Thursday, a praire pantry, and Etsy

"Laura Ingalls Wilder - The Iowa Story" by William Anderson via JulJa

As inspiration for this week's Etsy room I am using the sweet scene of Laura Ingalls Wilder discovering and admiring the pantry that her new husband made her in their new home (as described in "These Happy Golden Years"). Yep, I'm stocking a pantry this week. I did not go crazy with the mason jars (though it was hard not to), but I could not keep myself from including a couple of touches from the prairie. What can I say? I just know the prairie life so well...

Laura returned to the front room. She took up Ma's basket, and opened the last door. She knew it must be the pantry door, but she stood in surprise and then in delight, looking at the pantry. All one wall was covered with shelves and drawers, and a broad shelf was under a large window at the pantry's far end....

"The ultimate country kitchen collection, vintage" via thebluejar

One whole long wall was shelved from the ceiling halfway down. The upper shelves were empty, but on the lowest was a glass lamp, Almanzo's bachelor dishes, and two pans of milk, with empty pans near. At the end, where this shelf was above the window shelf in the corner, stood a row of cans of spices.

"Hand Turned, Maple Oil Lamp from a small farm in Tennessee" by touchofparis

"1930's Vintage White with Black Rim Heavy Enamel Ware, 34 piece dinner set" via kellystreetvintage

"Westmoreland Milk Glass Nesting Hen Dish" via VintageEye

"Pair of Cast Iron Pans" via TheWhiteMole

Beneath this shelf were many drawers of different sizes. Directly below the spices, and above the window shelf, were two rather narrow drawers. Laura found that one was almost full of white sugar, the other of brown sugar. How handy!

"Griffith's Spice Rack 18 Jars, vintage, with Rack" via GardenBarn

"Sugar Bowl and Creamer Pitcher" via littlebyrdvintage

Next, a deep drawer was full of flour, and smaller ones held graham flour and corn meal. You could stand at the window shelf and mix up anything, without stirring a step. Outside the window was the great, blue sky, and the leafy little trees.

"Antique Farmhouse Kitchen Blue Swirl Graniteware Pudding Pan" via prairieantiques

"tin canisters" via nostalgictreasures

"King Arthur Upcycled Tote Bag" by onewomanstudio

Another deep drawer was filled with towels and tea towels. Another held two tableclothes and some napkins. A shallow one held knives and forks and spoons.

"six pack of bird towels hand printed" by artgoodies

"Vintage Autumn Plaid Tablecloth" via stilllifestyle

"leaf napkin pair in buttercup/cream" by elisabethbentz

"country style wooden silverware tray" via sydg

Beneath all these drawers there was space for a tall, stoneware churn and dasher, and empty space for other things should they come.

Okay, no one is churning any butter, but what you buy you can keep in one of these lovely French Butter Dishes by barbdunshee

And in terms of that "empty space"? I think I'd fill it with this...
complete set of Laura Ingalls Wilder books (1971) via OopseeDaisies

"Like your pantry?" he asked her, and she thought how many hours he must have worked, to put up all those shelves and to make and fit those drawers.

"Yes," she said.