I found my thrill...

I'm back on a roll.  Here is Pincushion Number 14.  I hand sewed the vintage tatting to the little teeny tiny pieced quilt square, so no machine needed for this cutie.  Don't you just wanna eat them blueberry pins?

Iffin your liken' it, you can go buy it here.

Smiles from the farm,

Lisa

Cora Belle...

Visit her at Minter Bay Dairy Goats

This is Cora Belle, but of course you already knew that.  EVERYONE knows Corabelle.  She is FAMOUS.  She's the Taylor Swift of goats.  Cute, nice, always winning awards, dating fake werewolves... Well maybe not that last one and she would never be caught dead with a Jonas Brother.  But other than that, she is the Taylor Swift of goats.  She lives in Washington and is so nice that she is even friends with goats without ears!  She's like an ambasador to earless goats.  She's like the Angelina Jolie of goats.  Except for the weirdness and slightly creepy aura. 

ANYWAY...

In trying to catch up with my 365 pincushions whilst using a slightly outdated machine, I have created an homage to the great Cora Belle. 

She's not for sale.  She's going to Washington if Goatgirl will have her.  However, I am working on others...check back soon.

                                     

Smiles from the farm,

Lisa

Shine on...

Sometimes it's hard to comprehend that there are places that don't have snow...

I understand that some places get snow and then it goes away.  In Maine our snow comes, looks around settles down and decides to stay...AFTER it invites everyone that snow knows to come too.  Um..we have a lot of snow and it doesn't go away until May, sometimes June. 

In those places that don't have snow how do their goats get fluffy?

And what do their dead apples wear for hats?

How do their chickens figure out the meaning of life when life does not depend on the fragility a light bulb?

Where do they find gratitude for good advice from seasoned beekeepers and the sustainability of sugar for a weak hive?

Without snow how do they wrap their souls around death?

Without the sight of grass, flowers and leaves we yearn for spring, we want what we do not have and we appreciate it so dearly when it gets here. 

In it's desloation there is a transcending beauty that we hate, ignore and love all at the same time. 

Only three more months 'till spring, Mrs. Torrance....

And sometimes we get bored and read too much...

Smiles from the farm,

Lisa

Excuses...

My sewing machine broke...

It's snowing out...

Life...

I did manage to make more Little Chickens on the treadle machine.  I'll get all caught up soon.  Before spring.  Or next winter.  Whatever.

Smiles from the farm,

Lisa

Make do or do without...

So I go to a new sewing machine repair place, becuase my old sewing machine repair place no longer has a working phone number.  The lady takes the case off of my machine and this is what she says...in order...

1.  Wow, that's an oldie.

2.  What the heck did you do to it? 

So I say, well it's not THAT old.  I bought it new.  Like 12 years ago.  12 isn't old is it?  I mean if it's like fruit or high waisted jeans it probably is but a sewing machine?  Husband thinks she was just trying to sell me a new one.  Me=wrong tree, she=barking up said tree. 

Then I say, well I'm kinda rough on things.  You should see my car. 

ANYWAY, they will clean it and service it, replace the plate, new lightbulb, knock out the dents in the fenders and top off the fluids.  All for a nice tidy little sum of not less than $65.00.  Minimum.  ACK. 

It will be ready in two weeks.

WHAT!?  How do I go two weeks without a sewing machine? 

Well I came home and moaned and whined.  I figured my options were to go buy a cheapy at Wal-Mart or start calling friends who might let me borrow theirs.  (None of my friends sew)  Husband offered stupid suggestions and I kindly shook my head at him.  Finally I gestured over to my old-I mean we're talking 104 years old, manufactured in 1906 old, treadle sewing machine that I bought at auction for $15.00 about 15 years ago.  It has never had a belt and I use it as a computer desk.  Well I gestured over to it and said, "I wish I had a belt for that!"  I was joking.  I don't know how to use a treadle sewing machine.  Besides where can you find a belt for a 1906 Singer treadle sewing machine?  It was suggested that I call the sewing machine repair place where I just brought my "OLD" 12-year old New Home Memory Craft 4000.  Scoffing I did and for $12.95 and a few bucks in gas,  I had a leather belt for my 1906 Singer treadle sewing machine.  And holy cow it works.  And holy cow I made a goat on it.  And holy cow, I am SUPER WOMAN!  Hear me mahhhh!

Who needs electricity and zig zag stiches?  Who needs beepy buttons and automatic bobbin winders?  Who needs portability and a little button that you push and it will write your name on the fabric just like magic? 

I do, oh dear Lord please hurry up and fix my machine....SOB!

Smiles from the farm,

Lisa

The SKY is falling, the sky is falling!

Oh dear, as I sat down to work on my daily pincushion.  The belt that operates the feed plate on my sewing machine gave up.  Can you believe it?  I could sew in reverse, but not forward.  THIS is a travesty.  An outrage, a big kick in the pants.  I don't want to miss a day, besides I have TEN little goats cut out that need some puttin' together.

So I tore apart my machine and cleaned it out.  Like the sewing machine would thank me by working.  "Oh thank you so much Lisa!  I just couldn't think of any other way to let you know that I need a small rodent worth of lint cleaned out of my whirly parts than by just shutting down completely!"  Well, it didn't work.  Ungrateful piece of plastic and metal.  So after I stewed for an hour,  I sewed today's little chickens in reverse.  Yup, backwards chickens. 

They are listed on Etsy

Henny Penny Pincushions

So, hopefully my machine can be fixed quickly and I won't miss a beat.  We'll see!

Smiles from the farm,

Lisa

Seven, eight, nine, ten...

Special order, already taken!

Goat on Etsy

Velvet Tomato on Etsy

Tiny little pattern on Etsy

Smiles from the farm,

Lisa

I'm feeling a little fancy today...

I just feel like putting my hair up in ringlets, donning a shoulder baring gown, putting feathers in my hair, sitting peacefully and demurely, lowering my long lashes.  And sticking pins in my lap.  Wait, um let me explain. 

I'm talking about the sixth pincushion.  Her name is Belle and she is very gaudy and romantic.  A little over the top, pink and fluffy and frou-frou.  All the things that I am.  Not.  Her pins are little candy hearts.  I mean little, like half the size of a dime and do you KNOW how hard it is to write on little hearts that are half the size of a dime?  Do YOU!  Well, it's hard.  Especially for someone who is a bit tough on herself when something doesn't quite meet her own standards.  They are cute though, and wouldn't it be very sweet to use Sweet Belle for your Valentine decorating? 

So, if you just LOVE her and NEED to have her gracing your home, please go to my Esty store and purchase her.  And I don't wanna sound cocky or braggy or anything, but holy thank you so much you don't even know how much it means to me, but they are selling very quickly! 

Smiles from the farm,

Lisa

How d'ya like them apples?

I know, I know these are almost pears, which I've already done.  But they're not pears and the fabric is different.  Don't worry though, I haven't run out of ideas (By the way thank you Kathleen for all the ideas.  I have taken note!)  I am working on some patterns and I have also received a few custom orders for the apron pincushion.  AND some folks just want the pins, so I've been working on them.  I will be putting up a HOW TO on making the pins later this week, so please come back fo rthat.  So this little project is going quite well.  Thanks for all the sweet comments and purchases! 

So without further ado....Number 5!

They are made from vintage barkcloth and retro style fabric. They fit right into the palm of your hand.  If you have to have them, please go to my Etsy shop and buy them there!

Smiles from the farm,
Lisa

Laverne and Shirley...

Remember the episode of Laverne and Shirley (L&S to us aficionados) where they won a contest where they had to fill up their carts with as many groceries as they could?  Hijinks and hilarity ensued (hey it was Laverne and Shirley-COMIC GENIOUS!) and they ended up sliding over the finish line with like a string of hotdogs and one ham.  Oh, it was sooooo funny.  Sometimes when I'm bored I think of my strategy if I ever win one of those type of contests.  That's just how my mind works. 

Well, I bet you thought I wasn't going to make it over the finish line with PINCUSHION NUMBER FOUR, now did you?  Well I did.  Ha!  Here it is...

Just a simple emery berry that is also stuffed with lavender.  I think the little berry pins are so darling.  They look just like wild strawberries dipped in sugar.  Don't eat them though, the "sugar" is actually crushed glass.  Not good for the digestive system.  No, no, not at all.

If you're lovin' it and have to have it go to my Etsy shop and by it there!

DISCLAIMER:  No hijinks ensued in the making of this pincushion.

Smiles from the farm,

Lisa

Maryjane's Apron...

"I consider my apron pure farmgirl genius, handy for the zucchini that won't wait another day, eggs that need gathering, and apples begging to become a pie."-MARYJANE BUTTERS

In homage to the lovely Ms. Butters...I present pincushion Number 3.

Phew, 362 to go.  I might need some help in coming up with ideas way before then.   If you want this one, please go to my Etsy site, it is for sale there!

Smiles from the farm,

Lisa

Now that's a blizzard...

It is taking a bit of will power to allow this to happen...

Why?  Well for one I have some control issues.  Two, I hate making them do things they don't want to.  Stupid, I know.  I started to go out and take over, but stopped myself.  It builds character, right?  I didn't take a picture of the Teenager since demons were feverishly swooping around her head and fire was actually coming out of her ears.  She may never speak to any of us ever again.  Until she wants to go somewhere, probably in an hour or so from now. 

So in keeping with my pincushion a day thing that I've got going on...Here is NUMBER 2!  Well look at me keeping a goal past the first day.  Who woulda thunk it?

This one is pretty simple.  I added a little emery strawberry to help sharpen the pins.  I also hand sculpted the two pink rose pins.  Again, I listed it on Etsy, so if you have to have it, go there!

Smiles from the farm,

Lisa

364 to go...

Just because I can, I am going to make a pincushion every day for the next 365 days.  Here is Number 1, which  is actually Number 1 and Number 2, but I am going to consider this just one.  Hey, it's my world and I've never been really bright at math.  Oh and I made the little pear pins too. 

I will be listing them on Etsy tonight, so iffen your needin' a pincushion...go there. 

Smiles from the farm,

Lisa