~Award & a Wonderful Giveaways~

I just wanted to take the time to post this great award and giveaways before we started Labor Day weekend, we will be down the docks today and tomorrow for boating and picnics on the docks. Today everyone is making shies-ca-bobs...ours are shrimp and there will be alot of different kinds to sample, I'm also making pepperoni dip! Tomorrow we will all go by boat to a place on the river and picnic and a friend of ours that we are friends with from school DJ's, so all in all we will be plenty tired come Monday:)

I love the picture of this award, don't you? A little girl stitching...so cute! Mary from Gettysburg Homestead gave me this award, please say a prayer for her she has been deployed to Lousiana because of the hurricane...thanks so much Mary it really means alot to me and please stay safe!!!

Also Debbi at Prim N' Stuff thought of me, thanks Debbi, stop for a visit she is so sweet and always finds and prims such neat stuff. Pam at Antique or Not also nominated me I love reading her blog because she is so informitive on the things she sells, I'd love to go visit her shop one day:) Sandy at For the Love of Prims also gave me this award, seven bloggers thought of me, how do you like that:)
Carolyn from Cranberry's Crossings also was so nice to give me this award, I always stop in because she has the best prim and old things and I so enjoy her posts...so if you haven't already stop in for a visit!
The sixth one is Lisa at Cranberry Flats, thanks for thinking of me Lisa and Cynthia of Cynthia Lee Designs has also thought of me too): Also Gina from Cat Nap Inn Primitives thought of me.
There are rules for this award so here they are.
1.) Copy and put the Award Logo on your Blog.

2.) Add a link to the Person who awarded you.

3.)Nominate 7 blogs who haven't received the award yet.

4.) Add links to those blogs on your blog.

5.) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs!

Here are my seven and as you all know this is so hard to do:

1. Trudy at Bit's of Wool

2. Siri at Gone Country in Bayport

3. Lea at Farmhouse Blessings

4. Leslie at My Country Home

5. Kim at Simple Needs

Well, for some reason blogger will not let me post anymore and I don't have the time to figure out why...so at least I got five and all wonderful ones at that, take time to visit okay?

Now on to the giveaways...Pam from Antique or Not is giving away a $25.00 gift certificate, how neat is that? Post on your blog and you get two chances to win!!!
Love, love, love this I just have a thing for pennyrugs and although I haven't worked with wool I really would love the chance to try:) Trudy from Bit's of Wool is having this neat giveaway, so stop for a visit to each of these great blogs and enter.
When I went back blogger let me, I can never figure blogger out:)
Have a safe Holiday Weekend!

~It's Time to Pick the...~

WINNER'S!!! Notice I said winner's and not winner? That's because I wanted Sydney and Samantha to draw the names and I just knew that letting one draw a name and not the other would just not go over well, if you know what I mean...I wanted no tears. So I made another stitchery for the 2nd drawing:) They mixed them up really well, you can see some in mid air!

Sydney still mixing them up...

and the winner for the three holiday stitcheries is.......Justina of Peper Creek Gatherings !!! I'm so happy for you Justina and I sure hope you feel the same way:) Justina is a wonderful funny girl and loves to make primitive "stuff" so stop over for a visit and congradulate her:) As you can see Sydney loved doing this, I'm sure she thinks Grammy is nuts but fun. lol

Now for the 2nd drawing....Samantha is mixing them up really well here!

and the winner is Sandy of For the Love of Prims!!! So glad for you Sandy, I know you can find a place for it in your fall decorating whether it's Halloween or Thanksgiving:)

Here it is, the frame I'm going to use is out in the garage drying from the stain that I put on it, so this isn't the frame that will be on it when you recieve it!

I may grunge it a little more too! That's black ticking as the background also!

This is what we did after the drawing...out in the back with Grammy's baskets picking pine cones, Sydney wants to put peanutbutter on them for the winter birds.

Well, I want to thank everyone for taking the time to enter and post my giveaway, I have found such great blogs by doing this and it makes me so happy to make new friends and visit their blogs, again thanks!

Justina and Sandy please email me your address I'll be sending them out Tuesday of next week since Monday is a holiday. rondell1951(at)hotmail(dot)com

~Trying to Catch Up...Award & PIF~

I'm going to use this color type since it's almost fall...August has not been the August that I used to know! It's usually hot,humid and in the 90's but this year... cool with temps in the low 70's and high 50's at night...what is going on? Any way I don't know if it is a blessing or not but I'm enjoying it none the less:)
As I said in my title I'm trying to do a catch up on all the things that I have put off until after my 100th post. I did get this cute "Smile Award" from Mary and also from Sandy , thanks so much guys...believe me when I first started this blog I really thought I'd have to delete it after awhile because I felt no one would be interested in what little old me had to say:) Boy, was I wrong and I'm so thankful that I was because I depend on you guys so much to make me "smile" and to read all about your prim ideas and projects! Here is the followintg for the "Smile" award I was given.


The Rules for the Smile Award are as follows:

1. The recipient must link back to the awards creator (it's right on the award)
2. You must post these rules if you receive the award.
3. You must choose 5 people to receive the award after receiving it yourself.
4. You must fit the characteristics of the recipient of the award (see below.)
5. You must post the characteristics of a recipient.
6. You must create a post sharing your win with others.
7. You must thank your giver.Characteristics for the Smile Award:

1. Must display a cheerful attitude. (not necessarily at all times--we are all human).
2. Must love one another.
3. Must make mistakes.
4. Must learn from others.
5. Must be a positive contributor to blog world.
6. Must love life.
7. Must love kids.

Here are my chosen 5, which is so very hard to do but I must:

1. Linda I don't think I've ever given Linda an award yet, or maybe I have anyway she aure deserves this one, she surely makes me smile with her great posts and her wonderful home, so glad to know you my friend:)

2. Jenn I just got to meet her this evening and I could tell from reading her blog that she is so sweet, making birthday cakes and crafting and taking care of her family...she sure made me smile. Stop in for a visit and meet her:)

3. Lisa I just love visiting her it's always so interesting and we both have the Hearth and Home book, love what you did with your kitchen window Lisa!

4. Justina I love Justina's blog and her posts about all the "stuff" she finds and most importantly her love for her mom, that makes me "smile".

5. Kathy I just love Kathy's blog, it seems to me to be so calming and she's never in a hurry. I always stop by for a visit when I see she has posted because I always smile when I'm there:)

PS. I love you guys!

Now look at this...it's my PIF that I recieved from Sandy , she is from New Brunswick, Canada, just look at all the neat things...she was so sweet to send some items that represent where she lives, pink mints (that she said they are famous for) a keychain with Canada on the front of it, also a postcard, so neat! Ever since Leslie said that she had ordered prim room freshner I had wanted some and there it was in the package it called "Snickerdoodle". Sandy makes this so go to her blog if you'd like to order...smells terrific, I keep spraying it, I can't help it because it smells so good! The candle is awesome, called "Keeper of the Light" and the fragrance is called "Home Again"I had it lit all day today:( Also the cute card with the houses on it, thanks so much Sandy I so enjoyed doing this!

BTW, I just can't believe the response I have got for my 100th post giveaway, just amazing to me...thanks so much everyone!

~My 100th Post Giveaway!~

Hello everyone! I'm so glad to be back on here, I tried to get these sticheries all done for when I had my 100th post but having company set me back plus just everyday life.lol What I did was make one for each upcoming holiday...Halloween, Thanksgiving and the snowman I thought you could use it for even after Christmas! I've also included a Yankee candle, "Frosted Pumpkin" it smells so good.
This will be an easy contest...just leave me a comment on this post and if you don't have a blog just email me at rondell1951athotmaildotcom and I'll enter you, also if you want two chances at this, post my giveaway on your blog, you have my permission to use the first picture below. BTW this is only opened to the United States and Canada, as the shipping will be heavy with the frames and all. I'll end this at 10PM Eastern on Thursday, August 28th. I'll announce the winner on Friday, August 29th:) This is the Halloween stitchery...this is a free pattern from htt://thechocolatecrowtrader.com and the backing is black and tan homespun:)

This one is from http://homeberries.com and I'm pretty sure I got both from "Twigs and Sprigs" her link is listed under my fav links... take a look at her website for patterns she so graciously has for free. I think he has the cutest face and I grunged him up really well:) I also love the crow on his stick arm.

The "Give Thanks" is my creation and doesn't have glass, you could tuck this in a cupboard, shelf or a prim viginette that you are creating for fall. The backing is black and tan check and I think it is simply prim:)

All the frames I painted and distressed and stained and had alot of fun doing all of them. Thanks to everyone for making my blog so much fun!

~My Country Store Buys & Kindra's B'Day Giveaway~

Hi everyone, I hope you are all having a wonderful day and getting caught up on all that you have to do. After I post this I'm on my way to JoAnn Fabrics to pick up a few things so as I promised here are my prim things that I bought with my earnings at the yardsale!
I only paid $19.99 for this at the Country Store so I snatched it up only because they didn't have to many left, I love the colors in it and it is so soft which surprised me, I thought they would feel rough and scratchy.

I have it on the rocking chair in my bedroom for now, I just love it!!! Can't wait to get the goods to make one!

Thursday I went to get my hair colored and cut and once a month I stop at the Craft Mall near there. Didn't see much that I really needed until I saw this runner done in black,grunged ticking. I did need something for the back of my toilet and it goes so well:0

I also bought these two baskets for my daughters birthday on September 1st, she is hanging them from a beam in her kitchen:)

Don't you just love this bowl, I've been wanting one forever and the plate holder with the stars, reminds me of the Country Sampler pages, I always see one of these in their photos. I haven't put anything out yet (just to take pics for today) I want to wait until I decorate for fall:) I bought this at the Country Store.

Now this is Kindra's new giveaway...just such a talented girl, would look great with my other ones...hint, hint:)

Kindra is celebrating her birthday and all you have to do is leave a comment on her blog and to get a 2nd chance just post it on your own blog, this is also open to non-bloggers too! Don't forget...I'll be posting my first giveaway on my 100th post to celebrate, which will be the next time I post, have a great day!

~My Award~

I love this award...I love the smiley faces, hearts and the word love:) I also love all of the blogging friends I have made since March, from the ones who love to decorate to the ones who make me laugh out loud sitting here at the computer. I'm so thankful for you all!

Marie, Tiffany ,Lisa and Kathy have all awarded me this wonderful award, I love it:) and will post it proudly guys!

Here are my seven...the rules are to pick seven and post also leave a comment telling them of the award then post the award pic on your blog. Now I know the ones I've chosen have already been given this award but I wanted my turn to honor them:)

1. Mary makes me laugh I would love to go shopping with her and her family:)

2. Linda is just such a good hearted lady always so helpful and I just can't wait to see her home in Country Sampler.

3. Tammy and I are old friends from the CSF I can't wait to see her new kitchen!

4. Carolyn I get so many ideas from her and I love how she focuses in on wooden bowls, crocks and all her favorite prim stuff.

5. Jennifer B. I just love her lab, Daisy, I know Buster would love her too:)

Well, that's about it, I hate to put pressure on anyone so if you like this award it is yours from me to you, just list my name...it surely goes out to everyone of you.

~I've Been Tagged by Tiffany~

This is my second post today but I just remembered that Tiffany had tagged me a week or so ago to do seven random/strange things about me so here goes:

1. I love housecleaning...I know strange, but I do:)

2. My bed has to be made every morning, I hate to get in a bed that isn't made, yuk!

3. I love liver & onions, I've even ordered it to eat while in a resturant, Stush cringes:)

4. I still like to color in a coloring book, loved to do this when I was little!

5. This is strange or maybe disrespectful but I haven't been back to my parent's or brother's grave since we buried them, I feel if I don't go they are still around...strange way to feel but I know I would just cry and be depressed the rest of the day if I did. Stush wants me to go but I just can't.

6. I don't have a green thumb but mom & dad both did, why didn't I inherit that?

7. I have a great, great niece & nephew...Olivia and Alexander

Well, I'm not going to tag anyone because I think we have all did this but if you would want to feel free to participate okay?
Have a great and peaceful Sunday!

~A Halloween Sign Giveaway~

Isn't it neat? I would just love to display this for Halloween!!!

Yes, I confess I am a Giveaway Junkie!...Cheryl from Canadian Country Girl is giving away a neat, prim Halloween sign, I just love it! The drawing will take place on August 31st so take a trip over to her blog, the rule is to spread the word about her website store.

~Another Fall Giveaway ~

Isn't this so pretty? I love the container she has these beautiful red mums in, my SIL gave me some pretty purple mums before she left and I'll have to try and do the same as Sue:)
Sue is also having a fall giveaway and is leaving it open for a few weeks. So stop over to her blog and read how you can win.
I know I said that I would post about what I bought at The Country Store today but my daughter called and asked me to go shopping with her to the mall and I just got home, I'll try and do that tomorrow:) It's so hard to post during the weekend isn't it? Have a good one!

~So Glad To Be Back, Yard Sale Finds and a Neat Fall Giveaway~~

Well, our company left yesterday and I'm so glad to be back to my normal routine, we had a good time, good food on the docks and here also and just visiting, my SIL had all of over for a lasanga dinner so all in all we had a great but tiring time:)

I wanted to post this great Fall giveaway that Linda is having, oh my wouldn't you love to get this all in the mail:) I know I would... so stop over at Linda's blog to read all about it and find out the rules to winning this great giveaway and BTW please mention my name in your comment to her, thanks so much!
Now on to the community yardsale we had last weekend, it's a family tradition for us... I know we have been doing this every August for over the last 20 years and we always have alot of fun! There is my sister and her kids and grandkids, my daughter, me and my grandaughters, my brother Mike and SIL Janet and we all gather on her big porch, the weather was great this year not hot and humid so alot more people sold and alot of people came out to buy.
This was my daughters, no I didn't buy it from her we traded, she took my navy shower curtain set and I came home with this small ladder, I have it out in the front of the house right now but will put it in my patriotic guest room for the winter:) Hey Linda, look at the leaves that are starting to fall.lol Michele and I walked around a little and found some deals, the nice sized twiggy wreath we found for $1.00 a piece we got the last two dark ones the lady had:) Still had the tags on them!

I picked this cute fragrance sachet up for .25, I thought it was neat to stick somewhere and smell good also.

I like to use this type of greenery for spring and summer inbetween my crocks and treenware, got it for a $1.00!

Now this candle sconce I got for $2.00 and I consider it a good find because it is homemade, on the back it says "sizzlin platter" and you can tell that someone screwed on the candle holder part and it is so heavy also, I think it is a reproduction piece of pewter :)

Across the street a lady sold too and this prim doll is what I bought for $3.00 from her a year ago...I used her for the top of my Christmas tree:)

This is what I bought from her this year, isn't he neat and prim? He's quite long and made from an old quilt and only $3.00! I can't wait to put him out this year:)

As I've already told you Michael and his girlfriend moved to Maryland and before they left she told me she loved how I decorated and wanted to do the same in their townhouse, well that's all I had to hear lol, I gave her some of my older Country Samplers to look at and also found these few things for her...all the following pics are bought from my sister:)
I found more Country Sampler magazines for her 5 for a $1.00, I think she will enjoy them.

Patriotic washcloth .25 and two patriotic placemats for a $1.00 a piece.

All of these snowmen and one birdhouse ornaments for .25 cents a piece, I know how expensive country ornaments can be when you are first starting out:)

These homespun candy canes I think I'm going to keep, I've been collecting these one at a time, I got these all for a $1.00!

I bought Corrie this for $6.00 I hope she will like it, she can change what she puts in it for the seasons.

I was so tickled to see my sister selling this stump doll I always loved it...$4.00 and she was mine:)

Now this was the highlight of my day... I always loved this lamp too, she bought it while she was at The Country House in Maryland so I know what she paid for the lamp and shade and the price on it was $40.00... I hmmd and hawwed about it, didn't want to spend the money but new I wouldn't get another chance to buy a lamp like it. Well, along comes my Knight in Shining Armour, Stush was setting up my 6 tables and the canopy over them and he bought it for me, got to love that man!
BTW I got the bird makedo at the GW for .99 cents!

Hope you enjoyed this post... I'll be back tomorrow to show you what I bought while shopping at the Country Store this past Sunday:) Have a great day!

~Thanks Linda and Mailing Out PIF ~

Hello everyone!
I hope everyone had a good weekend...of course I've been busy with company so I haven't posted like I usually do but I sure have missed everyone of you and can't wait to get back to normal around here.
This morning DH brought in the mail and the pattern that Linda had offered to send me had arrived, sure made me smile:) Thanks Linda so much, I can't wait to gather the wool and thread to make it!

Also I want to let Ann-Marie and Farmchick know that I'm sending out there PIF gifts today, hope you both like what I picked out for you:) Michelle has asked if she can play around the 19th because she left yesterday on vacation, so we will be seeing that posted on her blog then. I'll be back tomorrow to play Whatcha Workin on Wednesday, I know you are going to love it:)

~Lisa's Great Blog Giveaway~

Look at Lisa's great giveaway isn't it the neatest, primest thing you ever saw? Love it! So go on over and stop by for a visit and she will tell you all about it:) I'm busy with company and just got done today with our community yardsale and don't you know I forgot the camera! I did very well though and I'm going to the Country Store tomorrow.

~Pay it Forward~

Sandy over at ***For the Love of Prims*** posted "Pay it forward" on her blog this morning and I decided to play along and I think it will be alot of fun :)

This is how it works: I will send a gift of my choice to the first 3 people who leaves a comment on my blog requesting to join this "Pay it forward" exchange. YOU MUST make the same pledge on your blog! So, if you want some prim goodies from me and you are willing to do the same on your blog, let me know! I will need your email address so we can correspond to each other for mailing address's so I can get your little goodies out in the mail.

So LET'S PAY IT FORWARD!

I was busy all day today setting up for our yardsale tomorrow and Saturday and I'm beat, the middle of my back is hurting from lifting and carring:(

I hope everyone has a great weekend:)

~Whatcha Workin on Wednesday~

No...it's not a mailbox but what the Sunday paper is put in, the original is just a green plastic thing that they slide the paper in, well when we put the plow by it last Sunday it really made this green thing stand out, not very country prim:) Stush asked if I wanted him to build something around it, like a barn, well I liked the idea but not the barn! As you can see I started to paint it a barn red which I didn't like as I went along but he was so insistent on the making it look like a barn.lol You can see the green plastic inside, which I thought was a good idea since it will still protect the paper which is delivered about 4 am.
The more I painted it b.red the more I kept thinking of it being black, I suggested it to Stush and he said "black"....so I just decided to go with my idea without him even knowing:)

I painted it khaki first then black and distressed it, it still needed something so of course I thought of stars. Now I used to have star stencils but for the life of me I can't find them, I guess it's from moving so much. Then I remembered The Country Store had rust stars for .10 a piece! So I ran to Belle Vernon and bought some and even picked up some rusty pumpkins ones.

It looks really nice but last Sunday they didn't know what to do I guess because when I woke up and looked out the window the paper was laying on the ground in plastic. I guess we will have to leave a note telling them that this is where we want out paper put.

So that's what we have been working on plus I'm painting Michael's coffee table, end table and dresser black and then distressing it. Stush also has been working on something for next Wednesday too:)

We are also getting ready for company from Vermont, Stush's sister and daughter plus kids are coming tomorrow for a week. I'll try to keep up with blogging guys just don't know when.lol

Have a great evening!

~A Great "Lighting" Giveaway~

HI everyone!
Well, I've been bloghopping again, I know I just can't help it.lol It's so hard not to sit down at this computer and not start visiting isn't it? I stopped by The Cozy Nest with a cup of coffee in my hand and was just stunned at this giveaway, look at this chandelier isn't it amazing? I think it's the type of lighting fixture that goes with any style of decor and you all know how I love black:) It retails for $179.99 what a great prize huh? I'd love to win it, just something new to look at and give a different new look to what we have:) So go and visit The Cozy Nest, Nicole will be glad to have you and read about the rules to win...just come up with a cool name for this online business and also visit their website http://www.ftdc-utah.com/ and tell them how they can improve on it, all so easy to do since the giveaway is this fantastic!!! I maybe back later I have to watch the girls while their dad golfs, it's raining here right now so maybe I won't have to, of course by 1:30 it could be sunny out:) Have a great day!

~What a Busy Weekend!~

I had a busy one that's for sure...two graduation parties, one on Saturday and one on Sunday, plus my sister Judy's birthday Sunday evening.whew! Sunday about 12:30 in the afternoon I ran to the Country Store in Brownsville, she has one in Belle Vernon too but the one near me is at her home which is just so country prim, of course I forgot my camara, I'm sure I'll be going again next week so I'll take it then. Anyway, this place smells so good and I asked her once what candle she was burning and she said that it was just the smell of the store, just everything combined made it smell so good:) Of course I was in prim heaven while there wanting everything but I tried to remember what I really needed plus I was there to buy my sister a gift:) I'd been wanting a runner for my table and when I saw these I just couldn't resist...one for me and one for my sister:) The pumpkins are needlepunched and the runner had been baked because it is a little stiff, this is on the other end too, I can't wait to use it. There also was a big basket full of these birdhouses, aren't they cute? So one for me and one for my sister:) That's all I got but that was enough...when she rang the items up:)

One thing I'd like to ask, do you think this bench is to high up for a tablebench? It measures about 6 1/2 inches from top to bottom. I've had it for years, it isn't old but when I saw someone elses on a blog it looked just about the height of this one.

I was blogg hopping last evening and I really can't remember where I read this but it said...that primitive was on it's way out and they had know that for quite a while...sorry, but are there prim police out there? No one told me! lol How could something so homey and comfortable go out of style? Anyway, just thought I'd let you know!!!