Made in the USA

We Americans have never been shy about showing our national pride. And when we express our patriotism through folk art, the results are spectacular!

How great would this antique, 45-star flag look, hanging in your kitchen or mudroom? Contact Nantucket Country Antiques to snap it up.



Some 19th-Century needlework whiz expressed her love of country with her crochet hook. I love that eagle motif. Jeff Bridgman has more Americana for your perusal.



And how jaw-dropping is this 19th-Century bent-twig table from Wilson Folk Art? The flag framed by the heart just takes the cake.



God bless America!

Folk Art Paintings Redux

I had to share this lovely folk art landscape I came across on Ruby Lane. Seller Yesterday's Treasures offers this gem (circa 1919) for quite a reasonable price, too:



I adore the naive style and the attention to detail -- note the stars on the barn!

At the other end of the price scale, Jeff Bridgman Antiques offers this outrageous folk art portrait of a prize bull:



I love the simple composition and that cerulean blue sky. And nothing pleases me more than seeing a primitive-style painting framed in gold leaf!

Scherenschnitte, Old and New

Scherenschnitte. Kind of sounds like a Germanic cuss-word. As in: "Scherenschnitte! We're out of milk again!"

But scherenschnitte is the intricate Pennsylvania-Dutch (or Swiss, or German) art of paper-cutting. And trust me, when I say paper-cutting, I mean something far more sophisticated than those construction-paper snowflakes you used to snip as a kid.

For instance:



This German example from New Hope Antiques has everything I want in a paper-cutting: an intricate symmetrical motif, set off by a killer antique frame.

Not impressed? Then check out this jaw-droppingly detailed scherenschnitte from Peggy McClard Antiques:



When I first saw this, I swore it was fine embroidery work. But it's paper -- cut in a basket weave on the edges. According to Ms. McClard, the swans you see in the picture are a mere 1/8" tall! Do yourself a favor and go to her site to view the close-ups, as they are ASTOUNDING.

Lucky for us, a new generation of scherenschnitte artists are keeping the technique alive and breathing new life into the form, like Pam Hults from Praying Mantis Folk Art.



I love the calligraphy details she adds to her pieces!

A Tisket, A Tasket, A Sally Patchin Basket

Lately, I've encountered some fabulous tole-painted wicker baskets by the late folk artist Sally Patchin. Apparently, Patchin lived in upstate New York and painted these treasures throughout the first half of the 20th Century.

This Patchin "suitcase" basket from Ruby Lane seller The Purple Doorknob caught my eye:



I like the unusual shape, not to mention the folksy painted details.

Seller New Hope Antiques offers this Patchin log basket:



Again, the thoughtful hand-painted details lend a lot of charm to an everyday, utilitarian object.

This next is not a Patchin, but I like the tole details on the wood panels that frame this basket from A Bridge To The Past:



Can't you just imagine some Arnold Print Works critters sitting cozy in there?

When Crafts Take Over

It's time to pull the plug on my crafting. Or seriouly cut back, at the very least.

Why? The little clay critters keep multiplying and crowding up my closets. First there was Hattie . . .



. . . and then there was Fred . . .



. . . followed shortly thereafter by Phyllis.



The latest is this birdie on a vintage spool:



All things said and done, I enjoy the process and I'm even half-way pleased with the results. I'm slowly learning how to work with paperclay and build a decent composition. But learning requires creating, and creating requires more shelf space.

We just might have to move to a bigger house.

You can keep track of my crafty progress on etsy.

Antique/Vintage Trade Signs: High and Lo

Who doesn't adore old trade signs? The carved wood ones are especially creative and give a real graphic punch to your wallspace.

Those of us on a fixed budget often find these signs well out of our price range. But fortunately, there's a handful of Etsy sellers who either offer vintage signs on the cheap, or who are creating their own fresh versions of classic motifs.

Take a gander:

The Real Deal: Antique Pointing Finger "Footwear" Sign



. . . currently on sale at Robert Snyder and Judy Wilson Antiques and Folk Art for 975.

Charming Repro: Pointing Finger Signs By Morning Star Designs



. . . Etsy folk artist Morning Star Designs sells these in his shop for 36 dollars (I'm sure they are customizable). He also sells some delightful carved whales, fish, and diner-themed signs to grace your walls.

The Real Deal: Vintage Office Sign



. . . offered by Dennis Raleigh Antiques for 295.

The Real Steal: Vintage Help Wanted Sign



Etsy seller Blue Bell Bazaar sells a number of these charmers in the 40 dollar range. Her shop is a treasure trove of funky vintage finds: highly recommended, especially the chalkboards in antique frames!

Bilston and Battersea Boxes

I'm saving my pennies to purchase -- hopefully! -- one of these charming Bilston or Battersea enamel patch boxes for my birthday. Technically, I know, they're not folk art, but they have a simple, homey charm that I just love.

Battersea/Bilston boxes were produced in England around the late 18th/early 19th centuries. There is an equally charming modern line that goes by the name Halcyon Days, and is also quite collectible. Since enamel chips and cracks, the antique boxes in decent shape can be breathtakingly pricey.

I adore the birds that adorn this gem from Converse Clocks:



The Georgian Bilston/Battersea boxes often sported a sentimental motto. I find this little nautical box from Antiques and Uncommon Treasure really touching!



Finally, the basket motif and "forget-me-not" saying on this snuff box from Acanthus Antiques just floors me.



They're all so adorable, it's almost enough to make me take up a snuff habit!

Almost.