Wednesday, March 30, 2016

~ Springtime on the Farm ~


Happy Wednesday Friends & Folk!

a sparkling morning it is ~
 there was a light frost last night, 
which makes everything shimmer in the morning sunlight…
prompting me, of course to take a morning stroll with camera in hand:

my little grape hyacinths have naturalized a bit more 
 ~ and are now filling up this tiny garden spot above our well-pump ~




sweet-faced angel watches over all….




aren't they beautiful?
love that color combination ;)



in the Farm Shop Garden, things are popping up all over!
brand-new lamb's ear wearing a bit of frost ~ below…




viola's, oat grass, lavender & a few 'volunteers' are coming to life in this box, below…
I won't pull weeds until after mid-April allowing everyone to stay protected & warm.




a small redbud tree, almost-spent forsythia 
and my favorite Harry Lauder Walking Stick bush yawn & stretch to life once again ~




a close-up of the catkins on the HL bush
love the wonkiness of this plant and how it lends character to my garden all year long!




our humble home-place in the morning light ~ 
can't get over how green our grass looks!




St. Francis protects another of our little garden plots ~
keeping an eye on our woodland & farmyard friends…




Pinocchio & Daisy eating breakfast ~




a long-shot of their paddock along with Bobby & Esther in the background…




A Glorious morning indeed!!!

As most of my readers & followers know, I'll be heading down the dusty road in the wee hours of tomorrow morning to begin a fun-filled weekend of stitching-induced craziness!

I have one more motto punch needle design ALMOST finished…..
{thought I could get two more finished, but the 4th one will just have to be released
 at the VA Rug Fest on April 9th}'

this design suits me {and some of you too!!} to a T…
it reads:
"Stitcher by day
Hooker by Night"




have just the dark background left to punch, then I will finish-finish it.
;)




I think it's FUN ~
and pretty much sums up my lifestyle & vocation HA!!




I'll edge this with some of that wonderful Silk Sari ribbon 
just like the other 2 previous designs I've shown previously.




Well, I better get moving ~ I have miles to go before I sleep!
Think I'll stitch outside today & soak up that sunshine…

I will check back in here once I'm settled into our room in Georgia ~
I'm sure I will have many photos & much to tell :)


~ Blessings from the Farm ~
 Lori

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

~ Busy Hands ~

Good Morning Friends & Folk ~

the days are now being counted minute-by-minute and my time is well-organized!
as you know, I will be heading down the dusty road south to once again be among the wonderful folks of PSS!
I have been blessed to be a member of this Facebook group since it's inception,
and have met so many kind, helpful and talented friends within the group's calm & peaceful corridors ~


The Prim Stitchers' Society 
2nd Annual retreat & Merchant Mall
March 31st ~ April 3rd 2016
Hilton Atlanta Marietta Hotel & Conference Center
500 Powder Springs Street
Marietta, GA 30064


 


I have been busy creating new boxes and such for those attending the Merchant Mall, and I am loving the new, Spring-ier color theme I'm using on them…..

still having a few more to finish up in the late & wee hours though, 
I do enjoy creating each & every one of these especially because I know my friends who are needleworkers can relate to their hand drawn  motifs







I'll be bringing the models for my new punch needle and cross stitch designs as well…
here are the most recent models:




almost finished with the third motto design, and will begin the 4th one
{I have lots more mottos in my head that I want to do!!!}




Here is a sampling of what you'll find in
 Notforgotten Farm's booth at the PSS Merchant Mall:

Peter's Primitive Rug Hooks
Hand Decorated Needle Boxes, Sewing Boxes & Coffers
Hand Dyed Old Farmhouse Linen from NFF
Hand Dyed Ironstone Linen from NFF
Weavers Cloth, Punch Needles & Threaders
Hookinpunch© Gripper Frames
Sit'n Stitch© Embroidery Hoops Stands
Notforgotten Farm's Valdani Pearl Cotton Designer Collections
Fat Quarters of Primitive Cotton Fabrics
Fat Quarters of WOOL
A rainbow assortment of BEAUTIFUL Silk Sari & Habotai Ribbons
A smattering of FINISHED folk art & needlework antiques for sale
and of course
Patterns for Cross Stitch & Punch Needle
{and their MANY Models to see!}
plus anything else I can think of last-minute cause that's when I think of them 
;)

I have MUCH more to do until I pack the van & leave VA on thursday morning ~
Joan & I are excited to be there!

hope to see you at the event, safe travels & godspeed!!


~ Blessings from the Farm ~ 
 Lori

Saturday, March 26, 2016

~ BEE-Witched ~

Happy Saturday Friends & Folk ~
hope you are enjoying the peaceful-feel this holiday weekend brings
 as much as we are…
tomorrow will be spent with family & friends 
{{ and we are looking forward to an awesome ham dinner too! }}

Here are some more photos of the little hedge witch…
I've named this pattern
"BEE-Witched"
;)


here it if, punching all finished and ready to have the backing machine-stitched on…



I chose a complimentary color cotton fabric in a wonderful cheddar color with tiny black stars ~
{witches & orange aren't just for Hallowe'en you know}




I've pinned by finished project to the backing fabrics, right sides together ~


…and  old black-swirl headed hat pin serves me well ~

now to machine stitch together…
can you see how very close I stitch to the last punched row of loops?
yep, almost on top of them.



I usually machine stitch completely around my project, 
~ then cut a slit in the backing fabric and turn & stuff….



and I always use my pinking shears to trim away, especially on curves.
that makes for nice & neat edges once turned right sides out.


backing & extra weavers cloth timed away to within 1/4" from machined stitching



I decided not to stuff this, but merely ironed it flat once finished,
added a bone ring & ribbon at the top to hang and….

voila! 
here is out little witch-friend,
tending to her beehive & bumblers 
:)



I like the 'flatness' of this style of finish,
 and I'm well-pleased with how my finished shape
 mimics her hat & tall, wonky beeskep !!







The paper pattern for
"BEE-Witched" 
will be released at next weekends'
Prim Stitchers Society Retreat in Marietta, GA
and will be available in our Etsy shop soon after that :)

I have two more designs that need to be punched for the 'motto' series yet ~
I will be working on them today!

Friendly Reminder:
our FARM SHOP is CLOSED from now until April 15th!


Have a blessed Easter {Ostara} my friends ~
and get outside to celebrate!





~ Blessings from the Farm ~
 Lori

Friday, March 25, 2016

~ Progressing Forward ~

Good Morning Friends & Folk

a somewhat-dreary day weather wise on the farm this morning…
but, it is still a beautiful day!

I can't believe how green our grass is already ~
... looks like I'll be revving the engine on my lawn tractor soon!
in the meantime, 
Bobby & Esther help keep the growing grass nice & trimmed
thank you my sheep-friends!

that rooster-boy is always running….

I put together a collage of progress photos for you 
~ of that little hedge witch design I've been punching;
I love her and can't wait to show you her finish!!!




but
I am most-excited to show this to you…
Peter has been working hard on this ~
our new 
Strippers Tote!




I wanted a portable place to attach my clamp-on stripper, and also wanted a box to carry it in to events
{and from room-to-room here in the farmhouse}

I didn't want it too big, but had to accommodate the weight of the cutter, too…
and, I wanted a place to store my strips & hook!
{am I asking too much? naaaahhhh didn't think so!}



 so he made this tote 
~ and yes, it is awesome.



he designed it so that when I cut my strips, they fall nicely into the tote…
via the cut-out portion in the handle ~




it reminds me of an old shoeshine box!

 we painted this one Iron Oxide Red ~ 
but we can paint it any of our signature colors 
~ like our hooks, needle boxes, etc.



nice silhouette too…dare I say even a bit…sexy?
lol
{hey, it is used by hookers & strippers remember, and we are ALL sexy!}




once you're finished using it, 
just un-clamp your cutter from the handle and tuck it away upside-down in the box!
yep!




 I will be bringing these along to the 
Virginia Rug Fest on April 9th
but
we will be offering them in our Etsy shop soon after that :)




and I cannot believe that in just a week's time 
I will be seeing so many of you in Atlanta at the PSS Retreat!
**Safe Travels & Godspeed to those coming from near & far **


Please note that our Farm Shop here will be CLOSED until after April 9th
and will reopen again for April 15th

Hoping you all have a beautiful & peaceful
Easter Holiday Weekend my sweet friends ~

~ Blessings from the Farm ~
 Lori

Wednesday, March 23, 2016

~ Tiny Loops, Buds & HOOKS! ~

Ok, 
so yesterday I said I was going to begin working on the 3rd Motto design project.
nope.
this little gal came to mind and I just had to bring her to life 
with my needle & thread…

a Summer-y little Hedgewitch!

hello there!

I just can't seem to punch those loops fast enough to show her to you!




hopefully I'll share her finish tonight on my FB page…




in the meantime, 
our gardens are yawning & stretching their way back to life!

our wisteria is budding like crazy ~




can't wait to see the beautiful purple hanging flowers 
~ and smell the sweetness of them once again…







other signs of new life…
our mint patch is sprouting,



and our iris' have come up!!
YAY!
Happy happy springtime ~




 and before I forget, I just listed a BUNCH of Peter's Rug Hooks in our Etsy shop!
go get one {or three} while you can!




I'm off to work on that little witch…
think I'll take her to the garden and work on her there.

Have a most beautiful day my sweet friends ~


~ Blessings from the Farm ~
 Lori