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

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.

Christmas Time!

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????