I hope everyone had a great weekend. it was sunny and warm here so hubby and I worked on my pond.
It busted last year so we have to start over. I can't wait to get it finished. It is my place of solace.
Here's pics of what we have done so far. I will post more pics when we get it finished. Does anyone have any suggestions for perennial plants in the larger area of the pond? I want some flowers that bloom but not pansies. I appreciate any suggestions
Let the fun begin!!
First I would like to thank everyone for participating in my Summer Swap! I want this to be a fun swap so think summer and fun. I had 12 people sign up and I think this is the most I have ever had for a swap!! I love swaps so in the future if you would like to swap one on one, feel free to email me and I would love to swap with you.
I plan on having another swap closer to fall and make it a secret swap so check back in a month or so for these details.
The partners will be listed at the end. Since I don't know how to work this new blogger,UGH, I don't know how to get the names on separate lines so they will probably be side by side but I will leave a space in between if it lets me.
Let me go over the rules one more time.
There is a minimum of two gifts to be included, one handmade and one store bought. This could be anything from picnic items, garden items, seeds, small flags, etc. You can include as many as you like but at least 2.
Please send something that you would like to receive. Please mail your packages by May 25th so everyone will have their summer items for the entire summer.
Send your items first class or priority with confirmation and give your partner your confirmation number. Remember shipping rates when putting your package together. I want this swap to be fun, not break the bank.LOL
Contact your partner and get ideas on what she likes, allergies, colors, etc.
Please send me your blog, etsy shop, facebook, pinterest or any other links you have and I will forward them to your partner so that you can see each others interests. I will also post your info on my blog so that you can get exposure for your sites.
I think this covers it so without further delay, here are the names. Think Summer, HAVE FUN!!
1. Cindi from Piece by Piece - Susan from Keepsake Korner
2. Natalie from Tins and Treasures - Susan from Days too Short
3. dMichelle from Simple Pleasures - Wendy from Ravenwood Whimsies
4. Dorothy from Quilt n Dot - Linda from Country Pickens
5. Tam from Scentfully Country Gal - Kendra from The Stonehouse Prims
6. Lynn from Life on the Weineer Ranch - Valerie from Yorkie's Primitives
If I have missed anyone, please let me know so I can include you. I checked several times but I do make mistakes.LOL
I am having a giveaway next month and thinking Americana so be sure and check back to enter my giveaway. (Hint) There will be something special to honor our troops! I will be listing this info around the 1st of May.
If you have any questions about the swap please email me at valerie999@comcast.net. HAVE FUN!!!!
I just want to remind everyone that tommorrow is the last day to sign up for the swap. So if you would like to join in on the fun just scroll down and leave a comment or send me an email at valerie999@comcast.net and put swap in the subject line. So far this is who I have down to swap. If I have missed anyone just leave a comment and remind me. I will be giving out partners on Thurs somewhere around noon. Thanks everyone for joining my swap. Let's have fun!!! Dorothy from quiltndot, Lynn from life on the weinerranch, Kendra from thestonehouseprims, Natalie from tinsandtreasures, Tam from scentfullycountrygal, Linda from countrypickins, Susan from keepsakekorner, Cindi from cindispiecebypiece, Susan from daystooshort, Valerie from yorkiesprimitives, ARRGG!!!! Can someone tell me how to get these names on one line? I have tried twice and they just go back together after I hit publish!
You go to your favorite store and know where everything is and then BAM, they change everything! Then you have to look everywhere to find the things you want and just when you figure it out, they change it again.UGH!! I struggle with computers and just when I half way figure out what I am doing BAM, they change it!!!!! Now they have changed my blogger and I don't know what I am doing again. DOUBLE UGH!!!!! I HATE CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HELP!LOL Just a reminder that there are 4 more days to sign up for the Summer Swap. So if you haven't signed up and want to join in on the fun, just scroll down and leave a comment or email me at valerie999@comcast.net and let me know. Have a great weekend, Valerie
I know, it's not Monday.LOL But my Monday Morning Merchant this week is Laura from Cave Creek Primitives. Not only is Laura a talented artist, she is also a great team member that will help in any way she can.
Laura named her business after the surroundings of her home in Kentucky. She has a real Cave Creek and lots of caves in her area so what better name that Cave Creek Primitives?
She has been sewing and crafting most of her life but starting making primitives about 6 years ago. She opened her Etsy shop in 2010. She gets her inspiration from amny things including nature, her pets, other artists and sometimes they just pop in her head. She makes most of her designs and says that she rarely plans ahead. She will get an idea and draw it out and let it guide her where it wants to go. I am in awe of her creativity and she has a style all her own! She plans on making patterns to sell for some of her creations. All of her creations are rag stuffed with fabrics that she has left over. She uses lots of buttons for her dolls and she has a way of using botanicals that gives them their own look.
Laura has her own studio and feels really blessed to be able to do what she loves for a living. She gives a lot of her creations to family and friends as well as selling them.
I love Laura's designs! She has her own unique style and you can tell she takes real pride in her work. Here are a few of my favorite items that Laura has in her Etsy shop. This mouse loos so real and he is enjoying his cookie that he snatched.LOL
She has several pull toys and they remind me of old toys that pilgims would make for their children. Love them!
This little pig has always been one of my favorites. 
And this crow is just toooooo cute!!
Here's the links to Laura's sites so be sure and check out her other designs and stop by her blog.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/cavecreekprimitives
http://cavecreekprimitives.blogspot.com
http://cavecreekprimitives.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/lauraohdesigns
And I am having a Summer Swap. We would love to have you join in on the fun. Just scroll down to read about it.
Oh my gosh, I won Linda's Bringing Home the Tree Mouse!!! I can't believe I was this lucky. I will post pics as soon as it gets here. Thanks Linda, you have made my day!!!
I love swaps! I get sooo excited when I get my package in the mail! I so enjoy getting items that others have made and admire their creativity. I also like giving swaps. I love trying to think of what they would like from conversing with them and then putting it together.
So, let's have a summer swap! Summer is so much fun and there are so many things you can make or buy for summer. I want this to be a fun swap so put your thinking hats on and get geared up for summer!!
I want this to be easy so the rules are going to be simple. Remember shipping costs while you are putting your swap together.
You must be a follower of this blog. This way I can keep up with everyone and make sure everyone gets their swap.
Be sure and mail swap on time so that everyone can have their goodies for the entire summer.
Play nice. Send something that you would like to get in return.
Send first rate or priority with confirmation. Please send your partner the confirmation number when you have mailed it.
If you don't want to ship to Canada please let me know by email so that I will not partner you up with a Canadian partner. I have friends in Canada so it doesn't bother me.
There will be a minimum of two gifts to be sent, one handmade, the other store bought. Think ladybugs, watermelons, bees, birds, bird feeders, anything for summer. Store bought can be a small garden flag, garden tools, garden gloves, flower seeds, anything that is cute or can be used for summer. If you want to send more than 2 that's fine but send at least 2.
Make the entire package be at least $20.00 in value. This would be what you would sell your item for and the cost of the store bought item. I don't want to delete your bank account.LOL
Also contact your partner and see what she likes, dislikes, any allergies, etc.
So if you are in for a fun swap just leave a post here or send me an email at valerie999@comcast.net
So come on everyone, sign up and have fun with this swap. You have until April 25th to sign up and packages need to be mailed by May 25th. This gives everyone 1 month to decide what to send and time to make it. Have fun!! If you have any questions, feel free to email me at valerie999@comcast.net
And I have added some new items in my Etsy shop. Here's a peek at two of them.
Check out my other items in my Etsy shop. www.yorkiesprimitives.etsy.com
I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Blessed Easter! I hope you get to spend it with family and friends.
My family is coming after church and I am fixing ham with all the trimmings. Then we will have our traditional Easter Egg Hunt. I still love hiding and hunting eggs.LOL
But while you are enjoying your Easter with family and friends be sure and say a prayer for our soldiers and their families. They have to spend Easter away from home fighting for our right to have freedom.
Also remember what Easter is all about and teach our kids that Easter is not about the eggs or the bunnies but it is the celebration of Jesus sacrifice on the cross so that we may have eternal life! This is a sacrifice that no one else can ever give!
So enjoy Easter but remember to celebrate the Reason!!
Happy Easter Everyone!!!!!
PFAF had an Easter Basket swap and my partner was Natalie from Tins and Treasures.
Well my box came today and I was so excited that I tore it open in the car.LOL I can't believe how bad Natalie spoiled me!
I got the most adorable Easter tin with an Easter bunny fabric panel on the front filled with socks, an adorable picture book, 3 boxes of peeps(my favorite candy), some plates and napkins and one of her mug wraps! I love this tin and everything in it!! Thank you so much Natalie, you made my day!!!
Now you know why I love swaps.LOL I will be announcing my swap next week so everyone think summer and get ready to join in on the fun!
Check out Natalie's Etsy shop. She has some adorable items for sale.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/tinsandtreasures
Here's a couple of my favorites in her shop. This angel pillow is adorable!
I love her infinity scarves. She makes them in a multitude of colors.
Guess what was left on my doorstop today! My winning Easter Bunny in a wooden vase from Vicky at Paintspots and Splinters and is is soooooo SDORABLE!! Vicky is such a veery talented painter! Thank you Vicky, I LOVE my Easter Bunny and Vase! I put it on my old cubby with a quilted Easter Egg that I made and it is soooo cute! She also sent me a yummy smelling Pecan Pie tart/ I would give anything to be able to paint like Vicky does.
And I have some new listings in my Etsy shop. I have made an Americana Doll and an Americana Star with Eagle make do. Head over and check out my other listings.
My Monday Morning Merchant is Barb from Barb's HeartStrokes. Barb is a very talented painter and works on a variety of mediums and paints seasonal as well as everyday paintings. I have some of Barb's magnets and they are adorable. Here is what Barb has to say about her shop.
1) Name of your business and how you got your name?
‘Heartstrokes ’ came about because I was an Intensive Care Cardiac
nurse and was learning to paint. So between my job and learning to
paint they were both quite a challenge. But anything that is a
challenge usually is worth it. So when I started a business it seemed
natural to combine the two.
2) How long have you been in business?
I have been painting for about 15 years. My husband was in the Air
force and was deployed overseas so I took an acrylic painting class at
a local craft store and loved it! It has now become my therapy. I have
been on Etsy going on two years. I still do local craft shows here in
Utah and occasionally back in Las Vegas.
3)Who or what inspires you?
Many artists of the painting and stitchery world inspire me: fun, folk
art, primitive, whimsical patterns and COLORS!
4)What is your creative style, primitive, country, folk art?
My style is a mix of primitive, country, folk art and a bit of whimsy
basically anything that catches my eye!
5)What medium do you use in creating, clay, fabric, altered art, wood
etc. explain here if you would like to about your business and what
you make and sell.
I love painting on black screen because there is little to no prep! I
love working with acrylic paints due to the fact that it dries fast
and is fairly forgiving if you make a mistake. I also love to paint
on….everything! (If you have no paint on your clothes they are not
worth wearing!) I hand paint everyday and seasonal designs on framed
fiberglass black screen with acrylic paint. My style has a flair of
folk art, primitive, and whimsy. I also paint ornaments, magnets, and
any surface that looks interesting to me weather it be wood, tin,
rusty tin, fabric, or paper. I have lucked out in the fact that my dad
makes the frames from reclaimed barn wood or plain wood and my husband
will cut wood for me if I need something cutout. I have also branched
out and designed some of my own designs as well and sale the patterns
in my shop.
How cute is this Easter sign? I just love it!
Here's an adorable ornament to display for Americans holidays!
These chickens would be adorable in anyone's kitchen who loves chickens as much as I do!
Love, love, love this little Ladybug! It would be soooo adorable sitting near some plants!
Be sure and click on Barb's links and check out all her wonderful creations.
6)What are your links (list your etsy shop, eBay, web site, blogs etc.)
http://www.etsy.com/shop/barbsheartstrokes
http://barbsheartstrokes.blogspot.com/
http://twitter.com/#!/BsHeartstrokes
barbsheartstrokes@gmail.com
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