A Farm Visit and A New Vintage Quilt

 The sun is shining and the birds are singing. It is going to be another beautiful day.  Would you like to go out to the pig barn with me as I go check the bees? Aaw come on. I sure would love the company plus I will bring a new quilt that we can sit on afterwards. 

Let's go! 😀

Eeeh! Look who is here to greet us. Right at the gate! "Scooch over kiddos we are coming through."

These calves are as thick as thieves and are always together. 

"Now don't give us the evil eye, little fellas and gals". Aren't they the cutest? They are as gentle as lambs. 

 

Oooh, before we head up on the hill. Let me show you #49. Her light brown eyes are amazing!

Alright we will visit with the bovines later , lets see what the buzzers are doing. 

It is pretty hot . Isn't it? The bees  think so too. Look they are bearding which  means they are gathering on the outside of the hive in order to keep the hive ventilated. 

Right now we have 9 hives - all have been captured in the wild. 

Now let me show you my newest thrifty find that Mr. Pinker bought for me while we were out camping. 

I am calling it Big Red or Feedsack 81 Patch. Swoon! 🤗❤❤❤You know me and my love affair with the color red. 

It is composed of eighteen-81 patches alternated with large  red square blocks. 

The fabrics are feedsacks and are so colorful and whimsical. Each patch  or square measures around 1 1/2" finished. 

 Some 81 patches contain a modge podge of feedsack and shirting fabrics.

And some 81 patches are simply  composed of 2 different fabrics. 

The quilt is hand pieced and hand  quilted in  1/2 inch to 1 inch rows.  

Oh so pretty! I can just imagine a grandmother sitting on the back porch quilting away on this beauty. 

And look at the backing! Just gorgeous- well at least in my eyes.  

The backing print. 

So what do you think?  A pretty good find. Right?  I think this would be a fun one to reproduce. 

Let's spread it out in the shade , relax and watch the gals graze for a minute. Shall we?

Ooops I see where a little repair work was done. 🤗

I find it endearing. ❤

There is sweet Ginger.  

Don't mind Edna today. She is not a morning gal. Hee! Hee! 

Edna did not want to socialize today. Bless her heart. 

I guess I better stop chatting. It looks like it is nap time for the babes. 

Thank you so much for keeping me company at the farm today and for taking the time to see my latest thrifty find. 

Ginger and many of the calves will be moved to another section of the farm soon. But Edna will still be in this section with a cow or two. Soon it will be time to bale hay here. 

Have a sun shiny day, Sweetness. 

Yesterday's new start is Heart in Hand Needleart's Imprints Love and Heart, in memory of my sis. This darling chart and the gorgeous needleminder was sent to me from my sweet friend, Karen. I will be working on it throughout the week.  Thank you ,  dear Karen. ❤🤗😘

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"Live like someone left the gate wide open.  "- unknown

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy who loved  the farm  and all of the animals. 

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

🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮🐮

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 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. 

Jennifer at Inquiring Quilter for Wednesday  Wait Loss- Wednesday

Denise at For the Love of Geese for Put Your Foot Down- Thursday

Nina at Creations, Quilts, Art , Whatever by Nina for Off the Wall Friday

Alycia's of Alycia's Quilts for Finished of Not Friday

Michelle  at From Bolt to Beauty for Beauty Pageant - Friday

Joy at Days Filled with Joy for Home Matters

Magnificent Monday

It is a magnificent Monday! Hello, dear friends . How are ya'll doing? It has been a busy ,busy day - just like I like it.  I am usually here piddling around the house by myself on Mondays- my hubby calls it "Me Time Monday " .  So what have I been up to today?  Cleaning, sewing and a bit of puttering, but today hubby was off from work. Did that stop "Me Time Monday"? Oh , no!  So he has been pressure washing the house. I have been moving things around and working on gardening and sewing projects throughout the day . 

I thought I would share some recent projects that I have worked on in the last couple of weeks. I have been doing really good on staying on my rotation. I think I need 3 star stickers.⭐⭐⭐. Lol  I usually try to spend 15 to 30 minutes on a themed project for the day.  

Here is my rotation

Merry Monday- A Christmas project

Tomato Tuesday - a tomato themed project 

Tiny Tuesday- a tiny stitch.  ( My friend Christina from IG started this Tuesday theme)

Witchy Wednesday- A Halloween stitch

Thankful  Thursday- a Thanksgiving stitch or a free stitch

Fall Friday-  An Autumn Stitch

Stars and Stripes Saturday- A patriotic stitch

Sampler Saturday-  A sampler

Santa Sunday-  A Christmas stitch. 

Do you have a rotation ? I would love to hear about it. 

A couple of weeks ago on Tomato Tuesday, I completed Heart in Hand's "Tomato Tart" . This chart was gift from my dear friend, Joan. We have been stitching tomato themed projects on Tuesday. I know I have a little tart pan that it might fit in but have not located it yet. 

Tomato Tart by Heart in Hand Needlearts

I also began a new Annie stitch. Dorothy and Alma are all stitched now Annie and Edna need to make their appearance. This is going to be a patriotic piece.
 

Last Wednesday was another warm day. So I took the opportunity to dye a little fabric gray and let it dry outside. Within about an hour it was already to be stitched on soooo for my Witchy Wednesday piece. I started a new Halloween chart.  I eventually got this pumpkin coach all filled in. 

Saturday started off with a bang! A new start and a finish -all in the wee morning hours as I watched Jessica Fletcher solve crimes in Cabot Cove in the TV show Murder She Wrote.  In two episodes, "Floral" Pinkeep" by From the Heart Needleart by Wendy was completed. This was  a freebie in Wendy's last newsletter.  Click here to visit Wendy's website and sign up for her newsletter. 

I hope to share my finish on this soon. 

Well today, I popped into the Quilt Nest to begin piecing this little stitch called Love 2 Quilt by HInzeit another gift from a sweet stitchy friend. 

 I am going to make a little mini quilt. The fabrics are cut. So I will finish piecing it today. 

Later in the evening, I will be heading to the  grandbaby's baseball game ; I will be taking my basket quilt along to work on while watching the kiddos. 

These little  baskets are just darling. 

Later tonight at 10 pm, you will find my on the couch watching Hart to Hart and stitching on Abby Rose Designs " A Joyful Heart"  ( My Hart to Hart - stitch) . 

Here is the last photo I shared . 

And now for my progress photo. 

- Doing pretty good- Right? 

Well I hope you are having a magnificent Monday and a "Me time Monday " as well. Everybody needs a day to dedicate a day to themselves.  Have a very lovely evening, my sweet peeps and as always...

Happy quilting and stitching, ya'll

Melisa 

Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework for Oh Scrap

Beth at Love Laugh Quilt  for Monday Making

Judy at Small Quilts Doll Quilts for Design Wall Monday

When life gives you Monday, dip it  in glitter and sparkle all day!!!!

Hugs and Stitches!!! 

Summer Sunflower Hutch

Hey, ya'll. Come on in and see my country clutter  which brightens my day. The hutch is all a bloom with sunflowers which are tucked among  the farm decor. On top of the hutch is a collection of Coca Cola boxes and bottles,  vintage Cambell's soup tin and other vintage thrifted items;   this area rarely changes.  On the shelves of the hutch is a lot of Dollar Tree and thrift store items as well as a little stitching.

Each shelf has a little  black and white buffalo check runner.  I pulled out as much yellow as I could find to put on my shelves. 

The top shelf has sunflower plates purchased at the Dollar Tree and a large thrift store rooster . Hanging with the old painted metal spoon is a Heart in Hand Designs piece called "Summer Whirligig" which was finished in 2019. On the top shelf is Country Cottage Needleworks' "Farm Fresh" completed in 2019 and finished on a green frame which is embellished with torn fabric and sunflowers.     

Tucked in a bowl of eggs is one of my little designs called "Summer Chicks" . It is finished in a small frame and embellished with pom pom trim.  These little chicks are sporting little quilts as the walk among the sunflowers. 

Above the 2nd shelf hangs a small sign that I painted from a board that my 6 year old grandson brought me. He thought I could do something with this scrap piece of wood. He is so thoughtful, and I was just tickled that he knew I could do some crafting with it. On the 2nd shelf is a yellow tobacco basket , white boxes from the Dollar General and chickens. 

Also on the 2nd shelf is  a freebie from Notforgotten Farms  called "June". This was one of my 2019 Stitch Maynia pieces. 

On the 3rd shelf is Dollar Tree plates, thrift store chickens, pottery and  a vintage scale. 

I stitched  a small section of Hands on Designs & Priscilla Blain's design called "Fresh Eggs Farm" and finished it onto a little piece of wood from my grandparents' barn. A torn homespun bow embellishes the little piece- a thrifty finish.    

Thank you so much for visiting me and checking out my bright sunflower hutch which is filled to the brim. 

Have a bright, sun shiny day, 

Melisa

My Country Patriotic Thrifty Hutch

My kitchen hutch is sporting its red , white and blue! 

Until about two years ago, my hutch was always decorated the same way- with my blue willow plates, but now I am enjoying changing it up for the season.

     
This year I decorated it with a plethora of thrifted items and cross stitch. The newest addition to this collection is the patriotic chicken plates that I got at the Goodwill and the truck and camper salt and pepper shaker that my daughter gifted me. 

On the top shelf  is a  Pioneer Woman cow cream pitcher and some vintage salt and pepper shakers, blue willow plates , A Birds of a Feather "Americana Honesty" Cross Stitch and Little House Needleworks " Rooster and Hens" 

 On the 2nd shelf there is some cheese crocks which I collect and a little Heart in Hand Merry Making Mini "Free" cross stitch which I made into a little pillow. 

The 2nd shelf also sports old tins, blue and white splatter pottery apple baking dishes, old lids, chickens and a free chicken cross stitch made into a pillow. 

 I was thrilled to to purchase this vintage scale at the  Goodwill and below it is a Scissor and Tails Design "Rise and Shine"  cross stitch finished into a thrifted mini loaf pan. 

Vintage crewel work, enamelware, apple ornaments,  chickens and blue transferware complete the bottoms shelf. 

 More thrifted items are on the top of the shelf including Coca Cola boxes and vintage tins which I collect. 

 So this is my patriotic hutch tour, I hope you have a fabulous Independence Day!