Back to Baskets

Many years ago, at a local craft show, I met two ladies who were selling Longaberger Baskets. They asked that I design some tie on ornaments for them, which I did. At the time I was cutting and painting small cut out shapes. That request changed my product line completely. I started participating in shows that catered to Basket Consultants and their customers. Lou and I ended up promoting The Basket Accessories Roadshow which had other crafters who made merchandise specifically for Longaberger Baskets. We traveled to basket loving areas on the east coast, from MA to FL. We always planned the FL shows for the middle of February to get away from the winter here in MD. Of course nothing lasts forever and eventually the "Basket Frenzy" played itself out and we stopped doing the shows.

I do however still paint on baskets for awards for several of the local consultants and have painted some of my own and sold those at shows. I found tub full of vintage Longaberger that I had used as display pieces when we set up for those basket shows.
I decided to paint those and add them to the Country Workshop website.
Sooooo, I was able to get a few painted and up on the site.

While doing the basket shows, we had a non selling website.
Couldn't seem to get a shopping cart installed so we just used it to let customers know where to find us and directed them to selling venues where we had our merchandise for sale. It was an abbreviated spelling of Country Workshop as the full spelling was already taken. Way back when only .com was available. We closed that site down last year when we put up the new website and eventually it just disappeared. About once a week, I do a google search for Country Workshop, just to see where the shop or merchandise may have been mentioned. Imagine my surprise last week when the old site popped up in Japanese. I of course clicked on the link and found that it is now a Japanese porn site featuring pregnant woman. Can you believe that? Can't understand why they would choose that name except that it was a working website for 15 years and they are hoping to trick our old customers into taking a look. Whoa! I looked so I guess it worked! At least I haven't gotten any emails asking if we've gone into a new business.

A Haunted House

As I have mentioned before, Lou and I promoted a craft show that traveled the east coast from MA to FL catering to Longaberger basket consultants and their basket loving customers. We also participated for several years in the street fair held in Dresden, Ohio called Dresden Days. If you follow Dresden's Main Street out of town, you travel through a small town called Trinway. Lou and I noticed this large brick house which was in disrepair as we would head to our hotel, and always hoped that someone would take on the task of restoring it. We were surprised to see it featured on Ghost Adventures on the Travel Channel. You can actually rent the place for a night if you want to go ghost hunting.

Prospect Place or the Trinway Mansion was built in 1856 by abolitionist George Willson Adams and was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Below is the link to the website about the mansion. Be sure to check out the interesting history and ghost hunting stories. There are also many other sites, if you do a search for Prospect Place, with information and pictures.

http://www.prospectplace-dresden.com/

Lucy Again Has Surgery

Several weeks ago, while giving our Lucy a bath, my husband found a lump on her side. We took her to see our wonderful vet, Dr. Cujdik, and were told to wait and see if it stayed the same size or got larger. Well of course it grew larger. We took her in at 7:30 this morning by 10 the operation was done. The tumor was even larger than the doctor thought so it took many more stitches and will require a longer recovery time. We're supposed to keep her from running and jumping to keep her from ripping the stitches. That's going to be some great trick. Maybe we should tie a cinder block to her leg to keep her still. Won't get the results back from the pathologist until next week. Keeping our fingers crossed that it is a fatty tumor and not anything worse.



Yesterday Lou and I took a ride to Lancaster County, PA to pick up a piece of furniture that he had built for Diane of Basket Accessories as a display piece in the Akron shop. After 18 years of selling merchandise for those who love and collect Longaberger baskets, Diane is closing the retail shop at the Akron. The Intercourse store will remain open. Check the website www.basketaccessories.com for winter hours at that store or to shop online for painted lids, liners, protectors, Amish wrought iron and more.

Some Other Things Colorfest

Debbie and Jimmy...Roadshow buddies were set up in the park. They have engraved trivets and more. Also, for Longaberger lovers they carry custom engraved basket lids and weave tags. www.rainbowengravers.com

Here's my friend Dee Begg and sign painter...still busily painting at the show !

Set up next to us was a vendor with beautiful mums.

A Visit to Basket Accessories

My friend, Diane, owner of Basket Accessories, ordered some patriotic/Americana signs and blocks for her shop in Intercourse, PA. She is planning to fill this shop with American made, Americana items. Lou and I always try to make the trip to deliver her orders so we get a chance to visit with Diane and her husband since we don't see them very often anymore. While doing the Basket Accessories Roadshow, we were together usually every other weekend. It was a quick decision to take the ride to Akron on Friday, which is where the original Basket Accessories shop is located. We had a great time catching up and ended up having dinner at The Green Dragon. If you are in Lancaster County on a Friday you may want to visit the Green Dragon which is an Amish Farmer's Market with fresh meats, vegetables, flowers for the garden and bakery goods. There are also vendors with all types of items for sale. Tupperware, used books and toys, furniture, wrought iron, Aunt Annie's Pretzels, and flea market vendors.



If you visit Lancaster, PA, you should stop by the Basket Accessories shop in Akron or in Intercourse. For Longaberger collectors you will find painted and unpainted lids, plastic protectors and liners. At the Intercourse shop you will find Americana items, hand crafted furniture, and many wonderful craft items. At both shops there are beautiful Amish made baskets and wrought iron. Also you can shop online at www.basketaccessories.com

Missing Friends from The Basket Accessories Roadshow

For quite a few years my husband and I participated in the Basket Accessories Roadshow which had vendors who made and sold items for Longaberger consultants and their customers. We traveled the east coast from MA to FL. As times changed, some vendors retired and there weren't so many "crazy basketladies" anymore, we slowly stopped doing the shows.
I really do miss many of the vendors who became wonderful friends and also so many of the fabulous customers.

Some of our old friends do have stores and websites...

http://www.basketgypsy.com/

http://www.basketaccessories.com/

http://www.rainbowengravers.com/