Country Friends

July Newsletter

JULY FREEBIE: If you want the PDF file for the top hat used in my Chauncy with the lights, just e-mail me at cindy@country-friends.net and ask for JULY FREEBIE in the subject line. It won't include the directions, just the pattern piece, but very simple to figure out! (Only available as a PDF file now).

My first show of the year turned out better than expected!

I did not expect much since this show has steadily gone down hill over the years, and attendance dropped. I just wanted to see what would sell so I know what to make for my big 3 day show in November! Check out my pictures on my "Show Dates" page. And for more up to date pictures you can join me on my facebook page (click on link on my home page). I hope to post more pictures and share information more often.

ATTENTION:

I just found a CHEAPER source for the fiberfill!!!!!

Thanks to Linda Clark for passing along this information!

This company Air-Lite has been around for over 50 years and I think is located in MI. They sell fiberfill in several different weights, but I was told the regular is what I would probably want. I've never used it so if you are only steadfast on using Morning Glory you may not want to invest in a 25 lb bag. YES, you have to get a 25 lb bag, that is the minimum! It costs $1.49/lb plus the shipping. This is a much better deal than the Morning Glory.

Air-Lite 1-800-521-1267 (25 lb. bag minimum!) $1.49 / lb. right now plus shipping.

FIBERFILL INFORMATION: As you all know, you can't get the Morning Glory fiberfill at Wal Mart anymore. The only source I can find is Marshall Dry Goods. You have to call them at 888-744-8277 and have them quote you a price with shipping. If you order 20 of the 5 lb boxes the price drops to $9.77 and depending on your location a few more dollars for shipping. But you have to order 20 boxes!! Yikes!! So if you know someone you could split that with that would make it easier. I can go through 20 boxes in 2 weeks when I make my pumpkins, I just don't know where I'm going to put them all!

June Newsletter

This great idea comes from Ann Zimmer!

Using #856 Holiday Pillar Candle pattern. Ann says:

I used only half of the fabric on the inside piece, 32 inches instead of 72 inches. Only 32 since I took a 4 inch piece off for the bottom of the candle. And only put the cinnamon/coffee granules mix on the top. I used cinnamon only on the base so it wouldn't have bumps where I glued the cinn. sticks.

Note: Make the candle the size of your cinnamon sticks. A great source for cinnamon sticks is www.atlanticspice.com

Decorate with some berry pics, greens or what you like!

I have a great bag topper you can also use. It's nice to use the bags to package the candles when you sell them at shows. People like to pick them up and sometimes the tea light will fall out otherwise.

This topper will be great for some of your new candle creations!

Another Freebie!

Free PDF file for words in my June Freebie. Use these words on your Pillar Candle! Just print on paper and follow steps as below for the "Simplify" candle!!!

E-mail me at cindy@country-friends.net and ask for the "June Freebie" in the subject line and I will send you the FREE topper and words for the "Faith Family Friends" in a PDF file!

April Newsletter

This great idea comes from Kathy Bailey!!

Using #856 Holiday Pillar Candle pattern. Kathy says:

I printed the saying on brown paper and glued to candle before putting on glue and cinnamon mixture. After all steps for your candle were complete I added thin layer of modge podge over saying.

Kathy also says she adds a few drops of scented oil to the fabric and also to the glue mix which I'm sure make these irresistible to customers!

Kathy says she made the "Simplify" candle 4" tall and it sold for $10.99 at a shop in town, and the taller ones sell for $14.99!

April giveaway: For a FREE bag topper to use for this great idea and a sheet of "Simplify" to use for this idea, just e-mail me at cindy@country-friends.net and put APRIL FREEBIE in the subject line! I will e-mail you the PDF file for both!

Please note that the FREEBIE does not include the directions to make the #856 Candle, you need to have purchased this pattern.

And we did have one nice day last week here in New England and here you can see I have almost 100 #790 Prim heads drying outside and 100 larger #854 Chauncy heads made of chenille fabric drying after coffee staining!

I went through 12 FIVE pound boxes of Polyfil in just a few days. Tip: I go to WalMart and have them order me 10 or 15 boxes at a time. I can fit 20 boxes in my small SUV, so I'll be ordering more soon.

**I just found out my WalMart will not be selling these 5lb boxes anymore and are now selling a 50oz bag of the Fairfield brand. More expensive, and now I can't get my boxes to store all my snowmen!

I take these guys outside to grungy up their hats since the cinnamon is such a mess. I used #854 Chauncy and attached a 5" candle ring (with greenery/berry/rusty stars) on the bottom and placed a 20 strand tiny rice lights with brown cord. I also made a top hat instead of the fleece cap. Looks really nice lit up in the dark and sell really well at the shows for $18.50!! I plan on making at least 80 or 90 of them for this year.

**A FREE top hat pattern should become available in my next newsletter!

February Newsletter

You can see how the Bag Toppers look on the new Pillar Candles. This makes for easy bagging at your craft shows and gift giving also. Use the images in some tag art too. Just paste them to your large size manila tags and add some "Words" or sayings that you can just create from your computer. (Or, I can send you a sheet of a few ideas I threw together to get you started, just email me and ask for my FREE Word Doc. in the subject line). Print the words on some aged parchment paper (available at Staples), and either cut with decorative scissors or tear.

January 10, 2010

I decided that "Chilly Chauncy" was the perfect name for this guy. Chauncy means "Good Fortune" and this idea came from Therese.

His vintage card is dated from the early 1900's and is a New Year's card. The vintage snowman in the card has some money bags around him (which will bring good fortune), along with some lucky horseshoes, and clover in his arms.

He sits on a 12" grapevine wreath. I have located a great source for you to purchase the wreaths at $1.99 each!

A 10 strand of string lights, 6 sprigs of greenery, sprigs of red pip berries, and some spanish moss add that special vintage touch. This guy is so easy to put together too.

How great is this vintage image!

Here I placed "Chauncy" (pattern #854) on some wood. Go go Home Depot and they will cut the wood for FREE! I used a 1" x 8" and had them cut it in 10" pieces. I painted the wood black. I used a dark green duct tape to tape down the lights on the wood and then filled in with the Spanish Moss/greenery/berries etc. (You can find black duct tape at WalMart which would work great!).

December 3rd, 2009

"Best Seller"....Here I used Jaime's #645 Believe Angel (go to www.country-whims.com) and made it out of dyed W&N batting. I used her red pip berry garland with greenery and rusty stars for the wings (I cut down the length of the sprigs a bit) and it's hanging with hemp cord. I hot glued some whole allspice down the front too. I sold these for $6 each.

I had plenty of my boy Christmas mice made (did not have time to make her), and they sold very well. Pattern will soon come out for these cute little critters!

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Do you want a great source for bulk styrofoam balls? I buy boxes of 1,200 balls at a time! Yes......and I fly threw them in no time too!

Go to www.plasteelcorp.com and you will find bulk and also packages of 12. These are smoothfoam balls and they are a bit different than styrofoam. They are smooth and much harder. But work perfect for snowmen heads. They are just a bit tougher to poke the hole for the nose. (I use a large sharp doll needle to poke first and then a bamboo skewer to widen the hole). I also add a drop of hot glue to the ball before I cover with the fabric to keep the fabric in place. The fabric sometimes shifts on the smooth surface of the ball, so the glue helps keep it in place.