Falling in Love!

What is your favorite holiday tradition?  I have so many that it's hard to choose...Cookies, Christmas Get-Togethers, Mainstreet Christmas with my hubby and kiddies.  But the one thing I cannot imagine going without is my Christmas Tree!

Growing up we always had a real tree.  Hubby always had an artificial tree.  So after we were first married he convinced me that our house was too small for a real one.  Eventually our family expanded and we outgrew our starter home.  That's when we started building our log cabin.  It was a long process that I may share with you soon.  But today's story is about how I designed the whole cabin so that I could get giant Christmas trees!

Like most cabins we have a great room/kitchen/dining/livingroom. All open! With an open loft over the kitchen. That leaves us with a ceiling height of nearly 20 feet! Which means I should get at least an 18 foot Christmas tree right? Well, 2 years ago I did manage to get a 16 foot tree and my hubby complained about back pain for a week! It was terribly heavy (I think it's because it was a blue spruce ~ Frasier Firs seem so much lighter) so this year I scaled back to a 13 foot Frasier Fir (nearly 15 feet in the stand - heehee) and I was all prepared to hate the "little" tree but... when I got it home, decorated, and lit... I fell in LOVE!

Christmas 2012

Happy Holly Days!

It's been like Santa's Workshop here at North Country Rustics!  Every order has been something new and exciting...and I am positively giddy when I think about how many Christmas trees will have a gift from my workshop underneath their decorated branches!  No wonder Santa loves his job so much!

And I have to say that I love mine!  There are days with disappointments and worry but they are greatly outnumbered by days of unexpected joy!  Like all of the support I got yesterday about the controversy surrounding my "Happy Holly Days" greeting.  I was so worried that I had offended EVERY ONE of my customers, fans, and friends with my silly little greeting.  I was so relieved to find out that I hadn't offended everyone and that some of my loyal peeps were glad to hear the season's greetings!

Our motto here at North Country Rustics is: Inspired by Nature, Wildlife and Country Living.  "Happy Holly Days" was my way of wishing everyone a little piece of nature in whatever their celebrations may be.  I know most people don't get to spend as much time as I do in Nature but without it's beauty our celebrations would be all tinsel and very little heart.

Speaking of nature...I was stomping around the woods yesterday finding the perfect piece of birch for one of these holiday gifts.  And it was a beautiful day with temps in the upper 60's!  It hardly felt like December at all!  How can I get into the spirit if there isn't any snow?  Especially when only a week ago North Country Rustics had this for a view...

Holiday Shipping ~ Easy Peasy!

Is "Custom" a scary word?  I often think it is because most people think of Custom as Expensive.  I really try to dispel that myth.  Our doors are almost always custom doors and they cost exactly the same as our "ready to sell" doors.  With no extra charges EVER!

But if "Custom" is scary then "Shipping" is TERRIFYING!  I can't tell you how many times someone has asked me for a shipping quote only to say, "Is that all???? I thought it'd be twice that!" 

I don't know why people think it will be expensive ~ other than gas prices being what they are.  Screen doors (even custom carved wooden doors) are fairly lightweight.  The package is large but flat.  UPS hasn't complained yet about the Ground Delivery Service on our doors and with Ground Shipping starting at $75 for most of the US neither have our customers!

Because our doors are normally custom I don't usually keep any in stock but... this Lodge Style Buck Shot Door is Avaiable for Immediate Holiday Shipping.  He will fit any 36 x 80 standard door and is perfect for that hard to buy for hunter, nature lover, or cabin owner.  Inbox me today if interested!  Or stop by the North Country Rustics Facebook page and leave a message.

Happy Holly Days

I am a very bad blogger!  But I'm really trying! Honest, I am.

I have had a lot of fun projects lately.  Which have kept me in the workshop and covered in sawdust...just the way I like it!  The projects have been so varied!  Big and Small and Adorable All!

A Custom ordered headboard featuring Mama Bear...

and a matching Custom ordered Mirror featuring a Bear Cub.

Another Custom Order...Love the Welcome Center Rail!

These Rustic Reindeer were so adorable...

Why Not have a whole Herd?

I'm not a fan of Snow...but I LOVE my Snowman!

What a fun Rustic Garland!

Wishing you Happy Holly Days!

Impatient... again!

My last post was SO effective in energizing myself to do what needed to get done that I thought that this week I could use a different kind of reminder.

I've had several people inquire recently about visiting me at "My Shop"... This makes me SOOO happy and SOOO IMPATIENT!  So this is my advice to me today...

A Swift Kick in the Pants!

Sometimes, everyone needs one!  Including me!  I don't know if it's because the kids are home or if I have a lingering case of "heat exhaustion" but I have been a tad unmotivated lately.  So this morning I'm giving myself a Swift Kick in the... PANTS!

Inspiration from the Adirondacks

I know that no one enjoys someone else's vacation photos...but every year I use my vacation in the Adirondacks to gather inspiration.  The whole region is so filled with great artisans and amazingly talented people.  So this is my "Appreciation" to those Adirondack People who Create!  All of these photos were taken (without flash) at the Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake, NY.  It is by far the most inspiring place I've ever been.  And I return as often as I can. I'll publish more Inspiration photos from our other Adirondack travels soon... I promise!

If you have to be at a desk...Choose one that makes you smile!

Amazing Quilt Display!  I love Applique Quilts!

Adirondack Pooches need awesome Adirondack Doggy Houses!



Once used as a Surveying tool...Now it's Historical Art!

Tell me that this isn't better than those ugly plastic swings!

I need me one of these!

Look at the intricate design and remember there was no electric tools when this was built!

Adirondack Lean-To

Amazing and Intricate Arbor!

Birch Bark + Twigs = Andirondack Style!

Timeless Adirondack Beauty!

I am truly inspired by this piece!

Love, Love, Love!

Everlasting Friends

I saw this quote and thought of one of my Everlasting Friends.  Most of us have one or two of these special people.  The photo is one I took on a hike in the Adirondacks!  I always find such beauty and inspiration in the Adirondacks.  Guess I'm feeling sentimental today.

Falling in Love with Instagram!

I love old, rustic, junky, vintage, anything that reminds me of days gone by.  Like Wooden Screen Doors!  That's why I'm falling in LOVE with Instagram!  A new(ish) trend that turns photography into the art I remember from my Mom's Kodak picture albums!  I especially love how using Instagram customizes my screen door photos!  It adds a vintage quality and charm to my unique Adirondack inspired doors.  I'm going to share my Instagram creations here but if you'd like to follow me on instagram just search: northcountryrustics  or follow me on Pinterest at: http://pinterest.com/ncrustics/ and remember that you can find us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/northcountryrustics ~ Hope to see you all... Everywhere!



"Bear in Bed"



"Country Christmas"



"Western Lodge Bed"



"Eagle & Moose"



"Barn Door"



"Beavers!"

"Jumping Buck"



"Eagle over the Adirondacks"

"The Perfect Place"



"Forest Family"



"Sunflower Garden Gate"



"Buck Shot"

Me & My Creations



"Birds And Branches"



"Jersey Love"



Cedar Bear Bed



"Buck Shot under Branches"



"Darth" Moose ~ The Force is Strong with this one!



Saranac the Bear



Rustic Wall Hangings!



Dandelion Delight