…and we're OFF!

ok, so we don't leave 'til tomorrow ~

but

I'm making my lists & checking them twice,

trying to figure out how many pairs of shoes will fit into my already-overstuffed bags ~

trying to decide what to bring to work on while I'm there…

oh who am I kidding?

 it I'm packing it ALL!

I'm just trying NOT to freak out with excitement that the reality of the 

PSS Spring Retreat & Merchant Market 

is actually HERE!

*oh my stars*

this is gonna be fun.

Ladies & Gents

Sharpen those Needles!

Safe travels to all who will be visiting with us over the weekend ~

~ Blessings from the Farm ~

 Lori

A Garden Swap!!!

Good Monday Morning

~ Friends & Folk ~

…and we have sunshine!

*woot woot*

I know I love to garden ~ and I know a lot of you do as well….

so the timing for this is perfect!

Our friend Rhonda over at

 *** Dirt Road Primitives ***

has created a 

~ Garden Swap ~

I am playing along, 

and hope that many of you decide to also!

hop on over to Rhonda's blog

by clicking the link above to read the rules and sign up :)

This should be

 F U N!!

Enjoy the beginning of another wonderful week my sweet friends!

make it a good one :)

~ Blessings from the Farm ~

 Lori

a Sunday for the Birds ~

Good Morning Friends & Folk ~

we woke to our power out in the middle of the night,

~  and torrential rains pounding our farmhouse's tin roof…

I usually enjoy the sound of rain, 

but this was driving so hard 

that it sounded like a train coming through the front yard!

although soggy, the clouds are promising to part

and hopefully we will see a glimpse of the sun.

my Sunday's are usually house cleaning days ~

while a pot roast simmers or a stew bubbles away,

I like to putter around dusting and sweeping the previous week from the house…

I'll put on my big-band & 1940's music and have at it.

The floors need a good washing 

...from all of the mud we've had lately, 

so that is on the list too

along with going room-by-room and clearing out any & everything 

...that I just don't want/need any longer, 

or that has fallen out of favor with my ever-evolving-taste for my farmhouse decor.

I have been perusing, absorbing and drooling over all of the beautiful photos on 

Pinterest lately of a cleaner, lighter & whiter farmhouse look.

my favorite blogs at the moment for this type of decorating are

 VIBEKE DESIGN

 FARMHOUSE 5540

 Faded Charm

Rustic Farmhouse 

&

 princessgreeneye

I still love primitives, but I am just not happy 

with the dark-ness and dark colors in my decor.

I live in a farmhouse that needs to be lightened up and change is always a good thing, isn't it?

all of the items that I no longer favor from my home will be available at our

Spring Open House & Market

on Saturday, May 23rd 10 ~ 3:00

you never know what you're going to find as I have extremely eclectic taste in decor!!!

My color palette for my needlework and folk art will not change from what it is now ~

the muted, old colors that I still love to work with in my designs will remain, with the addition of a few others I'm sure, so you don't have to worry about that :)

I just need to de-clutter & lighten up my home a bit 

and I think we will be re-doing things one room at a time, 

so I'll share photos with you….

...you can read about our bathroom transformation 

by clicking on the posts below:

Quiet Monday ~

Floored ~

&

Let the Changes Begin!

~~~~~~

Sorry this post is so long today! my stars!!

I have been working away at finished goods for the upcoming PSS Retreat & Merchant Mall 

this coming-weekend

{{{{whaaaaaat?}}}}

my trusty Pfaff treadle has been churning away 

...and I swear I've lost 10 lbs from peddling away on her !! ha!!!

~ just another benefit of how the old ways are best!

I'm working on a few heart-shaped pincushions

with old ticking backing and crewel-work fronts, that I'll be embellishing ~

and finally have  a flock of 12 tiny birds made from old linens, feed sacks and flax fabric

that have been waiting in my basest for me to turn them into 'something'…

right-facing birds ~

and

left-facing birds ~

all made from obsessively hoarded  lovingly-saved scraps of lace, 

small crocheted snippets and tiny pieces of calico's ~

{{these will be all pins to wear}}

Ok, sorry for the long-winded-ness! too much caffeine this morning while waiting for the sunshine!

Hoping you all enjoy the weather, 

~ whatever it is, 

...wherever you are!

~ Blessings from the Farm ~

 Lori

~ Creative Chaos ~

"For me, peace comes when I embrace the beautiful mess that I am ~ 

and that this world is…and just let it be that. "

~ Elizabeth Gilbert

and oh what a mess….

I am in the throes of the final creative week before the upcoming

PSS Retreat & Merchant Mall

full throttle

pedal to the metal

full steam ahead

my sewing room looks like a tornado has come through ~

fabrics piled here and there…

no rhyme-or-reason to 

color

pattern

...or print

loose threads

tangled selvedges

and

buttons

scattered everywhere

not that I am a neat-nic when I create ~

{{{ I tend to leave a trail of 'stuff' all around the farmhouse when I'm creating…}}}

but

when I get in the moment

I just can't stop for housecleaning, eating or

sometimes even sleep…

I go to bed at night thinking about linen, colors, fabrics, threads ~

and wake up the

 exact. 

same. 

way.

I'm working on a little collection of finished textile jewelry

now…

brooches, pins, bracelets & necklaces

made up of spent cloth, old quilts, odds & ends

of things in the bottoms of my sewing baskets & such.

I want to incorporate everything into these tiny bits of wearable art ~

snippets of lace

old fasteners & eyelets

vintage threads

and 

I'll be using these below to make a few unique things too ~

Will share again soon~

Have a most-creative day today my friends!!

~ Blessings from the Farm ~ 

 Lori

Just DUCKY!!!

say

~ h e l l o ~

to my little friends!!

please meet...

" Fred & Ethel "

well hi there!

Fred and Ethel are 'Swedish Black' ducks…

and will grow to be gentle and loving ~

I'm pretty sure that you can already guess 

 ~ how very loved they will be here with us ~

They already come running to us when they spot us coming to feed them :)

we had raised 'Indian Runner' ducks before ~ 

you may remember them, their names were 'Henry & June'

and they were with us for many years….

at the moment, we get mixed up between who's-who…

but I think I have an idea…

and I believe this is Ethel, shown below

standing on Pete's lap ~

~ then I tried to snap a photo of them together in their little coop and….

PHOTO BOMB!

{{{ I'm sure that these two will end up in my folk art & needlework }}} 

hoping your day is filled with friends of all types!!

~ Blessings from the Farm ~

 Lori

A Morning Walk…and other things ~

Good Morning Roxie ~

….wanna go for a walk?

 " 'morning Mom…walk?…um, let me ask Lazy ~"

"Lazy says he's tired this morning Mom…so I'll stay here next to him…that ok?"

"good Roxie…Lazy is an old-man-dog now ~ you're sweet to stay by his side. we'll go for another walk later."

So I headed out alone, 

...with camera in hand ~ for a picture walk instead ~

Hope you enjoy!

Wisteria climbing on the farm shop porch post

a view of the old farmhouse from the garden gate…new wild grape-leaves have sprouted!

little Redbud tree {that my sister Jo-ene gifted me with before she passed almost 5 yrs ago} is doing wonderful

naturalized narcissus grouping growing in our back-woods

they make me so happy!

we replanted some in our smaller beds too

my patch of Lily-of-the-Valley {a gift from my sister Louisea} is spreading and I cannot wait to smell them!

remember the Harry Lauder Walking Stick I showed you a few weeks back?
Mr. Lauder is sporting a new green coat ~

i love the twisting branches and curling leaves on him...

…there is beauty in everything if we take the time to notice ~

for instance ~ my little fairy-moth friend here…didn't even know she was there until I took a closer look :)

or the subtleties of the veins on this newborn iris just waiting to unfurl in the morning sun….

~ or how a cluster of hydrangea blossoms can resemble stars in the sky.

 Little details make a difference in our lives…

and sometimes we don't slow down enough to notice.

I love small nuances of things that make us lean in a little closer to get a better view ~

I try to incorporate that into my folk art & needlework too.

…like adding strips of cotton fabrics to my rug hooking ~

~ just a glimmer of something 'different' to keep our eyes entertained
...and our hearts wanting more ~

here is a sneak peek of a punch needle project that is presently on my frame ~

look for this design in the Winter 2015 Primitive Quilts and Projects magazine ;)

I shared these little canning jars with rusty-lids 

at the VA Rugfest last weekend & they were a BIG hit 

with those of us who use Valdani pearl cottons…

they have that 'farmhouse feel' that I love so much!

... just drop in a ball, and bring the thread up through the smooth-edged hole in the lid ~

no more chasing the cat who is chasing my thread around the house! 

YAY!

plus, they're just plain sweet-as-pie, aren't they?

I'll Be bringing some along with me to the 

PSS Retreat & Merchant Mall too ~

but in the meantime, they are now in my Etsy shop!

Farmhouse Ball Jars

….and I HAVE to share my new hook with you all ~

isn't she a beauty?

she is sterling silver and brass ~ 

very fancy for this down-home farmwife and hooker!!

love love

look how she fits the palm of my hand…

so very pretty and comfy :)

the brass ferrule and hook is SO SMOOTH to my tired hands…

just pure pleasure to hook with ~

and just look at the detail in her handle…

made from antique flatware and engraved with the letter "M"

{{{which I am saying stands for all "MINE"}}}

:)

I purchased one for me, one for Felicia and one for Joan….

each one as different & unique as we are

 {HA!}

YOU can be the keeper of one of these beautiful sterling hooks by visiting my sweet friend

Lisanne Miller at www.PisforPrimitive.com or her Etsy shop:

"P is for Primitive" 

Hoping you all have a wonderful day filled with beautiful things ~ 

great and small….

~ Blessings from the Farm ~

 Lori