Happy Birthday to my Etsy Shop...Let's Celebrate with a Discount Coupon!

I've been sewing and crafting since I was a wee one.

My mom wouldn't let me use her sewing machine until I was 10 years old.

So everything before that was handmade.

My first venture into selling our handmade items was at a craft fair,

sponsored by our daughters' elementary school PTA...

There were tables set up around the gym for the crafters,

and the PTA sold homemade soups for lunch.

I was hooked...

I had to come up with a name...

"Tins and Treasures", it was.

My decorative tins created from recycled food cans 

are perhaps some of our most unique items.

And then everything else falls into the category of "Treasures", right?!

My "Crafting ADD" probably explains why I have such a collection of items in my shop.

I like to sew, knit, crochet, paint, and hot glue!

Even, my hubby has gotten into the action.

He has an awesome set of power tools out in the shop.

The best seller at our local arts festival, is his Wine Bottle Necklace.

He can get a couple made during a football game in the fall

(depending on how close the game is, of course).

My Infinity Scarves are a hot item too.

Waiting to be finished and listed are these owls.

I started them last fall, before I broke both of my wrists...

and now, just getting back into my studio.

Today, July 11th, is the anniversary of the opening of

my Tins and Treasures Shop on Etsy.

To celebrate, I am offering a 20% off coupon.

At checkout, enter the coupon code

6YEARS

If you are a local friend, just contact me to get together.

You can still use the discount and we can skip the shipping charge!

Double Bonus!!

Take care,

~Natalie

Where the Week Went...

...let's see, where did the week go?

Last Sunday was such a nice spring day.

We went out to lunch with Grandma after church.

As a young girl, it was always exciting to spot the first robin,

a sure sign that spring was here.

And there... in our neighbor's yard...three robins.

In fact, I saw seven robins on our way to church!

After lunch, we took a little tour of Grandma's yard and garden spot.

(Notice that all of the snow was gone.)

But our sure sign of spring was a false alarm...

I'm not sure who was more excited 

about our early release from school,

the students or the teachers!

The wind came first...blowing our chairs right off the patio.

Then the snow...and it just went downhill from there.

Here's the following morning, a late start...

I love the sunshine on the waves of snow!

When the school has a late start, 

teachers are to report at the normal contract time.

Think about all of that uninterruped time to correct papers and plan lessons!

A Celebration in the Old Farmhouse Gathering team on Etsy 

prompted me to finish these cotton crochet scarves in spring colors.

It was Quick Breads week in my Foods class.

Waffles, Muffins, Biscuits, Banana Bread and Pie.

Biscuits and Gravy...yum yum!

And that, my dears,

is where the week went!

Take care,

~Natalie

click here to visit my 

Tins and Treasures Etsy Shop.

click here for a printer-friendly

Sausage Gravy recipe.

Whatcha' Workin' on Wednesday...

Since my accident and wrist surgery,

anything in my studio appears to be work.

But one has to start somewhere.

Recently, I have tried a bit of crochet....

These all sold out at our local winter arts festival,

so I have been creating more, in fresh spring colors...

to be listed in my Etsy shop and featured in our next OFG celebration.

(stay tuned!)

But first things first.

A teacher is the most busy at the beginning of a school term...

introducing new courses, learning student names, 

checking out books, discussing classroom expectations.

Not to mention, correcting and calculating grades from the previous term.

This was the scene in our hotel room on our recent 'vacation' to Minnesota.

And.. nearly.. every.. day.. at.. home.. since!!

So, after a few hours of 'homework' tonight,

I am enjoying a bit of time 'creating'.

Take care,

~Natalie

What'cha Workin' on Wednesday?

Countdown to Winterfest...

Three days!

We are busy here cutting, stitching, pressing, stuffing, painting, twisting, tying, gluing, pricing, packing...

This is a new scarf style that I am introducing to our shop this fall....

Single crochet strands of novelty yarns... all tied together.

 Here's one with our school colors!

Of course, Hubby has his wine bottle necklaces ready for sale.

Snowmen are dressed and ready to go...

...and infinity scarves are organized in baskets.

Have a wonderful Holiday Season, everyone.

Take care,

~Natalie

Happy Weekend & Sew Much to do Saturday...

I'm not complainin'...I'm just sayin'...

This felt like the longest week...ever!

We were so ready for some "Happy Hour Jazz"...

Our 'boys' had the night off, as the college guys were playing the gig at Tapz...

I think they enjoyed just relaxing on a Friday night!

And...Pat and I enjoyed having some dinner out

with our hubbies!

Central Shirts...Anyone??

This morning I did some serious On-Line Rummage Sale Re-Arranging...

The site has grown to 3,899 Community Members and some of the clothing albums have gotten very large...almost unmanageable...

So, I spent time reposting our photos into albums that are broken down by size...

The Zion Marketplace

Our church youth group is fundraising for their trip to their National Convention.

Next weekend, they are hosting a Shopping Experience in our Fellowship Hall.

The youth will be selling Walking Tacos for lunch...

...while members of the congregation will set up booths to sell items, with a percentage of sales going to the youth group.

Along with Tupperware, Avon, Norwex and Mary Kay,

We were invited to participate...

Since the only Show we 'do' is Winterfest, 

I wasn't sure that we'd have enough inventory without our usual Santas and Snowmen...

Ummm...No Problem!

I set up a makeshift table in the living room here...

and yes, we have more than enough spring items to fill our booth.

In addition to my Prim items...

I have Baby Beanies...

...and Infinity Scarves.

I think I will display the extras in my mom's vintage suitcases...

What do you think?

Plus...

Lillie, my new Vintage Dress form, will make her debut 

at the Zion Marketplace...

featuring print chiffon scarves for spring and summer!

If you live near here, you should stop by!

Take care,

~Natalie

Monday Mania; Where the Weekend Went; a Blog Feature; Spring Scarves; & a Sure Sign of Spring

You all must know how hard it is to go back to work after a little vacation...

Well, the best part of my Monday morning was removing the aroma seal from a fresh canister of coffee.

There is nothing that can top that aroma!

My Spring Break included a little road trip with our girls to Minneapolis...

this has become an annual excursion for our family.

This is what it looks like driving in South Dakota.

Yes, it is flat here in the eastern part of the state...

and No, there are not very many cars on the Interstate.

We went to a restaurant in the Mall of America called Crave.

Here, I tasted my first Sushi... 

Yummo!

Our Hotel was downtown, as our main mission was to be together...

and to shop...and to eat...

We were caught up in the St. Patty's Day Parade...

There were lots of people and lots of very large dogs along Nicolette Mall!

I loved every minute of our time together...

Back here in the real world...

It was back to school,

and...

It made my day to see my Tins and Treasures shop

 featured on our Etsy PAFA team blog.

While riding in the car, I was able to make the finishing hand-stitches on several new Infinity Scarves for Spring. They are now listed in my Etsy Shop.

While out on the patio...taking photos for my shop...

there she was...on the neighbor's lawn...

...yes...the first official sign of spring...

Where did you spot your first robin?

Take care,

~Natalie