Holiday House Tour

Well it has came n gone - another wonderful holiday house tour.  I love letting people walk thru my home and enjoy the creations I have created!
I will share these many photos of the tour.  All these pictures were taken by my very talented son Brent!

 Abby cat enjoying the wooden bowl - squishing the dolls that are nestled inside

 Front door - fresh falling snow

 Cold windy and snowy

 window boxes

 the sitting room

 faux fireplace in the sitting room

 sitting room tree

 kitchen table

 pineapple carved by my talented hubby

 looking from the front door to the hearthroom

 Foyer tree - all 16 feet of it!

 Looking down from the upstairs landing

 Kitchen

kitchen

 dining room

 dining room from the kitchen

 dining room

 looking into the kitchen from the dining room

 new family room

 family room

 sitting area in the family room

 family room tree

 front hall

 guest room

 cabin bed room

 pumpkin bedroom

Master bedroom

 stitchery I made

 up stairs hall

 up stairs hall

Thank you for visiting my virtual tour.  Check back to see what I am getting into next!  One never knows - usually I dont either!

ARE YOU READY... or better question am I??

As many of you know I open my home for a holiday tour!  Well the dates have been set and the decorating is about to start!  BUT heres a sneak peak of the NEW family room.  You really have to see it to believe it!  
A thank you goes out to the company that my hubby works for who has this great great OLD wood!   Let me know if you need anything in the world of reclaimed wood - they have a great selection! This is the website www.bigwoodtimberframe.com

HERE are some pictures!!!!  I love love love the final result!!
This is all timbers with chinking in between.  The warmth that this room now has is beyond measure.  Please come see this room during the openhouse!  See next post for open house info

Starting to look a bit like Christmas!

Well Im getting into the holidays early - cause I need to create for the holiday open house!  December will be here before I know it!!!
Here is the newest little creation - I love him.  He is roughly 10" with a wire hanger on back OR put a few in a wood bowl for bowl fillers!

Check him out on my website!  www.handcraftedbymichelle.com   Hes selling for $19.00
Check back I have 4 new dolls that I am working on!!  Ill post pics as they are completed!

Gourds!!!! .....finally

Well sad to say this was taken before the freeze - now the leaves are a bit black.  But this is the gourd patch that I grew in the straw bales.  I did get 3 nice size cannon ball gourds.  Now if they would have taken off this well in the beginning I can only imagine the success I would have had! There is only one straw bale under all that.  3 planting holes  with 4-5 seeds in each.

 Heres my first "prize"  I didnt even see it forming - then as I was walking in the yard Sat there it was like a jewel looking at me!  Its about 10" top to bottom. Thrilled would be a understatement. We have not had alot of success growing gourds so a few that make it to harvest stage are great!

 This is a apple gourd - I found 3 of these beauties!
Now comes the LONG process of drying them. But I have a great bowl of goose egg gourds from last year on my table.
Hmmm think I will try the bales again next year and maybe just maybe we wont have half the summer be over 90 and dry.  Then oh what a crop I could have! 

WhAt A TreAsuRe!!!!!

 This is my new treasure I found today - nope not the cat - the settee.  I love it!!   The store keeper claims its Civil War era - but I dont know.  It is forsure old however.  neat hinges on the back so it can be made flat.  It has been painted - years ago cause the paint is worn off on the arms  - not faux worn but actual use worn.

 Heres the back with the "bed" pulled out  I need to make one cushion but thats no biggie so when it is made into a bed it needs 3 cushions.

Heres it pulled out into a bed.  I love love love it   Really fits with the house.  And the best part I think I got a great deal at $199   I have it in front of the fireplace so I can just dream of the cold winter months laying on it in front of a warm toasty fire reading a good romance book. 
Now if it really is as old as they were saying I hope no civil war soldiers so passed away on it!  Dont want to haul any old ghosts home.
Anyone out there have any clues on its age??