Going to another Fair!!!

This is the Fall Fiber Festival,
held annually here near Charlottesville, VA ~

There will be tons of vendors, lots of inspiration and of course,

WOOL!!!!!!

wool for hooking, wool for spinning, wool on the sheep, wool off the sheep,
wool glorious wool !!!

Peter & I will be celebrating our 21st Anniversary this coming friday, (oct 3rd)
so I've asked him if he wouldn't mind going...
of course, Hannah will be with us too!

I'll take some pictures and post here for all to see, 'prolly on Monday,
as we'll be going on Sunday...

I'm excited to go, hoping I can find a drum carder that fits my non-exsistent budget! and pehaps see some demo's on wet felting...something that I haven't quite mastered yet...

I've recently washed a ton of our shorn raw wool, in hopes to card it
& get it dyed for more felting projects...
I have my color palette all picked out from my dye swatches
(I use Cushings dyes)
and am also hoping for chillier days to dye by...
temps have been in the low 80's still during the day, and humid. ~
not exactly what I call good weather for staying indoors & dyeing!

Soon the wood stoves will be cranked up, and on the stove in our family room,
I'll cook pots of yummy roasts, chicken & dumplings and such ~
the stove downstairs in the cellar is reserved for dyeing,
as it throws lots of heat...
I feel like a turn-of-the-century girl down there
when I'm busily stirring the dyepot!

~OR~
perhaps I'll fire up the old cauldron out front...
the tang of woodsmoke in the air is a beautiful thing
when it's gone missing all hot, summer long, and hey, since the fire's outside, the heat will be too!

and yes, again I've changed the colors & pictures of this blog...as I've told you MANY times before, I'm OCD.
and if I didn't change things up now & then, you'd be bored too, right?

Refreshing NEW Blog !!!

I've been diagnosed by one of my dear, sweet friends as suffering from ADD...

i disagree.

I beleive that I am OCD/ADHD...partially one or the other, can't decide which.

(which totally upholds the diagnoses then, does it not?) HA!

Actually, as I've said before in many of my older posts, I have alot of fun making different things.

(different, as in out of my 'normal' range of primitive-things)

I continue to desing patterns and finished items for my beloved customers, but I also have to make somethings that are totally out-of-the-box for me....it keeps me creative & fresh...nothing worse than a stale folk artist...ugh.

SO, yes, I have started yet another blog.

i know, i know, I've started others in the past and have then deleted them...but they just weren't what I was trying to convey...I want a place to play, have FUN and share the more whimsical, artsy-fartsy side of me. ( I love that word, artsy-fartsy!!!)

I guess you could say that I have an alter ego, as many of us have but don't admit to...(admitting to it is part of the cure) ~ hehe!!...my alter ego, my nom de' plume', my 'other' personality loves quirky, kitschy, gaudy, garish, and really funky stuff....that I make fun stuff with. and share it. and hopefully can sell it to other nuts, um, i mean 'inspired' folks out there in Wahoo-land.

So, if you'd like to humor me even further, please go visit:

www.ohthefunwehave.blogspot.com

I've also linked the blog to my new etsy shop, "Oh! What Fun!!!!" so if you're reeeaaallly bored, or I've piqued your interest, you can actually purchase one of mine, my family's or friends whims...usually wearable folk art with a twist...

Thank You!!!!!!

("Homeplace at Christmas" copyright 2006 Notforgotten Farm)

What a wonderful response we've had from all of you fabulous cross stitchers out there!!!

Thank you SO much for your emails and eagerness to help out!!

We've gone ahead and chosen a few gals,
and want you all to know that we're keeping a file of names
with those interested for future stitching!!

Now we have to get busy finishing the designing of the charts ~
Look for new Christmas/Holiday/Winter designs
for cross stitch & needlepunch SOON!!!

Model Stitchers Wanted!!!!!

above is my "Colonial Christmas Sampler" copyright (C) 2007 Notforgotten Farm
please respect my designs by never reproducing them for your own...

Do you Love to Stitch?
Does the thought of stitching new designs from Notforgotten Farm intrigue you?

If so, you might just be who we're looking for!!

We're looking for a talented few Cross Stitchers out there to stitch our models for us!!!

We have a ton of new patterns for Counted Cross Stitch that are just waiting to be stitched and released for the upcoming year, and need someone to help us stitch ~ your name will also appear on each pattern that you've helped stitch the model for...

as you are probably familiar with, my designs aren't that involved, or too large

(just the way we like them!!)

If you're the least bit interested, please email me at not4got@aol.com ~
we pay competitive stitchers rates and can guarantee you work!!

sweet little Halloween Bear ~

Listed this little Hallowe'en Clown on ebay last night...

He's made from a Burnt Orange German Mohair, and sets upon
a pincushion made from wool...

Isn't he adorable?

(he loves candy corn, too)

A Beautiful Day for our Open House!!

WELCOME!!!!!

Woke up this morning to temps in the 50's...what a refreshing way to start the day getting last minute details done for the open house today!!

We opened our doors at 10:00 sharp, with customers already gathering outside on the front porch, waiting to come in & shop, visit & be inspired~

Felicia & I greeted our customers with fresh-baked pumpkin muffins with carmel/pecan/coconut frosting...MMmmmmmm !!

We've worked so hard putting just the 'right' touches here & there for you!!

All the colors of Harvest Tyme!!

Our customers loved seeing our trees decorated with vintage & repro Hallowe'en decorations...

Boil, Bubble, Toil & Trouble.... dyeing wool in my cauldron out front...

the front yard of the shop is full of colorful pumpkins....

Hallowe'en Treats ~

Here are a few photos of the Farmhouse dressed for All Hallow's Eve...

Photos of the shop decorated for Hallowe'en to come soon!

Whirlwind...

Sometimes,
our expectations of something lead us to believe
that what we are about to experience
will be wonderful...
othertimes,
we are disapointed
in the actual outcome.

I can happily say,
that my expectations
of the
Country Living Fair
this past weekend,
far surpassed my wildest expectations!

Happily surrounded
by thee most talented people on the face of this Planet,
I meandered about,
almost stalking the artisans in their well-appointed booths ~
(sorry if I acted goofy, girls...but i couldn't help myself!!)

How can you comprehend so much talent in one space?
Simply...you can't.

Familiar faces, friends from the past...
...new acquaintances and comfortable conversations
greeted me from day one of the Fair experience...

Usually one to feel a kinship with artisans

of different mediums,
I quickly realized I was SO out of my league!

Tent #1 was the Earth Angel's tent...

(www.earthangelstoys.com)
I began scouting around the perimeters of the large, white tent...
I scanned the outer corners first...
(thee main reason I wanted to attend this show!!!)

I guess I am a wannabe Earth Angel, and just visiting with these girls made my life!!

So Jen, if you're reading this, now you know my secret!!!!!

Was that Laurie Meserol & her most-wonderful paintings?
(yes...and I tried to capture her on film,
but
the elusive Ms. Meserol was busily gathering lunch for her fellow Angel's)...
Laurie, I loved talking with you...& can't wait to see your new work!

...the tent was buzzing with chatter from customers & artisans...each one in a high-pitched, energized voice that surely anyone that has ever witnessed such creativity in one place can truly understand...

Leslie McCabe and her delightful textile arts...
(I purchased the cutest pin from her,
that I'll be wearing at our open house Saturday!)

Thanks, Leslie, for putting up with me & my hot flashes!!!

Debbee Thibault (and me!)
Debbee gets cuter by the minute,
and her new designs are out-of-this-world!!
She was autographing the book
"Where Women Create" for her customers...
(can't wait for that mag to come out!!)

Jen (Earth Angel's "MOM")
...and Pat Purphy...
(sorry I couldn't get the front of you, Pat...you're just too quick for me!!)
Pat's Bears are just awesome...
she had a suitcase that was stuffed with Hallowe'en bears & ephemera...

Jody Battaglia's table was chock-o-block full of creations
from FUN TOWN!!!
(Jody is quiet & sweet...just like her creations!)

can i have one of everything please Jody???

Stacy Bear was kind enough to humor me
while I took her pic & gushed on about
her loverly paintings...
each one a masterpiece in & of itself...

After I visited the Earth Angel's,
I went about the grounds in search of other fellow familiar artisans
and Friends...

and found:

thee beautiful Alex Pfifer from the Seraph
(Mass. & Ohio)
Alex has such a pleasant & gentle way about her...
she's a peach!

Alex, I will take you up on your offer to visit your home!!!

Barb Kemp...Hooked on Rugs...
Barb & I have known each other for a long time...
her booth was stuffed with wonderful models for hooking & needle-punch...
here she is with her beautiful daughter!

Norma & Jen Schneeman...
what more can you say about these two women?
the epitome of Primitive ...
....talent beyond measure, and so down-to-Earth...

and,
the Beautiful, Sweet & Kind~

Susan Soloway Daul...(and hubby!!)

I first met Susan years ago at the Wilton Show in CT...
She has been an inspiration to me forever...

Susan, loved seeing you again & hopefully will see you again in February~

after visiting the other Artisan tents, we walked through the Antiques dealers tents...
WOWOWOWOWOW !!!
is all i can say...

(even the Antiques Roadshow had an event where items from Fair attendees were appraised...
too much fun!)

booth after booth of needful things...textiles, americana, ephemera...primitives, holiday collectibles, shabby & chic

Needless to say, we came home with a ton of goodies for the shop
(and ourselves!)

Mark your calendars for next year's Fair...it shouldn't be missed....
I'm so happy that we went...
although it rained Fri. & Sat., and the Buckeyes lost to Cal., we had a blast...

Now, the rest of the week will be devoted to getting this shop ready for the open house Saturday,...

Leaving for oHIo !!!

I'll be leaving in the morning to go to Ohio !!

Whoopie!!

See you Sunday!!!

Above is a pic of a necklace that I made today...
it's made from (top to bottom)

~an antique silver Baby's Spoon,
to which I've attached a vintage mother of pearl knit counter ring,
with a vintage white bakelite button set inside that...

~on the bottom of the spoon I've soldered a silver jump-ring
and attached 2 little dangle charms made from freshwater pearls
and black onyx beads...AND

a really OLD bottle that I dug out of our ground here at the farm
(we have TONS of bottles, shards & ball jar lids out in the backyard..
they must have dumped their trash back there a hundred years ago!!)
The bottle is an old mecurichrome or merthiolate bottle with a black screw on cap

and glass 'dropper' attached to the inside of the lid...
(remember skinning your knees when you were younger
and your Mother dabbing on that red-stuff that stung like the dickens?
...yep...that's the stuff that came in this bottle!)

I soldered the top with silver solder, then 'embellished' it with little silver solder drops..
then I attached another vintage mother of pearl button, this one is a cool, almost dog-wood petal shaped one, and added a black bakelight/rhinestone button to the top of that...

Finally, I filled the little bottle with more black/white freshwater pearls
and little amethyst swarovski crystals....it hangs from a 24 inch ball chain.

I'll be wearing it this weekend to the show!!

I started another spoon necklace, this one is a larger sized antique silver spoon...
I'll show pics when I get back home...

See you soon & Blessed be!!!

Finished!

Here is my finished theater...


...a close-up of the Witch puppeteer...


I'm not that good at papier mache',
but I'm hoping that I will learn a few tricks this Friday,
when I'm at the Country Living Fair,
as I'll be taking a class from the renowned artist:

Debbe Thibault !!!!
woohoooooo!!!!

I don't know if I'll be selling this or not,
as it's my first piece...
I like the concept of the shadow-box/theater,
and have many more ideas on these...but we'll see...

I usually keep my 'first' anything,
to use as a learning tool...

addition & subtraction ~

These body parts made from paperclay

+ (plus)

This wooden shadowbox (after I tweak it a bit with paint)

Equals =

a little theater that will house a puppeteer Witch !!!!! ...

I'll work more on it tomorrow, as the paperclay has to dry really well, then paint it's
features to resemble the Witch...

Then pick out the fabrics for her clothing, make the little puppets and curtains for the theater...

I'd like to have it light up too,...what are your thoughts on that idea??

I'm hoping to have it finished before I leave for
the Country Living Fair
(woohooooo!)

(remember, my artwork above is copyright protected, please don't "borrow")

Hanna is HERE and what a mess!!!!!

No, I'm not talking about my daughter,
or in what condition is her bedroom at the moment!

I'm talking about the storm Hanna...it hit us about 4:00 am...
strong winds & driving rain...

everything is so GREEN!!!
very tropical feeling in the air...

MUCH needed rain,
I can hear the creek down in the back of the house
gurgling & splashing!!

our satellite tv is on the friz because of the storm in the atmosphere,
but thankfully my puter is working!

seems like a perfect day to curl up with some stitching, put on a movie
(probably Hocus Pocus or Nightmare before Christmas!!)
make some popcorn & cocoa...

or MAYBE Hannah & I will venture out to the Barnes & Noble in Lynchburg...
I want to get the new Romantic Homes, Mary Engelbreit and Martha...
( hi, my name is Lori, and I have a magazine addiction!
ESPECIALLY any of the Somerset mags!)

What do you like to do on rainy/stormy days????

This & That...

Popping up all over our Farm, every late-Summer, early-Autumn,
is what's known in these parts of VA, as
"Lamb's Bur"

(if you have another name for it, please leave a comment for me!!)

They are big bush-y plants that have beautiful foliage
and almost luminescent purple-ish white/blue flowers that resemble huge
Morning Glories or Petunias

...the flowers close up at night, winding themselves into tight little cocoons..
In the later stages of their lives, the plant produces large spikey "burs"...round pods covered in thistle-like thorns...
When dried, the prickley pods were once used to card shorn Sheeps wool...

how practical!...
& how coincidental that now the land that we live on is being used as a
Sheep farm?

and here's my little Rooster-man, "li'l bit"...
he's getting old, but he enjoys my company & I his,
so I keep him with me at the shop during the day,
and cage him up at night so he'll be safe...
when you come to visit the shop, he'll be right there on the porch
(sometimes even IN the shop!!)
to meet & greet you...
he loves nothing better than to curl up in your arms & take a nap...
of course, he does crow rather LOUDLY
when he wakes back up, but, hey
...he is a rooster!!!

yeah, I know...
no make-up and kinda plain lookin'....
(I'm talking about me!!)
oh well...
that's the Farm life!!!

Went for a walk...

After I drop Hannah of at High School in the mornings, I like to park my car in front of our County Court House in Lovingston, VA ~

The town is small, sleepy, quiet & quaint...with one stoplight, one garage, one bank, etc...the houses that line the little streets are old, but kept immaculate by their inhabitants...sidewalks are swept, yards are neat & tidy...everyone you greet waves & smiles.

Mayberry? perhaps...but I wouldn't trade it for the world....

On this morning's walk, the air was cool & damp...I could smell the change of seasons...the sun was making the dew on the lawns look like tiny little stars that had landed there...twinkling just for me to see...
an occasional humming bird flew past, making bee-lines for the many nectar bottles hung in trees & on porches by Lovingston's residents...every once in a while a car would drive past, with it's occupants purposely slowing down and rolling down the window to greet me with a hearty "Mornin'!! "

I walk around the 'block'...which, isn't by any means, the size of a regular city block...it is about 3 miles 'round, so I do get a grand workout...I don't even think of it as excersize for my heart, legs & lungs, but rather as a meditative time for my spirit & mind...a time to recharge & rejuvenate...a time to connect with my neighbors, even if this is not my community, but a community, nonetheless, of people just like me...

I'll continue my walks while weather permits...making sure I'm as pleasant as my surroundings...

....great way to start the day, don't you think???

some pics of the shop ~

(above) the Halloween pattern section
...you can see some of Olde Ragg's awesome dolls for sale!

(above) big pumpkin painted corner shelf
will hold all of the needlework models...


(above) Cupboard is full of Cammie Bruce's
scrumptious hand dyed wools...


(above) a small corner of the 'bedroom' where it's just waiting for Halloween!!


(above) ...another view of the 'bedroom'...now that the furniture is in place, we'll begin decorating with our vintage style banners, lanterns & decorations...

I'll take more pics once the decorations are up & the shop is ready!

We'll be heading off to the Country Living Fair in Ohio on Sept. 11-13, so I have to really get it together since I'll only actually have one weekend to finish the shop before the open house!

*AAAAGH* !!!!!