A Primitive By Any Other Name...

Wondering if any of you have seen the great new magazine "A Primitive Place"? If you like Judy Condon's series of primitive decorating books, you'll love the magazine too. We have the first issue -- a great fall issue -- available for our Harvest Open House & Sale in October. It features several homes and some really interesting "how to" articles, a column on collecting and even some recipes. Judging by the first issue, it will be around for awhile. If you can't wait for your copy, drop me a email (forevermoresale@aol.com). Meanwhile, check out their website: http://www.aprimitiveplace.org/APP-Magazine.html

Writing this post to let everyone know about this new magazine caused me to think about just what we mean when we use the term "primitives." The word seems to have lots of varying definitions.

I heard a local antique dealer -- one of my favorite people but one whose shop carries more general line antiques -- recently quip "there's a fine line between primitive and junk." To him and many others, a "primitive" piece of furniture is one that is dilapidated and either seriously needs to be refinished or is beyond repair.

Several local auctioneers have been known to list "primitives" in their sale bills when they are offering hay hooks and other such rusty farm tools out of a farmers' barn. They can't imagine any of the women at the auction even looking at their version of primitives, much less bidding.

Then again, some of the cute little gift/decor shops around Champaign and Vermilion County who advertise that they sell "primitives" are referring to grungy candles, berry wreaths, wooden crow cut-outs, and painted signs that say things like "Welcome Friends." But that is not just a local use of the term. Catalogs like "The Country House" feature so-called primitives of the same ilk. "Country Sampler" magazine offers that kind of merchandise for sale in the back half of the magazine (while sometimes featuring original "primtive" antiques in the articles up front).

Some folks like to decorate in a grungy style reminiscent of a log cabin, with little or no color, low lighting and with tea-stained textiles; guess what they call that style? Primitive, of course!

So what does "primitive" mean when ForeverMore uses the term? The same thing that shows like Pure & Simple (an annual event in Kokomo, IN) and Gathering on the Prairie (twice a year in Arthur) mean when they use the term -- "unfancy" furniture and accessories from the 1800s or earlier in original surface (preferably old paint or a dry, attic surface) that have simple lines and were "using' pieces as opposed to decorative items. Perfect examples include early dry sinks or pie safes, painted hanging cupboards, wooden dough bowls, hogscraper candlesticks, old handmade baskets, pantry boxes and firkins.

When we mix in early salt-glazed pottery or a red/green applique quilt from early 1800s, we're probably stretching the concept of primitive a bit toward what some would call "early" or "Colonial". And when we display an old scrub bench topped with a row of mismatched sprinkling cans, some see "primitive" and others see "country". (My dealer friend quoted above probably just sees "junk"!) Is an old harvest table with chippy white over blue paint "primitive" or "farmhouse"? Who knows for sure!

So many different images conjured up by the same simple word! In the final analysis, whether you call it primitive" or "early" or "Colonial" or "country" or "frontier" or "farmhouse" or even "junk" doesn't matter. All that matters if if you love and want to live with it!

September - Time for Osage Farm

Art & Antiques at Osage Farm - September 25

If you've never been to Osage Farm (near Charleston, IL) for one of Diane & Gary Cole's shows, then you're missing out on a great day in the country. The fall shows are wonderful -- pumpkins, gourds, fall flowers, great music, tasty food and of course great country antiques. This year's show is bigger and better than ever. The Cole's have been busy adding a new building so the entire, expanded show can be under cover. Plenty to do, see, taste, smell -- a good time is guaranteed! Admission is free and the show runs from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. Whether you're lined up with the early birds, plan your visit around lunch or make your stop later in the day, just make sure not to miss out on the festivities! See ya there!

For more info, see Diane's website: http://www.artandantiquesatosagefarm.com/

p.s. If you haven't visited our page on Facebook, check us out! Watch for more updates on Facebook as the fall schedule heats up.

Save the Date!

Mark your calendar and plan to stop by our Harvest Open House & Sale on October 9 & 10.

I'll post more details soon - and if you're on our maling list, you'll see a postcard in a couple of weeks with more info.

UPDATE: Hours on Saturday, October 9, 8 am to 4 pm
and Sunday, October 10, 11 am to 4 pm

p.s. Stopped in today at the Casey Antique Centre in Casey, IL, which we're sad to say is closing its doors next month. For the last 7 years, it's been a great place to find primitives. Never left there without a few goodies.But the owner is on to other pursuits and we wish her well.

Just a quick note after a terrific three days to say "thanks" to all of you who braved the heat and humidity this weekend in Georgetown. We had a fun time chatting with old friends and meeting new ones, too. Everyone's enthusiasm was contagious and I almost forgot the heat index of 110 degrees! We said goodbye to lots of great stuff which means we'll have to bring out tons of "new" (I mean different) old stuff for next time. As soon as we have a solid date, we'll let you know when our fall sale will be. Think cool weather, pumpkins, mums and - of course - country antiques! (Meanwhile, mark your calendars for the last Saturday in September for the Osage Farm show.)
Thanks again - hope you all enjoyed the open house as much as we did!

Sneak Peek (part 2)

As promised, a glimpse of SOME - but not all! - of the quilts for sale this weekend and the same for the architectural pieces.

As far as architectural salvage, we have screen doors, shutters, a fireplace mantel, 2 types of columns, old windows, a set of outdoor stairs, lots of neat ceiling tiles in several different patterns, cool details like porch posts, finials and moldings.

Come check it out starting Friday at noon...

See you there!

Sneak Peek!

Hi everyone! Here's just a tiny taste of our Summer Open House scheduled for next weekend starting Friday at noon.

For primitive lovers, we'll have a whole room full of early furniture and accessories (and more outside). Below you can see a wonderful mustard child's chair, a cupboard full of early small items, a lift-top child's desk in old red paint. You can glimpse a couple of the quilts, and peek at a couple of cupboards and a great little painted apothecary. Much more to see next weekend including coverlets, early chairs, primitive tables, treenware, stoneware, baskets, a bucket bench...and the list goes on! We're still adding to the offering.

(p.s. We have Judy Condon's newest primitive decorating book "The Comfort of Home"!!! It's hot off the presses -- shipment just arrived today! Judy told me we are the first to have it in this area. Along with some other great interiors, this book features two Central Illinois homes -- Doris Roush from Urbana and Jody Coffin from Rantoul -- and both are amazing! If you are a fan of Judy's books and don't want to miss out, drop me an email and I'll reserve a copy. Regular price is $24.95 plus tax; Summer Open House special price is $22 OR with any other purchase, just $20!!)

Another room has something for everyone - primitives, quilts, wire ware, garden pieces, architecture, galvanized -- a cleaner, more "modern" spin on country with a bit of French influence. Combining a primitive pie safe, a European watering can, old photos, French grain sacks, a vintage garden trellis, an early child's chair and cast iron planters creates a look all its own...but, if it's not your cup of tea, just look a little closer. Chances are the discerning eye will be able to find items mixed in that fit with any style. Some may think some of the displays lean a little toward Shabby Chic (because there's a fair amount of white); that's not really the gist of it, but if that happens to be your style, you'll likely find some pieces that would be right at home with your more flowery or pastel designs. At the same time, a primitive lover might take home a black table and have it fit perfectly with a Colonial Williamsburg decor.

We also have some cool vintage items. Check out this stack of picnic tins -- lots of possibilities there -- and our handmade "Flea Market Bags" fashioned from vintage bark cloth and ready for shopping. Or maybe sewing accessories or a cute 1940's child's cupboard in white & blue will grab your eye -- the homemade cupboard complete with little bread board would be adorable hanging in a hallway or even a guest bathroom as a storage place for soaps, toiletries, hand towels, etc.

Check back again before next weekend to see some more of our quilts -- more than two dozen will be included in the open house offering -- as well as some great architectural salvage perfect for your creative projects.

Hope to see you next weekend!! Come see what else we've found!

Show pics

Here are a few pics from the 20th Annual Antiques Market at Bishop Hill last weekend. Next year I'll try to take more of the action outside during the show but I didn't have a chance to sneak out and take photos this time -- WAY too busy inside! Here's our booth at the back wall of the Colony School - a cool old building.

Here's the Colony Bakery and its gardens -- where all of that AMAZING pie comes from!

The commeraderie among the dealers is pretty special at Bishop Hill-- including having a lovely picnic dinner together after a busy day of setup in the beautiful gardens of our hosts Jim & Cheri Campbell.

Even if you didn't make it to the show, Bishop Hill is always a great destination and Sweet Annie Primitives, in the lower level of the Campbell's home, is not to be missed.

Also, check out the the lastest issue of Country Sampler -- September 2010, don't know if it's on the newsstand yet, but I mine came in the mail already -- for a wonderful article about Jim & Cheri's historic home. I've seen it in person and it is absolutely stunning! She has impeccable taste, as you will see.

If you're still hoping for more views of the show than I managed to provide here, stay tuned. A fellow dealer took TONS of pics and is putting together sort of a photo-essay about the show. I'll find our her webite address and include it in a future post.

Tomorrow...the promised "sneak peeks" for next week's Summer Open House & Sale!! Check back -- or check your email if you're on our email list. (Want to be on the list but aren't yet? Just drop me a note -- forevermoresale@aol.com -- or click on "contact us" on the website.)