Country sampler living.

Do you remember that magazine Country sampler? They still sell it but back when I remember it, it was packed full of hand made products, farmhouse style. I loved that magazine, I still do but it only comes out now and then and I am not near a bookstore where I live now. Traveling to the shopping areas takes a little over an hour now. Also there is the fact that magazines have tripled in price, a little exaggeration, a pinch…but not far off.

Now when I go out around town I look around and see all kinds of images that remind me of that magazine and I think to myself…this is what country sampler living must be like. I mean think about that, what would it be like to live in magazine pages?

You remember that magazine In Style, is it still out there? People don’t really look up to movie stars like they used to, not anymore that is. That magazine was the life style of those movie stars. What they were buying (or said they were) and the homes they lived in.

I remember reading somewhere once where one star snitched on another star and outed that they didn’t even live in the house they were photographed in, it was all a show. I don’t know if that story is true, and I don’t remember what magazine they were referring to.

Every day, average normal, non famous people were looking through those magazine images and looking around their own homes thinking how is that possible…where are they shopping, they’re definitely not shopping at the big department stores. Mostly I think they buy one of a kind items from artists and designer.

So the other day, July 4th day, we all went out as a family to do some small town celebrating here in my country. One of the stores we stopped off at is one of my favorite little country stores that I will visit like 4 times a year. This store is all country, They even have a dog to greet you, although he is new. I don’t remember him on my last visit.

Everything in this store reminds me of that magazine country sampler. Baskets, blankets, kitchen decor and all kinds of hand made items sitting on a shelf next to vintage products. They also had some modern things too, like kid’s key chains and designer purses.

I ended up buying a baking tray, a shadow box frame and a little vintage sewing box. I collect vintage sewing supplies and sewing boxes. I have about five now. Eventually I am hoping to have a display wall in the she shed studio.

Afterwards we stopped off at a car show and WOW was it warm. There was a heat advisory warning sent out that day. I hardly saw any people around, I think they were waiting out the sun and coming back in the evening hours for the big fireworks show. There were going to be loads and loads of fireworks and a huge thunderstorm with rain…fun combination. This year was a special year…our 250th anniversary to our country’s birth and freedom.

I thought I share a little of this with some of my out of country followers, so you can all see what small town, living in a magazine looks like here in America. Taking us all back to Country sampler days. Hope you all had a beautiful week. Stay safe out there and God bless you all.