Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
peep peep!
I came around the side of the barn....
because they like to swoop down and 'help' the chickens eat their cracked corn.
yepper...four of thee cutest, thumb-sized little 'ditties' (baby chicks)...
...each one a different color!
there's a red one with a black spot on it's head
~ a white one with little white stripes...
I'm trying to catch 'Pixie', their momma
(who is my smallest banty-hen)
but she keeps going back under the barn
and setting on the nest again.,..
right now I can't tell if there's more eggs,
but I'll soon find out I guess!
in the meantime, the 'ditties' are in the house with us,
safe & snug in a little wooden box with fresh hay
& some sugar-water...
they've even begun to scratch around
in the dish of mash
I made for them!!!
I went to the VA Rug Fest on Saturday with my Friend Jane...
we had a wonderful time and saw the fantastic rugs everyone had up for show...
saw some old friends, and of course, bought great wools from Rebecca Erb (my fav!)
(I'm such a dolt, that I forgot my camera, but Jane took pics...thanks for that Jane!)
Good Witch
pattern:
to the 'cat shaker'...
I cannot begin to tell you how AWESOME this rug is in person!
GREAT JOB KATHY!!!!!
I'm finishing up a little booklet today, called
"HERB TYME"
it contains primitive line drawing patterns to hook, stitch or punch,
along with some folklore of Herbs...
to purchase one for $10.00
and will continue to offer my patterns & such in an affordable way!)
we're really looking forward to her & her girls coming...
~Lori~
Friday, March 27, 2009
On the Road Again!!!!
i do apologize...
and preparing to leave for Tennessee on April 2nd ~
to VA. from Tenn. come the first week of April....
my Mom & sister Sharon will be coming down from CT. by train on April 1st,
spend the night here at the farm and then
I'll drive us down to Jo's to help her load up the vehicles
& big truck for the move up!!!
Jo has been in the Nursing field for almost 8 years, and when she was diagnosed, she was working as a Hospice Nurse, helping other families cope with their trials, all the while raising two
beautiful young women alone...
They arrive in their motor-home and usually visit for a week.
life is too short to grumble about each other.
we can do more by forgiving and forgetting.
how they can make the best of it....
Tomorrow (saturday) is the VA. Rug Fest.
it's a self portrait of how I feel when I'm creating...
I'm always dancing with ideas in my head...
everyday!
Monday, March 23, 2009
A Great Weekend!
it's still a bit cold here today, but the sun is warming it up...
I sure can't complain!!
...have you ever had days just 'come together' for you?
meaning, everything that you planned on doing or finishing, got done or finished?
then, unexpected pleasantries followed by having someone get in touch with you about something that just filled your heart?
This past weekend was just that for me.
Wonderful!
li'l blue calico sewing pocket that hangs on your wall or cupboard door...
Both are up on ebay now....
and,
Saturday I had the pleasant company of some friends
that came in for a Needle Punch class...
(l-r)
Sharon, Peggy, Pat, Fay and Cindy
(that's Felicia in the background on the phone!)
I'll be teaching a
Primitive School Girl Sampler/Cross Stitch class
I will teach you all of the basics you need to know to complete your own Original Sampler!
you can email me at not4got@aol.com to sign up,
or call me at 434-263-6508
~~~~~~~~~((~~~~~~~~~~~~((~~~~~~~~~~~~
so far I have about 10 vendors!
tonight I'll watch Twilight and sew on a sampler for the Pharsalia show!
Lori
Friday, March 20, 2009
Welcome, welcome....Spring ~ and other facts
the rites of Spring are many & diverse throughout our world,
so I thought I might share some with you!
the phrase literally translates to 'Spring's Equal Night',
meaning, on this day the amount of daylight & darkness will be equal...also, the poles or gravitational pulls of our mother Earth align perfectly, thus,
you are able to stand an egg on it's 'round' end
(try it, it's fun!!)
~ Wiccans celebrate the Sabbats of Ostara on this day...
regardless of the weather, the windows of the old farmhouse will be opened, letting in much needed fresh air in the stale rooms that have been closed up all year.
to release any negative energies that have gathered
in the house over the past year...
I will take down the curtains, wash them and hang them in the sun to dry.
farms & lives for the upcoming Spring Season...
Here are a few of my favorites...you'll get a chuckle from some of these!
*Pure atmospheric air is composed of nitrogen, oxygen and a very small proportion of carbonic acid gas. Air, once breathed, has lost it's oxygen, and aquired a proportionate increase of carbonic acid gas. Therefore, good health requires that we breathe in the same air once only.
(well, that should prove interesting the next time you're on a subway.)
*Light excersizes an important influence upon the growth and vigor of animals and plants. Therefore, our dwellings should freely admit the Sun's rays.
(hmmm...no more late night at the office for me then!)
(what about nails stained from coffee and tea dye?)
(haha! don't come to my house!!)
(wow...what a great excuse to buy more books!))
*Better economize in buying furniture than scrimp on good books.
(now, does that pertain to magazines too?)
and finally...
Be not afraid to work, and diligently, too, with your own hands. Treat everyone with civility and respect. Good manners insure success. Acomplish what you undertake. Decide, then perservere. Diligence and Industry overcome all difficulties. Never be mean - rather give than take the odd shilling. Never postpone till tomorrow what can be done today. Never anticipate wealth from any source of labor. Honesty not only is the best policy, it is the only policy. Commence at the first round and keep climbing. Make your word as good as your bond. Seek knowledge to plan, enterprise to execute, honesty to govern all. Never give too large credit. Time is money. Reckon the hours of the day as so many dollars, the minutes as so many cents. Make few promises and keep the ones you make. Keep your secrets. Live within your income. Sobriety above all things. Luck is a word that does not belong to a successful man or woman. Not too much caution, slow but sure is the thing. The highest monuments are built piece by piece. Step by step we mount the pyramids. Be bold. Be resolute when the clouds gather. Difficulties are surmounted by opposition. Self confidence is your key, self reliance, your lock. Your conscience is the best monitor. Never be over-sanguine, but do not overrate your own abilities.
Don't be discouraged.
~Lori~
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
a tiny visitor...
there...a little red blur in the window?
We have a beautiful boy Cardinal that visits everyday...
he comes to the front window where my
out-of-control Bittersweet vine
grows up and under our front porch roof...
it meanders it's way in front of the window, and along the old blue ceiling.
The vine has created almost basket-like bunches or gnarls and twists,
making perfect little nests that, apparently attract birds.
...this chipper fellow comes even whilst still dark, about 6:30 am.
he ruffs his feathers, shakes his tail and pecks at his reflection in the window glass!!
(vanity, thy name is...bird-boy!)
Of course, the cats are out of their furry little minds because of the commotion...
I came back in this morning, from feeding the sheep and chickens,
to find the curtains torn down
and the lamp toppled over...
there sat Suzy & Sam...pointing to each other in blame of the chaos...
of course, i chastised them and blamed them both...
no favoritism here.
I was hoping to get better pictures of the boy-bird,
but he's a skittery little bugger...
won't hold still but for a sliver of a moment.
I'm hoping to tame him a little by leaving him some
black oil sunflower seeds...
maybe then he'll pose for me?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As you go through your day & evening today,
please keep my dear Friend,
Sherry Kristoff (fromsherrysheart847 on ebay) and her sweet hubby John
in your prayers...
John is undergoing surgery
and Sherry
is under alot of stress because of it...
thanks my friends!!!
~ALSO~
a reminder
March 28th is the
Virginia Rug Fest
http://www.geocities.com/varugfest/index.html
I, of course, will be attending yet again this year...
not vending, but shopping & enjoying the show!
SO ~ If you are riding with me, let me know please!!!
so I can get a head count...thanks!!!
well I'm off to the farmhouse...
I have a big pot of corned beef and cabbage on the woodstove
(yep, it's cold again.)
Happy St. Patrick's Day everyone!
Sunday, March 15, 2009
a math quiz....and more!!!
I have trouble figuring out change.
...with a calculator.
3 days of Soaking Rain
+
One 1/4 acre Freshly Tilled Garden
+
Virginia's Infamous Red Clay Soil
_________________________
and he looks like he's got a big old pricker-stick stuck to him....
Remember in a previous post that I mentioned a
BIG SURPRISE?
HERE
IS!!!!
You are cordially invited to attend our
1st annual
Gathering of Primitive Friends
at Notforgotten Farm
10:00 ~ 5:00
RAIN -or- SHINE!!!
This one day, outdoor event will take place
in the large field next to our shop...the shop will also be open...
antiques dealers and folk artisans
to come together to sell their wares here at the farm!
Mercantile Gatherings magazine
the Wool Street Journal -and-
Country Register of VA (MD, WV...)
in a beautiful down-home atmosphere!!!!
Friday, March 13, 2009
The Wedding Singer ~
The Wedding Singer!!!
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
How do you like your Eggs? ~
I make these every spring ~
~Red Beet Eggs~
8 hard boiled eggs, shelled
(I like to use apple cider vinegar for better flavor)
stir and then place in shelled eggs.
refridgerate over night for better flavor, can be kept for 2-3 weeks in fridge,...
(I usually keep adding new eggs once the original eggs are eaten)
our chickens are free-range, so they lay where they please.
were colored last year...
here's how to make them:
boil 6 large white eggs in salt water (1/2 c. in 4 c. water)
*you will not be eating these!!!*
drain cooked eggs and let cool completely...
in a saucepan, add about 2 handfuls of yellow onion skins (not red onion skins!)
and add 4 cups water...bring to a boil, then simmer...
you'll need some old knee high's or old stockings for the next part...
to make stencils for the eggs, cut our your design from parchment paper...
wet your stencil and place on cooled egg...now wrap your egg, covering stencil, with a piece of stocking (approx. 5" x 5" square...) and tie off with a twist tie...continue to do this for each egg.
now place eggs into dye bath and simmer for at least an hour,
or longer until your desired shade of dye is achieved...once dyed, let entire pot of liquid and eggs cool completely...now you're ready to snip off your stocking and peel away your paper stencil.
dry each egg with a paper towel, then coat each egg with a light rub of vegetable oil...this will help 'seal' the eggshell, and make them shine a little...
place eggs in a bowl or straw-filled basket to display...
Eggs like this were made by the PA Germans (and still are!) and some have survived over 50 years with careful handling...
make sure you don't break one of these old eggs...you'll have to evacuate your house if you do!
PHEEEWWWW!!!!!!!!
Eggs have long been a symbol of fertility and rebirth,
so what better motif to be used for spring ?...
take a look at the members' offerings up on my group,
blestb
(link on my sidebar)
you'll see so many eggs done up in different ways~
Hooked, Stitched, Stuffed...Wool, Thread, etc...
wonderful stuff!
~~~~~~~~
I'm working on a bunch of different things today...got my hook out and am actually hooking a little 'something' to list tonight on ebay...
I'm also punching and stitching, and working on that little needle weaving booklet that I hope to release real soon...
~ AND ~
I have a BIG suprise coming soon...I'll be telling you all about it in the next couple of posts,
I have some kinks to work out and preparations to make, but I'll give you a hint...
How would you feel about visiting with me here in the Fall?
STAY TUNED !!!!!
have a wonderfully creative day, friends,
why not bake a treat for your family, don't forget to add your love...
it makes it that much sweeter for them...
~Lori~
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Some Farmhouse Photos and other stuff! !!
(can't wait till the woodstoves are all finished for the season
and I can get the soot off of the windows !!)
~ our 'front parlor' ~
rockers...a true make-do piece and I found it at
the dump!
(really!!!)
in that child's wheel barrow...so pretty!
yepper.
46 years old & still falling down.
(stop laughing Sherry!)
I was helping my husband bring in our two baby guinea hens for the night...
one of them was in a tree above our duck's run, and the other was on top
Peter grabbed the frist one, and said to me
"why don't you climb up on the chicken coop & get the other one?"
Now, why do I listen?
(I was up about 5 feet off the ground)
well, my feet didn't cooperate, and did I mention I wasn't
wearing my glasses and that it was dark out?
and started falling backwards, guinea still in hand...
well, knowing she could fly & I couldn't, I let her go...
Up and Over me she went...
Up and Over me went my feet, and
5 feet down, in the chicken yard,
...in chicken poop.
I banged up my left shin
(from the falling wooden ramp, which landed on me)
scraped up my right arm/elbow
(from landing on the ground)
and I smelled reeeally bad....
who, by the way, was in the duck's coop yelling:
"are you ok? are you OK????"
I couldn't breathe, but squeaked out the words,
"fell....down...hard....leg...hiney."
and what do you think he said to me when he stumbled over me in the dark?
ahhhh.....22 years of wedded bliss....
Monday, March 09, 2009
Howdy-doo!!!
some motifs into the corners of the frame...it came out SO old looking!
I can't wait for my tulips...my daffy's aren't even up all the way yet
and here I am dreaming of tulips...
well, not just tulips.
in the front of the farmhouse...
little white picket fence,
...the whole shebang.
I'll get glorious climbing roses, all varieties and colors...
rosemary, lavender, tyme...oh I can almost smell them all now!
and garden antiques...can't have a garden without some PRIMSICAL
garden antiques...urns, pots, benches...birdhouses and...
CHAIRS!
can you see them?
I found these two, skeletel remains
of what once were (and in my opinion, STILL ARE!!!)
BEAUTIFUL
wire garden chairs...
rusty, peel-y, bent....
PERFECT!!!!!
I bought them both at our
local Animal Shelter Thrift Shop
for......
$2.00 each!
They're so structural, yet
almost invisible until you're right on them...
(which is why I'll coat them with clear protector and
place a potted geranium on each seat...)
I don't want anyone tripping over them and breaking an ankle!
great find, huh?
We'll be planting our potatoes & onions by St. Patricks day to ensure a good harvest, then our peas and cabbages will go in...then I can start thinkin' about tomatoes....
What are your Garden Plans this year???
***PLEASE***
visit my NEW HALLOWE'EN ART BLOG!!!!
I've uploaded a ton of my past works over there and have a TON more to add!!!
stop on over for a visit and tell me what you think of my Hallowe'en Art...
(I really do love it!)
and leave a comment over there for me!!
the Deare Ladyes of Threade blog will be updated soon, I'll post here when it is updated...
thanks always for visiting with me, I do enjoy your company!!!
~Lori~
Friday, March 06, 2009
What A BEEautiful Day!!!!!!
temps in the 60's...all the snow is GONE!
woohoo!!!!!
to where the creek runs...
the water was running steadily, from the melting snow on the Blue Ridge Mountains....
fresh, clear, crisp, cold spring water....Ahhhhh...
and the pussywillows that my friend Jane gave me have sprouted tiny, hair-like roots.
I'll plant these down next to the cool creek, where they grow best...
it's this hill that will become blazen with yellow & white daffodil,
tiny, tri-blossom narcissus and
even tinier grape hyacinth...
of course, I'll post pictures when they are in full bloom!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Yesterday, I went to one of my fav antique malls,
Blue Moon Antiques
here in Nelson Co.
I found this sweet as a button child's wheelbarrow!!!
(Thanks Joan, you always have thee best stuff!!!)
I plan on filling it up with easter eggs, then I think I'll put in a nice little potted ivy...It may stay on my harvest table, or it may move to my dry sink...
I'll let you know where it ends up!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hannah has been practicing after school until 8:00 pm for 3 weeks now ~
She has 3 parts in the high school musical, "The Wedding Singer"
it is based in the 1980's and she is getting quite the kick out of my old pictures of my with my HUGE hair, humongo earrings & shoulder pads...we've found some excruciatingly gaudy bridesmaids dresses in teal & peach (what were we thinkin?) so she can wear for her parts...we also found a pair of shiny pleather skin-tight leggings for her to wear under a black sequined miniskirt...
(watch out Madonna!!)
Opening night is on March 13, a week from tonight.
I can't tell you how proud we are of her,
she maintains an A/B average, is in French, Drama, Concert Band and is always in a good mood lately...although she's tired, she hasn't complained one bit...
(I'm so proud of you my little honeygirl!)
Who knows, maybe I'll be at the Oscars someday watching her acceptance speach?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
did you see the fluttering of crows wings on my sidebar?
have you clicked on them to see where they might take you?
if you did, please let me know what you think by leaving a comment or two over there...
I'm really excited about it!!!
Well folks, off to the farmhouse,...that little needle weaving I started the other day STILL isn't finished...I do get sidetracked with other creative endeavors, but I will post pics of it when I'm done!
Speaking of which, I do think I'll write alittle instruction booklet for those that would like to learn Needle Weaving...seems like that is the popular vote!!!
I'm always pleased when you come in & visit with me,
and as you know, I like to email you back when you leave me comments...
it fills my heart to know that my blog makes you happy!!!
Have a *PEACEFUL* evening...
take the time tonight to visit the night & the beautiful sky....
~Lori~
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Finished!
For some reason, our Roosters (we have 3)
have decided to start crowing about 4:00 am lately...
don't believe what you hear about Roosters only crowing at daybreak.
I don't think they can tell time....
what the heck will we do Sunday morning with the time change?
Anyhooooo ~
I've finished up two projects for ebay:
(or other sewing needfuls, or make-up, or glasses, or....?)
...and this is a pin pillow that can hang from a peg or cupboard door.
Both are my original designs, and are just so Spring-y !
I'm still working on that needle-weaving project that I told you about, I'll have that finished early this aft & will show you then....
I'll be framing that piece,
(I'll paint it, but have to decide what color)
Now I'm heading back to the farmhouse to have my fruit & yogurt...
the little hens are starting to brood,
so we should be gathering plenty of little pullet-sized eggs soon!
(Hmmm...could THAT be why the Roosters are up SO early?)
Have a *SPARKLING* day filled with all things inspiring to you!!
~Lori~