SAVE THE DATE

Its getting to be that time! SAVE THE DATE!!!

I have set the dates for the..... 

Holiday Open House 2013

Friday Dec 6 from 6-8 pm  and Saturday Dec 7  11-3

more info to follow

you will be able to tour my colonial home and all the holiday decor.

And THIS is why hair color was invented!

Like the caption said - this is why I have gray hairs!  I have 3 boys - all loving to live a bit dangerous.
This is my youngest testing out the new race car he just finished.  It was not running "fast enough" yet according to him.  He said he needs a new motor over winter but Im thinking it is plenty fast - in a mothers eyes.   Hes 19 and has been racing cars since 14 but this level is with the "big guys" and hes still my baby ( he will kill me for that comment!)   But actually if he wasnt having some motor issues I was going to hop in and take it around the track my self - once I learned how to make it go and stop - stopping is a important part Id think. lol  From the looks of the inside its not just gas and go - any time the steering wheel is removable to get inside the car there has to be more to it.
Hope you enjoyed!  AND ps any locals that see this and would like to help sponsor him let me know - hes a young kid and works to pay for this but as any racing fans know it is a very spendy sport.

As promised...

What a busy time!  I tell ya I am ALMOST ready to hunker down for winter - I said almost.  It has been run run with no time for all the "fun" things I thought I would get done.  But with winter comes the 40 below zero temps and the frozen everything!  So maybe I just need more time in the day.

I put together a little photo pile of some of the things that I did get done.

I have been stitching still - I just love these little samplers

And then I have been going to a few auctions - I found a cool little door Ill take a pic of - it is just odd - no idea what it was used for.  And I got a pile of blue mason jars - there are no no-neck ones but I like them just the same. And I got 66 for under $20 so I was happy.

And then there are the Santa's that need to be made this time of year - and oh my oh my do I like this one!!  I will have him on the web site for $58  He is amazing!!  I wish the photos showed how grubby they are but the flash make them look "clean cut" which they are by no means.

And finally its time for some fall in the house -  I love fall but I dont decorate much because the house has to be transformed into the "holiday" house and  I would rather not have to take down a ton of decorations only to put up a ton of Christmas.  So I stick to just a touch.

These gourds I grew and dried and added a bit of shellac to bring out a bit of color.  They are so pretty.
Well thats a little tour - time to read more real estate homework and head to bed.  See there is just not enough hours in the day cause I still have a to do list at the end of each.


OH OH OH  - I just learned that the issue of Country Sampler that I am featured in is out - for subscribers anyway.  I think on newsstands at the end of the month!  I have not seen it yet - exciting!!!

Im Back! Sorry its been awhile

Well I can say one thing about this summer it came and went faster than I could believe.  I have been crazy busy with work and starting classes to get my real estate license. 
I have been creating too!   I will post later today - tomorrow the new creations I have made this summer.

It has been busy getting the house ready to go on the market - yep time to sell.  I have no idea where Ill hang my hat next but I hope it is to really true prim home - one a whole lot smaller!  With the kids grown this is just a dust collector!  Although grand kids.... well that might be awhile since my boys are not married yet - however 2 have found "their girl".   I'm ready when they are! lol  Well speaking of dust - the bunnies are calling my name. 

CHECK BACK later when I have pics up.  OH and one is a Santa I made - he is extremely great!  Hows that for a teaser. 

Whats new..

Well it is Spring...somewhere!  This is what we here in Minnesota got to enjoy today.  My poor tulips are up and now covered again... poor things

Anyway here are a few new creations I made in the last few days.

This is Betsy - such a honey.

 And here we have Edna and Lucille.  Their hair looks on the pictures like little horns but it is actually mohair, very raw mohair -there is still little sticks in it even. No poo though I promise.

That is a quick trip around my sewing room.  Hope to have more fun stuff to show soon!

Is it SPrinG Yet??

Well I find myself sitting here at the computer thinking that I should be sewing and creating new wonderful items....but I keep looking out the window waiting for Spring.  It is so hard when all the seed catalogs start showing up and there is 15" of snow in the yard.  My hands itch to work the soil and see those little sprouts popping up.  But since I live in Minnesota it is thorn I must deal with.  At our old house I had a wonderful greenhouse but have not built one here... That may need to happen. 

Its been a busy new year - Had to create the new products for the 2013 market.  Check them out at www.handcraftedbymichelle.com   Heres a little sneak peek:

I also been tossing around the idea of opening a shop in town (I still have my shop at the house).  I found a awesome old church, but the city has shot down my grand plans - they say I need to put in a sprinkler system (even though no other shop in town has one - they are grand fathered in I guess) But that would be a $40,000-60,000 bill for the sprinkler, plus that would mean running a bigger water main into the building from the street.  Also handicap bathroom, updated furnace and electrical etc etc.  So sad cause the building right now had squatters in it and it is just going to waste.  Would this not make a sweet gift and antique shop?

As you can see - theres a bar in the corner, a piano, and icky icky mattresses on the floor.  Oh and lots of cases of beer all over the place!  Guess this church was rocking when the squatters were in there.  I think Id need a hazmat suit and very THICK rubber gloves to touch the stuff left inside. YUCK!  But oh the potential! 

Well enough daydreaming and time to get back to work. 
Enjoy!

oh boy! What a ride it has been this winter!

Well I dont even know where to start.  I guess I should by saying that Im sorry for being away from the blog for so long.  But let me tell you I have not been sitting around eating bon bons. 
First I had the Holiday Open House as noted on the last blog.  Well then the next weekend I hosted Randy's companies Christmas party.  Then it was Christmas!   So usually I take down all my holiday decor Christmas Day or for sure the next day.  BUT this year I had to keep it up until January 9th - which let me tell you was very difficult.  But it was for a very good reason.  Drum roll please....   Well I had to keep it up for the Country Sampler magazine to come to the house to do a photo shoot!  Yep my house will be in the magazine - Christmas 2013 or 2014 or it could be in the house special issue.  I wont know til later this summer.  But its very exciting.  The photographers drove all the way from VA.  The weather was calm in the 30's so they didnt get to feel the "true Minnesota winter"  However, two weeks later it was -40 below.  That may have had them running back East mighty quick. 
On another exciting note - I may - not 100% yet, but I may be moving my gift shop up to the little tourist town Nisswa.  It is a wonderful summer shopping place.  This I will be finding out about tomorrow.  SO nervous about it - I want it but yet it terrifies me too.
Ok enough talking your ears off.  Here is a preview of another house that Country Sampler photographed.  These pictures were taken by my son not the magazine.  You also saw is sneak peak on a previous blog because we built the kitchen and fireplace surround.

My friend Vickies living room above and below

 the master bedroom above

 dining room

 kitchen

 looking up stairs

out side view.  Look like some other house?  Yep we have similar houses - great minds...  I built mine in 2003 and this was built last year. 

Another peek into a friends home - this is my friend Connies home

 kitchen

 up stairs family room

 master bedroom

 stairwell

 office

 oh my what a "ham" pup

 front of house

 living room

Well there you have it - all my exciting news and pictures of my 2 friends houses!! 
Enjoy!