Falling for primitives and the Cat’s Cradle!

 

As I mentioned in the last post, each time I take photos of a featured home, there are always more pics than Kristine can print. When I photographed the home of Lana and David Testa last fall, I knew from the minute I got out of the car that this would most certainly be the case. Their Cape Cod colonial was a feast for the eyes both inside and out!  Fall was spilling over every window box and corner of their yard and continued inside. Please enjoy these extra photos taken that delightful fall day!

If Lana’s name sounds familiar to you it is because she creates the exclusive APP Collector Series dolls that are offered in each issue.  To see Percy, the newest member of the family and the rest of the series, please click ~HERE~!

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This coming Saturday, Sept 3rd, Audrey and I will head to South Hadley, MA and we’ll be at the Cat’s Cradle Country Shoppe,  265 Hadley St {route 47},   from 12-3 to sell and sign the fall issue. We always enjoy our visits with Sandi and Wayne and if you know them, then you know why we always leave Cat’s Cradle with a smile!  If you haven’t met them yet, we’d love to introduce you so please join us! ! You can visit their FB page by clicking ~here~!

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  Our hearts and prayers go out to those who lost loved ones, homes, property or their livelihood during Irene’s wrath.

Until next time, prim blessings,

Linda and the APP staff

Countryberries, a winner, and some exciting news!

 

Today  Audrey and I headed north to Deerfield, NH. Countryberries is a quaint shop located just miles from NH antiques alley. It was founded by Kathy Graham in 1991 and this weekend she was celebrating 20 years in business. Her daughter Kelly made a delightful cake complete with the Countryberries logo. It was on the same table where we sold and signed magazines…

…so it is no surprise that two of the accompanying cupcakes quickly met their demise!

If you have your fall issue, then turn to page 97 and you will see a tutorial for Itty Bitty Pumpkins by Kathy. She has made up kits with everything you need to make your own…

Audrey and I chatted with some of her wonderful customers like Lynne D…

and it was a delightful afternoon! Here are some pics from around the shop…

Countryberries carries pottery, redware, textiles, candles, baskets, lighting, and so much more!

Do you recognize the Mary Beth Baxter originals?? There is an empty spot on this wall now. I am just sayin….

Thank you Kathy and Judy  for   making us feel so welcome!

To find out more about Countryberries and for directions you can click ~HERE~!

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And now, we have a winner!

Can we have a drum roll please!!  I printed out  all the entries and pulled a slip before heading out this morning and the winner of the giveaway is:

 

Congratulations  Marlene (Y1M) I will be contacting soon for your mailing address and as soon as things are back to normal after Irene visits New England, I will mail your goodies!

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Something to look forward too…

Each time we take photos of a featured home, there are always many more than the editor can possibly use in the magazine. Whenever we can, we like to share some of those ‘extra’s’ with you. Over the next week or two I’ll be sharing some extra’s from some of the homes in the fall issue so come back on Monday for the first post. ( I have it set to publish whether or not I have power here. )
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A Very Special Announcement!

A Primitive Place & Country Journal is very excited to announce that we will soon offer Exclusive Seasonal Candles in collaboration with Star Mills Candles!  Each season we will offer one special scent for a limited time.  Karen and I working closely on the first offering and it is going to be wonderful spicy fall blend. Watch for more details about the fall candle very soon!!

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Thank-you to all of our new followers!  We hope you find something fun or inspiring each time you visit.

And last but not least for this weekend, to everyone in the path of Irene, please stay safe!!

Until next time, prim blessings and hugs, Linda and the APP staff

Our last summer giveaway!

THIS POST AND GIVEAWAY ARE NOW CLOSED!  Come back Saturday evening to see the winner! If you do not see your entry, your name did not link back to your contact info.

Can you believe that the next time we have a give-away, it will be FALL! Anyone that knows me, knows that is just fine  with me. I don’t ever want to wish my life away, but I could easily skip over these next few hot weeks and jump right into the cool crisp New England fall weather.

But, since that can’t happen, I will make the best of it and a giveaway is one way to make the end of summer breeze by. When I think of the end of summer, I think of sunflowers and beeskeps and the beginning of the harvest season. And that is what this giveaway is all about. One lucky winner will receive these four goodies ~

 

~a felt candle mat with a beeskep and flower design ~ about 8.5 inches in diameter

~a table top beeskep ~ about 3 inches in diameter and 3 inches tall

~ a beeskep and sunflower design list pad with magnetic back

~ and a delicious Amish Harvest scented 8 oz. jar soy candle from Star Mills Candles. It is a warm spicy scent that will make you long for fall as well! It is my favorite candle of all time!

To enter for a chance to win this giveaway, you must be a follower of this blog. You must leave one comment on this post only and say “please enter me”. You must leave us a way to contact you. Please don’t assume your blogger profile links to you unless you have it linked to a blog or you have an email address in your profile. Any comment without a link or email, or other simple way to contact you will be deleted. (You may also tell us your APP forum name if you want us to contact you over there. )

Edited Wednesday 5:05 PM There were still some new comments that did not link back  to an active blog or email address or APP forum name. If you don’t see your comment and it was made prior to that time, pleas leave a new one with contact info. Thanks!

This blog is moderated. That means either Kristine, Linda or Dan must approve comments before they are seen publicly so please give us several hours to see comments and approve them.

The contest starts now and ends at 9 PM on Friday August 26th. The winner’s name will be announced on Saturday August 27th sometime in the evening after Audrey and I return from a special store event.

We will be at Countryberries, 330 North Road, Deerfield, NH 03037  from 12-3 PM. To see the store website click ~here~! Countryberries is celebrating 20 years of business with a special celebration and open house and we will be there with the fall issue! Be sure to stop by if you are in the area. We’d love to see you. And if you think your home would make a great feature in A Primitive Place & Country Journal, then please bring pictures to share!  We like to see full views of main rooms and at least one bedroom, and exterior views as well. Who knows, maybe your home will grace the pages of a future issue!

And don’t forget to be sure to check back here that evening because not only will I have the winners name and some pics from the event, but we will be making a very special announcement about an exclusive APP …….. ! 

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Oops, I can’t fill in the blank – sorry -you’ll have to check back here or follow us on FB to find out!

Until next Saturday,

prim blessings and hugs,

Linda and the APP staff

 

 

 

~Not Far From Home...A Photo Shoot Sneak Peek~

Last Thursday, Kimberlee and I had the privilege of doing a photo shoot at a beautiful home for an upcoming issue of A Primitive Place & Country Journal magazine. The homeowners of this beautiful home are Suzi and Randy Mitchell of Carterville, Illinois. Suzi is a very creative lady. She makes hooked rugs, quilts, and she also paints. She and Randy have worked so hard to make their house a home and it shows. This beautiful home is located just a few miles from my house. So, it was quite literally in my own backyard.

I met Suzi at a primitive shop that I go to quite often. She works at The Cranberry Merchant which is located in Carterville, Illinois. Several of Suzi's friends told her that she should submit pictures of her home for consideration. I offered to go and take some scouting photos and I was blown away by the house. I shared the pictures with Kimberlee, Linda, and Kristine and they fell and love with the house too. Kristine decided the house needed to be photographed so Kimberlee and I were more than happy to dust off our equipment and do it.

Here are some sneak peek pictures of Suzi and Randy's home. I hope you enjoy them.

If you enjoyed these photos, just wait until the issue featuring Suzi's house comes out.  You will be blown away too!

It is also time for the August giveaway.  Don't forget to check back this weekend for more details.  It will be worth coming back for!

Thank you for visiting A Primtive Place & Country Journal.  We appreciate you stopping by and we hope you will continue to come back as often as possible.

"A house is not as home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body."

~Benjamin Franklin~

All Our Best, 

~Dan, Kimberlee, and the entire APP & CJ Staff~

~ Welcome to Red Fox Farm ~

Written by Jeremy A. Doss   

    The rich landscape of New England is beautifully composed of scenic rolling hills and tall hardwood trees such as pine, birch and oak. The area around Princeton, Massachusetts, is no exception, and if one were to drive past Mount Wachusett, one could see, nestled among the foothills,

a farmstead known as Red Fox Farm.

    When approaching the main house, one’s eye is struck by the simple lines of a straightforward  colonial architecture, and is drawn to the beautifully weathered cedar shake siding, and the colorful period gardens bordered by an old fashioned stone wall fence. The lush and tastefully arranged gardens include such plants and flowers as foxglove, lavender, poppies, primrose and daffodils.

Apple and pear trees are also included,

as well as a large horse chestnut tree.   

    Red Fox Farm holds a long and varied,

but rich history.

 This home was featured in our spring 2011 issue.

See page 36

We also featured their charming porch

in our Porches & Patios section of the fall 2011 issue.

Now, here is the exciting news!

This home is for sale and can be yours!

Here is a little bit more info about the property:

Restored Homestead on 20 acres. 50x70 barn

+ Separate 2-bedroom apt.

Period gardens, stone walls, pasture.

Near Mt. Wachusett. Ideal for animals. $675,000 

 If interested, Call Merillyn: (978) 621-6730

www.steeplechaserealtors.com

~ Garden of Thoughts and Dreams ~

“In my garden there is a large place for sentiment. My garden of flowers is also my garden of thoughts and dreams. The thoughts grow as freely as the flowers, and the dreams are as beautiful.” ~Abram L. Urban 

    Much like idealistic thoughts and dreams, garden phlox and black eyed Susan grow with vivid, rich color in Jim and Karen Selken’s garden  in Wahpeton, North Dakota. Located on the corner of the block, the luscious garden that spans around the property cannot be missed by the common passerby.

     Jeremy and Kristine spent the day photographing this amazing garden for an upcoming issue of A Primitive Place & Country Journal.

 Here are a few small sneak peeks from the day: 

Photographer, Jeremy A. Doss, was quick with the camera on this shot. Do you notice the bumble bee in the flower?

They had a beautiful gazebo nestled in their backyard built from reclaimed lumber.

And here is their cute little dog, Ollie. He followed us around and got in on a few photos!

Jim and Karen are also the proud owners of Wahpeton Floral & Gift. When we walked through the door of their shop, the scents and sights of fall were in the air!

These were the neatest sunflowers standing at about 4’ or 5' tall. Wouldn’t these look nice in a vintage cream can sitting by your front door or on your porch?

And look at these cute, little mini gourds! They were only $ 1.50 each! I purchased a bunch of them and have them in a shallow pewter bowl in my dining room.

If you see something that you like, give Jim or Karen a call. They are the nicest people!

 

Wahpeton Floral & Gift
312 Dakota Ave., Wahpeton, ND 58075
Local: (701)-642-8771
Toll free: (800)-901-8771

Be watching for their full garden tour in an upcoming issue.

We appreciate  you stopping by!

Until next time,
Jeremy & Kristine