Primitive Make Do Pin Keep

Primitive Make Do Pin Keep affixed to a bobbin.

Today's Bag Dolls

Just finished these bag dolls this morning.  They are ready to go to Janie's Closet in Hillsboro.

Ready For Christmas!

We're ready for Christmas here at Persnickety Primitives.  Take a look at some of our ideas for Holiday home decor and gift ideas.  Visit our Facebook page to see these pictures as a slideshow with holiday music and captions on the pictures.

Primitive Folk Santas

I just finished these four Primitive Folk Santas.  The pattern is by Mandy at Bittersweet Folk Art.  I love her patterns.  They all have a little bunch of sweet Annie tucked in their "belts".  I have a few bag dolls to get made then I am starting on one of Mandy's snowmen.

Antique Baby Bed

This is the antique baby bed I bought at the Appalachain Artisan and Craft Fair.  It was purchased by my friend Jo Hall when she and some friends went to the New England states on an antique hunting trip.  She purchased it in Vermont.  She said it was one of several beds she bought that were stored in an old barn complete with bird droppings.  She said it was rusty and she had it sand blasted and repainted.  It is very heavy since it is the original wrought iron.  When I saw it in her shop at Hilltop Designs, I knew I had to have it to display my dolls in.  I am very pleased and excited to have it!

Fall Festival Day - 2011

Check my Persnickety Primitives facebook page to see a slide show of our day at the two fall festivals in our area.  We had a wonderful time today and the weather was just perfect.  We went to the first festival this morning, and we visited several great booths.   I bought a life size scarecrow and an antique baby bed from Vermont.  It is wrought iron that had been sand blasted and painted.  (I will post a picture later).  Then to Miller's Amish Bakery where we all bought some pastries to take home and a big old freshly baked pretzel.  We sat around a table outside the bakery and broke off big pieces of pretzel and dipped them in sweet mustard.  Yum!  Then we went to the second festival where we visited several booths and bought several treasures.  We bought a barbecued pulled pork sandwich for lunch.  From there, we went to the Granny's Place shop where I found an old Shakespere book to display.  Then to Keims Amish store where I bought a quart of apple butter, some chocolate covered raisins, some freshly sliced lunch meat and a big cold bottle of Birch Berry soda. (Kind of a cross between root beer and vanilla cream soda).  We ended our day by stopping at the Country Cupboard where we found several items on sale.  I just love sales.  It was a wonderful day. 

Great Finds on Ebay

These are a few things I bought recently on Ebay.  The doll is German and in excellent condition.  Of course, beside it is another pair of baby shoes.

I just love old glasses!  I have several pairs of them stuck around my house.

Another pair of old glasses with the eye doctor's name on the case.

New Bag Doll Pattern

This is my newest bag doll pattern.  It is by Sweet Meadows Farm.  I just love her little baby!

Santa's Red Underwear

The elves left a note for Santa that says:  "We looked for a stocking, but couldn't find a spare, so we ended up stuffing your red underwear".  These little underwear would look so cute strung across a mantle!

Christmas Mice

These little mice are getting ready to hang their Christmas Stockings!

Bag Doll & Chicken with Tail Feathers



This chicken has some fluffy tail feathers.

Miniature Cattle

My brother, Wendell Carver of Russellville, OH has a small farm and I do believe he would do Old McDonald proud.  He has recently added chickens to his group of several horses and dogs that he has living there.  He is getting interested in the miniature cattle and sent me these pictures as examples of the miniature breed.  Miniature cattle should not exceed 700 pounds live weight at three years of age.  They must be under 42 inches at the hip to be classified as miniature.  Compare this to the standard mature cow which weighs 1000 to 2000 pounds and is 50 to 60 inches tall. 

Miniature cows come in a variety of colors from many shades of brown, brindle, black and occasionally pinto or splashed with white.  Miniature Jersey cows are naturally polled animals which means they are born without horns.

Miniature cows are members of the bovine family.  All cows are ruminants and have four-chamber stomachs.  They are cud-chewing animals.  Male cows are called bulls.  Altered males are called steers.  Females are called cows.  It takes a cow nine months to have a baby calf.  At birth, a baby calf weighs approximately 20 to 30 pounds and is from 16 to 20 inches tall.  Miniature cows can live up to 25 years with the possibility of producing 23 calves.  Miniature cows are very docile and easy to handle.  They can be kept in as little as 1/4 acre of land.  They require 1/3 the nutrition of an average full size cow.

Miniature Jersey Cows are a sound economic investment.  They produce up to four gallons of milk daily and yield higher quality marketable beef.  With the emphasis on health related diets to eat smaller servings of meat, the consumer can enjoy smaller cuts of beef with more marbling and less fat.  Not only are miniature cows very practical for milk and beef supply, their small size, hardy constitution, gentle nature and rarity make them ideal for the exotic investor, weekend farmer, or backyard hobbyist.

(Information taken from www.tanglewoodfarmminiatures.com/minis/cows.html)

Mousie's Christmas Letter

This is Mousie writing a letter to Santa asking for cheese for his family for Christmas.  Can't you just see the hot cocoa and plate of cookies waiting for Santa on Christmas Eve as Mousie waits for Santa to come down the chimney?

Blinged Out Amelia the Witch

I call this little girl "Blinged Out Amelia the Witch".  She is ready for a night out on her broom dressed in her fancy feather trimmed hat.  I added a little feather boa to the top of her hat and thought it made her look like she is a witch from the "upper class" even though she is still primitive with her rusty pin and bell trim on her apron and boots.

Amelia has a needle sculpted nose and mouth and painted on eyes.

This is Amelia's boot with the rusty pin "buckles"

Rusty pins and bell on Amelia's apron and cheesecloth neckscarf.   You can see the apron material a little better in the top picture.  It is a dyed cheesecloth with black stars stenciled on it.

I usually use a dyed muslin for her dress, but this time (since she is dressing for a night out), I used a fancier material.  I bought this remnant while on the "Yard Sale" trip down through Kentucky at a little upholstery shop.  The owner said the this material had cost $35.00 a yard, but I bought the little remnant just big enough for Amelia's dress for only $3.00.  Quite a bargain for Miss Amelia's dress.

More Fall Witches and Bag Dolls

I sure have been giving my 30+ year old sewing machine just about all it can handle.  In fact, I think I may have to buy another machine if I keep up sewing at my present pace.  I made two more bag dolls, two more Amelia witches and a new witch pattern.

This is a new pattern (new to me) from Moonchild's Primitives and is called "Americana Flying Witch".  I had a good time making her, although there is a lot of painting and stenciling involved.  The flag is a project in itself.  I was pleased with how she turned out.

This is one of two more Amelia witches I made.  The pattern didn't call for hair but I added raw wool hair on both of them for a fun change.  These are made from Mandy's pattern at Bittersweet Folk Art.  I just love her patterns!

This is a little change on an old design.  She is a Mammy from a Wash House.  I made a white one and a black one.

I tried some new hair on this lady.  I gave her some auburn curls that hang in her eyes.

This is the pocket and bag of washing soda from my Wash House Mammys.

This is the black Wash House Mammy.  I just love her!  The fabric in her dress is a vintage 70's print that I got on ebay.

Both Wash House Mammys have little clothespins at the top of their aprons. 

Well, enough time wasted.  It's back to the sewing machine!  Happy Fall!  This has been a wonderful cool, crisp fall day.  Love it!