The earth has grown old with its burden of care
But at Christmas it always is young,
The heart of the jewel burns lustrous and fair
And its soul full of music breaks the air,
When the song of angels is sung. ~ Phillips Brooks

A Big Day for Small Business

November 27, 2010 is the first-ever Small Business Saturday.
A day to come together in support of the small businesses we love - the shops and restaurants that employ our neighbors and reinvest our money close to home, the businesses that are the heartbeat of our communities and local economies.
Take the pledge to support small business. Join the movement!

Happy Halloween!

Rusticity

...the condition of being rustic.

A Murder of Crows

...awaiting Halloween!

A Day at Brimfield

Finally made it to the Brimfield show this year. Thousands of dealers, tons of shoppers and the best junk (aka antiques) anywhere!


Got a bunch of these.


And some milk bottles.


Wish I had a garden...oh, well!

Pumpkins for Sale

*****SOLD*****

“With fingers weary and worn,
With eyelids heavy and red,
A woman sat in unwomanly rags,
Plying her needle and thread -
Stitch! stitch! stitch!”
~ Thomas Hood 1799-1845

Determined This Time

I have a bad habit of starting things and not finishing them - like this crocheted afghan I started about 4 years ago.


So now I'm determined to finish it before it starts getting cold and I can actually use it. Yeah, right!

My Ideal Job!

"This isn't your grandmother's antiquing. Pickers like Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz are on a mission to recycle America, even if it means diving into countless piles of grimy junk or getting chased off a gun-wielding homeowner's land. Hitting back roads from coast to coast, the two men earn a living by restoring forgotten relics to their former glory, transforming one person's trash into another's treasure. American Pickers (seen on The History Channel) follows them as they scour the country for hidden gems in junkyards, basements, garages and barns, meeting quirky characters and hearing their amazing stories. If you think the antique business is all about upscale boutiques and buttoned-up dealers, this show may change your mind--and teach you a thing or two about American history along the way."

Happy 4th of July!

Summer

Cause it's summer
Summer time is here
Yes it's summer
My time of year

Scarecrow People

The wonderful lifesize creations of Michael Melle can be seen on the lawn of Memorial Hall Museum in Deerfield, MA.






Some based on classic paintings by Millet and Corot.




Made of hay, sticks, string and wire.




Did he just move?

Memorial Day

Flag of the Brave

"Put your Hands to Work...

and your Hearts to God." ~ Shaker Motto

How to Make an 8-Pointed Star

I came across an easy pattern to make an 8-pointed star and thought I'd share. You can make them as big or small as you want. They make great pinkeeps, pillows and ornaments.


Take a square piece of paper and fold in half. Fold in half again. Turn diagonally and fold point to point.


Holding the folded end, cut the top diagonally to resemble a diamond shape.


And there you have it.

Faded and Worn

I bought this tattered old quilt at an antique mall a while back with the intention of cutting it up for craft projects. But every time I get out the scissors, I just can't seem to cut it. So, it sits at the foot of my bed...for now.

And the Winner...

of Country Style is Sarah. Congratulations!


Happy Earth Day!

A Giveaway!

While doing some spring cleaning, I came to the conclusion that I have way too many decorating books. So, I shall give one away!


Country Style by Judith & Martin Miller. "The essence of British, European and American country style illustrated in over 400 stunning colour photographs."






Leave a comment on this post to enter. A winner will be randomly chosen on Earth Day, April 22.


Just the tip of the iceberg!

Pincushion

pin·cush·ion [pin-koosh-uhn] - noun

A small cushion into which pins are stuck until needed.

Can't Wait!

Available April 1st!

A new magazine featuring primitive, folk, historic, and early Americana style artwork. Handcrafted art-making will include dolls, paintings and mixed-media artwork, along with teddy bears in Stampington & Company’s new publication.

Going Green

"The greenest product is the one that already exists."


Doing my part to save the environment by recycling these old clothes I got at the flea market. I'll turn them into pincushions, pillows and doll dresses. Can't beat the price...just 99 cents each!


This one came with the prettiest buttons, too.

Fabric Eggs

...are in my Etsy shop...SOLD!

The Sunshine State

Spending some time in the sunshine state. Florida! Have to enjoy this warm weather while we can, the weatherman says a "winter blast" is on the way later in the week. Going down to 65 degrees!

I claim there ain't
Another Saint
As great as Valentine.
~Ogden Nash

Think Spring

No matter how long the winter, spring is sure to follow. ~Proverb

You Know You're into Primitives When...

You stain or tea dye everything because it looks too new.
You practice making your handwriting look crooked.
Your family has to ask if they can drink from the pot of coffee that's on.
The inside of your dryer has a brownish tinge to it.
Your laundry hanging outside looks dirty.
You actually bleach something to get the color out so you can stain it.
You have to apologize for something not being dirty and tattered enough.
Someone tells you the item you are buying is ripped or stained and you say "that's OK."


Yup, been there.