{ Playing Hook-y }

Last Wednesday, January 13th...
I had the pleasure of hooking with my friend
Pat Cross
{author: Purely Primitive, Simply Primitive}

and her band of Merry Hookers known as the
Blue Ridge Rug Hookers

...in Charlottesville, VA

Felicia, Robin & I had the best time!!!
SO much eye candy and knowledge in one room!
there were about 18 of us, if I remember correctly!
Thank you Pat, and we will be there agin next month!!!
{WITH OUR NAME TAGS!!!!}

Below is a picture of the rug I was working on that day,
and finally had time to finish & block it last night...
it is a design by Mad Hen Primitives
with Notforgotten Farm 'touches'...
It will be available for sale at the Winter in the Valley Show on Feb. 6th.

and I wanted to show you this:

I picked up this little notebook for 1/2 price at B&N last weekend...
the cover reminds me of paisley...

I've turned it into my Rug Hooking Journal,
where I paste pictures of inspirational rugs,
doodles, sketches, dye recipes, other hooking friend's info, classes,
shop info, etc...

...like many of you, I have TOO MANY hooking-related magazines
taking up space that could be better used...
(um...to store WOOL of course)
so I cut out the photos & features that I like the best & recycle the rest of the mags!!!

Do any of you keep a needlework or hooking journal?

It is beautiful here today...
but alas, I am in the shop working...
packaging orders that came in over the weekend
and then off to the bank & PO...

THEN to a Dr.'s appt. for a nagging ringing that I have aquired in my right ear.
it actually keeps me up or wakes me up at night & is driving me crazy!
during the day, with all the daily background noise, I can hardly hear it
...but in the quite nightfall, it rears it's ugly, ringing head & keeps me awake!

Could it be from all of the Rock concerts I attended in my crazy youth?
{100's of them, as we lived near a stadium!!}
or perhaps it's from the whine of the Dental drill
which filled my ears for 13+ years straight
when I was Dental Assisting?

Hmmm...probably a little of both me thinks.
I'll keep you posted.

Wishing you all a BEAUTIFUL day in this January Thaw we seem to be having!
Blessed be,

Lori

{OK FOLKS....}

SURE...
just let me steep in my insanity will you?

not ONE of you commented on my last post ...

well ok...maybe some...
but NO ONE even mentioned the fact that I titled yesterday's post:
"SATURDAY STITCHING"

even though we all KNEW it was Friday!!!!!!

{well, not ALL of us knew, or else I wouldn't have TITLED it that!}

Good Grief.
My Stars.
Holy Moly.

are we all sufferers of the blasted CRS syndrome?
LOL

Now that I KNOW today is Saturday,
{{{isn't it???}}}

THIS will be my post for the day.
I will sweep yesterday under the rug....
{at least I know I'm in thee best company...now, where are my danged glasses?}

*sigh*

~Lori~

{ Saturday Stitchings }

it is absolutely beautiful here today
...finally.

the skies are azure blue,
with some wispy-puffer clouds lazily flaoting by.

a perfect day to sit on the porch swing and stitch on my little sampler.

~ singing birds, sweet breezes and sunshine
are filling my thoughts with visions of springtyme to come....

The book that you see above, all dog-eared & worn,
is only one of my many favorites that I love to look through
when stitching something new...

right now, {between finishing models for my new needle punch patterns},
I'm working on finished items to be sold at the
Winter in the Valley
antiques & folk art show
{see show schedule on sidebar}

the handwork above will be a small Quaker inspired sampler,
that I have a perfect tiny wooden frame for...
I'm working it on 28ct irish linen, 1 over one strand,
in a blue/grey shade of needlepoint silk.

I'm hoping to make a bunch of these smaller samplers
for all of the shows I'll be doing this year,
along with small hooked items and needle punched smalls...

busy hands...

Oh, & here's a thought..,.

Would anyone local be interested in joining me for a stitching club?
(not an online club)
we would meet here at the shop and stitch on our samplers,
bring show 'n tell, exchange friendship and stories...
and have fresh-baked muffins, scones, & tea?

If I can raise enough members,

then we can join the Embroiderers Guild of America,
set up a chapter and join other chapters for events,

such as fund-raising, and the preservation of antique needleworks...

here is an awesome link for you to drool over:
www.antiquesamplers.org

let me know if anyone is interested?

Back to stitching,

Lori

{ 2010's Class Schedule is UP! }

Look!

there...over to your left.,..

do you see it?

it's Notforgotten Farm's class chedule for 2010!!!!

...peruse a bit, maybe you'll find a class that you & your friends have to learn?

I promise a FUN time!!!

let me know of your interests or suggestions please...

House cleaning today, then back to the shop to print out orders.

a *tiny* bit warmer today, actually they say it may be in the 50's...

WOW

a virtual HEAT WAVE!!!!!

Peace & Plenty to you all,

Lori

{ my color palette }

I get asked quite often about my color palette,
or the choice i make in choosing colors for my needlework,
rugs and painting...

I find myself drawn, time & again,
back to the colors that i've always loved and used...

here is a list of my favorite colors of DMC threads to use for cross stitch & needle punch...

Orange/Red:
3853
976
783
720
977
919
920

Greens:
732
733
734
3011
3012
3013

Blue/Grey:
3848
807
161
645
647
642

Browns:
611
612
610
3021
3031
422

and of course,
Ecru & Black (310)

i will divert from these only occasionally,
for instance, I will add
Purples:
3042
3853

{if I am working a design that is for Spring or Easter...}

All of these colors of threads are changed, of course,
after I overdye my finished works,
so they become quite muted and subdued...

I love to experiment with a 'poison' color
and see how beautifully primitive it looks once overdyed...

So it is with these little samplers that I've been working on...
they're only 1 & 1/2" square, so I don't have alot of room for a bunch of motifs,
so I use colors sparingly to not overpower the simple effect I want to achieve...

I have to choose my colors carefully,
then let the universe do what it will when I overdye them!

(some folks are scared to overdye..I say go for it...
as long as you make sure you are using color-fast threads/fabric, etc...)

I must tell you, I've NEVER been dissapointed by overdyeing!

{left to right~ "Heartsong", "Samplermaker", "Rabbit's Garden", and "Needle & Thread"}

and please remember...
I am a needlewoman, not a welder,
so you will find my soldering extremely primitive as well!
:)

these will be available on etsy in a little while...
or you can purchase directly from me here, just email me at not4got@aol.com
and if you want a custom necklace stitched for you, I'll be happy to work with you...

Sampler Necklaces are $48.00 each.

Off I go then, to the PO and bank...
I have a pot of chicken soup on the woodstove today
& will be baking some rosemary/olive oil bread in the breadmaker...
maybe some brownies for dessert,
{Hannah makes thee best brownies!}

Peace & Plenty to you all,

~Lori~