Talk About Committed!

We've mentioned before how we have a combination of crafters - those who have been with us from day one, some who have joined us along the way, and each year we find some new and wonderful people. Well, today, I'd like to introduce you to the ones that have been faithful since the beginning.

Cari Newbold (Lauri's sister) started crafting with us way back when she was still a way cute teenager making clothespin Christmas ornaments and bow earrings. These days she's a mother of eight!, still way cute (even pretty much the same tiny size - no fair!) and making great stuff with her own darling daughter M'kynzi. This year they are making our favorite awesome earrings and bracelets, gorgeous caramel apples, and colorful "froofee-toos" - tutus for your budding ballerinas. Cari and M'kynzi both have such a sense of style, are wonderfully humorous, and they would do anything to be of assistance - and have done so considerably for us over the years.

Annette Emmer (Charla's sister) has done all sorts of beautiful things for the show, from dolls and hobby horses to beautiful hand-painted serving trays and hand-pieced table runners. She's a talented artist and this year will bring beautiful notecards and paintings - both watercolor and acrylic. She's been a great help at check-out for several years now also. Annette is a quiet tower of strength, doing so much in the background to make the show successful. We don't know what we would do without our sibling's assistance - KUDOS TO ALL OF YOU!

Charla's sisters-in-law Kathy Buhler and Diane Wiscombe have always been along for the ride, occasionally hosting boutiques of their own, also. I wish I had pictures to share with you of Kathy's amazing pecan logs, caramels, and dipped pretzels! Oh my . . . they are so amazing . . . mouth-watering . . . you ABSOLUTELY MUST try them all. The pretzels are standard additions to Christmas stockings at my house and I could not make it through a single day of the boutique without a fix of one or two of her caramels. The pecan logs sell out every year - we have women who call before the show even starts asking for us to set some aside for them (same with the pretzels). And, her prices are so, so reasonable! Kathy does a lot of other fun little items also - scrapbook pages, barrettes, etc. She's so organized that she always gets a plethora of great things done. But I have to add that above and beyond all the talented things Kathy does, she is one of the nicest people you could ever have the pleasure of knowing. Diane is another prolific crafter. Some of the things she contributes include rubber stamps, bath salts, great neighbor and teacher gifts, and stocking stuffers galore. But ladies (and you brave gents who are courageous enough to come), if you have any teenagers at your house, you will be a BIG hit if you bring home one (or more) of her giant peanut butter cups! We have several teens who come just to grab a handful of those. For several years we had an itty-bitty teenage gal (who has since gone away to college) who would come two or three times a day - every day of the boutique - to grab another of those tasty giants. She assured us she was eating them all, but we couldn't figure out where they were going! Anyhoo, in addition to her talents, Diane is such a friendly soul with a wonderful laugh.

And last, but not least, of our stalwarts is a dear friend from our old neighborhood, Linda Tabish. She has many talents, but for our show she specializes in one INCREDIBLE thing. Chocolate-covered turtles! These are not the chocolate turtles you see with nuts sticking out as heads and legs. These actually look like little chocolate turtles. Linda uses only the highest-quality and best-tasting chocolate, caramel and nuts. Yet another Christmas tradition. My husband and father-in-law, especially, would be completely happy if they found nothing else in their stockings! We don't feel like the boutique is complete without those yummy confections. And we love to see and visit with Linda again.

Just a quick reminder - the first giveaway will be ending soon, so don't forget to comment on that post!

Giveaway Number One!

If you'll look at one of last year's posts titled "Crafter Highlight - Lauri" you'll find a description and picture of what we're giving away first. "The Twelve Gifts of Thanksgiving" is a great addition to any Thanksgiving celebration. You could win one if you'll leave a comment and add your email address to our list (check out the contact information on the sidebar). We'll pick two names randomly and announce the winners at the end of the month. If you've been to our show before, leave a comment telling us what you enjoy about it. We'll pick an additional winner from those comments! Winners can pick up their prizes during the boutique - just ask for Lauri or Charla!

MAKE it a great day!

Since our boutique is only once a year and coming up quickly, we've got to get word out! Please tell your friends through facebook, twitter, your blogs, word of mouth, etc.! We're looking forward to seeing you soon!

Soup and/or Salsa anyone?

We're looking for someone who does fabulous soups and salsas (even hot chocolates and ciders) to join our show. They've been a tradition in the boutique for years that makes my mouth water just thinking about them. But sadly, the ladies who did them are no longer doing them. If you or someone you know is interested, leave a comment with your email address or use the contact info on the side bar.

Look for a giveaway tomorrow!

One Month and Counting!

Wow - 2009 has flown by! Charla and I have been busy for several weeks now putting together this year's show. We are so excited to have many of our favorite crafters back and some new friends who are bringing lots of fabulous new items. This is just a quick update for now. Check back in the days to come to discover a glimpse of what you'll find at "All Through the House". We may even have a giveaway or two. We're looking forward to seeing you soon.

Crafter Highlight - Three Crazy Ladies

Wow, we're down to almost no time until our boutique starts. We're both showing signs of "boutique-induced sleep deprivation." It would really be nice if we had time to do more posts about all the great crafters we work with. But, at least there's time to tell you a bit about a couple of our favorites! Becky Davis and Krissy Meier are part of Three Crazy Ladies. They do the vast majority of the vinyl art that you'll find at our show. We asked them where on earth they got the "crazy lady" name. Turns out that Becky's husband was waiting for them late one evening so that they could finish "just one more" thing and just made up a little song which he picked out on a ukelele and the chorus consisted of the words "you're crazy ladies." The name stuck! We're lucky to have them. They have a great variety of signs and lettering that you can put just about anywhere. Good luck choosing just one or two! We love working with them. They fill custom orders so quickly, are so dependable and fun, and their prices are so great that we hope they'll continue to join with us for many years to come. Oh yeah, they also bring squeaker shoes that kids and moms both love!

Pictures to come!

Boutique Memories

Lauri's 23-year-old daughter, Michelle, wrote about growing up with the boutique. To see what she had to say, click here.

Crafter Highlight - Lauri!

Lauri is one of those people who does a little bit of everything. She has taught numerous art and music classes in the local elementary school, was a room mother for 21 straight years, and has taught kid's cooking classes in her home since 1988. She enjoys doing calligraphy and any other artsy/crafty thing that might tickle her fancy. You could also call her a collector--of great quotes, fun ideas, and tasty recipes--and she loves to share them all! We never know from year-to-year what she will come up with for the boutique, but we'll mention a few of this year's creations. Her bestseller is something called "The Twelve Gifts of Thanksgiving." It's a unique and meaningful collection of thoughts about Thanksgiving that can be enjoyed one per day in the 12 days leading up to your celebration or you can take turns reading them around your feast. She also makes sure that we have a great selection of our very favorite Hobblecreek candles at great prices. Since the boutique won't be at her home this year, filling up her kitchen, you can also look for some of her family's favorite baked goods - sweet rolls, gingerbears and gingertrolls, and her most decadent cream-filled chocolate cupcakes! Her family also has a tradition of filling their huge front windows with beautiful hand-cut snowflakes. She has literally cut thousands of them. When you visit the boutique, you just might find a few of these framed hand-cut snowflakes for you to add to your collection of Christmas decor.