Cooling Off ~

Oh boy,
it's happening again !
every year, when the weather starts cooling off and the leaves start showing their beautiful colors ~
I get the urge to dig into my mountains of wool and play :)

I don't hook much, but when the urge strikes...
watch out!

here are some snaps of just a small sampling of my collection
of hooked rugs from talented friends
~~~~~~~~~~
I LOVE the circular hit-or-miss background on this rug that hangs in my breakfast nook:
it was hooked by ~
Kathy Clark of Briarwood Folk Art

this sweet pumpkin/crow rug in a great tombstone shape was hooked by
Sandi of Old Crow Primitives

the beautiful rugs below, were hooked by the talented hands of
Sherry Kristoff

the festive rug below was hooked by me ~
a joy to hook!
it is a pattern from
Woolen Willow

...this rug, below is such an original that I had to have it...
it depicts a crow in a witch hat with candy-corn (my fav!)
I cannot remember for the life of me who hooked it
(I'm sorry!)
if you did, or know who did PLEASE email me?

and below,
are two tiny mats hooked by
Bonnie Stahl...
she is by far my favorite hooker/designer
...and I wish I could afford more of her rugs!

SO ~
I am going to put marker to linen, linen on frame and hook to wool and hook something.
I'll let you see my progress as I go!


blessings from the farm,
Lori

Some Serious Simplifying....

look at this little guy on my pumpkin stem...

he carries everything he needs with him on his back
in that beautiful home-made shell of his.

I noticed him while watering plants this morning...
thankfully, it was a cooler much sunnier autumn morning.

I was bending down to water when I spotted him slowly going on his way
and I got to thinking...
gee, he doesn't have chores to do like dusting,
watering plants, vacuuming rugs or things of that nature
...nope.

then I came back in the house and realized that,
once again~
I just have too much 'stuff'.
I love my stuff, but there's alot of it in here
and I don't like the cluttered feeling I'm beginning to get
when I walk into certain rooms...
I need to really focus on what I treasure mostly (in terms of 'stuff', of course)
and let go of most of this stuff that doesn't mean much to me or my family...

SO
I've started a list of to do's, and will allow you to follow me through the process
(if you'd like to, that is)
I will begin on Monday morning...October 3rd.
which happens to be our wedding anniversary ~ 24 years together!!
what better day to begin simplifying than one that is already memorable?

On another note~
I have received SO many emails from you wishing me good luck on the job situation ~
my thanks to you all and here's how I look at it...
if it is meant to be, fine.
... if it isn't meant to be
...fine.
and also from some of you who were concerned
that I was 'quitting' designing patterns and making my folk art....
nonsense I say.
no worries.
I have to create & share with you.
it's what fills my heart!

I'll always be here ~
:)

blessings from the farm,

Lori

~update!~

~~~~Hi Friends & Folk~~~~

well, no pictures for this post, but the job interview went well
(i thought , anyway ~ lol)
I talked my heart out, was true to myself and put on no airs...
I talked about my family, my animals, my love of creating ~ I was asked to describe myself and found myself saying things like:
"comfortable in my own skin"
"creative"
"AFFABLE"
(I think that means to have a good sense of humor and can laugh at one-self)...
without being glib, I tried to convey that as I am pushing the upside of 50 yrs old,
I am still {in MY mind} young, capable, confident ~
(more now that I was in my younger days)
...and grounded. VERY CENTERED & Grounded.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
oh I talk too much ~ me thinks...
BUT
that's ME.

I am simple folk, like you,....
I love family, friends & my faith...I am a HOMEBODY.
i trust in my insitincts as a woman, and fly by the seat-of-my-pants...
I love a bargain, (Goodwill here i come!)
I treat others as i would like to be treated
and give praise & recognition where i think it is due...
I am in the throes of menopause,
..am over-weight (and trying to be healthier)...
I make vows to myself to be more productive ~
nicer, friendlier and more helpful
{{IF my hormones let me, if not, WATCH OUT!!}}
SO,
here i am...
take me or leave me...
either way,
I know I am still loved by those that matter to me~
liked by my true-friends
and can genuinely put my head on my pillow at night and sleep...
{ok, till a hot-flash wakes me up}
so
ALL IS GOOd!

I hope to not bore you with all of this..
I truly believe we have some say in our destinies...
We are are all handed a Brand-New day, everyday~
and what we make of it it up to us...

I want to make it good,
& I know you do too.
So,
tomorrow morning,
when you're still in bed & just waking up ~
while you're stretching PLEASE remember these words:
Calm
Easy
Love
Peace
Home
Connect
FAMILY
Do
Finish
BE....
just be....

those are the words that help me everyday...
I hope they help you too....


blessings from the farm,
Lori

~ A Breather ~

I was cleaning out my ever-growing photo files and came upon three that tickled me ~
thought you might get a smile from them too...

Fuzz-bucket Donkeys dressed in their Winter woolies ~~~
(Daisy is much bigger now and has become quite long-legged and elegant)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hannah & Skyler,
always helpful, always smiling & always together...
(we love you both so much!)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Laughing Kittens
(or more simply, those that really get my sense of humor ...like Iggy)


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
remember to take time to enjoy even the tiniest things today...
stop for a second and just breathe ~
drop those shoulders and
...let a smile creep across your face :)

AND in other news...
I have been keeping a secret from all of you.
I have a JOB INTERVIEW today at 10:00
(((...yepper, you read that right)))
~In my 'past life'
(read: before I became a full time arteest),
I was a Dental Assistant in CT
and had a wonderful career in the healthcare field...
I enjoyed it immensely ~ but when I was blessed to become pregnant with Hannah
(after struggling for 7 yrs with infertility treatments)
I vowed to stay home & be a full time Mommy...I must say I think I've done a good job,
but now that she's choosing her path towards college & adulthood,
and since Peter lost his job back in May,
I feel it's time for me to get back to healthcare ~ to contribute to my family just a little bit more.

I am a people-person who loves to help others~
i think i can do this AND still have my beloved career in designing...
I am a positive-thinker and I know that everything always turns out ok...
SO ~
wish me luck at the dental office today,
I'll chime back in later to hopefully fill you in with good news :)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
be happy, be productive and be kind.
that's the best we can do!!!


blessings from the farm,
Lori

~ Switching Gears ~

Howdy Folks!
finally have 6 little cross stitched charms for you in my
etsy shop
>>>>>::<<<<<

... and to let you know that I will soon begin to work on
Holiday/Christmas/Yuletide/Winter
folk art!
you'll see lots of new finished hooked pieces,
dolls and samplers & such...
I have created a HOLIDAYS section in my etsy shop, for your shopping convenience...
right now, Halloween things are in there but I will be adding a Santa Doll, small needlepunched stocking ornie, 3 holiday-inspired wool-felted lollipop pins,
a SUPER-prim "Santy Claus" pocket
and much more-to-come :)

I know it's early,
but I wanted to remind everyone that our
Christmas Open House
will be held on Saturday, November 26th 10:00 ~ 4:00
~ the shop will be filled with fresh greens, handmades, patterns & supplies for primitive rug hooking, cross stitch & needle punch ~

We'll have hot cocoa & cookies waiting for you
AND a Holiday Raffle Basket!

have a wonderful Early Autumn day!!
~blessings from the farm,
Lori

New Needle Punch Patterns Available ~

all three patterns are available in my etsy shop
(link on top of right sidebar)
or email me at not4got@aol.com

Ye Ladye Pumpkin
pattern = 10.00 + ship

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Colonial Hill Farm
pattern = 10.00 + ship

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Witches Brew
pattern = 10.00 + ship

As always, I'm happy to combine shipping for you!!


and,
I'm working on getting those little stitched pumpkin/witch charms
listed in my etsy shop too...
thanks for your emails
...and Patience!!!


blessings from the farm,
Lori

~ October Feather Tree ~

I just received my copy of the Brand New Halloween Book published by
Just Cross Stitch magazine...
and here is my submitted design:

I'm SO excited about this!
not only about being published in this book, as it is their first-ever BOOK
devoted exclusively to Halloween designs,
but
because there are so many different, whimsical, primitive, fun & spooky
designs in there that I want to stitch up!!!!

If you haven't ordered yours yet,
the link for their website is on my sidebar...

it is So worth it!

I hope you like my October Feather Tree design!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
It is a wonderfully, rainy fall morning ~
I will spend my day in my sewing room
... finishing up projects and dreaming of more to come...
and a very Happy Autumn to you ALL :)

blessings from the farm,
Lori

p.s. I will be listing my little stitched pumpkin charms in my etsy shop today also :)

Autumn in a basket...

taking a stroll around our farm, fields and woods usually
has me bringing a basket along...
to gather little tidbits of Nature that I collect ~

here is a basketful of Autumn treasures:

what's that you say?
never have you seen mushrooms and acorns like that before??
oh I have...
in my imagination ~

made from hand dyed wool roving and needlefelted...
wearing little dried acorn-top hats
and setting on a bed of dried moss ~

I love them!

the mushroom holds old rusty pins ~

I think I'll pile a bunch into a wooden bowl
and just look at them ~ they make me smile :)

do you like the needlepunched project in my header up there?
it is the 2nd soon-to-be-released pattern model~
it's called
'Colonial Hill Farm'
i had that wonderfully folky red & mustard frame
for so long and it just fits the piece perfectly!

I'm off to begin the last project model...
'Ye Ladye Pumpkin'

have a wonderful evening, Friends ~

blessings from the farm,
Lori

Esty Shop Update

I've just finished listing some finished folk art & needlework
in my etsy shop....

"Witch of Birch Woods" finished pillow

click HERE to visit my shop ~

I'm working away on the new needlepunch patterns,
I think they'll be all finished & released by this weekend....

many thanks for your emails of interest in them!!!

~ALSO~
i will be listing some older Halloween/Harvest/Holiday
patterns in my etsy shop this evening too....
favorites & familair patterns from my past designs....

Have a beautiful eve!

blessings from the farm,
Lori

One down ~ 2 to go...

Here is
'Witches Brew'
all finished up....

i wasn't sure how I wanted to finish it,
but I like the sawdust-stuffed finish i gave it ~

backed with wool and hung with black wired ribbon & rusty pins and bells...

finished pattern size is approx. 5 inches by 5 1/2 inches.

{{this will be released as soon as I'm finished with the other two that are on the frame!}}
this was fast & FUN to punch ~ let me know what you think!!
:)

blessings from the farm,

Lori

~~~~ Humbled ~~~~

Have you all seen the absolutely beautiful Sampler that Stacy Nash has designed?
she designed it to honor our friendship and memory of her class here at

Notforgotten Farm

I am so happy ~ I feel like this:

Heartfelt thanks to you Miss Stacy ~
you have filled my heart with friendship & affection!!!
please visit Stacy's blog at
Stacy Nash Primitives

in other news,
here is what is on my frame right now ~

I'm working on two new punch needle designs to offer you soon!
this one is called
"Witches Brew"
and was inspired by a papercutting I did a few years back....


here's a view of the front...

I'm thinking it will be finished into a hanging pocket
to tuck in drieds & such...but who knows where my needle might take me?

I am in the process of sketching out the 2nd design and will show you that soon.
also, I will be listing a bunch of Halloween treats in my
Etsy Shop
either this aft or eve :)

Have a beautiful Monday, everyone...



blessings from the farm,
Lori

Show Pictures ~lots of them!

Hi Folks & Happy Sunday to you all ~
yesterday's Gathering & Trunk Show was wonderful!

our weather held out for us, a little sporadic drizzling, but nothing major...
it was overcast, breezy & cool ~ perfect Autumn-like weather!

I'd like to thank the following for their help yesterday:
Peter, Hannah & Skyler, Felicia & Nadia...

and thank my vendors as well,
Millstone Mercantile (Lee & Robin)
Southern Star Antiques (Don & Donna)
Hen House Primitives (Cecilia)
Olde Rectory Antiques (Arthur & Joan)
Everlastings (Jack & Kathy)
NC Cabin in the Woods (Giles & Barbara)
Olde Threads (Susan & Dori)
King's Island Primitives (Kathy)
Primitive Homespuns (Kathy & her Dad)
Bittersweet Folkart (Mandy)
The Burlap Owl (Tina & Family)
Miss Nellie's Primitives (Janelle & Hubby)

Wayfarer's Forge (Gerald & Feather)

along with thanks to the gals
that submitted their fine needlework models for the trunk shows:
Carriagehouse Samplings (Marty)
Homespun Elegance (Sandra)
Primitive Betty (Betty)
Heartstring Samplery (Beth)
Cardan Antiques & Needlework (Carmen)

and our HEARTFELT THANKS
the many folks who came out to visit our humble little farmstead,
who shopped, stopped and chatted and introduced themselves
...and loved on the donkeys!!!
(they ate SOOOOO much yesterday that they are still recuperating!)

so, onto the pictures....

inside the shop:

inside the shop again:

Heartstring Samplery trunk show ~

Primitive Betty's trunk show ~

Carriage House Sampling trunk show ~

Homespun Elegance trunk show ~

Cardan Antiques & Needlework trunk show ~

~ and here our the vendors booths ~
The Burlap Owl

Miss Nellie's Primitives

Wayfarer's Forge

Bittersweet Folk Art

King's Island Primitives

Olde Threads

NC Cabin in the Woods

Everlastings

Olde Rectory Antiques

Hen House Primitives

Southern Star Antiques

Millstone Mercantile

Pinocchio, hee-haw-ing for more peanuts!

Hannah & Skyler ~ my two loves....

oh, & the finished bottle dolls from the previous post ~
most have found good homes at the show...more will be available in my etsy shop :)

hope you enjoyed the tour ~ I am exhausted, but in a good way...
now I can start to work on some Christmas Goodies!

blessings from the farm,
Lori