~Rusty Pins and Old Lace~ What's New

June has finally arrived!

2009-06-02T15:30:00.001-07:00

Like most of you, I've been waiting with baited breath for the first southern winds to blow. Now that June is here, it's time to shed those long pants and sweaters for the shorts, skirts and tank tops! Woohoo for warm temps and calloused feet!! Hubby is buying me one of those silly 'ped eggs'...but I enjoy my tough feet. They may not be the prettiest things to look at,...but these feet can walk over glass girlfriends and trust me, on a farm....feet hard as leather is a good thing. Ok..I DO try to pretty them up with a few coats of polish on the toes all Summer long...doesn't really take away from the Paul Bunion feet I have...but atleast my toes look pretty. Don't know why I love going barefoot...but I have this thing about feeling the grass between my toes..and the fresh dirt while I'm in the gardens.

Speakin' of being outdoors...today was a perfect day for snapping a few shots for you all to see. We had a nice rain last night so everything was green as can be...even opened up a few flowers.

The first couple of pics are of the baby chickens....growing like crazy and SO enjoy the outdoors now. Watching them running to catch bugs is a hoot!

The beautiful rooster is our head guy 'Whorhay'....daughter named him..therefore, the name. Anyhoo, he's a big guy and for as handsome as he is...he's the biggest butt head ever! Mean as a junkyard dog(isn't that a song)....but he loves his girls and takes super care of them. Trust me though, if he ever attacked me, he'd be dinner just like George was.

These last few pics are of just a few places around the farm. The garage with the shelf...usually has flowers on it and will later this month when the day Lilly's open. The old serving cart under the trees with some great old junk I found to plant in. LOVE old pots, pans and such for planting. They have such character. The final pic, as well as the very top one are of the back porch... this really is how it looks all season long. No staging there. Our farm boots that we all wear, my favorite old bucket planted, and my old garden tools that I use everyday. These old things have out lasted any of the new tools I've bought over the years, so I'm always looking for more of them at junk sales.

Well friends, I hope your day has been a beautiful one as well.
Till next time, get camera happy and take a boat load of pics. You might just uncover a special something you forgot you had.

Take care,
Paula

It's that time.....get ready for our ~SIZZING SUMMER GIVE A WAY!!!

2009-05-26T16:07:00.000-07:00

It`s that time of year again...and so beginning JUNE 1st. We`ll be starting our `SIZZLING SUMMER GIVEAWAY which will continue until AUGUST 30! Here's just a peek at what you might win! Check out my website for all the details.

HOW TO ENTER

Entering is easy! You`ll be entered every time you shop!

Each time you place an order of $75.00 or more, your name will be added to the pot. So the more you shop...the higher your chances of winning! THE PRIZES

(1) Grand prize will be awarded consisting of (1)#952 Primitive Anderson House Chandelier .(a $340 value)

(1) First place prize will be awarded consisting of (1)#1232 Stove Board Cover in your choice of color.(a $110 value)

(1) Second place prize will be awarded consisting of (1)#865 New England Sconce-wall mount (a $52.00 value)

The more times you shop, the better your chances are! Lay a way orders can be entered as long as each lay a way order is $75.00 or more, and the final payment will be received on or before Aug. 30th.

The list of winners will be posted to my blog.

Good luck!

Happy Memorial Day To You!

2009-05-24T12:34:00.001-07:00

Hello my friends...I hope everyone is having a safe and happy weekend. Summer has finally arrived with it's warmer temps...what a joy to FINALLY get outside and feel that warm sun on your face. Ofcourse with shorts on I'm as white as a ghost. Hubby says I glow! I don't think it's that bad...and if I do, then so be it. You'd better put on your sunglasses then cuz I'm not changing!
I took a few pics of some of my favorite things that are blooming right now....I LOVE this time of year!!

Chives are one of my most favorite little herb. I LOVE the blooms they give in the Spring, which I cut and dry. It's very easy. I use an old screened window that I have hung in the attic. I simply put the chive stem right through the top of the screen...all the chives heads are resting on the top of the screen...and usually they are nice and dry in a couple of weeks. They are perfect then for flavored vinegars.

The old birdhouse is one that I've had for MANY years....bought it out West 15 years ago from a wonderful 85 year old man that enjoyed building them...and sold them for $20.00. The work is awesome with great detail..and as you can see has aged really well. Sadly, a bird family has never called it home...I think the hole is to large. But I do have another smaller one up front that has held many a family of birds. It took the house about 6 years before any birds would live in it. Don't know why...but through all the moves, every year now Sparrows and wrens raise little ones all Spring & Summer.

My favorite flower of all time are Peonies. In all of the places we've lived, I've never had any to grow, so when we moved here, I was happy as a clam to see 2 sides of the garage covered in Peonies! Gorgeous Pinks, Dark Maroon and White blossoms for many weeks...and then sadly there done. But I did just find a great way of enjoying their blooms all Summer long.

Simple cut the flower stems just as they are opening. You must be able to see a bit of the flower color...or they won't open. You then put them in a baggy...don't close it up... and stash them in the back of the fridge. When you want to use them, simple take them out, trim off the end about 2" and put them in water as usual. Now, I've not tried it yet as I heard this last Winter...so I am pretty excited to see if this works because I can never get enough Peonies in the house before they are finished blooming, or a heavy rain damages them. If you do decide to try this, please let me know how it works for you.

Our peonies are still in small bud right now...but when they do open..I'll have photos to show you.

Well friends, I hope you all a wonderful day today. Stay safe....I just lost a long time friend yesterday in a car crash...so please be careful....you never know.

Till next time, cook up some ribs and whip up a batch of potato salad and just take in the beauty all around you.

Many hugs,
Paula

WINDY HERE.....did I say WINDY!!!!

2009-05-20T13:24:00.000-07:00

I tried to get a photo of the girls and boys.....it's SO windy here that the poor darlin's are hiding where ever possible just to stay out of the wind. This good looking chap is my rooster 'Rocky' (see the similarities??)...He HATES the wind most of all. When his saddle feathers blow up around his head, he does a wild Indian dance to get them to lay down. Pretty funny to watch.

I even tried hanging out laundry today...towels...folded over the lines...3 clothespins. By the time I finished the 2nd line...all of the towels from the first line where blowing across the yard....needless to say, I picked them all up and put them in the dryer. So much for being green today.

Grandbaby even wanted to go outside, but it's so windy I'm afraid the poor thing would blow away! So, instead I caught him doing this.
With pen in one hand, and Grandpa's glasses in the other he had dragged out my gardening mags and some of my rooster books as well....with all this reading, maybe he'll be a great little gardener someday!

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We are working on doing some new updates to the website. Time for a change I think...a bit more simpler and as always...easy for you to use. So hopefully we'll have that finished in a few days. We hope you'll like the new layout. Comments are always welcome.

With our new look will come a *NEW giveaway*! Something we haven't done in a while...and I figured it was about time. We will also be doing a weekly special....and ofcourse if your on my emailing list, you'll get all the information first. So please do sign up....I try to have a 'customer appreciation ' sale once a year...and that's ONLY for my newsletter friends.

So my friends, till next time stay out of the heat with a good book. My new favorite is 'Seasons at Seven Gates Farm'. I want my home to look just like this!!

I do have an extra hardcover issue that I'd love to sell if your interested in it. $12.00 includes the shipping to you. Just email me if your interested. :o)

Take care!

Feels like a life time ago....

2009-05-12T16:28:00.000-07:00

I know, I know.....where have I been? Well dear friends, lets just say that my health was an issue....and I needed to address it. Thank you to all who have emailed and sent cards....your the best! So..I'm now on the road to recovery...a slow road it is, but one that is getting shorter everyday. So, on to all the great stuff that's going on here!

Our oldest daughter moved in last month....and with her came our grandbaby! WOOHOO! Seeing him everyday is just the best joy I could ever ask for. I get to tuck him in at night and kiss him good morning. What a pure blessing he is.

Look at that face....isn't he an angel?

The baby chicks have grown huge while I've been gone. With the warmer weather, they have been moved to a pen that can be inside or out depending on the weather. They do enjoy the warm sunshine and the fresh grass when they are out. I've not introduced them to the older flock yet. Granted, they were just hatched when I received them, but just in case either flock has something contagious...I don't want the other to catch it. Not that any of the chickens have been sick, on the contrary, the older girls are back to playing 'hide the egg and you go find it' game which seems to amuse them to no end. Yesterday I was out on the bench enjoying the day when one of the girls came to share the day with me. When she left, after much chatter, I found a beautiful blue egg by my feet. What a great gift she gave me.

The biggest news is that our sweet youngest daughter's boyfriend came today and asked for our blessing to marry our daughter! Ofcourse after picking myself up off the floor, I gave my approval as did hubby. Alex is a very nice young man and I can honestly say that I've not seen my daughter as happy as she is with him, in a very long time. They are both going to collage and have no plans of quitting......
He plans on proposing next week...I can't wait! He says he's planning something very romantic. Ofcourse I'd expect nothing less from a boy that asked the parents first!

My cup runnith over my friends!

As for store news...our update will be on Thursday. Many primitive antiques will be added...even a few furniture pieces so please do mark your calendar. We will also be marking down a bunch of our antiques to make room for our new goods....so make sure you pick up that something you've been eying before it's gone!

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I'm just so tickled to announce that I've also been asked to be featured in the 'Mercantile Gatherings' magazine. What an honor for me. I shall keep you posted as to when....

Well dears....that's just about all the news I have for now. So, till next time pick up the new issue of 'Mother Earth' mag. It's a great read!

Big hugs,
Paula

Baking Bread & Goodwill makeover...

2009-04-14T16:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a perfect day for making up a batch of homemade bread! Mother nature just couldn't decide if she wanted rain or snow...so I stayed in all day and worked.

I'm sharing with you the bread recipe that I've been using for years. It's SO simple and really a wonderful recipe to work with. But right now I have pics of the baby's as promised. You just won't even recognize them. They are growing by leaps and bounds and are just so darn cute! A few of them are very inquisitive and just had to get their mugs right in the camera!

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I've also finished up one of the Goodwill finds...the stack of boxes.

This is the before..

And here's the after...with a little bit of glue and fabric...they look totally different!

Keep your eyes open when your out junking. Look at things in a different way. Just about anything can be revamped into a whole new look for cheap. These boxes were covered in old fabrics using just plain 'ol glue watered down..with a final coat of aging which you can by in the small bottles where ever paints are sold..after I did a bit of sanding first. The inside is recovered in old papers from a book, but you could use newspaper as well.

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This recipe makes 5 large loaves of bread.

BREAD

3/4 c. butter

6 c. milk (may use part water)

2/3 c. sugar

1 egg

1-1/2 TB salt

2 TB yeast

7 c. whole wheat flour

7+ c. white flour

You may choose to use all of one kind of flour.....this time I used all white.

melt butter. Add milk and heat until warm. Pour into a bowl or bread mixer. Add sugar, egg and salt; mix. Add 7 cups of whole wheat flour and yeast. Add white flour until dough pulls away from the bowl, still a little sticky. Let raise for 1 hour. Knead and shape into 6 small or 5 large loaves. Let raise until dough not spring back to the touch. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes. Remove from pan and cool. Put into bags as soon as the loaves are cooled.

I hope you enjoy making this.

So till next time...bake some bread...slap on some butter when it's finished...and enjoy the day!

HAPPY EASTER BLESSINGS!

2009-04-12T11:56:00.000-07:00

Well my friends...I can't believe it's been a couple of weeks since I last blogged! We've been crazy busy...with birthdays galore! Grandson turned 2, oldest daughter turned 24, and middle daughters boyfriend turned 19, so we had a huge party for all 3. What a great time we had!

We bought the baby a his first bike...and ofcourse the helmet, elbow pads and knee pads to go along with. OK..I'm just a little anal about safety. Just ask my kids...they weren't allowed to ride their bikes without a helmet, and our car never moved until they were all buckled in.
So anyhoo...

It was SO cold that day! We were all out there JUST long enough for Grandpa to get him on the bike, show him were his feet go, and help him peddle down the sidewalk ONCE! Then it was indoors for the rest of the day! Happy Birthdays were sung and cake was eaten...well maybe worn more then eaten, but it was a great time.

The chicks are doing great! We did lose one, it's expected I guess even though I hate losing any...the rest are growing SO big! They look so funny now at 2 weeks with feathers coming in...a little scraggly really. I have 3 that are just sweet as can be, and come to me whenever I'm out there. One of the little Delawares loves to snuggle with me in the evenings. Gosh how I love my chickens! I'll get some new pics taken of them tomorrow and put them on, along with a few of the junk store makeovers I finished up.
Till then, may you have a wonderful Easter today with your family and friends!
Much love to all!
Paula

A Very Busy House!

2009-03-31T15:49:00.000-07:00

We've been busy becoming new parents this past weekend....and having little ones around again is SO much fun! I snapped some pics for you to see after we arrived home and got them settled in. The chicks are just a few hours old when I took these.
We picked them up on Saturday morning from the BEST hatchery that I've ever been to. McMurray Hatchery....and if you'd like information on them, please email me and I'll be happy to send you their way. After being in a few different hatchery's here in Iowa, I was flabbergasted when I walked into McMurray! They are so organized, and SO clean....even washed their hands before retrieving my babys'. So if your looking for baby's of any kind...they carry the most exotic breeds...Murry McMurray is the place you want to visit.

So the baby's are here....all 36 of them. Ofcourse they don't look like that many now...but just wait!

The little yellow chick in the very top pic has fuzzy feet and is a 'Salmon Favrolles'. A very beautiful salmon brown and creamy white color when full grown..with 5 toes and a beard and muff just like my 'Americanan's'. This is a very old French breed and considered critical by the ALBC Priority (The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy).

We also have 'Partridge Rocks', and 'Black Star' which are American breeds and not considered critical.

The Yellow chicks are 'Delawares'. This breed shows white feathers with slight black barring(stripes) in the shankle(neck)and tail. this breed is also Critical. I've personally found this breed to be very gentle and loves human companionship.

'Black Austrolorps' are the black and yellow chicks. A recovering breed that I find the MOST beautiful when grown! All glossy black! Another very gentle and quiet breed.

The yellow and Brown striped backs are 'Speckled Sussex.' A breed from England considered 'Threatened' by the ALBC. This adult female will be a rich mahogany base color with feathers ending in white tips and black bar.

And lastly we have our 'Buttercups'. The chicks have a black banding around their eyes making them look like bandits. They are also Critical. They are from Sicily and their cup shaped comb gives them their name. A beautiful breed and one that our son will be showing for FFA.

I had to show you this sweet little 'Black Australops' that took right to our son and snuggled herself in for a long nap.

This is all of our New baby girls....I do hope you've enjoyed seeing the pics of them. They are now 4 days old and already developing their wing feathers. I'm not sure if you can see it in these pics...
I'm knocking on wood as I say that we've not lost a one yet...and that they all seem very happy and healthy!

I hear some peeping going on....did I forget to tell you that they are smack dab in the middle of my livingroom?? HHHmmm.....well...it was to cold for them yet...just a few more days till it warms up a bit and I know that they'll be eating and drinking on their own. NO they are NOT spoiled!!

Till next time, read up on chickens! It's very mind opening!
Hugs to all,
Paula

What's Up Monday...

2009-03-23T15:23:00.000-07:00

After a very nice weekend...the weather today stinks!! The wind is so bad it's blown my lawn chairs clear into the field. After 3 trips outside to rescue them...I finally decided to drag those huge concrete blocks out and put one on each seat. It had better keep them in place....because THAT was the last time I'm going after them! And just a little FYI...DON"T hang out laundry today!!!!! Not unless you want a pair of your briefs waving hello from the neighbors car antenna as he goes by!! YA...enough said.

Today has been a busy day here. We've just added (6) *NEW* furniture pieces, and (2) *NEW* Smalls! I'm in love with them all!! And..we've also added (6) *NEW* color options as well. These are our most popular colors.....SO awesome!!
These new dough boxes are a definite MUST HAVE!! So perfect for anything! Towels, old newspapers, books, blankets, paper towels...ect. Yup....A favorite!

Making this short and sweet today...busy, busy, busy. Gotta get the meatloaf in the oven!!

When you get a chance, take a peek at the new furniture. My wood worker man and his son do such a beautiful job on it all! Ofcourse, if you'd like more pics of anything...just yell.

Have a nice quiet evening my friends...and hold on to your hats!!
Much love to all,
Paula

It's Friday!!

2009-03-20T11:20:00.000-07:00

Ok girls...how many of you put on the brakes...when you see a 'garage sale'or 'Flea market' sign...or how many times do you circle the block making sure the coast is clear, when you spy some good junk on the curb?? Yup.....me too. Even shoved my 7 year old son in a dumpster a few years back just to grab some GREAT old trim molding someone tossed out. Even picked up a perfectly good wooden ladder that day as well. It was a good day..

I love junkin'......even more then gardening....the better the deals they are, the more my heart flutters. And I KNOW there are many of you that are the same way. So today I thought I'd share a few of the things I just picked up. I'll show you the before pics today..and when they're finished being 'Primed' up, I'll show you the afters.

This sweet little cabinet is my favorite find. Handmade from an old packing crate. It's almost perfect to me...just needs a bit of cleaning up (I'm leaving the original paint) and getting rid of those knobs. We'll put on some simple homemade wood ones...probably what it had on it when it was built. I love the fact that it's missing a drawer. I love the quirky....it'll be a great places to stash a bowl..or recipes...we'll see.

These boxes cost me just a few bucks...and I know, some of you are saying' those are so cute just the way they are'. And your right. But I'm extreme prim girls...and these need to be jazzed up a bit. You won't even recognize them when I'm finished.

And finally we have the birdhouse that you see up top. Handmade and given to me. A little remake and it'll be good to go.

I'm still Spring cleaning and decorating. We have orders we're working on...and ofcourse I LOVE working down on the dining room table instead of my craft room...so the dining room looks like a bus full of 1st graders just visited!LOL
I promise that as soon as I get orders finished and out, I'll get those pics taken. :o)

Hope your having a great day today. Chilly, windy and cloudy. You know it's a icky days when the girls don't want to leave the chick coop.

One week till the baby's arrive and counting down. We are working on the brooding pen today...getting the heat lamps up..and the waters and feeders cleaned. I'm So excited. I've found pics and details of all the new girls coming..so I'll share details of them tomorrow. There are 7 breeds...I miscounted.

So till tomorrow....start a fun junk project...and check out your local farmer's market for those fresh eggs! Our's starts in just a couple of weeks. It's one of my favorite places to go.

Hugs to all,
Paula

Happy St. Patty's Day to you!

2009-03-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a few days since I posted...we've been so busy here. But I just wanted to take a moment and wish you all A great day today. Even though I'm NOT Irish..I did put on a pair of green socks just for this occasion.

I hope your all enjoying this wonderful weather God has finally graced us with. *70 today...but a bit cooler for the rest of the week. Just fine for racking gardens and hanging out clothes.

We've been finishing up our orders...but I've also been sneaking in a bit of time for Spring decorating. I have to admit that I still had just a FEW pieces of Christmas still up. I know.......I'm bad.LOL But after I finish I'll take some pics for you to see what I've been doing. It's been really fun decorating this Spring as I've 'Shopped' in my own home. Finding things that have been put away for awhile now...or things that I've dragged from one room to another. I like this kind of decorating...in these hard times, when we ALL love to have a beautiful home, but little funds to make over....using what we already have can be very satisfyingly. So dig out those goodies you've had stored...and gather some fun Spring things from other rooms and lets get to work. See what you can come up with and in a few days, I'll post mine. Please send me your pictures as well...I'd love to share them with others.

Till then my friends, enjoy shopping in your own home...and don't forget to have a wonderful day today!!

Hugs to all,
Paula

2009-03-12T09:45:00.001-07:00

Well friends...this past week as been nuts. With March coming in like a lamb(and how many FORGOT to change their clocks ahead..Hands up...yes I did)the weather this past week has been anything but Lamb like. We had been scheduled to do our update on the 8th. That didn't happen with the winds and freezing rain taking it's toll on my dish. Yup..that left me without a computer for a day and a half. I was having withdrawals let me tell you.
But between the sun and hubby, we were able to clean it off for our update last night...though it DID take me 4 hours to finish it. Ick! But, if you have a chance, please stop on over and see what I've been doing....I really am proud of the new dolls. All hand sewn (tons of work and finger pricks I have to say)...and all made with 19th century rescued fabrics. LOVE them!!

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Being March...we've also got our baby chicks ordered. They'll be arriving March 28th. So that will be a very big day for us here on the farm. There are almost 40 coming...6 different breads, all of them are very old breeds and 3 of them are almost extinct. So I really can't wait to see them. It'll be a beautiful flock when they all grow up. Hubby is planning on building a different henhouse that can accommodate all of the chickens. Right now it really is just big enough for the girls i have now ...I want a house that can hold the older girls on one side, and the younger girls on the other....
Pictures will be coming as soon as they arrive. Such cute little puffballs.
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I've also got my gardens all planned and have started some of the seeds. It's going to be 8 raised beds this year. Easier for me to garden with the arthritis...and hubby just ordered me a Mantis tiller, so HOPEFULLY no weeds! I'm not sure who's more excited to play with it...me or hubby. He comes in every morning askin' if the post man delivered it yet. I swear...he's like a kid in the candy store when it comes to gadgets!

As usual I went nuts with the seeds. But the packages look SO pretty..and the promise of beautiful plants and flowers is just to much for me to handle. So a whole bag full of seeds are now sitting on the potting table. I'm not talking just 1 pack of each kind here my friends...oh NO..I'm talking 4-5 packs of each!! Well...like I told hubby, we live on a farm...with lots of room...which needs lots of plants because then it's less mowing for him. See where I'm going with this?? Oh yes, that worked and hubby was speakless scratching his head....and then finally agreed with me. 'Yup, I guess your right. I love him to death, but BOY is he easy!!(giggle)

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So dear friends, I'm off to finish orders...we've had alot of wood orders..which is very good but a bit time consuming with all the aging we do to them. So I'm off to age and work...hopefully I'll get few more goodies on the website in the next few days..so please keep checking.

Till next time....put your feet up and read a good book and just enjoy the beautiful day!
Hugs to all!

Starting Roses from Cuttings..

2009-03-06T10:55:00.000-08:00

This is what's left of a huge bouquet of flowers that I received on Valentines day from hubby. I was just getting ready to toss them, when I noticed that 2 of the roses had sprouts on the stems. Now, I've NEVER seen this before on florist flowers.....and probably will never again, so I decided to root them and see if they'll grow.
Rooting is really simple...but only works on hard stem plants...such as the roses, lilacs, lavender..etc. Just always make sure you take a cutting from the old woody growth.

After cutting off the blossom , I cut just below the new sprout. Both cuts are at an angle for better water absorption.

I found 2 small custard cups to plant the roses in. The cups are small enough to put a sandwich bag over..and then to sit on the window ledge.

After cutting the stems, I dipped them in water, shook off the excess and swirled the wet stem in the root hormone. This I buy at any farm implement store, but I have seen it at Walmart as well.

I then pushed the stems into the moist potting soil, and taped down nice and firm. Give it a bit of a misting, not much. You don't want mold to grow. Cut a wooden skewer in two and push on either side of the stem. This will keep the bag from settling on the stem and will act as a terrarium.

Cut off the 'zip' part of your sandwich bags, and place over the your whole pot. You can tie some twine around the bottom if you'd like, But I like to keep mine open for a bit of fresh air. Only mist the stem when it's dry. With the bag over it, it should produce enough water to keep itself going, but if you see that it's to wet, uncover the pot for awhile.

You can keep it on the windowsill, or on a table on the south side of your house.

After about 4 weeks, you can check to see if roots are growing by very gently tugging on the stem. If there's resistance, you have roots! After about 2-3 months, I'd transplant the rose into a larger container and over winter till Spring which is the best planting time for roses.

Have fun....look around this Spring and see what you can start. It's a great cheap way of adding plants to your gardens. :o)

Good Luck!

A wonderful day!

2009-03-05T15:34:00.000-08:00

YUH.....now this is what I call a great day! 65*...warm, sunny and just plain beautiful. I've had my windows open for most of the day...don't you just love that fresh smell you get indoors when the windows have been open?
I tried to stay outside for awhile...just to enjoy the sun...I hung out some laundry.....and the girls enjoyed the day as well. With the snow melted, they were able to do the thing they most love in the world...dust bath.What's even funnier is when all them try to get in there to bath. Oh how they love this time!

POOR MATILDA! Her pretty feathers never grew back after she molted last Fall...but they do say that your best laying hens are always the worst looking. I should sew her a jacket... don't you think?

Have a great evening!

The 2ND Day of March

2009-03-02T13:34:00.000-08:00

I just can't believe that March is already here...AND we have NO snow on the ground! NONE...ZILCH!! And even better is that it's going to be in the *50's here later this week! WWOOHHOO....time to break out the shorts and hammock. I just had to share this sweet doll that just arrived from Miss Wilma. She is the MOST precious thing ever! That face just sang my tune when I saw here....and so she now sits in a place of honor...where I (and hubby..giggle) Can see her everyday. I just love her to pieces!!

I'm a sucker for a wooden bowl. Yup...my passion, my downfall. MUST HAVE!! It's like I can't even walk by one without snatching it up....it's in my hands before I realize it. And having all these bowls is fun but yet a challenge...what do you do with them?? So I've taken a few shots of a few of my favorite things. I like putting ANYTHING I can find in them. This HUGE bowl is on my coffee table and is filled with oranges and grapefruit that I dried myself. There's also some dried mushrooms, artichokes, and baby gourds all layered on a bed of dried grass. I love how primitive they look...the fruit isn't dried all pretty...it's got a great old look to it.
The 2nd bowl is filled with old wooden architectural pieces from an old porch that was being torn down. I loved how simple yet detailed they were...I only wish there was a few more of them.
I've also filled a bowl that's in my kitchen full of all my tin goods. Cutters galore and scoops. Great texture! And always on hand if I need them.
The cabinet is one hubby built for me...and is a narrow 'jelly' cupboard on top. Just perfect for a simple line of bowls. Christmas comes I tuck in greens an drieds...otherwise I usually leave them alone.
And finally, my favorite little 'make-do' cupboard filled with my little sheep (another obsession) and smaller wooden bowls with paddles. The checkerboard you see is one we build and can be found for sale on our website.
So what are your obsessions??
OOHHH..I also LOVE textiles....we'll save that for another day!LOL

Have a great day!

Updating on The Primitive Gathering

2009-02-25T14:29:00.000-08:00

Well..the first of March is almost here...(can't believe it)..and I DID hear birds singing right outside my window today..so it's not to far away!!

After being down for almost 2 weeks sick....I had a lot of catching up to do. Between boxing up orders I was working on some new dolls for the March 1st update on 'The Primitive Gathering'. This guy is Tom...all ragstuffed and hand sewn. A real sweetheart I must say....if you'd like to adopt him,or any of the other dolls.. check out 'The Primitive gathering' March 1st.

And it finally happened.....hubby said no more shoppin' till I get rid of some of my stuff. (meanie) So...we are having a sale on most of the antiques. Good prices. So hopefully we can get some more stuff on the site. So shop, shop, shop!!

And..we've had quite a few gals ask if we could make it easier to find out the shipping prices on our furniture...and we did! THERE ISN'T ANY!! Yup...we decided to just make it as simple as can be for you and have FREE SHIPPING on ALL of our furniture and most of our smalls! Isn't that great! And trust me girls, when I say that our furniture is wonderful!! I've got a few pictures from a couple customers that ordered...and sent along happy reviews..it's just a matter of getting them on the site.AAuugh! The pretty piece below is probably one of my favorites!

Hope your all well....I'll try not to sneeze on you....and getting in the Spring mood! Keep peeking in on the site. We are adding things every couple of days!
Take care and stay well!

It's not nice to fool with Mother Nature!

2009-02-09T15:50:00.000-08:00

I'm so in love with Spring...the sights...the sounds...the smells. And being the middle of February I KNOW that Spring isn't here yet..but how can I not get Spring fever with weather in the *50's! Even though it's melting the snow faster then the streams and creeks can keep up with....it's still so wonderful to be outside hanging up clothes.

My husband is afraid that Winter is over(remember they have a snow machine in the basement STILL)..but I assured him that I hardly think that Winter will give up so easily. As a matter of fact, we had snow in the middle of May last year.

So with fingers crossed that it won't be another Spring like last year where the flooding took so many homes, I hang my clothes out on the line for the first time today...and breath deeply the fresh warm smells of February.

I am in the process of adding the primitives we have for you. We babysat our grandson this weekend which left me exahuasted....but very happy. So I will get those goods added for you tomorrow..and I even have some new handmades for you to view as well.

Please do stop by tomorrow for a peek and a chat. It's always so very nice to hear from you.

I've snapped just a few pictures of my livingroom. Nothing fancy...but it's were our heart is.

I'm here........really I am!

2009-02-03T17:19:00.000-08:00

Well...it never fails. No matter how much sanitizer I keep in my purse, or how many times I wash my hands.....I get that darn flu bug ..every year!! I thought I had it made...usually it hits me at Christmas time...but..oh no...silly me for thinking I was safe! This time it got me.. WHAMOO...WORSE then usual. Down a whole week this time. AAUUGG........is Spring ever coming?? I have noticed that the days are getting a bit longer...and that my girls are laying a few more eggs...so I think it is creeping closer.

Ok..story time. Car wash...automatic...Sitting in there jammin' to the radio with son as he pipes up and says' Mom..wouldn't it be funny if the water didn't come out'. Laughing..I said 'ya it sure would'. At this time the thingie has already gone around with the prewash and is making it's way back from the 2nd time with the soap. It makes it's way to the front...and just as the water SHOULD be shooting out the only thing it's spiting is AIR!!!!!! YA! So there I am...full of prewash, soap...and NO WATER!! But that's not even the best part......NOW comes the WAX!! And still no water. So here I am..prewash, soap AND wax......and then THE DRYER COMES ON!!! OMG.....The heat just baked all that stuff to my car.....Son is laughing hysterically..and I'm swearing like a sailor! Ofcourse I couldn't go anywhere....and God help the poor old man that was using the stall next to me. He must have thought I had turrets!!!

So... after the little green light came on happily blinking for me to 'PULL AHEAD', I exited...only to drive back around again...to wash it by hand.

This little adventure cost me $35.00.and I did leave the caretaker a nasty note expecting to be repaid for atleast the automatic wash! Haven't heard from him yet. Go figure.

So..on to business. As you may have noticed we've added tons of new items to the store. I'm SO excited about it all...and we do have more on the way! I've searched for a very long time for some really outstanding artists...and with my quest finished...I'm come up with the most talented folks in their fields.

Everything we now have is ALL made right here in the USA!! No oversea items!! NO machine made items!! Everything we offer is being all handmade by this group of very talented artists. Some of them have won awards for their talents....and all just amaze me with their kindness and goods.

I hope you enjoy the way we have the website set up now. All antiques are in the 'Antique' area....sometimes it was a bit confusing I know. You can now find just about everything for your Home & Heart in one store.

I will still be making my handmades....are you kidding...it's what keeps me sane! And ofcourse we'll have bunches of more primitive antiques for you as well. I hope you like the look of the store...and the ability to shop in one area....I know it makes me feel good to be able to offer these new items to you.

So, if you have any questions about the new stuff....or just want to chat, just step outside and holler. I'll hear ya!!

Till next time....get your flu shot!!

Crock Pot cooking.....might as well... to cold to do anything else....

2009-01-13T10:41:00.000-08:00

I know it's a super long title...but says exactly how I feel today. -9* below(without the winds) and just plain icky! Hubby just took off for the store....asked me to come along...ya..right. I'm like a bear, hibernating till warmer weather heads our way. THOUGH..I did receive 5 new seed catalogs in the mail this week!! That is always a good sign to me....lets me day dream of those fabulous, bug free, weed free gardens I'm going to have this year. Those Martha Stewart gardens....you know the ones...huge, perfect rows....no bugs..and not a weed to be seen. I just feel sorry for the gardener that has to do all that. Her doing it?? Spare me!!

Anyhoo.....Crock pot cooking it is today. In the last blog I told you I was cooking a wonderful roast. It came out so yummy, and with half of it leftover,I decided to today make BBQ Beef! Sound good?? So I'm sharing with you both my recipe for the roast and my BBQ recipe. Something yummy to warm away those cold evenings!

PJ's Roast
1- nice sized roast (4-6) lbs
1- small onion finely chopped
1- bag of carrots peeled and quartered
6-7- large potatoes peeled and quatered
1 tsp- salt
1/4 tsp- pepper
1/2 tsp- garlic powder
4- chicken bullion cubes
1/8 tsp- cajun seasoning
1/4 tsp- celery seed
1/2 tsp- dried ground mustard
1/2 tsp- ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp- ground cinnamon
enough water to just cover the roast

Place your roast in your pan or Crockpot. (I use a pan that has a lid if your cooking it in the oven)
Sprinkle all of your seasonings on your roast, and place the bullion cubes on both sides in the bottom of the pan/Crockpot. Pour enough water to just barely cover the top of the roast.
Add your carrots & potatoes and cover.

Depending on the size of your roast:
cook till beef is tender, should fall apart with a fork. At any time, add more water if needed.

Crockpot-cooking time for a 5-6lb roast: high 5-6 hours/low 7-8 hours
Oven - cooking time for a 5-6lb roast: cook at 350* for 7-8 hours

Pj's BBQ
1- large onion finely chopped
1-1/2 cups- catsup
1/2 cup- water
1 tsp- liquid smoke(at any grocery store by the seasonings)
2 tsp- celery seed
3 T- brown sugar
3 T- Worcestershire sauce
3 T- dry ground mustard
1 T- vinegar
1 T- lemon juice
1/3 cup- butter
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

combine all ingredients in a crockpot and cook on low for 4 hours. Add your cooked shredded beef(4-5lbs) and cook on high for 1-2 hours.

If your using less meat, take out and save some of the BBQ sauce in a covered container for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Use the remaining as you would store bought BBQ sauce. Only this is better!

I hope you enjoy both recipes. Please let me know how they turned out for you. I've now added the ability for you to post your comments to my blogs, so share! Love to hear from you.

Now..onto life adventures.
The snowmobile saga continues......(deep sigh)
After the heater idea was kiboshed by myself.....I thought the whole machine deal was over till Spring thaw. I was wrong.

Hubby and son dragged out the water hose from the basement, and hooked it back up to the facet outside. Hubby's idea......to stretch out the hose(and it WAS a stretch) to the machine, and let the water melt the ice off the track.
Now, here is where I have to get on my knees and hail hubby because for the first time EVER, a stupid idea actually worked!! Yes, the water did melt the track, and the machine was lose from it's hold to the ground. Next came the part where they hooked the machine to my SUV and dragged it to the basement door...rather quickly before the water froze again. Did I mention that they got my SUV stuck....and had to dig it out of the 5 foot high snow pile..and then AGAIN remelt the frozen ice which was deeper now because of the flood they caused with the hose!

After releasing the machine, and carefully dragging it with my SUV...I'm having heart pains even as I write this.....manage to drag it to the basement door. They unleash it, turn it so it's heading DOWN the basement stairs, and son jumps on for the ride of his life!

WE HAVE LIFTOFF!!

The house shakes as the machine rubbles down the set of 12 steps to the basement....son holding on for dear life...me praying to God..and hubby laughing hysterically! The bug eyes on my son says it all as he finally comes to rest balancing between the last step and the basement floor.

NOTE the silence that hung in the air for a very long time....then suddenly son jumps off..and yells...DAD, that was a blast! Can I do it again!?!

Lord help me.

So now the snow machine is down in the basement being repaired. I shall update you on 'HOW IN THE WORLD ARE THEY GETTING IT OUT OF THE BASEMENT'!!

AAhhh...just checked out temp.....it's NOW -4* below. We're having a heatwave....

I'm off to check on the BBQ sauce and toss on an extra pair of socks.

Hugs to all!

Clear Blue Skys'.....

2009-01-10T09:35:00.000-08:00

The storm has passed after 3 days of dark sky and snow. It looks so pretty outside, but in reality it's 7* above 0... and you sure don't want to run out and get the mail with wet hair. The sun shines down on the snow and gives such a warm glow to everything around. And the snow.....with the winds howling and whipping all the fresh fallen snow around last night...it looks like waves on an ocean of white. But I think I'll just snuggle down today and NOT go outside. Hubby picked up a huge roast for dinner tonight, so I don't even need to go to the store...and we even have toilet paper...so I'm set.

For the gals that emailed asking how the snow machine came out.....it didn't. Literally. After all the freezing rain we had, it froze it right to the ground.(evil laugh). BUT..I did have to tag dive hubby to the ground when he tried to sneak out with our electric heater. HA...he didn't think I'd realize it was an extension cord under his coat. It was either that or we were expecting twins!! What was he thinking??!!

Anyhoo.....today is 'put away the rest of Christmas day.' Don't say it...I know it's almost the middle of January and it's STILL not down, but hay, atleast I'm not the only one. Yesterday I saw a house lite up to the nighs, inside and out!! Now I don't feel so bad. It's just that it feels so naked when it all comes down. And it was so warm and cozy feeling. Now it'll be all bare....and cold(pouting)...BUT I did go treasure hunting AND I do have a bunch of new stuff sitting on the porch just itchin' for a new space....SOOOO..maybe I'll just look at this as a decorating challenge.

I'd better get the roast in the oven.....yummy....it's one of my favorite comfort foods. Hubby's to work early tonight so we need to eat early.

Till next time,
Paula

Winter is still here....(sigh)..

2009-01-04T16:03:00.000-08:00

Ok girls...this isn't going to be good. Snow machine broke down and hubby needs to fix it.. right....well with no heat in any of the sheds and below 0* temps, he's not fixing it outside. SOOO...a light bulb goes off in his head, and he announces that he's going to put it down in the basement. Now, I must have had the (your doing what)look on my face because he started laughing and gives me his smooth...'Don't worry'. routine!
Now I'm worried.
'How?' I ask him.....'we'll just open the basement door, and push it down the steps'. 'And how, Pray tell, are you getting it to the steps?' 'We'll pull it with your SUV!' This gave me heart pains...or maybe it was gas, but either way I knew it wasn't a good thing.
So then I ask (as if all this just wasn't enough..)and then how are you getting it OUT of the basement?' and right on cue(you know he was practicing this) 'we'll DRIVE it out'.

Dear Lord, please give my husband some more brains as I'm afraid he's farted his out!!

I promise to keep you posted on this one...till then I'm now crock-pot happy! Today I'm using the 4Qt. bowl and zippin' up a batch of scalloped potatoes and ham. Have to use that ham up somehow, and I'm tired of ham sandwiches. Note to self...next year purchase a new cookbook on how to cook up leftovers so you don't KNOW your eating leftovers.

Oh.. the other day I forgot to tell you another favorite goodie I received for Christmas. Any of you know me I'm like a crazy woman when it comes to handsoap. Where ever I go, if there's a new kind or it's on sale I buy it. Don't know where this comes from....but my Mom was the same way with cleaning supplies. Under our sink looked like a janitor's closet with everything under the sun. If a new product came out...Mom bought it. So anyway, my sweet middle child Ariel, purchased me a whole bag of goodies from my FAVORITE place in the whole world...'BATH AND BODY WORKS'. It contained Shampoo & conditioner(I know...right! Since when did they get Shampooo) and 4 different hand soaps. All in my most favorite flavor....'Warm Vanilla Sugar'...and one in a new kichen scent...called 'Kitchen Lemon'!! YYUUMMYY!!

So, there's a story with this awesome gift. Christmas day I open the bag and pull out all the yummy's from Bath & Body Works...and I grab the hand lotion and pump some on the back of both hands. As I'm rubbing, it starts to get just a bit sticky, but at this time I'm loving the smell and I pump a huge glob on my oldest daughters hands. We're both rubbing away and enjoying the smell...but it just seems to take forever to rub in..the oldest daughter now has it spread all the way up her arms and to her neck! I'm thinking to myself...'note to self.. don't purchase anymore lotion from Bath and Body Works as it really sucks'. Daughter is STILL rubbing the lotion in as I grab the bottle AND my glasses and see that it's NOT hand lotion at all, but moisturizing hand SOAP!!!
Yelling I say..this isn't lotion!! And middle daughter, who by the way was sitting on the couch watching me the whole time says....'well DUHH Mom!! I knew it wasn't'.
Yes.. oldest daughter and I laughed so hard that our sides hurt...and yes we did fight to see who got to the kitchen sink first. Needless to say we BOTH weren't just sanitized for the rest of the day but we SMELLED just like sugar cookies all day long!!

Oh no, I hear hubby outside....I'd better grab the first aid kit and head downstairs. Please keep your fingers crossed and pray that God gives him those new brains right fast.

Happy New Year

2009-01-02T09:46:00.000-08:00

The holidays are over and I must say that it was the best Christmas yet! Oh how I love the holidays and we sure had fun with all the kids here..plus their boyfriends, finances and friends! We did have a house full this year.LOL Our little farmhouse was creaking at the seams...we had them all in one bedroom with air beds all over the floor. There wasn't an inch of walking space. Each kid had to crawl over the other to get in or out. Ofcourse they were all above our bedroom so it sounded like worldwar 4 or is it 3...hhhmmm..above our heads!

Watching poopy(grandbaby) opening his presents was the best! At 1-1/2 he really doesn't understand the whole concept of it...but after a few slow starts, he got right into shredding the wrapping paper. He'd rip..hand the box over to his Mom and if it had clothes in it..he paid no attention to it what so ever. Ofcourse the ones with toys received the biggest grin ever.

So here is where the bitching starts.

It seems like every toy Poopy unwrapped had to be released from bondage by his Grandpa. WHY do those toy companies think that each tiny plastic farm animal has to be glued, zip-tied, wired and pretty much hog tied to the package?? It's like they think those poor toys are going to say 'AH_HA..nobody's looking..it's time to make our escape!' I mean, get real. Poor hubby had to have a set of pliers, bolt cutters, screwdrivers (one of each) and a blow torch just to free the toys!! AND it wasn't just ONE toy...OH NO...it was ALL of them!!!! I swear...that poor baby celebrated his 18th birthday waiting for his Grandpa to get those darn toys free!

Alright...enough said on that subject.
So..how many of you still have your tree up?? Oh please..don't even tell me I'm the ONLY one!! Well..I guess it is time. When you have to dust the ornaments before putting them away...I guess that's a sign? Ofcourse smart hubby says last night, we'll just leave it up and redecorate it for every holiday! Yup...point taken...time to take down the tree.

OK.. what was your favorite Christmas gift this year? Mine was my new coffee maker! Oh yes baby...it grinds the coffee and brews it all at the same time! I'm in heaven!!! Ofcourse the first time we used it the cats scattered like rats and I almost peed my pants...but the final result was awesome!! Yes, the grinding part is a bit loud...but come on....I don't have to pay $5.00 for a fresh cup of coffee anymore!! Sorry coffeehouse...I've found a new love!

Lets see...what else did I get?? Oh yes..a new crockpot! Love it! One that has 3 different pots for it! We made a huge pot of Chili in the 6 qt crock for Christmas eve and it was awesome! I live for my crockpot..I mean, who doesn't love them. Toss a bunch of stuff in it, close the lid and 6 hours later...WAALAA..a gourmet meal!

Oh yes..and a fuzzy pair of slippers. Love them! Ofcourse having my business at home does have it's perks. I can wear my Pj's and slippers to work. And yes I do brush my hair and teeth everyday! There was a point there when I hadn't left the house for quite some time. So going to the grocery store for toilet paper was an adventure. I got all dressed up and even put on some mascara. Son thought we were going out for dinner with as gussied up as I was...and we did. Right through McDonald's drive-thru.

Well friends.....I've put it off long enough. I'm off to take down the tree. And fight with those dry needles. I'd better put a new bag in the vacuum.

Happy New Year to each and everyone! May this be a very blessed year for us all!!

Paula

Happy Holidays..

2008-12-23T10:33:00.000-08:00

Well dear friends...it's the day before Christmas eve and I find myself thinking about the past events of 2008. What a trying time for us this year. From tornadoes, floods and family members passing it's been quite a year and I'm glad it's all over!! I am looking forward (and have my fingers crossed) that 2009 will be a blessed year for us all! But I must thank SO many of you dear friends that helped us get through the year. I can NOT express how much your kindness and loyalty have meant to us! Thank you so much!! You will always be in our hearts!

Now..onto Christmas news. We are in the 'cleaning' mode here today. Thank goodness that we did most of the major cleaning before Thanksgiving...now it's just the little stuff we need to do. I will run around later and take a few pictures of the house all decorated.

So..I'd better get off this thing and finish up the cleaning! I have cookie dough I have to make yet!

Merry Christmas and all that...

2008-12-18T10:31:00.000-08:00

I can not believe that I haven't posted since Thanksgiving! We have been so busy that finding time to just sit has been hard to achieve.
Infact, I've not even had time to do Christmas shopping till yesterday..and boy was that a mistake!

First off... I have to say that I just can't believe how FAST those 90+ year old women are. Now, I'm not a young hen...but when this little 'ol gal was eying the same cart I was...and she SAW me eying her and then the cart...she shot like a bullet for it...ofcourse MY first instinct was to run for it as well since I WAS the first to spy it. And yes..it was the last cart left...so by luck I got to it it first and as I gracefully turned it around like nothing had happened, that little 'ol lady whacked me in the back of the head with her purse!!!!

NOT KIDDING! As I stand there in pure shock...my son yells out 'Take her to the ground Mom!'. Now I'm twice as horrified...first I can't believe the old lady whacked me, and then I can't believe my son wanted me to tag her down! I shot my son 'THE LOOK' and turned around to face my opponent. I plastered on a smile and asked her if she'd like the cart...to which she applied..'That would be so kind of you'. With the smile STILL plastered to my face, I wheeled the cart around and kindly pushed it her way...where in reality I really wanted to run her over with it...she thanks me and turns on heels like nothing ever happened.

I then turn to my son...who now knows that he's in for a whoppin'....very quietly...almost to the point that I had to strain to hear him...says..'but Mom, you could have taken her'.
Please remind me dear Lord, WHY I had children in the first place. I would have been just as happy with a house full of cats. :o)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It seems we are to have a nice white Christmas this year. Hooray! But I'm not very happy as to HOW that white Christmas is to arrive. With ice storms later this afternoon and snow after that..lasting into next week. Goodness.....hopefully it's all finished by Christmas eve morning as that's when the kids arrive.

They've decided to come early Christmas eve to help with the last bit of preparations for Christmas day. And ofcourse to do our holiday cookie baking! Thank goodness most of the cookie doughs can be put in the freezer till then.

It will be fun having all the kids sleeping over. We have our traditional '1 present' opening on the eve....and that ofcourse is new pajama's to sleep in for everyone. This was a tradition that my Mom did.....but she was so wonderful as to sew ours herself. I loved those long flannel pj's that she'd make us.....I always went to bed warm and happy. So this I've passed on to my kids. Ofcourse I buy the pj's....I just don't sew clothes as well as Mom did.

I can't wait to see my grandbaby open his presents!! I've stocked up on batteries for many pictures to take. And will share with you as well. It will be a wonderful Christmas this year.....but a bit sad with Mom being gone.

Well dear friends....I must head off to the store one last time. I ran out of wrapping paper...God help me....hopefully I don't see that little 'ol lady!!

Till next time.....don't forget to buy 'ice melt'..or better yet, stay home with a good book!!

Merry Christmas!!

Thanksgiving Pictures and News..

2008-11-30T10:38:00.000-08:00

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! Ours went off without a hitch this year....no burnt fingers...or smoke alarm! Our house was full to the brim this year. Just how I like it! Our oldest daughter Devon came with her fiancée and our grandbaby, Kaden. Our middle daughter, Ariel brought her new boyfriend and his roommate. Dad was here and ofcourse our son Taylor, myself and hubby.

This little light of my life is now 18 months old! Look at that huge spoon he was using...and hardly made a mess. What a good little boy he is. No sleep for 12 hours and not a fuss out of him all day. He finally collapsed on me late into the evening. What a doll!!

We watched 'Walle'!! So funny and just a cute movie for the whole family to see. We played 'WII'!! THAT was a ball!! Talk about getting exercise. We laughed till our sides hurt. And finally enjoyed pie with TONS of whipped cream! It was a fabulous holiday and I just know that Mom was there in spirit the whole time.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I ran around the house taking a few shots before we dragged the Christmas stuff out yesterday. I hope you enjoy them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The snow is flying...what a perfect day for Christmas decorating. The tree is up and decorated in all of our new items, bought and handmade. It's beautiful! I'll make sure to take pics for you. Everything else is sitting on the table waiting for their place this year. We lost many to the flooding this Spring...but I did manage to rescue a few of the most important ones. Each is like an old friend that you haven't seen for awhile...they give such a warm feeling when unwrapped. Loads of memories in those boxes. They are my most precious of all items I own. Ornaments my 24 year old daughter made in bible school when she was 4....the one my son made in 1st grade with gobs of glitter and a photo of him in a Santa hat..the wooden Christmas tree one our middle daughter made covered in glue and buttons with a red ribbon on top...and all the ornaments my Mom had given to each child. Those will go to the kids when they have their own family's...with more added from me, to start their own tradition with.

I hope you have fun getting ready for Christmas this year. I know we're all so busy, but take the time to just sit and remember each precious moment this year. The time goes by So fast. It's not the 'things' we take to heaven with us, it's the loving memories that we've spent a lifetime gathering that go with us. :o)

Till next time, hug a family member and tell them you love them.

Thanksgiving Recipe and such....

2008-11-25T08:51:00.000-08:00

Well friends....2 days before the big day and I'm ALMOST ready. I'm finishing up the cleaning today which leaves tomorrow free for setting the table and making up a few of the dishes ahead of time.

I thought I'd share our favorite fruit salad recipe with you. I make this at Thanksgiving and Christmas only. And even though I've doubled this recipe as the family has grown...there are never any leftovers! This recipe was given to me by a wonderful friend of mine many moons ago.

24 Hour Fruit Salad

2-11oz cans mandarin oranges(drained)

1-20oz can pineapple chunks(drained)

1-jar Royal Anne cherries(drained)

2-cups seedless grapes cut in half

3-bananas sliced

2-cups mini marshmallows

1-egg(beaten)

4-Tablespoons white vinegar

4-Tablespoons sugar

2-Tablespoons butter

1/2-pint whipped cream

Place all the fruit in a big bowl. In a double boiler combine beaten egg, vinegar, and sugar. Cook till thick. Add butter and let cool. Add whipped cream to the egg mixture till well combined. Add this to the fruit and then stir in marshmallows. Let this stand over night!

I hope you enjoy it and it too becomes a family tradition at your house.

As stated in the last post, we've taken this time off from the website to prepare for Thanksgiving. We, ofcourse are continuing to fill and ship out orders. I'm just not working on any items this week..BUT..after Thanksgiving I'll be hard at it again finishing up some new goods for Christmas and after. So please make sure you peek in from time to time to see the latest.

We hope you and yours have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

You may have noticed that we've drop the price on a few of our items. This is just our way of helping out this season with the economy and seasonal crunch we are all feeling. We just want to help you have a wonderful holiday season this year, and purchase high quality items at an affordable price. The price decrease will be in affect till the 1st of the year. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Happy Thanksgiving time.....soon.

2008-11-19T17:15:00.000-08:00

Are we ready yet...you ask with just a week to go?? NOPE!!

With us all being so busy..the house looks like a pack of kindergardeners went through it! Not even kidding. I decided to finish up with the orders and the new goods I've been working on...and then shut everything down to get ready for Thanksgiving. That gives me a week to clean..which I do totally because the day after we always begin our Christmas decorating. So I figure if I do at least one room a day..I'll be done the day before the big day! Both daughters are coming home early to help with the decorating and cooking...so that will be nice. I love having my girls home. We have always gotten along so well..there's tons of giggles and ofcourse the pickin' on each other is high as well.

I have to tell you about these sweet new dolls I've finished! They are my favorite so far this year....cute, sweet and simple looking. the aging took me days. Trying to achieve the look AND feel of an old doll. Soft squishy and cuddly they are perfect!! To tell you the truth, I won't be heart broken if they don't sell. I'll have a wonderful time having them out this season to greet my guests. ;o)

The new Mercury glass ornaments are even better then I thought they'd be! They really look like the old ornaments...and I love the fact they made them the 'ol fashion way as well. The sparkle they have on a tree is awesome...I will definitely have some of them on my tree this year. You should see how beautiful they look with the redware ornaments!!!! OMG!!

So in the next day or 2 I'll share with you a couple of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes...ones that we enjoy every year so you know they are awesome! So get a paper and pencil ready and make sure you stop by soon. Hopefully we can share a bit of our Thanksgiving with you. ;o)

Things I enjoy

2008-11-13T08:17:00.000-08:00

If you had asked me 2 years ago if I'd enjoy cleaning out a chicken house...I would have shouted ARE YOU CRAZY! before you'd even finished the sentience.

That was when I was a city girl and I was totally obsessed with CLEAN! Now that I'm a farmgirl.....it's not that hard to get out there and shovel poo. I don't even need a whole container of Lysol wipes to do it. When I first started 2 years ago Iwas nuts about the poo. I'd wear a mask....hubby's coveralls, a hat and gloves..and God forbid any poo got on me. I would be in the shower in a heart beat. Now.....not so much.

Infact I enjoyed cleaning it out yesterday. I went in early evening when the sun was just about down, so the girls where all in sitting on the roosts. It's so nice chatting with them. You may laugh, but they do talk to me. It's a soft coo and some clicks as I talk and sing to them. I've done that from the time they were born, so they do enjoy it. Infact if I say 'sshhhhh' they all quiet down and not a peep comes out of any of them. It's rather cute how well they listen to me.

Anyway, as I'm shoveling out the straw, we were all chatting together and Miss Lucy, she's my half breed and the nosiest one of the bunch, jumps on top of the nesting boxes to get closer to me and as I'm scooping straw, she's picking out my hair. She's such a little stinker that one, and finds this a fun game to play with me. I'll stand up and shoo her away, but when my back is turned, she once again jumps over to me and commences to tug on my hair. It doesn't hurt, and I know she's not doing it to be mean.....I think it's rather endearing of her. After the cleaning is finished, I bring in the fresh bail of straw and grass mix. You should see them then! Each jumps down from the roost and hops around my feet trying to be the first to grab the seed heads out of my hands. They so enjoy getting the house clean. I think their favorite part is making the nesting box just so. It's a sweet sight to see. Each girl has her favorite box(it's true)..she will snuggle herself down into the straw while working her way all the way around in a circle....this goes on till the nest is just right. And by the time she jumps down, the nest is a perfect circle. Already for those beautiful eggs they grace me with.

They say that chickens aren't smart, but I do beg to differ. My chickens play, chase, and miss one another when they are apart. I never thought I'd be so in love with my girls...but I truly am. They definitely make my heart smile every time I'm with them.

That's just a little piece of what makes me happy.....hope you enjoy it.

Celebrating 5 Years

2008-11-12T08:07:00.000-08:00

It's our 5 year anniversary! And we'd like to celebrate with you by giving you 10% off your next order! please use 'anniversary' in the voucher box at checkout time! Thank you for 5 wonderful years...we can't wait to see what the next 5 will bring!

Sundays' news...

2008-11-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

Since I've decided to accept the fact that Winter has arrived....I decided that it would be best if we did a bit of weather proofing this year. It is an old farmhouse, and the winds do howl somethin' fearse across the fields ....so off to the local home depot I go.

OK...I have to tell you..I found the FUNNEST stuff to play with!! It's insulation in a can. Like cheese in a can, only better! This stuff grows when it's sprayed!! OMG..it's SO fun! I was running around here with a can in each hand finding places to spray. I must admit that if anyone was watching me, they'd have thought I'd taken to much medication. It was so fun....it is a bit contagious though...kind of like when your gilding pine cones..and you can't stop yourself and pretty soon everything in the house is gilded. Yay...kind of like that....

A few words of caution.... It grows. Did I say it grows. AND you can't clean it up till it dries. Ok, that's where it all went wrong. It's rather hard to use the powder room when you have 2 cans glued to your hands. And trying to peel them off isn't a good thing either. It took a little gas, hubby and son to peel them off...and then another hour getting it off my fingers!

Hubby says I can't play with it anymore.....spoil sport.

Other news....I've finished up those Christmas goods I've been working on...and I must admit they did turn out real pretty. Sticking with my handmade ornament theme...I made up some hearts from heavy old sack fabric and stars out of my favorite early faded calico...made some reindeer....SOO sweet. They take so much time though that this will be the only set I make this year. Lets see...what else, oh yes there are stockings and more candy canes. So maybe you can stop by and take a peek when you get a chance.

As for me...I'm off to continue my sock matching.....(the washer eats them you know).....and make fresh bread...which I will be posting the recipe for. So easy and yummy!! And finish decorating the house. Hubby put the TV cabinet together so I had to move furniture around...which in turn made the wall decor obsolete...and so on. It's a never ending circle...but one I do enjoy fixing. It gives me the chance to boss hubby around.....and he deserves it...telling me I can't play with the spray can.. I'll show him who's boss!

So till next time...head off to your local Home Depot...the spray insulation is in with the weather proofing stuff!!

It's doing it again!!

2008-11-07T13:32:00.000-08:00

NO it's NOT fog!! If I click my heels together 3 times...can I make it go away?? AAAUUGGGHHH!!

These were taken out our front living room window. Beautiful view...when it's not snowing!
Ofcourse our son is just jumping for joy ...he's wishing we get FEET of the white stuff!! Only because his can ride his snow machine! I DID remind him of the broken collarbone he had last year...he assures me that he will be very careful this year. We'll see about that. He's a walking accident looking for a place to happen. 15 and awkward....are all boys like that?? Anyhoo....if it snows enough for him to even get the machine out...I'm packing my bags and heading South. Find myself a good looking man slave and just live off the land. Well, maybe not all the way on the land. I like my indoor plumbing..and my curling iron. It's kind of hard finding a 120v plug-in in a tree. And don't think I haven't searched...I have but to no avail. Mother nature must have natural curly hair...unlike some of us. You'd think that being a woman, she would have thought about these things when she had her 'let's make a world' powwow with God! JJEEEZZZZ. What was she thinking.....

Other news, still working on the goods today. Between boxing up orders, and doing laundry,(did you know that socks and undies mate in the wash?? They must, because I always end up with more then I put in)....I've been working on finishing them up. Hopefully I'll have them added tomorrow. Besides, it's an terrible day for picture taking.

Well, I'm off to match up socks....and get a loaf of bread on for dinner. Thank goodness for bread machines!! I know it's cheating, and I DO make homemade when I have then time, but when your in a hurry a bread machine is a 'good thing'. (sorry Martha).

Winter Canning..

2008-11-06T08:48:00.000-08:00

Girls...if your having a rotten day...may I suggest watching one of my favorite movies..'The electric Horseman'! I just finished seeing it again for the umpteenth time...and it never fails to make my soul smile. AAAhhhh......it is my 2nd favorite though...'The Goodbye Girl' is my MOST favorite movie ever! I guess I'm dating myself with these hay?? LOL No matter..they just don't make movies like that anymore. And besides...I've had a crush on Robert Redford since watching 'Butch Cassidy & the Sundance kid'. Be still my beating heart!! He still has that smile and those eyes. And yes...hubby knows that if Robert ever came a knockin' on my front door to whisk me away..I'd be gone in a second. Wouldn't even gather any belongings.....well..maybe a few. My suck-'em up undies....my push-up bra (if I can find it)..and mascara. Yup. That's all I'd need to run away into the sunset with Robert Redford.

It's that time of year....bushels of apples are for sale at the local gas station. The owners have an orchard a few miles out of town...and these apples are the BEST! Sweet and tart all at the same time. They make the best jelly!

So today I thought I'd share with you an old recipe that I've been making for years now. 'Cake in a Jar'.

This recipe makes 7 pints. Spray your jars very well with Pam Cooking Spray before pouring in Mixture.

2/3 cup shortening
2-2/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup nuts
1 teasp. cinnamon
1 teasp. baking soda
1/2 teasp. baking powder
1-1/2 teasp. salt
3 cups flour
2/3 cup water
3 cup peeled & grated apples

Mix together in order given. Pour into warm pint canning jars till 1/2 full. Bake for 45 min. at 325*. Boil lids and place on jars while hot. Use only widemouth pint size jars.
The cake has a 1 year self life.

These cakes make the perfect Christmas gifts! Put in a basket with some canned jelly, pickles and some new hot pads..and you've got yourself a wonderful gift to give.

Now I know this recipe may sound a bit strange to a few of you...but trust me...it is SO good and really simple! I also have a pumpkin recipe that I'll share with you later on down the road. I usually make it around Thanksgiving time, when I'm cooking up fresh pumpkin for the pies. It's easier doing it all at one time.

I'm working on some really cute Christmas goods. Will have them on the website hopefully later today or in the morning tomorrow. I just can't believe it almost here...again.

Get out there and vote America!

2008-11-04T07:32:00.000-08:00

Please don't forget to cast your vote today! Everyone counts! lets make America strong again shall we!

Busy little elves...

2008-11-03T19:01:00.000-08:00

Well dear friends...it's that time of year again...yup, the only time I get to sit down is to watch my favorite show...'Wife Swap'!! Busy are we this year....finally a year of NO wholesaling!! Thank goodness!! Now don't get me wrong...I loved making goodies for my wholesale gals..but making everything over and over again just wasn't my thing. I want to be creative...and I just wasn't able to do so these past few years. This year however has been so freeing! I've got ideas popping out of my head all the time. It's such a grand feeling when I've got an idea for a little something that I just know will be a big hit!! And the Santa guys that I came up with for The Primitive Gatherings are SOO awesome!!!! Super cute and totally original!! You must head over and see all of them!! The Primitive Gathering

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The weather has been pleasantly warm these past few days...I was even outside cleaning out the flowerbeds in shorts yesterday! Being the beginning of November and in the high 70's!! That's crazy for Iowa....but I'm not complaining. It sure does help my RA when the weather is warm. If you know me at all...you know I hate the cold. It just makes my RA hurt something awful! I've learned to live with my pain everyday..but when that cold hits....sometimes it just takes all my energy to get out of bed. So now I'm seeing a new Dr.....and yet again trying new drugs. IVs this time. On to the hardcore drugs he says. Well it's about time I say since I've had this darn disease for 10 years now. It's taken it's toll on me...my fingers are beginning to look like something out of a horror show. I can't wear rings...or even regular shoes anymore. The slip on clogs are more my style....easy to slip on and off. I'm in pain everyday...the pain killers do help. I asked for a milder one as I hate that 'spaced out' feeling some of the stronger ones where making me feel. So lets keep our fingers crossed that the IVs will do the trick...and I can be a whole new person! I'll keep you updated.....should be seeing him real soon. These darn Dr's...it takes forever to get an appointment to see them. HA! I sure got into the wrong line of work! I guess I should have been a Dr after all! NNNAAAAAA......!!!