It has been a busy week! (updated Fri. 2/26)

The first batch of new spring wools are ready for the shop this weekend! After several days of dying springtyme colors and all the wools for the block of the month, I finally cleaned up the kitchen late last night only to find I really do have counter tops in my kitchen suitable for preparing a meal! Who knew!! (Though next week it is back to dying my more primitive spring assortment...pictures to come!)

Coming in this weekend....

We're bringing in the most wonderful old make-do document box from the mid 1800's...all square nails and planed boards...wire snipe hinges and the coolest old railroad tag that someone made into the clasp. Robin eggs blue paint (not original to the box). Wouldn't this make the best place to put a pincushion collection or use as a jewelry box? (hmmm...I think I want to keep it!) $105.00

Also coming in a great OLD handmade peg rack or herb dryer...all original and rare to find...probably about 5' long...around the later part 1800's...$95 (This will make a great piece to hang all the sweet annie on that I've got coming into the shop!)


Also...the absolute COOLEST & OLD chalk board...BIG and HEAVY...great old thick slate...orig. blue paint (what there is left of it)...about 5' or so long...has it's original chalk tray still attached...we're thinking it came out of an old railroad station or diner...circa 1900's or so. A RARE FIND and a country made NC piece for sure...hung it up behind the counter (now all I need to do is decorate around it)...$250.00 (Can I keep this too??)

(Fri. evening...) Here are pictures of some of the other new stuff in the shop for this weekend...

Sweet Sweet Easter pincushions made by Evette...this is just a small sampling! They are all filled with emory sand to keep your needles nice and sharp! Tuck one in a basket for a special friend...$10 each.


Here is the beginnng to our easter display! (notice that's where I put that great little blue document box!)



There's a bunch of great new stuff in this picture:the hog scraper candlestick ($69.95) is a nice old one...mid 19th century complete with its' chair hanger.(SOLD)
18th-19th century hand forged meat fork ($20)...would look fantastic in an old hearth setting or primitive kitchen!
Very nice old gathering basket, great patina around the nails, circa early 1900's ($48)(SOLD)
Cool old postal scale dated 1913..$24.95


This picture shows the table all those goodies are sitting on...mid 19th century square nailed with pegged legs...shelf added underneath...grungy blue-gray paint probably put on the same time the shelf was added...there's also a drawer...wide two-board southern yellow pine top...definitely a southern piece! $75 this weekend...if it doesnt sell, it's going home for a good cleaning and when it comes back, the price will be higher! It's a bit of a diamond in the rough! (This would make a great coffee table or if you have a screened in porch setting)
Also, there is a great little tote shown...$35(SOLD)


There are a couple of "new" items in this picture...the early herb or peg rack is on the left side of the hutch (I didn't have time to hang it yet)...very rare and hard to find, this won't be in the shop for very long...if it doesn't sell in a couple of weeks, it's going to a dealer in Wisconsin...$95.00
Also, the little blue trunk just came in...it's not old, but whoever made it did a nice job! All square nail construction, nicely painted (though I would give it a new coat of milk paint over that blue and distress the heck out of it!). This would be a great top trunk to a graduated set of blanket chests! $59.95



If anyone was wanting the new cross stitch pattern...the heart with the hanging strawberry on it...they finally showed up today! So they are officially here in the shop. Along with that, came these two new patterns as well...Miss Lapin...a cross stitch bunny..$8.95, and Sweet Clover...a cute stuffed bunny with cross stitch bag...$8.95 also!


Weather menu for Thursday, February 25th...Partly sunny with a side order of snow! (That's not what I ordered!!)

I thought I'd better get this week's blog up now and update it as I go along! I hope everyone got a chance to get out and do something fun this weekend...the weather could not have been prettier! We had huge crowds out at the fairgrounds both Saturday and Sunday...the dealers were out in full force both days! Everytime I walked outside, I found something I think I "needed"!! Dangerous to say the least!

First thing this week that I need to let everyone know about...Renee' Plains' new book, "Bird in Hand", will be here shortly...they are just now shipping from the distributor. I've had several people ask me about it...but if you are wanting a copy for sure, please email me and let me know so that I can hold one for you. I didn't order a ton of them, and I want to make sure that if you want one, you can get it when it gets here!



"Bird in Hand" is 112 pages...21 projects featuring applique and piece work quilting projects, along with cross stitch and rug hooking...all with a bird theme. There are 8 vintage styled sewing projects...from pinkeeps to a sewing roll, a pillow project, a tote bag and notebook cover as well! $26.95

My Valdani thread order came today...if anyone is needing anything in particular, I'm well stocked!


Ok girls...for those of you doing the Settler's Pride Block of the Month and pick it up each month, block #2 is ready to go! All the rest are shipping tomorrow (Thursday)!


We just received the Spring edition of Early Homes Magazine...good articles in this one, including:
The gardens in Williamsburg, VA, a dutch restoration in the Hudson Valley, Colonial hardware, a country kitchen in an 1812 home, restoration of the Historic Hedge House, decorating with early treen and tole ware, an informative article on milk paint, catslide and saltbox architecture, plus much more! $4.99 for the issue. We will probably only get this one in one time...if you want a copy, you are welcome to email me and have me hold one for you or you can order on our website.(The link is over on the right of this page...)

We also have the new April issue of Early American Life Magazine in the shop as well...

This past weekend, we ran out of the new magazine by Jill Peterson, "A Simple Life"...but we will have more for the weekend (they just came in today's mail!). If you are really wanting a copy, let me know as I think this is the last time we will be able to re-order!

More later....Lisa

New pics of the shop...(updated 2/20)

Finally remembered to take the camera into the shop today when I went in to do a little housekeeping....shown above is a great one-of-a-kind NC country made cupboard... great smaller size and a cute little looker! (I wish I could keep everything I buy that I love...I had the perfect place for this at the house!) Also in the picture are some of the new crocks we brought in last weekend...and towards the top of the picture you can see a few of the new birdhouses we recently received. These are handcrafted here in Chapel Hill, ready for the birds to nest in this Spring!



Here's the new quilt in the shop now....looks great with that Virginia Sampler Chair from Johnston Benchworks!






Here are just some other pics of the shop...new pieces here and there...some new candles, cards, punchneedle pictures...lots of goodies...if anyone is looking for a set of mule eared chairs...we have a fantastic assembled set...all old in very good shape and all good seats. The estate we got these from used them around a fantastic 2 board top tavern table and they looked great! $100 for the set or $35 each, take your pick.(SOLD)

Also new in the shop...a really nice old oak rectangular gathering basket...nice oxidation around the nails...$48(SOLD); I have this "thing" for old rolling pins and I found a very cool tiger maple one with old green handles..$20; a nice old wooden tote
(another thing I seem to gravitate to!)...$35;a mid-1800's NC two board top small sized table. It has one drawer and a shelf underneath that was added later...pegged legs & square nails...grungy grey blue paint probably painted when the shelf was added somewhere around the turn of the century...it's pretty square...would make a great table on a large porch or a cool coffee table...very primitive..$75.00 (this is the "Sunday only" price);and finally a vintage (probably 30's-40's)tin painted flour sifter - a cutie for the retro kitchen...$9.95. Hmmm....I think that's it for now....

Lots of vendors were setting up outside this afternoon while we were at the shop...some great stuff was out there! The weather is going to be beautiful, come see us if you get the chance!

(New Spring kits and wools will be in next weekend...)

Lisa

New Spring Patterns are here! (Updated Thurs.afternoon)

We've got lots of new patterns from "With Thy Needle & Thread" coming into the shop this weekend...maybe this means that Spring is somewhere in sight! All of the punchneedle designs are $12.95 each and the cross stitch pattern is $8.95.

Also new this weekend...a new pattern line with some great new punchneedle (and a bunny doll) designs...all of these are $9.95 each.






For those of yall that were patiently waiting for my wire trees to come back in..they are here in all three sizes!



And we came across a wonderful old 1800's blue, white and brown quilt the other day...as soon as I get a little more organized, I'll try and get a better picture of it up for yall to see...really pretty and in great condition...as you can see from this picture, most all the squares are blues/browns with one very cool OLD pink square in the corner of the quilt! Very little wear...right now it's talking to me to keep it, but I'm sure we'll be bringing it in for the weekend! $250.00

Also in this weekend....


Walnut Crystals...1 oz. package...$2.50
Great for aging your needlework and linens, these crystals are extremely easy to use and a little bit goes a long way! Simply dilute with water and either spray or dab on for a great aged and antique look!



Back in stock are Jill Peterson's two books, "Homestead" and "The Settlement"...both wonderful hardbound books full of primitive pictures from various homes across the country. $36.00 each...we also have these listed on our website with free media mail shipping within the lower 48 states.

Back to dying wool!! Lisa

I'm not sure if I can figure this all out!

As if I don't have a million things to do right now....here I sit trying to figure out how to put this whole blog thing together! But here goes nothing....

We just got in Jill Peterson's new magazine...The Simple Life...what a wonderful primitive publication! If you have (or have seen) her books, Homestead and The Settlement, this magazine is put together the same way....with wonderful photography and articles all relating to a primitive and more simpler lifestyle.

I'll have the copies at the shop this weekend and they are also listed on my website (http://www.lonestarmercantile.ecrater.com/) if you need to have one shipped. $8.95 each