My Yellow Farmhouse

Happy Valentines Day

One of my journey goals for my 2012 is to celebrate each holiday like I used to do in the past.  I've noticed in the last few years I've let that "tradition" go - it was just to much extra work.  So when I decided to pull out my Valentines decorations - I was surprised that I only came across a couple of hearts and a pillow

I made the pillow a few years back from a Needl Love pattern - but those few little hearts and little pillow I bought a few years ago.  So you can see I got nuttin to show ya.  I get my love of holiday decorating from my Mother Tother who always has sweet decorations around for whatever holiday is coming up and her home always looks so wonderful.  What she said to me this year really struck a cord.   She said I love to decorate my house for me - I don't care if anyone see's it or not - I do it for myself.  Hmmmmm I think I've gotten away from that.  I used to go all out and decorate when the kids were little and even as they got older.  But when they moved out of the house I think I lost my decorating mojo.  But I realized my Mother Tother was right - it's important to me for that creative part hiding inside and it's important for making my house a home for Mr. Farmhouse and I  cuz he always loves what I do.  Do any of you out there find yourself "slacking" because it's to much work to do now when no one else is around to enjoy it?  Thanks Mom - I don't think I told you that - your kicking my seasonal decorating mojo back into gear.  Now I know for next year - heart decorations are limited and needed - into my notebook that goes.  Yes I have a notebook for a brain - otherwise I forget :).

I did finally find a spot that I like for my monthly little quilts - you can see there's a little heart on the branch :)

It's above my cupboard and attached to on old window - it works :)

For part of my birthday present my Mom sent me an adorable little girl with a heart dress and she's holding a little set of dangling hearts that's hard to see.  She bought one and thought I needed one as well 

isn't she's so sweet and it meant so much to me. Thanks Mom - she's added to the heart decor :).

Then you see my adorable little bear with the heart.  Well how many of you are familiar with the Vermont Bear Company commercials that come out every year at this time - well this year their big push was a 4ft bear - and how the guy will be thanked in a big way because of the big bear.  Well Mr. Farmhouse and I laugh every time that commercial comes on - which isn't the reaction I think their wanting, lol.  So this morning when I got up and headed over to get my first cup of coffee there sat this sweet little bear with a cute note.  I'm still smiling and chuckling about that - I think he's hoping to be thanked in a big way LOL.  We plan on a quiet night at home with a great dinner and a fire.  We've got lots on our plate for the next 2 weeks - so a quiet night at home with a fire - sounds wonderful to us.

Happy Valentines Day - I hope you spend it with people that you love :).

Until Next Time

We Have A Winner

 

Thank you everyone for the wonderful birthday wishes.  I had a great day spent just the way I wanted to.  Mr. Farmhouse made my favorite meal of Teriyaki Chicken, grilled potatoes and a nice salad - perfect.   So I asked Mr. Farmhouse to pick a number and he picked 53 which is Linda Petey Frichten.  If you want to know how he came up with that number - it's my age as of last Friday lol.  Now everyone knows :).  So Linda please email me with your home address and I will get this into the mail to you.  Thanks everyone for participating and I'll see you back here in a day or two.

Until Next Time

You Say It's My ********

Holy smokes - we have gone into the deep freeze here - right now without the windchill we are at -8 - add in the wind and brrrrrrr it's a cold one.  The moon was beautiful outside my family room window this morning and I love how it's peaking through the trees

You can see our neighbors skating rink off to the left side - it's always fun watching the kids skate.

Last week we had a wonderful get together of the woolies - Ms. Denise made us a terrific lunch and had set a beautiful table with her Red Wing pottery dishes - all of which I failed to get on camera - grrrrr.  (note to self - keep that camera close by)  But here's a few pics of our day - show and tell from the woolies and snippets of Ms. Denise's  house - this is what you first see when she welcomes you into her beautiful home

I asked her if she ever feels like their watching her - she says she doesn't even see them anymore lol.  Here are all the woolies taking a looky at a picture that was being shared - this is a rare pic as it seems we aren't always together :(.

Let's take a quick look at some of the quilts around her beautiful home

see the tiny quilt on top - yikes she likes to make them small lol

see you can even tuck a little quilt into a corner of a cupboard

oh my what's this - a full size quilt - and a nice one at that - you just can't beat a great homespun quilt of stripes and plaids can ya - LOVE IT

 

onto some show and tell from the day -  Ms Jean made this beautiful quilt - which would look great here at the Farmhouse - but no go.  Don'tcha just love a log cabin - wonderful

another Jean finish - very cute

Ms. Faye had nothing for show and tell - but told us about a project she's working on - so I told her she was our show and tell lol

did you notice that the pictures under the long shelf are of the 4 seasons - above on the shelf is a little seasonal grouping for each picture - how clever is that :).  Oh Ms. Denise where does the cleverness stop lol

Ms Denise's show and tell - cute quilt for one of her grandson's 

plus a cute pillow that was on the couch - that deer in the background looks like it's leering at us, watch out Joyce

speaking of Joyce - she's been working on this darling redwork stocking

What a fun day we had hanging out, eating and laughing.  There always seems to be one in the bunch who can't  make our day together - so it's a real treat when we all see each other.

We've had some beautiful hoar frost days in my neck of the woods - I took this picture last Saturday when I was out and about making trouble lol - it was absolutely breath taking and these pictures do not do it justice -

a day earlier the sun was shining and the trees weren't as covered but still beautiful and the sky was so blue - in my backyard - love the contrast

So have you figured out what my post heading means - WELL - today is my birthday - yes it's true I've entered another year and I'm ok with that :)  it beats the alternative as Mother Tother would say.  So in honor of my birthday and the upcoming Valentines Day  I thought - let's have a giveaway to celebrate age and love :) with a little handmade by me

Just leave a comment and Mr. Farmhouse will draw a name on Sunday and I'll get it into the mail "toot sweet" to ya - not in time for Valentines Day - but you can always still keep it out and enjoy and be ready for next year :)

My request for the day is that hubby get a good fire going, I'm going to grab a cup of joe, pick up my needle and thread and enjoy a quiet day of stitching by the fire.  We're staying in tonight and he's making dinner - stitching and someone else cooking - makes for a great day.  Next week we celebrate with the kids - so birthday fun can continue on :).

See ya back here Sunday :)

 

 

Happy 1st of February

Oh my goodness can you believe it - February 1st already.  Winter seems to be moving at a quick pace - I think it's because the weather has  - hmmmm - can I use the word pleasant for Minnesota winter weather - well that's what I'm gonna use :).  Snowfall still is a very rare occurrence - and I do find myself wishing hard for some.  The brown grass is getting old - who'd a thought.

I don't think I mentioned that Mr. Farmhouse gave me a new camera for Christmas - there is no way that Little Silver will ever be replaced - you just can't beat a tuck and go camera.  But I wanted a big boy with a few more abilities and lots more zoom,  Mr. Farmhouse came through.  So when I was fooling around the other day with the camera on different settings and such  I had company and  can't resist taking pictures of her

She's looking at me like put that thing away and let a girl get some beauty sleep.  Can't you see this picture stress is giving me gray deedles, lol.  That's what we call her whiskers and such - deedles and boy she's got a long one there above her eye lol.  Anywho she will be 10 in March, so she's earned those little marks of time.  I love my new camera and lenses and look forward to using it on a special trip were taking later on.

Not a whole lot new around here.  Mr. Farmhouse has been fishing and had a few friends over for the day so I put the new lens on the camera to good use and zoomed in.

After sitting outside for awhile they headed into the fish house to warm up and fish some more.

I saw this spot outside the other night and took out the camera to catch this nature made heart in the snow

it's almost perfect :)

Last week the woolie group that meets in another town from where I live had their monthly get together.  One of the challenges they did last summer was to do signature blocks and then exchange in September.  The challenge was how you put them together and this was the results for those who participated - I alas did not participate - but the show and tell was great. 

Kathe really went all out on how she put her snowball signature blocks into a quilt

how wonderful is this quilt - great job Kathe.

Randee was lucky enough to have Cheri Payne make her a quilt block.  So she put Cheri's block in the middle and then had the siggy blocks around the center block

here are a few other finished siggy projects

whoa this picture is blurry - but you get the idea

A few other fun show and tells from that day

Always a fun group with lots of talent. 

Haven't done much sewing - January is always a bit of a schlumpy (is that a word) month for me - so February brings renewed excitement and a fresh month for my 2012 journey. I did finish up these 2 little projects for The Primitive Threa

 

I'm close to be done with my scarf and it's been a fun one to make.  I've had a couple of questions regarding the names of a quilt in a past post and I'm waiting on an answer from the sewer.  The little tulip scissor holder that was in my sewing tote was a pattern I got a long time ago from a friend and I don't have it or remember the name anymore - I'm sorry I can't help you out on that one.

Well someone here has the right idea

I think I'll grab a cup of coffee, relax and do a little knitting.

Until Next Time

Happy Sunday

And it's a sunny day here - actually that's been more the norm than cold, snow and dark days.  We were down in Minneapolis yesterday where it was doing some heavy snow flurries - was nice to see.  Who'd think living in Minnesota I'd be hungry for snow. 

We absolutely LOVE living on the lake, have I said that before, lol, and watching it during every season.  Today it's busy out there - every fish house in our bay has people in it (can't see them all)  - even Mr. Farmhouse is fishing.  Plus the neighbors have company over and there's a game of hockey going on, girls figure skating - (a few are missing in this picture) - even the dogs are running around out there.  It's so much fun to watch the activity

I've been working on knitting up a infinity scarf that I got the pattern from on this blog

it's a simple knit and purl, now this is something that I can handle and have been really enjoying the process. I love the color of the yarn and the feel of it.  Ms. Cami seems bored with it, lol.  Actually she's watching the 2 dogs out on the lake running around.

Thought I would show you  my new sewing tote that a sweet friend made for me - I've been putting it to good use and keeping it by my stitching chair so I can just pick up something and get to sewing.  I've been working on only keeping the current project and threads in it so it doesn't fill up, you know what I mean, lol  - so far so good :).  I'm hoping she will make some up for me to sell on my selling blog.  Maybe with your encouragement she will :).

Well now I have a great recipe for you to try

great before picture - but guess what - no finished yummy to show you - I think I deleted the picture because I can't find it anywhere.  But this is a yummy Banana Bread recipe given to me by my sweet friend Libster.

Bananan Bread

• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 tbsp margarine - I used butter
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 3 ripe banana's mashed
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp soda
• 1/2 bag chocolate chips
• cream sugar and butter.  Add mashed banana's and the rest of the ingredients and mix. Pour into your sprayed pan.  Depending on your size of pan you can get one big thick load of banana bread or 2 smaller loafs - I've done both.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour.  If it's a thick loaf it will take longer - just keep checking it with a cake tester.   Yummmmmmmm - thanks Libster.

Well time to get going and make dinner so when Mr. Farmhouse comes in from fishing we can eat.  Tonight meatloaf and mashed potatoes -  another yummmmmm.

Until Next Time

Just A Quick Pop In

I will be back tomorrow with another post - but I wanted to share with you a new blog out there for you to visit.  Back in early December I shared a wonderful prim house with you that I was able to tour.  She graciously let me take pics and I know you all loved it.  So pop on over to Michelle's blog and say howdy please and welcome her to blogging.  I think her blog is going to be full of inspiration and fun.

primitivesbymichelle.blogspot.com

Welcome Michelle - I know I'm glad you jumped into the blogging pool :).

Until Next Time

Another DIfferent Look

Well as you can see I've been playing around trying to fix the look of the blog - am I done - no lol, but it's good enough for now.

Last post I talked about my word for 2012.  The word I picked is  - JOURNEY - which means a passage or progress from one point to another.  I've learned a lot in the last year or so - lessons that have stuck with me and taught me some important life lessons.  There are changes that I want to make for me - some need tweaking, some need a major overhaul, lol.  But all positive and good.  I'm blessed to have a wonderful super supportive husband and kids.  I have an  extended family that's the best in everyway.  I'm also blessed to have some really wonderful friends who add so much to my life.  I'm blessed in many many ways - life is good.  So my journey in 2012 is a change to enhance an already full and blessed life - I don't want to waste  a minute :).  Some changes I will post and share with you and some I won't.  Change is always a hard thing and I think the older we get the harder it is.  But we all know that anything worth having is worth working for.  So I will concentrate on the positive and move forward.  What's your word for 2012.

Let's move on to some quilty fun - yesterday we had our monthly get together of the Bent Needles - an applique group with no rules, lol.  Ms. Jolene was our host with her side kick Ms. Faye helping with the lunch.  I realized when I was taking pictures that I never shared the pics from out last get together in December.  So your in for a visual treat :).

From our December meeting which Ms. Judy hosted :) up first is Ms. Gail

Gails absolutly  beautiful applique project from a class she took and FINISHED, lol - hmmm don't ask her classmates if they finished theirs - I'm just sayin, lol

Jolene's applique block

Jean's little mittens that she was working on

Ms Faye had a couple of quilts that were heading out as gifts - how cute are they

we all loved this work in progress

see those little dolly dresses and the cute wooden hanger for the clothes to hang on - Ms. Jean has been making those darling hangers and the clothes for American Girl dolls - to precious :)

of course there was a darling miniture in the grouping - she loves her mini's

 

Ms. Dawn was prolific in her show and tell as well

A Prairie Woman's Sewing Circle project she put her own spin on it with ric rac around the outside

Now some show and tell from yesterday - first up Ms. Gail and she is listening intently to someone sharing a pearl of wisdom I'm sure, lol

Ms. Dawn's completed blocks so far from Primitive Gatherings summer BOW last summer - how pretty are they

Ms. Linda who was joining us for the day showed us a couple of projects using Cherrywood Fabrics which she helps run - these are beautifully hand dyed fabrics in graduating color tones with the look of suede

Linda and Judy are both working on Buggy Barn's Folk Art Album

Ms. Linda is also working on her Kim Diehl project

Ms. Paulette was busy knitting on a beautiful infinity scarf

Ms. Nancy was also joining us for the day and brought a darling quilt she was dropping off for a special wee one on her way home

and finally Ms. Jolene who was showing us her finished quilt.  She was involved with 5 other quilters around the United States in making round robin quilts.  These quilts are headed over to Ireland in the next week where they will be apart of a exibition involving a total of 7 different countries.  She just needs to add the binding on hers.  She did the center block and the rest was done by the other quilters in the US.  I wish you could see the machine quilting on this - it was beautiful.  Jolene is heading over to Ireland early summer to view this exhibition - should be fun.  Hope I got that all right Jolene

Well for me I worked on the same block from my applique project - I NEED to make progress on this baby.

Now it's time to head up to the nest and do a little work - have a great weekend.  Will it ever snow?  I would like a little of that white stuff :).

Until Next Time

 

Well Now

Isn't this change just lovely, lol.  Something happened to my blog header today - I don't know what as I hadn't touched a thing.  Anywho I went to this design while I try to figure out what to do.   I could use some names of some good blog designers - the one I used seems to have gone out of business.  If you know of someone could you email me their email address so I can get my blog looking the way I want.  I've thought about heading over to blogger and starting up over there - but then I would lose my archives - grrrrrr.  Any help on a good designer would be mighty appreciated :).

I also wanted to let you know that on the upper left of the sidebar is a link to my selling blog that I've had for the last few months.  It's called The Primitive Thread and I update it every Wednesday 8:00 central time and each Wednesday it's a new kit with a limited supply.  Check it out if your interested.

I took these pictures on Christmas Eve just a few minutes apart - look how the color changed

It looks almost eerie.

I'm trying to put the house back together after getting all the holiday decorations put away.  I've decided to skip putting out the snowman this year - it just seems weird without really any snow outside.  So I'm going to work on refreshing the areas around the house that I think need a new look.  Doesn't it always seem like the house is empty when all the holiday pretties are tucked away for another year?

Well that's all I got for right now.  Friday is the applique group Bent Needles get together - I should have some good show and tell from there :).  Next time I will tell you about my word for the year and the meaning behind it.

Until Next Time

Journey

Happy New Year Everyone - it's crazy to think we are already starting a brand new year isn't it - 2011 went by so quickly for us here at the Farmhouse and something tells me for you as well.  I hope your holidays were wonderful, spent with family and friends with lots of memories to hold precious.

We celebrated Christmas a week early this year for a reason.  My sweet DIL is a Christmas Eve baby.  For the last few years she has said that when she turns 30 it will be somewhere warm.  Well this was the year for that milestone birthday and they found a home down in Marathon Florida which is about 45 miles from Key West.  So they invited anyone who wanted to come to come on down.  The youngest Farmhouse boy couldn't take the time off so we stuck around to celebrate Christmas with him and then boarded a plane on the 27th and headed down to join up with them and her parents, sister and her hubby.  Not a bad house hey -  Great job Emily on picking such a beautiful home

The empty lot across the street is for sale so without a house there we had some wonderful sunsets to watch

My view while having coffeee out the back of the house was wonderful as well

Mr. Farmhouse did some lap swimming to burn off the calories we consumed, lol

The married ones rented a boat so we spent quite a bit of time enjoying the water - S#1 was a great driver of the boat

and let his Dad take the wheel a few times :)

We could not have asked for better weather to enjoy the water

and take the boat to a wonderful outdoor place to eat

where they had their fished cooked that they caught on a fishing charter the day before - I had a chicken quesadilla lol

we had to toast of course their fishing bounty

A fun picture of the back of a house on the ocean side decorated for Christmas - the front of the house was decorated twice as much

The back of the house the kids rented is on a canal so we could dock the boat there when not in use - I like how the back of the house looks like a southern plantation as we approached our dock

our bedroom was on the third floor so we had a great view of the canal

the house next door to us had a picture perfect little spot for their pool and at night the lights around the area make it look so pretty

Our time down there was to fast, but we enjoyed the time we were there.  Yesterday it was time to head home for us with the married ones and her parents heading home today.  One of the fun things Mr. Farmhouse and I did was rent a sweet little mustang convertible - red of course, lol - to really enjoy the beautiful weather. That was really fun :)

traveling from and to the airport we traveled over several bridges - this one is the seven mile bridge - WOW it seemed to go on forever

After a very long day of pretty uneventful traveling (yes it can happen when things go as planned - thank goodness lol) we arrived home very late last night to a wonderful few inches of snow on the ground and a very rude awakening of cold weather, lol.

Thank you married ones for asking us along

we had such a wonderful time with you and the others.  Mr. Farmhouse and I are so proud of the amazing adults you have become.  Plus your a lot of fun to hang out with :).

So now it's time to put away the holiday decorations and clean up the house.  It's also time to think about how I want to make this year 2012 really count in a positive way.  It will be a year of change for me and I've picked a word to help define this year for me.  Maybe you'll want to join along by picking your own word.

Until Next Time

 

 

A BLESSED AND MERRY CHRISTMAS

FROM

OUR FARMHOUSE TO YOURS