The Pioneer Woman

I'm obsessed with The Pioneer Woman blog. The Author, Ree, is one talented pioneer. She appears to do it all, but with a Lucille Ball sense of humor. She cooks. She takes amazing photos. She gives great Photoshop tips. She’s raising a family. She's funny. She's authentic.

In “Black Heels to Tractor Wheels”, Ree gives you the low down on how she fell for her “Marlboro Man”.

You can read hysterical bits about her kids; join one her fun photo naming contest or download some of her striking photos for free.

There’s so much to like about her blog, but what’s most likable is Ree’s honest, down-to-earth quality. Every post reads like a conversation with a good, trusted friend.

Anyway, enough gushing. Go check it out.

Small Town USA Memorial Day Parade

Our town's Memorial Day parade was a grand event. I love this town.

McEvoy Ranch Organic Olive Oil is Liquid Gold

Olive Oil offers a range of health benefits. Used in folk remedies for centuries for dry skin, wrinkles and hang-overs, this little fruit is becoming well-known for its heart healthy qualities too. It’s packed with antioxidants, which help fight free radicals that cause cell damage. Translation: it’s good for you. Free radicals can speed up the aging process and increase your risk of disease.

EXTRA VIRGIN olive oil, from the first pressing of the olives, contains higher levels of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E and phenols, because it is less processed.

Our McEvoy Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil goes one step further to protect your health—it’s certified organic by the California Certified Organic Farmers.

McEvoy Ranch Extra Virgin Olive Oil produces a boldly Californian olive oil with a distinctly Italian heritage. Nested in the rolling Marin County hills west of Petaluma, McEvoy Ranch enjoys a long, cool growing season, ensuring the slow ripening of their fruit. Their certified organic growing methods, early harvest, and skillful blending of Tuscan varietals, together create the rich complexity of this extra virgin olive oil.

Here’s one easy, heart healthy recipe that I could eat every day at every meal:
Get yourself some good crusty hearth bread. Chop up a garlic glove and add to a few tablespoons of McEvoy Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Warm it up on a stove top for just a minute (this is just to warm it—you don’t want the garlic to burn). Put it in a small severing bowl; break off a piece of bread and dip in, soaking up the goodness.

Going Coastal

Our Coastal Bayberry Candle, by Sweet Grass Farm, is one of our best-selling scents for a good reason--it smells heavenly. It takes me right to the sandy shores where the bayberry bush thrives. Spicy with clove and woodsy notes, this candle creates a warm feeling. The best way to describe it is like being inside a rustic beach cabin with exposed wood beams, sandy floors that need to be swept and fresh saltwater air streaming in through the windows. When I can't get to the beach, I bring the beach to me with the Coastal Bayberry Candle. Available at Farmhouse Wares.

Deet Free All Natural Insect Control

Insect Veil Spray is an all natural method of insect control. Utilizing age-old herbal wisdom, this effective repellent combines lemongrass, wintergreen and catnip oils with good old Soy Oil. Recent research suggests that Soy Oil contains insect repelling compounds that are very effective. No Deet, chemicals or synthetics are used, so this is great for kids and those with sensitive skin.

Creating a Buzz

Thought I'd share this piece of art my daughter created. I love everything about it!

Fresh Farmhouse Decor for Spring

I don’t know what it is about lilacs, but just seeing a vase full or breathing in their fresh, clean scent makes me slow down and appreciate life’s simple pleasures. There’s something so enchanting and old-fashioned about lilacs. Maybe it’s because I have fond memories of my Grandmother’s backyard being choc-full of lilacs every spring. She had a grand row of bushes that acted as a fence between her and her neighbors. We would spend hours making lilac necklaces by stringing together the tiny flowers using a thread and needle.

I now have several of my own lilac bushes. Just about every room gets filled with a vase. I even decorate the patio with a vase or two. In this picture, I’ve packed a bunch into our rustic yellowware Marmiton Pitcher to help show off their old-fashioned charm.

If you can’t find any lilacs you can still enjoy that fresh, clean scent. Try Farmhouse Fragrance Sticks or Farmhouse Linen and Room Spray in Lilac. You can freshen your laundry with lilac Farmhouse Laundry Powder and Fabric Softener.

If you're having a guest, leave a vase by the bedside and a bar of Farmhouse Milled Soap in lilac as a special treat.

The great thing about these products is that even though the season for lilacs is fleeting, these products can remind you to enjoy life’s simple pleasures every day.

Recycled Wood Gardener's Organizer

This recycled wood folding desk caddy is a great gift for gardeners with a passion for planning. I use mine to keep seed packs neat and organized and to keep track of plant tags (which I constantly refer back to). It holds my garden journal, as well as all the pictures I tear from magazines for inspiration. The best part is, it folds up nicely to keep everything neat when the season ends. Available at Farmhouse Wares.

Do the Twist

Twist is a contemporary spin on craft -- a new event showcasing original handmade goods and art. If you're an Etsy fan, a maker, crafter or artist looking for a fresh kind of fair, be a part of Twist!

And if you're a shopper, save the dates!

Dates September 5th - 6th, 2008
Friday: Market Party 5:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Saturday: Market 10:00 am - 8:00 pm

Location Northampton Center for the Arts Ballroom, Northampton, MA

Northampton, MA (a.k.a NOHO) is a funky little town infused with the energy of the thousands of students, artists and musicians who live here. It's famous for being the "best small arts town" and one of the "top places to live and work" in America. It's less than 2 hours from Boston and 3 hours from NYC! View on map

Notable (current and former) residents of the area include authors Augusten Burroughs, Tracy Kidder and Kurt Vonnegut, musicians Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth, J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr, and actress Uma Thurman. It's also the birthplace of the Graham Cracker and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

The town's vibrant downtown is chock full of great shops, restaurants, bars, and coffee houses. There are a slew of performance venues here, such as the Iron Horse, the Calvin Theatre and Pearl Street Nightclub, that feature indie bands as well as bigtime headliners. Other highlights include the New Century Theatre and the Northampton Independent Film Festival.

Come for Twist, stick around for the town!

Enter Our Quilt Raffle Today

You Can Win This Quilt!

Enter our Raffle and Win This 100% Handmade Cotton Queen Quilt
ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN TODAY! EVERY ENTRY SUPPORTS A GOOD CAUSE.

Our little rural town of Whately, Massachusetts is offering you a chance to win this beautiful 100% cotton queen quilt. The Blue and White Sampler was created by Mimi Patten, a local mom, along with several women of this community. They all donated their time and talent to this special project, which supports the Whately PTO. All proceeds will go to the Whately Elementary School to build a fence for the playground to keep our children safe and sound.

The quilt is made with 100% cotton fabric and batting. The border fabric is 19th Century Civil War Reproduction. Martha May, a professional machine quilter, did the finishing touches, including a one-of-a-kind floral quilting pattern, designed especially for this project.

Size: Queen 89" x 89"

Enter the quilt raffle today at Farmhouse Wares for your chance to win.The Drawing will be held JUNE 2008 (exact date pending). The winner will be notified and the Quilt will be shipped free of charge.

You can catch more flies with molasses than vinegar

We love outdoor dining, but flies can really take the magic out of any picnic. This Glass Fly Catcher , from Farmhouse Wares, takes care of these pests the old-fashioned way--without harmful toxins. This charming and natural fly catcher will have guests buzzing as your garden becomes a fly free zone. It has a hole in the bottom. Fill it with something tantalizing. Flies get in but they can’t get out. A good all-natural fly catching recipe, based on the old adage, “you can catch more flies with molasses than vinegar”, is a simple mixture of equal parts molasses and water.

"You can never beat prejudice by a frontal attack, because there is mere emotion at the root of it. Always flank it. You can catch more flies with molasses than you can with vinegar."

-- James Emman Kwegyir Aggrey (1875 - 1927)

Lead Lips

The eco-friendly watch-dog Alternative Consumer reports that there are more articles surfacing about lead in our lipstick and lip gloss. Here's an easy recommendation for avoiding lead lipstick-- stay clear from synthetic-based color altogether. Don't bother risking your health. Besides, your lips already have such a pretty rose hue. Just enhance the shine and protect them with a natural SPF. Try our all-natural SPF 15 Lip Balm from Jenness Farm, a small caring company based in New Hampshire. Not only is it free and clear of lead so can lick your lips without fear, it tastes yummy.

Great Gift Ideas for Great Moms

There's still time to get your mom something a little different for Mother's Day. Our Shell Salt and Pepper Shakers from stylish Potluck Studios are great for moms who love the beach house look. They're made from cruelty free shells and are just $15 a pair.

Eco-friendly moms will love our Wood Compote. Also from Potluck Studios, this compote is handcrafted from plantation-sourced, renewable mango wood. Just $48.

Garden lovers will appreciate the colorful, fun style of our French Dot Garden Pots. Give her one of each color. Just $14.95 each.

If there's a mom with a sweet tooth then the Sundaes Best Hot Fudge Sauce Gift Trio is the way to go. This hot fudge sauce is insanely good. Made from farm fresh ingredients, it tastes so yummy, most people end up eating it right out of the jar. Just $19.95

Our Damier Red Salad Bowl is perfect for those with a love of vintage-inspired kitchenware. It has a French farmhouse feel and is only $49.95.

There you go! Five great ideas--all under $50.

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with Green Glass' Recycled Cactus Tumblers

Celebreate Cinco de Mayo with these Recycled Cactus Tumblers. They're made from the bottom of the popular Mexican Sol beer bottle by the Green Glass Co., so there is no better way to enjoy your Cinco de Mayo libations. Perfect for summer picnics or evenings on the patio! Get your Recycled Glass Tumblers today at Farmhouse Wares. Set of 4 just $32.50.

Mother's Day Sale at Farmhouse Wares

Hooray to all the hard-working moms out there! Farmhouse Wares would like to help you celebrate Mother's Day by offering the gift of 15% off any purchase today thru April 23, 2008. Just enter code "mom08" upon checkout.

Farmhouse Wares has plenty of great Mother's Day Gift ideas. Our Potluck Studios Trumpet Vase is just $34.00 and comes in three modern shades. You could get Mom a one-of-a-kind pillow, hand-made with vintage linens, handkerchiefs and buttons--also just $34.00.

We hope you'll stop by.

P.S. Thanks Mom and Peg for your endless TLC and support.

Farmhouse Love

A few years ago Fluffy, the furball on the left, came knocking at our door. He was a charming stray, and my family instantly fell for him. Two weeks later he brought his girlfriend home. I guess you could say we're flexible parents, as we let her move in too. We named her Katrina (the dreamy one to the right). I have never seen two cats so in love and kind to each other. They're an inspiration--a daily reminder that being kind can result in cozy behavior.

Cool Mom Picks Mother's Day Gift Guide

It's here and we're in it! I'm talking about the annual Mother's Day Gift Guide from Cool Mom Picks. Cool Mom Picks is a popular shopping blog for moms, recently featured in Real Simple magazine's Best of Blog feature last month.

As the Cool Mom authors say, "the mother of all holidays is upon us." This guide is chock-full of great finds all organized by every type of mom you can imagine. Cool Mom Picks also reminds us to “keep in mind that when you shop their recommends, you are most often supporting independent designers and companies--heck even some mamas themselves--who work hard to create and sell the stuff that cool moms love.”

Farmhouse Wares is delighted to have our McBride Beauty Cucumber and Aloe Body Lotion featured under “For the Mother-in-Law Who You Have No Freaking Idea What to Get”. This ultra yummy lotion is made with cucumber hydrosol, which soothes skin and puts an end to itching, not to mention it has the most refreshing scent on the planet. We're offering free shipping on McBride Beauty for a limited time too.

In honor of all the cool moms out there Farmhouse Wares’ is offering 10% off any purchase of $50 or more from today through April 14, 2008. Simply enter the code “coolmom” upon checkout at Farmhouse Wares .

Rekindled Affair with a Rope Chair

About 12 years ago my sister found this folding rope chair at a tag sale. She paid like $2.00 for it. I was instantly smitten and offered her a LOT more. She could smell my desperation and so she became quite the negotiator—upping the ante with each new bid. Eventually we landed on a price, and I walked away with the chair and a husband that was rolling his eyes (or was he wincing?). Anyway, I’ve neglected the chair since we moved here 10 years ago. It never really fit anywhere in my small house. So down to the basement it went. Just yesterday I received my issue of Renovation Style (love that magazine), and there it was—my folding rope chair in pristine glory—on the cover. My heart started beating. I suddenly needed that chair to be front and center in my living room. I felt just like I had 12 years ago when I first saw it. Well the years of neglect have turned the rope lacing and the wood all gray and moldy. Why I stored it in our damp basement I’ll never know. When I showed my husband the magazine I was pleased to see that he seemed to have the same fond reaction, fraught with blame of course: “I loved that chair. You never should have put it in the basement.” I was going to take a picture to show you, but it’s too depressing. So, I’m going to look into restoring it. I’ll keep you posted as I discover how to bring this very expensive two dollar chair back to its full potential.

Blogs I Coveiter

I wanted to take a moment to gush at how thrilled I was to have sk*rt editor, Simplesong write about Farmhouse Wares. Not only did she sk*rt about our cake stands, we also had the honor of being on her beautiful and inspiring blog Simplesong. Her blog is full of refreshing design inspiration. We are flattered that she highlighted Farmhouse Wares. She found us through Coveiter, which is another savvy design blog with fresh finds and all kinds of things you'll want to covet.

Recycling the Past

At the first hint of summer I start to get all shabby chic. I just love the idea of cool cotton that's soft and worn out. The little flowery patterns seem to summon some lazy time. I guess it’s a simple, breezy beach house feel that I’m craving.

When my friend Kate showed me her sister’s vintage fabric pillows I felt the urge to rock on a porch and sip lemonade. Mary Beth’s hand-made Vintage Pillows take you back in time.

What I really love about her pillows is that she blends the old with the new effortlessly. She’s recycling the past. Scouring flea markets and tag sales for vintage fabric and buttons, Mary Beth takes her vintage finds and repurposes them as comfy pillows. Many of them contain unique designs on both sides, so you get two designs in one. This kind of thrift is not so shabby but very chic.

Earth Hour and Removing Candle Wax

So how was your Earth Hour on Saturday? It didn’t seem long enough to me. I totally enjoyed the stillness of Earth Hour. Turning off all my electric stuff made me appreciate the natural peace and quiet. I was especially happy to get away from my computer, as I’ve been absurdly addicted to it lately.

I'm assuming, like me, you all had candles ablaze during Earth Hour. Every now and then I like to use just candles at night and pretend I’m living like “Little House on the Prairie”. There’s something pretty important about the days when we lived by nature’s rhythm—up with the sun and winding down as it sets. Nowadays, thanks to electricity, we ignore those rhythms, which isn’t good for our health.

Anyway, I’ve gone off the point, because what I wanted to do is tell you a quick tip for removing candle wax from votive holders. It’s so easy and smart that I can’t believe I spent years trying to complete this task with knives and other pointy objects, nearly losing fingers in the process. All you do is pop the votive holder into the freezer for about 15 minutes. The wax shrinks and voila—it comes right out. I bet Laura Ingalls’ mom wishes she could have done that.

Turn Out the Lights--Join Earth Hour

My Dad was eco-savvy long before it became hip. He installed one of those water-saving shower heads when I was a teenager and a shower was vital to my social existence. Greasy hair was just not cool. But the biggest thing I remember is that he always walked around the house shouting, "Turn out the lights!"

He will be very pleased to know that at 8pm on 29 March 2008, cities across the world will turn off their lights for one hour sending a powerful global message that it’s possible to take action on global warming.

Earth Hour, which started a year ago in Sydney, Australia has become a global movement. Last year 2.2 million people, including corporations, turned out their lights in Sydney, creating a 10.2% energy reduction, which is the equivilent of taking 48 thousand cars off the road. Learn more about Earth Hour and how you can support this green movement. It will make my Dad smile.

Recycled Glassware from Green Glass Company

The Clean Air Council reports that the amount of glass bottles Americans throw away could have filled both World Trade Center Towers every two weeks. Farmhouse Wares has found one small US company that’s doing their part to keep the bottles out of the landfills and on your table.

The Green Glass Company brings you artfully designed glassware from recycled wine and beer bottles. Besides saving the landfills from more garbage, it also saves a lot more energy to make these recycled goblets and tumblers compared to producing glass from scratch.

The Green Glass Company doesn’t waste a drop of this recycled glass. They can take a Napa wine bottle and produce two separate drinking glasses. The bottle is cut into two pieces, creating a tumbler from the bottom portion of the bottle and a goblet from the top portion of the bottle. The Recycled Willow Goblet (above) is created by flaring the mouth to form the base, then twisting the neck closed to fashion the bowl of the goblet. Pretty fancy!

Revered throughout Europe and other parts of the world as collectable art glass, The Green Glass Company goblets have even been chosen for the table of King Carlos of Spain, a former Mayor of New York City, movie sets, and celebrity dinners. Just think…you can make a difference just by sipping your next beverage in recycled glassware.

Happy Spring!

A Healthier Way to Store Winter Woolens

When it’s time to store those winter sweaters choose something healthier and less stinky than mothballs for protection.

We’ve all regretted using Mothballs to store our winter woolens. Come next fall, every stitch of clothing you own smells, well...like a grandmother. Farmhouse Laundry Sachets will help put an end to that old-fashioned tradition.

Farmhouse Laundry Sachets in Lavender are a safer alternative to mothballs. Lavender essential oil has the natural ability to ward off moths while keeping your clothes fresh. Mothballs consist of chemicals such as naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene. These chemicals transition from a solid to a gas that is toxic to moths. They say they are safe for humans because the fumes stay locked in the storage cases. Not so when we unleash those harsh fumes each new season. These fumes are especially harmful to infants. Lavender acts as a natural deterrent to moths. The scent of lavender repels moths, so you don’t have to worry about them damaging your favorite hand-knit items. Farmhouse Laundry Sachets are a Farmhouse Wares best-seller, and a pack of three is just $6.95. Be sure to tuck a few in your drawers too.

French Country in the City

Before moving to the country my husband and I lived in Somerville, MA, which is on the outskirts of Boston. We had a neighbor, an older French woman who pretty much kept to herself. Though her yard was tiny, she had the most amazing garden, including climbing roses and two well-groomed cherry trees. Every spring the cherry trees would explode with gorgeous pink blooms. I loved her yard because it allowed me to escape the city and imagine I was in the French countryside. The best part was, that come harvest time, I would come home from my job in the city and find a basket full of cherries waiting for me at the bottom of my steps. She never talked to me. She just quietly and mysteriously left the treats for my husband and me to enjoy. We'd return the basket in the same quiet manner. She must have seen me, admiring and painting her gardens from my deck. These charming, little Damier Red cherry bowls remind me of her. It's not quite cherry season yet, but just using them brings me back to her garden and makes me miss my French country in the city.

Have an Eco Easter

First of all, Happy Friday! Second of all, I didn't plan on writing about Easter again today, but here goes:

These ideas come straight from The Big Green Purse. I hope you'll check out their site, because they share lots of good info on green living.

"Green" your own grass. Skip that yucky shredded plastic stuff. Make your own "grass" by shredding paper (or the Sunday comics). Next year, get started three weeks in advance and grow actual grass you can fit in your basket.

Dye eggs the natural way. Warning: this method takes more time than just dropping a commercial dye tablet in a cup full of vinegar and water. But if you like a challenge, give it a try. Use cranberry juice, pomegranate seeds, beets, raspberries, or red onion skins for pink and red. Saffron or tumeric will create yellow. Blueberries tint blue (naturally!). Yellow onion skins will create orange.

More Easter Entertaining and Decorating

Easter is my daughter's favorite holiday. Well, one of her top faves. She also loves Christmas, Valentine's Day, Halloween and St. Patrick's Day. (She was born on St.Patty's Day.)

She loves the idea of a magical bunny leaving oodles of fun things crammed into a big basket. (I'm a little embarrassed at how much I indulge her.) Every year I hide her basket and leave bunny footprints as clues. I make the footprints by sprinkling powder on a template of a paw I cut out of cardboard. She’s probably not going to fall for it this year. Even if she suspects there is no Easter Bunny, I have a feeling she wouldn’t let on for fear she’d stop receiving the bounty. (She has her ways of indulging me too.)

After the basket and egg hunt, my family is pretty casual about the day. We spend our time playing with Grandpa’s animals. (The sheep shown in the picture above really needs a haircut.) Then we gather for dinner. Now there’s not a lot of us, and we all know each other, so you may ask why on earth do we need place cards. Well, there’s a very good explanation. You see, some of my chairs are pretty old and rickety, so I have to be careful where I place the adults. I try to give them the most comfortable seats. It’s all very strategic. I love the Farm Animal Place Card Holders (show above). They're very appropriate for our farmhouse gatherings. The Scramble Ice Napkins by Potluck Studios (also shown above) are also a nice, casual touch. The light blue color feels very spring-like for this occassion. They’re so easy to care for that it makes it easy to save some trees and forgo the paper.

Easy Easter Entertaining

I like to entertain. I love to decorate the house for a special event, to try to make things comfortable and festive for my guests. I keep it simple, adding just a touch here and there, particularly if I've got a big crowd on my hands. A good party has to flow, so decoration can't get in the way. I love it when I find functional ways to add some flair. Here's one: A three-tiered cake stand. It adds drama to the table or buffet and makes serving easy and relaxed. Our enamelware cake stands make attractive displays for cheeses, cupcakes and other yummy treats--just about anything you'd like, even cake. The stands can be used individually or as a two- or three-stand set. It's simple, comfortable and beautiful, with a vintage feel that works well with any style. You can purchase this set of three enamel cake stands at Farmhouse Wares. I think you'll enjoy it.

Here's a Seed of an Idea

This picture fills me with hope. I'm getting excited about my gardens again. For those of us in the northeast it's time to take out those garden journals and start planning. Every year I say I'm not going to purchase any more plants. Sometimes I think my gardens might be worth more than my house. But I'm weak when I get to the garden centers.

A good way save is to plant from seed. Last year I did most of my annuals and cut flowers from seed. It was a great project for my daughter too. She was pleased to see her hard work turn into vases of flowers. I recycle the plastic six-pack containers that annuals typically come in, along with the garden trays. I just line the six-packs up on the trays, fill them with soil and have my daughter stick in the seeds.

A great resource for seeds is Local Harvest. Many are from small family farms and you may be able to stay local too.

Happy planting!