Tuesday, May 30, 2017

~ My Friend Mary ~


I was not tired at all last night ~
and after a full weekend of kayaking with family and friends,
 you'd think I would be!

so I watched some mindless TV and stitched.
 gathered together and surrounded by threads and scraps of cupboard cloth {osnaburg}
and just let me hands create...

 
Growing up in CT, 
and spending lots of time in the ancient graveyards there,
 I found the name 'Mary Black' on a headstone...
I was smitten with the name 
and felt as though Mary & I could have been {or perhaps were?} 
~ friends through time.

the first time I used the name was back in the early 2000's ~ 
... when I designed this:
'Mary Black's Shoe' pinkeep
{pattern available here


 and 
'Olde Witche Mary'
{pattern available here }


I even punched this, using dear Mary's name ~
waaaay back in 2009 for a EHAG group challenge
{Ecclectic Halloween Artists Group}
and this piece is now in private collection...
{but I think I need to make another one!}


so, 
with the inspiration from my tiny little muse, 
 I am continuing on with my story of keeping her namesake alive.

 This is just an ongoing theme in my brain that keeps popping up ~
and it never has to be Hallowe'en for a witch to be included in my folk art or needlework!

so, here is little Mary Black again ~
this time, 
in her Strawberry Garden.


she is humbly cross stitched, 
simply freehanded so that she is my favorite kind of wonky.
 

satin stitches are included too...
in DMC cotton threads.
I have a little more to stitch, then will finish this into a ....
well, at the moment, I don't know quite how yet.
but
she'll tell me. 
;)


I'll offer her on June 1st's 
and if I have time, perhaps another small work.
 


My how time is flying by....

Blessings from the Farm 
~ Lori

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lori, I have long admired Mary Black in your works and have wondered who she was. But I suppose I should say, who she is, as she is once again being brought to life through your stitching. I LOVE HER! She is very tiny indeed...and I can't wait to see what form her image takes. :):):)

Rugs and Pugs said...

Toilet pins???
Sweet stitches :)
Lauren

Anonymous said...

For Lauren...haha! French, for fancy glass pins...though I'm sure you already knew that.

Three Sheep Studio said...

Looks like Mary has been a great friend for many years !
Lovely stitches.
Rose

elaine allerton said...

Love all these sweet mary blacks!! Great ideas, you come up with! Lori!!
So nice,,,,, of you to share,,,,!,,,,

Saundra said...

What a wonderful tribute to a departed soul.

Winnie said...

Lori, I am new to Mary Black but she is fantastic! I do love the summer version of the strawberry patch too. Plus that pin keep shoe is the cat's meow. For those of us who love Halloween, these little cross stitch pieces are a great way of keeping a bit of October going all year long.

Susan McShannon-Monteith said...

Mary Black is indeed kept alive by your secret devotion to her past... a fortunate lass to say the least.
That lovely redhead you had on that floral heart awhile back has intrigued me too.
Perhaps she could be an available pattern in the future.
Susan x

Lori Ann Corelis said...

Or "Mary Black ~ Oh, Mary Black . . . first she went ~ But then she came back"

Ooooooo . . reincarnation?
;-)



XO

Lori from Notforgotten Farm said...

REPLY: LOVE THAT Lori Ann!!!!!!!

Lori Ann Corelis said...

Feel free to edit and stitch ;-).
L