~*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

~*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

~*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

~*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

~*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!

October 12th Cabin Antiques at Lake Wabaunsee

October 25th Eskridge Fall Festival

November 7th 1st Friday Art Walk at Fairlawn Plaza Mall

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

~*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