Up on a hill

WINTER

2010-02-22T11:57:00.000-08:00

It has been a little while since my last posting. I am tired of the snow,(like the rest of you) in which more of it is coming in the form of snow showers tomorrow. Really have not been doing that much at all. My creativity is not at its best. I have been playing Wii golf and bowling with our friends. Like the rest of you , I have been waiting for the sun to shine. I did find some more boxes in the basement that I unpacked finding a few more treasures. I stitched this sampler years ago and it found a place on my dining room wall.

I also found this old yellowware bowl in the bottom of a box; that I had forgot about. It found a place on the kitchen shelf.

We are planning a trip down south and when I return my next posting will be my 100th. So I think I know what will be in my GIVEAWAY, perhaps a small antique will be a part of it. Till then , everyone stay warm and safe and Happy.

Sale & New Items in Selling Blog

2010-02-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

Two post in one day. I am getting very close to my 100th post. So time for a give away is very near. I haven't decided what it will be yet. Just keep watching.

I finally got to my crafts that I have been wanting to put on my selling blog for quite awhile. Projects, such as the one in my last post, has kept me from getting to my sale items. I have marked down most of my items and will continue to put things on the next few days. Just keep checking back. Check all the pages. If you are interested just email me @ kggrace02@yahoo.com . Above is one of the items for sale.

To all The Masterpiece Theatre Friends. So did you watch "Emma?" What did you think? On my PBS station they recently aired "Sense and Sensibility." Did anyone get to see that? I have seen that before. I would highly recommend that one also. Valentines Day is approaching fast. What better way to put you in the mood.

My Latest Project

2010-02-02T13:19:00.001-08:00

My newest project. I showed you in earlier post the wall paper to come down in a spare bedroom. We took it all down, and what was revealed to us???? I call it WAKE UP YUCK! paint color. It was so bright that it would hurt your eyes. I can only imagine the day when it was first put on & the person sleeping in that room & the thoughts they had ; what was I was thinking when I painted this color????? Below are 2 pics what it looked liked. I had already finished the floor so a tarp was put down. A friend of ours came & mud the cracks in the wall for us. The picture above is the result color : an off white. The dresser is my next project. I believe that it will be a linen color. Our daughter Sam started stripping the piece years ago, but never finished. She left the piece behind when she got married. So now it is mom's job to finish it.

Hibernation

2010-01-19T15:06:00.001-08:00

It has been a couple of weeks since I have posted. I found myself during the cold weather, hibernating like most of you staying warm & out of the cold & snow. Since the temps are moving back up to digits that begin with a 3 or this week a 4 , I am slightly moving a little more.

I have been enjoying reading about everyone's creativity and seeing their projects. I have started a room that needs wallpaper stripped. Not finished with that yet. The latest events in the world ; Haiti, has caught my attention. I have been spending time with friends and enjoying dinners with them. Playing Wii with family and friends, and exercising some muscles that have also hibernated for the winter . Since turning 50 this past year, I find my body is changing greatly. The mattress on the bed is not as accomodating as it once was. A tempur -pedic is catching my eye & hopefully my back soon. Does anyone out there have one of these mattresses? Really seriously considering buying one or the matress pad, as our bed is not that old.

Just wondering if there are some "Masterpiece Classic Theater" fans out there. Did anyone watched "Return to Cranford"? A movie about a romantic little town and the lives of the people in it. It really started last year with "Cranford", with Dame Judi Dench. Highly recommend it. This Sunday , will be Jane Austins, "Emma." I will be tuned in.

The pictures are just a few vignettes around my house. The cabins, we made several years ago. Below are some of my old collections. They are old and kinda rusty, love them very much.

2010 ; Looking Ahead

2010-01-03T12:10:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to everyone! When I was a kid I thought by 2010 we would be living like the George Jetson family. Traveling around in space vehicles, & using more robots like Rosie the Robot to do our household chores. I am kinda glad that we are not that advance yet, I like the simpler quiter things in life.

I am sure most of you have had snow and the freezing temps. As of this writing it is 16 outside. Thank GOD for the heat and fireplace.

We moved in this house almost 2 years ago with our son and his wife. They have since moved on and so the renovations continue for us. In 2010, I shall be looking for certain pieces to put in this house. Looking at the center of my kitchen ; I am longing for an old table that I can put wheels on and a butcher block top that will move around with me. During the holidays, I needed to get some baskets off the floors. I was one of those Longaberger collectors, who have more than I need of baskets. My husband & I made the little ladder when we done wholesale, so it took care of some of them. Any ideas would be appreciated for some of the bigger ones I cannot hang.

Since my son and daughter-in -law moved out, I need to get this wallpaper down off a bedroom wall. You can see the yucky yellow paint underneath and the cracks which will have to be patched in the wall. When it is done this will be another room to decorate. Yesterday, I got my fabric softner and vinegar to spray, to start this week. Then I will paint some nuetral color. We have to get a new bed and all the fixins to make the room.

We built this farmhouse table last year and I have found some old windsor chairs here & there. I am on the lookout for 3 more to complete my table. This will probably be an ongoing search throughout the year.We are hoping to have all our kids home 2010 Thanksgiving, so I will need them by then.

May this year keep everyone safe , healthy and full of blessings.

Early Christmas Gifts

2009-12-22T12:47:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas ! I trust that everyone is just about ready for the big day. I got a few early gifts that I wanted to share.

For the longest time, I have wanted homespun curtains for my dining room looking for that right color & pattern. My husband had a business meeting in a distant town that I knew carried homespun curtains. Much to my surprise , that day before leaving that town, he ask me if I wanted him to stop and see what they had. I said," Sure". He pretty much knows my taste and he knew the mustard/black/tan/red color I was looking for. He got there and saw them immediately. He knew he was in trouble , especially when he saw the price tag. He called me and bless his heart, even had the salesman get on the phone to describe them to me. They sounded perfect. The salesman said that we could bring them back if I did not like them. I fell in love with them , when he brought them home. They matched the dining room perfectly and the furniture. I also had the yearly cookie baking event with my family. This year I made 10 1/2 dozen gingerbread cookies. I had the younger ones helping me decorate & a future brother-in-law helping me cut them out. Just to show you a bit of the pile below. It was a lot of fun, even though we had 1 oven & 7 families making things.

Anyone that is close to me knows how much I love log cabins. We have a very talented friend that paints, among his many talents. I walked into their house last Friday & ask him if he painted that picture. He said, "Yeah , you want it?" He didn't have to ask me twice, so now it proudly hangs on a stairway wall.

This is another pic of my curtains. For those who ask in the last post about my Santa's being salt glazed? They are. I have had them for many years. The Santa with the star, is a bell. Thanks for asking.

Hope that all have a very Merry safe & Blessed Christmas!

Welcome Christmas!

2009-12-08T12:19:00.000-08:00

I trust that everyone is in the full swing of Christmas by now. Shopping, baking & decorating. My shows are over with for the year. I have an order to do and now comes the baking. The family cookie bake is this Saturday at my sister's house. Everyone brings their receipes , contents & their tins. It is a lot of fun. I think I will make Gingerbread cookies.

We got a Nintendo Wii this past weekend. We already have put it to use. I am finding some muscles that have not been used in a while. It is a good family game. We have had a lot of fun with it already and I know that we will continue to.

I thought I would show you a few of my decorations. Favorite things that I have collected over the years. A lot of things I have made, just as most families do, so come on in my backdoor.......

Snowman in the kitchen window from a recent swap.

One of my handpainted Santa's and the reindeer my dad made me years ago.

An old child's spoon with Rudolph at the top...

These are a couple more of my handpainted Santa's in the kitchen.....

Star garland that is around my kitchen windows.

A few of my collectibles from flea markets

These little angels hang from my garland in the living room stairway...

My angel tree topper collected from flea markets years ago...

The ornaments on our tree were collected over many years. You may recognize some of them from your childhood. Shiny Brites are on there among others. Old mercury glass ornaments. I took some upclose pictures to show you some of my favorite ones. They are like dear old friends that you see once a year.

When I had a gift shop, a friend made many styles of this rabbit. They became local collectibles to my customers. They were known as Bekka Bunnies. This is a little ice skater with a tree.

This is one of my favorite Christmas movies. Got to hear Bing sing "White Christmas ".

This is our tree. It is a live one. I think it is the most beautiful one we have ever had. It is so pretty, even before the bulbs went on it.

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-24T05:41:00.001-08:00

Today & tomorrow will be spent in the kitchen. All preparations done a day or 2 early so that I can spend time with the family. Our plans are to eat and then go see "A Christmas Carol" in the afternoon. Just my son & daughter-in-law. Wishing my daughter and son-in-law a Happy Thanksgiving in Canada. (Thanksgiving was already celebrated there in October).

I am seeing blogging friends decorating for Christmas already. We buy a live tree, so my decor will be done in Dec. I have one more show the first week of December. It is with antiques and collectibles. I am looking forward to this one. After that the decorations and the family cookie baking comes.

Hope that everyone has a "Joyous Happy Thanksgiving!"

Little Bit of This & That

2009-11-19T13:46:00.000-08:00

Have been still catching up with everything around the house between shows. My next show is in 2 weeks. I cleaned my email yesterday, which was about 400 in the inbox. You have to understand this about me. I try to stay on top of things around our house best as possible. I would check a few everyday. They got the best of me.
Yesterday was a day of taking care of that.Wanted to show a few things I had made. Below is my snowman /star tree. You can barely see the little snowman on the tree. I made everything on the tree & the box also.
This is a picture of my little snowmen.

Here is a picture of some of my Santa pockets. Stuffed with a little reindeer , candy cane, & some greenery. They can hang on a tree or on a peg.

Was going through basement boxes again today. Found this dish. I may use it somehow this Christmas season. It is antique spongeware.

I also was remembering that I had another set of dishes in the basement in a trunk. I am in dire need of some everyday dishes. I found these Currier & Ives set of 7. Cleaned them up & we are eating off of them tonight. I have never used them. Bought them years ago at a flea market, so it will be a nice surprise at the table tonight.

I also was looking for something to put my some magazines in and found this tool box. The little old truck too. I think it will find a place in the office to put some things in it's back, like cards & such.

Also found this brown pitcher in a box to put on top of my cabinets with the rest of my crockery.

A gentlemen who works with my husband was kind enough to send me 2 of these striped gourds. I love them &I hope that they dry out for me. Does anyone else keep dried gourds besides me???? I use them for the next year & have painted on them in the past.

Mr. & Mrs. Pilgrim , were something that I sold at my fall shows. These 2 greet everyone in my living room. It is truly a time to be thankful. I am very greatful for the love of my family ,our health, our home, food at our table everyday, vehicles to drive, clothes on our back. If you will permit to say the BLOOD of my savior JESUS CHRIST, means more to me than you know. I am truly rich.

In the Workshop

2009-11-10T04:02:00.001-08:00

It has been a while since I have posted. I have been doing several local craft shows and it has kept me very busy. My house was running away from me with all the dust;that I had to make time to get it cleaned. Emails: I am so far behind with. I am usually a very organized person, but the shows have kept me from doing my usual things. This past Sat. was my second show . I thought I was going to take pictures & post them on the blog. When I went to get my camera, the battery was dead. So sorry, there were so many really cool primitive things there. Thought I would show you a few of my prims that I sell. I have another show this Saturday at the local college. A few more in Dec. Doors have opened up to me for other projects by doing the shows. I have met so many nice people.Below is one of my Santa's that I do.

Santa Tutorial

2009-10-21T06:49:00.000-07:00

I have been busy getting ready for another Christmas Craft show. I thought I would show you one of the crafts I have been working on. It comes from the book, "Old Christmas" by Folk & Whimsy. If you desire to make these which are really simple & if I have not been clear on instructions, write me & I will clarify as best as I can. You will need; Sculpey Clay
Batting or Felt Square
Chenille Stems: Black & White
Wool Roving for beard
Sprigs of Greenery
Glue , String to hang

You are also going to use this pattern as a template for the hood. The size of the hood really depends on the shape & size of the face. I found I had to adjust the hood according to my face size. Below is a basic pattern, on had to cut to fit around the face.

Taking a pinch of clay, shape into an egg shape oval. Mentally divide the egg into thirds. With the sides of your thumbs lightly press into the top third for the eye sockets. Leave a space between your thumbs & you will have a ridge for the nose. Push up from the chin to form the cheeks. Try to keep it like a flat button instead of a ball.

Then you will need to bake your clay according to instructions on the package. When they come out of oven & are cool, paint face with as much detail as you can in such a small space.

While they are baking; fold a 12"chenille in half with a 1/2" loop at the top. Twist 6"stem around neck for the arms.

Wrap 4 1/2" x 4" piece of felt or batting around his body (4 1/2" lengthwise) just under the arm pits. Lap right over left front edge, glue. Glue white chenille down the front of coat and around the hem. Because of the glue I used, I used clothespins as my clamps. Depends on glue that you use.

For the sleeves, make a 1"slit in the center of 5 X 1 1/2 " piece of felt or batting running lengthwise. Pull this over his head through slit.Glue felt or batting to front and back of his coat and around black arm stems. Glue white chenille stems for cuffs. Glue face to loop. I then put the beard on & added some wool for the eye brows also.

Next is the hood. Remember I told you that this really has a lot to do with the size & shape of his face, but the general pattern is a 3" x 4" size of felt or batting.Lap one side of hood over the other enclosing. Glue in place. Glue white chenille over curved front edge of hood. Fit this around his face. You may need to manipulate this a bit to fit right. Glue in place. Bend up the black chenille for the feet and mittens. Glue on a sprig of greenery. Your done!

FREE GIFT WITH EVERY ORDER

2009-10-14T06:41:00.000-07:00

Brr! It's cold here in southern Ohio! It says rain today in the forecast, but it looks like winter skies.

This past Saturday I did my first of 2 craft shows. It was outside . I stood out there shivering & shaking, but did pretty good. I wish I would have taken pictures for you, but did not think with everything else going on. I also had 2 shop owners approach me to come to their shop. I am thinking about that. I have another show in 3 weeks and am starting some new things . I put some new items on my selling blog. I am giving a FREE GIFT WITH EVERY ORDER. The little antique dress below I recently stitched up. Because it is an antique dress, there is only one with this stitching on it. This is a closeup of my first Thanksgiving towel.

This is one of our scented candle scoops. If you are interested you can go to the right side by the seraphim & click on it to see what else I have. Thanks.

Back.... & Running

2009-10-05T05:53:00.001-07:00

I am back.... & running. I have a Fall craft show this Saturday and in 3 weeks a Christmas show. For those of you who have done shows, you know I am in the countdown week.

Had a wonderful time at our church "Harvestfest".The LORD showed up in a wonderful way. HE is restoring. I saw knees and backs healed, flatfeet healed, ringing in the ears, and a lot of other things , emotionally & physically. There were over a 1000 people there from different nations & 600 more people (than the 1000) showed up then expected. We were outside in a tent praying for people , but then the rain came. There were many vendors outside in tents also, but unfortunately , I did not have my camera with me to show you all the beautiful artwork & jewelry that I saw. Thought I would show you some pics from our church. Below is just some of the people that were there.
A balcony view of the cafe.

One of the nights of worship; love the words on the screen.

Worshipping one night at floor level. There were so many people there you could barely move.

My friend Linda's painting during worship, "The Lion of Judah."

On stage that night singing, was Ramey & Brian Whelan, along with Leonard Jones. Ricky Scaggs kids are also a part of our worship team. He came one night to do worship.

The people lined up around the balconies, worshipping. All 4 floors were completely filled.

This was one of the best "surprises" that the LORD gave us that weekend. Our daughter & son-in-law; whom we had not seen in a year, surprised us. They overcame a lot of circumstances to get there. They live in Ontario. Our son-in-law was a school of ministry student there, which is how they met.

Goin' South and Need Some Help?

2009-09-22T06:22:00.000-07:00

We have been planning a trip back down south for a while. The church that we attended; every year around Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur , has what we call Harvestfest. 100's of people from all over the world attend. We are not Jewish, but go by GOD's calendar with the Jewish people. We have just entered the year 5770. Harvestfest is kinda like an outdoor "woodstock" if you will, where there are all kinds of ministries that come and share . They also bring their paintings, jewerly, books, music and of course food. My husband & I are on teams that pray for people. I am always excited to see what the LORD is gonna do. We do teams for 2 days. In the past I have seen the LORD heal people's backs, arms, internal parts, come out of walkers, be set free from emotional things which can lead to illnesses in our body. GOD is amazing & I am constantly in awe of HIM! I have signed up for another craft fair which takes place, October 10th with" my partner in crime", Nancy. She is going to Harvestfest too, so we will have to kick it in gear when we get back , to get things done. The 7th of November we have our Christmas show. We both are constantly crafting, so we have a good bit done.

I need some help out there from all of you. I am needing to find some "reasonably" priced black buffalo check homespun. I don't have the access around here to some & was hoping maybe someone could direct me, through the net to a website to go to. Would greatly appreciate it.

I am off to pack.... see you when I get back.

Little late?????

2009-09-17T13:49:00.000-07:00

I am a little late in posting what you working on Weds.? This is what I am working on Thursday. Are the days going by faster for anybody else out there. Some days I feel like they are going by so quickly.

Thanks to those who left comments on how to clean brass & copper. Ketchup on the copper??? I will try that & let everyone know if it works. I am still preparing for the Christmas show & next week will be taking a little trip down south. This is who I call Moses. He is a Civil War soldier that was a drummer. I stuffed him with sawdust & sat him on a rusty bolt. He has a little rusty star on his drum. A makedo, a pinkeep?

This is my little antique baby dress. The angel on the hanger I made , stitching her eyes and adding a rusty star.

This what I stitched on the dress and added an old baby picture. The little dress

has some pink trim around the bottom. Made of flannel , so I assuming that it was a slip to wear under the dress.

I tea-dyed it as to give it that aged look. If anyone is interested in Moses or the baby dress ; you can click on the seraphim at the top and see details on my selling blog.

Brass

2009-09-15T07:47:00.000-07:00

While searching through some more things in the basement , I came across some of my brass pieces. Found this bed warmer, & some other brass ladles that I use have by fireplaces in previous homes. I also have my grandmothers candle sticks. Does anyone have a great cleaning solution for brass. Also found a copper teapot, ( not shown) & was wondering out there in blogland if anyone knows how to clean copper also. Thought I would throw in a few pics of some fall things in the house. I made this little scarecrow, from a Jackie Schmidt pattern. I added the raffia.

.

This crow & pumpkin garland was made by my husband & me out of old barn roofing . My husband is pretty good with the tin snips. I told him what shapes I wanted & he cut them out for me. I painted them & added the wire & the homespun. It hangs above our back door.

The cornucopia is still getting filled with gourds at the local farmers market that I go to on Saturday mornings. They are just slowly coming in there to the market. The scarecrow, I made many years ago, & he makes his appearance every fall in our house.

Hope everyone is having a great week.

What Ya working on Weds.?

2009-09-09T12:13:00.001-07:00

Hope everyone had a great holiday. Ours was peaceful around the house. Friends came over & we just enjoyed the company. We are also contemplating on getting a dog. A friend came over with his lab. We use to have a black one & are thinking about getting another one. I know that it will keep me busy & also keep me company .
I have been busy filling orders for the pumpkin below and I am still working on things for the Christmas show It was my first time to make pantry cakes & I really enjoyed doing it.Thank you to Mercy Otis for helping me out with the recipe. We also made a lot of butterboards to go along with them. They still smell so yummy!

This is really such a nice community of friends that I have made through blogging. Just appreciate everyone of you!

I was trying to change my background & am having a hard time with my HTML & JAVA excepting it. I can't get it to come through. Any suggestions out there I may try? When it comes to computers, I am not the sharpest scissor in the bunch. I am open to suggestions........

What Ya Working On Weds.

2009-09-02T09:19:00.001-07:00

I have been getting ready for the Christmas show. I bought this pattern as a cloth doll pattern. I always invisioned it on a wreath in wood or above a door. This turned out really prim. I plan on putting it on a wreath for the show. My husband has cut out a few of them. They have many intricate cuts on them. They are pretty big. I love the way the wood turned out ;really chippy! extremely primitive!

We just made this little bench as well for your table. It is a little over 12 inches long by a little over 5 inches high. and wide. Made out of old wood. You can set your condiments on top or decorate it on a table somewhere, or on a kitchen counter or in your own primitive spot. We are selling these for $16.00 plus $7.50 shipping. They are heavy little things. We also make them in blacks, whites, mustards, or a color of your choosing.

Textures 1

2009-08-29T13:13:00.000-07:00

I have admired everyones texture blogs lately. It has been fun watching everyone showing pieces of their home & collections. A lot of nice homes & collections out there in blog land. I thought I would take some pics of things around my house. No words ; just the pics. I divided it into 2 blogs Texture 1 & Texture 2. Hope you enjoy as much as I have enjoyed seeing the textures in your homes.

Textures 2

2009-08-29T13:02:00.001-07:00

Just part 2 of my textures.

What Ya Working On Weds.?

2009-08-26T16:45:00.000-07:00

Besides getting ready for the Christmas Craft show that I told you about earlier, I have been getting ready for a local sale tomorrow also. Been in the workshop painting & crafting & thought I would show you a few of our things. I love these flowers , I have them out on my porch in a mason jar, with a crow & some bees. They are made out of barn wood & the center is tin . As you are gonna see in all of my pics, most everything is out of barn wood. They are even more older looking than that; because my camera put too much flash on the pic.

My scarecrows hang on your door, he's really prim.

Made this to sit on a table, like a center piece around some gourds & such.

My last pic is one of the signs to hang "Welcome to Our Patch." Just a bit of what I have been working on today.

Because I am getting questions about the prices on things; & they can be ordered : Sunflowers are $3.00. Harvest Thyme is $12.00, Welcome To Our Patch is $12.00, Harvest Scarecrows are $15.00. Prices do not include shipping.

What does this look like to you????

2009-08-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

It has been a while since my last posting. A lot has happen since then. I have turned 50 and had a yard sale. My mom has been in the hospital
with bloodclots in the kneecap. She is home recouping. I have also been accepted to do a Christmas Craft show. Life has been interesing to say the least.

On my birthday , some friends were over at the house. One noticed this piece of pottery that I have had for over 20 yrs, & made some comments that were rather strange about the piece: The obvious breast muscles , not to mention holding the child by the hair. I thought nothing of it, when I got it. I thought it was just a piece of folk art. By the way , it had the chips on it when I got it. What do you think??????
Digging through more boxes ; found some more of my Rowe pottery. A sampling of it below. I love stars!!!!

Also found some old bottles, this is one of them that sits in my kitchen window. It says "Souders" on it.

Found some of my horses. This guy is a Fisher Price #20.

This guy has no markings, but I love him, because of the star on him. Did you know that I love stars?????

~

2009-08-20T09:35:00.001-07:00

I have had this picture in my head for quite sometime to create this below. I wanted a pumpkin that could be personalized and something you could put on your front/back door or beside it, in the place of a wreath. So yesterday morning; my husband and I got busy with the saws and my carving tools. We have old wood, (which you can see that is what it is made of) for the really primitive person & made this. Pumpkin & name are carved.

I really like how it turned out. It's just a bit different then what I usually have seen around here. If anyone is interested in owning one, the price is $20.00 plus shipping. I can put on what name you want on the ribbon tag.

Laundry Room Oldies

2009-08-10T07:44:00.000-07:00

While going through all my findings that I have found lately; packed away, I found some old children's clothing. I decided to do something with them. Mind you, I have washed & cleaned them. Some stains will not come out. As pictured, the second picture they have their time worn holes in them also. I stitched 2 different sayings on each pair:
DROP YOUR PANTS HERE FOR BEST RESULTS and
WRING...WRANG...WRUNG....MY WORK IS NEVER DONE

I I have attached them to an old branch & made a wire hangar. I have also included 8 old wooden clothes pins, 4 with a round head & 4 with a flat head to put inside the undies & to hang in your laundry room.

For the primitive laundry room; $8.00 plus $3.00 shipping

SOLD

More Findings

2009-08-04T09:13:00.001-07:00

While going through more boxes, I found some more long lost friends. My DH decided to put up a few of them. So coming into the backdoor , we decided on this little grouping. My old lantern needs a globe. It has a wide fitted mouth, so I am gonna have to look to find something to fit that. At the farmer's market this past weekend, I picked up some sweet annie & the seeds & have started my own for next year. My other garden objects and old collanders are hanging. We had to pull our tomatoe plants because of a blight that had taken place on them. They were getting lots of tomatoes but they were turning black before they were turning red. Found this little old chopper also. I need to sharpen her up & put her to use.

How did they mix with something this small , back then? With the big kitchen-aids we have now a days???

Some of my potatoe mashers & rolling pins

I love this pitcher I bought years, & years ago. I filled with more of my kitchen tools; wisk, ice cream scoop ,egg beaters & many other utensils that can't be seen.

I am a big Noah's Ark collector. Have been for years & found this one in a box. One of many that I have. Also found the 2 little folk ones , that are my favorites. My stack of boxes in the basement are getting smaller.

Look What came in the mail???!!!!

2009-07-29T12:29:00.001-07:00

Ok ! So I am so excited that I did not put the pictures in order. I did a textile swap at Chars blog "The Pickled Pepper Patch." My partner was Rhonda from "The Old Stone House." The mail lady just knocked at the door, not wanting my package to get soaked. I am waxing floors today , up & down stairs. What a surprise break that this was. Rhonda had everything so neatly wrapped separately in cute wrapping paper & small cards. How sweet! So this is inside of a little card carrier that I can take with me on those shopping trips that I don't want to carry the "BIG" purse!
So cute!!!! with the little button on the outside! Fits right inside a pocket!

She also sent me some realy great smelling candles to make the inside of the box smell great! Rhonda, I smelled the cinnamonmy smell as soon as I opened the box! The little wooden heart/ star hanger was attached & this wonderfl candlemat!

These 2 homespun towels were included : Stitched with the wonderful sayings. I believe they will find their way to a hanging bathroom cupboard.

Loving this piece of vintage;a feedsack. I got a place for this on a hanging rack just by the kitchen.

Now just how awesome is this little piece here????? I have a little place for this also.

I am still in the process of putting together my sewing room; so this piece is gonna be perfect for that. I love blue & all the fabric that she used to make it with.

This is all the treasure together!Thank you so much Rhonda. I love it all!!!! If you have ever wondered about entering a swap on Chars site. She makes it really enjoyable, easy and fun for all. Give it a try.

UnPacking boxes and other things

2009-07-21T07:46:00.000-07:00

I haven't written a post in a few weeks. My husband & I have been doing much work on the ole' homestead. Pipes in the basement need to be rerouted so, we finished that last week. I have not really unpacked all the boxes since moving. Most of you know that I have been a collector for over 20 years; going to flea markets and antique stores. I needed something to put my glassware in. The china was sitting in boxes and no where to put it. The same gentlemen who made our kitchen cabinets had this piece sitting in his garage and sold it to us for $450.00 It is a huge blessing. I had to paint the middle section yesterday. I have not went through all my boxes yet to complete what I want to set on it. Our candlebox is the only thing that is on it right now. All glassware is inside, with more space for other things. Started unloading my fabric. My husband made shelves in the closet, so that I could unload some. Still more boxes to unload, but this is where I am at so far.

We made this shelf , years ago with the crane and have never used it. It has been awaiting for its place to rest. We finally put it up this week. I have trunk in the basement with my Grandmother's quilt in it , which I think will look great there. This room is a work in progress.

As you can plainly see , it is in progress, with boxes still to unpack. It is a small room, trying to make every space count.

This is some of the buttons on an old wire cake server that turns. I like to organize my buttons by colors. The little cabinet, we made years ago.

Since I have been unpacking, I have been finding baskets and am in dire need of a basket tree. I was looking for a black iron one. Does anyone know where I might purchase one?????? We may just have to make one. For the moment, I am putting them into a corner, until I get one made.

These next few pictures are things I found while unpacking; my cookie cutters;I use them for many different crafts beside cookies.

Now these are a few of my really favorite things; I love metal things, old sifter, baking pans. These are a few that I have

Something about the patina of the sugar & creamer. I love these

This is some more of my metalware. I put it in a basket. Graters, sifters, old baking ware.

I sometime use this blue piece as a cookie jar.

These are some of my old bowls. I wish you could see the fine cracks on these. They have seen alot in their day.

I am paring down even more, and headed to the flea market this Sat. with boxes of stuff to get rid of. I feel like I want to lighten my load a bit. In some way, it brings a sense of freedom. I am off to load and unload more boxes.

Backyard Bambi's & Zucchinni Bread

2009-07-08T11:48:00.000-07:00

I find myself getting behind on my computer things. My days have been busy as I am sure that most of yours have been too. Spending times with family and friends lately.

These 3 Bambi's ( I call them) wander through our neighborhood . Everybody in the neighborhood look after them. Their mother sometimes travels with them. Even the cars on the highway watch over them. They are a part of this neighborhood, traveling from yard to yard eating whatever they want.

As you can see in the picture above. I walked right up to them to take the pictures. They did not bother to move. When moma deer comes around, then they move.

Yesterday , I made some some awesome Zucchinni Bread. Froze some of it.

Thought I would share the recipe with you:

3 eggs 3 tsp.cinnamon

2 cups of sugar 1 tsp. salt

1 cup brown sugar 1 tsp. baking soda

3/4 cup oil 3 cup flour

1 T. vanilla 1/2 cup raisins or 1/4 cup walnuts ; if desired

2 cup zucchinni grated

Beat eggs till frothy. Add sugars, beat until creamy. Add oil and vanilla. Blend in dry ingredients with the zucchinni. Beat for one minute. Fold in raisins or nuts.Pour into 2 or 3 greased loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour in a 350 degree oven. For country mufffins, fill paper muffin cups 3/4 full and bake at 350 degrees for 20 mins- 25 mins. Freeze a few for quick morning breakfasts....just pop in microwave!

From the "For Bees & Me" Gooseberry Patch book.

Nature

2009-06-30T10:33:00.000-07:00

I've been a busy girl lately. My husband came home with 2 of these a little over a week ago. Here locally there is a bike trail that use to be a railroad line, & is now blacktop for bicycles to ride. It runs about 15 miles or more through the town and into the country. We ride over old wooden bridges to look at the creeks below, (sorry no pics), but it is beautiful. I walked alot, but riding this bike told me I was not in the good shape that I thought I was in. I got the bike with the basket of course. We have had a fair share of wildlife in our yard. There has been a mommy with her 3 babies walking through the neighborhood eating what they please. Yesterday, mommy & 2 of the babies came through much earlier. I was in the kitchen working with the windows opened & heard a cry. The third little one below, knew that mommy & her siblings had been in our yard. It was tracking them & was caught in our yard by the fence. I manage to walk outside and take a picture & this is what I got. Quickly it found its way to the front of the fence & into the next yard.

This little one below had most of my attention yesterday morning, before the little deer showed up. I heard crows cawing in the trees above our yard. I watched as the crows would dive down in the yard & the other robins & birds would gather in 4's around something. I went outside & found this little one half pecked by the crows . I put a sack on my hand & went out & gathered it up & brought it close to the house. Soon after the crows left. Mother robin came and got it.

Like most of you out there, I have been working in the garden still. Bought some flowers & planted them in an old "Kettle Lard" tub that has holes in the bottom.

Went to my basement, found some of my old gardening objects. Still unpacking boxes & found my little mower.

We started getting bugs on some of our plants and someone told us about self rising flour. I got some of my old sifters out & used them to help spread the flour on the plants. Seemed to help. Anyone else have any kitchen helpers for the garden?????? loved to hear from you...

My Little Garden

2009-06-15T14:05:00.001-07:00

Since we are selling the house , we debated back and forth about planting anything. We love tomatoes, & I love my herbs. We thought we would do a small little tiny garden, close to the house ,because the deer love to roam in this neighborhood. They go from house to house like it is their restaurant and eat what they want. It is theirs for the taking.

So last night we went and got our plants. My husband his different varieties of tomatoes and I my few herbs. Got some of those stinky smelling marigolds to keep the bugs away.

I put my oregano, basil, & dill in pots so they could go with me. I also bought some lavendar which smells so great, but it is in the ground.

My friend has hen and chicks growing all over her yard, so I put one in my sifter & sat it on the old childs chair. I like the chair, but the husband is tired of moving it around, so it just may stay here with the new owners. I put all the other yard art in so it would give it some" life."

The succulents are actually "birthing" new ones, so I am gonna have to plant some in another part of the yard. Just wanted to show you our little part of "Eden".

Kitchen and Computer Trouble

2009-06-11T14:16:00.000-07:00

How is everybody out there? We have been having computer trouble. One of those things that looks legal popped up & was opened. Gateway had to be called and after a fee, it was taken care of. I have also been doing some flea marketing on the selling side and got rid of over half that we went with. 3 ladies came in and bought all my tables and benches. A lot of my little things sold also. There is still more to get rid of. The house has been put on the market and we await. I thought I would show you some of our kitchen pics. Below is something that the husband & I made years ago that I keep my potatoes , garlic and onions in. Pictures are random, so this is the wood trim that goes around my counter tops.

This is what the bottom of my cabinets look like. Even the bathroom vanity has this.

Because I needed one more piece to hold a few more things. We took part of the old cabinets & made this below.

The colors look better than what my camera is showing.

This is another piece that the husband & I made years ago. I don't think I ever want to part with this. I really use it alot!

Here is another piece that we made. It has become my step stool, to reach things in the tall cabinets above.

If you don't have a Gooseberry Patch cookbook in your kitchen , you are missing something. I have collected them for years. I think they are a staple to my kitchen too.

I really like this piece. It has a plate rail on the shelf. If we were staying here I would have more of my collectibles out. When you are selling a house, less is more. I still have more boxes in the basement of collectibles that I am keeping for the next house.

Swap

2009-05-31T13:35:00.000-07:00

How is everyone out there. It has been a hit & miss reading the blog for me. Thank you to everyone who left the lovely comments about our bathroom, & my sisters & my mother. I greatly appreciate them as would they also.

I have been doing the wood floors upstairs and have been so busy that I have not left this house in a week only to go to the store for a couple of hours. I am starting to feel it. The Realtor sign went up in the yard yesterday. I still have a cabinet that needs cabinet fronts. That is the cabinet makers work, but I have to finish them when they get here. I have gotten all the kitchen stuff picked up in the living & dining room. Floors have been mopped & ready to show. Husband is off tomorrow, to clean out the basement to take treasures that have been boxes for a long, long time that need to be sold. It has been a while that I have used them, so Thursday they go to a local flea market and then Saturday I am having a yard sale. There is so much it won't make it in one truck load.

I was surprised in the mail by my porch swap partner Carrie of unmatchedsocks with these goodies. Thank you Carrie, they will be used.

Where Have I Been???????

2009-05-28T10:54:00.000-07:00

My ! My! My!; it seems like it has been forever and a day since I have checked out the blogging world. We have been so busy trying to get this house ready. It still has some finishing touches to be done. The realtor has been called & comes tomorrow. I thought I would show you some pics of the bathroom since we have MOST of it done. Above is the vanity which I finished. I had our carpenter make me a wood top which I put tons of polyurathene on it. Notice the wood plugs at the side, I really liked that. I wanted the pieces to look like furniture.

Our bathroom is long and narrow so it was hard to get a good picture of it. It sets on the tile floor that we put in, & tile around the bathtub. Now tiling is one nasty dirty job, but well worth the effort. Below is a mirror that I found in a store going out of business for $10.00 & I painted it to match the vanity. It matches really well. We put up new drywall & ceiling. So the walls are a linen color. I have a bamboo shade on the window.

You can't really see the true color of this medicine cabinet that we made, but it is a tan/ brown color; it hangs over the commode. The kitchen has another piece that yours truly has to finish & the counter tops need to be done in one area. I have also been working on the hardwood floors trying to get them ready throughout the house, to put it up for sale.

I did manage to get away for a little while & go see "Star Trek 2009"; I highly recommend that movie. If you grew up with Capt. Kirk & Spock, this is a movie you will want to see. Also my nephew Jessie graduated and there was a party of course. It was a time that family gathers and it rare to get all my sisters and me together for a picture. So below is that pic.

Left to right: My sister Beckie, Me, my mom & my sister Robin, & my sister Debbie. Good times.

Kitchen & Bath Progress

2009-05-17T15:35:00.001-07:00

GOD is good! I must tell you through this whole adventure HE has brought favor to us. Beginning with the insurance adjustors helping us through this, and our plumbing friend and building friends. The LORD has provided us through every step of the way of this! Everything is coming together with HIS help.

I didn't get a picture of our ceiling, sorry, but a builder friend came Friday morning and done both kitchen and bathroom ceilings... I think I learned a new trade. All he wanted was a home cook meal from me. He will have one when the kitchen comes back in order.

My husband just finished tiling the bathroom today. We have yet to grout it, but this was his first time. I only helped with the cleanup with this. The vanity awaits my finishing work on it to do.
I finally finished the kitchen cabinets at 10:30 on Friday night because friends were coming to help set the wall cabinets early the next morning. Below is one set of the wall cabinets; they are 6 doors across.

Below are 2 pieces that are not quite finished yet. I tell you that beaded board backing was not the easiest finishing to do; but yeah !!! it is done!

This is my kitchen sink piece. I still do not have the sink, the builder does. I miss it so. Hoping to get that back this week sometime.

Because this is an old house, measurements had to be made, so that there was 2 separate pieces around the sink area. Back when they built this house, they wasted a lot of corner spaces. A corner cabinet would not have fit the space here. Below is another piece awaiting its top. If all goes well, we hope to have the majority of the house back in working order in 2 weeks.

Thank you to all the wonderful comments that I have received. I appreciate them all and to Kathy of "The Olde Weeping Cedar", my heart goes to you and I await your kitchen outcome. Through all the dust , chaos, dirt, mud,&etc. it will be worth it. I look forward to seeing yours.

Kitchen Cabinets

2009-05-13T07:44:00.000-07:00

I began yesterday finishing the kitchen cabinets. We had already done the white over black finish which is the above and now they all need that sanding, sealing and stained process. Below picture. There are shadows in my camrea that do show the true colors.

By doing both bathroom & kitchen at the same time, we are without a bathroom sink and now a kitchen sink. The tub has become the new sink in the house. I have yet to get the bathroom vanity which is also being handmade. I am painting everything a nuetral color since we are selling the house, but if we were staying, I would paint some of the cabinets in different colors. I would probably do some black, but I will leave that up to the next owner of the house.

Traveling In the Middle of the Mess

2009-05-11T16:39:00.000-07:00

Been gone for a little while down south again. Prior commitments to the ministry team that we are on at our church. Saw the LORD set a lot of people free. Privileged to have Gwen Shaw of the "End Time Handmaidens" come and talk as well Paul Keith Davis. Good stuff. If you ever get the chance to hear them , go & get good revelation about what the LORD is doing.

In between ministry time, I wanted to go some areas that I never really visited when we lived there. A little charming town called Waxhax, NC. I wandered into these 2 familar ladies booth. I did not purchase anything, but saw a lot of goodies. Beth... that stack of firkins caught my eye, especially the largest one. Nice price at $55.00. We are moving back down that way before the winter, so we will see what the house can hold, after all this downsizing.

Janna, you got some cool jewelry. To both of you, I will be back. If you get down the Charlotte, NC area... check them out. I hoped to make it to the Sleepy Poet after that, but time did not allow.

We left that day with the kitchen cabinets painted , yet to be finished and distressed. This is a picture of the jumbo mess in my kitchen right now.

Also the bathroom is still in a mess as well, above the faucet. At this time it is being "mudded' if you will. A new commode was put in today. The kitchen will be tackled tomorrowed, while the bathroom dries.

And just not the Kitchen

2009-05-04T06:54:00.000-07:00

Ok, so we started on the kitchen last week, & this weekend the bathroom. Since we are putting the house up for sale when this is all done; we decided to do them both at the same time. I have no bathroom sink. The old sink, mirror are gone.

Tub enclosure is gone, plumbing was done yesterday by a friend. New commode coming in & new vanity. New tub fixtures I got this weekend. It cannot be put on till the tile is put up. That (tiling) is a new adventure for us too. We are trying our hand at that tomorrow. Tile on the floor as well. I am going with that brush nickle look that the lady who had the house before us started with. Everything in the nuetral colors. Accenting with colors in the accessories.

Kitchen update; I am having the cabinets handmade. They will look like 2 separate pieces of furniture; not raised paneled, but a smooth face. I am having part of the other side of the rooms cabinets, not affected by the water, refaced to match the others. Everything will be uniformed. They will come to us unfinished. I will make them an off white color, as to match the big cupboard that I already did. Also a big open wall shelf is coming to house collectibles & cookbooks.

This little town is an historic town, where everyone is in to the primitive look. Our house is a colonial, so I will do cabinetry to match it. Hopefully soon all this will be done.

Kitties Anyone???

2009-05-01T06:43:00.001-07:00

That is Catnip kitties. I have a few of these left that I made. Kitty is made of rough sawn wood & I have carved his face, nose & mouth, toes & ears. There is a cut by his tail so that it is separate from the main body. Kitty is9 inches long and a little over an inch thick. I have taken rusty wire & attached a little rusty star around his neck. Eyes are painted green.

He is then attached to 14 inch pole to stick in your garden with your catnip or whatever; even if you just a want a kitty overlooking your garden. I took rough sawn 6 1/2 inches long piece of wood & carved the word "catnip". It is painted a garden green. Pole is an off white. Kitty is $10.00 and shipping is $6.00. Email me kggrace02@yahoo.com if you are interested. Meow!!!

What My Husband made

2009-04-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

We are still in the remodeling part of the kitchen. Ceiling will be finished this week by a friend. Because we live in old house the sink is in an awkard position, so the cabinets have to made & measured again & again. We are having them made. Then we are finishing them. The house is a mess with kitchen stuff all over the house,( as many of you ladies know that has been through this process).

I just wanted to show you a piece that my husband made recently for me. He makes it & I finish it. This is a dining room piece. Nothing is on now, except a candle box that we made. You can see some of the kitchen mess in the corner. Eventually it will have some dining stuff on it and in the bottom drawer.

On our last trip down to the Carolina's . A friend had this hanging in her laundry room. It a really neat shadow box, with a glass picture frame in the front. I kept admiring it all the while we were there. She counted the compliments I gave her on it & then took it down & gave it to me. How sweet was that?

Using My Head???

2009-04-27T06:09:00.000-07:00

We begun work this past weekend on the ceiling. Only my husband & I, we put up new drywall on the ceiling. We have over 8 ft. ceilings. Now I don't how many of you out there in blog land have ever done this before , just you another person, I don't wish this one on anybody. The drywall is 4ft by 4ft, & heavy. We did use a T-bar to help hold it up, but when I got it up so far, I used my head to help hold it up till my husband put the drywall screws in. I kept asking GOD to bring a friend by to help. He did show up, but after the heavy work was done. It's amazing what you can do when you have to. Another friend is showing up to finish the ceiling . Thank GOD for friends!!!!!

The cabinet man showed up last night to see what we could do with the cabinets. He also does countertops, so he may doing ours as well. He will let us know in a couple of days what he can do. I am off ,to finish some wood floors today in another room.

The Mess Has Begun!!!

2009-04-24T09:14:00.000-07:00

Today the mess has begun! Since we are doing most of the work ourselves ( my husband and I are DIY'ers), the tearing down began this morning. We have a plumber friend and a carpenter friend to help us a bit. At this moment the kitchen ceiling is on the floor. This is an old house , 2 story colonial built in the 40's - 50's era. It has plaster ceilings and walls.

You can see the old galvonized pipes that has to be replaced. Below one of the culprits.

Here is the other culprit. I called my cabinet man yesterday. He helped us make our farmhouse table and my cupboard in the kitchen, (see older post). He said that he has cabinets laying around. So it looks like the raised panel cabinets is what I am going with. They are unfinished, so that is my job. I do have a compressor and spray gun that will help get the basecoat on , till it comes to the distressing part. My tall cupboard in the older post was unfinished and I did that. The distressing part is all hand finished . My husband does not know how to do that; that is my job. Well it is back to work for me.

Decisions! Decisions!

2009-04-23T04:57:00.001-07:00

We started looking last night at the local cabinetry available to us in this area. I really like raised panel doors as in the top cabinets in the picture above.

I also like this distressed look in this cabinet above. Notice it has the raised panel door also. Maybe we will put cabinets in that does not look like kitchen cabinets???? Not uniformed.

I also like the style of the flat front cabinets below. And then there is the countertops???

We are putting the house up for sale after we finish and moving again. I hope that the people buying like primitive.

My Kitchen

2009-04-22T04:29:00.000-07:00

Before we left to our trip down south, our bathroom plumbing upstairs had some major problems. The pipes busted causing them to leak right down into our kitchen ceiling and behind our kitchen cabinets. Yesterday our insurance adjustor came to look at the damage. Seems that because of the plumbing, I am going to need some knew cabinets, countertop, backsplash, light fixture as well as a new ceiling. What a blessing! We wanted to change the cabinets anyway.

Above would be my dream kitchen. HMMM???

(picture courtesy of David T. Smith Workshops)

POWER, LOVE AND SOUND MIND

2009-04-21T06:53:00.000-07:00

There are so many hurting people out there all over the world. Things from their past keep them from moving into the destiny that awaits them. The things that are happening in the world and things that are happening into peoples lives are bringing such illnesses on people that GOD never intended you to carry.

My husband and I just returned from our church ministering to people from all over the world. We ministered every afternoon for 4 hours a day to people. Because of world events , fear has gripped so many people which has caused inward manisfestations of ulcers, acid reflux, and other illnesses that we saw. GOD did not give us a spirit of fear but of POWER, LOVE and SOUND MIND. (2 Timothy 1:7). HE did not promise to keep us from tribulations, but HE did promise that we are Victorious in HIM. The LORD will see us through the situation, because we are Overcomers in HIM. It's in the WORD.

Going on A Trip Down South

2009-04-14T05:13:00.001-07:00

Packing today and leaving again for the south. Our church is having a conference and the husband and I will be ministering again. Can't wait to see what "The LORD" is gonna do. See you on Monday. It will be on "GOD TV" this week if anyone is interested.

Flea Market Friday but different

2009-04-10T04:57:00.001-07:00

Today "Flea market Friday" is going to be a little different. I have created a "picturetrail" site with many things on it. If you are interested in anything just email me @ kggrace02@yahoo.com. Thank you for looking.

http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/21858908

What I have Been Working on

2009-04-08T07:17:00.001-07:00

Does anyone out there grow catnip? When we had our cat, I would grow it & then dry it out ; sew a little bag to put it in and our cat would go nuts. He loved the stuff. He would spend hours with that bag. He lived to be a ripe old age , so I don't think it messed his up his mind. I was looking through the garage and found some old rough grey 2x4's and I had my husband cut me out a cat on them. I dry brushed them ,so you can still see the old wood and then I carved out eyes, ears, nose and mouth. I put some rusty wire around his neck with a little rusty star. We also have some small rough wood which I made and carved "catnip" on it. I attached it to a wood poke and I think he will look good in a garden. What do you think??

Swap Treasures

2009-04-07T12:24:00.000-07:00

Just had to show you my swap treasures that have came in the last few days.
The swaps were hosted by the Chars at "The Pickle Pepper Patch". My first swap came from "Ms. Mercy Otis" at "The Stone House". It was for the laundry room. She sent me the lovely "Simplify" sampler. When my husband saw the sampler; he was delighted because that it was we are trying to do in this household. A beautiful red wooden soap dish with a nail hangar below. 2 bars of soap, a wonderful smelling lavendar scented for me and one laundry stain remover soap, wrapped in ticking and then in it's own bag, which says soap on the outside. 2 homespun towels, a very beautiful blue cutting board with a wonderful smelling pantry cake wrapped in cheesecloth. She said she made the pantry cake herself. I have to get your recipe Lewaina.
The Easter swap was on a forum that Chars host. This was done by Rosemary. She made me this wonderful sampler, speaking of what the true meaning of Easter is about our LORD and Saviour JESUS CHRIST. Stitched in all the beautiful Spring colors. She also made the 3 little bunny head bowls fillers.
Thank you both ladies. Everything is wonnderful!!!!

Who Knew It was So Close???

2009-04-06T08:11:00.000-07:00

Since moving into this neighborhood, I really have not had the time nor has weather been permitting for me to walk around it. I grew up in this area and was raised in the neighboring towns. This weekend when the weather was nice; my husband and I took a walk and only 2 streets down from us was this. Dard Hunter was the first individual in the history of printing to produce all aspects of a book by hand. Eight of the twenty were written in this place. He was also the world's leading authority on the history of paper. What a beautiful house. So of course I had to peak in the windows. I didn't take any pictures because the neighbor were out in their yards. So I saw beautiful silver , alot of Japanese style urns, amoire's with a Japanese style paintings on the front. Lots of beautiful china, elegant furnishings, lace curtains, and of course books. The front of the house had lace style curtains ,so that I could not see in. There was alos leaded glass paine windows.

This was side of the house which overlooks the city. At one time , it overlooked the property's vineyards.

We found this headstone by a tree in the front of the house. It reads "John Watson died October 31, 1845". It had some other reading on it that I could not make out what it said.

This was the view from the home overlooking the city of Chillicothe , Ohio. Who knew it was so close?

FLEA MARKET FRIDAY

2009-04-03T06:00:00.000-07:00

This old box , I bought years ago and kept outside on the porch , using it as a tool carrier. It has a rubber handle over the rusty wire. It has it's cracks and dings over the years. The measurements are 8 inches long by 7 3/4 inches wide. It is heavy for its size.

The price for the box is $8.00 plus $9.00 shipping.

The old graniteware pan is a different blue/white in color. It's more mottled effect. Top with a black rim and handle. It is deep. I used it for decoration only because I was a "mad" collector of the stuff and had it all over the house.

As you can see can see in the pictures , it has it's dings and rust marks. The rust did not matter to me at the time. That showed character. The handle also has a few white painted spots on it. The pan is $10.00 plus $6.50 shipping.

If you are interested in the above pieces email me @ kggrace02@yahoo.com

I will give you my paypal address. Pieces are on a first come basis.

Thank you

Honey Bun Cake

2009-04-02T07:20:00.000-07:00

Thought I would share with you a cake recipe that when I make it , there is never any leftovers in this house. I really don't have any pictures, just thought I would show you my old yelloware bowl that it could be made in. It is really easy to make and a great cake to take to dinners and church suppers. Honey Bun Cake

1 box yellow cake mix 1 C. brown sugar

4 eggs beaten 2 t. cinnamon

1C. buttermilk 1/2 c. pecans

Mix first 4 ingredients well. Pour into a greased 13x9 inch baking dish.
Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans. Swirl into batter. Bake at 300 degrees for 40-60 minutes. Check after 40 minutes with a toothpick.

GLAZE

1 c. powdered sugar 1 t. vanilla

2 T. milk

Mix all ingredients together and pour over warm cake.

In yesterday's blog, I told you about if you had a coupon, you could but at Walmart a big bottle of Kraft Salad Dressing for 8 cents. Yup, you can. It pays to cut out coupons. I also picked up 2 bottles of Lady Speed Stick Deodorant, a bottle of Soft Soap, and a bottle of Palmolive Dishwashing liquid ( all in the small sizes for a total of $2.93, at Walmart.

Tomorrow; Flea market Friday.

Coupons and Honesty

2009-04-01T07:10:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone for your wonderful comments about our daughter Sam. We have 2 children, our son; Jim which is the oldest and our daughter. They are 11 1/2 months apart and it was like raising twins. Sam did have a wonderful birthday, thank you all again.

I don't know how many of you are coupon clippers, but I get emails from different sources about what deals are out there for the week. I got one from someone the other day about Kraft Salad Dressing. You can get this bottle at Walmart this week with the coupon for $.8 . Yup that's right 8 cents. I am off today to check that out. Sorry about the foggy picture, but you get the gist.
Also my friend Lewaina at "The Stone House"http://makeminegrilledplease.blogspot.com/ ; challenged me yesterday to something called "Honesty Scrap," 10 things to share with you all about myself. So here it goes:

1) First in my heart, I really want to move back down south again. I can't take these Ohio winter's even though I was born and raised here. Something about the south and not just the weather. I have stopped unpacking boxes , because I feel strongly that we are going to return there soon.

2) I have been a Primitive Gift Shop owner twice. I had a lot of fun doing that.I always liked changing the front window once a week and creating little vingettes.

3) I have been a wholesaler with our primitive products. At the time, I was the only one who could do certain painting projects and it was overwhelming for me and we grew too big too soon. I had to get out of it, my advice to anyone who does this kinda of work by your own hands :::STAY SMALL for the sake of your own sanity.

4) If you don't already know this, I am a collector. I started when I was in High School and have been moving my collections from town to town. I loved graniteware, laces and old wood boxes especially. Now that I will be 50 this year, I am ready to lighten the load. I just sent Sam a box up to Canada with things I have collected. Time to pass things on.

5) My favorite color is blue

6) I have been only on this side of the US , but am ready to travel to the other side of the U.S.

7) I grew up in the country, working a garden, baling hay, riding mini-bikes, horses, feeding cows, sheeps and pigs.

8) My husband and I were born in the same hospital, same DR. even though we did not live in the same town.

9)When I was younger, I had my picture taken with "Bob Evans" down on the farm guy, (the sausage/resturant) guy.

10) I am 3 of 6 kids.

OK, so there you have it.

Happy Birthday Little One!!

2009-03-30T12:15:00.000-07:00

Today is my daughter's birthday. I miss her so much ! She married and now lives in Canada. Happy 27 th Birthday, Sam!!!!!!!!!! I have been cleaning house and working on getting my laundry swap finished. Also have been creating some things down there in the basement. I'll show you those later. Back to finishing my projects.

FRIDAY FLEA MARKET

2009-03-27T05:58:00.000-07:00

I have many old boxes with imprints on them and decided it is time to depart with some of my collection. This one would actually make a great wall hanging. It measures 20 inches long x 9 inches high x 2 3/4 wide. It reads: "Highly Explosives Dangerous". At the side it says :Manufactured by Eludpont DeNemours & CO. Established 1902 Wilmington Delaware, USA with the trademark of Dupont in the center. There is a crack down the center; but that is the way I bought it years ago. It also says : This side Up, through the crack.

This is imprinted at one side, also in the inside of a side is stamped Highly Dangerous Explosives. I have more pics, if you would like to see more. It is also also dovetailed at the top side. Rusty nails, line the sides of it, as in the first picture. $20.00 plus $9.85 shipping.

Next are 8 quilt top pieces. Couldn't get them in one big pictures. I am not sure the pattern,parts are handsewn, parts are machine stitched.

I do have more pictures of these if you are interested. I have had them for years in a trunk, so I am not sure the age. All are cotton pieces, old fabric of course. It looks to be in the 30's -40's -50's area. You could make pillows, candlemats, or try to put them together for a quilt. $10.00 for all plus $3.00 shipping.

Paypal. Items are on a first come first serve basis. Email me at :kggrace02@yahoo.com. Thanks

Window with A Spring View

2009-03-26T10:47:00.000-07:00

When I woke up this morning ; this was the view from my bedroom window. The rain pouring down( and still is), ditches filled with water. The trees are loving it. If you look at the branches, they have their little red/green buds on them. I am moving slow with the rain, but am also getting ready for Flea Market Friday. More goodies as I go through more boxes. Come take a peak tomorrow.

Parting Is Such Sweet Sorrow

2009-03-25T12:17:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had something in your life that started out with you in your early , early, primitive decorating years, that was just a part of you. A lot of people would come in our home and look at this old gal, at her marks, her signs of aging. You know she didn't come from a store front furniture window, nor store for that matter. She was found by my father in a barn many years ago, before I adopted her. My father kept her in the top of his garage, I think just waiting for me to display her. When I lay claim to her, I thought she was a treasure. Her wide shelves have held my pewter collections, my wooded bowls, my Noah Ark Collections, old books, even old record albums & video tapes of the kids. Over the years,her top has displayed baskets, a an old rocking horse, wooden buckets, milk bottles full of potpourri to put around candles, just to name a few things.

Alas, I can not find a place to put her in this house. Today, I listed her for sale. Maybe she will a new home , which has other people's primitive collections to hold. Maybe even an antique store, where her beauty can be shown to the public everyday. If I don't sell her, she always has a home with me.

I'm Back

2009-03-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

Blessings to all! It was a wonderful trip. My husband had Monday off work , so we decided to stay Monday and got home late last night. It was good to be back among "friends and Family." I thought I would share a few photo's from the weekend. There were over a 1000 people that showed up to the conference, but most of all JESUS showed up. The pictures taken below are during worship.While Praise and Worship is taken place , so are artist painting what they are seeing. Many people were healed of many different things. I met and ministered to people from all over the world. Some of our friends here in Ohio came down. One couple I had not seen in 10 years. It is really funny when you see people that you live in the same state with and you travel to meet them in another state?? Bill Johnson and Kim Daniels ministered healing also. If you ever get a chance to listen to them, don't miss it. It was my first time listening to Kim Daniels. She is one "REAL" preacher. I loved it. Bill Johnson an amazing anointed man of GOD with awesome revelation. He prayed over us on the Healing teams individually.

As you can see in the pictures, the many people there, who went home different; hearing better, seeing better, backs healed, thyroids heal,etc.; more than I knew and saw. For those who ask , our church is in South Carolina, near Charlotte, in a town called Fort Mill, S.C. It does have elevators, that is a glass elevator in the picture and it does have 4 floors. It is a hotel that you stay in while attending a conference or traveling to come to church. If you have GOD TV, you can watch it on Tuesday nights and this conference will probably be shown.

Great to be back among the blogging friends.

Traveling and Praying

2009-03-18T07:49:00.001-07:00

Today I am packing. Getting ready to take a little trip, that I have been looking forward to for weeks. We left the Carolina's to move to Ohio, but my heart misses the south so. We left "family" behind there. Thank GOD for today's technology, I still talk to them about everyday. We were very involved with our church there and are still connected, which is one of the reasons that we are going back down there for a few days. We were a part of the healing teams there for about 4 years. I saw JESUS do some incredible things while on the teams. Yes, HE has done some amazing things while here in Ohio also. Our church in the Carolina's is an international church. My husband & I were priviledged to pray for people all over the world. It doesn't matter from what part of the world you are from, we all have things to come to the LORD about. Thursday thru Saturday our church is having a Healing Conference. We are going to minister there. I am most ALIVE when I am praying for people. All you need is the presence of the LORD and people get healed. During this conference last year, I saw pre-cancerous tumors disappear, a woman coming out of her walker, eyes and ears opening. There were so many people getting healed of many different things. People were praying for one another and people were getting healed.

There is expected to be over a 1000 "Thirtsy"people showing up and that is just those who signed up for the conference, not including the members. Some of my friends here in Ohio are coming down also. Guest speakers are Bill Johnson and Kimberly Daniels. Bill Johnson came last year for our Healing Conference. Most of all we just want the "presence of the LORD." We are "thirsty" and HE is welcome! See you on Monday

Food and Family and an Eyecandy Tour

2009-03-17T07:50:00.000-07:00

Does anybody get this magazine out there in blog land. I have been getting it for years. It is a wonderful cookbook, with the most simple yet delicious recipes out there. It gives you simple recipes to put together for your family;using staples that are already in your pantry.

Not only your recipes with the main foods, but yummy desserts as well. You can go to www.kraftfoods.com to get this wonderful book FREE in the mail. It comes out quarterly. Fantastic website as well to help you with your daily meals.

The recipe for the "Simply Delicious Coffee Cake" below.

1 pkg (2 layer -size) white cake mix

1 tsp.ground cinnamon

1 cup Sour Cream

3 eggs

1/4 cup of water

1 can (21 oz.) cherry pie filling, or blueberry or apple or strawberry

1/2 cup Sliced Almonds, toasted

1 cup powder sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp. milk

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Beat first 5 ingredients with mixer until well blended. Pour into greased and floured 13x 9 -inch; top with spoonfuls of pie filling.

Bake 25 mins. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean; sprinkle with nuts. Cool 10 mins. Mix sugar and milk; drizzle over cake. Cool completely.

"Chicken with 20 cloves of Garlic" below.

On another primitive note: I just finished looking at this wonderful eyecandy full primitives. An excellent tour! Check it out:http://www.picturetrail.com/mustardseedhill

Evening Star

2009-03-16T05:38:00.001-07:00

My love for stars is throughout our home. Below are a handle from a checkerboard that we made and a piece pottery that we have. I found this poem in a little book that I have called "Happy Thoughts." Now we all need "Happy Thoughts." Star that bringest home the bee,
And sett'st the weary labor free!
If any star shed peace, 't is thou,
That send'st it from above,
Appearing when heaven's breath and brow
Are sweet as hers we love.

FLEA MARKET FRIDAY WITH A TWIST

2009-03-13T04:45:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, in my blog. I spoke of my love for log cabins. I have had many share with me about there love with them also. In a past blog, I shared our birdhouse with you and we had response wondering if we would sell them. We do locally. Today my twist , in this Flea Market Friday is to offer our birdhouse log cabin to you . Our logs are brown/grey/black in color. Just like the old one that we lived in. The roof is an actual barn roof, rusty as you can see in the picture. We have the birdhouse opening with moss attached to the front of it. They stand at 8 inches tall , a little over 4 inches wide in the front, & a little over 2 in wide at the sides. They have an attached felt bottom, so as to nice scratchup your shelf . No two cabins are the same , since they are handmade. They are solid.

Today we are offerring them to you (ONE DAY ONLY) at $15.00 plus shipping$7.00. If you are interested please email me at kggrace02@yahoo.com. Paypal must be paid today. Only ONE birdhouse per person.

After today , you can purchase them on etsy for $25.00.

My friend Gina at "Cat Nap Inn Primitives" is having Flea Market Friday also. Go take a peak.

Running Slow

2009-03-12T12:13:00.000-07:00

I am running on the slow motion button today. A little behind , but slowly catching up. If you are a visitor to this blog ; you know my love for cabins, and my adventures of living in one, (Every primitive womans dream). This was a piece we created some years ago as a door wreath. Got my little barn metal roof , & grey chimney, log and chink of course!

Tomorrow, I will have Flea Market Friday with a twist. Hope to see you then.

By the way, did I mention that I love log cabins????????????????

Spring is HERE! & Here's what I've been Doing

2009-03-11T03:37:00.001-07:00

With the arrival of spring, it is time to start thinking about getting out that garden art or else, for me, get busy making it. So I 've been busy in the wood shop. So I have been working with some old wood, my carving tools, & some wire. She would good sitting on a garden fence.

I got into my supplies to find that I had some rusty fences, and a few birdhouses that I have painted in the past. This area has lots of honeysuckle vine, so I made some use of it. She will look good plucked right down in the middle of wildflower,herb patch.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Basil

This little sweetheart has a wire hanger in her hands so that herbs or drieds can hang off of them. You can barely see the wire through the vines. She would look good on a porch on in a mudroom. What do you think?????

Baked Swiss Potatoes

2009-03-10T07:46:00.001-07:00

After 29 years of marriage, I am always in the look out for some new yummy recipes to try. I am a big fan of the "Gooseberry Patch " cook books and have a large collection of them. I think I would spend years trying to cook every recipe that I have in them. I found this one the other night, which I thought was quite different, it has a twist; nutmeg and swiss cheese. I did not take pictures all the way through, being my first time making it, cause I didn't know if the family was gonna like it. It is on my list for making again and it's easy.

6 potatoes peeled, sliced and divided

salt & pepper to taste

1 1/2 cup of shredded swiss cheese divided

1/4 t. nutmeg

2 T. butter diced

10-1/2 oz. can beef broth

Spread one -third of potato slices in a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt & pepper & one-third of cheese. Repeat layers twice,ending with cheese. Sprinkle with nutmeg, dot with butter and pour broth over all. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees for one hour, until golden and bubbly. Serves 6 to 8. DELICIOUS!

What I Just Finished

2009-03-09T07:25:00.001-07:00

While rummaging around in boxes yet to be unpacked. I came across this old cute little flannel babies nightgown that I had. It had a few wholes in it but to make it all the more older. So I dirtier her up ,found an angel head that I had made a few months back , added a stick /rusty wire hanger. I went through the BIBLE and found a scripture that I thought fit the dress. Notice all the pink stitching around the top of the dress? That is not mine , but was some other loving mother's hands from long ago.

This is the scripture that called out to me to be stitched.

FLEA MARKET FRIDAY

2009-03-06T04:48:00.001-08:00

Good morning. I am off to a slow start this morning. This is what I am offerring today. I know that everyone is a little tired of snow, but Mr. Snowman is my first offerring of the day.Mr. Snowman is 8 inches tall, in excellent condition. I actually have 2 of these. His marking's underneath that says BBP 1999. Only one is for sale, for $10.00 plus $5.00 shipping SOLD

The above treenware piece I bought over 20 years ago at an antique shop for $35.00. Yes, this is the same one that is on etsy right now for $35.00. It has a heart cut out at the top and is 30 inches long. I have no idea the wood, but I do not have room in this house for it. Today , the treenware piece is $12.00 plus $6.50 shipping. The next picture is the back side of the shovel where it has been shaped & carved, by hand. Sold

For the "shabby chic" people, are 4 hearts that I created, a few years back, out of old pillow cases, tablecloths & doiles, & barkcloth. They are in yesterday's blog bowl, (bowl not included). I have antique buttons on them & there is lace edges. The blue one is a button cover that I made. They are 5 inches long. Price for all 4 is $10.00 plus $4.00 shipping.

Below the beautiful barkcloth backing. If you are interested in any of the above items , email me @ kggrace02@yahoo.com Paypal Thanks a bunch!!!

I've Been Cleaning House

2009-03-05T11:19:00.000-08:00

Cleaning house, yuk! There maybe some of you that enjoy it, but it is not just my thing. Don't get me wrong, I love a clean house. For the last few years, I have lived in a ranch style house, where I have not had to carry a sweeper up and down the stairs. That is not easy on the back. Anyway, cleaning is done for the week. While going through some boxes that I have not been in for years, I came across this piece. I thought it got lost in all the moving and from time to time I have often thought about it. What joy!!!! when I found it. I bought it years ago at a flea market for a $1.00 I think. It did not have the top, but I thought it would look good on a bedroom vanity with some jewelry or in a bathroom with soap, or maybe in the fall with gourds & things in it. What do you think????

Is this beautiful or what???? All those wonderful cracks. Don't you wonder what this piece has seen over the years?

Tomorrow, will be FLEAMARKET FRIDAY here again. Still parin' down. Hope to see you.

Spring and Warmer Temps are COMING!!!!

2009-03-04T08:01:00.000-08:00

I can hear the birds singing!!!
I can see the sun shining and feel the warmer temps coming into the Ohio valley. Soon it will be time to exchange winter gloves for garden gloves. Put away those winter coats and long johns, the flannels. Feel a little bit lighter when you dress in the morning. Watch the birds play in the birdbath and tend to the morning gardens. I will have to contend with the deer when it comes to the garden. I understand in this neighborhood, you have to wake up early to see your harvest, whether it is produce or flowers. Last week in the evening hours there were 3 of them laying in the yard, which will become the garden. I think they will have to find new grazing grounds.

Below, are one of log cabin birdhouses that we made, I have found them and am getting ready to decorate for spring!!!!

A Few New Things

2009-03-03T09:20:00.000-08:00

A midst everything else that has been happening in this household, I did mage to create a few things. My Bunny above above is my creation with a little poem about the garden.

I really like how my "rolling oats" jar turned out. Big enough to hold a whole big thing of oatmeal. "Rolling oats" is my own creation label.

My dried apple jar, was the combination of different spices & the mod podge effect. Took a few days to do it, but it turned out fairly well. Sorry the picture did not turn out so clear.

Still have not found my rings yet, but not giving up. Thanks to all the ladies who emailed me with encouragment & prayers. You ladies are awesome!!!!!!

Believing!!!!!

2009-03-02T08:31:00.000-08:00

Oh my, I was very busy Saturday morning, running around the house and doing all kinds of things, like most of you ladies do. I had to go to the craft mall to put things in my booth and we had the oil in the car changed. We came home and my husband , son and I were praying together. At the end of our prayer, I looked at my wedding finger, & my wedding rings, diamond and band were gone. These have been on my fingers for 29 years. I retracted all my steps, calling the craft mall, ripping open packages that were to be sent in the mail, but to no avail. I BELIEVE with all my heart that the LORD will bring them back to me, in some way. I am thinking positive, no tears, because they are going to be on my fingers once again.

Also , thanks to those who responded to my FleaMarket Friday. I am going to do it again on Friday. There is so much here in this house to be pared down. It was wonderful making new friends through this.

Pray that you all had a great weekend and are safe and warm.

Flea Market Friday

2009-02-27T04:11:00.000-08:00

As most of you know from previous post, we moved recently, and I am unpacking boxes. We have moved 4 times in the past 15 years. Some boxes went in storage, whatever the house could accomadate at the time. I have came across things, more than I am showing today, that I just no longer need. In the second half of my life, I just want to lighten the load.

The salt and pepper shakers are made by Stangl. A collectible pottery maker,(just go on ebay), Brown & white spongeware, excellent shape. Holds a good amount of salt & pepper, or whatever you want to put in them. They are trimmed in black. $6.00 for the pair, plus $3.00 shipping.

The next 2 quilts tops , I have had in a trunk and actually forgot about having them. You can see the size of both of them. Probably fit a double bed. You can hang them over your quilt rack or ladder, cut them up for your crafts. Make a table runner, pot holders, pillows, or whatever else you can imagine. The star quilt below is mostly handstitched. There is a stain which I tried to show. All the fabric on both quilts are old, probably dating back to the 1930's -4o's.

This is the stained area. You may even know how to get the stain out. Star Quilt top $10.00 plus $2.50 shipping. SOLD

This is the pinwheel quilt top. The muslim squares almost feel like a feed sack to me.

Pinwheel quilt top $10.00 plus $2.50 shipping. Some handstitching with the blocks here also. Email if you are interested in any of the above. SOLD

What A FANTASTIC Surprise!

2009-02-26T16:22:00.000-08:00

Recently , I won a giveaway from Deborah at amakedolife http://amakedolife.blogspot.com/. I won the above feedsack which all by itself was grand for me. But she had it wrapped up in a bag, inside the best lavender bags. The scent was so flavorful that my whole downstairs smelled wonderful!

Here is what I was really surprised about , it was in this bag. Read carefully the top of the bag?????

This was such a surprise to me!!!!! I love everything, but this is just so precious!

I just had to share this with everyone. Thank you again, Deborah , for taking the time to add this surprise in with the giveaway.

Finding Surprises

2009-02-26T07:02:00.000-08:00

I have been so busy this morning , catching up with personal email, facebook, ( how many of you are on that)? I still don't undertand the sending of hugs, trees, chocolates, etc. that are on there.
I have finished my Easter swap to be sent out. Hosted by Chars of "The Pickle Pepper Patch." http://forums.delphiforums.com/primswap

I am also still unpacking boxes in this house and finding things I have not seen in a while. By now, most of you know my love for cabins & stars. The cabins , we make, and I came across another one. It is a big one, I think our first one we made??? Made this one many years ago.

I am finding more things that I need let loose of , so I will be having a "Flea market Friday." Maybe there will be a something you can use. Hope to see you.

Just another note: I have been meeting so many nice gals out there. We all seem to have a lot in common. It has been great getting to know all of you.

I am off to finish things for my local booth.

Sittin' and Stitchin"

2009-02-25T07:27:00.001-08:00

I need to catch up today with some stitching projects , so I'll be sitting in the chair & stitching away. In my favorite rocking chair are some of my past stitching projects. My love for log cabins, and stars show throughout our house.

GOD Bless America PinKeeps

2009-02-24T07:04:00.000-08:00

After being in this house for a few months, I have not quite unpacked all my boxes yet. Being a pack rat for so many years, of so many different things, I am still paring down. I bought this flag material years ago. I am a lover of stars and have alot of star material and americana fabric. You can do this with the little flags that are sold in craft stores. First by staining/ grungying up your flag then adding the backing fabric of your choice, sewing them right sides together, turning, and then stuffing your little pillow . I made little stick pins by printing out words on your computer like: "America", "Liberty", "Justice" and also in my stash, I had little rusty stars. I glued them to the top of headpins. I have a silicon mold of little stars to which I melted beeswax & put in the molds, sticking some jute in the stars before they solidified. Easy, then you have yourself a little pincushion.

I've Been Busy in the Basement

2009-02-23T09:46:00.001-08:00

I have been busy in the basement the last week putting my creativity to work. Above , I made a beveled hanging coat rack with 4 rusty star hooks , in a mustard and black. $13.00 plus shipping

I am so ready spring like so many others of you out there, as I am looking at my window at snow flurries in the air. I took an old piece cedar wood that I have & carved out the word "Garden" . We also took an old piece of rusty barn roofing, I have an ample supply of that,& made a carrot which I painted garden greens, & carrot oranges, hung up with a rusty wire to put on your garden fence. Truly primitive. $15.00 plus shipping

I am ready to start my herb garden this year. Cut out some stars with that old barn roofing and painted "Herbs" on each one, to put beside your herbs. All the stars are in different sizes and shapes. $9.95 plus shipping.

Graniteware & Winter

2009-02-19T05:49:00.000-08:00

Many thanks to those who have written me with the different uses for graniteware. As I told you in earlier post; I have collected the different colors for so many years . Above is my light blue funnel, I am not read to part with. I still use it on occassions. Thanks to "CatNip Primitives" for the idea of using the big roaster as a planter, "Sweet Repose" as keeping utilities in hers beside her oven.

Winter is back & it is time to start a fire in the fireplace. I am in a local craft mall & have been creating in the basement spring items. Oh , for the warmth of daffodils and blue skies. It will be here soon enough.

I am off to the basement.

New Ideas For Old Things

2009-02-18T08:27:00.000-08:00

I received an e-mail yesterday from Melanie of Covered Porches blog. She told me that she took an old ladle and used it as a bird/chipmunk/squirrel feeder. She says that she will be doing a post on it later. I have other graniteware pans that will become ny birdbaths & feeders, & planters. Yesterday, I couldn't find our ashbucket to empty out ashes in the fireplace & grabbed my brown/white graniteware bucket for that. It is so durable & so many uses. The big bucket that holds our wood above is grey & I have had it for years. I remember walking into an antique store in Lebanon, Ohio & an older gentlemen had just brought it in & I grabbed it up. It has served us well, through all of our moves.

Check out Melanie:http://coveredporches.blogspot.com/

Parin' Down 2

2009-02-17T06:04:00.000-08:00

More items today. This item is in excellent condition again. Just was used as decoration. It matches the little frying pan. $8.00 plus shipping. The roaster is old . Light blue in color and has the word "Savory" across the front of it. It has it's share of dings as you can see in the picture. It is white on the inside. I am not sure of it's origin, but I have it for over 20 years. I was a collector of the blue graniteware & am downsizing my collection. I have more pictures if you are interested. The roaster is big in size. It measures about 21 inches long & a little over 9 inches wide. It would look good in a shabby or prim kitchen. You can click on the pics to get a better look of the items. $ 25.00 plus shipping

My grey graniteware ladle has some rusty spots on it too, but over all in good condition. $ 5.00 plus shipping

The little tea towel looks very spring like, minty green & yellow. $3.00 plus shipping. Will combine shipping on items. Email me if you are interested.

Blessings!

Parin' Down

2009-02-16T11:56:00.000-08:00

In my last few blogs , I have told you about being a collector for years. Now moving into the house , I am finding out that I need to pare down on a lot of my collections. I am changing decor as a lot of you out there are. Therefore, it's time to get rid of some things. For the next few days , I will be putting on some thinsg that need to go. If you are interested, prices do not include shipping. Email me & I will get right back to you. I have more pictures if you are interested. Below the small frying pan is in excellent condition. Never been used ,only hung up for decor. $5.00 plus shipping The scoop which is crackled with a star on each side ,5 rag balls, actually fabric covered over styrofoam balls , then I added white felt stars, also am throwing in 4 yummy spice covered candles. Everything has been grunged. They smell great. $10.00 plus shipping

The old bowl; measures 9 inches at the top in diameter. It has the old crackle look. I have more pictures if your interested.The light blue/pink around the top.

$20.00 plus shipping.

Mammy doll is an old toaster cover. Dressed in yellow white check dress, & headscarf, white ruffles apron has a few stains on apron . She's old.

$12.00 plus shipping

His & Her's blue linen towels. White satin border. Letter's are white satin.

$8.00 for the pair plus shipping.

MORE Tomorrow

Shabby & Prim

2009-02-15T04:51:00.001-08:00

I have been a collector of many things over the years. When my kids were younger, I would put them in a wagon & go to the local flea market every thursday morning early. This being over 20 years ago, where I lived in in area where flea marketing, wasn't the place to shop. I collected what is now called "shabby & primitive" items. Above the bedskirt is a very old hand crochet bedspread with tears , covered up , you would never see the tears.

Also over the years , I have many, many, many, different laces, barkcloth, & vintage florals . Above the tablecloth is first covered by an old quilt ,then, an old lacy tablecloth that I tea stained. It has holes as well, but in the past, I have also used it as a curtain topper. The lamp, is one of our creations , that I crackled & chippyed white paint, with 2 iron star.

The picture above, was painted by my daughter for me as a gift. The frame I had bought years ago at the flea market, awaiting for it's perfect picture. The frame is gold/white & chippy also. I have done nothing to it. The beautiful picture hangs by my side of the bed. Most everything you see came from that flea market years ago. They have awaiting their home & are just now coming out to be seen.

The Greatest LOVE

2009-02-14T04:15:00.000-08:00

The Veil has been torn; And HIS Voice is calling out and yearning:

"Rise up, my beloved, my fair one,

And come away.

For lo, the winter is past

The rain is over and gone.

The flowers appear on the earth;

The time of singing has come,

And the voice of the turtledove

Is heard in our land.

The fig tree puts forth her green figs

Give a good smell.

Rise up, my love, my fair one,

And come away!"

Swap Pillow 2 Post in 1 Day

2009-02-13T12:00:00.001-08:00

I just got this in the mail from my swap partner Rhonda. It reads:

The kiss of the sun for pardon, the song of the birds for mirth

one is nearer GOD's heart in a garden than anywhere else on earth!

Thanks Rhonda, it's beautiful! Thanks Chars for sitting up the forum.

Working On the house 2

2009-02-13T10:19:00.000-08:00

When we moved in , I did not figure for all the places that I could store my kitchen things, let alone the food. Recently, a friend, that makes furniture had this piece inside his garage, unfinished. I knew just what to do with it, so we bought home & painted it. This is now my kitchen pantry. What do you think?

I've Been Working On the HOUSE

2009-02-12T12:43:00.000-08:00

Moving back to Ohio, last Oct., we purchased an older home that needed lots of lovin'. It is older 2 story home. I have been a "collector of old things" for years and thought this the perfect home for them. The house has great bones and a lot of potental. You just have to see the "possibilities." So the first thing I have been working on was the hardwood floors which are pretty much throughout the house. They were screaming for attention. Working on a section at a time , my accomplishments are above. They are all still not finished yet.
Next was the dining room light. This use to be what hung in the center;

This is now what hangs over the table

Giving away our dining table when we moved, inside this house was a 4 ft. white table that we built a frame for to make it 7 ft. long. I painted everything red first, then came the coat of black paint. Sanded off the edges so you could see the red. I went to a lot of fall sales to find old windsors that I could do the same with. I am still on the search for a few more. This is the results:

There are built in hutches in both the living & the dining room. A glass door was found out in the garage , I did the same painting technique red over black, with it & put all my pewter inside of it. In the days to come I will be sharing alot more of our work & there is still a lot more to be done.

YUMMY!

2009-02-11T08:57:00.000-08:00

I am always looking for quick , yummy recipes. Having been a fan of the Gooseberry Patch Cookbooks for years, I found this recipe. I didn't take a picture of the dish because I did not know that it was going to turn out so delicious. This is my utensil bucket, created years ago, & I did use the untensils so here the recipe:

Beef Tips & Noodles

3 10 3/4 oz. cans cream of chicken soup

1 t.dried parsley 1 T. onion chopped

salt & pepper to taste

2 lbs. extra lean beef tips

2 12 -oz, pkgs. bowtie pasta noodles

Stir first 5 ingredients together in a slow cooker. Place settings on low and let cook for 8 to 9 hours. Prepare noodles according to package directions; spoon beef tips over noodles. YUMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Valentine Blog Party

2009-02-08T11:50:00.000-08:00

There's a Valentine Blog party going on next week. Anyone can join. Just stop by here:
http://www.collagediva.com/souljournal/

Cabin Fever

2009-02-05T12:12:00.000-08:00

I've always had a love for log cabins. Many years ago , my family was given the opportunity to live in a very, very old log cabin. It was log and chink & composed of many different cabins that were dismantled to sit on the 400 acres that this one sat on. The original one on the property was built by a German pastor & it was small. It was my kitchen . It had the fireplace in it with a swinging crane inside of it. The ceiling of the cabin lifted up because that was where the family slept.That became our storage area.

THE ADDED ON PARTS: You stepped down inside to the living room which had a huge stone fireplace surrounded by bookcases, then a dining room was on the other side. The ceiling of these 2 rooms were just a rough wood. I could never keep it clean , also was a large bathoom in that area. You stepped up to a foyer of a sort which became our office; next to that was our bedroom which was the size of a bowling alley, (no joke). It had a small bathroom. It was also my crafting room. We had an upstairs that had a TV room & our 2 kids bedrooms. It had a large screen porch on the back which was where I did all my wood working. All in all it was 3500 sq. feet. It was romantic until the cold winter came. Many a morning I would wake up & see my breath in the air in our bedroom. The cabin was a bear to heat.It also had 2 ponds on the property & yes in the winter there were bear tracks around the ponds. In the summer it was hot. All the doors were dutch doors, which means that they opened in the middle. The windows swung out to the side. Did I mention that my laundry room was outside? I had to go outside every morning to put the laundry on.

It was beautiful outside. There was a creek on both sides of it & a long dirt road that went back to it. I got to see Mama turkey & her babies cross the road quite often, wild rose hips were mine for the taking. I grew an herb garden that was wonderful. We had free reign on the 400 acres to take long walks & nobody bothered us.

Inside the cabin we had a few friends, such as bats, mice, a flying squirell around the attic, chipmunks that the cat drug in.

I am glad that we got to experience that, but I am greatful for some more modern conveniences. We lived there for 4 years.

Our love for cabins go on..... Above is one of our creations. No 2 are alike, log & chink of course, with a little chimney at the side. 4x4 x5 with a old rusty roof from a barn. They are $20.00 plus travel expenses.

Also made the Crow foot Extract bottle at the side. It is am antique brown bottle that would be nice for your primitive kitchen. Also I have some Noah & Jonah prints for $.50 each They measure 3 1/2 X 7 inches. Put a few new things on etsy. Got a few more vintage quilt tops & blocks for the quilting person.

I WON!

2009-02-03T11:59:00.000-08:00

I just found out that I won a feedsack from Deb at Amakedolife. Now what am I going to create with it?

Come On In

2009-02-02T11:30:00.000-08:00

Hi! This is my first blogging post. With the help of my children,and encouragement of other bloggers , I finally got it posted. I had to learn to navigate my way through the terms.

I am a lover of anything old, Going into the second half of my life, I am feeling the need to pare down. A DIY'er for years and still am, loving wood , fabric, tin, and whatever other junk I can get my hands on.

Just returned to the North from living in the south for 4 years. Like most of you, trying to cope in this weather. We bought an older home, that needs some lovin' in every room, Have been working on hardwood floors and all the painting chores. The glass knobs above are in every room. You will be probably be seeing some of my projects that I will be doing.

Looking forward to spring time to planting that garden. I see already that I will have visitors , like the deer who travel through the neighborhood. Any suggestions to keep Bambi away from our garden would be welcome. Hope to from time to time to share reciped & other things with you. We live UP ON A HILL, so will be sharin from here. I like the old , old recipes. Got some from the Farmer's Almanac. So here is one for you from the HILL:

Sally Lunn

2 Cups flour 2 eggs separated

3 teaspoons baking powder 1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup melted butter

Mix and sift the dry ingredients. Add the milk to the beaten egg yolks and add to the dry ingredients stirring until just mixed. Stir in the melted butter, then fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in a well greased 9-inch square pan in a moderate oven (350) for about 30 mins. 9 squares