I am so excited! I won a GIVEAWAY!

I had a long day at work today. When I came home I got a pleasant surprise in my email! I won 24 grubbied salt dough ornies in snowmen & snowflake shapes. They are scented in Cinnamon and I am going to love them! I entered the contest at http://primfriendsnetwork.blogspot.com/
It is a wonderful blog- you should go visit!
I think I have the perfect vessel to display these!
I am doing the happy dance!

I have gotten an award!

The "Marie Antoinette: A Real Person, A Real Award" blog award from Terri at http://clayhillfarm.blogspot.com/
Here are the rules that accompany this award:1. Please put the logo on your blog 2. Place a link to the person from whom you received the award 3. Nominate at least 7 or more blogs 4. Put the links of those blogs on your blog 5. Leave a message on their blogs to tell them.

My nominees are

http://isidenanashead.blogspot.com/

http://penniwigs.blogspot.com/

http://tailsfromthedogpatch/blogspot.com

http://stoneyhillcabin.blogspot.com/

http://plainandsimplykaren.blogspot.com/

http://fortheloveofprims.blogspot.com/

http://simple-needs.blogspot.com/

Stretching Your Dollars for a Good Cause & a Giveaway

From now until November 23, every order over 40.00 ( before shipping) will receive a free 9 oz square mason candle or a six pack of tarts in the scent of your choice ( subject to scents in stock). There is no code to use- just type your scent choice in the comment section and indicate which product you want- candle or tarts. http://www.brandyannescandlesandprims.com/
I am offering this because a young man( in his early 30's) I know needs help.
A while back this young man's right leg started going numb off & on- he was working but did not have any medical insurance so he did not seek any medical care- until a few weeks ago when the numbness would not go away. He then went to the emergency room and they discovered he has a herniated disc in his lower back which is causing the numbness in his leg. They referred him to a specialist and told him they would call him to set up an appointment. In the meantime he was laid off from his job because of the failing economy.
When the specialists office called him they found out that he did not have any insurance so told him he could not be seen.
So here he is without any money and a serious medical condition left untreated.
I am so saddend by this I have vowed to do what I can to help.
20 % of all the sales this offer generates will be put in a fund and given to this young man.
Please consider doing some shopping for Christmas with me to get your free product and help someone in desperate need.
For everyone that posts the sale on their blog( & let's me know they have posted it) they will be entered into a drawing for a six pack of tarts in the scent of their choice. Drawing willl be held November 24. The tarts make great small gifts! My friend Nancy is also doing a giveaway for a free tote bag for any one that spends 25.00 at http://www.brandyannescandlesandprims.com/ for more info go to her blog http://insidenanashead.blogspot.com/

Colonial Wreath & More Colonial Williamsburg

This is another example of the Colonial Williamsburg Christmas decorations using natural materials- plain & simple materials- no glitter- no lights- but beautiful !

Colonial Christmas In Williamsburg

I found these photos at http://www.history.org/

Colonial people used fruits and other natural materials to decorate at Christmas time I think they are so pretty. Note the pineapples at the top. The traditional Colonial symbol of Welcome.

The other photo shows what seems to be lighting torches outside the homes- what a flame he has going there!

Snowman Candle Mat

This wonderful wool felt candle mat was made by a very good friend of mine. It is made from navy wool felt with olive green & burgundy stars.
It is just waiting to decorate your home with your favorite candle sitting on it.
To buy this mat got to http://www.brandyannescandlesandprims.com
in the seasonal category- hurry there is only one of these in wool felt.

Look at this Great Free Graphic!

This wonderful snowman graphic is free! Can you believe that!

You can get your own at http://penniwigs.blogspot.com

Give a big thanks to Holly while you are there!

Give Thanks 20% off sale!!!

Thanksgiving will soon be here. It is one of my favorite Holidays! Families get together to share a meal not too different than our Pilgrim forefathers did.

The earth is starting to slow down for the winter and another season has begun.

That means that Christmas is not far behind.

Join us at our 20% off sale. It is a great way to buy homemade if you have taken that pledge and save some money.

It is good for any of our products- candles, melters, dipped bears,prairie bonets- whatever your need or wishes.

Simply enter code PP20 at checkout.

Another great giveaway!!!

Melissa at http://thistledewfarm.blogspot.com is having a wonderful giveaway- hurry go take a peek!

Sweet Potato Garland- Tutorial

Gather your ingredients:
Sweet potatoes - cut up into halves or quarters
1 Cup boiling water 4 tablespoons of Instant coffee - ginger (optional) ,cinnamon,
nutmeg ,sewing needle ,cotton string or cord - as long as you intend your garland to be.
* You can use ordinary potatoes if in a jam.
1)First you need to make your dye: Mix the coffee and boiling water. 2)Meanwhile, cut up your potatoes into halves and quarters. 3)Next, sprinkle your spices on a plate.
4)Soak your cotton thread in the coffee dye mixture. 5)Dip or drop your potatoes in the dye mixture to stain them. 6)Roll your colored potatoes in the sweet and pungent spice mixture. 7)Attach the potatoe pieces snugly, one against another, on the colored string. 8)let air dry.
You will have created a sweet scent sensation!

Prairie Prim Soap Again

Tonight I am finally trying my hand at making more Prairie Prim soap again.

If all goes well I will be making the leftover soap into soap balls ( or soap stones as professional soap makers call them!) and posting them as a blog giveaway soon!

Stay tuned!

Winner, Winner, Winner!

The winner of the blog giveaway at http://clayhillfarm.blogspot.com
and http://thistledewfarm.blogspot.com is Angela of http://makethyselfahome.blogspot.com
She won one of my full size soy candles and 3 soy Prairie Prim melters!
Congrats Angela!

Giveaway Ends Tomorrow!

Just a reminder that the giveaway for one of my full size candles & PrairiePrim Melters ends tomorrow- if you have not signed up go leave a comment at http://clayhillfarm.blogspot.com
or http://thistledewfarm.blogspot.com - hurry it ends at 7pm tomorrow Nov. 1st!

The New Furnace is Being Installed!

The furnace men are installing our new furnace today. I will be glad to see the old one go!
We have been using space heaters for 4 weeks now- it will be good to have a central heat system!!!
Right now my house is full of soot & sooty foot prints!
I know what I will be doing all evening!

Bed Warmers

A bed warmer was a common household item in cold countries, especially Northern Europe. It consisted of a metal container, usually fitted with a handle and shaped somewhat like a modern frying pan, with a solid or finely perforated lid. The pan would be filled with hot coals and placed under the covers of a bed, to warm it up and/or dry it out before use.
After the invention of rubber, the classical bed warmer was largely supplanted by the hot water bottle, which is still widely used. In the late 20th century, electric blankets and then the electric bed warmer were invented to fulfill the same need.

If I am not mistaken bedwarmers like the ones pictured were also used durin the Pilgrim & Pioneer Eras also.