Pumpkin Guts

My kids and I were sitting on a newspapered covered kitchen floor with eleven pumpkins - pumpkin knives in hand, and elbow-deep in pumpkin guts. Tradition at our home - this messy evening is just that - messy! The outcome - is cute, fun and so much more pleasant looking than the inside scrapings, all on the floor at the end of the night!

I got to thinking, looking at that big mess of pumpkin innards, that the weeks before Christmas Open House, our store is like "pumpkin guts" - not very pretty to look at - at least to Karrie and I!! We've scooped up some things and put them somewhere else, put new things in and try to see how it will work in one place or another. Some things need a lot of help during these few weeks before Open House. Last minute things are ordered in these weeks - things that will make the store "just so". Sometimes we think we should get really organized by making plans, as some retailers do, you know, planning where things go, what will go here and there, and what will make a statement. Well, we have tried this, and you know what? It never works out. Sure, Karrie and I look all organized with our binder of "Christmas 2007, 2006, 2005...., however, when it comes down to it, we always find that something from one section will ultimately look better in another. As you know we love to mix up the styles, and in doing that, I guess, "our style" is best "hands-on" and can't become created in a binder of Christmas planning!! I guess that is why I love our store so much. We mix so many styles and textures together - we do have quite a signature look. Kind of like your pumpkins! (See how I brought it all back to pumpkins???!!) As you can see, all of the pumpkins we carved have their own personality, we took just an ordinary pumpkin and carved it into something special! Hopefully next weekend at the Open House you will see things in a different way and be able to take ideas home for your own decorating "plan"!







Karrie and I are looking forward to this Christmas season, below are the details for the Open House. We have a lot of other activities planned that we can't wait to share with you!! If you haven't signed up for the email newsletter yet, please take time to do so! Not only will you get a newsletter once a month, but we do have special coupons for our email subscribers only. Right now we plan on sending out 2-3 mailings a year, everything else will be via the email. Stay updated - sign up today!!


The Summer Kitchen Annual Christmas Open House
Friday, November
9th 10am-8pm
Saturday, November 10th 10am-5pm
Sunday, November 11th 1pm-5pm

By the way......
This year we are featuring a lot of pottery for Christmas. What is great about the items we have chosen, is that the regular, every day pottery mixes in with one or more of the Christmas pottery designs. I love this, you can mix and match - not having to collect one whole set (you can do that if you want, don't get me wrong!!), but get a few select pieces to put with your everyday set to give it that Christmas look! If you are looking for pottery, we are offering 20%off during Christmas Open House Weekend Only!! We will also take 15% off all special orders during the sale. If you are interested - now is the time to do it!!

A Follow up - and some Fantastic News...

Well, the birthday party was a blast - thanks everyone! As you can see, the cake looked (and tasted) yummy! There, behind the cake you'll see those vixens, Norma and Betty, posing for their graduation pictures. Do you think they could ever fathom that those pictures would end up on the computer for anyone to see??? Guess what - you all better go hide those graduation pictures before your grandchildren go out and do something crazy with them!!

We still have a few "goodie bags" left from the party - so be sure to pick one up next time you are in this week, and while you're in - please put some blinders on as we are getting the Christmas out. The store is always so crazy and well, not looking it's best during this time of year! Open House is the 9th - 11th of November - three weeks we have until Christmas bliss! It hardly seems possible does it? I know we could avoid the mess by closing, like some stores do for three days and putting it all out, changing all the displays, but that would drive us to the nut house for sure!! I guess we'll stick with our a little pile
here, a big pile here until we figure out something else! It always works out well in the end!!!! Anyway, Christmas things are coming out, and wow!! We have the most amazing pottery this year - it is such a hot item, and we can't wait for you to see it!! We found some really neat boxed ornaments that will be the greatest gift ever, and yes......we have some screened snowmen art! I know, I know, many of you never got to see the Halloween screens, so, I snapped you a picture of one of the new snowman heads....a sneak peak!!



Enough talk of Christmas, we have to share with you some neat-o news:
Our brother got the Fireman of the Year award from the Sandusky County's Exchange Club this past week - we are soooo proud, and of course we were both there, both snapping pictures of our "bubbie" - Congratulations Kevin, and to the Helena Fire Department - this makes 2 awards - this year and last year!!

Before I go - Karrie and I wish a hearty congratulations to one of our customers - Connie Warner - she was in the newspaper today for winning one of the beautification awards in Fremont - Way to go Connie!!
Well, I've better stop typing and get to work so that I can help Karrie get that Christmas out for you all!

Happy Birthday and Club Chair Sale

Happy Birthday to The Summer Kitchen Girls!
In honor of the big bash, we will be having sales throughout the store - as well as birthday cake from Ideal Bakery over in Gibsonburg (the best of the best!!). You'll also get a party favor bag full of goodies for attending - so be sure to come before they are gone!


Oh....how time flies! It was only last year that "The Summer Kitchen Girls" came to be with us in Helena! Have we had fun with them or what!?? Well, Karrie and I wanted to do a little something with them, so we decided to name them after our grandmothers, Norma and Betty.


Since we didn't have a contest to have you name them (like we once thought) we'd love to have a contest to have you give them something to say. If you've seen our ads in the paper, you know that those two always have something to say - now it's your turn! Fill out a paper at the party, or email us what they should say, and maybe we will use it for one of our upcoming ads!

Looking forward to a fun time with you all!!

Don't forget our pre-party on the 11th of this month. Our Tea Tasting will be on Thursday at 6:30pm. We will be serving our three new exclusive tea blends - you won't be disappointed - they are yummy! We will also be serving some new flavors that we will be thinking about carrying. Just give us a ring or email us if you are interested in coming!

Fall things are disappearing quickly, and we are happy, for Christmas will be coming down shortly - one month and counting until Christmas Open House!



One more note - The Annual Club Chair Sale is going on now!
Take an extra 20% off of our everyday perfectly priced upholstery line! What savings, and October is the only time we let you do it!! Don't forget that we custom make pillows, throws, tablecloths, and sell our fabrics by the yard. All of it is on sale this month - order now to be here for the holidays!

A Day With Country Living

Greetings! This weekend was pretty fun! Not only did Karrie and I have fantastic companions down to Morrow, OH, we were fortunate in traveling and hitting absolutely no traffic to get there! We heard horror stories from several visitors about their 1-2 hour wait on 71 - - - glad we were going down 75!


It was very crowded - 7,000 people the day before, and they expected more the day we were there. Although we all agreed that it could have been put together a bit better (a visit to Country Living's home page will tell you just how much everyone that visited thought so....), we have decided that we will talk about the good!



They had some pretty cool ideas of things to do with your pumpkins and fall decorating. This garland was so wonderful! I don't know if I'd have the time to put it all together - but, what a statement that would be!!










The Farm Chicks were there - and everyone was swarming around their tent!

My favorite two places were a pillow place that had these wonderful pumpkin pillows in all shapes and sizes. They also had taken old cloth calenders, embroidered state birds, and even ladies names that were embroidered, and attached these onto pillows. What a cute idea!!






My second pick were these purses by Rebecca Ray. Fun little tent - very cute purses, however, way out of my price range!! Check out her site though - it is going to be updated this month, and it is well worth the visit when see these handmade beauties! Plus.....her purses will be featured this month in Country Living. Be the first to know.........!

Lot's of primitive things were at the fair, and I snapped a picture of these cute bird houses - very fun!




There were many other fun things, but it was really too crowded to take any pictures (sorry!) However, I was excited to meet the girls from McMaster & Storm down in Greenville, OH. I've been reading their blog lately, and they really have a cute store. I can't wait to visit it!! Their booth was fun, crazy full of people (many of the tents were so full you really couldn't had a good look and things!), but cute from what I saw!

We had lunch with two girls from Bloomington Illinois who had a store called Country Gingham. It sounded really cute and we thought we ought to take a road trip west some day........hmmmmmmm!


I picked up this Pumpkin Chic book that they had - lots of fun ideas in it - you will have to check it out! I'm hoping that I can try some things in it this year!!



After we left the fair, we went to downtown Lebanon. We saw the Golden Lamb - Ohio's oldest hotel, and shopped the fun shops. We went to the Miller antique store, and then we went to the Shoe Factory Antique Mall. We had a lot of fun there! I found a grill that was pretty cool,









and I couldn't pass it up!! Well, that was a windstorm of information - hope you enjoy!! We had a nice time, even though it was crazy busy!
Until later on this week - Karla and Karrie