WHERE HAVE I BEEN???

Actually NOWHERE! But the last 2 weeks seem like I haven’t been around.

Since the Country Sampler Magazine came out with our home in it the orders have been coming in, in multiples, daily. YEAHHHH.

The only thing is that it keeps me from visiting all you wonderful friends but I’m trying.
And the people I have been in contact with since the article is phenomenal - there is even a business prospect in the works from it…and next weekend we will find out whether we want to push forward with it.

Out of the blue a lady called me 2 weeks ago just after she received the magazine and chatted with me for over an hour - and I will say….we were friends before we hung up. Life does throw a strange curve at you once in awhile and this time it was a good one!

She wants to be a representative for my products in her area doing home shows! And I must say it’s something that I have thought of but then let those thoughts lay deep thinking it wouldn’t work. But I’m willing to have this meeting and see what we can come up with….and right now I do think it will work.

My only downside to this is that I am the only one sewing my items and actually I want it that way - they wouldn’t be my own originals if I had someone else help….so that’s my dilemma especially near holiday time but she agreed that all holiday parties/orders would have to be in by Oct. 15 to guarantee holiday delivery.

So next Friday ‘Linda’ will arrive here in the afternoon and stay with us for the weekend with us discussing the idea. I think from talking to her that she has some good ideas and will be a wonderful representative of KM Primitives in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania!
More next week.

Now….I also received a wonderful gift all the way from Scotland!
It’s the most adorable doll ( a Jackie Schmidt doll). And I give my thanks to ROBBY from http://gloryriverprimitives-robby.blogspot.com/ it’s the cutest darned thing!!!!

Click picture to enlarge


Well, I’d like to stay and play but this gal has some sewing to do - don’t want to keep my customers waiting!
See ya later!
Karen

FRIENDS GATHERING IN PENNSYLVANIA

YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A BLOG OR A WEBSITE...you just have to have a love for Primitives/Colonial/Country and a desire to meet new friends with the same interest...that's what this whole thing is about...bringing kindred spirits together.

I HAVE UPDATED THIS POST - IT STARTS ABOUT IN THE MIDDLE

GATHERING OF FRIENDS trip to Lancaster, PA

August 5 - 8, 2009

We've had a wonderful response and I want everyone to be able to take advantage of this.

I have finalized a few things so it will give you a better insight to cost, etc.

But read on down if you haven't seen this before.

First - I booked rooms at THE AMISH VIEW INN in Lancaster, PA www.amishviewinn.com thank you Robby for the lead!

Grace gave us a deal to die for at this busy time of the season.
$99.00 per room and you can sleep up to 4 so if you want to share and cut the cost go for it!

You don't know what a great deal this is!!!!!

Log onto the website to view it - it’s gorgeous and set right between the main roads in Amish Country.

The price includes a wonderful American breakfast every day - full course with freshly made Omelets as just an example.

We also have use of the ‘gathering room’.

Grace will have rooms available a couple days before and a few after for those wanting to come early and or stay later….which I know we will be doing.

Second - I booked a Make And Take project at Family Creations by Julia in Intercourse.

We’ll be making a Fabric Covered Book with a stitched verse on cloth for the front.
This is for Thursday night the 6th from 7 - 9 (she only does evening sessions) and it includes snacks and drinks - not a meal but goodies.
We’ll have dinner before heading there.
Cost is $15.00 payable that night
I will need a positive for this session by June or the end of June for the Make and Take session.

We’ll go to the Lititz Craft Show on Saturday the 8th

More details as time goes by for the other days.
How does this sound so far????

PASS THIS ON TO YOUR BLOG AND FORUM FRIENDS

I do hope we get a good response for this - it has been something I have been hoping to do for a few years now and decided it’s now or never!

The Lancaster, Lititz area is just beautiful and there’s soooooo many places to shop, many things to see and do and many wonderful places to eat!

It would be so much fun to meet all you Blogging and Forum friends out there….this could be a huge event if we just DO IT!!!!

E-mail me at: kmprimitives@yahoo.com with GATHERING OF FRIENDS in the subject line

UPDATE TO THIS POST:

I have ideas of what we will be doing but need to get some feedback so I'm not planning something you all aren't in favor of...this is going to be an enjoyable outing for all of us.

1. Would anyone be interested in getting tickets for the SIGHT AND SOUND THEATER it's the most fabulous show you will ever see: http://www.sight-sound.com/WebSiteSS/getshowdetails.do?eventCD=ITB
And I was thinking it would be a good Friday night show to see....but I need your feedback. We would not do a package that included dinner - we'll just do our own and then head for the theater.
I need at least 15 to get the group rate.

2. I'm not sure if anyone would care to do WHOLESALE shopping or not - we probably will have enough shops to get to in the time given with so many people....BUT if you do have your tax ID and sellers permit number bring it along - you just never know. I'll have a list of WHOLESALE places to go to.

3. I'm going to need to know approx. how many are going to do the MAKE AND TAKE so I can give Julia a head count.

4. Each person is responsible for getting their reservation into the Amish View Inn where several rooms are being held for us...just tell them it's for the KAREN MARTINSEN group.
Try and do this as soon as you can so Grace isn't holding rooms she would need for other guests.
http://www.amishviewinn.com/

5. I would like it if each of the lady/girl participants would bring ONE SECRET GIFT for our MEET AND GREET NIGHT which will be on WEDNESDAY (5th) evening - we all want to receive something nice so keep that in mind when packing up your special gift....we will try and keep the dollar amount between $15/$20 so as to make it fair for everyone.

6. I will be arriving there on Monday night very late so I'll have Tuesday to do some running and setting up.
Please let me know when you expect to arrive so I can hopefully be there to meet you.

7. Every evening after shopping I'm having a SOCIAL HOUR in the Gathering Room from 5 to 6 p.m. - we can unwind after the day and if there are any stragglers this will be a great place to relax before heading out to dinner.
I'm hoping to have some treats/snacks and beverages available.

8. FOR THOSE THAT LIVE LOCAL do you have some kind of idea when you will be joining us - will you be able to do the MAKE AND TAKE???....are we going to have your pretty faces at our dinner table???

9. I'm going to make sure we get at least one good Amish meal in for the 4 nights we are there....one good place is Shady Maple Smorgasboard and I mean to tell you it's the BIGGEST and BEST one we've ever been to.
I'm hoping to have us do some shopping up in that area so we are near there for our evening meal, otherwise it's a 25 minute drive....but hey, we're on vacation...RIGHT???? It's soooo worth it though.

10. I also think this would be an interesting and fun thing to do is anyone is interested: http://www.familyheirloomweavers.com/showhouse.html
I purchase many of their products - made right there in Red Lion - and they give mill tours as well.

Well that's it for now...this is just a quick note to say I haven't forgotten and that my head has been going over and over different things to see and do.

Yes, we will be hitting all the hot spots for shopping on the shopping days so that's a 'given'...but if anyone has any suggestions I'd be happy to hear from you.

FULL WEEK AT AN END!

THANK YOU EVERYONE WHO CAME HERE AND COMMENTED ON MY COUNTRY SAMPLER POST….You are all such dears with your kindness.

Well this has been a busy week with house cleaning and running. I did buy a few goodies while shopping and forgot they were on my camera and when I started to download the picture from today there they were.

When shopping we stopped at this absolutely wonderful fabric store out in the country in an old house…it’s really a quaint setting and when you go in it’s wall to wall fabric…I was drooling. But I ended up buying only two pieces, both in Aqua…my new favorite color!

The stripe fabric was on sale for $4.20 a yard and it’s really beautiful - smooth on one side and like a soft flannel on the other so you can use it either way. I was looking for some Colonial reproduction fabric but couldn’t find any so I think the print one will work…what do you think?


Then we went to a resale shop and found two really cool pictures of a man and woman - I like the pictures but the frames and oval matting is what I really like. I’m going to put pictures of Lincoln and Washington in them. I got them both for $5.00



We also found 2 bottles very much alike - both are iridescent and one is pinkish…and it says pint on it…I’m guessing a whisky or some kind of alcohol bottle - but then again maybe a cough syrup bottle…just don’t know….and they were $3.00 each


And then this beautiful 54 X 54 red and blue cotton throw for $16.00.


So that was my shopping on Wednesday…I did get a little muslin grungy bunny and some really neat primitive Easter grass but the picture didn’t turn out.

Yesterday and today was insane so to speak….but in a GOOD WAY. The e-mails that came in about the Country Sampler article was phenomenal! And the orders!!!!! They just kept coming - and one was over the phone. She didn’t have a computer so she had someone look me up and then she called me!

And we even got a letter from a woman who had seen our home in the magazine and in the letter was a picture of a very large dough trencher like on our dining room table - the lady said she forgot she had it until she saw ours and it has been in her attic for many, many years and wanted to know if it was worth anything! Wow - it’s 71 inches long and 17 inches wide! If it’s old I just can’t imagine what it would cost.

And then my computer has been acting up so it has been to the doctor and got fixed so just got it back tonight - that’s partly why you haven’t seen me posting on your Blogs! But I’m back…..

Then today Doug said I could have a decal of my business made for our car so we went to where he works part time and went to the decal dept. and told John what we wanted and within 2 hours we had it and it’s on the side windows of the van. I LOVE IT…HE DID IT JUST PERFECT. What do ya'll think????



Well, I got a little overboard here on this post - hope you stayed with me to the end….Hugs, Karen

COUNTRY SAMPLER HAS ARRIVED!

On Monday we received our special copy of Country Sampler magazine!
OMGosh I just can't say how happy and pleased we were with the whole Sampler team for doing such a great job on our article. They hit the interview on the head!
The pictures I took are terrible - I'm not liking my camera, never liked it and probably will never know how to use it correctly - but it gets the job done.

So here are the pages - enjoy....and I do hope you can find one in the stores if you don't get the subscription.

THANKS FOR ALL YOUR INTEREST IN SOMETHING WE FEEL IS AN HONOR BESTOWED ON US...and probably a once in a lifetime experience at least for most of us 'common people'

Hugs, Karen

SUNDAY MUSINGS AND TREASURES

Today was just so beautiful - got to 60! But here I am inside at the computer and sewing orders.
One of these free days I’ll have to get upstairs to my craft space, shut the door and create new designs. I most always have at least 4-5 new each season….I’m way behind but I’m attributing it to a busy business and for that I say YEAHHHHH!

I had some free time this morning so decide to take a few more pictures of things I love - some of them I changed around and some I just purchased. I have so much packed in the basement so when I get out my Spring things I’ll try taking some more pictures but for now, here’s a few!
Oh, maybe one of these days I’ll have a surprise photo to show you….there has been a partially white deer roaming our neighborhood the past several months.

One morning I saw large (LARGE) tracks through the yard and so we went to investigate where they came from and it was from way out back, through the fence/garden area, across the yard, to the boat and then across the driveway and onto our courtyard and down the side of the house, around the front yard and then the tracks went across the street.

We’ve seen these tracks often in the snow but just thought it was a very large dog…NOT!
Yesterday it came through again and this time the neighbor man was outside and asked us if we saw it…we didn’t, he said he saw it that morning and that it had been around a lot….and some neighbors a few blocks away said it likes to sleep in their yard….can you imagine! Well let’s hope I get a picture of it….my camera is always out and ready.

YOU CAN CLICK ON ALL PICTURES TO VIEW LARGER

I had a wall shelf with pegs that I took down in the bathroom when I put up the cupboard and thought it might look nice by our back door in the kitchen and wanted to get the Prairie apron and bonnet out of the hallway and now I really like it there better.

I completely forgot I bought these bags of Llama wool when we were at Market in February!

Just decided to take a picture of this Counted Cross Stitch of Central Market Lancaster, PA

I stitched it in 1988 - I could NEVER do this small stitch anymore but I'm glad I have it now as a reminder - we go there everytime we go to Lancaster and buy from the wonderful food stands, this is where I get that wonderful loaf of Cinnamon Bread there for our grandson (his circle toast!)

Yesterday morning I got in the crafting mood and dearly needed to make the things I was putting off. So I wrapped FLAX around some grubby candles and wrapped rusty wire around them to secure it and added a bell. You can find these on my website.

I also filled these cute llittle bags with some flax - on my website as well

4 Years ago I did my first Craft Show in Lancaster, PA and did so well there and for over 25 years (at that point) we had been going to that area and always wanted an Amish Quilt but never had the extra cash to pay the price for one and I am so particular with color….I like to ADD color, not have it be the focal point so I never really found one until that weekend - I made a good amount of money from the show and said if I don’t buy a quilt now I never will. So we went on the hunt for the perfect quilt…and found it!

It’s just IVORY with a Pineapple motif and totally hand stitched - the back looks just like the front - call me impressed!!!!So here’s the beautiful quilt I bought with some of my FIRST EARNINGS!

Now our entire bedroom set and quilt is purely AMISH MADE!

The design is even on the end that flips up over the pillows!


Each corner has the design as well as around the scalloped edge all around the quilt.


Close-up of stitching

Close-up of design

I hope you enjoyed my post today!

Karen

MY BROTHERS PLACE

If you haven't already done so - please sign up for TODAY'S PRIMITIVE HOME NEWSLETTER...I have a pretty good article running this month....here's the link: http://www.todaysprimitivehome.com/

Last weekend while we were at my brothers I took a few picture of the interior - notice all the snow? Well, there wasn't that much when we were there but they certainly did have more on the ground than we do here - they live north of us by 3 hours in the area all of us call 'up north'!

Thier all brick home sits on 5 absolutely gorgeous acres. Gene has worked so hard clearing the land , replanting trees and making it the most peaceful place I've ever seen....while Gail makes the inside just as comfortable.

I thought I'd share a few pictures of their place
The first two speak for themselves

One day a couple years ago we all went shopping and Gail saw this great wall shelf but the price was way over the top so Gene came home and built her one - it looks just like the store one (but better). Hard to judge size in the picture but it is approx. 3-1/2 x 3-1/2 and it hangs on the open stairway wall leading down to the basement.

Sofa in living room - we have the same one

Loveseat in same room

Basket on French doors leading to entry


Top of cupboard in dining room

Neat bucket with pretties!


Corner cupboard in dining room

Their family room

Thanks for visiting

Karen

PICTURES...FINALLY

Today was a day of taking photos, working on my website, as well as finishing up a set of Mug Mats for a customer, mailing 5 orders and even time left over for my Blog. I’m bushed! Some days just work smoothly while others you just spin your wheels, flap your arms and spin in place.

I was mentioning in my last post that I purchased some very special items at this Crafter’s Mall in the Wisconsin Dells so I finally got the pictures taken of them.

Jeanne makes these wonderful Primitive items but doesn’t have a website, just her great little space at the mall and I drool every time I’m there - it’s called Farmhouse Gatherings

I told her if anyone saw something they liked that I showed here, I’d send them her e-mail and possibly she would have more.

And PRIMITIVE is the word for her products and ALL MADE BY HER.

So on with the show….

Is this Aqua mini check Prairie Apron and Bonnet just too cute - click on it to see it up close

This darling fabric covered pantry box holds 6 of the most wonderful scented cakes - cinnamon and vanilla. I also purchased the round pantry cake and the grungy pantry cloth awhile back from her booth.

I couldn’t resist this darling soap bag - the colors she has been using has lots of Aqua…can you tell? Most everything I bought from her lately has the color in it and I LOVE IT.

The candles on the wire were bought prior to this trip as well - I fell in love with them immediately.
And this time I bought two taper candles. Each one is slipped inside a cute fabric sleeve with a rusty pin and old button.

We also shopped at this great little shop in Tomah, WI called The Market Place http://www.marketplacetomah.com/index.html
I bought this bundle of wool….well, it’s actually the innards of cotton batting and wrapped in grungy cheesecloth and all tied up with some Aqua ticking fabric….cute huh?

I also purchase a grungy bag with Cornmeal printed on it - not sure what’s in the bag but it smells pretty good.

I also found this wonderful cotton 46 x 46 Table Square made by Family Heirloom Weavers….got it for $25.00.…HUH???? Yep, $25.00

When we all went for lunch the day we shopped we saw this darling store next to the restaurant called Gatherings and well worth the wait while we had lunch…I didn’t buy much but what I did get I love and will go back.

One thing was this round braided table mat and also a YUMMY Lavender scented soap. Here’s the link to the brand….OMGosh it’s just wonderful.
http://www.lepideprovence.com/soap.html

And last but not least we hit a thrift shop and for $3.56 I got this little bunch of crafting goodies. 2 pieces of muslin, a yard of printed fabric, a piece of blue ticking and a pkg of bells I can rust.

So that's my Show N Tell ... Enjoy!

Karen