A Summer's End

 

It's been quite a while since I posted on here. I've been hanging out in my backyard mostly.

They say that Summer is over...but here in Texas, there is no evidence of the seasons' change. I haven't finished all of the things that I wanted to accomplish this Summer, and yet do we ever get everything done that our hearts desire?! Those seemingly never ending projects roll into one another and before you know it time is running away from you!

At least I will be able to continue work outside well into October before I will need to 

sport that sweatshirt and will get er done!

Happy Fall Ya'll!

Maureen

It's a God Thing!

I know it's been a long time since I posted on here. I have been very busy closing my store location! 
And sometimes you just don't have anything to say. So I will start here and now! 
I'm thinking and believe that everything that happens for a reason. That being said, today I am without my wheels because yesterday while on my way to pick up my son Ian, from the middle school...all of the sudden I heard ding, ding, ding, ding, shortly after I turned on the air conditioner! I looked at the indicators on the dash and it read WARNING! ENGINE COOLANT HOT!!!  and the temperature was nearly at the highest mark on that gauge and the little diagram light that looks like the outline of the engine was lit! I must confess that it has been coming on every once in a while for a few weeks! Gah! I'm so bad! But I was trying to get moved...right!?
 So after scooping up Ian from school I drove straight to my mechanic (Steve's Auto Repair) I knew he closed early sometimes on Fridays so I was taking a chance that he would be there! Yeah, he was!  He raised the hood and the coolant reservoir was completely dry and after he poured four gallons of water in it started coming out underneath the engine.... he said oh, that's not good! His guy put it up on the lift and after saying a quick prayer while we waited, his employee came in and said that it was just the water pump and not a cracked block! Better hundreds of dollars spent to fix rather than thousands! They closed at 5:00 and it was 4:30! We would have been stranded waiting for a ride, but it turns out my husband was nearby at a salvage yard looking for a Nissan Altima engine for my son's car which had thrown a rod a month or so ago!  His office is in Downtown Dallas which would have been at least an hour drive! 
In my book... it's a God thing. Funny, whenever I use my smart phone it auto corrects the word good with God! (I was trying to post this with my smart phone) This is one time my phone was correct. I was actually trying to quote Martha, (you know.....It's a good thing!) I like to think it's because he is reminding us that he is always there, looking out and helping us out, even when we don't realize it!  When my son's Nissan threw that engine rod ... rendering it now dead as a doornail, It forced him to take the plunge and buy his first new car...and in his name! Again...It's a good/God thing!
P.S. Since I closed my store...my new favorite thing to do...Being Home...so I don't even miss it today! Have a great weekend everyone!

                                        Hydrangeas that I will soon be planting in my back yard!

 ~{{Maureen}}~

Vending at 31 Wishes Vendor Event!

 Soon, I will post some pics of items that I will have at this event...vending with AnnDenise!
Here's the address to the event... 10433 Hideaway Trail
 Ft. worth, Texas 76131... you can  map quest it or use your GPS...it's an easy find.

The general vacinity is off the I-35 and 287...towards Sam Moon & Heritage Trace.

 

 

New Venue - Where Do I Begin!

Lord have Mercy! Where do I begin! Where do you begin...when it's been forever since your last post!??? Let's see now...I am in my fifth year of Cottage Panache on Glenview Dr. in Richland Hills, Texas,  and my husband is in his third year of Business with his Architecture firm - Rouch Architects, LLC. My daughter, Emily has just begun her Senior year in High School and my youngest son  Ian entered the eighth grade! It became necessary for both of our adult children to move back in making my already 

meager sized home seem even smaller! 

Needless to say our family is going through some major milestones/changes and....as of late,   quite frankly my enthusiasm with shopkeeping is waning....I want to go home...continue what I had started before January, 2008...housekeeping homekeeping, (yeah, I know - that's not a real word but it says better how I really feel!) home remodeling and decorating projects, design projects, and all of the things that I thought I could do while shopkeeping!

Don't get me wrong...I have enjoyed being a shopkeeper so much this time around and I will do it again...just within a New Venue! I have met so many wonderful people and made many new friends. Heck, I may get to blog more often! When you run a shop by yourself there isn't much time for blogging...really!?  I've always had the desire to publish something! ??? Who knows what...but change is good for ones soul. 

It keeps you on your toes and 

I believe that everything happens for a reason! God has been sending me signs for a little while now and I have been watching and listening...it's time!

It's gonna take some time to make the change cause I can't take this whole store full of inventory with me but I will take whatever I can and I'll have to store some of it! 

 I have been making some crazy deals with some buyers  and I will be reducing many prices but not drastically! (I haven't lost my mind totally....yet!) there will be some items that are firm and some of my items will not be reduced at all...after all I am not going out of business...just taking a new venue....a smaller, more quaint and comfortable venue. My creative mind is open and the wheels are turning! I will enjoy some traveling to shows, and will keep my existing website and an online store which I hope to have up and running right after my Fifth Annual Fall Sidewalk Sale on Saturday, October 6th. And if all goes well I hope that this will reduce my stock to a manageable level to move on to my new venue! Oh...no rest for the weary, but at least I won't be doing this in triple digits temperatures!

I will be posting some items with reduced prices on here, on facebook and my website, but like I said, it's gonna take a little time...Baby Steps for now cause there is still....just one of me!

Thank You

Maureen

New Workshop - When This You See Remember Me

This is the first workshop, just posted to my Tutelage & Workshop Blog! http://cottagepanacheworkshops.blogspot.com for more details!