My favorite purchases and an apology.

First, I have to give an apology.  For all these months, I didn't think anyone was commenting on my posts.  I must admit, I was a little disappointed, but it really wasn't a biggie.  However, as I was going to create this new post, I stumbled on the fact that I had 42 comments waiting for 'moderation'.  I didn't even realize I had that setting set up.  Now I get to go back and read through them all!!!  It's like Christmas all over again.  And I have the blog set up so that the comments show up automatically now.

I don't have any new crafts on the go, because I have to finish the refinishing of the pieces I am doing for my mom.  Just priming them up a bit, but it seems to be taking me a lot longer than it really should.  Hopefully by next week mom! (I know she's reading. LOL)  So I thought I'd share a few pictures of some goodies I've purchased in the last few months.

I bought this rake at an antique store, for much less than I was really willing to pay.  I'm torn on whether to hang anything(s) from the pegs.  Would you?  I'm open to suggestions.

This is an orchard ladder that I bought at an antique barn is Shipshewana, IN. on our road trip in November.  During the holidays, I used it to display my Christmas Cards.  It worked perfectly.

Now that the Christmas decorations are put away, although I'm still running across things I've forgotten to pack up, I'm redecorating the mantel.  When we moved into this house, the previous owners left behind a dozen or so, old ball canning jars!  The gourd is from my Mother In-laws farm.  I've got 12 more drying in the garage! I've got this set up on one end of the mantel.  The rest is empty. It's a work in progress.

I bought a big bunch of Sweet Annie on our road trip as well.  It smells so good!  I'm looking into growing some this year.

And last, but not least, the bin I had posted here.  I cleaned it up and left it as is.  I do believe it is a feed bin.  I am not using it as a blanket box.  I was unsuccessful at getting all the newspaper removed from inside and I got tired of trying.  The lantern on top was a gift from my mother for Christmas and the pantry cake I made myself.

A show I look forward to watching every week.

I just wanted to pass along this tidbit of info.  If you happen to get the History Channel, there is a show called American Pickers (you can click on the name to see their website).  Two guys travel around the US, searching through peoples barns and sheds(with their permission of course) to find a lot of antiques and collectibles.  What a dream job!  Some things they find, and pass up, are gems!  I often look in the background and see things I would scoop up in a second.  In the US, the show is on Monday nights, and here in Canada, it's on Tuesdays at 10:00 p.m. eastern.

A new blogger

I had a fun morning.  I spent it with my cousin, Heather, in her very prim home, setting up her blog.  She's just learning the ropes and I am more than happy to help her.  I know she will get hooked on this and she has a lot to share.  Here is the link to her blog.  BitterSweetAndPrim

I will be back to posting soon.  With everything going on through the holidays, I seem to have misplaced my 'get up and go'.

Baby it's cold outside

There is nothing more I would rather be doing than crafting and showing you all my creations, however, life has a different idea for me.  I have been so busy with everything else.  I still haven't finished decorating for Christmas. *GASP*  I KNOW!!!!  I need more hours in a day and another me, or two!  I'd like to share a photo from my last session of the year, just to give you an idea of what else I've been busy with, a lot of photo editing.  I'm almost done though, I think.  Isn't this little guy the sweetest???

A prim look at Icicles

Just taking a quick break from my non-prim life. I've had these done for almost a week now and just have to get them on here.  I have to credit my Aunt for these.  On our recent shopping trip, she gave me the idea to make these.  I shaped the icicles from salt dough.  I added ground cloves to the dry ingredients to give it a more off white look.  After they were baked and cooled, I wrapped them in tea stained cheese cloth, then painted on a layer of Modge Podge.  The hangers are cream coloured floral wire.  The tree I have them hanging on is one I bought on our trip.  I also made larger ones to hang from garland.  I know I have a few visitors that are pretty new to blogs, so I just wanted to point out that you can click on a photo to make it bigger.  Then just hit the "back" button to get back to my blog.

I finally "get" instant coffee!

A lot of the prim tutorials out there call for instant coffee.  While I use it for staining muslin, I just wasn't understanding what it would do to candles.  Then I tried it and am impressed with the results!  I bought three battery flicker pillars on sale at the hardware store.  They were only $1.99 each and they actually work!  I didn't have modge podge, so I just coated the candle with white craft glue, then rolled the candle in instant coffee with a little cinnamon mixed in.  Here is my results.  Now I want to 'instant coffee' everything!  The boys would look so prim. LOL

The look of blackened beeswax

First, I want to say that the shopping trip was so much fun.  We had a great time and did not come home empty handed.  Once I get the pictures uploaded, I'll post more about it. 

I love the way blackened beeswax looks.  On our trip, I bought a battery operated candlestick that looked like blackened beeswax.  So the little gears in my brain started turning, and this is what I came up with.

I bought a box of plain white tapers at the dollar store.

With craft paint, I painted them black.

Once they were dry, I covered them in cinnamon, and rubbed off the exes.  I had some tea made, so I also dipped the wicks so the weren't so bold.

And voila!  Not too bad, for something a fraction of the price.

Prim Road Trip!

I'm off tomorrow for three days of prim shopping with my mom, cousin and aunts!  Seven women!  Oh the fun we will have.  Our destination is Shipshewana, IN.  Here's a link to some of the shops in town.  http://www.shipshewana.com/shopping.php  On the way home, I've mapped out some antique shops and barns too.  If anyone has any "must stop" places they can pass along, that would be great.  Just leave me a comment.

Handmade Peppermint Sticks

These were so simple to make.  Sew up a long skinny rectangle, leave one end open to stuff it.  Then I painted on the lines with craft paint and when that was dry, I stained them with a coffee mixture and added peppermint extract to it.

Here are my dried orange slices gone bad!  Do not get caught up in watching Toy Story 3 while your drying them in the oven.  I've added oranges to my shopping list for this week.

And last but not least, here is an after picture of two of the gourds from an earlier post.  I washed and scrubbed them, then stained them a little darker.

I made a pantry cake!

I am so happy with how it turned out.  I can't wait to find different molds to make more.  I got the recipe for it here.  Bittersweet Prims   As for the box, I am going to seal the inside and leave the outside as is.  I'll post more pictures of that once it's in the perfect place.

So, I've got this bin

And I can't decide how I should finish it.  Distress it?  Leave it alone?  Stain it?  I'm going to peel all of the wallpaper out from the inside.  I think I'm going to use it as a blanket box, and have an old quilt peeking out from under the lid.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  I'm not sure how old it is.  There was a piece of newspaper in the bottom dated 1946.

Makin' a Make-do

I've had two wooden spools just sitting on a shelf for a while now.  So I used one to make my first make do.