Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive

Just sharing some info I received in the mail this week.

The National Association of Letter Carriers ( Postmen & Women to us) are conducting their annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive on May 9th.

All you have to do is place a bag of non-perishable food items by your mail box with the note below and they will pick them up and they will go to local food banks and soup kitchens.

How simple can a random act of kindness be???

All you do is put the food in a bag and share......

Sounds like a lovely way to share our bounty from the Father with those less fortunate huh???

Let's all help!!! Let's give the mailman a hernia lifting all the donations!

Please feel free to pass this along and if you need a better copy of this clipping to add to your donation email me and I will send you the jpeg, www.countrygatheringsdeb@yahoo.com.

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P.S. The GREEN TAG sale in the shop is continuing by popular demand! We will keep it going through Mother's Day as requested by our customers! Lots of furniture items have been reduced some drastically as well as many other items!

Better stop in soon and grab something wonderful for Mom for Mother's Day and grab yourself a little treat while you are there!

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P.S.S. On a personal note, no news today from my CTA Scan yesterday, results not ready until Monday so my surgery has been canceled for tomorrow.

Hopefully it will back on track next week!

Say a prayer that there's nothing in the test results for me to worry about and another prayer that I will give it all to God and quit worrying about it!

To those who are already praying and sending hugs love ya all! God Bless!

Much Love,

Deb

Creativity Flows at Country Gatherings

We started a new advertisement this week in the local paper in celebration of the upcoming Mothers Day holiday. And if you know anything about our shop you know we kinda dance to the beat of a different drummer...if you don't believe it check out our half page advertisement below...

Yes it says "Your Mama Shops Here You Should Too!"

LOL Yep sounds like us huh???

Then on Saturday our "guest artist" was my daughter Miranda. She spent the day with me in the shop and painted some items for us also.

Uncle Sam was getting a vintage treatment and he seemed to be handling it well!

The artist hard at work!

And the finished product...with a cute lil artist I must say!
Vanna White eat your heart out!

Then Tina brought us some more wonderful artistic amazing stuff!!!!
These two painted canvases depicting florals are awesome!

This Rise & Shine piece is unique also!

You have to see this "toolbox" to appreciate its painted finish, my picture doesn't do it justice!

This treenware scoop is just awesome!

Another sweet lil collaged and painted canvas from T.

Just a couple of the collaged vintage bottles she brought in recently!

This theatre chair just rocks!!! I mean totally rocks! The painted back on it is amazing! It would look great with any decor!!!! These are just a smidgen of the new pieces received this week!

Just sharing some of the ways we get creative at Country Gatherings....how do you express your creative side???

Heart Tests and Headstones

Sigh....yep had more heart tests today!!!

In case I haven't shared all the info with you ( forgive me my wee brain is a bit strained as of late) I will update you now. I had been scheduled by my doc for some routine outpatient surgery coming up this Friday. The doc wanted to make sure cardiology would give me an all clear since I did lose my Dad recently of a heart attack, so they scheduled me for a routine stress test and echocardiogram on Monday.

But on Monday during the routine stress test they saw a "blip on the radar screen/something in my EKG" and stopped the stress test in the middle. A bit scary since I thought these tests were just one more thing to be endured in preparing for a routine procedure.

So they scheduled me for further testing including a CTA scan this morning. For those of you (like I was) who don't know what this test is let me tell ya. They inject radioactive dye into your veins and then take multiple pictures of your heart and surrounding arteries and etc inside this funky noisy tube you have been inserted into. The dye makes you feel funny, (not funny ha ha either) and the nausea isn't nice... but I am to call tomorrow afternoon for preliminary results to see if my surgery can go off without a hitch on Friday or more procedures have to take place with my heart first.

Wow, talk about an eye opener...I never even dreamed I could have a problem with my heart! Granted the tests may show I don't but just going through all this so close on the heels of losing my father to a heart attack is really scary and tough! I have always wanted to be more like him but not sharing heart problems, this wasn't the way I had in mind.

Then to top this fun stuff off my Dad's headstone was delivered and set on his grave this week which just adds the whole cherry to the top of the sordid sundae for me...

It seemed like we (the family) were just starting to get a grip on our loss of Dad and not crying at the drop of a hat and now whammmmm we are right back where we started all over again! My sis, Mom and I have spent the better part of several days this week crying again...doesn't get any easier does it???

Have you lost a parent??? How are you coping with it???? I would love to have any golden nuggets of information you can share to help us get through this.... and also any prayers for getting me through this whole crazy medical craziness!

Thanks for letting me vent my friends!
God Bless!

Our Thursday Stew

Spring Sale! That's what the sign in our shop window says currently! "Look for the green tags! "

Yep nice lil sale if I do say so myself...lots of neat items marked down, some drastically!!!!Why???

Well some of the items are consigned items that their artisans have said need moved out so they can bring us new stuff....

some of them are items we have decided need new homes...

some are seasonal and need changed out.....

and some of them are just items that have been covered up for awhile with other merchandise and need moved out to make room for new stuff coming in...

Like this vintage red trimmed enamel topped table. It has two leaves and would make an awesome addition to someones home with very lil work needed. It was $249.99 now its $119.99....We sat it out front and it was measured twice today by different customers, it wont be here long!!!

Then Terry finished two birdhouse sign stacks, one with a prim theme, one kinda beachy.....too cute... but you oughta see the table she is currently primming...wow....its gonna be a good one!

Then we got this neat idea to pair Scott's library cabinet, Mikes bench and a vintage 1959 government issued steno desk together to make this vignette!

I have to say sometimes we hit on a good idea...or as my Dad used to say "Even blind squirrels get nuts now and then." LOL

Darrell brought this neat wall cabinet with towel bar and screen door in just before close tonight! You have to see this one, its priced to move! I bet it isn't in the shop through the weekend.

We have also added a line of scripture bracelets this week and man are they going out the door like crazy! I have been wearing an armful forever and customers saw them and now we had to start stocking them too! Better stop in soon and see them! They make great last minute gifts and the price is sooo nice!

Today we made new friends, and loved some old friends. Wept with a couple of special friends and laughed with many more.

Today was a mixed bowl, kinda like a stew...some parts we love .....some not so much but they all come together to make it what it is.....and what it is is LIFE......

What kind of day did you have??? Was yours a stew???? Or just a pot of hot water????

Ive learned sometimes it depends on what you put in it and how ya stir it how it turns out!

P.S. Say a prayer for me tomorrow I go for some pre-op testing....sigh the old girl has some defective parts, some will be removed next week! Yippee!!!!

See ya soon!

Deb

Us - Uncut - Uncensored- Uncorked

Ok ... ok...... so I will let you in on a secret......

sometimes when my sis and I are in the shop, and we get bored...

and there aren't any customers, (which isn't often)...

we do crazy things...

...how crazy????

Really really crazy....

But is that any different than we have been

at any other time in our lives???

Or different than other members of our family have been???

...in any combination?????

You be the judge......




WE' uns is nutz!!!!! But we is fun!!!!


We are always laughing and having a good time...WHY???? Because God gave us family and friends and food on our table and a roof over our heads...and a shop we love.... and the ability to smile and laugh....

Because we know all to well that this life on Earth is soooo precious and soooooo short!!!!


Laugh...do something crazy...it's good for the soul!!!!


Try it...you just might like it!!!!

( Now hopefully my family will laugh when they see these pics and they won't kill me for sharing the pictures!) ;)

New Treats to Tempt

This past week we received some new consigned items, as well as some new shipments of candles, framed prints, and other items and we were busy creating things ourselves! See for yourself below.....

Terry created several new Spring and Summer themed wreaths this week in beautiful colors!

Tammy brought in the mama hen and chicks and Scott made the big square black over red bowl.

Kathy brought in several hand stitched pillows this week...this red tabby is a beauty!

This striped kitty looks almost regal...

Kathy brought us these two pillows with the hen and rooster, they are really sweet!

We received a small shipment of new framed prints in also.

But they are already going fast!

This new picture shows a sleeping cat on a beautiful iron bed....

This Jacobs barn is a classic.

These four tiny pillows were stitched by Kathy also....

Ahh Americana what a sweet theme, this one by Kathy just arrived.

Scott brought in this sweet cabinet this week. The finish looks sooooo real you would swear its a vintage piece and not a reproduction...

Debby brought in these cute little primmed pinwheels! They are very very cute!!!

Darrell created this rustic shelf with its rusty bent nail hooks.

Terry and I worked on this special order cabinet for a special customer.

Terry painted a very nice sheep on the door! And when they customer took one look at it she snatched it up and ran!!! LOL!

The new mantel vignette shows new candle holders from Darrell as well as some other items that just arrived in a recent shipment.

This primitive wreath with its handmade angel, sewn by Tammy, was specially created by Terry for a friends funeral service. David Bennett was his name.

We will miss David he was a good man and a friend. And we were honored that a group of his friends commissioned us to create this wreath for the service.

Our prayers go out to his widow Lori and their two daughters.

ON A LIGHTER NOTE:

This week I am excited to say that I have been emailing with Kindra of " Three Guys a Girl and a Prim Place" blog.

She makes some wonderful pieces and we are currently trying to figure out if we can get some shipped to stock in the shop!

Check out her blog at http://3guysagirlandaprimplace.blogspot.com/ and see if you don't agree that she is awesome.

Also our Spring Sale is still going strong!

We have been adding more items everyday and will continue this sale the rest of the month of April and maybe just maybe if we get enough requests...into the first half of May also!

We may be adding EVEN MORE furniture items in the coming days also!!!

Keep checking in!!!

It was great to see Tina and Ted stopping by this week on their Harley!!! We missed you Tina can't wait to see what you bring us this week!!!!

God Bless,

Debbie

Nifty 50?????? Heck NO!!!!!!

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days...been going through some medical tests and numerous doctor appointments...sigh...

How come no one warns you that after you turn 50 it all goes south???? Geez Louis is everyone over 50 sworn to secrecy on this or what???

I mean its like a conspiracy, one minute I was fine... and the next I am falling completely apart! What should run doesn't, what shouldn't run leaks, and every where there are lumps and bumps and UFO's..... I mean really whose idea of funny is this????

I feel like I have been folded stapled and mutilated! I know what the chaff on those contested ballots feels like now!!!! Arggh and I have to go back and have more fun at another appointment tommorrow! Calgon take me away!!!!!

Sigh...50 isnt to nifty if you ask me.... One more medical appointment could push me over the delicate edge!!!

Those of you who know me know that I hide my own Easter eggs from time to time so lately I am really feeling like my cheese is not only sliding off my cracker, but also off plate, table, and floor onto the bare cold ground!!!!!

Pray for me if you can and laugh with me if you will I am officially a medical mess!!!!!

Thanks for letting me get this off my chest...oh yeah and at least one of the tests the lovely wonderful mammogram came out good! LOL wonderful I could have slammed it in the refrigerator door at home for free...LOL

Sign me,

Lots of Love and Currently Looney Tunes!

Debbie

Nifty New and Neat Needfuls and Sweet Babes

This week we have welcomed two more new consigners into our shop!

Our newest is a dollmaker named June. The fine swine couple above are hers.

This lovely lady with her hearts in her hands also arrived today from June.

This sweet primitive pub chair was made and delivered today to the shop by Scott of Hurricane and primmed by Terry in-house today...and it sold today!


This wonderful blue primitive bench was created by Mike and primmed by Terry this afternoon.

This "Olde Bear" was brought in today by June. She looks like she has been loved!

This sweetie "Prissie Patty" was one of today's shipment from June.

This is "Bonnie & Bev" made by June. Too cute, would be sweet in an Easter basket...

This adorable gal is "Bunny Joe" also created by June.

This tousled hair cutie is huggin her teddy bear! She came in today from June's house.

Ahh this one is neat! Instead of a dollie hugging her teddy its a teddy hugging her dollies!

These two are so much fun, they look like they cant wait for their next adventure!

June created these also.

Still another cutie from June.

All June's dolls are unique and each has it's own special name.

This sweet little primmed vintage rocker is an oldie. Terry put some finishing touches on it today with a red over green finish, it would make a wonderful addition to anyone's primitive home! It would look great holding a primitive doll or bear.....hmmm wonder where a person could get one of those...wink wink wink! ;)

This sagey green primitive bench was built by Mike and primmed today by Terry. It stacks marvelously on top of the blue one Mike also made!

Terry created this primitive doll wreath, its flanked by a pair of rooster shutters created by Scott. Scott is our newest furniture maker and he lives in Hurricane.

Sorry for the fuzzy close up pic, I get excited when new stuff arrives!

Scott created this sweet square bowl in black over red... very nice one! It would make a great centerpiece on any table!

This neat checkerboard was one of two that Scott brought in yesterday!

They are just awesome they look just like something you would see in Country Sampler magazine! I know they wont be in the shop long!

Another great pair of primitive shutters from Scott.

These two have the sheep motif on them!

This tall narrow chimney style cabinet was built by Mike and primmed by Terry. Its an awesome one! It would make some sweet storage for anyone's primitive home!

These are but a few of the items that have arrived in the shop this week and more will be arriving the next couple days! We have been so richly blessed by our local craftsmen and women! We expect more furniture and hand painted items to arrive soon!

Also don't forget our April "Green Tag" sale going on the whole month of April! We add items every week! Stop in soon before you miss out!!!!

Dont forget Easter is coming soon!!!