~ getting ready ~

We will open the book.
Its pages are blank.
We are going to put words on them ourselves.
The book is called Opportunity
and its first chapter is
... New Year's Day.

~Edith Lovejoy Pierce

I love that quote...
it sums it up.
no resolutions, no regrets...
~ just keep living life as a new chapter unfolds for us.

it is our book,
and we can begin it again any way we like.....

how refreshing & peaceful to our hearts & minds!!!

I have all of my 'things' ready to celebrate New Years Eve tomorrow night ~

I have my stitching basket, comfy pj's and warm fire...

~ a few good friends (fur and feather and of course hubby) will accompany me, 

along with good snacks {mostly healthy, some not} like boiled shrimp, cheese and crackers,

and maybe some homemade soup? and of course some chocolate.

 I do know that I am looking forward to another fresh start ~ 

trying to be a better human being to all living things is my top priority...

 {well, that ~ along with de-cluttering everything in my life that I no longer want/need/use!!}

 how will you ring in the New Year?

do you have any resolutions?

Wishing you all a Blessed New Year!

 ~ Lori

~ Out With the Old ~

 it is Almost a New Year ~

...what will you do with it?

Blessings from the Farm 

~ Lori

~Open hours~

Hello friends and folk!

Just a quick post to say that our little Farm Shop & Studio 

will be OPEN Friday December 28th and Saturday December 29th

10:00 - 4:00 both days...

If you’re in the neighborhood, 

Could maybe use a little “me” time after the Christmas hustle-bustle...

or just need some peace and quiet?

we will be here working on our projects in the Studio!

Bring your work in progress and come create with us ~

Blessings from the Farm 

~ Lori

~ Victorian Christmas Cards ~

I have always had a fascination for antique postcards ~

any holiday...but the Christmas ones are quite strange indeed.

From their morbidity, to the just plain strange!

here are a few that have made me say...

 "....Hmmmm...."

I mean, 

creepy walking root-vegetable men?

or how about a kidnapping santa?

this one cracks me up - just look at their little legs!

 

a little too much eggnog perhaps?

 

and doesn't a cat-fight outside a tenement window just scream Happy Christmastide?

or would you prefer a gang of torch-carrying birds to lighten your way?

 

I especially adore the Krampus character, being that I love Halloween so very much ~

 he scared the H E double-hockey-sticks outta me as a child though!

this one stumps me:

 

ever heard of the Yule Goat?

or perhaps sled-riding, well dressed chickens?

 

but

I do prefer the plain old, 

creepy guy that we have all come to love the best though

 

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ Saturday ~

Our little Farm Shop & Studio here on the farm,

Will be O P E N on Saturday December 22nd from 10:00 - 4:00

Come on is for a hot chocolate, a fresh baked brownie or two!

Shop for patterns and supplies for embroidery, cross stitch, punch needle, rug hooking....

Our bright, relaxing and welcoming Studio is open for you to bring your work in progress~

Embroidery, Punch, Stitch, Hook....whatever!

After you shop at the Mall, come on in to relax a bit 🤗

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ A Blessed Winter Solstice ~

 Again the Big Wheel turns ~

slowly bringing us more light as the days grow longer now...

so let's celebrate this Winter Solstice!

{or 1st day of Winter, Yuletide, shortest-day-of-the-year...

whichever you personally would like to call it}

this is also the time of the Cold Moon {last full moon of the year}

and the Irsids Meteor Shower!

so, while you're sitting next to your yule fire tonight, 

gazing up at the black'd skye....

watch for signs of falling stars and moonshine ~

and listen carefully 

for the joyous excitement of our beloved woodland, farm & field-friends...

you may just hear the tinkling of tiny bells & small stringed instruments 

accompanied by soft rum pa pum pum's on miniature drums!!

 

Wishing you all a Brightest Winter Solstice my sweet friends!!

Blessings from the Farm 

~ Lori

~ a finish and another year older ~

A rainy day is perfect for a little handwork, 

...don’t ya think?

I finished the Purple Heart chairpad today ~ 

& love how it turned out!
❤ ♥ ❤

I decided it needed a crocheted edge,
so I put one one using my rug hook...

i used some of the purple wool that i hooked the heart with
for the covering of my turned-back edge ~
isn't the crochet prettier on the back? lol!

chicken soup is simmering on the woodstove,
the whole farmhouse smells heavenly on such a dreary but beautiful day ~
I will begin another project this afternoon...
not sure what or how it will be made...embroidery is tugging at my heartstrings but I need to hook!

~AND~

Happy Birthday to our daughter Hannah!
where have the last 24 years gone? 

Dear Hannah Elizabeth,
You will never know how very happy you have made our lives ~
filling it with the most wondrous moments and heartfelt memories.

...watching you grow into the kind, considerate and intelligent woman
 you have become has been a wonderful journey for Dad & I.

We have been blessed with your love & laughter, friendship and frivolity! 

May all of your dreams come true pumpkin!
xoxoxoxoxoxoxox
Mom & Dad

Blessings from the Farm ~ 

Lori

~ Wednesday Morning Musings ~

 Hello Friends and Folk!

...and a happy chilly almost-Christmas Wednesday to you all ~

I am HOOKING! 

oh yes I am ~ finally, the wool dust isn't bothering my eyes and nose 

as much as it was post-recent-surgeries..

woot woot!

i'm sure you all know how much I love purple ~ anything...

a color that has been my very favorite since childhood.

 

i thought i would draw up a chairpad design 

~ and use up some of my many purple wools in it. 

I cannot tell you how different colors look to me now! 

I am amazed and surprised at color now, even more so than ever before ~

since I'm not taking any chances with the wool dust though, i'm trying to keep it to a minimum by simply hand-cutting my strips using spring-loaded Fiskar scissors...

hand cutting one strip at a time, while hooking is a slow, but peaceful way of working too ~

 as well as keeps my worm baskets from overflowing from too many cut but not used strips!

some of my strips are 8's {1/4"}, some are smaller or larger.

some are 6's up to 8's all in one strip! ha!

~ but just look at the old-fashioned way they hook up:

 I am diligently working on a slew of new rug designs

 for the upcoming Woolwright's Spring Hook In

click above for more info

my favorite chair, in my favorite spot in our Keeping Room

is where you will be finding me ~ snug as a bug hooking a rug!

 OH! and, come join the woolly-fun over at my

Out of Hand Rug Hookers group on Facebook!

{click on the photo of Santa & Deer}

rug in photo above hooked by sweet Saundra Porter of Woodland Junction ~ her blog is listed on my sidebar 🖤

Have yourself a Merry & Creative Day my Friends,

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

🐑

~ Wooly WInter Hooking ~

Oh by Gosh by Golly!!!!

I have two new rug hooking patterns available and listed in my Etsy shop!

Here is ~ "Mr. Jingles"

 

and his best friend ~ "Moe Lasses"

 

available in separate listings, 

as both PDF/Download or Paper/Mailed versions.

 

each finished rug/mat is approx.: 11-1/2" square,

give or take depending on how you hook...

~ I hooked them with 1/4" strips.

 

I love adding things to my rugs, 

here you can see rusty bells, rusty safety pins, scraps of ribbon and old buttons too!

 

 here are their links:

Moe Lasses Paper/Mailed Pattern

Moe Lasses PDF Pattern

Mr. Jingles Paper/Mailed Pattern

&

Mr. Jingles PDF Pattern

I hope you love them as much as I do! 

they were a blast to hook :)

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori