Monday, February 29, 2016

~ Leap Day ~ !


Hello Friends & Folk!
seems like we have an 'extra' day today, doesn't it??
Yay for Leap Day!

not quite February, still - not March….
but I'll take an extra day anytime ~ how about you?

Yesterday was a wonderful day. 
We enjoyed sunshine & warm temps all day & into the evening... 
~ hung 4 loads of fresh laundry on the line to dry in the breeze & sun ~
cleaned up a little in our front yard, pulled a few dead branches & leaves 
~ and noticed our daffodils are up about 10"!!
We even heard the Peepers out last night in the woods! {peepers are tree frogs}
They are out early this year :)

We then went out for dinner to Red Lobster {my fav} with friends Joan & Art
to celebrate my 53rd trip around the Sun…
good friends + good food = great times

*** Thank you SO MUCH for all of your Happy Birthday Wishes ***
from Family & Friends xoxox

I enjoyed finishing my rabbit rug too ~ 
{and Nancy B. if you're reading this I cannot remember what you called it!}




Peter made me yet another purple hook for my birthday ~
this is one of his Ergo hooks with Steel shank & aluminum ferrule.
{we will be offering more steel shank hooks soon}




since I have arthritis in my hands, 
it's best for me to switch out my hooks, 
… so I like to work between a Pencil style handle & an Ergo one.

I also like to wear my hooks around my neck, 
so Peter drills holes in the handles for me to I can thread ribbon through to wear ~




I have my edges turn & pinned back, 
now I'm whip stitching then will add a binding of some-sort…




I will need to hook in a 'beauty line' around my rabbit though,
~  because he is fading into the background too much.

though I'm not sure what color wool, 
… perhaps a rusty red?

then I'll add green ribbon to the carrot. yep. I will ~
{I'll show you photos of the finish-finish.}




not even done with this one & I've already got more wools picked out for the next one!
& I know you do the very same thing, don't you?
onto the next!!!!!




maybe another hooked purse?
pillow perhaps? tote? Hmmmm…..




I KNOW!!!!
I'll use my 'extra day' today 
to peruse Pinterest for INSPIRATION!
{well, after today's chores are finished of course…}




In the meantime,
Here is a little gift from me to you:
Another freebie to THANK YOU for your friendship & support of what we do here….

Please feel free to hook, punch, stitch, appliqué or paint this design to your heart's content.
I ask only that you give credit back to us here for the actual design :)


"Friendship Farm" Freebie
from ©Notforgotten Farm


Hoping you have a beautiful, creative day my friends,
 filled with peace & wonderment!!


~ Blessings from the Farm ~ 
 Lori

Friday, February 26, 2016

And they're UP!!!!!


all of the below items are now listed in our Etsy shop {link above}
Thanks for your patience my friends….


HOOOOOOKS! get em while you can :)

Little Lamb thread winder

Little Rabbit thread winder

Luck Clover thread winder

"Lamb in the Clover"applique/embroidery pattern

"Bunny Folk" punch needle pattern

"Rabbit Warren cross stitch pattern

Farmwife Sewing Box

Organic Dried Lavender Buds ~ for stuffing!

The Pin Project ~ PATTERN ONLY



~ Blessings from the Farm ~ 
 Lori

Thursday, February 25, 2016

Test Drive ~


a little early morning hooking
found me in my favorite place…




...working on a rabbit rug that I designed & began
last year but never finished!




so what better project to test drive my new purple hook?
oh wait,
my new purple polka-dot hook.
yep.
I couldn't resist adding fun dots to my new hook.
{purple nail polish folks!}




my hook works wonderfully ~ just as I knew it would ;)
I pulled up some of my handspun sheeps wool for rabbit's tail,
pulled some cut velvet strips for the large spot on rabbit's side,
and even pulled some torn cotton fabric strips that I'm working into the blue background:




yum.
~ hooks like butter :)




don't you love how the different fabrics make for an interesting look?
kinda calls you in closer to get a better look…




the wide shank of my brass hook is a little workhorse ~ 
it opens up the linen backing like a pro!
and the sharp barbed-tip allows the strips of wool, cotton, velvet & spun wool
to glide up through without a hitch ~




ok, my purple polka-dotted primitive hook
{say that fast…}
isn't for everyone
but
at least you can say it is identifiably mine alone!




I added some detail to one side to represent sunflowers…




and there is a large carrot under the rabbit, 
that will have dimensional 'greens' at the end of it {on the right} when I'm finished ~




here is a view out my window this blustery morning ~




sheep are quietly grazing near the barnyard …




a perfect view…

what is that chicken-looking thing you ask?
well, 
it is a rug hoop clamp that I found in Connecticut many years ago…
when I bought it I didn't even know how to hook
but it was one of 'those things' that I had to have ~ never saw one before, and haven't seen one since.
do any of you have one? know of where to get them?
I believe I bought mine at Whispering Hill Farm in South Woodstock, CT.
I call it my 'chicken-helper'
hehe




and this is how it works:



… cool, huh?



I prefer to use my ©Hookinpunch frame that Peter makes, 
but on the occasion that I do use a hoop, I like to use the 'chicken helper'
:)



oh yes, not to forget ~
I have another 'helper' too….
Iggy.

"hmmm, smells right…"

"maybe a little purple in that rug Mom?"

"BIRD!"


In Other News:
 We are shooting for a release of all new pattern/designs tomorrow {Friday} in our Etsy shop.
that includes the new HOOKS as well ~


Almost forgot!
our little Farm Shop is undergoing a transformation!!!!!
BUT
will be open regular hours Friday & Saturday 10 - 3
on Saturday, bring your hooking
 {stitching, punching, knitting….whatever}
and come create with me!


~ Blessings from the Farm ~ 
 Lori

Wednesday, February 24, 2016

Sheep, Clover & a Hook of Her Own ~

Good Morning from 'Soggy Bottom Farm' !!!
{{{yikes, I think I saw Peter draw up some plans for an ark last night}}}
is it raining where you are? 
~ I think Mother Nature is a bit confused this year…seems like April showers are here early!

In any event,
I am 98% finished with my 
Lamb in the Clover wool applique/embroidery design:

 I'm showing her in B&W 
so you can see the french knots I did on her bum & neck…



here is her backside in color ~




but these are more like the true colors of the wools & threads I used:
I yet have to bind this, but I want to add more stitches to the background around her…
I'm using Valdani #8 pearl cotton for my embroidery stitching & blanket stitch ~
… and YES! 
she is the same sheep/lamb from my logo, 
~ which I also recently used for our awesome hook display sign :)



&
look what I got!
a hook of my very own ~ and a PURPLE hook at that!
{it's actually a Mulberry color and I love it}
my thanks to dear hubby & to master Chris for making it for me…
now I can hook in style!

Oh, almost forgot ~



don't you love the little spool hook-stand?
I DO!




purple makes me happy.




Of course ~
 I had to add some of the same mulberry hued wool strips to my spool…
looked too naked to me 
;)




now I can hook in style 
AND not have my hook roll off my worktable!
YAY!




We have been receiving many {many} emails, PM's & Convo's 
regarding our hooks and I am happy to say that they will be listed in our Etsy shop by the weekend!
along with the new patterns & everything else.
so, keep an eye either here or on my FB page for their release so you don't miss out.

Well, I am off to fill orders ~
Thank you to all who have commissioned me to create them custom needle boxes & coffers!
we SO appreciate your kind support & friendship!!!

Dance between the Raindrops today my Friends!

~ Blessings from the Farm ~ 
 Lori

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

~ He's got me HOOKED!

… oh that man of mine ~
he never ceases to amaze me!

I wanted a nice display for his new hooks…
you know, something portable and unique
something that would catch your eye when I bring his hooks to my upcoming shows ~
{not that his hooks alone wouldn't catch your eye ;) }

so he came up with this :



he first made the tiered block to hold his hooks
all nicely in their respective rows….
awesome idea!

then we added to that.
we elaborated & combine our thoughts
to make a unique 'old time' store display!

a sign was needed for the top,
so he made one with a beautiful tulip crest ~




we needed to attach the sign to the base, 
so we rummaged through our 'found' treasures 
… and found two old stair spindles still with tracers of original blue paint.
that not being enough, Peter added two of his hand-turned spools to the tops of the spindles.
yep.
{I added my hand-spun sheeps' wool to the spools and did the painting on the sign}




how can you pick just one?




I can't wait to bring this with me now to display at the shows 
AND have it here in the farm shop for all to see…
so very proud of my Woodsmith-farmer!




the sheep that I drew onto the sign is our logo ~
you may have seen it before, on our tote bags, aprons & tape measures :)
the sheep motif is inspired by my sweet momma-ewe, Esther ~ 
who is a dear old gal who lives with us here at the farm still.




of course I had to add a rug hook, spool of thread & needle to her motif
just for fun and to represent our love of her & what we do here.




Peter is working on another, larger sign for me for the shows, 
~ so I'll share that one with you soon as well.
who knew? now we are sign makers!
ha!



I am working away on the last of the pattern models for our Spring release…
& should be finished with the Lamb in the Clover design by this evening.

If all goes as planned, we will be releasing:
~ "Rabbit Warren" cross stitch design
~ "Bunny Folk" punch needle design
~ "Lamb in the Clover" wool applique/embroidery design
~ "Lamb" thread winder
~ "Rabbit" thread winder
~ "Clover" thread winder
~ a NEW Sewing Box design
~ Our Organic Lavender {for stuffing your projects/sachets}
and 
~ those most-beautiful Hooks!

Have a Happy & Creative Tuesday my Friends!

~ Blessings from the Farm ~
 Lori