Ways in which our products are featured by our customers

We love it when our customers email us pictures of how they use our products.

A big thank you for sending this picture to us! This is Papa John Muggly, he and his family of Muggly's are planters that are a big hit with our customers. You have to admit he looks life-like! Love seeing him with his sunglasses on! These loveable planters are indoor/outdoor safe with a drainage system for outdoor use and a removable plastic cup to retain and hold water for indoor use. You will love these truly unique and whimsical "folk art" style planters. You can find Papa John and his family including their dog and cat by copying & pasting the following link in your browser: http://thefamilystore.net/ToadHollow_Mugglys.htm

Featured Bird for the month of September

Goldcrest Distributing is featuring the House Wren for September. Here is a few facts regarding the most common, over-looked bird everyone knows: ■A House Wren weighs about as much as two quarters, but their small size does not keep them from harassing and pecking at much larger birds. They have been known to drag eggs and young out of nest sites they want – even occasionally killing adult birds. ■The oldest known House Wren was nine years old. ■The House Wren has one of the largest ranges of any songbird. It breeds from Canada through the West Indies and Central America, southward to the southernmost point of South America. ■The House wren eats a wide variety of insects and spiders, including beetles, caterpillars, earwigs, and daddy longlegs, as well as flies, leafhoppers, and springtails. They also eat snail shells, probably for the calcium they contain and to provide grit for digestion. ■The House Wren clutch size is 3-10 eggs with 1-2 broods. Incubation period is 9-16 days. Nesting period is 15-17 days. Eggs are white, pink-white, or grayish, speckled or blotched with reddish brown. View all our bird houses, feed, and other items pertaining to all varieties of birds at http://thefamilystore.net

Featured Bird of the Month for August

I'm a little late in posting this. Especially since the woodpecker is one of my husband's favorites. The red-headed woodpecker especially. I guess it goes back to the cartoon about Woody Woodpecker. We have a tree in our front yard that had what he called a "woodpecker condo" in it. The tree has since died and the woodpecker has moved on to better accommodations now. He loved sitting and watching "his" woodpecker make new homes and look for food in our tree. Here are a few facts about downy woodpeckers:

■In winter Downy Woodpeckers are frequent members of mixed species flocks. Advantages of flocking include having to spend less time watching out for predators and better luck finding food from having other birds around. ■In the winter time, the male and female Downy Woodpeckers split up and look for food. The males feed more on small branches and weed stems. Females feed on larger branches and trunks. Males keep females from foraging in the more productive spots. When researchers have removed males from a woodlot, females have responded by feeding along smaller branches. ■Woodpeckers don’t sing songs, but they drum loudly against pieces of wood or metal to achieve the same effect. People sometimes think this drumming is part of the birds’ feeding habits, but it isn’t. In fact, feeding birds make surprisingly little noise even when they’re digging vigorously into wood. ■Downy Woodpeckers have been discovered nesting in the walls of buildings. ■The oldest known Downy Woodpecker lived to be at least 11 years, 11 months old. ■The Downy Woodpecker clutch size is 3-8 eggs and just 1 brood. Incubation period is 12 days. Nesting period is 18-21 days. Eggs are completely white. View all of our Woodpecker products by pasting the following URL in your browser: http://thefamilystore.net/Woodpecker.htm

The most beautiful jewelry!

I am now offering the most beautiful, out of the ordinary jewelry! These are definitely not your run of the mill, everyone is wearing it jewelry.

They are of the finest quality and I am so excited to offer them to you. Please check them out at: http://thefamilystore.net/RomanticForHer.htm Any questions please email me, looking forward to hearing what you think about them.

New Items Added

I have added new items today that I am really excited about! First, sun protective hats for both him and her. They carry 50+ UPF ratings, are very stylish and pack flat for traveling.

We have several styles to choose from, the usual baseball style as shown, the Havana, the Kauai, and the Caribbean. All are wonderful styles and the best quality to shield you from the sun! Click here: http://thefamilystore.net/Hats.htm The next items are accessories for your dog. We are now offering a car hammock, and a wonderful extend-a-seat to give your dog a little more room and two sizes of booster seats. Makes traveling with your pet a little more comfortable for them!

The link to these items and many more accessories is: http://thefamilystore.net/Dog_Cat_accessories.htm Let me know if you are looking for something in particular and I will see if I can find it for you!

Come visit our booth in the Benbrook Antique Mall!

We now have our own booth in the Benbrook Antique Mall. It is on Aisle #B2, booth 535. The Mall is located in Benbrook, TX at 9250 Benbrook Blvd. (Hwy 377), Benbrook, TX 76126. Please come and see us!

May is Largemouth Bass Month

Our supplier, American Expedition, claims May is Largemouth Bass month. This should make my grandson very excited! He is only 4 years old, but fishing is one of the things he loves to do, he can even tell you how to load and unload a boat from a trailer. That's how much he goes fishing. For those who don't know a bass from a perch, which is me, American Expedition is educating me on them. So I thought I would pass that on to my customers just in case they need to know as well.

Largemouth bass grow to be 12 to 18 inches, with the record being 29.5" and weighs from 6 to 12 pounds, the record is 22 lbs. 4 oz. and they can live 15 to 20 years -- that is if they don't run into my grandson first! You can view our American Expedition products that feature not only Largemouth Bass, but a variety of creatures on our website, just click on the link to His & Her Gifts then scroll down to Gifts for the Outdoorsman (showing the mug) and click on the link. The link to all American Expedition products are at the bottom of each page. Enjoy!

Featured Bird for the month of May

One of our largest suppliers, Goldcrest Distributors, features a bird a month. For May, they are featuring the Goldfinch. A very beautiful bird and my grandson's favorite color - yellow! Here is a little about the Goldfinch courtesy of Goldcrest: Active and acrobatic, these little finches cling to weeds and seed socks. They fly with a bounce and often call in flight, drawing attention to themselves. American Goldfinches are the only finch that molts its body feathers twice a year, once in late winter and again in late summer. Goldfinches are among the strictest vegetarians in the bird world. They select an entirely vegetable diet and only accidentally swallow insects.

The oldest known American Goldfinch was 10 years, 5 months. The Goldfinch clutch size is 2-7 eggs. They have 1-2 broods. Incubation period is 12-14 days. Nesting period is 11-17 days. Eggs are pale bluish white, sometimes with small faint brown spots around large end.

New products available this week

I have added new products to our website this week! Additions to carry alls and totes from Coynes are amazing and very colorful. Butterflies are my favorite, and I am very happy to have them depicted on our new totes and wristlets. We have added crystal tails for wind spinners that will catch the sunlight and make wonderful additions to your spinners or use alone for prisms. We have also obtained a new supplier for our garden flags. Please check them all out and let me know what you think.

Article regarding things NOT to buy online!

I just read an article regarding things NOT to buy online. I didn't have a problem with several -- groceries; appliances; and clothing. I agree with those three, but I have a problem with another one they listed -- "heavy stuff". The Family Store only charges a flat rate of $8.00 shipping no matter how heavy the "stuff" is. Most online retailers do charge per weight, size, and the zone the order is being shipped to.... WE DON'T! No matter how heavy, how much, or how far (within the continental United States) SHIPPING IS ONLY $8.00!! It is very affordable to shop with us and have it shipped either to you or to a friend as a gift. Hope to hear from you soon!

Dew Drops Hydro Beads used in amazing floral arrangements!

We are now carrying the Dew Drops Hydro Beads! Drops are made of a super absorbent polymer which absorbs, stores, and slowly releases water creating a fantastic way to drench your flower arrangements with color and depth. Just add water to these little beads and after awhile they transform into little liquid gems that not only look beautiful, they help secure flowers in a vase, too. Each package makes approximately two gallons of Dew Drops. Eight colors are available.

Need help in choosing the items to use in your flower arrangements? Here are a few tips to using candle rings, climbers, swags, and garland in your decorating:

1. For 1" Candle Rings:
a. most taper candles & taper holders
b. chandelier decorating
c. cake decorating
d. gift box or bag adornmens
e. Christmas tree ornaments

2. Climbers
a. Most taper candles & taper holders. Note: climbers feature a "tail" that can wrap around
the taper candle.

3. 2" Candle Rings
a. most standard votive holders.
b. candle lamps
c. napkin rings
d. curtain tie-backs

4. 3" Candle Rings
a. standard 3" pillar candles
b. small to medium vases

5. 4" Candle Rings
a. standard jar candles
b. small vases

6. 6" Candle Rings
a. large pillars
b. large vases
c. 3 and 5 piece stem sets

7. Wreaths
a. door and wall hanging
b. large centerpieces with candle groupings
c. vases and bowls

8. Swags
a. wall hangings
b. hang above mirrors and pictures
c. use as a table or buffet centerpiece with stem type candle holders
d. mantel decoration

9. Garlands
a. mantel decor
b. doors and window decor
c. staircase decor
d. centerpiece by draping down table

If you have any other suggestions or questions regarding our tips and products please contact us at vicky@thefamilystore.net

Have fun creating!

Trade Days USA - Texas Motor Speedway

The Family Store will have a booth this weekend - April 25 - 26 - at Trade Days USA at Texas Motor Speedway. Come see us! Our booth is #D12.

We will have the following items there:

our animated plush animals (view them at: http://thefamilystore.net/Animated_Plush.htm )

our Silk Flower Arrangements (http://thefamilystore.net/SilkFlowerArrangements.htm );

plush animals (http://thefamilystore.net/CuddlyBears.htm )

along with garden accessories, candles, candleholders and vases and a whole lot more!

Come meet us in person!

There are a lot of new things happening to The Family Store! We have just undergone a complete re-design of our website, thanks to my marketing manager, Scott. I think he did a wonderful job. The site is now un-cluttered and easier to navigate. Please review it and let me know what you think!

We have added several new lines of products. One is kitchen accessories that make entertaining fun and delightful. Another is to the Toad Hollow line of Toads. I now have planters that have the same eyes as the Toads -- they follow you everywhere! Plus metal art with personality. Many more high-quality and fun products are to follow in the days ahead -- stay tuned!

Wedding Season

It is now wedding season again! I remember this time last year I was preparing for my daughter, Valerie's wedding. The most difficult thing was that the wedding was not only going to be in a different city, but also a different state than where I lived AND she was living in a 3rd city. This meant that we did a lot of traveling to where the wedding was going to be! This year, I can just bask in the pleasant memories of how it really was a beautiful wedding and not all the pain and agonizing about whether we would be able to pull it off or not.

It helped that I have access to all the manufacturers that make everything imaginable for a wedding -- from silk flowers that look just like real flowers right down to the thorns to candleholders and vases. I carry LED candles that flicker and look like real candles without having to worry about dripping wax, flames going out in the middle of pictures, or even setting the church on fire. We actually have pictures where all the candles are lit. The wedding planner for the church was very happy that there was no wax spilled on the carpet.

Valerie wanted a rose garden style wedding so we used a lot of 6' silk rose garlands. But what do you do with 20 6' garlands after the wedding?? Well, I found a great idea from one of my suppliers to use them to create beautiful window treatments. I threaded a curtain rod through the loops of the garland and hung them above the curtain -- it created a wonderful and fresh look. Since we sprayed the garland lightly with Victorian Rose fragrance oil it also served as a room freshener! Once the garland gets a little dusty, just use your regular silk flower cleaner to keep them looking good and refresh with more fragrance oil.

More on what we did with the rest of the wedding decorations next time.....!

Be sure and visit us at http://thefamilystore.net

Measuring Plush Animals

Ever wonder how to measure stuffed animals? I didn't know there were different ways to measure them myself. But these guidelines can be very useful when you are buying on-line and can't touch the plush animal "live and in person." It is always useful to keep a ruler or measuring tape close to your computer so you can see exactly how large 14 inches is!

Here are a few guidelines so you will know exactly how large a plush animal is:

If the animal is in a sitting position - the legs sewn and attached in a sitting position, it is measured from the top of the head to the bottom of the rump.

If the animal is standing or in a cuddle position - which means the legs are not sewn in a sitting position and when held up the legs hang down so that it can be sitting or standing, it is measured from the top of the head to the bottom of the feet.

If it is a rideable animal, measurement is of the length - nose to base of tail.

Just a few tips to ensure that you are not surprised at the size when your plush animal arrives!

Binoculars -- What do those numbers mean??

Ever wonder what binocular numbers mean?? Well, binoculars are labeled with a set of numbers such as 8x30. The first number states the power of the binocular (8x or 8 power). The second number represents the diameter of the objective lens in millimeters (30mm). The diameter of the lens determines the light gathering ability of the instrument, with the greater light gathering ability of a larger lens translating into greater detail and clarity. This is especially useful in low light conditions and at night. See our line of binoculars from Magnacraft at http://thefamilystore.net/BinocularsMonoculars.htm

We are expecting to add a new line from OpSwiss in May. OpSwiss Binoculars come with a 50 year warranty, uses world class optical quality glass lens and are guaranteed to see clearly 40 miles or more!

Binoculars can be used for anything from bird watching, to hunting, to seeing performers on the stage from high in the balcony. I keep a set at home and in the car, you never now when you might need them.!

Search Engine

We now have a search engine just for our site! It is currently located on the homepage, left column at the bottom. Just type in what you are looking for and it will search all our pages and return links to click on. You will not have to browse any one else's site but ours! Thank you Google!

Welcome to 2008!

We are starting the new year by going back to Dallas Market to look for the new and unusual for you! We have just received 3 new animated plush animals from First & Main. Donovan the Bear who sings "Do Wah Diddy" will make a great Valentine's Day present! Sprinkles the Duck singing "Singing in the Rain" and Slap Happy the Penguin singing "Don't Worry, Be Happy" join our new line-up. Look for 8 more at the end of April!



We have started carrying the aromatherapy diffusers from Greenleaf, and they are above and beyond any other diffusers offered -- you also get a free bottle of fragrance with each diffuser along with free shipping, you can't ask for more than that! We also are available to search for those hard to find items that are seemingly impossible to obtain, so let us know if you are searching for something special.


We are now able to offer all of Oddity's line of floral, vases, and candleholders, especially the LED candles in 4 sizes. These are unlike the other offered, they really look real! I used them in my daughter's wedding last June -- they were perfect and we didn't have to worry about them burning out or spilling wax on carpet.

That's all for now, I'll let you know what I find at Market!

Thanks! Vicky

Reflective Wind Spinners

We have added an exciting new product to our already wonderful selection!!

Reflective Wind Spinners! These are innovative wind spinners or mobiles made of 18 gauge steel and powder-coated for a highly reflective finish. As they spin they change shapes and seem to pulse. The finest quality workmanship is put into every piece. There are 3 sizes with a variety of styles to choose from. A Van Spinner exclusive only to The Family Store has just been approved for production and will be ready for purchase by the first of July. Whether you rely on the wind or add a motor these are great mood setters! Visit TheFamilyStore.net and click on each picture to see exactly what we're talking about!!

I'll be returning to Market on June 26th and hope to add a great many more quality products!!