Shutters

Shutters and louvered doors have many uses in country decorating, whether they're small like the little white one above, or tall, like the brown one behind it.

This is the back side of the brown one. Or, actually, it would be the front side. Depending on where you're standing. Or where it's standing. Or..........well, it's the other side, how about that?

These little ones are unfinished, do with them what you will!

I love this little tri-fold shutter. How cute is that? You could decorate it with greens, or pips, or a wreath, or just leave it just like it is.

In the store, I use pairs of louvered doors for display pieces..................

For ideas on using shutters, check out Margo's website. Her site is full of ideas for trash to treasure projects.

Here a pip, there a pip...

...everywhere a pip-pip.
(Ok, sorry. I'm tired, and getting a little punchy).

I got in an order of pip rings. 2 inch and 4 inch candle rings, though they also make great small wreaths, or even curtain tie-backs.

More pip garlands came in too.
My biggest sellers are burgandy and burgandy/gold. The gold is more of a mustard. But the catalog calls it gold. I've accidently ordered what they call mustard a couple times. Guess what color it is in real life? Orange. Ok then.

This berry garland is coiled up in a wreath shape in this photo. It can be used like that, or unrolled like in the photo below.

The red berry garland is on the left, unrolled to 6 feet. The other garlands measure either 40 inches or 48 inches, depending on the style.

And the ivory one, and the red ones in the basket? They measure 18 feet when uncoiled!

At least I assume they do. Can't say that I ever actually measured any of the garlands. I'm taking the word of the manufacturer. I trust them completely.

That's a wise move, isn't it?

It isn't?

Oh, ok. Well.

Moving on...

These are called pip teardrops. Why? I have no idea. All I know is that they are popular with my customers. Especially in burgandy, and burgandy/gold. Followed closely by ivory.

Pip picks always sell well, again in those same colors. I ordered more of the shorter burgandy pips. Just like I do every time I order.

And, they did not come in. Just like every time I order. Or so it seems.

Pip wreaths are so pretty. But a word of warning on pips. They are recommended for interior use only. And any time I hear a customer mention they want to use them outside, I tell them just that.

Why the recommendation? I've never seen a reason in the catalogs, but I've heard anecdotal stories from customers. They don't hold up well in the weather.

Not sure about rain, but I've heard stories of what the sun will do to them.

Care for pip popcorn? Apparently, too much sun makes them pop open!

Who'da thunk?

A few new old things

This is a full sized door - louvered style. It's the typical 30 inches wide, but a little taller than some doors. It's about 80 and 1/2 inches in height.

This black table is metal. I'm not sure, but it might be designed to hold a bench  grinder, or some other tool. I think it would look cool with plants on it. Ivy or something that would trail down the legs.

Speaking of plants - how about planting flowers in this round tub. It already has a hole cut in it close to the bottom that could be the drainage hole. You can see it on the right side, cut in a square.

What is this thing?
I have absolutely no idea.

This yellow shelf used to be in my dad's small engine repair shop. He made it to hold literature, so the shelves are tilted. I don't really have any use for it at home, so I brought it in and have a few cookbooks on it right now, but it is for sale.

These old sprayers were also my dad's. I have vivid memories of him walking thru the yard with these. Industrial style decorating is becoming a big thing, but it's not how I decorate at home. Maybe these would fit into one of my customer's decor better than they would at my own house. They are both cool, but I especially like the tall one. The label is gone, but I think the tall one may have been from Sears Roebuck.

This is 2 old windows hinged together. I had used this for a long time as a display piece - it had linens hanging on it. But I'm changing out some of my displays, and it's time for this one to find a new home.

Same with this ladder shaped planter. I used it for awhile, then had it stored in the back. When I was cleaning out the backroom recently, I decided it was time to let this go to a new home too.

Country life = Introductions

Remember these little guys.....oops - I mean girls?



That was 4 weeks ago. You can read about the day Kevin and Jessica brought them home here. Let me tell you, spring peeps turn VERY quickly into spring chickens! They have grown faster than bad weeds, and this past weekend, they moved from a big tub in Kevin's basement and got introduced to their permanent home - the brand new coop.

They have lots of room now to spread out, test their wings, peck on new things.

Ummm....girls.... you can spread out now.
Guess they still have that 'bird's of a feather flock together' thing going strong.

They also got introduced to Billy.

Yep, we'll be keeping chicken wire between cat and bird.
Although truth be told, Billy isn't too awfully interested in them.
He's a great hunter, he can catch birds and mice with the best of them.
But, he seems to be a little intimidated by 40 peeping chicks who are growing by leaps & bounds.

The first evening they were in the coop, they were just a little skittish around us strange humans, but they quickly got over that once they discovered the ultimate toy...........shoe strings.

Good thing I had on old shoes and old jeans. Once one found my shoestrings, the others quickly joined in on the fun.

They had my shoes untied in no time!

How do I train them to tie my shoes back up?

Jessica hadn't seen them in person since the weekend she and Kevin brought them home. She had to go back to her life in the big city. But Easter brought her home to the country again, and she wasted no time getting reacquainted.

We've got to get that girl back to her country roots more often!

Happy Easter

In our neck of the woods - it's a soggy Easter - it's been a soggy April. We're kind of like this bunny, we peek out every once in a while, looking for a little sunshine.

But that's ok. All this rain has the grass so very green. It's such a beautiful time of year! The trees are leafing out, but you can still see thru them, and the green, green grass seems to go on forever.

I hope you have a wonderful Easter weekend, and spring.

Watch that chocolate consumption! Take it easy on the Peeps!

And remember what Easter is really about...................



I've got the blues - and some whites

I put these two tables beside the mantel, and they gave me an idea for a post.

I'm not sure what the blue top on this table is made from.

I love this little vintage lap quilt...........



This quilt is more blue and pink than blue and white, but who's worried about details?

The white box came from an auction. It's new, but it's not in perfect condition. I painted the sheep sign, the barn picture is a Billy Jacobs print.



White shutters make a good backdrop for some various blues. Look closely at the still life print. Is that my legs reflecting in the glass? Hmmm.

Enamelware is great in any colors! I am drawn to the deep bowl on the left - the blue one. I think my mom must have had one that I am remembering, though Jo said she didn't. But I'm thinking she did; big sisters aren't always right.



This is the end piece from an old crib. Wouldn't it make a great garden trellis?



And this is a side piece, turned up end-ways. This might look cool with linens or towels hung on it.

This old white door would be pretty with a blue wreath hung on it. Too bad I didn't think of that sooner.



You can't get much sweeter than these hand crocheted vintage blue & white baby bibs & booties!



As for someone having the blues - these kids are feeling VERY blue I'm sure! A customer told me the other day that she has this same picture, very large like this one, but hers is bright and full of color. This one has blue tones - it matches those kids moods I bet!

Lots of windows

We have lots of old windows right now.................

Several 4 pane and 6 pane, with and without glass..............

A couple single panes with glass...............

Two sizes of 8 panes, again - with and without glass..........

Remember the story of the windows and the cat?

The ones below are those windows.........

There are LOTS of them!

By that I mean.......LOTS of them!!!

The big 8 pane ones shown above are half price.

$7.50 each.

Want 5 or more?

You can have them for $5.00 each.

Only the big 8 pane ones are on sale.

Need ideas for using old windows?

Check out Margo's website.