It's a Log Cabin Christmas!

Tonight after you dig through your left over Halloween candy, swing on by and check out all the wonderful creations this great group of artists have to offer!

Click on the banner below.



:> )

As promised, a sneak peek...

at my very special Early Work Mercantile offering. Remember I told you I put my heart into it?



But you'll have to visit my Early Work Mercantile page tomorrow evening to see more.

I also have two other offerings to share.



Hope to see you tomorrow night!

♫ It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... ♩

:> )

Well hello there, Handsome...

I've been on a mission to find at least four place settings of vintage Staffordshire Liberty Blue transferware pattern before Thanksgiving.

Lo and behold, I found a gal selling her collection who is only a few hours away from me.



Here's Paul...



So I've actually started a collection! YaY! (Didn't I have a post a few weeks ago claiming I don't collect anything?!) These four place setting are a start!

I figure my vintage Pfaltzgraff Yorktowne place settings will compliment the Liberty Blue. I'm not the formal type. I like to mix and match. Like my socks. ((giggle))



Sorry I've been scarce. I'm trying to crank out a few more Christmas pieces for Early Work Mercantile on Thursday night.

Be there. Or be square!

:> )

Ooops, I did it again.

Remember my old dining room set?
Technically it's a small, antique, oak table with 4 ladder back rush chairs.

The set was quite impractical and we never used, but it looked beautiful! I made the choice to put the table away and I peppered the chairs throughout our home.

When I recently saw a photo of my front room a few Christmas' ago with the table and chairs, my heart overruled my head so...


It's baaaaaaaack!



But this time in a new spot. Heck, I never thought to put it in my flag room.
Now instead of cluttering up the kitchen table with creating my art, I can clutter up this table instead!
YaY!!
(my hubs will be thrilled)

The table was looking a little rough, so I rubbed it down with some Butcher's paste wax (great stuff) and it shined up like a new penny. ♥

P.S.
I couldn't take a photo of the whole room because you might have seen my special Christmas piece I created for Early Work Mercantile.
Sorry, I'm not ready to show you yet.
((giggle))

Have a terrific weekend everyone!!

Christmas in November on Early Work Mercantile!

I poured my heart into this and created something very special.
Something I've been wanting to make for many years.

That's all I'm going to tell you for now. But I'll keep you posted.

((giggle))

Happy Wednesday!
:> )

Halloween is only ten days away...

and I don't have the heart to tell Creepy Casilda we don't give out candy on Halloween because there are no trick or treaters out here in the sticks. (sigh)



Since Creepy Casilda is the only one left on my "Autumn" page, I've lowered her adoption fee. Shhhh.... But please don't tell her. She's a tad sensitive about her pointed head and may get a complex.

You can visit her here.



P.S.
She loves Milky Ways.


Also, I've got a couple new critters in the Countryfolk Keepsakes barnyard.







Happy Monday, all!
Wishing you a happy week ahead!

:> )

House + Love =

Home
♥



P.S.
I found a spot.




One fern down. One to go.

So...

Does anyone else rearrange a whole room for a plant??

Yeah, I didn't think so. Welcome to my (cuckoo crazy) world.

I have two gorgeous (but enormous) Boston ferns hanging on my front porch. Now that the cold weather is here, they need to come inside. The problem is, I have no place to put them.
But I must make room for these ferns.
Now my brain goes into overdrive.

I spent the day, pulling, dragging and pushing furniture around. Got it all arranged to my liking.
But you want to hear a funny story??
I rearranged the room but never did find a place for the ferns.

Again. Welcome to my world.
((giggle))







Okay ladies... Here's another question for you.
Am I the only woman on the planet who has a husband purchase the most obnoxious color ethernet cable ever made? Man! It's bright "construction orange" and I'm pretty sure it glows in the dark too.
What the heck possessed him to buy that color?

When he took it out the package, the look on my face said it all.



Not only does it go across the floor, it goes up the wall and through the ceiling.

See it behind my lamp?
Yeah, I know it doesn't look that orange.
Trust me, it is.



So I will spend my weekend searching for a spot for the ferns and trying to camouflage that hideous cable.

Happy weekend, everyone!
:> )

As much as I love the thought of winter...

I now have to say goodbye to many of my feather friends.

So, as I've been in the basement, using my hubs power tools and enjoying sawdust in my hair, I made a Folk Art Canada Goose.
Man, there is nothing like the wonderful aroma of freshly cut antique barn wood! It's right up there with baked bread and puppy breath!

He's being offered on my Countryfolk Keepsakes selling site.



Click on the button below.



:> )

I've Always Wondered Where My Love For Windsor Chairs Came From...

Now I know.



Yes, that's me sitting in my first Windsor rocker. My sister is next to me.



I happened to come across my little rocker yesterday in my mama's basement. It was tucked behind the stairs, dusty and covered with cobwebs. I had forgotten all about it. I am so grateful she hung onto it.

A few years later rocking and strumming away on my guitar.



I am amazed at how sturdy this rocker was made. It's still solid as a rock!
I am even more amazed I was able to sit my rump in at after almost 50 years and it didn't collapse.
But I'm about two chocolate chip cookies away from not being able to take that chance again.
((giggle))

Happy Monday!

:> )

Countryfolk SnowFolk and Skinny Alpine Trees...

Want to see more of Silas, Sylvia and Sigmund?




Click on the "Seasons" button below.

The skinny Apline trees are there too.



:> )

A sneak peek...

at one of my "Count Your Blessings" Countryfolk Snowfolk.



I modeled her waistline after my own.
(giggle))

They will soon be listed on my Countryfolk Keepsakes selling site.

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Have a great weekend, everyone!

Remember to count your blessings.
No matter how small.

:> )

I've never been much of a collector...

I know, crazy right?? I've got a farmhouse full of "stuff".

But I mean I've never collected one thing. You know... Like some people collect antique rolling pins. Or Precious Moments figurines. Or beer cans.

The closest I've ever come to collecting a particular item was when we first moved here. Hubs bought me my first Department 56 New England village piece. It was a country church and I loved it. Over the years, my collection grew but space to display them didn't. I had them everywhere and anywhere. But it just wasn't working. So a few years ago, I packed them up and put them away.

I would LOVE to collect antique American flags, but they are out of my price range. So I will happily admire them from afar.

Recently I "discovered" Staffordshire Liberty Blue transferware. I've always loved pretty transferware. This coming from a woman who uses mason jars for drinking glasses. It's true.((giggle))

But this Liberty Blue pattern is truly near and dear to my heart. Yet I had no idea of its existence!! It was made from 1975-1981. My guess, for our Bicentennial.

When you see the pattern you will know why it would be so special to me. ♥

My first purchase came in the mail today! I was so excited, I tore into the box like a monkey on a cupcake.



I am now the proud owner of 6 wee Betsy Ross fruit bowls. YaY!
Man, there are so many wonderful historical scenes with this pattern, I want them all!! But like most collections, it will take time. D*mn it.

I would love to get at least four full place settings. But first I have my eye on this awesome platter.



It's of George Washington crossing the Delaware. I think Mason jar drinking glasses would look lovely on that platter, don't you?
((giggle))

Chime in and tell what you like to collect! Inquiring minds want to know.



:> )

I'm working on some snowy, Countryfolk goodness...

But this is all I'm going to show you for now.
((giggle))



I've also been using one of my hub's massive power tools.

Shhhhhh...

As long as I don't lose any fingers, he doesn't have to know.
It'll be our little secret.

I'll keep you posted.

:> )

♥

:> )

It rained all day today...

That means it's time to stock up on Advil



and warm up the heating pad.



But it's worth it.

:> )

Here's a question for you...

What's your favorite T.V. show of all time?



I've enjoyed comedy shows and sitcoms for as long as I can remember. But there seems to be very little sitcoms on television these days and they don't write 'em like they used to

But I will say "Last Man Standing" is very much like the old sitcoms. I loved Tim Allen in Home Improvement so it's no surprise I enjoy his new show.

So what are some of your favorites?

Here's a few of mine.

Home Improvement
Everybody Loves Raymond
The Carol Burnett Show
Seinfeld
Big Bang Theory

But if I had to pick only one all time favorite, it would have to be "I Love Lucy!"



Man, I can watch those reruns at 5:30am every morning and still laugh like I did when I was a kid.
She was truly a comedic genius.

:> )

Yesterday started out as a wonderful day...

First, as I sat at my kitchen table, I enjoyed a delicious cup of coffee and the gorgeous autumn views.
Who needs to watch television with views like this??





Next, the state of New York finally paved our side road!! Oh happy days!! You have no idea how exciting this is for our tiny hamlet! We've been waiting 13 years for this "miracle."

The road was so bad, even the deer were like "WTFork??!!" when they tried crossing it.
I swear, I saw a couple of them slap down some Cold Patch.



Then, the girls and I took a spin around a few back roads. I know I vowed never to take Gracie ever again. But as always, she guilted me into it. She's an 8 lb. master manipulator.
Yes, she barked the whole time. So I drove around with my fingers in my ears singing, "La,La,La... I can't hear you! La, la, la..." and steered with my knees.







Finally, my sweet hubs comes home from work and informs me the small company he works for received notice
from Blue Cross Blue Shield today stating that due to Obamacare, as of January 1, 2014 our plan will no longer exist and our medical insurance terminated. After years of having no medical insurance, we were able to get this coverage less than a year ago. So as of January 1, 2014, we're screwed.
I'm sure there are many of you out there finding out this same fate.
If you haven't... You more than likely will. It's just a matter of time.

For the record, I worked for many, many years in healthcare and know firsthand how fabulous government controlled healthcare really is.

So before I type something I may or may not regret, I'll just type this:

"Ladies & Gentlemen, please fasten your seat belts and observe the 'No Smoking' sign. "



No smiley face today.