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

I’m settling in…

I love this time of year – it’s a nesting kind of feeling and so warm and comfortable.
Time to enjoy the crisp days and nights and think about what is to come in the next several weeks…I’d say ‘months’ but it is mere weeks till Christmas.
I love the thought of Thanksgiving coming and enjoying the smells of baking and cooking – and then the mad mess…decorating for Christmas starting the day after Thanksgiving.
I would like to say it gets DONE the day after Christmas but it’s just the BEGINNING….lots of Fall to put away and many totes brought up from the basement.
Thank goodness for strong arms and young bodies of the grands!  They don’t know it yet but after dinner and dishes on Thanksgiving day they are all pitching in to bring down the Fall decorations.
I have decided to make it a group effort and it will get done fast.  Then up with the totes before they go home (oh, and all the trees too will come up).

So that’s where I am right now – feeling warm and cozy.

But in other parts of the house there is hustle and bustle.
Our grandson Jesse and his cousin Jesse have been coming over every day to help redo the upstairs.

We started with the craft room closet.  Tore out EVERYTHING and then they primed and painted.  Then Doug installed the new closet hardware/shelves.  Looks mighty fine now….and smells even better.  Nothing ickier than an old house and a small room that always has the door shut.   Fortunately it’s a fairly decent ‘walk-in’ for an older home.

After they finished painting (I see they didn’t remove the tape on the window…)

…click on pictures, some will show up larger if needed…

After the closet hardware installed
 

 
It is now filled with seasonal clothes!

Then they moved on to the guest room – that is a bear….they are stripping off old paper that has been painted over.
It is a horrible and long job…today they are finally using a steamer.  Can’t say how long it will be before it’s finished but they have never done painting or anything like this before and they are doing a great job.
The paper goes up on to the sloped ceiling part as well…which is what they are working on today.

And the poor craft room is a jumble of things from the closets and the guest room.
This will be the last room we do as it is the catch-all for now.
The two bedrooms will be painted a kind of Khaki if I can find the right shade.
 

So on to some good stuff – how about some treasures we bought when in PA…I was going to show you on my last post but it got too long.

I have seen these oblong wreaths this year and found one at a shop in Lititz.
I love the aged Candy Cane!
 

At the Candle Barn at Kitchen Kettle I found a long Mercury ornament

More stockings – long and aged – 2 red and 2 stripe, to hang on the mantle.

Hopefully these Two tin sconces will hang in one of the guest rooms – if they won’t work because of the sloped walls then I just may sell them (so watch and see what happens in case you like them).

One large and 2 smaller wispy Green wreaths – I think the large one will go around the neck of the wooden Goose we have.
We found these at Cocalico Creek in Lancaster and they had them on a White Goose.

Resin Candy Canes and some Red/Green sprigs.

Battery votive candles – but they are a nice size – about 5 inches tall.

Are you sick of looking yet??? If not, here’s more.

Table risers for serving hot foods or just for space saving, do you use them?
I do and they really are nice to get things up off the table, easy to put more things on the table around it.
I bought 2 different sizes (and the bundle of dried Yarrow from Pheasant Run Antiques).

Love this long pillow – it isn’t going to be on the brass bed – I don’t like the 2 styles together.
It will go on the White iron bed when the other guest room is finished, but I needed a place to set it for the picture.
Actually I do not want my Brass bed but it’s too good to get rid of.
I’m considering having it spray painted – but it will still have that Victorian look to it – so not sure what is going to happen with this bed.

A few Family Heirloom Weaver table squares and table cloths.
Bought them at 3 different shops in PA.
Actually the 2nd from the right I sold already!)

And a pillow

Much needed tissue paper.
 

Then when we were at Roots market this lady made these cute little all cloth dolls ,
perfect for Miranda’s age.
Plus she embroiders the name of
the child on the outfit.
I think Miranda will have fun with it – it’s real squishy.

Yesterday (Friday) we were up north because I had to deliver some merchandise to Country Freckles so she had it for her Christmas Open House which is going on right now folks for those who live close enough to Wisconsin Rapids.
Anyway, I bought more wool from her and these sweet Mercury ornament trees.

 

Then on the way home we stopped at Whetstones on Hwy. 73 W. and found this iron double candle sconce.
 

Before heading up north I had a rush on making cupboard prints for the shop – they actually got finished within the hour of packing up!

 

We had a request for an Arnette Santa from a customer here for when we went to wholesale in PA a couple weeks ago.  She said as long as it had a Red coat she didn’t care what else it looked like so she picked it up today – and LOVED IT….we did good I guess, but then who wouldn’t like them, huh???
 

So there you have it everyone…the shopping treasures and what’s been happening at and around our house.
With all my orders basically done for good (except for things I care to consign – if I want to anymore that is), I’m settling in like the heading said.
I want and need to get going on my hooked pieces.  I have 2 that are for Christmas that are finished except for binging.
I do not know how to do it but I do have instructions so I think it’s do-able.
Hopefully I can get into the rug hooking and stick with it – I’m anxious and way over due.

Over on my selling blog  http://kmprimitives.blogspot.com/  I still have the Tree Pillow and the Olde World Santa Journals for sale.
Go check them out.

Back side of pillow

 

Don’t know how a squirrel got up on this wreath on our front door without knocking it down but he did and he planted a Black Walnut right in the center…I’m leaving it alone.

Our little Zayne is growing so big everyday….we get to finally see him on Tuesday.  The last time was on the 22nd of Sept. for our anniversary dinner so I imagine he’s going to be a little tub!!!

So, can someone tell me how to get the ‘reply’ on my ‘comments’ for when someone comments and they don’t have a blog or e-mail?
Their comment shows up ‘noreply-comment@blogger.com’.
I would love to be able to reply to their comments…thank you in advance’.

Hope all is well with  you out there in blog land.
Blessings to all
Karen

A little bit of shopping

I haven’t put much ‘fun’ things on my posts lately so this one will be just some good ole eye candy – things we bought yesterday at a show.
I went not knowing if I was going to purchase or just browse but the first three booths were overwhelming! So I bought!  Is that any surprise…(smiles)

The first thing that caught my eye was this bear – bears were in large quantity at this particular show.  I think they may be coming back popular again…I love the old antique look of his fur and he’s a tall one…about 30 inches.
 

 

And at the same booth my lovely little Pumpkin Girl.
She stands about 20 inches

Her bucket is filled with mini pumpkins
(Putka Pods)

Two great Pumpkins – one Green the other Brownish

 

And some wonderful large dried gourds for
$2 each!
I paid as much as $9 for a dried gourd
like these last year!

This pillow is larger than it looks here…
measures 15 x 22
You can remover the cover for cleaning
and inside is a ‘feather pillow’
The color is much darker than it’s showing –
it’s more Brownish like the backside 

(Backside)

And a cement Snowman…have wanted one of these for a couple years now.
Last season I bought a cement Bee Skep
I need to find new sticks for his arms though…
these are very badly miss matched!

He’s going to sit in the middle of our birdbath for the winter.

 

Two sweet aged fabric crows
I just put them in the Geraniums for showing 

And some wonderful candles from ‘Renderings’
Now I thought I had the scent I had purchased from them last time…nope, bought the wrong one.
I’m hoping they will exchange these for me.  This is a great scent but the one I thought I was buying smells just like Cinnamon Buns baking.

And last…I didn’t purchase this but a friend who has some of  my products on consignment was at the show and she said she had  a surprise for  me in the car – she had purchased quite a huge  amount of  Wool on Craig’s List and gave me some. I m hoping to over dye it to take way the bright look.
THANK YOU SO MUCH DENISE! 

I have more tidbits I could add but will leave it for another post – it will be old news by then but I do get carried away with posts! So I’ll give you a break and just leave it with my purchases.

And I also have 2 of the Americana sets left…check it out here:http://kmprimitives.blogspot.com/

Enjoy…

Karen