Happy New Year Log Cabin friends - January 2009

LOG CABIN CLOSING IT’S DOORS –

The year 2009 begins and with the New Year comes new goals & decisions. It is with mixed emotions that I announce I am closing the shop & thus ending a very long career as an antiques dealer, shop owner, teacher, & adviser in all things primitive and country. I’m saddened that I won’t be seeing many of you but I’m sure our paths will cross now & then. It has been a tough decision to make & I waffled back & forth a long time. Dear hubby, joked that he was sure he’d have to push me around in my shop in a wheel-chair one day – just like Mrs. B at Nebraska Furniture Mart used to do, because he couldn’t see me NOT doing this the rest of my life. (He’s a wise man – he knows what made me happy:-). But there comes a time – and that time is this year when I’ll change gears a bit as there are some new goals on my horizon – new & interesting paths to walk.

I’ve loved the people that have walked through the doorways of my shops. Many Nebraska people followed me to my Colorado shop, & Colorado people followed me to my Roca shop. So many of you have touched my heart & I know we’ll continue to stay in touch as the years go by.

The shop has taught me so much. I’ve learned a lot & it wasn’t always easy. Thirty years ago I started with Country Crafts which was my first endeavor & I based it on the home party system. It was more successful than I ever imagined it would be. From that I taught tole painting classes in the basement of my Lincoln home selling supplies & gifts. Then when we moved south of Lincoln to a small acreage, I opened The Little Red Schoolhouse, when we moved a wonderful old building to the property. But I was dreaming bigger dreams, so we found a building at 48th & Old Cheney Rd & it became the Antique Market. It was an antiques mall with 70 dealers from 4 states & 13 part time employees. We were there 10 years, sold the building & land, & with children grown, we fulfilled another dream of moving to & living in the mountains at Estes Park, Co., a place we are “still in love with.” That very large shop was called “The Sampler” & sold antiques, gift items & rug hooking supplies. We lived there 10 years, selling the business & inventory to a new owner, & decided to move back to Nebraska, near our families, after the tragedy of Sept. 11th. And another shop idea was forming – in the little cabin next to our log cabin home near Roca. I called it The Log Cabin.

And the rest of the story – is history as you know. After 3 years there, I moved the shop to the lower level to give me more space for a rug hooking studio as well as more antiques. The shop, in the courtyard level behind the log house where I live, has been here 3 years & it has worked well.

Sometimes, I look back & wonder “How did this all happen?” It just did – it comes from a goal, a dream, a decision, and lots of very hard work. I feel I learned some of the “secrets” to success along the way as each shop has proven more successful than I ever imagined it would. And I’m glad it all happened the way it did --- it has been a wonderful creative outlet with so many friendships made along the way.

Many of you knew this day was coming – and others didn’t. And the questions have been coming – YES, we are staying here, not moving. YES, my groups will continue as they have before. YES, I will sell everything in main area of shop (not wool studio).

And the big one – WHY? It’s time. But also, antiques, - the good ones, the ones I like to put in my home & yours, are almost impossible to find anymore – everyone is collecting or at least wants a few pieces in their homes to give warmth & character. And the gifts – well, I’m not fond of imported items – and they are every place you look!!! It’s difficult to find the items made in the United States by a craft person’s hands – I have looked long & hard for special things & I know you have appreciated finding those handpicked items here at The Log Cabin. I have always worked at building my shop’s reputation on “the hand-picked good stuff.” And yes, I now feel I was blessed with a gift – an EYE to SEE what others may not see at first, the right colors, the right look etc. But that was something else I also learned along the way.

WHAT’S NEXT? More time with grandchildren, friends & family, veggie gardening & herbs, rug hooking & the list is long. And the many groups I’ve “founded” here at The Log Cabin will continue to flourish.

And who knows what is next – we really can’t see into the future. But stay tuned to the newsletters for awhile!

The Log Cabin will be closed the whole month of February to gather my thoughts, and then beginning in March I’ll be open one weekend a month with items marked to sell, there will be bargains, close outs, drawers sorted & emptied, goody bags, & the sale area will expand & there will be treasures to find.

The Newsletter will continue this year – as I’ve had so many positive comments, & it will keep you up to date on our happenings & monthly open dates here. And after that – we’ll have to see.

I announced my decision to close the shop at Woolkeepers Christmas party mid-December & I thank you all for your support, and the many notes I’ve received telling me what The Log Cabin shop has meant in your life. It means so much to me.

We have our memories of the last 6 years here at The Log Cabin to carry us through, and now a new year begins. The Woolkeepers two large groups will continue to meet here every month. The two Applique clubs will meet 4 times this year with a new project to do, and the Herb Study group will meet monthly. There are some special interest things coming up this year for those groups, and a couple of classes this year that we planned back in 2008 (like how to make bread and butter pickles – after all the requests J) So I’m not retiring yet – slowing down a bit --- maybe!!

“YOU HAVE TO GIVE UP THE LIFE YOU’VE PLANNED TO FIND THE LIFE THAT’S WAITING FOR YOU.” – Joseph Campbell

And now on to other things!

WINTER – ALL over the country has been white, and bitter cold, and blustery. It was hard to get the Christmas shopping finished & was just better to stay inside. Perhaps January will be more pleasant – we can only hope Mother Nature evens things out a bit.

The bird feeders are filled daily and we love watching 4 “fluffed up” bluebirds drinking often at the warmed water in the bird bath – they nod their heads up & down as if to say “thank you for the water you have put here for us.” And Sam, my faithful & constant companion kitty, and I love sitting by the big kitchen window watching them, as I have my second cup of hot tea in the morning – a simple country pleasure. In the early dark hours as I eat my breakfast, my feathered friends are still sleeping, sheltered by the old cedar branches of the trees - and I marvel at how they can survive the bitter cold of a Nebraska prairie winter.

The snow has now melted & I like seeing brown earth in winter, as I know it is safer to be outside to walk & drive. The narcissus bulbs are planted “in rocks & water” & I love watching them grow tall & then bloom – a simple country pleasure every January on my kitchen window sill, above my sink, in my log cabin home. Dear hubby built this window, to be 12 inches deep, so my rosemary plants are there too, catching the winter sun rays in the afternoons (when it is not snowing outside). Enjoy the blessings of January & a new year. Twila

I’ve included this old Apache blessing before – and will again, as it says it all:
MAY the sun bring you new energy by day,
MAY the moon softly restore you by night,
MAY the rain wash away your worries,
MAY the wind blow new strength into your being, and
MAY you walk gently through the world and know the beauty of all the days of your life.
HAVE A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR

WEATHER NOTE: If the weather should be really “not nice” on the scheduled group meeting days or days I’m to be open, call first or check your emails. There are times when it’s not worth getting out.

And winter in the country is different than winter in the city – our lane can blow shut within an hour’s time when the winds & snow are both going in a horizontal direction!

This old l860’s rope bed will be for sale in the shop. It was handmade in Missouri (Pleasant Hill) all those years ago & has been in my big guest room upstairs (along with a king size bed). It has slats & will take a foam full size mattress. Yes, one can sleep on it, & feel history all around you – 150 years worth!

CALENDAR for JANUARY, 2009

Jan. 9 - Friday, Open afternoon only, 1-5 p.m.
Jan. 10 - Sat., Open l0:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. (Mitten rug club meets at 9 a.m. sharp)
Jan. 15 – Applique club #1, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 15 – Open Thursday, 10-4
Jan. 16 –UFO –11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. (Let me know if you are planning to be here for UFO, please)
Jan. 17 – Open Sat. 9-4
Jan. 19 –Woolkeepers NEWBIES , (3rd Monday)6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Jan. 22 – Applique Club #2, 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 26 – Woolkeepers OLDIES, (4th Monday) 6:30 p.m.
Jan. 27 – Herb Study Group, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
February – Closed the whole month of February. No groups meet at Log cabin, unless my plans change.

AND A FEW NOTES OF INTEREST:

NEW BOOK IN AT SHOP – “As Time Goes By” – is now available. Some of you have it already, & if you don’t have it & are still wanting a copy, email me to hold one for you. (And if you have had one delivered & it skipped your mind, the bill was sent with your book, so please mail payment). There will be a couple new books next year, and YES, I will have them in shop for you. These are great collector’s books, & you don’t want to miss a copy. We will continue to get these books for those interested.

NEW SNOWMAN CANDLEMAT KIT is available at open times, or while supply lasts (remember groups meet here). If you want one, email me (logcabin-cabinkeeper@windstream.net) to hold one for you.

APPLIQUE CLUB MEMBERS –If you can’t make the January club, let me know please, & I will hold your kit for you. This one is “Hearts on Linen”. If you prefer not to be a member this year in the club, let me know. We will meet 4 times in 2009.

WOOLKEEPERS: Oldies & Newbies - Need a volunteer for refreshments at both groups. Email me please & we’ll try not to double up. Bring to Woolkeepers the recipe for the item you brought to the Christmas party & also bring one other recipe – a family favorite Christmas recipe & write why it is a favorite or something special about it. Sue B. is putting together a Christmas Party, 2008 book. This will be so special – and thanks SUE! If you have pictures of that evening, could you email them to me please. If you’d rather email the recipes, that is fine too. We would like 100% participation in this from the party to make the book really special. ALSO wear your darling mitten nametags to our winter group meetings.

HERB STUDY GROUP – Need a volunteer for refreshments please (make it simple) We’ll meet at The Log Cabin, the 4th Tues. night of January, but beginning in March, I will need to change it to the 3rd Tues. night of the month, thereafter. Hope this makes sense – mark your calendar.

January meeting – bring a Christmas gift giving/received idea that has to do with herbs for those that want to. Dianna will give the topic on elderberry – a wonderful wild herb,that is a Nebraska native, and so good for us. We’ll discuss the years topic planning also - & our member Cynthia, who is the new president of Nebr. Herbal Society, will talk about the year in the group. (A reminder – if weather is not nice, we won’t be meeting).

LOG CABIN INN closed until March 15.

And this from a column by Erma Bombeck (I keep this in my scrapbook because I love what it says, and again it is a gentle reminder. Thanks Mary Jo for sending it).

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER
(written after she found out she was dying from cancer)
I WOULD have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren’t there for the day
I WOULD have burned the pink candle, sculpted like a rose, before it melted in storage.
I WOULD have talked less and listened more.
I WOULD have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded
I WOULD have eaten the popcorn in the “good” living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.
I WOULD have taken the time to listen to my grandparent ramble about their youth
I WOULD have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.
I WOULD never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.
I WOULD have cried and laughed less while watching television & more while watching life.
I WOULD never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn’t show soil, or was guaranteed a lifetime.
INSTEAD OF wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I’d have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

WHEN my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, “Later. Now go get washed up for dinner.” There would have been more “I love you’s” & more “I’m sorry’s”

BUT mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute, look at it and really see it --- Live it and never give it back. STOP SWEATING THE SMALL STUFF!!!

DON’T worry about who doesn’t like you, who has more, or who’s doing what. Instead, let’s cherish the relationships we have with those who do love us.
(My note: one could almost think of this as New Year’s resolutions/goals)

And now, from some of my friends at my house, we wish you a very Happy & Healthy 2009.

January Blessings, Twila

END OF JANUARY, 2009, Log Cabin newsletter. Please keep the calendar handy to refer to for our dates open.

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