Welcome To Pilgrims and Pioneers!

After many years of researching my family geneaology I have been lucky enough to discover actual information about my relatives that lived in the Pilgrim Era and the Pioneer Era- while many people also have realtives from those eras- many do not know their names or where they lived- actually seeing the proof in print makes you much more aware of who they really were.
After discovering these relatives it of course made me curious to learn more about the eras that they lived in and what their lives were like as, the history I learned in grade school had long since been forgotten.
I decided to start this blog for others who are also interested in these eras.
Some of the information here will be actual facts about my realtives and some will be information about the eras in general that I have found on the web.
I hope you will enjoy traveling back in time with me!

Saturday, March 28, 2009

Reproduction Fabrics & Free Quilt Patterns


As many of you know one of the makers of reproduction fabrics is Windham fabrics. They are a division of Baum Textiles.
On their website I found many free downloads for quilt patterns & other projects including the one shown on the left. This quilt is called Washington's Legcay. Here is the link! http://www.baumtextile.com/projects/index.shtml
Enjoy!

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Prim Jar Candles- Overstock sale

I am needing to make way for Spring stock

so I have three candles in these Paririe Farmhouse jars. They are made from our richly scented soy wax that has amazing scent throw. They are 12 oz size and are avaialable in the following scents:
Applejack & Peel
Gourmet Sugar Cookie
Orchard Blend (apples, pears & strawberry scent.
They are 10.00 plus shipping or all three for 27.00 plu shipping. Shipping will be combined for multiple items .
Order by email and a Pay Pal invoice will be sent to you.
john_peterson_356@comcast.net
UPDATE 4/3/09- These candles have all been sold.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

A Little about my Swedish Grandpa!




If you read my previous post you will know that this man was actually my great Uncle- somehow my brain just can not recognize this! I grew up knowing him as my grandpa and "grandpa" he will always be!


He was born in 1885 in rural Princeton, Il to Swedish immigrants Pehr Pehrson ( Peter Pierceson) & Pernilla Swenson ( Nellie Swanson). They came from Kristiansatd, Sweden to Princeton,Il in 1881.


He was a very quiet, gentle man who never complained. He worked hard at farming and at giving every one in his family all that he could.


I remember being 4 years old follwing him around the farmyard while he did his chores. The gathering of eggs in the hen house was not something I enjoyed! In fact all the clucking & flapping scared me half to death & I spent the entire venture hanging onto the tail of his cardigan sweater!


My grandmother passed away in 1857- 13 years before he did.


Grandpa's Cristmas took a turn downhill after that- every year that I can remember he got the same things! They were all his favorites- a box of King Edward cigars, a gallon of Mogan David- which I think lasted the whole year!, chocolate cream drops, and a new cardigan sweater!


I remember there was always a box of Gingersnaps- a Swedish cookie- on the table along with a bowl of sugar cubes. Must be where I get my passion for sweets!


Although his first name was John he was always called " Jack"- something I still don't get!


The photo was taken in 1967 during our town's Centennial celebration-The back row is my dad, grandpa- he was 82, my uncle Harry, his 2nd wife Mary Ann.

The boys in the front are my uncle Harry's step sons.

I am still working to turn the bottom photo upright- with out much success!( Click to enlarge)


My grandfather developed Parkinson's disease and passed away in 1970.


His memory will live in my heart forever as he was truly the greatest man I have ever known!


I love you Grandpa!

Note- My friend Holly was able to get my pic upright! Thanks Holly!
I am still trying to remove the older one!

Vintage Photo ca. 1921


I was going through genealogy things tonight & found this photo of my dad when he was young. Love the knicker's!! He was born in 1921 to Arthur Pierceson & Temple Shere Pierceson.

His father Arthur died when he was 3 yrs. old.

My grandmother Temple married Arthur's brother 4 years later- so the man I grew up knowing as "grandpa" was actually my great Uncle.

This resulted in my father being a very spoiled young man.

My grandma had arthritis in her hands and could not crank the hand crank to the car to start it- as had to be done in those days. She would tell my dad to crank it for her & he would refuse unless he could drive the car. There fore a six year old was allowed to drive!

In his 20's he had his own photography dark room so that he could develope his own pictures, obtained a pilot's license and owned & flew his own small airplane.

One day my mother asked him to bring home a pound of hamburger, dad being the free spirit that he was, flew over and dropped the hamburger from his open cockpit plane. The hamburger landed in the picked cornfield with a corn stalk through the center of the package! Believe me- my mama wasn't happy that day! It was a story she told until she died a little over a year ago!

My father passed away in January 1976 at the age of 54. He led a short life but did most of the things he always wanted to do!

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Vintage Green Mason Jars with Black Prim Lids

If you are looking for storage containers for your primitive home these vintage quart size blue/green Ball mason jars with black primitive lids are the perfect solution!They can be used to store pasta, sugar, flour, cereal or other food tiems.
In your primitive bathroom store cotton balls, qtips, soap balls.
They would also look great with rosehips or filled with prim fixins!
There are currently 4 available and can be purchased at http://www.theprimitiveemporium.ecrater.com/
UPDATE- 3/27/09- these jars have all been sold.
I will restock them the week of May 1st

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Sponge Cake (1885)

This is a Sponge Cake recipe from 1885
When you see the ingredients in this cake you will know why the Pioneers had short lives!
INGREDIENTS:
10 eggs,
1 pound suger,
1/2 pound flour.
juice of half a lemon with the rind grated
DIRECTIONS:
Now the success lies in the beating of the eggs.
Two persons should beat them at least half an hour,
one beating the whites,one beating the yolks with
half the sugar added.
Next cut the yolks into the whites and stir in the
remainder of the sugar, flour and lemon juice and rind.
Bake in greased tins at 350 degrees 25-30 minutes.
When baked, spread over the cakes a wafer thickness
of icing.

Monday, March 16, 2009

Wouldn't it be nice....


to be here right now? I am so longing for Spring!

Sunday, March 15, 2009

The Circus is Coming to Town circa 1902


This is a vintage ad from the tampico Tornado newsapaper August 30, 1902. I am sure that circus caused a lot of excitement in that tiny town!

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Oh My! I made a Big Boo Boo!

About a year ago my email address changed. This happened reight after I had renewed my domain name for my website.
Today I went to make some additions to my website www.brandyannescandlesandprims.com
and I got a screen saying my domain was parked. At first I was puzzled & then I realized i had not changed my email address with the domain registry so, of course I did not get the renewal notices!
I have been thinking about changing the name of my website for some time now- if it ever going to happen now wold be the time to do it.
I really can not decide if I will change it or not so , stay tuned new name, old name it will be back up soon!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Milk Carton Candles

My Mom & Made candles similar to this when I was young. We did use the candle wicking but this seems easier.
You can easily use candle dye to color them.
The ones we made had holes where the ice was in the container- I can't tell from the photo
if these do or not but, be aware that the may have them.
If so they look wonderfully prim! You can also skip the glitter if you want a more primitive look!


What You Need:
Clean half-gallon cardboard milk carton
A pan and a large clean can
Broken ice
10-inch white taper candle
Large spoon
2-1/2 to 3 pounds of wax and 3/4 cup of stearin (to make the wax burn better) or use 2-1/2 to 3 pounds of wax or wax crystals with hardener already added
Candlemaking thermometer
Superfine glitter


Instructions:



1. Break the wax into chunks and place it in the can. Pour a few inches of water in the pan, then set the can of wax in the water. Bring the water to simmering and let the wax melt. (To make pouring the wax easier, you may wish to bend the can at the top to form a spout before putting the wax in.)
2. Add stearin to the melted wax. If you're using wax crystals or wax with hardener added, follow the manufacturer's instructions for melting.
3. Partially fill the milk carton with broken ice cubes. Center a taper in the milk carton, then continue filling the carton with ice. Tap the carton on your work surface to settle the ice, then add more ice. Sprinkle glitter over the ice.
4. Let the wax cool to 170 degrees F, then pour it into the carton. As the wax cools and shrinks, add more ice or wax to keep the top of the candle level.
5. After the wax hardens completely, peel the cardboard carton away from the sides. Trim the top of the taper so it's level with the top of the candle, leaving 1/2 inch of wick. If the bottom of the candle isn't level, slide it across an old warm skillet to smooth any rough spots.
Caution: Wax is extremely flammable. Never melt wax directly over heat or to a temperature above 220 degrees F. Never leave melting wax unattended; if it starts to smoke, remove the pan from the heat immediately. If wax catches fire, smother the flame with a pan lid; don't throw water on the flame. Never leave a burning candle unattended, and never burn candles where the flame might come in contact with flammable surfaces or objects.

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Please Take Our new Poll

It is posted on my other blog http://theprimitiveemporium.blogspot.com
Thanks so much!!

Get a Free 3/pk of Tarts


Get a free 3/pk of tarts with a purchase of 20.00 of more at http://www.brandyannescandlesandprims.com/ -

Use codeB23F- type your scent choice in the comment section of the order form- limited to scents on hand.

Prairie Wild Morning Glory

Prairie  Wild Morning Glory

Prairie Phlox

Prairie Phlox

Prairie Sundrops

Prairie Sundrops

The Famous Rock!

The Famous Rock!
Plymouth Rock dated 1620

Plimoth Plantation

Plimoth Plantation
The Village

Plimoth Plantation

Plimoth Plantation
A Keeping Room