An Extra Day this Year!?!

Leap Year

We get an extra day this year!!  What do you have planned?  For me it will be like every other day?!?!

Leap Years are needed to keep our calendar in alignment with the Earth's revolutions around the sun.

It takes the Earth approximately 365.242199 days – or 365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46 seconds (a tropical year)– to circle once around the Sun.

However, the Gregorian calendar has only 365 days in a year, so if we didn't add a day on February 29 nearly every 4 years, we would lose almost six hours off our calendar every year. After only 100 years, our calendar would be off by approximately 24 days!

The reason I know this?  Because my son is studing Astronomy for a Merit Badge.  My, the things you can learn when you have too. 

Hoping every one will ENJOY their extra day because it will not come again for another 4 years!

Barb

Meet the Firecracker Kid!!

 

Meet one of my favorite people in blog land!  The Firecracker Kid (aka Carol)!

Her and her husband Tim do some of the most fabulous wood working that I have ever seen!

And they are the nicest people you could ever hope to met.  One day when we go back to Michigan I am hoping to take a drive to Ohio to visit them!!

So with out further ado please meet Carol and Tim!

1. Name of your business and how you got your name?

Hi ya folks! My name is Carol and I'm the Firecracker Kid of Firecracker Kid Primitives. Yep, you guessed it, I was born on the fourth of July and that's where our business name hails from! Married to my soul mate, Tim, for 33 years and counting. We produced two wonderful children. We love the Lord, our family, which includes all of our rescued kitty kats, and our humble abode built by Tim.

2. How long have you been in business?

We've been on Etsy since March 30, 2008, but have been making primitive country woodcrafts for over 25 years.  

 

 3. Who or what inspires you?

Some of my inspiration comes from the woodenware and furnitures of the olden days. Also, I inspire myself and try to create unique woodcrafts like our one of a kind rolling pin keeps, rolling pin/dough bowl keep, rolling pin/dough bowl/cubby keep and so on and so on. Oh, and the good Lord gives me inspiration. Plus the need to pay the mortgage.  

4. What is your creative style, primitive, country, folkart?

 Mostly country style I would say. Tim makes all of our woodcrafts without patterns, which makes them one of a kinds in a way, and puts his touch or signature, so to speak, to each of them. Occasionally I'll even try my hand at Folk Art, now Tim... no way! No Folk Art for you!

 5. What medium do you use in creating, clay, fabric, altered art, wood etc.?

 We use mostly wood and paints to make our one of a kind wood crafts, in different styles like primitive, country, shabby and cottage. We do our best to show that great attention is given to quality and detail of our woodcrafts, all handmade in our wood shop by our hands for good folk's homes. I also dabble in fabrics and altered art when the mood strikes me. I try, I really do.

 6. What are your links?

http://www.firecrackerkid.etsy.com/

 http://firecrackerkid.blogspot.com/

 http://fpwoodcrafts.blogspot.com/

 http://woodshopshanty.blogspot.com/

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1817572815&ref=tn_tnmn

 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Firecrackerkid-Primitives/106316589410283

Thanks for stopping by and go see all that Tim and Carol have to offer!

Enjoy,

Barb

PAFA Celebration Still "HOPPING" Along

Check out all the fun bunnies in this fabulous treasury!



'Hippity Hoppity Easter's On Its Way!' by bszejk

PAFA Celebrates the Easter Bunny

Primitive Rabbit, Primitive ... RavenwoodWhimz... $32.00	Primitive Bunny - Burlap Rab... KeepsakeDesign... $9.50
Primitive Rabbit Make Do - P... cavecreekprimi... $14.50	Bunny Love Spring Easter Gat... OldeAnniePrimi... $19.95
Peter Rabbit SFPAFA YorkiesPrimiti... $20.00	Primitive Rabbit Hanna Hare ... PrimitiveHart $24.99
Prim Bunny for Spring or Eas... MyStitchesToTr... $22.50	Bunny Rabbit Cutter Quilt Bo... PaxtonValleyFo... $15.00
Shabby Primitive Rabbit RustyThimble $18.99	SFPAFA Primitive Blank Bunny... stitchintimepa... $6.95
Bunny Pinkeep Prim Easter Sp... WhimseyDimples $19.77	Prim Bunny Ornies SFPAFA ninnasattic $3.75
Primitive Hopping Bunny East... OldeAnniePrimi... $14.95	Surprise Bunny coming out of... barbsheartstro... $14.00
SFPAFA Bunny with Large Fabr... mayberryprim $15.99	Primitive Rabbit TheBarnHollow $24.50

Treasury tool by Red Row Studio.

Enjoy, Barb

Celebrate Spring with the PAFA Team!!

Fabulous Creations for the Spring Forward Celebration!!  Click here to take you right to the Etsy sight or type into the search bar SFPAFA to see all the offerings!

Remember to sign up for the PAFA Spring Giveaway.  Click on the link on the left sidebar to take you to that page.  Good Luck!!

Enjoy,

Barb

A WILD WEEKEND

It started out good.  I was asked to teach a pattern on black screening for the Utah Guild of Heritage Artists Painting Chapter on Saturday.  A bit nervous because these ladies know how to paint!!  They were all so sweet and made me feel so welcomed.  The class went great and I had a great time.

Sunday...my husband's birthday!  I totally forgot.  BAD, BAD, BAD!!  I had to have my daughter come with me late on Saturday and lucky for us the grocery store had a German Chocolate Cake and French Vanilla ice cream.  Also lucky for me, he bought his own gifts on clearance: a weed whacker and lawn mower from the Home Depot.  The kids and I put a bow on it!

He had to cook his own dinner because I do not cook lamb.  He loves it and so do my kids.  (I would rather have fish.)  So between all this my folks and sister came over for dinner and to watch the "Amazing Race".

For me it was an Amazing Race Weekend.

Monday, the kids and I had a dental appointment at 8am, so much for their day off from school.  They were unhappy to have to get up.  They had also been told they HAD to clean their rooms if they wanted to continue living here.  Sobbing and moaning.

Then a dear friend came over to buy some shelf sitter bunnies from me and saw this pin I had it ready to be listed for the OFG "Luck of the Irish Challenge".  She needed it!  She even paid me more that I was asking.  It is so intricate.  It only stands 3 inches tall and 1 3/4 inches wide. The beard, hat brim, cuffs on the coat, soles of the shoe and shamrock are all little cutouts glued on to the main piece.  It is a design by Susie King. I bought it so many years ago and decided to paint it for the challenge.

When I asked my husband if he would be interested in cuting out more of them for me he gave me that "how dare you ask" look.  I am not sure if it was due to the forgotten birthday or because the pieces to cut are so tiny.

Head on over to the OFG Blog and vote for your favorite Challenge piece.  There are some very creative creations there.  I am headed there to vote.  That will be a difficult thing for me to decide which one to vote on!

Enjoy your day!

Barb

Primitive and Folk Atrtist Giveaway!!!

This Hoppy Spring Bunny is my donation for the PAFA Spring Forward Giveaway.

(The really sad part for me is that I cannot enter to win any of the other fabulous donations.)

Click button above to take you to the blog so that you can sign up and win a chance at one of the wonderful prizes! 

We will be celebration Spring on Etsy with loads of fun creations beginning Feb.21st-March 6th so stay tuned!!

Enjoy and good luck!

Barb

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Giving gifts of handcrafted spoons to symbolise affection and love is a craft tradition in Wales which has it's roots in the 17th century with the oldest surviving example of a love spoon dating back to 1667. Celtic handmade love spoons were often quite plain but over the years they have become quite elaborate, decorative and intricate.

The spoon was the main eating utensil of the day so the giver was also representing that he would take care of the lady.

Hand carved from one piece of wood, the carver would present a love spoon to a lady to show his interest in her, quite often as a precursor to courtship or engagement. If the lady accepted the spoon then she accepted his interest.

After I had graduated from Nursing school my Grandmother, and two of my Aunts decided to go to Europe.  We were able to see France, Belgium, Germany, and Luxembourg.  It was a fun two weeks!

My grandmother and I were able to stay longer so we went to England and Wales. We had a great time. The very best thing for me the whole trip was going to Wales.  My grandmother's sister and husband were living there at that time. They had completed a bit of genealogy and showed us were my great-great grandfather's house was in Swansea, Wales. 

While we were there they explained to us the history of the Welsh Love Spoons.  I was fascinated with the intricate details of these spoons.  We found a shop that sold these spoons.  My grandmother bought the top one for me and the second one for herself.  It was one of the best gifts I could have ever received!  As my grandmother handed it to me she told me what a wonderful granddaughter I was and that this trip was one of her favorites because she was with me. 

When my grandmother passed away I was living in Las Vegas but my mother made sure that I ended up with her spoon. 

The third spoon was one her sister gave her when she came back to the USA after living in Wales.

Love comes in all forms and for me this year I have missed my grandmother dearly.

She was a shining example to me and told me to live my life to the fullest.

I hope everyone will have the best Valentine's Day ever with those we love and remember those that have gone ahead.

Today is also the day to "HOP" on over to the Primitive and Folk Artist Blog to sign up for the fabulous giveaway they are having.  Last count there were over 20 prizes donated to this giveaway!

Enjoy,

Barb

Introducing Vicky from Paintspots and Splinters!!

I want to introduce you to my friend and PAFA/OFG team mate.

Vicky is one talented gal and makes me giggle!  She has a wild sense of humor and I so enjoy her!

She is also having a fabulous giveaway on her blog so head on over and get signed up!!

So here is Vicky and some of her fabulous art work!!

1)Your first name and name of your business and how you got your business name?

Hey everyone! I am Victoria, Vicky to all my friends, and owner of a small company called “Paintspots and Splinters”.  My business name appeared to me after many hours of contemplation. I seriously just thought about everything that I used to make my crafts.  Paint and wood was at the TOP of the list!

2)How long have you been in business?

I ran a small business under my name for about 8 years until the twins came along in 2005 (we have 6 children all together). I took a break, as one would expect with a baby and ESPECIALLY TWO, and started up again using Etsy to sell my goods in August of 2010.

3)Who or what inspires you?

Anything and Everyone!

4)What is your creative style, primitive, country, folk art?

I’m a decorative painter and LOVE whimsy. I call a lot of my pieces “Primsy”; a little whimsy mixed with primitive! My favorite painting technique is the shabby chic style although I’ll try a bit of everything!

5)What medium do you use in creating, clay, fabric, altered art, wood etc.?

I like to work with wood and LOTS of it but I’ve also found pleasure in working with fabrics and painting on them. I use acrylic paints but also dabble in Oils in some of my Fine Art pieces that you can see on my blog as I don’t sell those. I do sell decorative wood crafts and Primitive/Whimsical Make-Dos. This year I’m introducing some small home decor like picture frames, signboards, small shelves, and some small stools.

6)What are your links?

http://etsy.com/shop/paintspotsnsplinters

http://vicky-myart.blogspot.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Paintspots-and-Splinters

https://twitter.com/#!/PaintnSplinters

VicWeave@aol.com

Vicrweaver@yahoo.com

Please stop by and visit Vicky's links.  Her work is Fabulous!
Enjoy,

Barb

When the door bell rings....

When the door bell rings I usually ignore it because it is a salesman working our neighborhood or a friend for my kids.  It never is for me...but this week I had two suprizes!

Thursday when the door bell rang I ignored it but it happened to be my parents! Shock!  Luckily my daughter was on her way home from school and let them in.  Then called me up from the basement.

I am the worst person ever...we had a good laugh and they stayed for a while and we had a great talk.

Do I learn my lesson...no. 
The door bell rings again on Friday and I ignore it.  In the middle of the day it usually is a salesman.   Not this time.  It was a wonderful package from Cyndy of Crafty Stitchers.

I had won her giveaway and here it was!!

Complete with Godiva Chocolates and a lovely card!

This will be better than what I get from my husband.  I told him I wanted a calculator.  That will be what I get........he tries, and I know I am a bit of an aggravation for him. 

Cyndy has some of the most fun dollies in her shop on Etsy.  How colorful are these! 

This one is one of my favorites!

Her Etsy shop is wonderful click here to visit.
Thank you for such a great suprise, Cyndy!!
I will Enjoy!
Barb

I will be living with Guppies!

I have spent the last week going to school registration and orientation for my daughter that will be entering High School and my son that will be entering Middle school.

One night at dinner they were talking about how both of them would be guppies in the big ponds at their new schools come the next school year.

I know my way around the Middle school but the High school is HUGE. If I remember right it is the biggest high school in the state.  (Needless to say I am so glad I will not be the guppy this next year!)  

I had to share my daughter's project from her ceramics class.  This is in honor of her brother and dad who Curl every Thursday and Friday night.  Next week here in Utah they will be celebrating the 10th year anniversary of the Olympics being here and have asked my son and husband to represent Curling next Friday night at the Olympic Oval.  We are a bit excited!  This was quite a surprise and honor! 

My son is into painting so the other day when I did some errands I left him to his own devises.

I was pleased to see what he had come up with-of course military related-and he cleaned up his mess complete with cleaning the brushes.  Proud Mom. 

This was my daughters final piece in Ceramics and I love it.  She surprises me.  She was just little when we would go to New Mexico to check on our house there and/or visit cousins.

I think she really captured the beauty of the desert Southwest!

Hope every one has an enjoyable day!

Barb

Introducing Deb Riddell of Paxton Valley Folk Art

Meet my friend and team mate Deb Riddell from the Primitive and Folk Artist Group.

I think you will agree her creations are Fabulous!

1.  How did you come up with your business name?
I got my business name from the beautiful valley that we live in, here in British Columbia, Canada.
2.  How long have you been in business?
I 've been crafting for about 20 years but decided to become an 'on-line' presence as Paxton Valley Folk Art about 2 1/2 years ago.

3.  Who or what inspires you?
I am inspired by the colours, textures and beauty of the natural world.

4.  What is your creative style, primitive, country, folk art?
My style is currently primitive and folk art but I love learning new techniques and styles so who knows where I will end up next!

5.  What medium do you use in creating, clay, fabric, altered art, wood etc.?
I work with fabric, paint, wood, found objects, stamps, paper and anything else that strikes my fancy.
I create hand crafted folk art from my own designs and from the designs of other talented artisans. I also create my own original e-patterns and occasionally have a found vintage treasure or two to share at my Etsy shop or on my selling blog. I am also just starting to get into wholesaling my items, so if you are a shop owner looking for wholesale prices, please contact me!

 6.  What are your links (list your etsy shop, eBay, web site, blogs etc.)?

http://etsy.com/shop/PaxtonValleyFolkArt
http://paxtonvalleyfolkartshop.blogspot.com/
http://paxtonvalleyfolkart.blogspot.com/
http://toletown.com/blogs/debriddell
http://picturetrail.com/PaxtonValleyFolkArt

Take a minute to visit Deb's shop and blog!

Enjoy,

Barb