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