New Falloween Treasures From A Wonderful Friend

Good Evening Friends, Tonight I would like to share with you some wonderful treasures that I was so lucky and blessed to have won from a wonderful friend Valerie from http://thewoodenacorn.blogspot.com/ "The Wooden Acorn". Valerie was celebrating having finally settle in her new home after a very long journey of moving and decided to share her joy with us all, by having a Falloween Giveaway.  She had four very generous give aways. One to be given away each week for the month of  August with a "Grand Surprise" box to be given to one lucky person at the end of the month just for signing up for her give away through the month. Each week Valerie very generously added to the surprise box and at the end of the month all the names were put into a drawing and she picked out one lucky winner.........can you guess who that winner happened to be? Yeap you guessed it.....Moi!  :)

Oh my gosh gals, when I went to her blog and seen my face posted (yes she posted the picture from my bio, which made it so nice as one could then connect a face to the name) on her site I could not believe I had been chosen as the lucky winner.....I even second guessed myself and had to read the whole entire post to make sure the person I was looking at was really me! heheh OOooooh and the treasures she added to the surprise box were every crafter's dream come true! Well, instead of me telling you, why don't I  just show you...hhehe

Look at all the wool would ya! I told you it was a crafters dream come true! All wonderful warm color's of fall. And if the wool wasn't enough, she included three beautiful spools of Valdani thread all warm fall color's also! Then there was a spool of my favorite wool thread. Gals if you do penny rugs this thread it fantastic for doing so. It compliments all colors of wool and yet stands out and gives your piece a more prim look. Valerie does carry it in her ESTY shop, which can be found here http://www.etsy.com/shop/PrimFolkArtShop?ref=em

Valerie also included this wonderful Falloween book, loaded with tons of beautiful fall projects and patterns

Penny rugs, pumpkins, Wool pillows.

 A wonderful little squirrel pattern all made from wool. Punch needle pattern and many, many more other patterns too. This book is just awesome friends, and Is already one of my favorite books for fall projects...So many great project's that I want to do! If this wasn't enough, Valerie also included in my little box of treasure's this wonderful Halloween note pad too!

If you have not have the chance to visit with Valerie at the Wooden Acorn http://thewoodenacorn.blogspot.com/yet, you are really missing out on meeting such a special gal! Valerie is just the sweetest and always makes you feel so welcome! Gals, if you have a few free moments stop by and say hi......I know she would love for your visit! She also has a wonderful ESTY shophttp://www.etsy.com/shop/PrimFolkArtShop?ref=em which I mentioned above. It is chocked full of wonderful patterns from needle punch, rug hooking, stitchery, pennies, to name just a few. She will also now  be carrying notions, vintage finds, Valdani  thread sets, both for punch needle and stitchery and many, many more great items.  I have been shopping with Valerie for a few years now, and her shop is one of my favorite places to shop! Not only does she have an excellent assortment of crafting items....but the service is impeccable and I can always count on receiving my items within a few days! 

I just LOVE all my new treasure's and can not thank Valerie enough for everything she has so very generously gifted me......and for the wonderful service she has given me by making my shopping experience with her such a PLEASURE!

Thank you Val, and thank you my sweet friends for letting me show off my awesome new treasure's tonight....

Until Next Time

Big Hugs,

Mary

Last Of Vacation Pictures

Good Evening friends, I am back once again to share with you the last of the few remaining pictures from my little vacation to Shipshewana Indiana. The pictures are of the Amish that I am so very fond of.

I have to say out of all my pictures of our trip. This one by far is my favorite. Just look at the sweet innocentes in her sweet face.

 The large barn in the background is a huge antique shop. Two floors tall with tons and tons of antique's!

Loved walking through and looking at everything. There was such a large selection of antique's made it super hard to not want everything! hehe

                                       Here is one of there school's. Notice the Hand Made sign.

 On the side of the school, is a row of children's bikes. That is how these children get to school.

(Remeber you can click on the picture's to enlarge if you want).

Well friends that is all of the pictures of our little trip. Thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you have enjoyed reading all about Shipshewana Indiana, just as I have enjoyed sharing with you all!

Until Next Time

Big Hugs 

Mary

Part Two Of Do Dreams Really Do Come True?

Good Morning friends,
         I hope my post finds you all well and enjoying this Blessed Day. I finally made it back to post part two of our wonderful vacation. I am so sorry for the delay, if I kept you waiting. You might want to go grab yourself a cup of coffee or tea as this may be a bit picture heavy.

Gals, If you ever get the chance to go to Shipshewana and are looking for a "WONDERFUL" place to stay at, The McKenzie House B&B is your place! It is not located directly in Shipshewana, but in a small town called Middleburry which is only around 10 minutes down the road from Shipshewana. The house sits back from the road and nestled in a very beautiful country setting.

Here is the main house. Which houses, the owners apartment (Bruce and Sheri), three rooms that are available for guests (one of which Carol and her hubby stayed in). It also has a gorgeous sitting and reading room which guests are aloud to use. A dinning room where all the wonderful home style breakfasts (Sheri, can cook her heart out friends, everything she makes is an experience in it's self and her home made Baked Oatmeal is to DIE for!) are served daily. Then there is a small area connected to the dinning area where there is fresh coffee, drinks and snacks which are left out for guest to help themselves anytime throughout the day.

It also houses a huge theater room located in the basement along with a movie theater popcorn machine & popcorn that the guest may use at any time....Plus on the other side of the basement is a awesome music room, that guests can use also......Now how wonderful is that!!

I am sorry, I didn't think to take picture's of the inside....but trust me when I say this, it is absolutely gorgeous inside. So, welcoming and decorated all in a country decor.

On the left side of the property located steps away from the main house, sat the guest house. That is where Mark and I stayed. In the guest house there are two apartment type rooms. One on top and ours which was located on the bottom. 

Here is the side view of the guest house and picture of Mark enjoying the peace and quite before heading out for our busy day.

Would you like to see inside? Well come on in, let me show you around.  Here are some pictures of the kitchen area.

Everything was just impeccable and super clean! Nothing left to need or want. The kitchen area was very well stocked from dishes, coffee & coffee maker, tea, hot apple cider mix,fridge, microwave to wonderful place mats and great smelling candle on the table. Next we will head into the small living room. 

There was also a small desk and lamp located on the other wall in the room. I love how the wall was made to look like an old bar door! So neat....and just added to the country charm of the room. Are you ready to see my most favorite room in the house? Can you guess what it is? If you guessed the Bedroom....you hit the nail on the head sorta' speak.....hehe

Gals, let me tell you......this bed was to die for!!! It was a real feather bed, and to lay in it, was like I had died and gone to Heaven!!! The bed just seemed to cuddle every inch of your body and I have to say It was the best sleep I have had  in a very long time.

The whole McKenzie house experience was themed around a bird/country theme. Thus for the birdhouse headboard.....which is I thought was really creative. There was even a small sound machine located on the kitchen counter, which played continuously of lovely birds chirping and singing....I found it to be quite relaxing.  

Here is a picture of the bedroom wall, which had old windows hung on it with hand painted birds on them. They were painted by a local artist which sold his Art at the flea market in town.

Notice the same barn door theme in here also.

Next is the bathroom, which had a huge Jacuzzi tub (with tons of candles displayed throughout for those romantic evenings **wink,wink**hehe ), shower and dressing area.  The bathroom not only had tons of towels but even well stocked with full size luxury body wash and shampoo! Now how often do you see this when staying on vacation? Usually have those teeny tiny little bars of soap and tiny bottles of shampoo! See I told you everything was impeccable here!

Last of the pictures include the fire pit and a wonderful flower vignette located on the side of the main house
and a large built in pool and Jacuzzi for guests to use anytime. A wonderful screened in porch was also attached to the side of the house by the pool for those days when the bugs became bothersome and you did not want to sit outside.

This ends our little tour of the McKenzie House friends. As you can see everything while staying here has been so exceptional and it has been added to my book of wonderful memories. Bruce and Sheri has a saying when entering their lovely home.......and it goes like this
"Come As Guest, Leave As Friends"
This saying is so true by far, I can't begin to thank them enough for making our wonderful visit to Indiana such a special and awesome experience! Thank you Bruce & Sheri for making us feel right at home!!

The Inn Keeper's Sheri and Bruce
Well friends I hope I haven't bored you to tears....and that you enjoyed your little visit with me and all my pictures of the McKenzie House. In my next post I will have a few pictures to share of the Amish.
Until next time friends...
Big Hugs,
Mary

Do Wishes Really Come True? You Bet They Do!

Good evening friends, gosh where has the time gone! Do you believe that in just a little over a month Halloween will be here already? Summer has seemed to just fly by within a blink of an eye. I hope everyone had a enjoyable summer and that you all got to do all the things on your wish list that you wanted to! Speaking of wishes, I had one of mine come true last week and thought I would share it with you. My dear sweet friend Carol from "Butter Milk Creek Farms" http://Buttermilkcreekfarm.blogspot.com and I have been chatting for almost two yrs. now and sending e-hugs back and forth with all of our letters over the years. Last week we finally had the chance to meet up face to face in Shipshewana Indiana and give each other the biggest, and best hugs in person! (Now how awesome is that?) Carol and her Husband and my fiance Mark and I got to spend two and 1/2 glorious days together, at a wonderful Bed &Breakfast called The McKenzie House just 10 min. away from Shipshewana Indiana in a small town called Middleberry. We shopped, ate, chatted up a storm, did more shopping and eating.....and chatted non-stop till we said good nite for the evening only to start all over the following day! hehe Carol is as sweet and caring in person as she has been in all of her writings and chats on the phone. Her and her hubby made us feel like we had known them for way longer than two years actually more like all of our lives.....and meeting and spending time together has been a thrill of a life time for me!

Me and My Sweet Friend Carol

Carol being the sweetie that she is and very thoughtful and generous friend, came bearing a wonderful box full of prim perfect goodies to spoil me rotten! Would you like to see all of what she brought me? I thought you might. hehe

First is one of her awesome Mouser's in a vintage Halloween sack.

Now knowing how much I love her mouser's Carol didn't stop there, she gifted me one of her primtastic wool pumpkin pin keeps with a tiny little mouser on top. Is this not the cutest thing?

There's still more friends, She also gave me this sweet little Halloween Ornie and wonderful  Halloween bottle that can be hung from a shelf or hook. 

And this is only the topping on the cake friend's there's still more!  Do you believe it! Two awesome Christmas Ornie's that she made for me, a wonderful snowman and Santa!

Nope, not done yet. Carol thought of everything! I was looking a few weeks back for some rust colored hemp for one of my crafting projects and could not find any, anywhere here in NY. Yeap, you guessed it! Carol was able to track some down and so graciously included some in my box of goodies! Sweeeet!

And to surly spoil me rotten, Carol included two, not one but two wonderful bars of soap from one of our blogging friends Jody from "Sweet Bear Creek Whims"  http://Sweetbearcreekwhims.blogspot.com I have never tried any of Jody's soap till now and gal's let me tell you.....It is SOoooooo"WONDERFUL"! The scents and smell are amazing and it lather's up so wonderful, not to mention that your skin is silky soft when you get done using it! If you have not had the chance like me to purchase some of Jody's soaps you are really, really missing out. Here's a little secret....I hear she has some that is curing now as I write this, which will be for sale sometime by the end of the month. If you maybe interested in purchasing some, I would not wait to check it out! And look how she packages every bar, as sweet as her soap itself!

Well gals, I am sure you will agree with me that Carol has a heart as big as her little ole' self! She surly has spoiled me rotten and I cannot begin to thank her enough, not only for all my goodies.....but for her and her husband making our trip such a super fantastic one and for all the wonderful memories that I will cherish!! I do have ton's of pictures to share, some of where we stayed and some of the Amish that I am so passionate about. Seeing this post is long, I am going to close for this evening. I will be back tomorrow and I will be posting more pictures. So stay tuned, the McKenzie House is awesome!

Until Next time friends,

Big Hugs

Mary

From top: Myself and Mark

On Bottom: Carol  and Jerry