Monday, June 12, 2017

~ In the Background ~


Working on 'When Pigs Fly #2' every chance I get ~

yesterday was TOO hot to be outside on the patio,
but this morning it is loverly ~
a nice easterly cool breeze through our little 'hollow'
is rustling the chocolate mint 
and sending scents of lavender and rosemary throughout the farmyard... 

here is my progress thusfar:


filling in the background now, 
after outlining all motifs with the darker Valdani pearl cotton...
the tape you see around my punch needle helps to cushion my poor farmwife fingers...
it is simply atheltic tape and comes on and off easily. 
{ please pardon the dirt on the tape tho ~ I was picking fresh herbs this morn betwixt punching }

★ ★ ★ ☆ ★ ★ ★
 

here is our humongous chocolate mint patch...
this has come back now for three yrs, each year bigger!
 

 I know I'm showing only the back of this WIP, but I don't want to remove it from the gripper frame until this one whole side is filled in completely....
 

the snipped-threads look awful, but the front is amazing!
{soon very soon} 


half a pig is done!
the scoundrel that he is...
 

I had mentioned in a previous posting that this design takes 12 colors of Valdani #8 pearl cotton...
and that all 12 colors are in my 'Autumn at Notforgotten Farm' Valdani Designer collection 
{avail in my Etsy shop} 
but, after beginning the outlining and background, I have found 
that you WILL need ONE additional ball each of the background colors,
which are P11, O548 & O540 for a total of 15 balls of Valdani #8
and I will then fill in the remainder of the background using DMC 310 - black 
for added contrast to the variegated pearl cottons.


the model for the CROSS STITCH version has landed in the hands 
of my able-bodied and nimble fingered stitcher, Beth ~ 
and I cannot wait to see that done up as a companion to this punched version... 


we will also be offering this design as a Rug Hooking pattern, on paper and linen...
although there won't be a hooked model per se,  the colors on this punched version should be good inspiration for your rug hooking color planning :)


and here is sweet momma Pepper... 
her puppies have been weaned, so now she is putting some weight back on ~
2 of her babies left home on Saturday:
one brown male going home with our daughter Hannah! {his name is now 'Grizzly'}
and another male, a black one going home with a coworker of Hannah's
{who's name is now 'Nikko'}
Another two will be heading to their homes soon...
of course we are keeping one,
the biggest, fattest boy! 
he is huge, and we have named him Big Black ~ 
after the lovable TV personality of Christopher Boykin who passed away just last month.
He is known for his role as the sweet sidekick to Rob Dyrdek on the 'Rob & Big' show.


Have a most-pleasant and creative day my friends!!!
Blessings from the Farm
 ~ Lori

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Everything you put your hands to turns to magic, Lori, I swear! That punch piece is going to be another work of art...how you give such movement and color to your designs! Your gardens are lovely...I can just smell the chocolate mint wafting on the young summer's breeze...Tell Big Black he's a handsome fellow!

Jacqueline said...

Am looking forward to seeing this one finished in the punching and the cross stitch. I am a stitcher and hooker but not a puncher so am glad that you are offering the pattern in different formats.

NMK said...

T
This just looks so amazing !!!! Love all the pretty colors !!!! A question for you , when you move this piece to do the rest of the design , will threads pull out as you release it from the gripper strips ?
The Momma dog is beautiful & she looks big !!! So nice you daughter has a puppy too !!!
It is very HOT here today .... Hot flashes & heat don't mix well at all !!!!

Cheryl R said...

So happy i can read all your news today.
Im envious of that mint..
your new creation is really coming together.
Glad the pups are getting good homes.
Blessings

moosecraft said...

Fun new design! I'm looking forward to seeing the front....and the cross stitch version too! We've only had 3 days of "heat wave" here in NJ... but, looking at this design has me ready for Autumn already... lol! Hope your day is splendid!

elaine allerton said...

Lori,,,
Love ur piece!! Love punching outside on nice days!! Good in daylight!
Ur gardens are beautiful, , as is ur beautiful doggie,,,, so sweet!!
Thanks for sharing ur progress,,,, love it,,,, can see it as a rug hooking pattern,,,