Carole’s Country Store Blog

This past Saturday I went to the Adamstown Extravaganza, and in Pennsylvania. There were lots of dealers and some great primitives. I bought a few new items for the store, prostate and something for me, nurse a carpetbag. It’s not in the best condition but I don’t mind at all, I love it anyway. I hung it on my peg rack and I love the way it looks. The colors in the carpetbag, gold, red green and blue, match the colors in my collection of stone fruit and my sofa and chairs.  If you are wondering what a carpetbag is, here’s a brief history. I think you’ll find it interesting.

During the Civil War Reconstruction Period (1865-1870) many people from the Northern States moved South because there were many opportunities for a person to earn a little money there. You could own a farm by paying the past due taxes for as little as $25. These opportunities attracted all sorts of people from honest, hard-working farmers, to crooks, charlatans, con artists and, of course, crooked politicians. All of these outsiders were called “Carpetbaggers” and this is a term still used in many places today. It also became a term to refer to a Yankee who moved to the South. Probably the worst Carpetbaggers were the politicians who used their positions in the corrupt Reconstruction of government to enrich themselves through bribes, graft and other despicable acts at the expense of native Southerners. Sound familiar? Today the dictionary defines a Carpetbagger as “ an outsider involved in politics.”

HAPPY DAY EVERYONE

Carole

Remember the early mystery crock I wrote about a couple of weeks ago? Yesterday I had an email from the woman that told me she dug it up. So many of you emailed me about the crock, sovaldi which has sold, malady I thought you would like to know what she told me when I asked if she could tell me more. I still have questions, but this is what she said.

Carol: I was cleeaning up an old homesight from pioneer days beside where a garden had been. The crock was buried in the ground upside down. I thought it was a rock. when I got to looking, I found out what it was and dug it out and cleaned it up. This happened about 5 years ago. on property which joined Monenghela National Forest near Snowshoe Ski Resort.

Monenghela National Forest is in West Virginia. Amazing. Makes you want to go out and start exploring.

Gotta run.

HAPPY DAY

Carole

I just had another email from the gal that found the crock. I asked her about how she came to take care of the property. This is what she said-

I had 2 horses and my husband and I kept the grass mowed and and took care of this 900 acre farmstead for these peple who lived away to have pasture for the horses.We had a garden there also. That is where i found the crock.

While on my way to Philadelphia, sick I first had to pick up this old painted sign. I purchased it this past Spring in Mullica Hill, New Jersey. I had planned on picking it up at a show in Old New Castle, Delaware, but because of the hurricane the show was canceled. A few months have passed and I was finally able to make arrangements with the seller for pick up. I love the shape. It looks like a tavern sign, it’s really heavy. Love the old grey paint too. I won’t change that. I am planning on painting something on it, but have not yet decided what. I’m pretty excited about doing it. I have always loved finding something old to paint, like the old 19th century shutter that I painted and blogged about last year.

I think it’s going to look really neat. When it’s done, I’ll have it for sale on my store website.

After I got the sign, I drove into Philadelphia to pick up some cement art. Susan Mackey Tunnicliffe is the talented artisan in my American Artisan Store. She makes those wonderful silhouettes, wooden items and cement art. This pair of eagles are one of her newer pieces. Susan always makes her own molds, and this made from the early pair of eagles she owns and displays in her home. I think they are beautiful, so Americana, and would look fabulous on a mantle, garden, how about bookends! What a nice gift too.

I always love visiting Susan. I blogged about Susan a few months ago with photos of her wonderful 18th century Philadelphia home. Susan lives in one of the oldest houses in Philadelphia. Her gardens are so charming. Tall early brick walls surround her lush plants, that grow out of and amongst her fabulous cement art. We walk down a narrow alley where she puts her creations out to dry. Another piece that I purchased is this boy holding a basket of fruit.

Susan owns the original 18th statue, a piece she purchased several years ago. She has it sitting on her mantle. It’s gorgeous. From this piece Susan makes her own mold. It’s labor intensive, as each one is handmade one at a time. All of Susan’s art comes from molds that she makes from the  originals that she owns and displays in her wonderful 18th century Philadelphia home. All will be for sale in my American Artisan Store soon. If you are looking for a unique gift for someone, you might want to take a peek.

HAPPY DAY

Carole

A few weeks ago a woman contacted me through email. She told me she had a crock that she wanted to sell and wondered if I was interested. She also wanted to know if I knew anything about it.  She told me she dug it up. Dug it up? Now someone doesn’t just go out and dig up a beautiful stoneware crock, pilule so I asked more about that. She said it would found on a pioneer homestead in a national forest. Huh? Dug it up in a national forest! Now I was really curious. You don’t just walk into a national forest and start digging, pharmacy and then find a beautiful crock in perfect condition! A pioneer homestead? I want to know more!!! I asked what she wanted for it, remedy she told me, and I asked if she would be willing to send it to me before I paid her, so that I could see it in person. She did send it. The crock was much nicer then I expected. Bigger too. As you can see it’s a beauty, but I still wonder about that story. I paid her for the crock and emailed her to let her know that it arrived safe and sound. I have not heard from her since, but I am going to try emailing her again. I want to know more. This whole thing is a bit of a mystery to me. Was it really dug out of the ground on a pioneer homestead? Don’t you want to know too?

This beautiful crock will be for sale in Carole’s Country Store along with several new and wonderful items very soon.

HAPPY DAY

Carole