The Ledger and Progress

I came across this ledger and loved reading through it.

 

This ledger is from 1926

 

Reading through it was apparent that this ledger

was from a group of ladies who owned a store.

 

Some of the names inside were

 

Mrs. Hill

Mrs Hanna

Mrs Archer

Mrs Myers

 

This brought back memories of my gramma

as she always called herself

Mrs Charles Husson

She never went by her first name.

 

Reading more of the ledger,

they sold cookbooks for .50 cents each.

One entry stated that they made $19.00 from their sale of these cookbooks.

 

Then on another page,

they entered the cost of quilting goods.

 

For all of you that sew,

back in 1926

this was the cost of some of those materials.

 

Quilt Lining ~ $1.25

 

A Thimble for Miss Buff ~ $1.25

 

Sateen Material ~ $.25

 

Threads and Brade ~ $.24

 

Cheese Cloth ~ $2.50

 

Batting ~ $1.18

 

Cloth For Quilt ~ $1.44

 

Needles ~ $.15

 

What a difference in prices from then to today!

 

The last page was from 1929.

These last two entries were a store charge of $144.70

and a final disbursement of  $229.42

It seems they must have closed the store.

 

Finally we are making progress on our chimney.

 

They had all of the stone off before I could get a picture.

 

 



The stone on the house was what it looked like.

To replace with this stone is too pricey for us now. 

 

We opted for this red brick.

We tried to match the brink on our house...as close as we could get.

 

Not sure what these are, but our bricklayer does.

 

Finally, this is the last piece I bought for our house on our last buying trip....

well I should say our last out of town buying trip.

It is a wood fire box, but I love it as an end table for magazines!

 

Also bought more goodies this week!

 

Autumn Blessings to all

Janice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



How I Got My Blog Name

We have been asked by Karen from

My Colonial Home

to disclose how we came up with our blog name.

 

First I would like to thank Karen for coming up with this

brainstorm  wonderful idea. LOL

There are truly some creative folks out here in blogland and I am glad to be a part of it.

 

Looking back at how I decided on my name brings back

 

Frustration (Lack of blogging experience)

 

Fretfulness (Will anyone follow me)

 

Joy ( Knowing I could do this)

 

Pride ( My love of prims)

 

First let me start on how our business originated.

Bob and I started our antique and craft business

on the back porch of our house in 2008.

We then moved our business to a local antique mall.

The owner of that mall gave us the chance to sell our wares

in the back room of the store.

It was a perfect location with 1000 sq ft of space.

We added a window and a prim porch

and proudly stenciled on the window

 

Back Porch Primitives

Primitives ~ Candles ~ Crafts

 

After two years at the mall

and becoming the owners best selling vendors

(he did not think primitives would sell in our county)

 

I told him that I wanted to bring them to the county.

( we proved him wrong)

 

Anyway, after two wonderful years,

he sat us down to give us bad news.

He was dying from a rare lung disease.

He then made Bob the manager of the store.

After a year later, he was in the last stage and we decided it was time to move on.

 

 

 

Bob and I searched for another location in Town and found a nice 1800 yr old building that suited us and we sealed the deal in July 2010. We had our own building!

Since we were bringing in 20 other dealers with us and creating our own mall,

we felt we needed to change our name to

Back Porch Antiques.

 

Next came the blog in 2011.

 

What to name it.

Back Porch Primitives was my first thought...

but I wanted it to be different.

 

Then came

 

Backyard Primitives (already taken)

 

Water Thyme Primitives (Nah)

 

River Primitives (since I live by the river)

 

Then as I almost threw in the towel...

the light bulb hit...

 

By the river...changed to...

 

Prims By The Water

 

And so it began....

 

 

Prims by the water blessings to all,

Janice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

 

 



I May Be Disorganized

However there is a method to my madness.

 

Well maybe sometimes. LOL

 

Started working on Christmas goodies for the store last Saturday.

 

The key word is

 

STARTED

 

This Santa is missing his hoodie.

 

Then I started this...

 

This jolly fellow needs a face, beard and hoodie.

Oh yeah, plus he needs something for his stocking.

His stocking is made from one of my sweaters that I finally had to give up.

I am always about re-purposing if I can.

 

Oh and then I started to work on this project.

 

Cross stitching up a design to make into a pillow.

 

So yes, I may be disorganized,

But these will get finished.

Santa will get his facial.

The other one will get fully clothed...

and the reindeer will be stuffed...

but not as a mount on the wall. LOL

 

They will get finished,

but probably not this weekend...

have to work the store while Bob and his cousin

re-brick our fireplace chimney.

 

Yippee...finally get to have cozy fires again.

We have an unused woodpile that the woodchuck (gopher)

took over and this year she had a baby. YIKES

 

Cozy Blessings to all

Janice

 

 

 

Monday Montage- Store Goodies

This morning we had frost...

YUK...prelude to the bad four letter word.

SNOW

 

The rest of the week it is suppose to be in the 50's

Autumn came on the calendar and also in our neck of the woods.

 

Here are some of the items that we bought

 on our buying trip from two weeks ago.

Things for the store....

Alas I cannot keep it all.

Good for us, because lots have already been sold!

 

Early Table (sold)

 

Early Water Crock Jug

 

Early 1800 mustard over blue paint cabinet. 

 

Child's Table Desk. (sold)

 

Early 1800 Mustard Dry Sink (sold)

 

Red Prim Cabinet (red over black)

 

Well, I have to stay late at the store tonight to fill in holes.

We sold five pieces of furniture these past two weeks...

As I have said before...we have the best customers!

Now we need to go on another buying trip too!

Woohoo...I love shopping!

 

Autumn Blessings to all!

Janice

 

 

 

 

 

 



Monday Montage- Goodies

I should say...

Goodies I get to KEEP.

Yay..Woohoo and Yipee!!!

 

First off our buying trip was a success.

Our van was full and we still had money.

Always a good thing!

 

So where do I start...

 

I love bunnies and when I saw this candy mold...well it had to go in my kitchen.

The best part it has both sides to it.

 

Next....

 

When I saw this cabinet

I knew it would make a great TV stand.

What do you think?

I do know that I have to clean my rug after we put it in. LoL

 

This feed bin will now hold our kitties food bag.

 

Love the blue paint on the side.

Matches the other blue pieces in the kitchen.

This might go into the laundry room redo eventually...

Not sure if I like it in the kitchen.

 

Early 1800 green painted bowl.

 

Blue slip crock jug.

 

Fell in love with the red clay glaze showing on the side.

 

I have one more item that we purchased,

but it seems my picture did not take...

So, I will feature that in my next post

of items we bought for the store.

 

Did I score or what?

Thank you honey f(Bob) or letting me keep stuff.

You are the BEST!!

 

Prim Blessings to All

Janice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday Montage

No hookie this past weekend.

Bob and I worked Friday and Saturday adding our Fall Decor.

Hope you enjoy the pics.

New prim cabinet with some brown apothecary glass bottles.

Crocks, Bowls and Fall Goodies.

A Water Bag, Prairie Hat.

Salem Sisters waiting for a new home.

Bob also made some more of his wood signs.

This one says" What happens at grammas...stays at grammas.

Pie Safe with more Fall Goodies!

Another early Jelly Cabinet with Crocks and goodies on top.

I just love this Robin Egg's Blue Cubby!

Well I think the hard work adding new items to our store Friday night paid off.

Bob and I did not kill each other and everything looks and smells wonderful.

What do you think?

Starting this Thursday thru the weekend,

Bob and I will be on another buying trip.

Wish us luck!

I know I will be having some fun!!

Prim Fall Blessings to All

Janice









The Prim Fruit

Most of us Americans associate ourselves with the apple being America's fruit.

As the saying goes~ "As all American as apple pie".

However the only apple that is native to North America is the crab apple.

 

The early colonists brought over apples from Europe in the 17th century.

However their harvests were small.

It was not until the introduction of the honeybees from 1630- 1638,

that the variety of apples we now enjoy came into being.

The Native American Indians called these honeybees "English Flies or White Man's Flies",

and they were not happy with their arrival.

Do you think the crap apple is our prim fruit?
Naw.

Let me give you some hints....

This fruit is native to America and is second only to the strawberry in sales.

They were once called starberries because of the star shaped
formation on their skin left from the flower that formed the fruit.

 

 50 different species have been identified.

 

Early Puritans boiled them to produce the first gray milk paint.

 

Any guess what fruit it is yet?

 

For those who still need some hints....

 

In the 1860's this fruit was given to the Union soldiers as a food staple during the Civil War.

 

Eating this fruit can prevent heart disease and certain cancers because of their antioxidants.

They are rich in Vitamins C, E and K, and also have both Potassium and Manganese.

 

Did you guess the fruit now?

 

If not, these last clues should give it away.

 

The Shakers used this prim fruit along with Sage Blossoms, Indigo and Milk

to make the first blue milk paint.

 

They grow in many shades of light blue to a dark purple.

 

Did you figure it out?

 

If you guessed our Native Blueberries,
then you were right!!!

 

So the next time you are eating your favorite blueberry muffins, pie,

 pancakes or even in a fruit salad,

 

Just remember

 

Blueberries are truly America's Prim Fruit!

 

Blueberry Blessings to All

Janice

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



OK I Confess

I played hookie this weekend

and forgot to even do Monday Montage.

 

So besides going out on our dock for some relaxation,

cooking on the barbie every day,

I was able to get a few more goodies done for the store.

 

I said just a few. LOL

 

I bagged up my Halloween candy and added some candy corns too!

For those of you who asked how I thought about this...

well one day about two years ago,

I went Trick or Treating with my grand kids...

and I saw these in their bags.

From one of those candies, I drew out a pattern and forgot about it,

until I pulled out my many drawings this year.

(maybe I can do a tutorial on it soon)

Would you like that?

 

Next I drew up these witches.

 

I call them the Salem Sisters.

Bob calls them aliens.

I also made small pumpkins such as this blue Hubbard.

 

 

Then lastly I made this pumpkin on a stick.

Bob cut up a small branch from our kindling wood last year,

so I could make some Christmas trees on a stick....

but I never made them...maybe this year.

 

On another note,

today was the first day of school here in our neck of the woods.

 

Grandson Michael was ready.

 

So was my little kindergarten gal Mikayla.

She just had to pose for me.

(notice my messy slipcover on my couch)

They were wrestling earlier. LOL

before they got dressed.

 

If you noticed their outfits,

they go to a school which requires uniforms.

 

Well, that is what I did on my mini vacation.

Hopefully you all were able to play hookie at some point over the weekend too!

 

Prim School Hookie Blessings to all

Janice

(I actually did play hookie a few times in school)

Will have to do a post about that soon.

 

Take care everyone!