging about her shows coming up, like Zapp Hall, her hubby and all things that strike her fancy, she's writin' stories and just tellin' it like it is.
Whenever I read her blog my accent comes back... even if I'm not speaking.
She reminded me of this: 1. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Frito Pie.
Slit open the side of a small bag of Fritos, pile on some canned chili, add some cheese and you have what I thought was the best meal that had ever been invented. (come on, we all did)
At Memorial Elementary in Plano, Tx. this was mighty high and mighty fine cuisine served at the annual Halloween Carnival... oh let's just say in the "70's".

2. Grocery Store Feet.
Curious to see if you know what this is. You can read her blog or just leave a comment with your best guess. I had not heard this term since I was a young 'un (I don't think I've ever said or spelled young un' but I can't help myself), but I know what it is.

3. "I'm fixin' to..."
This means "I'm about to..." it's a verb.
Now this one did not come from Talkin' Trash, but I needed to share this one.
I have a Face Book friend that I haven't seen since early high school. She was born in MI. lived a while in Texas, moved back to MI. and back in TX as a couple of months ago.
Bare with me.
Carrying her little daughter into the bathroom, the precious girl (bless her heart) asks her Mother what was about to happen next.
Well, the window was open and the faint smell of a skunk wafted through, and out of her mouth came "I'm fixin' to give you a bath".

LOL to the big time. I cannot tell you how much this tickled me!
If the smell of skunk hadn't "wafted" in, she might have just said, "It's time for your bath".

Magic!

Okay. One last thing, and I have to admit that I still say this from time to time. On special, occasions.

"They ain't...".
This is the lead into
"There is no way..."
"That's not happening..."

It's not "They aren't...".
Not to mention, it needs to be said with big ole eyes and arm jestures.

Law! I'm all tuckered all over this entire thang.

Nite, nite.

Change

What the heck?
I will be 50 this coming June.

The reality is that the last few years have been a bit more of a burden than a joy.
Not that we've been without joys, it's just that the other has seemed to enjoy the spotlight a bit more.
For so many reasons.
You've all been there, I don't need to explain.

I love, I adore my shop. Wait, it's not the shop, it's the customers and friends I have made throughout the years that have been so very kind and supportive. Frankly, if that's all there was, that would be enough.

A while back, I actually wondered what it would be like to close Viva la Cottage.
It sure would take some pressure off of me!

At that very scary moment of "what if", I decided I needed to shut up and turn off.

Listen.
Just be quiet and listen.

Light bulb.
(I was going to say an "A-Ha" moment, but we'll leave that to Oprah)

I am going to bring my game back.
Creative displays.
Fabulous events.

This, which will set us up for 2013.
Over the top... for all of us.

Stay tuned.