LIFE ~ and all its happenings

 

It is a gorgeous morning here in Vermont. The sun is shining, the dew heavy, the temperature a lovely 64 degrees and the air is crisp. Our Summer thus far has been HOT and RAIN SOAKED.  As a result, our world is quite green though the heat has been so intense that the ground quickly dries out....Odd to be sure. As with everyone else in the country ~ our weather is changing.

Goode morning friends.  HOW ARE YOU?  I have missed visiting with all of you!!   I have several reasons for coming back to this blog but one of the top reasons is.... after six lovely years of publishing the gazette, it will be ending with the December 2025 issue.  SO this blog will be a way for me to still stay in touch and be social with all of you...   NOW....My main reason for ending the gazette is that....in December I will be taking care of our new grandson!!

THEREFORE...come December 2025, I will officially be semi-retired as I will be watching the new wee one at least four days a week. 

How gorgeous is our girl ~ she has had that pregnancy GLOW her entire pregnancy and, after NINE years of trying to conceive (Docters, test after test, IVF failures...etc. etc.)..SHE HAS EARNED THE GLOW!   She is due in August so we will be meeting this precious little one soon!!  Mark and I feel like kids anticipating Christmas as that has been our level of excitement!!

I WILL STILL BE CREATING...on a part time basis of course....  I have spent the last several months carefully planning, figuring out and slowing making decisions as to where to put my focus.    I need to create things that are easily planned and that are also portable.  For me my BEARS are at the top of that list.  I absolutely LOVE making them...they bring me such joy, I feel very confident in making them (especially now that I have made enough in a short time to feel like I am really starting to master them).  There isn't a ton of color planning, etc., and they are easy to take with me and work on while the baby naps.   I also have something else I am going to start concentrating on which I will share more about in my next post...    AND.......I am sure I will still dabble from time to time as that is just how this ADHD brain of mine works (more on this later).

(previous photo....July 17, 2025, Jen, Ben, Jack and BABY Lukacs) 

 (Photo to the left June 1, 2025, Jen's baby shower :). Ben, Jen, baby Lukacs, Me and Mark.)

LIFE IS GOOD.

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AS I MENTIONED....BEARS are on my Makers LIST...and here are two of my latest. :)  They are bigger than I have made in the past.  Just a bit taller but their heads and bodies are larger, and they are heftier.  

Each one is stuffed with Excelsior (wood wool), wool roving and glass beads.  They are hand-dyed, plucked, aged and sanded.  They have black, glass, shoe button eyes, tiny red wool hearts and waxed and stitched noses. THEY ALSO HAVE THE SWEETEST PERSONALITIES...it always amazes me how expressive these little creations can be.  ANYWAY...Each one has its own wood and paper covered hangtag, made from aged antique images and text.  The tags hand from antique ivory satin ribbon. 

Each bear sits atop a wooden shaker style box that I have covered in the same antique, and aged paper.  Avery's box is oval & Bella's is round.

AVERY has sold ~ Bella is still available.  Email me if you are interested in purchasing; Doreen@vermontharvestfolkart.com.

That is all for today my friends ~ until next time, be well.  Doreen

ON.....S L O W posting, LIFE, and a short video on stitching stems.

Here we are..... four months later and I am just getting around to posting again.  I really don't know what to say ~ One would think that I wasn't a routine person, which I very much am.  The trouble is, I have found it oddly difficult to incorporate blog writing into that routine.  SO, I shall pop in when I can, regardless of whether it is morning, afternoon or evening, and hopefully there will be someone out there wishing to read what I have to say and, if there isn't.....  at least I am writing and sharing :)

Today in Vermont we have heavy rain and storms forecasted.  This morning, I woke, made myself a cup of coffee and, regardless of the downpour, Oliver and I made our way to the front porch.  The rain was so heavy that Oliver refused to step off the porch and, who can blame him.  We stayed, me rocking and listening to the wind and rain as it washed away our driveway, once again, and Oliver sniffing around the porch trying to discover the origin of the animal that stole two large pieces of homemade bread, I had left out yesterday afternoon for the birds to enjoy.   We didn't stay long, the fire needed tending, the house needed tidying and Oliver was clamoring for his breakfast.   A few hours later, I made my way back out to the porch with my stitching.  The rain calmed down a bit, as the birds finally began to sing and move out of the shelter of our newly open leaves.   Oh, how I love to listen to the Robins ~ their song is one of my favorites!

I must be off now ~ much to do on this rainy day, but before I go, I wanted to share a very quick little video of the way I stitch floral stems.  As most of you know, I typically like to represent stems with Weeks Dye Works Kohl floss and an embroidery stem stitch, but I am finding that it doesn't always fit a particular piece, so I am forcing myself to do as our beloved Maggie B does, with wool and the ladder stitch.   I had a heck of a time getting the rhythm of this stitch when I first attempted it years ago.  Thankfully, a couple years ago, I was able to attend a workshop, in Salem, MA, with Maggie and  was able to see her do it in person which finally made it click for me.  I am definitely a visual learner which is most likely the reason my patterns are SO VERY WORDY and full of photos and sketches lol...I write them for the other visual learners out there...hoping I can write and show them enough, so it makes sense :).  Anyway, I hope the short little video helps you, should you need a bit of a visual :).

Until next time friends.  Be Well, Be Joyful, Be Kind. hugs to all, Doreen

Tuesday, April 18, 2023 ~ Goode day friends

 Goode morning friends.  We wake to a gently falling rain here in Vermont.  The air is a little chilly as I sit by the fire, doing a little stitching and sipping my second cup of coffee.  A group of Robins scurry around the yard, plucking earthworms from the dirt, a job made much easier after yesterday's steady rain.  Mr. & Mrs. Bluebird (my word, the blue of their wings, when they fly by, is absolutely stunning) flutter back and forth as they move into their new home, a nesting box on our front porch, for the second year in a row.  I love watching them, they are shy but determined and seem to have gotten used to our routines and take care of their moving in & nest-building accordingly. :)

This morning, after tidying the house and planning tonight's dinner, I am working on the May issue of The Little Brown House Gazette.  This afternoon & evening, around dinner and yoga class, I will begin stitching a new design ~ a primitive stool topper made with some new hand dyed textures from Blackberry Primitives..they are gorgeous!  :).

What does this day hold for you?

Until next time my friends ~ be well, Doreen

Introducing The....From A Little Brown House Gazette

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN... I am ever so pleased to present to you the......
From A Little Brown House Gazette.

A monthly, mailed, newsletter featuring recipes, stories, projects & other goode things from my home to yours.

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Goode day my lovely friends.  I hope this message finds you well and enjoying these first few, lovely, days of September.  Oh how I do so LOVE this time of year!!!  I may have told all of you,  one or two...HUNDRED times, I am a very big fan of the "er" months.  Any month that ends in ER is top-notch in my book!  As I mentioned, in a previous post, I have been working on an exciting new project.  One I am over the moon excited about actually.  It is a delightful (if I do say so myself) monthly, MAILED, NEWSLETTER!!!  I have had the best, most relaxing and enjoyable time creating this first month and I can not wait to get going on the next one!!  You can find all the details on my website but let me just assure you, I have lots of wonderful things in store for this monthly newsletter and I hope you will find it as exciting as I do.  I am not sure about all of you but I have truly had my fill of the fast-paced, impersonal world of social media.  Remember the lovely days of websites and blogs???  Leisurely visiting your favorite folks for pleasure and enjoyment and perhaps seeing more than a one-sentence post and not feeling like you were just a  speck in the crowd or not feeling absolutely overwhelmed with the abundance of media coming at you.  Let me tell you, being on both ends of this perpetually moving craziness, both as a spectator and creator/business person, trying to navigate and keep up with it all is positively exhausting and can ultimately drain you of every bit of creativity you once had!!!  Thank goodness for creative times away with friends, both old and new, to chat with, work with, learn from and reminisce with or one might find themselves completely devoid of inspiration!  To that end, with this new, monthly mailed newsletter I hope to create a quieter, simpler presence.  A lovely little "From My Home To Yours" delightfulness, coming to your home each month.  Something to look forward to, something to brighten your day and perhaps inspire you to remember the simple things in life..and, just perhaps, you will find it relaxing and enjoyable yourself.

I won't keep you any longer (goodness, I was much longer winded than intended).  Won't you take a moment and pop on over to my website to learn more :).  Until next time, thank you and ...I WISH YOU JOY, Doreen

ps..the December issue will be a special issue.... larger than the regular issues and feature more projects :)