Country Home Decor - Cherish's Country Store

Spring Calving

2012-02-29T10:12:00.001-08:00

Around our neck of the woods we are starting to see the signs of spring. One of the first signs for us are all of the new baby cows in the fields. The cowboys are out all hours of the day and night checking cows and bringing in the new babies.

During this time of year, what is the best way to call your family together? With a traditional triangle dinner bell of course!

We have just the right one for you. We offer the dinner bell in 3 sizes and also in a twisted dinner bell for a decorative twist on a traditional piece.

These iron dinner bells are sturdy and have a durable powder coated finish.

What are you doing with your decor?

2012-02-22T13:04:00.000-08:00

Well, this was a fun picture that we received when asking how people where using the products that we sell.. They took a custom vinyl and put it on a glass hurricane and filled with with fall items. What a fun and inexpensive way to add some custom decorations to your home.

It is so fun to see how others are using their home decor items.

Here at Cherish's Country Store we see it our way, then we put it out there, and it is so fun to see what comes back. If you have a home decor item that you are using in your home, send us a photo at info@cherishscountrystore.com and we may feature your idea here on our blog.
Thanks for loving our products as much as we do!

Uncomplicated Custom Vinyl

2012-02-07T10:37:00.000-08:00

When I started looking at custom vinyl all I could think of are these huge projects that require planning and time and imagination. I don't always have all of those things, especially at the same time.

I have done several projects that have the "complicated" sort of feel. I used custom vinyl wording around a picture collage and on a desk top. They turned out cute, useful, and it was a ton of fun.

I really love vintage pieces but I have a hard time doing anything too permanent because i also love to change my mind.

With those two things in mind I took on a fun project that allowed me to accommodate both of these things. I have an old crock that I really love that I use as a cookie jar. I don't want to do anything to compromise the integrity of the crock, but I wanted to do something to make it "cute" for the kitchen.

I broke out the custom vinyl lettering and added the word "Cookies" to the crock. How much fun was that?! My kids just loved it, and it is something that will not damage the crock. If I want to change my mind, it didn't cost a fortune either.

There are so many fun things you can do with vinyl. Take a quick trip tot he dollar store, or fund some second hand containers, add some vinyl lettering and you can put them in your kitchen, bathroom, or place them around the house for fun accents that are inexpensive and customized to fit your needs.

History has been Framed

2012-02-02T06:09:00.000-08:00

Every period of time has its own place in History. Some periods make more impact on what is written down in our history books than others.

Our country, God Bless the USA, has its own History. Rather young compared to some of the countries in the world, we are unique in so many ways. I love to read and learn about the history of this country and I enjoy having things in my home that remind me of my country, the freedoms I enjoy by living here, and reminders that freedom is not FREE.

Just over a year ago, while visiting my sister in Ohio, I found a 48 star flag at an antique store. Of all the flags that came before the 50 star flag, the 48 star flag is the easiest to find because it was around for 47 years before the last 2 states were added giving us our current 50 star flag.

Some historical artifacts you have to search out, and then there are the ones that you find in your own family collection.

The second world war has been largely documented in our history. An end to war is always celebrated because no one really likes war even if it is a necessary part freedom. On April 28, 1945 the news finally came... there was a Surrender and the war was finally over... or was it?!

If you know your history the actual end of world war 2 did not come until September, however, there was some miscommunication in the world of "news" and many papers around the country printed papers declaring the end of the war.

It just so happens that my grandmother kept such a newspaper. This WAR EXTRA from the Spokane Daily Chronicle printed in Spokane Washington, was kept by my grandmother and I was blessed enough to be able to keep it.

This fun piece of history is now framed in my family room. There is the fact that it is misinformation that makes it unique, but there are so many other things that make it worth reading. The fact that you could buy it for 5 cents is one of them. There is a story of a Scottish Bride that was now living in the USA and could not believe how much food and clothing she was able to find when shopping. The list of interesting stories goes on and on.

We are so excited to add this fun piece of history to our family home. Thanks Grandma!!

Toward the Goal

2012-01-24T09:23:00.000-08:00

Put in the wall, did a little mud and painting. (can I just say, that will NOT be my chosen line of work) Then we moved out the washer and dryer and went to work.

My oldest daughter told me that it looks "finished".

Now we are working to decide how exactly we are going to put all the things into the room. To stack or not to stack, that is the washer and dryer question!

Not only do we have to make a decision on the washer and dryer, but we need to then decide if we are going to put the new furnace in this closet or try to do an under mount in the crawl space under the house.

Do we put in shelves or do we put in cabinets? Do we add doors if we do shelves and not if we do cabinets?

If any of you follow me on pinterest, you will see that I am scanning the web to try to find good ideas to put this closet together.

Laundry Closet

2012-01-24T05:54:00.000-08:00

We have a large area in our home that is all connected, a large entry way, dining room, kitchen, and a hallway that has the laundry closet.
We laid our own tile and it was our first big project. To top it all off, in true Cherish fashion, I can not just lay down square tile in a square pattern on a square floor, that would be too easy! I wanted the tile on point and then offset with a smaller accent tile.

Bless my sweet husbands little heart, he agreed (after some intense discussion) and we began to lay tile. It took a long time to get in the first line, but once it was in strait we just went like crazy.
We got all the big area done, but we didn't finish the hall and laundry closet. We wanted to make a few changes, moving the pressure tank and the hot water heater.
Let me just say that you can never really get a plywood floor all that clean. For more than a year I have had a laundry room that looked like this...
There is a wall, it is the back of the new pantry that they put in for me before we put in the floor, that is not finished and so that needs to be done as well.

Brrrrr....

2012-01-18T05:41:00.000-08:00

January came in a little like May here in Montana. We saw 60 most of the first 2 weeks. I was starting to think I should till the garden and get the seeds in the ground!!

And then... on the weekend we have to travel far and wide... the snow and wind. It is 2 at my house, I am working hard to keep the house above 65 and we are leaving.

There are winter weather warnings that get worse the closer we get to our destination. So, we are packing all the snow clothes and extra food in the car. Hand warmers are on board and all of the other "emergency" things necessary. We are planning a large amount of extra time in there so we can drive slowly if needed.

And we are off!!!!

New

2012-01-05T10:16:00.000-08:00

Well, it's a new year, we have a new website, and so we are looking forward to new ideas.

Hope you all have a great new year. We look forward to helping you with your home decor and gift needs!

The Flip Side

2011-12-27T09:47:00.000-08:00

The gift was finished and given! Many hours of love have gone into this gift and I am so excited to put it our in the screen porch. For now we are using it in the living room.

After some wood getting and sledding the day after Christmas we put it to use to see if this was fun. What do you know.... it WAS fun!!!

We played Scrabble and then... in the blink of an eye... FLIP! We played Checkers!!

This is SO much fun!! I do believe that I love it more than any of my family, but I really LOVE it!

Did you accept ALL your presents?

2011-12-25T13:13:00.000-08:00

As my children read the Christmas Story to us out of Luke this year and then began opening gifts I was reminded of an amazing thing. Even if a gift was not their "favorite" gift they accepted all of them. There was not one gift that was given back to me with a rude comment about how they did not want it, or even a polite excuse about why it just would not work out for them to receive this particular gift.

Then my mind drifted to the actual "GIFT" that we are celebrating. I am amazed at the different responses that people give for not accepting this gift. Some totally reject the gift and never even bother to open it to see what it is, others open the gift but them give it back saying it will not work for them to receive this gift.

So, what did you do with your gift of Jesus? Did you accept ALL your gifts this Christmas?

May you have a blessed Christmas this day and a year filled with the blessings of accepting the gift of Jesus!

Wrapping up Christmas

2011-12-20T13:48:00.000-08:00

Here at Cherish's Country Store we are wrapping up Christmas. We are tracking the last few packages that have not arrived from our store to you and pray that each gift arrives safely.

We love helping you choose the perfect gift. I have spent countless hours on the phone explaining the color schemes of the wooden country signs and the joy that hand thrown pottery coffee mugs bring me each morning. Trying not to put to much of my "style" onto what others would like.

We built Christmas Signs and a ton of custom country signs, and of course we helped you all smell better with lotions and soaps.

Our dinner bells will be bringing home the troops and we have sent decorative hooks to many homes.

From us to you... we hope that you have a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.

The Last Minute

2011-12-15T07:23:00.000-08:00

For those of you who are asking, YES this IS the last minute!
If is it not in the mail on Monday you most likely will not get it, and even if it goes on Monday the only way to guarantee is it Express mail.

I do hope you enjoy your Christmas! Joy is the word at our house this Christmas. I got out the book we read for Christmas Morning. It is Luke 2:1-20 with beautiful illistrations by C. Michael Dudash.

I am reminded again that there is no bad news that can out do the Good News of Great Joy!

Merry Christmas Jesus

2011-12-10T10:25:00.001-08:00

Just in time for a last minute addition to your Christmas we have added the Merry Christmas Jesus sign.

Behind each Merry Christmas should be the reminder of Jesus who we celebrate during this season.

This sign beautiful sign measures 3 1/2 inches tall and 11 inches long. It has a brown background with a darker brown JESUS overlaid with Merry Christmas in cream. Each sign is hung with a green wire hanger.

Use this as a wonderful addition or give it to your neighbors, family and friends.

Merry Christmas from Cherish's Country Store.

Merry Christmas Jesus

Finished for Christmas

2011-12-07T08:51:00.001-08:00

Varnish is on all of the pieces and the Family Christmas Present is complete. I will be posting pictures of the "giving" when Christmas arrives. You will have to be patient along with my Sweet Husband. Actually, I hate how patient he is!! It is driving me crazy. I am SO excited!!!!!

Merry Christmas to you all, and enjoy this season.

Another Crazy Venture

2011-12-06T08:38:00.001-08:00

Any of you who know me know that I have a "creative" mind. What this basicly means is that I have a TON of crazy ideas!!! (God Bless My Sweet Husband for putting up with me!)

So here is another one....

I have been working on an idea for over a year now. I have the first few t-shirts made and I am getting ready to put them for sale on the website. www.nakedcover.com.

Here is a little look.... starting with a few basic designs and colors

Varnish

2011-12-05T06:36:00.001-08:00

I would just like to say a quick word about vanish.

I have to say, this has been a dandy of a project. it has been so fun. Half the reason I am blogging about it is because I really just want to talk about it and the person I would tell is my Sweet Husband and I can't because it is for him.

I am looking so forward to the moment where I bring it in and we get to PLAY.

With all that said, I get that varnish is an important step, especially because this is going outside, but wow... this is the hard part for me. It seems so tedious and who knew vanish could be so finicky!!!!

And stink... not my favorite smell.

Alright, I am still excited and I have a TON of varnishing to do (and sanding between each coat, gotta love that part!)

ONWARD!

Cold Mornings

2011-12-02T05:50:00.001-08:00

We are headed toward Christmas, fast an furious. We see lights all around and all the signs are there. We are finally getting bits of snow (which at my house means SLEDDING!) and so everyone is very excited.

I find that in all the chaos and craziness of the holidays there is one thing that always remains the same. I get up in the morning and look out the window. I am blessed by the beautiful sunrise that never fails to happen. I have time with my sweet husband before he heads off to work and the I have a few moments with the Lord over coffee.

Funny thing isn't it, you would invite your best friend over for coffee. I feel so blessed that mine waits for me every morning.

The Crown

2011-11-28T18:05:00.001-08:00

So... questions of the day. What is on the opposite side of the checker. One side has a crown, the other side has.... Low and behold, after google and many phone calls to friends and family... the answer is NOTHING!!!

Many have a star or something like that, but in all actuality it is just a place holder.

Put paint on the table and so all is ready for varnish. Wooohhooo!!

Tomorrow I will start the process of distressing all that needs to be distressed and then a small layer of stain.

We will be done!

The Table

2011-11-27T15:26:00.001-08:00

This was the part that I thought I might not actually be able to do. It requires a little more skill and as you have seen from viewing my blog I am a "wing it" sort of girl.

I defiantly don't do things perfectly, thank goodness for distressing!!

I am sure however, that my family is going to USE this and so perfection just gets dings and dents.

I will now do a little sanding to get it ready for paint, I will paint, and then it will be time for varnish. I have to do the board, the blocks, and the table.

Oh, and lets not forget that I have 5 inch round pieces on the way to make my checkers! So exciting.

To look at it now, it seems that I might even have it actually finished for Christmas!

Perspective

2011-11-24T09:38:00.001-08:00

A God who is merciful, a husband who loves me whom i love, healthy amazing kids, a job I enjoy, when I start to think about all the things I am thankful for and I put them down on paper it help to create perspective for the times when I complain. To top it all off I haven't even begun talking about the blessing that go above and beyond my needs and desires.

Today I am over flowing with gratitude for all the blessing in my life.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Checkers

2011-11-19T14:19:00.001-08:00

For the record, it is MUCH easier to paint a checker board than it is to paint a scrabble board.

Today I ordered 5 inch circles for the checker pieces. It is the one thing I am not going to try to cut myself. I honestly don't even know where I would start. It will make this part of the process much more simple. I will still have to paint them but at least I will not have to figure out how to cut them.

I am happy with both sides. I look forward to distressing everything and getting the varnish on both sides. I am defiantly not a perfectionist and so my painting leaves much to be desired. The distressing helps my painting skills out considerably!!!

I am making strides to being done by Christmas.

Flip Side

2011-11-19T11:13:00.001-08:00

One of the reasons I have for making this game board into a table instead of doing tiles is so that we can have 2 sides.

And so... the flip side!!!

I am now laying out the checkerboard on the flip side of the scrabble board. It has been laid out and the red is on. I will wait for that to dry and then put on the black.

After both sides are completed I will then distress both sides with sanding and stain and varnish the entire thing.

Before I stain and varnish I will also need to have the table part ready. That is the plan for this week. We are supposed to warm up to 45ish and so it will be warm enough to work outside on the table.

At this point all of the painting and varnishing has to be done in the house do to the cold weather.

Ready for Varnish

2011-11-18T14:51:00.001-08:00

Each tile, after they were all stenciled with the painted letters and numbers, then had to be stained.

I choose a light colored stain that would bring out the slight grain in the wood without "hiding" the black painted letters.

So... we have 100 letter tiles (well 98 and 2 blanks) painted stained and ready for varnish.

Soon I hope to start the process of putting the table together. I think that will be the hardest part for me. I also have to paint the checker board side of the game board.

Letter Tile Process

2011-11-18T14:47:00.001-08:00

It is quite a process to make 100 letter tiles. After I had cut them all to a 3 inch square, then each time had to be sanded on all 6 sides and all 12 corners.

After the sanding was complete then I began the process of of painting on all of the letters and numbers.

Thank goodness for 2 blanks!

Cutting and Sanding

2011-11-17T11:54:00.001-08:00

Wow, I had a friend help me cut my board to the right size and cut the board that will be the base to the right size. That was so slick, he has a very nice table saw. Sometimes it IS about who you know.

I used my Cricut to cut out some stencils for the letter blocks, they turned out nice.

Now I am sanding each of the 100 letter blocks. CRAMP!

1000 Little Steps

2011-11-10T14:04:00.001-08:00

What we have here is the makings for scrabble. But let me tell you what I see.

With every cut of the saw and stroke of the paint brush I can see in my minds eye my family gathered together in our screen porch, sometimes just our core family and other times with extended family and friends around us, laughter and love making real words and words we are "sure" exist. You know someone is going to be dragging out the dictionary!

That is what I see.

We Have Color

2011-11-10T10:16:00.001-08:00

Wow... it looks like a whole different board. I am so excited to play on this thing I just can't stand it. I am willing to sit out in the freezing cold screen porch in December to play a game of scrabble on this thing!!!

So... onward with the country screen porch scrabble.

Still in Love

2011-11-10T08:29:00.001-08:00

All of you DIYers out there will appreciate this.... you find something, or you dream it up... you decide to make it... you get the stuff... take the time to put it all together... you put it up... and you start to use it... Then you realize that it is NOT what you pictures or NOT as useful as you imagined... bummer...

That is so NOT what happened here!!!!

I can't tell you how much I love this shelf. It fits right next to my message board, and is easy to grab on the way out the door, so I always know where I am going... or supposed to be going. It makes something that I need, my life planner, even more usable.

I love this shelf!

Life Planner Shelf

2011-11-08T12:12:00.000-08:00

The shelf is complete. I sanded it, I painted it, I sanded it again, I stained it, and finally I gave it a coat of wax.

Then... I took a very deep breath as I always do when I am going to make holes in the wall and I screwed it into place.

WWWOOHHOOO!!! I love this shelf.

Board is waiting for color

2011-11-08T12:09:00.000-08:00

Our country game board is coming along. One step at a time.

Finished painting, let the paint dry, took off all of the vinyl. That was a LOT of vinyl.

Fixed all the letter blocks and now they are all the right size. I am getting ready to start the painting on those.

I now have to add the colored blocks to the board here so that it stars to look like a scrabble board.

I am starting to get very excited for Christmas!

Multitasking

2011-11-07T17:50:00.000-08:00

It seems silly to spend all your time on one project. So....

We (my family and I) live off my life planner. It is not just a day planner, when this precious book is missing, even my husband starts to get all nervous and upset.

I need a wall calendar and a planner. However, that does not work for me. If I write it on the calendar on the wall when I think of it, then when we are out and about I get a new thing that needs to be written down, then I have stuff in 2 places and whenever I need it I find that it is not in the right place. YIKES!

I have come up with a solution for my need for both and my need for only one. A little shelf! This shelf will hold my planner on the wall and when it is time for us to leave the house, I can grab it with my phone and purse and kids and keys and crating the dogs and stoking the fire and turning off the lights... and I will have it with me.

I took a 1x4 and cut it into about half. Then I added a piece of molding on the front so that it will hold the book from sliding off. Then I painted it black. I will be distressing it tomorrow and putting on some wax and then screwing it into place on the wall. I will put up pictures when I have it in working order.

Christmas Gift for the Family

2011-11-07T17:43:00.000-08:00

I contiune on with my project for my family for Christmas. We WILL have scrabble on the patio!

Wow... lots of work. So I painted my board cream and then put vinyl squares on the board (15 x15) and painted over it black. I did 2 coats and after it dried I took off the vinyl. Presto!!! We have a board. Now I just have to add color.

I did make a measurement error and didn't figure it out until after I had cut 100 squares for the letters and so I will have to take a 1/2 inch piece of 2 sides of each block... seriously, what was I thinking!!

That will slow me down a little bit, but I am still on target to getting all of this done. Now I just have to cut out stencils for the letters. This is coming along!

WARNING

2011-11-03T06:55:00.000-07:00

There are some things in this world that you just shouldn't try because once you try them they could ruin your life. Drugs for instance are something that it is just best to totally avoid because once you start few have the fortitude to go back to the life they had before the drugs.

With that said... you all know that we have been working on a screen porch. So I have been searching the Internet for ways to decorate and other things that I can do to make this area of our home a blessing are, not only in looks but in activities.

(Here is were the drug reference comes to play) In searching the Internet I found Pinterest, now if I was you I would just take my advice and stay away from this place it can take over your life!!

I found this amazing picture of something I wanted to try in my screen porch.

If you look closely, what you see if a tile floor that is also a scrabble board. HOW MUCH FUN IS THAT!

So... in thinking about my screen porch and trying to figure out how scrabble will work into my flooring, what I realized is that by the time I am ready to put something like this down on my floor my children will be 40. Knowing that it is still okay to play scrabble at 40 but not wanting to loose all the years in between I have concocted a plan that will get me something similar (as far as the idea goes) that I can have now... and so....

I am now working on plans to build a coffee table type thing that will be both a scrabble board and a checker board. I am so excited... as my plan continue I will let you know how it is going. It is the beginning of November and I want to be able to give it to my family for Christmas!

I better go get busy!!!

Desk Complete

2011-10-28T09:52:00.000-07:00

To save money I got my file cabinets not put together and I put them together. WOW, big project! I put vinyl letting on the desk top and I added pictures of my girls. I also covered it with Plexiglas so that I could use it.

I had some white plastic drawers that I wanted to use, but they were lookign dingy and didn't go well with all of the black, so I bought myself some plastic spray paint and went to town.

For wall decoration I hung an old latter sidways and put framed pictures between the wrungs and on the top. There is nothing I enjoy more than looking at my family!

After 2 entire large kitchen size bags full of garbage (way cleaner desk and files!) it has now all come together. Who knew?!

I am excited to present the new desk area!

I am also giving you an up close of the desk top. It is so much fun!

1 project down... many many to go!!

Painted and Ready

2011-10-24T17:18:00.000-07:00

After tons of sanding and 3 coats of paint we have a desk top. After I finished with the 3rd coat of paint I let it totally dry. Then I lightly sanded the top and distressed the corners and edges. I applied some stain and a coat of wax.

I have been working on a fun idea to go under the Plexiglas and so when I get it all together I will show you.

Right now I am waiting for the file cabinets to arrive. I am so excited to have this all together. I think it will be a huge improvement on my space. When it is all organized things just work so much better.

Desk Top

2011-10-22T09:28:00.000-07:00

Alright, so I need a new desk. WOW, haven't purchased a desk in a few years (like 6 years) and so I was a little shocked at a few things.

1. EXPENSIVE
2. Why is it that "real" wood no longer exists. I finally found some wood file cabinets, they still really are not wood. And it isn't like I am looking for top of the line anything. I just wanted a painted black wood file cabinet.

Okay, wow I could rant on that all day long! I found some file cabinets that would work, and they are black painted wood like I wanted. They were not too outrageous and the quality was workable. I may have to re enforce a few things (I have kids at my house, everything has to be durable!). So then I started searching for the desk top.

We are not talking about granite here. I am talking about a piece of wood, about 5 feet tall and 2 feet wide PAINTED black. We are not talking about precious hard wood here. $200 for the cheep ones.

After I started breathing again, I decided to figure this one out. All of you DIY'ers out there will see where I am coming from.

Things to know about me. I CAN use power tools, but not always correctly. I DO NOT ask my husband for help very often. He is an amazing man and busy as all get out. So, I have learned after nearly 20 years of marriage that one has to be able to figure it out by ones self!

So, went to the hardware store, picked out a piece of wood, molding for the front and side edges, wood glue, finish nails, wood putty, sand paper, and paint. I was $40 in and good to go. (the paint is not in the amount, I actually already had the black paint that I had been using for other projects.

I searched through all the 2 foot wide boards at the hardware store and didn't find any with a really nice front edge, so I had to "rig" the table saw. I cut off an inch of the board so I have this beautiful front edge to put my molding on. The molding was cut, glued, and nailed into place and the putty was applied. Sanding followed and today I am painting. I will update you with those pictures when the painting is completed.

Onward with the Project

2011-10-22T09:16:00.000-07:00

So... roof is on, sheeting is on... gutters came yesterday. Moving ahead!

Cherish can put on sheeting!! Not perfect and not necessarily correctly, but ON, which is a big deal at my house these days. I inlisted the help of my girls who are very good at helping their crazy mom with all the pojects I try to start and finish.

And up next comes the siding, now that could be a while. Knowing that it could be a while I went ahead and stained the sheeting to the same color of the siding. Mostly I wanted to protect it from the weather that I am sure it will see before siding goes up.

We have a few other things that have to be finished before we can make it to that stage. We are now contemplating what we will put on the inside to finish things. We are thinking cedar or pine tongue and groove for the ceiling, but the walls are still a debate. Has to be something that can hold up to weather since there will only be screens for windows.

And the projects continue...

New Project

2011-10-06T14:24:00.000-07:00

If you own a home, or live in a home, you will agree that it is never "done". You are always adding, taking away, updating, and changing. That is part of the fun, and love that happens in a home.

We purchased a home 2 1/2 years ago. The deck was literally falling into the ground. We removed the deck and added an 18x20 foot patio with footing, with the intention on making it a screen porch one day.

Well, now is the day! This is going to be a long term project, but we have added the roof and walls and are now working on the finishing of the screen porch.

I will be updating you periodically on this project. We are excited to add this screen porch to our country home and I look forward to sharing with you the decorating ideas as they come.

This has been such a fun project for our family. Stressful, most of the time, but enjoyable. God has blessed us with this beautiful home and a place to be out of town and we pray that our home, and this new addition will be a blessing to all those who come to share it with us.

Shipping Fix

2011-10-06T13:06:00.000-07:00

Good news, the shipping calculator is much better. We will have to continue to fix any glitches we find in the new site as the arise. We will be giving an "estimated" shipping cost and charging exact shipping for USPS Priority Mail plus a $3 handling fee.

We are always working on ways to ship quickly and effectively at the best possible rate to the customer. This is a difficult task with rising shipping costs from the postal service. We will continue to keep tabs on the situation and keep you updated as needed.

Thanks so much for your support in this matter,
Cherish

Vinyl Wall Letters

2011-10-04T13:02:00.000-07:00

So, I have been experimenting with our newest product. Vinyl lettering can be addictive. It is fun to add little phrases here and there. My first attempt was in our school room. My children (very loveingly I am sure) call our school, "Cherish's Military School". We decided to add this to our room above the flag. The girls were so excited!

Then I started looking around my house. Were could I add more lettering. I was walking down the hall and was looking at my picture wall (I just LOVE to look at photo's of my family) and it got me to thinking of some fun signs that I saw. I loved the sign, but I didn't really have a place to put it, so....

... I started to build my wall. One word at a time. That is really the coolest part about ordering custom vinyl lettering. you can measure you space and have something made to fit your needs.

This is truly so much fun!

Check out our new Custom Vinyl Lettering.

New Heart and Star Hooks

2011-09-22T05:53:00.000-07:00

Over the years I have had several requests for different products. We carry a killer Horseshoe Hook, it is a very popular item. I think one of the reasons this is so popular is because it is a HOOK. You can hang nearly anything on this baby (as long as you have it anchored to something strong). Hang them in the house and you have a decorative but useful coat hook. Hang them in the barn and you have darling tack hooks.

So what if horseshoes are not your thing? We see other hooks, and they are beautiful, but... they are made mostly for decoration. You can hang your keys or things for decorating, but when it comes right down to it, they are not sturdy.

Now we have 2 new options for you! Patterned after the horseshoe hook, these heavy duty Heart and Star Hooks are made for use. The charming country style heart and star make these hooks easy to use in all areas of your home. Hand them at the front door for coat hooks, in the bathroom for towel hook, or in the barn for tack hooks.

For those of you who asked for these hooks, thanks for the GREAT suggestion!

Shipping Shocker!

2011-09-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

OH MY!!! Got a few orders and had some SHOCKED customers. Please, do not think that the estimated shipping is your actual shipping cost. Right now we are having some MAJOR issues with the shipping calculator. A $100 order can easily ring up a $130 shipping cost. WOW, for that you may just see Cherish show up at your door with package in hand, walk into your house and put your decor item into place. For $130, that should be the service!!

SO, do not be alarmed, we will not be charging you crazy shipping, we will just have to adjust your shipping as we go here until we get this mess figured out. Your card will NOT be charged until your shipping cost has been adjusted. If you would like a clearer estimate on your shipping cost please do not hesitate to call me at (406)749-0147 or send me an e-mail at info@cherishscountrystore.com.

Order Online!!!

2011-09-17T15:12:00.000-07:00

After months of rebuilding and recalculating, loading products and checking options. Cherish's Country Store is now open for business online once again. We are still dealing with a few glitches here and there and finding broken links to fix, but all in all, things are up and running. We have added some fun new items this year, like our custom decorative hooks and so there are many options for adding new decor to your home or buying gift.

Have a great day! It is good to be back!

New Fall Season

2011-09-06T09:16:00.000-07:00

We are planning many new products this fall season. Keep checking back as we post new decorating ideas and products. Looking for something specific to ad to your decor? Just let us know and we can create the perfect product for you.

Atributes

2011-08-21T18:30:00.000-07:00

Atributes... we have atributes. You can pick your scent, your color, and the list goes on. Very soon the cart will be working as it should. This is an exciting time... yippie!!!!

August

2011-08-17T07:40:00.000-07:00

We moved form Fair to Vacation and worked very little on the store. Then we got the sad news that my Aunt Jan had passed away. Sad for us because we will all miss her so much, a joyous day for her as she has gone to be with the Lord.

So... we are back at the store. Most everything is working, we still have to add some attributes and you can't yet check out, but it is moving along. We should be locked and loaded by the end of the month. Just in time for Christmas to hit us full on!

We are SOSOSOSO excited.

WWWWOOOHHHHOOOO!!!!!!!

2011-08-06T17:19:00.000-07:00

We have products up and showing... it has taken so long and I am so excited... we are still working out some bug and are imrovising on a few thigns... but... that is business!

Up, up and away

2011-08-05T10:31:00.000-07:00

Well, with a few minor glitches with the shopping cart integration we are moving ahead on a few things and just putting up something that will get us going for now... so hopefully by Monday we will have a "usable" website.

I didn't realize how much I love this store until I had to live without it for a few months. God was just giving me a little reminder. Thank you Lord!

And so on...

2011-08-01T08:53:00.000-07:00

We have done fair... girls did great... we have done vacation... have to come home to get some rest... rest???? not sure what that means.
I am currently loading more products into the store and praying for a quick reopening. Thank you for being patient with us, this is taking longer than planned, but when do our lives really go as planned.
Thank you Lord for keeping us dependent on you!

Loading Products

2011-07-18T07:07:00.000-07:00

We are currently loading the products into the new cart. YEAH!! What I am learning about programming... something the best things are worth the wait!

Very exciting.... more to come soon

Summer Mondays!

2011-06-13T05:58:00.000-07:00

Give it up for Summer Mondays! We are now in the full swing of summer. We have sunshine, which we have not had much of until now, and gardens and flowers are growing.

The website is also coming along. We are very excited!!

Summer is On

2011-06-08T07:45:00.000-07:00

Summer is in full swing. The baby birds have gone to live in the "wild" and the sun is shining at least part of the time. The grass is growing and the garden is coming up.

On the store front, we are getting closer ever day. The site is starting to take shape and we are getting ready to put the products into the cart. I am so excited to see it all come together and show it to you all.

Yeah for summer!

Relax...

2011-06-03T05:51:00.000-07:00

Makes me happy just to look at it...

Memorial Day

2011-05-30T13:43:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we get caught up in the "celebration" of a day like today and forget to look at why it is there. I have been thinking today about how blessed I am to live in the country we call the USA.

I can worship God the way I want without fear of death or persecution, I can raise my family (of any size I choose) the way I would prefer, I can even do something as simple and as fun as running a store of my own.

May we not forget how we came to live in such a place and the sacrifices that have been made and are currently being made every day so that we can live safe and free.

I just want to personally thank all that serve and the families that wait for them. The sacrifices you make every day for my freedoms are greatly appreciated.

Closer Every Day

2011-05-27T11:03:00.000-07:00

Getting closer to the new store upload. One day at a time.

Sign is almost up

2011-05-25T19:30:00.000-07:00

I have been working on a sign configuration over the last few months. It takes me a long time to decide on a decor item and then figure out where it should go. Maybe it is just that I am a procrastinator?! NO... it couldn't be.

I hope to have pictures ready soon. I am really like the sign, the size, and the fact that it is totally unique.

My Baby is Saving Babies

2011-05-24T06:42:00.000-07:00

I am supposed to be keeping you updated on the website and the progress that is happening with the rebuild.

Today I am moving on to a different topic. I have a little girl who has always loved animals. She loves them to the point of complete distress if anything happens to them and has decided she would like to be a veterinarian.

A couple days ago a nest fell out of the tree in the wind and rain and the mama never returned. The neighbors called and asked if my baby would like to feed them. After looking online we found that if you soak dog or cat food in warm water you can feed it to the babies. So all of this started (the feeding) yesterday in the afternoon.

This morning I really thought I would wake up to dead baby birds but.... 5 live baby birds! They are still eating and sleeping.

So... this is exciting... my baby might just turn out to be Dr. Dolittle!

I knew I loved Monday!

2011-05-23T05:03:00.000-07:00

Out my window is blue sky. I am actually watching a sunrise which has not been possible for over a week. We went and looked at some of the flooding last night and it is truly incredible, the destruction is quick and large. It was very interesting to see. Good news!!!

Even better news my programmer is up and running (it is very hard to be one of the smartest people in the world) and working on the website. WOOOHHHOOO!!

I knew I loved Mondays!

Saturday and Rain

2011-05-21T15:26:00.000-07:00

I don't know if what you call what we are having just RAIN. It makes me think about Noah and how hard and long the rain would actually have to happen to make the whole world flood. This is crazy water and that was WAY crazy water.

Have a good weekend.

Friday and Rain

2011-05-20T18:55:00.000-07:00

We have puddles for fields. It is crazy rain this week. We have a few more day of rain and then when that stops we are expecting more rain.

So, things are moving ahead as slowly as ever but moving none the less.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.

Message Board for the kitchen

2011-05-17T08:38:00.000-07:00

I had this frame, it had been dropped and I was not entirely sure what to do with it but I really hate throwing stuff away. There was no glass and a large knick in the bottom portion of the fame. I painted it black and distressed the frame. I finished the frame with wax to give it a hard finish.

I had an old cheep painting that was in a frame. I painted it black and glued a 12 inch square piece on the left side of the piece.

A suggestion was made of using metal so that you could use magnets but I find that the cork looks more primitive country. (of course that is an opionion)

When I finished the board I added a command strip clip so that I could use it to add a list.

Fun, Fun, Fun! I love making stuff out of things you should really throw away.

Completed project. This was both a fun and useful project.... I love this stuff!!

Taking Stock

2011-05-14T21:26:00.000-07:00

This weekend I am taking stock as to what is important. I love this store. I love the products we sell and I love the people who make them. I love the customers we have and their love of simple country values.

As much as I love this store and the fun and satisfaction I have in doing it, it is not the store or the products that make it all worth while.

It is the people! From the artists who make our products to the people who buy them, the programmer who gives us life and does all the little stuff that makes us work. That is what makes this worth my time. I love these people and am so thankful for the joy they bring into my life and the life of my store.

Thank you!

The Glass is Half Full!

2011-05-13T12:12:00.000-07:00

Power goes down... blogger goes down... you just never know what could happen and so we plug on.

Little slow with the pictures. I have been working on my frame, cork boad is on, everything is painted and now I am looking for the right clip.

Website is still in process. Let me know if you need help with anything or have quesitons about any products.

It's Raining, It's Pouring...

2011-05-10T15:13:00.000-07:00

Please know that if you are in an area that is flooding, you are in our thoughts and prayers. Wow, we are watching water rise here in western Montana. It is amazing how much a constant drizzle combined with bouts of torrent rain can put down. We are watching our fields fill with water. The sun is supposed to peek out tomorrow and we do hope that it makes an appearance.

Now we are facing the dreaded... MUD!! Oh man, we have mud here like nothing you have ever seen. Nothing like mixing water and clay together to get a sticky mess. Mix that with horses, chickens, dogs, and 1 sheep and you have a mess that seemingly never ends.

Started a new project today... took an old frame, paint, sandpaper, cork board... very exciting... I will load pictures with my new project in a day or so.

A New Week

2011-05-09T20:11:00.000-07:00

Monday, the start of a whole new week. It really is my favorite day of the week. Working on getting some photos together and products ready to upload. Things are moving along.

Hope you have a great week!

Happy Mothers Day

2011-05-08T05:14:00.000-07:00

Today is a day to celebrate mom. Take a moment to call you mother, hug your mother, and tell her that you love her. This is the woman who brought you into this world.

Thanks mom!

So here we are...

2011-05-07T05:15:00.000-07:00

So, normally you get a link to my blog and you can go there when you like and find out what is new at the store... For now, you can follow us on the blog to see how the store is coming. I will keep you updated here with any news, or no news, as things move along.

One thing... then another thing...

2011-05-06T09:37:00.000-07:00

Working on putting up the "new and improved" Cherish's Country Store". This is a work in progress and we are trying to get up and running as soon as possible. I appreciate your patience.

Friday rolls around again

2011-05-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

Today is Friday... again... still no new store. Working on it, and then when we are done working on it, we work on it some more. Thanks for being patient.

The Process

2011-05-05T06:05:00.000-07:00

As many of you already know we are working on a rebuild. When you are working toward greatness it always takes time. Seems that we have hit a few speed bumps but we are working our way to the end result. Please feel free to contact us if you would like to make a phone order or have any questions.

We will keep you posted on the process.

Who's feet?

2011-03-21T17:08:00.000-07:00

Here is a fun new sign that we have added to our wooden country sign lineup. Put a splash of nature into your home with this darling sign.
Bear Feet or Bare Feet... what sort of feet are welcome in your home.
Shop today at Cherish's Country Store.

Me? Make a Mistake? Never!

2011-03-11T07:11:00.000-08:00

I defiantly do not have grammar check in my brain. I have been thinking and planning this sign for about 6 months. I finally made the sign, made the paper pieces, hung it on the wall, took its picture... and then the reveal to get creative input.

So I start hearing form a few people. Everyone is picking their favorite layout. And then the hammer drops!! My friend Laura looks at the papers on my wall and says to me, " you do me YOU'RE and not YOUR right?"

After seeing the mistake I then asked my sisters why in the world they didn't point this out to me. My sister Daphne pointed out that she thought it was supposed to say RELAX.. your home (like you need to make your home relaxed). My sister Erika said she read it like this... RELAX... yo u r home!! (a little bit like texting your sign)

I laughed and laughed. I guess it is all how you look at the situation.

And now I will replace YOUR with YOU'RE... because I really meant to say "RELAX... you're home."

Hanging a New Sign

2011-03-09T10:23:00.000-08:00

It pays to have a smart sister-in-law!

I would say that I am definitely a "pound a hole without planning" sort of decorator. I end up moving things over and over. This time I found a phrase I love, and because I can't ever just do things the easy way (like making it nice and plain on one nice neat board) I had to make my phrase "fun".

So now I need to figure out how I want to hang this crazy sign so that it doesn't make my poor husband crazy.

Here I have put it on the wall in 3 different ways. I do realize that it is not strait and the pictures are a little fuzy and that the coloring is not the same in each photo. I am just trying to get a general idea of how I want to lay this out. At this point I am thinking I like it with Relax on the top and ... Your Home on the bottom. Not sure, I keep moving it around.

See, here is where my really smart sister-in-law comes in handy. I am moving tape instead of pounding holes in my wall. Wow, who knew.

One more thing to keep in mind is that the actual signs are black with cream letters.

The Flag is Up

2011-03-08T18:51:00.000-08:00

With the two hooks in place the flag is put into place. This beautiful reminder of freedom is a fun focal point for the decor of this room.

Custom Decorative Hooks

2011-03-06T15:57:00.000-08:00

Need a hook for a specific decorative purpose. There fun hooks can be created for whatever purpose you have in mind.
This darling Gymnast hook was created for a little girl who receives many ribbons and metals for gymnastics. This beautiful hook allows her to display her awards in an organized fashion.
Now you can choose from a variety of font styles choices to create the perfect hook for your needs.
Maybe you are decorating a babies room and would like the name of the child on the sign. Perhaps you have a child in a specific sport and would like to display awards or nick knacks on your hooks. Either way we have a wide variety of font styles that are sure to accommodate your needs.
For keys, for nick knacks, for awards and ribbons, in the bathroom, in the entryway, in your child's room, or any room, whatever your needs these fun custom decorative hooks are as fun to see as they are to use.

Metal Star Hooks

2011-03-06T13:40:00.000-08:00

We carry these decorative metal star hooks that I thought would work perfectly for hanging my new flag. There are a few nice things about hanging a glag. 1.) They are light. 2.) They have ready to use holes so you don't have to add holes to your flag.

This beautiful flag just needed a place to live and with these darling metal hooks hanging the flag on the wall was an easy task. The hard part was placement on the wall.

Personalized Glass Coffee Mugs

2011-03-04T07:32:00.000-08:00

Create a mug with personality that reflects the person using the mug. Perhaps you know a fisherman, try our fishing pole font. What about that person who is constantly getting hurt, we have the ouch font style that would be perfect for them.

Make it cute or make it funny, either way this is a fun way to drink your favorite beverage.

Personalized Name Mugs

Here are a few examples of the different font styles that you can choose from to create your own personalized mug.

These mugs are a delightful way to create the perfect gift for that hard to buy for person.

The Flag

2011-03-04T06:39:00.000-08:00

I have this huge wall in my house. It is 14 feet tall and 22 feet long. This wall is in my living room. I am the sort of person that doesn't like to put things up unless I am ready and know it is what I want for decor.

I like antique/old things and I also like things with meaning. As you can see by the fact that all of our products are made by hand in the USA, promoting things made in the USA and also jobs in the USA is a big deal to me.

I went to OH this fall to visit my sister and we found ourselves in a few antique stores. It was so much fun. We found all sorts of different fun things. There was one thing in particular that caught my eye.

I found a 48 star flag. Now, as far as antique flags go the 48 star flag is the easiest to find. Except for the current flag with 50 stars the 48 star flag was around the longest and so many were made.(1912-1959)

So now I had this great flag, but I had no idea what to do with it. I knew I wanted it on my wall, but now what.

Country Primitive Decor

2011-03-02T10:15:00.000-08:00

Simple. That best describes a Country Primitive life style and also is a good definition for Country Primitive Decor.

We offer a line of handmade decor created by talented artists mainly located in the North Western United States.

Check out our products and the artist who make them.

New Christmas Ornaments

2008-11-13T14:18:00.000-08:00

We have a variety of new Rustic Christmas Ornaments in stock. Check out our selection.

Don't Be So Serious

2008-04-03T07:08:00.000-07:00

We are now presenting a new whimsical addition to our horse mug collection. This is a fun mug that will bring a smile to your face every time you use it.

Buy your Dancing Horse Mug
We also have a new addition to our moose decor. This darling mug will make you laugh and feel like dancing.

Buy your Dancing Moose Mug

These new additions to our pottery mug collection are about adding a touch of joy to your horse and moose decor.

Spring in February

2008-02-23T10:46:00.000-08:00

I don't know where you live, but here in Montana we get a little taste of spring almost every February. At this point in the year we have gone through several weeks of below 0 temperatures and there is at least a small coating on ice on every surface. And then comes the sun!
Right now we are in the middle of several days of sun and nice warm weather. Just enough to make you believe that spring is on the way. We break out the shorts and t-shirts and the plans for flower gardens and vegetable gardens.
This is also the time of year we start thinking about spring clean and yard sales. Here at Cherish's Country Store we are looking ahead to all the new things that are happening.
Enjoy your Spring in February!

New Line of Metal Art on the way!

2008-01-23T11:03:00.000-08:00

We are so excited about the new additions that we are adding to our country decor lineup.
We have new additions to our coffee decor selection, our equestrian gift selection, our moose decor selection, and our general decor selection.
These unique metal art pieces are a fun addition to our already exciting line of country decor.
As soon as they arrive we will let you know!!

Country Signs with Purpose

2008-01-16T12:22:00.000-08:00

Trust me friend a hundred years goes faster than you think...
So don't blink. Kenny Chesney

A truer statement has never been made. Time goes much faster than you think. This beautiful Don't Blink sign is the perfect reminder to slow down and savor each day.

The foundation on which country living is based - LIVE SIMPLY. Seeing this sign around your home will prompt you to look at each situation and simplify your life.

2007-11-29T10:11:00.000-08:00

I love the idea of giving a Christmas gift that reminds someone of you, but also is something that is not FOREVER in the dusted part of their life. How about a Christmas Ornament!! This gives them a reminder of you each year, it is fun on the tree, and it goes back in the box each year and does not add to the clutter of their home.

This beautiful country dinner bell ornament is the perfect addition to your Christmas tree this year.

As a special accessory to your gift wrapping, try adding this charming ornament to the top of each of your gifts.

The 3 inch triangle comes with a small ringer and is hung with ribbon. Made with wrought iron, this ornament provides the perfect metal on metal tone of a traditional dinner bell.

Buy your dinner bell Christmas ornament today!

Gardening

2007-11-13T16:31:00.000-08:00

I love to create in the garden. It is so much fun to take and area covered in weeds and turn it into a beautiful space. I love to pick fun plant, unusual color, trees, anything that will add to the beauty of the space I am creating.

Now I am combining my love for the outdoors with my decorating. I am better at it, so I take what I am good at and I use it for inspiration. I have large picture windows in the front of my house, so I have created a garden in my front yard that is like looking at a portrait out of my window.

One of the keys to using the outdoors and framing it with your window is to use layers and put things at varying levels. A helpful item that is beautiful and sturdy is the wrought iron plant hanger. This is a beautiful addition to your outdoor decor and can also help attach your garden to your home. This helps to bring all of the aspects together.

Learning to incorporate the garden decor with the home decor has been a fun adventure.

My love for pottery

2007-11-12T13:15:00.000-08:00

If there is one thing I can say that I love to see around my house, it is pottery. There is nothing more beautiful than a piece of handmade pottery. It is a unique and purposefully made.

I can be something a personal as a custom coffee cup or something as simple as a pottery vase.

These small touches can make a large impression on your country decor. It is the addition of these small accents that makes your home unique and your decor personal. These are the things that transform a house into a home.

Choose a big item for the room.

2007-11-09T09:32:00.000-08:00

For me, the next logical step is to pick a furniture piece. Depending on the room it could be a couch, table, or set of chair. This also sets a "style" for the room. It could make the decor classic, retro, or country. This is a huge step in the overall direction of the feel of the room.
This larger piece for the room my also help determine the color scheme of the room. If it is a floral piece you can choose from the colors in the pattern. If it is a wood piece, like a coffee table, you may not be able to use it for helping in the color choices.
After you have choosen a theme or scheme for the room, you will want to decide what attributes the room will need for it's usefullness. A dining room needs to be ready to serve people at the table, a family room needs to be inviting and relaxing. Whatever the use of the room, things need to follow the usefullness of the room.
Many of our primitive decrotaing ideas come from a useful standpoint of the room. These items can be as simple as a primitive barn star or as useful as a horseshoe hooks.

Pick a focal Item

2007-11-07T12:50:00.000-08:00

In thinking about decorating, I couldn't just grab a color and start painting walls, so instead I decided to try to create a feeling. How do you go about that?? I had no idea, then I was introduced to Country Signs.
For me this was a FABULOUS breakthrough. I could be funny, serious, creative, or simplistic. I could choose the mood of the area I was decorating by picking a phrase to set the scene.
I was afraid to start just anywhere, so I stared with my hallway. Just call me chicken!! Then I choose an endearing phrase "Always Kiss Me Goodnight". This sent my creative juices into overdrive. I thought of all the photo that I could hand around the sign. I picked out black frames and hung them in random patterns with the sign above the photos.
It was so much fun that I couldn't wait to choose another phrase and get to work.

How are your white walls?

2007-11-06T13:08:00.000-08:00

I was born in a white house with white walls and no decorations of any kind. My mother bought paint in 5 gallon buckets of bright white. One time she told me I could paint my room any color I wanted. I picked green. Green, dark, bold, this is my very own shamrock green. So, off to the paint store she went and up went the color. She revised it a bit. It was green, mint green, barely. It was so awful that I went back to white.
So that is my story of learning the art of decorating in my childhood years, buckets and buckets of white.
Creativity is a learned gift for some of us. It is certainly not always hereditary, and if you can overcome white undecorated walls to owning your own country decor store, you can overcome anything.