Apple Tree Cottage

Christmas is Coming!!!

2011-10-14T08:21:00.022-05:00

Christmas is coming... well, at Apple Tree Cottage it is anyway!!! Most of you know that I love painting on vintage pieces. I have found some really nice things lately and have painted up a storm in my studio.

I have been collecting small antique mashers for the past year. These three make a nice set of "Jolly Olde Souls", don't you think? I like the way the dimensional snow looks when used for the fur on their caps.

The vintage cake cover was so much fun to paint --- who doesn't love the sweets this season has to offer. When I found this treasure, it even had the original plate to go with it. Both were in perfect condition.

I found a new shop in Tuscaloosa that has owners who love primitives as much as I do. They search high and low for the most unusual things and I am never disappointed when I pay them a visit. A recent purchase of an old ice cream scoop was turned into the perfect snowie hanger for a cabinet door or hook.

Finally, I found this old doll trunk at a tag sale. This is a design inspired by Terrye French with a few touches of my own. Wouldn't this be sweet display with a collection of raggedy dolls or a feather tree?

Thanks for taking the time to stop buy. I always love to read your comments. Time to get busy back in the studio. Stay tuned for more Christmas goodies!!!

MIA for Months!!!!

2011-10-14T08:13:00.002-05:00

My apologies to everyone!!! I haven't been able to access my blog since the blue screen of death that I received last summer. I have missed all of you and will try to update everything starting today!!!

To the Seashore and Back Again

2011-05-24T13:39:00.004-05:00

We love going to the Gulf Coast.... the white, sugar sand beaches there are the most beautiful in the world in my opinion. Each time we go and I get my first peek of the emerald sea and the sparkling sand my heart soars. We love the Seagrove Beach/Seaside area. It is so family oriented --- flying kites, building sand castles and looking for seashells is the order of the day there. We don't even wear our watches. We just smile at each other and say, "We are on beach time now."

We have found the most marvelous places to eat and all within a few miles of where we stay. Every morning we walk to Modica's Market in Seaside for croissants and coffee. It is the perfect way to start the day, sitting under an umbrella and doing a little "people watching" as we drink a second cup of coffee. Lunch can be had at the quaint little Airstream trailers that have been converted into all sort of eateries. Our favorite places to eat dinner are 30A and The Old Florida Fishhouse. The grouper and diver scallops are to die for. We have never had better!!!

We love to go to Old Towne Panama City to look for antiques. There are many within about a mile radius that have great nooks and crannies to explore. We are never disappointed and always find the most unusual little treasures.

If you have never been to the Emerald Coast of Florida, please go! I promise that you won't be disappointed and you will return home tanned, rested and with wonderful memories.

From Tuscaloosa --- We Will Rise Again!

2011-05-16T08:40:00.005-05:00

My beautiful city is still reeling from the impact of the F5 tornado that struck two weeks ago. So many of my friends have lost their homes and are trying to find even the smallest shred of keepsakes they had to hold onto memories of families and loved ones. Donations have poured in from all over the world at an amazing rate. But the most amazing thing of all is the tenacity of the survivors. Won't you keep them in your thoughts and prayers?

2011-01-01T17:36:00.004-06:00

Wishing everyone a glorious

and blessed New Year!!!!

A Beautiful Wedding!!!

2010-12-13T13:24:00.009-06:00

A Tag for the Gingerbread Coffee Mix!

2010-10-22T12:15:00.003-05:00

Here is a cute little tag for you to copy and use as a tie-on for the Gingerbread Coffee Mix.

Delicious Gingerbread Coffee

2010-10-21T20:49:00.004-05:00

Our church is having a Holiday Bake Sale the Saturday before Thanksgiving. I am going to make this Gingerbread Coffee Mix as one of my contributions. It is delicious....

GINGERBREAD COFFEE MIX

2 cups creamer
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp cloves
3/4 cup instant coffee

Mix all ingredients together well and store in an air-tight container.

Sneak Peak.... My Entries In the Old Farmhouse Winter Holiday Celebration

2010-10-15T15:15:00.014-05:00

The Old Farmhouse team on Etsy is going to have a Winter Holiday Celebration. I managed to get my four entries finished in between working on Megan's wedding!!! I tried to come up with four unique pieces that would add to any one's prim holiday decor.

The first is an "altered" gumball machine. I thought his bright red base was just perfect as it was. The globe is painted with a jolly folk art snowman. He is wearing a cotton sock cap that is dusted with glass glitter and has a rusty snowflake and rusty bell for embellishments.

Number two is a hand painted gourd Belsnickle. This Alabama gourd has been turned into an "old world" type Santa and is riding in a cinnamon rusted metal sleigh. His hang tag and two rusty bells are tied to the stem that I left attached.

These "everlasting candles" are made from wood. I found them in a wonderful shop while on vacation in Florida last summer and they have been patiently waiting to be painted. I created a new design that I call "Silent Night" just for them. The grubby hang tag is hand-lettered and has a snippet of vintage hymnal music attached.

Finally, here is an old coal shovel that has been repurposed as a door hanger for the winter season. This is another new design for this year's holiday season. I wrapped the handle in homespun and added a rusty bell and cookie cutter for a bit of prim whimsy.

The celebration will begin Sunday... you can find other entries by typing "WHCOFG" in the search bar on Etsy's home page.

Megan's Beautiful Brooch Bouquet

2010-10-08T09:44:00.007-05:00

Our precious daughter, Megan, will soon marry the love of her life, Kendall. On a December evening they will have a lovely ceremony amid twinkling candles, iced branches and peacock feathers. Adding to the sparkle will be her beautiful brooch bouquet. We worked on it together, finding vintage brooches at antique shops, online and even in thrift stores. Adding to those are pins that belonged to Megan, my dear mother and some of my own. A few from her favorite aunt and cousin are on their way to join this collection. The bouquet is anchored in a Victorian style silver tussie mussie that has a charmed engraved with the couples monogram hanging from it. Won't this be a special remembrance of her wedding?

It's Pumpkin Time!!!

2010-09-09T11:03:00.006-05:00

Pumpkin Pie Sign Board

A new design from Terrye French

I have noticed that the fruit stands and markets have begun to put out their pumpkins. I love all the colors, shapes and sizes that they come in. The miniature Baby Boos and Jack Be Littles will be placed on my mantle along with the larger Happy Jacks and Aspens.

I feel like Charlie Brown searching for the "Great Pumpkin" when I peruse the selections at each of my favorite stops. My all time favorite is the lovely white Lumina --- What a beauty!!!

I would like to share a recipe for delicious pumpkin muffins with you. They are so tasty and perfect for a wonderful treat, not only during the autumn season, but also throughout the entire year. Enjoy one soon with a cup of tea or coffee!

Pumpkin Muffins

INGREDIENTS:

1.5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs
1 tsp pumpkin-pie spice (a combo of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice)
1.25 cups plus 1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Equipment: 12 foil or paper muffin liners; a muffin pan with 12 (1/2-cup) muffin cups

Directions: Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven toe 350F. Put liners in muffin cups. Whisk together flour and baking powder in a small bowl. Whisk together pumpkin, oil, eggs, pumpkin-pie spice, 1.25 cups sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl until smooth, then whisk in flour mixture until just combined. Stir together cinnamon and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in another bowl. Divide batter among muffin cups (each should be about 3/4 full), then sprinkle tops with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake until puffed and golden brown and a wooden pick or skewer inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to rack and cool to warm or room temperature.

Halloween Celebration at Old Farmhouse Gathering

2010-08-30T15:52:00.021-05:00

It is time for another celebration at the Old Farmhouse Gathering Team on Etsy. Everyone is stitching, painting and creating away in their studios in anticipation of the debut on September 5. Here is a sneak peek at what I will list in the celebration:

I used a Terrye French design to paint on this long, narrow bread board. I love everything about this guy from his blue button eyes to the little hoot owl nesting in the brim of his hat.

The bottom of a vintage cafe coffee pot has been transformed into a pumpkin house with a few strokes of my paintbrushes. It came to me without a lid so I made a witch's hat from a papier mache cone and wood. I think it adds a bit of whimsy to this piece.

I have had a pattern for a kitty cat doll and her baby for a long, long time so I decided that now would be a good time to make her and dress her up for trick-or-treating. She wears a witch's hat, also made from papier mache and wood, and carries a pumpkin bucket that I made from a little gourd. Her doll is going to accompany her on her Hallow's Eve jaunt.

Finally, here is a vintage ice cream scoop that I have paint with a jolly jack theme. He is wearing his mask and is ready to say "boo" to whoever comes his way!

Witch's Pull Toy ... a new design for Hallow's Eve!

2010-08-18T22:07:00.008-05:00

I have been thinking about this design for a long time. I finally decided to create this fun piece and I had a great time doing it. Can't you imagine a little witch pulling this hat topped boot around? I used lots of different embellishments including tea-stained cheese cloth, rusty bells and a star, a papier mache and wood hat, and linen string.

Sweet News!

2010-08-16T08:08:00.003-05:00

He felt now that he was not simply close to her,

but that he did not know where he ended and she began.

~Leo Tolstoy

Our beautiful daughter became engaged to a wonderful guy yesterday. Megan, as many of you know, is the light of our lives. She is such a fabulous young lady and all that parents could ever hope for in a child (and more!). She is a registered dietitian and works in Birmingham, Alabama. Kendall has degrees from Oklahoma State University and the University of Oklahoma. He is presently at Auburn University where he received his Ph.D. They are the perfect couple! I wish them all the happiness and love that Sherrill and I have had in our years together. What more could a mother ask than for her daughter to be happy and in love with her best friend? I love you my darling child, more than you can ever know!

The Painted Shed

2010-08-10T08:48:00.007-05:00

Please take a moment to go peek at this shop, http://www.etsy.com/shop/paintedshed ! Steph, of The Painted Shed, and I have been friends for a long time. Although we have never met in person, we "talk" often through IM's and emails. She is such a talented artist and her work is of the highest quality. Not only is she a master engraver, she is a fabulous painter. Steph lives in Texas with her two devoted companions, her cat and dog.

Autumn..... My favorite season!

2010-08-09T20:03:00.013-05:00

I have been painting in the colors of autumn for several weeks now. I am pretending that it is cool and crisp outside and that fall is in the air. All of my favorite "life changing events" happened in Autumn. I met my darling husband and we got married in the fall (After 31 years we are still holding hands!). Two years later my precious daughter was born, also on a golden fall day. So, I have a special place in my heart for this season. Painting pumpkins, harvest moons, fall leaves and smoke coming out of chimneys has me thinking of baking bread and making homemade soup. I will have to wait a bit for that .... it is still bumping 100 degrees everyday and definitely not soup weather!

Here are a few of my latest creations. Maybe they will put you in the "pumpkin muffin and corn chowder" mood! The tin plate has a night scene painted on a pumpkin. This is an original that I have done several variations of. I love the way this one turned out, especially when it is laced with a homespun ribbon.

The bread board is painted with a John Sliney design. Don't you just love the big fluffy sheep perched on the pumpkins? Finally, here is an old lantern I painted with my Harvest Moon pattern. I gave the lantern a rusty look using cinnamon and black paint.

2010-08-07T16:23:00.001-05:00

Spending a Week in Paradise

2010-08-07T15:19:00.005-05:00

The one who knows the blessings and support of a family lacks nothing...

Our Family is like a patchwork quilt

With kindness gently sewn

Each piece an original

With beauty all its own.

With threads of warmth and happiness

It's lightly stitched together

To last with love throughout the years

Our family is forever.

What could be a better way to spend a week than on sugar sands in Florida, basking in the sun by day and sharing a bottle of wine with dear family at sunset each night. That is exactly what I did when my family joined with my brother's on Sunnyside Beach on the Gulf Coast. The beach was pristine --- not a drop of oil from the dreadful spill in May was to be found. We are already counting the days until we can meet again.

2010-08-07T15:10:00.002-05:00

I closed my blog about a month ago. Little did I know how many e-mails and convos (through my Etsy shop) I would receive. I have decided to try to be more diligent about posting and open my little blog up again. I ask you to bear with me as I sometimes go days and even weeks without a peep! I get so busy painting in my little studio that the hours pass before I know it. I promise to do better. Thanks to everyone who took the time to send notes. I appreciate all your kind words!

Memorial Day, 2010

2010-05-29T11:08:00.003-05:00

In Memorium
Have you ever looked, really looked, at a soldier's face?

Sometimes it's young, barely an adult the
hopes of youth still painted in its features.

Sometimes it's old older than faith,

older than wisdom, older than time.

And sometimes...sometimes it's a bit of both all at once.

Sometimes it's gritty and pained, remembering the face of another who has fallen.
Sometimes it's laughing, pleased to have a moment of peace.

Most of the time it's proud because it knows,

oh yes it knows, the world is a different place a better place because of it.

Next time you look at a soldier's face, see if you can find that glint of pride.
Sometimes it’s hidden, and you have to search it out. You'll find it in the eyes always
in the eyes. For the eyes are indeed the windows to the soul, even a soldier's soul.

And when you've carefully examined every feature of that soldier's face, stand up
straight and tall and smile your best smile. Thank that soldier, because it does what
some cannot or will not. It defends what it believes to be right with it's very life.

But more important, it defends a perfect stranger, you.
And when you see a flag covered casket, stand in memorium of all the soldier's faces
you've examined. For when one of them falls, they all fall.

And when one of them stands,

they all stand.
Shouldn't we stand with them?

Lilian Leader
June 2, 2006

Weighing In!

2010-05-29T10:33:00.008-05:00

I love painting on "delicious surfaces"! I spend hours searching through antique shops looking for appealing and unusual pieces that will become perfectly prim folk art works. Some of my favorites are old scales. Here are a few that I have painted lately.

The first features a laying hen on her nest of colorful primitive eggs. She is a Terrye French design. She now resides in Ohio with my friend, Linda, who is a collector extraordinaire.
Another chicken is featured on this vintage scale (also a TF design). She is painted to look like old muslin. Terrye is a folk artist who lives in Oklahoma and creates the most delightful patterns ever!

Here is one of her latest designs painted on a scale for my collector friend, Shirlee. This scale was in fabulous condition considering its age. Shirlee reports that it is living happily with her vast array of prim collectibles.

Finally, I found this rusty old scale at a recent tag sale. It require a lot of preparation before transforming it into a piece of Americana folk art. It is going to live with my artist friend MommaB (Vickie) in her home that is filled with all sorts of treasures.

For more of Terrye's exciting work, please visit her site... http://www.thepaintedpearbasket.com/

Welcome Summer!

2010-05-29T09:33:00.011-05:00

We have just returned from a fabulous mini-vacation to beautiful Seaside, Florida. The water was crystal clear and the weather was picture perfect. We walked to Modica's Market ( http://tinyurl.com/2enuvwk) every morning to get our first cup of coffee. I don't think there could be a better way to start each day than to walk along the beach just after sunrise and see the early morning fishermen and the little crabs scurrying along the sand. If you have never been to Seaside, I urge you to put it on your "list of places to go"!

We read about the Saltwater Grill (http://www.saltwatergrillpcb.com/) in the latest copy of Southern Living Magazine and decided to give it a try. I high recommend the crab cake Napoleon if you get a chance to go there. It was an unbelievable combination of tasty ingredients and just delightful!!! There is a huge aquarium inside with a beautiful array of saltwater fish. We also ate at Boondocks ( http://tinyurl.com/2egjnew) where we had some of the best scallops and shrimp that we have ever eaten.

We have returned to Alabama tanned and completely rested from our short stay in Paradise! There is nothing more relaxing to us than being on the sugar sands of the Gulf Coast!

Waiting for Spring

2010-03-02T07:51:00.024-06:00

I am longing for springtime and the time when I can get in the garden and start digging. Meanwhile, it is still cold and wintry here. The chilly temperatures aren't keeping me from doing some spring painting however and I want to share a few pieces with you.

The first is a door crown that is a Terrye French Design. My dear friend, Diane, who lives in England is the new owner and I know it will look lovely in her home. We exchange notes about the comings and goings in our lives. Her writings of trips to Sweden and working in her cottage garden just sweep me away!

I have another friend, Linda, who is suffering through the long winter as I am. Living to the north, she is receiving more than her share of snow and frosty temperatures. We both talk of how spring is surely around the corner and how we are waiting impatiently for its arrival. She recently purchased this "springy" prim bread board. Don't you just love the black bunny and the little robin's nest with its blue eggs?

Wendy, who lives in Japan, is getting her share of snow too. I hope this prim sheep skillet will give her a glimpse of springtime. We have become fast friends through our convos on Etsy. What a dear she is!

Snow is in the forecast for today so my beloved pup, Suki, and I will stay inside my warm little studio. I tell her to be patient but she wants a warmer, sunnier day. Hugs go out to all of you from the both of us!!!

Happy Valentine's Day Dear Friends

2010-02-12T13:06:00.002-06:00

On Valentine's Day we think of those

Who make our lives worthwhile,

Those gracious, friendly people who

We think of with a smile.
I am fortunate to know you,

That's why I want to say,

To all you special people:

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here's hoping that you have a wonderful Valentine's Day!!!

XXXOOO Martha

Old Hares

2010-02-12T07:59:00.009-06:00

I have been most neglectful of my blog and my dear blogging friends for the past two months. Painting has taken up most of my time since the new year has begun and I spend hours in my little studio painting on what one of my artist friends describes as "the most delicious surfaces"! I couldn't state it better myself... I have been fortunate to find an abundance of tea kettles, old spoons and various and sundry other treasures to paint upon. Weary of winter and waiting for spring, I have focused on rabbits lately. I found this old bellows on a recent hunt. A springtime scene painted on this old hare was the perfect fit for this unique piece. The birdhouse is just waiting for a new family to take up residence.

Another bunny has been painted on this vintage cheese box. The still life scene has turned out to be one of my new favorites.

I love old watering cans. This vintage model is extremely large
and has seen a lifetime of service. I decided that a penny rug rabbit would be the perfect design for it. I will be so glad when warmer weather returns to Dixie. My dearest and I will once again go on our Saturday day trips to find all sorts of "jewels" in the rough just waiting to be transformed into prim treasures.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas!

2009-12-12T10:20:00.005-06:00

Hello dear friends! I have taken a break from painting for the shop and concentrated on some decorating for the holidays. The tree is up and rivals the Griswolds' for the number of lights and ornaments that it holds. There are so many wonderful memories hanging here and there.... clothespin reindeer that Megan made in Kindergarten, all the school photographs with tinsel around them she made through the years and the various mementos we have gathered on vacations here and there. I also have some old ornies from my own childhood on the tree that remind me of the Christmases that my sweet brother and I would spend trying to guess what we would find under the tree.

The nutrackers are attached to the columns on the front of the house. This is the second year for them and our friends and neighbors are still asking about the flying angels that we had hung for the previous 20 years. Each window has its wreath and candle so we are finished with the outside of our home.

I love my snow village and how it looks inside the old oak cabinet. This is a treasured family heirloom piece that my dear father and mother-in-law started housekeeping with. I can't bear to pack the village away so it will stay up for a week or so after everything else is packed away.

That Jolly Olde Soul's elf (ME!!!) still has some last minute shopping to do but I am waiting for some last minute inspiration before I dash out into the wild masses. Yesterday's trip was an adventure to say the least. You would have thought it was Christmas Eve from the terrified look on some of the shoppers' faces. Dearest and darling Megan love to go to the Malls and be in the hustle and bustle. I prefer to stay home and make a lovely Brunswick stew to feed my hungry sweeties when they return.

I pray each of you are enjoying this most special time of the year. Try to make time for yourselves and soak up all the warm feelings that you can to tide you over through the winter months ahead. My love to each of you!!!

Another Thanksgiving Memory

2009-11-29T19:00:00.006-06:00

We just returned from another simply wonderful trip to a little piece of heaven on earth, Gatlinburg, Tennessee in the Great Smoky Mountains. Our little family has been going there ever since our precious Megan was a toddler to celebrate Thanksgiving as well as our wedding anniversary. We are never disappointed and, although the streets are crowded with people, everyone is always in a holiday mood and having a glorious time. Christmas lights are everywhere and all the decorations are simply stunning.

We ate at all our favorite places, especially the Old Mill in Pigeon Forge. Our Thanksgiving dinner there was served "family style" and was absolutely delicious. Breakfast at the Apple Barn Restaurant is also a real treat! An added bonus is all the cute shops on the premises... a bakery, ice cream shop, Christmas shop and winery. The winery is fabulous and we always bring home several bottles of our favorites. The apple orchards are on the surrounding hillsides. It is such a picturesque setting.

Now it is time to complete my holiday decorating and get ready for Christmas. I do hope that each and everyone of you had a lovely holiday with those you love. We are still talking about what a wonderful Thanksgiving we had and already making plans for next year!

A Happy Thanksgiving to All of My Dear Friends!!!

2009-11-25T10:31:00.004-06:00

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, For love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

--Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882)

Sincere and loving best wishes to all of you for a lovely and blessed Thanksgiving. My family and I are off to the Smoky Mountains for our annual Thanksgiving holiday trip. I promise to share pics with you when we return.

HERE I AM!!!!!

2009-11-14T09:06:00.006-06:00

Oh, my friend Diane had it right when she said I must be up to my elbows in painting... I have indeed been a busy girl in my studio and simply loving every minute I spend there. The sawdust has been flying and brushes working their magic as the holidays approach. As many of you know, I simply love finding unusual things to paint on so I decided to share a few with you.

One of my most recent pieces is this beautiful doll trunk that I "altered" with a page from an antique hymnal, one of my little wooden angels and some of my saltbox houses painted on the bottom. I think it would be a great place to store all your Christmas cards and stamps, don't you?

Another great find was this antique saw. I have only painted another saw and it was one my dear father-in-law had used over 60 years ago. I decided it would be a fabulous gift for my dearest and so painted the family farm on the blade. The saw pictured here was the perfect piece for me to try out my new snowman pattern. I am most happy with it and thrilled that my sweet friend, Natalie, is going to use it in her beautiful prim home. You might remember that I featured her in one of my older posts...

I have saved the most unusual piece for last! These bellows are just huge and so lovely. They, according to the antique seller, were used on a farm years and years ago. I painted my new design for a Father Frost on this amazing piece of Americana and couldn't be happier with the outcome.

So, dear blogging friends, I am off to paint a bit more. The clock is ticking and I have to get busy. My warmest regards go out to all of you!

By the Light of the Candy Cane Moon

2009-10-14T17:41:00.004-05:00

I just love this design by Terrye French. I have painted it on two different pieces and have orders for two more teapots painted with the same cute scene. I never paint a design the same way twice... I just can't do it! I have tried, but it goes against my nature. Do you feel the same way? I even vary recipes each time I prepare one over and over. The problem is, I don't write down the changes I have made so when one turns out really well and my dearest just loves it, I have already forgotten what I did to make it better. I guess the lesson here is to always keep a pencil handy!!!

So many things to paint, so little time!!!

2009-10-09T16:10:00.009-05:00

Once again I must apologize to all my wonderful blogging friends for not being attentive to my blog. I have been painting away in my little studio like a mad man (woman!!! LOL!). My favorite season is fall but my favorite things to paint have got to be anything Winter and Christmas. I have more ideas than I will ever be able to produce into reality. I was always puzzled when I was a little girl and I would hear my friends say they were bored. My goodness, I have never been bored a day in my life --- how can you be when there are so many wonderful things just waiting to be painted on, glued together and assembled?

Here are a few of my latest pieces. Thanks for taking the time to look --- I welcome your comments!

The first is an old cabinet that I painted with a Candy Cane Snowman (design by Katrina Roncin). He is one dapper fellow, don't you think?

I have a passion for vintage cheese boxes and here is one I just finished today. The inspiration for the flying snowman came from Terrye French and I added my own twist.

Finally, here is an old kerosene can, painted with the sweetest little angel ever. The penny rug border has black snaps for centers to give extra dimension to the piece.

Old Farmhouse Gathering on Etsy

2009-09-12T09:33:00.002-05:00

I belong to a wonderful group of artisans on Etsy called Old Farmhouse Gathering. We just welcomed our 200th member!!!! Currently many of the artists are featuring Autumn and Halloween items in their shops. Just type OFG in the search bar and you will find treasures galore!

Christmas Time!

2009-09-12T09:10:00.010-05:00

I have been MIA for a while and I apologize to all my blogging friends. Dear Megan has been busy house hunting and we have been lending support (isn't that what parents do best?!!). I have also been treasuring hunting, cutting wood for projects and of course painting hours on end in my little studio. Here are some Christmas projects to get you in the mood. Check out my Christmas counter below... it isn't long until the happiest day of the year!!

The first project is an old cheese box. My dear father-in-law used to buy one of the "hoops" of cheese that came in this type box every year at Christmastime. Can you imagine a twenty-five pound piece of cheddar cheese? I found this lovely old box and painted it up with a Terrye French Santa.

What would make a better beard for old Santy Claus than yards of torn muslin. This Jolly Old Soul has two and a half yards of torn strips to create his magnificent beard. Lots and lots of glitter and mica flakes make him look as if he has been on a midnight ride for sure.

Finally, here is a sweet gingerbread teapot (my design) with a Christmas tree filled with all sorts of gingie delights. I have two Christmas trees in my kitchen for the holidays and one of them is always contained in a teapot. After all, don't you spend a lot of time baking and cooking goodies so why shouldn't you have decorations there too??? Oh my goodness, all this talk of Christmas makes me want to start decorating! Do you think my dearest would notice if I start putting out my Snow Village????

Harvest Moon Clock Box

2009-08-18T19:06:00.008-05:00

This is a clock in name only.... I removed its non-working parts and replaced them with a new face painted as a Harvest Moon. I saved the hands from the old clock and attached them to Mr. Moon (aren't they pretty?). I love to rescue items and give them a new life. I always think about that old holiday cartoon about the island of misfit toys where they are all broken and unloved. Well, this clock box is feeling feisty with his twinkling eyes and rosy cheeks. The wood finial that I attached to the top is painted to resemble a pumpkin. This was a fun piece to construct and paint!

A Sweet Etsy Friend...

2009-08-18T13:56:00.002-05:00

I love the customers I have on Etsy --- they are the sweetest people on the planet. We send notes back and forth and share what is going on in our respective lives. One special friend is Tracy. She and her husband have two precious little girls and live in a house that they dearly love. They are filling it with things they find and refinish as well as art that they collect. She sent several pictures to me, one of which I am sharing with you. This is an old wash stand that they have redone.... don't you love it? She has displayed a couple of my pieces on it. I am honored that the things I have made for her have such a good home. Thank you Tracy for taking the time to share your life with me!

Let's Have a Parade!!!

2009-08-14T07:00:00.003-05:00

I have been looking and looking at this tricycle that I bought months ago. Do you do that too? Sometimes I have to really think hard about what I want to do with a piece that comes my way, especially something as unique as this little vintage inspired jewel. The lightbulb went off yesterday as I thought about the Halloween Parades we used to have in elementary school. This was long before things got so complicated .... we children would walk home for lunch (remember when we could do that???) and change into our costumes. No premade outfits for us! We had homemade costumes that were ever so much better than the "prefab" Ernie and Cookie Monster you buy at K-Mart now. Then we would rush back to school for our parade that ended with a great party in each classroom. I decided that these gourds should have a parade, so I painted them up and perched them on the tricycle (after all, everyone knows a pumpkin needs some sort of transportation!!!). Hope these guys make you smile!

Grandma's Vintage Kitchen

2009-08-11T06:55:00.004-05:00

When I was a little girl, I loved to go visit my grandma and grandpa. They had all the things that my family didn't.... a chicken house, the best garden ever, and a huge kitchen where the most wonderful things to eat were created. There were things in that kitchen that I loved. Old kettles and pots, long handled spoons and balls of twine. I guess that is why I am fascinated with any vintage kitchen piece I can find to paint on.

This matchbox holder is a reminder of the one dear Grandma had hanging on the wall by her stove. One strike of a match and the king of the kitchen was fired up and ready to get to work.

Grandma also had a scale, similar to this one. She canned everything she could, always saying, "Won't this taste good this winter?" She used recipes that called for "5 pounds of apples" or, "3 pounds of Kentucky Wonder green beans." How I wish I could go back in time, drag that chair out from under the table and stand in it watching while Grandma worked her magic in that wonderful kitchen of my childhood.

Market Monday.... featuring Etsy Artist "Art by Me"

2009-08-10T11:22:00.006-05:00

As a new feature in my blog, I will feature a fellow Etsy artist each Monday as are many other of my fellow members of the Old Farmhouse Gathering Team. I am sure that you will agree that Cindy is one talented lady. I find her creations so fascinating and love the names she gives each of her characters.

In her own words Cindy describes herself as ... "a self taught artist that works in many mediums. I worked in Accounting for years before deciding to stay home with my kids. I now work in the school system, so I can have summers off with my kids. I have a son and daughter that both love art! I spend a lot of time and hard work creating my dolls and artwork. Please visit her shop, Artbyme.etsy.com to see more of her stunning work!

Hurry Up Autumn!!!

2009-08-07T15:39:00.007-05:00

I am surrounded by pumpkins, vines and dried berries in my little studio. I love painting anything to do with my favorite season. Today I found an old vintage cheese box at an antique store and couldn't wait to get started on it. I love the three crows sitting primly on the fence. Don't you wonder what they are thinking? This was great fun to paint (my design).

And speaking of crows, this old lunchbox was just the ticket for the perfect piece to paint one of Terrye French's designs on. I love the way the colors "pop" on the black background. Wouldn't the person who carried his lunch in this think it is so funny that it is now a piece of folk art?

I think aromatherapy is a great concept. My precious Megan brought this to me as a little surprise last weekend. It is a plug-in from Bath and Body Works and is just the best thing for getting you in the mood to bake pumpkin pies and think of Fall being just around the corner! It is not overpowering at all.... just perfect!

The Frost is on the Pumpkin.....

2009-07-27T04:49:00.007-05:00

It is beginning to look like Fall has arrived, or at least in my studio anyway!!! I love this season for its glorious colors --- all the crimsons, golds and bronzes just make everything glow. Here are some of my latest pieces:

The first is a kerosene can. I love the curly stemmed pumpkins and the little saltbox village. I would live in the red house, if I could, and give the sheep names like "Maggie" and "Estelle".Here is an old sewing machine drawer that I painted up with the most prim jack-o-pumpkins ever! I love their toothy smiles!!! The drawer is filled with frosted pumpkins, gourds, berries, leaves and cinnamon sticks.

Finally, this is an old vintage leather suit case I found while I was on vacation. Don't you just love those black crows that are flanking the banner? I used real antique shell buttons on the pennies down each side.

I have more ideas rolling around in my head and more items already primed and ready to paint. I wonder what it will be today? Hmmmmm, another sewing machine drawer or a coffee pot? I never know until one of them speaks to me and says, "Me, me!!!! Make something out of me!!!"

Back from the Beach --- Again!!!!

2009-07-23T08:09:00.005-05:00

We have returned from another glorious trip to the beach!!! We are brown as berries and already missing the sugar sands and beautiful emerald sea on the Gulf Coast. But, all good things (it seems) must come to an end, so it is back to the office for my beloved and back in the studio for me. Dear Megan was able to come for a few days before returning to her workplace too, so we all had a chance to catch up on some downtime together. If you have never been to the Gulf Coast, please do try to go. The sand and sea are beautiful and the food is always fabulous. Whether it is eating at Captain Anderson's or buying shrimp off the boats and preparing it in the condo, you are in for a real treat.

We spent one enjoyable afternoon at the Sea Breeze Winery in Panama City Beach, Florida. After a tour of the facility we had a personal wine tasting that was just fabulous. Our favorites were the Breeze Blush, Island Red and the best golden amber Sherry that we have ever tasted. Go to their website at http://www.seabreezewinery.com/ to learn more.

My friend, Natalie....

2009-07-08T13:23:00.006-05:00

I have met the nicest people from all over the world through my Etsy shop. It is so nice when a friendship is formed and you go beyond the "buyer/seller" relationship. Such has been the case with Natalie. She is the dearest person and is working hard to make her beautiful new home warm and inviting. Filling it inside and out with all things "prim", she has shared with me news of her antiquing trips here and there and tells me of the wonderful treasures she has found. Most recently she and her soon-to-be-husband bought this great Singer Sewing Machine to use as a table. Didn't she find a beauty? And just look at her fabulous house. Wouldn't you love to sit on that front porch and drink lemonade? It is decked out for America's birthday now, and I can't wait to see what she does for Fall and Christmas. Now, here is the best part of all.... dear Natalie is only 23!!! I am so proud of her and the attitude she has about making her home special. Yes, I have met some of the nicest people and Natalie is one of them.

Happy 4th of July --- GOD BLESS AMERICA!!!!

2009-07-02T15:01:00.003-05:00

This Land We Love

How beautiful this land we love,

We cherish all good people of
With pride we call this home our own

Oh how our seed of freedoms grown.
American is what we are

Our time has nurtured us so far,
For truth and justice we do strive

Our laws are meant to not deprive.
We know we’re not the perfect place,

As we are of the human race.
In God we trust along our way,

His goodness near, both night and day.
So please do stop and pray awhile

Ask help in facing each new mile.
And now I’ll end with words so clear

Concerning freedom we hold dear

Let Grateful Thought –

Well Deep Inside

For Soldiers Brave –

Our Country’s Pride

Primitive Angel Psaltery

2009-06-30T14:21:00.006-05:00

As you have probably already read in my blog, I love to poke around in all my favorite antique stores and thrift shops for treasures to paint on --- the more unusual, the better. When I found this psaltery, I knew I had a jewel!

A psaltery is an instrument in the harp family. It is mentioned several times in the Bible and can be pictured in old manuscripts and woven tapestries. This particular style is called a "plucked psaltery" and has 2 octaves.

I antiqued and distressed it before painting a prim angel on back. Her wings are cut from an old hymnal page and antiqued. A rusty bell and rusty star are hanging from homespun tied to the top. Also attached is a laser cut wood key. This was a really fun project to paint... now I have to get busy and see what else I can find!

2009-06-30T07:17:00.003-05:00

Our garden is doing well despite the terrible heat. The squash are so tender and wonderful to cook with. Every Southern cook has their favorite recipe for a squash casserole. Here is mine!

Squash A’la bama

1 pound yellow squash
1/2 stick butter
1 egg
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1 sleeve Ritz crackers rolled into crumbs

Clean, slice and boil squash until tender. Drain squash well and mix with other ingredients. Bake in a buttered casserole dish at 350° for 30 minutes.

New Design...

2009-06-29T20:32:00.002-05:00

I have been working on some new designs, hoping to make patterns for some of them. Here is one that I am pleased with. I painted the four seasons prim pears on an old sewing machine drawer. I just love painting on these vintage pieces! The stems for the pears are twisted rusty wire that I inserted in holes drilled by my Dremel (don't you just love power tools???!!!!). I filled it with an assortment of "stuff" that I thought might enhance the design. I think I might try this on a bigger scale soon.

Primitive Jar Recipe Holder

2009-06-17T18:04:00.003-05:00

I haven't posted in a bit... the garden and painting for my Etsy shop are really keeping my busy! The okra, peppers, squash and eggplant are doing wonderfully. The tomatoes are struggling in this dreadful heat but I am coaxing them along with plenty of water and words of encouragement!!! Hopefully they will make it through the first of what will be many "heat spells" here in the South.

Here is a recipe holder I wanted to share with you. I covered an old Ball canning jar with homespun and then painted a prim pear with sheep on the front. The bent tines of an old vintage fork form the holder. To make it "perfectly prim", I added buttons and rusty wire. That piece of beautiful ecru lace is thanks to Marilyn's give-away that I won recently.

Hurray for the Red, White and Blue (and watermelon too!!!)

2009-06-11T11:29:00.004-05:00

I couldn't wait to paint one of the sewing machine drawers I bought yesterday. I knew exactly what pattern I would use... one of my favorites from Terrye French with my own twist. I just love that big fluffy sheep with the watermelon slice balanced on its back. The pear, the crows, the quilt and the sunflowers are the essence of a prim American summer, aren't they? I lined the drawer with a piece of an antique quilt. The tin star is painted with the stars and stripes to mimic the flag. I cut the watermelon piece and painted and distressed it. The candlestick holder is a copy of a "courting" type. Your daddy would adjust the height of the candle according to the time your beau could stay... when it burned down it was time to say goodnight! Finally, I covered the center of a sunflower with lots and lots of buttons. This was so much fun to make!!! I am already thinking about what to paint on the second drawer!

A Little Thank-You Gift for Marilyn at Our Victorian Cottage

2009-06-09T16:11:00.003-05:00

Marilyn at "Our Victorian Cottage" has got to be one of the sweetest people on the planet. She always writes the nicest things on her blog and her comments to other folks are just grand. I won her May give away and I wanted to find a special way to thank her. I have been reading about how dear her husband is to her and how they are working together to make their darling cottage even more magical than it already is. When I saw this precious old framed card at my favorite little antique store today, I knew it was just the ticket! I am sending it off to her tomorrow. I hope she can find a place to tuck it away in her charming home.

Kitchen Goodies...

2009-06-08T15:00:00.005-05:00

I have found the most wonderful things to paint on lately! Dearest declares that we are going to have to build on an addition just to hold my "junk" --- I quickly remind him that it isn't junk at all and that I promise to reorganize my craft room to accommodate all my TREASURES!

Here are two little whimsies that I picked up recently. The first is vintage food grater that I repurposed to become a towel hanger. It was perfectly rusted so I left the surface unchanged and only added one of my saltbox designs. The other is a "short'ning and ice cream spoon" --- isn't that a disgusting combination??? I had never seen one before, but did a little research online and found out that you can find them if you are lucky. The shape was perfect for painting a little prim night scene. I had such a good time painting these pieces. So now, I have to get in that craft room and get serious about maximizing my space.

Last Weekend's Painting Project

2009-06-08T14:48:00.003-05:00

Oh my goodness.... I am so glad this is not an every year project!!!! We stained the deck last weekend and by the time we were finished, we were pooped! If I could have played "Tom Sawyer", believe me I would have. I kept trying to make it look fun for the neighborhood kids, but they didn't buy it. Guess they have hear that good ole' Mark Twain story before... We keep talking about replacing the deck with that composite stuff so we will never have to worry with it again, but somehow we never get beyond the talking stage. Phew, were we ever hot and tired when it was over but it is done for another year. I think next time I see my dearest dragging out the buckets and brushes I will make a quick trip to Home Depot and pick up some brochures ---!

Oh, by the way, look closely and you can see my sweet girl Suki on the patio below!

Vintage Finds... new projects completed

2009-06-02T18:26:00.007-05:00

I met Megan for lunch in Birmingham on Friday so I went early enough that I could visit my favorite shop, "What's On 2nd". Oh my, what a delight to go there. There are two floors in this vintage shop just filled with the most wonderful treasures. I bought several to bring home, two of which are pictured here.
The first is a vintage iron that weighs so much I wonder how anyone could possibly have the energy to do the family ironing with it! Goodness, our poor grandmothers must have fallen into bed every night, absolutely exhausted from using their "modern conveniences. I painted this one up in a prim style, and in keeping with its laundry day theme, I wrapped the handle in homespun and attached an old clothespin with rusty wire.

The second find is something I have wanted to paint on for ages. It is an "Old Pal" brand minnow bucket!!! My Uncle Hugh and I used to go fishing when I was a little girl in Oklahoma and he had a bucket just like this one. Oh, the memories of the wonderful time I spent with this kindest of men..... I used a favorite Terrye French design to paint up this piece. I tied an old piece of rope with wooden fish and bobbers attached to the handle. I think Uncle Hugh would like it!

My Sincere Thanks to Marilyn --- Our Victorian Cottage Give Away, May 2009

2009-06-02T08:35:00.006-05:00

I felt like a child at Christmas when I found the package on my front porch from Marilyn at Our Victorian Cottage. You see, I had won her May Give Away and, never having won ANYTHING (hardly a game of tic tac toe even), I was beside myself! Well, I must say, Marilyn's give away absolutely went beyond anything I expected! Here are pictures I want to share with you of the treasure trove that box contained....

There is a wonderful book that I can't wait to study and glean some ideas from. Buttons, laces (oh the most BEAUTIFUL laces), ribbons, flowers of all sorts, and wonderful Victorian style stickers. There is a box of children's hankies --- they brought a tear to my eye because I used to carry that exact kind when I was a child (who used Kleenex then???).

I saved the best for last: I received the most beautiful hand embroidered pillowcases, edged with lace also handmade by Marilyn. The color scheme is so lovely. There is also the most stunning crocheted lace fan. I am going to frame it to hang with my collection of antique plates. Won't that be a lovely addition?

Finally, the card that was enclosed is a work of art! It was handmade by Marilyn's daughter and it is breathtaking!

I can't begin to thank Marilyn enough for all of these delightful gifts. She has been a blogging friend from the start of my adventure in "blogland". What a kindred spirit she is to me. My deepest appreciation goes out to this special, special lady whose talent amazes me!

More Building Block Houses....

2009-05-28T16:34:00.011-05:00

Oh, I just love making these little guys! I decided to go ahead and make a set for Christmas, Halloween and an Americana set for all the patriotic holidays! I continued using all sorts of ephemera to cover the sides and bottoms of the houses. A large variety of three dimension items such as rusty stars, an old brass key, buttons and typewriter keys were used for embellishment. I am going to make a set with a chicken/rooster/egg theme for my kitchen I do believe. My dearest put his foot down sometime back about halting the addition of any more feather fowl there but these will be small so maybe I can sneak them in!!!! :o)

Little Building Block Houses

2009-05-27T15:45:00.006-05:00

I found a bag of the most precious old building blocks at "the yellow house" antique shop last week and I am just now getting to play with them. Isn't it fun to take something and turn it this way and that until that little light bulb in your head goes off and you have idea??!!!??? That is exactly what happened with these little houses. Actually, my work space was a huge mess with buttons and snippets of papers scattered here and there. Out of that mess came my idea for the blocks and since my band saw is only a paintbrush throw away from where I work, I was sawing then sanding to add even more "age" to the blocks. Here is what I came up with. A little prim village of cottages covered with ephemera, antique buttons and stamps. I think I am going to make a set for each season.... Christmas, Halloween, Easter, 4th of July!!!!! FUN! FUN! FUN! The workspace will stay in disarray for a while longer ---- I am having a swell time!

Memorial Day 2009

2009-05-23T08:38:00.004-05:00

God Bless Our Native Land

Frances E. W. Harper

God bless our native land,

Land of the newly free,

Oh may she ever stand

For truth and liberty.

God bless our native land,

Where sleep our kindred dead,

Let peace at thy command

Above their graves be shed.

God help our native land,

Bring surcease to her strife,

And shower from thy hand

A more abundant life.

God bless our native land,

Her homes and children bless,

Oh may she ever stand

For truth and righteousness.

Prim Chicken Gourd - Miss Pitty Pat

2009-05-19T18:52:00.009-05:00

I love painting on gourds!!! They are all unique in their own way and when cleaned, the surface is like silk! My stash is running low, but the Farmer's Market is up an running, so my gourd man will be back and I will be a happy, happy girl.

Turning an otherwise hum-drum gourd into a chicken is so much fun (and I give them all names). I decided to take my new favorite Terrye French design and see if I could paint it on a gourd. I am happy with the way this little lady turned out. Her beak, comb and tail are cut from wood (this takes some time, but well worth the effort). Her shawl is a piece of tatted lace and it is tied with a homespun "ribbon". She sits on a nest that rests on an old bed spring.

Stay tuned..... I am going to paint another chicken tomorrow. I think I feel a new trend taking shape in the studio!

Bliss at the shore....

2009-05-19T07:17:00.007-05:00

We are home from our lovely beach trip. The planets were in alignment and the weather was just fabulous! Although there were forecasts of rain and thunderstorms, we had glorious days of sunshine and nights with twinkling stars. The food was wonderful --- we ate some of the best seafood ever!!! I am going to share a recipe for the lobster ravioli with you. Oh my, what a treat for the tastebuds.

I went to all my favorite shops, including Pickets. This sweet garden shop located in Seagrove is filled with the most unique things to delight lovers of rabbits and bunnies. The gardens surrounding the shop are filled with bunny fountains, sculptures and flowers growing in wild abandon.

Our "family photo" for this trip is a bit unusual.... I decided to take a picture of our feet in the swirling water and sugar sand. You can probably guess that I am the one with the toe ring and coral nail polish!!! Who says you can't throw caution to the wind at the beach??? The photo at the top is our beautiful Megan.

Are we there yet???

2009-05-13T12:19:00.003-05:00

The bags are packed and snacks are in the picnic basket. We are ready to leave early in the morning for our much anticipated first trip of the year to the Gulf Coast. The weather report says we might have rain, but we don't care a bit --- Rain or shine we love the seaside. Have a wonderful remainder of this week everyone. I will breeze back late on Sunday so hold down the fort in blog land while I am gone. Hugs and kisses to all of you!!!

Everything Old is New Again!

2009-05-12T07:28:00.009-05:00

My vision problems have calmed down (I thank your for all your prayers and words of encouragement). I had a wonderful day painting on some "treasures" I found last week at my favorite little shop. Oh how I wish you could come a ramble through it with me.... it is an old yellow house just filled to the brim with all sorts of wonderful things. I spend hours there, just pouring over all the findings, thinking about what I could do with them. So, back to my painting.... I found a cake cover, a funnel and an old enamel lid. Here is what I came up with:

The lid is painted with a new Terrye French design. I just fell in love with her "Old Muslin Chicken" and had a great time painting her. The lid is now a towel holder but I think an old piece of lace or some old hankies would look just as nice.

The next whimsy is a funnel. I always think of my dear father-in-law who had a large cotton farm "back in the day" when I find pieces like this. He had all sorts of wonderful things in his barns and tool sheds. Oh, what were we thinking when we walked right past them and didn't even look their way??? I know he would have a good laugh about me painting on something as insignificant as a funnel.

Finally, I painted an old aluminum cake cover. Rarely do I find one without a few dents here and there, but this one was absolutely perfect! I love to paint on black backgrounds and this one was great fun to do. The wood knob is original to the piece and such a nice, warm wood tone, that I left it as it is.

Today I am meeting friends for lunch (I wish you all could come too!) and then going back on another treasure hunt at the yellow house. I have inquiries about painting an old watering can and another kerosene can, so those top the "must find" list. But..... who knows what other gems will be calling my name? Oh goodness, what fun!

My Dear Blogging Girlfriends....

2009-05-07T19:06:00.004-05:00

Oh, how I apologize to each and everyone of you for not keeping up with everyone in "blog land". I have been plagued by eye problems. I am so afraid that I will be "out of commission" for awhile that I am staying in the studio for hours and hours painting. That is certainly no excuse for slighting your lovely comments or not being here to visit your beautiful blogs. Won't you please forgive me? I promise to be back on schedule soon.... I am keeping my fingers crossed (as well as sending up many prayers) that everything will soon be right again with this dreadful retina situation. Patience is certainly not one of my virtues.

WOOOO HOOOO!!! My 150th Sale on Etsy!!!!

2009-05-04T13:01:00.004-05:00

When I started selling my whimsies on Etsy, I had no expectations. I opened the little shop at the urging of my family and friends, mainly just to prove to myself and to them that I could do it! I had a sad "el cheapo" digital camera and absolutely no idea how to go about setting up for successful photographs but I decided that I would give it my best shot.

I have been totally shocked at the response to Apple Tree Cottage. I sold my 150th piece today and I want to CELEBRATE!!!!! This is a milestone for me ... what fun it is to putter around in my little craft space, spending my days doing what I love best. I am living a charmed life and I love it! Thanks to all of you who have encouraged me as my blogging family. You have been super!

Peter Rabbit Altered Book Birdhouse

2009-05-04T11:38:00.005-05:00

One of dear Megan's favorite books when she was little was Peter Rabbit. so beautifully written by that gentle English Author, Beatrix Potter. I took a book that I found at a second hand store and turned it into the roof for a wood birdhouse. Although the book had fallen prey to crayon markings throughout, I was able to rescue some of the illustrations to decoupage on the sides of the piece. Other pieces of ephemera are scattered here and there. I gave a little extra dimension to the roof by adding a small compass and a glass bubble that covers a little picture of Peter munching happily on Mr. McGregor's carrots. I read of my friend, Bluebell, rambling across England and try to picture Miss Potter's countryside and what it must be like there. Oh, in my dreams, I go there to see all those bunnies and bugs she loved to draw.

Beautiful Seaside/Seagrove Beach, Florida

2009-05-01T14:14:00.010-05:00

I love to walk by the seashore,

On the clean white sand so bare.

I love to walk by the rippling waves

For I find refuge there.

I love to walk by the seashore

When a white fog's in the air:

when a pallid mist o' shadows the beach

And no breeze is stirring there.

I love to walk by the seashore

And watch the waves in motion,

I love the sea in all its moods

For God made the mighty ocean.

Come May 1 we begin to yearn for the sugar sands and peace we find on the Gulf of Mexico. We plan two trips (or more if we are lucky!) to our favorite beach on the planet at Seagrove, Florida. If you saw the movie, "The Truman Show", then you know how beautiful Seaside is. There is nothing better than walking on the beach early in the morning, watching the dolphins play as we make our way to Modica's Market in Seaside to have a cup of coffee and a lovely pastry. The atmosphere is so wonderful there.

We are off in a couple of weeks for our first trip. We will go again for a week with our family from Texas in July, but this time it is "just us". Breakfast at "Another Broken Egg" in Grayton Beach, seafood at "Captain Anderson's" in Panama City, more coffee at Modica's.... oh, let me go pack!!!

Shoo fly, don't bother me....

2009-04-30T08:39:00.004-05:00

I want to thank Tina over at Old Glory Soldiers for the inspiration on this one. I love the look of vintage kitchen pieces, and although this one is new, it is made old again by using the rusting technique of spray black paint and cinnamon. I wanted to put something inside that would add to its uniqueness, so I mixed up some "fixens" of miniature clothes pins, rosehips, coffee beans and cinnamon stick pieces and put them in an old aluminum jello mold. The distressed hang tag has a copy of an old Farmer's Almanac.

By the Light of the Silvery Moon

2009-04-29T15:28:00.005-05:00

Oh, I can't begin to tell you how excited I was to find this lovely antique scale at my favorite little antique shop. I have searched FOREVER to find just the right one to use as a background for my version of a favorite design of Terrye French. The scale has a metal plate on either side that reads, "Wimberly & Thomas Hardware, Birmingham, Alabama." Isn't it ironic that after all these years, this piece was found only 45 miles from where it was originally used? I love to think of what it weighed over the years... nails, screws, or seeds perhaps? I wonder about the stories it could tell. I don't think it minds one bit that it has found a new life as a candle stand or maybe a base for a mason jar full of rosehips.

Oh Diane...... find a scale as quick as you can. If you thought that garden trowel was fun to paint on, just wait until you try this!!!

What's for Supper???

2009-04-27T15:59:00.005-05:00

I bought some lovely peppers and Vidalia onions at the market. I found this recipe that I am going to try tonight. It sounds exactly like something my dearest will love! I think I will serve it on poppy seed buns with a roasted new potato salad and fresh fruit on the side.

Italian Sausage Sandwiches
1 lbs. ground sweet Italian sausage
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 green peppers, sliced & seeded
1 medium onion, sliced
1/2 c. red burgundy wine
1 can diced tomatoes
1 c. grated cheese (Romano or Parmesan)

Brown and remove from skillet. Add peppers to same skillet (do not rinse), stir quickly as peppers stick. After 3 minutes, add onions and mushrooms. Saute until onions are transparent. Add red wine, scraping pan as you stir. Add tomatoes, salt and pepper to taste, add cheese and stir before serving. Place in a large bowl and top with a little extra grated cheese. Serve with Italian bread or as a sandwich on sub buns.

Chicken and Fruit Topiary

2009-04-27T10:07:00.003-05:00

I have long been inspired by Rosemary West as well as my wonderful friend, Diane Knott. They both have distinctive techniques in their painting styles that I so admire and strive for. Rosemary's tole painting is flawless and I love her choice of color, patterning and banding. Diane is an artist extraordinaire... the warmth of her personality shines through in her work. Each piece is a treasure and I especially love those with fruit and berries. So, that being said, I decided to do a piece in which I would try to incorporate all these qualities. Here it is, a topiary painted with fruit and a chicken finial on top!

Precious Memories Altered Book Box

2009-04-21T13:43:00.002-05:00

The Old Farmhouse Gathering Team on Etsy is preparing for a Mother's Day Celebration and this is the first of my two entries. I love making assemblages in book boxes. This one has a page from an old "campground meeting" song book decoupaged on top of vintage style paper. Lots of other goodies include a baby shoe candle light, a little cameo, forget-me-nots, tea stained lace and antique buttons. I experimented with printing a vintage photography of two little children in a wagon onto osnaburg cloth and I love the way it turned out! This was a departure from the painting I have been doing and nice for a chance of pace. Sometimes going in a different direction is a good thing.

Prim Angel Altered Guitar

2009-04-20T14:19:00.005-05:00

This is a child's 1/2 scale guitar that I just finished. I found it without strings and shoved in the corner of a shop. I felt its days were numbered since it couldn't be played any longer --- what was I to do other than rescue it???? So, with a favorite Terrye French angel in mind, I began to layer on the paint and antiquing glaze to get the proper patina. And here she is, holding a wooly lamb with a saltbox scene on her dress. I love her baby's breath wings and halo... who said angel wings had to be feathers? I had a wonderful time painting this little piece.

My Recipe!!!

2009-04-20T07:16:00.004-05:00

What a surprise was in store for me when the electric bill came and one of my recipes was printed inside! Almost a year ago the Alabama Power Company sent out an invitation statewide to submit easy recipes that required a minimum of ingredients. At first I didn't think much about it, but at the urging of my dearest and Megan also, I finally sent in a few. One of them was a recipe my daddy had shared with me years ago. He loved to cook and was always finding "new and improved" dishes to prepare. Well, the people at the Power Company chose "Papa's Supper Bread" to be the recipe of the month for April. My daddy would be so proud!!! I hope you try it --- it is especially good with soups and stews.

2009-04-16T20:47:00.004-05:00

My wonderful artist/designer friend, Diane Knott, is having a fabulous give away. Be sure to tiptoe over to her blog, Diane Knott's Musings, http://dianeknottsmusings.blogspot.com/ to sign up. The drawing for this precious little creation will be on Sunday, April 19. I have all my fingers and toes crossed that I will be the lucky winner, but I want you to have a chance too!!!

This is a vintage teacup, slightly crazed by age,a soft ivory color with a sweet floral pattern. The "flower" is a copy of vintage sheet music printed on faux parchment in a soft golden shade.The "nest" is made from excelsior.There are three real feathers, three velvet leaves and two hemlock pods and in the center a faux bird's egg in a soft shade of aqua green. Who, beside Diane, could come up with such a delightful little masterpiece. Thanks Diane for offering one of your darling little whimsies!

2009-04-16T12:55:00.004-05:00

This is a child's suitcase that I painted with many layers of blue, sage and antiquing glaze to provide depth and a wonderfully rich patina. The sweet prim angel is based on a design by Terrye French. She wears a wooly coat that has been adorned with our favorite prim elements: a fluffy sheep on wheels, grapevine wreath with baby's breath, a cabbage rose and a shiny black crow. Her cape collar has a "stitched" flower and little pearl buttons. The wings on the angel are decoupaged ephemera paper. She wears a baby's breath wreath on her head. A large, heavy cast iron key is tied to the handle with a lovely piece of old sage green ribbon. The back of the suitcase is decoupaged with music torn from a vintage church hymnal. Oh the memories I have of standing between my sweet momma and daddy at church and singing this song ("by heart"). I think my next piece will have to be a "precious memories" theme.

Santa's Snow Globe

2009-04-14T13:47:00.002-05:00

This is my entry in a "North Pole Day Challenge" on the HGTV Holiday Craft Board. I found this little globe (about the size of a grapefruit) and couldn't believe it! It is the smallest of the many, many globes I have painted. I gave this guy a good dusting of glass glitter and applied two sizes of three-dimensional snowflakes on top. I promise, I won't post any more globes.... for the time being that is!

Finished at last!!! Summertime Globe

2009-04-14T11:48:00.008-05:00

Thanks to all of you who encouraged me to finish this globe and to use a fireworks theme. I had a terrible time locating a pattern to use for the central theme and finally wrote to Terrye French, asking for help. I cannot begin to tell you what a nice lady she is! She sent me the pattern I needed immediately with the sweetest note. Isn't it wonderful to know that someone who's artwork you have admired for so long is a lovely person? So here is the finished globe.... Terrye's design of saltbox houses and fireworks, and my additions of the prim American flag on top of the globe and the watermelon border on the bottom. I hand lettered a few lines from "My Country 'Tis of Thee" on the opposite side from the little village scene. This was so much fun to paint!!!

Loving Easter Wishes

2009-04-10T11:10:00.004-05:00

The warmest and best of Easter wishes to all my blogging friends. When I count my blessings I include each one of you.

Sweet Spring Globe

2009-04-09T12:36:00.003-05:00

I finally finished the springtime globe. Although I have always included a church and a variety of prim houses, this is the first time I have tucked a school into the landscape. I don't know why I haven't painted one before now. It seems it would be the natural thing to do after teaching for so many years. My parents, all my aunts and uncles and many cousins were all educators so I guess it was in my genes! Anyway, I am happy with the finished piece and already beginning to plan a summer globe. I am thinking it will be a night scene with fireworks..... what do you think???

Globe Trotter!

2009-04-06T19:23:00.005-05:00

I suppose you have guessed by now that I love painting on unusual things. The more of a challenge, the better I say. Globes are a favorite (but wait, I say that about suitcases, coffee pots, baby shoes, kerosene cans and the list goes on and on....). Yes, the globes like your teacher had in her classroom, or the kind that gathered dust on the top shelf in the library. I have been lucky to find all sizes and shapes but I really like the old fashioned, regular kind. I have a series of seasonal globes going.... Autumn and Winter are already complete and living with a great artist friend in North Carolina. Today I started on Spring. Hopefully, I will have it finished in a day or two if nothing major comes my way to disrupt me. Stay tuned...

Bliss Baby Shoe Light

2009-04-03T11:40:00.006-05:00

Here is another project from my treasure trove of lovely junk I posted the other day. I chose one of the baby shoes and used it to make a candle light. The music decoupaged on the toe is vintage ephemera. All the buttons are antique and made from shell. I love forget-me-nots (pink of course!) and I used them to encircle the base of the light. The old key hanging from the ribbon shoe lace has a rusty heart affixed to it. This was so much fun to make.

pRiM aUTuMN cAKe cOvER

2009-04-03T07:54:00.007-05:00

Here is the first project from the collection of "good stuff" I acquired a couple of days ago. The cake cover, with its acorn knob and acorn and oak leaf border, just begged for an autumn scene. This is a broad interpretation of a pattern I got from Debbie Richey at The Sugar Bucket. I love everything about it, especially that big sunflower! I rubbed the acorn boarder with a metallic copper stamp ink to highlight it. The knob was perfect as it came --- I like to think of all the times it was used to lift the cover off a baker's delight inside.

LOOK! LOOK! LOOK!

2009-04-01T11:56:00.003-05:00

I am beside myself with excitement over the great things I found this morning!!! I have been looking for an old cake cover to paint for ages and when I found this beauty I could have jumped for joy!!!! It has an acorn for a handle on top and acorns with leaves are embossed all around it. I already know what I am going to paint on it and can't wait to prime it and get started!!!

I found two great old pot lids, a pair a sweet baby shoes and an ice cream scoop (it will be a snowman!). The little wagon is in pretty sad shape but it had two wonderful wheels that I know I will be able to use some way or another. I am off to prime and paint on this beautiful April Fool's Day.

Back to the Beach

2009-03-31T14:26:00.005-05:00

We love the Gulf Coast! The sugar sand and emerald water are breathtakingly beautiful. Is there anything better than sitting under an umbrella and watching the dolphins at play? I just made reservations for us to go back to "our" beach house again near Seagrove Beach, Florida in July. For one glorious week every summer we meet my brother and his family from Texas for fun in the sun. It is a time of lazy days on the beach, seafood of one sort or another every single night and, best of all, ending our days watching the sunset and being with the ones we love best in the whole world. Does it get any better than that?

Garden Gate Shovel Hanger

2009-03-30T15:52:00.009-05:00

My own sweet Megan had miniature garden tools when she was little. Her small rake, hoe and shovel dug many a hole to "plant" in her sandbox garden. When I found this little shovel last weekend, I knew that it was destined for hanging, not digging! This cottage is one of my own designs. I love pink and plaid, so what better combination than that for a roof? The wood birdhouse is a duplicated on the cottage on the shovel. It even has its own picket fence! I removed the wooden perch and replaced it with an old silverplate iced tea spoon that I cut to length. A sage green ribbon provides the hanger.

prIM meSSaGe cENtER

2009-03-24T15:14:00.002-05:00

I was thinking about cleaning up the studio and going upstairs to fold clothes and do some wifely chores. But one of the metal dustpans in my stash called to me (REALLY!!!) and here is what I came up with. The bubble magnets are made with graphics I purchased from my friend at Ewe and Me Printables (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5255329). The note paper is from Susan Winget and the yellow pencils are from my collection I always keep on hand. You just can't get out of that "teacher mode" once you have been one! I already have a plan for a cottage style message board that I am going to work on tomorrow.

What an inspiration!!!

2009-03-24T11:20:00.006-05:00

Do you ever fall in love at first sight? Oh, I don't mean the "romantic" kind of love, although I do believe in that phenomenon having been a victim 30 years ago myself! I am referring to the kind that you feel when you see a little vase, a piece of silver plate or, for me, a precious antiQue doll trunk. I found this gem at an estate sale not long ago. The outside showed that it had been well loved by its previous owner but the inside is in almost perfect condition with the original paper and hanging rod still intact. I used one of my Terrye French patterns for inspiration and painted this "twilight" angel on front. I cut her wings from my collection of vintage sheet music and applied another piece on the back. All that was needed for finishing touches were the ribbons and lace tied to the handle along with a cast iron key.

Time to plant a garden!

2009-03-23T20:39:00.008-05:00

We are preparing our garden space. It's time to get serious about making a decision about what will be planted where. Several years ago we decided to make a "square foot" garden. It is amazing what you can grow in a small place. I am of the opinion that the worst tomato from your garden tastes better than the best you can buy at the grocery store! My brother is an expert at growing tomatoes, so we are following his advice this year on what plants to get. He recommends Better Boy, Big Boy, Early Girl and Beefsteak. I want to try some heirloom varieties too --- how could you go wrong with such names as Chocolate Amazon, Brown Derby, Lollipop, Sweet Orange Roma, Lenny and Gracie's Kentucky Heirloom, and Brown Berry?

This is a garden trowel that I painted and it hangs on the garden gate. I have my eye on a child-size shovel that I am going to do something with. Oh, and I also have an idea for a scarecrow that I hope will talk some sense into the mocking birds who have taken up residence in a nearby stand of white crepe myrtles. Stay tuned.....

Transformed Traincase

2009-03-20T17:06:00.013-05:00

I found this great traincase at one of the consignment shops I love. It is bigger than most and a perfect container for books, file folders, or anything!!! The design is one of my own in the springtime series. I love the hollyhocks that are growing beside the cottage. Sadly, I have had no luck with any I have planted so these will have to satisfy my longing for those beauties. I decoupaged wallpaper bluebirds and a picket fence around the bottom. My dearest reminded me that everything I paint lately has been pink. I guess I need to switch from this phase but I dearly love that color and just can't help myself!!!

2009-03-19T12:31:00.004-05:00

I decided I would fix a crumb cake for dearest to take to the office this morning. Everyone works so hard there and they deserve a little treat. This is an easy recipe and I promise there won't be one crumb left!!!! Try this for breakfast or brunch!

Crumb Cake

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups sifted flour
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup butter
1 egg, well beaten
1/2 cup additional sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup milk
powdered sugar, optional

PREPARATION:
In a mixing bowl, combine sifted flour, brown sugar and butter until crumbly. Set aside 1/2 cup of the crumb mixture for topping. To the crumb mixture in mixing bowl add the beaten egg, additional flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and milk. Blend well with electric mixer on low speed. Spread the batter evenly in a greased 8-inch square pan. Sprinkle reserved crumbs over the batter and bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes,or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool and dust with powdered sugar before cutting, if desired.

Blessings on you, little lamb

2009-03-19T12:16:00.003-05:00

It is beautiful here in Dixie this morning.... I have the studio door open and I can here the birds singing. My dogwood is ready to pop open its blooms and all's right with the world.

I am still determined to paint and craft with what I have in the studio before I go out and haul in more "stuff" (she says with determination, but in her heart she knows better!). I had one more wooden frame left in my stash so I decided that the project of the morning would be this adaptation of a Terrye French design. The frame is distressed for that shabby chic look and the little lamb is painted on canvas. I love her little friend who sits on her back. The frame needed a little puff and fluff so I lettered "Blessings" across the bottom.

Alrighty, I think I will go work on an altered book box that is waiting in the wings. Suki says, "Come and throw the ball" so I may have to hop outside for a bit, play with the pup and soak up some sun first. Then it's back to work.

Old Spoons

2009-03-18T14:14:00.007-05:00

I am still rummaging around in my little shop, going through my stash of collected treasures. This old silverplate spoon was at the bottom of a basket and though I passed it up a time or two, I kept going back to it. Finally I decided to do something with it. Painting on it would have been o.k., but I wanted to do something a little different. So, here it is.... a hanging pin cushion. A little piece of antique lace here, a scattering of forget-me-knots there and it is finished. I am thinking it might need a little hang tag. I will mull that over a day or two and see what happens.

Old Sifters --- New Life!

2009-03-17T06:49:00.007-05:00

I am drawn to old kitchen utensils. I love to find old flatware and serving spoons that have been well loved and well used over the years. Old teapots and coffee pots are my delight!!! I go back to my childhood when there were no coffee makers and my mother would perk coffee every morning on the stove top. Who needed an alarm clock when the smell of fresh brewed coffee did the trick? I can see my grandmother even now as she baked in her kitchen. My job was always to sift the flour and, even though I got more on me and the surrounding work area than in the bowl, she never lost patience.

Sifters of all sizes are perfect pieces to breathe new life into for me. I love their knobby cranks and handles and the indentations for the measurements. It is so much fun trying to decide what do do with each one that comes my way. Here is a tiny little sifter, only one cup, that I found at my favorite thrift store. It was just the perfect size to hold pencils and maybe a pair of scissors. I think a bunny and rosemary make a great design for this little guy.

Sometimes it's not what you paint on the sifter that is important, but rather what you put in it. Using an old sifter as a container for a little kitchen Christmas candle light composition was just the ticket for this piece. Cinnamon dough ornies, little apples with evergreen and "candies" formed the perfect compliment to the cinnamon coated light. Even the silicone bulb had that fabulous spice in its coating.

My latest repurposing started with an old Bromwell sifter that had seen a lot of use. I decided to try out one of my new designs and use it also for a candle light. This time a wooly sheep surrounded by a verse from Psalm 100 seemed the perfect thing to paint. I have pieces of an old antique quilt that is so worn the cotton batting is coming out. I used a piece to cover the top (and the bottom) of the sifter. The candle light is stained to make it blend in with the old pieces. And the hang tag???? What better than "This Little Light of Mine"? I have always told my friends I have never been bored a day in my life. How can I be when there are so many sifters to paint?

pRiMiTiVe anGeL coFFeePoT

2009-03-16T12:01:00.002-05:00

I found this cute little vintage coffeepot with its original glass-knobbed lid and working parts at one of my favorite thrift stores. I love old kitchen items like this.... they have such a history when they come your way. I wonder how many cups of coffee were brewed in this little gem and how anyone could bear to part with it.

I gave it a new life and purpose with this adaptation of a Terrye French design. The angel on the pot is so perfectly prim with her saltbox house, pear, crow and bittersweet twigs. The teapot lid reminds us to "Count Our Blessings."

Pack up all my cares and woes....

2009-03-12T13:30:00.004-05:00

I found another suitcase to paint on at one of my favorite resale shops! I couldn't wait to get home! I knew exactly what I was going to do with it. You have probably guessed that Terrye French is one of my favorite artists by now. Her pattern, "Simply Love" was the perfect choice. I painted the background color a gray-blue mix and then distressed and antiqued it to give it that well worn look. I love all the elements of this design, but that wooly sheep has won my heart! And what about Ms. Kitty and her locket? You have got to love a cat that is so well dressed! Wouldn't this be a great place to keep old pictures, music books or vintage linens? Time to look for another suitcase. I already have a plan for it when it comes my way.

What's for Supper????

2009-03-11T16:45:00.004-05:00

We love bay scallops! Our "shrimp man" as we call him makes a trip to the Gulf once a week and brings back the loveliest seafood ever .... crab meat, red snapper, the most glorious shrimp you have ever tasted. But of all the treasures of the sea, we love the sweet scallops the best! Here is a recipe we adore... I hope you will try it. We like a nice rice pilaf and a salad to go with the scallops. Yummers!!! Let me know how it works for you!

Scallops Zinfandel

8 scallops

1/2 cup Zinfandel White Wine

2 Tbsp chopped scallions

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

butter crackers

1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:
Rinse scallops briefly and cut large ones in half. Place scallops in a baking dish and pour the Zinfandel wine over them. Sprinkle with chopped onions, garlic, and crumbled crackers. Salt and pepper to taste. Bake for 15 minutes in oven at 350 degrees. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serves 2.

2009-03-07T08:48:00.002-06:00

Inchworm, inchworm, measuring the marigolds

You and your arithmetic,

You'll probably go far.

Inchworm, inchworm, measuring the marigolds,

Seems to me you'd stop and see,

How beautiful they are.

Bunny Suitcase Footstool

2009-03-06T13:25:00.003-06:00

I love rabbits. I have always thought one would make a sweet pet, but my Suki dog assures me this would not be a good idea. I tend to agree with her I think! So, I make do with my bunny projects. This one is a footstool! I adapted a Terrye French design on a suitcase that I had first painted a soft pink, stamped and antiqued. This was so much fun to do... I have made several suitcase footstools but I do believe this is my favorite. The bonus is all sorts of treasures can be stored inside. How's that for repurposing?

Rosebud Baby Shoe Pin Cushion

2009-03-04T13:36:00.008-06:00

I love baby shoes! I search high and low for them in all my favorite thrift stores and antique shops. The older, the better as far as I am concerned... I wonder what story each little pair could tell about the tiny feet that once wore them, about the little toes that wiggled in delight inside.

I found a tiny pair recently and knew exactly what I would paint on each one. Here is the first, a little rosebud nosegay painted on the side and lace painted on the toe. I covered a piece of pink toile with antique dresser scarf lace to give a nice layered look. On the opposite side I hand-lettered "Rosebud".

2009-03-02T19:42:00.008-06:00

My Little House of Dreams

Louisa Cook Don-Carlos

My little house of dreams!

Who knows how warm, when fall the winter snows,

How bright its fires, how fair its rooms,

How safe and still 'neath starlit glooms,

My cozy little house of dreams,

All seasons are its best--it seems.

My house of dreams!

Where order reigns

Behind its glistening window panes.

Shady its trees, its garden fair

And best of all, my love is there,

With shining eyes and calm, sweet face,

The benediction of the place,

And peace and joy and heaven's light beams

Within my little house of dreams.

Snowing in Dixie

2009-03-01T09:30:00.012-06:00

It is a rare miracle to have snow here in the Heart of Dixie. Growing up in the Midwest, we thought nothing of it. Life went on, rubber boots and all. We put chains on the tires, put on our warmest coats and business went on as usual. But here in the land of cotton fields, magnolias and dogwoods, we are simply delighted when we hear that we may get a sprinkling of snow showers. It began here in the early hours. Like a child at Christmas, I was excited and kept peeking out of the windows throughout the night. Finally I saw the flakes begin to fall!!! I threw open the plantation shutters and marveled at the sight. Oh, we won't have much.... maybe 3 or 4 inches or so, but that's o.k. with us. We can have hot cocoa and cinnamon toast and watch it for as long as it lasts. Who knows??? We might even make a big pot of soup for lunch and forget all about that pot roast that was on the menu. It's snowing in Dixie and we are loving it!!!

Vintage Saltbox Spoon

2009-02-27T11:05:00.005-06:00

I found this old spoon in my favorite antique shop, hidden away from view behind boxes and books. I tell myself it was just waiting to be found by me. I decided one of my saltbox houses, painted in a watercolor style, would be the perfect thing to paint in the bowl area. The sheep seem quite content to graze on the hillside as the apples on the trees ripen. I wonder, as I look at the chipped and worn handle on this lovely old blue and white spoon, just how many jars of jars and veggies it helped can. I am so glad it found its way to me.