Making Firestarters..

Well girls..there's a chill in the air..and the billowing of smoke is on the horizon from the wood stoves and fireplaces. Nothing is better then a warm fire to sit by....so...
Let's have some fun today!! We will be making my version of fire starters. These are very easy and they make great gifts as well.

Here's what you'll need:
Medium sized and small pine cones - I find mine in the woods..but I do believe you can buy these at Walmart and at some of the home centers
Wax - I use old candles..but you can buy wax at Hobby Lobby.
Old Crayons - Better get digging in your child's toy box for these. Be careful..you don't know what you'll find in there.
Large tin coffee Can or wax pot- you can buy the wax burner at hobby Lobby
Tongs - to grab your cones with
Wax coated wicks - You may buy these at hobby Lobby
Cardboard egg cartons - beg these off your neighbors and friends
Cinnamon oil - used to scent your fire starters
Crushed bits of potpourri - I always use up the old stuff laying around. Make sure you crush it up pretty small.

Steps:

1. Melt your wax in your coffee can in a pot of boiling water on the stove.
2. Add your crayons for color (I love red for mine) and your cinnamon oil.
3. Lower the heat..you don't want this really hot!!(too hot of wax will seep through the egg cartons)
4. Cut your wick in 4" sections. Lay a wick in the bottom of each egg carton.
5. Pour your wax about 1/4 of the way up in your egg cartons.
6. Sprinkle just a bit of your crushed potpourri into the wax.
7. Carefully push your pine cone into the wax, making sure your wick is sticking out. This is what you'll light the fire starter with.
8. If you need to, carefully pour a bit more wax over the pine cones till the wax covers the bottoms of the pine cones.
9. Let these cool.
10. After they have cooled, cut each egg carton apart. Toss them into a big cello bag tie a bit of raffia the top, and you have a nice gift.
11. To use, lay one under your kindling that your use to start your fire with, light the wick and add your wood. The starter should burn for about 8 min. long enough to get a good burn going.

I do hope you enjoy making these. Have fun making different colors and scents. PLEASE be very careful using the wax. It is very hot and you can get burned.

Till next time....do something fun!!

Christmas is coming................

Well girls, now that Halloween is officially over, I can now jump straight into Christmas... maybe even bypass Thanksgiving altogether. HHmmmm....I wonder what my family would do if I plopped down a Turkey TV dinner in front of them on that sacred of all Holidays..

I've been sewing up a storm. I love making my 'Barn Baby's the most. It surprises me how much people adore these sweet creatures that I create. I must admit that they are a total labor of love for me. They each have such personality's that just scream 'Love me'!! I've been working on a Mouse 'Barn Baby' and a Reindeer.I also have some Santa's...Winter ladies..mice..oh I do love this season the most.

If I could give each new crafter one bit of advice....I'd tell them, do what you love. Not what everybody else loves. It's only when you can find your true passion can you really LOVE your work..and when you love your work, it will show. When you find that one true craft that you love doing, be it painting, sewing, writing....give it your whole heart. For when you put your heart in it.... can people see it...I mean really see it, and see the love and the passion that you've put into it. Don't do what everybody else is doing only because you THINK it might sell...do what you love to do....your true passion...let it scream 'here I am...I'm awesome and whether you like me or not.. I here'!! It might not happen over night...but it WILL happen. I promise that.

Just a few things going on at the website I need to mention.

Our Gift Certificate's are on sale all month long. Get a $50.00 certificate for $45.00!! No Limit!!

And we've LOWERED Our SHIPPING FEES!! Yup...you heard me right....just for you. ;o)

Well..I'm off to sew some eyeballs onto a Santa.

Till next time.....give whatever you do today passion!!!

Winter is on it's way!

Well....here it is a Saturday, and it's raining and cold. Had to finally turn on the heat......been putting that off for the past 2 weeks. We all looked like little Eskimos bundled up in all the blankets we could find....watching TV...the kids would all complain 'mom, please turn on the heat'.
Just hate the thought of them darn electric bills!
Ok...enough complaining, I promise. :o)
Working on my new 'Barn Baby's' today. They are just going to be SO cute! ALL Christmas ones too. I have my 'Customer Appreciation' sale tomorrow so I must finish up these sweet little gals. I've had so many emails asking when I'm going to have more dolls for sale....lol...it's wonderful that they are so loved, but with these wholesale orders, I've really fallen behind. I have 2 more large orders and I do believe I'm done till the beginning of the New year.
Hubby and I decided that we are taking the kids and heading for Texas. We'll be leaving Christmas Day, driving...I love driving....and be gone for 9 days. We haven't had a vacation in 12 years when we took the kids to Disney land. I've always wanted to see Texas, and the weather should be just so beautiful. I'm so excited. We have a 'Texas Fund Jar' that we are all adding to. It's been so wonderful seeing the kids adding to it. Our 13 year old son has added all his lawn mowing money.....that just tickles me to no end. Usually he's off spending it faster then he earns it, but not this time. Makes me feel really proud of them all.
Finishing up my article for the 'Primitive Times' magazine. This first issue is going to be really wonderful girls...so I suggest you download it on Nov 1st. There is just bunches of wonderful news and recipes...crafts..tips...OMG it's going to be great!! What a wonderful thing to be involved in......I work with some of the BEST gals!! They each have the biggest hearts....so please remember to check us out if you get a chance. :o)
Well my friends...I'm off to sew on more legs and arms. Till next time.....remember to check on your dolls that you have drying in the oven......don't want the smoke alarm going off!!

Todays News

I've been busier then a bee in a sunflower patch! Trying to catch up on orders, AND work on the new ones. The wholesale orders are really coming in now for the Christmas season, and that's a good thing...but boy do I drag my butt at the end of the day. I'm thinkin' of getting a few 'Man Slaves'.....so if you know of any good lookin' guys that can carry up to 150lbs.....Please let me know! :o)
We found out yesterday that daughter is 16weeks along, with a March 27th due date.....AND...we think it's a BOY!! Hubby was so excited. Ofcourse we HAD to go shopping after the Dr's appointment. I think we just about bought out the store. What fun!
I'm writing my article for the 'Primitive Times Magazine' that will be available to download on Nov.1st(make sure you download it...it's going to be filled with great stuff). I'm doing a sweet Fall pattern, and a few other little tidbits for Thanksgiving. I love being involved with this magazine. These gals are so kewl...and so sweet! I love being able to share ideas....and just chatting with then is a blast. Each one of them is a wonderful artist in her own right!! Make sure you visit their websites and blogs. You'll get a nice giggle for the day.

Well my friends....I'm off to sew, stuff and repeat......if you'd like to help, give me a holler. I'll leave the light on for ya!

How To Do it All..........

Sometimes I wonder how some woman can do it. 'Keep a datebook', one told me.....Write everything on a large calendar', said another.....And finally I was told ..Have everybody sit down once a week and write up a schedule'...Well, I'll tell you, I have a datebook....somewhere on my desk, well, if I could find my desk. I have yellow 'post-it's' covering the walls, computer, scanner, table ...Buffet, and the cats if they sit still long enough. And as for the 'Sit down time'......Well give me the LARGE calendar and I'll make sure to pencil THAT one in!!
After running this business for 2 years now...I've come to the conclusion that I'm what I am...and if your home for dinner...you'd better know how to cook or dial a phone or your going to starve. I'm not a super woman...I can FINALLY say that. If you want to visit me...give me atleast 2 days notice so I can roll the cathair off the couch, hide the dirty dishes in the oven, and toss the laundry in the closet.
Yup.....NOT a superwoman!! BUT....I CAN say that I LOVE my job!! I LOVE creating items that make people smile! I LOVE jumping out of the shower just to 'jot' down a idea that popped in my head. And most of all.....I LOVE my family! Because without them washing the load of whites so they all have some clean undies...or cleaning the dried paint off the floor...coffee maker and ceiling (Don't ask!)....and even going to work with glitter stuck to their butts, I'd be nothing. It's the love of my family that keeps me going. I'm so lucky to have them...I Thank God everyday.
So to all you 'Super women'...you go girls. I will always look up to you...and as for me...I can finally say that I'll NEVER be you....and you know what? That's ok!
Life is good!! :o)