Corn Husk Broom Tutorial

This cooler weather we have been having has me thinking a lot about Fall.... my favorite season! I came across this "How To" while searching the internet and thought you all might like to make one for yourself. I think I will be saving my corn husks from now on!! The "how to" was written by Kari Livingston.

Things You'll Need:

Dried corn husks
Sharp knife
Jig saw
12-inch x 7-inch x 1-inch board
Cotton twine
5-foot wooden handle
Glue

Gather dried corn husks into bundles that are about 2-inches thick. For a 12-inch x 7-inch broom, you will need 18 bundles.

Grasp the top of each bundle firmly and tie about 1 inch from the top with twine. The tops should be about 1-inch thick after tying them off. The bottom should retain their natural shape.

Cut one hole on the center of your board to accommodate your handle. After centering your hole, cut nine 1-inch holes in a 3 X 3 pattern on either side of the hole.

Spread a thin layer of glue inside each 1-inch hole and insert your corn husk bundles. Your ties should be level with the top of the board. Allow the bundles to dry overnight.

Trim the bottoms of the corn husk bundles to a uniform length with a sharp knife or scissors. Four inches is a good length for both sweeping and mopping.

Spread a thin layer of glue inside your handle hole and insert your wooden handle. For an historically accurate corn husk broom, use a sturdy tree branch. Allow to dry completely.


I also found this diagram and instructions below from a website by Alice Merryman
To make the scrub broom, use a board 1 inch thick, 8 inches wide and 16 inches long for the mop head. With a 1-inch bit, bore a hole in the center with a slope for handle.

Begin 1/4 inch from the edge, using the same bit; bore holes 1 inch apart making 4 rows.

Go into the woods, cut a hickory stick 1 1/2 inches thick, 5 feed long; trim small end to fit the hole in the base. Nail through the handle into base to hold in place.

Now you are ready to fill the mop head. Fill a large container with warm water, packing your shucks in the water to soak 10 minutes. These shuck should not be broken apart. Take enough shucks when twisted together to fill the 1-inch hole. Begin by placing the small end through the hole, pulling very securely, but leaving the large end of the shuck above base to form a ball or knot Continue until the mop head is filled.

New Ebay Listing & FREE Pattern

Well, I kept my work and listed a new doll on Ebay. She is so prim....and is listed for a 5 day auction. Her name is Abby Hender and she is a black cat make do doll....purrrfect for Halloween. Abby was made using a Pineberry Lane pattern. Here is a peek at her, you can see more pics on Ebay.

I have also added a new FREE pattern in the box on the right side bar. A Christmas in July pattern. Hope you enjoy it!!

Lazy Days of Summer.....

I cannot believe I have not posted in a while. I guess I am getting used to working again, just finished my two week training. Starting Monday I am on my own...which is not a big deal. I only work part time and have Fridays off, which is really nice....for the Summer, lol.

Speaking of Summer and lazy days.......




Here are my two babies enjoying their Summer, lol. They are so spoiled!!! They have a three season porch all to themselves.....complete with prim decor...of course, carpeting, tables, a large cat tree, couch and literally a birds eye view. I have a couple of bird feeders outside their windows, lol. Ahhhh to be a furbaby!!!

I did not forget about my giveaway, just a little slow lately with working. I have a couple things in mind and will post them soon. I am also working on a make do for Ebay, a couple of makeovers and will be posting a new free pattern this weekend.

Take care and have a great weekend!!

Some Outdoor Garden Picks

I love looking at others outdoor decor and thought I would share some pics of mine. I hope you enjoy the pictures and they spark some ideas:)

These were made from part of a wooden fence and vintage wooden crates.

My prim porch.

I made this "make do" potting bench from a vintage wooden slant top desk, some 2 X 4's and picket fence. The desk top opens and I cut a hole in the bottom for a granite pot to sit in for my dirt.

This is our little piece of the Northwoods by our pool. We love fishing, camping hiking and nature! I painted a little "Bait" sign.

Not everything is in full bloom....just a start.

Hope you enjoyed the pics:)

Camping Trip & New Ebay Items Listed

I hope you all had a great Holiday weekend! We had a great time at our BBQ with our friends and family on Friday, July 3rd. It rained all day on the 4th over here.

Hubby and I decided to take a little camping trip for a couple of days before I start working again. We left Monday afternoon and we got home this afternoon. It was so relaxing, peaceful, the weather was perfect and we had a blast!!! There were only a couple other campers there...so we pretty much had the place to ourselves. The campsites are pretty wooded and then there is an open field area across the road with a playground, swings and room to play volleyball, badminton, etc.

This is our campsite. We had put up a screen tent to keep the bugs away. The mosquito's were little pests but not too unbearable.

Hubby and I went fishing at a nearby lake and then waded in the river that is right down the road and caught a few bass. We took a nice long walk and played badminton and Frisbee.

Breakfast is the best cooked outdoors! We had scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns and even toast on our camp toaster. For dinner, we grilled some hamburgers even cooked our hot dogs over our campfire. We also enjoyed a couple s'mores!!


We enjoyed a couple cold beverages sitting around the campfire listening to the bullfrogs sing! Boy .....were they loud!! Of course no camping trip would be complete without a visit from a furry raccoon. This guy came to visit each night and tried to get into our cooler.

I wish we could have stayed another night or two but we had to get back.....I did miss my little furbabies!

Now back to reality and my new Ebay listings, click here to view my auctions.
I have two new listings and relisted my antique wooden whiskey barrel with a buy it now price. Here is a peek......


Enjoy the rest of the week!!!!

Happy 4th of July!!!

I hope you all have a safe and Happy Holiday weekend!!! We are celebrating the 4th today with our family and friends and having a BBQ. The weather is supposed to be great and we have tons of food so it should be a great time!


I also wanted to share with you that I had an interview yesterday for an administrative assistant for a specialty construction company and got the job!!!! I start part time on July 13th and it may lead to full time in the very near future. I am so excited!! I will still continue to create and offer my primitives on Ebay while working.

Enjoy the Holiday!!!!!

15 years ago........

I said "I do" to the most wonderful man in the world....my soul mate, Steve! I cannot believe today is our 15th wedding anniversary.....how time goes by. We are simple people and were married at the Court House and had an outdoor reception at my sisters house. It was the best wedding ever! I could not imagine life without him and love him dearly!! We met at work 21 years ago and the first day I walked into the place he told his foreman he was going to marry me.