Fine Country Living Primitives

CYBER MONDAY SALE!

2011-11-27T18:55:00.003-05:00

We have an amazing Cyber Monday sale and it begins a bit early....NOW!

Battery Operated Taper Candles with Timers 15% off (these have NEVER been on sale!)

Baskets Category 30% Off

Treenware Category 20% Off

Icy Lighted Twig Lights 30% Off

Wood Trees 40% Off

And many, MANY Christmas and Winter items are marked from 10% to 75% off!

Visit www.finecountrylivingprimitives.com for these Cyber Monday deals!

You're missing out!

2011-11-17T18:29:00.002-05:00

As you can probably see, I rarely use my blog anymore. If you haven't found us on facebook yet, you are missing out!

Click on the Facebook badge on the left side of this blog and "like" us. By following us on Facebook, you will receive exclusive sales, be notified of new products and more!

You can also visit our website and sign up for our newsletter if you wish to receive even more exclusive sale coupons and notifications of special offers and new products.

Don't miss out, click on the Facebook badge on the left and join in the fun!

Blessings,
Mary Jo

Christmas in July Sale! 25% Off!

2011-07-14T18:35:00.002-05:00

It's that time of year again when we celebrate Christmas in July! Everything in our Christmas and Winter page under our Season and Holidays category is 25% off through July 17!

We've added over 40 new items this week alone and many of them are NEW Christmas items! This sale is a wonderful way to stock up and save money on this year's hottest trends in Primitives for the Christmas and Holiday season!

Visit our website www.FineCountryLivingPrimitives.com and click on the Seasons and Holidays category on the left, then click on Christmas and Winter to Save, Save, Save!!!!!

Enjoy and many blessings,
Mary Jo

Customer Appreciation Week!

2011-06-19T19:11:00.003-05:00

It's that time of year again when we have our annual celebration to thank you, our wonderful online customers!

Use coupon code THANKS2011 at checkout and receive 15% off your order! Everything is included in this sale including our Clearance category, Country Sampler products AND the very popular Heirloom Quality Textiles! The coupon will expire at midnight, June 25, so be sure to use it this week!

In addition, orders with US addresses over $150.00 will receive FREE SHIPPING!

And that's not all.....one lucky customer will win a $25 store credit and everyone receives a free gift with their order!

We continue to grow each year and many times, each month! We have you to thank for it all and we appreciate our customers!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Antique Cutter Quilt Pillows

2011-05-14T18:35:00.003-05:00

I had this lovely antique quilt but it was in such poor shape....it still amazes me how some fabrics survive for 150 years and some do not. The good news is that many of the star blocks were in very good condition and I created pillows from them.

The blocks were handpieced and handquilted and I am guessing that it was made in the mid 1800's. The once deep, rich pink has softened as has the once vibrant white cotton background fabric which is now cream. A few seams may be popped here and there along with a slight stain or two on a few of them, but this only adds character and charm to them. I did gently launder the quilt before I made the pillows just to freshen up the fabric. I used unbleached muslin as the backing for the pillows.

They measure approximately 9" square, with slight variations due to the handcrafting of both the blocks and pillows. They will add so much charm to your Country, Primitive or Colonial home! Tuck them on your shelves or in a chair. Add one under the arm of your favorite doll or buy several to fill a dough bowl.

You can find them on our website under our New Arrivals category or the 1827 Collection category.

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

New Lower Shipping Charges!

2011-05-11T20:41:00.001-05:00

We are pleased to announce that we are now offering FedEx SmartPost in addition to FedEx Ground/Home Delivery as an option at checkout for orders of $100 or less.

SmartPost shipping will have a slightly longer transit time, from about 5-14 business days, but it will save several dollars per order in shipping!

We are so happy to be able to offer a lower cost shipping option for you when many others are raising their rates!

For complete details and a listing of our flat rate shipping services, visit our website www.finecountrylivingprimitives.com and click on the Ordering Information tab on the left side of our website.

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Annual INVENTORY REDUCTION SALE!

2011-01-07T13:50:00.002-05:00

It's that time of year again when we mark down the old to make room for the new, not to mention that I absolutely dislike counting inventory! We have 88 products in our Clearance category, but they are going fast! Visit our Clearance section on www.FineCountryLivingPrimitives.com!

We are bringing in so many new products this month, so keep checking back to see what's new. We strive to keep new and exciting products on our online primitive shoppe to provide you with fresh items to create a warm and inviting home!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Christmas 25% Off!

2010-12-10T12:19:00.002-05:00

For the weekend, we've marked down our Christmas merchandise 25% off with a few items marked down even lower.

We are very busy and working around the clock to get your orders out within one business day to be sure you get your goodies before Christmas!

Enjoy the holiday festivities with your friends and family and many blessings!

Mary Jo

Just Arrived! NEW Lighted Twig Branches ~ Battery Operated!

2010-11-30T17:20:00.003-05:00

Our order has FINALLY arrived!!!!! We have been waiting and waiting (and waiting) for these lighted twig branches to come in. These are battery operated and will add such a wonderful glow to your home decor!

Add them to baskets and crocks, rusty pails or in vases. These are just right for primitive, country, colonial or traditional home decor.

When we had these lighted branches before, they sold out twice within days of delivery. If this is something you've been wanting or waiting for, now is the time! And these would make wonderful gifts for that special someone on your list who has everyting!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Thank you for a great Black Friday!

2010-11-27T10:37:00.002-05:00

We are so excited to say that we broke a record on Black Friday and recorded the most hits EVER on our website! Thank you all for making this Black Friday event a huge success!

We've also broken another record with November being the best sales month ever on our website, and we aren't even finished with the month yet! We have all of you to thank for your continued support and patronage!

So many of our customers have been with us from the beginning and refer friends and family. That means a lot to us since it shows that you have confidence in us and our products.

Stay tuned for our Cyber Monday sale! We will be offering different products on sale for Cyber Monday only and we hope that you enjoy the deep discounts we are offering for this special day only! Decorative Plates will be 50% off, one of our products in our Country Sampler category will be 30% off and the rest is a surprise! You won't be disappointed!

Thank you once again and we truly appreciate you!

Blessings,
Mary Jo

Black Friday Sale Event!

2010-11-25T19:46:00.003-05:00

Just a quick note that we are having a HUGE Black Friday Sale! We are starting it early, this Thanksgiving evening, so you can get a jumpstart on your holiday shopping!

Our Decorative Plates category is 50% off and our Signs category is 30% off. One of our products advertised in Country Sampler magazine is 30% off in our Country Sampler category and we also have select Christmas merchandise marked down in our Seasons & Holidays category. We even have a few ornaments marked as low as $.75 and under and some items are marked as low as 60-80% off! I'm sure these will go quickly, so be sure to hurry over!

Visit our website at www.finecountrylivingprimitives.com to see these wonderful discounts and check out some of our new items such as treenware by the Salem Collection! You won't be disappointed!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

It's that time of year....

2010-10-31T07:35:00.002-05:00

We couldn't wait any longer here at our house...we started decorating for Christmas! Yes, it's Halloween, but yesterday I put all of my Fall decorating away safely in their orange storage tubs and tucked them away for next season. I dusted and cleaned my stepback cupboard and prepared it for my Christmas and Winter greens.

Since I love my own version of Colonial Primitive decor, I use a lot of greens to decorate. These can be used early on and left out all Winter long without looking "Christmasy".

I took some new greenery garland that is very realistic looking that I found in a retail store in Lancaster and mixed in our new silicone tipped teeny rice lights for a soft glow and the silicone gives the otherwise bright lights a bit of a snow covered look in my opinion.

I'm also going to start placing my table top German Twig trees in crocks and old boxes and decorating with small rag balls and our regular rice lights and placing them on our fireplace mantles and old farm tables.

I decorate slowly and change things for weeks before they are my official Christmas decor. I love change and I enjoy the process of taking only one or two things out at a time and placing them "just so".

We also have many full size trees that we scatter all throughout our home. We have a 7 foot German Twig tree for our foyer, a 6 foot German Twig for the living room, and two four foot German Twig trees for our kitchen and Keeping Room. I also have a very realistic looking long needle tree with large pine cones that I will be adding to our sitting room and I look forward to that new addition to the tree collection this year.

It's fun to plan and daydream of what's in store, even as my little boys are excited to find out that TODAY is trick or treat day (yep, Halloween) and I'm dreaming of a white Christmas. It's never too early!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Want 20% Off our Website for the rest of the year?

2010-10-11T18:13:00.002-05:00

We're offering a coupon for 20% off our website www.finecountrylivingprimitives.com for the rest of the year....you can use it as many times as you wish!

How do you get it? I'm hosting an online Pampered Chef party. If you place an order through my online Pampered Chef Party, I will send you your customer specific coupon code!

Here's how it works. Email me at maryjo@finecountrylivingprimitives.com and ask for an invitation to the Pampered Chef Party (please also include your name in your email). When I send you your email invitation, you can begin shopping directly through the link within the invitation. Place an order and be sure to select DIRECT SHIPPING as your delivery option when finalizing your Pampered Chef Order (afterall, you want it to go to your home, not mine!). When I get my confirmation of your online Pampered Chef order, I will email you your coupon for 20% off our website for the rest of the year!

Just think of all of the Christmas shopping you can accomplish right from the comfort of your own home, and if you were planning on shopping for holiday gift giving on our website, it will be 20% off each and every order until December 31, 2010. We've had several of our customers take advantage of this offer for that reason alone.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask.

Thanks and many blessings,
Mary Jo

Giveaway!!

2010-09-24T18:43:00.001-05:00

We're having a giveaway on our Facebook page! Check it out!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fine-Country-Living-Primitives/233739569987?v=wall

Clearance Sale!

2010-09-23T11:28:00.001-05:00

We are bursting at the seams and expecting more shipments of primitives today and through next week, so I moved many items into our Clearance category on our website www.FineCountryLivingPrimitives.com.

Blessings,
Mary Jo

Our Products in Country Sampler's Christmas Issue!

2010-09-17T07:42:00.001-05:00

Many subscribers are already receiving their Christmas issue of Country Sampler magazine in the mail, and we are so happy to advertise our products again in this magazine. The above picture is our actual ad in this issue and even though we knew that the products would be popular, we didn’t anticipate the response that we are getting and they are selling fast!

The lighted saltbox house is a paper towel holder and the lid lifts off in order to place your paper towel roll on a dowel. Simply feed the paper towels through the bottom slot and not only do you have a beautiful accent for your kitchen, but it’s functional as well! I personally own this and absolutely LOVE it! We have it in both burgundy and mustard, it is made in the USA and they will make the perfect gift for someone who has just about everything…including yourself!
You may click on the picture of our ad to be taken directly to their product page on our website.

A few months ago, Country Sampler contacted us if we were interested in submitting some of our favorite ornaments for consideration to decorate their Christmas tree on the cover of their annual Christmas Issue. We were so excited to hear that three of our ornaments were chosen! What an honor, and we’d like to show you both the cover and one of our ornaments chosen below. You can find these ornaments under the “Country Sampler” category on our website.

And don’t forget, it’s still Fall decorating season and we have many beautiful things to add those Autumn touches to your home! We have also added many new products and moved some into our “Clearance” category to make room for even more. We are always receiving new shipments in and many times have new primitives in each week….always keep checking back for more!

Many Blessings, Mary Jo

Country Sampler's 2010 Christmas Issue Cover!

2010-09-16T14:09:00.002-05:00

We are thrilled to have three of our ornaments that we offer here at Fine Country Living Primitives on the Christmas Tree on Country Sampler's 2010 Christmas issue! Even though Country Sampler informed us that ours were among a few others chosen for this annual issue, it was still a thrill to see it when it was 'unveiled' on Facebook this week.

Our three ornaments are the muslin snowmen with homespun hearts, the round ragball ornaments and the glittered icicles. Our three ornaments are offered on our website under the "Country Sampler" category and you can find the other ornaments featured on their Christmas tree by checking out the first page or two of the magazine and look at the "on the cover" section where myself and the other merchants featured will have our information on purchasing.

As always, it's a true pleasure to be a part of the Country Sampler Magazine family!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

New Lower Shipping!

2010-07-31T22:11:00.003-05:00

We are pleased to announce that we were able to lower our shipping charges for our customers! We have been working very hard behind the scenes over the last month or more on getting new rates. These are truly lower shipping rates....we don't inflate our product prices to offset the lower shipping. We are also happy to say that even with our lower shipping charges, insurance is always included!

We are hoping that sometime in the near future we can lower our shipping charges a bit more and we are keeping our fingers crossed. Here at Fine Country Living Primitives, we continually strive to bring our customers quality primitives at reasonable prices.

Feel free to visit our website at www.finecountrylivingprimtives.com and visit our Ordering Information page for details.

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

A new month...

2010-07-31T22:07:00.003-05:00

It's official...July is over. Where did the month go? It was a big one for us with our Christmas in July sale being a great success! I would like to thank everyone since this was our best month for our business ever!

I was happy that so many of you took advantage of the sale to get a head start on Christmas and Winter decorating! I already am looking forward to starting to decorate for Fall, and we are getting even more shipments in of Fall and Halloween primitives to make this Autumn the best ever.

We have sold out of many new items, but rest assured, there are more on their way, so stay tuned!

Thank you again for your continued patronage, we couldn't do it without you and we are blessed to have wonderful online customers!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Christmas in July is winding down....

2010-07-23T20:52:00.003-05:00

This has been a fabulous Christmas in July sale for us! The response was amazing, and despite the fact that most of the country is in a huge, hot, humid heat wave, you were all in the Christmas spirit!

There is still time if you have been thinking of planning ahead for the holiday season. The 25% off sale will end this Sunday, July 25, at midnight!

Allow me to offer just one more item for you to ponder during this sale.

His name is Baba Changhaloo is he is a charming wooden Old World style Santa. He's holding his gathered branches in one hand and has his brown sack slung over the other shoulder. I love the olive green color of his coat which gives him a very primitive and country look, but also an earthy feel as well! The Christmas in July price is only $14.25!

Again, thanks to all of my loyal online customers! There's no better feeling than to see an order come through from a returning customer and many of you leave notes in the comments section. Thank you, it means so much to us!

Many blessings,
Mary Jo

Christmas in July Sale is in full swing!

2010-07-19T19:28:00.003-05:00

Our Christmas in July sale is a big success! Everyone is taking advantage of the 25% savings and stocking up on basics such as silicone tipped tree lights and small Christmas trees for gatherings and purchasing Winter decor like our snowmen to have on hand all Winter long!

I would just like to remind folks that many of our items are in limited quantities and we can't guarantee that, once sold out, we will have them back for this season! If you love it, grab it before it's gone!

Our sale will continue through July 25, so there's still plenty of time to visit our website www.finecountrylivingprimitives.com!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Christmas in July Sale ~ 25% Off Winter and Christmas!

2010-07-15T20:36:00.006-05:00

It's our first ever Christmas in July sale, and with a great discount of 25% off the entire Winter and Christmas category, it's the perfect time to stock up on favorites and think ahead for gifts!

Our best selling silicone tipped string lights are everyone's favorite each year. So many of you have more than one Christmas tree in your home to decorate, it's a great bargain if you plan on adding a new tree to your collection. So prim, they are also great all year long!

One of my new favorites is an adorable handcrafted gourd snowman. He's made right here in Pennsylvania, and his features are carved and burned into the gourd. Even his snowflake is so detailed, you will just fall in love with him (and want to keep him for yourself). He has a soft scarf and earmuffs, and here we show him nestled in one of our new pine wreaths for a great centerpiece for your table or stepback cupboard!

And we love Santas too! Here's a sweet Santa with a resin face that looks like carved wood. A knit hat and long beard make him irresistable!

And along with our 25% off sale, we will be sending along an early Christmas gift from us at Fine Country Living Primitives. Each order will receive a Christmas ornament or decoration for your home this holiday season. Season's Greetings, a bit early, from us, to you!

The sale will continue until the 25th of July, and the sale is valid for online orders only.

As always, thank you for our continued patronage and support! We love what we do and hope that you enjoy everything we offer to make your house a warm and inviting home!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Hidden Treasurers.....

2010-07-06T08:20:00.003-05:00

On the July 4th holiday, we had nothing planned so we kinda worked a bit. I added tons of new products to my online shoppe and my husband, Russ, decided to remove the nasty carpeting on our back stairway leading from the kitchen to the two bedrooms above the kitchen and Keeping Room.

Once again he found a hidden treasure! Take a look at these steps which were painted in pumpkin colored paint!

Oh, the joy in the little things! He also knows that the bedroom floor has the same painted plank floors, but that's a task for another day.

He also discovered a hidden door behind drywall. A grand-daughter of a previous owner had once told us that our kitchen counters and cupboards were different than they are now and that behind our kitchen cupboards was once the original doorway leading up to those bedrooms above. Well, Russ found the door still behind drywall, but again....that's a task for another day. He already has it planned to frame it out and leave it exposed. That makes a total of four hidden doors that we have found. One opened up to our foyer and the two in the Keeping Room (which you can see in the pictures of the Keeping Room in the virtual tour of our house on our website) lead to the outside, but were covered over with stucco.

We'll post pictures of that hidden door when we get the time to uncover it!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

The internet revolution.....

2010-07-04T18:36:00.004-05:00

First of all, Happy Independence Day! It's hot outside...too hot, so I'm indoors and watching the History channel's "America, the Story of Us" miniseries marathon. It's incredible, by the way.

Anyhow, the one segment is regarding modern technology and advancement. It explained how the internet revolution started. It shows how computers were once the size of a greyhound bus (I remember how they took up an entire room at my school) and how the personal computer, PC, was invented.

It began to explain how the internet has broadened our world. In fact, Soledad O'Brian from CNN explained us Americans as having an "entrepreneurial spirit" and how we used the internet to expand business and trade beyond our wildest dreams.

When I started my primitives business, I did it backwards. I started online with ebay for a very short time and quickly started my own website at the perfect time when primitives were just beginning to take off. After having my website for several years, I decided to also open a brick and mortar store next to our home.

Many local folks scoff at the fact that most of us retailers anymore have online businesses. So many customers even admit that they don't have a computer at home and never care to. I'm just fine and dandy with that and can understand that some folks just don't want one.

What I'm not fine with is being scoffed at. My online business is so much more successful than my brick and mortar store and is, in fact, more than a full time job at this point. Nearly every brick and mortar store has an online avenue for selling. What's the shame in that? Afterall, even many of the Amish have computers at their places of business and is allowed in certain church districts along with cell phones....just as long as they don't have them at home, it's fine and dandy. Heck, if the Amish see the upside of online retailing and moving forward (at least a little bit) with technology to make their businesses successful, I think more of us fancy folk should as well.

My online business was my first love and always will be. In fact, it may eventually be my only love since it's not making good business sense to keep a brick and mortar store anymore with the high overhead costs and slow foot traffic compared to my online business. With hundreds/thousands of hits per day on a website, the need for a brick and mortar store seems quite, well, old fashioned. Online sellers can reach customers all over the country, all over the world and interact with them in a very personal way through social networking sites and personal emails back and forth. That's something that many in our "modern" world don't realize and it's an untapped resource, in my opinion.

So I wish to say thank you to Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and even Al Gore for having the know how, the forsight to see into the future and have the internet revolution.....a different type of revolution for us to celebrate on this Independence Day!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Fall Issue of Mercantile Gatherings Magazine is here....

2010-06-29T17:44:00.001-05:00

Fall issue of Mercantile Gatherings Magazine is on our website for sale! It just arrived 30 minutes ago and looks great! I love the directions for turning your refrigerator into a faux cabinet!

These don't last long on my website and I sell out each time!

Stop on over and get your copy today and enjoy.....

Many Blessings!
Mary Jo

New Textiles have arrived.....

2010-06-29T14:31:00.003-05:00

We love our Heirloom Quality Textiles, and we just received a new shipment of throw blankets and table squares.

Made right here in Pennsylvania, these are machine wash and dry. We love the Early American look of these textiles, and the log cabin throw with brown and black woven on a mustard background is perfect for Colonial and Primitive decor!

Our Anna's Beauty woven table square is in a soft brick and brown on tan background. Woven using a pattern from the late 1700's this will look perfect not only on tables, but folded and draped over cupboard doors!

Here it is in the Keeping Room of our 1827 Pennsylvania farmhouse.

The candle riser shown in the grouping on our table is also available on our website under the 1827 Collection category and is handcrafted.

We have the Anna's Beauty pattern also available in throw size blankets in the same brown/brick on tan color combination and also in black on tan.

To see these wonderful textiles, visit www.finecountrylivingprimitives.com and visit our Heirloom Quality Textiles category!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Customer Appreciation Week Winners!

2010-06-27T10:32:00.002-05:00

Congratulations go to Mary P. for winning our $25 store credit and to Linda P. for winning our handheld Betsy Ross flags in our Facebook Giveaway!

This week was an enormous success....more than I could have imagined! Not only that, it was so much fun!

Thank you for helping our business grow each and every year...we truly appreciate our customers!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Giveaway on Facebook!

2010-06-21T16:39:00.003-05:00

Customer Appreciation Week is in full swing! We are having a giveaway on Facebook. Simply click on my facebook page link on the left side of my blog and leave a comment on our giveaway post. You'll be entered to win four of our hand held Betsy Ross flags! It's that simple! And best of luck!!!!!

Blessings,
Mary Jo

Online Customer Appreciation Week!

2010-06-20T11:06:00.003-05:00

It's our annual Customer Appreciation Week at www.finecountrylivingprimitives.com!

Use coupon code Thanks2010 at checkout and receive 15% off your order. Each order will receive a thank you gift and someone will win a $25 store credit!

Online orders only....feel free to share the coupon code with friends and family, coupon expires midnight, Friday, June 25, 2010.

Thank you, thank you, thank you to my online customers for making our website a success these past few years, for our continued growth, and for being such wonderful friends! We truly appreciate your business!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

63 New Products, and I'm not done!!!!

2010-06-18T16:45:00.003-05:00

It's been crazy around here getting in new primitives and new Christmas goodies! We currently have 63 new products on our New Arrivals page and I'm still adding more and more.

So many of my customers have already begun their Christmas shopping, so I've been trying to get as many new Christmas items in as I can. I'm like you, I love to plan ahead and then when life becomes a bit too busy around the holidays, we're ready to decorate and make our house a warm and inviting home.

Take a moment to visit our website www.Finecountrylivingprimitives.com and enjoy the new offerings and know that we have more on the way!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Snowy Lighted Twig Branch ~ Electric Indoor/Outdoor Safe!

2010-06-15T16:40:00.003-05:00

Just in today and they are going quickly!

These lighted twig branches are covered in "snow" and are posable....bend them to spread them out or keep them tight and close together. Perfect for filling your crocks, baskets or boxes and they are indoor/outdoor safe!

For more details or to order, simply click on the picture and you will be taken directly to the product page on our website! Very popular, they may not last until the holidays!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Country Sampler Product Ad.....

2010-06-12T20:23:00.003-05:00

Have you seen the summer issue of Country Sampler Magazine? We are once again proud to advertise one of our products in this popular magazine.

This flame top sconce is handcrafted here in the USA and includes the battery operated taper candle that has been dipped in wax. It's only $20 plus shipping (and again, includes the candle!) and will add that Early American feel to your Primitive, Country or Colonial Home! Just click on the picture to go directly to the product page on our website for details.

Enjoy, and many blessings!

Mary Jo

So much to do, so little time....

2010-06-10T19:48:00.003-05:00

The days and the weeks just get away from me as they do with everyone. We are through the end of the year plays and festivities for the boys' schools, and tomorrow is Seth's last day of school for the year. Cyber school went so well for us that we enrolled Sam in cyber school for next year which means TWO boys to teach at home, and I love every minute it. Okay, not every single minute, but close!

We are gearing up for the holiday season already and I have been lining up new products and ordering them in. We also have been placing ads for the holiday season and if our online sales last year were any indication of what this year's holiday season will be, then I best get organized! We have even gone so far as ordering our shipping boxes in anticipation of the busy time ahead and it never hurts to prepare early! The strangest thing is happening though, I have the "itch" to decorate for Christmas! Seriously!!!! I'm looking at Besnickle Santas and lovely greeneries, and I can't help but want to see them out now. I can wait for the snow and cold temps....definitely can wait on those!

I'm not sure how many handcrafted items we will have this season with homeschooling and keeping up with our online shoppe, but I will certainly try. Our entire focus this year will be our online shoppe and we may only have just an open house here at the shoppe in Springville, PA, for one weekend this Fall. I've finally come to the conclusion that I just can't do it all, but that's okay. My online shoppe was my first love, and it always will be (business wise, that is...you know it's all about the family!). I've made so many friends around the country and the world, and I have all of you to thank for our continued growth of our online business!

I take each day one at a time, each week one at a time. Life is good, we are blessed, and what more could we ask for?

Many Blessings to you as well,
Mary Jo

Americana is Hot, Hot, HOT!!!!!!!

2010-05-10T16:34:00.004-05:00

Wow, everyone must have called each other during the last 7 days and said..."Let's decorate for July 4th!"

We have been receiving orders one after another for our tea stained flags, buntings, Uncle Sams and more! I'm thinking that everyone is in the mood for Memorial Day and summer barbeques, and of course, the Independence Day holiday.

Americana is also a year long best seller for us and many folks love to have Americana rooms. In my old house, I had an Americana room and I loved it! I had navy blue walls....but it never seemed dark. We had white curtains and a huge white upholstered chair in the corner. I had tea stained flags draped over furniture, a big Uncle Sam head that looked like a vintage advertisement sign and framed prints of homes and landscapes with Americana themes. I loved that room and enjoyed the hunt for new Americana decor each time I visited my favorite shoppes.

Here at Fine Country Living Primitives, I select only the Americana items that I would personally put in my own home. We truly love what we sell, and I think my customers understand that this isn't just a way for us to make money....it's the way we live, and it's our passion for primitives!

So stop by our website at www.finecountrylivingprimitives.com and visit our AMERICANA category and see for yourself. And hurry, these items really do sell fast this time of year and we can't guarantee if and when we can restock them in the near future!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Always something new....

2010-04-25T19:17:00.002-05:00

We're always shopping for new primitives to bring to our customers! Here are just two of our new products.

This is our new small grubby battery operated taper measuring approx. 4 1/2" tall. It's perfect for our handcrafted corner sconce. These both can be found in our Early Lighting category.

We're getting a jump start on Christmas! This is our candy cane hand dipped battery operated taper candle and can also be found under our Early Lighting category.

Our Faith Family Friends treenware tea light holder that we advertised in the current issue of Country Sampler has already sold out. Our Early Lighting category is one of our best selling line of products, so our new items in this category do sell quickly! Visit www.finecountrylivingprimitives.com to see these new products along with many others!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Mary's Quilting Passions #1

2010-04-18T08:02:00.000-05:00

Some new arrivals!

2010-04-07T18:30:00.006-05:00

These rusty wire taper candle holders are the perfect holder for our battery operated taper candles! At only $2.50 each, you can have them all throughout your home!

Here are a few more pictures of new items...there's something for everyone to enjoy!

We are always adding new products to our online shoppe each week, so keep stopping by to see our new wares!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

New Products Added...

2010-03-29T07:19:00.003-05:00

We are bursting at the seams with new merchandise for our online shoppe and I'm so excited to show just a few of my favorites to you here on my blog.

First is a great sign that would look perfect over your door or propped up on a shelf with your favorite crow collectibles.

Our Colonial style candle sconces are very popular and the new Washington's Sconce is a double candle sconce with an area around the base of the candles to hold pip berry candle rings or potpourri.

We have a new supplier and are excited about the stackable boxes they offer. We also brought in many of their sampler pillows and this one is my personal favorite out of them all.

We are also restocked with many of our favorite treenware including the egg tray below filled with realistic looking brown eggs. We have new treenware as well including pantry buckets and scoops!

These are just a FEW of our new items.....we're always bringing in new and exciting primitive and Colonial wares for your home. Keep checking in to see what's in store for you!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Something my husband gave me....

2010-03-25T06:49:00.004-05:00

This is an excerpt from a book on Colonial/Early American Times that my husband passed on to me and I just love it.

Noah Webster, "Advice to the Young" 1834

"In your mode of living, be not ambitious of adopting every extravagant fashion. Many fashions are not inconvenient and expensive, but inconsistent with good taste. The love of finery is of savage origin; the rude inhabitant of the forest delights to deck his person with pieces of shining metal, with painted feathers, and with some appendage dangling from the ears or nose. The same love of finery infects civilized men and women, more or less, in every country, and the body is adorned with brilliant gems and gaudy attire. But true taste demands great simplicity of dress. A well made person is one of the most beautiful of all God's works, and a simple neat dress, displays this person to the best advantage."

Since my husband, and especially myself, dress simply and plain, he knew how much I would appreciate that "Advice to the Young" even though I'm not so young anymore. LOL!

Many Blessings,

Mary Jo

I'm still here.....

2010-03-18T18:36:00.003-05:00

It's been so long since my last post, I just wanted to pop on here and say that I'm still here!

We've been so busy with our online business, and I just returned from a shopping trip yesterday where I shopped with a new vendor and am bringing in a whole new line of products! It was a fun day, and I shopped until I dropped. If bringing home a van full of primitives for my website wasn't enough, two shipments came in today as well! It will take some time for me to get them added, literally about 90 new products (if not more) and restocking old favorites! I told you it was alot! So worth the wait, I'm excited!

We've been enjoying lovely Spring weather with today nearly 70 degrees! We're getting spoiled, but I'll take it....we had school lessons on the sunny porch today, why stay inside!

Speaking of lessons, homeschooling our oldest, Seth, is going wonderfully through Agora Cyber School. My only regret is not doing it sooner. Even though it adds to our busy day, it's well worth it and we are all enjoying it! Sam is excited that we can start the enrollment for him for first grade next year.

And if that isn't enough, I'm starting a new quilt...no more throws or wall hangings...I'm going for the big one! Wish me luck!

That's it for now....pop on over to our website http://www.finecountrylivingprimitives.com/ to see the treenware I stocked and other favorites back online. New items are coming as soon as I possibly can!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Free Quilt Block Patterns....

2010-02-27T19:48:00.003-05:00

I spend more time looking at quilts and patterns than making any! LOL! I found an incredible website that has free quilt patterns and some great paper patterns for sale as well. You will be amazed at the over 1000 free quilt block patterns and photos of finished pieces submitted by fellow quilters!

The website is the Quilters Cache and Marcia Hohn is the designer of many of the original pieces and offers wonderful traditional patterns as well. Click on the link below to go there....grab snacks, and drinks and be prepared to stay a loooonnnnngggggg time!

http://www.quilterscache.com/QuiltBlocksGalore.html

Just please be sure to be considerate and abide by her Terms of Use agreements which isn't hard, obviously!

Enjoy!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

The Winter Blahs.....

2010-02-24T09:15:00.002-05:00

I'm sick of it. Plain and simple. I get this way every end of February when the fun of Winter has worn off and the shortest month of the year suddenly seems to be the longest and feels like it's 40 days long instead of 28.

I decided to make the best of it and snitched a Seaside Mist candle from my stock of Old Candle Barn candles and lit it.....the light, fresh smell has really perked up my soul! It's amazing how something so simple can give such pleasure!

I'll just have to keep that candle burning the next few days since they are calling for 1-2 feet of new snow over the next few days...I'll just refuse to look out the windows and dream of Spring!!!!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Hand Piece Quilting....

2010-02-19T10:36:00.002-05:00

I just need to make something, I have that itch!

I'll be honest. I used to make so many handcrafted folk art pieces....dolls, bonnets, etc., but haven't these last few months. We closed our retail shoppe for the Winter and I had grand ideas of accomplishing so much during these months off.

So, what have I made? Nada, nothing! I've finished my son's scrappy quilt, but that's all. Not one doll, not a single bonnet. I'd love to, but time...well, it's not on my side.

Our online business has doubled this past year (thank you all!) and continues to grow. In fact, January was our best month ever! Packing orders and shopping for more primitive wares takes a lot of time and effort, especially when I had to revamp my whole shipping process and find alternatives to USPS Priority Mail thanks to their huge rate increases.

We also began homeschooling our oldest, Seth, through Agora Cyber Charter School and it's a success! We love it, but again....time is not on my side.

I'd love to start another quilt and have decided that I MUST make time for this. I'm craving to be creative again, but not in the mood for dolls. I have so much glorious fabric and decided that I will hand piece my next quilt. Something new, and something portable so I can work on it while waiting for my son during the Agora Days Out programs through cyber school or while sitting in the living room with the family. That's the hardest part about my love of sewing....being stuck in my craft room isolated with my machine.

Another time killer for me is deciding what type of quilt to create. I've decided to do a sampler so I don't have to decide! Inspired by a recent reading of two books concerning the Underground Railroad and quilts used as signals, I'm thinking of making blocks representing those signals. We'll see, I'm still in the planning stage! It will be in primitive colors of course, I love browns, burgundy, mustard and touches of olive green and blues. Warm and inviting colors are what appeal to me the most. I also love vintage feed sack fabrics, but that's another subject altogether.

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Amish Proverb....

2010-02-17T22:05:00.002-05:00

"More is caught than taught."

Enough said. ;-)

Many Blessings!
Mary Jo

More New Products added....

2010-02-07T11:56:00.003-05:00

Just a quick note to say I've added more new products! Handmades such as a cupboard tuck pillow made from antique 1800's red and white quilt, Colonial sawdust pillow made from heavily stained blue ticking, an antique gentlemen's picture on a metal pin (it's a big one!), and new large size no-glare Billy Jacob's prints!

All these, and our other new products, can be found under the New Arrivals category on our website, www.finecountrylivingprimitives.com.

Have a blessed day!

Mary Jo

New Textiles! Coverlets, Blankets, Duvet Cases...

2010-02-05T06:07:00.005-05:00

Ohhhh.....my new shipment of woven textiles have arrived and I am swooning over them!

All of our new textiles (as are all that I ever order) are machine wash and dry....yes, machine wash and dry! Feel free to use these textiles and still pass them down through the generations! I'm a firm believer in using what you love, so I only purchase textiles that you can wash yourself...no dry cleaning necessary. Heirlooms were meant to be enjoyed by your family, still hold up to the wear and tear of everyday life while maintaining their beauty, and these textiles do just that! And best of all, they are all in the black and linen combination that you all love (and buy me out of each time) so that everything coordinates together perfectly.

This new coverlet is the Sea Star and Jewel pattern. It is Queen size, but I've shown it on my full size antique bed and it works wonderfully! Take a look at the picture below, it is also reversable, so you can change the look of your bedding in an instant. These also look great folded and placed in a cupboard or at the foot of a bed.

The next is a new FULL size and TWIN size blanket in the #5 stripe pattern. This blanket is woven in a herringbone pattern (a very subtle variation in the weaving pattern) with five black stripes in groupings along the blanket. Use as a blanket or even as a coverlet itself, or fold and place on top of a blanket chest. This fits our full size bed and will also fit a twin size generously...twin sizes are nearly impossible to find in Early American woven textiles, so this will work just great!

Finally are our new duvet cases. In our picture, we've added a standard size pillow and draped the sides over the edge of the bed...how Colonial! Each one is handstitched with the initials HW and 10 for the year it was made. These just arrived, and they have already discontinued this product, so what I have in stock will be all that I can get in....so hurry in if you wish to purchase the cases, and they are sold in a set of two.

All of our textiles are woven right here in Pennsyvlania using the same methods as Early American weavers and the quality is amazing and we are proud to be able to offer them for our customers. The coverlets and blankets all have a center seam down the middle which is a normal part of the weaving process and is seen in antique textiles as well and is not considered a defect. We know you will love them as much as we do!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

A new challenge....cyber school....

2010-01-30T11:11:00.002-05:00

We're taking a big step in our house and have enrolled our oldest son, 7 year old Seth who is in first grade, in cyber school.

This is something that we've considered long before he, or our youngest son, Sam, started preschool. The research was complete, I liked what I saw, but wanted to try public school first.

Even though Seth was excelling in his academics in school (and Sam as well), it just wasn't the right fit for him. We were so very fortunate to have two wonderful teachers at his school for his first two years in public school and they worked so well with us. Even so, the decision had to be made....Seth just wasn't happy there and in the next years, we may not have the guidance and understanding of teachers as special as his Kindergarten and First Grade teachers were.

This is also a life lesson for our son. We are in control of our own happiness, our own destiny. It is not up to teachers, schools, family members, society or anyone or anything else. It is up to us. His guidance counselor at school gave him a very good piece of advice last year...."You are the boss of you". This is an important lesson for us all.

We have the power, and we should execute our power. In our everyday lives, we have control over what makes us happy. My favorite quote is a sign in our sitting room, "Be the change you wish to see in the world". We are doing just that. We want to change the world (well, some aspects of it) and why not start with ourselves.

Seth has affectionately called his new cyber school the Springville School District and grinned from ear to ear showing off what his Kindertarten teacher, Mrs. Cooley, used to call his "talking marks", or what we know as his dimples. This made him happy, this change that began within our own selves, our own family, under our control.

It may not be easy, but it may not be hard either. I'm looking forward to having a direct part in his education, and if all goes well, Sam's as well starting next year. See, Sam was also fortunate in having a wonderful teacher, Mrs. Cooley, the same Kindergarten teacher Seth had last year and he's not quite ready to leave her just yet. But next year he said he'll be ready to start at home and looks forward to having school right next to his brother Seth.

This is a challenge for us, but a challenge we are ready to accept. A few have mentioned about me missing out on the free time while the boys are at public school, but I don't think of it that way. I want my boys to get an education, not have a baby sitter. And besides, if the boys aren't happy, Mama ain't happy either, and we all know how it is if Mama ain't happy..... Anyhow, I'll gladly sacrifice a few short hours of quiet time each day to devote to my children. It's my job, it's my life, and it's what I love to do.

Say a prayer for us...for patience, for guidance along the way, and for us to all have some great fun and make great memories together!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Amish Proverb....

2010-01-27T05:52:00.007-05:00

"The most beautiful attire is a smile."

Since I dress what many Quakers have dubbed "The New Plain", and which I affectionately call modern plain, this simple Amish proverb means a lot to me.

At first my family (I know they still secretly think this way) thought I was a bit nuts. Not my husband, not my sons, but you know....sisters, parents, etc. After all, to slowly begin to transform into this new style of dress is a change for folks around here. Not that we're all high fashion models in Susquehanna County, PA, but you know, you gotta look "good".

I've spent much time, and too much money, on trying to look great. The worst part was when I started watching "What not to wear" on TLC and HELLO!!!!! ..... I thought I had to use all those style tips and makeup tips and get my hair done and, and, and....

*SIGH*

I don't even remember when it started happening. A small voice inside me began whispering simple things. I began thinking, "What a waste of time" when I was dying my hair. "What a waste of time" when I couldn't decide what top to wear with these jeans, and suddenly had clothes laid out all over and just couldn't decide. I had tons of shoes with boots to go with that skirt, slip-ons to go with those shorts, and boots to go with that one pair of pants. If I saw something on sale, I may not need it, but hey, it's a bargain, right? Wrong. That little voice started asking.... "Why".

Why indeed, and that's how I began answering. Why.

On a whim, I bought an Amish cape dress on ebay that I saw. Why? I don't know, but when I tried it on, I enjoyed it. I put in in the closet and wore it to my son's preschool one year for Halloween and it was fun, and I hated to take it off. I bought a few more....more Mennonite style which, without the cape style, could pass for a simple dress. I was hooked.

But then I felt like I was doing it again...spending time finding the right cape dress that didn't look Amish, fit just right, etc.... and I was doing it again. What a waste.

I had a denim skirt that I bought on sale and never wore (the one that I bought the boots for and never wore them either). I put it on and, thankfully, it still fit (hahaha). I paired it with a simple long sleeved tee and it felt good. It was practical. I already had it, and it felt right. My new form of dress is long denim skirts and simple tops. Easy, cheap, comfy.

I still had the desire to wear simple dresses and found Taylors Scarlet Thread online. It's a family of fabulous seamstresses that will make dresses, blouses, skirts, nightgowns, etc. Just simply choose your style and send your measurements. Sarah will send fabric choices in an email and voila, a few weeks later you have a lovely dress. I love their aprons too! I cherish my handmade dresses of fine quality from The Scarlet Thread, they still look like brand new two years later, and you can't beat handmade clothing.

I started feeling the need to stop wearing makeup. I hear you all gasping....and it's okay. LOL! Yes, I stopped wearing makeup. I think my mother still has nightmares about it, but that's another subject all together. It is simply freeing and I'm happy, enough said.

I also stopped dying my hair. I began seeing my first grays when I was about 17 I think and began dying my hair at 19. It's been a vicious cycle ever since. I am now off the dying bandwagon and am salt and pepper and natural. It was the best decision made thus far and I get more compliments on my hair now then ever before. I think mom's still having nightmare's about not dying my hair as well.

In Gehman's Country Fabrics and More in Lebanon, PA, I purchase my knee high socks (great quality, made in the USA and lovely). As Mrs. Gehman and I were conversing about dressing plain in a modern world, she did ask me why I decided to begin dressing more plain, more modest. I told her the honest truth. I wasn't sure exactly why, but I listened to that inner voice and it felt right. She said something that I think about often. I can't remember her exact words, but she remarked how pretty our plain girls look when you can focus on their lovely faces and smiles instead of their clothes.

That's how I feel. Focus on what I have to say, see the good I try to do each day, not on what I wear. And also know that my favorite attire is my smile.

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

New Shipping Services

2010-01-22T18:10:00.003-05:00

We've completed our new Ordering Information and policies and effective immediately, we will be offering USPS Priority Mail, UPS and FedEx. Which carrier we ship your order through will be determined by Fine Country Living Primitives at the time of shipment.

We've always only shipped USPS Priority Mail, but with their new price increases, many times it's more reasonable to ship a large package across the United States with FedEx than it is Priority Mail. In some recent cases, it would have meant as much as a 30-50% savings in shipping customers orders! All carriers are now charging "dimensional weight" for packages. They are not only calculating the weight of the package, but also the size and combining these two figures for dimensional weight charges which has increased dramatically in the last two years.

These new shipping options has led us to revamp our shipping charges. Shipping charges will now be a flat rate charge depending on the amount of your order. Each package will also be sent to you insured. Full details can be found at our website www.FineCountryLivingPrimitives.com and by visiting our Ordering Information page on the left side.

These new shipping rates are for the lower 48 states only. Hawaii, Alaska and all International orders will be charged EXACT shipping charges and adjustments will be made after the sale and exact charges are calculated.

We hope that these new changes in our shipping policy will benefit everyone. It simplifies the calculation of shipping for everyone and offers many a savings by adding more shipping options available.

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Country Sampler Spring issue is out and about!

2010-01-20T20:04:00.002-05:00

The new Spring issue of Country Sampler magazine is out to subscribers this week and will be in stores shortly.

Once again, we are thrilled to advertise one of my favorite products in this issue.

This reproduction treenware tealight holder looks like real wood and is in the shape of a sugar mold. It holds five tealights, and the ones shown blow on and off like real candles! You can purchase the tealight and holders together as a set or separately, whichever you prefer. Just click on the picture above and you will be taken directly to the product page on our website for more details.

We stocked up on this product due to the great response with our last product ad, but as always, I recommend that if this is something you really will enjoy, grab it while you can....you never know, it may not be there the next time you check and we'd hate to have you miss out.

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

New Shipping Services Soon?

2010-01-18T07:28:00.003-05:00

Well everyone, USPS rates have gone through the roof with this latest increase for shipping packages. We ship from Pennsylvania, and the rates for shipping here on the East coast have only increased slightly, but with shipping to the other zones it's pretty high.

I've began researching other options and have set up a new account with one service and verified that my account with another is still open.

We will soon be revamping our shipping policies and offering you more options with some savings at the same time. We're constantly changing, adapting and moving forward to provide you with great products, service and fair prices!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Want something new?

2010-01-16T06:19:00.002-05:00

In my last post I mentioned how I was heading to Lancaster the next morning for a shopping trip for our online shoppe. I went and had a great time!

What a sunny day it was, and warm by my standards....a balmy 32 degrees! It made for an enjoyable driving trip and the time to and from heaven on Earth seemed shorter than usual.

I expected to stock up for our online shoppe, and my goodness, I certainly did! I've lost track of how many new products are on our New Arrivals category, but I still have boxes to unpack!

I just couldn't resist the great new offerings they had available. New Colonial wares and Early Lighting including (not added yet) a working oil lamp with an aged copper finish. Stay tuned for that one....what a wonderful, useful piece! Perfect for emergency power outages, but I plan on using one regularly out on my porch when we sit out and enjoy the summer evenings (yes, I'm dreaming of summer already) and even in the house when I get that craving for simpler times.

I've added many new Spring and Easter offerings including Easter eggs in antique mason jars and new bunnies. I'm warning you though, many are already selling out, along with our new Spring greeneries and florals, so please be sure to stop in soon for the best selection.

I've also restocked many old favorites, so be sure to browse around our site if you have been waiting for your favorite wares to come back in.

I shopped for our product ad item for the Summer issue of Country Sampler magazine and I found a super Colonial piece. I'm not revealing what it is, but just want to say that it's Early American, yet primitive. It's an Early Lighting piece and handcrafted right here in the USA....stay tuned!

We're also expecting a shipment in of new textiles in the coming weeks. I'm hoping that they are weaving them as we speak, and there's some new styles coming in and I cannot wait.

Again, thank you for your continued support of our online shoppe. We have been very busy and certainly appreciate your business and friendships as well! With our family moving forward with our plans to homeschool our children through cyber school, our online shoppe enables me to work from home and offer our boys a happy, safe and nurturing environment. I thank all of you for helping make that possible!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Seems like ages.....

2010-01-10T19:17:00.002-05:00

since I've posted either here on our blog or on Twitter. I'm here and all is well, just very busy. Our online business has been just as busy these last two weeks as they were during the rush before Christmas, and with a new Country Sampler ad coming out next week, I don't think it will slow down.

We've also been busy with our boys. It was wonderful having them home from school and it was a hard adjustment for everyone to get them back to the schedule of school.

We've been looking into it for a few years now, but more seriously the last few months regarding cyber charter school for the boys. It's something I was passionate about before Seth started Kindergarten, and now that he's in first grade and Sam's in kindergarten, we put it on the backburner. We really wanted to give public school a try, and it's been okay. I know that they will both thrive with cyber school, and we're moving forward with it for next year. It may even be a possibility for Seth this year since they have open enrollment for class through March, so we may have him finish the first grade at home while Sam finishes kindergarten at Elk Lake. All of this has taken up a lot of my time, but time well spent and definitely worth the effort in the future. Afterall, Faith and Family come first, and I'll gladly sacrifice a few hours alone during a school day to have them home and help them learn more than they could ever imagine.

I'm hoping to head to Lancaster for a shopping trip in the morning. I'll leave bright and early by 5:30 a.m. and will be shopping by 8:30. I'm planning on stocking up on some great Colonial wares for the website and restock some old favorites that we've been sold out of. As always, I will have my eyes peeled for new and exciting products and with the new year, some new product lines should be out and about. Be sure to check back next week to see the New New Arrivals!

Did I say New NEW Arrivals? That wasn't a typo! We've been busy having new items shipped in since Christmas! We already have about 30 new products on our website...New Arrivals, and yes, plan on bringing in even MORE New NEW Arrivals! I told you we were expanding our online business.....you asked for more, and we'll be happy to oblige!

On a side note (just to make you jealous), I'll also be stocking up on Whoopee pies for the boys, Amish made butter for cooking, cabbage stuffed peppers for my hubby Russ, and whatever yummy and delicious treat for myself! It's simply sinful!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Year End Clearance Event!

2010-01-02T19:57:00.007-05:00

Wow, where have the holidays gone? We have been enjoying our two boys this Christmas break from school. They are enjoying their toys, and we are enjoying them! Time home with family, that's what it's all about! I dread Monday when they return to school.

We've been very busy here at Fine Country Living Primitives as well. We are expanding our online business, so I've re-0rganized our inventory area. I affectionately call it the "warehouse", and we are making room for new shipments that have been coming in and for the others that will be on their way shortly.

In my organizing frenzy, I've placed many items on Clearance. Our regular online customers look forward to our Year End Clearance Event which I hold after the holidays, and this year has been a success! Many of you are scooping up bargains and stocking up for next year, and we are able to make room for more.

Not only are Clearance items heading out the door, but many of you have been pleased with our New Arrivals as well. We quickly sold out of our Mason Jar Taper Candle holders (twice!) and we have a few left of our third order and have more on the way. We also quickly sold out of our new Grid Pattern Coverlet/Blanket in Black/Linen. Again, I've ordered more due to high demand and hopefully we will have more again soon. I've also ordered new coverlets and pillowcases to carry in stock, and all coordinate together....what a great way to start the New Year with redecorating your bedroom in Early American charm! Stay tuned for those!

With our high volume of sales this past year (thank you), we also have the need for expanding our shipping center. We are working on that this coming month which will enable us to ship your orders more efficiently enabling me to also get some more quality time with my family which is always a plus!

This past year has been a trying time for many businesses, and ours has certainly gone through some changes. Thanks to my incredible online customers, these were changes for the good, and we thank you! Our business is growing beyond my wildest dreams, and best of all, I enjoy every minute of it. I truly love what I do, and I will continue to strive to bring you the highest quality, most unique primitive items at the most affordable price that I can. That's what we do here at Fine Country Living Primitives.....always quality items at fair prices. We never raise our prices before we have a sale, and if we get a good deal or hit a sale, we pass that savings on to you and you get that good deal as well. This is something my husband and I discussed on day one, and it is something that we hold true to this day. Many of you notice, we receive emails and phone calls all the time from our customers, and we appreciate your continued support!

On one last note, may this next year, along with the next decade and beyond be not only prosperous, but peaceful as well. Peace in our individual lives, peace within our communities, peace within our country, and peace across the world. Our family's greatest hope is Peace, for our children's future and always with the hope that we leave them a better place.

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

The Sound of Sleigh Bells

2009-12-15T14:02:00.002-05:00

Okay, I'm hooked. I just finished reading Cindy Woodsmall's newest book, "The Sound of Sleigh Bells". Again, amazing!

Cindy really knows how to tell a story with such feeling, and since this is the fourth or fifth book I've read of hers, I can now proclaim that you cannot predict where the next twist and turn of storyline will take you. I like that, I dislike predictibility.

Last week I finished up her Sisters of the Quilt series and just could not put the three books down.

If you are looking for good Christian fiction pertaining to Amish and Mennonite lifestyles, but fiction with a good storyline, intrigue, and tells real stories of peoples' lives (not just the sugar coated version), then Cindy Woodsmall is the author for you!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Interesting article....

2009-12-15T13:39:00.001-05:00

http://www.ysmblog.com/blog/2009/12/07/black-friday-anything-but-bleak/

Early American Christmas....

2009-12-11T11:03:00.002-05:00

Many customers ask how we decorate for the Christmas season, so I thought I would share our kitchen with you.

We like to keep things simple in our house and I prefer to decorate as many Early Americans did way back then......simple wares with greenery.

This is our 1800's one drawer work table that we purchased in Strasburg, PA, over the summer. I simply added an old crate and placed a tabletop Vienna Twig Christmas Tree inside a folk art Rufus Porter inspired box.

Inside the crate I put an old cigar box on end and inside placed one of my new favorite primitives from our online shoppe, the peppermint swirl pillar candle. Next to it is our antique white Besnickle Santa and also an antique Christmas book that I purchased with a box lot of other items at an auction years back.

On either side of the crate are larger old and grungy looking Santas. I love placing larger objects such as these up on a table to give dimension, depth and up where you can see them and enjoy them! A little framed sampler sits beside the largest Santa.

Under the table is our old dough box that I always have filled with our dried gourds from a few seasons ago. I simply add faux greenery by tucking them around and in between the gourds. I must admit that it looked much nicer a few minutes before I took the picture, but Sissy, my adopted kitty, decided she needed to re-arrange them herself before I could snap the picture. The joys of owning a cat......

Other ways that I decorate around our home for the holidays is to take down my all year 'round pip berry vines from our Colonial chandeliers and add vines of holly berries and greens. I also have crocks filled with faux hemlock branches and greenery draped from my cupboards and display my very own cutter quilt table top Christmas Tree make-do. I hang some antique stockings and have two full size Christmas trees simply decorated with silicone tipped Christmas tree lights, dried orange slices, rag ball ornies and handmade gingerbread men and snowmen. One of our trees was beautifully decorated by our sons with their own handmade ornaments.....they even say how prim it is!

Remember, less is more and keep it simple. Especially with Primitive, Colonial and Early American home decor, you already have the perfect backdrop for an Early American Christmas....let your beautiful home show through and just add special touches to create your holiday mood!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

We have a new look.....

2009-12-09T23:31:00.003-05:00

Oh, I'm just tickled pink....or maybe tickled prim....about our new website graphics! We've had custom website graphics created using a picture of our very own 1827 farmhouse!

This picture in the logo was taken sometime in the 1880's according to the family, and depicts a typical day at our home for the Beardsley/Jessup family. Ellen Beardsley-Jessup is the woman in the dark dress and her son on the bicycle, Albert Beardsley Jessup, is the grandson of Albert Beardsley, who built this house with his wife, Eliza, in 1827.

Somedays it still gives me chills to look at this very picture that hangs in our family's kitchen. To think that this home has seen so much in this country's history, has dealt with both sadness and joy, and is still here to whisper her stories to us amazes me. Very often I sit in my own chairs in that very spot on the porch and overlook my boys playing in the yard, and more often than not, I have some sort of hand-work with me to pass the time just as these women did that very day in history. I picture my husband and I growing old here, together on that very porch, watching our grandchildren run and play as our boys do, and a sense of comfort comes over me of how truly blessed I am to have such a simple, yet happy life.

We really do love what we do. This is not just a job for us here at Fine Country Living Primitives....it's who we are and what we live for. There's a story behind everything, we love sharing our love of primitives and our own personal lives with all of you, and "Recapturing the way things used to be....."

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Want to read a good book?

2009-12-03T21:33:00.002-05:00

Many of you know, I love reading Beverly Lewis's novels about Amish life. The fictional stories are always fun and relaxing, and I think that I have read everything she has written.

I recently purchased a few books from author Cindy Woodsmall. Amazing! The first book I read of hers was "When the Heart Cries" from her Sisters of the Quilt series. Wow, WOW! I couldn't put it down.

I still love Beverly Lewis, and enjoy the sing song sound of her words, but honestly, I could always figure out what was going to happen next.

Cindy Woodsmall's book was so intriguing, so exciting and full of energy, I couldn't put it down. I read the book in one day, even staying up very late to finish it.

"When the Heart Cries" made my heart cry. I haven't felt that involved in a story in quite some time. I cried several times, and simply enjoyed every page. Even though I was savoring what was being said on this page, I couldn't wait to jump to the next page to continue. How delightful!

So if you are in the mood for a good read, I do suggest this first book in the series. I cannot wait to start the next, but I know that I won't be able to put it down, so I'll have to get caught up on work and life to make the time to sit and indulge in the next book in the series.

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Sign of the times?

2009-12-02T15:45:00.002-05:00

A sad note today. I had a few minutes and decided to check out all of my primitive friends in my links page on my website. So many have closed.....it's such a shame. There were some fabulous online shoppes that had great wares, and it's sad to see that they are no longer online.

When I first started, many of my online friends were also starting websites. I know that only one, maybe two, remain open in addition to myself. I also remember one person telling me that for about every online shoppe that opens, another one or two will close.

Is it a sign of the economic times? I'm not sure, since many shoppes that I remember from my beginning days closed about two years ago, before the economic crisis began.

All that I know is that it's a sad day to see someone's online shoppe close...even though it's the "competition", it's still someone's dream that has been put to the side for one reason or another. I know how much I love my online shoppe, I could literally eat, sleep, breathe primitives, and can't imagine the sorrow I would feel if I had to close. My heart goes out to my primitive friends out there who had to make that tough decision and I hope to see you all back online sometime soon!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Shoppe Winter Hours.....

2009-11-24T13:38:00.004-05:00

I know that about 95% of my customers already know that we will be closing for the Winter, but I wanted to post here on our blog just in case.

We will be open each Friday and Saturday (including this coming Black Friday) from 10-5. The last weekend that we will be open is the weekend before Christmas, December 18 & 19.

The week of Christmas we will open by appointment if possible. It's a very busy house with two little guys and a big family gathering on Christmas day in our old farmhouse, so we do ask that you call ahead to make arrangements if you wish to stop by, 965-0985

We will reopen the shoppe in the Spring, and plan on the first weekend in May to reopen. We may open a bit earlier, but that is dependent on the weather, but I will be sure to send out an email to our newsletter subscribers and advertise it in the Mulligan's and Pennysaver issues.

I'm planning on using this Winter to work on a few projects here at home, and also plan on expanding our main business, our online shoppe. Our website has continued to grow since we first started a few years back, and this year was no exception, even with the challenges all of us small businesses faced. I'm looking forward to continuing to bring my online customers new and exciting products including many more handmade items from myself and carrying a larger inventory of customer's favorites. I will also be working off of my wish lists that customers have sent me, so yes, I do listen!

We have some great things planned for 2010, and the Winter months will give me the extra time to continue to grow our business and share our love of primitives with all of our fabulous customers all over the world.

And local customers, when we return, we'll have fresh and fun primitives for your home, so it will be worth the wait!

Thank you for all of your support!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Now here's a flashback...

2009-11-19T17:53:00.002-05:00

I grew up in the country, born in 1970 (yeah, not afraid to tell my age!) and lived with what we called "party lines".

For those who were fortunate to have your own telephone line, this should give you a good chuckle.

We had our own phone number, but had to share the telephone line with a few other neighbors. Hard to imagine in this age of multiple phone lines/numbers per household, and even folks giving up their "landlines" for using their cell phones exclusively.

We shared our party line with our next door neighbor, Mrs. Raub. She was a sweet old lady who lived next door, and loved to chat with our other neighbor, Mrs. Conrad. Sometimes, they would chat for hours on end, not talking about much, but basically passing the time. They lived next door to each other too, but remember, next door where we live is a field away.

We could always tell when Mrs. Raub would get a call, and I guess she could tell when we got a call too. Faintly, you could hear her phone ringing without even picking up our phone and listening.

Just imagine this.....I was teen in the 80's, and we still had party lines, still shared with sweet Mrs. Raub. I had a boyfriend (or two, maybe three) during that time, and it drove this teen crazy just knowing that the love of my life (for the moment) may be trying to call me, but Mrs. Raub was chatting with Mrs. Conrad next door, talking about what they were making for dinner, or who had been visiting whom, or goodness knows what else. Couldn't they hear me picking up and sighing loudly into the phone every five minutes, trying to get the hint across that they should wrap it up! Desperation would set in, I would beg my mother to pick up the phone and try to reason with these little old ladies that my social life was depending on their ending their conversation about laundry!

*sigh* Party lines. What would kids these days think of that?

Now some of our neighbors had it worse off yet! The farm over the hill and through the woods behind us would share the same line with their neighbors, but it rang into everyone's house that shared the line....this included the barn phone too! So if you wanted to call Phil, you would dial the number, and the phone would ring into Phil's house, the neighbors farmhouse and the barn too. How do you know to pick up if it's for you? Phil's may have been several quick and short rings in a row, so the barn and the farmhouse knew not to pick up, it was for Phil. The barn phone may have been long rings, so the farmhouse and Phil knew it was not for them, and so on and so on.

Yeah, we've come a long way baby!

Oh, and we didn't have cable in our house until 1993. That was only about two months before I moved out. Yep, all those years with rabbit ears and an antennae just to get a few fuzzy local channels, then the cable company decided we were worthy of cable, and it was time for me to move out. Figures!

Feel free to share this story with your kids when they complain about their cell phone service, and remember to tell them about walking 2 miles to school, all uphill, both ways, in the snow!

Many blessings,
Mary Jo

My sleeping angel.....

2009-11-19T15:15:00.002-05:00

Thought you might enjoy seeing my youngest who fell fast asleep on the couch last night. He's wearing his new Christmas pj's (just couldn't wait until Christmas to wear them!) and holding Teddy tight.

He woke up this morning and told me that he was very tired last night. He rolled his eyes and said how he had a hard, long day in school and tomorrow's only going to be harder....they're putting up a teepee in their classroom!

I love this age, wish they stayed this way forever!

So when you call to place an order with us, chances are it's this little guy or my 7 year old (or both) you'll hear in the background!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Pre-Holiday Sale!

2009-11-18T17:26:00.003-05:00

It has been very busy for us here at Fine Country Living Primitives! We've been shipping every day and to all parts of the world. We are truly thankful and appreciate our customers continued support and patronage!

It donned on me this evening that I have not had a sale in quite some time. This is always a great way to show my appreciation to my customers, so just a few moments ago, I set up a 10% off sale on my online shoppe.

This is our Pre-Holiday Sale....you know next week will be busy preparing for Turkey Day. I'll be at the school Monday helping with the Kindergarten's feast, and I'm sure all of you will be doing the same, or at least preparing to travel, to cook or to start your holiday shopping. The following week kicks of the major shopping season, so I figured a Pre-Holiday Sale would be suitable at this time, and I hope you enjoy it!

So thank you, thank you to all of you who have been with me from (literally) day one, and for those that are just ordering from us for the first time. We have formed many lasting relationships with all of you, and we truly appreciate that! This sale is just my way of saying thanks, and we also hope you enjoy the new goodies I just brought back!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Eternal Love Coverlets Sold Out...

2009-11-11T12:43:00.002-05:00

We sold our two final Eternal Love coverlets this morning here at Fine Country Living Primitives. These were one of our best sellers and we were sad to hear that the company decided to discontinue this popular pattern, but that only means that they will design a new one soon!

We are pleased that we do still have a few of our Double Whig woven throws that we advertised in the Christmas issue of Country Sampler this year. We have them in both black and tan, and also burgundy and tan. The popular black and tan sold out once already, but we were able to get one more final shipment in before this is discontinued at the end of this year. They are machine wash and dry, reversable, and with the price of $60 which includes FREE USPS Priority Mail shipping within the USA, they make great gifts!

We will be getting some new woven products in during the first part of 2010, so be sure to keep checking back for your favorite (and mine) textiles that are made right here in Pennsylvania!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

It's the simple things in life....

2009-11-10T14:22:00.003-05:00

It's the simple things in life that make us the most happy. Here are just a few in my own life these past few days that make me smile.....

My seven year old Seth telling me what he hopes to dream of that night while asleep.

My five year old Sam sweetly smiling up at me from his bed after his fever broke.

Our dog trying to climb into bed with Sam while he's sick to comfort him.

Seth smiling wide and proudly showing that his front tooth fell out. He whistles when he talks now....

My cat batting at me as I round the corner to go upstairs, she's just asking for a moment of my time for a little petting...

My husband telling me how what a great job I'm doing with my business.

Hearing my chickens clucking and running to the fence for scraps. I know there are pretty blue eggs waiting for us in the hen house....

A customer offerring thanks for a special order.

I'm thankful for my handy husband who can fix just about anything, and knows enough to admit when he can't.

That quiet, still Voice within that tells me it's going to be okay.

The thoughtfulness of Friends who care.

Someone today told me they thought my gray hair was just beautiful. (thank you)

The smooth hum of my new sewing machine.

Our neighbors bringing special bags of Halloween candy because they missed our boys Halloween night.

A simple returned wave and smile from a gas company worker....hey, they are far away from family, they appreciate a gentle smile from us.

Warm weather in November.

We have more than so many, even though we don't have it all.

Seth happy to see us when he gets off the school bus and tells us he loves his family.

I love what I do and do what I love.

Our home, how far we've come with very little, how we did it together, and did it on our own.

That's just a few of the things that made me happy this week. I know I missed most of them, but there's more to come.

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

If you love rag quilts....

2009-11-05T17:56:00.001-05:00

You must check out http://www.autumncomforts.com if you love primitive rag quilts! Her colors are amazing and they look very comfy and inviting! Just wanted to share, and she's one of my facebook friends as well!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Shoppe Update....

2009-11-03T11:11:00.002-05:00

I know that many of you missed out on our Vienna Twig (also called German Twig) Christmas trees last year here at the shoppe.

Even though it's early yet, we are already down to limited quantities. We have one 7 foot tree and one 4 1/2 foot tree available.

We have the silicone tipped Christmas tree lights again this year and still have a fair amount on hand even though they have been selling quickly.

With the Elk Lake Craft Show this coming weekend, I wanted to also let you know that we hope you stop in either before or after attending because we have many of our handmades here at the shoppe. I've been busy creating Christmas primitives for my customers and want to remind you that we don't mass produce our handmades. Each item is handcrafted one at a time, each one different in their own way, from my heart and hands to your home. Our prices are affordable too, so it may be worth stopping in before going to the craft show just to compare prices. Our large handcrafted snowman sits atop a rusty bed spring surrounded by primitive greenery and is only $18, we have red ticking mittens filled with glittery candy canes and rusty stars for only $12 and our cutter quilt Christmas trees with a frosty Christmas wreath for a base are only $34 (they make a fabulous centerpiece and are created using an antique quilt!).

We're becoming well known for our huge selection of quality, handpicked items at affordable prices, and it shows. We've been very busy the last few weeks with early Holiday shoppers, and hope you have the time to stop in for the best selection because it certainly goes fast!

And just a reminder that we will be closing for our Winter Break from Christmas through the first weekend of May. With Christmas falling on a Friday this year, please note that our last regular shoppe hours will be the Friday and Saturday before Christmas, and we will gladly open by appointment if possible Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Christmas week.

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Another thank you!

2009-11-03T10:30:00.002-05:00

A short and sweet blog post today....

Thank you!

Thank you to my online customers for making October 2009 our biggest and best month of sales in the history of our online business!

We love what we do, we care about our customers, and we appreciate your continued support!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Working on our home

2009-10-28T20:32:00.002-05:00

Our 1827 farmhouse has been a work in progress since we bought it 6 1/2 years ago. Now, most of that work was done by my husband and with two little guys running around or in playpens.

Our boys are now in school and there is more time, so hubby has moved on to the upstairs. Wall color is Harvest Brown by Behr paint, the same color as most of our downstairs which is a warm neutral, looks great with white trim and is AWESOME with primitives!

The front sitting room upstairs is now the boys bedroom (or will be when we get furntiture moved) and he's moving onto painting our bedroom. My new theme is going to be my own invention of a Primitive Amish. Silly, I know, but I love my new Amish quilt I bought this Spring and I have some wonderful Amish pictures. I also collect prayer caps, cape dresses and straw hats and plan on hanging them on peg racks in the bedroom. The primitives come in when I need to add a few things here and there such as lighting, but we live simply and there won't be much more.

After our bedroom, we only have two smaller bedrooms upstairs and the second floor will be complete. We have two other upstairs bedrooms and our third bath on the other side of the second floor (we call them our attic bedrooms) but they are currently filled with primitives for all of you ;-) We'll finish them sometime down the road, no hurry there (besides, if you have too many spare rooms, suddenly family appears out of nowhere to visit!). Did I just say that out loud? Shhhhh, it's our secret.

Anyhow, that's what's going on. We figure that by the time we get to the end of renovating the house, it will be time to start from square one with maintenance work. Always something going on to keep this girl in tip top shape, but these old houses are so worth it!

We'll post pics when ready!!!!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

No wonder we've been busy.....

2009-10-24T19:27:00.002-05:00

Just realized that we set a new record for unique visitors and hits on our website this week! WooHoo!

Some international hits included Pakistan, Bucharest and of course the usual Canada, Great Britain, Australia, Italy and more!

Isn't the internet amazing, so many people with similar interests all over the world.....

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

The Christmas Rush is On!

2009-10-24T18:30:00.002-05:00

Wow, what a busy two days at the shoppe! When I send a newsletter telling you all what's new, you really do respond! We were so busy even today on such a rainy day.....it poured and poured, yet you all still stopped in, thank you!

This year we have our Vienna Twig Christmas Trees available, but we are nearly sold out, so if this is something that you were interested in, please be sure to get in next weekend before the final ones are sold! And remember folks, once our Christmas inventory in the shoppe is sold, that's it.....we won't be restocking later in the season, so get it while the gettin's good!

We have also been shipping items non-stop and I do enjoy my online business. It's a treat to package up goodies knowing that someone on the other end is anxiously awaiting something new for their own home or to give as a gift....what joy that brings to myself, and I hope it brings you just as much joy in receiving your package! We took several van loads of packages over to our little post office this week....hey, gotta keep Joe out of trouble you know! (he's our postmaster!)

So thank you all for continued patronage and support. We are successful because of YOU, each customer is important to us and you are not just a number, I think of each of you individually, on a personal level, each time I send a package along or you leave our shoppe. That's what small town hospitality is all about, and we thank you for your business!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Fall Decor 50% off this week!

2009-10-17T18:15:00.003-05:00

Just a quick announcement...

All Fall Decor is 50% off online starting now and in the shoppe next weekend.

Let's make room for Christmas!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

I've been shopping.....

2009-10-16T05:13:00.002-05:00

I went on a shopping trip Tuesday and Wednesday to what I call Heaven on Earth.....LANCASTER!

I picked up a van full, and here on Friday, I am still unloading boxes from my van and trying to get my new primitives into the shoppe. I'm hoping to start adding new products to the website next week, but with also setting up the shoppe for Christmas, I may be a few days behind on that promise...sorry! It's time consuming but oh, so worth the wait!

Want to know what the newbies are? How about the silicone tipped battery operated taper candles in black and we restocked red! I know the red will go quickly with Christmas just around the corner, and they are beautiful for sure and for certain! I also have new battery operated taper candles with a primitive silicone star bulb....very prim and grubby and dirty, just the way I like them, and I know you do too.

I also brought back a new primitive Santa doll and other Christmas goodies I can't remember (it was a big trip!), battery operated pillar candles, primitive stitcheries, and some incredible Early American Colonial treats that are so hard to resist, even for me!

I restocked some oldies but goodies like our shoo-fly domed screen covers, glitter candy canes, silicone bulbs, tea light holders, and more handmades.

In the shoppe we are gearing up for Christmas and are decorating the upstairs and will move to the downstairs in the next week or so. Everything looks so great, I love the changing of the seasons!

Both online and in the shoppe, our Fall Decor is still on sale, so check out the savings!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Fall Foliage at it's best!

2009-10-09T16:20:00.002-05:00

Happy Columbus Day Weekend! The fall foliage in Northeastern PA is simply beautiful and we had many customers in the shoppe today from all over the area. This weekend is the Susq. County Artist's Open House Tour and the Susq. County Antique Tour as well. We welcome everyone who comes into the area for these tours and hope they are enjoying the great art and antiques and enjoying the changing of the leaves.

As I said, it was a busy day! Our remaining Fall merchandise is marked down to 15% off this weekend only here at the shoppe and for our online customers as well. We need to make room for our Christmas primitives, and the sale is working with many Fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving primitives moving quickly out the door today.

Handmades are really popular this year, and I'm amazed that, regardless of how early I put out my handmade Christmas and Winter primitives, they sell, sell, sell! With this being our busy season, it's a great idea to shop early because we have been very busy online and that means less time to create my handmade goodes, and I may not have the chance to make more as we hit our busy time here in the shoppe as well.

I do know this.....I love my job and I appreciate the kind comments about our merchandise and how everyone enjoys the shoppe. I also appreciate your business, especially when you all have other choices both online and in our local area. Thank you for continuing to support our small business, I enjoy being able to share my love of primitives and handcrafted folk art with everyone!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

It's that time of year....

2009-10-02T17:46:00.004-05:00

We've been enjoying our fireplaces and fired up the pellet stove yesterday which means Fall has arrived here in Springville!

We love Fall, the coolness of the air, the crisp, falling leaves and believe it or not, the starkness of the landscape is sometimes soothing to me. I love flowers, but being quite a plain girl, I also like the barren flower beds as well. I'm a true believer that less is more, and I enjoy simplistic beauty of our home without all of the "stuff" around it.

That's another one of my favorite decorating tips. Yes, I sell home decor and would LOVE to sell you everything in my shoppe or on my website, but sometimes, less is more! My kitchen is chocked full of prim goodies, but my sitting room and living room both have bare spots on the walls, and I love the simplicity of it. It helps that the walls are painted a mustard-like tan. If they were white, it would look stark, but with the warmth of the walls, we can use less decor and enjoy the quietness of the room. And if you are wondering, it's called Harvest Brown by Behr paints. We even painted the walls of the shoppe and the primitives really "pop" against this color!

So, love what you have, have what you love. Less is more, and enjoy the simple things in life....that's what primitives, to me, are all about!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

November Country Sampler Magazine is out!

2009-09-22T16:29:00.003-05:00

The Christmas issue of Country Sampler magazine is out to subscribers and our product ad is already getting noticed! I think it's a beautiful picture of our Colonial woven throw and I'm sure it will sell out quickly!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

What's in store for you Fall, 2009

2009-09-21T16:23:00.002-05:00

Here's a few pictures of our shoppe and offerings this Fall. We've opened up one corner of the shoppe as our Christmas Corner, offering you a glimpse of what you can expect this Christmas season here at Fine Country Living Primitives, Springville.

Online customers...if you see something you just can't live without, email me and we can get it to you, simple as that!

Many Blessings, Mary Jo

We don't just sell it, we live it!

2009-09-12T17:17:00.004-05:00

I've had these thoughts swirling around in my head and just needed to share.

As many of you know, it states on our website that Simplicity is a way of life, not a trend. That's so true! We really do live this lifestyle, and we really do have a passion for Early American, Country, Colonial, and Primitive Home Decor.

Yesterday we had a mother and daughter stop into the shoppe, and was pleased to find out that they used to own our house about 35 years ago! What a special treat it was, and we invited them into the house to take a look at what's changed and pick their brain for many mysteries of "what used to be there, how did this look, is this how it was when you owned it, etc.". I bet they never expected it to turn into an inquisition! LOL! But I think they enjoyed it.

They commented that our house is just like our shoppe, REALLY primitive! And it's so true. We have our shoppe decorated and merchandise displayed like it would be in your own home. So many customers have said time and time again that they get great ideas this way, and many "never would have thought of that!"

Our online shoppe is the same way. We invite you into our home, our hearts and our lives. Our products are hand chosen, and I don't buy things "just because they will sell", I only bring in items that I would personally enjoy in my very own home. And I make sure that they are items that we all can afford....no crazy mark-ups will be found at Fine Country Living Primitives....only fair prices (and no mysteriously increased prices before sales, none of that here)!

Now, we all know that anyone can just open a storefront or start a website and start selling primitives or whatnot just because it sells. I've heard people do that, I've seen people do that. But you can always read between the lines and truly find those of us who have an actual passion for primitives, for things that are time worn and well loved. I have many online networks that I stroll through and so many of my dear friends online live, eat, sleep, breathe, primitives! You can just tell, you can hear it in their product descriptions and they aren't just canned phrases. You hear the excitement as they describe their latest creation or newfound treasure and brag about it like it was their own flesh and blood. THAT is what it's all about, friends! Truly inspiring primitive lovers who bring their love and passion for primitives to their stores or websites to share with others. It's always about spreading the love, not always about making the money.

So, next time you are websurfing or window shopping, or out to find that new, one of a kind piece that you just can't live without, take a look around. Listen to their voice. Ask questions and listen to the answers. Read the descriptions and between the lines....can you hear that love, that passion? Or are they just jumping on the bandwagon because they think they can make a few bucks selling things online. You can tell, you can always tell, the true primitive lover!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

NEW Hand Dipped Grubby Scented String Lights

2009-09-10T19:30:00.002-05:00

These extremely primitive string lights were hand dipped right here at Fine Country Living!

I took a 20 count strand of mini lights on a brown cord and individually dipped each little light in a mixture of silicone and my prim mix to give them an Early, extreme primitive appearance. The best part....I added oil to give them a yummy delicious smell! You have your choice of Cinnamon or Amish Friendship Bread.

These are great for winding through your berry pip garlands or around a grapevine wreath. I like to add them to shelves where I have gatherings displayed and wind them around my prims for added charm.

The strand is about 8 feet long and there is only one plug on one end. You can still plug two strands together, but the plugs will be in the middle of the strand. this will give you fullness especially on a shelf or within a grouping, but may not necessarily give you a longer strand.

You'll find these Early lights on our website and you can go directly to their page by clicking on the picture of the lights!

Enjoy, and many blessings!

Mary Jo

Wow, this is #202

2009-09-07T17:08:00.002-05:00

I can't believe that this is post #202! What a milestone, but of course, I do like to post nearly everything going on here at Fine Country Living Primitives.

It's been pretty busy here lately, so I haven't been posting nearly as often as I should. School started a week and a half ago, and my baby is now in full day kindergarten!

I've been making new items for the upcoming holiday season, and I know that many of my local customers are already asking when will they be in the shoppe for sale! My online customers usually get first dibs at my new handcrafted items because, well, they usually buy them right up! Not only that, my online customers have been with me for years, and they really love TRUE primitives!

Be sure to check out our New Arrivals category continuously because you never know what will show up there from day to day. I just finished some incredible hand dipped grubby string lights. Yes, I individually dipped each tiny little bulb into a special silicone primitive mixture with super prim scents of cinnamon and Amish Friendship Bread! They are flying out the door, hope you all enjoy them and I'm preparing to make some more to re-stock.

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

As promised, new arrivals!

2009-08-29T20:37:00.004-05:00

Just a quick post so you can see two of my favorite new items that arrived the other day!

The first one are battery operated tea lights that BLOW on and off, just like a real candle! And they are only $2.50 each! Amazing, right?

And here is one of our new tealight holders (we have several, and even MORE are on their way). This holds 5 tealights (not included) but at only $11.00, it's super affordable and looks incredible in the shoppe surrounded by pip berry vines...could you imagine this on a shelf or a mantle? LOVE IT!

We have many new items including Colonial taper candle holders that you slide onto books for your battery operated taper candles, and so much more. I'm going shopping again this week, so who knows what else I'll find!

Just visit Fine Country Living Primitives and have fun browsing our new wares!

Enjoy, and many blessings!
Mary Jo

A surprise at my door.....

2009-08-24T20:10:00.002-05:00

We decided to take one last evening as a family before school starts to go on a country ride. We love exploring our little part of the world, there are so many back roads that we still have not been on and we've lived in Springville for 6 years already! We love looking at the old farms and enjoy the beautiful countryside that we are surrounded with.

When we returned there were several boxes waiting for me on the porch by the door. My new arrival of Hearthside Collection goodies are in! Oh, I just had so much fun opening each and every box within a box and seeing the lovely things I ordered for you all....I am soooooooo pleased with the selections I made and I absolutely, positively, cannot wait to get them listed later this week!

Tomorrow I'm going to enjoy one last day of summer vacation with my boys, then on Wednesday, I'll be taking pictures and Thursday, hopefully listing my new primitive wares for you all!

Here's a hint....very Colonial, a hint of seasonal, and get ready to blow the lights out!

Many blessings,
Mary Jo

Here's a tip for container gardens

2009-08-16T16:21:00.003-05:00

Do you have hanging baskets or containers of flowers that look old and tired toward the end of summer? The girl I purchase my hanging baskets from each year told me this trick. You may need someone to help you depending on the size of the container.

Tip your hanging basket upside out and wiggle it out of the pot. While someone else holds it, loosen up the roots at the bottom or completely cut about 1" from the bottom of your root ball....soil and all!

Add some new soil in your pot and have your helper plop the flowers back over and into the pot. Soak really well, better yet, use your favorite liquid feed.

In a week or so you will begin to see new growth coming from your containers and/or baskets. This worked great, I couldn't believe it! My hanging baskets of petunias went through a battle with aphids and white flies this summer (4500 live ladybugs I had shipped in and release ate those suckers up!). This gave them their beauty back, and I'm sure it will work for you!

Just thought I'd share!

Many Blessings to you all,
Mary Jo

E-pattern on Etsy ~ Candy Corns

2009-08-15T17:34:00.002-05:00

I just listed my original e-pattern for Candy Corn bowl fillers on etsy at a super price!

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=29363622

Blessings,
Mary Jo

Follow me on Twitter...........

2009-08-06T14:25:00.001-05:00

Follow me on twitter by using this link!

http://twitter.com/FCLPrimitives

I'll be tweetin' you soon!

Blessings,
Mary Jo

Who the heck am I buying from????

2009-08-04T10:46:00.003-05:00

Have you ever asked yourself that very question when placing an order online? Quite honestly, I've given it little thought.

I received a call the other day from a lovely customer in San Antonio, TX. She wanted to place a phone order and was thrilled that I actually had a phone number to call. Again, until she mentioned this, I gave it little thought.

She just recently began shopping online and as she found websites she would like to order from, she bookmarked them as her favorites. When she decided on exactly what and where to order from, she went through them and found that hardly ANY had phone numbers to call. She quickly removed them from her favorites, and gave us a call and placed a phone order. We had a great conversation and discussed our love of primitives and our love for our families.

This is something to really consider. Just who are you buying from? I've been randomly doing Google and Yahoo searches for primitives, and found that most do not have a phone number. In fact, I found several that didn't even have an email or a Contact Us button. So what do you do if you have a question, a concern, or just wish to place a phone order?

Then another thought came to mind, there aren't any names, or where they are located. Here at Fine Country Living Primitives, we love to share our lives with our customers. Keep in mind, it's nothing grand or fancy, but we enjoy sharing where we live, the history of our home, why we love primitives, how fast our boys are growing up, and what it means to live simply.

We tell you where we are from and I sign my blog posts and emails with my REAL name. In fact, my email address for our business has my first name in it, so you always know who I am.

Until that phone call from our new customer, I never gave it a thought. So many websites don't tell you who they are, or where they are. So, who the heck are you buying from?????

Even though my life is scattered on Twitter, Facebook, my blog, my website, my brochures, and many other websites for the entire world to see, allow me to take this time to share just who I am!

I am Mary Jo Elliott, and am the proud mother of two boys, Seth and Sam. I am also the proud wife of the greatest husband and father, Russ Elliott.

We live in the little town of Springville, PA, which is located in Susquehanna County, in the Northeastern region of Pennsylvania. Our home was built in 1827 and is a great place to raise our boys, and you can read more about it on our About Me page on our website and even take a virtual tour.

My husband and I love primitives and lead a simple life. We sell what we love, and simplicity is a way of life with us. We are Quakers, dress Plain, and love our faith and our family.

We follow the business practices of early (and current) Friends and have fair prices and are honest.

If you want to know anything else, you can even call me at (570) 965-0985 and talk to a real human being! ;-)

Now YOU know just who the heck you are buying from when you shop online or in our retail store here at Fine Country Living Primitives!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Over 40 NEW products....that's a lot!

2009-07-20T18:35:00.002-05:00

Uh huh, we've been busy here at Fine Country Living Primitives, and just added over 40 new products to the website. Guess what! I'm STILL not done! LOL!

Autumn is in the air, or at least in my imagination, and we've brought in some delightfully colorful and amazing new decorative plates by the Hearthside Collection. Here are just a few samples:

How about a new design in one of our very BEST sellers here at FCLP! Battery operated taper lights, but with silicone tips. If you liked the other style we've been carrying, you will LOVE the new!

And just one more sample of our new goodies....here are the new baby grass candle ring/wreaths that we brought back. I'm showing you just one of our favorite ways to use these, and they are excellent quality greens that will add a touch of warmth to your home. We have the matching bush as well which looks great in crocks and baskets (love them in baskets!) and they are at very affordable prices!

We have plenty more to add including new Christmas and Winter theme decorative plates by the Hearthside Collection. We are also expanding our online products by bringing in some great framed prints under glass by Billy Jacobs and much more, so please be sure to check back!

Many Blessings, Mary Jo

It's been a long time......

2009-07-20T18:26:00.003-05:00

I can't believe that it's been over a month since my last blog post. Where has the time gone? It's not like I've disappeared, it's just that each day flies on by and before I know it, I never accomplished what I set out to do.

Let's take a moment to catch up.

Let me see, what's been going on.......

Our customer appreciation day was great, but we had no electricity due to a bad storm the day before. That's okay, we did it the old fashioned way with actual paper slips, calculators and the primitive glow of candlelight! It was quite fun actually, and we had a great turnout for most of the County being without power!

Our online customer appreciation days were a HUGE success! I couldn't count how many packages we shipped out, but our Postmaster was grinning from ear to ear with the business that went through our tiny little post office! LOL! Thanks, it was so much fun!

My husband and I were able to sneak away for an overnight trip to Lancaster. My sister, Wendy, came over and stayed with the boys and also cared for our dog and cat. (We adopted a cat by the way, I think I forgot to mention it. And yes, they fight like cats and dogs, but it's slowly improving.) Back to the overnighter. It was wonderful! First time in seven (yes, that's the number 7) years! We went antiquing in Strasburg and brought home some beauties! My kitchen is now proudly displaying a late 1800's wide plank farm table with one drawer. Also got a dough trencher with handles in original red paint from the same dealer. I hardly look around anymore, I just head to this one man's booth in the Strasburg Antique Mall and that's all I need to see! ;-) We visited Eldreth Pottery and hubby bought me a stunning bowl to match my crock I bought last year with my sisters on a trip. We've been collecting their pottery for nine years, just about. Love it, and it's worth a look-see if you are in the area or check them out online. They are fabulous people as well! We stayed at the Historic Strasburg Inn which had kinda small rooms, but clean and quiet. We ate a lot, finished sentences without being interrupted, rode together in silent bliss, and enjoyed each others company. And what a joy it was to see two little boys running toward you when we pulled into the driveway at home. We are blessed!

Yes, we also did shopping for the website and shoppe. Especially for the website, and I will post pictures here as well!

That's about it, nothing too exciting, but sweet and simple as always, and just the way us Elliott's like it.

Many Blessings!

Mary Jo

Customer Appreciation Day in the Shoppe

2009-06-18T20:53:00.003-05:00

Just a reminder that on Saturday, June 27, from 10-5 we will be holding our Customer Appreciation Day here at our retail shoppe in Springville, PA!

The ENTIRE shoppe will be 10% off, there will be a free gift with every purchase and a door prize drawing for a $50 gift certificate to the shoppe!

We are stocked full of goodies with some incredible new handcrafted items, Americana decor, decorative plates from the Hearthside collection, treenware and much more. We have been extremely busy here in the shoppe and online, so we are bringing in fresh, new merchandise nearly every week! There's always something new, and we hope to see you soon!

And don't forget, the Springville United Methodist Church is holding their annual Strawberry Festival this Saturday, so stop by and visit us if you are going to the festival.

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Summer issue of Mercantile Magazines is in the shoppe!

2009-06-12T19:27:00.002-05:00

It's that time of year again! Another issue of Mercantile Gatherings has hit the stands and I have them available on my website www.finecountrylivingprimitives.com for sale. Of course, we'll have copies available in our retail shoppe here in Springville, PA, as well!

These ALWAYS sell quickly, and once they are gone, well.....they're gone!

I also just returned from a shopping trip in Lancaster, PA, and have been busy adding new products online. Stop by over the next few days to see what we have in store (and online) for you!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Mark the Date ~ Customer Appreciation Day

2009-05-28T19:14:00.002-05:00

Can you believe that at the end of June, it will be one year since our Grand Opening Celebration at our retail shoppe here in Springville? My, how the time flies! Of course, we delayed our grand opening until our second floor was finished and open (we really opened in January, 2008), but it's more fun to celebrate in the Summer anyway, am I right?

Speaking of celebrations, Russ and I decided to have a Customer Appreciation Day on Saturday, June 27, from 10-5. I will post more details in the coming weeks, but I wanted everyone to mark their calendars for that special day.

We really do appreciate our customers both in person here in Springville, and online. Don't worry online customers, we have something planned for you as well!

Thank you once again, and keep checking back for details!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Coverlets are back in stock again!

2009-05-26T17:41:00.002-05:00

Just a quick note to say that the Eternal Love Queen size coverlets are back in stock. I have one black and linen (not on website, but if interested, let me know!) and a few in the brick/linen and a few in the blue/linen.

These sell quickly and are, at times, hard to get back in stock since they are not woven until ordered.

So, if you've been waiting for them, stop on by www.finecountrylivingprimitives.com and get them while you can!

Thanks so much and many blessings!

Mary Jo

We're Expanding our online shoppe..........

2009-05-20T08:32:00.002-05:00

It's been busy around our place here in Springville. Spring has sprung and flowers are planted. There is always lawn mowing to do and we are enjoying the smell of lilacs in the air and the sounds of our boys playing in the yard.

We just returned from our Spring trip to Lancaster with the family and enjoyed it so much! It's heaven on earth for us, and I did a little shopping while I was there. Well, a LOT of shopping! LOL! I also went on a shopping trip the week before, so you know what that means.....NEW MERCHANDISE!

Our online shoppe has grown by leaps and bounds since I started it a few years back, and my husband and I decided to continue growing it even more. I've been busy adding new products and we're up to 51 new products this week alone! We are expanding our selection of products and our inventory too. Things sell so quickly and I know that many of our customers were disappointed when they came back for something and it was sold out, so we are trying our best to keep larger quantities of items. In fact, I'm beginning to run out of storage room! But that's a good thing!

Our VERY popular woven coverlets are again out of stock and are on order. These are woven right here in Pennsylvania and are not mass produced, so they take up to 3-4 weeks to come back in, thank you for your patience! We will be expanding our selection of textiles as well since many of you have requested us to do so.

In fact, if you have any special requests, simply let us know! We're always open to new ideas and enjoy bringing you all the things you love most!

If you haven't done so yet, be sure to stop by our website and sign up for our newsletter to keep updated on what's new and get a jump on new merchandise and special sales when they happen!

Thanks for making our online business such a success, Russ and I truly enjoy what we do and are honored that you always return to us for your primitive, country and Colonial decorating needs!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Newly decorated......

2009-05-02T21:14:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, I was looking at my hutch in my kitchen which held about 40 of my favorite fruit jars in my collection. I love my mason jars, but the sparkle had gone out of the glass, so to speak. I was tired of dusting them, hearing them clink together when we walked by (it's an old house, floorboards do shake!) and as much as I loved them, I was sick of looking at them. Six years, six long years we've been in our "new" old house, and they were there from day one, and it was time for them to go.

I boxed them up carefully, dusted the shelves and started fresh and went shopping at my favorite primitives shoppe....mine! LOL! I rarely, and I mean RARELY buy anything for myself except for a few little things here and there, so this was a big deal for me.

I love treenware, and I love the Hearthside Collection decorative plates, so I knew that I wanted those incorporated in my new decorating. Berries! Gotta have berries, what's primitive without some pips? I grabbed a garland of cream pips with rusty stars. Lights, oh, I love those little mini lights with brown cord, so I hiked it upstairs to my stash of display goods for the shoppe and found a string. I loved the new little swans from Country House Collection I have, so I grabbed a few of those. And I needed a "base", and I hate to dust, so I ripped some black and tan checked homespun I use for display in the shoppe to soften things a bit.

I started playing, adding things I already had laying around the house and the few things from the shoppe, and before I knew it....yeah, this was it! Now we were getting somewhere......I just had to add my antique wall stencil that I bought at a local auction years ago that was just sitting in a cupboard waiting to be used (on the wall, literally!) and it was just too pretty to hide, and adds some interesting detail I think. And of course, one of my beloved Quaker Goin' to Meeting dolls had to be in there somewhere.

Here's the end result....

Not sure if you can read it, but that square plate that is the olive green color with a quilt block painted in the center reads "When life gives you scraps, make a quilt", and how true that is!

I just wanted to share this new decorating adventure with you all and maybe give you a few ideas as well!

Many blessings,
Mary Jo

Over 45 New Products Listed....

2009-04-26T18:04:00.003-05:00

I've been a busy girl this weekend, and added so many new products to our online shoppe. There's something for everyone, so be sure to click on the link at the top of this blog or visit www.finecountrylivingprimitives.com to take a peek!

Just to give you an idea of some fun items just in time for Mother's Day, here are some of our rusty pails and potted tulips. They are affordable too, with the tulips only being $4 and the rusty pails at $3.75! Now, where else can you get Mama some pretty flowers that will last for years at such a super price?

These look fantastic on windowsills and shelves and even tucked into antique baskets and wooden boxes!

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Quilt update.....

2009-04-23T21:20:00.002-05:00

This scrappy quilt is turning out adorable! The best part is, Sammy, my youngest boy, has been watching me work on it. He asked me what I was making, and when I told him that I was making a quilt, he quickly asked, "For ME?". I said of course, for you and Seth to cuddle with on the couch! So it has turned into a quilted throw, and I'm still piecing it together with Sam, and Seth's supervision.

Another great part of this project is that the boys really want to learn to sew. Now granted, they are only 5 & 6, but Sam asked for a sewing machine for Christmas when he was 3 and Seth reminded me again today that he is still waiting for his special little boy's sewing machine. I promised them both that when they were just a little bit older, I would buy them a child's (I didn't mention 'girls') sewing machine. Why not? It wouldn't hurt for the little men to learn how to sew and mend some clothes when they were older, right? Maybe they could teach their wives a few sewing tricks someday!!!!!

Sorry, I'm just not one of those parents (and neither is Russ) that flips out over my boys liking "girly" things. When I was their age, I didn't want Barbies, I wanted baseballs and gloves, trucks and cars, and they play with MY old cars and trucks at my parents when they go to visit. Playing with mostly "boy" toys as a child didn't hurt me one bit, and I grew up to be a woman that is addicted to sewing with a love of tractors on the side! ;-)

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

Quilting, again!

2009-04-15T19:34:00.004-05:00

I began quilting when I became pregnant with my first son, Seth. That was seven long years ago, and my quilting career ended when he was born since the boy NEVER slept and I had no time to sew, or do much of anything except love him (and later on, my Sammy) 24/7.

I started making dolls and enjoying that for the last several years. I absolutely love sewing, and enjoy my first artistic love...painting. When making dolls, I could easily combine my two loves into one project and it's been great.

As great as doll making is, I really missed quilting. There's just something about it that I love, especially the quilting part of it which I love to do by hand. Now, before you get any wide eyed, dreamy expectations of seeing Mary Jo creating these georgeous, jaw dropping quilted works of art, let me snap you back into reality! I hate being precise. I simply dislike it! Guess what, that's a major part of quilting, so I'm not all that great at it, but I absolutely love with with all my heart, and that's what matters most to me.

I live my life by doing things as they come to me.....I allow my hands, and the Spirit, to lead me where it needs to go. A few months ago I came across a free online quilting project for a scrappy Irish chain that I just fell in love with. I read the directions, bookmarked it (without printing them out) and went on to cut hundreds and hundreds of 2 1/4" squares of all my fabric scraps from doll dresses and bonnets I've made. (Yes, I'm a packrat and have tons of scrap fabric, even after thinning my pile out months ago).

Guess what....yep, they deleted the pattern from where I had it book marked online. I spent a good two hours hunting for it, nothing! That's okay, I should've known better and printed the directions out. But that's okay, I decided that I didn't need a pattern since I really do NOT like being precise! I'm doing my own thing and allowing my hands to lead the way!

I piled all of those 2 1/4" squares into a box next to my machine. With my left hand, I grab a square of fabric and then another.....sew together with 1/4" seam and repeat, all the while creating a long chain of pieced fabric squares.

Hmmmm, now what, I asked! I made those two sewn pieces into three by adding another square. Again, sewing one after another and creating a long chain....this was moving along quite nicely!

I decided to make my own version of a scrappy nine patch simply because it's how I am going to sew the blocks together. No rhyme or reason, I just am basically sewing a postage stamp scrappy primitive leftover doll and bonnet fabric quilt. That's the name of my pattern! LOL! I'm having a ball mixing all of my colored pieces together without worrying about colors, hues, shades, patterns, whatever! Now THIS is what I call fun!

I'll try to take a picture tomorrow if I can remember to do so, but don't look too closely, because my seams may not be matched up perfectly! That's okay, it's for my (and my family's) own eyes only and to be enjoyed, not displayed in a museum! Oh, and it's primitive, so it's not supposed to be perfect and I am sooooooooo tempted to sprinkle it with cinnamon and bake it in the oven, but I won't! ;-)

Many Blessings,
Mary Jo

This will make you smile.......

2009-04-08T17:11:00.004-05:00

We need more happiness in the world! Simple things as this video can bring some lightness into a very bleak world...watch to the end and enjoy! ** I have background music playing on my blog and may interfere with you hearing the music. Just click on the words Sound of Music Train Station under the snapshot of the video and it will take you directly to the video, but be sure to come back to my blog and keep reading! ;-)

Sound of Music Train Station @ Yahoo! Video

Fine Country Living Primitives

CYBER MONDAY SALE!

You're missing out!

Christmas in July Sale! 25% Off!

Customer Appreciation Week!

Antique Cutter Quilt Pillows

New Lower Shipping Charges!

Annual INVENTORY REDUCTION SALE!

Christmas 25% Off!

Just Arrived! NEW Lighted Twig Branches ~ Battery Operated!

Thank you for a great Black Friday!

Black Friday Sale Event!

It's that time of year....

Want 20% Off our Website for the rest of the year?

Giveaway!!

Clearance Sale!

Our Products in Country Sampler's Christmas Issue!

Country Sampler's 2010 Christmas Issue Cover!

New Lower Shipping!

A new month...

Christmas in July is winding down....

Christmas in July Sale is in full swing!

Christmas in July Sale ~ 25% Off Winter and Christmas!

Hidden Treasurers.....

The internet revolution.....

Fall Issue of Mercantile Gatherings Magazine is here....

New Textiles have arrived.....

Customer Appreciation Week Winners!

Giveaway on Facebook!

Online Customer Appreciation Week!

63 New Products, and I'm not done!!!!

Snowy Lighted Twig Branch ~ Electric Indoor/Outdoor Safe!

Country Sampler Product Ad.....

So much to do, so little time....

Americana is Hot, Hot, HOT!!!!!!!

Always something new....

Mary's Quilting Passions #1

Some new arrivals!

New Products Added...

Something my husband gave me....

I'm still here.....

Free Quilt Block Patterns....

The Winter Blahs.....

Hand Piece Quilting....

Amish Proverb....

More New Products added....

New Textiles! Coverlets, Blankets, Duvet Cases...

A new challenge....cyber school....

Recommended Reading....

Amish Proverb....

New Shipping Services

Country Sampler Spring issue is out and about!

New Shipping Services Soon?

Want something new?

Seems like ages.....

Year End Clearance Event!

The Sound of Sleigh Bells

Interesting article....

Early American Christmas....

We have a new look.....

Want to read a good book?

Sign of the times?

Shoppe Winter Hours.....

Now here's a flashback...

My sleeping angel.....

Pre-Holiday Sale!

Eternal Love Coverlets Sold Out...

It's the simple things in life....

If you love rag quilts....

Shoppe Update....

Another thank you!

Working on our home

No wonder we've been busy.....

The Christmas Rush is On!

Fall Decor 50% off this week!

I've been shopping.....

Fall Foliage at it's best!

It's that time of year....

November Country Sampler Magazine is out!

What's in store for you Fall, 2009