Merry Christmas!!!

Memories of childhood dreams and anticipation of that big day...this is a picture of me with my brothers taken about 40 (gulp!) years ago.  Mom stitched up matching jammies, and I remember how excited we all were.  Brother Matt with his ear to ear smile and stylish crew cut, and little Jeff (the judge) as he embraced the world with those monster sized cheeks, and me with my long braids.  Hope you have a holiday season filled with great memories!

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas!

Last Minute Fabric Wrapping Fun

This year I've found myself with some pretty sizable boxes to wrap up for Christmas gifts.  The thought of using nearly a whole roll of wrapping paper for one gift has my thrifty side cringing.  I haven't had to restock my wrapping paper supply in a while, and don't relish the idea of heading back to the stores this late in the game.  So I find myself happily sorting through my largest stash of fabric to put it to good use!  Just a yard or two of beautiful inexpensive fabric will yield many opportunities to be used, and then there's the gift of that fabric for any of your sewing friends too!

If you're wrapping a gift with a piece of fabric, you can certainly wrap it just like any other paper wrapped gift, but you will incur some bulk around the folded ends and corners.  For me, that added to the charm of my daughter trying to guess what in the world it could be!  I used safety pins to secure the seams and ends and lots of beautiful wide ribbon for a bow (again, from my stash).  The fun part for me was waiting a few days before putting a name tag on the boxes...keeps 'em guessing.

Now originally, I wanted to gather a huge piece of fabric to the middle of the box with a rubber band and create a center pouf, but even my largest chunk of red fabric couldn't match up with these two humongous boxes.  I don't think these are too bad though, and the great thing is that my garbage bin won't have much in there this year.  What wasn't wrapped in fabric was placed in fabric gift bags and reusable decorated boxes!

There are a lot of great websites for tips and techniques on wrapping gifts with fabric.  I found this beautiful collection of photos of packages with much more style than mine offer:  https://www.google.com/search?q=fabric+package+wrapping&hl=en&rlz=1C1TSNO_enUS461US461&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=CEfyTpiHC-bc2QXp4ISDAg&ved=0CJgBELAE&biw=1600&bih=775.  But heck,  these are for a 10 year old who really doesn't care about anything other than what's inside those bright red boxes!

Have a great day!  Ilene

Sew...you need some inspiration?

It's the beginning of the countdown to the 25 days of Christmas!  Are you ready?  Have you finished up all of those projects in your head for gift giving this season?  Whew, I'm not even close!  But I did find some new (to me anyway!) websites and blogs that have great quick sewing projects and tutorials for those extra special handmade gifts.  Come take a look at these cool sites:

http://erinerickson.com/ Has great tutorials for little bags and pouches as well as awesome advice on taking great pictures...check out her VERY cute dog in a bag! 

http://pinkeeps.blogspot.com/  I've admired this blog for a while, as she has great tips and tutorials.  Check out her latest...a thimble keeper!  Great idea, as those little guys get lost so fast in my sewing room!

http://www.craftpassion.com/  Another favorite...check out her tutorial in July, 2011 for a very unique coin purse.  I need to try this one and use up some scraps

Now, I hope that you won't stray to far from me, as I'll soon have another tutorial for you!  I've been invited to join the Nancy Zieman Tablet Blog Tour in January!  I'll have my own rendition of these new tablet keepers for you to see and make.  However, if you can't wait and want to make your own now...check out this great tutorial from Clover:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhYVERqxYpQ

Sew...are you inspired yet???

A Token of Thanks...for YOU!

The turkey is roasting, the gingerbread cookies are fast disappearing, and my sweet family sings in the spirit of the season...I have so much to be thankful for.

I am forever thankful to all of you, my dear customers and friends, for your support and encouragement to fulfill a creative dream! Together with 25 other members of the OFG Team on Etsy, we want to share just one more token of thanks to you…our customers! The participating shops below have joined together for a promotion from Thanksgiving day through Tuesday, November 29 with a special savings coupon of at least 10% towards your purchase. Use the coupon code “OFGthanksyou2011” as you shop here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/barbsheartstrokes http://www.etsy.com/shop/basketsbyrose http://www.etsy.com/shop/catsdesigns http://www.etsy.com/shop/cavecreekprimitives http://www.etsy.com/shop/ewenmeprintables http://www.etsy.com/shop/farmersattic http://www.etsy.com/shop/FirecrackerKid
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Handofbelapeck
http://www.etsy.com/shop/handmadebybette
http://www.etsy.com/shop/happyvalleyprimitive http://www.etsy.com/shop/MapleStreetShoppe
http://www.etsy.com/shop/49pamela
http://www.etsy.com/shop/MotherlodeToad
http://www.etsy.com/shop/NancysWorkshop
http://www.etsy.com/shop/NoJumbledDucks
http://www.etsy.com/shop/paintspotsnsplinters
http://www.etsy.com/shop/primchick
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Primgal
http://www.etsy.com/shop/printandsew
http://www.etsy.com/shop/publishedartist
http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheBarnHollow
http://www.etsy.com/shop/tinsandtreasures
http://www.etsy.com/shop/tomorrowstreasures
http://www.etsy.com/shop/WickedlyCreative
http://www.etsy.com/shop/AlwaysPrimitive
http://www.etsy.com/shop/primpennystitches
http://www.etsy.com/shop/yorkiesprimitives
http://www.etsy.com/shop/sweetbearcreekwhims
Use this coupon code at Happy Valley Primitives and receive 10% off of your total purchase, and I will also include special holiday tags with your shipped order!   Thank you so much for your support and continued patronage. We wish you and your family a very Happy Thanksgiving holiday!

Oh baby, it's cold outside!

Brrr...the thermometer reads 23 degrees on this chilly Sunday morning!  Frost has saturated the grass; the roads are a bit tricky, and so my Prius will stay warm nestled in the garage...at least for the day!  So, that must mean that it's time to pull out the winter wardrobe and grab that toasty scarf to snuggle in.  Did you know that Happy Valley Primitives also carries a line of luxuriously soft scarves with the most elegant beaded fringe out there?  I have a small sampling listed in my Etsy shop now with FREE US shipping for a limited time, so if you're in need of a new fresh look, with a little bling...come check me out!

Walking through a Winter Wonderland!

Songs of the season have been dancing through my head!  Walk through your winter wonderland with the incredibly talented primitive artists of PAFA!  The celebration is on...now through December 9th!  Type PAFAWW on Etsy.com to see all of the wonderful offerings!

Tagging away!

It's hard to believe that in only two weeks, the Christmas season will be in full swing.  Wow!  Where did the time go?  Just after Thanksgiving marks the opening of one of the biggest holiday draws here in the northwest corner of Washington...The Lights of Christmas (http://www.warmbeach.com/lights-of-christmas.html)!  This spectacular event draws over 50,000 people and boasts over a million twinkling lights on display, along with festivities, theatre, food, and of course, several gift shops!  Once again, I will have a table full of creations for sale there.  So, while nearly all of my projects are ready, I have taken it upon myself to create new pricing tags this year.  I just love to showcase a beautiful piece of art in my price tags; however, I also want to personalize them.  And, since I'm, ahem...thrifty, I've researched on the net to find printable tags at little or no cost.  There is a large assortment out there!  A couple of my favorite sites are:  http://alenkasprintables.com/free_printables.shtml; http://www.instantprintables.com/; and http://www.senecapondcrafts.com/store/.  Check out these awesome sites for free to low cost printable tags, ornaments, and so much more!

Welcome to the first ORP Christmas Craft Fair Shop Hop!

It's here!  It's here!  The ORP Christmas Craft Show Shop Hop has begun!  All of those one of a kind handmade holiday items are now showcased in the participating shops.  Will you find that treasure that you've been hunting for?  Happy Valley Primitives is very honored to be a part of this celebration, and I have several wonderfully cute primitive decor items for your consideration to the right of this blog post.  Find Santa, his reindeer, THE "elf" penquin, Bling, Raggedy Annie, Mice and Snowmen galore to celebrate the season!  I even have a few newly released epatterns if you'd like to make your own creations!  Best of all, all of my items include US shipping AND they are priced at special "Shop Hop" savings!

Most of all, I hope that you enjoy discovering these truely talented artisans as you travel through their blogs.  I'm amazed at all of the beautiful creations!  Have fun shop hopping!

Another Great Giveaway from OFG!

The Old Farmhouse Gathering Team on Etsy has put together another great giveaway that you can win!  Check out this treasury full of items to trim up your tree in style, and be sure to leave a comment to enter!  Good luck!!!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NTYwOTAxN3w5ODMwMzIxODU/win-half-this-treasury-trim-your-tree?ref=pr_treasury

Etsy Scavenger Hunt

Ready for some fun?  A team of Etsy sellers have put together an awesome scavenger hunt within their individual shops.  Check out this blog for more information:  http://etsyscavengerhunt.blogspot.com/.  Happy Valley Primitives is participating too, and the hunt starts November 1, so get ready to scour through lots of very nice shops to find the all important scavenger hunt photo, and while you're looking, maybe you'll find something wonderful for someone on your gift list! 

Fall Fun for that Necessary Room

The rain is here, so it must be time to decorate for fall!  Well, summer was short-lived here in the Northwest, and now we're on to autumn...my favorite time of year!  Here's a quick little decorating idea for that special place we all have...the necessary room! 

How many times have you been the lucky one to find that the roll of T.P. is empty?  Well, try this out, and only you will know where it's hidden!

You will need:  one roll of T.P. (toilet paper), a fat quarter of orange fabric, a fat 1/8th of green fabric, a 10x10 scrap of gold tulle.  Lay out the fat quarter, wrong side up, and place the T.P. in the center. Start on one side and begin tucking the raw edges of the fabric into the center of the T.P. roll until the entire piece of orange fabric surrounds the T.P.  Tuck the center part only of the gold tulle into the center of the T.P.  Fold and roll up the green fabric to about 4" tall tight roll.  Push the cut edge of the fat 1/8th into the center of the T.P., making sure to not push through all of the tulle.  There, now you have a cute pumpkin for your bathroom decor that, in a pinch, is ready for those 'necessary' moments!

Jump into Winter with this new Celebration!

SPLAT!  Ready for a snowball fight?  Today begins a new OFG Team Celebration for all things Winter!  It's not too soon to think about something new for your home decor as the weather begins to cool down.  Type WWHOFG in your search on www.etsy.com and find over 100 brand new items!  Since snowmen are one of my favorite decorating items, I've been busy drooling over so many unique finds here...hope you'll check out!

Harvest?...sigh...

There's a scene in "Finding Nemo" that keeps running through my head these days.  It's the part where Nemo is encouraging the Tuna, who are about to be captured and reeled up in a gigantic net by a fishing boat to keep swimming down, in an effort to break the mast holding the net and setting them all free.  "Keep swimming...keep swimming..." they all chant together.

I feel the need to chant to the sun as we venture towards fall to "keep shining...keep shining!" since our 'better late than never' garden is making so much effort to produce in the short time we have left.  We have plenty of zucchini, cabbage, onions and potatoes, but the tomatoes are just stuck...green as grass.  And I so desperately want to get some canned and oven dried this season! 

If you have never oven dried tomatoes, it is very easy.  To prepare the tomatoes, wash and dry.  Use tomatoes that are relatively the same size.  For smaller sizes, cut in half (like small romas or even cherry); larger sizes can be quartered, but will take longer.  Place, cut side up, on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray.  Sprinkle tops with italian seasoning and a bit of kosher sea salt.  Place in oven at 200-250 degrees for several hours, checking about every hour for doneness.  Tomatoes are dried when gently pressed and no juices appear (they should still be pliable).  Place in airtight container and refrigerate (or freeze).  These are amazingly awesome on pizzas, italian dishes, salads, or just snacking (my daughter loves them after school).  They have a very concentrated, intense flavor when dried.  Hope you'll give it a try...and hopefully, that will be what I am doing soon too!

Strolling through the pumpkin patch with PAFA!

I'm so excited to participate in my first celebration as a team member of PAFA!  These talented artisans have put together a colossal sized promotion of autumn inspired items!  Check out this link for all of great finds:  http://www.etsy.com/search/handmade?search_submit=&q=sttpp.  Here at Happy Valley, I have several new table mats, an incredible needle felted wall hanging, lots of great prim dolls and more! 

But wait, that's not all!!!  Enter for your chance to win some wonderful creations by several members of this team!  Check out the PAFA blog at:  http://primitiveandfolkartists.blogspot.com/2011/08/strolling-through-pumpkin-patch.html to enter!

Win this Treasury full of Handcrafted Items!

Win this treasury!!! Stop by and leave a comment for your chance to win this great Thanksgiving treasury by some of my friends at the Old Farmhouse Gathering team!  One winner will be chosen amongst all who leave a comment, so be sure to enter!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/NjIxMTI3NHw1NzMxNzA3Nzc/win-this-treasuryturkey-trot-with-the