For You!

Just wanted to share a springtime bouquet with you today. My favorite lilac bush is about to explode with blossoms. The magnolia has already lost its' petals from the winds. The Bradford pear tree and dafodils are at their best. Oh, how I wish they could stay like this a little while longer.

Bunnies!!

It's bunny time at my house.! Almost everyday, I spend either cutting bunnies, sewing bunnies or selling bunnies!! Unfortunately little time has been spent on DUST bunnies lately! Here's one penny rug that was listed on Ebay today.
It is larger than most of the little candle mats I've been selling, but people sometimes want a bigger piece. I like the variety of working on something different each day so I don't do many large projects any more.
Up next is this guy who will get some work done on him while watching tv tonight!

Redware Penny Rug

I love Redware pottery! I have started a small collection of new pieces......mostly plates. I like to rotate out the plates on display to correspond with the holidays. My newest addition is a running rabbit plate received as a Christmas gift. It and the color of some Woolrich wool I had on hand inspired some "Redware" Penny Rugs. The ones in this post have been listed on Ebay

Wool of a different kind!

I usually work with wool fabric to make appliqué pieces, but I've been wanting to try this project for awhile. You use 100% wool sweaters that have been felted (ruined!) by putting them in the washer and dryer. You may have a shrunken sweater in your closet or one you'd like to repurpose. I found several that had been felted (unintentionally, I'm sure!) at my local thrift shop.
This 100% wool sweater from The Gap was just $3.00. I used a pattern and instructions from a post on Make&DoGirl.comThe pattern makes a large pair of mittens. I was able to get an adult size and a child size pair from one sweater. Another sweater yielded several adult pairs and enough left over for a turtle neck sweater for my little dog!

Primitive hearts

Been busy sewing up some hearts for Ebay. Someday, I'll have to make one for myself! The prices are low these days, but I enjoy sewing during my free time no matter the profit. This one is currently on Ebay.

Emelie's Room

I've been doing some visiting this summer and thought I would share a little information about a handmade sampler of the past.....

There's a room at my mother's house we call "Emelie's Room." We have no Emelies in our family, but an 1800's memorial sampler hangs on the wall in that guest room. My mother came across this sampler many years ago at a sale and had to "adopt" it. I admit some of us were a little creeped out at first.... sleeping in a room with a picture of a dead girl surrounded by pieces of her hair! But my sisters and I have come to love little Emelie and can only imagine the heartache her mother endured.

The sampler reads "God Bless My Dear Child Emelie Born Nov third 1872 Died Aug third 1881 Absent But Not Forgotten"

We often wondered who Emelie was, where she was from and what could have caused her death before reaching the age of 9. My youngest sister went on a mission to solve the mystery. She found the photographer's name on the back of Emelie's photo, found the town, found the names of her parents. Emelie was from a small town in Kansas.

There was no cause of death or burial place listed for Emilie. The curator of the town museum told my sister that in 1881, a traveling salesman had exposed some residents to small pox. That may have been what caused little Emilie's death, but we do not know for certain.

Some day, I think it would be nice to return Emelie to the town where she was born. Perhaps the museum would like to have the sampler or there is a descendant who would take "watch" over little Emelie. But for now, she has her own room and she is "absent, but not forgotten".


Below are some links about memorial samplers you may find interesting:

Remembering those we love
Art of Mourning
Mourning Samplers

Idle hands.......

I took a little break from sewing this weekend to spend some time with my family. My sister snapped this photo of a friendly butterfly who landed on my hand while we sat on the dock.
Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!
Terri

Penny Rug Winner!

Thanks for entering my penny rug giveaway! I enjoyed reading all your comments and visiting so many great blogs! All the comments that were made before midnight on June 18th were entered into the drawing. If you posted on your blog, you had two chances of winning. I wrote all your entries out, mixed them up and pulled out one.........Margie from Hungry Hook Primitives you are a winner! Congratulations Margie!
Thanks again to all who entered!
~Terri~

Red, White & Blue for You Giveaway has a Winner!

As promised.....here's a little red, white and blue penny rug made by me for one lucky winner! Leave a comment below and I will enter your name into the drawing.

Mention this giveaway on your blog and you will get a bonus entry! (Let me know you did so) If you don't have a blog, make sure you give me an email to contact you if you should win or return here after the 18th to see if you're the winner.

Giveaway begins now and ends at midnight on June 18, 2011. One entry per person. Two for bloggers who share this giveway on their blogs.

This penny rug is made with hand dyed wools in brick red, denim and colonial blues. It is only 5" wide and 14" long. It would look so cute on a little red stool!

So..... what do you say?!! I say.....A penny for your thoughts ;-)
~Terri~

Americana Penny Rug

Brick reds, denim blues and not-quite-whites are the wools I used in this one of kind eagle penny rug just listed on Ebay. I love the old look of these colors.

I dyed a lot of wool in blue shades yesterday and hung them to dry in the sun. Some of those blues are in a new little penny rug I am making to give away this month and I can't wait for you to see it! It should be finished soon and I'll have the drawing here on the blog, so please come on back!
~Terri

Americana Penny Rug

'Just finished up this wool penny rug and listed it on Ebay this weekend. It seems like Americana colors always look great with primitives. Instead of the traditional red, white and blues like those found in the American flag, I tweaked the colors a bit. I hand dyed some of the wools to get just the right shade of dark red. I didn't make note of the dye recipe so not sure I could repeat it, but that is what makes each piece unique!

I hope you, your family and friends enjoy a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!
Terri

Red, White and Blues!

I am listing some red, white and blue items on Ebay between now and 4th of July. I finished a primitive rug hooking of Uncle Sam. It's a great folk design by Maria Barton of Star Rug Company. I also have a little blue primitive style table bench listed. Some wool creations will be listed this upcoming week and I'll be giving away some red, white or blue soon, too! Keep watching!
Hope you all have a great weekend!

~Terri
MY EBAY LISTINGS

Herb Pots

I have been wanting to make these herb pots and finally got around to it!
The top of the clay pot is spray painted with chalkboard paint so you can write the name of the plant on the pot!
I bought my 6" pots and saucers at Walmart. They come in a pretty beige color....a nice change from the terra cotta. And they go well with my primitive style!

Just tape off the rim and cover the areas where you don't want the paint. I used spray on chalkboard paint. It dries quickly. These would make great gifts and you could write your message or greeting on the rim.

Now, if I can just remember to water them!!
Terri

How do you like your eggs?

I like mine primitive style.....with a dusting of cinnamon, on top of dried prairie grass, in an old wooden bowl of course!!

Make your own Primitives!

Last week I had a request for a noodle board to be used as a stove top cover. Antique noodle boards can be expensive. You can make your own board with pine boards, paint and stain. Measure the stove top you want to cover. Use a 1 x 3 for the sides. I painted the sides and stained the inside. The front edges are rounded. Age your wood by denting, cutting, banging and sanding!! Have fun staging your noodle board for the seasons!!

Terri

Happy Easter

Holiday Give Away!

A fantastic giveaway from Maria at Star Rug Company. Follow the link to her blog and enter to win this awesome rug!!
Happy Holidays!

It's that Woolly Time of Year!

Ebay

Cooler temperatures and frosty mornings lure me back to the wool piles! I've been attracted to the calming decorating schemes of whites and creams lately and trying a little decorating along those lines. I love how dark wood primitives "pop" among the all white pallets. I am temporarily storing some items in the basement and looking for ways to try out the "white look" without spending a lot of money! My kitchen looks to be the best place to try on "whites". The cabinets are dark cherry, the walls are painted taupe, the crown moulding is white and the backsplash is covered in white tiles.

I have a few things that fit the white scheme....

The hunt is on for more items. If the budget doesn't allow for antique pieces, I may try a tip I read recently. Purchase items at a thrift store or dollar store and spray paint them with white paint! 'Thinking about trying this on a large metal tray to see if I like the look! So, I am off to Good Will and Dollar General today to see what I can find! Stay tuned.............

Hints of Fall.....

It's been a busy year and I have just started to pick up some wool and start stitching again! Hoping to get back into sewing, rug hooking and beading! I still have an unfinished hooked turkey.....maybe this year I will get it done!
Hope this finds you all enjoying the slightly cooler fall temps!
~Terri

Happy Holidays!

Been cleaning and donating lots of things to charity this fall. Cleaned out my old blog pages, too and hope to start fresh with new posts soon! Thanks for visiting! Enjoy the season!!
Terri