I Hope this last day of January finds you in a warm state... being the actual state you live in or the state of being warm and cozy out of the cold wintery weather inside your home sweet home.

 

We've had Snow, Ice, Sleet, and Freezing Rain .. the last few days here in the MO Ozarks ... So we're spending a few days inside at home. The weekend is looking up as we warm back to the 40's and 50's which will be nice so we can all get out a bit and enjoy a little sunshine and warmer temps.

 

In between the wintery weather we've had on and off the last several weeks .. we were able to revamp our Potting Shed Shop space which is located in "The Vintage Peddler". in Springfield, MO...

 

 I've talked to so many gals on instagram the last week that are so ready for Spring to arrive .. I think it's just about 50 days away so that isn't too unbearable. And before we know it Summer will be here and then we'll all be so hot we'll want it to cool off .. LOL !

 

While I'm waiting for spring to arrive ...  I like to bring the spring indoors  .. it's so easy to do by just adding a sweet vignette to your farm table, dining table, entryway etc ... ..create a cute centerpiece .. with a wood dough bowl or enamelware bowl... fill it with green  or even spanish Moss ... add in a few  vintage garden tools or even newer ones are good too .. a few dried or silk flowers tucked in .. some old seed packets and old flower frogs... just whatever garden style things you have around to create your own sweet spring vignette .... it makes a great start to adding a little spring feeling to your home sweet home...

And if you don't have any seed packets .. In my Printables section .. I've added several vintage seed packet images that you can save to your computer and print out .. cut them .. use as they are or .. you can glue them to some card board to give them a little more body.. punch holes in the tops and add a jute tie or ribbon .. create a spring seed packet garland .. the ideas are endless .. it's never to early to get started on some of your spring inspiration ..

 

 I hope you get a little garden/spring inspiration to carry you through until .. the sun warms the earth, the grass peaks out from it's soil bedding, the flowers begin to reach for the sky and the trees awaken in their bright spring green leaf spectacular to bring us yet another beautiful awakening of God's lovely creation ...

 

 Here's a few sneak peeks into the Potting shed for a little inspiration ...Enjoy💗

and

 

I hope you enjoyed a little stroll through the Potting Shed

Until Next time...

Sweet Blessings..

Sara

Let Your Light Shine ....

Sometimes life is just down right dissappointing ... When we look around at the world we live in and see all the hurt, hate, ugliness, lies, deception, evil, anger, destruction, pain, harm, that goes on constantly around us ... it can be very hard to see hope in it all. This is exactly why the Lord told us not to put our hope in worldy things or goings on. Why he said to keep our eyes on him. To keep our minds in tune with his. To keep our lives focused on the narrow road. To Live our lives daily honoring him ... Because in the end this is not our home.. So if you're feeling overwhelmed and Saddened by this old world we live in .. yes those feelings are 100% real and true Because this world is overwhelming and it's mighty sad to see how all the things I mentioned are abounding ... but God said we... just little old me and little old you are the light ... remember that song "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine" ?... Let your Light Shine .. it just takes a small lit candle to light an entire room ...Instead of focusing on all that ugliness out there ... focus on letting your light Shine !!! He told us, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16 "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3 and .... “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.Matthew 7:13-14 So get out Your Lights and Lets Make them Shine !!! Until Next Time Sweet Blessings Sara

Sweet Magnolias Farm Spring Open House Part II ... at The Vintage Peddler

Hey Y'all ... well I'm back as promised with more pictures from our Spring Open House this last weekend ... In my last post I shared our Sweet Magnolias Farm Potting Shed Shop with you .. Today I'm sharing our Farm & Cottage Shop Space ... We had a great Spring Open House ... and I guess we packed the shops so full it honestly didn't look like a lot was gone when I went in to the shop to make sure everything was picked up and to fluff after the weekend .. But to my surprise there was a lot of tags in the books so lots more sold than I realized ... Sometimes when I pack the shops so full like I did for this open house it's actually really a nice thing because it keeps everything looking so nice for the week after Open House for shoppers that didn't get to come to the open house. Enjoy the pictures ... OH ...the last photo is of the shop space and the balcony/portico that's built over one section of it .. we change the scene on it seasonally ... so for spring we went with a cute clothesline dressed with vintage aprons ... our Dress Form "Honey" (aptly named after Honey from the Canadian TV series "Wind at my back" for her cute dresses) ... She's dressed in her cute 1930's floral print dress and floral flour sack apron ... and our sweet picket fence has a wonderful antique quilt and straw hat decking it out ... The Portico is one of my favorite features of this shop space .. no we didn't build it .. the owner did when she opened the mall .. but we get the pleasure of having it as part of our space and being able to changed out the scene for each season...

Have a great Week ... Until Next Time Happy Spring and Sweet Blessings Sara

From Yard Sales to Flea Markets ... a fun day out in the sun ...

Today we hit the road early... wake up call at 5 a.m. in anticipation of a big once a year City wide yard sale we went to last year and did fairly well finding antique and vintage goods at so we were excited to head out and try our luck once again this year... Being veteran antiquers for well over 30 yrs now .. we always know it's a gamble that the same event will be equally good time after time .. sometimes it's a win win and other times it's a dud ... Sadly today was pretty much a dud ! .. we found a few small things .. but overall for the time, mileage and not to mention that ugly 3 letter word "GAS" ... it wasn't as fruitful a day as far as yard sales go ... However as the photo says "You can find me at the Flea Market" .. when all else fails find the local antique malls and flea markets

So we hit a few of our favorite haunts and although we didn't find anything extremely fabulous or cool .. we found some antique and vintage goods we loved .... some for the shops and well one or two things for ourselves .. Abbey collects old hardware store aprons and she got a super cool one today ... I Love old baskets and I found a neat tall square style one with a leather latch on the front which I love .. some antique linens, hardware, and a few other odds and ends made there way home with us .. The Best part of the day was driving by a house that had a badly broken Antique Chair and Rocker with the best back spindles and cool elements we can destruct and use .. with a big "FREE" sign on them .. well we whipped the van over to the curb and loaded those up ...I know I hear Ya so where's the pictures of all that great stuff .. I'm super bad at taking photos ..so please forgive me .. I'll try to get better with time .. So all in all it was a pretty good day .. and one spent with friends and family is always the best ... I hope you all have a great weekend ... I'm going to enjoy the sunshine and the warmth for the short time we'll see it once again ... as more rainy weather is headed our way early in the week .. Until Next Time Sweet Blessings Sara

~ An Extra Baby Jesus ~ Tis the Reason for the Season ~ Merry Christmas

~ An Extra Baby Jesus ~

Although this is not my story this is from a group I am part of,
May you enjoy this as much as I have...

I hope you have a little extra Jesus to share as well!

An Extra Baby Jesus...


About a week before Christmas a family bought a new nativity scene. When they unpacked it they found 2 figures of the baby Jesus. "Someone must have packed this wrong," the mother said, counting out the figures. "We have one Joseph, one Mary, three wise men, three shepherds, two lambs, a donkey, a cow, an angel and two babies. Oh, dear! I suppose some set down at the store is missing a baby Jesus because we have 2."
"You two run back down to the store and tell the manager that we have an extra Jesus. Tell him to put a sign on the remaining boxes saying that if a set is missing a baby Jesus, call 7126. Put on your warm coats, it's freezing cold out there."

The manager of the store copied down mother's message and the next time they were in the store they saw the cardboard sign that read, "If you're missing baby Jesus, call 7126." All week long they waited for someone to call. Surely, they thought, someone was missing that important figurine. Each time the phone rang mother would say, "I'll bet that's about Jesus," but it never was.
Father tried to explain there are thousands of these scattered over the country and the figurine could be missing from a set in Florida or Texas or California. Those packing mistakes happen all the time.

He suggested just put the extra Jesus back in the box and forget about it.
"Put baby Jesus back in the box! What a terrible thing to do," said the children. "Surely someone will call," mother said. "We'll just keep the two of them together in the manger until someone calls.
When no call had come by 5:00 on Christmas Eve, mother insisted that father "just run down to the store" to see if there were any sets left. "You can see them right through the window, over on the counter," she said. "If they are all gone, I'll know someone is bound to call tonight."
"Run down to the store?" father thundered. "It's 15 below zero out there!"
"Oh, Daddy, we'll go with you," Tommy and Mary began to put on their coats. Father gave a long sigh and headed for the front closet. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he muttered. Tommy and Mary ran ahead as father reluctantly walked out in the cold. Mary got to the store first and pressed her nose up to the store window. "They're all gone, Daddy," she shouted. "Every set must be sold."
"Hooray," Tommy said. "The mystery will now be solved tonight!"


Father heard the news still a half block away and immediately turned on his heel and headed back home. When they got back into the house they noticed that mother was gone and so was the extra baby Jesus figurine. "Someone must have called and she went out to deliver the figurine," my father reasoned, pulling off his boots. "You kids get ready for bed while I wrap mother's present."
Then the phone rang. Father yelled "answer the phone and tell 'em we found a home for the baby Jesus." But it was mother calling with instructions for us to come to 205 Chestnut Street immediately, and bring three blankets, a box of cookies and some milk. "Now what has she gotten us into?" my father groaned as we bundled up again. "205 Chestnut. Why that's across town. Wrap that milk up good in the blankets or it will turn to ice before we get there. Why can't we all just get on with Christmas? It's probably 20 below out there now. And the wind is picking up. Of all the crazy things to do on a night like this."

When they got to the house at 205 Chestnut Street it was the darkest one on the block. Only one tiny light burned in the living room and, the moment we set foot on the porch steps, my mother opened the door and shouted, "They're here, Oh thank God you got here, Ray! You kids take those blankets into the living room and wrap up the little ones on the couch. I'll take the milk and cookies."
"Would you mind telling me what is going on, Ethel?" my father asked. "We have just walked through below zero weather with the wind in our faces all the way."
"Never mind all that now," my mother interrupted. "There isn't any heat in this house and this young mother is so upset she doesn't know what to do. Her husband walked out on her and those poor little children will have a very bleak Christmas, so don't you complain. I told her you could fix that oil furnace in a jiffy."

My mother strode off to the kitchen to warm the milk while my brother and I wrapped up the five little children who were huddled together on the couch. The children's mother explained to my father that her husband had run off, taking bedding, clothing, and almost every piece of furniture, but she had been doing all right until the furnace broke down.
"I been doin' washin' and ironin' for people and cleanin' the five and dime," she said. "I saw your number every day there, on those boxes on the counter. When the furnace went out, that number kept going' through my mind. 7162...7162. Said on the box that if a person was missin' Jesus, they should call you. That's how I knew you were good Christian people, willin' to help folks. I figured that maybe you would help me, too. So I stopped at the grocery store tonight and I called your misses. I'm not missin' Jesus, mister, because I sure love the Lord. But I am missin' heat. I have no money to fix that furnace."

"Okay, Okay," said father. "You've come to the right place. Now let's see. You've got a little oil burner over there in the dining room. Shouldn't be too hard to fix. Probably just a clogged flue. I'll look it over, see what it needs."

Mother came into the living room carrying a plate of cookies and warm milk. As she set the cups down on the coffee table, I noticed the figure of baby Jesus lying in the center of the table. It was the only sign of Christmas in the house. The children stared wide-eyed with wonder at the plate of cookies my mother set before them.

Father finally got the oil burner working but said, "You need more oil. I'll make a few calls tonight and get some oil. Yes sir, you came to the right place", father grinned.

On the way home father did not complain about the cold weather and had barely set foot inside the door when he was on the phone. "Ed, hey, how are ya, Ed?"
"Yes, Merry Christmas to you, too. Say Ed, we have kind of an unusual situation here. I know you've got that pick-up truck. Do you still have some oil in that barrel on your truck? You do?"

By this time the rest of the family were pulling clothes out of their closets and toys off of their shelves. It was long after their bedtime when they were wrapping gifts. The pickup came. On it were chairs, three lamps, blankets and gifts. Even though it was 30 below, father let them ride along in the back of the truck. No one ever did call about the missing figure in the nativity set, but as I grow older

I realize that it wasn't a packing mistake at all.

Jesus saves, that's what He does.

Author unknown

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Until Next Time
Sweet Farmhouse Blessings
Sara

Failures and Perserverance ~ Never Give Up

Absolutely .. my failures in life are too numerous to count or even remember .. and even when I just wanted to sit down and quit which I tried on some occasions for a short time.. then realized I had to get up and keep going and it's been worth it. I've learned so much in life by persevering... The Lord has brought me through so many failures and blessed me in ways I would never imagine.

 

 

 

12 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12: 1-3

 

 

Don't Stop - Don't Give up - Failures, Doubts are part of life. They are there to mold and shape us and help us to look inside ourselves and then look around and ask what can I do better, How can I change the direction of the path I'm on , and then continue on with a new vision a new hope and renewed faith in God that he is able and willing if we will surrender and follow his leading. 

 

 

Until Next Time

Sweet Farmhouse Blessings

Sara

All new Farm Girl Fancies Upcycled Flannel Shirts ...

All new Farm Girl Fancies upcycled Flannels are now available in my Etsy shop ... 

 

Each shirt is curated, designed and then sewn by me  .. No 2 are alike as they are all custom and made from castoffs, vintage, and antique materials, laces, trims etc. that I have collected throughout the years.

 

 

Here's a sneak peek at what's awaiting you...

You can visit my Etsy shop HERE

Until Next Time

Wishing you 

Sweet Farmhouse Blessings

Sara

Happy Thanksgiving from the Sweet Magnolias ..

It's a cold wintery day here in the Ozarks with rain falling and the temps in the 30's .. to me it's a perfect day to be cooking, baking, and curled up on the couch.

Our Tiny Turkey for 3 is just headed into the oven .. but the most important part of the dinner is complete .. I made my Grandma's delicious Chocolate Cream pie with graham cracker crust this morning and it's in the fridge chillin'. So far it's just been a lovely relaxing day here for us which I am so grateful and thankful for. I hope you've all had a beautiful day too be it with family or friends ... 

Wishing you all a very beautiful Thanksgiving Day from the 

Sweet Magnolias ... Sara & Abbey.

When we all get to Heaven ...

I must admit I reminisce about the past more often than maybe I ought to.  I find the older I grow my mind reaches back to the memories of my yesteryears. And as I've sat sick in bed and on the couch the last few days too exhausted feeling to do more than make it to the kitchen or the bathroom .. I've found myself remembering back to a simpler time that I thoroughly enjoyed.

And one of those memories which I've shared on many occassions is singing hymns in Church growing up. As a young girl I found them endearing and of all the music I have ever encountered in my life .. Hymns have always stuck with me. I think it's because words are very important to me. Words can make or break, Can encourage or discourage, enlighten, empower, words can be full of passion, empathy, understanding, rejoicing ....and so on .. Words are powerful...

She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. Proverbs 31:26

²⁰ From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled;
    with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied.

²¹ The tongue has the power of life and death,
    and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 18: 20 - 21

 

For me Hymns have great meaning wrapped in them. They speak truth.. and carry a simple straight forward heartfelt message. 

When we all get to Heaven .. I can hear the entire congregation belting this one out on Sunday morning .. it didn't matter what your age this one song brought everyone to their feet, bellowing out the words and shouting out at the end "V - I - C - T - O - R - Y" .. Each person had the joy in their heart that one day that one special day when they left this earth and entered in to heaven that it would be without a doubt a day of rejoicing in heaven.  .. 

One day we'll all rejoice together ...

In the meantime I'll rejoice here thinking about the day I get to meet Jesus face to face .. 

For now I'll enjoy the life he has blessed me with here, The gifts he has bestowed on me, The blessings he has so generously given me, The lessons he has taught me, and how thankful I am to know him as my sweet saviour.

May you all have a beautiful and Blessed Sunday and week ahead.. 

 

May our prayer this week be: 

(  lyrics from another song)

                                              Make me a servant, Humble and meek,
                                             Lord, let me lift up those who are weak,
                                          And may the prayer of my heart always be:
                                                        Make me a servant today.

 

Wishing you all

Sweet Farmhouse Blessings

Sara

 

Flour Sack Christmas Towels have arrived in our Etsy shop ...

Our Christmas Flour Sack towels are back this year .. 

We have 11 designs to choose from 

in our Etsy Shop... 

 

 Our beautiful farmhouse flour sack towels are handmade by Lil' ol' us. As well the Graphic designs are made here at the farmhouse so you won't find these at your local stores. 

Each Flour sack towel is 100% cotton, is Low Linting, soft, absorbent and generous in size 28 x 29 inches not including the 5-1/2 inch ruffle.

Here's a sneak peek at a few of the 11 that are available .. 

You can find these and several other designs in our Etsy Shop HERE

 

Our Towels make wonderful gifts and of course will fill your home sweet homes with Christmas Cheer .. 

Sweet Farmhouse Blessings

Sara