Happy New Year and Happy New Beginnings.........

Happy New Year everyone!  Yes, I'm still here.  The holidays have been so hectic.  I actually did not do any Christmas shopping until the 23rd!  YIKES, I was in a panic.  I just simply had not had the time to do it before then.  Lucky for me my list was short.  The weekend before, the 18th,  Larry and I took a quick trip up to Plymouth, Indiana to The Memory Zone Scrapbook store.  They went out of business on the 15th after 9 years of business.  I know it was difficult for the owners as well as the customers to see this store close.  We bought a trailer load of paper racks and acrylic paper trays.  We got to see the our first snow of the season while traveling north which was beautiful.  They had about 2-3 inches on the ground by time we headed back.  Larry and I laughed because that would have closed the schools and business here in Tennessee but up North life goes on.

After returning from Indiana we had several Christmas Parties to attend as well as getting ready for the holidays. My son, Kyle, got to come home for Christmas which was the only gift I needed.  We spent a wonderful day with family and friends.

This is my nephew's wife, Valerie, (ME), my oldest sister Peggy,

my great-niece Brook, my mom Betty, and my great-nephew Trent.

My wonderful husband Larry and I

I love this picture of my sister Peggy and Brook.

There is just something about it that tugs at my heart.

Last one I promise.  Larry, myself and my son Kyle.

He finally took a step from behind the camera for one quick shot.

We had a wonderful Christmas and hope that you did as well.  Oh, in case you are wondering......  Larry bought me a beautiful set of pearls, earrings and necklace, that I have been asking for for years.  I have a set that belonged to my great-grandmother but the clasp is broken and I couldn't part with them to send them off for repair.  My new set is beautiful and one that I hope to pass down one day to a grand-daughter. Kyle just laughed when I told him this.....  Kyle bought me a gift card to Starbucks, YUM YUM.

We've been busy around the store lately.  We finally installed our fence with the help of a family friend and my husbands cousin Mike.....thanks guys.

Sorry the photo is a little blurry...... 

You can see the edge of the flower bed we landscaped as well. 

We hope to put the plants and shrubs in in March or April. 

Larry also repaired and refinished an antique bench for the front porch of the store.

Larry had this bench long before we met and had been in the barn for years.  I used to go to the loft when we were dating and see all the chickens roosting on it and wanted it so bad.  I initially wanted it on my front porch at my house but it was too long.  When we started the store, I insisted on having it on the front porch.  The center leg was broken and had to be re-fabricated (thanks Jimmy) and the entire bench sanded down (thanks to the chickens) and stained.  I think it turned out beautifully and sits so comfortable.

Here are a few of the projects from the store lately......

The calendar was made by my dear friend LaDonna.  It is from K&Co.  She wanted to somehow put cards with it for her mother to use when birthdays role around.  I got out some chipboard and fashioned this box and covered it.  It worked out well I thought.  I hope her mother appreciated all the effort that LaDonna put into this gift.

 

My friend Faith took out beginners frame class and made this frame for her daughter Mary Frances.  I think it turned out beautiful and Mary loved it.  The Believe word book is from Bo Bunny and was taught in one of our altered medium classes.  I hope that if you are local, you can stop in and join us for a class sometime.

Well, I think this is long enough for now.  Be sure to check out the class schedule for January.  I want to thank everyone for a wonderful year in 2009 at Precious Scraps and hope that we have another one in 2010.  I have set several goals for myself and for the store for 2010.  Each one with the end result of making life simpler and more enjoyable for you and for me.  As always, thanks for stopping in Precious Scraps. Love ya, BEV