Oh Deer, Another Holiday Freebie

Where's The Party?

Hi gang. Are you having a holiday party this year? This design is sure to get you in the mood. It's a free printable for you to use.

It features a deer dressed to the nines and a spot for all your party invite info.

You can either click right on the image below and save to your computer and print, or download the pdf here. Either way, it's four to an 8.5 x 11 sheet. Print as many as you need!

And of course, have fun at the party.

Sunset Meadows

The weather has been unseasonably and wonderfully warm. So it has been a mission to get to the field this week. There have been some clouds however, but they broke yesterday to make way for a pretty sunset.

I'm going to head over a little earlier than usual today, simply because the coyotes were absolutely freaky last night and they were hanging in my field. I so not need to run into them. Deer are one thing, coyotes another. A before dusk jaunt in the field will be the mission today.

Have a great day and I'll see you on the flip side.

FREE Vintage Deer Gift Tags and Time To LINK UP

As Promised.......Free Traditional Gift Tags 

Hi gang. Here's some more free printable gift tags for you. I said I'd design the next set with a more traditional twist, and I keep my word.

I just love this vintage deer. Isn't he great? 

Wouldn't your holiday packages look smart with one of these attached?

Right click image below and save to computer as jpeg, or you can download pdf HERE.

Gotta Have It Shop & Blog Link Up Party

It's time once again for online shop owners and bloggers to promote their stuff. For those of you who don't own shops, and don't blog, check out the links! It's a fun way to explore.

Now, get a glass of some noggy groggy, and add your shop or blog link if you got 'em.

It's pretty easy. READ THIS before linking:

*After you've linked up, take a look around Mercantile Muse. We'd love you to follow if you're so inclined. 

*Post one link. Two if you link one under Gotta Have It (for shops, crafters, artisans, vintage sellers) and one under Gotta Blog It (for bloggers).

*Check out other participants that catch your eye. You never know what may come back to you for taking a moment to support fellow participants.

*Share a link to Gotta Have It link up. If we all share, the party will get more traffic which benefits us all-- blog, tweet, facebook, etc. If you blog and are so inclined to grab a button (from Mercantile Muse's button page)  and feature it on your blog, that would be, as we say 'round these parts, wicked awesome. 

*Feel free to leave a comment and be sure to check back Friday when I feature some things I've found through the link up. It could be you!

Time to party! Would you like nutmeg with that nog? 

For those of you in the U.S., have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow and travel safely.  To all, I am very thankful that you take the time to be here.


Peace,

Check Us Out and Keep Track of The Holidays, FREE printable

Well, Look-ee Here

We're very excited to be part of the latest gallery exhibition on papernstitch.  In case you don't know, papernstitch is an online gallery and exhibition site,that promotes it's exhibitors with the press, via twitter, its blog, and facebook mong other places. It's perfect for etsy shop owners like us.  We'd love it if you stopped by and checked out Bates Mercantile Co.'s page and let us know what you think. We're always trying to reach new people out there and introduce them to Bates Mercantile Co., and this is just one way we're doing it right now.  There's lots of other wonderful shops exhibiting too, so take a look while you're there.  Papernstitch has a great following, a super blog and a fantastic newsletter that offers small online business owners super advice. Check it out!

The Most Wonderfully  Hectic Time of the Year

We all know it. Most of us love it (well, I do anyway). The holiday season may be hectic, but in the end all the things we pile into several weeks is worth it. Isn't it? When you think about why we're doing it- to spend time with friends and family, enjoy holiday cheer, to give to those we love and care about, to focus our attention on the meaning of the season regardless of religion- it's stuff worth going the extra mile for, right?

To help you keep it all in check, so that your head isn't spinning and you have time to enjoy all that the season brings, I've designed a FREE printable weekly holiday to-do-list.

It will help you track the stuff you should take care of each week, like gifts to make and gifts to buy, cards to send, parties to attend and errands.  There's also a spot to make time to enjoy the holidays, in case you need to be reminded.

You can either right click on the image below and save to your computer, or you can download the pdf here.

I hope it helps you keep things running smoothly so that you remember to breathe and enjoy this time of year.

Sunset Meadows

The hound and I headed out at the end of the day for a walk in the field. Only problem is, it means I leave my desk a little early in order to have some light.  Not a huge problem, and oh-so-worth the fresh air and nature.  We got to the top of the hill and again, there were deer in the lower field. Lucan tried to make my arm longer by pulling the heck out of me on his leash, trying to get at 'em ..........'Let me at 'em, let me at 'em, let me at 'em'.

"No Lucan, that's why you're on the leash. No deer taunting tonight pal."

So, we waited for the deer to leap away with their white tails bobbing, and then we walked (perhaps I should say I was dragged) across the field.  Wish I had pictures to share, but the light was pretty low. I did catch a few of the sunset. 

I like the way.............

sunsets change their mood, minute to minute.............

and day by day.

Grateful

Adding to the list started yesterday:

*I am very grateful for our sunset view. It really is something.

*It makes me happy to have that biggo field across the street and it makes my pal Lucan happy too.

*I am thankful for my hounddog, who keeps me company everyday in my home office.  He naps really good too.

What about you? Anything you're grateful for today?

Wow, it's Wednesday? Midweek already. Hope yours is great, wherever you are.

ta ta for now,

Grateful.

via bythebookpaper

Time Flies, But First Comes Thanksgiving

Since our Thanksgiving in the States is next week, I thought I'd take a moment to shine the light on giving thanks. I think it's important to take time to be grateful for what we all have, especially before the holiday push puts us in a tizy and we lose sight of the what it all means.

* I'd like to thank the academy.........oh, sorry, wrong speech. I'd like to thank the wonderful people I've met via etsy and the blogging world, which includes you. You've each made a difference, whether you know it or not. 

*Thank you for sharing here on the Muse. I really appreciate your comments and always look foward to them.

via knotworkshop

*Thanks to the many talented people that are a part of my life in some way, whether it's in 3D life or across the world wide web. You inspire me.

via sinman



*I am grateful for my friends. They each serve a different purpose in my life and I treasure each one for their individuality. Our friends are the best anyone could ask for or have.  I am constantly amazed at how lucky we are in the friend department.

via hoops and hooks

*I am grateful that our family on this side of the Atlantic and the other side of the pond are the kind of family that everyone wants, but not everyone gets. They're there when we need them, and when we don't.

via batesmercantileco.

If they weren't our family we would have chosen them to be part of our life anyways. Our families are a huge part of our life. We are so very lucky and blessed. 

via bythebookpaper

*I am happy and grateful and beyond lucky to have the most supportive husband. To boot, he's as crazy as I am. Life would simply be black and white without him, and oh so boring.

via rodioncreative

Today, I am grateful for many things. What are you thankful and grateful for?

Much on the to-do-list today. I hope you get to check things off of yours whever you are. Speaking of lists, another free printable tomorrow.....this one for organizing your holidays.

Ciao for now,

Small Celebrations Before Getting Organized

Landing in NYC

Yesterday was 27 years (I was off by a year) since Gar took a plane from Dublin with nothing but a suitcase, and landed at JFK.  After 27 years he's gotten used to America and New Hampshire. He's even gotten used to the snow (...just some coming attractions).

Like with any special occasion in our lives, regardless of whether they're little or big, we do our best to mark it with whatever kind of celebration we can muster.
I've thrown him 'Coming to America' parties, we've enjoyed theme dinners cooked by me, and we've gone out to celebrate. Yesterday, we stayed in. I secretely invited the neighbors over for cocktails and appetizers at the end of the day. G-man was surprised, as I think that he thought I'd forgotten. It was all just a ruse.  Wink, wink. 

I should have warned the men I was taking the picture. We were watching the Patriots game, and well, the Pats didn't have their best game face on and neither did the guys. But you get the picture. Well, sort of.

It wasn't a big shin-dig, but tons of fun regardless....thanks to Joan and Tom,
and Sandee and Gerry.  It was also Joan's birthday on Saturday (which we had semi-celebrated Friday night) and we do all love an excuse, any excuse, to get together and have a few laughs.

A good time was had by one and all.  The bonus: the Patriots pulled it out of their hats against Dallas and they were lucky too. They just haven't been looking like themselves.

A Good Day to Organize Your Week

Being Monday, and being that more than one of us here (ahem........Kristen, your list was way too long!) were into the 'to-do' list mode this weekend, here's a new FREE printable planner/to-do list from Bates Mercantile Co. I hope it helps you keep track of things and keeps your head from being all over the place...something I struggle with on a daily basis.

Weekly Planner/To Do List

Perfect for a three ring binder. Personally, I'd be lost without three ring binders.

I'd also be lost without lists to check off.

Click on image below, then right click and save to your computer.

Or, if you'd prefer to download the pdf (thanks Kristen for into on google documents!), click on the image below and then choose

download original' and save to your computer.

Now, you have no excuse not to organized your week.

Sunset Meadows

As the neighborhoodlums left during half time last night, the sun was starting to set. I can't say I'm too happy about how early this is happening of late. It's a bummer. The sunset, however, was not a bummer.



I hope you have a great Monday in your part of the world. I'm going to  complete the actual writing of my to-do list, and then check a few things off.

On a side note, thanks to everyone who participated in our first Gotta Have It shop link up party. Response was better than I expected, so keep your eye out for the next which I am thinking will take place next week and on an every other week basis in the future. If you'd like to see the link up 'every week', let me know. What a great bunch of items. If you haven't had a chance to look around other participant's stores I'm here to tell you that if you take a moment to do so, you won't be disappointed.

ttfn

As Promised....Another FREE Printable. Hello Bloggers!

Disorganization Bug Got Your Blog Down?

Rid yourself of that pest with a simple blog planner I've designed for you. Actually, I designed for myself because I needed it (really, I did), and thought you might too.

This is a weekly blog planner designed for 8.5x11 sheet of paper that will fit nicely into a 3 ring binder. I'm BIG on 3 ring binders.....I've got at least one for each client (beyond our etsy shop- Bates Mercantile Co. - I've owned my own advertising, marketing and pr business for 17+ years).  Binders help me...........you guessed it, stay organized. Well, relatively organized.

The free printable planner has a place for the week's date, your daily post ideas and notes, any guest posts you're doing on other blogs, guest posts you're hosting and a spot for next weeks ideas.  As you can see, I'm already using mine.

If you're a blogger, trust me........you need this. Just click the image and save to your computer or copy and paste into a document. Print, punch holes, fill out and blog away!  In case you hadn't noticed, I also started to organize the free printables available on Mercantile Muse on their own dedicated page so they're easy to find. 

Click away.

If you like our free printables and the rest of the blog, why not follow us? You can do so via google, or you can subscribe via email and receive Mercantile Muse in your inbox, or you can get the Muse via feed......all three options are in the column to the right.  I'd really appreciate it if you'd tell your friends about Mercantile Muse too.

A Shout Out To Some Fellow Bloggers

First, Courtney Jo at TheEverythingAboutSoap blog. Let me first say, Courtney Jo blogs about much more than the gorgeous soaps she makes. Secondly, take a look at these pecan turtles she made and blogged about yesterday. See what I mean? More than soap. These turtles are looking like some good eatin'. Plus, Courtney Jo blogs, makes natural soaps and cooks turtles all while corralling twins. Yeehaw cowgirl!

copyright theeverythingsoapblog

While you're checking out her turtle recipe, take a look at today's post. It's got a GIGANTIC list of giveaways!! Fun, fun, fun.

Secondly, ByTheBookPaper's Kristen has been nice enough to interview me for an upcoming feature.  When the date is set, I'll give you a heads up. You might find out something about me that you didn't already know. Today, for you tea lovers, Kristen has featured a great how too for a traveling tea wallet for your tea bags. Being the tea drinker I am, I love this idea - perfect for my suitcase! Of course, I need a new sewing machine to get that project done though. Never the less. If you have a sewing machine and like tea, head on over to the tutorial.

Next, another big THANKS to Jaime at Crafty, Scrappy, Happy for featuring my chair makeover on her blog this week and also a giveaway of one of my printables. I received so much wonderful feedback on our shop.

Yesterday Jaime hosted another blogger, Lucy from Craftberry Bush, and her tutorial was AWESOME and I have to share.  Love the hot look of antlers but can't afford them? Well, check these out!

copyright craftberrybush

Lucy's tutorial on Crafty, Scrappy, Happy rocks. You just won't believe it.

If you visit any of these blogs, please tell them I sent you!

Sunset Meadows

Hey, did you notice........not a lot of sunset meadows pics this week? Been kind of rainy and gray.  Hopefully that won't last too long. Here's one from the files, just because I can.

This was from March, so as you can see........our sunset here are brilliant all year.

S.H.I.T.!!!! As Gar says. So Happens It's Thursday! Enjoy every minute of it.

Ciao for now~