A Simple Little Thing ~

Here is the little quilt that I've been working on ~
such a sweet, simple little thing...

wonky little squares in my favorite folky colors ~

I am not a quilter...and I surely don't pretend to be one,

...but I love to stitch together tiny scraps of fabric into small quilts.

 

 



my little red doll bed under the tree in our Keeping Room...

you can see clearly that my corners don't line up, and what should be 'square' really isn't.

but, isn't that what draws us to those perfectly IMperfect doll quilts of long ago?

...made by a mothers' hands for her daughter
or most likely
made by little hands just learning to stitch?




somewhat mitered corners, but no, not really...

 with every stitch I find myself carried back to a time when I first learned to sew~
all thumbs but with great expectations.

how connected we are to our past generations when we put needle-to-fabric...

 

string quilted and hand quilted together

Lynda from Primitive Pieces by Lynda sent me an email and this quote was at the very bottom:
"QUILTING should be fun.
Being overly critical of what you make spoils that concept somehow
don't you think?" 'nuff said!!
Blessings from the Farm

Lori

a little light reading ~

Howdy Folks!
hoping this wedsnesday is finding you happily busy!

I have been reading a few new books:

The Farmer's Wife Sampler Quilt

 ~and~

American Quilts & Quilts in the Attic

 I'm wanting to design a few smaller quilt patterns so these have been my muse today...
I'll share what I come up with soon!

and speaking of Muses....
just look at Iggy with his xmas stocking ~

he loves his little wool stocking...

 I think he likes the small pine branch that I tucked into it even better...
don't eat that, Ig...

it's beginning to smell alot like Christmas ~

even though it is December 5th, it truly doesn't feel like it outside lately. we've had temps in the 70's and I don't like it one bit. I need snow & cold weather ~ missing my Connecticut Winters'... (I say that now, but I'm sure my mom & sisters will say I'm nuts...watch, now we'll get 2 feet!)

If you haven't had thee pleasure of following the Holiday Blog Hop please head on over to Lynda's Blog to see her goodies!       Blessings from the Farm

Lori

Recipe & Free Ornament Pattern!!

Good Morning my Friends!
...thanks for visiting me today...

Stacy at Buttermilk Basin
is graciously hosting a wonderful bloghop ~
the link for all of the participants is on my sidebar,
so please make sure to follow along with each persons recipe & ornament ~
this has been so much fun ...
Thank You Stacy for allowing me to play along!!   this is a wonderful recipe that I like to make this time of the year,...
the bars are not too sweet, but the icing is! they are moist & dense ~ I made them for our open house on Saturday, and they were a big hit!

Raisin Spice Bars
(recipe to follow pics)

Y U M !

these are great with a hot cup of tea ~

*******

 and here is my little gift to you all ~

 

"XXxxxxmas Sampler"

I used DMC floss 831 Golden Olive Medium ...just one simple color. you can see that the little tree is potted in a Spool of Thread...
I chose to stitch the thread with a straight stitch, and of course I had to add scissors too!   I wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy & Healthy New Year!   Blessings from the Farm

Lori

Our Christmas Open House ~

Hello Friends & Folk!

Happy Sunday to you all ~ here are some snaps from our open house yesterday....

there are LOTS of them, so please grap a cup of peppermint cocoa and get cozy ~

hope you enjoy your virtual tour!!

 

Cindy (Mountain Hollow) and Santa (aka Steve Kritikakos)

Peter (my hubby) with Santa

Joan (Olde Rectory Antiques) with Santa ~ Joan, you look worried...have you been naughty?

Santa greeting our guests on our shop's front porch ~

some goodies, including Sherry Kristoff's (From Sherry's Heart) hooked pillow ~

dolls from TFC Folk Art, Ole Rectory Antiques, the Burlap Owl and me...

one of Peter's finished burlap trees, old red stockings and Joan's Crazy Quilt painted box ~

a hanging Window Light made by Peter ~

our mantle wearing her red & white quilt ~

an old, wheelbarrow side with dry paint ~ gussied up for xmastime...hanging on a cobblers rack

tree on the front porch ~

a wider view of the shop ~

our ever-growing wall of cross stitch models (and Mizz Pat Cross shopping)

weavers cloth in old Dye cabinet, my Olde Farmhouse Linen in a black-painted cubby ~

the old Norwood Post Office box filled with fat 1/4's of fabric & smaller candles ~

a farmhouse Christmas!

our raffle basket ~ Joan Murphy was the lucky Winner!!!
(Joan, I'll be calling you today to get your shipping info ~ congrats!!

Fragrant fresh greens, quilted stockings by Cindy (Mountain Hollow)

lots of wool for primitive hooking & applique ~

some of my folk art paintings & frakturs ~

me, Cindy & Joan ~ Joan, girl you still look worried...but Santa told me you will still get presents this year!

see????? Santy & I are GOOD FRIENDS!!!!
I've been good!

Santa & Mrs. Claus (aka Steve & Shari)
Shari ~ you are beautiful...inside & out :)

still in love after all these years ~ we love you both too!

Santa feeding his reindeer.
oh no...wait. that's our Pinocchio!!!!

oh Nocchi...you are so handsome ~

...and just a 'little bit' spoiled.

Daisy tells Santy that she's been a good girl.
{...She's lying. She recently stole the 50lb. barrel of feed out of the barn and proceeded to share it with Nocchi.
They both had bellyaches for 2 days from that episode.}

I. LOVE. this. picture!!!!

...don't worry Nocchi & Daisy ~ Santa will be back next year!

  I hope you enjoyed your tour ~ I want to thank Miss Cindy & Miss Joan for helping me in the shop ~
(Miss Flea had to work, we surely missed her!)   Thanks to everyone who visited with us yesterday ~
your support of Notforgotten Farm truly touches our hearts! and without saying, my Love & Thanks to my best friend & hubby, Peter.   Remember that I will be posting my free Ornament & Cookie Swap Recipe here tomorrow morning for Buttermilk Basin's Holiday Blog Hop! (see top of my sidebar for details) see you tomorrow!
  Blessings from the Farm

Lori

Fronica Beiler 1852 Sampler ~

 

Hi Friends & Folk ~

 I just got the model back from Felicia for my

"Fronica Beiler 1852 Sampler"
~::~*~::~*~::~*~::~*~::~

she's stitched onto my 32ct. Olde Farmhouse Linen
with seasonal shades of DMC threads in ~
Hazelnut Brown (422)
Golden Olive - med. (831)
Beaver Grey - ultra dk. (844)
Red Copper - dk. (918)



I've included an alphabet,
the name
Fronica Beiler
with 'her work 1852'
and the wording reads:
"DIS WORK DONE BY ME - WHEN DIS YOU SEE REMEMBER ME"
and includes numerals 1 - 13...

 

 



 

I was inspired by the beautifully graphic and oh-so-folky PA German Samplers of the past,

and as so, I included some unique motifs...

 like a ladderback chair with woven seat,

a saltbox house with weeping tree and rooster,

2 white & red birds,

2 red birds perched upon a basket of fruit,

and 2 potted flowers in baskets...

I found this old white frame with early, wavy glass whilst out picking one day with my buddy Joan ~
I love how this sampler looks in it ~
like it was framed by an unskilled person
(um, that would be me...I can design & stitch, but I am definitely not a very good framer!)

I love the look of unfinished schoolgirl samplers

and this one looks like one that wasn't quite finished...

 

the sampler (stitched portion) itself measures approx. 9 1/2" x 15 1/2"

...with a stitch count of 256w x 160h

  if you are interested in a pattern, it is $12.00 shipping included.

If you are interested in a kit, which will include one fat 1/4 of my linen, threads and pattern
I can put one together for you for $38.00 shipping included.   To purchase a pattern or a kit,
you can email me at not4got@aol.com *::~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~::* Blessings from the Farm

Lori