What I'm working on today...

Well, I haven't felt very well the last few days, but I have managed to work on a few projects. I am working on a new little American Eagle hooked runner with a wool applique using the same pattern. I am liking the direction they are taking but the wool I had chosen to my background looked kind of flat, so I am re-thinking the background for the hooked piece. I am new to applique, so I am nervous to actually start the stitching on the other little piece. I also dont like the flag so I probably will tea stain one of the little flags I picke up last week at the dollar store and perhaps add it instead...I

I finally finished those paper mache boxes I had picked up at a thrift store awhile ago...someone had done a horrible paint/stencil job on them and they looked awful...wish I had taken a picture, but they were probably only a quarter each because they looked so bad, so my gain overall !!!

I have been working on my wool rag balls too, but I'm not sure I like them...plus I need a lot more to fill up a basket or maybe to put in my divided trencher I got at GW (as soon as I get the AFTER done on that I will show you all). I really thought the balls would be the easiest project, but they are just lacking "something"...any ideas ???

I also got an awsome pair of colonial style double candle sconces at the GW recently. I only have one done so far and I will most likely want to sell or swap them cause again, my house is so cut up that I am VERY limited on actual wall space, but they were just too yummy to pass up. Whatdya think ???

 They were all plain brown wood, really scratched and yucky. I painted a nice barn red base, then lamp black and did some distressing and finally ended with a nice walnut stain which gives it a nice aged appeal with a slight sheen. I am pretty happy with how this one turned out and am anxious to get the other one done...Oh how I wish I had the perfect spot fot these awesome sconces.

Finally, I just LOVE this old US History book from 1929...another find from Gramma's house.

OK, well I guess that's all for now. Check back though, cause I am definately doing a giveway in early April for one of my hooked rugs.

Until then,
Margie

Look at my new goodies

OK, so I didn't go thrifting today as planned, but my oh my do I have some goodies !!! Awhile back my hubby's gramma died and we rented a truck and got all the leftover stuff nobody wanted because they thought it was just junk that was in Gramma's attic...HELLO, if it's been in Gramma's attic for 75 years then I probably  want it, right ? I mean Gramma was 95 years old and a pack rat !!! Well, I knew we got a dining room set, bedroom set and a secretary desk and a trunk, but when I went to look around the garage today and started opening  up all these old pieces (which clearly just need some primitive lovin') I was astounded...OK, I should start with some pictures...

This is the secretary desk that I am already refinishing. As you will see from the next picture it was govered in this DARK, ugly, glossy laquer and 100 years of dirt...cant wait till its finished !

I think I will take the doors off the china cupboard and use it more as a step back cabinet...what do you all think ?

As you can see everything needs to be cleaned up, but there a table, chairs and server that match the china closet.

But I just love this litltle prim table...hubby grabbed everything he thought I would like...(sigh, smile)

Loads of wooden crates and hinged boxes...HOORAY

I think this one is gonna get painted, distressed and perhaps hold our dog food or potatoes...its nice and big, plus there is a long wooden hunged box on legs that is buried under all those other boxes...

This darling trunk has wood carvings and lots of detail...It was hard to get a decent picture in my cramped, single car garage...hubby says he would love to put the car in here by next winter...yeah right !!! I think this might make a great window seat ? What do you think ???

I love this old berry masher and I have plans to turn those old wire lamp shade forms into something cool

Here's a big, old lard tin and old laundry soap with black americana figures on them...hope they both clean up ok

Some big hat boxes just waiting for some paint and mod podge labels

Heres an enamel topped little table...any ideas for this one ????

There's a mirror and dresser that go with this bedroom set too !!!

Here are some of the chairs that go with the dining set

And finally there's this awesome old HUGE mirror that I just cant believe no one else wanted !!!

And guess what...they're going to tear the house down...Hubby and I are trying to get back up there so we can take out all 6 fireplace mantels, solid oak paneled doors, 2 staircase banisters, several beadboard doors etcbefore they tear it all down !!!!!!!!! Ask me if I am excited ??? Do you think hubby's gonna EVER get to have the car in the garage ??? I dont think so !!!  I would love to hear what you guys think I should do with some of this stuff, so please comment away !!!

Oh, and while I was posting all this I have 3 seperate dye baths going for my wools for my next rug !! Hooray, I am finally motivated to do something constructive !!!

OK, well I think thats it for now...

Blessings,
Margie

Some of my recent GW makeovers

I tend to forget to take a picture of something before I prim it up, but thankfully, I did for a couple little things I worked on over the last couple of days.

Here's the BEFORE :

Now here's the AFTER, which I like soooo much better

I took the wooden part off altogether since I thought it looked better without it...what do you think ???


Heres the BEFORE of an old sewing box i found for next to nothing...

And here it is after I painted it in colonial berry, lightly distressed it and finished with walnut stain...

It looks better in person since I couldnt get it to NOT fade out the center because of the flash, but you get the idea. I have LOADS and LOADS more stuff to work on for the before & after's. I would really like to make it a regular part of my blog since it's one of the things I ALWAYS look for on other peoples blogs. I just love seeing how ugly something was and how wonderful it can be !!!

Well, I dont have too much to say today since I am having company later, I need to keep this short. I am hoping to get to GW and a few other favorite thrifts tomororrow, so I will post more on Monday for sure !!!

Blessings,
Margie

Just a few of my rugs....

I sure wish I had taken pictures of every rug I have ever made. Unfortunately I made many of them as gifts and never dreamed of taking pictures. I figure I should tell you all how I started hooking rugs... I was one of those lucky folks in northern Colorado to have gotten West Nile Virus back in 2003 when the whole state experienced an outbreak of the nasty virus. Who knew a simple misquito bite could change your whole life ??? I wont bore you with all the details, but lets just say my life has never been the same. I spent almost a month in the hospital and had severe neurotransmitter damage which left me with lots of pain, memory problems, insomnia and a myriad of other "autoimmune disorders". I spent the better part of the last 7 + years trapsing off to one doctor or another while they tried to figure out what treatment to try next. I spent loads of time in bed and you can only read so many books, right ??? So, I decided what better time to learn some new "sedentary" activities then when I am stuck laying around for hours on end. I am a type A personality by nature, so having to retrain myself to slow down had its difficulties, but on the bright side, I have learned lots of cool stuff, like how to hook rugs. I got a book from the library, ordered a kit from the internet which included a hook, dug out my quilting hoop (no, I dont quilt, but I thought I might at one point), raided our closets for any wool fabric and got busy . Here's a picture of that very first project...

 It was a fun project and I was "hooked" from that moment on. I have gotten much better and learned so much since that first project and have made over 25 rugs and pillows since then...from candle mats to a large  4 ft runner (which I didnt take a picture of because I was in a rush to finish for a gift...GRRRR). I have had a few rugs on consignment in some shops  Ligonier, PA which is a darling little colonial town in the Laurel mountains of PA just a short drive east of where I live now.

This is a rug of I have made in several different colors as gifts...some with a family name and year hooked into the border. I just love sheep, so I do lots of crafts with them incorporated.

Well, I guess thats all the rugs I have to show you for today. I have several more that need "finishing"...I dont really enjoy that part of the rug making process, so I have to really motivate myself to get them done. I do love dying my own wool though. I just did my very first batch last week and it turned out so lovely that I cant believe I hadn't tried it earlier.

Oh and I just have to tell you this...Hubby got me the sweetest gift for Christmas...he went to the GW and other local thrift stores and looked through racks and racks of clothing looking for 100% wool items and filled a GIANT box with wool skirts and pants all ready for me to "upcycle" into beautiful rugs...Now wasn't that just too sweet ???

Hey, maybe if I get enough followers I can do my own giveaway ??? What do you all think ??? Maybe my small sheep rug ??? IF someone would be kind enough to tell me the "giveaway basics" I would love to do one...
-Blessings,
  Margie

My Very First Blog Post

OK, so this is my very first blog post. I have enjoyed reading everybody else's in the Prim World and decided to throw my hat in the ring. I am working on quite a few projects right now. Hubby's grandma died in December and we inherited all the cast off furniture no one else wanted. The family was actually going to throw away an old Hoosier (complete with sifter and bins). It needs alot of work, but ooooh I cant wait till it's all done. I also got a sweet old secretary desk that was covered under YEARS of dirt and grime. I am stripping it and the wood is sooo beautiful underneath. I will take some pictures this week and try to get them on . I got a dining rom set with a china cupboard that I dont really like as is, but am thinking of manking some changes...Check back later when I them on and give me your opinions.


Here's a few pictures of some of my prim treasures from Christmas...

I love these little old flags I found !

This is my granmothers old treadle sewing machine. I have used it many times over the years !!!

I wasn't really happy with the staircase this year. I did LOVE the garland I made for the tree this year...I had long strips of tea dyed muslim that I tied together and them added homespun blue plaid knots every 5 inches or so...looks so country prim didn't cost me a thing...It was ll leftover fabric !!!

This last picture is from our basement family room that is decorated in Steeler ...Its the ONLY room in the house thats not PRIM. If I could figure out how to combine the two, I certainly would !!!

OK, well I guess that's it for now. I promise to get some of my hand hooked rugs posted later and a bunch of before and after pics. I just love those, dont you ???