A Formal Introduction ~

WELL......
here he is...
our little boy Iggy ~
(so sorry for the 'pink' overload, Hannah loves Hello Kitty stuff!)

when we first went to visit him Sunday at the
Almost Home Pet Adoption Center

he was sitting quietly in his cage...

quietly, that is...
until he saw her.

in a flash he was hanging on the side of his cage,
...little furry arm reaching out to my little girl,
begging her to love him ~

oh boy.
...you should have seen the look on her face...

((she may be 16, but when she was cuddling that boy-kitten,
she looked like she was two again...))

now don't get me wrong...
there were plenty of kittens there waiting to be adopted.
but

this little guy worked SO hard at being loveable
that we just knew he would love us forever...
(I like to think that our beloved Sam had a ...um...paw in sending him our way)

he is approx. 6 weeks old,
is a buff & white long-haired, ring-tailed monkey that
now runs amok through our little farmhouse,
purring so loudly I'll bet you could hear it from where you are
and
of course,
sending our two senior Ladies of the House,

Tippy (15 yrs.) & Suzy (14 yrs)
into an absolute panic-stricken, wide-eyed & bushy-tailed frenzy....

...lots of hissing and spitting on their part,
and naturally, Suzy hasn't spoken to me in days.

how did he get his name you ask?
well, the kind folks at the center had named him
"Pig Pen" but we couldn't call this little ball of fluff that ~
so Hannah shortened it to
"Iggy"

(although I do call him Piggy Iggy when he's eating!)

so, there he is...
not a replacement of our beloved Sam,
but another little life saved....

...and a tender heart mended yet again.

Blessings from the Farm...
Lori

Folk Art Necklace pendants ~ and a giveaway!!!!!

Good Morning Folks ~
...hoping you all are getting ready to celebrate today!
perhaps you'll have a picnic, go to a parade or just relax ~
whichever you do, have fun and remember our many freedoms here in the USA!!

I wanted to show you my newest project:

Folk Art Necklace pendants

each pendant is handmade by me using a 1 1/4 inch square wooden tile,
a sterling silver bezel for your chain (chain not included),
...and a lasered image of my finished folk art, featuring a
drawing, cross stitch sampler, punch needle project, hooked rug project,
or a favorite antique photo from my personal collection ~

some are for halloween, some are for christmas, all are for everyday!!

I'll be listing them in my etsy shop today and I'm giving one away to a lucky follower who comments here on this post OR becomes a new follower OR posts about them on your blog!

the lucky winner will get their choice of design ~ and I will draw the winner's name

on monday, june 6th in the evening....

good luck everyone!

~AND~
please remember to visit
www.EarlyWorkMercantile.com
tomorrow for the 1st of the month update ~
I'll be offering a miniature sampler in a wonderful early frame!

Blessings from the Farm...
Lori

~ Happy Memorial Day ~

...wishing you all a safe & happy holiday weekend....

Please remember those who have fallen to keep our nation free...



Blessings from the Farm...

Lori

Remembering Sam ~

It's never easy to say goodbye to a beloved pet...

it breaks our hearts to say goodbye to a little soul
...that has touched us with their love so deeply ~
but
when they are sick or suffering and their quality of life is not there anymore,
the times comes to make a decision...

yesterday was the time.

Sam came into our lives as a weak, flea-infested ball of fur,
that my sister Sharon's dog, Jessy, rescued from the woods...
Sam was severely dehydrated and needed to be hospitalized and put on meds...

He grew into a beautiful, BIG boy that in his prime weighed nearly 23 lbs.
Hannah & he formed a tight bond, and you could see how much he adored her by watching him

follow her around, meowing and purring so loudly at her...

she would dress him up in doll-clothes,
put tiara's on his little head and make him wear crazy things like socks and bonnets...
and he allowed her to becasue he was devoted to her....

He will always be remembered for bringing us joy and laughter,
especially on those occasions when the catnip came out ~

I want to thank Lee & Robin for coming out last night to help me dig Sam's little grave...
he rests now outside Hannah's bedroom window where she can see him,
but more importantly,
where he can keep an eye on her...

Blessings from the Farm...
Lori

well...are You?

Samplermakers is a group of needlework enthusiasts ~
lovers of linen & thread and all things cross stitch!

if you're not a member yet,
email me at not4got@aol.com & I will send you an invite,
or visit

http://www.samplermakers.ning.com/

and in other news....

I am proud to say that one of my designs
has been chosen to be included in the soon to be released book:

the publishers of Just Cross Stitch magazine and
Sampler and Antique Needlework magazine
are putting together a book of designs exclusively for lovers of Halloween !

you will see my pattern entitled
"October Feather Tree"

visit:
HERE
to preorder your copy of this fabulous NEW book today!!!

Blessings from the Farm...
Lori

~ Shopping ~

~ I just came back from shopping...

picked up some fresh herbs & warm hens eggs
and treated myself to a small bunch of flowers.

while I was there, I couldn't help but get some more strawberries...
aren't they beauties?

mint, wild yarrow, sage...
...dill, honeysuckle and lemon verbena...
field daises and tickweed ~

such beautiful organic things!

where did I go shopping?

{{I'll bet you already know....}}

wishing you all peace & plenty
and

Blessings from the Farm...
Lori

Scary ~

first, let me say that our hearts go out to all of the folks in Missouri this morning,

we will keep you in our thoughts and prayers...

last night we had a crazy storm come through our part or Virginia ~
the lightening was SO bad you could feel the electricity in the air!

it struck one of our Tulip Poplars:

thankfully missing the transformer and hay wagon...

the winds were howling & I thought the windows of this old farmhouse would

surely come crashing in...but again, thankfully, they didn't.

the top of the tree fell and missed our propane tanks
by about 10 feet, so we feel fortunate there again too!

hoping everyone is safe and please keep the faith for those in Missouri
(Hannah was there last week and are we EVER thankful she's home now!)




Blessings from the Farm...
Lori

In Good Company ~

I love to collect cast-off antique photographs.

and I have literally hundreds....

I keep them in trugs and baskets
boxes and bowls...

tuck them into mirror frames and pin them to walls.

I love to look at their expressions,
their surroundings,
their clothing

and
imagine what their lives were like,
where they lived ~
who they loved...

their faces speak volumes to me,
some happy & innocent,

others not so...
couples, sisters, children with pets...
posed or propped or not.


they keep me company in every room of this humble farmhouse
and I'm never lonely or alone.

...they tell me their stories in whispers of the past,
and
much inspiration has come from a name penned or penciled
onto the backs of my photographs...

"Abby Brown"

"Mr. & Mrs. Jacob Strauss"

"Henry Chase"

"Fannie Lovenia Proffit"

the stories they tell me keep me charmed and wanting more...
and It's always a pleasure to
be in their company...

(the middle picture with the two photographs of the same little smiling girl
are of my sweet Mom,
Elda Elizabeth Geiste Smith
at age 6 and 8 yrs
...she will be 81 on June 30th of this year...
I Love You Mom)


Blessings from the Farm...
Lori

Sweetness....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~ I harvested some strawberries this morning...

...I've been gathering about the same amount
for the past 3 days.

I've been making shortcakes and fresh whipped cream

and serving them sweetened with a touch of brown sugar...

they are wonderful...
and made more so because we grew them ourselves.

life is good
when you take the time to taste it!

Blessings from the Farm...
Lori

Quilt Shop Giddiness!

~ Oh my Stars & Garters!!!!
a bunch of beautiful NEW fat 1/4's & fat 1/8's in my old wooden trug...

I could look at them all day long...
wondering what delicious primitiveness can be made from them.

most are my Civil War repro's of course,
but I did add some new reds from
French General & Moda ~


I tend to lean towards Earthier colors,
and my palette is somewhat subdued ~
BUT
the motifs are mostly organic in Nature...
...leaves, vines, berries, florals & little birds.


these colors remind me of my herb gardens...
sweet & ripe and full of life right now,
...but still with a little undertone of mellowness.



I'll be using these in finished items for the
Summer in the Valley show
on July 23rd
(see link on sidebar)



and will have more finished items coming to my regular etsy shop soon!
(I'll post here when I do!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Finally, a little more sunshine today...
tomorrow is looking better and that's good
as I have folks coming out to the shop.

Wishing you all a quiet & colorful day!!!


Blessings from the Farm...
Lori

One step ahead....

I'm always planning ahead...
and being a needlework designer, that means sometimes
MONTHS ahead!

SO,
of course I've been working on my Autumn/Halloween designs...

this is a sneak peek of one that Felicia has finished for me...

I will have a bunch more to come !!

today will be spent processing, printing & packing orders...
then back in here to my little sewing studio to work on more finished goods.

it is raining again today,
so again, I'll take advantage of not being able to play outdoors ~
by sketching and stitching....

hoping you all have a wonderfully creative day,
no matter what the weather holds for you!

Blessings from the Farm...
Lori

Rock a bye ~ kitty?

Here's our boy kitty,
Sam...

Actually he is Hannah's boy kitty.
he loves her.

he likes Peter.

he tolerates me...

(as you can see by the look on his face)

I specifically brought this doll cradle here into my sewing studio for
Suzy, who follows me constantly and will sit here as I work
staring at me, trying to will me into...um...I don't know what, but she stares at me.

Sam hasn't been feeling well as-of-late,
and is hardly eating anymore...he is 13 yrs old and recently had some medical issues
that resulted in an overnight pet-hospital stay....

I've been noticing him more and more napping in this little cradle.
SUZY, on the other hand, has been staring me down
more & more....

*sigh*

guess I need to find another cradle for her?



Blessings from the Farm...
Lori

I'm featured!!!

I am humbled to say, that notforgottenfarm/midnightfarm is featured on
http://www.thedittybag.blogspot.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks go to Sam for being So sweet and kind....

go take a peek!



Blessings from the Farm...

Lori

...got the Blues ?

...not ME!!!

I've got the BROWNS !!!

just look....
don't you just love the color brown?

think:
brown sugar, maple, dirt, buttermold ~
bark, drab brown, brown egg brown....
caramel, willow...

oh the list is endless !!!

I especially love the reproduction civil-war era prints....

they just speak to me...
(actually, they sing to me..."come & buy me"...)
can you relate???

uh huh.

I like to incorporate these fabrics into my needlework...
for backing, sashing and
anything else I can use them for....

what is your favorite color of the moment?

....Blessings from the Farm...
Lori

...we're EXPECTING!!!

our Handsome boy "William" otherwise known as 'Billy' ~

and our most-beautiful girl "Sky"...

wish to announce that they are expecting an undetermined amount of
~ Bundles of Joy ~

in about 6 weeks...

this will be the first time that they will hatch their own babies...
last year we thought would "help" Mother Nature and put her eggs in the incubator, and well ~
it didn't go well...

BUT

this time it will be better...

I'll keep you posted on the progress !

we are Oh So Proud...
(as a peacock, you might say!)

Blessings from the Farm...
Lori

NEW patterns ~ "Primitive Needfuls" alphabet series!

Howdy friends & folk!

remember these?...

I've decided to make a primitive quilt from the finished blocks,
once all of them have been stitched by
Mizz Felicia :)

I think 4 blocks across by 6 blocks down,

with a nice one inch sash
of civil ware era repro fabric in blues & browns
would work nicely, no??

I've just released these 4 charts in my etsy shop:

www.notforgottenfarm.etsy.com

or you can email me at not4got@aol.com to order...

they are 8.00 each = shipping & I happily combine shipping!

I can't wait to see this once it's all finished...
the models shown are stitched onto 28ct cashel
78w x 78h stitch count
approx. 5 1/4w x 5 1/2h
(cashel in an un-even weave fabric, and I LOVE it...
it stains beautifully!)

of course, you can stitch these on any fabric/count you choose...

(((Hmmm...wonder if Bonnie will put these on 48ct ??)))

:)

Blessings from the Farm,

Lori

Open House pictures...

Good Morning Folks!!!

and a beautiful morning it is here on the farm today!

here are some snaps of saturday's open house to amuse you ~

first, we started the day off with a rumbling noise coming down the drive:

it was our sweet friend Joan in her gorgeous 1949 candy apple red truck!

we parked it out in front of the shop...oh boy did the men-folk fancy it!!

we had gobs of freshly potted herbs for sale,
and displayed them out front in the garden where they came from....

inside, the shop was dressed to welcome the spring and early summer....
porch doors, flowers, drieds....

lots of new items were added and I'm happy to say that most found new homes!

the little rug hooking section that greets you as you enter....

our expanding fabrics section....

old favorites like dolls, samplers and primitive handmades ~

we had a great turnout and I just wanted to thank all who came out & spent time
visiting with us...
we do this because we love it,
and your friendships and patronage are valued more than you know!


and before I forget, the winner of the raffle goodie basket is ~
SUSAN MYERS from TEXAS!!!!!

congrats Susan!
(much xoxoxox to you & your sweet family!)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I will be photographing the finished models for my
Primitive Alphabet Series cross stitch designs today,
and will release them here this week!

:)

have a great day filled with wonderful things!

Blessings from the Farm...
Lori

Mothers & Pickles....

First,
let me wish all of my cyber-friends a wonderfully
Happy Mothers Day!!!!

secondly, please let me explain this post's title...

when I was a child, Mother's Day was much anticipated,

as I knew I would be creating something wonderful for my sweet mommy...
be it a hand drawn card, or picture or later in my years, some sort of needlework
declaring my love and affection for her.

I would spend weeks dreaming up colors and sayings
and in school
I would always be first in line at the paste-jar,
ruler in hand ~
anxiouly waiting for my creation to be finished.

Mom always let me know how special she thought my little works of art were to her,
and she to this day, still has some of them in her cedar chest...
...kept in my old bedroom.

One year,
(I think it was the early 1980's)

some monolithic company decided to boost their sales by declaring
"National Pickle Week"

that didn't set well with Mom at all...
she said
"How can they give pickles a whole week and Mothers only a day of recognition???"
and she says it every year.
and I think she's right....

SO
sons & daughters of America,
please boycott your pickle company
this week in celebration of Mothers everywhere!!!

Blessings from the Farm...
Lori

~ Tiny Blessings ~

Look who came to visit me today ~

...a juvenile female Eastern Bluebird !

she was hopping across'd the lawn when Lazy spotted her,
and he sure did let me know she was there...

I scooped her up and examined her...
...she's fine, but her left wing is not strong enough for flight yet ~
I'll keep her until she can fly on her own, then hopefully she will want to live here
at Notforgotten Farm...'tis such a loverly place you know ~

aren't her colors just beautiful???

another little blessing today is this:

one of our little Mama-hens has started to set...she has 6 or 7 eggs under her now
and in 3 weeks we'll have little ones running around...
we already hatched the 2 chicks in the incubator, and they're doing fine.
those that will come out tomorrow to our open house will get to visit with them!

and, last but not at all least...
the tiniest blessing of the day ~

this is my newest "Bless my Scissors" pattern...
stitched onto 48ct fabric by my friend
Bonnie Olson of Massachussetts

Bonnie, you are one amazing woman to be able to see to stitch on 48ct!
but I LOVE how tiny you make my designs!!!!

((thanks so much for sharing))

well, folks, the rest of today will be spent
doing last-minute touch ups for tomorrow ~

I'll hope to take some pics of the shop tomorrow and share here on sunday

~ Talk soon!!

Blessings from the Farm...
Lori

just a reminder....

that our little shop here on the farm will be CLOSED
Thursday & Friday,
in preperation for our
Spring Open House
on Saturday May 7th ~

looking forward to seeing so many of you again, ...real soon!!

COMING ATTRACTIONS:
I am working on new xstitch designs, along with the
Alphabet Series that I told you about a few weeks back,
I will be releasing a couple of the finished ones next week and more as they become finished.

AND
I have something extra special in the works that will be in a
MAJOR
Cross Stitching Publication!!!
due out this August

((I can't let you know the details yet,
... as it hasn't been released yet by the publisher))
but as soon as I get the Okeedokee,
you will be first to know, so stay tuned!!

I'm off to garden, work in the shop and process orders today,
oh, and do the laundry while the sun is shining :)

Blessings from the Farm...

Lori

Shop Garden ~

Howdy Folks!

hoping you're all having pretty weather today...

we are!

yesterday Peter & I got 1/2 of the shop garden weeded ~

still have the other half to finish before Saturday's open house....

don't forget that we'll be selling some of our very own herbs from this garden on Saturday,

hope you can come by for a visit!

here are some snaps for you:

our humble little shop & garden...

my favorite, our palest salmon Bearded Iris...


gorgeous, no?

and my Lily of the Valley smell divine ~
such dainty little bells... with such a heady scent!

and we mustn't forget these...
our super little Strawberry patch ~

I already have big green berries on there,
...and look at all of the flowers for berries yet-to-come!

I can't wait to pick them and add just a little brown sugar & fresh whipped cream to them...

on a homemade brownie, of course!

Mmmmm....delightful :)

oh we have Lamb's ear, Mint, Yarrow, Tansy, Scarlet Bee Balm, Lemon Verbena, Lavender...
...on a hot summer day it is just BUZZing with activity!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I will be a little busier than usual this week...
finishing up last minute things before the open house,
so if I'm not here everyday, ...that's why...

well, along with conjuring up a bit of magick for my 'other' blog :)

Talk soon!

Blessings from the Farm...
Lori