New Baskets

 I've updated my Lemon Poppy Seed Shop for December 1st with a couple of new baskets.  Click my link on the sidebar - upper righthand side to see these two new baskets.  Both have Free Shipping! 

Thanks for checking them out.  ~Ann

A long distance swap

 I hope you all had a Happy Thanksgiving!  We traveled from our little corner of NW Ohio to the Milwaukee area for Thanksgiving with my sister & her husband, their 3 little ones and our Mom.    

A few posts ago, I highlighted the new blanket crane that my husband made me.  Karen (My Colonial Home blog) commented that she would love to have a blanket crane one day.  

 I just happened to have 2 extra ones - my husband went a little overboard making them!  (Yes Melissa, I have one left if you want it, but like Karen you have to finish it!)  Knowing that we would be in WI for Thanksgiving, Karen and I worked out a swap. 

I just love the goodies that she made me.  If you don't have any of Karen's stitching, all I can say is - You Should!  Her stitching is perfect and the detail is amazing - something that really can't be captured to show up in photos and online. 

After our swap, Karen and her husband Doug and my husband and I went out to breakfast and then attended a local craft show.  The venue was very cool - it was a  Y camp that had cabins situated in the woods and each cabin had one or two crafters set up in it.  They had fires burning outside among the cabins and the cabins were connected  by boardwalks so the walking was easy.  Unfortunately for us, the craft part of the craft show wasn't as cool!  Lots of polar fleece people and cutesy painted things.  Not really my taste or Karen's either.  We did have a good time walking and chatting and I think our husbands had a good time getting to know each other too. 

After leaving Karen and Doug, we stopped at a consignment shop in Mukwonago WI and LOOK what I found!  The Folk Art lamp.  Happy Day. 

 

 I will have a Cyber Monday special on my other blog - 1803 Ohio Farm Baskets.  You can visit that blog by clicking the link in the upper right hand corner of this blog. 

Have a great week.  ~Ann

Free Primitive Quilt Patterns

While I was out "blog hopping" about a month ago, I found Quilts by Cheri.   Cheri has been designing quilt patterns for some time, but only recently started a blog.  She has offered 2 free quilt patterns on her blog, found here. 

This first one is a small holiday pattern. The small blocks are only cut at 1", I was a little hesitant, but I'm glad I tried my hand at this small piecing. I Love how it turned out. I need to add a halo to my angel and quilt it yet, but all the other wool applique is on. Have I ever told you I LOVE to blanket stitch? I'm serious, I could sit and blanket stitch all day long, it's so relaxing, so the applique part of this quilt (and the next one) is my favorite part. 

This second pattern is actually the first free pattern Cheri offered, it's called Soots and Ashes.  Cheri did hers in blacks and grays.  I chose a brown/taupe/burgundy combination.  I do not have all my wool cut to applique onto this one.  You REALLY need to visit Cheri's blog to see this one finished up. Mine doesn't do the finished one justice, I just had to show off what I've done so far. 

I think Cheri started posting directions for this quilt back in August, and every few days she would add directions for a new block. They are easy blocks and go together quickly.

I hope you all have a good weekend.  ~Ann

Auction Find

On a cold, windy Saturday in March, we stopped at our first auction for the year.  I wasn't really sure I wanted to stop, the house was a DUMP but my husband persuaded me and this is one of 2 pieces of furniture that I picked up that day. 

 The marbled doors are actually contact paper - didn't realize that until I got home.  Started thinking about having punched tin panels custom made for the doors...

 The drawer fronts had a lovely art deco design routered into them and beautiful handles! (sorry I'm just kidding - UGLY!) 

 For some reason, the shelf inside was cut in half, so the left side didn't have a shelf.  Lots of extra contact paper and something wrapped in tin foil under the right side shelf. 

 A very nice surprise when I unwrapped the foil package.  It was the door panels!  Not crazy about them yet - the tin punched panels still sound really good!

 We spent the better part of today finishing this piece so it was house ready.  Over the summer when we had time, we worked on preparing it in the garage, so today it was just the finishing to tackle. 

 

 Close up of the piece.  I REALLY like it now - even the doors have grown on me - I'm keeping them.  Punched tin will have to be in some other piece, later on down the road.

My husband planed down the drawer fronts until they were smooth, which led to another problem.  The exposed wood wasn't worn like the rest of the piece.  He made up a custom color of stain and brushed on.  It's perfect! 

We painted the inside with left over paint from some project or another, can't even remember!  Good use of left overs.  Our 10 year old even did some painting in there - he loves to paint. 



We moved several pieces of furniture today, making room for our new piece.  This small wall is between the sliding doors in the kitchen and the dining room.  I just love the simplicity of the piece. 

The mirror is an antique my Mom gave me, the primitive broom was a GW find and I made the candle sconces over the summer from items I found at the TS.  The sconces started out their lives as a vertical welcome sign and a note pad holder!  I didn't make them to be hung together, so one is longer than the other - we'll have to fix that over the Christmas holidays. 

Have a good week ~Ann

Weaving Weekend

Thursday afternoon I drove to Shipshewana, Indiana (1 1/2 hour west of my house) to join with 18 other basket weavers for a weekend of weaving, shopping and fun.  Jody came the farthest - over 4 hours away in Illinois and several gals from the Heritage Weaving Guild in the Dayton area joined us as well. 

When I drove into town this great big basket welcomed me!  I knew it had to be a good omen for the weekend. 

 While I didn't make any baskets this big, I did accomplish quite a bit. Thursday afternoon and evening I made the following:

The three small baskets in the front will go on my basket themed Christmas tree.

Friday I finished the large magazine basket with the decorative accents in the back and wove the other small to medium baskets in this photo.  2 of the small baskets will go on my basket themed Christmas tree.  The other small basket is a "gift" to a friend.  She gave me the kit for it, because she doesn't like making small baskets - I made it and it will be returned to her tomorrow. 

This is all I got done on Saturday!  I look like a slacker.  LOL.  I did make 2 trips into town on Saturday ( I never left the retreat center on Friday - I guess it shows) 

If you've never heard of Shipshewana Indiana, it's home to a huge flea market in summer time, antiques and crafts all year long.  It has a very large settlement of Amish in the area, lots of buggies and bicycles on the roads. 

The combined total for my 3 days of weaving.  Now I just need to stain and paint these to finish them up.  17 total baskets!  Yeah. Not only did I weave all these baskets, I taught my friend Barb how to text!  Barb is now a texting queen!  

Have a great week.  ~Ann

Blanket Crane

I have been wanting a blanket crane for awhile now, after seeing several of them in homes that I admire.  I printed the directions from Kris's Blog, Simply Prim.  You can find the tutorial for the blanket crane here.  Thanks Kris for the directions.  I did have my husband change the plans just a little.  I wanted the crane part to actually swing, so he made it that way, rather than stationary. 

I painted it black with a coat of taupe and then finished with a coat of dark brown Briwax.  I found the coverlet at the Thrift Store.  It was a silent auction item that I was lucky enough to win.  I love the colors, antique white, mustard and brown. 

My living room is so boring and this helped bring it some character.  I'm working on that room, but just can't get it like my kitchen/eating area.    I'm thinking that I need a mantle/fireplace like this one. 

This is in my brother & sister-in-laws house. 

My brother put in an actual fireplace.  When we were growing up in this house, there was a door to the outside where the fireplace is.  He built a brick chimney and the hearth surround.  I love the simplicity of the whole thing.  I also think it screams primitive.  Unfortunately for me, my husband isn't willing to build a chimney!  I'll have to settle for a fake fire, but I'm sure working on selling the idea of a mantle - wish me luck! ~Ann