The Country Sampler Shoot Is Over!!!!

It is over!!...Gloria, Bill, and Bill have packed up and are gone!!...They finished around 6:00...We couldn't believe it!!...Everything went so smoothly...Gloria said my home was very photogenic....Easy to photograph..So I was very pleased with the compliment...She also told me that as soon as Donna had seen my pics back in the early part of the year that my homes was definitely chosen to be in the Country Sampler...I'm so humbled and honored!!!...I was told that only a select few of primitive houses are chosen out of all the ones that are sent to them...I see the houses that are in the magazine and am again humbled and honored to be chosen for something I LOVE and have a passion for and do it to just to make my home welcoming to myself, my family, and all that enter...

I can say that every room was photographed but the bathrooms and Taylor's room...And at the end a photograph was taken of Tim, Luke, and I....Taylor was at work all day...It would have been nice if she had been here, but it didn't work out that way....But she had her moment of fame today...One of the local news teams interviwed her and a coworker about the minimum wage going up and they taped them working in the store...She works in a specialty toy store... She was on the 6:00 news....So I guess we both had our moment of fame today...

Let me tell you that Gloria and Bill were wonderful!!!...I'm soooooo glad they were the ones that came...They were so easy to talk to and friendly!!....So tomorrow they are off to my home state of Tennessee to photograph another primitive home in Knoxville....

I'm sooooooo pleased with the photos I saw!!!!...No fru fru as we say was added to any of my pictures...No place setting on the table...Just my plain ordinary primitive trencher and blue wooden box were on there as in my everyday pics....No Fruits or vegetables in the kitchen...Only a wooden bowl I had next to my stove with drabby colored potatoes were added next to my sink for the photograph....Flowers from our crepe myrtle trees were used in two scenes and they were beautiful!!!...Gloria asked my opinion of things and asked if I didn't like anything...I felt a part of it instead of a spectator!!

So now the house is quiet..Taylor has come and gone...Tim had to go to church because he is deacon on duty and has to lock up the church...And my sweet Luke is exhausted from the days activities and is taking a nap or down for the night...

Oh, and did I tell you that if all goes as planned my home will be in the Spring issue?!?...But that is subject to change if Donna needs it in another issue....I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO EXCITED!!!!.....So now the interview... Yes, I'm really nervous about it....

But for now I'm ready to get to x-stitching..Working on getting swaps finished and new Fall and Halloween items made because Fall will be here before you know it and it's the best time of the year...

So here are some more pics to share with you.....

So thank you Bill, Gloria, and Country Sampler for this awesome experience and opportunity!!!....And I want to thank each and everyone of you that left me well wishes in comments and emails, along with comments on my facebook!!!!....I feel so blessed to be surrounded with so many primitive loving "friends" that encourage me everytime you leave me a comment or send me an email....Because once you introduce yourself to me you're a friend...You inspire me to do the best I can do and hope you continue to come back to visit again and again!!

Ok, I'm off to rest my feet some and then start pulling some things out of Taylor's room....Oh, heck!...I will start pulling some things out of the laundry room and who knows what else!!...I need to run the vaccum...ha!ha!...So much for rest!!...But my home is a labor of love!!!!

Until next time all my friends!!!....big hugs, Jen

Oh, my goodness!!!...They take awesome pics!!!!!...I never knew my home could look soooooo good in pics!!!...They have made it to the familyroom and are taking some single shots before going to another room....Cords everywhere!!.....Lunch is here......

More Later!

COUNTRY SAMPLER SHOOT HERE TODAY!!!!!!

Hi everyone!!!...The day has finally arrived!!!...Gloria, Bill, and Bill are here busy working!!!...It has been so interesting watching them!!

We even have Tim cutting flowers!!..Isn't he wonderful!!!

Gloria says hi!...She wants you to know they are looking for more primitive homes!!!....So they would like LOTS of pics from anyone that would like to share their home....And they want tons of room pics from every angle...Send to bill@billmathews.com

Off to see what they are doing!!..They've put Tim to work since I'm on the computer!!!....ha!ha!

I will check back in a while!!!

hugs, Jen

It's 11:29....................

Hi everyone!!!...It's 11:29...Guess what I'm doing?!...I'm dusting, wiping off some of my furniture pieces with a damp cloth, taking stuff to hide to Taylor's room, and rearranging some items, and putting fresh batteries in all my battery candles!!...Yes, at 11:30....Taylor keeps asking me if I'm through...No, not for a while!!...I guess I work my best down to the wire and under stress!!...Tim just took Luke to bed with him...Bless him...After mowing the yard and all the the yard stuff he came in and mopped the entire house!!!...Yes, he does the mopping for me...I've had a bad back every since a wreck I was involved in when I was a teenager..And NO I wasn't driving....He's also taking the day off tomorrow to pal around with Luke...

I haven't heard from Bill today, so I hope everything is as scheduled...I haven't heard from him since last Thursday when he emailed to tell me the shoot was to begin at 8:30 and that he was using a local guy (another Bill) for his assistant...So I will be have two Bill's here...

Ok, I'm going to do battle some more dust bunnies and hang some drieds around...and vaccum the family room...and get the counters in the kitchen cleared...and I've got to touch up some paint on a few things...Oh, my!...I better get off here!!

Until next time!!!.....hugs, Jen

Baking~~Dolls~~And two work days left

Hi everyone!...I hope you've had a great weekend!!!....Two more days til the photoshoot and what am I doing????...I'm baking!!!!

Yes, baking!!....My farmhouse table is loaded down with items that has to be placed or hid before the shoot....And I'm in the kitchen baking...

It's better for me to work at night when everyone is in the bed...I find that as I straighten a room when I come back it isn't as I left it...Especially with a 2 1/2 year old...Oh my goodness!!!...I will be up all night Tuesday night getting the rooms set up after Luke goes to bed!!..ha!ha!....

I'm working on my list of what must be finished each day in the next two days...And who scheduled a follow-up doctor's appt on Tuesday!!!!...Was that me???...Was I insane???...I think I was!!!!!

I went out today and got some last minute items and I think I may have to go out one more time...No, I know!!!...I guess I will make that trip after the doctor's appt on Tuesday...

I want to share my newest dolls with you!!!...I ordered them from Sandy of Missouri Dry Goods...She is soooooo sweet and talented!!!...Don't you love them???!!!!!....I know I squealed when I opened the box...I was pulling out of the driveway and I stopped to open the box in the car...With no knife or scissors to cut the tape....Gosh!..Was that ever a task!!...But I got it open and I was soooooooo excited!!!...They are perfect for my home!!!...They were well worth the wait...I had ordered them several months ago...But Sandy was taking a trip and then she had computer problems and wasn't able to contact me....But they are now in my home and I absolutely love them!!!..

This one has already found a home in one of my favorite primitive chairs that hides most of the tv wires and outlet....

I find as I get ready for this shoot that I'm trying to really simplify things...That is the look I strive for and captures my attention the most....I have added the plates back to the cabinet and only added 5 things inside it with them along with 3 small baskets on the top that Pam (basketsnprims blog) has made me...Pam has made a bunch of my baskets and I will share them with you soon...

Oh, there goes the timer!!...I've got to get the goodies out of the oven!!...

Until next time!!!....hugs, Jen

COUNTRY SAMPLER SHOOT DRAWING NEAR!!!

Wow!!!!...I have 88 posts!!...I can't believe it!!...I guess I better be thinking about a giveaway in the near future!...I never thought I had that much to say....Thank you so much for visiting and coming back!!

Ok, alot going on here...The Country Sampler shoot is scheduled for next Wednesday...Am I feeling the pressure???...Well, I wasn't til I got an email from Bill (the photographer) last night...It's getting close!!

This is a short post, but not short on pics!....Alot of changes in the familyroom....

From this...

To this.......

Not through with this arrangement yet!!!...More baskets to add!!

I have rearranged this cabinet a hundred times!!!...So no telling what it will have in it by time for the shoot...My sister, Heather, fussed because I had moved the plates!!..Plates... no plates....that is the question!!??!!

LOL...And for everyone that says they can't believe my home has a 2 1/2 year old living in it...This is my familyroom everyday during playtime...See the wooden crate to the right of the trunk??...That is what I keep his toys in...I'm always on the lookout for them....So, Yes!.. I have a toddler and a teenager that lives here!!

I have more to share, but it will have to wait til next time!!....Busy!...Busy!.....Busy!!!!!!!.....Time to work in the bedroom....hugs, Jen

CABINETS.... CABINETS....AND MORE CABINETS!!!

Hi everyone!...I hope you're all having a great Friday!!...I'm dragging a bit today!..I was coughing all night and went to bed at 4:oo am to get up at 9:00 to get ready to take Taylor to work...I don't know what is blooming here in Georgia right now, but it is making me miserable!!

Onto better news!!!...I CAN SEE!!!!!!!...I CAN SEE!!!!....I CAN SEE!!!!....I didn't realize how bad my eyesight had gotten til I tried on a pair of reading glasses...I got me a pair last weekend on our trip to Northwest Georgia and Chattanooga, TN to celebrate the 4th with both and all sides of our families...

So you know what that means???!!!???....I feel a cool breeze ever so faintly!!!...Fall is in the air!!!...I see pumpkins, witches, black cats, and some of my painted boxes in the works for Fall offerings!!!...Is it Fall yet???...No, but it will be here before you know it!!!...So I need to get started now that I can actually see the linen!!!

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I finally got pics taken of my shaker cabinets.....I painted mine black instead of blue since they no longer sell the blues I always used...They are sanded and distressed...You just can't tell from the pics...

In the hallway....

Tim's side of the bed....Awesome!!!...We've never had side tables ...Now to get them decorated with a few items...

My side.....

And by the back door in the family room....

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And a project I've been working on....Tim made me some cabinets....I painted them black and sanded them...

from this...

To this!!....It is sitting on my farm table while I arrange the items...Tim is putting it up tomorrow....It weighs a ton without anything in it...The arrangement is ever changing....The fabric is already off and a coverlet in it's place since I took this pic...So I will show the final pic when I get it the way I like it....

So what have you been up to???...The countdown has begun til the Country Sampler shoot....It is less then 2 weeks...Busy!!!...Busy!!!

Speaking of the Country Sampler and the Mercantile Gatherings.....I got to share my news with all the family this past weekend and mom handed out copies of the Mercantile to her side...

Have a good weekend!!....hugs, Jen

Happy 4th of July From Georgia!!!

Hi everyone!..Sorry I haven't been on here this week!!!...I have been sick since last Saturday with body aches and just feeling lousy...I was thinking I had caught something, but I just started a new blood pressure medicine on Friday and we think it might be it...I've been taking ibuprofen all week for the aches...I did get 27 emails answered this evening except for a few...

I did get some projects accomplished this week, but the pics will have to wait til next week...We're spending time with Tim's side tomorrow night and my side on Saturday...So it will be a full weekend!!

I plan on doing my first tutorial next week on the plates I painted after numerous request and emails....So check back!!!

In the meantime I'm going to share some pottery I got this week...It's the two little pieces in the candle box...Along with some Georgia peaches!!!...YUM!!!...YUM!!!

Both for $5.99

The butter crock....Ok, sit down...for $5.00...It's heavy, too...

And then Taylor brought me back a piece of pottery from her trip to Charleston when she went with some friends to celebrate her 19th birthday.

So I hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th of July!!!...~~hugs,Jen