Friday, May 30, 2014

a little progress and some inspiration ~


Happy Friday Folks!

it has been hot, humid and rainy these past few days ~ 
so that keeps me indoors pretty much…
...humidity & I aren't very good friends.

so between processing and packing orders,
I've made a little more progress on my sampler's border:


wasn't sure how I wanted to stitch this ~ should I chart it first then stitch?
or let my needle and hands dictate how the border will turn out….


I like the way my designs work up when I don't over-think them…
I usually chart all of my designs first on my computer,
and I'll spend hours tweaking them to make sure they are perfect ~
BUT
sometimes perfect isn't what I want ~
sometimes perfect means imperfect. 
...(to me).

I want that old look.
...that look that the old samplers have 
where the child or girl or woman just stitched on her linen...
or the teacher suggested the motifs 
and let the student's imagination and needle guide her.

...so I let me needle guide me.


hard to see, but my corners are all wonky ~ meaning, they meet up, but aren't the same or "mirrored" like they would be if I had charted this first then stitched it.
 I love working this way,
without any suggestion of a design…
just my mind wandering like the vines & leaves I'm stitching.

this process is very freeing to me and keeps me wanting to stitch more and more to see what the finished work will look like :)

sometimes I use a hoop,
…a very small wooden hoop.
but usually, 
I stitch in-hand
with my linen rolled up on one side as I work….


even though I mostly stitch my samplers in-hand,
I can never pass up a tiny wooden embroidery hoop at an antiques shop…
such as this recent acquisition above ;)


I also can never pass up old crocheted pieces…
doilies, runners, curtains…
even these:


a gaggle of crocheted window-shade pulls from the 1920's


just LOOK at all the work that went into these!
I simply can't stand seeing them sitting sadly in a box in a dusty old shop….



beautiful 

some even have the tiny little hardware pieces on the ends 
where they would be attached to the shade….

I am seeing them in a different light, though ~ 
I have an idea for using these in a different way 
where they can be appreciated once again for their beauty…
stay tuned for that!!!


Hmmmm….I have an idea!


and I have also begun to get my ducks in a row 
...and begin working on finished goods for the up-and-coming


I've chosen my fabrics in different shades to begin my work ~


grey/blues


mustards/greens

orange-y reds

and brown beiges
I'll use these fabrics as backings & bindings for my small finished pieces….
I cannot wait to be at the From Our Hands Show!!!

I know you will love it too, so please join us if you can :)

Have a beautiful day my friends ~


* Blessed be * 
Lori

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Repurposing & an interview ~


Last week, 
while running errands in town ~
I stopped into friend Robin's shop in Madison Heights, VA
{Millstone Mercantile}
and bought these old sewing drawers…


beautifully carved

 they needed a new home 
so I bought them from her and took them here to the farm…


set of three antique sewing drawers


once I got them home,
I took them apart and sanded them down just a bit ~




then I pulled out the paint ~
I chose VALSPAR's 
Belle Grove Antique White in a satin finish…



pretty color ~ not a 'white' white, more of a grayish white


and I painted them…
they began to take on new life 
as the paint brought out their detailed carvings even more…

...they began to look refreshed…
almost relieved to wear something pretty again.

they looked happy now to me :)



a new dress


while I waited for the paint to dry ~
I gathered a few eggs 
and checked on our sitting hen…
as of last night, a couple the eggs in her nest were starting to crack
so that tells me today we will enjoy another little brood of chicks!



fresh eggs are thee best

I checked the paint and it was a bit wet,
so I heard a little voice calling to me ~

it was Tiggy ~


"come play with me!"

 so I happily obliged…
(of course)

and then Sugar Britches wanted some loving 
and began to sing me kitten songs…



hello


 and Mickey had to be involved…
no loving going on without him, he says…



love the fur coming out of his ears


after the kittens got what they needed,
I went into my sewing room and made this:


sawdust-filled pincushion w/ salmon colored cotton patch


and I put the pincushion on this:


perfect fit on top of the freshly-painted sewing drawers


and a tiny honeybee inspected my work ~

"do you approve?" I asked
"beeeeautiful" was his reply…
(sorry, couldn't resist)



the inspector

 and then I brought those sewing drawers into the farmhouse…
…and smiled.



welcome home


she fits right in here,
don't you think?


happy once again


If you get the chance, please visit the blog of my publisher ~ 

they were kind enough to humble me with an interview of my latest book…





* Blessed be *
 Lori

Monday, May 26, 2014

A beautiful weekend!!! ~ some random snaps….


our weather has been absolutely beautiful for us this weekend ~
high & dry
sunny & warm….
just perfect!

we have been dining alfresco, on the porch with friends & family
(even family of the feathered-kind)

here is our Mr. Peaches,
enjoying his raisin bagel and tangerine with us on the porch ~


Hi Peach!

he also enjoys a sip-or-two of coffee from Peter's mug…





Peach loves to hang out with us….
he yells at us to let him out of his cage, so we happily comply :)






here is Iggy ~ 
watching Peaches outside on the porch….



Iggy is strictly an indoor-man ~ 

of course I have been enjoying some stitching…


i love linen and thread


and I wanted to show you the mantel decorated for Summer ~
nothing fancy, or patriotic (my flags are outside)
but just simple and sunny.

yes, our big black flat screen TV is hung above the mantel, and we love it up there, but Peter said he'll build 'something' to cover it up, perhaps a cupboard door?

see the two architectural pieces on either side of the screen?
I picked them up at Blue Sky Cottage here in Madison Heights, VA…
I love them, they are from an old farmhouse so of course I had to have them…



our Summertime mantel

 architectural piece on the left of the screen ~


my old children's brooms and a small red scalloped shelf


and the one on the right ~



a couple of samplers and tombstone angel castings 



the hanging angel w/ wings was made by my friend Cindy Baker (Mountain Hollow)
the other two were made by Netty LaCroix
I stitched the sampler…






I have a 'thing' for small ironstone pitchers, 
...so I put some flowers in two and placed them on the ends of the mantel
I'm always on the lookout for them :)



~ things that make me smile ~



Hoping you find many things that make you smile today!!

* Blessed be *
 Lori

Sunday, May 25, 2014

A Memorable Weekend ~


~ Wishing you all a most enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend ~
hoping you get to spend some time relaxing...
and remembering those 
who have proudly served 
or are serving 
our country. 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We will enjoy a picnic supper today,
our menu will be:

~ beef kabobs on the grill
~ seven layer salad
~ homemade strawberry/blueberry shortcakes

~::~ ~::~ ~::~ ~::~ ~::~ ~::~ 

Charlie will come for his usual Sunday visit,
 and Peter & I will 
work a little in the garden ~
...then I will settle in to my chair on the porch 
& do some serious stitching on a new needle-roll design…
(: in between playing with kittens & new baby chicks :)

PLEASE NOTE:
the shop here at the farm will be 
CLOSED
from
 MAY 30th to JULY 11th
for some much-needed down-time.

...the ETSY SHOP will remain 
OPEN 
for your mail orders.

here are a few snaps of around the farm for you ~


old sign I painted on wood



my foxgloves


love them



Billy, our peacock showing off for you ~



our farmhouse porch



flying our colors



Saint Francis ~
watching over us all
...here at Notforgotten Farm


"...These heroes are dead.  They died for liberty - they died for us.  They are at rest.  They sleep in the land they made free, under the flag they rendered stainless, under the solemn pines, the sad hemlocks, the tearful willows, and the embracing vines.  They sleep beneath the shadows of the clouds, careless alike of sunshine or of storm, each in the windowless Place of Rest.  Earth may run red with other wars - they are at peace.  In the midst of battle, in the roar of conflict, they found the serenity of death.  I have one sentiment for soldiers living and dead:  cheers for the living; tears for the dead. …"

~Robert G. Ingersoll


* Blessed be * 
Lori

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Thursday Morning Muses ~

Good Morning Friends & Folk!
and a beautiful thursday morning it is ~

sunny & bright
blue skies and white fluffy clouds overhead…
it's early morning here at the farm and the roosters are crowing away

Iggy is ready to get our day rolling by lending a helping paw~
he usually sleeps in ~ but me thinks the woodpecker knocking on the house this morning 
woke us both up very early indeed….

good morning sleepy Igmeister :)

 when I went out our porch door to shoo-away the woodpecker,
I almost stepped on her :
a little blue-tailed skink that lives in our fire pit ~


I catch them, flip them over in my hand and rub their bellies…they usually fall fast-asleep!
love their racing-stripes too :)


I showed you my little mother of pearl sparrow-button needle minder that I made in a previous posting,
and a few of my readers asked if I would be selling any in my Etsy shop ~
the answer is yes, I will ~
BUT these can be easily made from old shell buttons, bakelite buttons, or metal buttons as well ~
you just need a pair of small round magnets (in the kids craft aisle at Walmart or dollar store)
some E-6000 glue, and buttons of your choice ~

here are a few of my favorites that I made yesterday ~ 
...I displayed them on an old metal washboard:


button, button…..

 ...all sizes and styles
from plain to fancy ~


love my buttons!

 this one below, is my favorite ~
it is large…about 3 inches across and I love the carving too!


pretty


then there is this molded bakelite button 
in the shape of a flower….



what's in your button jar???

 and I've made small progress on that little stitching I'm doing for an upcoming design ~
I've finished x-ing the basket, leaves and almost done with one initial….



my 40ct linen, dmc threads ~


but I wanted to add a little 'something' to the flower, 
so I used french knots to fill in…
I love making french knots!
(colonial knots too)
whats the difference?
to find out
:)


"She watched and taught the girls that sang at their embroidery frames while the great silk flowers grew from their needles.  ~Louise Jordan Miln, The Feast of Lanterns"



and so I'll leave you with that…
hoping you all enjoy a wonderful day doing why you love to do!

* Blessed be * 
Lori