" BLESSED "

A single word that truly sums up 2010 for Sweet Magnolias Farm !

The words in the image below could not be more perfect for how we feel about 2010.

It's been sometimes for us what felt like a long year and other times it seemed as though it was passing by in warp speed.

Our year of 2010 started out on a Bright note when Rita Reade of Mammabellarte contacted us and asked us to take part in the First Chateau De Fleurs Marketplace by her and Christie Repasy. We were stunned and flattered to be asked to take part with such fabulous artisans. We were on Cloud 9 and that's truly an understatement. Four shows later we wrapped up 2010 in December ...and were so unbelievably blessed to take part and meet such wonderful artisans and make great friends and customers !

The Chateau Show in march was immediately followed up with Papa Fred heading into surgery to do a re-do surgery to a botched surgery. We were told that no Dr. could perform the surgery to fix the problem until we met Dr. Turuya who told us he could do it and not to worry. He gave us hope and 4 days later he gave us what we consider a miracle a completed surgery with no complications and our papa fred healthy and whole and back at home with us. Although it was a trying time full of anxiety and concern and worry ...We were blessed !

The year was a full one and usually we were running behind, the house in an absolute mess and us in a tizzy trying to keep up with things ..Another show in May ..followed by Chateau in June ..Urban barn in july ...and by that time we thought we were going to have a melt down and a few I did have I must admit.

October rolled around and it was time for 2 things for Papa Fred to have his 6 month check up to see if his body had stayed healthy after his surgery. ..Once again we were on pins and needles waiting, wondering ...and once again A blessing came our way ..He was Clear everything was a success still and we were so Thankful once again !

Following that it was time For Glitterfest ..a show we were honored to be chosen for and take part in for the first time. Nervous is an understatement to how we felt ..but we did it ...and we were thrilled with the outcome and the show and can't wait for March to roll around this year for our second oppurtunity to take part again ..Glitterfest another Blessing !

We were absolutely crazy but ..a chance came along in sept. to take 2 Shops at a local antique mall, Treasures N Junk in Ontario, Ca ..and we felt we couldn't pass them up ..so within 2 days of Glitterfest we were off painting , decorating and filling our shops with all sorts of Sweet Magnolias Farm Goods ...it was Exhausting, but fun and Exhilirating too ! And our shops have been a success which makes our hearts happy ...and another Blessing that was given us !

December Chateau rolled around again ...and what a blessing it was ! Christie Held Pot Luck in her home Friday evening for all of us vendors ..it was a fabulous time to connect and get to know everyone on a more personal level . Christie is so warm and inviting ..you feel right at home ..at her home and the marketplace that her and Rita put on is truly like none other we have ever taken part of. Warm, inviting, friendly and full of Love ! What a Blessing !

These last weeks ..leading up to Christmas papa fred unfortunately began having major issues with his gall bladder ..test after test was performed until the last took a turn for the worst and a wrong medication was administered almost taking his life. Once again we were blessed ..his life was spared and we again returned home with our dear loved papa !

Christmas ..The time to celebrate our saviours Birth ..to give and recieve in honor of our Dear Lord Jesus. It was a beautiful time spent with Family ..and we are blessed to have family. We are blessed to not be alone in this world ..we are Blessed to have Jesus in our hearts !

Looking back at these Major Blessings we feel were bestowed on us ..I have to say that there is alot more blessings that we recieved ...

We were given good health,

We gave and recieved Love,

We were blessed with financial income ...something which is a great Blessing in todays world,

we had food in our cupboards and even had the great freedom of choosing what we ate,

we had a roof over our head ..air conditioning in the summer...heating in the winter,

Clothes to wear and new clothes we were able to purchase, Shoes on our feet ..what a blessing,

A Bed to crawl into each night,

the luxury of Television and internet service and to own a computer,

A Car to drive and the ability to fill it with gas and fix it when it broke down,

The Freedom of Loving our Sweet Jesus Open and Freely

I could go on an on about the everyday blessings that we had ..the blessings that go unnoticed throughout the year by the masses because they are expected things by Most. But in the True reality of this world and I'm sure there is story after story out there of those that once took all these Blessings for Granted ...AND They will tell you these are truly Blessings if you have them.

So as I say Good bye to this year of 2010 ..I say ..Thank You Dear Lord for the Blessings ! You Got us through the Ups and Downs ..you provided not only our needs but you even blessed us with extras ! You gave us the Most Blessed Gift your Son ..and for that we will be ever so Thankful and Humbled !

And to all of our Friends and Customers who have supported our endeavors this year ..We say Thank You ...You have all been a Blessing to us from God !

2011 ..here we come ..we're ready for a wonderful new year Full of blessings ! It's a new year with no expectations but one which we enter into knowing that Blessings will be bestowed ...It will be a Good Year ..because We can do all things through Christ who Strengthens us !

It's amazing Christmas seems to come and go so quickly to me anymore. I don't know if it's just me, but as a grow older the weeks inbetween Thanksgiving and Christmas seem so short. It's almost as if by the time you just get everything decorated and you begin to settle in and enjoy it it's over.

Christmas for us Sweet Magnolias Gals was just perfect !

We spent Christmas day at my Sis's home with her husband and children and her in-laws. Amazingly this family all the in-laws love each other ..and can't wait to see each other and catch up on what's happened since last seeing each other.

Christmas Day was just as it should be a time to enjoy family and give and receive a little and just relax .

We hope you had a Fabulous Christmas too !

*****************************

Since Christmas you know those long 2 days since ...well what's a creative gal to do with a brain that just won't shut down...? Well Sunday I sat in my P.J.s and created some new graphics for our Flour Sack towels ...and prepared the towels with their new designs.

Today was spent cleaning and organizing our little studio area which looked like an F7 tornado had stopped in for a visit !

And of course got a few photo shoots in to add some more product to our Etsy shop ..

So back to work it is and I'm glad I do what I love because It makes work enjoyable and everyday I awake I look forward to what's next because it's always a suprise to me ..whatever the creativity bug gives me.

Here's a few of the new offerings I just added to our Etsy shop ...take a peek..

Early Tin Print Blocks

To all of our Friends Near and Far ..

Abbey, Papa Fred and Myself would like to wish you all....

A Very Merry Christmas !

May your Day be Full of fun family memories ..with love , giving and Charity.

Happy Birthday Jesus !

Well ...What do you think of our Ark ?

A little Patchwork here and there and we think she'll be ready for the flood ..so lets have a patch the ark party ..and of course we need to start calling all the animals 2 by 2 ...

You think I'm Kidding ...

It's been raining here since Thursday ...Without any stop ..no reprieve ..and just about the time you think it's stopped nope it's at least heavily sprinkling...

What a storm we have been having and tonight through tomorrow morning is going to be even heavier rain. Our back yard looks like a small pond and I can only imagine the damage to all my furniture that's stored outside ..it's covered with dropcloths but I'm not sure with this type of rain it's going to save it.

However I've been thoroughly enjoying the rain ...it's been a long time since we have had rain like this here in So. CA.

And we sure can use it !

It's been a crazy last 5 days around here ...I had asked for prayers for Papa Fred on Thursday for his upcoming procedure on Friday and we sure want to say Thank You for them what an ordeal he and we went through !!!!!

You know life can really change in the blink of an eye ...

To make a very long story short ..the Anesthiologist somehow did not read Papa's Chart and gave him a anesthetic he and us kids are Deadly allergic too because we genetically are unable to break this medication down in our bodies which is RARE but our family has it. Well this medication if given sends you into respiratory arrest leaving your entire body paralyzed ...which means you can't breath on your own , you cannot see or ..move a single muscle on your own and because our bodies don't break it down ..our bodies do not recover in the 5 to 15 minutes everyone else does ..in fact it's deadly to us and as Papa's Physician today put it he's lucky to be alive.!!!

Anyhow when they realized what had been done he was transported across the medical campus from the procedure facility to the cardiac recovery unit while Mom and I ran behind them( the 3 medical assistants with papa on the bed while they hand bagged his breathing trying to make it to the recovery unit to get him put on a respirator ...and it was over 4 hours before he began showing signs of recovering ...which we were unbelievably thankful to God for !

It was really all like a dream while we were going through it !

We're so glad it's over and that the best result came out of it and that papa is sitting right here with us ..Thank You Lord !

BTW ..for those who have asked Papa Fred is my dad ..the name stuck earlier this year when Rita of Mammabellarte started calling him that at the Chateau Marketplaces ..I had alway called him Papa and all my siblings children call him papa ..so Naturally Papa Fred is how I speak of him.

So with that ordeal behind us .. Papa's not out of medical trouble yet ..all this is because of his gall bladder. They have sent him through a host of tests and procedures because that's PROTOCAL ..and really we think it boils down to his gall bladder needs to come out ...but it's medical politics you have to do A-Z before they will do A which needed to be done in the first place ...So he may be doing a little hospital time here in the future ..we shall see ..

Now ..it's time to enjoy the last few days leading up to Christmas to enjoy the one true reason for celebrating Christmas and that's Christ's birth !

We'll also celebrate with gifts exchanged with our family on Saturday and have a Beautiful Christmas dinner and enjoy family we haven't seen in over a year that live far away.

So here's wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas...

Yesterday Abbey and I spent the day at our shop in Treasures N Junk antique Mall...

It had been a few weeks since we were able to make it there and of course we were feeling horrible about not getting there and adding new offerings ...So ..off we went with well I couldn't have told you when we left yesterday what all was in the truck...

I had loaded the truck with new pieces right after our last show thinking we would be heading there within a few days ..This and that took us in other directions and before we knew it more time had passed than what we realized ..it seems Life is just packed full of all sorts of happenings for us anymore ..

But alas we made it and it felt good to add some new offerings ..and clean up and redecorate the shops.

I took a few shots of our farmhouse romance shop before leaving ...

I finished out 2 of our Vintage Signage Windows .. Vintage Living and Bless This Nest ...as seen in the above 2 pictures ...Each are priced at $48-

Before I announce the Winner I just want to Say Thank You to everyone who left a comment and posted our giveaway on their blog or elsewhere !

It honestly means so much to us to know you are sharing in our Life, our business and our fun ...Blogging is such a fabulous place to get away and enjoy the simple things in life... Good Company...Laughter...and Beautiful Eye Candy ..!

So ...on to announce the winner !!!

Merry Christmas Everyone ...and stay tuned for another giveaway hopefully in the near future ..our followers are nearing 300 still some to go ..but I'm thinking that will be a mile stone to celebrate.

Stay tuned later today for picts from our shop ...we spent the day sprucing things up yesterday and added a few new offerings !

Merry Christmas Dear Blog Friends ... Oh my does it feel alot more like Christmas today than it has the last 4 or 5 days. The Last week we have been in the 80's ..ICK ...

But alas today we have a beautiful overcast cloudy sky with cool moisture in the air and the chance of rain this afternoon ...and Rain forecast for the remainder of the week. Hooray !!!

It's such a strange feeling to go Christmas shopping ..while Winter Wonderland and Let it Snow are playing over the Radio in the stores and you go to your car and turn air conditioning on...LOL !!! Typical So. Cal. weather.

Well I just wanted to give a last shout out for those who may be on the tail end of our giveaway that today is the last day to enter ..you have until Midnight tonight Pacific time ..that means all you easterners have until 3a.m. your time. Just scroll 2 posts down to read on how to enter and to enter !

Also ...Christmas is closing in on us so quickly ...and Abbey and I wanted to offer a Christmas Special Sale on our Paper Christmas Trees. We originally had these Gorgeous Trees priced at $48- ...However I just went in to our Etsy shop and have given the price a Huge "Trimming" ... down to $22- ... Over 50% off. An Absolute Deal ..you can't make these for this price including the hours it takes to make them along with all their custom lace ornts.

Below I have pictured each one ... Click on the photo of the tree you like to take you to Our Etsy listing for that tree where you can read more about it and see more upclose indepth photos and to make your purchase ...

(Aged to Perfection)

(Romantic White)

It's always the time of year for Giving ...But it's always the time for giving when it's the

" Most Wonderful Time of Year "

We decided on one of our Beautiful Romantic Lace Christmas Signs ...They are so scrumptiously soft ..so light and airy like snowflakes on a cold winters day ..and they feel a room with warmth with their Christmas Sentiments.

(You can find more of our signs and ornaments listed in our Etsy shop)

This Sweet Merry Christmas Romantic Lace Sign ...could be yours .......

BTW ...it measures: 12.5 inches wide x 13 inches long not including satin aged hanger.

All you need do is:

1. Leave a comment ..(if you have trouble leaving a comment ..just e-mail me at sweetmagnolias at luckymail dot com ... sometimes even when you have trouble leaving them I still get them but double check that I got it.)

2. Post our giveaway on your blog ...in a post or on the sidebar ...and let us know you did so in your comment or e-mail. Just right click and save the Giveaway Picture and post it ...

That's it ...that simple !

The Giveaway starts Right Now ....and Ends Midnight Wednesday, Dec. 15th

If your the winner once we contact you answer quickly with your full name and address... so I can promptly ship it out to you ..that way you can enjoy it for Christmas ...

Wishing you all a Merry Christmas ..

and Abbey

Did You Miss the Chateau De Fleurs Marketplace last weekend ?

Did you come But With the Christmas Season needed to use Credit ...

Do you Live far away and Always see our Marketplace photos and Wish we would offer some of our pieces for sale in our Etsy Shop ?

Well Your Wish has come True !

Our Etsy Shop is Brimming Full of all sorts of our Offerings !...From our Upcycled Necklaces ..to our Romantic Christmas Offerings ..Plus 1 of our Romantic Lace Lamps ....and so much more !

Plus ..through Etsy we accept all Forms of payment ...Hooray !

Here's a Sneek Peek at just a few of the over 40 New Offerings we now have available with more to come throughout the day !

( Upcycled Necklaces)

The Last Marketplace of the year 2010 took place this last weekend. We had a wonderful time ..Our spirits were lifted to see all of our Friends and Customers..It's so great to get 2 full days to just enjoy such great people !

It's so hard to believe a years worth of Marketplaces have taken place... it seems like it was just January and Rita was contacting us to take place in her and Christies First marketplace ..and Abbey and I hadn't been selling anywhere except online in the last 3 yrs so we took a week to consider if we wanted to. We came to the conclusion we would try it One time and make a more permanent decision from there ...AND as you already know here we are a year later and 4 Chateau marketplaces later not to mention we threw a few others in too and now have to shops opened. It's been quite a busy year and as I look back now I can see why we've said we're TIRED ..LOL !!

We are already looking forward to next year ...and the First Chateau de Fleurs Marketplace of the year in March. Our minds are already switching up gears and thinking what we will bring into the new year ..new ideas and new styles. It's a great thing to work in the Vintage Arena ...always creating, and displaying and challenging yourself to do new and different things.

Thank You to Christie and Rita for a Fabulous year ...if it wasn't for them ..I'm not sure what direction my life would have turned this year ..God did a Great thing when he placed them both in our lives !

Thank you to all of our Customers ...you're the best ..!!! We Love to see you every show rather you buy something or not ! And we are so grateful to know that when you purchase something that you love a piece that we have chosen or created which keeps us moving forward.

The show this last weekend was awesome ...and now being a little more seasoned after 4 shows ..I had the time to get around and take "ALOT" of pictures of everyones shops to share with all of you. So sit back and enjoy !