The best gifts from God!!

Kaitlin got her car stuck in our ditch! The boys came to her rescue!(with alittle help from Sim!) 

Ok, so I put myself on sick leave from the 17th to the 3rd of January. Telling myself not to do anything! Just rest! But the holidays came and it was so great! I get tired easy, but I loved being with our families! We are a blended family so lot's of gatherings and eating! This year I got the best presents, I love the way family knows what you love! (besides them!) I got to see my son Danny for Christmas Eve. Great present! I got a new printer, so now I can learn and get my Etsy going and kick out some creations. Sim got me lot's of organizing tubs, shelves, etc. I've been working on using them! My new years resolution! Kaitlin got me new cookie sheets, cuz when she went to use mine for her Pumpkin rolls she makes, she found out I've been using them to coffee dye my tags! Opps!! My step-son Ryan, Christine, and Caylee got me a New York and Company gift card! OMG my favorite place to shop! I wear their clothes all the time! But I decided after yesterday going to this big mall called Great Lake Crossings with Sim and Kaitlin, I'll be going by myself for that one! They shop really fast and they're done! Me I have to look at everything!! So here are some random pics of my best gifts!!!

This is my oldest daughter Brooke on Christmas Eve!! and below is Danny and Kaitlin!!

 

The day after Christmas we celebrated with Sim's family! It was Caylee's first Christmas! We were so excited!! Lot's of love and fun!!!

This is Caylee-Bugg eating the DVD we got her!

Christine is Ryan's fiance' and Caylee-Buggs mommy! We love her alot!!

My step-son Nick and his new girlfriend Tara!!

Papa Sim and Caylee-Bugg!

This is Ryan, you can't see much of his face, but he's showing "Twas the Night Before Christmas" to Caylee-Bugg. Great Grandma, Sim and I read it to her and it's the one from Hallmark that records it!

 Well, "Happy New Year" to my blog friends and family! I am so excited to see what 2011 will bring to us here on the land of blog!! I know lot's of fun, swaps, and friendships! Thanks to everyone who has been holding me up in prayer! God is awesome!! Love ya, XO Fran.

It's Christmas time!!!

This is my morning coffee break friend! This squirrel is so darn cute! It will look right at me, when I talk to it. I don't think that makes me crazy, does it? But if you ask my family they would probably say I am! LOL We are having a winter storm right now here in Michigan. All of our schools in our county are already closed for tomorrow!! It's the first big real snow of the season for us! But that means we'll be having a White Christmas! Yay!!

I haven't blogged in a super long time, but I thought I'd show why! I've been doing Santa Workshops and Craft shows and working like a little elf!! Here are a few pics from my last craft show of the season, I did yesterday. It was my best one I did as far as selling! I had a few people come back from last year hoping I was there!

This is a cute little gift bagg I made up with bubble bath, etc. the bagg it's self is so adorable!

These candies were a hit! Most people got them for stocking stuffers, and some got them for themselves to eat!  They are very good. I sold quite a few of my little shoe pin cushions! 

These are little baggs I made up for people to give their dogs. I sold out of these. I made a few cat goodies too. A couple of ladies were buying them for their grand-dogs!! Too cute!!

This is the end with my gift baskets. Can you see the berry baskets I put teapots, teas and candy in? I just love how they turned out! You can't see it, but I have them on Sim's old sled, he had as a kid. I like the way it gives height to the table.

I realize that people like the unique little things I make, like my gift tags, and little gift baggs too. They also like my display pieces! I usually just go out in my yard or potting shed and get something to use. These two are my favorites. The one in the back is an old berry picking crate. I got it at an estate sale. The one with the greenery and ornies, I found in the trash. It is part of an old desk drawer. 

Now the rush is on for Christmas. I really have to kick it out and have pretty much everything done by this Thursday. I have been having problems with my bladder and alot of pain. So, I will be having surgery on Friday again. I am praying I will be feeling good by Christmas Eve. I'll be spending that with my son Danny, and the rest of my family and cuzins! I've done that ever since the year I was born! We have alot of fun, and food!! We stay home for Christmas day. But the day after Christmas we will be spending it with our little cutie pie Caylee Roxanne!

It is her first Christmas and I can't wait!!

  

I hope everyone has a great Christmas. It probably won't be til after the holiday that I blog again. I have missed you guys, but have been checking in.

Love ya, Fran. XOXO

Wow it's been a long time!!!

I guess I've kinda been in a funk lately. I kicked my own butt physically but I am getting better. I lost a good friend to cancer very fast and his funeral was this week. His nic name was "The Harmonica Man" and his wife had one of the bands he played with do the music at his funeral. Our church was packed and the house was a rocking! What a tribute to a great man who will be missed greatly.

I thought I would show you the little owl candy holders I made out of toilet paper rolls a while back. They turned out so cute!!

 I want to show you guys the Halloween Shaker I won from Jill http://www.buckscountyfolkart.blogspot.com/. Her daughter Mary picked my name. There are better pictures on her blog. 

 She has opened a new etsy shop, http://www.buckscountyfolkart.etsy.com/, where she sells these wooden sewing thread spool ornaments and much more. Jill is self taught and very talented .

I feel so blessed and thankful to all of my blog friends. Such giving and caring talented ladies. Thanksgiving is a time to count your blessings and I count each and every one of you as a part of my blessings this year!

I am working like an elf getting ready to do more craft shows and a couple of Santa workshops at the schools. I will try to post more pictures of them as I do them. I am also trying to get to the cool sales the stores are already having!! I've been using alot of coupons I've gotten in the mail. Kaitlin and I have been doing our grocery shopping using coupons too. Our last trip to Krogers we saved $76.00. It is a great feeling to do it. It takes a little more time but well worth it. I hope you all are getting in on the savings too. But I don't think I will be getting up real early on Black Friday! LOL How about you? 

XO Fran. 

thebagglady's day out!!

I thought I'd share a few pictures of some of my other things I make. Saturday was our Craft Show at the church. It was not as good as the one last year. But I did alright and plus I love the fellowship. These are all that is left of my "Raggedy Fran's" I make. I sold one, her name was Vivian Viola. And I know the lady who bought her, so she went to a good home! The very grubby prim bunny on the left side is made from two men's shirts I thrifted! I named her "Marigold". I put a few marigolds from my yard in her little pouch. The bunny on the right side is the first ever "Raggedy Fran" I made!! She is from vintage material. 

                       

As you know me by now I love the primitive, grubby, and grungey look. Here are my "Barn Kats". I sold  one of them. They are really cute and have a little hand sewn vase on their cheek with sweet annie in them! The two faces I call "olde raggedy" and they are very prim!!

 These are my Christmas ornies. As you can see they are very grubby too. The Santa faces are about 6x3 inches, and are made out of grubbied up flannel. The little Santa hats are 4 inches long by 3 inches at the bottom. The love material I made some of them out of is retro and I got it at an estate sale. Oh how I love the estate and church sales to find unique material.

Here are my primitive hand-sewn candy canes. They are sewn out of red ticking like material and tyed with strips of Kaitlin's old prom dress! By now you probably know I use anything and everything!! LOL They are 7 inches long.  

 Below are my prim stockings. I have more of these. The cream colored ones are made out of grubby flannel with cutter quilt pieces around the top, and the other one is from grubby camo flannel. They are 18 inches long. This one has fuzzy fur like trim. I have one I made with black trim from my friends jacket sleeve she cut off! She got a laugh out of it. But that's why she gives it to me. She knows I'll eventually use it!!

And  I wanted to show you how that same friend of mine who was running our cafe' presented her home-made from scratch carrot cakecups! The little grubby doily under the vintage glass tea cup is  one I primmed up. 

One of my favorite things I did at the show was bartering!! This lady who makes really cool hand made soaps that comes every year, came over and asked  if I ever bartered and if I wanted to! Of course I did!! Alot of my things are one of a kind. She got two of my prim jars I recycled into sewing pin cushions on the top, and had prim clothes pins and smaller flowers I hand sewed in them. I found these cool jars in my barn and the rims were all rusty for me!! Maybe now you know why I call myself the bagglady!  LOL You never know what I'll find or I'll come up with next!! So if anyone sees something here they would like to barter with me for, just let me know!! Or something you want to buy! Oh I have more goodies in the making! AND the room is all painted "macaroni"!! It's sunny and yellow and I love it!!! The computer is back in place and sitting on my husbands old desk from his Navy days. Now the fun begins!!! Decorating, but I also have to organize!! Both fun things to do!!! XO Fran.

It's me again!!!

 

Well, I thought I'd share a few pics of another swap I was in this summer! It was Lori's from http://www.perfectisboring.blogspot.com/  "Polka Dot Swap" she has the neatest swaps and I always look forward to them!! My partner was my friend Jessica from http://www.jessicarodarte.blogspot.com/. She herself loves polka dots, and she is so talented. I did hers in colors she loves, aqua, pink and yellow. Let me tell you I had a blast thrifting and antique shopping for her!! She has more pictures on her blog. She loves images of little children so I got her a few books. The dotted swiss material I got from one of my favorite catholic church sales I look forward to every year. I got alot of the vintage items at one of my favorite antique shops in alittle town not to far from here. I had alot of fun putting this together for Jessica. I wanted it to be special, as she is pretty great herself.

Now check out what she sent me and made me!! Can you understand why now I love these colors!! Orange and brown!! She made this awesome pretty pocket organizer with brown dotted fabric and cool orange flowers! She did a swap for these organizers, I was alittle scared to try to make one, but now I know I can and will! I was so excited to get one!! and she makes the covered matchboxes too and put a coffee tag distressing kit together in it! Love it! There was a button jar with orange and brown buttons in it, with a large orange flower on top. One of her empherma kits, and a bingo card wrapped in trims! and can you believe even my favorite candy matches!! I borrowed these pics from Jessica. She posted about our swap on her blog. Check it out, she has more great pics on there. I love Jessica she is a rockstar.

Sim and I went to my nephews wedding on Saturday night. Ok I hate to have my picture taken. Sim's cuzin Denise took this from across the table with her cell phone. It's not to bad. I am my own worse critic, I needed to fix my bangs!! I noticed I am hanging onto his tie. In our wedding picture I am hanging on to his sleeve! lol I don't know why!! It was a beautiful wedding all done in fall colors and decorations. We got to see Caylee our grandaughter!! We even danced alot!!

I am crafting away as much as I can. My first craft show is in two weeks! Oh boy! I am co-chairing it again at my church. I said I wasn't going to but they needed the help! I'll show ya some pictures of my goodies soon!  XO Fran.

Getting back on my feet!!! and a few more creations!!

 It feels so good to be getting back to reality after a week pretty much spent on my couch!! Here are some of my little prim and grubby dresses I make. They vary in sizes, from 5-6 inches, to 6-7 inches. I have put little grubby tags on them, labeling them for different things the little girls might to do. I put a pin apron on the chore dress. They have twig hangers tied with jute to hang them on pegs or wherever you like. I have a few more of these made up and ready to be grubbied up! I am geting in the crafting/sewing mood! On my first outing yesterday with Sim, we went and got the paint for my craft room! I am so excited!! The color is called Macaroni!! I wanted the color to be like the color of burlap. I am making little candy holders out of toilet paper rolls right now. They are turning out so cute!! I'll show them when I get them all done. The trees are so pretty here right now. I just love Fall. XO Fran.

Are ya ready for another one of my creations?

Here are three very grubby and prim dresses I made. These are probably one of the grubbiest things I have made, or maybe not! The dress part is sleeveless, and I used a linen type fabric. I gruubied it up with coffee and spices and let them dry on clothesline outside in the sun. The little jackets are ragripped and sewn. The sleeves go out straight, because I put a small branch from one of our trees through them like a hanger. I tied a loop on the twig in the same material as the dress. I have alittle tag that says prim dress on it with a little safety pin. These dresses are 18 inches long, and a little close to 17 inches across the sleeves.

 

There two with ticking material jackets, one is alittle lighter blue, and the other one is more navy. And one has little hearts that are mauve with a lighter blue print. I loved making these. There is just something about prim dresses I love. I also have some smaller ones made from calicos and homespun I will show you next. I wanted to get my etsy started, but due to me having to have surgery on this Friday, it has put me behind. Any of my creations you see you are interested in just let me know. I'll be back soon with the little dresses!!

My gift from God twenty years ago today!!!

My daughter Kaitlin was born 20 years ago today! So hard to believe!! She's already in her third year of college!! She is a hard worker and high achiever. She is very involved with our United Methodist Flint District and is the head of the Young Adults for all of the Flint District. She is putting together a Breast Cancer Walk through the United Methodist Women for the Flint District in October. She is designing the shirts, and they are green and pink, and say "Walk by Faith". Which is what she does.

She is a special sister to her brother Danny who is autistic.

She is a best friend and a big Detroit Tigers fan!!

She is a beautiful young lady and a blessing to our life.

Happy Birthday Kaitlin!!

Thought I'd show you our little Caylee Bug!!

Caylee is four in a half months old now. She's smiles alot and always seems to have this cute serious look on her face!! We went down and had a cookout with the boys and their girls. It was a beautiful day. Caylee is so cute, of course!!  

Here is Grannie Frannie and Caylee just chilling in my lawn chair. I got two of them at an estate sale. You can see part of my daughter Brooke in the yellow one. Note that mine has brown and orange! I love them. This is Labor Day weekend and I can't believe summer is almost over!! Today our weather was really chilly and windy!! I loved it, I made a pork roast in the oven, and was loving the heat in the house!! No humidity!! I even canned tomatoes!! I got 2 quarts and 3 pints!! It's gonna be so awesome to have them for chili this winter! and the best part is the tomatoes were given to me, free!! Sim and I went to a bomb fire tonight, very chilly and alittle rainy, but it was nice to wear jeans and sweatshirts!! Kaitlin and I did alot of cleaning and getting stuff for a benefit rummage sale for a family in need. It feels good to be able to pay it forward and still get some things done here. Suppose to be warm again tomorrow. Hope everyone is having a great weekend. XO Fran.

Sharing some love, friendship, and a little nesting!!!

Back in June my friend Lori did a bird swap! I was on vacation and tried to sign up through email stealing wifi from behind a coffee house. Well, me and computers, mainly me do not work well together, so I sent it to cyberspace, one again. When I got back I resent an email to Lori that she actually got. The swap was already assigned, but Lori has the biggest loving, caring heart, and said she would swap with me. I really love crows. She does not!! But she sent me some cool things. I wanted to share them with you. One I am saving to show with my Fall decorations. Lori knows I am planning a new craft/studio. So, she sent me this awesome burlap holder with black birds on it and she tied all of these ribbons on it. I have decided on these colors for the room. And of course my favorite brown and orange.

I've put my Where Women Create magazines in it. They fit perfect and I only get them with my 40% off coupon from Joann's. Most of the time I go to Borders, have my chai tea, warmed chocolate chip cookie, and look at all the magazines!! I am always writing things down. One of my favorite dates with Sim.

 

Lori made this awesome sign for my new room!! I put some of my favorite things with it!! The birds nest is a real Robins nest that Sim's Mom gave him for his birthday if he came over and got it!! He got two of them!! Those robins build some awesome nest!! I love my coffee and this coffee cup! This special sign will be going right over my desk area where I can see it!! The weather is finally starting to break alittle here in Michigan and that means we can start painting real soon!! I can't wait!! Thank you my friend Lori for letting me put alittle bit of our friendship in a room that will mean so much to me.

A few pictures and memories of our vacation!!!

This is Lake Huron, a small beach in Forestville we found. We love this beach as it is usually not very busy. These were in the water from a family that was resting on the beach. We just thought that was an awesome picture.

On our first weekend, we spent the day at a Civil War Re-enactment. It was amazing! The people really act like that time period. One of my favorites was the cemetery walk we did of the Civil War veterans of the town of Port Sanilac. There were quite alot of men who were in the Civil War. This is the guy who led us around to all of their graves and gave a brief history of them. Of course my love of history made this such a special thing for us to do. 

These guys did a gun salute for the memory of the Civil War veterans, and taps was being played in the distance from a bugle. We all had our hands on our hearts and looking at the flag. I couldn't help but cry.

This man here who served for us, had a farm he and his wife raised their kids on, and farmed their land until he died. We were going down the road M-25 that follows Lake Huron. And I saw a road sign that said Basler. There are alot of farms and dirt roads around this area. I said to Sim, I know that name is one of the Civil War veterans. So we went down it to see if the farm was still standing. Couldn't tell, but this is what we saw on this very special road!!

The beauty of God's World.