Carole’s Country Store Blog

Keeping up with my website, sickness and life in general, has made it hard to find the time to post as often as I used to. I want to say how much I appreciate customers that have taken the time out of their busy days to write an email, letting me know they received their package, and how happy they are with their purchases. It’s also so nice that some also take time to take a photo of their purchase so that I can share them on my Wonderful Customer Page. I really do feel like I have the best customers, and  many new friends.

Now that the nice weather is just around the corner, I’m looking forward to more day trips with my camera, anxious to share my days with you. This past Monday I met with a friend, a talented craftsman from Quarryville, a borough of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He makes the most fabulous reproductions out of very old wood, never new, early nails and his own hand carved pegs when needed. He told me he has some early wood with it’s original blue paint. I have asked him to make an apple box with some, and I can’t wait to see it. I am hoping he will agree to join all of the wonderful artisans in my American Artisan Store. We also talked about the possibility of him making window tins. I would love to be able to offer them to my customers on my website.

I have over 40 of these tins, all different. I purchased most of them in Intercourse, Pennsylvania, well over 30 years ago. I have always had them in my windows, never tiring of how they look. You just don’t see them anymore and I am hoping John will make them for me.He told me he has lots of old tin, even early shears for cutting tin. As soon as I find out, I’ll let you know.

HAPPY DAY

Carole

I went to another antique show this weekend. This one was in a town called Kimberton, order in Pennsylvania. It was a great show and it was really nice seeing some of my dealer friends again.

As always there is so much to look at, ampoule and I can’t wait to get started. This spice box was probably the most wonderful thing I saw at the show! It is small, but oh my gosh, isn’t it wonderful! I know how many of you love spice boxes, as I do and for me this is the absolute best little box ever!

My friend Claudia from Ground Hog Hollow antiques had these fabulous early shutters in the best blue green paint! AND they had their original hardware still intact!!

Each shutter was numbered by the maker, like, VI, VII and VIII as I remember. How fabulous is that! Here is a photo I took of one numbered on the side of the shutter. I am still thinking on them.

Isn’t this wonderful. Those are actually etched into the sides of all 3 shutters.

I love this early butter mold. Early ones with animals are getting hard to find. I found and bought 3. Love this one with the beaver. I also bought a cow or ram, and a cow.

Right before I got ready to leave, a woman was showing this needle box to a dealer.

It belonged to her and she wanted to sell it. I love it.  The name of the store owner H. BAYLIS on one drawer, and  NEEDLES on the other, and to top it off, it has the best old original mustard paint on the top. I wanted to say, I’ll buy it, but I moved on and thought I would stop back later and see if he had it for sale. Well, he had it and I bought it.  I will be taking more photos today, so if you like it, be sure to check back later.

By this time, I was done and it was time to go home. The ride was nice. It was a beautiful day, and the countryside had many old houses along the way. When I got home, as I pulled into my driveway, and noticed a large bird, a hawk, sitting under some bushes. I was curious, and I went over to check on it. He didn’t move so I knew something was wrong.

I went inside and called our bird rescue. They told me to take a picture and send it to them. In the meantime they promised to send someone out. Within 5 minutes someone called me and 15 minutes later they were in my driveway. They were wonderful and they took him with them.  They said they would do everything they could to help him. I haven’t called them, I just want to believe that he will be well again, but I don’t know. One thing is for sure, I really admire the volunteers at the bird rescue. I am so glad I called them.

HAPPY DAY

Carole

I got up early on Saturday morning. I couldn’t wait to go antiquing for some new items for my website http://www.carolescountry.com/ It was a beautiful day and it was great to see everything turning green again. I never get tired of looking at the Lancaster County farms. Can you see the cows in the distance?

My plan was to go to the antique show first and then stop at some shops on the way home. I was so excited to go. Signs of Spring really motivate me, salve and knowing the ourdoor markets will be opening soon is something I really look forward to. This hanging shelf with all the cubbies was hard to resist.

I have been thinking about selling larger items. I need to find out more about shipping them. If I was prepared to do that, medical I would have bought this piece, it was wonderful, don’t you think?  There was so much to look at. There were so many wonderful primitives it was hard to know where to start!!!

I bought quite a bit, and everything will be available soon in http://www.carolescountry.com/CS_CountryStore/CCS_ItemsForSale/CCS_IFS_All_Items.html. I thought these green pantries with original green paint were wonderful. They are from a collector in Maine and have nice dry original paint! The smaller one on top has the makers name on the lid. This firkin is just gorgeous. It’s really hard to capture the color. It more of a mustardy brown, similar to a color on the Williamsburg buttermilk  paint chart, but a little more brown. It’s sooo yummy.

When I finished my shopping I was getting ready to leave, when a woman walked up to me and asked if I was Carole Holt. I didn’t recognize her at all and wondered how she knew me. It turns out that she is one of my customers. When I asked how she knew it was me, she said from seeing your photos on your site. I have not put a photo of my for a couple of years, so I was really surprised she knew me, at my age a couple of years can make a BIG difference! lol-So, Linda, if your reading this today, I just want you to know how much I enjoyed meeting you and your family, and I am SO GLAD that you introduced yourself!

HAPPY DAY EVERYONE! Spring is almost here!

Carole

Yay, buy cialis it’s March and before we know it, it will be April! Are you like me, yearning for Spring? We have had a few mild days here and there in Delaware. Little green shoots up popping up in the garden already. The burning bushes have a green tint to them. They are tough as nails! After all the snow this Winter, the weight of it had them totally bent over. I thought they would have to be all cut back, I didn’t think they would ever recover, but they are standing erect and tall again. When did that happen? Where was I?

Today I’ll be going out to lunch with my two best girlfriends. I am looking forward to catching up and it will be good to get out of the house. While I am gone, my husband will be finishing up on my bathroom. He is remodeling it for the past few weeks, and today is the day it will be done. I have never had enough counter space in my bathroom. It’s small. Not a big elaborate one. It had a pedestal sink, with NO PLACE TO PUT ANYTHING! NO counter space either! Nothing.  After today, yay, I have a place for my blow dryer and curling iron, makeup and lotions! AND it’s going to be so pretty. Simple, but nice. It’s completely white. Now I have to think about how I want to accessorize it. That’s the fun part!

Happy day

Carole