{ feeling chippy-er }

ain't she purdy??

and she's a tall gal, too!

Felicia just gifted me with this FABulous cupboard...
it's chippy-peely paint just gets my li'l heart pumpin' !!!!

it's about 6" tall
missing a drawer (who cares?)
and has about a billion coats of paint on her,
but is predominantly country green...
...be still my heart.

me thinks it will look splendin in the old farmhouse...
to be used to house our flat screen TV, and stash equipment below...
{ohhh I hope it fits...where IS my measuring tape?}

Yesterday was spent painting the 'den'...
which was once the dining room, off the kitchen,
but has become our new little nest
where the TV and 1 woodstove is...
I cook frequently on the woodstove,
so it made more sense to bring it closer to the kitchen..
I painted the lower half of the room in a pecan-colored paint (it was dark brown)
and it has truly lightened things up quite a bit!

now, with the addition of my new (old) chippy green cupboard,
our little room will look so farmhouse-y primitive!!

SIMPLE COUNTRY PLEASURES & GOOD FRIENDS
{one can never have too many}

Peace & Plenty to you all,
Lori

{ Punch, hook...stitch }

Yesterday,
i cleaned up my sewing room...
what a mess.

tiny bits of cloth, shreds of threads, snippets of wool~
everywhere.

after the frenzy of the holidays, I find it quite soothing to root about in that room,

rearranging this, simplifying that, tidying everything...

As you all well know me, I tend to float about between mediums, but my favorite by far are
cross stitching, needle punching and rug hooking.
{as you can tell by my banner above, too...}

this time of year, as the old year fades and thoughts of the new come into mind,
I bring out unfinished projects that were put on the 'back burner'
and see if i really want to finish them, or just re-design them...
as I do this, my mind is also uncluttered of old thoughts,
and new ones always seem to come sliding in...

a perfect opportunity to make room in my home & heart for new beginnings...

I'll be working on the new punch needle designs this week...
the one that's on the frame right now is called

"The Bunny Trail"

{think: primsical, folksy, fun!...and yes, ' primsical' is a wonderful word

to describe my designs...primitive & whimsical...all in one!}

I want to release the new designs in mid-January, so you can all have them for early Spring...

Hoping that you all have an uncluttered day, with thoughts of wonderful things to come!

Peace & Plenty to you,

Lori

{ Sunny & Bright }

finally, the sun came to visit us today...
it seems like all we've had as of late are clouds/rain/snow...
we did have a White Christmas, albeit a wet one too...

Christmas day was spent relaxing in the warm farmhouse, with Peter & Hannah.
I made Chicken Caesar Salad for supper, and of course we ate too many cookies & sweets...we watched "Home Alone", "Night at the Museum", "Nat'l. Lampoon's Christmas Vacation", and many Fa-la-la-la Lifetime movies!!!

The weather helped provide the 'motivation', have you, for a Doll-making day also...
here is my latest paperclay-over-cloth doll:

she's available for your bidding pleasure on ebay right now...
lots more pictures on there for you to see her better...
{link is to your left}

I'll be working on another today,
then I think I'll head out to one of my favorite haunts,
"Vintage on Main"
here in Amherst, VA...
Vickie, the owner,
has wonderful laces & bits of early cloth
just perfect for a new primitive doll!

I'm also working on new needlepunch & cross stitch patterns for Spring~
I'm thinking Tulips, Farmhouses, Lilacs, Lambs, Rabbits & more!

Hoping that your day will be filled
with thoughts of pleasant days to come in the New Year~

Blessed be!
Lori

{...my wish...}

...for you all ~

>::<>::<
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We'll be enjoying a pleasant Christmas Eve at our neighbors' house this evening...
but we'll return home in time for a couple rounds of card games and some snacks before retiring for the evening...Santa Claus comes tonight!
AND
ever since I was little, my Mom always told me
that all Animals talk at midnight on Christmnas eve...
So, I always make sure that I'm home
in case there's something someone here might want to tell me!

{of course, having SO many animals here on the farm,
they will have to stand in line and take turns...
not so sure that Suzy my cat will allow that though...,
SHE is the most talkative one in the house anyway!}

Here's how I like to help my animal friends this time of year:

go to your local thrift shop or Goodwill store and purchase some old blankets that may be used as bedding for cats & kittens that may be strays living outside...

Leave some carrots for the riendeer,( ok...the donkeys) apples for the sheep,
or better yet, donate some food to your local animal hospital or pet-adoption agency...

Remember to fill your birdfeeders and birdbaths
{especially if you have snow like we do here!}

Check your dog's footpads in cold weather...
make sure they are not dry & cracked, which can cause severe pain & infection.

Leftover bacon-grease mixed in with some bird food makes a wonderful suet that gives our little feathered friends extra protien that they need to keep warm in frigid temps...put a dollop on an aluminum pan and set out near the birdbath,...watch the feast begin!!

and lastly...

remember to tell them how very special they are to you, and that you love them...

They really do understand every word you say.

for the rest of us,
Peace on Earth & Goodwill toward Mankind...

Lori

{ your new favorite Christmas Cookies...}

Jose Cuervo Christmas Cookies

1 cup of water1
tsp baking soda
1 cup of sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup of brown sugar
4 large eggs
1 cup nuts
2 cups of dried fruit
1 bottle Jose Cuervo Tequila

Begin:
Sample the Cuervo to check quality.
Take a large bowl,

check the Cuervo again
pour one level cup and drink.
Turn on the electric mixer.
Beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl.

Add one peastoon of sugar.
Beat again.
At this point it's best to make sure the Cuervo is still ok, try anothercup just in case.

Turn off the mixerer thingy.
Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.
Pick the frigging fruit off the floor.

Mix on the turner.
If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaters just pry it loose with a drewscriver.

Sample the Cuervo to check for tonsisticity.

Next, sift two cups of salt, or something.
Who geevesa sheet.

Check the Jose Cuervo.

Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts..
Add one table.

Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find...
Greash the oven.
Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fallover.
Don't forget to beat off the turner.
Finally, throw the bowl through the window,
finish the Cose Juervo and make sure to put the stove in the wishdasher.

Cherry Mistmas !