Progress ~

As we continue progress on finishing the bathroom makeover project,

and between paint layers drying and such,

I am working on new offerings for Valentine's day ~

I will have 

3 New cross stitch designs

1 punch needle design

1 quilted design

(and hopefully)

1 hooked design...

along with a couple of new Wooden Items that Peter is working on in his Woodshop :)

here is what I've been up to while he has been working on the bathroom floor :

sewing together strips of calico fabrics for the quilted project

I am loving these colors ~

see that tiny little iron on my pressing board?

I got it at Joanns 1/2 price with a coupon ~ 

...it fits in the palm of my hand and is perfect for smaller pressing projects :)

a little blue, cream, brown, green & white...

and here is a peek at the punch  needle project...

if it looks familiar to you, 

it is because I designed and punched it earlier this year 

and didn't have time to release it when I wanted, Sooooo....

it is ready for this year!

tulips make me happy ~

very folky design motif and 

I'm loving the reds, greens and creams in this one too ~

tiny little hearts & dots

 a cheerful & quick to punch design, no?

pretty tomato reds

I had the pleasure of being with both Felicia and Joan yesterday ~

we went to lunch at a local restaurant for the holidays...

just the three of us, chatting, eating and of course, laughing :)))

we exchanged our gifts back at Joan's home ~

and let me just say, that Joan has the sweetest, coziest home I know of !

filled with her (many) collections of eclectic things.

I will be visiting her again soon with my camera,

and taking tons of photos of her home (and especially her SEWING ROOM!)

and will share them here for you all to 

drool over, 

covet, 

be jealous of....

um ...

enjoy.

Til then,

Wishing you all a safe & happy

New Years' Eve ~

* Blessed be *

 Lori

Floored ~

On to day #2 of our Bath Redux ~

underneath the layers of linoleum, 

vinyl tile, 

tar paper, 

1 coat of brown paint 

& 

one coat of grey paint

...we found this:

WOOD!

surprise!!!!

we knew we would, 

just didn't know what kind of um...wood ~

we would find.

hello!

Peter had a suspicion of plywood,

but I held my breath and hoped really hard...

drat that tar paper!

happy to report that the wood is fir!

funny, 

because the rest of the entire farmhouse is oak & walnut....

but, since the house is ca. 1900 

Peter also thinks that this was initially the only main closet for the entire home

before it was made into a bathroom...

my sweet hubby (and a couple of orbs floating around his head)

 so here is what the bathroom looks like after we took all of the 'wall' junk down

but before the floor was ripped up...

you can see how dark the paint makes this room ~

a fresh start

goodbye red

goodbye mustard

goodbye tiny little painted trees and houses....

original ca. 1940's bathtub

goodbye 10 year old mismatched paint colors and

unpainted drawers...

...goodbye.

****EDITED****
the photo below is NOT of my Dear Hubby *tinkling* in the toidy ...
he is actually taking a cabinet down from the wall behind the loo!!!!
MANY thanks for pointing that out friends!!!! (HAHAHAHAHHA)

even with all the lights on and no window treatments...it's still dark in there!

 Hello to white

hello to clean & bright

hello to new!!!

hello!

(yes, that's me in the mirror ~ sans makeup, un-done hair and wearing an old scrub top)

remodeling is only glamorous on TV!!!!

more to come, stay tuned :)

* Blessed be * 

Lori

A Perfect Sunday ~

it is raining...

woke to the sound of rain on our farmhouse tin roof ~

sometimes that sounds gets into my dreams and turns into music...

quiet, melodic...

... soft music.

then I realized it was pouring!

heavy slanted ice cold rain beating against our old house...

helping to remove years of crackled & chipping paint ~

something that,

 come spring, 

will be another long-awaited project that will be finished up ~

our front yard & donkey paddock is saturated ~

but we need the rain for the wells and gardens.

I never complain about the rain...

I love it.

it washes clean everything and charges the air positively...

...and it's so very pretty to me.

soothing and calming to my sometimes overloaded senses.

Nandina bush wearing her winter scarlet leaves & dripping with raindrop jewels ~

 so today, since the weather is just right ~

we will begin the bathroom project :)

I'll be removing everything from the room, washing everything down,

 and then Peter will begin cutting in and painting ~ YAY!!!!!!!

while he is working on the walls, I'll be doing a little painting myself:

~ this little stand of drawers was made years ago by my brother in law Roy ~

it has served us well and instead of replacing it, 

I will paint it in the same color as the wainscoting 

and trim in the bathroom so it will look like a little built-in ~

little porcelain knobs are perfect for what I have planned....

this room is also the only room in the house that has linoleum on the floor.

...many layers of it. 

Peter said he'll rip it out to reveal the hardwood underneath, 

~ sand it and then polish it.

((oh I cannot wait ~))

blech. oh and sorry about the dust in the corner....good riddance!

 We went to Lowes,

spent an hour in the paint department and decided on these colors:

"Fleecy" 

in a semigloss for the wainscoting and trim

&

"Cotton" 

in a satin for the walls and ceiling

both by Valspar, both with built-in-primer

which will help cover the darker paint ~

happy happy happy!

I've been talking with my sister Louisea about window treatments,

and she suggested a roll up wood blind...

we looked at them at Lowes, but i don't think I like them...(sorry Lou)

Instead, I think I will do what my bff Joan did in her upstairs bath ~

she & her hubby Art hung a beautiful shutter on the window for privacy...

perfect!

we have some antique shutters here that Pete will fit to the bottom half of our window for privacy, so the top-half of the window will still let in light ~

I will need to make a valance ~ 

I've chosen a beautiful crewel fabric that I was given from Kathy B.

a fabulous fabric...

the perfect shade of faded red with cream colored detail

loverly

 it makes my heart sing!

sweet chain stitching

 I think the pop of faded red 

will lend nicely to the creams & whites that I'll use in here...

...what do you think?

well, I'm off ~

going to don my painters clothes

(read: old overalls and a t-shirt)

grab my brushes and oil up the featherweight machine 

for a PERFECT, albeit soggy-day!

Hoping your day is filled with creativity & peace!

* Blessed be * 

Lori

Let the Changes Begin!

OK...

(deep breath)

I am forcing myself to do something 

that I have been wanting to do now for the past couple of years ~

I am ging to begin re-styling my farmhouse one room at a time!

I feel my decor is outdated (for me) now,

the darker colors just don't reflect how I 'feel' anymore...

I want lighter, brighter, cleaner and more simple.

let's call it farmhouse fresh! LOL

so, here is the bathroom ~ "before"

when we moved in 10 years ago,

we gutted each room, added sheetrock (and insulation!)

we updated the plumbing (which was nonexistent) 

and I chose wall colors to match my still-at-the-time Colonial-inspired mindset.

(don't forget, we moved to VA from CT and I decorated in colonial style)

when we finished remodeling and painting,

 I was so happy to have this little farmhouse!

and still am ~

but now

after being here for 10 years

I need a fresher look...

So I will be picking out paint colors for the wainscoting in the bathroom, 

with this being the first room on my 'redux' list

in between stitching & designing,

I'll post pics of my progress so you can all follow along with the transformation :)

and speaking of stitching & designing,

I am working on new Valentines Day & Spring themed projects...

OH! don't forget to pick up your copy of the next Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine too ~

I have a little punch needle project in there for you all :)

Keep warm my Friends!

* Blessed be * 

Lori

Focusing ~

We're 

spending a quiet day at home today...

...have been so busy lately with Christmas preparations 

& merry-making,

 that today is almost like 

a gentle sigh....

now the New Year is right around the corner, 

...and with it comes a change of focus for me.

I'll begin designing new needlework and folk art ~ 

all with a fresh new look...

but keeping my love of primitive whimsy & farmhouse-style alive in them.

I'll begin gathering ideas that I have for revamping the farmhouse...

she's in need of new paint in every room now after 10 years of living in her.

I am going to begin with one room at a time,

removing things that I no longer find useful or needful...

but

I will keep my beautiful collections around me always for inspiration.

I will focus more on this old house and making memories in it for my family & friends...

I will begin the New Year with arms flung open and a warm embrace!

I am humbled at how much my little business has grown in these past couple of years,

and I am thankful to all of you for your support & kindness ~

I can envision us in the year ahead ~

planning, hoping, dreaming...

loving

...with all of you right by our sides.

what a fun adventure awaits us!!

..the New Year will bring new choices ~ colors, patterns, fabrics & threads.

(YAY!)

...new adventures about which I'll share with you all here on this blog...

a fresh start

a clean palette  

a new beginning...

...bring it on 2014!

* Blessed be * 

Lori

Yuletide Blessings ~

To:

Our  Friends & Family ~

wishing you Love in your hearts this Christmas

and Peace in the coming New Year...

M E R R Y      C H R I S T M A S

Wishing you Friendship across the years & miles

and Happiness forevermore...

~ Wishing you a houseful of Laughter and a Lifetime of Memories ~

From:

our little Farmhouse

* Blessed be * 

Peter, Lori & Hannah

~ An American Farmhouse Christmas ~

Finally ~

the farmhouse is decorated for Christmas! 

~ yay!!!

I went with an Americana-theme this year...

...hope you enjoy my pictures :)

stocking made from antique flag

dining room

my ironstone collection

little 'sheep' tree

my 'coffeepot tree' and my collection of blue boxes from Remember When Farm

my collection of old shoes ~ handcarved 'home' sign above was made by my brother in law Tom Parziale

crazy quilt stocking hangs on my chimney cupboard ~
...doll in chair was made by By Thy Hands Tinkerings

little tree in breakfast nook wears vintage pink glass ornaments,
in remembrance of my sister Jo-ene who passed from breast cancer...

keeping room

keeping room

mantel dressed for Christmas

small piesafe was a gift from cousin Charlie many years ago ~ 

santa on left: Fiddlycat, santa in basket: unknown,
 doll on right (wearing Hannah's antlers!): By Thy Hands Tinkerings, dog in doll's lap: Homespun Prims

standing Americana Santa made from flag (maker unknown)

Santa: Stacy Droit, christmas postcard: Lori Ann Corelis, little house on red shelf: Sweet Liberty Homestead,
tiny cat on top shelf, From Sherry's Heart

santa in basket

patriotic santa candy container

Old Glory tree topper

our tree that Hannah & Charlie decorated :)

Peter wants a new truck...so I bought him one! hehe ~

punchinelle tree made by my sister Sharon

my favorite little star quilt

poinsettias in a pewter pitcher (say that 3x fast!)
and a santa on bobbin ~ made by Joan Spalding

We had the pleasure of having Lee & Robin (Millstone Mercantile)

here for dinner yesterday ~ 

we always laugh a lot and enjoy their company...

...it was a nice time to just sit and relax a bit and enjoy each other's company.

Next year, I will be able to enjoy the company of my sister Louisea and her hubby Tom

at holiday time because they will be moving right down the road from us here!!!

I cannot wait!

today cookies will be baked, and last-minute gifts will be finished.

I do have to head out to market to pick up a few stocking stuffers too ~

(((can't forget Iggy's stocking and all of our farm-friends )))

hoping your day is Merry & Bright!

"...and to all a Good Night!"

* Blessed be * 

Lori