House Repairs at a Standstill

Well, here's my house as of Sunday.  It has been a week and a half since the tree fell on the roof.  I'm still waiting to hear from the insurance adjuster and still waiting for the carpenter to get in touch with me.  There's nothing I can do until I hear from them.  At least the rain has stopped...for now anyway.  I need to get this mess fixed so I can get on with my crafting.  I've got orders too fill ASAP.

Rain, Rain Go Away (3rd verse)

Rain, rain go away

Come again another day!

I don't want my house to leak!

Would you like to take a peek?

Yep, my house is under there somewhere!  The weather got pretty rough just hours before I was to leave for my craft show in Mississippi.  That's when the HUGE tree on the north end of my house split and fell across the roof (almost full length).  Most mornings I can hardly get out of bed due to my aches and pains.  When that tree hit at 4:30 a.m. that morning, I was out of that bed and wide awake in seconds.  Never thought of my pains!  I was just thanking the good Lord that tree wasn't in bed with me!

Within hours I had filed an insurance claim and my insurance agent had a team of tree cutters clearing my roof.  I left everything in my brother-in-law's (and sister's) capable hands and I left only 2 hours later than planned for my show.

Now the show is another story.  I'll post that later.

Rain, Rain Go Away (2nd Verse)

Rain, rain go away!
I've got another outdoor craft show Thursday!
Rain, rain go away, please!
I need to sell a lot of Santa cypress knees!

The Lord was good to us all for the Barn Sale in Camden, AR last weekend.  The rain stopped.  The craft show area was dry.  However, the parking lot (or rather "parking pasture") was not.  Customers had to park anywhere they could find.  Some were shuttled in from area church parking lots.  I'm just thankful that things went as well as they did.

Now, watching the weather reports, I see I need to be praying for the rain to clear out once again.  Boy, I'm glad I only do two outdoor shows a year.

Come see us on the McAlister's Deli parking lot in Canton, MS (not TX...MS) Thursday, Oct. 8th!

Can the Girl Pack or What?

Well the van is loaded and ready to pull out in the morning...rain or shine!  What you see is a 10' x 20' tent, all the display stands and all my inventory.  I've had people just stand and watch as I start pulling it all out.  They say it reminds them of the clowns getting out of the VW at a circus.  It just keeps coming and coming.

I've also had people just as amazed while watching me pack it all back in the van at the end of a show.  There's a place for everything and everything is in its place.

Rain, Rain, Go Away...

Rain, rain, go away!

I've got an outdoor craft show Saturday!
Rain, rain, go away, PLEASE!
I don't want water up to my knees!

Don't you just hate it when it rains on your parade or as in this case, your craft show?  I've been so pumped and busy getting ready for my first craft show for 2009!  Then the dreaded forecast...rain, rain, rain!!!

I had the same dilemma last week.  At the last minute, I had just about decided to do our local craft show.  Then came the forecast...40% chance of rain.  Knowing I had two big shows in the next couple of weeks, I opted to stay home rather than take a chance of getting soaked.  Wrong decision!  No rain...even the sun made an appearance!

I (and problably several 100 other folks) am praying for the weather to move on out earlier than expected this weekend also.

Here are a few photos from the 2008 BPW Barn Sale in Camden, AR!

If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It

Pardon me while I get on my soap box!  For the last 25 years I have used Delta Ceramcoat acrylic paint for all my painting projects!  Now for some unknown reason (at least unknown to me) they have changed not only the packaging, but also evidently the paint within the bottle!!!  Big mistake!!!  They ruined a perfectly good product!

 It is kind of like the story of the Goldilocks and the Three Bears...Apple Barrel is too thin...Folk Art is too thick...Delta Ceramcoat is (make that was) just right!  What's a girl (Okay, I used that word lightly.) to do?

So far I've scoured the stores and internet for any paint in the old package.  That's the bottle with the rainbow on the label rather than the one with the colorful flower.  Fortunately, I've found a few, but when that is gone...I'm going to be in a pickle!

Any of you other painters/artists have any suggestions?  Please let me know!

A "Hot" Giveaway

Firecracker Kid is having a "hot" giveaway on Oct. 1st.  It's this neat primitive rolling pin / dough bowl holder.  Winner gets to choose color!  "Pop" on over and sign up.  Not that it will do you any good because I'm going to win!  (Only the stand is being given away.)

No Chimney, No Problem

If you don't have a chimney and your little one is worried about how Santa Claus will get into the house on Christmas Eve to leave all those longed for gifts, here's your sign! This is my original take on the familiar Santa's Magic Key. As it says in the note to Santa, just hang the key on an outside door so he can use his magic and this key to open the door. Then Santa can leave it by his cookie plate and you can keep it safe until he needs it again next year.

New Prim(ish) or Rustic Santas

The other day at the beauty shop, I ran into our local "Martha Stewart". She told me that she had planed some cypress lumber and thinking I might could use them to paint Santas on, she saved the rough end pieces. I agreed to try. I love a challenge occasionally. I went out to her house and her husband loaded them for me. Before I left, I also got to see the oak coffee table she had built after planing the boards. She had done an awesome job. Next, I was amazed at the two antique pieces she had refinished and even built a tri-fold mirror for one piece. Additionally, she had finished a replica of an antique wall clock for herself. (Sh! Don't tell anyone, but she's building some more for Christmas presents.)

Anyway, back to the Santas...here are some before and after photos. I had a lot of fun with this challenge. "Martha Stewart" gets first choice of course. More are in the works.

Before & After

Is this what you had in your mind's eye?