The Moonlit Stitch

SEPIA GHOSTS

2012-02-17T08:18:00.001-05:00

Nawww...that's not a ghostie, it's me!

Don't you just love "sepia tone"? I've always loved the old sepia photos - they make everything look so 'ghostly'. For myself, though, I love it because it hides the wrinkles, the roots, and all the other nastiness! LOL!

But when I am a ghost - oh yes, I plan to come back and have fun (hee-hee!) - maybe I'll look like this. I'll pop out from under the bed and snap a picture of you and then fade away. I'll especially haunt those who do not like to have their picture taken, therefore it will be extra scary.

Do you ever notice on the ghost hunter shows (you watch those, right?) that they are always looking for ghosts from the 1800's? It's because of the sepia photos! Think about it...do they ever hunt for a ghost with an afro, groovy hip-hugger-bell-bottom pants and a disco chain necklace? Nope. Never. Or what about a valley-girl from the '80's with big hair and neon spandex? Nope. Always a ghostie in flowing white gowns or a civil war uniform. Neither of which are scary. Now the afro and neon spandex? That's scary.

Hope you have a fun weekend! I noticed a couple of really cool tutorials while cruising through my reading list this morning. Can't wait to check them out! Keep on Creating!

~*~Lisa

OLD COFFEE POTS

2012-02-16T09:31:00.002-05:00

Most of my little collections have started unintentionally like this one. They are dusty and dented, but I love them. Going to clean these up and figure out a way to display them. The little pot in the front with the glass top is from my mom. Can't you just see folks sitting around the table early in the morning drinking coffee perk'd on the stove in these, talking about how their day is going to unfold? Now we grab our coffee on the run in styro cups. LOL. Maybe that's why they touch my heart: a reminder of simpler times. (that and I love coffee!)

~*~Lisa

WHITE PITCHERS

2012-02-15T08:02:00.001-05:00

Years ago my dad gave me an ironstone pitcher. I used to see collections of white ironstone in magazines like Country Living and loved the look. I can't afford ironstone, but love to seek out white pitchers at sales, and from time to time my sister surprises me with one. These are just a few I have. In the winter I like to fill them with red berries & greens. Simple pleasures - the pleasure of simple.

~*~Lisa

LOVE YOU, MAN

2012-02-14T00:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day to all.

If you didn't get flowers or candy or hugs,

remember it's the plain old everyday's that really matter when it comes to love!

Patience when a little one wants to zip up their jacket by themselves...

A smile returned to a stranger in the store...

Holding the door open for someone at the Post Office...

Saying "I'm sorry"...

Saying "Thank you!"...

Saying "Love You"...EVERY DAY.
And loving yourself, too!

I love you guys!

~*~Lisa

SWEET PROGRESS

2012-02-12T19:54:00.001-05:00

A little bunny of my own design. Dress & carrot fabric were a recent gift from a sweet friend, which made this project even more fun to watch come together. Back to work in the morning...sure wish I could stay home & sew! LOL!

~*~Lisa

WHO GIVES A KNIT?

2012-02-11T10:57:00.000-05:00

My 11 yr old has been knitting again. These are her favorite colors!

She likes to make little pillows with patches. This yarn is scruffy but as soft as silk.

And now she's making me a travel pin cushion. YAY!

~*~Lisa

WOOLIE BIRTHDAY!

2012-02-10T00:00:00.000-05:00

A little birdie told me it was someone's birthday today...

I was walkin' along, minding my own business, see...and I heard a soft voice call to me:

"Pssstt....hey kid, comeeeere a minute."

There was this little yellow bird standin' against the wall looking all Starsky & Hutch.

I could have SWORN he was one of Granny Trace's very own woolie chicks in disguise. But that would be crazy, right?

Anyhow...this little bird tweets to me that it's Granny Trace's birthday today and to be sure and wish her a woolie day full of joy!

So here goes...HAPPY WOOLIE BIRTHDAY TRACE! You are a sweetheart! ENJOY!

~*~Lisa

KEEP ON CREATING

2012-02-05T20:41:00.001-05:00

Sometimes I like to encourage folks & friends with the words "Keep On Creating". That means, don't stop being inspired, don't judge a creation before it's done, you can't "do" art wrong. That's why I love craft shows and creative blogs so much - even if it's something I'm not into, or am not talented enough to get into, I love to see people create. Love all kinds of tutorials and pictures of craft booths and craft rooms or areas. I love work-in-progress pics!

A pile of muslin body parts on a cookie sheet waiting to be stained is such eye candy.

And to see what people do with their thrift finds to re-purpose them! The imagination....and the way people decorate! I love it. I love being inspired by creative minds. And I don't know why? Maybe it's just reassurance that people are loving life or making the most of it and finding comfort in their craft.

I don't knit. Tried it when I was a girl and it was a "no-go". My mom gave her knitting box to my daughter last fall and after reading a few how to books she went to town. I came home one day from work and she was so excited to give me her latest creation - a pinkeep - pictured above. I am using it and love it so much. She inspires me and I am so thankful that she receives joy from creating.

And so this week amidst our health issues, heartbreaks, stresses and other "life stuff", I encourage you to "Keep On Creating". Even if it's just a sketch on a napkin or an effort to organize your craft area/room/studio. May you find joy, comfort, solace in your craft. So thankful you are out there - you inspire me to "Keep On"!

~*~Lisa

CONGRATS EARLENE!

2012-01-29T20:22:00.000-05:00

Congrats to Earlene over at http://earlene-primitivepassion.blogspot.com/ for being the first and correct guess on "What is it?". Earlene guessed the items to be something to scale/gut fish. A little bunny will be hopping her way this week!

~*~Lisa

WHAT IS IT?

2012-01-29T18:24:00.003-05:00

When visiting my 82 year old mother this afternoon, she offered me some things she had cleaned out of the cupboard including the above item. I am embarrassed to say I had to ask her what it was since I grew up watching her use it probably hundreds of times. Do you know what it is? Here is another view:

I love guessing games and mysteries, so I would like to reward the correct guess with a little bunny I made a while back in appreciation for playing along:

I'll try to publish the comments asap - thanks for visiting!

~*~Lisa

A VIDEO FOR YOUR VIEWING PLEASURE!

2012-01-27T20:56:00.001-05:00

You may recall a short while back I softly ranted about my new sewing machine not having a natural "needle down position". I thought I was over the whole ordeal until I over heard my phone talking to a friend recently. Maybe now I can finally find closure. LOL!
GoAnimate.com: BUNNIES? BRILLIANT! by themoonlitstitch

Like it? Create your own at GoAnimate.com. It's free and fun!

MY SISTER'S GREEN THUMB

2012-01-22T12:24:00.001-05:00

My sister has a green thumb.

That's putting it lightly. She has a green hand. My sister has moved around a bit. But anywhere she lives, you can expect to walk into a "jungle" within a few months of her settling in. Right now she is forcing hyacinths, pictured above. She lives on the other side of the country, but she will send pics to me from her phone of her newest ventures in gardening. And I will drool. She can turn any yard into a magical land of trails and trellis', vines and color, chimes and whimsy. Inside, she always manages to find the right light to make things grow and thrive. But I know it's more than that. I know it's magic.

As a side note...I have been having computer troubles (insert blues guitar here) at work AND at home. I just logged on with my hubby's laptop and found out Picnik is closing down in April - I love that site! Going to try and hijack his laptop tonight to catch up on blog reading and see what everyone has been creating!

~*~Lisa

BUNNIES

2012-01-17T20:38:00.000-05:00

I found the bunny pattern I was looking for in my Halloween patterns! (Renegade bunny would rather be hanging out with pumpkins & black cats then chickens, lambs & easter eggs). Will be working on that one and a few of my own patterns this week.

OH...after 13 days I finally heard back from Singer Tech Support...International. They replied:

"Unfortunately there is no down position for the needle."

Whew. Glad they cleared that one up. LOL. I wonder...how would one get in touch with the actual beings who actually designed the machine? I would really like to ~~slap~~ ask them about this. I know, let it go, woman, let it go.

Watched the last Harry Potter movie with my daughter again last night. She's reading the books at school - they're thick, so they are worth more reading points. I have so many questions. The woman who wrote these stories amazes me. There are so many twists and turns and they all come together in the end...well, sort of. Guess I'm gonna have to renew my library card so I can start reading the books to help piece together the things that the movies couldn't fit in. I'm a sucker for mysteries and piecing them together. There's a really good, old-fashioned looking haunted house movie coming out in February called "The Lady In Black". Really want to see that one too.

I'm babbling. I will spare you now.

~*~Lisa

PRIM TREASURES

2012-01-15T23:22:00.000-05:00

I recently purchased a sheep from Lil Raggedy Angie and I'm so thrilled with it! I noticed her sheep in a giveaway last year and have had my eye on them ever since. She whipped up a whole flock of them last week and did such a great job!

Angie also sent along these wonderful little clothespin dolls that stole my heart!

Last fall I had sent Traci at York Mountain Primitives some little jack-o-laterns she asked about. Well, right around Christmastime I got a wonderful surprise when a package arrived from Traci with some of her handy-work:

A ditty-bag with cedar, wool snowman tree ornie, little santa gnome (he's been living in my kitchen on one of my roosters) and my favorite, a little pillow stitchery. I've packed away all of my Christmas decor, but couldn't put these items away, I love them so much and want to enjoy them for a while yet. They'll probably end up in my craft area to live year 'round.

Have a great week! ~*~Lisa

FIRST CREATION

2012-01-14T10:16:00.000-05:00

My first creation with the new machine - a little wall-hanging. Want to stitch some vines and leaves on yet where the stitches didn't quite meet up. It's not a good pic - took it with the phone at night. The memory card on my camera is full and I have to save the pics to my computer, which I am putting off because there are a few hundred to go through. I am bad when it comes to pictures! I have thousands to go through on storage devices to categorize and print out. I don't know why I have such a hard time doing that. I think because a lot of times pictures make me so sad. I'm nostalgic to a fault and when I see pics of loved ones who have passed or of my daughter when she was a baby I get all sad and weepy and snotty and snorty.

Have some bunny patterns on the sewing table with muslin waiting to be traced. Floppy ear bunnies - like the one in my header (that's "Rosie", she lives in Puerto Rico now!) were my first crafts that I sewed besides playing with quilts. Love the bunnies! There is a pattern that I have been searching high and low for that I thought I purchased last spring and I cannot find it anywhere. Do you ever misplace things and go crazy trying to find them? Oh man, it's enough to make you loony!

We finally got our winter snow. It's sticking to the pine trees and is real pretty. I hope you have a good weekend and look forward to visiting...if I see a light on I might just hop up on the porch real quick to say hi or lean over the fence to ask what you've been up to!

~*~Lisa

THANKS FRIENDS

2012-01-07T09:14:00.000-05:00

Thanks for all of the advice and support re: my question about how to keep the needle on my new machine in the down position to pivot the fabric. This is a picture of the little diva above. She really is a beauty. My sister sure knows how to spoil her people. I ended up hand-cranking that needle down into the fabric - which I was originally afraid to do since I thought I felt more resistance than normal and didn't want to mess it up. On the old machine, you take your foot off the pedal at the right spot and the needle stays down...on this machine, you take your foot off the pedal and the needle automatically pops up.

Here is a picture of the 18 yr old machine. Never cleaned her, never oiled her, never had a problem with her. She is an old friend and I am loyal, I will keep her until it's her time to go.

I really enjoyed hearing what others create on - I think it would be inspiring/interesting to see everyone's machines or sewing tables.

Thanks again and have a good weekend!

~*~Lisa

NEED SEWING MACHINE HELP

2012-01-04T21:18:00.000-05:00

Anyone out there know how to keep the needle down on a Singer Fashion Mate 5500?

My sis sent me a new machine for Christmas. It has fancy stitches and an automatic threader...holy cow...I've been sewing on a 90$ Singer for 18 years and am not familiar with these new diva machines.

It took me 3 hours to find the bobbin case. I had to search for a video on Youtube to find this out.

Now when I am stitching and want to leave the needle in the down position to lift the presser foot to turn or "pivot" the fabric on a curve or corner, the needle won't stay down! I know there has to be a way to do this, but I have searched Singer's support FAQ's, sent them the question with no response yet, Googled it, read the manual 10 times, blah blah blah.

Feel kind of stupid asking, but am so frustrated at this point I don't care!

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated - thanks!

~*~Lisa

THE UNDERGROUND BOOK OF MAN RULES

2012-01-03T08:56:00.000-05:00

from chapter 3, page 57........

".....under no circumstance shall you deposit your clothing in the laundry basket, hamper, or other apparatus set up by the one with ovaries to collect dirty clothing. Instead...form your own "personal" piles throughout the living environment."

-THE UNDERGROUND BOOK OF MAN RULES

MERRY CHRISTMAS FRIENDS

2011-12-23T14:32:00.001-05:00

Sorry I've been out of touch lately and haven't been able to visit with my buddies as much as I would like to. Busy where I work at the church this time of year! I wanted to stop in real quick and wish everyone a safe, joyful, peaceful, meaningful, healthy Christmas. I am very thankful for my blog buddies.

Haven't been crafting lately, but started writing again and have been doing that at night.

(I know my break from muslin & stuffing won't be long!)

Since Christmas Eve is on a Saturday (LOVE IT!) I won't have to work and we will celebrate with my mom in the afternoon, head to church at 4:30, and then to a friend's for snacks & cheer (am making ham roll-ups with pickles - have only had them with onion before...making those too...could survive on them alone!) And then home to wait for Santa.

Christmas dinner will consist of ham & scalloped potatoes in the crock-pot, baked corn bread pudding (thanks Patti!), bread pudding for dessert and a few misc items here and there. Trying to keep it simple!

We don't have much snow, but it is falling lightly right now. Usually we are up to our noses in it by now.

Blessings and Love to All ~*~Lisa

SILENT AUCTION FOR A GOOD CAUSE

2011-12-17T20:57:00.002-05:00

I am behind in catching up on blogs, so most probably already know about this, but if not...

Traci over at York Mountain Primitives is hosting a silent auction to help a fellow blogger in need. Many wonderful primitive artists have donated some great items. Bids placed are for ALL of the items. Go check them out at by clicking on the picture above, which happens to be Traci's donation to the silent auction. Bidding ends Tuesday, December 20th.

Thanks ~*~Lisa

2011-12-01T09:41:00.001-05:00

The dogs have no rhyme or reason - I just love the picture!

I was lazy and didn't clear out my email and exceeded my quota, so any emails sent to The Moonlit Stitch over the past few days were not received and won't be. I don't know what happens to them...they may be floating around out there in the world wide web somewhere. Just wanted to jot a note in case I don't respond to something so you know I'm not ignoring you.

Have a good day!

BAN ON HORSE SLAUGHTER QUIETLY LIFTED

2011-11-30T09:37:00.001-05:00

I try not to get too worked up over issues. There's a lot in this big old world to get worked up over. But I read the following article just now and want to SCREAM and smack someone.

http://news.yahoo.com/horses-could-soon-slaughtered-meat-us-080907323.html

I don't know the history of this issue, but I can tell you that I will never eat horse meat. Certain animals were not created to be consumed. And I am not a horse person. There is so much going on in this world we are not even aware of. The people need to have a voice. When asked about how he felt about the Occupy Wallstreet protestors, Newt Gingrich said "Tell them to go get a shower and find a job." HEEELLLLOOO? Newt! Babe! That's why the people are there! There are no jobs because fat cats like you are greedy. The rich get richer, the poor get poorer and the middle class disappears.

Okay. That's my rant for 2011. One a year. I promise. LOL!

~Lisa

FINAL REPORT

2011-11-27T10:34:00.001-05:00

Santa Make-Do pattern by Kim of Farmer's Daughter

Well blog buddies, I'm sure you are tired of hearing about the craft show by now, but this will be my final report! LOL! Thanks for all of the kind, supportive comments, by the way. You are the best blog buddies ever! It really lifted my heart to come home and read them. It was like having a friend sitting next to me.

Yesterday things picked up a bit and there were more shoppers. There were only about 20 booths total and I could throw a snowball from one end of the hall and hit the other end. I ended up selling just over half of my wares. In the end the profit was only enough for another table fee. But that's okay because I love the atmosphere of a craft show - meeting and talking to the other crafters.

These raggedy candy canes were popular ... but no one bought them LOL! Just a few sold. I had a jar of peppermints sitting out for browsers - you can see them on the right - it was so funny - people would walk right on by and grab one on their way. I would say "TAKE ANOTHER FOR LATER ON!" and laugh. I would love telling the little kids that walk by to be sure & take one.

These black kitty's were meant for halloween but I didn't get a chance to finish them so I slapped santa hats on them and they all sold. My friend who was sitting with me wants 3 and a crafter next to me asked for an orange one.

Not all of the prim dolls sold. Which I understand because not too many folks do primitive.

Some of the other crafters at the show were selling the crocheted/knitted dishrags & towels. A family who owned a farm was spinning wool & selling goatsmilk soap. The next table had handmade Christmas trees made from grapvines and organic jam & teas. There were yummy fleece blankets with all kinds of designs, baked goods, handpainted signs & Christmas bulbs, up-cycled t-shirts, jewelry and wreaths.

I have to say one of the best moments at the show for me was when a crafter - actually she's an artist - she paints amazing pictures and creates breath-taking jewelry - bought one of my red stockings. They were really prim - rough edges, mossy sticks, spanish moss, pipberries and cinnamon rubbed. She said it just touched something in her heart and reminded her of Christmas long ago when she was a child and they wouldn't have alot, but those were the Christmas' memories that were her most cherished. I thought "She gets it!". Yep. That was the best moment!

Blessings on your week friends!

~*~Lisa

CRAFT SHOW

2011-11-25T22:01:00.000-05:00

My little table at the craft show. I have more pics but am having such a hard time uploading them. Will try again later on. Today was pretty slow, but at least I made my booth fee back. Tomorrow will be a fairly long day 9-5. Hopefully the pace will pick up so that it goes by quick! There were three craft shows in our area this weekend and this one was the smallest with the cheapest fee and the only two-day show. In the future, I believe I would choose to pay a higher fee for many reasons. The santa head make-do in the top picture is from a pattern by The Olde Country Cupboard.

MOONLIT MADNESS

2011-11-21T11:13:00.000-05:00

My camera is broke - another cell phone pic! Just a sampling of snowfolk waiting for their fnishing touches. At last I can finally put to use the shutter doors I found at the Re-Store for $10! A little nervous about securing them...seconds before I snapped this it fell forward and almost crushed the cat. It was so strange...she didn't even move. She's such a trusting, loving kitty...somehow she knew I would dive across the room and throw my body in front of her.

The craft show is coming up in 3 days and I'm feeling the pinch. Been up 1/2 the night creating for many nights in a row. Last night it hit me: the madness of it all. Why am I doing this? I can't even tell how things are turning out at this point. Will anyone even be interested in any of it? With this economy...will anyone even be shopping? But I read a quote today that I really like:

"There is nothing wrong or unnatural with feeling weary, but there is everything wrong with abandoning ship in the midst of the fight."

ARRRRRGH! I'm not walking the plank...The santas will get their beards! The snowmen will get their noses! LOL!

There is so much that I won't be able to finish for the show. Maybe I take on too much and should stick to just a few patterns. I dunno.

Spent the day in the emergency room with my mom Saturday. Man, I hate that place. She has ongoing issues, but will be okay hopefully. What a crazy place! Spent the better part of Sunday picking up the rest of the leaves in her yard...a fine snow started to fall as I was riding the bagging mower...the time is flying by so fast the seasons are overlapping each other instead of gently transitioning.

The requests for food, clothing and assistance with rent and heat at work are at an all-time high. Times are bad. My wish for this week is that everyone has enough to eat and a roof over their head - at least on Thanksgiving. I am so thankful for my blog friends - God bless you and your families!

~*~Lisa

ODE TO MORNING GLORY

2011-11-14T22:14:00.000-05:00

Found a couple of handfulls of Morning Glory stuffing in the bottom of the barrel (literally...I keep my stuffing in an old antique barrel!) and couldn't believe the difference. That's it on the left. I've been using the gritty, spongy stuff from Wally World - that's it on the right. I knew Morning Glory was the best, but to hold it side by side with the other "stuff" ing...WOW. Gritty spongy stuff makes my doll bodies pucker & wrinkle. The stuffing tool pokes right through it. Morning Glory is so nice to work with. So smooth. Soft. I'm in love. LOL!

Off to stitch & stuff until I fall asleep. Hope you are well!

~*~Lisa

WHAT I'VE BEEN WORKING ON

2011-10-31T11:25:00.001-04:00

Making slight progress on my WIP's for a Thanksgiving weekend craft show, but progress has its sacrifices.
My husband mentioned jokingly this weekend my "slacking" since I started sewing again (and something about the cat litter) while I was stuffing the stockings above. I was just like, DUDE! How are the snowmen going to get their rusty-bell-buttons if I'm scooping the cat litter and doing the dishes every time I turn around? LOL.

I haven't been able to visit blogs and return emails as often as I would like to while sewing. We all know once you sit down in front of that ole computer how time flies! A few more weeks of winter creations and then another reprieve. I hope you find time to do something you love this week! I'll drop by for a visit soon.

~*~Lisa

oh my gosh...I almost forgot...

A TO Z

2011-10-26T09:04:00.004-04:00

Wasn't gonna do this....but I'm enjoying everyone else's so much...thought I'd play along, hope you do too if you haven't yet!

A~ Age: 43
B~ Bed:
four post queen

C~ Chore you hate:
Cleaning the bathrooms-it's just boring.

D~ Dog:
Our old buddy died in Sept 2010 at age 13.
E~ Essential start to my day:
lots of COFFEE.
F~ Favorite color:
Purple and black.
G~ Gold or silver:
silver
H~ Height:
I used to be 5'8", but I think I'm starting to shrink.
I~ Instruments I play:
I took piano in grade school and cornet in band. I own 3 harmonicas for some reason. People keep giving them to me. Have always secretly wanted to be a drummer in a rock band.
J~ Job Title:
Secretary. Mom. Wife.
K~ Kids:
1 girlchild age 10
L~ Live in:
No. MI in the woods.
M~ Make of car:
Black Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4wd
N~ Nicknames:
"Hey...where's the..." or "Hey...do we have any..."
O~ Overnight hospital stay.:
tonsils & childbirth (not at the same time)
P~ Pet Peeve:
those who park in the drop off lane at school in the morning
Q~ Quote from a movie:
Dude, where's my car?
R~ Right or left handed:
Right
S~ Siblings:
2 sisters, one living
T ~ T.V. Shows:
Survivor, Real Housewives, Axmen, Swamp People...I can't handle anything deep because I cry too easy!
U~ Underwear:
I don't get this one...do people not wear underwear? Isn't that painful? Cotton underwear, no slinky, stringy stuff. Comfort and safety first.
V~ Vegetable you hate:
I like veggies. Especially if they are deep-fried with lots of salt.
W~ What makes you late?
Running back in the house to make sure I unplugged the iron. Running back in the house to grab my phone. Running back in the house to feed the cat. Running back in the house to turn off the bedroom light. Running back in the house to start the dishwasher. Etc.
X~ X-rays:
I have x-rays of my head in my craft room. Not displayed, or anything. The hospital wanted them back. They said they were theirs. I figure I paid good money for them and it's my head...I'm keeping them.
Y- Yummy food that I make:
pork schnitzel from Patti's recipe.

Z~ Zoo Animals:

Don't really like anything caged or kept in a faux environment for entertainment or experiment. Rescue is cool though.

Goodies from Wendy

2011-10-22T12:25:00.001-04:00

Came home from work on a cold, gray, windy & rainy day to find a cute little box on my porch.

It was from Wendy over at Ravenwood Whimzies! Wendy had a contest to name their new kitten and I was one of the lucky winners. Wendy sent a wonderful black cat on a stick with a little "BOO" tag and rusty bells around his neck - I just love him! She also sent a bag of acorns tied with orange & black plaid material, two huge, yummy smelling wax corn molds and milk chocolate!

The card from Wendy is folkart by Michigan artist Sandra Somers, which I thought was cool since I'm a Michigan girl. It looks good next to the old bottle & star from Patti/Primitive at Heart.

Thanks Wendy! I hope you are enjoying your "Smidgen".

Here are a few things I'm working on. Lots of muslin, warm n natural, ticking and homespun. These will be santas, make-do's, stockings, gingers and snowfolk. Believe it or not. I've got a long way to go! But first I have to clean house, feed the people and do some yardwork at my mom's. I've got so many crafty ideas and projects floating around in my head that I want to try...it's driving me bonkers.

Thanks for visiting - I hope you are having a good weekend!

~*~Lisa

ONE FINAL WALK

2011-10-16T20:55:00.000-04:00

Hard to believe just over a week ago the colors were in their prime and now we are seeing bare branches against cold, gray skies. Will you take one last walk with me to enjoy the colors?

We'll start at the driveway by the road above...

...and work our way through the front yard...

The colors against the crisp fall sky are amazing! Watch your step if you're looking up and walking at the same time...

Almost to the side yard...

...which is a WALL of fall color...almost to the firepit in the back...

The fire from this morning is still burning off...you can see the smoke drifting up.

Ahhh...here we are at the paths that wind through the woods out back....come on, let's go:

Don't you love that woodsy fall smell?

The sun makes the leaves glow

This way takes us back up to the house.

There's the arbor by the shed - means we're back home. Thanks so much for taking one final walk through fall with me! (I'm going to sew some santa elves & snowmen now!)

HAVE A GREAT WEEK!

~*~Lisa

CINNAMON STICK TUTORIAL

2011-10-11T10:05:00.000-04:00

A couple of winters ago I was crafting in the middle of the night in the middle of a snowstorm and needed cinnamon sticks. Didn't have any, so I made some, and here is how:

Gather up:

ground cinnamon

coffee or your favorite stain recipe

acrylic paint (I used antique copper, but you can play with the color)

osnaburg fabric

paintbrush

gloves are optional (it can get messy)

Cut your osnaburg fabric 3.5" x 5" (or longer if you choose)

brush or spray on your stain

brush on your paint

sprinkle cinnamon and gently rub in

Find the center of your fabric and roll one of thelong sides of the fabric tightly to the center

Roll the other side of the fabric tightly to the center, meeting the already rolled side

Sprinkle additional cinnamon if desired

Set aside to dry

Tips: the paint is what will make the fabric hold together, so make sure to cover all the fabric with it.

If you don't like the shape of the stick, play with how tight you roll the fabric.

After rolling both sides of the fabric to the center, dab some paint on each end and dip in cinnamon.

I tied these faux cinnamon sticks to some ginger ornies with red & off-white check fabric strips and loved the look...will be making some more this year!

SWAP GOODIES FROM PATTI

2011-10-09T18:26:00.000-04:00

Received my fall swap goodies from Patti at Primitive at Heart!

As always, she spoiled me.....
Fall color plaid homespun...awesome ceramic baking dish, fall scented tarts and handmade candy corn (rubbed in cinnamon that smell soooo good!)

These are my favorites! Patti painted a huge wooden bowl filled with grass and indian corn that she made and a caramel apple she made that looks so real...

...check out the old bottle (love it!), barn star ornie and whimsical JOL & pumpkin!

(sorry for the sunlight & shadows in the pics!) Who wuda thunk mummy heads could be so darn cute! Three witch brooms and an old tin cup...

Whimsical wooden bowl and matching star ornies and pots - love the polka-dots and swirls and purple, green & orange together! Two Halloween notepads and yet more cute Halloween fabric! (I wish I could have gotten a better picture of everything)

A little boo ghost plant poke, Rigid Wrap for crafting, a blue mason jar full of my favorite candy, guinnea pig treats and kitty treats! (disclaimer: a bag of Dove milk chocolate was also sent, but that is currently in hiding in my sewing room - LOL).

Thanks SOMUCH, Patti, for everything!

MISTY MORNINGS & SANTA BRAIN

2011-10-04T09:58:00.000-04:00

The mornings have been so beautiful with the mist sitting low on the fields.

This is a picture of the field down the road from our house yesterday morning. It used to be a thriving apple orchard with lots of employees. Now we import apple juice. I just don't get it.

This is a picture I took last week. A river runs through our town and in the mornings the mist rises up from it so thick you can't even tell that it's there.

I've STILL been trying to catch up on blog reading - so much eye candy out there! A lot of wonderful creations coming to life - fall decorating - can't you just feel the creative vibe in the air?

Santa from the Past

I've made the switch over to winter now. The last few nights I've been tracing & cutting santa bodies & clothes. Hopefully I'll be sewing by the weekend. I love it so much - I wish I could stay home all day and create! Something about this time of year that makes you want to bake and cook and decorate.....OH! Speaking of baking and cooking - I actually did some of that on Sunday. I don't cook OR bake well, but my buddy Patti at Primitive at Heart and her family are always doing something creative with food. She has a recipe page now and I tried her Jagerschnitzel Pork and Cinnamon Oatmeal cookies - both turned out wonderful and I felt like Martha for a day - thanks Patti!

Have a wonderful, creative week!

OVERDUE THANKS

2011-09-25T18:42:00.000-04:00

Been gone too long! Crazy work week - or two - haven't been able to blog hop or post. Try to pop in once in a while real quick when I'm around a high-speed connection.

Thanks to all my buddies for the kind comments on my last post regarding my craft show refugees. I appreciate your support!

And many MANY thanks to Miss Linda of Parkers Paradise! I was one of the winners a while back for a giveaway she hosted and wanted to share what I won!

One of Linda's framed stitcheries - this one says "Faith is the key" and has a little key attached - LOVE IT! And an old oval box FULL of metal molds - I about did a jig in my kitchen when I discovered these! Linda is sooooo generous. And last but not least, a cute little country bunny with a wooden doll bench. Somehow Linda was able to know just what I would fall in love with. Thanks so much, Linda, I will cherish these items!

Packing up the last of a fall swap I'm doing with my buddy Patti over at Primitive at Heart.

I want to sew more fall & Halloween, but the santa elves are calling!

I wish you a blessed week in whatever you have planned - hope to catch up with you soon!

~*~Lisa

CRAFT SHOW REFUGEES

2011-09-09T21:32:00.000-04:00

I recently found out that our town cancelled the annual "Autumnfest" which hosted the only fall craft show around. I now have piles of pumpkin refugees camping out in my sewing room. The above "Forgotten Pumpkins" by My Primitive Saltbox have always been a favorite of mine. I purchased the pattern quite a while back but never got around to making them. I also made two more pumpkin patterns by My Primitive Saltbox:

"Haunted Pumpkin Sticks"

"Lil' Jacks"

Also made about fifteen-hundred-million crows & cats & witchie-poo's.
The lady who told me the show was cancelled didn't seem to be affected by this fact. Oh well...there's always next year!

SPAM CHALLENGE!

2011-09-08T10:45:00.003-04:00

This is me in the kitchen.
Without the blonde hair, pink dress and red lipstick.
The smoke and fire coming out of the oven is right on though!

I was surprised to learn how many blog-friends who commented on my SPAM post really dislike the stuff!

My friend Patti over at Primitive at Heart is always sharing awesome recipes with me that she and her husband are cooking up. She shares a lot of recipes in her older posts - I think she should start a recipe page!

I don't share recipes because I don't cook or bake well at all, but I would like to issue a CHALLENGE to all of the SPAM haters out there! LOL! Play with this a bit and let me know what you come up with! Was it worth it? Did your family like it? What twist did you put on it?

Mix the following, pour in your favorite casarole dish and cook at 375 for about 40 minutes:

1 or 2 cans SPAM cut in small cubes

Cooked egg noodles
(1/2 bag for small dishes - use your judgement)

2 cans of cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup

1 or 2 cans or a frozen bag of your favorite veggie(s)
(sweet peas, broccoli, mixed, etc.)

Shredded cheese or parmeson cheese or both

There ya have it. Are you game?

SPAM

2011-09-07T08:03:00.001-04:00

Ahhhh....SPAM.

That gelatinous brick of pork product, affordable, yet mysterious.

Then there's 'the other kind' of spam.
I had 6 spam comments on one post recently. Thought I'd share them with you:

"Thank You for looking at this website. Please allow me to have the possibility to show my satisfaction with acid reflux..."
(thanks, but no thanks)

"The income concerning the sandals show how effective these shoes can be"
(sandals are nice, I guess....)

"You pretty much said what i could not effectively communicate"
(I was talking about buttons in a jar.)

"Activities variety a key part of each of our lifestyle many businesses are linked throughout creating sophisticated and also critical sporting activities garments"
(talk about effective communication...)

"Este pensamiento tiene que justamente a propisito"
(Este say what?!)

"el pensamiento Desgraciado"
(I know what you mean. I don't care for green olives either.)

So I wonder how much time people spend spamming? Are they getting paid for it? Are they sitting crammed in dimly lit basements with tinfoil over the windows hunched over their laptops shoving nose spray up their nose every five minutes letting out evil snort-laughs every time they hit "POST"? I just don't get it. I'll take the gelatinous brick of mysterious pork product any day over this stuff!

DID I FIND MY PRIMITIVES?

2011-09-05T21:35:00.000-04:00

A friend called out of the blue Sunday and asked if I would be interested in going to a craft show a little over an hour away. I was in her driveway within 20 minutes. LOL!

The show was being held at a place called "Castle Farms". When I was in high school, Castle Farms was in ruins...a huge old decrepid stone farmhouse in a cow pasture. But at that time I thought that it was the best place to be in the world because in that cow pasture was a giant stage that hosted a lot of really cool bands. I remember going to see Cheap Trick, REO Speedwagon, .38 Special, The Scorpians, Quiet Riot, and Bryan Adams. (I probably gave away my age there...no, I didn't wear leg warmers, yes I had big hair). LOL!

Anyway, the Castle is now renovated into a beautiful venue for weddings and conventions.

There must have been over 100 venders at the craft show. My mission, of course, was to seek out at least ONE primitive booth. About halfway through I found it! It seemed as if I was having an out-of-body experience as I floated over to the booth...okay, I'm being dramatic, but I really didn't expect to find primitives. Once I landed on my feet I asked the owner "Did I find my primitives?" She got a big smile on her face and clapped her hands as if in victory and said "Yes you did! YAY!" She had to most beautiful prim dolls but they were out of my price range at $58, although worth every penny. I settled for a little blue ball jar with buttons inside...a steal at $4, and a prim kitty:

Speaking of good deals, I recently purchased some lil stockings from Lil Raggedy Angie on her Raggedy Goodes page. They are so stinkin' cute! All of Angie's creations are so reasonably priced, too.

It's taken me far to long to post this...our internet speed has been a problem lately. Before starting this post I was trying to catch up on some blog reading and some wouldn't load at all, while others would load but not let me comment. It's enough to drive a craft woman insane.

Have a good week!

~*~Lisa

HORN OF PLENTY

2011-08-28T22:04:00.002-04:00

I recently won a great giveaway from Angela at "Thru Nana's Window"!

Angela's Horn of Plenty is honestly one of the most unique creations and I love it so much! Angela also sent the wonderful Turkey pillow and a sweet little prim card (that I couldn't get to show up in a photo due to the sun). Everything is so well done. Even my husband fell in love with the Horn of Plenty and when my daughter first seen it she said "hey mom, this is just like the stuff you like!" YES IT IS!

Thanks so much Angela for hosting this giveway, I feel so lucky to have won. Your handmade creation will grace my table in the fall for many many years to come!

~*~Lisa

DON'T STEP ON MY PUMPKINS PLEASE

2011-08-18T09:53:00.000-04:00

"Mom? Isn't it really nice of Dad to let you have all of your craft stuff all over the bedroom floor like you do and not get mad?"

(Yes. Yes it is.)

THANKS DEB!

2011-08-11T14:11:00.000-04:00

I wanted to thank Deb from PAXTON VALLEY FOLKART

who recently shared an award with 10 blogger buddies and I was one.

I've always been a fan of Deb's creations - please drop by her blog for a visit!

I am now supposed to pass on the award to 10 blogs that brighten my day, but I know a lot of blogs are award-free, so if I may, I would like to reference my blog list on my right sidebar (only the most recently updated blogs I follow show) and the buttons on my left sidebar, along with my followers widget-gadget-outfit. "I LOVE YOU, MAN!" These are really creative folks that truly brighten my day! I know I might be breaking the rules, but Deb gave me the option to pass on or not. So maybe in lieu of an award, you can tell someone how they brighten your day and make them feel all warm & fuzzy inside!

~*~Lisa

CAN YOU FEEL IT IN THE AIR?

2011-08-10T10:19:00.001-04:00

Woke up this morning to 60 degree weather with a nice cool breeze. I thought to myself as I walked out the door to head to work about those who have been experiencing intense heat and hoped you can feel fall in the air also.

Making progress little by little on the fall creations. Wish I could post some finished pics instead of so many WIP's, but working full time - although a blessing - doesn't allow me to "play" as much as I would like to! LOL! Took about 15 minutes and traced out some hats for these scarecrows this morning. Having fun experimenting with different primming "potions".

These Halloween trees will be used to display ornies at a fall craft show.

Was able to paint a few bowls for bowl fillers too.

Hope everyone's week is going well. I wish you freedom from pain, peace in caring for a loved one in need, joy in your day and time to create!

~*~Lisa

BEWARE & Shades of Blue and Rust

2011-08-03T10:56:00.001-04:00

My buddy Patti over at Primitive at Heart has really been inspiring me with her redo and decorating pics.

She made a great shelf and sign among other things which made me dig out my old sign boards. I have an alphabet stencil but didn't line up the letters right on "BEWARE" in the pic above. Not sure if you're just supposed to eyeball it?

Painted some cans for Halloween tree bases too. Last week when I was on vacation I took one look at my fingernails and actually splurged and spent $15 on my first manicure. The young lady who did my nails was so kind and gracious when I explained to her that was black paint and spray foam and faux rust on my nails. I said "I'm a crafter". And she understood! LOL!

While the signs and cans were drying in the hot sun, I packed up my daughter and hit the shores of Lake Huron. As I sat on the beach and stared out into the beautiful lake I couldn't help but wonder: How many different shades of blue are there?

Growing up I had shoeboxes full of rocks. I still love to collect them and so does my daughter so we had fun at this beach. We found a couple Petoskey Stones and Pudding Stones too. Hard to believe in a few short months they will all be covered in feet of ice and snow.

Yep, those are my feet. (Like my fake Crocs? Bought them at a flea market in Memphis three years ago...best $5 I ever spent! LOL!) Can you read the words on my cup of lemonade? "Relax".

Happy mid-week to all.

~*~Lisa

STUFFING & STUFF

2011-07-30T19:52:00.000-04:00

Woke up this morning to sunlight & shadows.

While sipping coffee on the porch decided to take inventory of my stitchin' progress...

Stitched shut-ready to be painted/embellished.

Need to be stitched

Deflated pumpkins, skinny witchies and flat-head scarecrows...I need to get STUFFING!

Now for the "STUFF" part...

Picked this stash up at the Salvation Army today. I've always wanted these shutters in my windows...could paint them black & put them in the kitchen (shootin' for a burghandy/black/ochre french farmhouse feel) or paint them colonial blue & put them in the back room (shootin' for a colonial/saltbox/Americana feel) after the A/C unit is packed away LOL! Or use them for ornie displays at a craft show. They were $1 each.

Everything else was 50 cents each. Would like to paint the cutting board black & add some pumpkins...don't know what to do with the blue wooden recipe box? Any suggestions? The jars will be used for potions.

Picked this piece up for $1 a few weeks ago:

It's a little screen door with a picket fence. Thought I'd paint it and stack some pumpkins on it, add some cobwebs...try to make it look like a porch decorated for trick-or-treat. I'm not good at redo's, but have been so inspired by some of you gals out there, thought I'd give it a whirl.

Hope everyone is having a good weekend - keep on creating!

~*~Lisa

FU FU THE BAT

2011-07-27T10:59:00.001-04:00

In Chinese the word for Good Luck and Bat sound the same (so I have read...I am not fluent in Chinese, LOL). This is Fu-Fu, the good luck bat. He is different...but very special. His radar is off so he has to wear glasses. One of his wings is slightly different than the other, so he often flies in circles. But he is a faithful and dedicated friend and actually highly intelligent.

When my daughter was little, one of her favorite shows was Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese cat. Sagwa was always getting into trouble and her best friend , Fu-Fu the bat, was always coming to her rescue. The bat above is one of Lil Raggedy Angie's proto-types. She had posted it a while back and mentioned the wing stitching was different than what she was going for. I told her I liked her proto-type bat anyway because it reminded me of the show we watched when my daughter was younger and that brought back some sweet memories for me (you know how you get rolling through life and can't slow down enough for those simple memories to pop through...sometimes you need something like a bat who is different and special). So what does Angie do? She fashions a pair of glasses for her proto-type bat to make it Fu-Fu the bat, and takes the time to mail him to me! My daughter was right there when we received the pkg. and we had fun remembering together.

Thanks Lil Raggedy Angie for your act of kindness!

So I'm at the point where I needed to separate my WIP's into what needs to be "stuffed", "stitched" shut and "painted". Notice how the first box on the left...the "stuff" box... is fuller than the last box! This means I need to get it in gear. I can't wait to add another box...my favorite part: EMBELLISH! That's when you really see your creation come to life. If you need me, I'll be cramming stuffing into muslin...for the next week! LOL!

MARKET YOUR SELLING BLOG

2011-07-26T23:13:00.000-04:00

Patti over at Primitive at Heart has recently started a new Top 100 site that helps folks who sell their goods on a selling blog or selling blog page advertise for free. Click the pic above to visit this new site and add your link to your selling blog or selling blog page. It's a great way for people to find you in this big old world-wide-web and you can never advertise enough - especially if it's free!

In other news.....

The cat seems happy. At least I think those are happy eyes...maybe I am confusing evil contemplation with happy.

Johnny Jump Ups would have been a lot thicker if it were not for the local squirrel life feeling the need to hide their nuts in the planter.

After all that digging in my planters they must be tired because they were napping in the limbs all over the other day. Kind of cute the way they stretch their bellies out and hang their little squirrel legs over the branch.

Just another flower pic.

Have a great week ~*~Lisa

OLM's My Heart Skips A Beat Giveaway

2011-07-22T09:56:00.001-04:00

I've been wanting to participate Marie's Giveaway on her blog, "Primitives by Olde Lady Morgan" for a while, which makes us think about what makes our hearts skip a beat. (click on Marie's blog name above to check out this great giveaway!).

I've got so many things that bring me joy I couldn't narrow it down to just a few pics, so I'll just list them here...I hope that qualifies...

My daughter - the best thing that's ever happened to me

My husband and family and friends who make me laugh until I cry

Antiques, Farmhouses, Archaic Trees, The Woods, Folklore, Folkart

The Blue Moon above which stands for The Moonlit Stitch...this represents all of the wonderful people I've met through etsy and blogging who share their creativity and encouragement. It is my escape, creative outlet, joy.

Above all: Hope in the promise of the Resurrection when someday I can meet the Maker and the loved ones that I yearn for!

Hope I didn't get too mushy-gushy there...I usually don't go into mushy-gushy mode...hey: anything for chance to win one of Marie's prim creations! LOL!

~*~ Lisa

IT'S FRIIIIIIDAAAAAY!

2011-07-22T07:54:00.000-04:00

It's Friday! Let's see all those happy faces!

Didn't get a chance to sew this morning but have plenty of works in progress! Gotta love it.

And the heat finally broke this morning...a nice cool breeze through the screens instead of a/c humming - gotta love that too!

Went to Joanne's with a friend last weekend and spent $10. Wow...without the coupons stuff sure is expensive...but I found out yesterday our WalMart is finally getting their fabric section back: YEE-HAWWW! Gotta really love it!

We are taking vacation next week and maybe camping if the heat stays under control. Whatever we do, wherever we go, I'm bringing my stuffing, witchiepoo's, pumpkin heads, doll needles, scissors, floss, thread....whew...better start packing tonight (oh yeah, we're gonna need food & clothing too..hee-hee..priorities you know!). I wish everyone a blessed weekend full of comfort, peace, creativity and love!

~*~Lisa

TAMERA STRIKES AGAIN!

2011-07-18T19:15:00.001-04:00

Was sitting in the backyard Saturday morning tracing out some patterns and enjoying the beautiful morning with some coffee before it got too hot to be outside. I was thinking "it doesn't get better than this" when my husband came around the corner of the house with a box the mailman had just dropped off. It was from Tamera at http://www.countryatheart.blogspot.com/ ! Tamera had done a giveaway and I was one of the lucky recipients of her goods:

A wonderful barn star with blue & yellow pip berries that Tamera made (she must have known I love stars & pip berries!), a sweet little sunflower notbook and two beautiful prim candles finished off with a tin star. Tamera included a little note that explained the yellow star stands for health in body & mind (yep! I need that! LOL!), love of man and sun and connection to God...perfect! Thanks so much Tamera - you are a sweetie and I'm so glad we are blogging buddies!

A closer view of Tamera's star

Been concentrating on creations for a fall craft show and made a couple of potion bottle prototypes:

Black Cat Howl.....

.....and Spider Blood
(no cats or spiders were hurt in the making - I promise.)

Hope everyone has a great week and stays cool. Keep on creating!

~*~Lisa

"IF I ONLY HAD A BRAIN" & FLOWERS

2011-07-13T00:06:00.000-04:00

The Scarecrow was my favorite in the Wizard of Oz. I'm going to try and make a few more of these guys.

Went for a walk around the yard last night and snapped some pics of flowers. I let a lot of things grow that most folks would probably cut down or dig up. I love wild flowers. Daisies and Black Eyed Susans remind me of summers growing up.

I dug up these tiger lilies in the rain just before they tore down an old house they were growing next to.

(are they tiger lilies without the spots?)

This little girl is waiting patiently for the blackberries to ripen

Love the fuscia color of wild sweet peas

This lily is in a rock garden in the front yard - look at all the buds!

Side of the rock garden - love purple & gray together

Just a sittin' spot

A SEWING DAY

2011-07-09T22:07:00.000-04:00

My husband & daughter were out of the house for a while this afternoon so I took the opportunity to lug my machine out to the dining room and was able to start some projects.

Decided to try painting the fabric before sewing. The paint was quite diluted with coffee so it wasn't stiff, but after drying the color was more faded than I wanted.

Love how fast things dry outside in the summer!

Candy canes? Well, kind of...

Sweet treats for good Boos and Ghouls!

Oh I had so much fun sewing today!

FREE BUNNY PATTERN

2011-07-07T21:35:00.000-04:00

FOR ALL YOU DO, THIS BUN'S FOR YOU!

This is Doodle Bunny. I was doodling again and this is the result. She went together so easy and fast so I thought I'd share the pattern with anyone who would like to make some.

Just go to the free pattern widget on my sidebar and click the full size icon on the lower right hand corner. From there you can either download or print the pattern directly.

(I apologize for the pictures...they were taken at night by lamplight.) If you decide to make a Doodle Bunny, feel free to send a pic - I would love to see your version! I hope you have fun with it. If you would like to sell the finished product, go for it!

~*~ Lisa

BEAR LOVES BUNNY

2011-07-05T23:20:00.000-04:00

I had time to introduce Patti's Boyd's Bear to the little Boyd's Bunny I had. They really hit it off! A little while ago I overheard him telling her how much he digs her long ears.

Speaking of furry critters...we had a special visitor last night:

It's been quite a while since we've seen deer around our place. This little lady had come twice to munch on acorns & greens. Actually, she wasn't that little at all - this deer had the longest legs I've ever seen. The chair in the pic is by our firepit. The acorns are this side of the cedar bushes. She was so timid. As you can see, it's pretty rustic around here. No manicured lawns to be found. I just asked my sister to send some pics of her yard as she always does such a great job with her gardening.

Almost midnight - time to hit the hay! (I think I hear the Bear serenading Miss Bunny...I hope he keeps it down!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY & HOLY SWAP!

2011-07-04T11:16:00.003-04:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AMERICA! GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.!

A HAPPY & SAFE 4TH of JULY TO ALL!

And Now...

Holy Swap, Batman!

Patti from Primitive at Heart and I did a "summer swap" recently. Have you ever participated in a swap and felt totally outdone? Wow...did Patti ever go above and beyond! Like including the cute little Boyd's bear in the pic above (I have a little Boyd's bunny and I'm going to try and introduce them later!)

Everything was so perfectly prim and smelled so good!

Patti carefully packed this basket lined with doilies to the brim with items like this blackened beeswax tealight holder and "rusty" jar top and mini wreath hanger. She also included 2 sets of these prim labels printed on stained muslin.

My pictures don't do justice to the wonderful Americana items Patti sent. Here again, everything was wrapped up in little bags tied with gingham. See the muslin under the Americana goodies? I was telling Patti we only have one quilt shop in town for fabric. I actually went in there Friday after work to pick up a yard of muslin to trace patterns at camp and can you believe it? THEY DIDN'T CARRY MUSLIN! Then I came home opened Patti's swap box - that girl sent 5 yards of muslin!

So many smell goods! Tarts, dipped tapers & a pantry cake. Check out the little wooden stars!

The sunflowers in a "rusty" can with a tin star, pip berries and sweet annie is probably one of my favorites. Patti's work is so detailed and well-done. Surrounding them are a painted star tin (in my colors...mustard yellow & burghandy!) dried spiced oranges, pantry cake, recipe cards and vintage wooden handled masher.

So there ya have it. I've been outdone big time! Thanks Patti, for your generosity and friendship!

While camping this weekend we were able to hit a craft show called the "dancing hippo". It's been running for almost 40 years at an old stone-built town hall on a backroad about 10 minutes from our campsite. Lots of baskets, quilts, woven items, hand-blown glass, alpaca wool, but no prims! The closest thing I could find was a lady selling "softies", and they were awesome as were all of the other wonderful artists and their handmades.

Blessings to all ~*~ Lisa

COFFEE ZOMBIES

2011-06-27T06:39:00.001-04:00

Was in WalMart two weeks ago and noticed a fella carrying in a camp coffee pot like the one above to the customer service counter. This weekend one of my husband's goals was to practice making coffee for camp next weekend. We are coffee people. In the morning we don't resemble anything human without coffee. We are.....COFFEE ZOMBIES.

The pot leaked. I bet either we got "that guy's" coffee pot he was returning or....say it with me now....They just don't make things like they used to. Got a new pot...coffee was too weak. Will be perfected by camp time. All is good.

The weather this weekend was so beautiful I could hardly stand it. Gave you the feeling like you wanted to do a million things at once and didn't know where to start. That's the same feeling I get lately when I try to create. Don't know where to start. So I grabbed all of my patterns and went outside and attempted to organize them. My results are pictured above - LOL! Good effort anyway. I was able to determine I won't have time to make enough for the July craft show and will focus on the fall craft show. Hopefully I'll be able to post some fall creations soon.

The cat has been in heaven laying in the afternoon sun as it streams through the patio doors. It was a long cold winter! The little catnip pillow she's laying on was bought at a craft show last summer. This lady was making sales left and right. She was selling candles and cat toys and grew her own catnip. This was one of my favorite shows because I found an awesome primitive booth!! I was so excited!! The prims weren't flying off the shelf like the $3.50 catnip toys...but they were so perfectly prim. She told me that she didn't blog or etsy but sold on ebay. I hope she is at the show again this year.

Time to get ready for a new work week. I hope everyone has a happy week and can find time to create!

~*~ Lisa

QUEST

2011-06-20T07:37:00.000-04:00

Spent the weekend camping where the most urgent quest was to roast and consume the perfect marshmallow!

This is our very VINTAGE Holiday Rambler. Last year when my husband's terminal shut down, the closest terminal he could transfer to was almost four hours away. He works long days so that would leave no time to travel home. He was a week away from literally sleeping in his car to keep his job because we couldn't afford a hotel room every night so we found this camper along the side of the road. He lived in it in an abandoned parking lot. When winter hit he had to use a propane torch to defrost the door hinges to get in! I'm proud of him for doing what he had to in order to keep working. We were blessed that he found another job that allows him to be home every night and instead of selling the camper we gave camping a shot!

This is the view of the road from our site. The campground is pretty rustic with no water or electric hookup. there are 52 sites and only 7 were occupied - all with vintage campers like ours! LOL!

These stairs lead up to the upper level of campsites. We were on the lower level right on the lake so my daughter could go swimming. I could make it halfway up before stopping for a rest - they were pretty steep! The hill was filled with chipmunks - they were fun to watch. And at night hundreds of fireflies put on quite the lightshow - it was so magical.

These dragonflies flew over the lakeshore all day long. There were so many of them! And they were huge! My camera batteries died just as I was taking a picture of the lake, and I wanted to get a better pic of a dragonfly because their colors were much more brilliant than this picture shows.

Don't know what this stuff growing over the fence was but it smelled fresh & sweet!

Finally! I did bring my muslin & stuffing with me to camp and was able to get this far on one of the old dollies I'm making. Thanks for visiting my campsite with me! I have to get ready for work now...it's taken over 1/2 hour to get this post done! I look forward to being able to catch up on everyone's blogs soon!

Keep on creating!

~*~ Lisa

SUMMER REFUGEE

2011-06-14T15:50:00.000-04:00

Just a muslin head I stuck in a little grubby jar from last weekend. Might end up as a witchiepoo!

Like many of us, I've fallen victim to the yardwork that needs to be done and haven't been able to blog as often as I would like! The rain this year has given us an incredible growing season and everything is so lush and green. My mom's lawn takes 2 hours to cut and if I rake, weedwhack and weed, that's 4 hours. Then there's our yard. And my daughter is on summer break, so she's raring to go and do. I'm enjoying being outside and with my daughter, wish I didn't have to work full-time so I could do more of it, although I'm so thankful for my job. But alas, the sewing and blogging have taken a backseat. I apologize to my buddies if I'm not commenting as often lately...I will try to catch up when I can. I know everyone has lots going on with graduations, weddings, camping, etc. too. Hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far!

Black cat shelf-sitter I made a long time ago. Found this pic on my phone this week.

MAIL CALL!

2011-06-07T07:16:00.000-04:00

Received some goodies from Tonya over at http://www.myprimitivecreationsbytonya.blogspot.com/ this weekend! I was the "runner up" in her guessing game contest and she was kind enough to send me these consulation goodies, which I thought was so nice! Four rag balls, a little country crock ornie and two INSANELY scented grubby tapers - these babies make the whole room smell like heaven! Thanks so much Tonya!

I also won a guessing game hosted by Janice over at http://www.primsbythewater.blogspot.com/ ! She sent some wonderful strawberries with two kinds of grass for them to nest in (neither of us could make up our mind, so she sent both!LOL!) and the great little wooden berry box. I remember filling these boxes with real strawberries as a kid! The berries are a lot bigger than I expected and are wonderful I love them. Thanks Janice!

Trying to catch up again on all the posts from the weekend...a lot of activity! A lot of creating going on!

OLD FASHIONED CANDY WITH NO CALORIES

2011-06-03T09:09:00.000-04:00

These peppermint sticks were made from Liberty Candy with a picture of our founding father George Washington on each wrapper by Janice over at PRIMS BY THE WATER

For every one of Janice's followers who can bring over a new follower to her blog, she will give you her pattern FREE to make these peppermint sticks for yourself, including her secret to aging the paper (Oooo...I love secret prim-potions!).

New followers can also participate if they bring someone over. This SWEET giveaway will be open until June 17th, which will give everyone enough time to make these peppermint sticks to enjoy before July 4th....and like Janice says... the good thing about these candy sticks is that they have zero calories!

But that's not all! Every person who just wants to leave a comment on Janice's candy post without bringing a new follower over, will be entered into a drawing to be also held the night of June 17th. The winner of this drawing will receive 5 peppermint sticks in their choice of black/ white or color wrappers. I KNOW! You want to run over right now and enter, right? Just click the pic above for a shortcut there!

BUTTERFLY

2011-06-02T21:41:00.002-04:00

Was able to catch a picture of this beauty after work today. I had a lilac bush this color outside of my bedroom window growing up and so I planted one outside my daughter's window. The butterflies seem to love it...and so do the honey bees and fuzzy bumbles - gotta be careful when you sniff! LOL!

Butterflies amaze me - their color, shape, design. Kind of like art from heaven.

Did get the sash & hair on L.L. The hair is ram's wool I bought at a craft show. Uncarded...you can't get much more natural than this unless it's still on the beast! LOL! (The check curtains she is hanging from are in the back room where I sew...I found them at a yard sale last year for $3!)

Here's to a great weekend whether you're porch-sittin', creating, thrifting, relaxing or plantin'! EnJOY!

~*~ Lisa

GETTING THERE

2011-06-01T21:17:00.000-04:00

Halfway done! Four watermelon slices in an old ironstone tea cup (Salvation Army find!). The crow isn't stuffed yet. Thinking about putting a skirt on her and a tag "Miss Crow's Watermelon Tea". Will Figure it out as it goes. Fun to see something come together, isn't it? Then again...

Got around to dipping the saltdough star ornies in wax and wasn't impressed. When my daughter was younger and she would get frustrated with a project I would always tell her "never judge something until you are done with it." It took a while of playing, but when they were finished I was actually pretty happy with them!

Still working on the Lady Liberty Annie, but at least she's dressed. She still needs her sash and some hair. Also put together a mini Americana pillow...have to stuff still. One of those items you don't know whether to stain or not...{insert crazy craft woman laughter here}...okay...it's getting stained! LOL!

I want to say how much I appreciate all my blogging buddies. It's soooo great to be able to log on to see what you are up to, what you are creating, what goodies you have found for a bargain, how things are going for you. Likewise it's so nice to be able to post pics of what I've been doing. If I didn't have you to show my fabric watermelons sittin' in a cup with a crow, do you know who I could tell about them? NOBODY! I love my peeps, but they're just not into this and I love it so much. Thanks for being out there to connect with. You really are a blessing!

~*~ Lisa

PORCH SITTIN' & REFLECTIN'

2011-05-30T21:28:00.000-04:00

A Sittin' Spot On My Porch

I haven't logged on for a whole weekend and have found out it's darn near impossible to catch up on all the blogging action if you miss more than a day! LOL! I was so touched to see everyone post in honor of Memorial Day - so important we remember our military, our Veterans and those who have given their lives in service to our country. God bless them and their families.

Was able to spend time outside this weekend, hit & miss with the rain. Everything is so lush and green but the mosquitos are THICK! My husband was grilling on the porch and I asked him where the people who lost their homes in the tornadoes were at that moment...in shelters? Never felt so blessed to have a hot dog off the grill on my porch.

I was chatting with Patti from http://www.primitiveatheart.blogspot.com/ and we decided that we're just gonna drag our sewing machines outside on the porch this summer so we can enjoy the outdoors and sew too! LOL! So here is the table on my porch where I'll be sittin' & sewin' this summer...

I'll close with a reflection...literally! I was taking pictures of the table above and ended up with a reflection in the window of myself. This is about as close to a picture as you'll ever see as I'm kind of private, sorta shy, and downright scary lookin'! LOL! Have a great week!

WIPS & WINDCHIMES

2011-05-23T11:44:00.000-04:00

Was up stitchen by moonlight...actually not stitchen but tracin' & cuttin' some Americana and summer items. Tried my first batch of salt dough... it's fun! Made some stars (have to grunge them up still) and some little pumpkin heads that are waiting to be painted. Going to turn the little raggedy into a Miss Liberty and try sewing up some strawberries and watermelons.

Was able to spend some time in the yard this weekend...

Still too early for blooms here, but have the windchimes out on the trees. They make a magical sound when mixed with the wind blowing through the pines.

And the moss is extra colorful this spring with all the rain...

Counted 60 morals in the yard last night. Hmmm...moral bowl fillers?

THE CHOSEN ONE

2011-05-20T10:04:00.000-04:00

I wish I could post some creations, but I just haven't been sewing much...think about it night and day though! So instead I will share an honor bestowed upon me this morning...

At 6:00 a.m. when your daughter's 14 pound cat jumps on your full bladder as you are just coming to life and then whips around and sits her fat cat-butt on your neck....it is so much more than just something a cat does. It is a mystical communication between two beings that do not speak each other's language. These actions I've described can be interpretted as: "YOU ARE THE CHOSEN ONE". If the cat spoke human, she would say, in her Queen of Sheba style... "I have deemed thee The Chosen One. Rise, then, from thy slumber to fetch my kibble, or I shall cry out as if I haven't been fed for days on end, oh ye with the full bladder." To which the human replies: SMACK! "Ow! Get down stupid cat!"

Disclaimer: I don't "smack" anything...more like a gentle push...don't usually condone use of the word "stupid" either...except in instances of severe panic after a bladder-pounce.

LOL! Have a great Friday!

~ Lisa

(obviously I condone use of the word wench...LOL!

That's okay...it's a Pirate Cat...pirates....Johnny Depp...it's all good! ;0] )

"THE DIME STORE"

2011-05-17T15:35:00.002-04:00

Before "dollar stores", there was "the dime store": WOOLWORTH'S

This is a picture of the old Woolworth's building in my little town, the way it looked when I was a girl growing up. I lived just a couple of blocks away and when I was old enough, my mom & dad would let me walk or ride my "banana seat" bicycle to "the dime store" to get some candy, or when I was older, to look through the 45's.....you remember what "45's" were, right? Those small black records in paper sleeves you played on turntables? ........you remember turntables, right? LOL!

Anyway...this picture doesn't show it, but there is a historical movie theater right across the street. It is renovated now, but when I was growing up it was "vintage". My dad was born in 1926. He told me when he was a boy a band was always set up on the stage in front of the screen and played before the movie started. Back to Woolworths...I used to stop at the dime store to buy candy...(and believe me, they had any kind of candy a kid could ever wish for and it was cheap)...before hopping across the street to the movies because the theater only sold popcorn at the time. I remember those big, red Woolworth letters being all lit up at night above the teal blue canopies over the huge windows. There was even a soda fountain in this store with a long bar and those cool old bar stools fastened to the floor.

They tore down that old Woolworths building in the picture this week.

All that is left is a big hole in the ground. The building had been vacant for years and they say the basement was flooded and the interior was moldy. I have to admit, it looks better already. But I will forever cherish the memories of my old "dime store" when it was the only department store in our small town.

Life was so simple back then!

POCKET DOLL FROM PRIMITIVES N STITCHIN

2011-05-16T20:01:00.001-04:00

Coming home from work today was such a treat!

I found a little package in my country mailbox and when I opened it there was this adoreable pocket dolly wrapped up in prim paper with a homespun bow! When I unwrapped it, I was greeted with the yummy smell of the primitive brew Becky used to prim the dolly with. This dolly was made by Becky at http://www.primitivesnstitchin.blogspot.com/ and I was lucky enough to win it in her giveaway.

The dolly is a lot bigger than I expected and is put together so well with lots of little details that I love! I must have opened & closed the dress flap a couple dozen times already...LOL! This is one piece that I will cherish forever. Thanks Becky!

~ Lisa

BACON? THE MAPLE KIND?

2011-05-15T13:15:00.000-04:00

REC'D MY PINKEEP TODAY

2011-05-14T15:50:00.000-04:00

Thanks so Wendy at http://www.ravenwoodwhimzies.blogspot.com/ for sponsoring this fun pinkeep swap!

My swap partner was Tamera from http://www.countyatheart.blogspot.com/ who sent me the great pinkeep pictured above! It was all wrapped up in the cutest primitive paper and I was so thrilled to receive it! It will set on my sewing desk and serve to remind me of all the wonderful creative blogging friends I have been blessed to meet!

CREEPY & STRANGE

2011-05-13T15:30:00.000-04:00

"Where have all the Bloggers gone, Pugsly?"

MY BUDDIES ARE GONE. ME SAD.

2011-05-11T10:28:00.000-04:00

My list of blogs I follow is gone. Me sad too now.

A LIL RAGGEDY PACKAGE

2011-05-09T23:34:00.000-04:00

Whoo Hoo! Received my package in the mail after work today from Angie over at http://www.lilraggedyangie.blogspot.com/.

Wow! This package was anything but little or raggedy! LOL! And I apologize that this picture does not do it justice. Angie really spoils her giveaway winners! I was supposed to get some of her wonderful "smell goodies"...which I did...a package each of orange spice and cinnamon, all wrapped up purdy with some "lil raggedy" tags, but Angie also included a runner made from red & tan ticking (love it!) and a wonderful pantry cake (score!), some CUTE watermelon salt dough ornies, a package of note pads to top it off...some sweet treats!

Thanks so much Angie for hosting your "are you paying attention" giveaway (and for getting it in the mail while you were so sick!). You are a talented and generous blog buddy!

"OH BOTHER" said Pooh.

2011-05-06T08:56:00.000-04:00

Oh bother. Isn't that what Pooh used to say when he was upset? Like when he couldn't find his honey jar or something serious like that? I know usually we post pics of our victories but today I am posting a defeat pic. I was working on my pinkeep swap creation and blew out the stitches in the old quilt piece I was using and then had to tear the base off my pedastal because the paint job didn't take like I wanted....oh bother. I'm going down a different road now with the pinkeep - only a week left to get it to my swap partner - and I think it will be okay. Because I'm not afraid, Eminem.

Driving into town this morning, the sky was real dark, but it hasn't started raining yet. This is the kind of overcast I don't mind...when the sky is so dark that all of the spring colors POP against it and the birds are singing so hard for the rain like they are trying to coax it out of those dark clouds. Here is a picture of the sky I see out of the back door of my work:

I love the twiggy sillouette of the trees against the dusty teal of the sky.

I wish everyone a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. If you are not a mom, or if your mom has passed, or if your kids are gone, I hope you can celebrate everything you are as a woman because you are still very very special.

~ Lisa

SALTBOX

2011-05-04T11:35:00.000-04:00

Nehemiah Royce House, 538 North Main Street, Wallingford, Connecticut. Built 1672; the oldest house in Wallingford. George Washington addressed local citizens from this site in 1775. Picture taken Feb. 2006; used by permission.

Yeah...just wanted to post a picture of my new house...pffffftt! I WISH! LOL!

I always wanted to live in an old farmhouse out in the country. A couple of friends even wrote in my high school yearbook "hope you find your farmhouse" (and that was quite a while ago!)

I am sooo thankful for my little house in the woods. It is far from "farmhouse" - just a manufactured home - but again, I am thankful for it!

But it is still fun to dream! And in recent years I've taken a liking to Saltbox houses also.

I did a search on Saltbox houses and found some info on Wikipedia.org.

I learned that the Saltbox (generally two stories in the front and one story in the back...built in a "lean-to" fashion with a central fireplace) takes its name from a wooden lidded box in which salt was once kept.

The Saltbox is American Colonial in style and originated in New England, becoming popular during Queen Anne's tax on two story homes.

I love the color of the house in the pic above! I would love to ramble through the rooms and sit in front of the huge fireplaces at night and plan roadtrips to find period pieces for it. I know this probably won't happen, but that's okay because I love to dream! It's ALWAYS good to dream!

Hope you are enjoying your dreams this week - take care!

~*~Lisa

GIVEAWAY WINS AND A PINKEEP

2011-05-01T20:39:00.003-04:00

GIVEAWAY WIN!

I just learned that I am one of the winners of Becky's giveaway at http://www.primitivesnstitchin.blogspot.com/ . Becky and her family lost her father-in-law suddenly on Easter Sunday - pls send up a prayer and good thoughts for them. As a 2nd drawing, Becky gave away another "pocket doll" that is just so wonderful! I really fell in love with the one her her giveaway with the sweet quilt, so I am so thrilled. You can see a picture of her original giveaway post on my sidebar or visit Becky at the above link.

O LUCKY DAY!

This is too much...just finished reading my blogroll and Angie over at http://www.lilraggedyangie.blogspot.com/ was asking if anyone was paying attention...well I sure was and it turns out she was being a tricky chicky and was giving away some of her wonderful creations to the first three who commented! Angie was offering her handmade sheep, ticking dolls or some smell-goods and I commented just in time! Thanks Becky and Angie for making my week!

PINKEEP:

I did make some good progress on my pinkeep for the swap that Wendy at http://www.ravenwoodwhimzies.blogspot.com/ is hosting (thanks Wendy!). That's a "sneak peak" of it in the pic above. Hope everyone has a safe week and thanks to all who have been posting thoughts & prayers for the folks in the south/midwest who have been hit so hard by the storms, reminding me to keep them in my thoughts and prayers. The worst storms may be over, but their long journey to a normal life is just beginning.

~*~Lisa

JUNKERS ANONYMOUS

2011-04-30T08:58:00.000-04:00

If a girl spends her lunch money at the thrift store and has to survive on a pop-tart and some mints the rest of the day at work.....does it mean she has a serious problem? LOL!

ORANGES, CINNAMON, CLOTHSPINS & WAX

2011-04-28T11:36:00.002-04:00

Finally got to try out drying oranges! (thanks Patti!) I think I cut some of them too thick, but for my first run, I'm happy. I didn't have anything to put in a bowl with them, so I grabbed an old candle in a crock, melted it all the way and dipped some clothspins in the wax. After dipping, I sprinkled some cinnamon on the pins, let them dry, and then dipped them again. It's so fun to try different things.
I hope you have fun trying something new soon too!

Edit: I should have mentioned again that I got the directions to dry the oranges from Patti at "Primitive at Heart". If you would like to try it, here is the link to her post:
http://primitiveatheart.blogspot.com/2011/04/dried-oranges.html
Be sure to check out her other posts that tell how to dry in the oven and also dip in wax!

~*~ Lisa

THE WITCH IS DONE

2011-04-25T13:25:00.000-04:00

Here are a couple of pics of the finished Witchiepoo doll for my sister. I wanted to take some more detailed pics, but I'm just not feeling the best today (too much candy? LOL!). She's holding her little pet crow, "Gypsy", who sports a bejeweled necklace (you know crows...they love bling!). She is wearing faux fur loons with black sequin trim. I tried to snap a pic of those, but she gave me the evil eye, so I thought I should back off. It was a lot of fun creating her and seeing her personality develop as we went. Madalynne from http://www.pineappleprimitives.blogspot.com/ suggested twine for the hair, which was perfect for this gal-thanks Madalynne! Witchiepoo & Gypsy will be traveling out west very soon. I hope you have fun creating this week!

WORKSPACE

2011-04-22T12:08:00.000-04:00

I've learned that when I can sit down at my sewing machine...or at least find it amongst fabric, doll body parts and who knows what else...it's easier to make progress on a project.

Above is a pic of the little area where I craft. My husband was sweet enough to put up some shelving a couple of years ago (mostly because he couldn't walk in the room because all my craft supplies were on the floor in boxes!) Boy, do I need to purge the items it holds...but I don't know where to start!

My sewing machine is a $99 special from WalMart he surprised me with when we moved back home after he got out of the Air Force back in 1993. You know, I've never oiled it or had it worked on...I don't really even remember dusting it...LOL! It's been good to me and I love it so much.

The desk it sits on is a simple piece of furniture that my mom's dad made for her YEARS ago. The rocking chair to the left is where I generally fall asleep at night before I stumble off to bed. It was my mom's too and it's what she rocked me in as a baby. Worse for the wear, and not worth anything, but I love it!

Some of my childhood toys sit on the top shelf. Again, not worth anything, but when I look up at them from time to time it reminds me to think/feel with the heart of a child when possible: love your dollies, never trade your best marbles, get excited for the holidays, don't get wound up too tight (that's when things break)!

But back to adulthood...time to clean my craft area...where to start?!?

RUSTY PINS

2011-04-21T00:01:00.002-04:00

Not the best picture, but I wanted to share that I haven't been able to rust my pins successfully for a while until this week. I tried to follow everyone's instructions - thanks to those who post tips on their blogs! But something just wasn't working... I finally bought silver pins instead of gold. Don't know if that had anything to do with it, but I think I read to do that. Then put them in a jar, covered them with bleach & salt for a day or so. Dumped out the bleach, poured in apple cider vinegar & more salt and let them set for another day. Tested a pin...still not rusting. Then added peroxide to the apple cider vinegar. Ah Ha! After another day of soaking, layed them out on a towel and I could see rust! It wasn't a perfect rust but much better than what I've been getting.

This is a pic of the only decorating we've done for Easter this year. Usually we go all out. I made the bunny a while back and my daughter put some eggs in an old basket I just bought. It doesn't show in the pic, but it is that light victorian green color, which I love. The lamp was my grandmother's. When we turn it on at night it gives off such a warm glow.

I wish you all a blessed Easter!

PLEASE CONSIDER YOURSELF AWESOME

2011-04-20T07:10:00.000-04:00

If you are ever doubtful of what you are capable of or become frustrated while trying to follow your dream, I would like to share with you the beginnings of some pretty famous people who most of us would consider successful:

Can you imagine your boss telling you he didn't want you to wait on customers because you lacked the sense to do so? That's what happened to F.H. Woolworth when he was a young man.

Can you imagine having faith in yourself after dropping out of college and your first business failing?

That's what happened to Bill Gates. Looks like he didn't give up!

Can you imagine being turned down 1,009 times....that's ONE THOUSAND AND NINE times....before being accepted? That's how many times Colonal Sanders' chicken recipe was rejected by restaurants before someone showed interest.

Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor in the beginning and was told he "lacked imagination and good ideas"....poor fella....the editor I mean.

Orville and Wibur Wright battled depression and illness.

Abraham Lincoln went to war with the rank of a Captian and returned with the rank of Private.

Stephen King's first book, "Carrie" was rejected THIRTY TIMES. He finally threw it in the trash.

(His wife dug it out.)

Elvis Presley was told early on that he wasn't going anywhere and should stick to driving a delivery truck.

But Elvis dared to rock.

AND FINALLY...

J. K. Rowling was nearly penniless, severely depressed, divorced, trying to raise a child on her own while attending school and writing a novel. Rowling went from depending on welfare to survive to being one of the richest women in the world in a span of only five years through her hard work and determination.

She is the creator of Harry Potter.

I hope this helps next time you feel down on yourself or rejected.

Never give up if you believe in something, especially yourself!

For more of the above, please visit the following link:

http://www.onlinecollege.org/2010/02/16/50-famously-successful-people-who-failed-at-first/

AND NOW FOR THE WEATHER....

Back yard this morning when we woke up

Front yard this morning when we woke up.

'Nuff said.

BARN STARS

2011-04-19T08:50:00.001-04:00

this picture in public domain

BARN STARS.

I love stars! I have always doodled stars, for as long as I can remember. I've sewn regular stars for bowl fillers or ornies. I've been wanting to sew up some barn stars for quite a while now.

The house pictured above sports a color co-ordinated barn star (ohhhh how I love this house!).

What exactly are barn stars? Most of your out there are probably already aware and have even posted about them, but I am learning and did a quick search on google and found out that they have been around for a while, supposedly being born from the Amish and German/Dutch folks who settled in Pennsylvania. They are related to the "hex" signs the Pennsylvania Dutch painted on their barns and were possibly a way for a builder to mark his work. I also learned that different colors stood for different things: for instance, brown signifies friendship. The stars themselves can also symbolize good luck.

I remember my dad always had a horseshoe hanging outside over our doorways to the house, garage and shed. I never realized it growing up, but much like the barn star, it was a symbol of the good luck he wished and hoped on for his household.

I'm also interested in anchor-plate stars. These are the heavy cast iron or steel stars with the hole in the middle which were used for building reinforcement in a brick/masonary type structure, and were built right into a building.

What is it about STARS that we incorporate them into our lives so much? Is it that they are symbols of luck? Hope? The heavens? Light in darkness?

Does anyone know why Betsy Ross chose stars for the flag?

WITCHIEPOO PROGRESS

2011-04-17T19:12:00.001-04:00

I was able to make some progress on the witchiepoo doll for my sister that I posted a sketch of a couple days ago. The pic above shows the pieces traced and ready to sew and the fabrics for her clothing.

Next, Witchiepoo was stuffed and sewn together, but she's way too pale-needs some color!

Ahhh...that's more like it! A nice shade of green, fit for any witchiepoo.

All done with the color, now time to dry.

I would've LOVED to have been able to sit her out in the sun to dry today, but couldn't because......

.....THIS is what we woke up to this morning. This is the view of our front yard out the back bedroom window where my sewing machine is. Although a bit depressing, it is nothing compared to what the folks down south are going through with all the tornado action, so instead of complaining, I've been trying to keep them in my thoughts.

Will post more pics when I can get some clothes on the witch.

Right now I'm headed over to http://www.primitiveatheart.blogspot.com/ to check out more in depth some great tips Patti has posted regarding drying oranges and different things you can do with them. I've got a big bowl of oranges on my counter nearing the end of their life cycle so her post was great timing!

CANDLESTICKS

2011-04-15T09:57:00.000-04:00

Every time I hit a thrift store, I try to stock up on old candlesticks for make-do's and pinkeeps.

Above is a picture of my current stash that I took this morning when the sun was streaming through the front window (I like the shadow it casts in the picture). I love being home when the morning sun is rising, which isn't too often since I work full time and we are generally rushing out of the house in the dark. Sunshine streaming through the windows in the morning...a simple thing in life to appreciate for sure!

What prompted this picture was my search on my cluttered craft shelves for a very special candlestick I found at the thrift store last year. It's actually the one in the middle of the basket with the wide base. On the bottom written in pen it reads:

"A+ This is the best in the class! Well done! 2/77"

This old candlestick must have been made for a grade in woodshop by a student back in 1977!

What would that make it...35 years old? Not exactly an antique, but it made me wonder about the person who made it (oh boy...here I go again! LOL!). Was it a boy? Pre-teen? Teen? Did he excitedly bring the candlestick that earned him an A+ home to his parents that day? Did his mother keep it on display in their home? Was there another candlestick to go with it? Who brought it to the thrift store? Did the person who made it or his/her parents pass on and realtives cleaned out their house? Did they simply not want it anymore? Is the woodshop teacher who wrote the note of encouragement to his student still alive?

I don't have the heart to cover up the writing or re-do the candlestick just yet. I don't know if I ever will. I just think of a young boy's heart being filled with pride and joy (I hope) when I look at it and it reminds me to try and encourage the young people around me and give them a "atta boy!" or "atta girl!" whenever possible.

The other candle sticks are a dime a dozen, and OH YEAH BABY....they're gettin' primmed! LOL!

Have a blessed weekend creating, dreaming, resting, exploring, laughing, healing, planting, caregiving, or whatever you are doing! ~*~ Lisa

WITCHIEPOO

2011-04-14T09:28:00.001-04:00

I was texting with my sister who lives out west yesterday. She moved out there a couple of years ago and boy do I miss her! We share a passion for antiques, history, folklore, country, old houses...and so much more. On a lot of weekends you could find us....well, no, you couldn't find us because we would be travelling down some back roads miles from home talking up a storm and laughing 'till we cried and hitting every little antique shop or greenhouse we could find.

Years ago I made her a little witchiepoo doll and she mentioned yesterday it was lost in the move and she would like another one. So last night in between SURVIVOR (I wonder...does Boston Rob have control issues at home? LOL!) and balloon volleyball with my daughter (a 10 year old can play balloon volleyball for 24 hours straight if you're game) I sketched out the witchiepoo pictured above for my sis. Just not quite sure what to use for hair? And I've never sewn fingers like that on a doll before, so I'm sure I'll blow them out turning & stuffing, but that's okay, we'll make it work.

If you are working on a project today, my wish is that you are receiving JOY from it! And if you are taking a break today and resting, I wish you PEACE!

Take Care ~*~ Lisa

STUFFING BUNNIES/THE DEADLIEST CATCH

2011-04-12T23:57:00.000-04:00

LOL! I didn't mean these cute little bunnies were "The Deadliest Catch" (Can bunnies be deadly? Is there such a thing as an "evil" bunny? whoops...sorry...must focus...) The new season for the TV series on the Discovery channel about the Alaska crab fishing boats started tonight and I was stuffing the little bunnies while watching the show...strange combination!

This fabric has been stashed in my closet for YEARS and was supposed to be part of a black and red quilt I had planned when I quilted. I finally decided it was time to cut into it. If I want to make that quilt down the road....I'll collect more fabric! Don't know if you'd call it "french country" or not (a style I love)...whatever it is I had fun making them and will enjoy them in my kitchen.

Whatever you are working on today...ENJOY!

HISTORY

2011-04-12T09:46:00.001-04:00

Click the above picture to see a slide show of rare Civil War pics

provided by the Associated Press on Yahoo! News.

As soon as I see an old black and white or sepia tone picture, my curiosity is instantly turned on and I have to check it out. I've never been a big Civil War historian, but I do find it amazing how these folks lived and fought and suffered.

I have a friend who is intrigued with the time period and reads

anything she can get her hands on pertaining to it.

When visiting friends in Kentucky a few years ago, I was able to tour a southern mansion. It sat out in the middle of nowhere...well, it seemed like nowhere to me because I had no idea where we were...and belonged to Cassius M. Clay...the original Cassius Clay, not the boxer...the visit really struck something within me...the amount of rich history jam-packed into once place...the beauty of the era...and the sadness. Very moving!

"Whitehall"

There was one room upstairs in Clay's "Whitehall" that we couldn't go into

(kind of like Graceland...boy was I disappointed! LOL!)

and it was so inviting. A velvet rope was strung across the doorway. At first I thought they may have been doing some restoration work, but it didn't look that way. The room wasn't like the others in the mansion...it had a low beam ceiling, small canopy bed...it wasn't furnished as decadent as the other rooms. Someone asked the tour guide (who was a lovely young woman decked out in full southern belle reagalia on a day in AUGUST so hot it seemed hard to breathe at times) why the room was off limits and she simply said "It's a special room...we can't go in there".

Hmmmmmmm.....intriguing!

I am so thankful to the people who restore old houses in their period look...whether they be simple farmhouses or southern mansions. I understand that Whitehall was a mess for a long time. I had read somewhere that the house's massive grand piano served as a nest for chickens until it was rescued and restored. Whenever I learn of an old house being torn down it sure does make me sad. Yes...it is costly to restore these old places, but what treasures!

MOONLIT STITCH GIVEAWAY WINNERS!

2011-04-10T00:42:00.000-04:00

I can't believe the moment has arrived!

Before I announce the winners, I want to say once again "Thank You!" to everyone who participated!

It is hard sometimes to keep up with all the wonderful giveaways out there...I know it is for me...I appreciate those who posted on their sidebar....I want to also say I appreciate those who just stopped by to say they would like to enter. I even made a few new blogging friends who didn't sign up because primitive isn't their thing but shared they enjoyed the blog. I thought that was great! It's all good!

I assigned everyone a number as they signed up and used the Random Number Generator to pick the winning numbers. The first winning number belongs to:

CAROL OF FIRECRACKER KID PRIMITIVES

YAY!!! Carol will be receiving the bunny, birdies and vintage sewing accessories tin pictured above!
I'm sure most of you are familiar with Carol, but if not, she and her hubby, Tim, create wonderful primitive/country furniture and accessories from wood. You can check out her blog and links to her shops by clicking her name above!

The second random number was assigned to:
PATTI OF PRIMITIVE AT HEART

YAY!!! Patti will receive the bowl of bunnies pictured below. Patti is a new blogging friend I am so glad to have met. She has a lovely blog and has been working on some prim flowers I really like! Stop by to visit Patti by clicking her name above.

Take Care and have a wonderful day! ~*~Lisa

CATCHING UP

2011-04-07T19:36:00.000-04:00

Well, it's been an interesting spring break! Kicked it off with a snowstorm at the beginning of the week...that's a picture of our backyard as it was letting up...and all of the peeps in the house got sick. But we are on the road to recovery and it was a beautiful day today!

I had dreams of sewing prims to my heart's content this week, but the sick people came first. That's okay...it' good to have something to look forward to!

Speaking of looking forward to things, my first giveaway ends this Saturday, April 9th!

I will announce the winners on Sunday, April 10th. I can't wait to see who will win! I am so thankful to everyone who stopped by to visit and signed up.

Off to put on a pot of coffee in the hopes of buying a few extra hours tonight to play with some creations!

BOWL OF BUNNIES

2011-03-29T10:51:00.001-04:00

My version of Rabbitt Stew:

1 lg bunny head & 1 small bunny head

add handsewn noses, whiskers, mouths and 4 pink bead eyes

3 baby carrots with stalks

1 large egg & 1 small egg

Soak all ingredients in a primitive marinade

Serve in a sanded/painted/sanded/painted/sanded

salad bowl on a bed of raffia

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Took the picture with my cell phone again at night, so it's not the best.

(Gave my camera batteries to my daughter for her flashlight for a school project and havent gotten them back yet!) This bowl of bunnies will go to a 2nd winner in my giveaway!

Every day I am meeting new primitive bloggers that I probably would never have found if I didn't host a giveaway. Every day I look forward to blog-hopping and seeing the "works in progress", finished works to be offered on etsy or elsewhere online, or those that were made just for fun!

Some bloggers post pics of their homes that are decorated in the primitive style, their treasures found at a recent trip to the thrift store or antique shop, tips for blogging, tutorials, swaps, challenges, pictures of their craft booth - sadly there are not many craft show pictures out there, these have always been once of my favorites, along with "studios", or craft rooms. I have met folks who stitch, women & men who make furniture, folks who turn trash into absolute treasures. Folks who weave baskets, quilters, those who work with wool, and who specialize in bowl fillers, dolls, graphics...it's all so inspiring and amazing and I am so thankful to be able to leave my small town for a short time every day and meet so many wonderful creative people!

SHARE YOUR EASTER BONNETS

2011-03-28T11:02:00.000-04:00

Janice over at Prims by the Water is hosting a "Monday Montage" of Easter bonnets!

Hers are displayed in the picture above. Do you have Easter bonnets you would like to share?

Click the pic to visit Prims by the Water and learn how to participate! Once Janice reaches 50 followers, she will have a surprise "Prim" giveaway for those who participate! (did I mention Janice and her hubby own an antique shop? Oh yeah, this gal knows her primitives! LOL!).

Hurry over, the montage is for this week only.

BOWL OF BUNNIES & 1ST ROBIN

2011-03-25T10:13:00.000-04:00

A picture of the "work in progress" on a bowl of bunnies & eggs.

Sign-up for my giveaway is open until April 9th.

Click on the Giveaway pic at the top of my sidebar for more info.

Janice at http://www.primsbythewater.blogspot.com/ had posted recently about how she loves hearing the call of the red-winged blackbird - a sure sign of spring. I share this love with Janice as I grew up around the lakes/marshes and that sound is very familiar and comforting to me.

Last night I was a little blue. I was standing at the kitchen sink and something caught my eye hopping by right under the window: THE FIRST ROBIN OF THE YEAR. It was a sign for me - new life - hope - cheer up! The sun is shining so bright today - it is a good day! I hope and pray that anyone out there needing a sign of new life or hope receives it. Sometimes it comes in the simplest of of things.

PINKEEP SWAP AT RAVENWOOD WHIMZIES

2011-03-24T10:08:00.005-04:00

Wendy over at Ravenwood Whimzies is hosting a fun swap! If you are a fan of "pinkeeps", you won't want to miss out: click the pic above to sign up before April 15th!

THE ROOSTER LADY

2011-03-22T21:44:00.000-04:00

I stopped by a local thrift store at lunch today and found (and bought!) this rooster. The shop is great! They are constantly getting new things in and their prices are decent. I don't know what it is about black and red roosters, but I love them. I liked the shape of this rooster and the way the red paint is worn off. And the black.

Years ago my mom told us kids that she liked swans. Mom is hard to buy for so for years she would get some type of swan or some-type-of-something with a swan on it for every birthday, Christmas and Mother's Day. "Oh! A swan!" She would say acting surprised. Finally one year she broke it to us..."I think I have enough swans now." We were so lost after that. Still to this day if we are shopping together, my sister or I will point to a swan on a shelf if we see one, out of habit I guess.

Mom went through an owl phase too. I like owls. And they've regained quite a bit of popularity lately, too. You can always tell when someone has either passed on or given up their owl collection when you walk into a thrift shop and there seems to be an unusual amount of owls staring at you. These owl collections can grow fast and furious, though. And once you reach a certain level of owl collecting, you gain the title of "The Owl Lady".

I decided today that I need to keep my rooster phase in check. If it gets out of hand, I don't want my daughter and her friends (and the neighbors, Girl Scouts, plumber, etc.) referring to me as "The Rooster Lady" someday. Then again, that might be cool...("Hey man, your mom's roosters are really cool") LOL...highly doubtful. So I'm narrowing it down: Black or red roosters only. There. That should keep me in check (wink! wink!).

THE BUN IS DONE & 2ND DRAWING

2011-03-21T14:16:00.001-04:00

Finished my daughter's Pretty in Pink Bunny (pattern by Lillie Mae's Crafts) over the weekend. Found the bun chillin' out with the cat at lunch and snapped a picture with my cell phone. I like the ease of being able to send pics to your computer instead of having to mess with USB cables to upload from the camera, but the quality of the pic suffers.

ANNNDDD..... because I am so excited about the giveaway and feel so grateful for the good response and because I am so thrilled to be able to connect with other primitive gals, I will have a second drawing in the giveaway for a bowl of bunnies & eggs! Picture on the way.

Thanks again to all who have participated in the giveaway. I have tried to acknowlege every post and connect with everyone. I recently noticed in my email program when responding to a post, that after the email address it read "no reply". Hmmmm.....does this mean some of my replies did not go through? Drat. Hopefully not!

I hope everyone has a great week. Been reading about some pretty warm temps out there and new life popping out of the ground. They are calling for up to 6" of snow mid-week for us. That's okay - Life is good!

BELIEVING; BUNNIES and BLOGGERS

2011-03-18T10:36:00.001-04:00

BELIEVING:

Looking at more media pictures of the people of Japan this morning and became overwhelmed. How can one not feel guilty? I guess we just have to pray for them and BELIEVE that they will be taken care of. It may be a good time to research which relief agencies are most effective in crisis situations like these if we are able to contribute. What else can we do? {sigh}

BUNNIES:

While blog hopping a few weeks ago, I was visiting Crow's Creek Primitives where Deb shared a site she had found called Lillie Mae's Crafts that is jam-packed full of wonderful patterns created by a very talented and generous lady named Brenda. My daughter instantly fell in love with Brenda's "Pretty In Pink Bunny" and has been asking every night: "did you finish my bunny? did you work on my bunny? is the bunny almost done?" Last night she must have had enough, because she went into my sewing room and stuffed the whole bunny herself. LOL! No excuses now mom. Above is a picture of the bunny "in progress" as I left her at 1:00 a.m. this morning (sewing by the light of the moon!). I was doing what my husband calls the "hungry chicken" at the sewing machine (when you fall asleep sitting up and your head drops down, then you yank it back up!).

BLOGGERS:
Finally, I cannot say how much joy and fun I have experienced this week after launching my first blog giveaway. I wanted to connect with other primitive bloggers and share some creations. I have been able to connect with so many wonderful primitive bloggers through this giveaway. There are so many creative and kind people out there. What a joy! Thanks so much to everyone who has signed up so far. If you would like to sign up for the giveaway, click on the link at the top of my sidebar to the left by April 9th.

MAY LOVE & LAUGHTER LIGHT YOUR DAYS

2011-03-17T10:08:00.004-04:00

May love and laughter light your days,

and warm your heart and home.

May good and faithful friends be yours,

wherever you may roam.

May peace and plenty bless your world

with joy that long endures.

May life's passing seasons

bring the best to you and yours.

I am mostly French Canadian with maybe just a tiny little smidgen of Irish. My brother-in-law was a red-headed Irishman, though. A true "Mc". He passed away in 2005, three months before my sister. I think about them both every day and miss them so much, but especially on this day I remember them with joy. They always welcomed you into their home and always had good food to share. They loved to celebrate with family and friends. They lived simply but had plenty. May all receive the blessings printed above - Happy St. Patrick's Day!

~*~Lisa

(many thanks again to The Graphics Fairy for the picture in this post)

GIVEAWAY at THE MOONLIT STITCH

2011-03-14T22:21:00.002-04:00

The Moonlit Stitch is just a tiny little blog, so my very first giveaway is just a tiny little giveaway. I miss the feeling I used to get when sending out a package filled with a prim creation...like you've connected with someone who likes the same things you do...it's a cool feeling, and that's what I would like to do with this giveaway: connect with folks who like old primitive things.

TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY:

Please comment on this post (1 entry)

For more chances to win:

Post this giveaway on your blog (1 entry) and/or
Be a current or new follower (1 entry)
(please let me know in your post if you are posting the giveaway on your blog
and/or following my blog)

DEADLINE TO ENTER:

April 9th

here's another view:

a little more info...

The little bunny is 10" tall and is wearing a simple teal wool dress to match her teal polka-dot nose.

The chickadee on top of the old wooden spool was made from a pattern by Hazelruth and has little blue bead eyes. The three little bluebirds were hand-sewn and are nesting in a small mold I found at an antique sale. I adopted the old sewing accessories box from a local thrift store - the top is worse for the wear, but I love it because my mom had one just like it and I remember going through it as a little girl (this one is filled with little treasures too). The bunny and birdies are all heavily stained. (the old picnic basket is not included).

Thanks so much for stopping by!

~*~ Lisa

A PICTURE IS WORTH 1,000 WORDS

2011-03-14T10:41:00.001-04:00

We've all heard the saying "A picture is worth a thousand words".

I found the above picture at http://www.graphicsfairy.blogspot.com/ (a wonderful site I'm sure most are familiar with that is full of vintage photos/graphics run by Karen, a very talented artist!).

I wonder what the story is behind this picture? I've heard of folks throwing away old pictures and the thought of that gives me anxiety. They cannot be replaced. They are such treasures! This little girl seems proud of her dress - the day this picture was taken must have hosted a special occasion in the child's life....and the big old house in the background...I wonder if it was her family's summer home? Grandparent's house?

And I wonder what happened to this little girl...did she live into old age? Did she have children...grandchildren? Did she go to college? Live in the city? The country? Was she happy? (I hope so!)

Now let us continue to discuss pictures, but please "fast forward" with me to present time....

I am twisted and crouching on my dining room floor with a camera plasterd to my face trying to take pictures of what I hope will be a giveaway on my blog (my first!). I take no less than 50 pictures of my little creations (too close....too blurry...to far away....yadda yadda yadda...) and in the evening anxiously download the pics only to discover none are worthy. It seems the daylight was too direct. So I set up my Ott Lite and take MORE pictures, knowing full well that your best bet for good pics is clicking them in the daylit hours (hmmm...."The Daylit Stitch"?). These evening pics turned out much better, surprisingly. But I still fear not good enough. I will take MOoore pictures this afternoon and hope I am able to grab pictures good enough to post for a giveaway.

When I was selling on etsy, I read and read and read about how to take the best pictures for etsy. I picked up a few good tips, but always felt like the pictures could be a lot better. I have an older camera, but I believe it is fairly decent. I would hate to think the camera is the culprit. If anyone has any tips or suggestions, I would be grateful to hear them!

THE PATTERN CUPBOARD

2011-03-02T09:15:00.001-05:00

Ordered some patterns on sale at The Pattern Cupboard last night. If you haven't visited in a while, click on the banner above to get there. Grab a cup a coffee or tea...88 pages of sale patterns!

I can't wait to get started!

RAVENWOOD WHIMZIES' BASIL the BUNNY CHALLENGE!

2011-03-01T18:53:00.003-05:00

Please meet "Basil the Bunny". He is made from a pattern by Wendy of Ravenwood Whimzies!

Recently Wendy issued a "challenge". Take the "Basil.." pattern and make it your own!

Please be sure to visit Wendy's blog at http://www.ravenwoodwhimzies.blogspot.com/

to enjoy all of the other wonderful Basil Bunny creations!

Some of the Basil's have dresses! Some have found true love! And one particular Basil Bunny is close to solving a mystery! My Basil is a boy bunny who thinks he is King of the Garden. He has even made himself a crown from an old newspaper he found blowing through the garden in the wind. Basil likes to speak with an accent and does consider himself royalty (the other bunnies have determined it is an Italian accent). Basil carries a Roma tomato because he insists that tomatoes are much more sophisticated than carrots.

(Basil and tomato are a good combo...especially if you are talking Italian...LOL!)