Barnyard Sweethearts

It’s that time of year to remember the ones you love with messages from the heart. Here is a little collection of farm friends sharing their sentiment, corny though they be, they come straight from the heart.

All I want to do is play, play . . .

. . . and that’s what I feel like I’ve been doing. It was time to take Kate and Nate out of the toy box and play with them again. More patterns, more designs and more reasons. I will share that with you one of these days. 

To refresh your memory about Child’s Play with Kate & Nate, go to my earlier posts dated August 17, 27 and 31 to see how we all met Kate and Nate.

Take a look at what girls, or at least Kate, like to play with . . . 

. . . and what boys, or at least Nate, like to play with.

Okay, time to quit playing and get back to work.

Christmas surprise in Living color

I received my December issue of Country Living magazine the other day and always look forward to paging through it each time it arrives. It is a magazine that I have known and enjoyed for years. I remember my mom subscribing to it many years ago. She was one of the original subscribers when it began thirty years back. So, I feel like the magazine has been a part of my life, well, longer than even my own family. It is one of only two magazines that I loyally subscribe to and this month I was especially glad that I do.

As I came to a section in the magazine called “Dazzling Holiday Decorating Ideas” I noticed a neat advent calendar made with little matchboxes stacked into a pyramid and wrapped with festive holiday paper. It was then that I noticed the paper used for wrapping the little boxes was my paper that I had designed for K&Company. How fun to see, and what a nice surprise to find in the magazine.

I then flipped to the next page and found little nickel frames hanging on a Christmas tree framing more of my art. Well, needless to say, it put me in a happy frame of mind!

If you are interested in seeing these projects from Country Living and you are not a subscriber, you can learn more by visiting countryliving.com. Once there, go to: crafts>projects> craft ideas for Christmas decorations, to see how these projects are made.

The original paper can be found at scrapbooking shops which carry the Swell Noel collection by K&Company.

Tulsa Time

You can take Macy’s out of the country, but you can’t take the Berry out of Macy’s! Well, it just had to be done. I had to find a Macy’s displaying the Swell Noel collection, and I had to find it now! Living smack-dab in the middle of this country gives you lots of options (just not the option to head to your local Macy’s store to see your art on display). You can go north, south, east or even out to the west and find stores galore. Even though I’d love to visit the flagship store on 34th Street in Manhattan, I thought I’d stick with the midwest. So, we packed up the family and headed south to the Macy’s in Tulsa, and what a time we had! 

Since most men (and sons) don’t seem to have the unlimited endurance for looking at ornaments and ornaments and ornaments, :) Tom, Logan and Grandpa headed over to the furniture department to try out the sofas. Shelby and Grandma stayed with me viewing every detail and admiring the attention Macy’s takes in displaying their Holiday Lane collections.

We also enjoyed visiting with the sales staff who were more than helpful in researching other locations where Swell Noel can be found. If you are interested in finding the collection in your area let me know and I can try to help. I have gathered a very extensive list of stores throughout the country where you can visit your local Macy’s to see the display, unless of course, you live in Kansas City. ;)

Whether you’re living in Tulsa time, or any other time, it is the time to have a Swell Noel!

Stuffing Santa’s Sleigh with Swell Noel

Swell Noel is traveling the globe with a handful of products this year. It all began with papers and stickers and albums and more! The collection was distributed through K&Company, a scrapbooking company and has been spotted on QVC Britian, and here in the states. Some of the items can still be seen on the K&Company website and may be found in some of your local independent shops. However this collection got a head start last year, so the search may be challenging.

The fabric industry got a jump on Swell Noel too. Northcott Fabrics produced the collection under the name Have a Sheri Berry Holiday and many quilt shops from Canada to Australia have been carrying this collection early on to help the quilters get their gifts made for the holiday season. I’ve learned that those who quilt are a little ahead of the rest of us. :)

There is also a set of Christmas cards in Walmart. I don’t know for a fact, but I bet these little holiday scenes will be going global to stay in keeping with Walmart stores. There are four each of four designs complete with foil, rhinestones and dimensional tip-ons. Check your local Walmart any day now and search for the little round sticker in the middle of the plastic box that reads “16 fun cards” surrounded by four Swell Noel designs!

Last, but not least are the Swell Noel ornaments and table top items produced exclusively for Macy’s Holiday Lane brand. Santa’s helpers, well, my dear family and friends have been searching their regions to locate the Macy’s displays and have been sending reports on a daily, sometimes hourly basis. Rumor has it that Hawaii, Puerto Rico and even Guam are catching the wave! So, if your holiday plans send you to tropical places, you know where to spend the time. :) I would go to the beach, though!

As I learn more about which regions of the states are carrying Swell Noel for Macy’s I will try to provide that information in better detail. Until then, have a swell holiday season!

Go to the posting below to see the complete collection of ornaments and decorative items for Macy’s. To learn more about the fabric collection scroll down to the posting dated Friday, June, 26, “Christmas in July.”