Tuesday, May 15, 2012

My New England Upbringing ~



Growing up along the coastal waters of Connecticut, I have a yearning for anything that relates to the maritime...ships, boats, shells, fish & mermaids and particularly, or more Peculiarly....
...WHALES.
(((Lately, I've been drawing WHALES.)))
I've been researching the history of whaling along the upper regions of
Massachussets and Rhode Island...
Narragansett, Cape Cod...Ipswich & Nantucket...
I've watched a couple of shows on whalers and whaling communities.
How they did what they did with such crude & rudimentary tools is beyond belief.
I'm not one that favors hurting animals (at ALL.) but I know that Whaling was crucial to the development of the Nation ~ the by-products of the whale were needed, and as such, brave men ventured forth ~ sometimes for years ~ chasing the huge, elusive creatures...

So, my creative muse has taken hold of me once again,
and I am working with needle and thread to put my thoughts to design...

(on my frame is a work-in-progress...that includes a whale, and of course...a witch)


shown in sepia tones until the finish...




but being raised in New England, I find myself being even thriftier than ever in today's economy.
I found 15 skeins of DMC floss at a local thrift shop for $1.00 ~ uh huh, that's right. I snapped them up and am using them in the above project...





but, just because I was raised a thrifty Yankee, doesn't mean that everyone doesn't like a bargain or the hunt for one...such fun in finding something in a dusty corner that we didn't know we yet needed ~
I'm sure you all are thrifty in your own right.






My decorating tends to reflect my frugality, too...
this little white pitcher was 50 cents at a barn sale last weekend...
the little black-iron bird (which I think is a lamp finial) was a mere 2.00.






the photos, below were found in our attic here in the old farmhouse when we renovated,
the flicker candle is from the Dollar Store, and of course, the Lavender is home-grown...
not alot of money spent on my favorite farmhouse look ~






...another little pitcher, (below) a larger ironstone pitcher (with a beautiful chip), a tiny birdhouse gifted from a friend (Thank you Tammy!) and a jar candle made by another friend, with a copy of an old sampler simply pasted on and wrapped with stained osnaburg ~
is all my salvaged mantle-scape needs...it fills my heart without breaking a very tight budget.




So, call me a Yankee, call me a spendthrift...call me whatever you'd like to ~
but, don't believe for a minute that I'm any different from those of you who do the same thing
and live to create something from nothing, reuse, repurpose & recycle...

In fact, it is quite the compliment to me,
knowing that I have so many friends, such as yourselves, that do & enjoy the same...

I'll share the finish of my WIP on my next post ~

Blessings from the Farm!

Lori

8 comments:

CodmanPoint said...

Have you had a chance to read "In the Heart of the Sea" by Nathaniel Philbrick? (The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex)which is the true story that inspired Melville to write "the best book eh-ver" [as my children know to respond]. Love what I can discern of your work there!!

Anonymous said...

Lori,
I understand your love of New England and being drawn to seaside things. I have always had an innate feeling of my soul being drawn to the Eastern coastline. It's funny-I've always had a feeling like in another life I was a whaler's daughter. Funny, but true. Love New England. It's beautiful and rich with history. I can't help but continue to feel the 'pull'.

Emily

Cherry's Prairie Primitives said...

I am such a history buff!! I loved hearing about your whaling!! Looks like you got some great things!!

newburyarts said...

*****we live in a sea captain's house circa 1730 in newburyport, ma. this time of year we especially feel the connection to all things regarding the sea, whales in particular. the saying, use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without...certainly typifies we new englanders. foggy and rainy
as i write this post. cheers!!!

Caroline Dlugy-Hegwer said...

I love your new design! I am right with you and all things sea related. I spent all my vacations in a little town of Normandie as I was growing up, and I ever since yearned to live near the sea.

Anonymous said...

OK- I'm hooked after just one read! I stumbled upon your blog while looking through a link of a link. I honestly don't know how I got here but I certainly found home! I am also a "primsical artist" from the CT coast. Though I live in TX now- I am busy creating New England sea critters including whales. My Great Grandfather was a whaler and invented many whaling gun parts and left a legacy of amazing tales. Nice to know I'm not the only thrifty Yankee whale lover out here!

Kindest regards!

Unknown said...

Love the whale! NOt something I would have thought of...but it's really neat!!!

http://www.loganmakesamess.com/2012/05/war-between-states-quilt.html

Jennifer said...

I've lived in Ohio for over 20 years but I miss my "colonial" home, New Jersey. Yeh, the place has gotten a bad rap lately with the "Shore" and the "Housewives", but I still love it. I inherit frugality from my grandparents and a treasure that ancestral gift even more these days.