Christmas List.....

Wm. Mills & Co.

Sailmakers

since 1880

{classic}

These bags our added to both of our Christmas lists.............have you started yours yet?

As soon as October arrives we'll start shopping. This year we can decorate our houses instead of a store! Usually Darcy & I would be flurrying around on Christmas Eve day wrapping gifts, not joking. We have so much fun with wrapping that this year want to enjoy our work.

Now folks about a McMaster & Storm pop-up-shop.............more on this later.............

Good Things Happen to Those Who Wait......

THIS POSTER........has caused Kara some sleepless nights, no not really as she hasn't been sleeping very well for the last month or so. Ahhh, the joys of her 3rd trimester pregnancy!
Darcy purchased two of these lovely posters for us at last years Country Living fair. They are a Hatch Show print, most likely done on an old press. They are not the typical commercial posters. They have a matte finish & well it's just plain cute. Kara thought that she had totally misplaced this poster or even thrown it away, she kept moaning to her rascal biz partner Darcy about the lost poster {like for 3 weeks}. Kara hunted high & low and meanwhile her husband is rolling his eyes at this silly poster.
She had thought it would be cute hanging in the nursery since it was carnival like and well, just sweet. Alas, no poster, UNTIL Friday when Darcy {the rascal} explains that she finally has Kara's Christmas gift done and is on the way to bring it over. Anyway in comes Darcy through the door with a basket filled with gifts {way too much, girlie!} and Kara proceeds to open her gifts. Two flat objects wrapped to the hilt and ONE IS THIS POSTER. All this worrying....& Darcy proceeded to have it dry-mounted and she stuck these cool over sized grommets and funky grey ribbon from Cheryl Parks-Rogers. MORE BELOW OF THE "TOO MUCH" GIFTS FROM RASCAL DARCY........

THESE PJ'S! I have been sticking these in my cart at Target for the last 3,000 times then taking them out as I go over in my head I don't need these, take them out of the cart now and head to the diaper section and buy what you really need {no, not diapers for me silly-the baby}! These are in the men's section
and are navy & white and oh, so classic East Coast or whatever {hey, that sounded good you know}!
Anyway the rascal Darcy had Sara stick my monogram on the pocket {after which Sara took off the pocket to
get the monogram on there}. On the back up @ the top is our Italian alphabet ribbon in a string of K's! These snazzy pj's and the slippers are going in to my hospital bag, they'll perk me up right after delivery {ha}!

Rascal Darcy also had the "sweet treats" poster mounted and
did her grommet thingy and ribbon all tied up for hanging! {I had been moaning that
I didn't have one of these yet & we've been selling them for a year!}
Not to mention my favorite candle, soap and that Mrs. Meyer's
lavender laundry soap tucked into THAT BASKET OF GOODIES.
Oh my, too much.....thanks a bunch....Kara

Oh, and not to forget about these pastry tags that lovely Kasey of Lola B's sent Kara. Kara tied bakery twine through them to add some punch. {bakery twine, pastry tags...get it? I knew you would!}

We hope to shortly {before baby, eeek due date Feb 11th we better get cracking} show you some organization ideas that we've been working on in our own studio/craft/sewing rooms.

Hey, folks you know what it's a better week already. We're on the mend!
Listen up, we'll have new treats on the web hopefully by tomorrow
afternoon! Once again rascal Darcy gave a whistle to Luke in his Christmas present!
Want to know what to give 3 year old boys.... a whistle they'll love you and you'll love them!
{with your hands in your ears of course!}

Love, K&D

Talented Sara's Gifts For Us

Sara came into the store with the most wintry treat of a gift. Plus the packaging was just wonderful eye candy. I didn't want to open mine as I love to savor the wrapping, but she insisted I open it.
Ok, lets have a look......


Sara took a German Christmas ball that's actually a box, painted and embellished it with flakes of sparkle. She then embellished the top with berries that look like they have ice on them and greenery. Sara tucked a bird tag as well. She made this from Martha Stewart's holiday idea book. Sara used her own twist for the top, which I love.

Tucked inside was darling hand knitted fingerless gloves! Sara can knit and well do just about anything with creating lovely things. {she's busy creating @ this moment!} The gloves were wrapped in tissue inside with bakery twine around the package. They are made with very soft yarn, Baby Alpaca D.K.

Now, I just need a manicure and I'll be set.

Darcy will open hers on Thursday, hopefully she won't see the blog. Regardless if she takes a peek on the blog, she'll love this!

Enjoy your last full week of Christmas preparations and don't forget to drink lots of hot cocoa!

LOL,

Kara & Darcy too

Christmas 2008 Open House

Here is a flurry of open house pics.

Slightly rested up from last week and on to the next thing!!!! {There's always something brewing it seems like!}
Darcy is out front snapping pics for website and I'm back here blogging. Now is the time to focus on new things for website so they are up before Thanksgiving.
If you make a purchase online and want it wrapped as a gift let us know to whom through our web site's e-mail & we'll wrap in McMaster & Storm style.
As always all of your purchases receive some type of special wrapping.

Christmas Open House

Sara Vallo, who is now helping us out at the shop....she's the best!
Welcome Sara!
Our new Christmas hours are Monday - Friday 10-5 & Saturday 10-4 Sunday closed

We were closed 4 days to prepare for this Christmas Open House. We were happy we accomplished little details, as with some open houses we don't always get around to doing. Details, details....make an event!
We had a ball with this theme and loved hanging "soft pretzels" in a few of our displays, I'm thinking about hanging some from my own chandelier at home, for a party!
Thanks to all of our customers that came to our "Woodland Christmas Party"
We had a ball!

The Peaches are Milk Chocolate, perfect for hostess gifts and favors

Petite gifts

Reflections of the season

Wrapped gift for customer Jill

More of our Bavarian table

Our tokens of Parisian souvenirs


Our deer, decked out with a crown between his antlers, tucked in the crown is a nest of eggs and
a birdie.....he is the prince of our woodland decked store.


His frilly collar, adorned with ribbon, ornament bell & velvety flowers.
(ladies, you now have ideas for your husband's trophys)

Eye candy

artist who uses old & new beads...to create one-of-a-kind pins

A bevy of vintage coats

Practical, beautiful gifts



Melon & Marine scented apothecary just for her

Your passport needs another stamp in it....bon voyage




A top pick in our store, beautiful illustrations of the book of Psalms, created for his wife.

sweet party favor baskets

A side view of window display: our version of "woody cake stands" created by Kara's husband
in a medley of sizes & quirkiness. We have had requests to sell these...
The vintage wallpaper in background, we scored 5 complete rolls of this "woodland" design a week before our open house. meant to be.