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| The store front of what used to be the Five and Dime in the 70's
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Greetings fellow readers and new readers just joining us today. Looks like I have some explaining to do. As everyone knows my passion is to write, but with my extra busy creative mind, things happen and before I know it - I find myself behind a paint brush bringing ideas to life on glass. That's what happened over the month of October and derailed my intentions for spooky stories and crazy legends. So today I wanted to share with you what transpired that took the words that usually build into stories, and turned into painted creations. I don't think many of you know that I own my own business. It's very small, but for me - it keeps me out of trouble. It all started when my mother took me, as a small child, to a 5 and dime store. For years I had always thought it was my Nana that took me, but writing this story today, one key piece of this story has clarified that it was not my Nana - it was my mother. She had a paper sack from a local grocery store and she told me that we could only get enough Christmas decorations that would fit in this bag. I remember the day like it was yesterday. Their was a huge stow banking from a plow truck that was trying to keep up with the endless amounts of snow that continued to fall to the ground that day. My mothers favorite thing to do, was to go out in weather like this, snow covered roads were nothing to be afraid of, she looked forward to the challenge and so did me and my mother. I remember the windows of the store being decorated with think strands of gold garland, a hug plastic Santa that was illuminated by one single 20 watt blub and plastic trees and toys finished off the look. I remember the chain link rubber floor mat that held that chunks of snow that fell from out boots, and the water stains on the old wooded floor, that creaked as we walked around. The glorious tones of Burl Ives singing "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3s1qLkNU38. I always had loved "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" so this music that had been on my favorite Christmas special - was the icing on the cake. The store was located in Lakeport, NH. I tried to find a picture on the internet of what the store looked like when it was a Five and Dime store, but to no avail. I found a bit more current from Google Earth and took a picture of with my camera to post.
Ok, so back to my story. I remember my mother and I being awe struck by the twinkling lights from was used to be screw in light bulb strands with colors of blue, red and green and could be swapped with lights of white and yellow. I still remember the smell of the lights as they got hot and the smell of the lead tinsel if it touched a hot bulb. She bought ornaments that looks like Germany old world designs, she got tinsel, lights, loads of gold garland, and the most important piece and what brought my memory back - the angel for the top of the tree. It was beautiful and was finished with real spun glass angel hair like looked like rays from heaven when the tree was illuminated each year.
Mom's entire paper sack was filled and flowing over, yet her entire purchase never exceeded five dollars, and back then spending five dollars on decorations was unheard of as money was tight. We were so proud of our finds and even more excited to take them home to decorate a tree. I loved that feeling of joy and glee. That with each year, I would be more and more excited for the holidays to arrive - hoping for the feeling of Christmas and family that had filled my heart at such a age. Many years later, I would find myself with my own family and having money problems and unable to find that feeling that I had once had so many years ago, until Christmas night in 1994, I was reminded in a dream - how to change things in my life.
Go to www.etsy.com, type in this store name: Ukanducrafts. It is here you read about how things became Wild and Extreme - and looking back on it - I wouldn't change a thing, but is the reason why I was unable find my words for the Halloween season. Enjoy.
Here is a sneak peak at some of my art work.
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Thanks for reading my story today and I hope you enjoy browsing and/or shopping my online store. I ship all over the world and can personalize just about everything I sell. Blog ya later alligators.
