End of an Era…

When I first stared tole painting in the late 1990’s The two huge craft supply stores were Provo Craft and Zim’s Craft Supply. Loads of great patterns and wood products. Every time I came to Salt Lake City from Las Vegas I would come armed with money and a huge list of items that folks in Vegas wanted me to pick up for them.

One summer I came up specifically to go to the tent sale outside the Provo Craft store in Provo. They would have a huge clearance sale every year to clear out inventory. It was a place for me to go "mental".

A number of years ago Provo Craft went out of business and converted their inventory to Robert’s Craft.  Still a great place to shop but not as much inventory.

Right after we moved to Utah I heard that Zim’s Craft Supply was going out of business. Needless to say I was there about every day for weeks just to make sure I had not left something behind that I would need. So now Zim’s is no longer there with all those fantastic Nutcrackers, sleds and fabulous different styles of wood, tin and other fun things to paint on.

So what brings me to all these memories? We were out doing errands and I remembered that Robert’s Craft was having a huge going out of business sale. So my husband stop and we walked into what I can only call "chaos". Millions of people with carts piled high with craft supplies. My husband thought it was hysterical “remember when you use to do that”?   Little did he know I had already been there and picked up the last of the brushes and paint that was available. This brought back good memories but it also made me sad. It will never be like it was when I first started to paint.

 I came home and started looking through all my boxes. I have so much stuff that I will never paint it all. Yes, we crafters are all the same so many ideas and never enough time. I decided to keep some of it and share some of it. I have set up an area in my Etsy shop for de-stashing.

Click here it see what I have listed so far. I am amazed at what I have been unearthing. My son asked if we were moving in or out? I am also amazed that I bought all this and have yet to paint any of it.

I blame teenagers.

Thank you for treading down memory lane with me today. I think instead of being sad I will start thinking of how best to paint some of this. That will cheer me up!!

Enjoy your day, 

Barb

Swap Ornie and more Photos!!

The Primitive and Folk Artist had a ornie swap and my partner was Karen from Buttons in the Attic.

I received these stunning stars from her.  I showed my daughter and she said, "I know you didn't sew these."  When I ask her how she could tell she said they were too perfect to be anything I would sew!!

Yes, you know how I feel about needle and thread.  This photo does not do justice to how wonderful these are!! Check out her shop by clicking on the stars and her blog by clicking here.

They are FABULOUS!!  Thank you Karen!

As promised from earlier more photos of Christmas at our house.  We have close to 30 trees small and large.  The next two photos are the two large trees that we put presents under.

All the shelves have decorations on them too!

A couple of tin trees I painted.

I love this church and poinsettias scene that I painted from a seminar a couple of years back.

Well time to get my daughter to school.  I hope every one enjoys their day!

Barb

How did this Happen!!

We had great intentions a few weeks ago to have Christmas up and done within a reasonable amount of time.  We moved furniture and decorations and then.........What happened? No steam? No time? No idea!?!  But looking around most folks are on top of it and have their homes all decorated and sharing via blogger.  So I am busy looking at everyone's decorations instead of getting mine up.  (Actually, it is my husband's job.)

Well now I need to either go shopping at the Old Farmhouse Gatherings Open House or start unloading boxes.  I think it would be more fun to go shopping so click here to see what the team is offering.  Many are offering specials in their shops so make sure to read the shop announcements too!

I will be offering 10% off everything in my shop so click here to go to my Etsy shop.  Remember to type in "OFGTHANKSYOU2011" for the discount code at my shop.

Looking around I found these two items to put up and the sled still has its price tag on it from a show I did a few weeks back.  The plate I had hanging in the kitchen just waiting for Christmas to come.  I am really having issues now getting things decorated.  I wonder how we lost so much time and energy in the last few weeks?

While I was sitting here thinking about it all I remembered that I had hung this the week of the rearranging.  So in total we have three decorations up.

I think I will just go shopping!!

Enjoy your day,

Barb