Brrrrrrr - the weather turned frigid here in New England again. Yesterday it seemed like I had had a hot cup of tea in my hand all day and it makes it hard to stitch, do chores or type. Today wasn't quite as cold and I can see the snow melt dripping off the roof once again. Many years we don't have snow cover most of the winter but this year it is here to stay until April I think!
Actually, I really have no right making a new post right now because I am so far behind visiting so many blogs. It's not that I haven't tried but I am also trying to answer a lot of emails and comments about Country sampler, and still keep that balance in my life and not spend ALL day on the computer. I am making head way though and hope to be caught up soon. Thanks for sticking with me even if I haven't gotten back to you yet! I do appreciate it.
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Looky looky ! Remember my fantasy shopping trip a few days ago? One of my stops was Circa1892 Homestead Primitives on EBay. I love Margo's gatherings. They are so colonial and the colors are so soft and warm. But I am not a big fan of bidding on things. Either I want it and I have the money or I don't. I don't like waiting and hoping an watching the price go up and up. So imagine my delight when I saw a wonderful gathering and it said Buy It Now!! Yup, I squealed when I saw that and once more because DH bought it for me as an early Valentine's Day present. Isn't he sweet? I can't wait to get it.
This is what I will receive ....
~Cutting Board Handpainted & Aged in Farmhouse White
~Butter Bowl -Handpainted & Distressed Inside & Out in Olde Buttermilk
The Bowl been Simply Filled with 2 Chunks of Cinnamon Toast Soap
Sprigs of Sweet Annie & A Springerle Cookie Mold with a Scottish Thistle Motif
~A Treenware Pie Crimper in its Original Mellow Aged Patina
~Last but Certainly Not Least A Wooden Candlestick
Topped with a Spiced Cinnamon Candle
~*~
I love all the cubbies and spaces for my notebooks and often used Stampin Up catalogs that I covered with wrapping paper. It's that tendency I have to make place for everything and a cute place at that. No reason why it can't be pleasing to my eye! The red box in one compartment holds my Stampin Up markers in all the colors to match my card stock. The antique recipe box in the compartment next to it has all my address labels for every season and holiday and stamps in many denominations. I use them to send packages to cancer patients. In the antique chalk box to the left of that is my stash of envelopes for the cards I make. When i am sitting here, to the left of me is a double wide closet I have shown before that is full of card making and craft supplies as well as gift wrapping and mailing supplies. 
Also to the left of me is this jelly cupboard full of my Stampin Up stamps sets. I painted the lower part of the walls Caramel from the Eddie Bauer Signature Series at Lowe's. I stained yard sticks to use as molding between the two colors. I got the idea from my friend Shayne. I love it! I really love that I did the whole room myself. No help from hubby needed! 
While I am typing or reading blogs or doing online work, I often listen to music on the computer but I also have the option to turn on the TV. I love HGTV decorating shows - though they need to bring back some country shows don't you think?
I keep wool and fabric in the two cupboards below so it s handy for my projects. The antique cheese box sitting on the bench holds my glasses, the remote and the floss for any project I have in the works.
And when I want to sit and stitch or read or watch something on TV that DH isn't interested in, I use the daybed. When I bought it, I picked it out with future grand children in mind. I think it will be the perfect place for those sleepovers we will have. The full drawer under it is large enough for a second twin mattress if we ever need it.
You can see the antique school bell that was given to me when I retired from the preschool. Behind it is an antique slate and next to it a little tin cup with the ABC's on it. They were part of the inspiration for my own office/ craft room.
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So you see I do a lot more then blog here. It truly is a blessing to have my own space at this time in my life. And now that you can picture me sitting at my desk, with a cup of chai tea in my big red mug typing away, we want to know where do you blog?? Please do join in and upload some pics and share it with us! We love those pics you know! (and yes - I did clean up the room before I let you in - the mess in now on the master bed! LOL)
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Can you read that? Color her COLONIAL! I love the title of my article!! Can you see - that is our home!! Did you hear me squeal again when I said that? I just had to show you the first two pages and the last two pages of the spread.
And in between I'll answer a few last questions. YES - I was WELL worth the wait. I have enjoyed reading it over and over again. It's such a surreal feeling to see our home in print. It's my house but not my house. I guess it's easiest to say this - it is my house, just dressed a little different than I would dress it - how's that! The lighting in the pics is just so amazing. The colors feel so warm and cozy. Only an expert can capture that. And the article is so me. Leslie Mann did a great job. Every single person I dealt with from day one was just so professional and kind and helpful. I thank each and everyone of them for helping to make this experience so great.
This is what I will receive ....
~Cutting Board Handpainted & Aged in Farmhouse White
~Butter Bowl -Handpainted & Distressed Inside & Out in Olde Buttermilk
The Bowl been Simply Filled with 2 Chunks of Cinnamon Toast Soap
Sprigs of Sweet Annie & A Springerle Cookie Mold with a Scottish Thistle Motif
~A Treenware Pie Crimper in its Original Mellow Aged Patina
~Last but Certainly Not Least A Wooden Candlestick
Topped with a Spiced Cinnamon Candle
~*~
I spent some time tweaking some displays around the house using her pcitures as inspiration. I'll some updating to do once I have my new goodies.
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Admittedly, the two least colonial or primitive pieces of furniture in my house are the ones I probably use the most - my desk and my office chair. Go figure! I am coming out of the closet and showing them to you now because several of my blogging friends have invited me to join in to show Where Do You Blog? Some of my long time peeps may have seen some similar pics before but these are all brandy new for 2009. My office is much more primitive country than colonial but it is really more functional than either of those two things. I really love this space. It is MY space and full of things that have meaning to me. Gifts from my family and friends as well as gifts and memorabilia from my days teaching preschool. Samplers, prints, a lantern, and more.
I love all the cubbies and spaces for my notebooks and often used Stampin Up catalogs that I covered with wrapping paper. It's that tendency I have to make place for everything and a cute place at that. No reason why it can't be pleasing to my eye! The red box in one compartment holds my Stampin Up markers in all the colors to match my card stock. The antique recipe box in the compartment next to it has all my address labels for every season and holiday and stamps in many denominations. I use them to send packages to cancer patients. In the antique chalk box to the left of that is my stash of envelopes for the cards I make. When i am sitting here, to the left of me is a double wide closet I have shown before that is full of card making and craft supplies as well as gift wrapping and mailing supplies. 
Also to the left of me is this jelly cupboard full of my Stampin Up stamps sets. I painted the lower part of the walls Caramel from the Eddie Bauer Signature Series at Lowe's. I stained yard sticks to use as molding between the two colors. I got the idea from my friend Shayne. I love it! I really love that I did the whole room myself. No help from hubby needed! 
While I am typing or reading blogs or doing online work, I often listen to music on the computer but I also have the option to turn on the TV. I love HGTV decorating shows - though they need to bring back some country shows don't you think?
I keep wool and fabric in the two cupboards below so it s handy for my projects. The antique cheese box sitting on the bench holds my glasses, the remote and the floss for any project I have in the works.
And when I want to sit and stitch or read or watch something on TV that DH isn't interested in, I use the daybed. When I bought it, I picked it out with future grand children in mind. I think it will be the perfect place for those sleepovers we will have. The full drawer under it is large enough for a second twin mattress if we ever need it.You can see the antique school bell that was given to me when I retired from the preschool. Behind it is an antique slate and next to it a little tin cup with the ABC's on it. They were part of the inspiration for my own office/ craft room.
.JPG)
So you see I do a lot more then blog here. It truly is a blessing to have my own space at this time in my life. And now that you can picture me sitting at my desk, with a cup of chai tea in my big red mug typing away, we want to know where do you blog?? Please do join in and upload some pics and share it with us! We love those pics you know! (and yes - I did clean up the room before I let you in - the mess in now on the master bed! LOL)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Can you read that? Color her COLONIAL! I love the title of my article!! Can you see - that is our home!! Did you hear me squeal again when I said that? I just had to show you the first two pages and the last two pages of the spread.
And in between I'll answer a few last questions. YES - I was WELL worth the wait. I have enjoyed reading it over and over again. It's such a surreal feeling to see our home in print. It's my house but not my house. I guess it's easiest to say this - it is my house, just dressed a little different than I would dress it - how's that! The lighting in the pics is just so amazing. The colors feel so warm and cozy. Only an expert can capture that. And the article is so me. Leslie Mann did a great job. Every single person I dealt with from day one was just so professional and kind and helpful. I thank each and everyone of them for helping to make this experience so great.And yes I really did give those the tips for making a home look older. Yes I really did design and hand stitch the little applique wool picture they are giving away. What wool picture? Well if you don't have the magazine you have to run out and get it to find out- it's a great issue and not just because my home is in it. Yes yes yes - it was well worth the wait!
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And I just had to share this pic I took the other day. I was making our bed and as I often do in the morning, I grabbed the binoculars I keep in a basket on the side of my dresser and I looked out the windows to the brook on both sides. There in the middle of the forsythia bushes was a bright red make cardinal. Can you see him? I swear he was watching me as closely as I was watching him. We live in a very suburban neighborhood but we have so much nature outside our Red Door. For me, it's the best of both worlds.
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And from the last but not least files...
I know that a lot of bloggers that read my blog, sell handcrafted items on your own websites, or EBay or Etsy so I wanted to let you in on a new advertising opportunity over at A Primitive Place. (No I don't get a cut of the action LOL) A Primitive Place is a great new website with lots of pictures of primitive and colonial homes, ideas and tip and tricks for decorating and they are now offering Advertising opportunities. For a low monthly fee you receive a listing on their home page and on their Go Shopping page!Your business name with logo or banner, a brief description of what you have to offer and a link to your site. You can try it for one month or try it for six months. So go on over HERE and check it out!!
Well that's it for me today folks. I'll be back on Thursday with a very special post!
Until then - hugs, Linda
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~And I just had to share this pic I took the other day. I was making our bed and as I often do in the morning, I grabbed the binoculars I keep in a basket on the side of my dresser and I looked out the windows to the brook on both sides. There in the middle of the forsythia bushes was a bright red make cardinal. Can you see him? I swear he was watching me as closely as I was watching him. We live in a very suburban neighborhood but we have so much nature outside our Red Door. For me, it's the best of both worlds.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~And from the last but not least files...
I know that a lot of bloggers that read my blog, sell handcrafted items on your own websites, or EBay or Etsy so I wanted to let you in on a new advertising opportunity over at A Primitive Place. (No I don't get a cut of the action LOL) A Primitive Place is a great new website with lots of pictures of primitive and colonial homes, ideas and tip and tricks for decorating and they are now offering Advertising opportunities. For a low monthly fee you receive a listing on their home page and on their Go Shopping page!Your business name with logo or banner, a brief description of what you have to offer and a link to your site. You can try it for one month or try it for six months. So go on over HERE and check it out!!
Well that's it for me today folks. I'll be back on Thursday with a very special post!
Until then - hugs, Linda
