Friday, June 28, 2013

{ it's just temporary...}

 
W hat is it that makes us think
...that what we have in our possession
 (at the moment)
truly is 'ours'?
 
take for instance ~
the needlework samplers that hang on my farmhouse walls:
 
I aquire them from different sources,
both on line and in shop...
sometimes as gifts from friends who know how I covet them
and some I even make myself.
 
 
antique unfinished sampler

same sampler as above, close up ~ bottom line reads: 'her exampler'
 what makes me think I own them?
do they not travel through time & space landing in someone's heart for a while,
(hopefully) to be passed to someone else?
 
I am not the owner ~
...I am the temporary caretaker.
 
 
Eliza Chace sampler in wicker tray ~
I want to reproduce this one in blues/browns...
 Some of these that I care for are antique,
some made by the talented hands of needleworker-friends...
all are beautiful in my eyes ~
 
 
top sampler ~ Carriage House Samplings design stitched by Olde Threads
bottom large sampler ~ antique
sampler to right ~ one of my originals.

some big, some small
some in frames
some not.
 
some have damage,
others have repairs ~
 
some come with notes and photos,
most are what I call
"orphans"
~
 

tiny Memorial Sampler from Kathy Barrick's private collection
 some have thee tiniest stitches,
done 1 thread over 1
with tiny hands
and bright, young eyes...
 
some made with more experienced hands and tired, old eyes ~
such as mine.
~
 
Little Brown Dog Sampler ~ a Notforgotten Farm design ~ stitched 1 over one on 40ct linen
 and others,
stitched for pure pleasure and whimsey ~
framed in old frames or new.
 
 
top sampler ~ original model by Kathy Barrick
bottom sampler ~ Barb Bobik (Twobirds~Onestone)
 
Small samplings of linen & thread
that constantly tug at my heartstrings ~
holding precendence in my thoughts and daily routine.
 
chores first, then onto stitching ~
such as they did hundreds of years ago.
 
a favorite quote:
 
God permit industrious angels
Afternoons to play.
~ Emily Dickinson
 
 
 
seeing the past through the eye of a needle....
 
Lori from
Notforgotten Farm

13 comments:

Kathy Barrick said...

What a gorgeous post!

Diane said...

Beauty from the heart and hand.Just wonderful.Thanks for sharing.

Robin in Virginia said...

Simply wow, Lori! I would love to see you reproduce the Eliza Chace sampler in blues and browns. I would be the first one in line to purchase it.

Have a fabulous weekend!

Robin in Virginia

backporchcarver said...

You made me look at my treasures in a totally different light, what a way with words you have. Thanks.

NMK said...

What pretty samplers you are the care taker of ! Such a nice post today, thank you ! Hand made treasures are so special & you just hope your handi work will become special too.

OldeThreads said...

All so beautiful and displayed so well. You are indeed a most wonderful caretaker!

Lynn said...

Lori, please see the 3 emails I have sent to you re a pattern.

Dogwood Farm said...

Wonderful samplers!
Louise

usagypsy said...

Love your post! I have one special needle work piece and it is my parents names and wedding date that my grandmother made them. They have all passed on now and I treasure this lovely needle work. I have never really felt that I "own" it. Just that I'm holding on to it and enjoying it and then passing it down to my daughter. I wonder when my grandmother was stitching it, if she thought about the joy it would bring for generations.

Anonymous said...

My eyes twinkle with glee when I see Notforgotten Farm in my inbox ...today's post explains why. Thank you Lori for saying eloquently what is in many of our hearts ;-)

Anonymous said...

A lovely post~

Anonymous said...

following your thoughts with my heart, lori ~ lovely, lovely, lovely....

rebecca

Shakerwood said...

Well spoke .......