Guess what??

As of July 1st, I will be joining Early Work Mercantile selling site!

YaY!!!



Be sure to head on over and check out all the talented artists!

Now... Since I start in July, should my first piece be something patriotic? Or should it be something Halloweenie?? Or both??!!

Oooooh!! Decisions... Decisions...

Happy Friday, all!!

:> )

Uh-oh... Guess what day it is?!

Happy Hump Day!

Woo-wah!

I laugh every time I see this.

:> )

Happy Tuesday...

Well, I didn't have to kick Little Orphan Annie in the shin because the sun did come out yesterday. Finally!!

So I spent the entire day mowing. Man, did that sun feel good too!

I was also thrilled to see my Spirea (Bridal White) survived those cold temperatures we had all last week. She sure did put on a beautiful show for us.





I also took the time to remember those who selflessly served our country.



I hope you did too.
We must not take them for granted.

♥

It's more than just a day off...

"Lions and Tigers and Bears. OH MY!!"

Ummm... That's not true.

It's more like: "A Goat and a Holstein and a Horse and a Sheep and a Pig."
HOLY CRAP!



I just added them to my selling sites.
You know the routine.
Click on the button below.



Happy rainy, cold and miserable Sunday.

Hopefully the sun'll come out tomorrow.
If not, I'm going to kick Little Orphan Annie in the shin.

:> )

Old, fat and bald...

That's about how I've been feeling lately. Besides that fact I will turn a half century old in the fall, I've found out my favorite pair of shorts are impossible difficult to button.

Since I haven't had a rant since my 2007 When Did I Get So Old post, I thought I was about due.



Okay, the "old" I can understand. Yes, I'll be 50 this year. There's no getting around it.
50 years ago:
Gas was 25 cents a gallon.
A loaf of bread was 22 cents.
A pay phone call was 10 cents. I don't think there are any working pay phones left, are there?

The "fat" is my own doing. I keep baking. I keep eating what I bake.
At 50, Baking + Eating = Fat. Period.
I need to get a grip. I need to exercise more. Even if that means running on the treadmill with a cookie dangling on a stick in front of me.

But the "bald" had me puzzled. This week I noticed I have a tiny bald patch near my hairline on the top of my head. For the record, I've always had a lot of hair. I mean a lot. (Have you seen any of my 80's photos?!) Yikes!

I even showed my sweet hubs and he agreed. His response, "Yep. That looks like a little bald spot."
Then all kinds of things started to race through my head! I kept thinking about that I LOVE LUCY episode when Ricky thought he was losing his hair. Lucy does all those crazy scalp treatments on his head. I do have a plunger. Hmmm....

Then as I sat at the kitchen table to pay some bills, I reached up to grab my readers I wear on top of my head. As I pulled them off my head to place them on my nose I felt a... PLUCK
That's it!!!
Since I can't see anything up close anymore, I always have a pair of readers on top of my head! When I take them off my head the hinges grab a strand or two of my hair and it's bye-bye strands of hair!
Heck, if only I had that pluck of a violin string sound effect like in the old Bugs Bunny cartoons, I would have figured it out sooner!

So I'm not old, fat and bald anymore. Silly me.

I'm old, fat and blind.

Happy Saturday.

:> )

♥

You are most likely reading this...

in the comfort of your home.



As you read this, many Oklahomans no longer have a home to go to.



A disaster can strike any of us at any time.

Please donate what you can to a reputable charity and help our fellow neighbors.
Our fellow Americans.



They need us.

They also need our prayers and positive thoughts.

♥

I was on a "drag furniture around the house" kick today.

Man, when I get an idea in my head I have to run with it. That is exactly what I did.

I have a cute corner cupboard hutch that was here when we moved in. Since I have a soft spot for history, I couldn't bring myself to get rid of it. It belonged in this old farmhouse. So when I was on my "paint furniture a matte black and sand it" kick, that's exactly what I did.

It was originally in the kitchen. But we needed that corner for our wood stove.

For the most part, I had it in the keeping room. But then I thought it would look cute tucked in the corner of our living room.

Stella and Stanley do enjoy the ol' La-Z-Boy when Daddy's at work.



Just when I thought I had decluttered my home, ummmm... I look at this photo and realize I need to work on my decluttering skills. ((giggle))





Then I was able to set up a very impractical little sitting area where the hutch was.



These are my two favorite photos of my Daddy when he was a little boy.
The large one was when he was a ring bearer in a wedding.
Just wanted to share.
♥



Happy Monday night!

:> )

"I love to think of nature as...

an unlimited broadcasting station, through which God speaks to us every hour, if we will only tune in."
~George Washington Carver



Enjoy nature and tune in.

♥

Have a terrific weekend.

:> )

Rise and shine!!

Here's a peek at my latest offerings on my Countryfolk Keepsakes selling site.

My Polka Dot Folk Art Rooster will not only look handsome in your home, I can guarantee he won't crow at the crack of dawn and wake you up.




Click on the "Critters" button.




My sweet "Wee Ones" will put a smile on your face.
They may not be smiling on the outside, but they are on the inside.
♥



From L-R: Lefta, Dorla, Dortee and Birdette.

Click on the "Extreme & Rustic" button.



Happy Hump Day!

:> )

Still searching for just the right desk...

so I can move my make-do desk/sewing machine.



I was considering a lean Victorian style writing desk. But I'm really digging the look of a chunky Federal style.

I "window shop" on Craigslist daily and found a few that I like. The problem is they are all too big for the spot. Perhaps a chainsaw would do the trick??? Nah.

I know in time, like the baby bear in Goldilocks, I'll find one that's juuuuuust right. I must be patient. (Like that could ever happen)

In the meantime, I've been stitching up more dollies and have another polka dot folk art rooster to list.
I plan to snap photos in the morning.

As you can see, Stella is "thrilled."



Happy Tuesday!

I'm 99.999% sure...

my sweet hubs would consider me one.



I always ask for his opinion and it usually goes in one ear and out the other.

(((giggle)))

Have a terrific weekend, all!!

:> )

Ready????!!!!

Bare bones before...



and here's the after!!



It's a very gloomy day so the lighting isn't the best.
I still need to do a little more tweaking, but you can get the gist of it.




I asked my sweet hubs for an honest thumbs up or thumbs down.
I got a happy thumbs up! Woo-hoo!
(Heck, I knew I would!)

He even admitted the room looks much bigger now.
Tsk. Tsk. He should never doubt his wife.



Man, I worked up a sweat wrestling and hanging my Betsy Ross Flag fire board into place! Those pieces weigh a ton!
I should have used a double layer of Degree.

But she really pops now, doesn't she?



The boys.
♥





I am.
♥

Happy Thursday, everyone!!


:> )

I've been painting all day!

My new paint job is complete and I must say it looks fantastic!
YaY!!

It's much brighter and it makes the room appear larger!
Double YaY!

BUT you're going to have to wait for the reveal! I have to finish putting the room back together.
Sorry!!
**snicker**

As you can see by the time on my Daddy's clock, I started taking stuff off the walls and dragging furniture from one room to another bright and early this morning.
Also if you look really close, you'll see my "assistant" helping in her usual way.
Can you spot her?



Maybe this will help...
I have no idea what she was doing, but she was having a blast.



She "assisted" me quite a bit today.
Let's see...
She shredded all the paper towel I was using to clean the glass on my pictures.
She stole borrowed a small paint brush. (Thankfully there was no paint on it)
She barked at me every time I stepped up on the step stool.
She tried to bite the hammer as I nailed the baseboard back on.
She barked at the vacuum.
She chewed the vacuum.
She chewed the small braided rug.
She chewed the crocheted pillow on the day bed.
She chewed on Gracie.

Yes, she was a big help today.
What would have normally taken me a few hours took twice as long with Twinkle Toes Stella.

When I get everything finished up I'll snap some photos and share them with everyone.

Hope you had a happy Wednesday.

:> )

In need of a little smile?

Here you go.





Wee Dorla is now available at my Countryfolk Keepsakes selling site.
Just click on the button below.



P.S.
Remember to get outside and enjoy nature.

I am...



:> )

Paint, I must.

You all know ever since I redid my keeping room, I've been wanting to lighten up the wall color. But I didn't because my sweet hubs made me feel guilty bad by saying, "I really like the color it is. Besides, we picked that color out together."
He had to rub it in with the last comment because he never gets involved with what I do in this old farmhouse. I "run with scissors" when it comes to decorating the joint.

But I've finally come to my senses and I'm going for it! Sorry, Sweetheart!!

I've literally gone through a bag of Behr/Benjamin Moore/Valspar/Martha Stewart Living paint chips I've collected over the years to find that perfect color. But I came up with nothing.

Then it hit me! I've been wanting to paint my gigantic hutch a color called "Light Mocha." It's a beautiful off white/cream color. (not yellowy cream)
I love the color so much I thought the walls would look great that color!
But it's a craft paint.



So I painting pieces of copier paper and starting sticking them on the walls (because I'm a lunatic) all around the room to get a feel for how it would look.



BINGO! We have a winner!

So I called over to Lowes to find what they need to get an accurate color of paint I want mixed.
She told me to paint about 6 layers of the color on a piece of wood, making sure it's completely dry. (I thought I'd pass that tidbit on to you)

Done.
My next move it to head into town, get the paint mixed and grab some duct tape.

What's the duct tape for, you ask?

I may need it to keep a "certain someone" from getting into the paint can.



Relax! You know I'm just kidding! I would never wrap her up in duct tape!
I would use bungee cords instead.
((giggle))

Happy Monday.

:> )

"Nature...

can do more than physicians."
~Oliver Cromwell

Enjoy nature... you'll feel better.

Happy Sunday, everyone.

:> )

Everyone needs a wee liberty.

My chunky Wee Liberty tuck doll is now available on my selling site.
Just click on the "Extreme & Rustic" button below.







Can you believe it's been 10 years already since I started my Countryfolk Keepsakes venture?? Amazing! I have loved every minute of it too!

But I've been kicking around the idea of also getting back to my extremely primitive roots and Wee Liberty is just the start!

Happy Saturday!

:> )

"The Constitution is...

not an instrument for the government to restrain the people, it is an instrument for the people to restrain the government -- lest it come to dominate our lives and interests."
~Patrick Henry

Here's my latest offering.

Primitive American Bald Eagle.



He'll arrive with a copy (one page) of the United States Constitution.



Click on the "Critters" button below.



:> )