Wild Berry Primitives

Morning Glory Premium Fiberfill

2012-01-01T08:01:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year everyone! What great news for all of you crafters. Morning Glory Premium Fiberfill is finally available again from Walmart.com. I purchased a 5 pound box for $11.47 and had it delivered to my home. Shipping is only $.97.

A Special Request

2011-11-13T16:19:00.000-05:00

I've been neglecting my crafting most of the summer because of our summer vacations. I can't believe we're already into the holiday season. Got to dust off my sewing machine and get busy again!

I had a special request by one of my faithful customers for another Raggedy Ann doll. She wanted a Christmas theme doll made from a Sweet Meadows Farm pattern. She turned out so sweet.

Summer Crafting

2011-07-31T16:52:00.001-04:00

We recently returned from a 4-day cruise to the Bahamas. I always seem to have crafting withdrawals while I'm on vacation, so as soon as I got home I made my way to my craft room and started creating a couple of new dolls. Today I managed to finish a new pattern by "You Are Special" today. I have it listed on Ebay. This would make a great gift for a mother.

I still have other dolls listed on Ebay. ~~One is another "You Are Special" pattern -~~ ~~Flossie Mae~~ ~~and her baby. This is a large doll (38" tall) and would look great sitting in a child's rocking chair~~. (SOLD)

I have more projects in the works that I will post soon.

Have a great week!

Black Mammy Doll

2011-06-16T21:10:00.000-04:00

My newest creation is made from a "Polka Dot Pig Primitives" pattern. She is a black Mammy doll holding her two frogs, hoping that at least one will turn into her Prince Charming. She has just been listed on my Ebay.

More Dolls

2011-05-01T10:57:00.001-04:00

I just completed more dolls this weekend. This cute little primitive Raggedy Ann and Andy set are listed on Ebay. They are made from a pattern by Sweet Meadows Farm. (SOLD)

The other doll is made from a pattern by Kim's Whims and is listed on Etsy.

Raggedy Ann with Sheep

2011-04-16T09:26:00.001-04:00

I just completed my rendition of a Sweet Meadows Farm pattern for this adorable little Raggedy Ann doll. She is dressed in her sheep print dress and I have included a sheep ornie for her to hold. She hangs or sits. I have listed her on Ebay. (SOLD)

Annie and Scotty

2011-04-03T12:45:00.002-04:00

I just finished another doll today and listed her on Ebay. This is a round head primitive Raggedy Ann doll. She is holding her little black Scotty dog. She is small, measuring 14 inches long, but sitting she is only 8 inches high. She would look perfect sitting on an old cupboard shelf. (SOLD)

Primitive Prairie Doll

2011-04-03T11:30:00.002-04:00

Just listed on Etsy is this 24 inch primitive prairie doll handmade by me using a pattern by Sandy of "You Are Special" patterns.

Spring Already?

2011-03-30T19:30:00.000-04:00

Chocolate Bunny

White Chocolate Bunny

Where has the time gone? I haven't posted on this blog in over two months. I have been busy sewing. I made a folk art Mammy doll and listed it on Ebay. I was amazed how fast it sold. I have two primitive bunnies for sale on Ebay also which are my own design. If interested, click on my Ebay link on the right sidebar. I still have some Annie's for sale also.

On my Etsy site, I have added a quilted sweatshirt jacket made by my mother. This jacket is size Large. She has received several requests for orders on these.

Quilted Sweatshirt Jacket - Size Large

My Raggedy Ann Workshop

2011-01-09T17:52:00.000-05:00

My craft room has been turning out many Raggedy Ann dolls since my last post. Most of them have already sold. Here are the two latest dolls that I completed this weekend. They are both listed on Ebay. Click on the links below to view the listing.

Raggedy Ann Doll with framed Raggedy Ann Poem

Raggedy Ann Doll with 1892 hangtag

Winter Giveaway at Homespun Hugs and Calico Kisses Blog

2010-12-02T05:37:00.000-05:00

Homespun Hugs and Calico Kisses is having a giveaway on her blog. Click here to sign up to win this adorable snowman in a silver cup before December 11th.

Primitive Snowman Dolls

2010-11-20T08:12:00.001-05:00

Are you looking for the perfect gift for a primitive snowman collector? I have completed two primitive snowman dolls in the past week. Both are listed on my Ebay. (Both snowmen have been SOLD)

Discounts and Coupons

2010-11-19T19:21:00.001-05:00

My daughter Laurie has a new blog designed to save us all some money. She has been doing a lot of web searching for discounts on personal and household products as well as freebies . Check out her new blog http://frugalmichiganmom.blogspot.com/. She has already listed many printable coupons and offers that will help you save money. Many of the offers that she is sharing would make perfect Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers.

Goodwill Hunting

2010-10-10T17:05:00.001-04:00

Today I stopped in to a Goodwill Store on my way to visit my mother. I have been searching for wool fabric that I can use in my crafting. Well, wool is not easy to find here in Florida and I was out of luck on this stop.

Just as I was about to leave the store empty-handed, I caught a glimpse of an old plastic sewing box sitting high up on a corner shelf. I pulled it down and peeked inside and noticed it had old sewing supplies such as threads, needles, small scissors, and bags of beads and sequins. It was marked $9.99, more than I would typically spend on a Goodwill purchase, but I bought it anyway. When I got home and opened the box, I found it held much more than that. Included was a piece of fabric rolled and tied. It was filled with every size of knitting needle. I also found three vintage circular knitting needles, sewing needles, trims, and many spools of thread. The thread alone would cost me more than $10.00 if I was to purchase it new. I include a lot of my vintage finds when making my primitive dolls. Let's see what I can incorporate into my next doll creation.

Something old is now somthing new

2010-10-02T16:29:00.000-04:00

Where have I been? It's been a while since I posted. We took our vacation in September. We had a great time on our Caribbean cruise, then took a road trip to St. Augustine, Florida.

I guess I needed a little kick-start in the inspiration department. I have been making these little primitive cutter quilt pillows for the past couple of weeks. Finally have them listed on Etsy.

I also started making onesie outfits for babies. These are the cutest little things. I made ruffled diaper covers and trimmed the onesies with a matching applique. These will be added to Etsy this weekend also.

The ruffles are on the back side only.

My First E-pattern

2010-08-22T12:49:00.000-04:00

Today I decided to try my hand at making my first e-pattern. I had already made up a few plastic bag holders and thought it would be easy enough to make up this pattern on my computer. I charted a counted cross stitch pattern which I included. The pattern is now listed for sale on my Etsy shop.

I will be listing some of the finished bag holders soon.

If anyone is interested in purchasing the pattern, click here or go to my Etsy Shop link on the sidebar.

My New Etsy Store

2010-08-15T12:52:00.002-04:00

I'm taking a little break from dollmaking and thought I would try something different.

I've been sewing all weekend and will be listing aprons for sale. I just finished making a woman's recycled blue jeans apron. I love the way it turned out.

I have three more aprons finished and will be listing these for sale also at my new Etsy store which I named "Pine Island Creations".

Click here to view my listings.

Meet Eunice

2010-07-24T08:19:00.001-04:00

Meet Eunice. She is my newest grungy, primitive, witch doll made from a pattern by Olde Rustic Prims. I just listed her on Etsy for $24.00 plus shipping. She turned out perfectly prim. (SOLD)

I still have some items listed on Ebay from my last post. The crazy quilt blocks and scale are sold. I have reduced the prices on most of the items.

I am downsizing my collections and destashing my craft room

2010-07-16T13:47:00.001-04:00

I took the day off work today and spent most of the day cleaning up my craft room. I am trying to downsize my collections. Here are some of the items I listed on Ebay. Click here to see all of my listings.

This is a vintage kitchen scale. (SOLD)

I listed many of my pattern books on Ebay.

This is a set of 12 crazy quilt blocks I made from satin and velvet. The blocks edges are unfinished and measure 7 1/2 inches square. Each block is trimmed with either a button or applique, and is stitched with decorative embroidery. (SOLD)

Crafting for Autumn

2010-07-11T16:35:00.001-04:00

I stitched up more dolls this weekend. This time I'm preparing for the fall season. I finished this pumpkin head doll and listed it on Ebay. I designed it myself without use of a pattern. (SOLD)

I have two other dolls amost completed. They are primitive witch dolls - one is black and one is "green". I will post pictures of them after they are finished.

Happy 4th of July!

2010-07-04T08:06:00.001-04:00

Hope you all have a happy and safe 4th of July weekend!

Here in Florida it has done nothing but drizzle for the last two days and the prediction for today is heavy rain. It allows me to spend more time crafting.

I just completed another order for an Annie doll. This doll is a Sweet Meadows Farm pattern which includes Annie and her little stuffed bear. It looks so cute. I love the fabric combination. (SOLD)

Now is the time for me to start working on holiday projects. I have some patterns for Halloween dolls that I'll be sewing up and will list on Ebay and Etsy.

Low Fat Mojito Cake Recipe

2010-06-28T17:24:00.000-04:00

Just for a change of pace, I thought I would share a recipe for a cake that I made for the girls at work last week. They all requested a copy of the recipe. I guess that means that they liked the cake. I found the original recipe on the internet, but wanted to make it healthier and lower in fat so I made some adjustments. Here is my version of the Mojito Cake recipe.

MOJITO CAKE

1 box (18 oz.) white cake mix
4 eggs
1 small box sugar free lemon jello
1 small box sugar free lime jello
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray bundt cake pan with Pam. Mix above ingredients together on low speed until blended. Mix 2 minutes on medium speed. Pour batter into pan and bake according to package directions or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Leave the cake in the pan and set aside on a cooling rack for 20 minutes. Using a wooden skewer or chopstick, poke holes in the cake.

Glaze

2 Tbs rum
1 Tbs. Creme d'menthe
1/2 cup lime juice
2 cups powdered sugar

In a one-cup glass measuring cup, mix together rum and creme d'menthe. Add enough lime juice to the measuring cup to measure 1/2 cup of liquid. In a medium bowl, combine the lime juice mixture with 2 cups of powdered sugar. Mix well. Pour glaze mixture over the holes and allow to absorb into the cake.

Invert the cake onto a cake dish. Let cool completely and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

What I've been working on this weekend

2010-06-27T13:01:00.000-04:00

I have been working on a quilted wall hanging for myself. I love the design. It is a Dresden Plate pattern with a mailbox scene embroidered in the center. I still have some more hand-quilting to do before it is finished. The best part is that the background is already quilted. I found a quilted pillowsham at Goodwill, took it apart, and used it for the background, then I attached the applique to it. It can't get much simpler than that!

I just completed a special order for this adorably prim Raggedy Annie doll for a lovely lady in Canada.

As I mentioned in my last post, I had orders for other items as well. I am almost finished with the sock monkey and the apron is nearly finished. I just wish I would finish one project before starting another. Am I the only one who jumps from one project to another?

Special Orders to Complete

2010-06-05T16:47:00.003-04:00

There are so many things that I should be doing this weekend, like vacuuming my house and cleaning the pool, but I have had some special requests that I need to finish up. I have a special order for an apron, another knitted sock monkey to work on, sew some scrub tops for co-workers, and another Annie doll.

I finished up this "Country Annie" and just listed her on Ebay.

(SOLD)

I have also been sewing children's clothing. I have orders for two little girl's sundresses to work on also. Here is one that I finished.

Got to get back to work. Busy, busy, busy!

Spring Cleaning

2010-05-30T11:50:00.003-04:00

I am doing some spring cleaning and will be selling some of my magazines and pattern books.

This magazine is the first issue of A Simple Life Magazine by Jill Peterson dated Spring 2010. It is used but in like-new condition.

I am offering this magazine for $5.00 & $3.00 shipping (SOLD)

Go to my selling blog Wild Berry Primitives Mercantile to purchase.

Back from vacation and back to crafting

2010-05-23T08:56:00.001-04:00

It seems like I have been on a hiatus for the past month. We had taken a family vacation to Disney World reunite with my daughter's family that we had not seen since last year.

When I returned home from vacation, I had a message on my answering machine from a very nice lady who had previously received one of my primitive Annie dolls purchased as a gift for her from one of my Ebay listings. She loved it so much, she asked if I would do a special order for another one. It gives you a great feeling to know that your work is appreciated so I agreed to make one for her in the color she requested. This is the completed doll made from a Sweet Meadows Farm pattern.

I am working on another doll similar to this one that will be dressed for the 4th of July holiday.

I made another little Ladybug Annie doll and have it listed on Ebay. It is made from a Craftaholic pattern. It would make a perfect collectible for anyone who loves to collect ladybugs. (SOLD)

Sunflower Annie Doll (SOLD)

2010-04-25T19:25:00.002-04:00

I completed another primitive Raggedy Ann doll. This one I call "Sunflower Annie". She is made from a "You Are Special" pattern. I used coffee and vanilla stained osnaburg for her body. She is dressed for spring in her sunny yellow plaid dress. I purchased a vintage bureau scarf trimmed with hand-crocheted lace at a thrift store recently and turned it into her floral embroidered apron.. I trimmed the apron with yellow sunflower buttons. I listed her on Ebay today.

Another Doll Completed (SOLD)

2010-04-18T15:24:00.003-04:00

I just completed another primitive style Raggedy Ann doll. I used a pattern by Sweet Meadows Farm. She is so sweet. She is listed on Ebay and is looking for a loving home.

More Pin Keeps For Sale

2010-04-10T14:38:00.000-04:00

It gives you a good feeling when something that you have made sells. Sales on Ebay and Etsy have been very slow lately. I was so happy when I checked my email and found that someone had purchased two items today from my Etsy shoppe.

I have been working on some little projects this week. I made three more pin keeps and listed them today on my selling blog Wild Berry Primitives Mercantile. Each one is made from my left over crazy quilt blocks made from satin fabrics which are trimmed with decorative embroidery stitches. Last week I made one similar to these and it sold within two hours of posting it on my selling blog.

The Weatherman Was Wrong Again

2010-03-21T14:58:00.000-04:00

I had good intentions to clean my house today. I had the carpet shampooer ready to put in a full day's work. It was supposed to be perfect day according to the weatherman with high's around 80 degrees. Well they were wrong. It's cloudy, humid, and getting ready to rain with a cold front ready to move in. I was hoping I could air dry the carpets with the windows open. Oh well....there's always next weekend.

Today I finished another "You Are Special" pattern. I made a minor modification on the doll's facial features, but don't you just love Sandy's patterns? I had purchased a Mother Goose print fabric on clearance at JoAnn's a couple of months ago and finally put it to use. This Annie doll is now listed on Ebay.

Monkey Business

2010-03-14T09:03:00.001-04:00

It's that time again.........The weekend. Because I work Monday through Friday, it seems like weekends are the only time that I am able to show and tell what I have worked on throughout the week.

I completed another primitive Annie doll. I used Sandy's "Old Country Cupboard" free download to make the doll. She is dressed in a monkey print flannel nightie and comes with a crocheted sock monkey that I made. The pair is listed on my Ebay . (SOLD)

I made some crocheted dish cloths this past week. I have this set of three cloths listed on my ArtFire shop for $9.00. I am working on another set of three in different colors and will have that listed later this week.

I still have handmade items listed on my selling blog. Feel free to stop by my Wild Berry Primitives Mercantile.

New addition to my selling blog

2010-03-08T19:59:00.000-05:00

Check out my selling blog "Wild Berry Primitives Mercantile" for my newest offering. I created this primitive angel without the use of any pattern and just love the way she turned out. She would look great hanging on a cupboard door or from a peg shelf.

A Crafty Week

2010-03-06T09:42:00.001-05:00

My sewing machine has been buzzing along this week and I have knitted and crocheted so many things that I need to list on my selling accounts.

I've been making up some oven door towels that look like little dresses. I have two of them listed already on my Art Fire Shop.

I finished making a knitted sock monkey which will be listed on Etsy later today.

And................I have been crocheting dish cloths. Stop by and check out my shops for my latest additions.

My New ArtFire Shop

2010-02-28T09:34:00.001-05:00

I just set up a new selling outlet on ArtFire.com.

My first item listed is another lap robe which was crocheted by my mother. Click on the Rapid Cart on the side bar to view this listing.

The Bunny Challenge

2010-02-24T17:37:00.000-05:00

I participated in Prim Patterns 'n Handmades blog challenge to create a primitive bunny from her FREE three-piece template. There were no directions included. We had to assemble the bunny and dress and accessorize it within a two-week period, then submit a photo of the bunny to her when it was completed. Today all of the entries are posted on NeeNee's blog. This was so much fun to do. I'm looking forward to doing her next challenge. Click here to view the other entries.

Sunday Crafting

2010-02-21T18:02:00.000-05:00

Today I spent the afternoon making this primitive sheep and listed it on Etsy for $19.99 with free shipping. I took the opportunity to sit outside on my lanai to work on the applique stitching. The temperature here in Florida finally got above the 60's. At one time today it actually reached 81 degrees, although it didn't last once the clouds took over.

I also listed another lap robe on Etsy which was hand crocheted by my mother. She heads a church group who crochet lap robes and donate them to patients at Hope Hospice. Church members are always donating yarn to her. Some of the yarns are "Fun Fur" which she incorporated into these lap robes. She felt they were too "fancy" to donate, so she asked me to list them on Etsy for her. She has them listed at $40.00 each (shipping is $8.00).

Check out my Etsy on the sidebar to view my other listings.

Beatrice is for sale on my selling blog

2010-02-20T16:51:00.000-05:00

I made another Beatrice Bunny using the pattern by Down River Primitives. Go to my selling blog Wild Berry Primitives Mercantile to purchase this cute bunny.

Pattern Test

2010-02-14T19:21:00.000-05:00

My daughter Laurie, of Down River Primitives, designed her first pattern for a primitive doll. She asked me if I would be her pattern tester to make sure that her directions and pattern were clear and concise. She emailed her pattern to me yesterday, and as you can see by the picture I worked at it all day to complete it. Her pattern is called Beatrice Bunny. This doll is so cute. She will be selling it as both an e-pattern and paper pattern soon. Be sure to check out her blog for more details.

Crafting for Valentine's Day

2010-02-06T08:37:00.002-05:00

I'm a little behind on my crafting and blogging. There's not much going on in my craft room lately. I've been trying to recuperate from bronchitis for the last three weeks. The antiobotics have not helped much. I just want to be rid of the coughing. I've had enough of it already (and so have my co-workers).

Anyway, I took advantage of one of my sick days out of work this past week by working on one of the patterns I bought from Sandy's "You Are Special" patterns. "Valentine Annie" is finished and listed for sale on my Ebay. (DOLL SOLD)

I was a winner of Sandy's blog pattern giveaway last week. I anxcious to get started on one of the five patterns I won. I hope they arrive in today's mail. I'll need a diversion from housecleaning this afternoon.

Itty Bitty Valentine Annies

2010-01-24T15:07:00.000-05:00

Today I've been busy trying to finish up orders for these tiny prim Raggedy Annie dolls. I purchased the pattern from Ragg Bagg Babys. I brought the first doll I made to my office last week and set her on my computer. My coworkers saw it asked me if I would make them up for their daughters for Valentine's day gifts. They are so cute, measuring 8 1/2 inches tall, but in their sitting position, posed with their little bent legs crossed, they are 5 inches high, making them perfect for tucking on a shelf. I love the dress fabric. I've had it in my stash for awhile and have been waiting for the perfect pattern come along.

Updated Selling Blog

2010-01-10T10:17:00.005-05:00

I have made some changes to my Wild Berry Primitives Mercantile selling blog. Come on over and see the offerings I have added today.

I am now offering a Paypal link on my sales blog. I'll be offering a variety of handmade items. I have a prairie doll and knitted scarf listed at this time. Click here and check it out.

I still have items listed on Etsy and Ebay. Click on the sidebar to view my current listings.

And the winner is...............

2010-01-09T07:42:00.006-05:00

Whoever said that 13 is an unlucky number should ask Karen from karen-logcabinquilter.blogspot.com how she feels about it. Karen was the 13th person to leave a comment on my giveaway and was selected as the winning entry using a random number generator.

Karen, please email me your name and address and I will be sending you your prize which consists of two hand knit dish cloths, a Gooseberry Patch Christmas Book 6, and three 100% cotton dish towels.

.

Wishing you all a Happy New Year and my first "Giveaway"

2010-01-01T06:43:00.003-05:00

I hope everyone brought in the new year safely.

My "New Year's Resolutions" for this year are:

 to organize my crafting room.

 to finish one project before starting on another.

To start off the new year I am offering my first giveaway to show my appreciation to all of my followers and those who have left kind comments on my previous posts. I am offering these two handknit cotton dish cloths, three dish towels, and a Gooseberry Patch Christmas #6 book. To be entered in this giveaway leave a comment below. If you are a follower of my blog you will receive two entries. If you do not have a blog you will receive one entry but please be sure to include your email address. The winner will be drawn on Saturday, January 9.

A gift from my daughter

2009-12-25T16:08:00.006-05:00

I regret that we did not have a family gathering this year as we had done in the past. My husband has been recuperating from two surgeries and with all the stress we have gone through in the past couple of months dealing with his pain and recuperation, I felt it was best to celebrate quietly at home. I was fortunate to have my youngest daughter pull out all of my Christmas decorations and put up my tree this year. If it wasn't for her my home would not have any Christmas spirit whatsoever. Thank you Jenn for being there for us.

I was so pleased to receive a special gift from my daughter in Michigan. She sent me a pair of handmade primitive mother and daughter Annie dolls that she made especially for me. She designed the dolls herself and included a little pillow stitched with the words "A mother holds her children's hands for a while.....Their hearts forever." I'm so proud of her accomplishments.

I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I Won a Giveaway!

2009-12-19T11:24:00.005-05:00

I'm so excited! I won a giveway from Sandy's The Olde Country Cupboard blog. I love her blog and have purchased many of her "You Are Special" patterns over the past few years. I feel so fortunate to have won her "Trees of the Season". Please check her blog and her pattern line by clicking on the highlighted links above. I'm sure you'll be inspired by her work as much as I am.

Another Christmas Raggedy Annie Completed

2009-11-22T13:37:00.004-05:00

It has been a dreary weekend due to a front pushing into southern Florida from the Gulf of Mexico. We've haven't had any rain yet but it has been cloudy all day. This type of weather makes me spend more time in my sewing room working on new dolls. I designed this primitive Raggedy Ann doll myself - no pattern was used on this one. I guess after you have completed enough dolls using other designers patterns, you feel confident enough to create your own. This Christmas doll was just listed on Ebay. I have two other dolls listed that end today.

2009-11-16T05:42:00.003-05:00

Cath's Pennies is having a giveaway for this cute handmade wool Christmas candle mat. Visit her blog and sign up to win. She will be drawing the winner on Wednesday, November 18 at 10:00 p.m.

Getting into the Christmas Spirit - SOLD

2009-11-08T12:08:00.007-05:00

Yes, I am getting into the spirit of the upcoming season. What is it about the change in seasons that makes you want to be more creative? Maybe it's because I finally get to breathe fresh air. Yes, today I have my windows open and am enjoying the gentle breeze blowing in from the Gulf of Mexico. I live in southwest coast of Florida where we have our air conditioning running from April through November.

Here is the other Christmas Raggedy Annie doll I mentioned yesterday. I completed her and her little snowman this morning. She is already listed on Ebay.

Back in the Doll Making Mood

2009-11-07T16:28:00.005-05:00

I just finished another Raggedy Annie doll and listed her on Etsy. She is a primitive Christmas Raggedy Ann with her little Teddy Bear. I made her from a Sweet Meadows Farm pattern and she is cute as a button.

I also started another doll today which will be my own design. Check back tomorrow. Hopefully I'll have it completed and listed on either Ebay or Etsy.

I found the neatest little tool for dollmaking. I've read plenty of patterns that call for stuffing your dolls using a hemostat. Well I finally bought one and what a different it makes when you are trying to stuff those skinny little legs.

Giveaway at Bittersweet Prims

2009-10-18T06:40:00.005-04:00

Head on over to Bittersweet Prims for a chance to win the giveaway for this adorable snowman. The giveaway ends November 7.

Back from vacation

2009-10-02T20:47:00.006-04:00

It's been awhile since I've posted. I had been busy preparing for my vacation and now that I'm back from my 12 day cruise to Hawaii it's time to get down to business and get crafting. While I was away one of my dolls that was listed on Etsy sold. I feel bad that I was not able to notify the buyer that I would be away for that length of time. I hope she forgives me when she receives her purchase.

The cruise was great. We had been there before by ourselves, but this time we had friends to share the experience with us. We were active every minute touring the islands of Maui, Kauai, Oahu and The Big Island (Hawaii).

The sights were wonderful. If any of you go to Hawaii, a do not miss would be the Napali coast excursion on the island of Kauai. It is spectacular - like heaven on earth! (Click on the photos to enlarge).

This is the view we had from our cabin while docked in Oahu - Diamond Head.

Our Maui tour guide took us on an Ecotour around the island.

Another view of Maui

Hawaii Volcano National Park (The Big Island)

Rainbow Falls (also on the Big Island)

Our Happy 28th Anniversary!

2009-08-29T17:59:00.005-04:00

Today my husband and I are celebrating our 28th wedding anniversary. Although we are saving our real celebration for an upcoming Hawaiian cruise, we reminisced about our wedding day after my husband pulled out this old wedding photo. Look what a difference 28 years has made.

Cabinet Makeover

2009-08-29T15:40:00.007-04:00

A few posts ago I had shown this picture of an old wooden cabinet that had the hideous bright red calico background inside. It was a $5.00 Goodwill purchase. It took some thought before I decided what to use in the door that probably once held a mirror.

Here is the "BEFORE" photo:

Here is the "AFTER" photo:

I spray painted the cabinet in a flat black, then sanded it up a bit to add some age. Then I applied some walnut gel stain. I replaced the red fabric backing with a primitive dark sage green and rust colored calico print. On the front door I embroidered a stitchery of a primitive crow holding a pip berry branch onto a piece of muslin. I coffee stained the piece, then applied it to the inside of the door frame.

I think it turned out great.

I'll be working on some more GW purchases that need transformations as well.

My favorite little "Lady Bug" Annie doll just sold today on ebay. There are still two more Annies from the same design listed. Check out my these listings by clicking the ebay link on the right sidebar.

My Latest Creations

2009-08-27T18:01:00.004-04:00

I've had computer issues this past week. I was so upset when my computer would not boot up the other day. I tried all afternoon Sunday trying to get it working. Tried loading the recovery disk and nothing would work. I took it to the computer repair store and they were going to charge me $149 just to run a diagnostic test on it to see if if the hard drive could be restored, with no guarantee that it would fix the problem. I said never mind. I bought a new PC instead. I lost all of my pictures and files that had not been backed up. Let that be a lesson to make sure I periodically make back-up cd's of all of my files..........just in case it should happen again. I don't know what caused the problem, but I have been having problems every time I use Facebook and think that maybe the computer had a virus that attacked the hard drive. I'll never know for sure.

Since I've not had access to a computer for a few days, I had plenty of time for crafting. I've been making these Raggedy Annie dolls from a pattern by Cat and the Fiddle Designs. After I made the first one (Lady Bug Collector), I couldn't resist making more. Their faces are adorable. I have these three cuties listed on ebay.

I've also been working on the cabinet that I showed in my previous post. It's almost done and will show the finished results soon.

Sewing and Thrifting

2009-08-15T17:03:00.006-04:00

With autumn right around the corner, I've started working on more primitive raggedy Annie dolls. If you read the latest edition of Create and Decorate, you probably saw the pattern from Cindy Markovcy (homespunfromtheheart.com). I couldn't resist making this sweet doll from her pattern that is featured in the magazine. Shown here is my version of her Harvest Doll pattern. I embroidered "Harvest Thyme" on her little apron. I hope to have her listed on ebay this weekend.

I went to four different thrift stores today looking for items that I could make over. Although I didn't have much luck, I did pick up this ugly little wall cabinet. What is with the red fabric background? Talk about hideous! Anyway I am trying to decide what to use in the door. I think it probably had a glass window at one time. I was thinking of painting a primitive saltbox scene, but it has an odd size opening (8.5 X 12 inches). I don't think I would find a canvas board in that size. I could also do a primitive stitchery. I even thought of using a punched tin. Does anyone have a suggestion?

Halloween Annie just listed on eBay - SOLD

2009-08-09T07:29:00.008-04:00

In my last post I showed this primitive Halloween witch Annie doll that I was preparing to sell on eBay. I made some modifications on her and she is finally listed and ready for bidding on eBay. She has the sweetest expression on her face and her little black kitty is adorable. SOLD

Autumn is quickly approaching

2009-08-02T14:12:00.005-04:00

Fall has always been my favorite time of the year. I don't get to enjoy it like I used to. We have lived in Florida for the past 14 years and we don't get the cool, clean air like we did up north. We go from hot summers to warm winter days. What happened to autumn? The only time you see any leaves drop in Florida is in March , then a week later they've been replaced with new growth. I guess in order to enjoy the fall season in the future I will have to go back to old New England where I was born and raised. When I think of fall in New England, I think of apple picking and taking day trips to the White Mountains of New Hampshire to take in all of the beautiful fall foliage, and hiking in the woods. With the way I'm rambling, can you tell I've had enough of this summer heat already?

I have finally started working on my primitive Annie dolls again in preparation for the holidays. I know I'm getting a late start. I've seen so many handmade creations for Halloween and Christmas from other crafters already but with sales being so sluggish on eBay, I've cut back on my own creativity.

Last year I purchased this pattern for a Witch Annie doll from Cat and the Fiddle Designs. I started putting it together yesterday and finished it up this afternoon. I will be listing it on eBay soon.

I have so many patterns and ideas I want to work on........but I'd better go finish my laundry first.

Vacationing in Michigan

2009-07-17T07:46:00.010-04:00

We just returned home to Florida from our weeklong vacation visiting my daughter and her family in Michigan. While we were there we visited The Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan. While most of the museum displays are related to transportation, such as antique planes, trains and automobiles, there are many displays depicting culture and life in the early days. They had many displays of primitive kitchens. I wish I had a few of these items - like the trencher bowl, shaker boxes and firkins shown in the photos below.

While we were walking around looking at the old carriages, I stopped to read the sign in front of one which caught my eye. It mentioned that the carriage came from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. My ancestors originally came from that area in New Hampshire. I think I must have squealed in amazement as I read that this carriage shown below was donated by my grandfather's aunt Josephine Prescott to The Henry Ford Museum. That would make her my great, great aunt. The sign mentions that it was originally owned by her great uncle, which would make him my great, great, great, great uncle?

If you are ever in the Detroit area, be sure to visit The Henry Ford Museum. It actually takes at least two days to see the whole thing.

We had a wonderful time with the grandchildren. It had been two years since we last saw them. We spent time with them visiting various parks in the Detroit area along the shores of Lake Erie. The kids flew their kites, we all walked the hiking trails and viewed nature exhibits. The kids were thrilled because they got to swim in the pool at our hotel.

We loved every minute we spent with them and will miss them all until they come to Florida for a visit next spring.

Disney Monorail Accident

2009-07-05T15:46:00.008-04:00

It was very disturbing to hear about the Monorail crash that happened today at Magic Kingdom. I live three hours away from Disney so we visit very often. We had taken our youngest grandson there in 2007 for his first visit to see Mickey Mouse. One of the highlights was to ride in the front of the monorail with the driver. I think it meant more to the adults than it did to him.

Approaching the Contemporary Resort

Aiden reading his Monorail Co-Pilot's License

This accident will probably put an end to the thrill of Disney visitors riding up front anymore. Before my daughter moved to Michigan, they had taken my granddaughter Nicole and she was lucky to have the chance to ride up front. While my other grandson Andrew has not been there yet, he will hopefully have the chance when he visits there next year. We're looking forward to our family reunion at Disney World in 2010.

I hope everyone had a happy and safe 4th of July holiday.

Now it's time to get back to my primitive projects. I'm working on a wall hanging for the living room. Still have plans to make the bowl rack but that will probably have to wait until after my vacation in Michigan.

Welcome Sign

2009-06-21T11:58:00.005-04:00

My day started with the intention of making a bowl rack using Char's tutorial until I realized I didn't have all the wood I needed. Instead I pulled out a piece of board and my new stencil and made this new WELCOME TO OUR OLDE FARMSTEAD sign. I loved the sign Lisa made and being a crafter myself I decided to make my own. I love the results. Here it is hanging on my kitchen wall. The year 1996 signifies the year we built our house.

Now I'm off to do some errands, and of course I'll stop by Home Depot and pick up some more wood so I can get started on the bowl rack.

Sunday's WWW.....(Working With Wood)

2009-06-14T09:46:00.013-04:00

This morning I decided to use up a piece of board that I had left over from another project and turn it into a peg board for my bathroom. The board is painted black, sanded, and then stained. I added five square nails to it, making it handy for hanging either prims or a bathrobe.

Here is the before and after photo of a two-drawer wall cabinet that I refinished today. I bought it at Goodwill for $4.99 which is more than I would normally spend on a thrift shop makeover project, but I couldn't pass it up. I sanded, painted and primmed it up with a dark walnut stain. I think it will look nice just sitting on the back of the toilet. It matches the peg board shown above and it's drawers can be used for storage of cosmetics or other toiletry items.

BEFORE

AFTER

Whatcha Working on Wednesday

2009-06-10T20:49:00.003-04:00

It's late in the evening but I wanted to share a photo of the locker hooked rug that I just finished. It measures 33 X 23 inches. It really does look primitive and was so easy to make. I had it completed in about a week while I watched TV at night. I will be starting another one soon. It's fun to do and a great way to use up your old scraps of fabric.

Dolls, Quilts and Rugs

2009-06-07T07:51:00.008-04:00

This weekend has been very productive. I finished up a few projects that were in the works. Check out my selling blog to see my newest listings for my "Liberty" doll and Shaker Box quilted wallhanging.

I also want to share my newest project. Have you ever wondered what to do with your old fabric stash that you've been collecting for years? You thought you would make a quilt with some of it but never got around to it. You collected fabrics for doll making but always seemed to purchase new fabrics instead to make your dolls. Well that is what I do. My craft room is overrun with plastic tubs full of cotton prints. What to do? Well when I was at Joann's last week I saw "Locker Hooking Rug" supplies on the display shelf. It says to use 1" strips of fabric. That looked like a good way to use up my stash, so I bought the mesh backing, the locker hook, and the string. I found how-to instructions online explaining every step so I started with just a simple rug. There is no pattern to it. I just used up scraps and go around the perimeter, working my way toward the middle. It looks very country/primitive and would make an excellent bath mat or scatter rug. This photo shows how much I have completed. It's almost finished. I can't believe how fast it works up.

The next rug I make will have a design to it - maybe a sheep, or quilt block squares. The possibilities are endless. You could even use counted cross stitch patterns for your designs also.

MY NEW SELLING BLOG IS OPEN FOR BUSINESS

2009-05-30T09:03:00.010-04:00

Please feel free to stop by and visit my new selling blog at Wildberry Primitives Mercantile. Click on the title above or on the link to the upper right column to go to my new site. I just listed my first handmade towel rack for sale. More handmade items will be added soon. Please check back often.

Signs of Spring

2009-05-24T16:26:00.007-04:00

Today I put my new saw to work. I made this Flowers Gather Here sign and placed it in my Periwinkle garden in the front of my house.

Another project I completed today is the game board. I purchased the same stencil used by Char in her tutorial from Homestead Stencil Company. They have loads of stencils that are great for primitive projects.

Check back later for posts on my next weekend project.

Happy Memorial Day

2009-05-23T10:28:00.009-04:00

I hope everyone has an enjoyable Memorial Day weekend. I'm sure we all need a long weekend to enjoy the warmer weather and kickoff the start of the summer season, whether you are spending time with family, traveling, or just catching up on projects at home.

I am catching up on projects at home myself. I just finished my fourth chair and finally have a matching kitchen table and chairs. You may remember my pictures of the table as I was preparing to stain it. The stain looked blotchy and did not absorb into the wood the way I expected so I decided to paint it black.

Here is the before photo -

This is how it looks today with matching chairs. I recovered the seats with a black and white mini plaid check fabric.

My husband set up a new workbench in the garage for me. I bought a new scroll saw and will be setting that up today. I have to stop at Home Depot today to pick up some wood and other supplies to start making some prim projects. I have so many ideas for shelves, gameboards, and signs that I have been planning to make and hopefully sell on Etsy. I'm considering starting a selling blog as well.

Have a safe and happy holiday weekend.

Slowly Progressing in the Kitchen

2009-05-18T17:25:00.012-04:00

What a slow process this has been. It seems like I have been working on my kitchen table and chairs forever. I'm back to working 40 hours a week again so time is limited. I guess that's a good thing and I should be lucky to have a full-time job, however I miss having that one extra day off per week to hit the thrift stores and work on my crafts. I have the table and one chair completely finished. I love the way the chair turned out. It has such a clean sppearance with the black and white check upholstery fabric contrasting against the black wood. I have three other chairs painted. I just need to finish covering the old seats and then I will have four completed chairs to put under the table. I took this photo to show the original chairs - white oak with hunter green seats. They definitely needed to be updated. Hopefully by next weekend I will have the last two chairs painted and then I'll have time to concentrate on a new project.

Speaking of projects, I started embroidering Gail Pan's Christmas Wish BOM. The blocks work up quickly. Maybe I'll make more than one set of the blocks and turn them into Christmas gifts.

Another project that I want to start is a quilted wallhanging in a primitive/country design to hang in my great room. It can't be anything too large, but needs to fit the quilt rack shelf that I found at Goodwill - (another project I'll need to paint). I have cathedral ceiling that comes to a peak above my antique sideboard which should allow me plenty of room to hang it, but I'm hoping it doesn't look strange having a shelf too high on the wall. I ordered this primitive quilt pattern book from Amazon. It's called Garden Club Quilts. I saw many patterns that I would like to incorporate into my project. Hopefully Mr. Mailman will deliver it by this weekend.

Happy Mothers' Day

2009-05-09T06:28:00.007-04:00

As Mothers' Day was approaching I was determined to make a personal gift for my Mom. She always tells me that she is proud of what my sister and I create with our crafting, so I was in a dilemma trying to decide what to make her for a Mothers' Day gift. She doesn't share the same enthusiasm that the rest of the "girls" in the family do with primitive crafts and decorating, but she always loves to receive anything that we hand make for her.

As I was browsing through FreePatterns.com website looking for a special cross stitch pattern, I came across one called "MOM" that looked appropriate for the occasion and thought it would make a cute pocket on a handmade apron. I found this cute butterfly print cotton at JoAnns that blended perfectly with the threads used in the stitchery. Here is the completed apron. It reminds me of the first apron I made in Home Ec sewing class back in 7th grade.

This post is dedicated to my Mom who has always been an inspiration for me. She has taught me so much throughout my life and am proud of her and her talents. She is retired now but still continues to sew every day. She just completed a handmade quilt for her bedroom which included shams and bedskirt. She also keeps busy by offering her sewing talents to others by working on clothing alterations. She has built up a long list of repeat customers and her business keeps growing by word of mouth from her satisfied customers. She always has time to crochet and is chairperson for her church group who make and donate their hand crocheted afghans to the local Hope Hospice.

Hope you have a happy "Mother's Day" and cook up some wonderful meals while wearing your new apron.

I love you Mom.

WWW - This Week's Finished Project

2009-04-29T18:47:00.007-04:00

For the past few days I have been working on refinishing a bread box that I purchased from Goodwill last week. I didn't get a before picture, but it looked brand new. It is a Kamenstein bread box that had a natural wood finish. I'm sure you've all seen these. I paid $5.00 for it. I thought that was a bargain. Well I got out my trusty can of black spray paint and started working on it outside. It would have been finished much sooner, but when you get home from work late and with the windy spring days we've been having lately it took more time to accomplish. It's finally finished and I have it on my kitchen counter waiting to use.

I wish I had one of those spray can adapters that Janene showed us this week.)

If you read my sister Deb's blog today, she mentioned how she cannot work on just one project at a time. She always has several projects going at once. Well I guess it's a family trait, because I am the same way. I have so many things going on at once, sometimes I can't focus on what I should be doing next. I still have my six kitchen chairs to finish (the table is done and waiting for the matching chairs.) I purchased my fabric to reupholster the seats but won't be able to do that until I finish painting them.

I made a prairie bonnet and hung it on my shaker peg board shelf today. One more empty peg to hang something from. What will I do next..........?

One last thing I worked on today. I was trying to make some homemade soap. I think I need alot more practice. If anyone has a special soap recipe they want to share, please let me know. This is a picture of some lavendar soap I made using a basic hand-milled soap recipe. I'm waiting for it to set up in the molds before I unmold them.

The other soap is a pomegranate scented glycerine soap made in one of the molds that I used to make pantry cakes. They were the perfect soap size pans.

To see what others have worked on today for Whatch Workin on Wednesday, go to Leslie's blog at My Country Home.

Wall Shelf Makeover

2009-04-25T06:24:00.006-04:00

This is a 48 inch shelf and painting that my daughter had bought at a craft fair. She offered them to me because she no longer had room for them in her new home. The shelf's original finish was a light pine stain. I repainted it black and primmed it up by sanding the edges, then rubbed on some walnut stain, followed by a light coating of paste wax to finish it up. I hung the shelf in my hallway and decorated it with the black prairie doll (this is the doll I have listed on Etsy, prairie dress, and herb ditty bag that I made. Then I added a few other decorative items. I had purchased the little basket from a thrift store, and the pip berry wreath I bought at the last craft fair I attended. I have a pattern to make a prairie bonnet that I also want to add to one of the pegs, so this is still a project in the works.

Whatcha Working on Wednesday

2009-04-22T17:27:00.007-04:00

I've been feeling left out of the loop because I haven't been able to participate in "Whatcha Working on Wednesday" because I work all day. I guess it's better to be late than never, so I'm submitting this project now for WWW.

Almost every evening I work on cross stitching while hubby watches TV. I've been working on this Thanksgiving piece for about a week. I was thinking about possibly using it for the bib on a vintage type apron. The stitching is almost finished. I'll try to post the finished item next week.

Go to Leslie's blog to see what other bloggers are working on.

Vintage Bears for Sale and Kitchen Table Update

2009-04-19T07:58:00.008-04:00

My daughter is in the process of downsizing her collection of vintage bears. She asked me if I would list them on eBay for her. There are two Bearington Bears and one Boyd's Bear for sale. Click on the "My eBay" in the right sidebar to go to my eBay page. They would make a great Mother's Day gift.

I haven't posted anything on by blog during this past week. It's not that I'm getting lazy, but I'm trying to finish projects that I had started. I am finished working on repainting my kitchen table but still have to finish repainting the six chairs to match. What a long process it is when you work days and have to wait for the many coats of paint and poly to dry. I'm not going to post a picture until I'm completely finished. I still have to find a fabric to reupholster the seat cushions. Does anyone know a good on-line fabric store that sells upholstery fabric? I'm not having much luck in my area. My only fabric store around here is Joann's and they don't really have any "prim" fabrics on their upholstery racks. I made a "prim" prairie dress that I will be hanging on my peg board shelf that my daughter donated to me this weekend. I also made a small embroidered herb ditty bag which will hand on one of the pegs. I need to repaint the shelf in my favorite black paint. You'll see a photo when it's finished.

Yesterday my daughter Jenn and I went to Buckler's Craft Fair. It's a country craft fair that travels around the southern states throughout the year. They come to the Fort Myers area four times a year. They always sell such wonderful country/primitive items. We were disappointed with this one. There were not as many vendors as we've seen in previous years. I guess the economy is having an effect on crafters also. Needless to say, I only purchased a pip-berry candle ring which I will also hang from my peg board. Usually I would find unique wooden items such as peg board shelves, quilt racks, wood cabinets, etc., but this time nothing drew my attention. Even the handmade quilt vendor was not there.

Well it's time to get out my paint brush again. Then maybe I'll downsize some of my crafting supplies that are taking up all the room in my sewing room closet and list them on eBay today also. I'm looking at a large plastic container filled with Christmas ribbons that I had bought to make bows for glass block lights a couple of years ago. If anyone has any use for them, check out my eBay later today. They are perfect for Christmas wreath bows.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.

Look who hopped in today

2009-04-06T17:19:00.006-04:00

When I first saw the Jack Rabbit designed by Tammy at Rock River Stitches, I just had to have one for my spring display. I asked Tammy to let me know if she would be selling more of them and she agreed to make one especially for me. He arrived in the mail today and he is such a handsome little guy. Check out Tammy's blog. She makes some wonderful primitives and sells them on Etsy and her own website. She also sells her own patterns on Patternmart. Thank you Tammy. He is precious!

I found a treasure!!!!

2009-04-05T11:01:00.005-04:00

I was browsing around the local Kiwanis Thrift Store last Thursday, just wasting a few minutes before I had to be at my dental appointment. I came upon this old black box decorated with strawberry decals. It looked like something that I could repaint and "prim up". At the same time I was wondering what this would have been used for. It had a $3.00 price sticker on the outside. Should I take a peek inside?

Are you ready?

I hit the mother load of vintage recipe clippings and handwritten recipe cards. As a collector of cookbooks - both old and new, I could not pass up this treasure. At the same time it reminded me of a blog posting I had seen a couple of weeks ago. Someone had taken an old handwritten recipe and framed it in an old reused picture frame. I told myself "I can do that too". So here is what I did with one of the typed recipes in the collection that was obviously a treasure to someone years ago.

What a perfect way to use up some of the old picture frames we always seem to pick up during our Goodwill shopping sprees.

Bathroom Shelf Redo

2009-04-05T10:28:00.005-04:00

IN THE BEGINNING
THE END RESULT

This is the "during" and "after" photo of the shelf I refinished for my guest bathroom. It still needs another "needful thing" added, perhaps a prim candle.

I made a jar of handmade soap balls yesterday to add the display, thanks to Lisa from Primitives From Above. Her recipe is so easy and inexpensive. I already had the oatmeal and soap on hand, then I used a recycled spaghetti sauce jar and attached my own handmade coffee-stained label and topped it with homespun and a jute string. Although it still needs a little more tweaking, I'm happy with the way it turned out.

How thrifty is that? I only paid $5.99 for the shelf.

It's spring.....almost time to start planting

2009-04-02T07:48:00.007-04:00

Sorry I haven't been posting lately. I've been spending any free time I have working on refinishing my kitchen table and chairs.

I'll be working on my table again this morning, but in between coats of paint and adding the final coats of poly, I'll be working on these other projects as well - more thrift store finds that I will be refinishing. I didn't get a before picture of the wall shelf, but it was painted with a white gloss paint. I plan to hang this in my guest bath when finished. The other item is a spice rack which I will be primming up also. I've been looking for some vintage spice jars to add to it when done. I saw some on eBay but I think I'll check out Goodwill first.

Bathroom wall shelf

Spice Rack

I keep talking about my table. Maybe I should show a before picture. As you see from the picture the finish looked horrible. After sanding down to the bare wood I stained the top and I still am not very happy with the results. It looks too blotchy with areas that did not accept the stain. I painted the table legs in black, so I will probably just repaint the entire table top in black also to match the legs. Then I will be repainting my six chairs and reupholstering the seats. I'm still looking for a fabric to use for the seats.

Check back later to see the results.

BEFORE

In the meantime, I found some time to make a primitive doll that fits in perfectly with the title of this posting........almost time to start planting. This 20" doll is ready to go out in the garden to start planting her seeds. I just listed her on etsy.

One Prim Girl Giveaway

2009-03-21T13:57:00.005-04:00

Be sure to visit "One Prim Girl" to sign up for her giveaway. She has some great vintage labels as well as some other items.

Prairie Doll and Bowl Set

2009-03-19T12:10:00.005-04:00

Because I have the day off from work today I have made myself a promise to accomplish some pending projects. On my agenda today:

- Sanding and refinishing my kitchen table.
- Repainting my bathroom towel cabinet.
- Making a new doll to list on eBay.

Well I guess I'm starting at the bottom of my list because I just finished making this cute little black prairie doll which will sit in the black bowl that I refinished (one of my TS finds from a few weeks ago). This turned out so cute. I'll have to make more because I want one for myself.

I have it listed on eBay with a starting bid of $14.95.

Now on to my next project. I think I will tackle the kitchen table next.

Saltbox House Painting

2009-03-19T09:46:00.006-04:00

I was so excited yesterday when came home from work and found a box sitting on my front porch. Inside was the painting I had ordered from Laurie at Downriver Primitives. She custom made it according to my color scheme and added our family names. She added so much detail to it, from the little sheep to the leaves on the willow tree, not to mention all the shading on the house. I just love it. Thank you so much Laurie. You are very talented.

The painting looks perfect above my prim shelf in my living room.

I attached her link above for anyone interested in seeing her talents.

HOW TO MAKE A PANTRY CAKE

2009-03-17T17:11:00.006-04:00

I have been asked how I made my pantry cake so I decided to provide you all with the recipe.

Ingredients you will need:

1 cup flour
1/2 cup salt
1 cup coffee grounds
1/2 cup cold coffee
cinnamon
pumpkin pie spice

Spray a small mold with cooking spray. I found these two copper molds at a thrift store. They were the exact size I was looking for. Mix together the flour, salt, coffee grounds (I used leftover grounds from the morning coffee brew), then about 1/2 cup of cold coffee and one teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

I then pressed the mixture around the inside of the pan, about 1/4 inch thick. I left room in the center to add a crumbled ball of aluminum foil to fill the center. This lessens the drying time. Then press the rest of the mixture into the pan, covering the foil and making sure to level off the bottom so it will sit flat after unmolding the cake. I let it dry outside in the Florida sunshine for a couple of days, then placed in a warm oven for about an hour to make sure it was completely dry before I unmolded it. For those of you who don't have access to Florida sunshine (lol), you can place the pan in your oven for about six hours on very low heat.

Let cool completely after removing pan from oven. Remove the cake from the pan and rub ground cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice (or any spice you desire) all over the cake. I read that by rubbing on the spices you eliminate the risk of mold developing and makes it smell yummy. I made an icing by mixing equal amounts of white craft paint and white glue together with a few drops of water to thin to the desired consistency and drizzled it over the top allowing it to run down the sides of the cake.

Primitive Baking Day

2009-03-14T17:27:00.004-04:00

Today I decided I was going to bake a cake......a primitive pantry cake that is. I found an old miniature copper mold at the TS that was perfect for my little creation, so I mixed up my primitive recipe, baked it, iced it, and here is the result. It looks good enough to eat.

I have also been working on a stitchery today that I plan to make into a wall hanging. I hope to have it finished soon and will post a photo when finished.

Shaker Boxes, Pigs and Candles

2009-03-12T11:51:00.008-04:00

This morning I finished up some of my projects and took pictures that I had promised on my last post.

I placed my candle holder on my kitchen counter until I find a better home for it. I had purchased a Paula Deen candle jar in a Creme Brulee scent. It just seemed too heavy to hang on the wall. Perhaps just a plain round candle could be used.

My pig cutting board now sits above my kitchen cabinets along with all of my other primitive kitchen utensils and baskets. These pigs are becoming a common collectible. I had recently seen a tutorial on how to make your own pig cutting board. Now I wish I had never given away my scroll saw when we moved to Florida. (Maybe it's time to buy a new one.)

Here is a picture of my shaker boxes that I completed this morning. I had purchased a set of three paper mache round boxes from Michael's. After base coating them with black paint, I painted a top coat on each of them in different prim colors of Folk Art acrylic paints, then applied a coat of dark brown Briwax. They look so old, like they had been hidden away in an old barn for years. I made my own labels on my computer, primmed them up with a coffee, vanilla and cinnamon mixture and applied them using a thin coat of Mod Podge. I am really pleased with the way they turned out.

It's been a busy week...........

2009-03-08T15:05:00.006-04:00

Yes, it has been a busy week for me, but not in the way I would have preferred it to be. I have been doing some spring cleaning with the help of my daughter. She told me that my house was too cluttered. I know she was right about that. She came to visit me on Saturday and volunteered to help me weed out some of my "collections". Well my "collections" that I did not need any longer were boxed up and loaded into my car, then dropped off at our local Goodwill. Someone will have a field day with my old treasures that I donated. I'm not even sorry to see them gone from the house. With my newfound love of primitive blogging, I've been watching everyone else's ideas and trying to incorporate madeover thrift shop items to fit into my own decor.

Although I haven't had much time this week to work on my projects, I feel I should at least show you what I am working on. They are still unfinished, but I know exactly where they will be displayed when completed.

I had purchased the two wall candle hangers for $2.59 each. I am almost finished with the first one. It is painted black, distressed, and stained and is waiting to be sealed. I had seen the pig cutting board at our local Kiwanis Thrift Store each time I visited for the past month. I kept passing it by because of the $8.00 price tag. Well the next time I went there I couldn't pass by without buying it, even at that price. I had the perfect spot to display it after I did a makeover - so here it is in it's unfinished stage, painted black of course, but waiting to be distressed and sealed.

Check back later as I will be posting photos of the finished projects.

Easter Bunny, Painting, and TS shopping again!

2009-02-28T08:06:00.003-05:00

I woke up early this morning with thoughts of what I would accomplish today. I have so many projects to complete, I didn't really know where to begin. As you can see, my first unfinished project was this bunny. I finished it and listed it on eBay. It is my own design, made in a Raggedy Ann style.

Yesterday I bought the latest edition of Create & Decorate. There are lots of ideas in there that I definitely want to make. I think I will start with the prim carrots, since Easter is right around the corner.

My daughter Jenn just called me and asked me to join her today for a painting get-together. She wants to refinish her coffee table. Can you guess what color? Black of course. It seems like such a popular color for all of us primitive bloggers doesn't it? So I will be working on some of my thrift store buys at the same time. I promise, you will see the before and after pictures as soon as I complete my first do-over. She wants me to go to some thrift stores with her afterward. Hope they have added something new that I didn't see the other day.

Thrift Store Fever

2009-02-26T15:17:00.007-05:00

I have to admit that I have become addicted to shopping at thrift stores. After all, how can I resist when I see so many ideas on all of the crafty blogs I follow. Due to the poor economy, my full-time job has been cut to 32 hours a week so I am now able to dedicate every Thursday to crafting. Of course I always seem to find the time to leave the house and hit the thrift shops. Today I managed to visit a Goodwill, 2 Kiwanis, and a hospital auxillary TS. I didn't go home empty handed. I found a 5-piece wooden bowl set for 75cents, and a firkin planter that will hang on the wall for $1.00. I'll take photos later.

This morning I refinished the spoon rack planter that I picked up a couple of weeks ago. See the before and after photos. I refinished it in black paint and added a walnut stain. The two spoons are souvenirs of Venice and Rome, Italy where we visited last year. I'll need to find more on eBay to fill the four remaining slots. I can't put it on my wall empty, can I? I still need to get a smaller artificial plant to add to it. The African violet in the photo is borrowed from the firkin planter I picked up today and is too large. I found the perfect spot to hang it - between my pantry and fridge.

I need to finish working on the bunny I started this morning also. I'll post a photo when I finish.

My first TS renovation project

2009-02-21T06:20:00.003-05:00

I wish I had a before picture of this ugly foot stool that I purchased from a thrift store for $3.00. The wood base was finished with a maple stain and it was "upholstered" (if that is what you want to call it) with a dirty pink kettlecloth cotton fabric. I just knew this would be the perfect beginner project for me. After sanding down the wood base, I painted it black and distressed it lightly. I then applied a walnut stain followed by a coat of waterbased polycrylic satin finish. I found a salesman sample of upholstery fabric in my favorite colors - ivory, cranberry, sage, and mustard gold for 99 cents at another thrift store. I am so pleased with the outcome. Now I'm ready to start my next do-over. Maybe I'll tackle the old blue chair next.

Thrift Store Buys

2009-02-15T15:03:00.004-05:00

I visited quite a few of the area thrift stores this week in search of some hidden treasures. I found quite a few as you can see by the photo.

I will be painting all of my treasures with black paint. This will be my first attempt at prim painting on wooden furniture and accessories. Can anyone recommend the type of paint I should use, such as flat, satin, or gloss? I bought a black semi-gloss but I'm not sure that is the effect I want on items like the cutting board. My purchases include the chair, picture frames, spoon rack, cutting board, magazine rack, wooden trays, and a shelf.

The theme of my kitchen and great room are saltbox houses, so I want to try to paint some saltboxes and sheep on the wooden trays. I will keep you posted on my progress.

Easter is on the way

2009-02-15T14:41:00.006-05:00

While I was surfing my favorite blogs this past week I came across this adorable Easter bunny in a pot pattern that was just released by Teresa's Prim Treasures. I purchased the pattern through a link on her blog. Her pattern is available on Etsy. I worked diligently all weekend and finally finished it. I am thrilled with the results. Thank you Teresa.

Valentine's Day is almost here

2009-02-08T08:11:00.004-05:00

I've been hurrying to get any last minute Valentine themed projects completed. When I was surfing other blogs yesterday I found a free pattern for this little stitchery pillow. I just had to make it. I had already pre-stained some of my muslin fabric with a mixture of coffee, vanilla, and cinnamon. It was perfectly stained for the prim look I wanted to achieve. After I transferred my "free pattern" onto the fabric I started stitching the pillow. I just finished the two coordinating hearts and listed the three-piece grouping on eBay this morning. I love the way it turned out. It looks great displayed with greenery and berries in the background.

My Four-Day Weekend

2009-02-07T12:58:00.008-05:00

Well here it is, Saturday, the third day of my four-day weekend. I have been quite busy working on various projects. I had finished the heart make-do which is listed on eBay, then made two sheep ornies to put aside for the Christmas season for our "Trim a Limb" Ornie Club. I made a Raggedy Annie doll yesterday, listed it on eBay, and it sold this morning. It is a "Bowls n Annies" pattern. Since it sold so quickly I need to get busy making more.

Today I bought a pattern for a primitive bunny so I can start to prepare for Easter sales, plus assorted stitchery patterns.

Valentine Heart Make-Do

2009-02-05T07:04:00.005-05:00

Today I decided I wanted to make a primitive make-do suitable for Valentine's Day. Yesterday I went rummaging through the local Salvation Army thrift store looking for the perfect stand to include in my project. What I found was a black metal stand that is 8 inches high. I have no idea what it was in it's past life, but it was suitable for my project. It was missing a price sticker but I'm thinking how expensive could this thing cost? When I got to the register, the clerk noticed the tag was missing and asked if 75 cents was OK with me. I agreed and couldn't wait to get home to make my make-do.
This is my finished project. I made it from a cranberry colored toile print and blanket-stitched a cream colored calico heart trimmed with a button to the front. It was left open on the top so I could insert a spray of Sweet Annie and red and white pip berries, a cinnamon stick, and a vintage Valentine graphic (thanks to Laurie at Down River Primitives). The entire piece is primtiively stained with my coffee and vanilla mixture. A prim hang tag which reads "Primitive at heart" is attached to the make-do with a rusty pin and bell. You can see how it fits perfectly in my thrift store treasure. This morning I listed it on eBay.

DONATING TO A GOOD CAUSE

2009-02-01T16:01:00.007-05:00

My mother Janet has been an inspiration in my life. She has always been involved in sewing, knitting, crocheting, and cross stitch. I learned most of my creative "talents" from her. She is still keeping her hands busy, using her talents to help others.

Today I decided to highlight my mother's latest project. She is the chairperson for a volunteer mission at her church, Jamaica Bay Worship Service in Fort Myers, FL. This group of approximately ten women in her community use their free time to crochet lap robes which are donated to terminally ill cancer patients at the local chapter of Hope Hospice.

All of the lap robes are made of knitting worsted weight yarn. The group is always accepting yarn donations. If you would like to donate yarn, please e-mail me at wildberryprimitives@yahoo.com.

2009-01-20T17:12:00.005-05:00

Living Simply

I love the simple things in life -

we'll make do without wealth

as long as we can make ends meet

and continue our good health.

I'm happy just to pass my time

with my fabric stash and pins

in my little sewing room

making Annie dolls and prims.

I know I'll never prosper

selling needful things on eBay,

but crafting with my hands

gives me joy from day to day.

Thank you all for viewing

my offerings today.

Check back often - day or night

to see what I display.

If you would like to purchase

any of my items here today,

please send an e-mail message

or click on my eBay.

Prim Blessings,

Patti

Trim A Limb Ornament Club

2009-01-18T08:37:00.005-05:00

As a member of the "Trim A Limb Ornament Club" which was established by my sister Deb, I have been reminded that it is time to start working on next year's ornies. We are required to make 3 ornies per month according to themes. For each ornie that our club members make, $1.00 is turned in for "club dues" which are then donated to children's charities before Christmas. The ornies are hung on Christmas trees at various holiday craft fairs in New Hampshire that Deb participates in, as well as at her annual Christmas open house where she displays and sells her handmade crafts.

Here are photos of my first two creations for Christmas 2009.

Gingerbread Collector Annie

2009-01-18T08:08:00.008-05:00

One of my eBay customers asked if I could make a Gingerbread Annie doll. I just finished this doll, listed it on eBay, then e-mailed her to let her know I have one available. Hope she likes it. She is so cute dressed in her Gingerbread fabric with an embroidered apron which reads "Gingerbread Collector". I even attached a gingerbread necklace which I had made from a salt dough ornie. She is listed with a starting bid of $24.95 with a Buy-It-Now option of $29.95.

My eBay listings can be viewed by clicking on the "wildberryprims" link under My eBay Listings in the column to the right.

SOLD - Another happy customer purchased this Annie. She is on her way to her new home in North Carolina.

Another Valentine Annie listed on eBay

2009-01-11T16:05:00.007-05:00

Yet another Prim Valentine Annie doll is finished and already listed on eBay. She is 19" long, made of primmed muslin with button eyes and wool appliqued nose, stitched mouth and lashes. She is dressed in pink and lavender. She holds a heart-shaped embroidered ornie pillow which reads "Thank you Lord for hair of red, button eyes and a funny nose, a heart full of love, fingers and toes."

SOLD - This Annie sold within four hours after listing on eBay.)

Valentine Annie

2009-01-04T09:37:00.005-05:00

This is another new listing I added to Ebay. She is a Primitive Raggedy Ann Valentine Annie doll. She has a full head of needle-felted hair, pink heart dress, coordinating red and pink bloomers, and an apron trimmed with two red heart buttons and embroidered with "I Love Andy". She comes with her little teddy bear who wears a matching bow. A prim hang tag is attached to her sleeve with a rusty safety pin.

SOLD - This doll has been sold to another happy repeat customer and is on its way to Nebraska to join her sister. Thank you Diane.

First Annie for 2009

2009-01-02T17:51:00.005-05:00

I spent most of New Year's Day in my sewing room finishing up my first new Annie doll for 2009. She is from a pattern by Kat's Country Prims "Sweet Lil Mary Ann". She is 16" long. I will be listing her on Ebay soon. Just look at those puppydog eyes.

SOLD - This doll sold on eBay and is on her way to her new home in Maryland.

2008-12-31T19:24:00.007-05:00

HOME IS WHERE YOUR STORY BEGINS.................

Jenn wanted to make something special for her sister Laurie for Christmas. She had an idea of what she wanted to make. She thought that a pillow with houses appliqued to reflect the homes that Laurie has lived in throughout her life would be a wonderful project. So Jenn came to me for advice on how to make it. She knew what the design would look like, but never really had any experience in applique or embroidery, so I showed her how to blanket stitch the pieces that she had cut out onto the pillow background. She asked me to help her finish the project, so I added some of the finishing touches with hand embroidery. We were very pleased with the way it turned out. Laurie loved it. I hope this sparked Jenn's interest in creating handmade items so that she can join Laurie and I in our passion for primitive crafting.

Amish Doll

2008-12-22T05:31:00.007-05:00

My daughter Jenn is an avid reader of Beverly Lewis' Amish novels. Since I am making primitive dolls, I thought it would be appropriate to make her an Amish doll. I just finished this doll last night - just in time to wrap up for Christmas. Shhh! Don't tell her.

(Jenn was thrilled with her new Amish doll on Christmas Day.)