The Patriot Homeplace

~For Sale!~

2012-02-07T10:05:00.002-06:00

Still cleaning out and transforming! Here are two items I have available for sale today, if you wish to purchase an item, please take a moment to read my terms of sale posted after the items.

Black four locked hearts pillow, 17 x 10 inches $20.00, plus shipping.
Family Heirloom Weavers 47 x 52 inch throw, red and linen. $45.00, plus cost of shipping.
~Terms of Sale~
*Please email me at primpatriot@gmail.com, if you have any questions, or would to purchase an item.
* I only accept paypal payments.
*Payment due within three days of paypal invoice being sent.

It has been a very busy past month of selling and shopping, and my living room is currently a disaster! My walls are bare, and I have piles of things being sold or packed away, and boxes and bags of new things waiting to be put out, sitting around. And it's driving me a little nutty. I have my paint colors chosen, and we will be busy painting in the next couple of weeks, then I can have some fun putting things together. I bought a new coffee table last week, that I absolutely love! I have my drapes ordered, and am still waiting on some pieces that are being made, that should arrive after the painting is finished. So things are coming together! I hope to have some sneak peeks soon.

Thanks for stopping by, have a blessed day!

Kimberlee

~Textiles Sale!!~

2012-01-27T11:55:00.015-06:00

Time for another sale! I have some wonderful pieces I have decided to part with today. If you have any questions, or would like to purchase an item, please email me at primpatriot@gmail.com.

I have received some emails regarding my portraits, Mr. & Mrs. Pearce, and my pewter. I'm sorry I have not had time to respond to all of your emails, but I wanted to let you all know that Mr. & Mrs. Pearce have already been sold. And I have decided to keep my pewter for now. Thank you for your inquiries!

Family Heirloom Weavers Lee's Surrender, retired pattern. Table square in red/green. 36 x 38 1/2 inches. $35.00 plus shipping. Gorgeous at Christmas!! ~SOLD~

Three of my favorite pieces, these are so great to work into all kinds of displays. Red and black runner, 37 x 17 inches. Two black and tan 17 inch squares, sold as set of three. $35.00 plus cost of shipping. SOLD
Family Heirloom Weavers black stripe table square. 46 inch square. $30.00, plus shipping. ~SOLD~

Black and mustard lovers knot throw, 30 1/2 x 47 inches. $30.00~ SOLD~
Red and tan oblong pillow, 17 x 10 inches $20.00, plus shipping. (sorry for the sideways pic, blogger is goofy sometimes!) ~SOLD~
Black four locked hearts pillow, 17 x 10 inches $20.00, plus shipping.

Red four locked hearts reversible pillow, 17 x 10 inches. $25.00, plus shipping. ~SOLD~
Long black runner, 56 inches, $25.00, plus shipping. ~SOLD~
Please email me at primpatriot@gmail.com of you would like to purchase an item. I only accept paypal payments at this time. Thanks for taking a look!

Thank you for all your kind comments and encouragement in my last post! They were greatly appreciated, and I look forward to sharing my adventure to a new style with you all! I will leave you with a few more of my pinterest inspirations today.

Come join me on this porch for a glass of southern sweet tea. :)

Have a blessed day!

Inspirations For Change

2012-01-25T08:30:00.006-06:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, I have recently decided to change my decor style. It was a big decision, one that was a little scary at first, but one I am very, very excited about! I have sold almost all of my primitive and colonial things, I decided to keep some of my favorites, but 90% of it is gone now. I even sold my pie safe. Yes, I did, I sold my PIE SAFE! I never in a million years thought I would part with that piece, but it is in a good new home, and I have some pretty new pieces to replace it. All my primitive furniture is gone. At first it was scary. I wondered if one day I would think, "What have I done?!!" but as I saw all the empty spaces grow, I got excited for the new possibilities of what could now fill them.

For the past year and a half, I have been visiting blogs and looking at magazines with a lighter look. I have always liked them, and there were times I thought about changing, but still loved my colonial primitive things. I played with the idea, but it seemed too daunting to really make that big of a change. That feeling of wanting to change grew though, and after I put my Christmas away, something in me snapped. I was done, I was going to take the big jump off the cliff of comfort and see where I landed. Ever since then, I have had such a peaceful excited feeling, this is what I am suppose to do. I thought it would take a while to sell my things, I was amazed at how fast things sold and sold, and are still selling! Which makes my decision easier, as every penny going into my new look has come from things I have sold. Guilt free shopping! :)

Everything has fallen into place perfectly, and I am hoping to have my whole living room and dining room finished by March. I'm not really sure what to call my new style yet, we will see when it is done. Today I thought I would share some rooms that have inspired me, these came from my pinterest, I love pinterest! It has really inspired my new look!

I will return this Friday with a linen sale! I have some great pieces from Family Heirloom Weavers needing new homes! Thanks for stopping by, and have a blessed day!

Kimberlee

~More Items For Sale!~

2012-01-17T18:12:00.005-06:00

Hello, I thought I would stop in real quick and offer a few items up for sale from my sister Janae,

The first item is a beautiful wool wall hanging called "Busy as a Bee", it measures 25 1/2 x 35 1/2 inches. The colors in this piece are so pretty, the pictures do not do it justice. A $100.00 value, this piece is being sold for $50.00, plus shipping. ~SOLD~

The next item is a tan lovers knot throw, it measures 48 x 31 inches. $15.00 plus shipping. ~SOLD~

If you have any questions, or would like to purchase either of these items, please email Janae at cozycoop@gmail.com.

Thanks for stopping by to take a look, and for making the previous sale a success! I will return soon with more items.

My style change is going well, I have a lot of work and painting ahead of me, but I am very excited! I hope to share some sneak peeks and some of my inspirations soon.

Kimberlee

~New Years Sale! ~

2012-01-12T12:17:00.009-06:00

I have some wonderful items for sale today! Come take a look............

Square hooked floral rug, measures 14 x 15 inches. Beautiful piece! $20.00, plus cost of shipping.
~SOLD~
Hooked horse rug, measures 37 x 17 inches. $ 35.00, plus cost of shipping. ~SOLD~
Anna's Beauty table square from Family Heirloom Weavers, 54 x 52 inches, brown and red. $35.00, plus cost of shipping. ~SOLD~

Lt. Moses Willard punched tin lamp $120.00, plus cost of shipping. ~SOLD~
Lamp measures 23 inches tall.
Beautiful colonial farmhouse print, canvas transfer with no glass! Love this piece, the pic does not do it justice. Measures 23 x 29 inches. $75.00, plus cost of shipping. (retails for $175.00) ~SOLD~
Lovers knot runner 35 1/2 inches & small black and mustard table square 17 1/2 x 15 1/2 inches. Sold together for $15.00, plus cost of shipping. ~SOLD~
Black and red woven runner, 34 x 15 inches. $15.00, plus cost of shipping. ~SOLD~
Family Heirloom Weavers black and red large table square, 54 x 54 inches. $30.00, plus cost of shipping. ~SOLD~
Wooden towel hanger gathering includes black hanger, aged coffee bag, and hanging tapers. $15.00, plus cost of shipping. ~SOLD~
Samplers gathering, includes two stitched samplers and one set of hanging tapers. $15.00, plus cost of shipping. ~SOLD~

If you have any questions, or would like purchase any of these items, please email me at primpatriot@gmail.com. I currently accept paypal payments only.

For those who live in my area of southern IL, I have some furniture pieces I am selling, including my large black trencher chest, and black quilt crane shelf, please contact me for prices and info if you are interested.

Thanks for taking a look! I will probably have more items for sale in the coming months as I change over to my new look. I will have more on that big decision a little later on in another post!

Have a blessed day!
Kimberlee

~Christmas Vignettes~

2011-12-15T18:45:00.006-06:00

Merry Christmas to everyone! 9 days until Christmas! Time has flown! Here are a few pictures of how Christmas turned out in our home this year. I was in the mood for change, I decided to do a smaller tree which I really like, it was so easy to put up and decorate compared to the nine foot one we have had in years past. It will be easier to take down also, which was something I reminded myself when dreading to take it all down last year. So, this year I decided to keep things more simple.

I didn't want to move the pie safe, so I kept it where it was, and decided to put one of my belsnickle santa collections in it, instead of putting them on the mantle again this year. I am really enjoying their new place! I kept Mr. Pearce where he was on the mantle, and added greens, pewter candlesticks, and dried pomegranates. A more colonial look!

My new Arnetts Country Store Santa, how I love him, he has such a kind face and I love the list he is holding.

Reproduction chocolate molds in the kitchen.
I have a lot more to take pics of, and hopefully if I find some time, I will try to get them on here before Christmas. I hope everyone is having a blessed holiday season! Merry Christmas!

And The Winner Is..........

2011-10-15T20:02:00.004-05:00

I put all the entries in a bowl, and Samantha drew the winning name, the winner of the fall giveaway is,

~ Gen from Olde Pear Primitives!!~
Congratulations to you Gen! I hope you enjoy your new fall goodies!

Thank you to each and every one of you who entered! Thank you for your kind comments, and to those who added my giveaway to your blog for an extra entry. I wish I could send each and every one of you fall package! Oh how fun that would be. :) This was fun, and I think I feel a Christmas Giveaway coming. I will also have some wonderful Christmas items for sale, so stay tuned! Thanks for visiting my blog and I hope to stop by yours also.

Until Next Time,
Kimberlee

~FALL GIVEAWAY!~

2011-10-07T09:41:00.005-05:00

It's fall giveaway time at The Patriot Homeplace! Here is what one lucky follower will receive.........

A fantabulous crow mold!

A perfectly gorgeous pumpkin!
A wonderfall leaf candle ring.
A super duper good smelling Pumpkin Seed candle from Black Crow Candles (LOVE these, they keep selling out at the shop!)
A perfectly prim, battery operated flicker candle with iron holder.
And last but not least, a beautifully fallish braided mat, to pull it all together!

All of these lovely items were purchased at Simple Country Treasures in Lebanon, IL. You can visit their website by clicking on their picture on the right column of this blog.

Rules of the Giveaway:

1. If you would like to enter, leave a comment, please make sure there is a way to contact you, if your name is drawn as the winner.

2. For one entry, you must be a follower, or become a follower of The Patriot Homeplace.

3. For a second chance to win, post this giveaway on your blog.

4. The giveaway will end Friday, Oct. 14. The winner will be announced Saturday, Oct. 15.

Good Luck!! :)

~Colonial Harvest Mantel~

2011-09-27T12:46:00.008-05:00

I decided to join in the Lettered Cottage's fall mantel link up party. If you would like to also join in the link up, or stop in to take a look at all the wonderful different mantels, just click on the It's Fall Y'all pic at the bottom of this post.

Here is my harvest mantel for this year, Mr. Pearce is enjoying being the center of attention over the mantel. My husband calls him Conan O'Brien's ancestor, and I have to say, I can see some resemblance. I still have not been able to complete my full plan for this area and the great room. The plan was to paint this summer, but since my husband is my painter, (I'm a very messy painter!) and his work has been pretty busy the past few months, it looks like the paint project will have to be done in November. Which works well, after I pack all the fall and halloween away, we will paint before bringing the Christmas out. The walls will be lighter and the mantel and trim darker. I have been wanting to paint my mantel for a few years, and now that I am happy with the colors I have chosen, I can't wait to finally get it done.

I used some faux wheat sprays with bittersweet to accent the pumpkins.

I also layered some textiles with the pewter, which are another ebay bargain find.

My faithful helper Luke, he likes to be involved in whatever you are doing, I just love him.
Thanks for stopping by to see my harvest mantel! I will return soon with more fall and Halloween, I will also be having a fall giveaway, so be sure to check back soon!

God Bless,
Kimberlee

~Fall Vignettes & Apple Picking~

2011-09-20T17:39:00.008-05:00

Since we are nearing the end of September, I thought I would share some of the fall decor I have put out for this year. I started putting my fall out at the end of August, and at that time, while I was in the mood for fall, I wasn't in the mood to put any Halloween out. Now that it is almost October, and my kids are wondering where all the jack'0 lanterns are, I will start putting some out next week. I have been enjoying the harvest look though, and I may start to do this every year! (If my kids will let me, they love the fun Halloween, and I do too, but just not that early.)

I moved Mrs. Pearce to my bedroom for fall, Mr. Pearce was moved to the fireplace, which I will share in my next fireplace mantel post. I think they are enjoying a little time apart.
I moved the Pearce couple so I could hang the tobacco basket I got this past summer, above the dry sink. I have to thank my friend Tammy, the owner of Simple Country Treasures, for inspiring my new love of tobacco baskets! And for the wheat wreath hanging on the basket. Thank you Tammy for your inspiration! :)

This is the first fall I have not put my jack 'o lantern gourds in my pie safe, I am enjoying the change!

I decided to keep things simple on the corner hutch, we will see what happens there for Halloween.
We have been having some wonderful fall weather, that has been such a welcome change from the heat! This past week we went apple picking, it was a perfect, cool, crisp day. How I love this time of year! Here are a couple pics from our trip to the orchard.

Patriot picking a Jonathan apple, they are yummy for baking!

Samantha with a Golden Delicious.
My boy sure is getting tall! I love this picture I took of him walking in the orchard. I will return soon with my fall mantel, and more fall to come. Hope everyone has been enjoying their season so far. :)

Until Next time,
Kimberlee

~Happy September!~

2011-09-01T10:09:00.005-05:00

Happy September! It is going to be a balmy high of 101 degrees here today, hopefully it will feel like a cool September day soon. I am looking forward to it cooling off, so I can get all my painting and outdoor projects done. I have a long list of those little projects you always mean to do, but never get done. I want to finally get them finished this fall. One by one, that is my plan. :)

Do you have any projects you hope to accomplish this coming season?

~For Sale~Mrs. Squashworth~

2011-08-05T17:14:00.000-05:00

For sale, the lovely Mrs. Squashworth! Mrs. Squashworth is 26 inches long, and is holding a bag filled with sweet annie and berries, with a worn, aged banner that reads "Harvest time". She can be displayed sitting, or be hung as shown in the photo. Her adoption fee is $35.00 plus the cost of shipping. Please email me at primpatriot@gmail.com, if you would like to give Mrs. Squashworth a new home. ~SOLD~ Thank you! :)

~Fall Sale!~

2011-08-02T18:32:00.000-05:00

It is hot. Too hot. I am so ready for fall and cooler temps! So why don't we cool off with a fall sale? I have some really good deals for you today! All items in this sale were purchased from one of my favorite shops, Arnetts Country Store, and made by the wonderfully talented folk artist, Stacee Droit.

The first item I have is a large pumpkin doll my kids named Hank. Hank measures four ft. tall, and really is a big fella! He looks great displayed holding a pumpkin, or gathering of indian corn. He is $40.00 plus the cost of shipping. ~SOLD~

Next is Mr. Pumpkin Pie. Mr. Pumpkin Pie was in the 2010 issue of Country Sampler magazine, when our home was featured. Mr. Pumpkin Pie comes attached to the log he is sitting on, with the corn and pumpkin he is holding. He measures 23 inches tall, and 15 inches wide. He is $40.00, plus cost of shipping. ~SOLD~

(Since he is a very heavy piece and requires a larger box, I am going to guess his shipping will be close to $30.00, but will get an exact quote for the buyer.)

I also have this cat and pumpkin, that were also seen in the magazine. This piece is a great filler for so many spots. Hank looks great holding it. It measures 13 inches tall, and 9 inches wide. It is $20.00, plus shipping. ~SOLD~
If you have any questions, or would like to purchase any of these items, please email me at primpatriot@gmail.com , paypal payments only. Thanks for stopping by and looking! :)

Only one more month until I bring all the fall out in my home. I am looking forward to it, and hopefully some cooler weather. When do you usually decorate for fall?

Thank you to all who purchased from my summer sale! I still have a couple items left available. For anyone interested, you can see my previous post for the items that are not marked sold. Including some Stein folk art fruit!

Until Next Time,
Kimberlee

~Summer Sale!~

2011-07-16T17:55:00.001-05:00

Welcome to my summer sale!

The first item I am selling is a pair of colonial portraits boy and girl together, $60.00 plus cost of shipping. They both measure 18 x 20 inches each. They do have a couple flaws, one is a scratch on top the part of the girls frame. I will try to add a closer picture of this. There is also some warping on the canvas from being stored to close to a vent in my closet. The backing is also coming loose but could easily be remedied with a little glue. I do not notice any of these flaws when they are hung, but feel it should be noted, before selling. ~SOLD~

Sorry this picture is sideways, I have been having some uploading issues with blogger today!
Set of Stein Country Collection folk art fruit, 7 pieces, three pears, two apples, and two cloved oranges. $50.00 for 7 piece set. (would normally sell for $140.00) plus shipping. (Basket not included.)

Set of two David Harden sheep, 10 x 8 inches each. $25.00 for set plus shipping. ~SOLD~

Quilt throw, 38 x 54 1/2 inches. $20.00 plus shipping. ~SOLD~
Harold the folk art sheep, 14 inches long. $ 14.00 plus shipping. ~SOLD~
Set of three wooden spoons. $5.00 plus shipping (group #1) ~SOLD~
Set of three wooden spoons (group #2) $5.00 plus shipping. ~SOLD~
Star quilt throw 38 x 54 1/2 inches $20.00 plus shipping. ~SOLD~
4 ft, rosehip garland $10.00, plus shipping.
Primitive pineapple 15 inches tall including stem, $12.00 plus shipping. ~SOLD~
Americana pillow and bag set, pillow is 12 x 7 inches, bag is 8 x 6 inches $12.oo plus shipping. ~SOLD~

Primitive school girl bag with blackboard 17 x 6 1/2 inches $10.00 plus shipping. ~SOLD~

If you have any questions, or would like to purchase any of these items, please send me an email at primpatriot@gmail.com. Paypal payments only, thanks! :)

Thanks for stopping by, and taking a look at my sale!

Until next time,
Kimberlee

~Happy Independance Day & Ancestral Discoveries~

2011-07-04T10:19:00.000-05:00

Happy Independance Day! I am so proud to be an American, and feel so blessed to be a part of this great nation. I am thankful for all the brave men and women who have fought for us to have and keep the freedoms that we have today.

I thought this would be a good post to share something I discovered this past year. I have always been interested in genealogy. And after watching the show "Who Do You Think You Are?" I was inspired to find out more about my ancestry. I was amazed at what I found, it turned into an addicting treasure hunt of history. One thing I was surprised at is just how long my family has been here, each branch I followed went straight back to Virginia, pre-Revolutionary War. One of my favorite times of history! Among the eight grandfathers I found who fought as patriot soldiers in the war for freedom, I came across this information about my sixth and seventh great grandfathers,

1776- Gen. George Washington at Valley Forge was accompanied by Privates William TRAYLOR Sr. and Jr. The army moved to the upper Delaware R. 23 Dec, the VA 5th Volunteers crossed to scout the enemy positions; 24 Dec, General Washington made his famous crossing, and was given directions by the scouts, which included William TRAYLOR Sr. and Jr.. Later, about March 1777. William Jr. was reported "sick at Trenton". Several Traylors were listed as patriots.

If you saw my last post about my son Patriot's name, his middle name is- William. And my favorite painting? Prayer at Valley Forge. That gave me goosebumps! I'm so glad to know this history now, so it is not lost for future generations.
I would love to hear from others on their ancestral history and discoveries, I am fascinated by this subject. Every person I have heard do this, has always found a surprising connection to the past. I also have to say that all my research did not cost a penny, just lots of patience and searching. There is so much information online now, it really is not that hard to do! I will be blogging more on this subject in the future.
I have done some changes in my summer decor this year. I still have a passionate love for red geraniums, but moved things around a bit. :) Last year, I had my presidential portraits together over the dry sink. Since I have Mr. & Mrs. Pearce there now, I decide to split George and Abe up. I put George above the pie safe, and I love him up there. It was a good change. I will show you where Abe ended up in my next post with more summer vignettes.
I will also be having a summer sale. I did not forget, and I'm sorry I still have not posted the sale yet! I have Stein folk art fruit, americana pieces, quilts, wooden spoons, David Harden sheep, a pair of portraits, and some other items that I will be selling.
I found this old picture in my Granny's photo album after she passed away. I love it, I just wish I knew who the child was. Isn't it a neat pic?

Thanks for stopping by, I hope you all have a Happy and safe 4th of July!

Kimberlee

St.Charles, New Goodies & A Special Birthday!

2011-05-06T21:32:00.000-05:00

A couple weeks ago, my sister Janae and I decided to take a day trip to one of our favorite places to visit, historic St. Charles, Mo. One of my favorite colonial shops is located on it's main street. It was a fun day, with perfect sunny weather. Here are a few pictures I took from that day.

And here is my favorite colonial shop, The Cobblestone Cottage. I discovered it a couple years ago, and the first time I walked in, I was amazed at what I saw. It was just how I wanted my home to be, I felt it was so ME! I was so excited to find a shop like this, I could have taken everything in the store home. :)

I meant to take more pictures of all the wonderfulness inside, but I was a little busy shopping!
Here are a few pictures I did take though.

LOVE all the pewter in the large black hutch!! Two of my favorite things, pewter and black!

And this is who came home with me that day, Mr. & Mrs. Pearce. I have wanted these portraits for a long time, but wanted them without glass. I was so excited to find them there! I also got the sconce to go with them, they are so large they made the other sconces I had look too small to go with them. I found this one in hiding in the corner of the shop, it was waiting for me. :)

The wall color, dry sink, and chair will all be new colors soon. I will post a before and after when it is all done. Can't wait for the new look!

This past week we celebrated my son Patriot's birthday. We had planned on celebrating it at Big Cedar Lodge, in Branson, MO. Due to all the rain, storms, and flooding we thought it best we stay home and reschedule to go another time. You can see another one of my posts about this wonderful place here http://thepatriothomeplace.blogspot.com/2009/11/autumn-at-big-cedar-lodge-halloween-and.html Patriot was a good sport, and took the change in plans well. I had to come up alternate plans quickly, we decided to try America's Incredible Pizza Company in St. Peters, MO. It turned out to be a very fun day! And since we went on a Monday, early when they opened, we practically had the place to ourselves!

We were the only ones in the theater dining room, my kids were in heaven, pizza, ice cream, and the Wizard of Oz.

Patriot was so excited to see he was tall enough to drive his own go cart!

Start your engines!

Samantha enjoying the carousel.

We finished his birthday at Grandma's house for cake and presents.

It is so hard to believe my little boy is now nine years old, time goes by soooo fast! I sometimes have people ask me if his name really is Patriot, and the answer to that is yes, it is.

The story behind his name is kind of a long one. I will try to condense it a bit. I always had the name William picked out if I ever had a boy one day. I looked in the phone book and saw there were 8 William Johnsons in our town alone. I knew he needed to have a different name after that, so William went to the middle spot. I had always loved the movie The Patriot, and it did cross my mind once it might be a neat name for someone. I never thought I would name my child that though. :) We have many veterans on both my husbands and my side of the family, both our fathers and grandfathers are retired Air Force. We thought it would be nice to find a name to remember them all, Patriot fit. On Sept. 11, 2001 I had just found out I was pregnant, and was suppose to go to the doctors the next day for my first appointment. It was a day like everyone else, I will never ever forget. Part of his name is in memory of 9/11, little did I know they would end up calling 9/11 Patriot Day. And it was very fitting that nine years later, the day before his birthday, while wrapping Patriot's birthday gifts, I heard the news we had finally found and taken care of Osama Bin Laden. Happy Birthday Patriot William!

OK, next post is my my spring clean out sale! Be looking for it some time next week, I have some very nice items that need new homes! :)

~Touches Of Spring!~

2011-04-11T12:57:00.000-05:00

It finally feels like spring is here to stay, we had a high of 83 degrees yesterday and it was wonderful! I thought I would share the rest of the spring touches we have around our home for this year. I can't believe how soon Easter and the summer months are approaching. I'm starting to look forward to new summer ideas, and a couple makeovers I will be working on in the coming months. Be looking for some sneak peeks, and some very nice prim items I will be selling as I continue down a more colonial road. A compote and spice box I also got over the holidays, I decided to put dried pear gourds in the compote for spring. Don't you love when you come up with something new for free? I decided to use my old egg basket for a table centerpiece this year. I just added some everyday greens with one of my favorite chalkware rabbits, and some eggs. I used a footed dish to add some height. The table square is Anna's Beauty from Family Heirloom Weavers, I love this pattern and will be using it with my fireplace makeover. I found these old books in a box out in my garage, they were my mothers that she had bought years ago at an antique shop. I took them when she was going to get rid of them, and forgot I even had them! I decided to open the wall cupboard that I have had closed for a while and made a new vignette with them. I see more old books in my future! I love these reproduction rabbit chocolate molds! They are of course from Simple Country Treasures! :) Thanks for stopping by, and for all your kind comments. Happy Spring! Be looking for some great prims for sale! :) God Bless, Kimberlee

~Pewter Passion!~

2011-03-28T20:40:00.000-05:00

I thought I would share some new things I got over Christmas and my birthday in Jan., I love, love, love pewter! I hope in our next home to have a large dining room with a huge black hutch, with a red painted interior, filled to the brim with pewter! A harvest table with black comb back chairs and a HUGE Moses Willard chandelier. I can see it all now.....until then I will keep collecting my pewter pieces. Here is a colonial pewter set I got for my birthday. It was quite a steal on ebay. I kept watch until the last minute, just sure someone would come along and hike up the price, but no one came, woo hoo! It came with all pieces shown in the picture, the container holding the pheasant feathers was a glass oil lamp. The glass got shattered in the mail, but it turned out to be a good thing, I like it better with the feathers in it. My husband got me this horse hooked rug for Christmas, love it! He also got me this large quilt crane shelf. I like it better that the simple one I had there before because it helps anchor the large open wall it is on in the great room. Shore birds are another love of mine. My mother-in-law has a beautiful collection of shorebirds, and has inspired me to collect more in the future. I think I am going to move my other quilt crane to our bedroom.

Here are a couple spring shots I will leave you with, and I will return with more spring soon. Even though we are expecting some snow tonight! God Bless, Kimberlee

~Happy Spring!~

2011-03-20T14:28:00.000-05:00

Happy first day of spring! It is sunny and clear here today. YAY! Such a welcome change after a very, very long winter of snow and illness at The Patriot Homeplace. I am very happy to say goodbye to winter, and HELLOOO to spring! I have been busy putting some spring touches around our home. Here is how the vignette on our coffee table/dough box turned out. I found the glass canister at Target, how I love Target! I also found this cute little cream tray at Simple Country Treasures in Lebanon, IL. It was perfect for pulling this grouping together. I will be back, as I have lots to catch up on, and blog about. I will return with more spring and projects soon. Spring always makes me antsy for change. I have a big fireplace project up my sleeve I am excited to get started on! Just have to find the perfect paint color for it. I hope everyone has a blessed day, and can get out to enjoy some of the long awaited sunshine! Ahhhhh, it feels good. :)

Kimberlee

~Cozy Christmas Vignettes~

2010-12-02T11:14:00.000-06:00

I think this is a record for me, TWO posts within TWO days! WOW!! I have decided to join in the Christmas vignette party at http://southernhospitalityblog.com/ . I am really enjoying seeing all the many different homes, and styles of decor. I love decorating, and being inspired by something new. Speaking of new, this is my newest Christmas vignette. It is still actually missing it's main inspirational piece. He, and his reindeer are on backorder, and will be shipped out next week. I thought I would go ahead and post it anyway. This is my first Christmas with my new yellow hutch I got last winter. I am happy with how this new vignette turned out. I like for things to be full and warm, with a tiny touch of magic sparkle at Christmas time. I added the string of lights for the sparkle in this vignette. Can you see the spot where Santa and his reindeer will be going? I will have to post a new pic when he comes! :)
Right there, do you see it? In between the trees, with the string of lights behind him, I can just picture him sparkling there now!

I will return soon with more Christmas, and more vignettes! Have a blessed day! :)

Old Fashioned Belsnickle Santa Christmas Mantle

2010-11-30T20:11:00.000-06:00

Here is our mantle for this year! I decided to go with my belsnickle santa collection again. I guess I am a sucker for snickles! In fact, I think my next post will be about my ever growing belsnickle santa collection! The wool striped stockings I found on ebay a few years ago. They remind me of a very old book my mother has from her childhood of " 'Twas the night before Christmas". I always loved the old fashioned illustrations in that book. Without realizing it, I think that is where my mantle inspiration came from.

The pre lit wreath and garland came from QVC, I added red berries and rusty sleigh bells for extra color and texture. To elevate the santas in the back row, I hid some wooden blocks behind the garland for them to stand on.

The old sled and antique childrens chair were both flea market finds. The santa was made by folk artist Stacee Droit, from Arnett's Country Store. I am a big fan of Stacee's work!

The fireboard was a very easy $20.00 project. I also found a great deal on greens at Michaels to fill the crock with. The pinecones were FREE! My kids love to collect them outside. I spritzed some scented oil on them to add a nice cinnamon and evergreen scent to the room.

Luke thinks it's a cozy spot for a nap. I will return soon with more Christmas!

God Bless,
Kimberlee

Christmas Time Is Here!

2010-11-26T22:26:00.000-06:00

Christmas time is here, happiness and cheer. Fun for all, that children call, their favorite time of the year. Snowflakes in the air, carols everywhere. Olden times and ancient rhymes, of love and dreams to share. Sleigh bells in the air. Beauty everywhere. Yuletide by the fireside, and joyful memories there. Christmas time is here, we'll be drawing near. Oh, that we could always see, such spirit through the year. Oh, that we could always see, such spirit through the year...

More Christmas to come...... deck the halls with boughs of holly, fa la la la la la la la laaaaa!

Happy Halloween & Happy November!

2010-11-01T12:21:00.000-05:00

I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween! Here are a few more pics of some Halloween around our home.

And Happy November, the weather has FINALLY cooled off to really feel like fall around here. I am looking forward to this month of preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas. I hear all my santas and snowmen calling me from the attic! I will probably start next week. I have a monster garage to tackle this week! :)

God Bless,

Kimberlee

Samantha's Parisian Barbie Room Makeover Reveal!

2010-10-26T19:53:00.000-05:00

We finally finished Samantha's big girl room makeover! She chose a Parisian Barbie theme and I could not have been happier with her choice! I love the combination of pink, bright pink, white, and black. Her room was inspired by a black and pink outfit she received last Christmas, her love of Barbies, and her dream of going to Paris one day. At first I was concerned if a five year old girl was really going to like having black in her room. She loves it though, I guess she takes after me, I love black too! I did my best to make her room not too grown up, but something she can grow with. I also had a rule for the budget on this room. Any money I spent had to come from things I sold that I did not need, or want anymore. It took some time, but it was so great to clean out and purge, while also saving money at the same time. I can't believe all the things I found to sell once I started digging around the garage! I think I may stick by this rule in the future.

We painted a bright pink accent wall with Benjamin Moore's Springtime Bloom, then my sister Janae used a stencil she already had to border the room in black. I looked at bedcrowns online and found most of them wayyyy out of my budget. Instead of spending almost $150.00 on a bed crown, I found a shelf half off at Hobby Lobby, I turned it upside down and mounted to the wall adding some inexpensive tulle and ribbons. For the mirror above the bed, I ordered a initial decal from Etsy.

The lamp and shade came from Target. It seemed to be missing something, so I added the bow with rhinestone broach from Michaels. I just glue gunned that sucker on. Very cheap project!

The Barbie silhouette on the accent wall is actually a decal. We painted the wall white, and added an empty frame. The sconces are also wall decals. I like this because it is kid friendly, with no glass or heavy things that can fall on your child. The bedding was also an inspiration for the room. The duvet cover, shams and Barbie pillow came from Pottery Barn kids. I love the vintage Barbies on them. I found a great deal for these on ebay for much less than on the PBK site. The other accent pillows came from Target and Hobby Lobby.

A very special piece in Sami's room is this antique fireplace mantel that was turned into a bookshelf. I bought this piece a couple years ago. I originally found it two years before that, in an antique store. I loved it, but had no place to put it in my home. Two years later, Samantha needed some storage space in her room. I immediately thought of it, but was sure it would be long gone. I still went to see though, and there it was in the back corner of the shop on sale! I was soo excited, it was waiting for us!
We added storage baskets I found on sale at Gordmanns. I glue gunned on the bows and rhinestones, for an extra pop of pink and sparkle. These baskets have been perfect storage for toys and books.

I ordered another initial decal from etsy for the mirror on the fireplace, and the black dressform was on clearance at Michaels, I spray painted it black, and added a rhinestone.
The shoes were Christmas ornaments at Hobby Lobby, I just took the strings off.

Remember my bucket from the dollar aisle at Target? I spray painted the handle black, and added a bow, the flowers were also on sale at Michaels.

We already had this shelf in Sami's room, we just painted it black. My sister brought the two chandelier tins back from her trip to Las Vegas last year. The mini pails are also from the Target dollar aisle. I love Target!

We also already had this frame, I just printed off a vintage Barbie picture for the frame.
Remember my $20.00 craigslist antique vanity? We painted it black and added glass knobs. The mirror use to be white, and is from Sami's nursery. The chair was a $8.00 yard sale find, I also spray painted black. I got some material at Hobby Lobby and had my mother sew a cushion and runner for the dresser.

Samantha loves her new room! When she first came in to see it, she asked for her birthday dress, put it on, and sat down at her vanity. She has been wanting a vanity for a while, so she was very excited. She then lived in her room, and in that dress for three days.

Some napping buddies I caught the other day.

I couldn't make this post without mentioning a loss we had in our family last week. We had to put our beautiful Precious to sleep. She went peacefully in my arms, it was a very sad day. She was such a wonderful and sweet dog. We had eleven great years together. I am sure she is having a ball with Buster and Gryffin. I'm glad she is no longer sick, but we certainly miss her. Our home is not the same without her. RIP Princess Precious, we love you!

Happy Fall & A SWEET Post!

2010-09-23T17:47:00.000-05:00

Happy first day of Fall! Things have been so busy since my last post. A trip to visit my husband's family in Indiana, birthdays, the start of school, a new furry family member, AND getting ready for fall! I usually start my decorating Sept.1, but I broke down a couple days earlier than that this year. Here are a few pictures of some touches of Fall around our home. Like my new set of hooters? :) I bought them from the shop I work at, Simple Country Treasures. You can click on their picture to the right and see all the wonderful fall goodies they have in! We had so much fun helping the shop get ready for Fall this year!

On Aug. 27, my daughter Samantha turned five. She had a Candy Land Birthday Party, I had so much fun with that theme! Here are a few pictures from her SWEET birthday.

The birthday girl in her "Dweam Dwess" as she calls it.

My sister Janae decorated this Candy Land cake, She did such a FABULOUS job! It was hard to cut such a pretty, cute cake!

We played all candy themed music and games. We had a peppermint spoon race, played pin the lollipop on the fairy, and pass the gummy ball game. All the kids had such a good time. It was a fun day!

Another sweet thing is our new furry family member! Meet Luke, he came home with us when we went to Indiana. Our niece found out she is allergic to Luke, and had to find him a new home. We were so happy when we were asked to take Luke. We have had a sad past couple years when it comes to dogs. My faithful shadow boy Buster passed away very unexpectantly in June 2008, and we then had to put our new puppy Gryffen down when he was 8 months old, a little over a year later. I still miss my golden boys, it was very sad losing them both. It has been so nice to have another yellow boy around again. :)

He makes a nice autumn accessory too!

He has settled in just fine, and is a major couch hog. If there is a cozy spot in the house, he will find it. He is such a good boy.

I had a question that was asked about the toile bedding in our master bedroom. Believe it or not, I bought it from JC Penneys on clearance last summer. The comforter, shams and bedskirt all came from there. Thank you, and I hope you can find what you are looking for. I know it took me a long time to finally find some bedding I liked.

That is all for today, I will be back soon with more Fall and Halloween pics. I also have some prims for sale I will be listing on my blog soon.

God Bless, Kimberlee

More Exciting Magazine News & Bargain Finds

2010-08-04T14:16:00.000-05:00

Hello, I wanted to thank everyone for their kind comments on my last post about our home being in Country Sampler Magazine. It has been such an exciting time for us, and we thank you for sharing in our excitement, it means a lot, and we really appreciate it! :)

I also wanted to answer a couple questions that were asked. The first one being where I got the print above our bed in the master bedroom. My husband bought it for me for Christmas a couple years ago, from a small local shop that has since closed. I do know it came from the Ragon House Company, so you may want to contact them to see if it is something they still carry. The second question was the paint colors in our living room and bedroom. The paint color in the living room is Hampton Court by Ralph Lauren, from Home Depot. The paint color in the bedroom is Richmond Bisque by Benjamin Moore.

In July, A Simple Life magazine had a patriotic home contest on facebook. And I won! I was so excited! I can't remember the last thing I won. I think it was the fire prevention essay contest in sixth grade, and I drug a huge trophy home for it. I will never forget it! Well, what I got for this contest was just as good as that trophy, I was not expecting such a generous prize! Candy Looker contacted me and asked what I would like for her to paint on my sign, and I asked for a sign that said sweet tea. I am a sweet tea addict. Candy is a talented lady and did such a great job! Here is the sign and the other goodies that came. Thank you Simple Life magazine and Candy Looker!
I also received a prim stationery holder filled with some wonderful stationery! A new Simple Life candle in Sorghum Clove scent, and a Simple Life bar of herb soap. They smell soooo good!

Look at this awesome stationery! I don't know if I will be able to let myself use it or not! :) If you like this stationery, you can find it on this site, www.picturetrail.com/pinegrovepaperco and if you are interested in A Simple Lifes candles and soaps, you can find them here, http://asimplelifemagazine.com/Dry-Goods-Store.html .

And for more exciting magazine news, I am anxiously awaiting the first issue of A Primitive Place magazine! It should be in my mail box any day now, and from what I have heard, it is more like a gorgeous book, than a magazine! I am keeping my fingers crossed that today will be the day! If you would like to subscribe to A Primitive Place magazine, you can click on the magazine picture I have on the right column of my blog.

I found some great bargains for Samantha's new room a couple weeks ago. I found the pink bucket in Target's value aisle for $2.00! I have some fun plans for it! You will have to wait and see. One request Samantha has wanted for her room was a vanity. I was not sure if that would fit in the budget, but I found a perfect one on craigslist for $20.00! It is going to have a very Parisian makeover. The tray was a cheap ebay find.

We are suppose to have a very hot day today, a heat index of over a 100 degrees. At this point I am more than ready for fall! I have never been a fan of the heat. I think I may close the shades, burn a pumpkin candle, and hopefully look at the new fall APP magazine!

Here is a picture of my new friend, he has been having breakfast with my sunflowers for a couple weeks now. I hope he sticks around, he sure is pretty.

Thanks for stopping by, I will leave you with some pictures to cool you off, and give you something to look forward to in this heat, FALL! :)

God Bless,

Kimberlee

Our Home In Country Sampler!

2010-07-20T15:31:00.000-05:00

Last fall, Country Sampler magazine came to photograph our home for a future fall issue of the magazine. We didn't know for certain which issue it would be in, this years, or the next. Last Wednesday my sister called me from the shop, and said a lady had called wanting to know if she could order a pumpkin hooked rug she had seen in her new fall issue of Country Sampler, so that made it official, we HAD made it in this years!! I was soo excited! I was dying to see how everything turned out, a couple of my online friends had received theirs too, and I then found out the name of our story, Some Kind Of Wonderfall! I love the name, that made me even more excited, I prayed my copy would come soon, the anticipation was just too much! :) The next day I sent Patriot to check the mail, and out of the mail box, gleaming in the sunlight, the cover of the new fall issue of Country Sampler Magazine!!!! I felt like Ralphie finally receiving his Little Orphan Annie secret decoder ring in the mail! "It's here! It's here!" Patriot came running up the sidewalk with the magazine, and he would not let me open it until he had gotten his sister to the table for us to see together, we turned the pages to find our home, and there it was!! Our house in Country Sampler! It was very surreal and exciting to actually see it in print!

Thank you Country Sampler, Bill Matthews, and Gloria Gale, it has been a dream come true!

Geranium LOVE And Surprise Makeovers

2010-07-07T21:29:00.000-05:00

Or should I say geranium obsession? I realized as I put my summer decor out this year that I had gotten a little carried away with the geraniums. I LOVE red geraniums in the summer time, they compliment the colors of Americana so well, but as I walked around my little house, I realized there can be too much of a good thing. So I decided to revamp a few spots without geraniums, here is how it turned out. And yes, there are still plenty of geraniums!
I decided to move George and Abe from the master bedroom, to the living room for the summer, I really love how they turned out over the dry sink.
The pie safe, I forced myself to remove the geraniums and replace with white daisies. It worked.

Another spot where red geraniums were removed, the greens look better there anyway, right?

Believe it or not, this was the only spot that did not have red geraniums to begin with, maybe I should add some? Better not. :)

This summer has really been flying by, I hope everyone had a happy 4th! We have had a lot of rain this year, which my hydrangea has loved. I think this has been it's best year so far.

I am STILL working on Samantha's big girl room makeover. Slowly but surely, it is coming together, and I am really excited about it. Last summer Patriot had a surprise makeover on his room. I wish I had before pictures, he still had his nursery wall colors in his room of soft blue and green, and a hodge podge mess! He went away for a week to visit my sister, and we got to work on his room. It took us the whole week to get it done. And I will never work with bright red paint again in my life! He was so shocked when he came home to find his new room. I chose a theme he can grow with, and will always love, Star Wars!

Here is a sneak peek of Samantha's makeover. OOH LA LA!

Spring Vignettes and Samantha's Nursery Pics!

2010-03-20T20:47:00.000-05:00

Spring has sprung at The Patriot Homeplace! I have been enjoying the beautiful weather we have been having! Hearing the birds chirp, and being able to leave the windows open to have the fresh breeze blow in. I have been in a light and bright mood lately. I was inspired to bring some of my white dishes out that I have never used for display before, to make a spring vignette in my kitchen. I am really enjoying it! Here are a few pictures of the touches of spring we have around our home right now. Notice something new in the Dining room? I bought the little cupboard from the shop I work at, Simple Country Treasures. As soon as I saw it, I could picture some of my pewter pieces in it. For Valentines Day, we surprised the kids with fron row seats to Disney On Ice! The show was last week the kids were so excited, though they not look it in the first picture they really were! Haha! Hurry up and take the pic mom! Samantha is big Princess Tiana fan. She asked to dress as Tiana for the show. I found the perfect dress on ebay. It shipped from England, when it arrived it had Royal Mail stamped on the package. She was SURE it had come Royal Mail from a castle in England. Patriot dressed as Buzz Lightyear. When Buzz came out to do his part of the show he came over to say hi to Patriot. It made his night! The show started and this was the last picture I got, my battery died!!! I missed the most precious picture too! When Tiana and Prince Naveen finished their dance, they ended up right in front of us. Before we knew what was happening Prince Naveen pulled out a rose and Princess Tiana handed it to Samantha. She was so starstruck she could barely move, but managed to take the rose and say thank you. It was a classic magical Disney moment. The front row seats were worth every penny! Ready for the show! I am still preparing for Samantha's surprise big girl room makeover. It is really coming together and I can't wait to get it done! I thought this would be a good post to share pictures of her nursery. When I found out I was having a girl I was so excited! I had always wanted to do a girl's nursery, and I knew I wanted it to be pink and girly! I love pink and luckily so does Samantha. I have to add, that the color of her walls are not the Pepto Bismol pink it appears to be in some of the pictures. It is more of a pale shade. We used Laura Ashley Pink Plaster 1 paint. I chose a Shabby Chic bunny theme for her nursery. The picture on top of the chifferobe is of my great grandmother holding my mother as a baby. It is one of my most favorite pictures.

That is all for now! I hope to be back soon with more spring vignettes. God Bless, Kimberlee

The Holidays and Catching Up!

2010-02-15T16:35:00.001-06:00

Boy can time get away from you quickly! Here I was planning to post before Christmas, and it's already the day after Valentines Day! I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas, Happy New Years, and a Happy Valentines Day. Things have been busy at The Patriot Homeplace, but it feels like we are finally settling down into a good routine lately.

I have never really decorated for Valentines Day. It's just not a holiday I get too excited about. (Maybe it's from having worked in a flower shop 15 hours straight on Valentines Day in the past.) :) I decided to get a couple Valentine decorations this year, to make it fun for Patriot and Samantha. I thought this simple love and heart were perfect. I bought them at the store I work at, Simple Country Treasures. You can also see my new plate rack in this picture. I love it!

We had a great Christmas! This was the first year both my kids were willing to sit by the tree and take a nice picture with full cooperation. Yay!

Oh the joys of Christmas!

Now, I will admit I was as excited as Samantha at what Santa left her.............

The Colonial American Girl Felicity!!!!

When I was a teen, I would get American Girl catalogs in the mail. I loved looking at them, and hoped I would have a little girl to buy them for one day. I'm so glad Samantha likes them as much as I do! We are hoping to make a trip to The American Girl Place in Chicago next year.

I am in love with Felicity's bed. I am going to ask Santa to bring one in my size for Christmas next year.

Right after the New Year, Samantha had her first dance recital. She was very excited and did such a good job. All the girls were so cute to watch.

Very Proud!!

It took me a while to get all my Christmas put away. It's funny how you can go from being in such a Christmas mood, to instantly wanting it all put away, simple and clean, as soon as Christmas is over. I have also been in a mood for change, so I have been moving things around.
I decided to bring my shorebirds back out. I like them on my corner cupboard for now.

I am also reworking my peg rack shelf. I feel like taking a break from prairie dresses and bonnets. I found this basket at Simple Country Treasures to put in place of my dress for now.

We have had quite a bit of snow this winter. I am starting to feel spring fever coming on. I am ready to see green, flowers, and more sunshine. I am thinking about bringing my spring decor out next weekend. I am also slowly working on my bathroom makeover, and a surprise big girl makeover for Samantha's room.

Now I'm off to catch up on my Olympics. I will be back next week, with some hints of spring pics!When do you usually put your spring out?

Christmas in The Dining Room and Kitchen

2009-12-14T22:09:00.000-06:00

Wow! It's ten days until Christmas! Almost nine actually, I am posting this late. :) It has been gray and very cloudy here, not very good picture taking weather. How I wish we would get some pretty snow! I am dreaming of a white Christmas. Here are some pictures of my dining room and kitchen, I am not thrilled with the lighting, how I wish the sun would have come out, it was a very dark day.

I did get some of the presents wrapped for the tree this past weekend. My children are getting so excited for Santa to come next week. They have chocolate advent calenders they open every day to count down to Christmas.

Are you ready for Christmas? I am mostly, but need to get things mailed out this week. If the sun will come out, I will snap some pictures of the bedroom and bath, the ones I took were way too dark. I'll be back soon with more Christmas, and a yummy recipe for Peppermint punch!

Kimberlee

Christmas Decor in the Great Room

2009-12-10T22:55:00.000-06:00

Wow is Christmas coming up quickly! I realized I better post my pics while it was still Christmas time! :) Here are some pictures of our Great room. I realized I still have a couple things left to do, like hang one sign and add some garland to the entry way of the dining room. My kids are also ready to see some gifts under the tree, so I guess I better get to wrapping this weekend! Pie safe with Arnett's Santa

Old flea market tool box

This is my first Christmas with my new blanket chest/dough box. I am happy with how the display turned out for Christmas with it.

Antique dry sink
My new corner cupboard, I got this past spring. It stores all the children's books, it is a cozy reading spot for them.

First Christmas with my dough box/coffee table! It really adds some coziness to the room. I'm thrilled with it!

That is it for now, I will be back soon with some pics of the dining room, kitchen, and bedroom. I hope everyone is having a happy Christmas season! Merry Christmas! Kimberlee

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year! ~ Christmas Sneak Peeks!~

2009-11-30T14:55:00.000-06:00

I have to agree with one of my favorite Christmas songs, it is the most wonderful, magical, time of the year! We have been working hard transforming our home from Fall to Christmas. We were so lucky to have beautiful, sunny weather to get our outdoors done this past weekend. Now that it is up, I am ready for some cold weather and snow. :) I still have some touches to finish in the bathrooms and kid's rooms, but here is a little sneak peek of The Patriot Homeplace dressed for Christmas.

Here are my snowmen from Arnett's Country Store. I try to collect one Arnett's piece a year. I just love them! The tall snow girl to the right is the newest member. My kids named her Annie.

Thank you for all the kind comments on my new bedroom, in my previous post. It was fun having a new room to decorate for Christmas this year. I will be back soon with more Christmas pictures and things to share. Have a blessed day, and Merry Christmas!

Kimberlee

My Bedroom Makeover Reveal

2009-11-19T17:15:00.000-06:00

Well, here it is, my new bedroom! My husband and I have been married 12 years, and have never really had a well put together bedroom. It has always seemed to have to come last in my decorating. Every time I would want to work on it, something else would come up. This past summer, I decided I was tired having the whole house decorated except for the master bedroom. It took me a long time to decide what kind of bedding I wanted, but slowly, piece by piece, it came together, and I am happy with how it turned out. We still need a real bed, but that will have to wait a little longer. I have the bed picked out, it is a black pencil post, rope bed, and I love it! It will take some saving to get it, but I will have it some day! :)

The table is my grandmother's, I hope to have it in a formal living area some day when we have a larger home. For now I really like how it looks in my bedroom. The portraits and lamp are my sister's. She is moving and changing her decor style, so I will be buying some of her items from her. The large print and sconces above my bed, my husband gave for me for Christmas a couple years ago, they use to be in my dining room. I love them.

The chandelier we bought for very cheap from home Depot a couple years ago, we spray painted it black, and I found the berry rings in a box out in the garage. They use to have rusty stars on them, but I clipped them off.

The rug was another perfect fit to the room from my sister.

It took me a very long time to decide on the bedding. I love the colonial coverlets, and I found a king size one I liked, but I just did not see it being a every day use for us. It felt too rough and thin. So I decided on a accent blanket and pillows of the colonial fabrics I liked, and found a toile bed set that is very functional for us to use every day, it is very soft and fluffy and I need a touch of that in my bedroom. As much as I love the simple colonial look, I love my pillows and comfort! So I had to follow my heart on that one. :) And since we don't have a real bed or headboard yet, I think the pillows distract from it.

The tavern check curtains, were a very lucky find on ebay, I was so happy to find them, since that pattern is being discontinued.

I bought the pumpkin hooked rug from a shop in Lebanon, IL last fall, and the whale tail shelf is another wonderful item from my sister.

The red nightstand was a consigment store purchase, it was $35.00, and already painted the perfect red, we just added the black touches to it. I picked up the black iron candle holder on a visit to see my sister in NE. I had no idea where it was going to go when I bought it, it worked perfect on the nightstand. The pumpkin came home with me from the shop I work at this fall, I love the touches of green on it. The crock was a cheap purchase, but I did splurge on the florals from my friend Dave, at The Weathered Chair antique and florals shop. I really think it's worth it to have good quality florals. My sister was kind enough to bring one of her own stencils and stencil my room for me. I am not very good with a paint brush, like she is! :)

This dresser is my husband's from when he was a teen! It is very old, the back of it says it is from a 1940 Chicago Spiegel Catalog. We painted it black, but I still want to sand, distress, and add some aging stain to it.

All the items on the dresser are things I have had for years. It is fun to move things from room to room.

Yes, I got carried away with the pillows, but Samantha thinks it's such a cozy spot for a nap!

Thanks for taking a peek at my new bedroom, I am excited to add some Christmas touches to it this week. I will be back soon with some Christmas sneak peeks

Country Sampler Shoot and Bedroom Sneak Peek

2009-11-16T09:11:00.000-06:00

Last Wednesday, Nov.11, Veteran's Day, Country Sampler Magazine came to do a Fall shoot at my home. It was a beautiful, clear, sunny, fall day. We could not have had better weather! Bill Matthews, Gloria Gale, and a assistant, (I feel so bad, I can't remember his name!) arrived at eight to get started. They shot the dining room first. Gloria loved my table setting and told me I had done her job for her, because everything was already styled. That really meant a lot to me to hear her say that. It was fascinating watching Bill and his assistant with all the equiptment and techniques they use. Gloria and I visited, and set things up for the next shot, while they were shooting. I was not expecting to have so much fun, but I really did. It was such a pleasure and honor, getting to meet, and spend the day with them. They are such kind, humble, and talented people. I did not get to take many pictures, but I did remember to snap one! Thank you Country Sampler, Bill and Gloria, for coming to my home, it really was a dream come true!

And here is a sneak peek of my master bedroom I have been working on all summer!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around here! I work at a primitive shop in historic Lebanon, IL. While I was getting ready for my Country Sampler shoot, the owners were getting the shop ready for Christmas. While I was sad to have to miss out on the decorating festivities, it was fun to open Friday morning and walk into a shop beautifully dressed for Christmas! I brought all my favorite Christmas music to play in the shop, everyone who came in was caught up in the Christmas cheer! A snowman made it's way home with me, I will post pictures of her and my Christmas decor soon. Here are a couple shots of the store, Simple Country Treasures in Lebanon, IL. I will be back soon with my bedroom reveal, and some Christmas sneak peeks! Have a great day!

Autumn at Big Cedar Lodge, Halloween, and Exciting News!

2009-11-02T08:00:00.000-06:00

Hello! I did not mean my big hello almost a year ago to be a big goodbye! :) This has been a busy year, but I have a lot to share and some exciting news! I will start with our trip we took to Big Cedar Lodge a couple weeks ago with my mother, my sister, our children, and grandmother. For anyone who does not know what Big Cedar Lodge is, it is a resort owned by Bass Pro Shops, that is located just outside Branson, MO., nestled in the Ozark mountains on Table Rock Lake. It is a very beautiful place, we always have such a relaxing and fun time at Big Cedar Lodge. My children never want to go home when we are there. It really is a special place and I am glad they will have some fond childhood memories from there. Yes, there are a lot of pictures, but I just could not leave any out. :) Autumn is a beautiful season in the Ozark mountains!

I LOVED this display, the horses were made out of cornhusks and straw, so neat!

Samantha enjoying her Truman House cinnamon roll, YUMMY!

The Lincoln Log table at the Registration building

Samantha

Here are some pictures of our rooms at Big Cedar Lodge
And now for Halloween! We really had a fun Halloween this year, my sister was here visiting with her children. And after all the rain we have had this month, the weather cleared up and was perfect, crisp, clear, and with a bright moon! We started our day trick or treating on the old main street in the town we live in. Here are my Bionicle boy Patriot, and fairy witch Samantha.

Later that day we met with our next door neighbors at sunset to load up for the big night. Our neighbors have a Bobcat they drive the kids around the neighborhood in on Halloween. It really is fun for them. We are so blessed to have such wonderful neighbors.

And now for the exciting news!! I found out a couple weeks ago, that Country Sampler Magazine

will be coming to our home to do a Fall photo shoot! I am very excited, since this is really a dream come true! I am also very excited to be doing a fall shoot, since it is one of my most favorite times of the year. They will be coming next week, so I am sure I will be busy cleaning and fluffing things for the next week, and having a few freak out moments in between. :)

Please say a prayer for my family. He,he,he.

AND another very exciting thing is that my sister, Janae, from Cozy Coops Corner, is in the current Christmas issue of Country Sampler Magazine! If you have not seen her beautiful home or the magazine yet, stop by her blog for a peek.

I hope everyone had a Happy Halloween, I will be back next week with some pictures of the photo shoot, and a sneek peek of my new bedroom!

God Bless,

Kimberlee