Thursday, November 29, 2012

Christmas Memories From The Gang



We are working our little fingers to the bone to get everything ready for the December sale coming up December 6-7-8-9.  We have been working so hard that I haven't even got a chance to get photos yet.  BUT I will soon!  In the meantime, we thought you might enjoy hearing some of our favorite Christmas memories!!  Get ready to laugh and cry - and think about your own favorite Christmas memories too.

Rose's memories - When my daughter Julie was about 3 or 4 years old she got a doll carriage for Christmas. She was sooooo excited and she said "Oh I have wanted one for years and years and years".

I have never been the brightest bulb in lifes marquee. It was after Christmas and I just wanted that dry old tree out of my house. Everytime I moved it an inch it shed more needles into the shag carpet (yes, I had a rake to "rake" the carpet too!). So, I decided to just stuff the darn thing into the fire place and let it go up in smoke. As you can imagine.....it exploded because of all of the resin in it.! Lesson learned. ( I was very young....if you could die from "dumb" I would be long gone!)

Kris's memory - I have so many! When my son was young I was still working in sales. I represented Bethany Housewares and would spend most Saturday's during the holiday season going to small town hardware stores doing lefse demo's. Always on the Friday after Thanksgiving I would do a lefse demo at Lyndale Hardware in Richfield. My son would come with me and help roll out the lefse or many times
the store managers would find him "jobs" to do while I was making lefse and selling lefse grills. After the demo we would always go to Bachman's to see Santa and the live reindeer and then to Lyndale Garden center to pick out a new ornament from the millions that they had. And that day would be the start of our annual Christmas Tree counting game. We would count how many trees we saw tied to the top of cars or sticking out of cars. I could only count the trees I saw while he was in the car with me. He would remember from day to day the exact count and get so excited when his count was higher than mine! That Friday was always a "best" day - then we would go home and decorate the tree that night. We would get all of the boxes of ornaments out and unwrap each and every one before we put any on the tree. Each one would bring comments - "we got that one on this trip" or "so and so made that one for us" or "remember what that one stands for - the year we did this or that". Once they were all unwrapped we would each grab our favorite ornaments and have a race to get the best spots for our favorites. I had one that he thought was exceptionally ugly - and he had one that I felt the same about. So we would spend a lot of time during the holidays hiding each others ornaments on the back side of the tree. Every night when I came home from work I would have to go search the tree for my favorite ornament and bring her back to the front - while my son would be watching and giggling. I miss those days!

MaryAnn's memories (get your Kleenex!) - My mom and dad provided the best Christmas memories ever. When I was very young, my father and brother would cut down our Christmas tree and I can remember dad fireproofing the tree in our back yard. In the early years, the tree was up on Christmas morning, a big surprise for us when we came downstairs. It was beautiful with the gold garland my mom used eve
ry year. One year mom and dad had very little money; only the $10 that dad's aunt had sent them for a Christmas gift. Everything under the tree was made of paper. My brother and I had no idea that there were money problems. We were happy, safe and very loved. As years went on, my brother and I had children and they have been part of the Christmas miracle also. Jack, Tricia, Janna and I would travel to Connecticut every December to spend two weeks of Christmas bliss. Dad decorated the tree outside so that the kids could see the house from the big hill on our way from the airport.Every Christmas eve, Santa ( a friend of the family's) would come to see the kids and talk with them about what they wanted under their tree. One year when Tricia was 2 years, she told Santa that she had seen him at "Bwookdale". Santa's visits thru the years brought laughter and wonderful tears to our eyes. Our Christmas' have been full of fun, laughter, love and many blessings. Jack and I are trying to do the same for our children and grandchildren with the memories of mom and dad in our hearts forever.

Yvonne's Christmas memories - Sitting in the living room of my Grandma and Grandpa’s farm house getting ready to open presents and hearing Santa walking around on the roof. He would come in and hand out presents to all of the kids and then disappear…it took a few years to realize that our Uncle Leonard was the only one missing when Santa made his appearance!

One of the last Christmas memories I have of my dad is ice skating on the frozen pond in my parents back yard. He made sure it was clear of snow before we came over. Sledding down the back hill on our butts, playing boot hockey (for those of us with our ice skates), then heading inside for hot chocolate when we were too cold to move.

Amy's Christmas memory - Going to my grandma and grandpa’s house and seeing the silver tinsel Christmas tree with the rotating color wheel which projected colored light up through the tree from the floor! I remember my cousins and I would sit and look at the tree for hours, as kids wondering how this tree was turning colors. It was one of many great Christmas memories! What I would do to have the tree now!

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Black Friday Photo Opportunity!

 Thanks to our friends the Lohse's - we have this great old truck out front for the Black Friday and December sales!  She will be all gussied up with a big wreath on her front!
Her bed will be filled with trees and greens and all kinds of goodies!  Who knows - maybe even someone you know will be sitting in the cab!!!  Bring your families and your cameras and take your photos - or ask us - we'll have our cameras with us and will gladly email you you photos!

Black Friday Is Coming Along!

 More and more treasures are coming for our first ever Black Friday Sale!  We will be open from 9am to 4pm - note those times please!  Also for the first time ever we will be having SPECIAL pricing on select items.  I can't tell you what as that is up to each dealer - but watch for tags announcing 10% or more off!

How about this great storage piece?  How handsome!
 Love this Grain King piece - would make a great statement piece in any room or how about as a headboard?
 Now, who doesn't love a Christmas train?
 How would this be on your front porch?
 Love this set up! 
 cozy pillows!
 Isn't she cute?
 Love it all - but especially the leather bag!
 Barb's white area - love the sparkle!
 Star light, star bright...........
 We can't get enough silver!
 A great vingette - and the mirror is spectacular!
 Love the simplicity of this.
 Add some nice soft lighting to your rooms.
 Claire is in the midst of setting up - her area is so cozy - can't wait to see it all done!
 I wonder what she has in all of those boxes?
 Let us help you decorate your mantel!  Let us help you choose a mantel - and we'll even load it for you!
 Tobaggan as shelf! We have tons of sleds and tobaggons and skis and skates and snowshoes!
 Love all of the vintage cards!
 Here is a look at some more of those great sleds!
 Nothing says winter warmth like fur!
 Pat had to go all the way to Missouri to find this great glass doored cupboard!  It is glass all the way to the bottom and even better - it's the original wavy glass!
 These file drawers are incredible!  Attention all you crafters and jewelry makers - how perfect would this be?
 Peter has some wonderful looking items in his area - like this red chicken brooder top.  I think it would be a great Christmas tree skirt don't you?
 All I want for Christmas is a PONY!!!
 Let us help you decorate your table for the holidays!
 More ways to display your photos or holiday cards!
 Yvonne was just starting to set up - but this mantel turned upholstered headboard caught my attention!!
 Oh, so much storage!
 We are down home and cozy over the desk this month!
 More antlers coming in - we can hardly keep up with the demand for these items!
 See that great big huge lovely window behind that beautiful dresser?  There are a pair of those great big huge lovely windows!
 There is another great center island under all of those goodies - and we've got some Princess Pine there too!
 We will have TONS of greens, arrangements, wreaths, Christmas Trees, birch trees, dogwood - you name it - we'll have it!
 We are working hard on getting the front of the store all set up and purdy.  Believe me - it's gonna knock your socks off!!
 We'll help you choose items for your own window boxes or pots or porches too!
 LOVE this little dresser!  She will be all gussied up with hardware and looking fine by Friday!

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

A Little Black Friday Teaser!

 We are working our fingers to the bone trying to get SHR ready to be open on Black Friday. Not much has actually made it in to the store yet - but I did find a few things!  Like this cute little cupboard that came in - kinda cottagey, kinda deco, kinda cute!
 Saw this awesome set of chairs - and gorgeous round table in the background.  I don't know if these chairs are going to be painted or re-covered or both or neither - but I did check them out and can vouch for their sturdiness and comfort!
 What a beautiful armoire!
 Look at this 2 piece gray cupboard.  She is a beaut!
 Love the detail on this little shelf.
 A pair of fluted columns - they are gorgeous!
 Looks like this table is still a work in progress - but look at the great legs!  Can't wait to see the finished product!
 Some awfully nice and cozy flannel and wool shirts and jackets - even some Pendleton!
 Love this table - great metal industrial bottom with barnwood top.
 Christmas dishes!
 Very large sugar cones!
 Handmade Christmas cards!
 The perfect drink set for your next cocktail party!
 Christmas quilts!
 We do love vintage ornaments!
 Love the paper wreath!
 How's that for a unique Christmas tree?
 Vintage Christmas linens!
Love this crate - perhaps filled with greens and berries and birch or maybe tucked under the tree brimming with gifts?  Endless possibilities!