Sunday, September 28, 2014

~*Santa*~

Hello Dear Friends!

Thank you to all who offered suggestions and commented on my Santa from the previous post!  I finished him several days ago... and popped him in the frame.  

Here he is...
I punched with mostly acrylic blend yarns (using my Amy Oxford #10 punch)... but I did rip some cotton fabrics about 1" thick to add here and there.  This gave a neat variation to the piece.  After the punching, I gave it a good coffee bath to relax the colors some.  Some suggested a mouth, but in my mind Santa's beard is much too full to see his lips.  I think he finished nice and primitive!

I'm still keeping the punches HOT... and punching and punching... for the three events I have quickly approaching.

Some needlepunch snowmen that will be finished into basket charms, pins, and/or maybe necklace charms on some ball chain...
 More Oxford mats and Pumpkin rugs...
 This Jolly Country Santa is a pattern from my dear friend Ginger of Prairie Moon Primitives...
I've got plans to dye some awesome wool yarns... purchased from a sweet and charming local boy that raises Alpacha goats.  This yarn is awesome for needlepunch!!!  I'll share more when I get the dye pots going...
My Sister~in~Law, Robin, was able to visit Ginger and Ann in Silver Dollar City a few weeks ago.  They all thought of me while they visited each other.  I so wish I could have been there too!  But they did think of me... Robin gave me this bundle of goodies from all of them.  How sweet!!!

A beautiful basket great for holding spools of yarn and other supplies for needlepunching, a yummy smelling soap, charming handmade coasters, hand carved (by Ann's Daddy!) sweetheart bears, a primitive battery operated candle, heart and bird charm, some great Oklahoma Rose rocks, and a handful of Ginger's delightfully~cheery patterns!  Thank you Ladies!!!  I love my gifts!!! 

Wishing you all warm smiles... time for me to get away from the computer and back to crafting!

Betty

Friday, September 19, 2014

~*My New Tool!*~

Hello Dear Friends!

As you know, I have been working with a bunch of yarns as of late.  I've been growing my stash of yarn for several years.  Among my stash was this mess...
 I don't know how it got this way... but it was a tangled mess for sure!

The other day, this wonderful yarn winder arrived in the mail!  I used one long ago in high school... and it was fun them... and is fun now!  And it works GREAT!
Here is that wool and many of my other wool yarns... all rolled and pretty!
Now... one headache is gone... and I'm still dealing with Mr. Santa... and still getting a headache from him.  My Mister said he looked good and to leave him as is... but I just can't help but think there is something 'off' about him.  The frame has been painted black.  It will be distressed and waxed before it is finished... but does Santa look alright?  His nose?  His cheek lines?  His beard?

I added in some strips of cotton fabrics with the acrylic yarns.  (This is punched with my Amy Oxford Rug Punch.)  It added some texture... but is there enough?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

~*Trash to ... Primitive*~

Hello Dear Friends!

Today, I wanted to take advantage of the nice weather. I decided to work on a project from my shed.  Not too long ago, I picked up this old, busted bench...
 From our work in the pole barn last weekend... we unloaded a bunch of old wood.  I saved some for this project!

My good buddy, Brownie, kept me company while the paint was slinging...
 This project didn't take much time... but it turned out kinda, primitive~cute!
 The base was painted with red chalk paint... the top was white~washed.  I coated the entire bench with paste wax.  A nice little accent piece!

I love the old knot hole!!!
I have also been keeping busy with the needles today.  A few more needlepunch projects are finished and will be shared later... but, for this evening... back to that Santa I posted about earlier.  It is giving me fits!

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty


Tuesday, September 16, 2014

~*NeedlePunch Tip... Punching Direction*~

Hello Dear Friends!

I've been needlepunching for several years now.  This is something I have always been aware of, but wanted to share with you. 

Please look closely...

Sample #1 Front...
 Sample #2 Front...
 Sample #1 Back...
 Sample #2 Back...
 Both from the front... and another not yet punched... Hi there!...
 Do you see the difference?  In Sample #1... The details were punched first (like in all the samples), but the white was punched round and round until I got to the middle... then just back and forth a little.  In Sample #2... the white was just punched a bit here and there and then there and here until if was filled in.

Now... do you have an opinion which looks better?  I know I do... and that would be Sample #2.  When punching is just done round and round, it leaves a path and can be distracting to the eye and from the design... even as simple as a Snowman face.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The weekend was crazy busy here... but I'm continuing to work hard (ya... it is PLAYING!) to prepare for the events that are so quickly approaching.  Lots of punching with my Cameo and my Oxford needles...

I'm a little stumped on my Santa face.  So far, I have only been using acrylic yarn on it... and, to me, it looks flat.  (this is a picture of the back)  Plus, I don't have a skin tone yarn.  So... I've decided to reverse punch some of it and fill in with various fabrics.  My stash of fabric has TONS of cottons and poly cottons... so I think I'll give it a try.  Maybe the results can be shared tomorrow?  If all goes well anyway...

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty


Sunday, September 14, 2014

~*Yarns and More Yarns*~

Hello Dear Friends!

Yesterday, I had to make a run to Topeka.  Among the errands... I had the pleasure of stopping by a wonderful yarn store in Fairlawn Plaza Mall.  The store is called Yak N' Yarn.  I enjoyed the store, meeting the owner, and drooling over all the awesome yarns.  Of course, I did bring home a bunch to add to my stash...

Some is 100% wool... some are blends...
 The creamy wool in this picture (below) was also purchased at the store... but I wound it into a ball before I took the stash picture.  This creamy wool is from right here in Eskridge.  The wool comes from Angora Goats raised by a local teenage boy.  He sends the wool off to have it spun, but it is so cool to me that it comes from right here!  I hope to get more of this wool and dye it myself.
 Here is how it punches up with my Cameo Needlepunch...
 I did take some of the wool to try my hand dying it... along with some wool fabric.  I wanted an Antique Black.  My results are not exactly what I was aiming for... wish I would have used more brown and less black.  I use ProChem dyes... and am not too experience with it.  Maybe after some practice it will turn out more as planned.
 Here is how the wool turned out.  At least my finished product is mottled really GOOD!
 The finished look is more like ~*Wicked Stormy Gray Skies*~
 After playing in the dye pots today... it was off to work in the pole barn.  On September 26 and 27... we will be hosting a sale here as part of the Fabulous Finds On 99.  My sister~in~law and brother~in~law will be here with us.  We will all sorts of things... from typical garage sale junk (no clothes), vintage, antique, tools, and lots of other stuff.

The annual sale event if for all of Highway 99!  Two full days of awesome, fun sales!!!  Check it out!!!

 
It is so good that we have a tractor and pick up to help us with this project!  Now if only I could stop sneezing from breathing in too much dust!

Wishing  you all warm smiles...

Betty


Thursday, September 11, 2014

~*Mild Distraction*~

Hello Dear Friends!

Last night, I suffered from a mild distraction.  You know it is necessary to follow your muse!  We moved almost a year ago... and boxes are still being unpacked from our store room.  (shame... I know)  But, I ran across these stems that I had saved...


I'm sure you have seen them made into sweet, pumpkins... made of fabric!  Well, I made a few last night using some hand~dyed wool and my favorite linen thread...
 

Sweet, I think!


But... my distraction from punching was brief... and this morning at the bait shop, I was back at it...
 

Wishing you all warm smiles...
Betty


Wednesday, September 10, 2014

~*The Many Faces of Jack*~

Hello Dear Friends!

I've continued working on ditties to take to the two events I have scheduled... and have now added a 3rd event to my calender!




I'm so excited for all of these!  Hopefully I can continue to 'work' hard creating... and be very well prepared! 

In my pile of finished wares... are Jacks of many faces...

 Happy, Sad, and kinda Scary...

pillows, boxes, basket ties, and some added to odd, old things...


I've had the rusty spoons for a long time... auction or garage sale finds.  They are large & not usable for food... so I punched some Jacks to decorate them.  The coal scoop is my favorite!

This jar is from the thrift store.  The cork is still good... so I decorated the top!  A great place for some candy corn!!!


My Mister told me today that the squirrels are getting to the buckeyes.  So, I went out with my basket to gather a few for ME!  My Grandpa Milliken would find them and share with all us grand kids.  He would give us each one... then tell us they were for good luck.  *SMILE*  I've never had a Buckeye Tree before.  Now we have two at our home.  They make me happy!


So, how many Jacks are enough?  Hmmm... maybe I better do some more plain pumpkins and move on to more Snowmen, Santa, Gingerbread... and???

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty


Monday, September 8, 2014

~*Lotsa Punching!*~

Oxford Punches and Needlepunches!

Hello Dear Friends!

Sharing some of my recent finishes... and a little work in progress...

before...

Old stool...

Paper mache' and wood boxes with paint drying...

And after...

Several Needlepunch pieces...
The Hand & Heart piece is made with inspiration from Lori Brechlin's design in HeartFelt from Notforgotten Farm.  I had posted in an early post that I needed the design larger and wasn't near the tools to enlarge her pattern directly... so I traced my own fat, hand and drew the rest freehand.  *Wink* 

I used wool yarn and wool strips to make the Oxford punched, top for this old stool.  The stool was found at an auction or garage sale long ago.  I added a little glue to the stool itself to tighten it up and some paste wax to liven up the wool... and then... I wanted the finished top look just as old as the stool.  It seems to be old looking!

 Lots of scraps for a nice Hit n' Miss piece!

 I tacked a 'roughly' cut piece of cutter quilt to the underside... again just trying to make the stool finish look good and old!

The white spots you can see are from the camera flash.  The actual punched top, in person, doesn't show any 'bald' spots.
 

As for the work in progress... I have this old frame to fill...
 with another Oxford punch.  My hope is that this Santa will be old and prim looking when he is finished!

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty


Sunday, September 7, 2014

~*My Shopping Cart*~

Hello Dear Friends!

We spent yesterday at a fun auction.  This auction was full of a bunch of 'former mechanic's stuff'.  However, I did find several new treasures in the mix!  We went because my Mister spotted some dirt bike stuff on the sale bill.  There were lots of tools, semi~trailers and cabs, tractors, lawn movers, metal pieces and parts... and a bunch of junk.

My Mister didn't win the dirt bike, but did get some dirt bike parts and pieces (and many other things)... the kiddo found a few things and was tickled to score a hatchet.  He says he is going to play Survivor Man in the woods today.  (Yes, I have warned him to be careful!)  And I found many vintage, fun things.

We filled the bed of the pick up...

My FAVORITE win was this shopping cart!  I love the vintage, rustiness of it!
 It is funny to say, but it rolls better than any I have used recently at the stores!
 And I love this little, blue washtub!

Of course, I am suppose to go to auctions to find cool inventory for the booth I share with my SIL, Robin, at ReRun Consignments in historic Council Grove, Kansas... but sometimes it is REALLY HARD to part with things.  

See this mess?  This was all piled on the floor in my studio... aka the basement.  Tubs of fabrics... also purchased at an auction long ago.  This fabric is mostly solids, but there are several vintage 1970's prints... you know, with mushrooms and bright stripes.  I bought it to weave with. 

Much of the fabric in those totes is on rolls.  I'm not sure why... but it fits great in my new shopping cart!


I ripped some of the fabric in strips to wrap the handle.  Personally... I think it is just super~cute!


My weaving loom has not been used much... but it too sits in my studio... just waiting for me to pay it some attention...
 

Oh... and this great, green Hoosier table... with the enamel top was one of my other great wins yesterday!  Yes, it too was won with the idea of taking it to our booth.  But as you can see... it also sits in my studio now...
 

While I'm sharing studio pictures... here are more long ago auction (and garage sale) pieces.  I put this old metal tub on top a rusty, sewing machine base.  The tub is FILLED with bunches of wool worms for hooking and punching... (ignore the extension cord... there isn't much for power outlets in this area of the house)
 

This wood table was only $1 at a flea market last year!
 

And atop my main work table... many projects that are calling for my attention right now.  The rest of today will be crafty!
 

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty