Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!

Be safe and have lots of fun today!

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By Your Hands Giveaway

Stop over By Your Hands and enter to win some handmade ornaments.  Starts today and run till 11-18-2010.  Good luck to everyone!

Dirtroadteam on Etsy - Junebug

  
Welcome to the last Friday of October.  Where has this month gone?  With the holidays around the corner, please take a minute to visit the Junebug shop on Etsy.  All jewelry is hand stamped sterling silver.  With 10% of all sales going to the Human Society. Here are some wonderful examples of the work that is in the great shop.  You can get personalized jewelry made just for your family and friends.  If you are getting married, cerebrating a special anniversary, or remembering a love one this is the shop for you.  Enjoy your visit and come back next week for another shop from the Dirt Road Team.  

Here is the link to go to this wonderful shop and visit with the great artist.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/JunebugGems

What is it Wednesday

 Welcome to another What is it Wednesday.  Yes these are all oil lamps, but in the last two weeks I have visitors asking what they are!  Oil lamps are a great way to get light when you have no power or just trying to keep the cost of electricity down.  This style lamp became popular in the 18th century,  with the addition of the glass chimney, to help with the flow of the flame.  Ami Argand is the one credited with this design.  A number of oils have been used over the years.  Some include beeswax, fish oil, whale oil, nut oil, and in 1853 petroleum oil was first used in Germany. 

 This oil lamp has some great dots added to the sides.  Most oil lamps have a design stamped into the sides.  All of my lamps have been found at garage sales for $1.00 except for the three in the middle.  See the last picture.

 Some older lamp bases have a metal cap to added oil to the base, the rest you add oil by unscrewing the metal holder in the center of the base.  This would be done before light it, they do get very hot.  Chimney would also be cleaned before lighting, they do get smoky fast.

 

The tall lamp in the middle was a give away at a local gas station that my dad used to go to.  One week you would get a oil lamp, some weeks soap!  You never knew what my dad would come home with on Friday.  The two flag oil lamps are from the Bicentennial of  1976.  I love having them out in my red, white and blue room.  In the summer time add some Tiki oil to help keep those biting bugs away.  Please be careful in using your lamps, but have fun with them.

Monday Market with Old Farmhouse Gathering

Welcome friends and to the last week of October.  We are having some wonderful fall weather and hope you are also enjoying some great weather also.  So get something wonderful to drink and come visit the three shops I have found for you today.  The first shop is Punkin Seed Production.  You will find words made from painted blocks, salt dough bowl fillers and message boards.  The wood letters have the backgrounds painted, and the letters make up a word that become a awesome work of art.  Spend some time looking at the details of each block, and you will be amazed also.  The next shop is Rabbit Hallow Prims.  Spring, Black Mammy, fall and winter prim dolls, turkey calls, and vintage misc.  The prim dolls would be a welcome addition to anyones collection, and in the vintage area you will find fishing lures.  These would make a great gift to the fisherman on your list this year.  The last shop is Redneck Candles.  Soy candles, soap, laundry detergent, and sachet bags.  With over 100 scents to pick from this might be the hardest part of your purchase.  Candles can be purchase individually or in a bundle.  The bundle could be used for those last minute gifts, or gift to the host of your Christmas party.  It is always great to have something like this around your home for those gift emergency that come up from time to time.  Enjoy your visit and come back next week for three more shops from the Old Farmhouse Gathering Group.  Have a blessed week!

Something I have always wanted to do!

Being a basket weaver I have always wanted to learn how to cane chairs.  Well I found a class to join, so now I off and running.  First you learn how to strip the chair with out raising the grain on the wood, fixing any cracks, and then how to finish your chair.  Once you have all of this done you can start the cane on your chair.  I now have my first chair done and working on my second chair.  I'm very slow at this but it has been a lot of fun.  Turning a garage sale find into something for family dinner is always fun.  When I have my other chairs done I will be back to show off what else I have learned.  Check out the adult ed classes in the areas around you and you might find a class for you to enjoy!

Dirtroadteam on Etsy - Wine Roses & Drunken Friends

Welcome friends.  I have another wonderful shop from the Dirt Road Team for you to visit today.  Wine Roses and Drunken Friends is filled with oil paintings and giclee prints.  Faith loves to paint familiar things that bring back memories to her and also to you.  The barns all look like they came from around my home.   The big white barn looks like the one down the road from my home.  She also paints scenes that you can just relate to, from old men sitting on a park bench, to markets.  Each painting will take you on a memory trip.  Take your time in visiting her shop because each painting will take you somewhere!  Enjoy your visit with Faith and her shop and come back next week for another wonderful shop from the Dirt Road Team.

Monday Market with Old Farmhouse Gathering

Welcome friends.  I have found three more shops from the Old Farmhouse Gathering for you to visit.  The first shop is Primitive Hodge Podge, where Jennifer makes signs, game boards, and blocks.  This stay at home mom has found another love in her life.  The next shop is Primitive Season, from wood to felt you will find a lot to look at.  Love all the prim birds she makes.  The last shop today is Print and Sew.  This shop is run by Bette and Deena.  They offer patterns for totes, lamps, dolls and more.  Check out the pattern for making gift bags.  Make up some gift bags and use them each year and save money on gift wrapping paper and ribbons.  All three shops have something different and it is never to earl to start shopping for the holidays.  Enjoy you visit and come back next week for three more great shops from the Old Farmhouse Gathering.

Dirtroadteam on Etsy - Artist, Being Human

Welcome to another feature from the Dirt Road Team.  Today come and meet Laurie and her boyfriend Nik.  This couple has three shops on Etsy, so come along and lets visit all three today.  The first shop is Artist, Being Human where you will find photography, fiber art (check out the mushroom basket), oil painting, altered art plus much more.  Then stop by their herb shop called, Herb Logic, where you will find herbs that they find around the area of Pennsylvania that they live in.  Along with the herbs you will get some information about that herb, but you must do your on research on the herb for your personal use.  They are just here to help you out.  The last shop this couple runs is Strange Vagaries, where you will find wonderful vintage items.  Looking for something vintage contact them and they can help you out.  Have fun on your visit with this wonderful couple.  Stop by next week for another member of the Dirt Road Team.

Dirt Road Team Bird Celebration

The Dirt Road Team is having a celebration of birds.  Follow the link below and vote for your favorite.  Fill out the form and win a prize!  Some amazing art work to be found.  Good luck to everyone!

http://www.dirtroadart.com/contest.html

What is it Wednesday

Welcome to another What is it Wednesday.  I was shown this video on You Tube about the Model T.  Great lesson on history, and the earl business practice of Henry Ford.  When Henry Ford started up and was having a hard time getting workers, he developed small towns into 10 to 100 area mini farms.  A worker could still raise a garden, have some live stock, and work at Fords.  Most of this small towns turn into cities, and now house subdivision.  Henry Fords thinking was they would have good food and a good income.  Street cars only would go so far, and the workers then walked home.  Old maps of the area around Detroit show the street car lines and how far they would go.  When my mother was going to school in Dearborn, Henry Ford would stop by and make sure the school children had paper, pencils to learn with.  He was always passing out supplies to children, and hosted square dance parties.  My mother has a young girl did square dance with Henry Ford.  Simply business and business plan and it worked for a long time.  What happen in the last 100 years?  Henry Ford did get American moving and traveling and all the business that spun off his car.  Motels, restaurants,  Sunday drives, easy to visit family (horse and buggy did take a long time).  Side note my Great Aunt went to school about sixty miles south west of Detroit.  Horse and buggy would take her 8 hours to travel, today 2 hours with traffic!  This is good!  Come back next week and visit with me in What is it Wednesday.  Please watch this short video!

http://www.youtube.com/swf/l.swf?video_id=S4KrIMZpwCY

Monday Market with Old Farmhouse Gathering

Welcomes friends!  We are having some wonderful fall weather, and I hope you are to.  Before you run off to do some great fall actives, please stop by the three shops I have found for you from the Farmhouse.  The first shop is Prairie Harvest Arts, where Barb makes ornies, printables, seasonal, American, and Christmas items for your home.  The next shop is Prim Country Creations.  Julie makes pillows, dolls, stitchery and prim home decor.  Check out the "Grandpa Pillow".  The last shop is Primgals Primitive Palette.  Jody loves to paint on surfaces that will add the finishing touch to your room.  You will find hand painted switch plate covers, soap, mouse pads, and seasonal items.  These shops have some great stocking stuffer's, and it is never to early to start shopping.  Stop back next week for three more shops from the Old Farmhouse Gathering.

Dirt Road Team - Nature Art Studios

Welcome friends, it is Friday, the start to a wonderful weekend here in Michigan.  Hope you are also having a great weekend.  Before you run off to the football game, apple orchard, or hay ride, please stop by the shop of Nature Art Studios.  Mark loves to hammer and shape metal.  Marks whole family is into art, so read his profile and learn about this amazing family.  You will find fish, flowers, hummingbirds, butterflies, signs, and masks all made from metal.  Using copper, brass and aluminum each piece is a one of kind work of art.  Custom orders all always welcome, so contact Mark for something special, for that nature lover on your list this year.  Remember each piece can take up to three weeks to finish. This is on Marks profile page "Art is a way of moving spirits through time and space". Please stop by next week and visit another shop from the Dirt Road Team.

What is it Wednesday

Welcome to another what is it Wednesday.  Today I have some great toys from the late 50's and early 60's.  The small rolling pin came in a baking set from Santa.  The copper pan was something my mother sent away for, from some copper cleaner company.  The toy cars where found in my backyard.  They are in good shape for being burried in the dirt for over 20 years.  The date of the cars are on the  plates, 1956.  All the toys where made in the US and no one worried about lead in the toys.  This Christmas season stop by an antique store and take a look at the toys, and bring home some memories of your childhood.  Great stories to share with your children and grandchildren.

Monday Market with Old Farmhouse Gathering

Welcome blog friends.  Today I'm please to have found three more wonderful shop from the Old Farmhouse Gathering group.  The first shop is Painted Panache, and Joann the shop owner is in love with China Painting.  Each piece requires 3 to 10 firings.  Many are dishwasher and microwave safe, if you have a question on this please contact Joann first before you purchase.  The next shop is Panorasprim.  This shop is filled with hand painted signs and game boards.  Lot of cute Halloween signs in this shop.  The last shop today is Pioneer Loft.  Denise makes prim creations, fun lady accessories, supplies, digital embroidery e patterns, and painted primitive furniture.  Enjoy your visit to all three shops, and come back next week for three more shops from this talented team.

Small town Wedding at its best!

You have to love a small town wedding.  Friday was the perfect fall day and a wonderful day for a wedding.  The wedding party traveled by hay wagon.  John Deere tractor washed and painted for the big day.  The straw was cover in sheets to keep everyone on board clean.  Wedding at a small town church, hay ride, and then the wedding dinner with family and friends.  Nothing gets any better! Congratulation to the happy couple!

Dirtroadteam on Etsy - Angies Raggedy Patch

Hello blog friends!  The first day of October, and fall is in the air!  Apple picking, hay rides, raking leaves and all that fall has to offer.  Before you run off to do some fun fall actives please take a minute to visit the shop of Angies Raggedy Patch.  This shop is filled with prim goodies.  You will find primitive dolls, ornies, and bowl filler.  Something for each season of the year.  I love the pantry cans and potion jars.  What will you find to fall in love with? Remember you can type "drat, dirtroadteam" into the search bar on Etsy for more wonderful shops filled with art from members who live in small towns, on a dirt road!  Enjoy your weekend!

Painted Panache Give Away

Painted Panache Give Away

Follow the link below to Painted Panache blog and sign up for her wonderful give away.  Please follow all the rules, and some lucky person will win this vase.  Good Luck!


http://jywheeler.blogspot.com