The Warmth of Home

We wish you all a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a BLESSED NEW YEAR!

NOW AVAILABLE

Judy Condon's newest book is available for shipping...

$28.95 (includes shipping)

Another Great Show...

Well, another great show has come & gone...Thanks to all our Ohio customer/friends (and those who came from other states too) who visited us in Springfield! For those who missed out on some of Giles' make-dos, we'll have more special goodes for you in Troy, OH on Oct. 16th at A PRIMTIVE HARVEST...
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/23275481

If you can't make it to one of our other shows, we'll see you in October at A PRIMITIVE HARVEST!

Asking your opinion...

Hi Friends... I have a question and would like your opinion.

I know many, many shops have their holiday open houses, mostly in November and a few in early December. However, I never hear of a Christmas show in early December, SO: If a Primitve Country Christmas Antique and Folk Art/Handcrated show was held in early December, would you go? And if not, why? I'm not talking about an open house...it would be a bonafide antique show. I appreciate your opinion and ideas. Blessings...

THE COMFORT OF HOME

We've got them...Judy Condon's newest book is full of wonderful eye-candy so let us know if you need one. $29.95 includes shipping OR visit Sassafras to get one there for $24.95. Blessings...

SUMMER IN THE VALLEY

Well friends, it's almost time for us to head up the road to Virginia. We sure hope you'll join us at Summer In The Valley ( http://www.picturetrail.com/antiquesinthevalley ) this Saturday in Fishersville. There will be lots of great dealers with wonderful goodes, so make your plans and we'll see you there. BTW...Giles will take some of his log cabins as well as a 'surprise' cabin...Hope you get there in time to get one. Blessings...

What a man!

All I did was mention that I never get one of Giles' great birdhouses...they always get sold and then I ask when I will get one...of course I get promises but still, no birdhouse. Well, a few days ago, I asked him to make a BIG log cabin for me to put by the front door. I guess he felt like I never get one of his creations, so he'd make up for it. WHAT A MAN! He sure made up for those promised cabins.

This beauty is over 4 feet tall (not counting the chimney). I love it! Love it! Love it! He even figured out how to make the lights inside look like candles in the windows and look at the cute little gourd birdhouse in the gable end. It sits beside the front door so I'll get to enjoy seeing it many times during the day. Thanks Giles...you're the best! Love You!!!!! And my cabin!!!!

Check our Selling Blog

Wow! This blogging isn't that difficult...just takes a little time.

We've finally listed some great new goodes for you, so check them out... http://plainfolkssimplegoodes.blogspot.com/

Let us know if you wish to purchase or have questions.

Blessings...

WOW!

Well folks, watch for the new Fall issue of Mercantile Gatherings. One of Giles' log cabin birdhouses is on the cover! WOW!
Sharon Blanton bought it from us at a show last year in Kentucky. Sure is exciting to see one
of his special creations out there for lots of folks to see.

If you like the birdhouse, let us know and Giles will be happy to make one for you. It probably won't be exact, but it will be special!

Blessings...

HELP!

HELP!
See that big ole braided rug? See where it is? After a minor 'flood' in our basement, the rug got
a little wet...Giles spread the rug out on the grass yesterday to let it get some sunshine and dry
better...Well, I didn't think anymore about the rug since it's too heavy for me to lift...I figured Giles would put it back in the basement when he came back up to the cabin. NOT! Imagine my horror this morning when I looked outside and there was my rug...WET... again. Because it rained last night, and this morning! Now the rug is soooo wet and has a few mildew spots on it.
Please, if anyone knows how I can clean the mildew on a big, wool braided rug, give me a holler!

Walk down 'Memory Lane'

What a special day! Not a big, fancy celebration...just a quiet day spent talking about the day we became Mr & Mrs, 44 years ago. We started down 'memory lane' with a simple breakfast, then puttered around town checking out local antique spots, drove up a few little roads to explore the countryside, visited our son, and then back home. Off & on during the day, we would look at the time and recall what we were doing at a particular time all those years ago. I will admit that today was a much more relaxing day than our actual wedding day... This evening, I requested that we have dinner at home...so, as we ate a scrumptious steak dinner we continued our recollections of our wedding and agreed that these 44 years have been awesome...a few bumps here & there, but not enough to consider. These years have strengthened our bond, given us two wonderful children, a sweet son-in-law and three special grandboys! We have spent countless hours talking and laughing and agree that those are traits everyone should adopt to make their marriage a lasting, loving journey. I think sometimes, we need to celebrate the anniversary of events with simple tasks in order to have the time to focus on the actual reason we're celebrating...We cherish each other and the specialness of our union 44 years ago...we pray for many more years together, talking and laughing and loving one another...And we give Thanks for years past...AMEN

Mountain Memories Show

We're getting ready for our next show and hope you will join us in Kentucky on Saturday, May 29th...you can get more info by clicking on the link under our listed shows. Hope we see you
there! Blessings...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Three years ago, I made a choice I will regret forever... We had the chance to do a show on Mother's Day weekend that would put us too far away to get back to visit my mother on her special day. For the first time in my life, I was not with my mother on Mother's Day. It was the last time I would have the chance to take her for lunch, give her the card and flowers I usually gave, and to hug her and tell her how much I loved her. The phone call I made wasn't enough...I was filled with guilt and sadness. I don't think I will ever be rid of that guilt and every Mother's Day I will deal with that sadness. I'm sorry mama! I miss you and love you!

Please don't miss the opportunity to spend this Sunday with your mother...It may be her last. It may be your last. GIVE MOM A HUG FOR ME!

To my family, friends, customers, and all those who have the honor of knowing the place children have in our hearts...BLESS YOU AND HAVE A HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

A bronze beauty!

Now, the bottom pics are a sample of the Iris we have throughout the yard...BUT the bronze beauty at top just appeared out of nowhere. We moved a few iris plants last year, but they

were all purple/blue ones. Today, I looked out from the porch and asked Giles if that was an

Iris that had turned brown or if it was one with a bronze/brown look. Low & behold, it was BRONZE....Beautiful...and it's right there among those that we moved...among the blues and purples...the pic doesn't do it justice at all, but take my word that this is a BRONZE BEAUTY! (by the way...I found one similar that's called Born Again...I think that's what happened to our purple Iris..LOL)

Getting ready for Cameron

We're getting ready to load up for Cameron...sure hope you'll stop by to see us. We'll be in the same place, right next to the white picket fence at The Ferguson House on Friday and Saturday.

Yep! That's right. This year, you will be able to buy on Friday, April 30 as well as Saturday, May 1st. Looks like the weather is supposed to be nice, so come on out to see us. Our friend, Jenny from Just Country will be there too. See you this weekend. Blessings...

New gatherings added...

Just added a few gatherings to our selling blog... http://plainfolkssimplegoodes.blogspot.com/ Check us out! Blessings...

Sympathy

We extend our sincere sympathy to Ann Keuhn (Strawbroom Primitives) in the passing of her
dear husband, Al. Al has fought serious illness for some time and he & Ann have suffered much in the past year or more. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ann and her family during this time. We wish them much strength and healing in the coming days. Blessings...

Easter Memories

My collection of eggs...read about my Easter memories below.

Easter Memories...

In my effort to find the right graphic/picture for my Easter post, everything seemed fake or artificial...just didn't 'feel right'! The only pictures that came close were always of Easter eggs...each time I came across images of those colored eggs, I had some flash of times past... SO, why not share some of those memories?

Memories of earlier Easter celebrations often involved a huge family gathering (my dad's side). The day began with Sunrise services at the family cemetary, Sunday School (oddly, we often skipped church or 'preaching') and then on to the egg hunt...this took place in some weird wooded area and ended with a huge lunch at some aunt's house. It seemed I always got a new taffeta dress, Mary Jane's (little black patent shoes : ) and a coordinating hat...Yes, a hat! LOL These fancy outfits did nothing to deter the "Tom-boy" in me. I ran, climbed, crawled, rolled, and pushed my way to find those special colored, oval orbs. The result was usually my finding the most eggs and thus, being the winner of the grand prize...a shiny half dollar, ownership of the eggs and FIRST in line for lunch. YIPPEE! Children never, ever got to go first - ahead of adults - except Easter.

Another, more vivid memory is one of my second grade class (teacher was Mrs. Smith) going to a nearby farm and enjoying a picnic under the shade of huge oak trees. Of course, before eating, we were treated to an egg hunt...we took bag lunches (sandwiches, an apple, carton of milk and either carrots or celery sticks) A special treat was eating some of the eggs we found in the hunt. Why on earth we didn't die of food poisoning, I don't know!

Way back when, we actually got Easter baskets...no plastic sand pails for us. The contents were the downfall of our little teeth. I remember candy eggs that must have been pure, hardened sugar; then some marshmallow filled candy eggs ( hate marshmallows in my old age ), one large hollow, chocolate bunny that usually melted into a small puddle of brown stuff, jelly bean candies, and of course those traditional dyed eggs... again, I loved peeling the crackly shell, adding salt and eating the real things...I'm beginning to wonder if all that hype about food poisoning is true 'cause we sure didn't shy away from day-old eggs...Hmmm.

I remember learning in Sunday School that we used the egg as a symbol of 'new life'...new life is what Jesus gave us when he gave his own life...that was a heavy message for a child and gave the egg a more special meaning during Easter celebrations.

Always a fond memory was that of coloring eggs...Once I got beyond the smell of boiling eggs, I got very excited about choosing the colors we used to dye them. Long before egg dying 'kits', we had to use food coloring. No rubber gloves, so that meant we ended up with red, yellow, green and blue hands...and those didn't wash off. We didn't mind that our colored hands clashed with the fancy, new Easter outfits! After all, after we hunted those same eggs, we got to eat them...LOL

My most recent memory of coloring eggs for Easter occurred a few years ago. My dear friend, Delores invited me to join her in a trip to her old friend, Leilani's, for a gathering of other friends...to go antiquing, enjoy fellowship, good food and laughter. While there, Leilani treated each of us with old fashioned colored eggs...But the great thing about these eggs was the amazing deep, beautiful, primitive colors and how she had used old-time methods to dye them. From beet juices, cabbage, eggplant, and various other items, she had created deep purples, dark reds, forest greens, prairie browns and tans, and blues I can't describe. Another wonderful thing about Leilani was how she gave so much of herself in the gift of those eggs. She labored a great deal to provide all of us with a gift representing 'new life', friendship and happy memories. The next year, Leilani was suddenly taken to heaven, but I will always remember the gift of those eggs. Believe it or not, I still have them...well, all but one. For some reason, one little brown egg exploded...just blew up...poof! I know Leilani was looking down and having a good laugh at that...

I hope when you see colored eggs at Easter, they have some special meaning or memory for you. If no other meaning, remember the gift of "new life"! Many Blessings for a wonderful Easter Sunday!

p.s. some of the eggs in the picture are those from Leilani...

GATHERINGS

Don't you just love gatherings? All sorts of gatherings? Whether it's a gathering of friends or one of special treasures, a gathering of foods or one of lovely Spring flowers...A gathering is a grouping of friends, collections and anything we love. I've just added a few more goodes to our selling blog, so 'click' on over and see if there is something you want to 'gather'. Have a Blessed Day!

Thanks for response to Selling Blog

First of all, thanks for visiting our Selling Blog ( http://plainfolkssimplegoodes.blogspot.com ) and thanks for interest in purchasing. We've added a few more gatherings for your consideration. Blessings!

CHECK OUT OUR NEW SELLING BLOG...

OK...finally, we've got our first group of goodes on our new SELLING BLOG - PLAIN FOLKS & SIMPLE GOODES...why not check it out and email us if you find something you must have...
http://plainfolkssimplegoodes.blogspot.com

ROUGH WINTER/New Show Date

GOOD NEWS! Donna & Linda have been amazing in working on a re-schedule for WINTER IN THE VALLEY - The new date is FEBRUARY 20, 2010 All other info is the same. Hope to see you there!

I so hate it when people work so hard to plan an event and something unavoidable keeps it from happening! Donna Smith and Linda Miller have worked so hard on the WINTER IN THE VALLEY show and along comes another winter storm...POOF...no show. They will be working equally hard to reschedule the show, maybe this summer. Keep watching for a new date when
all those wonderful vendors, plus more will gather to offer their goodes. In the meantime, if you're in one of these areas where winter is 'messing' with you and your plans, just hunker down, stay warm and safe and Spring will be here before you know it. Wishing you good health and much sunshine...Blessings from the icy cold mountains of North Carolina.

Beautiful Day

What is that bright light? Why, it's SUNSHINE!

Nice, warm, cozy sunshine...It warmed up to 47 degrees.
Melted a lot of that nasty ole snow...Made me happy.
It was so nice, Giles washed the salt off my Jeep and
his precious "Black Beauty" (pick up truck) LOL

We take a lot for granted, like sunshine. Never again...
Love that sunshine! What a beautiful day!