~A MUST HAVE BOOK from a FRIEND & Pics of the GIRLS

I JUST GOT my AUTOGRAPHED COPY of Donna Cardwell's NEW BOOK called Silk Art Embroidery A Woman's History of Ornament & Empowerment

Due to copyright laws I can't put any pictures of the book on my blog....BUT TRUST ME, IT'S WORTH GETTING!!!! Donna has been a long time customer of mine and I had NO IDEA she was writing a book. Imagine my excitement when she told me about it and here's a crazy thing....Her BOOK CAME OUT ONE YEAR to the DATE of my FIRST CHEMOTHERAPY!!!! Those are 2 dates I will never forget.

Just click here to get YOUR AUTOGRAPHED COPY and PLEASE tell Donna you found out about her from my blog. Nothing in it for me, I would just like her to know I sent you. HAPPY WEEKEND!!!! THINGS are GETTING BETTER HERE, Uncle Duane is in Hospice now and I feel so much pressure off so I have been happily getting things ready for the website and reading Donna's Book, I can't put it down!!!!.....Lots of GOODIES coming SOON!!!!

Hugs and Love, Amy

(Ashley and Kristi stopped by this morning, Saturday July 19th, 2008 and I had to get some pictures of them with Maddi, I cannot believe I have 2 ADULT Girls....Where did the time go????)

~MISS YOU LIKE CRAZY~

2 Years ago today my Dad passed away from cancer.......IT SUCKS and CANCER SUCKS!!!!

I miss him something bad........Love you and miss you so much,

Your Little Girl, Amy

~More Pictures of MY STORE~

Just a quick update on some of the treasures I am getting ready for the STORE and the WEBSITE, it's taken a back seat to family matters, but isn't that what it's all about???? FAMILY MATTERS!!!!
YES, I HAND PAINTED the IMAGINATION SIGN ON THE WALL MYSELF, I HAVE MORE I WANT TO DO AND WILL SHOW THEM TO YOU AS I GET THEM DONE

I have been busy going back and forth from the hospital. Uncle Duane will be going into Hospice within the next few days. Tomorrow will be 2 years ago I lost my Dad to lung cancer. All I have to say about all of this is CANCER SUCKS!!!!
Hug everyone you love.......Amy

(I GOT THIS EMAIL TONIGHT AND I WANTED TO SHARE IT WITH YOU....IT'S PRETTY COOL AND OH SO TRUE....READ IT BELOW)

To: YOU

Date: TODAY

From: GOD

Subject: YOURSELF

Reference: LIFE

This is God. Today I will be handling All of your problems for you. I do NOT need your help. So, have a nice day. I love you.

P.S. And, remember... If life happens to deliver a situation to you that you cannot handle, DO NOT attempt to resolve it yourself! Kindly put it in the SFGTD (something for God to do) box. I will get to it in MY TIME. All situations will be resolved, but in MY TIME, not yours.
Once the matter is placed into the box, do not hold onto it by worrying about it. Instead, focus on all the wonderful things that are present in your life now.
Now, you have a nice day. God

~OH MY, MY CURLY LONG HAIR~

CAN YOU BELIEVE HOW LONG MY HAIR IS GETTING????

CHECK OUT THOSE NATURALLY CURLY & THICK HAIR LOCKS!!!! I am SOOOO EXCITED that it is FINALLY LONG ENOUGH to wear hair bands!!!!

HAPPY FRIDAY and HAPPY WEEKEND EVERYONE!!!
Hugs and Love, Amy

ME BLOWING A KISS TO ALL OF YOU FOR HANGING IN THERE WITH ME!!!

~Quick Update~

Just a quick update....My uncle Duane has been brought to the hospital by ambulance last night....things are not looking good and I am on my way there as soon as I post this.

He has Mesothelioma Lung Cancer and has undergone 3 rounds of chemo to help lessen the growth of the cancer. I am his VA Advocate as he was exposed to asbestos in WWII when he served on the USS MARYLAND. It's so sad to see and it is hitting me especially hard right now as it was just 2 short years ago I was going thru this same thing with my Dad. It's like every where I turn I can't get away from that word CANCER. IT SUCKS and then there is our SWEET BLOGGING FRIEND DEENA, who is fighting for her life too. Sometimes I just want to run away, I cry for those who are fighting it, for those who have died from it and then I feel so terribly guilty for beating it. It just doesn't make sense to me.

For now, the shop is on hold, not sure what is going to happen around here. If you can, please pray for Deena and for my Uncle Duane (pray that he doesn't suffer as the prognosis is not one of any hope) and pray for my Aunt Lois, who is taking this so very very hard. She's a mess and just needs someone there for her to support her thru all of this....That is what I am trying to do.

Please try this, just for one day, SAY YES to your loved one for everything they ask of you, don't tell them that is what you are doing, and see how awesome it makes things....it's a pretty cool thing to do, and doesn't take that much to do. You will be amazed!!! JUST SAY YES!!!! with no explanation or anything, just try it.

Hug those you have in your life today, Tell them you love them!!!
Catch up with all of you soon, Amy

~PLEASE OH PLEASE PRAY FOR DEENA~

I just got word that Our Sweet Deena has been given some sad news.

You have no idea how much this hurts me and I am doing everything I can to stop the tears. I have no words of wisdom or words of comfort, please take a moment to pray for her because GOD DOES PERFORM MIRACLES!!!

PLEASE DEENA, KNOW YOU ARE IN OUR HEARTS and PRAYERS

All my Love, Amy

~What I have been working on~

~~FUN STUFF I have been working on to sell in the SHOP~~

~THE MOSAIC TABLE~ I took this darling little table and did mosaic on it with Vintage Rose and Pink Dishes along with Old beaded necklaces. I think it turned out pretty cool!!!!
Oh, I almost forgot, I couldn't forget added Vintage Buttons to it too!!!!
Notice the Necklaces I used on this piece????
~The 1930's Side Table~
Now, this little TREASURE was something I just couldn't refuse to buy. It has ALL of it's ORIGINAL PINK Chippy/Crackled paint still on it but the top needed a little something extra.
It's the MOST UNIQUE & ADORABLE SIDE TABLE I have ever run across!!!!
Love the tapered legs and the slatted sides. Reminds me of an old planter or baby crib. This is truly an Original Piece!!!!
I believe it's from the 1930's and so I added 1930's Vintage Gospel Sheet Music to the top!!!! Lots of these songs I remember singing as a child in the Baptist Church!!!!
I am still thinking I just might have to keep this one!!!! For awhile anyways!!!!
It's actually pretty big, and would hold lots of books and the more I look and talk about it, the more I fall in love with it!!!!~THE BUTTON CHAIR~

Done in a Creamy Off White Flat Paint that someone else painted and stenciled on. Since I didn't have the paint to match this chair, and I didn't want to repaint the WHOLE THING, I decided to cover up the stencils with VINTAGE White and Off White BUTTONS!!!!
I had A LOT of FUN with this piece, and the SEAT is MADE from an OLD BLUE and WHITE QUILT!!!!
~TONS and TONS OF OLD VINTAGE BUTTONS~
I just can't get enough buttons, I found a bunch more while going thru my rubbermaid bins, Which makes me look around my shop and trying to figure out what else can I adorn with OLD BUTTONS!!!!
Hope you are enjoying your Holiday Weekend, I sure am!!!!
Happy Happy JULY!!!!
Love and Hugs, Amy

~July 1st Pics of the Shop So Far~ 50% off everything on the website

This cupboard was taken out of an old house in the Lisbon/Mt. Vernon area. It was originally a built-in. IT'S HUGE!!! And is my FAVORITE PIECE!!! I paid $450 for it a few years back in hopes of some day opening a shop and using it for display. MY HOPES AND DREAMS are COMING TRUE!!!! Not only did I get this cupboard decorated, (I am washing, drying, ironing and cleaning EVERYTHING before I put it out for sale) I started setting up the OVAL Shabby Chic Dining Table too!!! Can't wait for that to come together!!! Did you know you can click on any of these pictures and they will open in a BIGGER window so you can see the treasures better.
I used an ANTIQUE VICTORIAN SHEET for the top cover of the cupboard, the middle area with the mirror just has old lace fabric from the bolt on it and if you look at the drawer below, you will see a GORGEOUS Vintage Roses Pillowcase folded and hanging out of the drawer!!!! LOVE IT!!!!

I'm Having the TIME OF MY LIFE!!!

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY TO EVERYONE!!! See you this weekend!!!!
Hugs and Love, Amy

~THE SHOP as of June 30th, 2008~ HALF OFF on the WEBSITE!!!~

FIRST OFF, EVERYTHING THAT IS LEFT ON THE WEBSITE IS HALF PRICE!!!

www.FourSistersInACottage.com

As you will see in my pictures below, I need to make room for the NEW TREASURES!!!

THIS IS JUST 1/3 of the shop that I have finished!!! PLEASE KNOW......YES, I will still be SELLING on the WEBSITE and ETSY and occasionally on ebay!!! My WEBSITE COMES FIRST and you will ALL be given FIRST DIBS before I even open the doors to the public!!!!

I AM HAVING A BLAST as it's like Christmas opening each rubbermaid bin and finding treasures I had long forgotten about!!!! MY LOVE OF MIRRORS!!!!
THIS IS THE NOTIONS and SEWING area, I found a WHOLE SLEW of MORE VINTAGE BUTTONS and BUTTONS ON THE CARD!!!! YIPPY SKIPPY!!!!
A SWEET SUMMER GARDEN AREA greets you when you walk in the front door
VINTAGE RED, ORANGE, BLUE, GREEN and YELLOW KITCHEN FUN!!!!

The CLOTHING & BAGS Sign I bought from Pollyanns and is not for sale...I paid a lot for it and I just LOVE IT!!!!
I'm HAVING A BLAST and will get more pictures to you as I get things done!!! I am working at least 12 hours a day in the shop, you know, washing, folding, ironing, setting up displays, only to take it down because I don't like the way it looks....LOL....
Here's to a HAPPY HAPPY WARM JULY 1st DAY!!!
Love and Hugs, Amy

~200th POST~ MANY BIG SURPRISES!!!!

LOTS OF PICTURES.....WOW WEE!!! Post #200 and the FIRST SURPRISE is that it was ONE YEAR AGO TODAY, I started my first chemo treatment. WOW, am I glad that is over and even more HAPPY I AM CANCER FREE!!!

With that said, My attitude towards life has changed dramatically and I am no longer going to wait for that "someday". I AM going to OPEN MY DREAM SHOP, I AM GOING TO USE MY "Special Occasion Linens", I AM GOING to ENJOY EVERY SINGLE DAY from here on out & FIND THE GOOD in EVERY SITUATION!!!

Three weeks ago, I talked it over with Bob and I told him I am no longer waiting to OPEN A SHOP........and guess what, IT'S HAPPENING!!! MY DREAM, MY BIG HUGE DREAM is coming true.

Bob and Nick went right to work and started knocking down walls.....You will see, in the pictures, what we did in the last 2 weeks. We were derailed a bit by the Flood, as Bob had to work at the Fire Station during the terrible flood of 2008.

Nick, Alex, Kristi, Alli and Maddi ALL HELPED and they continue to help make my dream come true. I HAVE 450 SQUARE FEET OF STORE/SHOP SPACE!!! All NEW PAINT, DRYWALL, ELECTRICAL,INSULATION,CARPET AND A FRONT DOOR TO THE SHOP. Also, BOB BRICKED IN A PARKING AREA and TURN AROUND for my customers. HOW COOL IS THAT???
Everything is now ready for me to start setting up (THE FUN PART and the PART I LOVE THE MOST) and I will be open April 1st through Oct 1st (maybe Nov 1st, dependant on the weather) And my hours will be Tuesdays and Thursdays 11am to 7pm (open late for those working girls who never get a chance to shop because they get off work the same time the shops close, I missed that working at the radio station, so that is why I am going to be open late)

ENJOY THE PICTURES....Many more to come as I work on the shop this weekend, It's MADDI'S 7th Birthday Tomorrow and we are having her party starting at Noon Today)

There's BOB and NICK......And the Walls Came Tumbling Down.....(I was singing that line from John Meloncamp all day)

JUST AS BOB FINISHED PUTTING IN THE FRONT DOOR (He knocked down the wall, ripped out the drywall, added the new door, and cleaned it all up ALL IN ONE DAY) the HUGE THUNDERSTORM Rolled in....that's what added to our already flooded areas)

There's Our Sweet Alex....She is such an awesome kid and a hard worker too, just like her Daddy!!!


YES, ALL NEW ELECTRICAL & MY FAVORITE, WAINSCOTING soon to be painted white by Kristi and Scott (they are on my blog for Kristi's Prom)
Do you see that old window paned door above??? I painted that white and Bob took out the old crappy 1955 hollow door that leads from the shop to our kitchen, and put that one in. I do have the option (when my house is messy) to add a curtain to it to hide the inside mess of the house.....LOL We found that door at Habitat For Humanity for $15.00
I TOTALLY forgot to get pictures of Kristi and Scott, painting the "new side of the shop" they did an AWESOME JOB!!!

I have always called these the "Servant Stairs" as they lead from my shop to the basement. Alli and her friend Kayla, painted it BEACH COTTAGE BLUE.....It was paint that I had left over from painting my bedroom. Anna, from California, bought me the paint for my BIRTHDAY......THANK YOU ANNA....I think of you every time I see them. (which is everyday) and the kids all want to take a dive as they say it "LOOKS LIKE A POOL". Alli and Kayla DID A FABULOUS JOB painting.

There's that $15.00 Door...it leads to my kitchen or down to the "servant stairs"

I Painted this DARLING Vanity (it has a HUGE ORNATE MIRROR with it) in one day, along with the mirror and one other vintage round mirror. The pink just made it I think and it still has it's ORIGINAL Label in the drawer from SMULEKOFF'S in Cedar Rapids. (they were hit HARD by the FLOOD, and I bought this piece in Springville, Iowa BEFORE the flood hit)

NOW THE FUN BEGINS.....

All my Love, Amy (who is THRILLED BEYOND WORDS that I am NOT going thru chemotherapy, like I was one year ago today)