All Kinds of Exciting News!

Good evening! I didn't intend to post again until Monday but it was a very exciting day Behind My Red Door today so I barely know where to start! I guess I should do as they say and take a deep breath and start at the beginning.

See that wonderful note card? That came in the mail from Noel and Verge, from Circa Home Living - formerly Circa 1820. It was a lovely thank you note for the times I mentioned their catalog/website in Country Sampler and in my blog. Wasn't that kind of them? I was so excited to find out that they will be starting a blog in the coming month or so. If you click on their name, you'll come to their home page and you can see where you will be able to click on 'blog' when it is ready. Make sure you check out all the wonderful things they offer while you are there.

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Well this isn't new today, but I just finally found a spot for the 'new' old fly screen I got during an outing earlier this week. (It's an early birthday present). I played around this morning a bit and made some gatherings like the one in my header and this one below.

But I think it will end up right here on my dough board. At least for now. At least until I tweak again. I think. Maybe.

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And then, when he was coming in from an errand, DH noticed a package by the front door. I was so excited to find that inside were my complimentary copies of the spring issue of Mercantile Gatherings magazine. See the cover illustration?

Twigs drew that and it is her interpretation of my bucket cupboard and cabinet. Didn't she do a wonderful job? She is so darn talented!

Twigs gave me permission to show you the article. If you are not familiar with this magazine, each page of this really well done magazine is a real visual treat. They are purposely designed to look like scrap book pages. They are so nicely made, they are like books you want to leave on the coffee table.

Each photo is framed so nicely!

Isn't it pretty?

I am so honored to have been chosen to appear in these pages.

In addition to several articles featuring homes and businesses, each choke full of photo's, there are free patterns and lots of resources for your favorite prim and country items. Here are some pics from the Christmas Issue.

If you can't find this at a country or prim store near you, I highly recommend you go to the website here, and click on order the magazine on the sidebar, gather the info and take it to your favorite shops and encourage the shopkeepers to start carrying it so you can get your fix every season! Or you get your subscription started online as well. Just like Frank Bielec from Trading Spaces, you will be a Mercantile Gatherings fan as well!
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The most exciting news today took some time to develop. I was chatting by email with my friend Kathy, who lives in New Brunswick, Canada and we were talking about how even though we both work hard at living in the moment, sometimes it really helps to have something fun on the near horizon to look forward too - especially during the long winter months and with the scary economic forecast. Then we decided to chat on the phone. I was saying I hoped DH and I could get away for an overnight later in March as a late birthday present for me. After chatting back and forth and researching where I could redeem my Choice Hotels points, I found out there is a hotel about 15 minutes from her house. Kathy and her DH Stephen have a special event coming up later in March and we were talking about how wonderful it would be if DH and I could get there for it. After we got off the phone, I got online, did some research and BINGO! We now will be traveling to New Brunswick for a long weekend! I am so excited I don't know if I will be able to sleep tonight. Not only will I get to see her and Stephen again, (we met last May when the were in Sturbridge, MA) I will be able to introduce them to my DH (who was working in Hicago that week in May) and I will finally get to see her lovely home in person!!!!!!!!!!! I feel like I know her home by heart as we are always sharing photo's and updates with each other, but to actually be there in person will be just amazing! Click here to see a slide show of her beautiful home. Some of you will recognize her home from the Christmas Issue of Mercantile Gatherings. Hopefully, Mother Nature will cooperate so we can make the long drive without a late spring snow storm! We often get them you knowl. And you can be sure I will have plenty of pics to post when we get home.

And yes, that was me you heard squealing again!

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Speaking of Mother Nature, we are under a winter advisory tomorrow - not good. My family is planning to gather at a new Mexican Restaurant for my mom's 80th birthday. Please keep your fingers crossed we still can have the party. My brother and his family have a pretty long drive and we really do want to be all together for this special birthday, but of course their safety is paramount. I will be back Monday, mom's actual birthday, with a special post.

Until Next Time - Hugs, Linda