Primitive Paradise on the Prairie

Twice a year primitive collectors journey to a primitive mecca in central Illinois. Three adjoining towns of Arcola, Arthur and Tuscola, Illinois host primitive antique shows in six separate locations. Lucky for me, my parents live in one of those towns and we have made attending a twice yearly family affair. (My husband and sons are happy that my parents and sister are happy to attend so that they don't have to lol.)

I am always so swept away by all that there is to see, that I never take pictures once I get in the shows.

Luckily Roberta of Cottonwood Lane Primitives does a great job of capturing the shows in photos.

You can see her posts about the shows here, here and here.

It's fun to see what we both admired and what I totally missed (darn!).

Here is what I found at the last show:

This little table top cabinet is made of quartersawn oak and square head nails. It's pretty heavy and quite substantial for a small piece. At one pont it was used to store crayons and art supplies. When you pull the drawers out, underneath them you see little crayon drawings from a small child. I love the stories that it adds... I am still moving it around trying to find the perfect place for it.

When we arrived at the first show, as we were walking in Stacy Nash was walking out :) She had several purchases and I was sure hoping that she left a few things for me to buy lol. It was nice to chat for a moment before heading in. 

Folk artist Steve Shelton had a booth there and I was so happy to purchase this wonderful little painting from him. I also bought this funky faux pumpkin from his booth as well.

I was so looking forward to the next show as a favorite folk artist of mine was there - Maggie Bonanomi!

She had a lovely booth, of course, and I was delighted to purchase this great handmade penny rug of hers featuring old worn velvet pennies. I also bought two great antique quilt squares and two tiny antique document boxes to add to my collection. 

On to the other shows...

My final purchase of the trip:

This wonderful hand painted wooden bowl. the quality of the painting and the details draw my eye to it again and again. I love the patch of blue sky and the skaters on the river. It appears that when the paint was wet, they lightly sprinkled it with mica flakes adding a light shimmer here and there.

This photo doesn't do it justice, but I love the little old man with hiking stick walking up to the house while a woman runs towards him. Someone else waits in the doorway for him to arrive.

The best news? At the end of next month I get to go back for the spring shows! Who knows what I will find this time!

"In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan, earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone; 

snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow, in the bleak midwinter, long ago. 

Our God, heaven cannot hold him, nor earth sustain; 

heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign. 

In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed the Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there, cherubim and seraphim thronged the air; 

but his mother only, in her maiden bliss, worshiped the beloved with a kiss. 

What can I give him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb; 

 if I were a Wise Man, I would do my part; yet what I can I give him: give my heart."

~Christina G. Rossetti, 1830-1894

~Blessings, Patti