New Creations And The Country Freckle Gets a New Look

Today I finished up the primitives I have been working on this week and brought my creations to the Country Freckle. Joni and I have been talking about trying to bring out a more primitive look to her the front of her store....so today was the day we dug in and got it done.

I really LOVE this little gal....she is so precious and sweet, the tag that is hanging off the lighted candle says "God Bless America". This has been so heavy on my heart lately....Jesus, please bless this land that I love and your people!!!!!

The little gal was made from a pattern by Drakestone Primitives

I decided I was in the mood to make some crows....so I looked through my patterns and found what I was looking for. This picture is a bit dark but I wanted to show how cute they look hanging.

I found these little flags at the dollar store and LOVED THEM. I coffee stained them and baked them in the oven and positioned them so they when they dried, they looked like they were flapping in the wind....love it!!!!

I left this guys beak dark....I guess I like them done both ways dark or yellow. I also have a tag hanging from his mouth that says "God Bless America" AMEN to that!!!!!!!

On this one the tags says "Welcome Summer". This pattern is from Tennessee Ridge Primtives

I had to make more cats all the other sets I made are gone

Cat's For Sale

Now for our Freckle make over.....Here is the before picture, we had the doors all laid out and ready for action.

We didn't really have a plan...we just knew that we wanted to hinge the doors altogether and prop them up along the front of the building and from there we would create as we went.

Joni even bought a new power drill for our project....she is putting it through the moves here....a woman with a power tool....things could get dangerous :)

Here we got the first 2 doors hinged together and the rest of them standing up right but then we had a lull in the action because we got a few customers. We had worked around the business today....got to keep the money rollin in.

Getting closer to our finished look....the doors are all hinged here and the rest of the project just kinda came together as we went along. But I will tell you that tip on the power drill took a big hit. By the time we finished screwing every thing down and I mean everything down..... that tip looked like someone had chewed off the end....it was pretty funny....that thing got worked over!!!!

Finished....we were pretty happy with our final look

I think the front of the store screams...."come and see what's in here" and that is what we were trying to achieve.

I don't know about you, but the outside of a primitive shop draws me in first....it peaks my interest as to what treasures could be waiting for me on the inside and believe be, Joni has some awesome treasure inside this store!!!!

Well, that is what I was up to today....doing what I love...creating and decorating on a beautiful sunny day.

Tomorrow I am heading to Minneapolis, Minnesota. My nephew is graduating from high school Friday night. Our family is going to go and cheer him on and enjoying spending time together. And then on Sunday, my daughter Alyssa is running in a half marathon (13 miles) in Minneapolis, MN so I am going to go watch her enjoy her passion....running.

p.s. she didn't get running passion from me :)...I'm lucky if I can run down the end of the driveway and back.

God Bless....Rhonda

To Market We Will Go....And We Went

We are home from market.....actually we were home a week ago on Monday but I have been really bad about updating my blog lately...sorry. I have been busy planting flowers, doing laundry, cooking dinners, moving my daughter from college, and last but not least making dolls like a mad woman.

Back to our market trip. We had a BLAST!!!! I have never seen so many trinkets in one spot in my life. It's like giving a drink to a drunk while you are there because you have to suppress your will to want to buy EVERYTHING.

Here is a picture of inside the coliseum where the market was held. I snapped 3 pictures before I was told that I could not take anymore. I understand why though....she said some people take pictures and then go home and copy other peoples ideas. But I just wanted my pics for my blog so I could share them with you all...but I totally understand why they don't want pics taken.

Another pic inside the building

These pictures do not even begin to show how full of vendors this coliseum was.

A pile of straw filled primitive bears...Joni bought some of these beauty's

Well anyway....not one told me I could not take pictures outside while vendors were unloading so I had my own little photo shot out there, here it goes.

Here is some of the furniture Joni purchased. This furniture is all homemade near Ft. Wayne, Indiana. Doug, the owner of the shop and the creator of this furniture, is one of the nicest guys you will ever meet!!!! He is soooooo talented and his shop is sooooo AWESOME!!!!

We spent the day before the Market show at Doug's shop. He has antiques splashed in with his handmade furniture. I bought 3 beautiful antique pieces from him and a couple of his handmade furniture pieces and I LOVE them all!!! I would take a picture and show you them but they are in storage right how because this rental is too small for anymore furniture. Someday soon when we get our new house (I still have faith for our house) I will enjoy them.

I passed on a gorgeous antique shelve he had in his shop and I am still kicking my self.....I have learned that when you see a antique you like....BUY IT!!!! It's not like you can just order another one like it up...oh well.....live and learn. Here is Doug's website if you want to see his awesome furniture and his adorable shop.

Lisa and Joni are busy here loading up the truck. We had the whole trailer filled.....you couldn't have fit a hair in there after we the guys loaded it with all our goodies.

Joni was busy shopping outside while the vendors were unloading
The early bird gets the warm....you snooze you loose....the squeaky wheel gets the grease....all these apply while you are trying to get the first pickins :) The vendors were actually happy to let us shop outside, they said the more we buy the less they have to haul in. They are on a mission too....SELL, SELL, SELL.

Joni trying to decide which one will be the BIG SELLER

This chair is absolutely gorgeous in person....Joni bought this beauty and it is sitting in shop as we speak. This chair would have been prefect at our house (the one we sold) sitting under our covered porch. Some day I will have a cover porch again and I will have one of these beauty's sitting under it :)

The furniture was lined up and ready to load

Some of the vendors unloading their goodies

Load em' up and move em' out

We tuckered this poor fella plum out

Doug's guys, sleeping Butch is one of them, were so nice...... they loaded all our furniture in the trailer and truck for us. After we ALL thought we were all done shopping the trailer was shut and ready to roll.....we just had to make a few more swoops through the coliseum, just in case we missed something ya know. Well of course, out we came with more goodies in our arms and you should have seen their faces.....priceless!!!! You could just read their minds saying "how are we going to pack that stuff in the trailer now"......."stop shopping!!!!"

Well after a long but FUN day we started our 8 hour journey back to Wisconsin Rapids. Joni did most of the driving. She had never pulled a trailer before and she was a little nerves, but she did such a good job.....I was so proud of her.

The only spot that was a little nerve racking was in Chicago. She DID NOT want to go over this bridge.

I looked over at her hands while we were going over the bridge and she was white knuckling it the whole way over....of course I had to pull out the camera and snap a pic, she is such a good sport.

Here is Joni pulling that trailer like a pro!!!!!!!

Lisa in the back seat all smiles

I could NOT believe all the tolls we had to go through....talk about highway robbery. The roads where the tolls were set up were the bumpiest roads we traveled....our tax and toll dollars at work...NOT.

I was horrified at the traffic in Chicago

We hit Chicago during the worst time...rush hour, it was bumper to bumper for MILES..ick!!!!!

I don't understand how people live in this everyday....I guess I am a country girl and always will be!!!!!! In Spooner, Wisconsin my hometown we have rush minutes and that's the way I like it!!!!!

The tall building in the back ground is the Sears Tower....I had to snap a pic.

Well, that's about it. I had pictures of the day we spent at Doug's shop and some pictures of us in the hotel but somehow I erased them. My disk was full and I was trying to make room so I could take pictures at Market and some how they disappeared....I was SOOOO mad. I learned a lesson....slow down and watch which buttons you are pushing!!!!!!

Thank you Jesus for the safe trip and for letting me met and spend time with such awesome friends. I am a blessed woman!!!!

Rhonda

I Crossed The Finish Line

Today I finished up my work-in-progress projects and wanted to share them with you.

Here is a cute cat family waiting for a new home.....Mama's tag says "I Love Cats"

This Mama's tag says "Cats For Sale"

This is the first time I tried sculpted hands (made her real fingers) and am pretty happy with them and think it adds a new twist and variety to my dolls.

I went to an Estate sale a couple weeks ago and found some crystal vintage clip-on earrings. I used one of them for the closure pin on her lace shawl.....LOVE the sparkle, sparkle, sparkle!!!!

Here she is sitting on the couch resting a spell.

And here she is hanging on the wall, but she would also look adorable hanging on a door as a door doll.

A primitive horse

These horses can hang anywhere you want a primitive simpler time look

I really like these horses, they are a tribute to our 3 awesome Quarter horses Bo, Malachi and Gretta and the wonderful years my daughters and I had together showing them at horse shows. Those are years that I will always cherish in my heart and miss those good ole days so much!!!!!

Here are some song bird pinkeep cushions I finished up...LOVE THEM!!!

How CUTE!!!!

They would look so cute sitting on a shelf or tucked away in a prim cupboard

They are ready to fly off to the Country Freckles

Here is everyone loaded up in my totes and they are Country Freckles bound

Speaking of Country Freckles......I am going with Joni, the owner of the Country Freckles, to market this weekend. It is in Fort Wayne, Indiana an 8 hour drive one way from here. We are leaving Saturday night around 7pm and are planning on getting back sometime on Monday. We are pulling a trailer and I am sure it will be filled to the top with goodies for Joni's shop. I have always wanted to go to market and for sure will be bringing my camera and will share as much of this experience as I can with you all. I am sure I will see all kinds of things I will want, but I have to resist the temptation because we live in a rental right now and we can't fit anything else in the storage building.

That's it for now...I finished my goals for the week and am very happy about that and now I am heading to bed....God Bless....Rhonda

Another Year Oldler But Wiser, I Hope

Sorry I have been slipping on updating my blog lately. I have been a very busy girl but just haven't taken the time to sit down and put it into words and pictures.

To start off, yesterday was my 49th birthday...(where have the years gone...I still feel 29). Age is just a number...that's what I say now but next year when I turn 50, I might be rethinking that statement. But my Mom always says "You know how to stop getting older don't you....die young" so that statement, from a very wise woman, has always made getting another year older not big deal to me :)

Here's another statement she used to say to me a lot while my kids were little and they were fighting and making messes and doing things kids do to make a Mother's head spin right off her shoulders...she would say...."this too shall pass"...and she was right. But now I miss those good ole days!!!!!

Anyway, my husband hand delivered these beautiful flowers to me on my birthday (thank you honey, you are so thoughtful) and also took me out for dinner. Before our dinner date, we stopped at Altel and renewed our cellphone contract (fun, fun) and we both got new cell phones so I guess I can also say I got a new cellphone for my birthday which I needed very badly...mine pooped out on me the other day. We added texting to our plan so I am now in the world of texting...look out!!!!!

My Daughter Kara surprised me with these BEAUTIFUL old sewing machines for my birthday. I LOVE old sewing machines and she knows it. I have about 5 of them right now and plan on someday decorating with them when we get a house someday.....I still have FAITH for my new house!!!!

I LOVE all the gold detail on this machine. Thank you Kara so much for blessing me with this machine....you know your Mother so well. You a my precious gift from God!!!!!

My daughter Alyssa had this adorable pan custom made with my name on it and a cross delivered to me for my birthday...I LOVE IT!!!!! Thank you Alyssa...we will have to have some Mother/Daughter time together and fill it will a new recipe :) You are also my precious gift from God :)!!!!!

And for my son Kasey....well, you know how boys are not sentimental.....he did give me a gift on facebook though which was pretty funny. He said when I come home to Spooner he has a card for me until then..he gave me his humor which he has plenty of, he has ALWAYS had a way of making me laugh, even when he was a little boy......He is also my precious gift from God!!!!

Here is what I have been working on the past few weeks

I started this little gal last week, she is so close yet so far from being done. The small detailed finishing touches are so time consuming but I am hoping to get her finished up today. My vision for her is to be wearing a prairie bonnet and also holding a bouquet of Sweet Annie...but time will tell.

Here is a cat family...this pattern is from Walnut Ridge Primitives and the pattern is Milly & Tuck

These horses are also close to being finished...hopefully today..this is my own pattern

These pigs are so cute....they are ready to head to the Country Freckles. This pattern is from Sassafras Hill Primitives

The Three Little Pigs

I came across a blog the other day and it really impressed me..click here to see it. She made the most beautiful crocheted pillows I have ever seen.

Years ago when my kids were little, I used to knit and crochet...my Step-Mom taught me how. While I was pregnant with each of my 3 kids, I would sit at night and knit or crochet a baby afghan for my baby and was so excited to wrap them up in it during our homecoming from the hospital.

All 3 of my kids, who are now adults, still have the baby afghan I made especially for them. But as the years have gone by.....knitting and crocheting have not been high on my list of hand work. But because I admired the pillows displayed on the blog and found that the pattern was posted....I got out some yarn and started in.

I only had red yarn (Annie hair) available to me right now so that is what I had to use. But if I do find time to make these pillows....I will have to go yarn shopping and pick out some bold and vibrant colors.

I also came across a quilting blog click here to view her blog.....that I really enjoyed and it inspired me to start a nine patch quilt. I found at the Goodwill a couple weeks ago, a pack of fabric that was already cut into 4" squares. So I dig them out and got started yesterday deciding I needed a break from my dolls. My quilt is a work in progress and I am not sure how long it will take....but I will work on it her and there and will keep you posted on it's progress.

Last but not least, my daughter Alyssa is done with her Junior year of college and is Spooner bound to work at her old job as a waitress at Jo Mama's. Jo Mama's is a cafe she has worked at since she was 16. She makes really good money there and Jo (the owner) loves her.


So seeing we moved last fall.....we could not find the apron I made for her last year so I had to whip up a new for this season. Along with putting her name on it, she also wanted a bible verse on the pocket. This is her favorite bible verse Hebrews 12:1 and she will be sporting it with pride this summer as she runs around at Jo's like a chicken with her head cut off....it gets VERY busy there which is a good thing.

Well, that's about it for now. I am heading to my sewing room to finish up projects and probably start new ones knowing me. Hope you all have a BLESSED day....until next time....God Bless...Rhonda

Spooner Time And New Handmade Primitives

This week I went home to Spooner and spent some time with my daughter Kara, I enjoyed our time together so much. She gave me for Mother's Day the cutest handmade garden bench, it's just adorable.
And them for my birthday which is May 13th, she surprised me with an antique singer sewing machine..it is AMAZING......and I LOVE IT!!!!!! I will post a picture of it next post. She is such an awesome daughter and she knows just what her Mother LOVES!!!! It's pretty cool when your kids know you that well :)

I also enjoyed spending some time with my Mom on Wednesday, we went shopping a Hayward and also had lunch together. She is going to come and spend the week with me this coming week, I am looking forward to that!!!!

Well in my primitive sewing world here are a few of the items I finished up last week. I made a Topsy Turvey prairie doll and I think she turned out so adorable. All you have to do is tuck one doll into the skirt of the other and you can tuck her in a cupboard, set her on a shelf or display her on a end table....the possibilities are endless. She stands up real nice by herself which is a feature I really like.

Or you can display them together side by side and have 2 dolls in 1. I have them spread out like this to show you how they are hooked together.

Here is the black dress...I LOVE their stitch aprons.

I made some prairie dresses in several colors, they are a real hit right now.

Blue Homespun

A blue and maroon homespun

I LOVE this one. I was not sure about it when I started, but was pleasantly surprised how it turned out.

A burgundy homespun dress

And here is a stitch dress sampler...."Every time a child is born so is a Grandma"....cute!!!

On the way to Spooner, there was a storm brewing on the horizon. I couldn't resist taking a few pictures while driving.....don't worry, I was very careful :)

There is something about a stormy sky that is so threatening but yet so beautiful....go figure.

That's all for now....Until next time....God Bless.....Rhonda