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