Picture Frames and a Chair!

I was looking at these today & thinking about graduation coming up. Wouldn't these be GREAT little happies for a graduate?? They hold either a 4x6 or a 5x7 photo and can be hung so that the photo is vertical or horizontal. A nice metal accent piece for a new twist on photo framing. Maybe I'd better take down and save them for all the graduates I get cards from!!

Also... am posting this chair photo for R. who bought a desk today and I promised I'd get Mike to put the chair together & send a shot of it -- so here it is! Email me or call if you're interested!!

Shower Reminder -- Kathryn Mize

I'm working on a short article for the blog about a decorating style a customer asked me about this weekend, but in the mean time, just wanted to remind you all that Kathryn Mize, bride-elect of Ryan Baumann, will be honored at a bridal shower this SATURDAY, February 21 in the home of Sherry Beckett of Bruce.

Kathryn & her mom were in a couple of weeks ago and finalized her selections from Artifacts, which you can see on the Bridal Selection Page. Let me know if you need us to get something to the shower for you -- just call (662-983-8481) or email me.

The Goodies Have ARRIVED!!!!!!

They were due last week, then Tuesday, then Wednesday, but TODAY they showed up! YIPPPEEE... we got the wall painted and room made for them just in time! You can go to the Home Decor section of the web page to see everything we got unloaded today. Crosses, wall decor, candleholders, vases, wall pockets, tabletop pieces... lots more!

Mike had to go to work at 3 & Brett left at 3:30 to shoot a basketball tournament at Eupora, so "we" still have one whole pallet to unpack tomorrow! More photos later this weekend of the goodies it contains.

Sweetheart Tips - Free & Nearly Free

Change things up a ltitle bit to make Valentine's Day Special for your Sweetie!

• Turn off the TV & turn on the music.
• Eat somewhere different -- the weather is so nice this week how about having a Valentine picnic even if it's just on your porch, deck, or backyard? If we do get rain, don't let that stop you --just make a change in where you normally eat. Move a small table from another room beside your honey's recliner & put out a small dish of Hershey's kisses. (Whether he deserves a real one or not is up to you!)
• Dim the lights, or turn them off completely & light a few candles.
• Pull out your good dishes and tablewear! Do you save them just for big family holidays like Thanksgiving & Christmas? Don't.... use them for your fellow!
• Scatter flower petals, colorful "shreds" or confetti over the table to add a little something extra.

Have fun & tell me how it works for you. Of course if you go ahead & do this tonight, tomorrow or Friday, you'll have time to use it to convince him to come get you an Artifacts Gift Certificate for Valentine's Day!

I just KNEW we'd eventually get it done!

I was pooped when Mike & I got back from a buying trip today, but since I'd had several hours alone in the truck to nag him about getting the painting done, and he said, "Why don't we just do it tonight?"-- well, I jumped at the chance!

I rushed down to Spratlin's before they closed and got a gallon of paint and while I was doing that had Brett move allllll the stuff off the wall and allllll the furniture from in front of it and TADA! We had painting room, paint, manpower, and no excuses!!

Actually, it was the perfect time because we have new home decor items we bought today, and another whole truckload coming this week. This way we will have a nice fresh wall to put it on, and I'm happy & smiling about it, so what more could Mike ask for, really??? :)

Brett is sort of ticked at me for taking this photo. I think it's either because he normally likes to be the one taking the photographs or because he just doesn't want anyone to know he knows how to paint in case he's asked to do more of it!

Mother will be Cook of the Week!

I couldn't resist sharing this photo RIGHT AWAY of my mother with the fridge we have at the store. She's going to be cook of the week in the CCJ next week and I made her pose for me with this 60+ year old fridge that has made the rounds in our family -- it belonged to my dad's cousin, then we had it when I was young, then it was in the utility shed with the freezers for a while, then I think my brother & sister-in-law used it, then into a shed... now at Artifacts! Think of all the good eating that has come from this baby over the years!! Not to mention the good eating that has come from Mother's handiwork!

And.... we rearranged the front room after selling the big tall hutch that has been on the far right forever as display space. It now has a new home and can live as a hutch, not a display cabinet. :) Anyway -- changed up that section and the middle room some more and made plans to PAINT the first part of next week before all the new goodies came in!!

I have some photos of new furniture that I will be uploading to the web page later tonight, and I can't wait to get the new home decor things in and get photos of them. Don't forget to check out the Bridal Selection and Housewarming updates as well!

We just got back from Tupelo Furniture Market and I have to tell you about some of the great things we ordered that will be in the store in a couple of weeks! Be watching for:

• New wall decor - some of the coolest metal things I've seen, very different
• Large planter sets - the kind like on Kathryn Mize's bridal selection, big enough for icing down drinks for your summer cookouts or tailgaiting!
• New trays and candleholders
• Beautiful new large frame mirrors (some new and some like we sold out of during the holidays -- 3x4 foot and none priced over $180!!)
• Tabletop metal pieces
• New buffet bowls - these have been hot, but I found some new and different ones!!
  

ALSO - found a great new source for affordable furniture -- bedroom suites, dinettes, and large entertainment centers like this:

at prices you are going to LOVE.... We will have one of these in the store next week and we can give you a firm price by then -- email me if you want to know the general price range -- you're going to LIKE IT!! HA!