August's Newsletter

Better Late than Never!
See what you missed in our August Newsletter!

All Special Offers Have Expired ~ Thank You for your Interest!

Share The Love ~ A 20 Year Journey

Normally, I would share my Newsletter here ~ But I can't!  There is special savings in this month's Newsletter and I can't share it with the world until AFTER the sale ends ~ But I CAN tell you all about it!

I am Celebrating my 20th Wedding Anniversary!  I was 16 when I met the love of my life.  17 when he proposed.  18 when we were married.  Believe me when I say, we endured many skeptics but we also cherished the support we received from our Families who believed in us.  We didn't "HAVE" to get married.  We CHOSE to get married.  And although the road has been rocky I wouldn't change a single step in our journey.  It's brought us three beautiful children, an amazingly close knit family, and a marriage that has stood the test of time.

Memories from our First 20 Years of Marriage

A good marriage takes dedication, hard work, patience and stubbornness.  Because when it gets rough ~ And it will ~ You have to be stubborn enough NOT to give up on each other.  Patient enough to wait for the good things to happen again.  You have to work together to accomplish together.  And You have to be dedicated to each other's happiness.

After 20 years I can say that I am truly grateful to have made the choices I did, traveled the journey together that led us here.  From that feeling of Gratitude I decided to "Share the Love" with my Rustic Friends!  So for my Facebook and Blog Friends I am offering a 20% Discount on EVERYTHING ~ Including Custom Orders!  Newsletter Readers have their own Special Offer too!

Please have Fun Checking out our Square Market!  It's right there!

And don't forget to use Coupon Code: HAPPYEVERAFTER

Our Next Post will be about our latest projects!  Here's your Sneak Peek!

Excitement on the Rustic Internet!!!

Today, July 14, 2014, (a Monday if you can believe it) is a VERY EXCITING INTERNET DAY for my Rustic sites!

To Start with early this morning I updated a few things on our blog!  Now, our Rustic Square Store is right there!

No more looking all over the internet for your Rustic Fix!  Now, it's all in one handy place!  Which means Facebook, Subscribers, Pinterest, etc. has all moved to the Right!

But that's not all!!! (I know I sound a bit like a Game Show Host but in my defense ~ I am incredibly happy!)

Today, North Country Rustics hit a new Facebook Milestone ~ 1000 Likes!

I keep pinching myself.  How did this happen?  How did 1000+ people find out about me and my creations? Who knew that there would even be 1000 people in the world who think that carvings, paintings, and screen doors were worth liking!  It may not be a Miracle ~ But it certainly feels like one to me!

I was just a Mom who felt very overwhelmed by my daughter's Epilepsy diagnosis and a little lost with no direction to my life when I found carving.  I instantly found my creative calling and it has provided hours of therapy, escape, and enjoyment to my life.  My Rustic Hubby thought I was a little nutty when I impulsively decided to take my hobby and start my own business.  But in the 1,146 days since then I have loved learning about business, about friendship, and about my own strengths and weaknesses. I saw a quote this morning that seemed amazingly fitting ~ "Life isn't about finding yourself.  Life is about CREATING yourself."  I know now that I've created more than just Screen Doors and Carvings ~ I've Created ME!  I didn't just follow my dream... I found it and chased it down.  I work every day for hours on the computer, more hours in the workshop and someday ~ I will figure out how to be organized at it all.  Today, might not be that day ~ But it is still one freaking awesome day!

Roller Coaster of Life!

I feel like the past two months have been a roller coaster ride that just doesn't end!  So many amazing moments squeezed in between so many disheartening moments.  Medical Issues continue to plague my household with hospital trips, ER visits and a myriad of new worries to accompany all the old ones!  However, I've been working and am hopeful that I can share these new creations with you soon. Until then can I share this month's newsletter with you?

Indecisive Me and my Carving Adventures!

Fresh from the Workshop!!!  Yesterday I delivered a custom order for a very special client!  I could write a thousand words about how wonderful he is ~ but he hates all things Social Media so I will respect his Right to be Anonymous.

He is in the process of completing a 2 year Gazebo project!  No, he isn't a slow builder ~ he is meticulous in his craftsmanship.  So imagine my delight and fear when he announced that I was going to carve panels for his pride and joy!  The fear that bolted through me was nearly as fatal as a heart attack!  But I took a steadying drink and said, "Sure ~ Whatever you want!"

Here's the problem (and it happens to me a lot) HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT HE WANTED!!!  Normally I send emails with design templates for approval but he didn't want to see designs!  Normally, I ask clients what colors they prefer: vibrant, natural, stains only but he didn't care!  Ugh!  Here is a piece of advice ~ If you want it done in a reasonable amount of time ~ MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS otherwise, you'll be waiting on a very indecisive ME for MONTHS!

But finally, yesterday all ten of the carvings were completed and ready for delivery!  Each carving had a 6 step process of designing, hand drawing, hand carving, sanding, pyrography (a.k.a. woodburning), and painting. The designs are varied and based on the varied interests of the client.  It is my first attempt at panel carving and I found it thoroughly enjoyable and yet so very nerve wracking!  Overall, I think the carvings turned out to have a folk arts feel that is rather unexpected.  The Client is happy and that is all that really matters to me.

Big Bear at a Waterfall Stream.  Salmon anyone?

 Covered Bridge and a Horse Drawn Buggy.
Let your imagination decide if it's the nearby Amish or a scene from days gone by.

 This carving is a quiet little dock and lake in Autumn. The Adirondack chairs are waiting!

Ford and Farm Life is the good life!

The Old Grist Mill and Forest Stream!

Horses in the Field and Apples on the Ground!

Lighthouse and Sailing Ship! Aye, a sailor's life for me!

Port Ontario featuring the Lake Ontario Freighter and the Clipper!

Summer Cabin and the "Neighbors".

Winter Cabin and the "Neighbors".

Somehow, I ended up with two of me ~ Which made it very difficult to remember which me I needed to be to login to my blog.  So today, I asked myself to add myself as an author.  Then I gave myself a promotion to administrator!  Yeah, me.  Then I made the old me commit blog suicide!  If this sounds very confusing to you then you can understand why I've been avoiding the job since 2011.  Finally I found a Youtube video which explained it to me.  So Me, Myself and I did what we needed to do!

Now, that login will be painless I hope to start blogging again on a regular basis.  Never mind those last 4 posts when I promised you the very same thing!  I'm going to start today by sharing my latest newsletter!  This is a test ~ A Vision Test! LOL

Is It Really Rustic?