NEW YEARS WISHES

I cannot believe that it is already 2010. I was always told that time flies the older you get and that my friends is no lie! WHEW! Where on earth does it go? Hopefully alot of it is spent with your loved ones: vacations, bedtime stories, walks in the park, snuggled on the couch, exploring nature, going to soccer games, baseball games, gramma and grandpa's house, game night, date nights...... Hopefully some more of it is spent with your friends, out to dinner, SHOPPING FOR JUNK, chatting on the phone, grabbing lunch, having coffee, being a shoulder to cry on, lending an ear.

Lord knows the rest of the time we are either driving , dropping off, doctors appts, taking the dog to the groomers, picking up, post office, bank, groceries, laundry, getting the oil changed, getting gas, library, car wash, dry cleaners, our job, driving some more....laundry again, fixing dinner, packing lunches, dusting (does anybody really dust on a regular basis or just when company is coming???),emptying the dishwasher,changing the bedding, meetings, clubs,school, exercise, sports UGH!!!!! I think we just figured out where all the time goes. My wish for all of you in 2010 is to be HAPPY and have the time to do more of the things you LOVE.

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL!

HELP WANTED!

I was hoping some of you out there might be able to help me with a few of these issues:

I can't enlarge text
I can't make my text bold
I can't upload any more than 5 pictures at a time
HELP!
P.S. I recently updated my browser

HOLIDAY HOURS

OLDE TYME MARKETPLACE HOLIDAY HOURS:

WED. 12/23 10-5

THURS. 12/24 10-4

CLOSED CHRISTMAS

SAT.12/26 10-5

WED. 12/30 10-5

THURS. 12/31 10-5

OPEN NEW YEARS DAY!!! 10-5

SELECT CHRISTMAS ITEMS ARE 50% OFF!!!

Some days it's Dishsoap..............

Okay...so it doesn't take too terribly much to get me excited.....today it was dishsoap! And to completely send me into orbit.....add in the counter top spray! The reason behind all this excitement was one quick look at the label. Mrs. Meyers had me at "Crisp Iowa Pine, with a touch of clove and cedar, has the FRESH scent of a just~cut CHRISTMAS TREE!!" She wasn't kidding either! They smell WONDERFUL! Plus Mrs. Meyers doesn't test all her stuff on animals. What a gal!
Now I know ya want to run and get some so here's the scoop... (and I'm only telling you cuz I stocked up already) TARGET has it AND.......it's on a temporary markdown this week...reg 3.99 marked down to 2.99!! If you can take it....I dare ya to buy the hand soap...it'll smell like you just washed your hands in the middle of a Christmas Tree Farm with snowflakes falling gently all around while you sip cocoa looking for the perfect tree~ except without all the needles and sap and stuff. ENJOY!!

Christmas Decorations Outside My Home...

I finally was able to have an afternoon to just play around with decorating outside the house! I've decorated my buns off in the shop and have been itchin to get to do my own home. Here are a few pics of what I have been workin on............ This arrangement was super easy to do...all I had to do was yank out the ole dried up geraniums and put in some pine and add my fav resin pinecones! This is on our deck at the back of the house.
This one was easy too but I still have some live bacopa and trailing dusy miller hangin in there so I didn't want to take it all out. I decided to just add the pine and create a one of a kind look and finish it off with the big ole pinecones! This too is on the back deck.

This old tool tote arrangement is on an old chippy table in the entryway of the front of the house. I like to add candles that I put inside mason jars and I'll tuck those in as well.The candlelight looks so pretty! Funny thing about this whole arragement is that almost everything is broken! The pine is just all small broken pieces, the merry and bright is broken on the middle, the star is broken (one of the slats of wood came off and I just propped it back on) the berry sprays are all left over pieces that have berries missing and the tool tote itself is cracked! To me all this equals PERFECT IMPERFECTION!

This old primitive chippy white grain bin was a wonderful recent find from a new friend Kim at A Thyme Remembered! She has the best booth inside Katy Dids Antique Mall in Gastonia NC. I had to have it! I just pictured it filled with greens on the front porch and it turned out exactly how it was in my head! Thank goodness I had my bud Lisa from HomeThrown Pottery with me so she could help load it in the car. We had both taken the day off and let our guys play store while we spent the day shopping and just taking it easy! We both needed that! Anyway I found a keeper that day and love how it looks!

This big snowman is one of my favorites to put out every year! I love him so much that I gave one to my mom,and dear friends Kelly and Karen back in Ohio for Christmas two years ago. Where they all live in Ohio I knew that they could easily leave him out til April! LOL! (Seriously, I am not kidding...There's nothing like living in the snowbelt! I really do miss it! They know I'm telling the truth and think I am crazy!) Okay, so this whole look is to the right of the entry way at the front of the house and if you continue to the right of the picture that would be my front porch. I still have more work to do and will try to get up some more pics. I enjoy seeing what you all have done for the holidays! Everything always looks so wonderful and festive! Well I am off to do some tweaking inside so I will chat with ya later!

Best Swap EVER!!!

IT FELT LIKE CHRISTMAS MORNING!!! I am so glad that I had signed up for the OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS SWAP on Char's blog Pickled Pepper Patch. I had not done a swap in 8 years. I used to do them often but got so discouraged with how they would almost always turn out. Char has rules and I like that. I got the BEST PARTNER in swap land.........Becky from Primitives N Stitchin! She made almost everything in the package. I absolutely LOVED it all, The snowman is made from quilt batting the warm and natural stuff that I love...he is holding his hat upside down with a little Christmas mouse peekin out of it! The soap keeper shelf is A~W~E~S~O~M~E! I have since found 4 places for it to go in the house! The soap smells wonderful and cleans like no body's business! The berry wreath is around a candle at the moment and the little bag ornaments she made for me to be able to use for valentines too! How great is that??? There are prim tapers also that must have snuck down below the picture but they are in a wooden bowl on my table. But I think my super fav item is this one below.........................

SHE MADE THIS QUILT PAD!!! Isn't is beyond beautiful??? Again she thought of how I could use this for the Valentine holiday BUT I want it out all year! She really outdid herself with this. The workmanship is perfect. She is such a talent. If you are ever lucky to get her as a swap partner you will be very lucky indeed. I should mention...THIS WAS HER FIRST SWAP! I feel so honored to have been her partner.Thanks BECKY! I L~O~V~E it ALL!

THANK YOU!!

A HUGE THANK YOU to all who came out to enjoy our CHRISTMAS TYME AT THE MARKETPLACE! The CANDLELIGHT NIGHT was a magical, fun filled event that made my heart sooooo happy!! Smiles everywhere, tons of donations for rescued furry friends, the live music was wonderful and you could just FEEL the CHRISTMAS SPIRIT! Pure JOY!

Please come see us as the shelves are still stocked with the BEST primitive gifts for gift giving to yourself or friends! We will be taking donations for the animal rescue for the rest of the month of December so there is still time to share of yourself to help an animal in need.

CHRISTMAS TYME at the MARKETPLACE THIS WEEKEND!

CHRISTMAS TYME at the MARKETPLACE!

THIS WEEKEND !!

YOU ARE ALL INVITED TO COME ENJOY ALL THE SIGHTS~SOUNDS~SCENTS AND SPIRIT OF THE HOLIDAY SEASON!

DEC. 4TH CANDLE LIGHT NIGHT 6-9

We kick off this holiday event with a special preview night of shopping under the glow of twinkle lights and candles! This year we'll have live music on our big ole front porch~bluegrass and christmas carols! FUN!!! Also you don't want to miss all the tasty treats that we'll have all along the big cupboard ~ Graham Cracker Pralines, Pumpkin Dip,Chocolate Covered Cherries.....the list goes on! Plan to join us for a fun filled night of HOLIDAY JOY!

DEC. 5TH and 6TH 10-6

The fun continues for the rest of the weekend! The shop will be packed full of the BEST in PRIMITIVE and RUSTIC HOLIDAY DECORATIONS for the home and garden.~ SNOWMAN~ LIVE GREENERY BUNCHES~SANTAS ~ CANDLES~ WREATHS!

YUMMY TREATS, PRIZES, FUN! SEE YOU THERE!!

TO SHARE IN THE CHRISTMAS SPIRIT, WE ARE TAKING DONATIONS FOR RESCUED ANIMALS! PLEASE BRING FOOD OR SUPPLIES( CLEANERS, OLD TOWELS, BLANKETS, LEASHES, COLLARS ETC..) TO PLACE INSIDE OUR SLEIGH TO HELP OUR FURRY FRIENDS!!! THEY WILL BE FOREVER GRATEFUL!

OLDE TYME MARKETPLACE

121 N.WHITE ST.

MARSHVILLE, NC 28103

704-942-6258

I SURVIVED THE SHOW!!

Some people would be embarassed to show their heap of junk piled high on the back of the truck. I probably should be but I was so excited that the show was over and we were on our way home that I had a smile as big as Texas across my face and figured that I was just gonna "keep it real" and share with y'all the total sofistication of the whole operation! Here tis'!!! The whole time we were loading up it was RAINING! Oh the fun.....anyway I was following Mr. OTM and see the big ole cupboard on the left there??? Weeeellllll that little sweetie about fell off the side of the truck and was headed to certain doom on Rt. 74 . I never tried to call anyone faster in my life! Mr Calm answers and MS. Freaking Out is screaming to pull over because the whole she-bang is hangin by a thread! Good lord...things like this just make me want to go back to my 9-5'er! UGH! To make this story even more of an adventure...we were meeting friends at the hoity SouthPark Mall in Charlotte for din din at the Cheesecake Factory. We pull in .....the Bev Hillbilly's theme song playing in my head and all the outside parking is.....VALET!! Seriously...not kidding...AND guess what?? We couldn't fit in the parking deck either because of the HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS ( it was 7 foot by the way..I know you were wonderin) sooooooooooooo.....MR. OTM had to park in front of Nordstroms (on the whole other side of the mall...thank the Lord it was dark out) and walk in the rain to the restaurant. I was waiting for him and when he finally gets there he says..." I hope nobody takes anything." Bless his heart....I love that man. Needless to say all was intact when we left! Sooo now after reading all that I know you want to see show pics !!! So have at it and enjoy! It's great to be home!

Now it's time to get ready for the Christmas Tyme at the Marketplace Dec 4-6 at the shop! Love this time of year!!

DON'T MISS IT!

This is where you will find me for the next 2 weeks!

I am in space #2153 located inside Independence Hall.

For more info just go to http://www.southernchristmasshow.com/!

See You There!!!

They're Everywhere!

For the last four years at this same time, I have driven myself crazy getting ready for the SOUTHERN CHRISTMAS SHOW NOV 10-22.

It is soooooooooooooooo much work and it always gets me wondering why I put myself through all the stress! Anyway, there are snowmen all over the house staring at me!

I think they're judging me...they all look pretty darn smug!

Only a few more days and they'll all be out of the house and into my booth! Thank Goodness!

Some Updated Booth pics!

It has been forever and a day since I posted some updated pics of my junk booth!

The last time I restocked I took some pics for you to browse thru.....enjoy!Love the old wash boards, tarnished silver and wire locker basket..........
my fav in this photo is the old medical cabinet! It is wonderful condition with all original hardware! The old metal chippy turquois bucket didn't last long....it's g~o~n~e!

This old cupboard is way cool....very unique! It is metal and wood with porcelain knobs...all original! I thought it would look great in a beach house to store all then linens, towels ..you name it. I don't really know what to call it but FABULOUS comes to mind first!!!

I had my eye on this old ice box for two years....patience pays off! The gal who had it in her booth was moving out of state and I was FINALLY able to get it.(aka...afford it...lol!) It would be the perfect in a potting shed to store a bunch of goodies, a wonderful display piece for a shop..the list goes on....

Take a peek at the old architectural piece on top of the cupboard...it is carved wood with these velvet accents that are stuffed with old horse hair.......the divided metal pans would be great in your craft room to help keep you organized. Hope you enjoyed the tour! Have a great day!

Adorable!

While doing some serious "research and developement" on the net ...I came across these beauties by Beth Quinn designs! (how I got to her site is beyond me as I was looking into U-Haul rentals...go figure...).....Anyway, you have to go to see her stuff...you will fall in love! When you get to the site, click on the "inspire "tab to see a great slideshow of her work! You'll want one of each...I know I do!

Do the math.......

If you take this......... and add it to this..............

Your answer will be this............
What I turn tomorrow...time sure flies!
I still feel like the same girl dressed up in my majorette uniform, the the bright eyed sales clerk in the juniors dept. at Carlisles..... the girl who used to get to pick out any special cereal she wanted when she would spend the night with grandma and grampa....the girl who would love to play Space Invaders on Atari, the girl who had a huge poster of John Travolta on her closet door...the girl who loved Michael Jackson and Waylon Jennings....Yep I still feel the same on the inside and have a huge grin while writing this post remembering all these great memories....

A few Auction Finds! What a day!

Last week I headed off to an auction...a good ole fashion , in the country, park in the pasture, porta-potty kind of sale. Mr. OTM ran the shop so I could head on out. It started at 9:00 and I got there at 9:15 thanks to some road construction....ugh! You can miss ALOT in the first 15 minutes let me tell ya! I have been going to auctions all my life and it does't take long to learn the do's and don'ts. First and formost...DON'T BE LATE! In the beginning the auctioneer fills you in on all the details and pretty much that's all you get...no "refresher course" during the sale. Well during the first 15 of this sale I missed a REALLY important detail.......here goes....As the auctioneer was selling like crazy, it didn't take me long to realize that I was not going to be able to afford ANYTHING! The prices we ridiculous! ...50 bucks for kids blocks?....165 .00 for a glass cloche??? C~R~A~Z~Y! So I turned to leave and heard a lady mention that she was going "to the back" for the other sale. THE BACK?? WHAT?? WHERE??? So I did a little research and HAD I MADE IT ON TIME (thanks North Carolina Dept.of Transportation) I would have known that YEP...they were indeed running TWO sales that day...the one up front was for all the fancy schmancy (aka...high dollar, big money) stuff and the one down back was for the "stuff nobody really wants" (aka, rusty, crusty, battered, chippy.......H~E~A~V~E~N!!!! I swear it was like the sky parted and the light shown down and the Hallelujah chorus started singin! Well THIS was MORE like it....GAME ON!! Let's take a peek............... The red chest was used in one of the barns to hold screws and electrical tape (as a bonus I got 8 rolls of it!...surprise in drawer #2) LOVE the old red color!! The little green table is upsidedown in the picture because if I would turn it right side up the legs would fall off! A little glue and some clamps will fix er up good!

The old gray box had this great wire basket inside! The rusty old milk can was one of three I got that day and see the white cupboard leaning against the back window? Well I had to brush off the snakeskin that was attached to the front of it before I could even think about getting it off the wall of the barn......I know.....gross! BUT WORTH IT! Can you say 5 dollars?? Anyway that is only the tip of the iceburg of the stuff I got. The truck was heaping and I took more pictures to share with ya later. Just a hint of what's to come...stack of quilts, chimney cupboard, shutters, blah, blah blah......... See ya later!

SHOPKEEPER SUNDAY!!

Join us for a Fall Afternoon in the Country!

It's time again for

SHOPKEEPER SUNDAY!

THIS SUNDAY OCT. 18TH 11-5

The shop will be packed with new junk and we'll have great vendors set up outside!

BRING A FRIEND FOR FUN ~FOOD~FINDS!!

This is our last one for the year until Spring so........

DON'T MISS OUT!!

rain or shine!

121 N. White St.

Marshville, NC 28103

704-942-6258

SEE YOU THERE!!!

HOMEMADE APPLESAUCE!

Yesterday was one of my favorite kind of days....it was all drizzly and cold outside and nice and cozy inside! The perfect kind of day to make up my homemade applesauce. I do this every year and freeze a bunch to have throughout the rest of the coming year. We ran up to the mountains on Sunday so I could get the wonderful North Carolina mountain apples.....(plus to stop a few fav shops too...*wink*! ) The drive was so nice and relaxing..just the break I needed with all the prep going on for the holiday season. The leaves are just starting to turn up there and there was just enough color to ohhh and ahhh over. I really don't have time to be hiking to get the apples let alone spending a whole day making it BUT it is a tradition I love and refuse to give it up. Thought you might enjoy how I go about making the sauce...it's easy and the result is delicious! Follow me....... I like to use a combination of apples. You will need a nice firm crisp variety with good texture. This year I used Winesap and Arkansas Black. I always like to choose one variety with a nice red skin as that will give your sauce a great pink color. If you can't get your hands on either of these McIntosh is an all time favorite. I like to cut and quarter them and remove as much of the core and seeds as possible. Whatever you don't get the food mill get later.

Toss them into a tall pot and put about 3 cups of water in. Turn the heat on medium and let them cook down until they become mushy. Mine take about 20-25 minutes but it will depend on how many apples you have used. A smaller batch will take less time.

Let them cool for a bit. Get a ladel and pour some into the food mill. Crank the mill and watch all the wonderful sauce come out! When using the food mill it is very important to crank it until there are nothing but pieces of apple skin left. The color of the sauce somes from the skin, so don't try to go to fast ....it is worth it!

All I add to my sauce is sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. I do all of this "to taste" so I have no measurements. Mix well.As a little "extra" treat ...while the sauce is still warm, fill a little bowl for yourself, add a pat of butter to it and you'll think your in heaven it's sooo good!

And finally you have a wonderful batch of sweet, pink, delicious Homemade Applesauce! At this point I will get out my Ziploc freezer containers and load them up and stack um in the freezer. It is so nice to have this throughout the year and well worth the day it takes to get it done. Hope your sauce turns out great! I am sure you're gonna love it! ENJOY!