A Visit with the Heifers

 Put on your farm boots and let's head to the farm! 

It has been awhile since we have been out to the farm.  Hasn't it?  

We will go through the gate which is just  off from the yard at the old homestead. 

Don't mind this gal. She is gentle. 

A few  cows are up on the hill  near the barn. 

Bev is doing fine and dandy . She is grazing away. 

Oh , gosh. This heifer is giving us the evil eye. "What's up , girl? Everything is ok. We are just moseying along. "  

Hmmm.. she does not look too happy does she. 

Hi , Gertie!  She is a cutie . Isn't she?

Hanging out with all of the heifers is reminding me that I have not shown you  my progress on Little House Needleworks' " Farm Life " lately. 

The last time you saw it, I had stitched the farm lady who I am  affectionately calling "Nanny".  

"Why?" you ask.  Well, this farm stitch reminds me of my Nanny and Papa's farm.  

Progress March 19, 2026

"Farm Life" has been my ball game stitch this week. As I have been watching the grandsons play ball, I have been stitching away. 

Lookie! I added the heifers.   Rather than making all of the cows Holsteins as charted, I opted to stitch them like some of our favorite cows- like Bev, Gertie and Milky who is no longer with us. 

The corn patch was planted too. Papa always had a grand garden . Corn and green beans were a staple in his garden.  Soon I will be moving up to the barn. Eeeh I am so excited!!

I am using mystery flosses on this stitch- that is flosses that no longer have their labels or off brands. 

I am stitching "Farm Life" on 14 count coffee/ tea dyed Aida that I baked which is why you see some "dark splotches " on the fabric.

 

Progress on Farm Life as of April 23, 2026

Looks like Bev is on the move.

I guess we should make our way back to the  house for a big glass of iced tea. Don't ya' think? 

When we get there, I will show you the fabrics that I have pulled for a new project. Oh wait, I have them here! 

Mmmm, yummy, scrumptious yellows. I am thinking bee skep blocks are in my future.  

Now let's get to that tea . Shall we? 

Little Spring houses on display for April 

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"Farm Life, where hearts and herds roam free.  "- unknown

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy who loved the farm so much. She had many adventures on the farm. It is not the same without you, Amo. 

 I love and miss you so much.. Love you , Amo. 

🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷

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A Happy Scrappy Day

 Sunny Saturday Salutations! Welcome, Sweet Peas. How are you doing on this fine Saturday morning? I hope well. 

 

After several days of rain, the sun is supposed to peek through the clouds today. Fingers crossed it makes an appearance. 

A rainy day in the holler. 

The other day I finally had a chance to sit down to the machine and have a full day of sewing. Boy , was I as happy as a lark as I pieced my red RSC On the Plus Side blocks.  It felt like ages since I had sat down to my machine. 

These blocks measure 10 1/2" unfinished.  These scrappy blocks look so pretty all laid out on the floor. 

 Next up was my Around the Garden blocks. I pieced 5 red blocks. These measure 12  1/2" unfinished. 

I will be appliqueing the centers with flowers this  upcoming week. 

I rounded out the evening by quilting on my Otis Payne's  Bow Tie quilt.  It is time to move the hoop ! 

So all in all , it was a very  happy scrappy day!💙💚❤💛💜🤗 

Hmmm , so what's on the agenda  for today? Well, I may go with Mr. Pinker to have dinner with his old work buddies or if I stay home, I will be playing in the garden , planting a few seeds and then enjoying the day with the needle and thread.

What are you going to be doing? 

 As Always, 

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa

Thank you for the sweet visit. 

"Sprinkle a little sparkle wherever you go! "

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my baby sister, Amy whose laughter filled the air.  Love and miss you, Amo. 

Time to change out the overflowing tiered tray. Excuse any dust bunnies you may spot in this viewing.  It is time for Spring cleaning. 😀👯👯

 I am joining these lovely ladies' link parties. I hope you check them out; they always have so many wonderful projects going on and provide the opportunity for other needleworkers to meet. 

Frederique at   Quilting Patchwork Applique for Patchwork & Quilts - Saturday

Angela of  So Scrappy  for Scrap Happy Saturday

Joy at Days Filled with Joy for Home Matters

Fall on the Farm Hutch Tour

Hello there gourdgeous!!! Hee! hee! You know what I mean  , Gorgeous! Happy Wednesday !

I have said it before and I will say it again- Is this face not as sweet as pumpkin pie? Lol. Edna was in rare form the other day.  I think she wants to give you a kiss! Hee! Hee! She is a sweety though. 

🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂🍁🍂

Now hold on to your britches! It is another episode of Country Clutter in the Holler ! Yep! Where I show you some of the clutter that just warms my heart. I meant to post my country clutter of a hutch last month but time got away from me as it often does.   

I know it is not for all, but it sure makes my heart leap for joy. So if you are up for it , come on into the kitchen and let's look at what I did with my small hutch.  Be forewarned though there is a lot of photos and if you see anything that you are interested in , just click the colored links. It will lead you to the post with the free designs. 

This year's fall hutch is called Fall on the Farm,  and it was all inspired by a recent finished piece by Little House Needleworks called Old Red Barn. 

I stitched it a couple of years ago but only fully finished it  in the last few months. So I was waiting on pins and needles to display it. 

 Anywhoo.... Lets look at the whole hutch.  Boy, did I try to use every inch of space available.🙄🧐 I just could not help myself. LOL. 

The top of the hutch stays the same with Coca Cola crates and a vintage Campbells' soup tin that holds plates.  I did add a Walmart tin sign though. 

Along the edge , I draped Dollar Tree leaf garland, and then I went to town adding as much "fall down farm goodness" as I could. 

In the one corner, I tucked an orangish pottery bowl and filled it to the brim with lots of wee copper molds and a vintage aluminum strainer. A ceramic pumpkin salt shaker and a pumpkin stitch completed the bowl. Do you happen to know who is the designer of the little pumpkins ? There goes my mind again-my memory escapes me.  

Harvest Home looks quite cozy nestled near my bowl of copper.  Lots of crows and a big ole' yard in this stitch. I shared it last year. 

Sssh ! Try to overlook the fact I have a "cookie jar" problem! Hee ! Hee!  🍪🍪🍪   I  could not resist pulling out the grand Esmond cookie jar. Isn't it lovely? 

Fall salt and pepper shakers danced their way into  a little cheese dish too. 

Now let's shimmy on down to the 2nd shelf! There is more to see.

 

This little yardbird has strutted her way all throughout my house , but for this month she landed on the hutch along with some Dollar General beads and STAMP 6 SCARECROW IN THE CORN PATCH from the Autumn stamp SAL.

Front and center is The Old Barn. I fell in love with this design as soon as I saw it. My Nanny and Papa had a grand, old ,red barn right behind their house ; the little couple reminds me of them.   There is my   Fall Y'all too, but Ooops-  I still need to correct the spacing of the apostrophe in that piece. 😏

Sweet Annie and the gang are tucked in the corner. I have a whole series of about my Great Grandma Annie and  her chickens- Edna, Alma and Dorothy. If there is any mischief, it is Edna who is doing it. Hee! Hee!   This one is called Cornstalks, Pumpkins and Chickens  which I shared in my August 31, 2020 post. I finished it on top of a wooden box. 

Do you remember those mugs? I bought those this year at a thrift store along with the matching cookie jar. 

Shall we strut on down to the 3rd shelf. I am sure we will find a pumpkin or two. 

 A little crow stitch sits in the vintage juicer. And there is the big glorious pumpkin cookie jar that matches the mugs that I showed you. 

Pumpkins, tractors and chickens galore! 

My sweet friend, Gwen sent me the darling John Deere tractor. I have to fight Mr. Pinker and the grandsons to keep it on my hutch.😆😅😂 LOL- But this ole' farm gal needs a tractor too! 

 STAMP 2 CROWS AND SUNFLOWERS and Fall 1869 Crock are sitting in the background. 

My hutch is filled with gifts from my sweet sis too- like the large mason jar with fake eggs that I bought at Easter time and the bowls sitting on top of the scale.  Do  you want to see what is on the scale? Well... let's see.. 

I always enjoy layering lots of doilies and handknitted dishcloths on my scale and then pretty little fall pillows which include: STAMP 1 - A BASKET OF APPLES,   STAMP 3 RAKING LEAVES , and  STAMP 4 PUMPKIN HAUL 

So that is my fall hutch in a big ole' pumpkin pie shell! Did you get lost in all of the down on the farm treasures? ! 

Are you still up to the task of seeing more clutter? Aaaah come on you made it this far. 😂😀

The little area next to the hutch is still the same- well basically. I have just added more tins.  My Grandpa used to own an old general store which was way before my time. So I have tried to create the "country store look" with all of the old tins and advertising pieces in memory of him. 

Speaking of tins. My latest thrifty find is not a tin but an old oatmeal box. Aaaah ! Swoon! 

My thrifted Maxwell House tin is overflowing with kitchen utensils. My newest find is the vintage Mouli cheese grater. I will find a place for it soon. 

I layered 2 wee quilts on the flour bin door of the vintage Hoosier top. 

The Hoosier was not decorated with  garlands of leaves and bittersweet this year, but I did add a fallish apron and hung it from the side. 

Speaking of aprons, a new vintage apron was found on  a recent jaunt to the thrift store.  "Yikes $4.99 ! " said the clerk as she looked at the tag. "I am going to give it too you for half off -that is too much!"  I have to admit that I was jumping for joy and thanked her. 

And last but certainly not least is my broom! LOL   

"What do you want for your birthday, hun? " asked Mr. Pinker 

With a twinkle in my eye, I exclaimed " A BROOM!"

Mr. Pinker looked at me like I was nuts!  

"Not just any old broom but a straw broom with a wooden handle preferably red!"

Off to  Ace Hardware Mr Pinker went ; soon he returned with a big broom- no red handle like my other broom but that is ok. This will do me fine and dandy!   Now to tackle some of these dust bunnies here! 👯👯👯👯

Ok, Sweeties. Now I am going to do like my Nanny ( that is try to wrangle you into helping me😁😀) -- You grab the dust rag and I'll grab the mop and we can tackle those chores in 2 shakes of a lamb's tail. Hee ! Hee! 

Yep,  Nanny always had the knack for enlisting us into healthy happy chores. 

Y'all have a beautiful day!!!!

 As always,

Happy Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa

A day with friends is a joyous day!

Hugs and Stitches!!! 🤗🧵

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy who enjoyed the thrill of thrift shopping . I miss and love you so much.   ❤👼

All the fall is coming down for it is time to decorate for Christmas! 

P. S. BLOGGER IS BEING FINICKY AND NOT ALLOWING ME TO RESPOND BY EMAIL TO SWEET COMMENTS. SO I WILL BE LEAVING MY RESPONSE HERE.  I DO APOLOGIZE. If anyone has any suggestions on how to fix this I would greatly appreciate it.    Hugs