~ Keeping Toasty & Farm Shop Closed ~

 Hello Friends & Folk!

❆❅❄ BBbbrrrrrrrrr!! ❄❅❆

Well ~ due to the frigid temps everywhere,

our little Needlework Shop here at the farm will AGAIN BE

C L O S E D 

tomorrow, Saturday January 6th.

~ please keep safe and warm and don't go out if you don't have to!

do you not LOVE these vintage woolen mittens????

 and, speaking of keeping warm...

my hands have been busy as usual ~ now punching the 2018 models for our 

Primitive Punch Needle Club

I have just re-opened the club for 2018 and have a few openings left!

2018 will be a bit different, as I will be designing a series of ornaments for PPNC club members...

with dear Henny Penny {below}as the first project!

she is a fluff-butt ~ 

especially from the back view of my work ~

 and I have already begun sketching up the next three for the year ~

it's been so cold that I have been huddled  in the farmhouse under blankets and double layers...

my embroidery is on hold for a little bit, but I will be working on the next one as soon as I can ~

in the meanwhile, Robin & Jenny {and Tiny Cat} are pinned to my wall and are good company

while I sit and stitch in my favorite chair:

 oh, yeah...it's His favorite chair too...

like a perch just for him to watch the puppies and goings-on of the farm ~

'oh, hey...'

 well I guess I'll have to wait until his nap is over ~

might be a while.

OH! I almost forgot...

I uploaded a *freebie* for the members of 

The Punch Needle Guild {my group on FB} 

 How are you keeping warm today?

and what's in your workbasket?

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ A Couple of Updates ~

Hello Friends & Folk ~

hoping wherever you are, you are safe & happy.

I wanted to let you know that I've updated my 

2017 - 2018 Class & Events Schedule over there on the right side of my blog...

 and will update it periodically as the new year draws closer.

灬灬灬灬灬灬灬灬灬灬灬灬灬灬灬灬灬灬灬

And 

~ for those members who have not yet received their current kit for NFF's

Aug/Sept/Oct 2017

Primitive Punch Needle Club {PPNC}

They are coming! {I promise}

...we were late in initially shipping due to a back-order on threads,

and preparing for the huge Sauder Rug Hooking Week show..

 

www.notforgottenfarm.etsy.com

and sent out a batch a week or so ago.

so the final batch will be shipped this week....YAY!

Aug/Sept/Oct 2017 PPNC design: "Jack Pocket"

we have never-ever been this late shipping our club kits before, 

~ and hope that you can forgive us our tardiness!

 {Thank You Kindly for your Patience}

hello!

Blessings from the Farm 

~ Lori

~ Primitive Punch Needle Club Update ~

Hello!

a brief posting for you :)

wanted to say that the member's kits for our current Aug/Sept/Oct 2017

Primitive Punch Needle Club {PPNC} 

have begun shipping out...

BUT the remainder of them will not be shipped until I return from

 the Sauder Rug Hooking Week event ~ 

*sorry for any inconvenience and I thank you kindly in advance for your patience*

this is our current design, 

a sweet little Jack'O 𝓟ocket

 If you'd like to join in on the punching fun and become a member,

kindly click HERE

and If you sign up now as a new member, 

you will receive this design as your first kit .

ALSO ~

we are accepting members for our new Facebook group:

The Punch Needle Guild

you may click HERE to join in on that fun too!

enjoy the rest of your loverly afternoon my sweet friends!

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ Monday Amusements ~

 Hello & Happy Monday Friends and Folk ~

...what beautiful weather we have been having here in our parts of Virginia !

 this, 

the last day in July for the year 2017 is what I call a 'sparkler'.

high & dry

comfortable temps

bright sunshine

low humidity & slight breeze.

in another word: Perfect.

I have finished my huge

"When Pigs Fly"© punch needle design....

what a great time I had punching on this between 'other' projects 

and preparations for upcoming shows ~

here are a few detail shots first...

hello!

I added a ruched edge of beautiful & tattered silk Sari ribbon,

the shade is named 'coffee', but it has a purple-y/gray-ish/brown color to it and I love how it looks ~

i wonder who lives in my tiny little houses?

{{{{  by the look on Pig's face, he knows he's about to get it good  }}}}

and here is the whole shebang!

look at the movement in my background! 

can't you just feel the crisp night air whizzing past these two? 

Dear Goodwitch Mary Black...

you should have locked Pig away before retiring for the evening...

~ see what happens when you let a pig play with your broom?

{even the Moon knows the trouble Pig is in when Mary Black catches him}

this piece measures approx. 9-1/2" x16" when finished.

this is - to date, my largest punched piece and I am already designing more.

I hope you love it as much as I do!

the cross stitched version of this same design {with a few minor changes} 

is in the hands of one of my talented stitchers, so as soon as I receive it 

I will release them both soon as mailed/paper & PDF download ~

 this will also be available as a Rug Hooking pattern, 

on paper/mailed/PDF and perhaps on linen {not sure about on linen one though}.

    some of my friends have been seeing different 'things' in the darker background areas of this piece, like black cats and bats....what do you see?

I've also finished punching this little 'Jack Pocket' model for our next

Primitive Punch Needle Club ~ Aug/Sept/Oct '17

members will begin receiving their kits 2nd week of August.

and hello to you too!

If you are interested in Joining

 our exclusive club for those who love primitive punch needle, you can click HERE <---- nbsp="" p="">

{members can renew/join anytime!}

~ AND ~

Peter & I wanted to share with you 

this fabulous little Sewing Clamp that he made me last night!

{gotta love that man!} 

 he made this from our own replenish-able wood

 harvested here on the farm {like all of our wooden products}.

it is simply stained with a black walnut finish, lightly sanded and waxed for a mellow glow....

see how it clamps to my side table and handily-holds my thread spool?

BUT ~ it also clamps on to my Stitcher's Tray!

I placed one of my pincushions on top, and now it does double-duty ~

oooooooh!

and with our brains always thinkin', 

we thunk this up:

why not use it to hold my spools of wound DMC floss for when I punch?

so I did and it works perfectly...

first I use my Floss Winder Box to wind my DMC {or other skeined floss} 

onto my little wooden spools,

then I place the spool on my new Sewing Clamp 

that is clamped on to my Stitcher's Tray....

and there ya go.....

One happy happy happy Wife!

Floss Winder Box shown in Yellow Ochre paint

We think we might just offer these if there is enough interest....

so ~ let us know your thoughts please?

Oh! 

I could even design patterns for pincushions for the top too!

hey! cross stitch and punch needle, or wool applique too :)

my happy place.

Wishing you all a *sparkling* day my creative friends!

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ Berry Obsessed ~

Woods are filled with the music of birds, 

and all nature is laughing under the glorious influence of Summer.

 ~ Charles Lanman, "The Dying Year," 1840
 

~ Welcome June ~

and if the rest of this month would remain as beautiful as this very morning is,

all would be right with the world in my humble opinion.

a soft breeze ~ warm sunlight ~ the scent of herbs on the breeze

the gentle sounds of sleeping puppies and barn swallows twittering as they fly overhead...

Life Really Is Good

~ when we stop to realize it.

 I have been a smidge obsessed {again} with strawberries.

that delectable fruit that grows wildly in my garden & can sweeten tarts and shortcakes, 

but also cause rashes and other discomfort to sensitive folks.

Since being diagnosed in 2015 with diverticulitis, 

I haven't been able to enjoy a strawberry due to their abundance of tiny little seeds.

yep, something so very small can send me on a trip to the hospital.

So if I cannot enjoy the taste of one,

I will enjoy them in my needlework ~

The model for the current  May/June/July 2017 Primitive Punch Needle Club

is called 'Wild Strawberry Pin Poke"

all current Club Member kits 

are scheduled to be shipped tomorrow and Monday,

again I apologize for the delay in getting them out earlier ~ and I thank you for your patience.

May was a rough month.

If you'd like to read more info on Notforgotten Farm's Primitive Punch Needle Club,

or would like to join or renew membership ~ click ----> HERE

and for those who may not have seen,

this is how I finished my little 'Mary' Black' work that I showed you recently...

a sewing pocket!

I decided to make a pocket, after finding the best complimentary fabrics here in my sewing room...

and then I had to make a few berries from the leftover scraps :) 

 

I love it, and I thank all of you who emailed be as soon as it was listed last night! 

wow, some of you are amazingly fast!

this has since been *SOLD* ~ thank you Carolyn ♥

and is heading to it's new home today.

Our next even here at the Farm Shop

 is Becky Noland's class on the 10th of this month...

which was a pre-registered class to make this fabulous project:

"Queen Chicky"

I know I cannot wait to see Becky again, 

and see her amazing designs and other things!!!

• • • • •• • • • ••••• • • • ••••••• • • • •• • ••• • ••• • • ••• • • ••••• • • • •

I am now moving completely into Hallowe'en mode!

which {witch?} means that I will be punching, hooking

and stitching up a storm these next few months...

and I have begun a new sketchbook devoted entirely to new

Harvest/Autumn/Hallowe'en motifs ~ 

I am super-excited to get working on them

and share their progress with you.

ok, I am off to process orders, head to the PO and then back home

 to stitch, punch, hook.... 

~ repeat.

wishing you all a most beautiful June day my sweet Friends!

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ Between the Raindrops ~

is that the sun?

no, wait ~ it's gone again.

no really...is/was that the sun? 

*sigh*

i love the rain {as we all know} but it's been here a little too long now.

~ saturated soil {ok, red clay} 

... and soggy everything.

come on sunshine, stay for a while!

I've been punching up the next model for our 

click -> Primitive Punch Needle Club

{and yes I have fallen behind, apologies to my members}

This sweet strawberry below will become a needle-keep ~

and I am waiting on threads to come in.

Hoping to have them soon and get these shipped out for you!

 *please ignore my filthy garden clogs*

*please admire my beautiful chocolate mint!*

This time, 

I've used only DMC 6 strand cotton floss for the model.

I have had a few PPNC members say 

that they are having difficulties punching with the Valdani pearl cotton..

that it wants to 'splice' when they punch with it. 

{I have never had a problem with it}

anyhoo, this current kit will contain all DMC floss to finish the project, 

which will measure approx. 3-3/4" x 5" when completed by you.

I will show you the 'finished-finish' soon, 

as I have to get the backing fabric stitched on today.

and while my punch needle was handy 

and I had excess weavers cloth from said project above,

I figured I'd punch a little bee.

or maybe it's a big bee.

or perhaps it's a fly that thinks itself a bee?

 not sure, but it's cute.

 

all of the rain has turned everything here a lush green.

except for that damn red clay...

we have a family of chickadees living in this little birdhouse near the patio ~

watching them flit in & out makes me happy. 

All kinds of 'volunteer' plants are growing....

even though they are considered weeds, 

they are valuable to our planet.

did you know you could make a nice salad with dandelion leaves?

oh and a soothing medicinal tea too.

used for centuries to treat fever & upset stomach

and to stimulate appetite...

not that i need any help with that.

Peter has divided his banana plants, 

and they are sprouting again...

especially in the rain & heat...like our own little tropical paradise.

this time we have 5 or 6 of them coming back to life 

after being dormant all winter in the basement.

 

my cinnamon basil and parsely have perked up a bit this morning...

I love basil!

 

love the black variety of basil too...a little stronger taste to it.

 

flat Italian parsley next to  a small iron birdbath....

my garden toads love to sit in it at night and take sips.

 Hoping the sun will continue to shine for the rest of the week...

grass needs mowed

laundry needs hung

farmhouse needs aired out from being closed up for days

and I need some vitamin D ~ hoping for a little patio-stitching!

Post office run today, then picking up miss Joan and taking her to Joann's store.

those coupons are burning a hole in her pocket!

Many thanks for the sympathy cards that have been sent to us for Joan.

Today marks the 2nd week since her Arthur has been gone.

xoxoxox

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori