Catching Up

You Snooze, You Lose!

Well, I wasn't exactly sleeping but I have been very busy with x-mas decorating and shopping and adding a new member to the family in the midst of it all. I just can't believe the whole season has come and gone and I didn't get any  x-mas pics posted. I began snapping some pics but I didn't get very far. Any way, here's what I did get, better late than never right?

"The Guest Room Tree"

The Tree Topper

Beneath the Tree

(standing in antique doll buggy)

 Full of Jan Hagara's and little bears and lots of rusty ornaments and stitcheries in between.

The diningroom including my new vintage drop leaf / gateleg table from Craigs List for $95.

I love this little Santa which I got on Ebay. I was paying close enough attention to the description though. I was just thinking he was the size of one I got from the same artist last year. Wow was I surprise when I discovered I bought a Santa the size of my thumb for $26 + shipping, LOL. But I still love the little guy. And he is perfect standing on one of my plaster tarts.

The Livingroom Tree

And the frosting on the cake, my adorable grand daughters opening their  presents on x-mas eve.

I had a little after x-mas shopping fun. Not in a mall where the crowds go, but to the antique stores.

I got a great scoop, the perfect size and color for my big 'ole bowl. $18

Some wonderful little kitchenwares for hanging on my diningroom tree which is full of chocolate molds and cookie cutters, etc.  $1 - $3 except for the adorable little funnel. I splurged and paid $7.95 for that one. I am so ashamed, LOL.

(I added the homespun for hanging)

And the best of all........ I love antique baby shoes. At our last stop I found a giant basket full of "single" unmatched baby shoes. I have long wanted to put antique baby shoes on my guest room tree. I was like a kid in a candy store. I only wish I bought a couple more. I definately got the best though. priced $3 - $5 each.

A wonderful early baby slipper. I would guess mid-late 1700's. A little worse for wear but perfect in my eyes.

Turn of the century strappy shoe, the tiniest of the lot.

Golden Brown velvet shoe with white leather trims and pearly buttons

Tiny plaid fabric and leather lace-up boot. Like no baby shoe I have ever seen before.

Lace-up with red lining inside the ankle and fold over front to reveal the red lining.

I did get some heartbreak on my shopping trip. Nob Hill Antiques at Washington Square (Holland, MI), my most favorite antiques store EVER, closed. A sign on the door said "Thank you for 11 great years" and there are for sale signs in front of the store. I am crushed!!!! It was the one store that specialized in primitive and you always knew you were walking into a treasure trove when you came through the door.

Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy, warm & cozy, bright & sunny, perfectly primitive, and prosperous 2012 filled with much love and good friends to share it all with.

Happy New Year!!!!

If I were rich

If I Were Rich

Yesterday was such a glorious day for the month of November in my neck of the woods. Sunshine and mid 50's and there were no chilly breeze's whispering "winter is coming" in my ear. Hubby was working and I just couldn't waste the day sitting aroundd the house. So I hopped in my cube and headed south 2 hours to Amish territory. Destination Shipshewana, IN. In the past, I have always gone on weekdays when it's a much quieter scene. But I didn't even mind the crowds yesterday. It was just good to be out for a spur of the moment adventure. And there was even an antique show in town. Perfect timing! The roads were full of  horse-n-buggies and bikes as the menonite and amish were all out enjoying the day as well.

 

 I had precious little fun money to spend (saving it up for a big prim show next weekend). Anyway, antiques in big tourist areas tend to have higher price tags on them. So, I invented a new game for myself. It turned out to be "almost" as much fun as spending money. I call it.......

If I Were Rich

(things I would have brought home if only....)

an early antique corner cupboard $2,495.00

dropleaf night table $295

single drawer night table $149

ladderback rocker $249

There's always room for more crocks

 incredibly long trencher $495

 20" wooden bowl 

 Adorable little dolly dresser 

I did manage to buy a few little goodies though. 

Yummy maple frosted cinnamon rolls & a pumpkin roll.

From the antique show I got an old biscuit cutter and pie crimper to hang on my diningroom x-mas tree with some checkered homespun. Also a little old mold. I spent a whole $4.00.

At the prim shops in town I bought a string of the tiniest silicone x-mas lights I ever saw, a rusted metal angel ornament, & some battery operated prim taper candles.

Mostly it was just a lovely day of walking and looking and appreciating. Oh, and a little bit of wishing I were, well.... you know...........

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

A Willow Ridge Halloween

Happy Halloween

from Willow Ridge Primitives

Yep! It's the day after and it appears I missed the boat. But actually.... I don't decorate out of doors until the big night. So.... here are the pics of my spooky (and not so spooky) decor, inside and out, for both Halloween and autumn.

"The Family and Dining Rooms"

I really need to find a Halloween picture for my mantle. Serene seaside doesn't quite cut it.

I made these pumpkins years ago when I did wood crafts for consignment in the 90's but I still love'em.

"The Living Room"

"The Front Porch and Welcome Garden"

I just love ornamental kale and mums in the fall. And, purple and yellow together in the garden are my fav combination. The pumkins in the mix are just the frosting on the cake.   :o)

My sisters newly adopted puppy mill rescue came from Atlanta to meet me.

"The Spooky Stuff"
which comes out the day before Halloween -

My weathered porch chair moved off the porch so the skeleton would have a place to rest his weary bones after decorating. After dark he was lit up with the first of 4 strobe lights.

A dollar store skull with the bottom cut out. Then he was placed over a cheap solar light to make him glow. We had six more but hubby lost them in his garage somewhere.

A huge tree limb I pruned out of my tree a month before and hung onto for Halloween. And a pair of dollar store crows. I brushed some black glitter glue into the limbs and on the crows. The second of 4 strobe lights was flashing into the tree and making the glitter glow. The fountain running made a great sound effect with the Halloween decor. Like trickling water through the rock walls of a cave.

The cemetary with iron look skull gates flanking the opening. The cemetary had strobe light #3 flashing on it.

Homemade plywood tombstones. The skull on the stone was a re-sale find for $1.50. It has motion sensors in his teeth and his eyes light up and follow you as he talks.

Spooky ghoul has a light up head that glows from blue to purple to green.

After dark.....

Very large spooky ghoul hanging in the maple along side the driveway. Strobe light number 4 was flashing up into the tree at him

My lounging skeleton with a huge rusty lantern shining down on him.

In the picture window, behind the cemetary I hung a big transparent Grim Reaper. Hubby placed a spoooky blue light on the floor behind him to make him glow and there was a smoke machine hiding behind the skull stone.

and the best of all, the cutest trick-or-treaters EVER!!!!!!!
Pretty in pink - Ava (age 2) the butterfly and big sis Sienna (age 4) as a princess of coarse.

Thanks a bunch for stopping by.
Till next time...........