Cookie Exchange

I just came back from our annual cookie exchange.  What fun!  We all brought six dozen cookies in beautifully decorated bags and boxes and all went home with six dozen cookies from some one elses kitchen.  I'm sure many of you do this too and isn't it fun?  If you don't I suggest you try it - if not this year then next.  We had a great meal and a style show, ( crazy outfits),  visited and caught up on what is going on in our friend's lives at this point.  This is a great way for women to get together during the holidays.

Creative Hands and Co. Craft Show

Have we had a weekend!  My talented friends and I had our first craft show in our little town and we were very pleased with the outcome.  My daughter Mary Elizabeth and I along with three of my grandchildren set up and decorated our booth Friday afternoon out at the Coushatta Indian gym.  We were back out there early Saturday morning to start selling.  Mary Elizabeth made crosses from wood, unusual sticks, wire and beads,  primitive Christmas tags, various   scriptures which were printed in the shape of crosses and manager scenes and names of men encased in computerized pictures of fishing and hunting scenes.  I had my dolls, pillows, santas, tea towels, button pins, blue jean purses, appliqued tote bags and etc.  My  Chole and J.T. sold old time woven pot holders, candy and brownies and Elizabeth painted kids faces.   People  came by to look and we had such fun catching up on what was going on in their lives.  They liked our things and bought many of them.  Thanks so much to all my friends for their support!.

First Monday Trade Days

Let me tell you about  our great trip to First Monday Trade Days.  My daugthers, Mary Elizabeth and Christy and I left at 4:40 A.M. Thursday and drove onto the Trade Day grounds at 9:15.  We bought a new shopping cart, because we just about wore out the old one at our last trip.  Then we were ready to shop and that we did all day until we couldn't go any more.  We  went back to Tyler and our motel  and the next day we were back out there looking for more goodies.  We  purchased jewelry - Texas big and Shabby Chic. (One of our favorite Shabby Chic shops is  Girls Gone Junkin)  Mary Elizabeth found a wonderful bookcase out on the flats,  Christy found a great blue and brown long jacket at Dressing Gaudy ( another of our favorite booths), I found a booth where you could fill a bag with pieces of  chenille for $3.00.( great for my collection of fabrics).  I also found some wonderful old lace pieces. We all bought some great flower stems and I got some great berry sways for my table at our local craft show. We ate a funnel cake,  hamburgers, ice cream, loaded baked potatoes and drank lattes and flavored coffees. I am posting some pictures of Trade Days for those of you who have not been.  We left Friday afternoon tired but a little sad that our trip was now over - but we will look forward to the next time.

Road Trip - First Monday Trade Days

I'm getting all packed and really excited about the next few days.  My two daughters and I are going for our annual - sometimes semiannual- trip to the famous First Monday Trade Days in Canton, Texas.  It started many years ago when the traveling judge would come to town on the first Monday of every month and everyone went to town for legal and other business.  They started bringing animals, produce and such and trading with one another.  From this grew one of the largest flea markets in this part of the country.  It is always the weekend preceeding the first Monday of the month and runs from Thursday to Sunday.  There are 12 pavilians (at last count) and lots of vendors on the grounds.  I have been getting my mind set on what I will be looking for this time.  Of course I am always looking for vintage buttons, lace, fabric and anything else that catches my eye.  We buy old and new things - sometimes have a time getting it all in my SUV.  At times we have entertained vendors with our antics of loading the car.  We have even ridden for a ways back to the motel holding pieces of small furniture on our lap. I will take pictures and post some when I get back.