Tuesday's Display Chain - Recently Acquired

I've never joined in Misi's Display Chain before today, but have a couple of cute things that I've just acquired.  This little beeswax chick is perfect for my latest addiction - blackened beeswax.  I bought him from a gal on Etsy.  His little collar and rusty bell are perfect. 

From the same crafter, I bought this winged angel.  She used more rusty jingle bells on this.  I haven't found the perfect home for her yet, just hung her on the wall to take the picture. 

Lately when I've been primitive shopping, I've bypassed the "flashy" things and have been purchasing greenery to use.  I really like the plain, plain, plain look with a little greenery mixed in.  This little wreath is perfect for my very limited spring decorating.  I need to find something to put inside it - yeah an excuse to go shopping again!

The last thing that I recently bought - on Saturday - I can't show you and it's not prim at all!  We finally found a prom dress.  After May 7th, you can come back and see a photo.  Shopping for that dress has occupied several of our weekends.  If you haven't been in the market for a prom dress lately, I can tell you that there are lots of them out there that are not modest in any way.  For the girls (and their parents) who don't want tummy skin showing it can be a challenge.  

Have a great week.  ~Ann 

Black Bunny and Black beeswax

First off, let me congratulate Donnie for winning my vanilla bean giveaway from last Sunday.  Donnie, I've emailed you, please send me your mailing address so I can get them out to you. .

Had to share with you all this cute little bunny that I bought last weekend.  He is made from fabric, painted and stained with coffee/cinnamon mixture.  He has personality plus! 

His tail is very attractive to one little gray kitty - who'd better leave the bunny alone!

While I had my beeswax out a few weeks ago,  I decided it was time to cover this 3 wick candle that I bought after Christmas 2009!  I drilled out the holes for the tea lights and rolled the candle in warm blackened beeswax.

After it cooled down, I rolled it in cinnamon.  It's sitting in a bowl filled dried black walnuts.  I really am happy with how it turned out - all for about $8.00.

I apologize for this picture.  I've tried several times to rotate it.  It shows up as straight, but when it posts to the blog it reverts to sideways.  (The bunny picture worked - why won't this one?!)

I bought this little pineapple from a gal selling them on Facebook.  The stem is sweet-annie.  I love it and it smells wonderful.  I think I may have a problem with blackened beeswax - I've ordered a few other things from Etsy - I'll show them off when I get them.

Have a great week.  ~Ann

Homemade Vanilla Extract Recipe

I've been reading on blogs how to make homemade vanilla extract.  I always end up buying the imitation at the store because I just can't bring myself to pay for the real.  Today I finally made my own and want to share with you how easy and simple it was.

All you need is a bottle of vodka, dried vanilla beans and a glass mason jar (or some type of glass jar)

The vodka that I used was the cheap stuff, from what I've read, you don't need to use the expensive brands. 

The recipe is very simple 1 cup vodka + 3 beans + 2 months = Vanilla Extract

Before placing the beans into your glass jar, you need to split the beans lengthwise, leaving the ends intact.  I found it was easiest to split along the side rather than on top.

Place the jar in a cool dark spot for 2 months and your vanilla should be ready to be used.  You do not need to remove the beans when the 2 months are up.

I purchased my beans from www.vanillaproductsusa.com on EBay.   I bought a pound of beans - you don't need that many - I only used 24 beans making the 8 cups of extract.  After my reading, I chose to use Tahitian beans, just a matter of personal preference.

I received this bonus pack of 10 extract Grade B Tahitian Vanilla beans with my order.  I have not opened the package.  If you leave a comment on this post, I will send this packet to one reader next week.  I will draw a name on Sunday 3/14/11.  Please make sure that I can reach you through your blog, or leave you email address on your post.

Have a great week.  ~Ann

School Girl Pocket Finished!

I purchased this cross stitch pattern designed by Primitive Betty's at a Prim shop last fall.  I didn't start it until Christmas vacation.  Last week, I finished up the last rows of stitching and then finished it into the pocket.

I haven't stained it yet and I'm not sure I'm going to.  I have it hanging in our bedroom on this peg rack.

 I used a reproduction fabric for the lining, strap 

 and backing



Be sure to check out the Spring Giveaway that the PAFA team is having on Etsy.  The button to take you to the PAFA blog is located in the upper right corner of my blog.  I'm giving away an Easter Basket - you can see it on the PAFA blog or on my blog, 1803 Ohio Farm Baskets - the link for this is also on the right hand sidebar.  There are 21 prizes for 1st place!  There are several gift certificates to be given out also. 

Hope you are having a good week. 

~Ann

A few signs of Spring

What a week!  We didn't have school on Monday due to President's day.  Tuesday, Thursday and Friday we were cancelled due to bad weather and Wednesday our youngest missed due to illness.  He was actually sick all week, so maybe it's a good thing that school was closed - he didn't miss much in the way of school work.  I must have cabin fever because I'm ready for Spring. 

I had to put out a few of my Spring things and create some new ones while we were home. 

I found the greenery in the above crock last weekend and wish I would have purchased more.  I'll have to see if I can get some online. 

The cute little rabbit is from an online tutorial from my friend Cathy of Tolentreasures.  You can find the directions for this rabbit here.  Cathy's directions are superb and very easy to follow.  The whole creation time was minimal.  If you don't want to make one, Cathy has them for sale as well.

I purchased this standing blackened beeswax rabbit at an online yard sale on Face book.  Kim Nein made this and it's way too cute.  Unfortunately she doesn't have any more left - I wanted more after I received this one.

Since Kim didn't have any more, I thought I'd try my hand at creating my own.  I've used beeswax to cover pillars and tapers, but never molded it.  Because I never throw anything away, I had Easter candy molds from when I was in high school.  Never used them since way back when, so now they are dedicated to wax.  I made some 3 dimensional eggs - I had to "glue" the sides together with warm wax and a standing bunny.  He's not 3D, just a flat back. 

I'll be giving away an Easter Basket in March.  Check back with me on March 1st to see how you can win.

Have a great weekend  ~Ann

Would you like a little Graby with your Fruitcake?

I haven't done anything prim related for a couple of weeks.  I've been shoveling snow and taking care of sick kids.  I'm ready for Spring. 

I haven't posted and I don't want you all to forget about me so here's a post for you - **warning ** if you don't like cats stop reading right now!

Yes, you read my post title correctly - it will make sense soon. 

Our orange cat, Frito, has been spoiled rotten since his first day in our house - October 31, 2006.  If he wants to sleep in a backpack, our son will do his homework later (can't you hear Matthew objecting to that?!)

If he wants to sit in a basket that I'm working on, go right ahead...

 If he wants to take a nap amongst my rug hooking supplies, I'll work on something else until he moves.

Now enter my niece Emileigh, age 2 1/2, who wants to play with the doll baby bed we got out of the attic for her to play with while she was here visiting. Can you see where I'm going with this?  If you guessed Frito taking a nap on the doll bed you guessed correctly. Needless to say Miss Em and Mr. Cat had a little disagreement.  She wanted him to move and he looked at her like she was crazy.  In her frustration Miss Em got confused and said "No Fruity"  we think she combined Frito +Kitty = Fruity.  The nickname stuck and now Frito goes by Fruity, Fruito and my all time favorite Fruitcake.  

Fast forward to August 2010 with the addition of the gray kitten Shadow.  Yes, this one is strange, he likes the water.  When the kids take their showers, he gets in with them.   

 Shadow is falling into the same bad habits as Fruitcake - thinking he owns this house....

Not to be outdone by his older brother, Shadow needed a nickname.  Without Emileigh's help we've come up with Gray + Baby = Graby.  We can't wait to see what Miss Em thinks of Graby and if the nickname meets with her approval. 

Yes, I had to sit on the floor because the couch was taken.

A little Graby with my Fruitcake please.

Have a great week ~Ann



Is my Disorder Genetic?

My Great Grandmother died in 1937 - 74 years ago.  She was an avid quilter, spending her winter months in South Dakota with her brother in law and sister in law.  The women would quilt away the cold winter months finishing tops that they worked on during the other months of the year.

When my Great Grandmother Carrie died in August 1937, my Grandmother Eunice(what a horrible name!) became the owner of this unfinished quilt top.  My Grandmother died in 1966 leaving the unfinished quilt top to my Mom. 

 A few years ago my Mother broke the cycle - well, almost broke the cycle I should say!  While still very much alive, Mom  decided that I should have the quilt top - still unfinished.    Mom told me that her own mother never finished it because she felt that her  stitches were "big enough to throw the cat through"!  My Mom told me she felt the same about her hand quilting abilities. 

So now I own this beautiful antique coverlet and have my own daughter named appropriately - no NOT Eunice, but Carrie.  Can I do this - the hand quilting?  Will it be up to par with what Carrie #1 started? Can I do this and give it to Carrie #2?

  Let me share with you my genetic disorder... 

I've stitched these cross-stitched pieces within the last few months and here they sit, 2 need framed and 2 need to be made into ornies to hang on my Halloween tree.

These stitcheries have all been backed with homespun and stuffed with either sawdust or fiberfill, but need to be stitched closed and coffee stained... 

 I haven't done anything with this Christmas wall hanging that I showed you back a couple of months ago - needs to be machine quilted....

Are you getting the idea about my genetic disorder? No, let me show you a few more pictures....

 I'm working on the hand embroidery on this wall hanging.....

 This one that I showed on my last blog post is still sitting waiting for the machine quilting....

Need I go on or are you getting the idea that the women in my family have a faulty DNA strand?  Is there a cure for this? If there is, I need to find it desperately as Carrie #2 is not the crafty type and there is no hope that she will ever pick up a needle.  She takes after Eunice and would rather sit and read Shakespeare - maybe we should have named her Eunice!

Have a wonderful (and productive)weekend ~Ann