Peaceacre

New Year, New Digs!

2012-01-02T18:41:00.000-08:00

New year, new digs! The Shops at the Gallery at 206 W 10th St. in Lamar is closing, so Peaceacre is on the move. We'll be sharing info about the new location soon. We are moving to a larger space, where we'll be better suited to serve our wholesale customers. But rest assured, Peaceacre will maintain a retail space as well. Watch this page for news. 2012 is going to be the best year ever! Thanks, everybody, for supporting Peaceacre all these years. Have a fun and peaceful new year!

New Hours and New Stuff!

2011-10-29T18:02:00.000-07:00

Peaceacre is expanding! I've added tons of unique, fun gift items, as well as boutique style AFFORDABLE clothing, so come check out what's new! Our hours are Wed-Fri, 11:00 to 5:30. Come enjoy new art displays every month, and shop for stuff you won't find anywhere else in Lamar!

Here's a photo gallery of the shop and a few of the newest items on the shelf. Enjoy!

What's New at Peaceacre

2011-07-31T16:54:00.000-07:00

Peaceacre is now permanently located inside the Arts Council Gallery at 206 West 10th Street, Lamar, just west of the historic town square. The Gallery is the coolest place to visit in Lamar, but the hardest place to define. Is it a working art gallery, featuring a continually changing display of artwork and photography by local and regional artists? YES! Is it a shop, offering a wide variety of handmade items crafted by local artisans? YES! Is it a gourmet bakery? YES! Is it an incubator for artists and craftspeople seeking an inexpensive, low-risk opportunity to start the creative business of their dreams? YES! Is it an artistic community center where groups of people, from writer’s circles, to fiber arts fans, to Open Mic Night musicians and poets and beyond can meet to share and explore their interests in a comfortable, nurturing, and even “funky-cool” setting? YES! Is it a FREE WIFI hotspot? YES! Is it an arts classroom, with a special focus on providing free art classes for children? YES! Is it a concert venue, featuring live music by area musicians across a wide spectrum of musical styles, from folk, to jazz, to classical, to rock and roll, and more? YES!

And now, it is also the exclusive home of Peaceacre! The Gallery is open Wednesday through Friday from 11:00 AM to 5:30 PM. Come check it out! Lots of new stuff!

COLLEEN BRAND TO BE APRIL FEATURED ARTIST AT THE ARTS COUNCIL GALLERY

2011-03-28T20:37:00.000-07:00

Local artist Colleen Brand loves color, and the vibrant hues in her many nature and travel inspired paintings seem to literally leap off the canvas, drawing the viewer into scenes that challenge us to experience, as if for the very first time, the profound, yet whimsical beauty of the world around us. Whether the subject is a Puerto Rican rain forest hut (complete with hot tub!), deer grazing in a Southwest Missouri wood, or her beloved schnauzer "Pookie" peeking slyly from the window of a passing car, Colleen's paintings show us, not only what these images "look like" to the eye, but how they "feel" when the eye, heart and imagination work together to catch a glimpse of the magic hidden beneath life's surface.

Colleen was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1940. She moved to Jasper, Missouri in 1970, and later to Lamar. Her first job in the area was at Judy's Cafe in Jasper, followed by 30 years of service with O'Sullivan Industries. She worked for several years at Summer Fresh, Wal-Mart and Lamarti's, and even moved briefly to Tallahassee, Florida to work in construction, before returning to Lamar and retiring in 2009.

She got her start as an artist when she opened "Herbs R Food & Gift Chalet," a store on the Lamar Square selling herbs, gifts and handmade ceramics. Her friends Steve Ortner and his wife taught her how to make the ceramics, and she took naturally to painting small decorative scenes on items before their final glazing. Upon retirement, she rediscovered her talent for painting, and now gives full expression to her love of nature, travel, life and color on canvas instead of pottery. In the few short years since taking up the brush in 2009, she has produced more than 150 paintings.

Her work will be on display throughout the month of April in The Arts Council Gallery at 206 W 10th St., Lamar, on the northwest corner of the Square. An artist's reception will be held Saturday, April 2nd, from 2 PM to 4 PM at the Gallery, with hors d'oeuvres, drinks and sweet treats catered by The Wild Plum Cafe and Colleen's granddaughter, Brandi Beam. Both Saturday's reception and the full April art show are free and open to the public. All are invited to come and meet the artist Saturday afternoon, and to enjoy her work all month.

How to find Peaceacre products!

2010-12-12T19:22:00.000-08:00

Had a wonderful time at the Cecil Floyd handmade show in Joplin. Met a lot of very cool people, This show draws a HUGE crowd! From 9:00, when the doors opened, until around 1:00 PM or so, there were never less than 30 people in the room we were in, shopping, talking, and generally having a great time together. This was my first year at Cecil Floyd. The lesson I learned this year is that I DEFINITELY need more stock in future years. The Spa Salt Bars sold out early. And I sell them as fast as I can make them in my shop, as well. I played around with this spa salt bar recipe, and finally think I got it right. The feedback has all been positive.

The question everyone was asking at Cecil Foyd was. "Where can we find you? Where do we go to buy your products? We can't find them in the stores or on-line..."

As I have said before, after the holidays I will be shutting down the Artfire store and switching to Etsy. And I will list all of the favorites - handmade spa salt bars, lotion bars, and of course all the soaps you have come to know and love. And yes, French Green Clay soap will be available! Back by popular demand!

But for now, if you really need something, email me at peaceacre@ymail.com. Or visit me at the studio! Hours are Thursdays and Fridays, noon to 6PM, and Saturdays from 9AM to 2PM, through December 18th. In January, the studio/shop will be open one day a week for customers to buy directly from me.Address: 208 W 10th St., Upstairs, Lamar, MO.

Arts Council Christmas Bazaar!

2010-11-30T17:52:00.000-08:00

I've been at the studio every day getting ready for Cecil, but I'm REALLY excited about the Arts Council Christmas Bazaar this year. This is fun! It's really cool turning the upstairs of the Arts Council building into a bunch of cool little shops. Today, Vickie Clark amazed me by turning an otherwise drab corner of the Arts Council main classroom into a stunning jewelry boutique. It's all coming together better than I ever expected. Here's the cool ad we are posting tonight all over the Internet. Check it out!

Arts Council Christmas Bazaar!

The Arts Council Christmas Bazaar opens Saturday, December 4th, 5PM-9PM, UPSTAIRS in the Arts Council building on the NW corner of the Lamar Square. Come visit us after the parade (or even before)! This is not like any ho-hum "Home for the Holidays" Arts Council event you've seen before. It's an all-local, handmade, ultra-cool "mini-mall" with three separate stores to choose from. The Handmade Shop features stunning (and affordable!!!)jewelry by Vickie Clark and Fern Brown, "Mo-Chocolate" gourmet cookie mixes and candy's by Janet Dermott, Queen's Family Farm's fabulous dips, jams, candied nuts, Pam Allen's local honey, plus wreaths, scarves, holiday decor, etc etc etc! Wow! Store #2 is a "re-sell-it" shop featuring high quality, gently used, items. We've got doll house furniture, hand-carved African masks from the Ivory Coast, beautiful framed art, books, movies, clothes, dishes, just tons of amazing stuff and more coming in every day. Last but not least, store #3 is Peaceacre - you all know who that is! Handmade soaps, scrubs, lotion bars, spa salt bars, gift sets, and other natural bath and body care products. Peaceacre has added imported Bohemian cloth purses, lace scarves, and all kinds of new goodies just for this Bazaar! And the best part is, after Saturday, all three stores will be open every Thursday and Friday from Noon to 6PM, and Saturdays from 9AM-2PM though December 18th!

But wait, there's more! The amazing Kristie Boswell of Creatively Designed Photography will be doing Christmas portraits. Visit her Facebook page for details - http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/profile.php?id=100001893811571

There will be frequent drawings for gift baskets, jewelry and other "door prizes." Check back for details!

More info is available on the Arts Council website at http://ACOBC.org.

See you all Saturday!

2010-11-26T17:38:00.000-08:00

Look like this Arts Council Christmas Bazaar is a go! So far there is going to be just tons of cool stuff ! And then there's the Bohemian Handbag! This is the only purse I have ever carried where total strangers stop me in the street to ask me where I got it. It's just wild! So I tracked down the company, did some research, found out they are a VERY ethical company (no slave labor here!), and decided to carry them at the Peaceacre shop. This is not the best picture, There will be at least 5 varieties to choose from, some with peace signs, some flowers, etc. All uber-cool. You have to see them to understand just how amazing they are. The fabrics are beautiful. And I can get by with selling them for only $20. How cool is that?

Peaceacre Will Be At the Cecil Floyd Craft Show!

2010-11-22T17:46:00.000-08:00

The 20th Annual Cecil Floyd Craft Show will be held Saturday, December 11, 2010, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Cecil Floyd Elementary School, located at West 24th and Roosevelt Streets in Joplin, Missouri. This year the show will host more than 100 of the finest “jury” selected craft exhibitors from the 4-State area. AND PEACEACRE WILL BE AMONG THEM!!! Yea!

So if you missed me at the Lamar Handmade Show last weekend, I will be at Cecil Floyd, and also, I am once again opening Peaceacre Studio for the holidays, this year in conjunction with the Arts Council of Barton County Christmas Bazaar. We've got an awesome list of handmade vendors coming, even a professional photographer to take family Christmas portrait shots. We'll have events going on throughout the month of December. It's going to be FUN!

As far as the on-line store, I'm sorry! I am trying, but there just never seems to be enough time. Artfire is not really working out for me, so I will soon be changing to a different e-store provider. Watch this space for updates!

But you WILL be able to find me - just come to Cecil Floyd, or to the Arts Council Christmas Bazaar! The bazaar will be open from Noon to 6:00 on Thursdays and Fridays, and Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM,starting December 4th and running through the 18th. I look forward to seeing you all!

Happy Thanksgiving. everybody! We sure have a lot to be grateful for!

Arts Council Handmade Christmas Bazaar!

2010-11-22T17:30:00.001-08:00

Attention Barton County Crafters!

Sell your handmade items at the Arts Council Christmas Bazaar! Everyone is looking for that ideal, unique handmade gift - make sure your work is available for them to find! Creative crafts of all kinds welcome. 10% of sales go to support the Arts Council. 90% goes to you! Call Carolyn, 417-214-5757.

Arts Council Christmas Bazaar "Regift-it" Store!

2010-11-22T17:28:00.001-08:00

Need extra money at Christmas? Consign your unique, quality, gently-used "regiftable" items for sale in the Arts Council of Barton County Christmas Bazaar "Regift-It" store! 10% of sales go to support the Arts Council. 90% goes to you! Call Sue, 417-681-0646.

Upcoming Shows

2010-11-06T17:34:00.000-07:00

First, I want to thank everybody for a great farmers market season. I want to acknowledge that Peaceacre kind of fell off the farmers market map there toward the end, but our loyal customers kept telling us we needed to take our show on the road and so we did. The success we had at some of the out of town shows has enabled me to invest in bigger and better soap making equipment. I had trouble keeping up with demand in the past, making small batches, but with the new equipment, that should change. This is my second year in business, and I am learning as I go. Thanks for your patience! I could not have done any of this without my local loyal customers - Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Enough traveling for now. I am back in the area and will be at three major shows right here at home between now and Christmas.

The first is the annual craft show at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Stockton on Saturday, November 13th.

The second show is Amanda Kenter's fantastic Lamar Handmade Boutique, Saturday, November 20th at Memorial Hall in Lamar.

The third event is very exciting. Beginning during Lamar's "Home for the Holidays" celebration on the Square, December 4th, lots of very cool stuff is going to be going on in the Arts Council building at 206 West 10th Street, on the northwest corner of the Square. Downstairs in the Gallery, Lamar jewelry artist Joanna Turnbull is hosting an "Artist's Market" featuring the work of a variety of artists from far and wide throughout the four state area. Upstairs, the Arts Council will host a handmade store along the lines of what I did last year when I opened Peaceacre to the public for the holidays, only MUCH expanded and full of surprises. It's going to be really cool, featuring awesome handmade items, demonstrations, even a rummage sale! So, to all you crafty ladies out there, if you are interested in taking part, email me at peaceacre@ymail.com ASAP! It's going to be fun! Visit this website frequently for updates!

Thank You to Everyone Who Made the First Annual Lamar Fall Folk Festival Possible!

2010-11-02T18:04:00.000-07:00

The Arts Council of Barton County and the 10th Street Community Farmers Market would like to thank all the fine folks who made The First Annual Lamar Fall Folk Festival possible!

Performers:

Dennis Wilson, The Drywood Bluegrass Band, Verne Young, Joe Smith, Pat Bean, Tom Richards, Ralph Williston, The HH Cloggers.

Artists:

Lowell Davis (and his wonderful wife, Rose), Carolyn Dunsing, Jason Branum, Pam Allen, Mick Lindsay, Brent Kelley, Lindy Davis.

Volunteers:

Sue, Rick and Emily Katz, Carolyn and Katlin Dunsing, Mike and Lesa Queen, Carol Branum, Pam Allen, James McMullen, Elizabeth McMullen, Jane and Roger McGuire, Betty Kuhn, Kathy Jenkins, Ione Chancelor, Bertie Wooten, Officer Greg Evans, Christie Boswell, Randall Miller, George Parsons, Bruce and Denise Clements.

Food:

Dixie and Junior Johnson, St. Mary's Youth, Rose Davis.

Donors and Supporters:

Donna Holt, Wes and Sally Hart, The Lamar Art League, Legacy Farm and Lawn, Jason Roark, Dennis Suiter, Walmart, Barton County Chamber of Commerce, Doyle Robinson, Marsha Doyle, The City of Lamar, The Lamar Democrat, Lamar Police Department, radio stations KNMO, KWRP and KRPS, TV station KOAM, The Joplin Globe, Kathy McComber, The University of Missouri Extension Center, Steve Shields, Jim Judd, all the area businesses and libraries that helped by displaying or distributing our fliers. Special thanks to all of the awesome craft and Farmers Market vendors. Our thanks and apologies to anyone we might have overlooked on this list.

And a big thank you as well to everyone who came out to enjoy the festivities - we couldn't have done it without you!

To one and all - THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

First Annual Lamar Fall Folk Festival Photos!

2010-11-02T18:00:00.000-07:00

The first annual Lamar Fall Folk Festival was a huge success! Here are some pictures:

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The Art Show

The Music

Fun for the Kids

Missouri Second Cavalry

The Vendors

Thanks to everyone who played a role in making the first annual Lamar Fall Folk Festival a grand success! We can't wait for next year!

Don't Miss The First Annual Lamar Fall Folk Festival!

2010-10-17T17:56:00.000-07:00

The Arts Council of Barton County and the 10th Street Community Farmers Market are Proud to Present

The First Annual

Lamar Fall Folk Festival!

When: Saturday, October 23^rd, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Where: Under the Moore Pavilion, 10^th & Poplar, Lamar, Missouri!

Featuring Blue Grass Music by

The Drywood Bluegrass Band

Vern Young and Joe Smith

Storytelling with Ralph Williston

Art Show Featuring Lowell Davis

Magic by Dennis Wilson and Tom Richards

Breakfast & Lunch to benefit the St. Mary's Catholic Church Rebuilding Fund - Lunch Featuring Chili Cook-off Champions Dixie & Jr. Johnson's Famous Firehouse Chili!

Plus: 10^th Street Community Farmer's Market!

Square Dancing demonstration, craft vendors, traditional skills demonstrations, lots of children's activities including face painting, pumpkin painting, build-a-scarecrow and more! Trick or Treat Safety with the Lamar Police Department! 100^th Anniversary of Boy Scouting! Civil War History and Antique Weapons Display! And much, much more!

Admission is FREE!

Craft Vendors: NO RISK! Set up is FREE. Pay 10% of actual sales to the Farmers Market. Call 417-682-6990 to sign up!

Folk Artists: SHOW YOUR WORK! Call 417-214-5458 for details.

TRADITIONAL SKILLS: Can you demonstrate quilting, spinning, weaving, woodcraft, blacksmithing, corn shelling or other traditional country skills? Call 417-214-5458!

Homemade Laundry Soap Recipe

2010-07-31T15:15:00.000-07:00

Today at the market, we had several requests for our homemade laundry soap recipe. We sell a bar that is labeled as laundry soap, but the Peaceacre Farmhouse Soap works just as well. Both are basic, unscented, no nonsense lye soaps. They will do the job! Here's the recipe:

Homemade Laundry Soap

Hot water

1/2 cup Washing Soda

1/2 cup Borax

1/2 bar Soap (grated)

■In a large pot, heat 3 pints of water. Add the grated bar soap and stir until melted. Then add the washing soda and borax. Stir until powder is dissolved, then remove from heat.

■In a 2 gallon clean pail, pour 1 quart of hot water and add the heated soap mixture. Top pail with cold water and stir well.

■Use 1/2 cup per load, stirring soap before each use.

NOTE: We sell both the Peaceacre laundry soap and Farmhouse Soap in large and small bars. A small bar is the equivalent of the 1/2 bar in the recipe above.

We hear that you can find washing soda at Price Cutters in Carthage. I will arrange to have some in recipe-sized small packages next week at the market, as well. Borax you can find in the laundry section of most stores.

When I started making laundry soap for the Farmers Market, I didn't really have a lot of confidence that it would be a big seller. But it has been, which both surprises and pleases me. I am so happy to discover that so many people are getting back to basics, and look to be having a good time doing it, too. I've been collecting "do it yourself" recipes and formulas for a long time now, so if you're looking for anything in particular along these lines, email me! I'll be happy to share any info that I have.

Saturday at the Farmers Market

2010-07-25T17:19:00.000-07:00

Despite the extreme heatwave we have been experiencing this past few weeks, the 10th Street Community Farmers Market under the Moore Pavilion in Lamar is going strong! This is our second year, and the market is growing by leaps and bounds, both in the number and variety of vendors, and in the number of shoppers visiting the market every week. For those who are interested in becoming vendors at the farmers market, it's become easier this year. You can set up for the day with no setup charge. If you're interested, email me at Peaceacre@Ymail.com.

We are so glad to have become members of this farmers market. We have fun every week. We sell a lot, of course, but its not all about commerce. We have made many great friends and have had the opportunity to meet all kinds of awesome people in the community. It's like attending a festival every weekend! Here are some pics from a typical Saturday:

Farm Fresh Produce from Queen Family Farm

Awesome Dip Mixes from Queen Family Farm

Lesa Queen's Hand Made Dishcloths

Doyle Robinson's Cabbage

Doyle's Tomatoes

Lendy's Day Lilies. Lendy Davis sells a huge variety of lilies, and they're all beautiful!

Darlene Megli and Danell Howard Demonstrating How to Use a Spinning Wheel.

Darlene raises fiber sheep. This is an example of her dyed wool.

Peaceacre Herb Bread - New This Season! I still have all the soaps, balms, lotion bars etc. And some new stuff you might want to check out!

Janet Dermott's Handmade Candy

Our farmers market rocks! I hope to see you Saturday!

2010-07-13T18:31:00.000-07:00

The Arts Council of Barton County will host a Free Open Air Art Show, featuring the work of a variety of local fine and folk artists, photographers, sculptors, handcrafted jewelry makers and more, to be held in conjunction with the 2010 Missouri State Chili Cook-off in Lamar, Missouri. This event will benefit the Rebuilding Fund for St Mary's Catholic Church, which was tragically destroyed by fire in 2009.

When: Saturday, July 17th, 2010, 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM.

Where: Under the Moore Pavilion, 103 East 10th St., Lamar Missouri. The Moore Pavilion is one block east of the historic Lamar town square.

How Much?: This event is FREE, but donations to the St. Mary's Catholic Church Rebuilding Fund will be gratefully accepted.

Contact: For more info about the Art Show, call Chris @ 417-681-0199. For info on the Missouri State Chili Cook-off, call Dixie @ 417-682-5432. For more info on the St. Mary's Catholic Church Rebuilding Fund, go here.

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CONFIRMED ARTISTS, SO FAR...

(Many More to Come - check back frequently!!!)

Carolyn Dunsing, of Peaceacre

Chandler Curtis

Pam Allen

Jessica Edwards, of Jessica Edwards Photography

Joyce Cody

ATTENTION ARTISTS/PHOTOGRPAHERS!

Would you like to particpate in The Arts Council of Barton County Free Open Air Art Show? Call Chris @ 417-681-0199 ASAP. Time is short, and slots are filling up fast! Thanks!

Farmer's Market Season Begins - ETC...

2010-04-17T18:35:00.000-07:00

The 10th Street Farmer's Market opened today, with lots of bedding plants, along with fresh breads, spring onions, spinach, lettuce - and, of course, Peaceacre! We met a lot of cool out-of-towners today, and we had a lot of people ask how they can find Peacecare products when they go home. I am working on getting more of my market items into the Peaceacre-Artfire online store. One that IS currently listed is the herbal healing balm, which I sold out of at the market this morning (I have more for on line sales). This is one of the most popular products that I make. I'll be making more for local sale soon. We've had really good feedback on this balm. Other new items this year include Spa Salt Bars with French clay, Orange Cream Whipped Lotion in a tin, Pure & Natural Laundry Soap bars, and tea rose scented and "healing hands" herbal lotion bars. Last year's favorites are back, too, of course, inlcuding all the varieties of soap you've come to expect from Peaceacre. I have plenty of surprises planned for this year's Farmer's Market season, so expect good things to come.

Since Peaceacre is really NOT all about commerce, please note that we WILL NOT be at the market every weekend. In May, we will be there the 1st, 8th and 22nd. If we add more dates, we'll let you know.

In other news... I'm working on a number of projects for the Arts Council, including, this month, a FREE kids class for Earth Day on making art from recycled materials. You can find more info on that class in the "peacecare art" section of this website, and also at acobc.org. I am also planning adult classes soon at Peaceacre studio on making herbal balms, herbal teas, and maybe needle felting, too, so watch this space for announcements.

Thanks everybody for a great first day at the Market, and a lot of positive commentary. We look forward to a great season!

Make It a Handmade Valentine's Day!

2010-01-10T08:27:00.000-08:00

I finally took the "Handmade Pledge," though we've been trying to move toward as total a handmade lifestyle as possible for a long time now. From what we've seen on the web, a lot of people seem to be moving in this direction. We didn't do as good a job of sticking to the pledge at Christmas as we would have liked to, but we did buy handmade Christmas cards off Etsy, and put together some wonderful gift packages for out of town relatives with a variety of handmade and local products. My husband and I also made our gifts to each other. It's the kids that sent us into a panic. It's hard to buy (or even make) handmade gifts for an eight year old boy. I don't know how to make LEGOs... yet...

But, everyone please note that Valentine's Day is on the horizon, and that's pretty much a grownup gift giving holiday. So this would be a great opportunity for all of us who have vowed to do better on our pledge to go 100% handmade! Start now, and build up you stamina toward next Christmas!

Here's a great start for handmade Valentine's Day gifts. My new friend Heather at "My Curly Red" makes amazing handcrafted jewelry, and here's a sample gallery of some of her work:

I bought a pair of earings for my daughter for Christmas from Heather, and I can personally attest to the beauty and quality of Heather's work. Her store, again, is located at http://www.etsy.com/shop/mycurlyred. She also has a blog at http://curlyreds.blogspot.com/. And thanks, Heather, for spreading the word about Peaceacre down there in Arkansas!

Local Honey at the Peaceacre Store!

2009-12-13T15:54:00.000-08:00

This week, local beekeeper Pam Allen, owner of Natural Creations (NaturalCreations.org), added her fresh local honey, honey candy, handmade beeswax candles, natural laundry soap, wildflower bookmarks, soy candles, and other items to the "Peaceacre and Friends" holiday store.
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Also new this week, I have added loose leaf China black tea, cinnamon orange spice loose leaf tea, and other bulk herbs for brewing into specialty teas or to make into tinctures. I still have lots of beautiful hand-knitted scarves and other cool stuff left -- but this is the last week I will be officially open before Christmas!I will be open Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, Noon to 6:00. If you have a specialty order, or you need to get in touch with me, you can email me any time at Peaceacre@ymail.com.

Peaceacre and Friends - More pictures of the Store!

2009-12-05T18:19:00.000-08:00

As promised, more pictures of the Peaceacre store! New stuff includes hand-knitted scarves, hand-painted floor cloths, homemade candy, vintage jewelry and other unique items. Some bulk herbs are also available. Muslin bags, wooden soap dishes, all kinds of cool stuff!

I have extended my hours to Tuesdays, Thursday and now Fridays, Noon to 6:00 PM. Thanks again for supporting handmade, and the Arts Council of Barton County, too. I don't want to sound like a used car salesman, but the soaps are selling quicker than I thought, so if you are interested, you'd better find your way to the store soon!

I also want to let everybody know that I will be teaching a FREE clas for kids, ages 6 to 12, called "Making Christmas Ornaments form Natural Materials" on Saturday, December 12th. For a preview of the kinds of cool ornaments kids can make in this class, click here.

The Peaceacre & Friends Holiday Boutique is Open!

2009-11-30T19:12:00.000-08:00

As promised, the Peaceacre studio, located at 206 West 10th St. (upstairs), above the Arts Council building just west of the Lamar Square, is officially open to the public every Tuesday and Thursday, Noon to 6:00 PM, from December 1st through 17th. Come visit - and bring a friend!

Here is a pictorial preview of some of the many items you will see when you arrive. There's a lot more in the store than could be fit into this post, so this really is just a preview. We'll be adding items to the store and photos to this web page frequently between now and Christmas, so check back often! Better yet, visit the store and see for yourself!

Peaceacre Gift SetsCoffee House Gift Set

"Spoil Yourself" Spa Gift Set

New! Peaceacre Bath and Body Oil

And, of course, handmade SOAPS!

And lots of other stuff, too!

Learn to Spin Wool Into Yarn with

this Peaceacre Drop Spindle Kit!

Crocheted Dishcloths from my

Farmer's Market Buddy Lesa Queen

Very Cool Calendars, Datebooks and

Recipe Box by Gayla Miller

Hand-Felted Items

Coming soon! Hand-knitted scarves, homemade candy, hand-painted floor cloths, and more! Check back!

A percentage of every sale will be donated to the Arts Council of Barton County.

Thank you, everyone, for supporting local artists, and for buying handmade!

Peaceacre Holiday Hours!

2009-11-15T16:44:00.000-08:00

The Peaceacre studio above the Arts Council building at 206 West 10th St (on the NW corner of the Square) will be open to the public December 1st through the 17th, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from Noon to 6:00. The studio is primarily a work space and classroom, but with the Holidays looming, I'm going to use it as a store, as well! I'll have lots of interesting things on hand, not only from the Peaceacre line of all-natural bath & body creations, but I'm also working on some felted bracelets and other items. I will also be inviting a few friends to bring their cool handmade stuff. So come check it out. If you can't make it on Tuesday or Thursday, just email me at Peaceacre@Ymail.com. I'll make sure we connect in time for Christmas!
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We now have the beginnings of a Peaceacre on-line store, as well, through Artfire.com. Click here to see what's there as of today... We are adding items as quickly as we can, but you know how everything on the Internet is... It just takes forever! Come back often to see what's new!
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There's a lot more going on in Peaceacre world than mere commerce, though -- be sure to visit the Peaceacre Art page in the righthand menu bar. We are working with the Arts Council of Barton County to get some fun and free arts events going, for kids and adults, over the course of the long, cold winter ahead. Check it out!

Wrapping Up the Farmers Market Season

2009-11-15T14:39:00.000-08:00

Saturday, November 21st will be the final Saturday for this Farmers market season. We said in an earlier post that we were moving indoors a few weeks ago, but the weather improved, it's the last day to see our market buddies, so we'll be there on Saturday. Think Christmas! We'll have Peaceacre gift bags and baskets, cool stocking stuffers, etc. We'll also have some wonderful handcrafted datebooks and calendars and a really cool recipe box created by Gayla Miller from Liberal. Come see us!

10th St. Community Farmer's Markets at Apple Days

2009-10-25T16:43:00.000-07:00

On October 3rd, Peaceacre joined the other vendors of the 10th St. Community Farmer's Market at "Apple Days," Lamar's annual fall festival set up all around our historic downtown square. Georgous fall colors were everywhere, the weather was great, and people turned out in huge numbers.

The bravest amongst the 10th St. Farmer's Market vendors plan to continue on at the Moore Pavillion well into November - but for Peaceacre, the cold weather means we're moving our operation INDOORS!

This has been the first year for the 10th St. Community Farmer's Market, and the first year we've sold our handmade soaps and herbal products in a public venue. It has been a fabulous year, for the Market and for Peaceacre. Lots of folks have asked if they'll be able to find us after the market closes for the season. We WILL be continuing all winter long! We found a great studio space upstairs in the Arts Council building on the NW corner of the square, and have set up shop. "Apple Days" pretty much wiped out our on-hand stock, but I am busy in the studio creating new batches of all of the favorites and most requested items, and coming up with a few new suprises, as well. We have also created a "store" page (see the link in the "my pages" section of the right hand menu bar of this page) where you can see the various products that we make. At this point, we are not set up for on-line sales, but we're working on that.

If you don't live in Lamar, and you just can't live without our stuff, email me! I'll work something out!

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been so very supportive of Peaceacre in our first year. We have met so many wonderful people, and made lots of new friends.

Open Mic Night on the Courthouse Lawn

2009-08-30T16:26:00.000-07:00

Despite the intense August heat, a lot of musicians, poets and other great peformers showed up for our town's monthly open mic night. Thanks to Ann Killmon for organizing these entertaining monthly events. If you live near Lamar, Missouri, and have a song to sing or a poem to read, email us at Peaceacre@Ymail.com and we'll let Ann know to add you to the roster. Or if you just want to come down and hang out and hear some great music, poetry and more, check out Ann's MySpace page for dates and times at MySpace.com/aectunes.

Playing Hookie for a Good Reason

2009-07-16T18:33:00.000-07:00

OK, OK, we missed setting up last Saturday at the market, but family comes before commerce, and I think sometimes people forget that. You get busy, and suddenly years have gone by and you find that the people you love most have grown up and sprouted families of their own. Sometimes you gotta just stop and celebrate that! My brothers came in from Vermont and Arizona, my sisters from St. Louis. If you didn't guess by now, I'm the one in the peace sign T-shirt, looking very happy to see my siblings after so much time. Peaceacre Farm will be set up at the 10th St. Community Farmer's Market as usual on Saturday, July 18th, so stop by and say hello!

Peaceacre Farm at the 10th Street Farmer's Market

2009-06-16T17:42:00.000-07:00

Opening day at the 10th Street Community Farmer's Market in Lamar. Chris and the kids were there to pitch in with set-up, selling and all around moral support. We all had a great time. The 10th Street Farmer's Market has a great group of vendors. I had as much fun shopping as I did selling my herbs and soaps. The produce was beautiful, and tasted fabulous!

I harvested my herbs the morning of the farmer's market. I felt great about being able to offer herbs as fresh from the field as it is possible to get. Isn't that what a farmer's market is all about?

My plantain-chickweed herbal balm was a big hit! Lots of people asked how I made it, and I plan to post the recipe and instructions on the Peaceacre Farm page of this website soon. My family loves this stuff. Also pictured: Peaceacre handmade soaps and salt-scrub. If you're in Lamar on Saturday, come visit us at the farmer's market, between 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM. I will have new herbal goodies every week as the summer rolls on. Watch for Peaceacre specialty breads, as well!

I still have heirloom tomatoes, peppers and herb plants for your garden, and will be bringing hand-felted items this weekend made from the wool of our own adorable sheep. In coming weeks, I will also have wool for hand-spinners and crafters.

Feel free to email me any time with questions or comments at Peaceacre@Ymail.com. Thank you!

The Perfect Hand Crafted Mother's Day Gift

2009-04-19T14:01:00.001-07:00

If you're looking for a perfect Mother's Day gift, check out Chippingstone Cottage, my sister-in-law's website showcasing her fabulous hand crafted ceramic pincushions and clocks. Here's how she describes her own work:

My pottery is hand crafted in Vermont. Each piece is individually created and artfully decorated; therefore, no two are exactly alike.

The crafting of the pincushions has drawn upon both of my long-term interests; ceramics and the textile arts. The base is hand thrown from a white stoneware clay followed by decoration and glazing. The cushion is made from 100 % cotton fabric, lined with muslin and firmly stuffed with virgin Vermont wool. This pincushion may be displayed wherever you enjoy sewing.

I was lucky enough to receive one of her pincushions as a gift, so I know first hand the quality and artistry involved in everything that she does.

And while you're there, be sure to check out the free whole wheat bagel recipe she has posted on her website. I tried it out recently. Its a simple recipe, and the bagels are delicious.

Chippingstone Cottage

Living In The Past - and Loving It!

2009-03-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

I love old books. I have found some great old books at yard sales, antique shops, thrift stores, etc., but they are getting harder and harder to find. So I was pleased to discover Better Days Books, a cool website that sells reprints of old books from the 18th, 19th and early 20th Centuries, with a focus on gardening, holidays, traditional skills, cooking, etc. On cooking, please note that some of the recipes tend to go heavy on animal products, but you have to consider the time in which they were written. One of my favorites, "The American Frugal Housewife," was first published in 1832. Below, I'll show you a few of the covers I like the best, and give you the info Better Days Books makes available about them on their website.

The American Frugal Housewife

Originally published in 1832, this manual for the homemaker of modest means is far more than a mere "cookbook." In an age before electricity, refrigeration or any other modern convenience, the fine art of storing, preparing and serving food presented difficulties unimagined in our time, challenges our forebears mastered with ingenuity, hard work, the inherited knowledge of generations past, and the sheer American pluck required to make the cheerful best of any social or economic situation. Also included are instructions for making soap, beer and wine, for repairing worn clothing and furniture, for enduring poverty, and even for rightly educating one's daughters.

If You're Going to Live in the Country

If You're Going to Live in the Country employs stories from the author's own relocation to the country to illustrate practical information anyone who shares his dream of escaping the physical, mental and spiritual confinement of big city life can apply toward successfully following in his footsteps, with chapters on the "Do's & Don'ts" of selecting country property, financing the purchase, building VS remodeling, working with architects, builders and contractors, inspecting an old house, moving an old home to a new site, fireplace construction and maintenance, digging wells, sewage and septic systems, the well-equipped country kitchen, pets and livestock, preparing for winter, fire safety, what to do when things go wrong, and finding a pleasurable balance with the natural world.

Vegetable Dyes

Short, to the point, chock full of practical 'how to' information – and very affordable, to boot. Ethel M. Mairet's classic Vegetable Dyes: A Book of Recipes and Information Useful to the Dyer is a single-source natural dyeing handbook.

My Book of Indoor Games

The perfect "cabin fever" companion for energetic children cooped up indoors during the long winter months - or in urban settings where outdoor play is unsafe or unsavory year round - Clarence Squareman's 1916 classic MY BOOK OF INDOOR GAMES shares rules and clear play instructions for nearly 200 games, puzzles, riddles and tricks with which children of all ages can actively and intelligently amuse themselves without need for computers, video game play systems or TV. Many of these games are so old as to have been long forgotten by present generations - allowing them to be rediscovered and made "new again" by children today. A great "idea book" for homeschool groups, teachers, child care staff or anyone who truly cares about caring for children.

Librivox

Another great website for old books - and this one is free! - is Librivox.org. Librivox offers thousands of free audio recordings in MP3 format of books in the public domain, which means primarily books published before 1923. This is from their website:

LibriVox volunteers record chapters of books in the public domain and release the audio files back onto the net. Our goal is to make all public domain books available as free audio books.

Our Fundamental Principles
Librivox is a non-commercial, non-profit and ad-free project
Librivox donates its recordings to the public domain
Librivox is powered by volunteers
Librivox maintains a loose and open structure
Librivox welcomes all volunteers from across the globe, in all languages

I especially recommend Gordon MacKenzie's reading of Henry David Thoreau's Walden. Chris's favorite from Librivox is Sherwood Anderson's Winesburg, Ohio.

April Is National Poetry Month!

2009-03-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

The picture to the left is the official 2009 National Poetry Month poster, designed by renowned illustrator and graphic designer Paul Sahre, featuring a fogged window on which handwritten lines from poet T. S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock" question "Do I dare disturb the universe?" To view a gallery of NPM posters from past years, click here.

Beginning in 1996, The Academy of American Poets inaugurated April as National Poetry Month, a celebration which "… brings together publishers, booksellers, literary organizations, libraries, schools, and poets around the country to celebrate poetry and its vital place in American culture." There are a million ways to celebrate – on paper (writing and reading poems, of course), in the classroom, in public performances, etc. In this post I will share some great web-based resources to help you plan your own celebration.

Whether you are a poet, a teacher of children or adults, a librarian, a bookseller, or just somebody who cares about poetry, the place to start in your NPM exploration is the source – The Academy of American Poets. Here you will find such resources as:

For Teachers: Creative and inexpensive suggestions for making poetry a more important part of school life during April and throughout the year.

Poetry Read-a-thon: Instructions for motivating students to enjoy poetry in the classroom.

For Librarians: Low cost suggestions to develop greater visibility for poetry during April and throughout the year.

For Booksellers: Use these ideas during National Poetry Month and year-round to sell more poetry.

30 Ways to Celebrate NPM: A month’s worth of poetry activities that any community can take part in.

Here are more great NPM resources gathered from all across the web:

The History of National Poetry Month – an informative article by Gregg Wisniewski, of Poetry.com "Started by the Academy of American Poets in 1996, National Poetry Month has become a celebration of poetry, poets, books, and magazine articles written to increase awareness of poetry in the public, as well as within the media. The month of April was chosen by the academy because it is a month when all schools can participate. This month focuses on the work of both past and present poets…."

The Crayola Company offers an array of free NPM resources for kids, including printable coloring and activity pages, craft ideas and 28 complete lesson plans.

Read*Write*Think offers this classroom activity in honor of National Poetry Month. "Introduce your students to a variety of poetic forms. Assign one or two students each day as “poet of the day” for the month of April. Then provide students with several models for creating different forms of poetry. You might use Shape Poems, Acrostic Poems, Diamante Poems, or Instant Poetry Forms to do this….

Infoplease has put together a nice collection of NPM links for adults, with a few things for kids thrown in as well. Here you will find Special Features on William Shakespeare, a Glossary of Poetry Terms, Notable Poets, Recommended Poetry Sites, Excellent Kids' Poetry Books, Poetry & Quotations, Poets on Poetry, Spring Poetry, Summer Poetry, Fall Poetry, Memorial Poetry, War Poetry, Winter Quotations, Quotes from Love Poems, Love Poems on the Web, Quizzes & Crosswords & Fun Stuff, Poetry Terms Hangman New!, Meter, Rhyme Scheme, and Forms of Poetry Quiz, Walt Whitman Quiz, Can you identify these poets? Quiz, Poetry Terms Quiz, Name the Poet Quiz, Poetry Movements and Genres Quiz, Poetry Crossword, Shakespeare Crossword, plus links to 30 or so classic poets whose works are in the public domain.

Wild Rose Reader - Retired elementary school teacher and school librarian Elaine Magliaro has put together a fabulous set of links to NPM resources, mostly aimed at kids. If you are a public or homeschool teacher, this one site should be able to provide you with everything that you need to plan a terrifc National Poetry Month for your students!

Poems Out Loud - Join Robert Pinsky for National Poetry Month! Robert Pinsky, beloved for his ability to bring poetry to life, will be blogging about the fine art of reading poems…out loud. Many poets will be joining him throughout the month including Eavan Boland, Kim Addonizio, Todd Boss, Li-Young Lee, and many more. Poetry was never meant to be quiet.

Plan In Advance for Simple and Frugal Organic Meals

2009-03-24T17:15:00.000-07:00

MENU

European Mesclun Salad w/ Vinaigrette

Rustic Eggplant Pasta

No-Knead Crusty Bread w/ Roasted Red Pepper Spread

This menu is 100% vegan!

When I say "plan in advance," I mean W-A-Y in advance! If you want frugal organic food, this is the time to start thinking about planting extra veggies to freeze for winter. This is also a good time to start hitting yard sales in search of old windows for building cold frames...

To read the rest of this post, click here!

In Honor of "Fashion Week"

2009-03-01T17:27:00.000-08:00

We worship not the Graces, nor the Parcae, but Fashion. She spins and weaves and cuts with full authority. The head monkey at Paris puts on a traveler's cap, and all the monkeys in America do the same.

— Henry David Thoreau

“Every generation laughs at the old fashions, but follows religiously the new.”

— Henry David Thoreau

Beware all enterprises that require new clothes.

— Henry David Thoreau

I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn.

— Henry David Thoreau

And if you're intersted in "eco-fashion," here is an article you might weant to read!

Is Fashion a Dressed Up Dinosaur?

According to Permaculture co-founder David Holmgren we have enough clothing produced for the coming 20 years, so we don’t need to waste our resources or time any more on clothing production, and can just let fashion die out like a lipsticked dinosaur. In a Treehugger Interview he criticizes the development of greening up fashion, saying: “nowadays there is much focus on how we can make clothing manufacture more ecologically friendly, but we have enough clothes in the world for the next 20 years, we don’t need more clothes manufacture.”

Peaceacre

New Year, New Digs!

New Hours and New Stuff!

What's New at Peaceacre

COLLEEN BRAND TO BE APRIL FEATURED ARTIST AT THE ARTS COUNCIL GALLERY

How to find Peaceacre products!

Arts Council Christmas Bazaar!

Peaceacre Will Be At the Cecil Floyd Craft Show!

Arts Council Handmade Christmas Bazaar!

Arts Council Christmas Bazaar "Regift-it" Store!

Upcoming Shows

Thank You to Everyone Who Made the First Annual Lamar Fall Folk Festival Possible!

First Annual Lamar Fall Folk Festival Photos!

Don't Miss The First Annual Lamar Fall Folk Festival!

The Arts Council of Barton County and the 10th Street Community Farmers Market are Proud to Present

Lamar Fall Folk Festival!

When: Saturday, October 23rd, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Where: Under the Moore Pavilion, 10th & Poplar, Lamar, Missouri!

Featuring Blue Grass Music by

The Drywood Bluegrass Band

Vern Young and Joe Smith

Storytelling with Ralph Williston

Art Show Featuring Lowell Davis

Magic by Dennis Wilson and Tom Richards

Breakfast & Lunch to benefit the St. Mary's Catholic Church Rebuilding Fund - Lunch Featuring Chili Cook-off Champions Dixie & Jr. Johnson's Famous Firehouse Chili!

Plus: 10th Street Community Farmer's Market!

Admission is FREE!

Homemade Laundry Soap Recipe

Saturday at the Farmers Market

Farmer's Market Season Begins - ETC...

Make It a Handmade Valentine's Day!

Local Honey at the Peaceacre Store!

Peaceacre and Friends - More pictures of the Store!

The Peaceacre & Friends Holiday Boutique is Open!

Peaceacre Holiday Hours!

Wrapping Up the Farmers Market Season

10th St. Community Farmer's Markets at Apple Days

Open Mic Night on the Courthouse Lawn

Playing Hookie for a Good Reason

Peaceacre Farm at the 10th Street Farmer's Market

The Perfect Hand Crafted Mother's Day Gift

Living In The Past - and Loving It!

April Is National Poetry Month!

Plan In Advance for Simple and Frugal Organic Meals

In Honor of "Fashion Week"

When: Saturday, October 23^rd, 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Where: Under the Moore Pavilion, 10^th & Poplar, Lamar, Missouri!

Plus: 10^th Street Community Farmer's Market!