A bit of show and tell

Things are finally going to get back to normal around here -
I got the pins removed from my finger!

 Amazing how not being able to use the full capacity of ones hand
really makes so many things difficult, if not impossible.

But on to better things.

A couple weeks ago I decided to make a traditional early style penny rug for us...
after all these years we do not have one.

I love all the colors in this one and they will be stitched on a wool army blanket.

I laid the pennies in the order I wanted, then had to mark on the backs of each one the number in the spot they would go back on after I stitched the two pennies together.

I am really anxious to start stitching because the colors take on a deeper tone with the stitching - and those few bright gray ones will tone down considerably when stitched.

Last Friday we took a very long day trip to Arcola, IL to some Primitive Antique shows.

Everything in all 4 shows was so beautiful but sooo expensive.

The show we went mainly for was Homesteaders On The Prairie...a wonderful and affordable show plus we always see familiar faces there.

Among the ones we saw was Carolyn Thornton from Black Cat Primitives

 - she is always so upbeat and smiling!

Saw this sweet pillow she made and I thought it would look good on the guest bed -

tie it in with the old quilt at the bottom of the bed

Also found a long paddle I think a long tall snowman punch needle would look nice on. 

It isn't old but I loved the shape.

This homespun wool I thought would make a very neat looking sheep on a hooked piece

At one of the shows we saw 3 very nice Penny Rugs.

Would of loved the one on the wall but the price was too out of line.

I love the outline stitching on this one.

Cool Red/White/blue one

A couple weeks ago we went up to Fox & Fork where I consign at

and they had a whole tub of graters and such - love the little hand scrub board.

Going to mount punch needle on these at some point.

I imagine with the new year that started many of you made a resolution to eat healthy.

We did but haven't been too good at following it like we should but now and then

we do and last night I made a delicious stir fry and it's probably

one of the easiest and healthiest dishes you could eat.

Do you find you make enough to feed a whole table of people?

Seems no matter what I make after all these years of just the two of us

I can't seem to cut back on the ingredients and make a ton of it.

Tonight we go over to UW Whitewater for granddaughter Emily's band concert.

We haven't seen her in several weeks and we'll also celebrate her 19th birthday.

We are so proud of Em - she received another scholarship last week and also got a job for the summer at the Kenosha, WI museum for Public History which is her major.

I'll close now - as again I never know when to stop writing 😊

Blessings to you all and thanks for stopping by

Karen

Fall Greetings!

So - we had lots of HOT weather and then FALL came,..but ONLY for 3 days. Now we're back to the heat and humidity.
I so want to get my fall things out but the feeling just isn't there.
Plus...we are making gourd garlands and sweet potato garlands in the dining room and I can't see beyond that at the moment.

Hope some of you are feeling fall and I think you are from the pictures I see on FB.

Not too much has happened since last month when I posted but I'll put a few pictures on just so I get a post in this month being it's half over with already

Last month I showed you a picture of some finds - well I found more!
I love butter paddles for mounting my punch needle and rug hooking on.  I really got lucky last month at the Elkhorn, WI flea market...I scored on a few.
Most were in ruddy shape as far as the patina so I cleaned all of the ones I had - stained them and then put tung oil on and now they are gorgeous!
So now it's punching time.  Most will have Christmas or Winter designs.

This is what most of the paddles looked like

(I showed you them last month)

I did finish a punch needle although it isn't a holiday design.

I'm either going to make a med. size pillow or mount it on a basket...just can't decide.

I do need to make the 8 and 9 brighter first though.

It has become one of my favorite pieces so far.

It is a great size too - 9-1/2 x 6-1/2

It's called MORNING CHATTER 

by Jan Goos - Goos Nest

Okay - this just isn't like me to do this but I got lazy or maybe just 'casual'....

We have family dinner night the first Wed. of each month but with summer everyone had something going on so for this month I asked everyone that could make it 

to come here and we'd have a casual easy hot dog supper.

It went over big...we had hot dogs (chili dogs), french fries, tuna pasta salad, fruit

and brownies for dessert.  Even ate off of paper plates, why not, right?

Our son Brett and granddaughter Emily were the only ones who couldn't make it this time.

There was a 3 yr., two 4 yr. and one 8 yr. old and after we ate they

must have had to run off some steam because there was

a running screaming session happening - maybe too much sugar!

Being we're making garlands this week and next we have been looking for natural

things to put with the gourds and sweet potatoes.

We got some Buckeye's from a cousin. Never really knew how they grew before this.

I love how beautiful and shiny the surface is on them - they look like mahogany.

Some pods had 2 and 3 nuts in them.

So the dining room table is set up to get started making gourd garlands,

I need to soak the bay leaves yet so they are pliable and won't snap when we string them on.

Doug drilled holes in everything yesterday so I guess we are set to start tomorrow!!!

I am taking them to a couple shops by me to sell but if anyone wants either the gourd garland or sweet potato garland email me.

I will get details to you - and they will most likely be on my other blog.

My sweet Niece Tina let us cut some corn stalks so they are drying in the screen room until we can tie them up outside.

Thanks Tina!!!

That's all for this week - time to get ready to meet a former co-worker for lunch!

Happy week everyone - and COME ON FALL!!!

Karen

A little road trip

But first here's the few items I found on the road trip at the Longest Yard Sale.

I need to clean the paddles up and I think I will stain the basket.

These items will have punch needle mounted on them at some point.

And I found a couple old ornaments as well

This past Sunday I went to our local Antique and Flea Market in Elkhorn, WI.

We don't like missing this one because it's such fun
and you see so much and always see friends there.

I went alone this time because Doug was on a jaunt with our son Brett.

Not sure if it was a great show that I found lots or that I was alone.....
anyway I found quite a few items.

The red boxes and the tin I will put some winter or Christmas designs in and the others will have punch needle mounted on them but they all need to be cleaned up yet.

The basket I don't know if it's old - the guy said the 20's - not sure but it was $18
so it really didn't matter - it was mine!

I also want to let you know that I put several new items on my selling blog:  http://kmprimitives.blogspot.com/

And I will be taking orders for my Sweet Potato garlands and also the Bell Hangers.

The garlands shown are 'examples' only

As soon as I can I am also going to start my Gourd Garlands
and taking orders for those as well.

Supplies are very limited so if you want one - order now!!!

~~~~~~~~

So on to the road trip - A little over a week ago we took off on a short
spur of the moment road trip.

It took us through Ohio and down into KY, TN...we stopped along the way at the Longest Yard Sale...yuk for the most part...just junk!  Until we got into TN - there were several places that had some nice vintage and a few antique things.

But oh was it hot!!!  90+ temps and most of the time 70% humidity!!!
And the sun beating down, 

I got a nice tan out of it though lol

I never was so miserable but I did it!!!

Lots of water and cool wipes to my neck.

I did find a few things to work my punch needle designs on so it was kind of a bonus for the road trip...the best part though was stopping for an overnight at dear Betty Crowe's house. 

http://bettyjcrowe-throughmybackdoor.blogspot.com/

 We can't get that close to her and not stop.  She's just a dear sweet lady
(with lots of energy I might add lol).

We had a wonderful visit, great supper and comfy beds.

The morning we left there we stopped at the

MUSEUM of APPALACHIA

It's in Clinton, TN - just a half hour from Betty Crowe!!!

http://www.museumofappalachia.org/

If you get a chance you must visit this place.

We didn't expect to be awed as much as we were.

The history and the lives these people lived and basically on NOTHING
and the things they did have,
came from their own two hands and hard work.

Very inspiring and heartwarming.

The Hall of Fame was most interesting and almost made tears reading the
hard lives they lead - but they were a very happy people too
and CHERISHED what they had - so UNLIKE us of today!

I took lots more pictures than are here but can put only
so many on before you get tired of it, right?

Such an amazing step back in time.

(click pictures to view larger

if you want to read the captions)

Hard to believe this is a woman!!!

Her face tells it all.

In the Hall of Fame there were all these wonderful baskets made by hand of course by such talented people.

Gorgeous pie safe - love the punched tin design

For all of the woven fabric people out there I thought this display was intersting

On with pictures of the ground and cabins/structures.

I don't remember some of the names of the cabins but did remember a few.

This exhibit impressed us the most (besides the hall of fame)

This corn crib is from Betty Crowe's

great-great aunt Caroline Cox.

Peter's Homestead

They used a 'dogtrot' style entry for the lofts in the cabins

I loved that there were two living sides.

General Bunch House

Loom House

Can't remember what exhibits these were

Underground Dairy

Very beautiful grounds

Saw several Peacocks on the grounds

And we're on our way out - headed for home!

Thanks for visiting and see you again soon!

Karen