My Fall Line Up

Well, the Evening Farmers Market here in Statesville is over until next April.  Here's a peek of my fall items I had for sale, and once I get photos taken, they will be listed in my The CraftStar Shop.

Hannah was even photographed a few weeks ago for our local newspaper.

Here's a little guy that I didn't get finished in time for the market...but there's still time to take him home for Thanksgiving (once I take better pics and list him).

Well, I guess my work isn't going to finish itself, so I need to get back on the crazy merry go round that is my life.  I have 3 more craft shows this month, plus my boys coming home for Thanksgiving, plus the crazy busy 4 day weekend...

Are you ready for the year end mad dash????

Be blessed,

Debbi

(here's a little something to help you remember what's most important)

Saturday Shopping Link Up - Giving Thanks

All righty, we are now into the month of November, and like I was saying yesterday, let's slow down and enjoy this season before rushing headlong into Christmas.  I know that I will be putting up my outside Christmas lights before Thanksgiving, but I will NOT turn them on until the day after Thanksgiving.  Which is the designated day to go tree hunting.  Amanda wants to start a new tradition, we are all going to pile in our cars and drive up the mountain to a tree farm (not the local tree stand), complete with hay rides and hot cocoa.  Chuck is good with that, as long as he doesn't have to hike into the woods and cut the tree down himself.  We used to do this a very long time ago when my children were very little, and it was such fun, despite the below zero temperatures and snow (it was Buffalo, NY after all).  So before we start our linky party, let's see what I found to share...

Oh my, talk about family memory flashbacks...this is sooooo my mom.  She was a wonderful redhead artist who loved the color orange, and she would have loved these cloth napkins from rearchitect.  No traditional fall colors for her, oh no, she had a bit of orange on everything.  And I do mean everything.  Mom went home in 2000, and I miss her so much that orange has become my favorite color.  I hated it as a teen, but I am drawn to it as if by a magnet now that I'm....well, no longer a teen, heehee.

And since this has turned into a memory post as well as a party post, I was happy to have found this embroidered hand towel by quiltsbydebbie.  You see, my oldest sister, (and my second mother) Kathy helped my mom care for me, since I was the youngest of 6.  I was told that Kathy just claimed me for herself from the day I was born.  Now, Kathy is with mom.  She lost her battle with breast cancer at the too young age of 50, in 2001.  This towel is special because as much as mom loved orange, Kathy was crazy over racoons.  And I do mean crazy, lol.

OK, enough melancholy memories, now to perk things up, I think I'll grab this very cute dog collar from RogueCollars for my Pee Wee.  After all, even our pets deserve to join us in our celebrations, :~D

Ok, now it's your turn....time to search your shops/blogs/whatevers and link up what makes you thankful.  And invite all your friends, snacks and drinks are on me!

Debbi

don't forget your Thanksgiving decorations

Yesterday, Amanda told me that they had started playing Christmas music at Walmart, and I've seen the commercials already starting, and it makes me want to say....WHOA!  Did Thanksgiving just disappear?  Why do we rush our lives like that?  Or is it the large retail stores that rush the seasons so they can make more money?  Well, I say, STOP.  Life is short enough as it is, let's enjoy every season and holiday.  Thanksgiving is an important date in American history, for a very important reason, the first settlers were thankful to our Mighty God for caring for them that first year here in our new country, just as He still is doing today.  So let's celebrate God's hand on this country, and on our lives, and thank Him for another year to live, and to love.

And on that thought, I want to share some wonderful items to decorate your home and to remember to give thanks when you're chowing down with your loved one.

Wits End Designs (from the Capsteam) has this wonderful cross stitch towel to remind us as we cook, how blessed we are for what we have been given.

And BusybeeHolidays (also from the Capsteam) has this delightful straw broom with cornhusk doll.

Here's a great reminder of why we give thanks, a simple painted wood wall hanging.  Sometimes less is more and I particularly like how DawnsPainting kept this simple to match any home decor style. Or how about using this handpainted card from EmptyOnTheInside to invite someone special to share the day with you?

Here's a great Thankful jar from CreationsFromMyHands. As your guests arrive, have them each add a slip of paper to the jar listing what they are thankful for.  My wonderful niece keeps a jar all year long, and when something wonderful happens, they put it in the jar.  Then at dinnertime, they can read how God blessed them all thru the year.  And don't forget to decorate your food with this cupcake decorating kit from Primpmycupcakeshop.  Cupcakes are an easy dessert the children can help make, and this kit makes it even easier for little ones to help decorate.  And then there is our home decor items.

There's still plenty of time before Thanksgiving to order any of these items to help you enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday.  And please, shop homemade or your local small business this holiday season, you won't be disappointed.

Debbi

And before I forget, tomorrow's linky party theme will be, giving thanks!  Or Thanksgiving. <3