BEEN ALMOST A MONTH!!!

Seems I can't get a post going every week or so like I use to - life just seems to get in the way.

Lots happens but no time to keep posting.  I hope I can change that. I really miss all of my blogger friends and the longer one stays away, the less traffic they get so hang in there...I'll try harder because I sure love coming to your blog and reading.

Oh also....most everyone is coming up a NO-REPLY so I can not answer your comments.

Sorry but I do not know how to change that so just know that

I enjoy and love all your wonderful comments.

So on with the post...

A week ago Saturday we had all the boys here for yard clean-up,

tree trimming and gettingthe screen room winterized.

Fun times with them...lots of male bonding for sure!!!

I so did not want to loose these leaves - I love the looks of them but they are messy bringing them into the house on your feet when they are wet like they have been lately.

SORRY FOR THE PICTURE OVERLOAD!!

We had a whole lot of dead limbs in several trees - thank goodness for Brett who once worked for a tree service - he really knows his stuff 

  Aidan even got to help between playing and snacking.

The next day we left for Pennsylvania to a buyers wholesale show - nice short trip but on our way we stopped in Cranberry for the night and visited a dear friend who has had a horrible bout with an illness that has put her in the hospital many times this past year - she has become one of my dearest and closest friends in such a short time.

She didn't know we were stopping to see her and it took her by surprise -

a short but sweet visit.

The next morning we drove to Lancaster - 

we had many places to be in a very short time but we did it.

Just a few of the things we found at wholesale

Lots of painted boards

3 Antiqued tin sconces that will be great for punch needle!

And I bought some dark gold aged stubby candles to put in them.

Several drieds to use on the gourd garlands

....and speaking of gourd garlands....we bought more gourds!!!

See those really grubby ones in the back left...they are the decorative gourds that are dried...should make for a very interesting garland.

And this wonderful baking pan - I'm going to make a snowman

or gingerbread punch needle and mount it in the open space.

I'd love to keep it for myself so we'll see.

Beautiful large aged gold basket - I think I will display some pine greens in it for Christmas

Found some long skinny sweet potatoes at Roots market in PA for the garlands -

they work out so much nicer than the fat ones.

I love the large farmhouse sink for tossing them in cinnamon and cloves

And the end result - a garland.
I made two of these this past week for customers - now making more for a couple others.

I also found the Shelly Beans I've been searching for at Roots as well

I string them with some natural dividers and they make for a nice hanging.

I had enough for 5 bunches to take to the shop I sell at.

We had our usual stop at Wilbur Chocolate for Wilbur Buds - and found them in a new location. It's directly across the street from the old original factory.  Seems to have lost some of its uniqueness by being in such a modern atmosphere but the candy was still the same...smiles!!!

It was such a pretty ride back home - not so much on the way out -

4 days made a huge difference in the color

It was still so early in the morning when we headed back,

the fog was still hanging over the hills 

Alexandra posted this picture on FB of her and Zayne - It is a favorite of mine!!!

Zayne in his Dr. costume

Miranda as a Fairy

Aidan is a Marine

I did an overload on pictures I know but thought I had better catch up on this past month!!!

I did an adorable punch needle from a pattern in the

Punch Needle & Primitive Stitcher magazine.

It's SAM SNOWMAN by Teresa Kogut.

I have sold a few of them already and if you want one check out my selling site:

http://kmprimitives.blogspot.com/

Plus there's a lot more!!!

 Towards the end of the month Doug and I, our son Dan & daughter in-law Jamie, Alexandra and another couple are taking a painting class called Get Artzy by Jennifer Seitz Miller

https://www.facebook.com/GetArtzy/?fref=ts

We are all doing this adorable snowman.

I am working on a 6 pane window and Doug will be doing a canvas.  I can not wait!!!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Oh - Thurs. we are heading to Ohio to these 3 shows.

It has been about 4 years since we have gone.

EARLIER TIMES

GATHERED TREASURES 

SIMPLE GOODS

Hope to see some of my blogger and FB friends there!!!

Thanks for visiting!!

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