~ Calico Hearts ~

~ Good Morning Friends & Folk ~ 

and a happy Tuesday to you all!

all of our Christmas/Yuletide decorations 

are now tucked into their boxes ~ to slumber for another year...

I love to decorate for the seasons and holidays, 

although not as heavily as we once did when Hannah was younger and still living at home.

 St.Valentines' Day is a quiet celebration for us ~

usually spent at home, with a comfort-food dinner such as stuffed peppers

 and a sweet-treat for dessert...

{{ maybe a couple dozen heart-shaped Linzer tarts? }}

usually followed by a tear-jerker or romantic comedy while snuggled together on the sofa.

{ "together" means: Peter & I, Iggy and Roxy, with Pepper at our feet }

I also enjoy creating new things for this holiday ~ 

small simply-made and well, 

... heartfelt things.

 

I'm using scraps from my basket, cotton calicoes

in shades of brown, cream blue & red.

 

stitched around the edges using linen thread ~

neat & tidy, plain & simple.

 

they will become small ornaments with wire hangers...

to be sold here at the Farm Shop ~

 

How do you & your loved ones celebrate St. Valentine's Day?

the weather-folk are predicting a few flakes for this weekend, 

and although I long for Spring...

some clean fresh snow and colder temps are needed

~ to get rid of all the bad germs 'out there'.

Wishing you all a beautiful day filled with love & creativity 

❤ ♥ ❤

 

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ A Beautiful Mess ~

what a mess....

a beautiful mess.

a mess I don't mind making!

 in the throes of creativeness and making-things

I also tend to leave a trail behind me...

 

 my sewing room looks like a tornado hit it!

but it's ok...

Good Things are coming from all of this creative chaos.

❤

 

Happy Wednesday everyone!

Blessings from the Farm

 ~ Lori

~ Fabricating ~

Happiest November 

~ Friends & Folk ~

I love October very much...sad to see it go ~

but, November is another wonderful month...full of coziness & creativity!

{and some really good comfort food, too}

I have been busily holed-up in my sewing room these past few days/nights 

~ since returning home from up North ~

getting my fabrics ready to be made into wonderful sew-y related things 

that I will be bringing with me to the 

From Our Hands Show 

 November 11th in Penninsula, OH

always choosing just the 'right' colors and patterns are much fun for me ~

just look at these beautiful reproductions from the 1800's!

I'm making these little covered box ornaments... 

how sweet for your feather tree ~

inside holds a surprise: 

a pincushion in a coordinating fabric ~ to hold those precious pins & needles.

How will you spend your first day of November?

you know how I'll be spending mine...

 

Blessings from the Farm 

~ Lori

~ Switching Gears ~

Good Morning Friends & Folk ~

and happy sunny hot & humid Wednesday to you all!

After being in New England this past weekend,

my melancholy heart is longing for my roots…

~ the sights & colors of old Connecticut & Massachusetts 

have my imagination going in a direction towards Autumn once again ~ 

and that is fine with me.

While in Sturbridge, we visited a little shop called

Quilt & Cabbage

where I found the most beautiful homespuns in my favorite shades;

blacks, greys, blues, cheddars ~ ticking & checks and plaids…

oh my!

I will incorporate these into my needlework as backings and such.

{actually I never have a plan in mind when fabrics find me ~ I just take them on home along with me}

see the little punched squirrel?

he will become a pattern for my Autumn/Harvest/Hallowe'en release

coming in July….

of course, being a shop owns myself, and one that carries lots of wools…

I HAD to purchase these from Doreen at Ye Country Mercantile in Sturbridge, MA

{what's wrong with me?}

they just jumped into my arms

~ like we were long-lost friends ~

you can see the beginnings of another pattern model below,

this one is wool appliqué of course…

I love the tags on this wool

"Wool Hooker"

If I get any down-time this evening,

I will drool over  peruse this new book that I purchased up north…

it was the cover that made me buy it….

{ya think?}

Printing

Packaging

Shipping

Banking

that's what's on my agenda for today ~

… before I get to punch any loops or pull any thread.

Have a beautiful mid-week-day my friends!

~ Blessings from the Farm ~ 

 Lori

~ Farm Shop is CLOSED today ~

Sorry  Friends ~

but

our little shop here at the farm will be 

CLOSED today, friday the 6th.

but we WILL BE OPEN TOMORROW

saturday may 7th  ~ 10:00 - 3:00

for our regular

Crafty Saturday

in the meantime ~ 

I am working on new Fabric Designs for my Spoonflower Shop

and hope to have them to share either today or tomorrow…

watch for bee-inspired designs, a patriotic medley, and

a few Hallowe'en previews too 

;)

{{{ I would LOVE to be able to go dig out in our garden, but

at the moment it is mud. }}}

~ Blessings from the Farm ~

 Lori

{ strawberries and spoonflower }

Happy Wednesday to you Folks!

...what a beautiful morning, isn't it?

 

I picked fresh strawberries from our little patch this morning ~

 

 

not too many yet,

but these were ripe and waiting to fill our cereal bowls ~

now, to add just a dusting of freshly ground cinnamon & a sprinkle of brown sugar...

 

 



and I've uploaded three new designs in my Spoonflower shop ~
 



"strawberries"

"sepia folk"

 

 and

 

 

"sunflowers"

as soon as I receive the proof swatches, they will be ready for sale...

there are a few other designs in the Spoonflower shop so go take a peek if you're so inclined.
All of the designs in my Spoonflower shop will be available as
Fabric, Gift Wrap and Wallpapaer!!!
when you visit Spoonflower, click on the design you like, then click on the view you'd like to see it in (wallpaper, gift wrap, etc...it will show you a graphic of how my designs look in that form)

 

~AND~

See the new header at the top of this blog?

well, you DO have my permission to stitch it if you'd like to...

I'm not including floss colors on this one, so you may choose your colors yourself ~

if you DO stitch it, I would LOVE to see your finished work, so please email me pics of it

to not4got@aol.com ~

 

I'm going to stitch it, then make it into a sawdust pillow

and use some of my new strawberry fabric for the backing :)

 

Have a wonderful Wednesday my Friends!

 

Lori from

Notforgotten Farm

" ...Old Farmhouse Linen "

Hi Friends & Folk!

I've been busy playing in the dyepot this week ~

working on a new line of wonderfully primitive hand dyed,

aged & stained, severely distressed LINEN

for your stitching pleasure....

I love the look & feel of this linen...
it is so early looking that you'd be hard pressed to know if it was old or not...
I love to stitch on old linen and I know you do too, and I really love when I find a piece in an estate sale, antiques shop or on line...but we all know how expensive it can be.

SO with that thought in mind

I said to myself, why not try to replicate that old look using my dyes?

so I did...and the result is fabulous...SO fab, in fact, that my afore-mentioned
Olde Witch Mary sampler
(being design for the Sept/Oct '12 Prim Sisters Club)
will be stitched on this linen.

each piece that you purchase will have been hand dyed by me.
...with wonderful flecks of age & character,
a warm primitive look and a perfect compliment to your decor
it is available in a fat quarter slice, which is approx. 18" x 26"...

it comes to you tied with hemp and is accompanied by a hand-penned tag that I have stained and aged, then written upon with my walnut ink & antique quill...
and will have a small bundle of fresh lavender from my garden placed upon it,
as that was used to ward off pests in the old farmhouses of yesteryear....
how very quaint indeed!

AND you don't have to use this exclusively for stitching, either...although it is 28ct. linen
(when stitched over one thread,  14 ct over two, perfect for early repro samplers)

it lends itself well to other fiber arts...doll-making, as a backing for wool applique, even stenciled pillows & mats...the prim possibilities are endless...

so, with all said, you can buy-it-now up there on my sidebar, to your right...
it will go fast, so be sure to purchase what you think you'll need...

I won't be making another batch for at least another week ~

Thanks my friends, for visiting with me today ~

Blessings from the farm,

Lori

New Spoonflower Fabric and a Friends' Finish!

I've added new fabrics in my Spoonflower Shop ~ these are different than my last fabrics which were handrawn, as I've played with some photographs that I've taken ~

Looking around my old farmhouse, I love seeing the different textures, colors and designs I decorate with...old, faded blooms in dusty purples and mellow mustards ~

"Aunt Mim's Pansies"

 bold, yet fragile textures of an old blue-stained basket ~

"Blue Basket"

and a couple compositions of my favorite textiles and antique photographs ~

"Sampler & Quilt"

and

"School Days"

I, personally cannot wait for them to be available to you all who like to create with different & unique fabrics...they should be available in my SPOONFLOWER shop in about a week ~

and speaking of different & unique, my friend Laurie of LJ Fibers and Wooly Red Rug sent me a picture of her beautiful pinkeep that she backed with my 'Sew Primitive' fabric...

I LOVE this simple, early yet contemporary look that Laurie captured in her design...
really beautiful!!!
Laurie also has fabulous new fabrics in her Spoonflower shop too!

Hoping you all have a creative day ~

Blessings from the Farm!
Lori

A Fabric Finish & What's on my Frame ~ and other stuff...

Thought I would share a fantastic finish with you...
I received an email from sweet Pat ~ she said in her email, how pleased she was with my new fabric that she ordered from Spoonflower ~

she also sent along these snaps of a project she stitched up,
...backing her work with my "Sew Primitive' fabric...
here's the front with her wonderful stitching ~

&
here is the back showing my fabric ~
I'm so happy to know that my fabric is being used!
how cute is this????

Many thanks, Pat ~ for sharing with me and for your kindest words....
it makes me feel so good to know so many of you out there love the same things I do!

AND

I received a fat 1/4 of my new Sepia Faktur Bird fabric from Spoonflower today!!!!
I LOVE L O V E Love it!!!!

I think I'll be using this to back some of my pinkeeps as well....
what do you think?

Iggy says he likes it...
(although, he is thee least pickiest cat who's ever owned me)

comfy Ig???

...checking it out a little more....

and here's what's STILL on my frame...

remember this??

I would have generally had something this size (approx. 7" x 7") finished by now,
but
I was detoured into revamping our bathroom...
(ya know how ya just sit there...lookin' around???...TMI?? LOL)

so I decided to paint colonial murals onto my upper walls...

I took 'before' snaps, and will share the whole SHEBANG with you in a couple of days...
not only am I doing that, but I bought some AWESOME vintage embroidered fabric from etsy to make a roll-up shade and new curtains from...

I can't wait for the mail-lady to deliver the goods!!!

Ok, I'm off to the kitchen...
making home-made Chinese food for us tonight-
Sticky White Rice
Stir Fry Veggies w/Shrimp
and
Shrimp Rolls!!!

hoping you all have a pleasant eve ~

Blessings from the Farm!
Lori

New fabric design added to my Spoonflower shop ~

Hi Folks!

just a quick post to share a new fabric design in my Spoonflower shop ~
click HERE to see it

and, while you're there, please visit Robin's new Spoonflower shop too!!

click HERE.

Congrats to you Robin, on your first design...

it's sew sweet!

Blessings from the Farm!

Lori

WOO HOO for Lori!!!!

I am SOOOOooo happy for my friend,
Lori Rudolph of Retro Rudolph!!!

her amazing fabric design has been chosen
out of almost 300 entries to become the Fourth Place in the Spoonflower.com,
"Retro Kitchen" contest!

....can't you just see her fabric gracing a picnic table laden with Cole Slaw, Grilled Corn on the Cob, Burgers, Fries, Hot Dawgs....

and don't you forget the condiments ~ ketchup, mustard & relish....
maybe even some Piccalilly?

Oh, please do go over to Spoonflower to vote for her...
(and whilst you're there...please hop on over to the next contest, for HAND DRAWN Fabric ~
and vote for my Do Goode Witch??? pretty please  with brown sugar on top???
here's the link...i think.
http://www.spoonflower.com/profiles/notforgottenfarm?filter_action=freshtastic&info_action=&nav_action=port&shop_selection=port_freshtastic&sub_action=new_profile
YAY!  for Lori!!!!

Blessings from the Farm!
Lori

My Fabric is in!!!!

Hello !
I received my fabric proofs from Spoonflower!

I have 'Do Goode', my infamous, polite witch ~

'Happy Jack', a smiling JOL with skeleton keys on a parchment background

'Bittersweet', trailing vines of a beloved autumn plant

&

'SEW Primitive', a grouping of hand drawn sewie-needfuls...

SHOWN:
the 'Do Goode' witch is a quarter yard,
and the rest are just 8 x 8 swatches...

but, YOU can order as much as you'd like!
I will be using my fabric designs for backing of pinkeeps, pillows. sachets...
maybe a purse or tote bag? !

TO ORDER:
just click on my "SPOONFLOWER" badge on my sidebar to visit my spoonflower shop...
place your order and pay...it's that simple!
((you don't order directly from me))

many more fabric designs are in thee works!!!!!
Thanks to all for your positive feedback on this exciting new venture ~
xoxoxox to you all!!!!

Blessings from the Farm!

Lori