~*Secret Sister Swap Goods & Bedroom Re-Do Inspiration*~

Got batteries for my camera so I can show you the wonderful things I got from Cyn...what a sweetie!! Her handwork is amazing. Just take a peek at these......

Aren't they wonderful!! Thanks again Cyn....you made my day!!

Here are a couple of quick pics of inspiration pieces for my bedroom re-do.

                                                             *Fabric for my bedding*

*Some pieces I will be using....and there she is! My incredible canvas portrait I got at the craft show I did....isn't she amazing?? I have her history that I'll share with you later**

*I love this so much...couldn't / shouldn't have spent the money but for $30 I would have NEVER found a true hand painted portrait picture like this again!! Love her!*

Off to search for a cross stitch program I use for Mary over at Gettysburg Homestead...I'll find it Mary!!
Have a blessed day  ~Kriss~

~*Bedroom Re-Do Phase One & Secret Sister Swap Goodies*~

Phase one complete!! Is there any better feeling than getting a much needed and long overdue project done? I ended up not doing it on Saturday as planned as my hubby & I ended up on a day together of antiquing & junking spur of the moment....what fun!
It started when I went to the store here in Waterford to take some of my summer prims to sell & had a balance as I had sold a few things, whoo hoo!! Between my balance at the store and just over $20.00 I got some GREAT things plus a day out with my hubby that was also long overdue.
I took pictures of my bare bedroom to show you what I am starting with. The major things on my to do list are the bedding, window treatments, different fireplace mantle (I knew it was going to be too big there once I moved the room around!) & flooring. We tore out the old carpet a while back & I keep wondering wood floor or carpet?? Can't decide so I am going to try to paint it....yep, paint it! Until then you'll have to dismiss it's appearence, especially where I knocked the paint over while painting it last summer LOL. I am the worlds sloppiest painter!
Took pictures too of all my finds from Saturday, still can't believe what I got and didn't spend hardly anything!
I want to also send out a big Thank You to Cyn from cynzplace.blogspot.com for her Secret Sister Swap envelope that was hosted by Tammy of A Primitive Place. She sent me the most wonderful things, you can see her talent and the time she spent creating each piece! I love them all Cyn, you are a talented girl!!
I'll keep ya updated on the bedroom progress, may be a little slow this week as I'm hauling out the attic to do a community yard sale at a friends house this weekend but I'll post as soon as I can!

All my treasures! The table had ugly hardware that I took off and filled in the holes. I'm painting it black & adding wood knobs. There was a note written inside the drawer...someone named Hank made it, kinda neat! The wreath is a little rough but was cheap and I can tear it apart for fall. The sconces were 2.00 each but the guy gave them both to me for 2.00!! LOVE them!!

This incredible shelf was only 7.00! I'm painting it mustard over black & hanging it in my kitchen over a bench I had in my upstairs bathroom. It had a wood carving on the back of the year and maker. I'm adding either a wood bar or piece of rusty wire to the front to hold wood bowls. The plate was .25, the basket & wood heart plate 1/2 price so under .50 for both. The little box was 2.00, I'm going to put bird nests, stained flags and little clay pots in it and put it on my table on the front porch.

This is now in my bedroom as a side table

This is the bench that I moved to my kitchen to use with the new shelf...excuse the fact that my floor really needs mopped!!

This is looking into my bedroom, those bedskirts sure are nice to hide things we store under the bed!

I have an idea to make tall posters on the headboard, have the finial in my purse that I keep pulling out looking for the right size supplies. I really want to swap out the matching bed side table to the right for something else like I did on the other side. The duvet will stay but pillows & bed skirt are in the works. I think I'll hand a large twiggy wreath over the bed and want to hang a couple of portrait pictures over the table, I love those and have made a lot of them. I really think they capture "colonial". Think I'm going to open up the back of a long paper craft box & paint it or cover it with fabric and use it to hide the alarm clock.

This new table is the perfect size for this space! I'm hanging a blanket crane over this with some textiles, early socks & a lantern or basket. Think the red toile plate may go on here. Need new lighting....

That little table to the far left has been in every room of my house now!! It will now be a desk. I'm designing & stitching a large sampler to hang above it. Some covered books, a crock with some drieds, greens or feathers, early lighting....still thinking. I also am going to swap that chair out for another and make that one into a make do chair to sit at an angle to the left of the fireplace mantle.

The fireplace mantle is just too big for this space, too wide & too deep. I'll work with it for now though. I got this at a garage sale last summer for hardly anything. Like always I bought it and then realized it wouldn't fit in my car (I have a Dodge Intrepid and need a Dodge truck!!), believe it or not a friend of mine who has a truck came to the sale and we loaded it up & brought it home. I'm going to sew a curtain from muslin to drape along the front & my portrait picture that I got at the craft sale will hang above. The armoire hides the tv, thinking about trying to paint it and change out the hardware. A coverlet or vintage dressing gown will go on the door.

Might try to paint the dresser too?? Also really want to eventually change the wall color. This has more of a green tinge to it than I care for, reminds me of baby poop LOL. I drive my husband crazy with paint, why is it samples look so good in the store? Not sure what I want to do for the window treatments, once I have the room more done I'll probably get a better idea. I had a ton of this fabric and just threw some nails in the wall and tied the fabric with jute and pulled them into bishop sleeves...it was free and fast.Okay but not what I want.

So, here's my starting point!!

**Just tried to take pictures of my goods from Cyn and my batteries are dead!!!! I'll post those later***

Hope you all have a great day!!  ~Kriss~

~*Bedroom Overhaul*~

Happy Saturday to all....
It's raining here today, so much for all my yard work plans. I can here my son's disappointment already "But mom I REALLY wanted to spend the day edging around the pool and digging that new flower bed for you!!" Okay a girl can dream right?? I think there's a chance he did a secret rain dance before he went to sleep...
Sooooo, on to a project that I have been waiting/putting off for a long time, Mission Bedroom.
I admit, my bedroom is THE room in my house that everything just kind of ends up in. Besides repainting it last spring in anticipation of my sons graduation party(which by the way I HATE the color...maybe another reason for avoidance) that is all that has been done.
I have a few things to decorate with but not many. I had gone through a victorian stage and sold everything at a flea market last summer and am now bare bones. I have many thoughts and ideas on what I want to do but am not quite sure. I've decided the best thing to do is clean it out, strip it down and start with a blank slate.
It's a good size room with lots of light so that gives me a good base. I have a faux fireplace mantle that I picked up at a garage sale last summer...nice brick but a questionable top. Paint can fix much but not too sure if it will fix that. There's a fireplace mantle at the store I take my things to and I know that would be perfect but I need to see if I can get this one to work first. I'm moving furniture around and not sure it's going to fit in it's new place. I'm starting my inspiration with all my base pieces and pulling it together from there.
I picked up some great large black plaid fabric at Hobby Lobby yesterday...YEAH!! It finally opened, and early too!! I also got a small amount of black toile fabric and a great red fabric that might be able to mimic a coverlet pillow. I have a whole plan on the bedding I want to sew. Nice long pillow cases, a long neck roll pillow tied at the ends, mini black check dust ruffle, accent pillows in reds & toile. I might get more of the fabric I got yesterday to make new curtains as I'm not happy with what I have now.I also have a brainstorm idea to turn my headboard into a four poster.

So on the list today:
1. Empty room
2. Take all my crafting supplies from my bedroom and sort through all & organize
3. Try to figure out where supplies will go
4. Make son move out if I can't find space so I can take over his bedroom for a craft room
(Okay, maybe not....)
5. Clean, clean, clean
6. Drink, drink, drink
(Okay maybe not that either)
7. Stand back and let the blank canvas build my inspiration...
As long as I can keep using my husbands sign on on my computer I'll post some pics and look for some ideas from all of you!
Off for one more cup of coffee, a little front porch time with my decorating magazines and then on to the dust bunnies and fabric piles!!
~Kriss~

~*Computer Virus*~

Just one thing after another.....do you ever get the feeling that you have a black cloud hanging over your head?? I have a major virus on my computer and honestly think it's past help. I will lose ALL of my work...patterns, pictures etc. and I am SICK! I couldn't back any of it up to CD because the CD didn't work and hadn't replaced it yet.
I'll be using my sons laptop from time to time until I figure out what to do. I need to get a new computer and they have a laptop on sale at the Walmart my son works at but I just don't hink I can come up with the $. I NEED this to be able to do my work.
I'll do my best to check in on all of you!!   ~Kriss~

~*Posts for Followers List Working??*~

Has anyone else been noticing problems with not getting posts for the blogs you follow on your sidebar? I even looked around and noticed my posts aren't showing up on most of my followers either. Another Blogger glitch?? Let me know if maybe I need to do something on my end to fix it, thanks!! ~Kriss~

~*Happy First Day Of Summer*~

The first day of summer!! Took a few pictures of my house, my yardwork isn't finished but I thought I'd still share with you. Need to get those trees trimmed (so you can see the house!), it amazes me how much they grow each year...especially my weeping cherry.
The bed with the little fence is being completely re-done. Had my son pull everything but the little tree out over the weekend. I cheated and bought spray paint for the fence...worked out pretty good and so much easier than a brush!! I'm going to drape some grapevine along the top edge and I think plant just a few hosta and blackeyed susans for fall color, some planted pots on the ground and on a little stool will add some color. My sheperds hook is still waiting for my birdhouse in the shed (no place I enter...too many spiders!!) and will go back behind the fence.
I'm planning on moving some of the things from the bed in front of the porch to use in my backyard as I'm doing a new bed around a tree there. My grape cart will actually go into the bed by the weeping cherry. Still need to paint my porch (the only paint on it is what I spilled when I painted the railings, oops!)...I can never make up my mind what shade of gray I want and each year passes as I can't decide!
I painted my front door this weekend too with a color from the Martha Stewart line at Home Depot. It's called Kiln. It's the perfect red, I love it! I have to get my side door done now.
 I think once I get my shutters painted black and some window boxes I'll have the colonial feel I'm looking for.
I have some extra fabric I think I'm going to use to stitch up some pillows for my rockers and swing too...it's all about the comfort. We're porch people and spend a lot of time out there from spring to fall...hence the Kountry Porch Primitives name!!
Still all a work in progress but getting done slowly, if only time and money were no issue.
Hope you all enjoy your first day of summer! Take your shoes off and walk barefoot in the grass, eat some watermelon and go out and catch some fireflies under the moon tonight!!
*Blessings*
~Kriss~

~*Happy Father's Day*~

Happy Father's day to all of those important men out there!!
I took my son to work at 6:30 this morning and picked up the makings for some blueberry muffins to make my hubby for breakfast...of course he's STLL asleep but when he gets up he'll have some warm muffins & hot coffee waiting.
I am so lucky to have this man as the father of my children, I couldn't ask for him to be a better Dad. If there was ever a man made to be a father it is him....my boys are very blessed.
I'll spoil him with a nice dinner of london broil on his new grill our son got for him for Father's Day, some onion stuffed baked potatoes and a chocolate volcano cake I saw on Paula Deen's cooking show. Think we're ending the day with a ride to the beach to watch the sunset and put our toes in the waves.
I love this man for creating, raising & loving our boys together.
Although both of our father's have passed they will be in our hearts and memories today.
Pamper those men today girls....  ~Kriss~

~*Goodbye Jill*~

The sun is shining this morning, the birds are singing, the coffee is brewed in my kitchen and the normal day to day things are there....dishes to do, laundry to wash, bills to worry about, that room I really need to finish, project after project calling my name. It all sounds normal, boring and even exhausting right?
It has become clear to me that they are all a blessing. I am blessed everyday by the sometimes overwhelming worries and tasks of just getting out of bed...we all are. I am thankful for every dirty dish because it means that I have fed someone I love, every load of laundry that I wash and fold because it was worn and will be worn again, the room that I dream of decorating because I am here to decide what I want to do with it...and does it really matter that I don't have enough money to go out and buy everything I want? No, there's always tomorrow. Thankful that I worry about how to pay those bills...because my name or my husbands is on the envelope waiting for us to open it and thankful for all those projects because it means that I am blessed by capable hands that will in time get to them. My cup of coffee tastes wonderful this morning too...one of my favorite things...I will savor the next cup on my front porch.
Today my sweet, dear friend will be buried. There will be no more dirty dishes.
Her funeral is at 10:00 this morning and I unfortunately can't be there. We are a one car family and this is my husbands Saturday to work. I am so sad to not be able to be there for the final passage but I know she understands....I said my good byes last night.
Her sudden passing was caused by an unknown heart condition....the kind you hear about that will take an athlete down suddenly. No way to know, it was just a matter of time. It was a normal Saturday night for them, Jeff was outside cooking dinner on the grill while the kids played in the yard and he told them to go in and wash their hands and let her know that dinner was almost ready. Lindsey came running back outside telling him that Mommy was on the floor and wouldn't get up. Her body held on until Monday...her spirit will be here forever.
Today I dedicate to Jill....today will be about living life to the fullest, appreciating all of the small and usually overlooked things. I can't focus on the loss today....she wouldn't want that. Today I will celebrate. I'll have to end this post right now....I can smell the coffee in the kitchen ready to fill my cup for the second time...I am Blessed.
Rejoice in and Love every moment today ~Kriss~

~*The Loss of a Friend*~

I sit here completely stunned.....my phone just rang and brought me the news that my friend has died. How can this be?? She was only 42 years old and leaves behind two small children. My heart is broken.
Jill and I met in 1984 at a salon we both worked at. we were both new hairdressers and full of dreams and youthfull energy. We lost track of each other for a few years and then her family moves to Waterford and we reformed the bonds of friendship.
I watched both of her children for three years while I was running my in home daycare. Lindsey my little princess was first and then along came Robbie...a little ball of baby goodness.
Jill would stop by with the kids (they call me kiki...Lindsey couldn't say Kriss when she was little and kiki just stuck) ans her and I would visit...usually on my front porch while the kids played with the dog or ran around the yard.
I will miss those random visits.
I still don't know how she died, there are no details in the paper....my mind is racing with terrible thoughts.
They say death comes in three's. My Godmother died two weeks ago, my husbands aunt last week and now Jill. How can this be??
Please pray for their family, for her children that will grow up without her ( 7 & 5 ).
She will never see Lindsey in her wedding dress, she won't be there when Robbie's voice starts to turn into a mans....I will never see her freckled face again....I hope she is at peace.

~*Giveaways & Craft Show Items For Sale Reminder*~

Good morning all my fellow bloggers. The past couple of days have been a whirlwind. My husbands aunt died unexpectedly on Friday and we had family in from out of town and the viewing and funeral yesterday.
His aunt was such a wonderful woman...the kind we all strive to be like. A family centered loving woman who made you feel comfortable. The loss for her children will be overwhelming at times. My mother has been gone for 16 years and I STILL think of her EVERYDAY. My heart just breaks for them. I hope Norma is in a better place, being held by God and that He will also hold all of her loved ones right now as they struggle through these next few days, weeks & months.
On to lighter things...
There are two wonderful giveaways going on right now! One at Rusty Thimble and one at Hillcrest Home Prims. Be sure to check them out, they are both fantastic! A reminder for the giveaway at Firecracker Kids (don't you just love them name) too. Let's all support our fellow bloggers!
A quick note to check out the items I have for sale that were left over from my craft show. Just check the link in my sidebar for pictures and info *Craft Show Items For Sale*
Hope you all have a wonderful day, I'm off to finish up my things for the secret swap hosted by Tammy...wanted them out by Monday but as you know my timing got taken with the funeral.
Be Sure To Count Your Blessings And Be Thankful For Your Family Today  ~Kriss~

~*Craft Show Items For Sale*~

Good morning all, hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Ours was a bit crazy. I had hoped to get these on here for you by Friday night but just didn't have time to get photos taken.
These are what I have left from a craft show I did last weekend. I'm going to let you have first pick and then they'll be off to ebay or etsy.
The first is a tall Standing Uncle Sam based on a design by Olde Homestead Barn. He is 33 1/2" tall and is self standing on a painted I distressed wooden base. He holds a patriotic flag in his arm and is lightly aged. I LOVE this guy....her patterns are wonderful. He is the only one I have to offer. The price is $45.00 plus travel fare.

 **There's a little peak at my print I got at the show last weekend....hung her above my dining room fireplace  for the moment until she goes into my bedroom**

The next two are based on TFC Folkart patterns. These are really sweet designs, her patterns are always a pleasure to work with.
The first is a set of Sam & Libby tins....how cute are these? These are completely stitched, no glue. They come as a set (I have two to offer). Each is securely attached in a vintage tin mold in a bed of drieds. They stand 5" with Sam being the tallest. Tiny little aged flags are in each of their hands....how cute is that? These are $25.00 a set plus travel fare.

The last is a set of stump Sam & Libby's. I have three sets, one white and two black. Each is aged and distressed and dressed in aged patriotic fabric with cheesecloth ties. These are also completely sewn. They stand 10" with Sam being the tallest. The price is $20.00 a set plus travel fare.

If you are interested email me at kpprimitives@hotmail.com
I will do a first come basis for orders. Payment will be made through paypal and we can figure shipping once I have your address. If you have any questions please feel free to send me an email. I'll be in and out for the next few days as we had a death in the family and the viewing and funeral are tonight and tomorrow. I'll get back to you as quickly as I can.
Blessings to you all!!   ~Kriss~

Firecracker Kid Primitives: FKP Independence Day Giveaway

Firecracker Kid Primitives: FKP Independence Day Giveaway: "Firecracker Kid Primitives Summer giveaway

<a href='http://firecrackerkid.blogspot.com/2011/06/fkp-independence-day-giv..."

~*Will Be Offering Items From My Craft Show*~

Good morning all!! Wanted to let you know that I'll be putting up some pictures of a few things I had left from my craft show on here and see if anyone is interested before I put them on etsy or ebay. Need to get some batteries for my camera then I'll take a few shots and let you take a look. Hope to do it by early afternoon if all goes as planned in my schedule...you know between eating bon bons on the couch and entertaining the pool boy...such a hard life for this gal  ;o) Be back with you later  ~Kriss~

~*Craft Show*~

Good morning!! I think I can start to get back to normal! The craft show was quite an experience for my first one. Definitely did NOT pay off financially like I had hoped but it got my feet wet and I learned alot from other crafters there about doing shows.
This was at a huge campground facility a few miles from my house and was there first one. It was a craft/rummage sale & ended up being more rummage than craft. I did sell some things but people were more on the hunt for bargains. I met some really nice people,and got a wealth of information.
Around 12:30 the skies turned into the most horrible shade of black and the clouds formed into something that looked like it belonged in a movie. We found out we were under a tornado warning.....I was scared to death!! I lost my home as a teenager in 1983 and I have to tell you that I was ready to go into a panic. More than half of us got into an interior hallway where the bathrooms were and we got all the children there and waited out the storm. When the hail started I thought for sure there would be a tornado.
 My husband and 15 year old son were in town for a football scrimmage and my 19 year old son was at work....I felt so helpless & worried about them. Thank God it all ended up being okay.....quite an experience!!
I took a couple of pictures of the few things I was able to get made in the week I had to prepare, I used some wonderful patterns from Olde Homestead Barn & TFC Folkart for the americana things. Not happy I had pinball machines behind me...I'm attention deficeit and had to have the owner unplug them because there were too many different noises for my little brain to take at once LOL!!
I got the GREATEST canvas picture from one of the sellers there of a replica painting of one of her relatives who was born in the 1700's. She was even nice enough to call her dad and get the entire family history of her and write it down for me. You'll see her in a future post......amazing!! Her family hired someone to repaint the original & it is wonderful. My husband hates it, thinks it's spooky  :o) It's going over the fireplace in our bedroom and he's not too happy!! You're all on my side right girls?? Can't wait for you to see it!
So off to see what you all have been up to and then I have a TON of housework to do (that maid never did show up!!) Glad to be back & visit with all of you. Have a great Sunday   ~Kriss~

~* I Need A Maid *~

First of all let me thank all of you for the sweet comments to myself & Carol for my first giveaway...I am truly amazed by all of you, this has been such a wonderful experience with all of you and I hope as time passes I get to know many of you as friends!
Second of all I have decided for the rest of the week (at least) I need a maid. Let me say right now to any of you that do craft shows that you have my total and complete respect!! I have been going CRAZY since last week trying to get things ready for my first craft show on Saturday....whew, what a lot of work.
So sorry I have not been on to post or comment on any of your posts...and I have truly missed you all! I'll have time after Saturday to get all caught up. I'm not much of a drinker but I'm starting to think there may be a glass of wine or two in my future on Saturday night!!  :o)
Wish me luck and if any of you would like to apply for the maid position I am very easy to get along with....oh yeah, and I can offer friendship but no pay....
The best to you all my blogging friends, I'll be back with you soon!!
~Kriss~