Changes To The Fireplace

This is the homestead fireplace in the living room. For some time I have been wanting to make it look more like a real fireplace. After making it I was not sure how I wanted to finish it. It has been about two years now. After looking at many Country Sampler magazines & A Primitive Place magazines I was even more sure I wanted to do more to it. I have seen many beautiful fireplaces shown in the many blogs I follow. You all have such wonderful taste. Now I am sure I want to do a fireplace redo. I thought about painting it black over colonial red then distressing it but I believe I will keep it stained to match the side cabinets for sure.

I removed the black cast iron piece I had on it. I will have to find another way to use it some where else. It was my Pap & Grams. I am thinking I want to add the corbels & a shelf cut to fit on top of them to make the fireplace look as if it has two levels. Also thinking I want to put a board with pegs between the corbels to hang the Christmas stockings on at Christmas. I got the perfect long black basket for Christmas that would look amazing hanging from the pegs the rest of the year. Another deli ma is should I stain all the extras to match the fireplace & side cabinets or paint them black? So I was wondering what all of you think & if you have any suggestions. I will look forward to hearing any in put from you all.

Blessings Til Next Time!

A Beautiful Quilt

I got this beautiful log cabin design quilt for Christmas. I had been hanging T-towels and a penny rug on the quilt rack. They were very pretty to. But now my quilt rack really has a quilt hanging on it. I am so happy with it. I hope you all got something special to your heart for Christmas.

Blessings Til Next Time!

A Christmas Card From A Primitive Homestead

May the miracle of His birth fill your heart with love! Wishing you all a blessed Christmas filled with much happiness.

Lara

Christmas Tree Candles

These are the Christmas tree candles I was telling you about yesterday. So simple to make. By chance you may have tons of unused craft supplies stashed away from other craft projects like me. Here is a way to use some up today. Mini clothes pins & spools stained. A drill & small drill bit to open the spool holes just a little bit for the candles you will use. Scrap muslin cut & tied around the spools (two each per spool). Glue to attach the spools to the end of the clothespins. Birthday candles to insert in the spool holes. I would love to find black birthday candles. But for now these will do. Now clipped to the branches of the homestead Christmas tree. So pretty & old fashioned. For safety I will not light them & burn them. Just another prim pretty for looks!

Blessings Til Next Time.

Sharing My Day

Today the aroma of snicker doodle lingered in the air as I worked on some candles for the homestead Christmas tree. I looked out the windows & what did I see but a snow covered garden. I hurried to the barn where all the animals were curled up in the straw. Food & fresh water for all. Our little farm of sorts taken care of. Just one more day of doing these chores & hubby will be back to caring for them once again. His week of day shift will end. Hubby may have lost his old dog to me. The old dog follows me every where I go outside & lays under the window outside of the homestead kitchen. Shivering I hurried to get back to the house as the dog followed after me.


Feeling chilled to the bone I decided to warm the homestead kitchen with a little baking before starting supper.

By end of day another supper was shared by all. Pumpkin roll was sliced wrapped & placed in this old pie plate my Mom gave me. Found at an auction. Something old she knew I would love. Now holding my yummy pumpkin roll. The kitchen cleaned my apron hung for the night & the homestead kitchen closed. Off I went to share my day with all of you. Peace be with you all as I say good nite.

Blessings Til Next Time!

Busy Times At The Homestead

The homestead Christmas tree was all a glow when everyone arrived home last night. Dinner was waiting for all. The kitchen was cleaned & all went about their own business.

Laken was busy researching colleges online to apply to.

Lucas was busy doing his homework.


All was quiet from Sams room last night so I went to check in on him. I found Sam & his little dog sound asleep.
Toby the turtle looks on as he waits for his snack tonight. Sam & his little dog are fast asleep early tonight so I fed Toby & then turned out his tank light.


The homestead kitchen will be used in full force cooking for all again tonight.
I believe this was once called a smug pot. I remember seeing them in the orchards here many years ago. They were lit & sat yards apart in the open rows between the apple & peach trees. The heat helped protect the trees & fruit from the frost. I found this one at a yard sale some years ago. It was in very good shape as far as looks. I have never burnt it. I did remove some of the insides so I could put a strand of Christmas tree lights inside of it. This Christmas I needed to replace the strand of lights. Now it is glowing in the dark in the homestead living room. At the time I bought it I told my Pap about it. My Pap told me a little story how when my Gram & him went to housekeeping so many years ago. Pap had built a chicken house & Gram & him had ordered some chicks to start their own chicken flock for eggs. The day Pap went to town to pick up the chicks he told me my Gram was worried the chicks would be cold so she lit one of these old smug pots inside the chicken house to warm it for their little flock. When Pap arrived home with the chicks the chicken house was on fire & it burnt to the ground. He laughed that she had burnt down the chicken house. I am sure he was not laughing when it happened so many years ago. They have both passed over the years but have not been forgotten.

This month is going by so fast. The days are counting down til Christmas. I still need to get some gifts & wrap the ones I already have. Shopping will need to be done soon for gifts & all the trimmings for a yummy Christmas dinner. I have not really planned what we will be eating this Christmas yet. There will be the normal foods we always have. The big question is what kind of meat will we have. Today I have been busy running in & out doing the laundry. It is very cold & windy here today. The snow has all melted & all is froze. The ducks are not very active today. Tucked in their bedding up at the duck house & tucking their beaks under their wings & fast asleep. All the animals at the barn have been fed & watered & bedded down for another night. The family has started to arrive home from school & work so I must be getting to the homestead kitchen now. Stop in again soon.

Blessings Til Next Time!

Toby Gets A Tank Cleaning

Sams red slider turtle got his tank cleaned this past weekend. I only have to clean it about 4 times a year. He is getting so big. When we got him about 4 years ago he was about the size of a cup coaster & now he is little bit bigger than a cup saucer. He is a bit heavy to. Tobys tank is in Sams bedroom where he can watch Toby swim before he goes to sleep. Toby is very adjusted to us humans. Toby knows who he should back away from when they approach the tank & pulls his head back into his shell. Toby knows when Sam gets up it is time for his feeding. Toby will paw at the side of the tank & get really excited when Sam starts dropping the food into the tank. Before bed at night Sam will feed Toby a little snack. If he is not fed his bed time snack Toby will dig in the rocks looking for something to eat. After Toby is fed at night he will go to the deepest end of the tank after I turn off his light Toby closes his eyes & sleeps for the night. It amazes me how his eyelids close from the bottom to the top. When Toby awakes his eyelids go down. His happy little green eyes are bright & shiny in the morning. Sam has always taken care of Toby as far as feeding him. Toby is a pet that is kept in a water tank & not handled but for when he is removed to clean the tank & only by me. I have filled the bath tub with water for Toby to take a deep swim while I clean his tank. In the winter is takes more time to clean the tank because I clean it inside in the bath tub. That makes much more work since I then have to clean the bath tub. Lots of dial bubbles & then soap & scrubbing to do. I am a bit picky when it come to germs so I am extra careful & then use alcohol to clean with. Lots of soap & hand sanitizer is used after all feedings & cleanings. It is so much easier to take it all outside & use the hose in the summer. Toby is not a pet to be held played with or cuddled. Really he is a pet to be looked at & watched much like a fish I guess you could say. Sam has his little dog to hold pet & cuddle. His little dog has a bed in Sams room where he sleeps at night. When Sam plays his game cube the turtle watches from the tank & his little dog watches while setting beside of him. While Sam is at school like today it is Mom who keeps his pets company til he gets off the school bus. That will not be long from now. I will have a full table tonight for supper. Sam & Lucas will be home from school & Laken has returned home last night from her trip & Hubby was moved to day shift for just this week. Off I must be going to start my magic of preparing a meal to feed all of those hungry bellies. Take care & thanks for stopping by for a visit today.

Blessings Til Next Time!

Our First Snow Cover

Today we had our first snow cover here at the homestead. All looks so peaceful & clean. No picnic in the gazebo any time soon. The day started out with a bang. Our little dog ran off to the neighbors enjoying the snow. The van would not start. It has been acting up for three days. The jeep has two flat tires. Herding the little dog back home & in to the warm homestead. Oh on to my truck with not much time to get the boys to the bus stop. Slip sliding down the field & tires spinning I was not so sure we would make it up the hill. Safe & sound all was well. Later after three tries while tires spinning & the truck sliding in half circles I made it out of the bank parking lot. It would help if I knew how to put the truck in 4 wheel drive. A Mothers work is never done.

The arbor & swing so still & waiting for someone to come & swing again. Much to cold for me.

I was thinking how cute a big old snowman would look built beside the outhouse tool shed. I never did find a big red bow for the pine sprigs.

How beautiful to see the evergreens dusted with snow. The garden dose not look so barren now.

The frozen fish pond covered with snow. I wondered waht the fish were up to. If it were not so cold & I felt up to it I think it would look pretty with pine branches laying around it. Home alone with no vehicle to go any where in & feeling lonely I cleaned the homestead some more today. Never no shortage of dust bunnies or cobwebs & I just hate to dust. Oh but it must be done. The boys were in school & Laken went away for a few days. Hubby took my truck & went to a Christmas dinner where he works. So many thoughts are running around my mind at this time.

Feeling really tired & stressed from this day I lit the tart warmer & added balsam fir & orange scented nuggets of wax after a late supper. It smells so wonderful.

Late today the furnace stopped working & I called the repair man. He would not be back til Monday. Later called by a temp repair man who was to busy to get the homestead in. While on the phone hubby returned home from his work Christmas dinner. Hubby believes it is because I put the wood recipe box I did over as a thermostat cover that has got to be causing it. The repair man assures us it is not the cause. He talks hubby through things over the phone & believes it is the reset switch. We are to continue pushing it if it will not kick on & call Monday. I have turned the electric fireplace on tonight to take the chill off.

The Christmas tree is a glow in the dark. I find is peaceful & relaxing to just look at the lights. Sometimes it is better to be still in mind & not think at all.

Oliver sure has not been earning her keep. She has been inside the past few days. She has curled up on the bed & a chair in the kitchen entry way most of the time. She has been sleeping & resting. I love to hear her soft purr. But I did bring her inside in hopes of her catching the cute field mice that have turned up inside the homestead of late. I guess maybe she thinks she is at a spa these days. She wanted back outside so we opened the door & off she went. Lucas set some mouse traps tonight in hopes of catching them. Oh I hate to see them in a trap. Off we will be going to bed soon. All bundled up in our warm quilts snug as a bug in a rug in high hopes Saturday will be a better day. Good night to you all & have a wonderful weekend.

Blessing Til Next Time!

Happenings At The Homestead

Today I thought I would share some of the many happenings that have been going on here at the homestead. Today it is so bitter cold outside. I hate to go outside to do the laundry but we needed clean towels & wash clothes. Even the mice I believe have found it to be bitter cold. We have seen a few more inside the homestead. Today I treated Oliver to a day indoors. She is a good mouser. She has to earn her keep to eat today. If she gets those cute little field mice I will give her a special treat tonight.

The library called this week to let me know that the book I requested weeks ago was delivered from a library away from here. Off I went to pick it up. The Private World Of Tasha Tudor. Of course I had to look at all the beautiful colored photos first. Yes I did read bits & pieces of it as I turned the pages. I always like to read the last page first. Always have. The last pages of the last book of the Bible will make one want to read the rest so as to be ready to meet our Maker & be saved from that dreadful hot flaming place of torment.

Do you remember many years ago buying gold nugget gum in these little sacks? Weeks ago the country store Laken works at got some in. We purchased two bags. I like to find or make something new for the tree each year. After we chewed all the gum I though to myself how cute these would be on the tree. But the store was out & was not sure they could get anymore. Order placed & then the candy delivery was postponed a few days. Oh but then they arrived & Laken brought them home just a few nights ago.

I love how they look hanging from the branches of our homestead Christmas tree. I took the bags of gum out of each little gold sack & stuffed them. After Christmas I think I will coffee stain them for next year.

Our Christmas garden flag flutters in the cold crisp air out in the garden to greet all & reminds us of the Babe in a manger sent so many years ago to save us if we accept Christ as our savior & confess our sins. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved. St. John 3:17

The homestead garden looks so barren & cold but I am sure those tulip bulbs under the frozen ground are doing their thing. The fish pond is frozen over but if I look real close I can see the fish swimming below. I have been keeping a air hole open in the ice for them each day since the freeze. If I just had a wood water wheel to keep the water flowing like the old tyme mills.

The first day deer season opened the boys dressed for hunting & their Dad took them to the woods to hunt down those poor beautiful white tail deer. Lucas got one early that day. After they drug it home & hung it their Dad went back out & soon after he got one himself. Later that night off went the deer to the butcher shop.

Sam & his Dad going back out to hunt a deer. This was the first year Sam could hunt. Hunting is really big in this area so the school gives two days off. I left Sam take an extra day off but he had no luck. The first day of season he watched the deer his brother shot fall to the ground & helped drag it home.

Tonight the homestead kitchen is warm a cozy with candles a glow. The slow cooker is filled with potatoes & tasty spiced deer meat. The yummy scent makes us want to eat right away. I do believe I would like to make some candied sweet potatoes in the old cast iron skillet for myself so I must be going to tend to my meal. Peace be with you all.

Blessings Til Next Time!

Christmas Living Room

Electric candles & lights a glow welcome you to our Christmas Living Room.

Our stocking were hung.

I tweaked this display a bit. While looking at our decorations from Christmas pasts I found these little white birds Sam picked one year & I added some wooden apples for a splash of color.

Long john baskets filled with pine & cones.

To get answers we must seek & pray.

Oh what fun Sam Laken & I had decorating our Christmas tree.

Some greens & berries.

Wood gingerbread men & rusty bells with homespun rag ties.

Wood snowmen & wood light bulbs.

Some of Grams old clothes pins & wood hearts.

Tags stained in coffee & vanilla baked to a crisp I stamped Jesus Is The Reason For The Season. Simply just tied to the branches.

To cover the tree stand I added some flowers inside of the basin. Since the photo I have tweaked it a bit & added brown shredded paper balls in between the flowers & holly leaves.

Blessings Til Next Time!

Christmas Tree Arrived

Sam & I have been waiting for the Christmas tree to arrive. Not sure who was delivering it I saw the UPS truck at the post office & asked the driver if he had a package for us. He checked & No sorry I don't. Off I went to pickup the meat. I called the company & got the tracking number & went online to see where the tree was when I got back home. It left the terminal at 6:33 a.m. today. We had such down pours of rain yesterday & today there were roads closed due to flooding. Not sure it would get delivered I was still hoping. I told Sam when he got off the bus the tree was to be delivered today but was not here yet. That evening near dark the Fed X truck pulled in. Our tree was here & the delivery guy was bringing it to our door. Goody!

Our Christmas tree is inside of this not so large or heavy box. At this time I was wondering how big is this tree. No time to waste I had to cut it open & find out what it was like. Yes the branches look primitive & it has the lights in the branches. Oh there are the twigs to. A german twig tree this Christmas we will have. In pieces & compressed it did look oh so so small.

Tree out of the box & put together. Oh it took some time pulling all those branches down & opening them. I am not so much into tree skirts so the big old gray granite ware wash basin was taken from the kitchen & replaced with a Christmas wreath of pine sprigs & cones. We all know how not everyone is into prims. I was asked the big question. Are you really satisfied with that tree. Well yes I am. I was not so sure when I saw the size of the box & lifted the box with one hand. I was wondering if I would be sorry. I cant wait to get it decorated with our ornaments from Christmas pasts.

I purchased these wooden cheese boxes at the local farmers market from time to time. Later I painted & stained them & then stenciled designs on them. These are where I keep our Christmas tree decorations during the year until it is time to take them out & decorate the Christmas tree. They make a great place to store the decorations & looks good above the T.V. Better than rubber maid tubs. We will soon get them down & start hanging them on our new Christmas tree. Then Christmas will come to the living room here at the homestead.

Blessings Til Next Time!