CLOSING RETAIL STORE MAY 31, 2015

With heavy hearts, we have decided the best thing for my health and for all other circumstances of our lives that it is best to close our retail location in Millersburg.

We plan to continue to sell on the internet, on our farm, and considering some retail locations to place our items on consignment. On our farm, we will announce SALE DAYS and not maintain any regular hours at least for the near future.

Please continue to follow us as we make changes in the days ahead. Thank you for your support.

HAPPY EASTER

It's Good Friday and just wanted to let everyone know we will be closed for Easter. Hope to post some new items real soon!

Spring Never Smelled So Good - OFG Team Treasury

Put together this treasury tonight. Please visit & enjoy ... maybe even do some shopping!

https://www.etsy.com/treasury/Nzg3MjEzN3wyNzIzNDQ3NzUz/spring-never-smelled-so-good

FROM MESS TO PILLOW SUCCESS!

You saw my messy kitchen table a couple posts ago ... now here's what that mess rendered.

These are 12" pillows, made of lined burlap. We sell with or without the pillow form inside. $9.99 or $17.50 accordingly. Will ship for extra cost.

CANDLES

After hemming and hawing for quite some time, we've decided to bring back an old favorite candle line of mine. McCall's Country Candles. Long burning, heavily scented & simply fabulous! Have various scents. Please inquire if you are looking for something in particular.

MY MESS!!!

Boy oh boy, do I need a dedicated workspace! This is my kitchen table. :(  I used to use another building on our farm, but now it's used for storage for projects for our store and soon to store my in-laws' belongings for a time. So what's a messy crafter to do????? Is it any wonder that I can't concentrate and get things done?

In Need of New Sign - Before & After

We have a rear entrance to our store and often send our customers there for picking up furniture pieces they have purchased and give verbal details how to find it since it's not been marked. Also, we will be having this entrance for a handicapped entrance to the store. So, what do we really need? A sign!

It must have been nearly two years ago we came across this sign for a former bed & breakfast. It's made of this expensive outdoor wood product that will last just about forever without rotting. The top portion is grooved into the wood, then painted, and the lettering below were made of vinyl. We were holding onto it, thinking we should use it. Finally, it struck us how to update it for our use. So here's the "BEFORE" photo, as it was originally made for a bed & breakfast here in Ohio.

So, with lots of paint, vinyl lettering I made with my machine, elbow grease & time, here's the result:

I think it will do. What do you think?

HELP US WITH YOUR THOUGHTS

We are considering something new for the store! Yes, it's exciting! While I cannot reveal the details of company names, I can discuss in general terms what we are comparing for consideration. I'm looking for your response for what you think you'd prefer. Please pick #1 or #2.

1. A paint line that will work just like a famous name paint that's HOT right now, only the price point is right about 1/2 the price of the "famous" maker. Hmmmm ... how do I explain? Well, it's similar to a chalky paint line. OK...enough said. This company offers lower pricing AND you can also purchase 4 oz., 8 oz., 16 oz. and quart sizes. (The big name has only quarts and gallons.) We will hold classes and sell items for projects, as well as painting items to sell in this paint. Great plus is you don't have to sand or prep your project other than to make sure it's clean. Will stick to just about anything but high gloss ceramics.
2. A finish & paint line together. This line actually offers several choices, One line is lumpy, very old looking finish along with the paint, so it's not just a paint, it's a finish. You would probably consider it more "primitive". You can also have slightly distressed, not distressed, etc. depending on the individual product line you pick from. However, you can also make your items look like they are from the 1700s and very cool if you'd like! Yes, we'd still have classes with this line. Prices, though, are higher than #1. It's a totally different product line from #1 and actually there's more selections of things to work with.  Also can be applied without sanding or prepping, just cleaning, as above. There is also a product you can use to refinish your kitchen or bathroom counter tops. Pretty cool! The average kitchen can be updated (cabinets & counter tops) for about $200.

OK ... so without namedropping, we really would love to hear from you. Even if you think you know what I'm talking about, please do not namedrop. 

We believe adding one of these will greatly complement our store since we already sell painted furniture and takes it to the next level for the DIY people as well.

OK folks, post a comment and tell us your thoughts. Thanks!

Will the weather today prove to be an April Fools joke?

While it's not clear that spring has truly arrived for good, the weatherman says no fooling, today will REALLY be like spring! Seriously? It just snowed a couple inches Sunday! However, this has me thinking about summer & flowers. It's my goal to plant some beautiful blue hydrangeas this year, along with some rhododendren in front of our house between the pine trees for privacy. Sure hope I get these done. Who am I kidding .... it will be my hubby doing all the work since my back has a bad disc, but I won't mind taking credit for them! :) Let the "HONEY DO" list for summer officially begin!

I THINK I'M REALLY BACK!

Promises, promises made on my last post. Well, after another long break from blogging, I think it's time I start again and REALLY work at this!!! There's been a lot of health issues the last two years (breast cancer & fibromyalgia) and I'm finally on the right medications and on a better road. I still have bad days, but with the new meds I'm having fewer of those days and finding life again!

To start out, I want to announce our retail store hours are currently limited to Saturday, 11 to 5, and Sunday 12 to 4. As soon as this loooooooong winter ends, we will open more days.

Next, I've begun crafting again! YAY! There's so much new to tell you if you haven't been following our store on Facebook. So, I'll try to post things regularly to "catch you up". :)

In regard to crafting, I am a member of the "OLD FARMHOUSE GATHERING" Team ("OFG") on Etsy. We are about to have an "ANYTHING GOES" Celebration where we feature some great new creations from members of the group. Be sure to check out the preview below for a sneak peek! I'll be having items made of burlap or osnaburg.

  

 Looking forward to keeping in touch with everyone again!

 

BEEN JUSTABOUT FOREVER

Yes, I've been away from my blog a long time. Been undergoing treatment for breast cancer and this has not been a priority at all. While the store is operating Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays with the hours posted above right under the photo, I'm hoping to have more store hours, get this blog going and selling on Etsy again by June. Please come back!

TA DA!

Before pressure washing.

After pressure washing, while scraping & repairing.

After scraping, just starting primer coat.

TA DA! The Victorian Lady shines!
All done 6/24/2011

MY VICTORIAN LADY

The painting has begun ... here's the progress so far ... she's looking like that Victorian Lady someone created her to be again!

NEW ADDITIONS FOR SALE

Here's just some more terrific items we have for sale at the Loft! We ship smalls. Large pieces of furniture are available for pick up only. 

As you can see, we offer a wide range of styles in our shop. We especially like primitive & cottage decorating, and it shows! :) I am away from the store today (paint is being scraped off the front so we are closed) and I cannot remember the prices at this moment. I will be happy to let you know after I return to the store on Thursday.

Nice old buffet painted black. Pretty depression era glassware on top.

The pottery crock on the left is actually a butter churn, missing the lid & churn, but it's still a great 3 gallon crock! Tim painted the small wooden butter churn to look primtastic, even though it's not very old. The green wooden basket is actually dovetailed and has a tree branch for a handle.

I particularly love this old, beat up doll baby carriage. Just needs an antique doll or two to make it perfect!

This is pretty Depression era glassware.

 

Lovely hobnail milk glass sugar bowl.

This "epergne" makes a perfect centerpiece! Fill the lower part with fruit & place flowers in the top. It comes apart into three pieces.

This is a wonderful cane bottom rocker! Superb condition!

SPRING BEAUTY

This gorgeous rhododendron is on my way to work every day. I've been admiring it for days and finally remembered to take my camera. Enjoy!

May 21 - Great New Prims!!!

We did it again! Brought in some terrific new pieces for the prim at heart!

Just a new group display.

Love this baker's cupboard we just got in! Other new finds in the shop are the wood bowl & butter paddle, two butter molds, coffee grinder and the old beaters (red knob on handle) from around 1904!

Here's the view of the back corner, the antique telephone and big scale on the wash bench, and the framed prints are new to the shop (but not new, of course).

What a TERRIFIC OLD dry sink! Hmmmm ... where could I squeeze this in my kitchen???

This is a different kind of old washstand, but I love it! The ironstone platters in this photo are also new to the shop and are from the 1800s.

Tim made this potting bench from some old doors!

WE KEEP ADDING!

"Antiques in the Alley" was a very well attended event & sales were great this past Saturday, leaving us to do a lot of moving around, etc. and needing to be out shopping for more goodies soon! Here's some views in the store as of today. As always, contact us if you are interested in something, it's all for sale!

What a terrific old Red Wing Pottery jug!

Nice primitive grouping.

Love the old wood rectangular bowl!

Tim's apothecary, my dishtowel, occupied Japan box, old rusty tin oval box - all looks great!

Nice baskets from Baskets by Rose!

Super dovetailed lidded box with some other great prims!

Fun vintage kitchen section!

Vintage yellow ware bowls always look great!

We've got some blues!

I love this cottage/shabby grouping!

Nice wicker vanity & chair, with some other pretties!

Big set of Fransiscan Desert Rose dinnerware from the 1940s. Selling as a set.

The old vintage reds are so cheerful!

WHAT'S NEW!!!!!!

We are adding new inventory weekly and are excited to show you some photos of what's been arriving. Interested in anything? Let me know. Everything is for sale! Enjoy your stroll through my shop here on the web!

What a fun red desk & chair for a child!

What a great old tool carrier & yarn winder! That's an old paint bucket on the left.

Chick waterer on left on top of a table hubby made from old barn siding.

Here's some depression glass on the table and more will be added by Friday!

Beautiful three piece bedroom set!

Some good primitives on top of a dry sink made by my hubby!

The black cupboard holding the candles is a mix of an old piece that my hubby has fixed up and added the legs to make a FANTASTIC primitive cupboard!

Nice primitive grouping!

 

Two gorgeous wall candelabras (?) or sconces (?) for the shabby chic home! These are BIG!