Welcome to the wonderful world of Country Primitive Decorating! If this is your first time visiting a primitive related website and you’re wondering what primitives are, let us explain it for you.
Primitive Decorating: Inspired by The Past
“Primitive” is a present-day term coined from the early 1800’s referring to a style from an era where making-do was a way of life. Back in those times, sewing was not so much a hobby but a required skill. For example, you needed quilts to keep warm in the winter. And folks didn’t have a lot of money for fabrics, so old clothing was used instead. Plus, all of your quilts were sewn by hand. Also, if you made dolls, you would often stuffed with rags or sawdust and had very little, if any, clothing or detailed faces.
Today, you will find primitive artists creating pieces such as dolls that look old, worn, stained, and very simple; this process takes several hours or even days to create. Many artists use vintage elements within their artwork. They ‘re-purpose’ and give life again to something otherwise known as junk to those around us. In some cases, the more older and worn items you use, the more value it has. Many artists scour antique shops and flea markets. They search for that perfect piece to work with, to inspire a whole creation.
Common Items
In styling terms, primitive can mean rustic, simple, grungy, worn, and anything to reflect a style of yester-year. There are many primitive artistan websites where you will find primitive items to fill your home. Quilts, dolls, candle lamps, wood furniture, fixin’s, game boards, candles, hooked rugs, and other types of primitive decor.
What are fixin’s?
It’s a common nickname for primitive style potpourri, usually containing a mix of rose hips, cinnamon sticks, mini pine cones, dried oranges, and other more “chunky” potpourri ingredients. It’s usually scented with a spice type of fragrance oil. Sometimes there are also wax or salt dough ornaments (or ornies as they often called) laid on the top for additional decoration.
What are needfuls?
You may have seen this term on some primitive websites. Needfuls are those handmade items that may not fit a specific category or they are made to be one-of-a-kind and therefore special. They are needfuls because when you see them you can’t do with them because they are so sweet, cute, or unusual.
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