Flowers Are In

They are finally here! All the flowers that were on back order finally came in today! The Shelf-sitting words are "Relax" in burgudy w/ flower, "Friends" in burgundy w/ flower and "Family" in black~no flower... for more flower photos click here.


They seem go go well together in a display. Several women have gotten a word and three flowers to display in a bay window or on a shelf. They are great on a windowsill or thick trim as well.

Garlands with flowers are popular also. We are weaving them around a porch post, a wreath, a shelf with a quilt bar or nails underneath or hung over a valance to bring a little summer inside!

These flowers on spindles sold out on day one last time they came in...come check them out! Get one for a friend and give a smile!...

A little "Yard Tour"

I thought it might be fun for you to get a glimpse of my back yard...and a few other areas. Our deck overlooks the barn and our other out buildings. It was the chosen area for the wedding site last summer. I finally (with the help of my "new son") was able to get the deck painted last week. I am so excited!!! It was on my list from LAST summer! But other things took priority.

Welcome to my deck!

This is the former chicken coop. I started the garden last year (we had a fence there before for the chickens. I think the plants REALLY like the soil there!!)

Welcome to my front door. It is not used very often, and is a bit obscure since it faces the road and not the driveway. I love the impatients on the stool!

Here is a photo from the deck. The chicken coop is in the left side of the photo.

Grad Party Highlights

We made it! The last few weeks have been extremely full of planning, preparation and parties! Sometimes in big-event seasons, you have to "shelf" a few things in order to concentrate on the one...

Business, blogging and butt-busting (excercise~lol) are a few of the things that took a back seat to all the hoopla of throwing a party for our graduate, but after today (breathe!) I will be back on track. Here are a

 few highlights from our celebration:

My sister Nancy made the cake (Ethan loves Chevy), and if you know people who feel strongly about which vehicle brand they drive, then you know the "friendly competition" that results from strong opinions (or not so strong, but just a love of opposing the strong!)

This is my "creative moment" idea: Since Ethan is fascinated with all things with a motor...and my kids loved their cozy coup, I thought it would be fun to greet people with him in one! Kayla found this at a garage sale, blew up a photo and laminated it for me.

It was surprising how I had to take a double take of the "scene" when I would catch a glimpse of it out of the corner of my eye...

And finally, a photo of "The Deal"! Congrats Ethan! You did it! Now...On to College!

And I have a couple of new boxes that came in, so off I go to unpack them!

Shop hours now are:

*Wednesday*Friday*Saturday...10-4

*Thursday...12-6

Memorial Weekend SALE!

With three beautiful days in a row, I have spent hours in my extreme yard and have the extra blessing of SUNBURN!! Yay! I must say that it is always worth the effort, AND the "side effects"! I love getting the gardens cleaned out and edged, planting seeds and anuals. Potting varieties of colorful blooms and placing them strategically around the yard, porch and deck. The only thing missing is a swimming pool to jump into at the end of the day...

In the midst of readying my home and yard for Ethan's graduation party, I also have been sprucing up the shop. I decided to wait to begin my four-day weeks until JUNE 9th because we still have a college date that I need to attend with Ethan the first week of June. Sorry for the delay!

For the weekend of travel and fun I am putting

EVERYTHING ON SALE IN THE SHOP

***20% OFF***

I usually do this only in the fall so if there is something you have had your eye on, or something you need, or if you want to stock up on candles, reed diffusers, or room mists, then this is the weekend for you!

I HOPE TO SEE YOU!

Hours This Weekend:

Friday and Saturday 10-4

~Closed Sunday~

Monday  11-2

Only Two More Weeks!

...of school for my baby!!! (he's the big one! the other one is his "big" sis!) I have been stamping and addressing and mailing invites...My man has researched "best price" on food...we were thinking tacos since we have lots of hamburger in the freezer...but our friends are doing tacos...same day...same neighborhood...so we will see.

Photos are in and ready. Starting to pull together the pics/ awards/ memories for display. We fortunately have a month before our party so I am not behind. It has been a blast going through the memories. My heart is full of gratitude. Last fall was a stellar time in our lives with the wedding Sept 4th, and then Ethan's last football season combined with him starring in Grease! Look..."Summer Lovin'"

...and this one, "You're The One That I Want"

It has finally stopped raining, so now I am on to planting and painting the deck railing!!!

Bittersweet Farm is still open Friday 10-5 and Saturday 10-4

In June my hours will switch back to four days/week.

Stay tuned!

More to come..............blessings! = )

Flowers Anyone?

It was a very busy day for me unpacking all those boxes, pricing, and waiting on customers...but was it fun! I love my job!. I have so many wonderful people who come and visit me. I enjoy helping with arrangements, whether it be a floral arrangement in a "water pitcher" as I did today for Lori, or a wall or garden arrangement.

Fun Fun Fun!

SO!!!! Here are promised pictures. I have to tell you  that some of the flowers are gone already! I was amazed that as soon as I pulled them out, they were snatched up. I will be reordering though, and they do come fast from that company if they have them in stock! 

Lighted twigs...burn for 10,000 hours. These are tall, I will be getting smaller ones in. They are on backorder for now.

FLOWERS!!!!! They are hot hot hot right now!

Still plenty of the Family w/ flower and Dream w/ flower left.

A few new signs came in. "Friends Gather Here" ONLY $2.50!!!

Take a look at the floral candle wreath, these are wonderful. As you can see, they double as a bird's nest!

Check out the new plates/platters and signs!

I also have some new linens. If you need a cheery table runner for spring, you can find one at

Bittersweet Farm!

Hope you enjoyed browsing...Happy May Day...I hope you find flowers on your door tomorrow!

YES This is BITTERSWEET FARM'S Ever~Changing Blog!

I apologize for the continual changing of my blog if you like to be able to pop in and recognize me. I am having a difficult time defining my style.

I don't really see it as PRIMITIVE as most primitive styles. I also don't want to come across too CUTSIE as my polka dots on turquois background were looking...

I have been asking myself, "WHAT DO YOU CALL YOUR STYLE?" because it isn't Pottery Barn (though some things work with my style) It isn't Primitive as much as country, but it isn't country like the former "country" and it isn't bright like the new "Country Living" magazine...which most of my customers have dropped...just not fitting "country" as we are defining it.

When I shop, I look at Colonial, Primitive, and ....hmm, I guess the word that keeps coming to mind is "Farmhouse".

If I could coin a "name" for my style, it would be
COUNTRY FARMHOUSE style.

I have given this much thought lately, and I think I that name fits. Perhaps partly due to us being in the Upper Midwest, near the Twin Cities, having a legacy of farming, but a diminishing number of "working farms". So my customer base is broad in the sense that many of us have farmhouses on "former farms"...

But many of my customers have lake homes, cabins, or live in town and like a little "farmhouse".

Since I grew up on a farm (yes, milking cows, baling hay, and all that goes with that) I have gravitated toward keeping the warm and comfortable, but also liking a neat look. I think of my grandma's farmhouse with her country garden, flowers welcoming you into the back entrance, and the fragrance of baking cinnamon rolls on Sunday morning after church. I also recall the stained wood of the farmhouse chairs that I happen to have in my own kitchen now! Though my decor looks nothing like grandma's, it gives me the feeling of family and home that I had when we were there.

So, bear with me as I continue to discover new blog templates, and try to find my "true colors" in blogland!

AND BY ALL MEANS COME OUT TO THE SHOP. I HAVE EIGHT BOXES OF NEW MERCHANDISE THAT I WILL BE PUTTING OUT OVER THE WEEKEND...

More wood flowers!!! Those have been the rage!

More 1803 candles...and I cannot tell you how awesome some of the new fragrances are! I love Dandelion Wine, Summer Spice, and Spicy Marmelade...Friendship is the ever-popular "oldie"...if you haven't tried it, you should, your whole house will be fragrant with any of the 1803 soy candles.

More floral, wood plates, battery operated candles/ tea lights, and garden stakes. I will try to get pics up tomorrow so check back!