The one where I'm really excited

I has such a great day of hunting the other day. Everyone was in a wonderful mood and so friendly. Oh, that we could always see such spirit through the year.
An interesting phenomenon happens out there in the antique world. Every time I go out there is one item I will see EVERYWHERE. For a good year or two it was the chrome penguin ice bucket. They must have made millions of them back in the 40's. Friday it was the cast iron cornbread maker. I am not kidding you, it turned up in the strangest places, I saw at least 10 of them.
On the way home I sang along with Christmas music on the radio. I could hear Johnny Mathis sing "sleigh ride" 20 times a day.
I'm very excited about the things I found for the shop. Here are a couple of pics. One is an amazing antique french settee, newly upholstered, and I am having a really lovely hemp slipcover made for it. The original paint is so freaking perfect in color and patina. The other is a great pine table top writing desk. It opens to hide paperwork. Update - both sold

The one where I tell you how much I need you to buy stuff to keep saffron and genevieve in business and another secret

I had to write today to dispell any notion that this store is supported by some rich husband or family money. I don't come from money, and although my boyfriend, my family and friends, and the great gals who help me out here at the shop are wonderfully supportive in many ways, Saffron and Genevieve is all me. With the help of my great mentor Jim McGovern at the CCSBDC, I put a plan together to go into heavy debt (thanks to SCCCU) to make my dream come true. I LOVE working for myself, although I am not a very demanding boss and probably should be. I love hunting for great things to put in the shop. I love seeing customers come in and "get" what I do and appreciate it. I love designing and having my clients tell me how happy their rooms make them and their families.

I will let you in on a little secret. I will often find a fabulous unusual wonderfully different thing, and instead of marking it at a fair price, I will price it ridiculously cheap. The person who discovers it is SO thrilled, and I know that it was meant for them. That makes me happy.

So I want to thank all of my wonderful customers for keeping my dream alive. It's all you.

The one with the cookie recipes

Here are my cookie recipes, and thanks so much to all of my friends who came to the party the other night. I only wish there were more of me so I could have spent more time with all of you.

colleens tea cakes

1 cup butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract (cream these 4 together first)
2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup toffee bits
1/2 cup finely chopped dark chocolate

mix, shape into 1" balls and bake at 350 for about 10 min. roll in powdered sugar while warm, roll again after they have cooled.

sunflower seed cookies

1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup sunflower seed butter or peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond extract (cream these together first)
1 1/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup toffee bits
1 cup choc chips

shape into balls, bake at 350 for about10 min