Going on a trip

My sweetie and I are going to visit friends in TN. Ken and Cathy moved to TN from GA after a year Sabbatical. Ken is a retired Air Force Chief and recently accepted a new job. They are buying a house and will be closing sometime this week so we are going to help them clean and paint. We won't be there long enough to help unpack but hey, we are helping with the dirty work, what do they expect! You all know I love painting, even walls. It is more fun to paint when you have friends helping, I know we are going to have a great time.

I have been working on new things but none of them are finished. I had an out of town trip last week and this week is full of preparing for our trip to TN. With all the interruptions I have put finishing things on the back burner. We leave Wednesday, I will be putting my Etsy shop in vacation mode today. I'll be back next Tuesday. I hope you all have a wonderful week. See ya when I get back. Pin It Now!

Monday Market Place

Good Monday Morning Blogger Friends. I hope you had a great weekend. It certainly went by fast for me. For my Monday Marketplace I want to introduce you to Carol of Firecrackerkid Primitives. Carol is a fellow artisan of the Etsy group The Old Farmhouse Gathering. When I first joined the Old Farmhouse, Carol is one of the artisans that made me feel welcomed to the group. Her warm character and witty charm showed through her posts at the Old Farmhouse. Carol’s work is primitive and folk art, she also specializes in one of a kind woodcrafts. I am sharing an interview Carol did for the Old Farmhouse Group as well as photos of some of the wonderful items you will find in her shop. Please note the other places you will find Carol on the WWW.

What is the name of your Etsy shop and why did you choose that name?
Firecrackerkid Primitives. I chose this name, because I was born on the 4th of July, and my family always called me "the firecrackerkid". My father said when I was born I came out with a bang, jokingly of course. Plus it's Independence Day, and I really love my country, and my freedom so it all fits together nicely.


What is your favorite item in your shop and why?
That would be our one-of-a-kind items. We like to come up with unique primitive woodcrafts that are appealing to others, and yet at the same time are functional in the home.



How long have you been on Etsy?
One year and four months



What type of items do you offer?
One-of-a-kind Woodcrafts and reproduction woodcrafts of different Early American dough bowl racks and furniture.



How long have you been crafting?
Twenty years.



Who or What inspires you?
The love of all things Primitive. Plus, the economy is what inspired my husband and myself to make our own Primitives. My husband is who inspires me, because of his hard work ethics, and the fact that he can do just about anything or any challenge put before him. He's a hard working man. A Jack-of-all-trades so to speak. He was a carpenter since he was a teenager, and even built our home along with several other homes locally. Pretty inspiring and impressive to me.


Other places where you can be found (Ebay, webstore, blog)
http://www.firecrackerkid.etsy.com
http://firecrackerkid.blogspot.com/
http://myworld.ebay.com/carola_firecrackerbaby
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/profile.php?id=1817572815&v=wall&ref=name Pin It Now!

Home again.

I went with a group of ladies from my church to Lancaster, PA for a Bible prophecy conference. All I will say about the conference is that sitting and listening to the speaker (a well known pastor), with all the information he gave, things are certainly lining up as the Bible prophets wrote and it's time to be spiritually ready. God has not been wrong so far and He's not going to be wrong about this. If you need to know how to be ready spiritually for this please feel free to contact me.

Here are a few of my treasures from Lancaster. Me and another lady from the group paint so we were looking through antique stores; oh what fun that was. We would hold something up and say, what do you think about this or this could be painted this way or that way. I had to leave so much behind because I need to paint on what I already have. Plus, we are going to visit some friends in TN and there are a few antique stores on the way; Yikes! I'd better start painting so I will have room for more "stuff". Pin It Now!

Nanna, the babysitter

I have shared photos of my border collie here before but for those who are new to my blog, this is SadieMae. She is a rescue pup that came to live with us 2 years ago this coming August. She is a dog that is true to her nature and breed. Much training has gone into this sweetheart but still there are quirks that are ingrained, they are part of the dogly fabric of her life. Part of her ingrained nature is to herd and watch out for the lambs. The lambs in this case are my grandchildren. I babysit these little angels every Tuesday night while their mom and dad teach a young adult class at a local coffee shop. Since the weather has been nice, I take the kiddos out to play for an hour or so after dinner. There is no way on God’s green earth that SadieMae is going to stay in the house. According to her she must come outside to keep an eye on these lambs. If the lambs go out of their assigned territory she corrals them back. If they run she cuts them off at the pass. If they persist she will nip them so the lambs have learned to stop when she rushes toward them. The smallest lamb, who is 20 months, sits in my lap and watches the action. Now before you think SadieMae is a bad puppy, I must let you know she is gentle and loving toward these little lambs. A couple of weeks ago the oldest male lamb (6 years old) picked up an arm thingy that is attached to my rebounder (exercise trampoline) and began to play with it. This piece of equipment is off limits to the lambs because it’s not the toy they think it is and I don’t want these sweethearts injured. SadieMae took the little lambs arm in her mouth ever so gently and the lamb dropped the arm thingy. When he dropped it SadieMae picked it up and pushed it under the rebounder so he couldn’t get it. That same evening she herded the youngest lamb from going into the room with the rebounder, that little lamb was quite fussy that he couldn’t do what he wanted to do but SadieMae was persistent and did win the battle. The young lamb finally went and lay down on a rug in our dining room; SadieMae sat down a few feet from him to keep a watchful eye on him. When the lambs finally went to bed SadieMae came into the family room and flopped down on the floor with the biggest sigh you ever heard. Her watchful duty was finished and she was tuckered out. Poor girl!. There are so many tales of the Nanny duties of SadieMae, I should write a book called “The Nanny Diaries of SadieMae". She is a special dog! Pin It Now!

My Friend

I would like to introduce you to my friend Mary Jane. Mary Jane has recently opened a shop on Esty and it’s about time she did. Her work is awesome. We have done a few craft shows together and her table is usually full of people buying her work.

This talented artist has been painting for a number of years. She paints in acrylics and in oils. Last year she and I were part of a group who met together to paint with oils on canvas. It was a thrill to watch her canvas come to life with a still life or a beautiful nature scene.

I am showcasing a few of the items she offers in her Etsy shop. Isn’t the “Sweet as Honey” tray adorable? I can tell you that a photo does not do her work justice. These items are simply gorgeous in “real life”. Please drop by her shop and take a peek at what she has to offer. She’s a newbie on Etsy so please add a heart to her shop as well. You can find her shop at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/LogCabinMemories

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Monday Market Place

Welcome to Monday MarketPlace here at The Old Cupboard Door. Today I am featuring Sue of Rabbit Hollow Prims. Sue is a fellow Esty Artisan whose soft dolls and designs are a prim delight. I am sharing with you an interview Sue did with the Esty group The Old Farmhouse Gathering. Intermixed with the questions is some of Sue’s handiwork. I am posting her on line sites where you can see more of her creations and designs at the end of this interview.

What is the name of your Etsy shop and why did you choose that name?
Rabbit Hollow Prims because my mom had the name for her shop when it was open and wanted to carry on the name.

How long have you been on Etsy?
About 2 years




What type of items do you offer?
primitive dolls. vintage patterns, fabrics and turkey calls



How long have you been crafting?
17 years



Who or What inspires you?
All the other doll artists out there.



What is your favorite item in your shop and why?
I couldn't pick just one but I love Halloween the most.

http://www.rabbithollowprims.blogspot.com
http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/rabbithollowprims_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_ipgZ
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5125705
http://www.lemonpoppyseeds.com/shoppes/psrabbithollowprims/
http://wsoapp-rabbithollowprims.blogspot.com/
http://www.countrycraftshowonline.com/craftbooth489/
http://www.ksgpshoppe.com/RabbitHollowPrims.html
http://rabbithollowprims-soatp.blogspot.com/ Pin It Now!

A peek at the give away....

I can't give the complete surprise away until the reveal but here is a sneak peek at what it will be. I found this vintage spoon at one of my favorite antique shops. The porcelain finish gives this piece a beautiful vintage look. This is the before, can't show you the after until I finish it and post the actual give away. Hope you will stay tuned for it.

I have been busy in the kitchen baking goodies. I made some cappuccino brownies with a thin layer of chocolate frosting, an apple cake with old-fashioned brown sugar glaze, and a delicious homemade carrot cake loaded with pecans, some pineapple and a little coconut, topped off with a scrumptious cream cheese frosting. Now before you knock on my door for a slice of each (and of course a cup of coffee or tea) these wonderful delights are not staying at my house. They are going to church this morning. I made them for a cake auction for our youth department. Al though I found out about this event late this week, I could not beg out of doing my part since the youth pastor is my son. So my day Saturday was filled with Angel Food Ministry distribution in the morning and part of the afternoon and baking in the evening. I can say that I had a very productive day and that feels good. Have a blessed Lord’s Day. Pin It Now!

Another "finish it"

I hate to admit this but not long ago I made a list of the items I need to paint. There were 23 items on that list; the list was not finished because there should be another 10 or more items on the list. These items are things that I have picked up over the past 18 months or so and some of them I've had for, let just say, ages. You may be wondering at this point why I would hate to admit this. It's not the items on the list that brings this "confession" but where I wrote the list. I know I shouldn't have but...I wrote it during church. Whew! Confession is good for the soul! I oh so innocently pulled a piece of paper from my handbag, looked this way, then that way and started my list. I have to say, the sermon was incredibly good but the thought of all these things just wouldn't leave my mind. So, I felt if I would simply take care of it, write them down then I would be free to listen to the wonderful word that our pastor was sharing. Ok, I don't advocate this but writing those things down did get them out of my mind so I could concentrate on what was being said. My Mr didn't dare elbow me in the side and tell me to stop, especially after he had drawn out some plans for something he was making during a sermon not too long ago.

Now that I have confessed (and tattled on my sweetie) I am free to tell you about this sugar mold. I have had this mold for at least 4 years. It sat on the top shelf of my bedroom closet until about 2 months ago. I don't know why I put it there, I have plenty of space on my "to do" shelf, but there it sat for 4 years. Occasionally I would see it and tell myself "you need to take that down". Finally one day I took it down and put it on my "to do" shelf. With it sitting within my visual "space" it didn't take long before I began to consider what I would paint on it. While looking through a book by Kim Klassen I found a design that would fit perfectly on it. I appreciate that great sigh of relief when something is finally finished. It's like pulling up in the driveway after a 20 hour trip, nonstop. Another "finish it" is finished.

I will be working on another give away item next week, I hope to have it listed by next Friday 4/23. I will be giving you a clue about it on my next post so stay tuned. Pin It Now!

Vintage Folding Milk Stool

I found this vintage folding milk stool at a local antique shop; I feel fortunate to have found it. I had looked at one a few days earlier at a different antique shop, the piece was part of a silent auction and the current bid was already higher than I wanted to pay. But as Abraham Lincoln said “good things come to those who wait…”.

I can imagine this stool propped against a stall in the barn or hanging on a rusty nail on the rough barn wall. Each morning and evening the farmer reached for it, positioned it just right and commenced with his/her morning and evening chore of milking ol Buttercup. I painted this special piece with a pattern by Terrye French. This sweet pattern is reminiscent of days gone by so it was a perfect piece for this stool. Pin It Now!

Second Chances.

I remember my Mom had an iron skillet and an aluminum skillet. They were medium sized pieces that were used to cook most of our meals. She also had a small, med and large cooking pot. Space was at a minimum so we did not have all the different sized pots, pans and gadgetry a modern kitchen would have today. It’s amazing how easily we got by without all the extras. I found this skillet in a local thrift store. It was on the bottom shelf with other pots and pans on top of it. I first saw the wooden handle, I had to stoop down and pull it out so I could take a better look at it. Its fluted edge appealed to me. Such a simple design with a little decoration on the edges won my heart. Something about the pan seemed to convey that it was tired and had given up on having a useful life; it was used up and no one would want it. Well, how wrong could a pan be? I painted it with a simple design by Terrye French. I added a tag, fabric bow and a vintage cookie cutter to perk up its old tired bones. This used up pan ended up with a new life after all. I think if pans could talk this one would say “thanks for seeing something useful in me”. Pin It Now!

I missed it

My Monday Marketplace, that is. I was under the weather yesterday and simply could not get it together. There are so many wonderful artisans to feature that I did not want to miss showcasing one of these great artist this week. So for today, Tuesday, my Monday Marketplace feature is Rose of Baskets by Rose. Rose is a talented artisan and member of the Esty Team Old Farmhouse Gathering. I am sharing with you an interview Rose did for the OFG team. I'm also showcasing some of her beautiful work. Please take notice of the places you can find Rose's beautiful work at the end of this interview.

What is the name of your Etsy shop and why did you choose that name?
My shop name is Basketsbyrose My name is Rose and I weave baskets. To easy!

How long have you been on Etsy?
I have been on Etsy a little over one year

What type of items do you offer?
Hand woven baskets, quilts, stitchery, and some other items that I love to make.


How long have you been crafting?
I started sewing at age 5, made my wedding dress many many years ago. In 2008 I made over 150 baskets for my son’s wedding.


Who or What inspires you?
Everyone inspires me I love to look at the work everyone does.


What is your favorite item in your shop and why?
Now it would be the mantel basket or the broken dish quilt with all the colors. Early this year it would be the sunflower baskets, but I’m happy to say that I sold them.


Other places where you can be found (Ebay, webstore, blog)

http://basketsbyrose.artfire.com

http://basketsbyrose.com

http://www.etsy.com/shop/basketsbyrose

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The Simple Life

Do you ever wish you could go back to simpler times? I do. A few weeks ago our electricity went out and we were without power for a few hours. I must say I would rather go back to simpler days that include electricity. I think what I enjoyed most about those hours off the grid was the quietness. I didn’t realize how noisy my life is. There was no hum of electrical appliances, no tv or radio on, no hum of the AC (at that time it was the heater that was on); it was simply quiet. It seems that we have become accustomed to the constant hum of noise around us. We think it is quiet when the kids go to bed, the tv is off and we are sitting by the lamp with a book, relaxing after a busy day. But, have you ever noticed that the lamp gives off a slight hum? I remember several years ago moving from the city to the country. Moving into that little country house I noticed how much quieter it was; no traffic noise or kids playing in the streets; no loud music from the neighbors or sounds of construction. Peace and quiet until night fell. That first night we tucked our young son into bed, opened his window for a fresh, cool country breeze and turned off the light. Within minutes he came racing into our room, jumped over a few hurdles (unpacked boxes) and dived right into the spot in the bed between my husband and I. What in the world had happened? When we finally could understand what he was saying, we raced to his room to see what awful creature was trying to get into our house through his window. Our hearts racing, we searched the room and found everything completely normal; no scary monster present, no creature of the night present, no space alien present; normal, completely normal. After a few minutes we finally figured out what had him so afraid. The city at night has its own sounds but so does the country. There in our quiet little back yard were the sounds of nocturnal critters. Who would have thought a frog could be so loud? Add a couple of his buddies and you have frog in stereo. Katydids and cricket, wow! they have some vocals too! Our son was not accustomed to these sounds and he had built up quite a menagerie in his imagination.

I painted this Michele Deaton Brewer design on a 1” piece of pine board. This message board measures 11x18. I added a box at the bottom to make it a standalone piece but it also has 2 hangers attached to the back so it can be hung on the wall. I added a clothes pin to hold important messages, a hook for keys and a hand stitched bag for the chalk. The box will hold mail, bills (don’t like those), pens/pencils, tape, note pads, etc. Or add florals, fabric stars or a sweet doll peeking up over the edge. I’ve added this piece to my Etsy shop. You can visit my shop by clicking on the icon on the left. One way of simplifying is by de-clutter and organizing. What way do you simplify your life? Pin It Now!

I have a story to tell.....

It all started last Thursday. My husband, John, went to his regular Thursday night event, which is a men’s Bible study. About an hour after he left he called me; looking at the caller ID my first thought was…whaaaat??? What’s happened????. He was all “A-twittered”; our daughter, Aly, had called him. Her car broke down a few blocks from her apartment. It shuttered and stopped. She managed to get it to the side of the road. She first called her boy friend who told her she needed to call her Dad (she should have called him first), that statement didn’t bode well in our books, even though it was correct. We are 4 hours away. John told her to call James. James is a friend she made in her church about a year ago. James recently married a girl from his home town in KS. Sweet James came over after work to take a look at Aly’s car. He noticed a spark plug was missing (how in the world did that happen and apparently a car won’t run if a spark plug is missing) and oil was in the spark plug well (or whatever it is that the spark plug sits in). Where was the spark plug? James couldn’t find it anywhere. He and Aly go to buy a new set of spark plugs; starts up the car, it runs a few blocks and then dies again. James takes another peek and sees that it needs new spark plug wires (apparently they go bad). He tells Aly he will come over to fix it on Saturday; he needs to get home to his new bride. Saturday after work, James comes back. He replaced the wires, the car starts up and runs great. He tells Aly to take it to have the oil changed, which she does after James leaves. Aly asked James how much could she pay him. He tells her 20.00. She pays him 50. It would have cost much more if she had taken it to a mechanic. But this is not the end of the story. For you see there is always more to a story than just the facts.

Here’s the rest of the story. What is a parent to do when their collegiate daughter, who is a 4 hour drive away, calls and tells them her car is broken down on the side of the road? Well the first response is usually to worry, I hate to admit it but that is where we started. With all the descriptions given, the car shuddered and died, the missing spark plug and oil in the spark plug well, it didn’t sound good. My husband knows his way around an engine too and he was thinking the engine had blown and would need major repairs in the ballpark of 2-3 grand. Frankly, the car is not worth that much. We began to consider other options, a newer car or fixing this one was not one of the options. We finally calmed ourselves down and began to pray. Aly called her “Life Ministries” group and they began to pray. I felt much calmer and knew a favorable solution would happen (which did as told in the first paragraph). In the end, it only cost us around 130.00. The car is running great. Praise the Lord. But that’s not the end of the story.

James (remember he is newly married, his wife is new to that area and hasn’t found a job yet) told Aly after she had paid him that he needed the money for groceries. I was so regretful that we didn’t pay him more. But God knows what James and his wife need and He provided that need. It’s hard to grumble about a broken down car when that very event brought about help for someone else. Not only did God use it to help James and his wife but it also taught Aly a lesson. We keep telling her to check her oil, anti-freeze, transmission fluids and all the things that keep a car running smoothly but she seems to have the attitude that it will run and keep running without anything required from her. Needless to say, her attitude has changed and that’s a bonus too. Pin It Now!

What a Surprise...

I have been selected for a treasury on Etsy. It is a non-OFG treasury so it came as quite a surprise. Please check it out. The photo below is the item she used for the treasury. Thanks bunches. http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list_west.php?room_id=94560



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Boy, is it warming up.

I can remember a little more than a month ago we were all wishing for spring. Our fingers and toes were crossed hoping the sun warmed days would be just around the corner. Well...it looks like it has arrived. Mr Weatherman is saying our area will have a high of 89 degrees today. Yikes, I don't think I am ready for that yet. Hmmmm, I wonder if it's too early to start wishing for Fall.

I love chalkboards. The smell of chalk takes me back to my school days. Remember holding that fragile piece of chalk in your hand while you worked out a math problem on that humungous chalk board? Or the smell of the chalk dust that poofed up when you hit the eraser on the board while the teacher wasn't looking? Or a freshly washed chalkboard that looked like it was itching for the scratch of the chalk? Oh and let’s not forget those scratches…I still cringe when I think of someone running their fingernails down a chalkboard. Those memories seem like yesterday.
I cut this chalkboard from a piece of 1” pine. It measures 19x11 inches. I painted it with a design by Terrye French and added a little wooden penny to hold the chalk. This piece has been added to my Etsy shop, you can get there by clicking on the icon on the left. Pin It Now!

Monday Market Place

Good Monday Morning Blogger Friends. I hope you had a wonderful Easter weekend. My Monday Marketplace feature is Susan with KeepSake Korner. Susan is a fellow Old Farmhouse Gathering artisan. Her shop is packed with beautiful spring time pretties. I have added an interview Susan did for the OFG team and some photos of the lovely things she offers in her Etsy shop. Please take notice of other places Susan can be found at the end of this interview.

What is the name of your Etsy shop and why did you choose that name?
KeepSakeKorner. Actually,there is no specific reason for picking this name. I wanted a name that reflected a country feel,what my items generate in your mind. I played around with some names for a few days. Talking a lot to myself ! LOL

How long have you been on Etsy?
it will soon be 2 years. Wow, where does the time fly too?



What type of items do you offer?
Right now I have fun items for Spring on. For a while I was offering necessities.I will incorporate more of them into my shop later. I seem to go in spurts with my designing. When I began in the Country Crafts during the later 80’s, the cloth doll designs were my thing. Then I love the whimsical, story book and vintage look.


How long have you been crafting?
I have been crafting since I was a wee one. My grandmother taught me to sew at the tender age of 5. Actually, I would play in her scrap bag, watch her sew, she taught me little things before sitting on the chair before the throne (sewing machine). I have always dabbled in many mediums, drawing, sculpting etc. When I see something new my thought is always "I can do that." Then I will just to prove I can.


Who or What inspires you?
First, my grandma Edith, whom raised me, gave me the love to create with sewing. Now, many things inspire me but at the top of the list is God's Creation! Just look at all the beautiful colors that God made, He designed and gave to us to use. Then I love looking back to antiques and vintage items.


What is your favorite item in your shop and why?
Right now I have a Cloth Chick N Egg Pull Toy. I had fun creating this design. Finished the Chick on the antique spools the a thought came to me..."put an egg on top." Well, then that evolved to "put an egg with legs and feather on head onto the chick." See....it never ends LOL

Other places where you can be found (Ebay, webstore, blog)
Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/KeepsakeKorner
Blog: KeepSakeKorner.blogspot.com Pin It Now!

He's Alive

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Good Friday

Today is Good Friday, the day the Christ was crucified for the redemption of the Earth. I chose this photo because a nice clean cross with a nice clean Jesus on it just couldn't be how it really was. He had been beaten half to death, and a crown of thorns beaten down on His head. I don't think the Crucifixion was a clean event. I hope as we go through this day we will remember the great price He paid for our salvation. Like the old preacher once said "It's Friday, but Sunday's coming". We do have hope beyond the Crucifixion. Pin It Now!