Farm and Fru Fru

Pinterest Randomness

2012-01-22T16:49:00.002-05:00

A cold drizzly Sunday afternoon calls for a little (or a lot) Pinterest. I can start with the intention of a ten minute viewing and find myself under the same afghan in the same spot three hours later. It's like my own personal magazine with all my favorite things just spread out in front of me. The only bad thing about Pinterest is finding that I spend so much time looking at what other people have created, I create less myself. I guess that's a good way to spend Sunday afternoon. Addicted I tell you, addicted.

Here are a few goodies that caught my eye....

we start with some cute little bowls from anthro...

how about a little gnome hat from wee little robin on etsy?

lori never disappoints at pretty little things...

and let's face it, no post of cuteness would be complete without a puppy butt....

someone posted this precious idea of a slumber party snack...got milk?

an extra special green scarf from recycled tees...

and these bracelets made from men's neckties are calling me....from

new england prepster.tumbler

Well To Do, You

2012-01-15T22:07:00.000-05:00

Susan Price Stephenson of Well To Do, You is a woman after my own heart. She came up with the idea to take one dress and wear it 30 different ways over a period of 30 days. UNIFORM dressing! I LOVE that! Talk about paring the old wardrobe down. Brilliant! I've been following along for the entire time and am so inspired. Not only is it fun to watch, but all the accessories will be donated to Dress for Success of Southern Maine.

The Dress is The Islesboro Sweater Dress from LLBean Signature

Just look at all the fun ways this ONE dress can be worn....

...and it's only been two weeks.

Pretty fun huh?

I've always loved the idea of a uniform you could wear anytime, anywhere...

This could be it!!

What do YOU think of the uniform idea?

Any Day is a Paint Chip Day

2012-01-14T22:25:00.002-05:00

By now you know how I love paint chips.....

and all the creative possibilities they inspire...

apparently Rene at Bargain Hoot likes them too.

Check out the possibilities~

Lessons from a Donkey

2012-01-04T21:50:00.000-05:00

I have had my donkey Jubel for almost three years now. In that time, he has taught me just about

" Everything I need to know" so I thought I would share what I have learned thus far as

a mini donkey owner...I posted this once before right after I started this blog, but

good lessons bear repeating.

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence...but sticking your neck where it doesn't belong can get you stuck...by barbed wire or something worse.
Watch your step...all that glitters is not gold..sometimes it is a pile of poop.
Gray is the new black.
Sometimes it's better to be seen and not herd.

     5. Open your mouth wide and hee-haw every chance you get.

     6. Grin and the whole world grins with you.

     7. When someone sneaks up on you from behind, kick first and ask questions later.
     8. On hot days lie on your back under a shade tree.
     9. When in doubt, run.
   10. Everyone should have a pedicure every two months.
   11. When someone you love comes home...run to meet them with wild abandon.

   12. There is never a bad time to eat cookies...or pie.

( photo laura gordon photography)

2012 Here We Come!

2011-12-29T19:29:00.000-05:00

So you're going to need a new calendar!

Molly at Charlotte's Fancy recommends one of these.

Why settle for the boring store-bought kind?

When you can have a piece of handmade art?

Happy New Year!

Merry Merry~

2011-12-23T22:39:00.000-05:00

Wishing you a Merry Christmas from Farm & Fru Fru...

See you back here in 2012!

Martha

2011-12-19T20:52:00.001-05:00

Martha.

Love her or hate her, you have to admit she does what she does

better than anyone else. She does Christmas really really

well.....

Look at these super simple little cones for Christmas candy.

Last minute treats for everyone....instructions at the above link.

or....

can't you see them with little doggie treats for your four-legged friends?

or.....

maybe a cute way to give cash....always a fave at our house.

or....

for a gift card...another one of our faves.

Cute. Simple. Handmade.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-18T14:51:00.000-05:00

Hoping you and yours have a Merry Merry Christmas...

Crafty Farm Girl

2011-12-12T16:25:00.000-05:00

Crafty Farm Girl is a blog I came across fairly recently. That's Aimee above. I can't remember exactly how I came found her blog, but she wrote about being a "scanner" personality, and I knew I had a new blog friend. Who knew my inability to stick with one craft or interest had a name? It feels so much more official to have a label. Aimee can do it all....she cooks, she sews, she paints, she cuts lino, she makes jewelry, she has refurbished her own travel trailer, she travels, oh and she has chickens and goats, 4 kids....this is a seriously busy woman.

Here's a little recycle sweater-blanket she dreamed up then made...see the tutorial on her site.

How 'bout this little scarf? You can whip one up for friends and relatives.

Perhaps lino prints are more to your liking...she has a whole farm series...oh my.

Jewelry perhaps? how about this for clever?

Photography seems to be just a little something extra she dabbles in.

Honestly, the list goes on and on and on....this lady is serious talent.

Well.........

and here's the best part......

She and her sister Lisa took a recent road trip and were headed straight up 95 on their way home, van loaded to the gills with thrifty treasure just waiting to be turned into artistic booty, and stopped by my house!!! How fun was THAT? She assured me they were not "ax murderers" and so I invited them to come. I felt sure they would mention if they were. By the time I knew when they were coming, we had supper plans, but they were able to stop by for a much too short visit, but it was just so fun to meet people with like-issues (see above scanner personality definition). I was in such an excited state, I forgot to take photos (and we all know how well I use a camera), but take my word for it, we had fun meeting for a short while. I am hoping they come back when they take their next trip.

Be sure to check out her site. You will surely find inspiration from her many tutorials and fun posts!

Craft Time..

2011-12-09T13:30:00.001-05:00

Time for a craft tutorial! No need to despair, I am not even going to attempt such a thing, BUT, I do know a good one when I see one and no one does it better than the super fantastic

Jenny Doh...

I never visit her blog without learning something. What could be better than an easy quick craft

that can serve multiple purposes, and is so fun and stylish?

Of what do I speak? you might ask. This fabulous little

macrame skinny hemp scarf/belt/necklace

Surely you remember the 70s and all that macrame...maybe not.

Jenny offers a tutorial WITH PICTURES as to exactly how this little ditty can be made just

in time for your Christmas gift giving...

Scoot right over for a lesson. Thanks to Jenny

for such an easy-to-follow lesson....and a walk down memory lane......

Dreaming of a White Christmas......

2011-12-07T18:25:00.000-05:00

I admit it, I am one of those sappy suckers who wishes for a white Christmas every.single.year.

In my mind, white Christmases happened so many times when I was little. The reality of course is, they were somewhat rare....here are a few snow goodies to help you dream up your own white Christmas.....It's been in the 60s all week so I think I will have to keep on dreaming.

Handmade Christmas vol.#2

2011-12-01T09:30:00.000-05:00

This has to rate as one of THE CUTEST hair adornments EVER.

Find it and the cuties below at Dariami, an Etsy shop I

found the other day...

Everyone needs a crown on a bobby pin....

or a good kitty necklace

perhaps a bird necklace instead....

or an owl pin...he comes complete with his own nut.

Are you making your list? Checking it twice?

A Handmade Christmas vol. #1

2011-11-29T13:11:00.001-05:00

Gina Sekelsky of the blog Dreamland has a lovely little Etsy shop called Lettergirl where she offers

hand-lettered rubber stamps, personalized stationary, calendars etc all done in her beautiful lettering.
I'm taking her "love your letters" handwriting on line class right now and it is so much fun!

What a fun gift!

Did I mention these are HAND done?

Stocking Stuffers?

She has many talents in addition to lettering one of which is hand-sewing.

Yep....all cut and sewn BY Hand...guess that's why she won the Alabama Chanin handsewing contest a year or so ago...

If you would care to spend your holiday dollars with someone who makes quality items BY HAND

check out her shop.

Tis The Season....almost

2011-11-21T22:34:00.000-05:00

If you have not already started, you are probably thinking about it....shopping....for Christmas.

I found the BEST help! Ez of Creature Comforts has created for your viewing pleasure

a shopping guide for 2011....think Oprah's Favorite Things only affordable....many under $30 and lots and lots are HANDMADE!

It's 145 pages of cute, fun, useful, beautiful eye candy.

Oh so Cute

2011-11-16T23:25:00.000-05:00

Jessica of How About Orange

generously posted the cutest tutorial for making these excellent paper balls!

The possibilities are ENDLESS!

Christmas ornament....gift adornment.....home decor....Oh yeah, I gotta have some of these!

Catching Up

2011-11-15T14:58:00.001-05:00

We've been busy here at Farm & Fru Fru! Halloween with all it's ghosts and goblins came and went in a flurry of falling leaves just as my Sainted Mother was settling into her new room with us...With LOTS of help, 60 years of accumulation was moved seamlessly or sold at her moving sale this past weekend. My nifty nephew and his roomies are enjoying bachelor living in her house breathing new life into the old house with their GIGANTIC BIG SCREEN tv and the world's largest sectional sofa....I never knew they came in that many sections! Papa would LOVE all the music being played and somewhere is tapping a toe to the rhythm.

Sales are funny. My long suffering brother and dear SIL arrived over an hour early to set up and people were waiting then....The sale was mostly in the garage, but my brother was putting things outside and someone asked if it would be inside. Thinking he meant "inside the garage", he answered yes. A few minutes later here came the guy out OF THE HOUSE with an armload! Too funny.

Time to start thinking ahead to Thanksgiving and then.....CHRISTMAS! Every year it comes quicker and quicker. Last year I bought a kit from Alicia Paulson at Rosy Little Things to make wool felt ornaments and enjoyed making them so much I went back for this year's kit...

Sweet Home is just what it sounds like...sweet and homey!

I HAD to have that rabbit so I just went for the whole kit. They are so fun to work and Alicia sends everything you need to make them...even the needle and thread. Hop on over and place your order...Christmas will be here before you know it...Reserve a little time for a fun project!

100

2011-11-03T16:45:00.000-04:00

After blogging now about the goings on here at Farm and Fru Fru for going on 2 years,

today I reached a milestone...

I now have 100 followers!

I don't particularly follow the numbers, but when I logged in and saw that my follower count had changed, I felt this called for a little celebration and...

Giveaway!

Follower or not, if you want to get in on the fun, leave a comment here by midnight Sunday, November 6 and I will randomly draw a winner and then I will send

you a Farm and Fru Fru treat!

Goodluck!

Lovely Clusters

2011-10-22T23:08:00.001-04:00

Lovely Clusters

is a blog I follow regularly. Rachel Follett is a graphic artist

who collects and displays beautiful images on her blog that take

eye candy to a new level. She groups her beauties by color or type or

whatever she decides will look beyond perfect and invites anyone who wishes to

view her creations. Many images are from Etsy.

Visit and enjoy.

Shopping.....again

2011-10-20T22:29:00.000-04:00

KatherineDunn artist extraordinaire of Apifera Farm has opened her

Etsy shop for your shopping pleasure just in time to meet your

Fall and Holiday needs!

This is good news for everyone

looking for handcrafted and unique gifts!

You will of course remember that I am a

Pie Ambassador

for Pino, Katherine's faithful miniature donkey who raises money each year

for seniors of the two and four-legged variety.

After many requests from her followers and fans, Katherine

decided to create and sell some of her signature

one of a kind raggedy dolls,

tea towels and aprons

along with a hand-selected group of original art and prints.
Katherine's art is collected internationally and is featured regularly in
the Sundance catalog....(if it's good enough for Robert Redford, it's good enough for me).
While you are shopping, pick up a copy of her book
Creative Illustration Workshop
for all the creative souls in your life....It's unbelieveable.

Katherine is one of those exceptionally talented people I will probably never meet (west coast lady) but through the magic of the internet, I get to follow and correspond with regularly...it's the "web" at it's best.....Lucky me~

Sorry about the tiny pictures...no clue how to make them big and clear at the same time.

Farm Photo Op

2011-10-17T21:45:00.000-04:00

This past weekend, Laura Gordon, photographer extraordinaire of Laura Gordon Photography

came out to take photos of a spiffy family who wanted a bit of the country in their background.

Lucky me! She took some extras and I thought I'd share them!

The farmer doesn't like to quit on a piece of machinery....

Fifi is always up for a photo...pretty girl....

Ringo likes to get in on the action....

...as does Jubel....

no new equipment here....

October....won't be long before we'll have a little smoke rising....

How is it she can make even a gate look good?

Think what she could do for YOUR family!!

Waterford!

2011-10-10T20:07:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year again....

Last Friday, two of my favorite people and I made our annual pilgrimage to

Waterford for the Craft Faire and Home Tours.

Described in the Faire Book as a "small rural village which 200 years ago bustled with traditional agricultural activity" it remains today an intact rural village which includes many restored homes and buildings including The Mill, the Second Street School,

The Old School, several churches, a civil war encampment, several barns AND traditional crafters

not only selling their wares but also demonstrating how they are made.

This of course includes basket weavers, paper cutters, candle makers, furniture makers, spinners, painters, leather workers, herbists

quilters, carvers, doll makers and too many others to mention.

And the homes! Did I mention the homes? Log homes, stone homes, brick houses, large houses

tiny houses...oh my, all decorated with beautiful fall flowers and pumpkins and gourds.

I am always taken with the fact that in Waterford, things always look a bit

askew...a little crooked, not too perfect...quirky. I like that. Gardens are a little overgrown,

yards have a few weeds, pastures are messy, sheep don't look like they have had baths....windows are old and slightly off-kilter, fences are wooden and sometimes need a coat of paint, and teeny tiny houses look a bit out of plumb.

Everwhere you look, something fun to look at, eat and/or purchase.

so pretty.....quirky....

Not unlike those of us who attended.....(that's Angel wearing her birthday crown)

It was a great day.

Worry

2011-10-06T09:42:00.000-04:00

I love this Travellers Insurance commercial. It's the one where the dog is so worried about keeping his beloved bone safe he cannot relax, rest or enjoy the bone. Ray LaMontagne sings his fabulous hit "Trouble" from days gone by in the background.

I am the dog.

I come from a long line of worriers. They tell me my great-grandmother was a worrier...my grandmother was a worrier, my mother is a worrier and of course, I am a worrier. I am an equal opportunity worrier. If I can't come up with something to worry about, I'll invent something. If I can't invent a good worry, I'll worry about someone else's worries...like a sponge.

Farming is a dangerous occupation they say. You can't open a farm magazine without being warned to make sure equipment is turned off before trying to fix a malfunction; the farmer is contantly lying on a creeper under a huge tractor with a wrench; farmhands driving giant combines on tiny roads barely big enough for cars to pass let alone farm equipment....worry.

So it's not like I need something else to worry about. Now, need it or not, I have it.

Yesterday, one of the farmhands related that he was driving a tractor down a dirt road minding his own business when out of the corner of his eye he caught a glance of something moving....on the door...inside the cab....inches from his arm....a black snake.

A FOUR FOOT LONG BLACK SNAKE.

Did I mention it was INSIDE THE TRACTOR?

Brakes slammed, tractor stopped, other door flung open, farmhand on the ground, snake still slithering.....

Thankfully, the farmer was driving behind him and between them, they wrangled the snake out of the cab and into a ditch where I hope he remains today....

I did not need another worry. I may call Travellers and see what they have to offer.

Pinned....

2011-09-24T23:02:00.000-04:00

If you haven't discovered Pinterest you must give it a try.

It seem that everyday there is something new to see and try in the crafting world.

Pinterest is a catalog of sorts where you can "pin" things you like (like bookmark) and have a place to keep them rather like a big inspiration board. It is addictive and one more place

on line to get lost in creativity and ideas.

I think things like this are half the reason I can't find just one thing to do...There

are so many....paper, fabric, yarn, paint, pencils, jewelry, books, thread, embroidery, beads,

cookies, cupcakes, it's all there for the taking. I'm all over the place....I like it all.

I made a few of these for some little friends before school this year....I am so sorry i can't remember

where I got this idea, but I am posting the photo anyway....they were simple

and quick to make....

and Lori Marie posted a photo of these beauties which inspired to me try a

few....I've changed them up a bit to make fun neck cushions using some scraps I have

but they are turning out really fun....

And to top things off, Tif Fussell's new book Dottie Angel arrived in

the Farm and Fru Fru mailbox this week CHOCK FULL of granny chic projects just

waiting to be tried. It's a must read.

So many projects.....so little time......

The Funk is Gone...

2011-09-20T20:53:00.000-04:00

....thankfully....it's source was never discovered, but after several floor washings, window openings and air freshener...it left. We are happy....

Speaking of happy........

I see these Bokja pillows - recently featured on Lori's

Pretty Little Things blog - in my future!

Funk

2011-09-05T21:34:00.000-04:00

So....I've been taking a bit of a break. Several of y'all have asked why or have even hinted my posts have been missed. How sweet....In truth, there has been such a little going on, I had nothing to say. My (long-suffering) brother found this amusing considering our area has, in the last two weeks suffered a rather impressive EARTHQUAKE and a HURRICANE. " What", he wondered," does it TAKE to

move you to words?"

FUNK.

True, the earthquake was earth-shaking, and Irene was inconvenient in that we were without electrical service for 5 days, but the thing that has moved me to write is

FUNK.

There is something very funky in our kitchen. I cannot identify this particular funk and it is driving me nuts.

Over the years, living on a farm and with three males, I have become very adept at identifying odors.

Particularly, poop odors. There is of course the cow variety, the chicken variety, the pig variety, the donkey variety, dog, cat, bird...I have pretty much smelled them all. In addition to poop, males have a habit of bringing odors home with them....various fuel smells, smoke smells, "body" smells, car, truck, silage, dairy, the list goes on and on and on.

But this is different. This takes poop to a new level...

"Do y'all smell that stench" I asked on Sunday morning....

"What am I, hard of smelling?" replied a farm hand (they often quote movies and TV shows)

And so the search began.....Nothing could be immediately identified as the culprit, so,

taking no chances, I mopped the floor, wiped the counters and cleaned out the icebox.

Next I sprayed some very heavy duty air neutralizer left over from my burned spaghetti sauce debacle (don't ask)...

"Any better?"

"No" they replied..."Reminds me of the burned spaghetti sauce period"

They are correct. It's like a living organism, growing in intensity.

The earthquake was bothersome, the hurricane, irritating, but THIS is disgusting.

If the funk is identified, I will write again. In the mean time, I am carrying a bit of lavender around with me I can hold to my nose when necessary...which is ALL THE TIME.

...More Paint Chips

2011-07-22T21:41:00.000-04:00

Love paint chips....love them.....they just sit there in Lowes and

Home Depot in their colorful, orderly, coordinated goodness

just waiting to be snapped up for a fun project....FOR FREE.

And, the kind store associates are always happy for you

to take several if you ask.

How About Orange,

one of the most clever blogs I regularly check

recently posted yet another way to enjoy paint chips.

Check it out...

The Banana Conundrum

2011-07-13T19:30:00.001-04:00

Every week I go to the store and buy three bananas. That's not all I buy, but I always buy three bananas. When I get home, I reach into the nice wire basket on my counter, remove the three bananas I bought at the store last week and replace them with the three I bought this week. The three previous bananas are then promptly tossed out to the chickens who seem to enjoy them.

Why do I do this?

That is the question the farmer asked me this week as I placed this week's bananas in the basket. after removing last week's bananas.

I have no answer.

I plan to eat the bananas each week, and sometimes I eat one, because I like bananas,

but generally at least two go to the chickens.

It's one of life's great mysteries.

Erma Bombeck once said "life is too short to eat brown bananas."

She is right....but I don't think she meant to replace them with nice bright yellow ones

then allow them to turn brown.

I have good intentions where bananas are concerned.

I don't know.

Staycation

2011-06-28T10:35:00.000-04:00

I'll be taking a little "staycation" from blogging for a bit to concentrate

on my new little venture ...In the mean time, enjoy the summer!

Lonesome Pigeon

2011-06-21T19:46:00.000-04:00

A farm is a nice place to live.

For the most part, there is plenty of space and green things

to look at....I don't post many photos of the farm we live on for

several reasons, the first being that I am a terrible photographer, the second being

if I see something that might be interesting, I generally don't have a camera with me.

Last week, I gave the farmer a ride to pick up a truck and there, standing

in the middle of the gravel road, was a pigeon....a lone pigeon....just standing.

no nest, no partner...just him....standing in the road..

The farmer says he's there everyday...standing.

I ran and got my camera, came back and there he stood...

I got closer and closer and closer, and still he stood. When I got

super close, he flew off a ways....but came back when I left.

He's been there everyday since...e-v-e-r-y-d-a-y.....

till today....I think he made for the beach....first day of summer and all.

More fru fru than farm.......this time

2011-06-15T09:08:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned in an earlier post, every so often I get this urge....

to try something new.

It's not that I'm bored....

I don't really get bored or

understand people who get bored...

It's more a restlessness....

like there is so much out there to do,

I see something I really like and think....

I have GOT to try that.

Well, it's happened again.

Jewelry.

The first thing I ever remember actually asking for

was a ring.

I was 5.

I am sure I had asked for things before, but this is the first thing I really remember wishing for.

I got one for Christmas.

I still have it.

I've worn jewelry, bought jewelry, made jewelry, coveted jewelry....

now I am going to sell jewelry.

I've been to "jewelry parties" before...different brands...

Not really my thing...nothing wrong with it, it just all looked pretty much the same to me.
So no one is more surprised than me that now, I am CHOOSING to sell jewelry.

But this is different.

This is jewelry that looks like something I would make....if I had a talent for it.

This is jewelry that has a little quirkiness to it, a little kick.

It has a unique look, like something you would buy in a boutique, and I LOVE it!

This, is Stella and Dot.

I am very excited! I will keep you up to date on
what is coming......
In the mean time, check out my new stella and dot website...
www.stelladot.com/sharonstanley

Arts and Crafts Floozie

2011-06-09T16:17:00.001-04:00

I read a fun blog called Yarn Harlot.

Stephanie likes yarn. A lot.

One of her recent posts got me thinking....If she is a yarn harlot, I must

be an Arts and Crafts Floozie.

I cannot settle on one hobby or one job. I have

tried, but I flirt and flit with 6 or 7 at a time. I really don't know why exactly because I am

not that way in other areas....I've had the same husband, house and sofa since l983.

I have handbags I've had since I was 10. I've had the same friends for years. I feel no compulsion

to try out a new car

And yet, I do love a new craft and/or project. Over the years I have tried (in no particular order)

knitting, crocheting, drawing, painting, collage, cardmaking, soapmaking, jewelry making, doll making, pottery making, purse making, cake baking,

printing, watercolor, quilting, sewing, cross stitch, embroidery, soldering, scrapbooking, and photography.

And they are only the ones that come to mind right now.

And projects....

I've sold net balls, seeds, cards, all manner of crafts, aprons, ice cream, pottery, rubber stamps, paper, rusty tin, pillows, antiques, junk, thrift, doo dads, and even a couple of published articles.

Well, whatever the reason, and I suspect it's just that there is so much fun stuff out there to try, I'm at it again. I have a new......project, and more excited I could not be.

I'll update you on my latest "scheme" soon.

Announcement coming soon.....

The Play House

2011-06-01T10:08:00.000-04:00

I don't like braggers so I try not to chirp when something really good happens, but recently

one of those "one-in-a-million" things happened to me and I must tell the tale....Bear with me.

When my sainted mother was 4 years old, her grandfather (my great grandfather) built her a play house. By today's over-the-top standards, it was probably rather plain...a simple white building with three little tilt-open windows, and a door...no sleeping loft, no tile floor, but according to her many many hours were spent there hosting tea parties, playing dress-up and later reading...

Many years later when I was born, the play house was duly installed in our back yard where the next generation (me) did much the same thing.

Daddy, who took "handy" to new levels, repainted it, planted bushes in front, installed a counter and built a sink, which when hooked up to a garden hose, provided running water...perfect for...hosting tea parties, playing dress-up and later reading. It also afforded a nice place to "sleep-out" and later, when I outgrew it, a place for my (long-suffering) brother to indulge in his new favorite hobby, ham radio operation. The sink became unneccessary, so it was removed and replaced by a big map of the world along with new flooring and paint.

Fast forward a few years...I got married and moved to the farm...When boys came along here, I wanted to bring the little house here, but Ma insisted it remain in her yard...By now it was more garden shed than playhouse, but it was good storage space for the large toys grandparents buy little boys. Still, I coveted the play house and I wanted it to live here.

That brings us to now. With Ma's 80th birthday looming and a brand new room being constructed here at Farm and Fru Fru for her to move into, I was giddy just thinking about FINALLY having the play house with me. I knew she would not want to leave it behind and began making plans in my head for where it would sit, what I could make of it, etc.....till the farmer got wind of it.

Let me pause here and say that landscaping and anything "yard" related falls so far down on the farmer's list of what is important that it doesn't even make the list.... but it never really occured to me that he might not want the play house to live here. There is not a window in our house that does not provide a view of a shed. We have tractor sheds, a wood shed, a dump shed, a chicken house, several barns, a pig house, the list goes on and on...we are a little shed city here at FFF...most recently, he built a hay barn that would hold hay for the entire county, so I was surprised when he was not "excited" at the prospect of this teeny tiny playhouse with it's teeny tiny little window boxes gracing our back yard. After a few days, he suggested that perhaps it could live in the woods. Not what I had in mind. One day, if grandchildren arrive, I can't see telling 4 year olds to run up into the woods and play in the playhouse but watch out for the snakes, spiders, coyotes, possums, dogs and deer on the way.

Then there was the moving problem. The playhouse was at Ma's 11 miles from here. The question of if and how it could be moved remained. At 76 years old, it would not take lots of jostling, not to mention special equipment would be needed to load and transport it to our house. With all these issues, I dropped the subject for the time being and in true Scarlott O'Hara Style decided I would ..."think about that tomorrow."
The day after my birthday, I drove into the driveway and there, on a flatbed trailer, sat my playhouse.
I came this close to running the truck off the road. I literally did a double take....but sure enough, there it sat in all it's teeny tiny glory just waiting to be planted in the back yard. Driving up the drive were the two farmhands and my nephew grinning from ear to ear....On their own, they had procured the flatbed, figured out how to lift the little house off the ground and onto the trailer and transported it to our house, all in a week and unbeknownst to me....for my 55th birthday. No one asked them to do it, told them to do it or helped them do it.

They tackled the problem, figured out how to handle it, then just did it. What a gift.
I take back all those bad things I say about them. They are fine offspring indeed.

So, I thought you might like to see photos of my prize....it's a gem. I am still not at all
sure how I will use it, but I figure, you just can't have too many sheds.
I've lived with the farmer too long.....

Happy Birthday

2011-05-14T22:46:00.000-04:00

Amy Powers

is at it again! She has just published her latest (and maybe greatest!) on-line magazine and it's

245 pages of birthday celebration-craft-wrap-treat-yummy fun!

You cannot possibly get more fun anywhere for $3.30!

But, here is the truly surprising part....get ready for it....she included a little project I made!

Whoa....more surprised I could not be. It is included in her

"Birthday Tower" segment. Shocking I know. The mag is full of fantastic artists and

super fun ideas for making birthdays all they should be....

Check it out....tons of fun!

Style....or the lack thereof

2011-05-02T17:40:00.000-04:00

Please note....this is a chick post. If you are not a chick, you might as well pack it in now and come back another time because you won't get it.

Style.

I am having a style meltdown. It may have to do with age. It may have to do with shopping, but I have lost my way.

My mother celebrated her 80th birthday this weekend. I looked at what she was wearing at her party and realized she has her own style. If I had to describe it, I would say she is a Thalhimers lady. (Thalhimers was the Macy's of our area for years until it closed). She knows her "style". I can go in any store, see an outfit, and know if it is "her" or not.

I don't have a style. I want one, but so far....nada. I now fear if I don't have one at this stage of the game, maybe I won't ever have one. That's where the age part comes in.

55.

Senior coke.

Alfred Dunner waiting to happen.

A hop skip and a jump from Koret.

But that can't be me...

I am Dr. Scholls, happy legs, platform shoes, the occasional Pappagallo twin set. Criss Craft tennis shoes,

Tretorns....at least in the 70s.

See, I always had a style "guide"...When I was ten, it was Haley Mills.

By 15 I had graduated to Ali MacGraw.

. In my 20s it was Princess Diana.

I don't know what happened in my 30s...beside pregnancy...there were no guides there....40's, I was beginning to slip...and now...I'm barely hanging on.

I shopped over Spring Break with my 20-something niece. Tall, skinny, stylish and confident....she waltzes into Banana Republic and in 15 minutes she has a bag of stylish goodies...all of which fit in all the right places. JCrew, 10 minutes and she is ready for any occasion.

It takes me 10 minutes to just locate something that MIGHT fit, and another 5 to realize it is too "young" to even try on.
And shoes....oh.my.gosh....that's the worst. Shoe Shopping with my niece went like this...

Me: these?

Her: no.

Me: these?

Her: no

Me: these?

Her: no

Me: these?

Her: are you on crack?
and they were the kind remarks...
Where are the style guides for the 50+ women? Where is Jackie O when we need her?

Hollywood?

No one there....
they are either wearing their eyebrows up around their hairline and their dresses up to their.....well you know, or they are strutting around in Jimmy Choos and no stockings....no one, and I repeat NO ONE over 50 looks good with bare legs and a short skirt....
I know I am on a rant, but there must be a style guide somewhere for people like me.
By this age, I should know what I want to be when I grow up, but the older I get the less
I feel like I know what looks good. I am tempted to throw in the towel and just wear what feels good,
What is comfortable, but I occasionally I catch a glimpse of myself in bib overalls and crocks and it ain't pretty. The over sized sweats are no better....
And so I ask you....who are your style guides?
Who makes your clothes?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Please share.....
Just for the record, some of the young ones aren't looking that great either....

Just sayin'....

Etsy

2011-04-15T05:00:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was my birthday and it was such a beautiful day (finally) with perfect temperatures...i really lucked out! Thanks to all my kind friends and relatives for waaaay too many treats and wishes...Since it was my special day, and I am getting older, I took a little time to peruse Etsy...What a fun way to spend time!

Etsy. I'm sure you've heard of it, but if you have been under a rock and have not, here

are some of my latest faves. Every time I browse Etsy, I am just

amazed at how many really talented people are making really wonderful things

and selling them. This is pure eye candy.

I love these return address stickers

I love this pin cushion

I love these note pads

I love this pillow

I love this stationary

I love these cards

I love this art

Hope you have a delightful Spring weekend!

She's Feeling Creative Again....

2011-04-07T22:17:00.000-04:00

Katherine Dunn's Book Trailer

So, Spring has sprung and maybe you are feeling like you need a new creative project.

If you know me at all you know that I love a NEW project. I don't have

as much "sticktuitiveness" as I "should", but I can't help it...there are so many fun things out

there to try I just want to try as many as possible.

But...

I need guidance.

Therefore...

I look to books, blogs and magazines for inspiration....new projects, new ideas, new creative endeavors.

Katherine Dunn inspires me....in many ways...her blog, her farm, her dedication to animals, people

and her art. Though we are only "bloggy friends", her sincerity shows through so clearly in her art, it is easy to admire not only her work, but her

as a person.

I was so excited when she wrote this book. It truly is a guide to finding your

OWN creativity...

So....

Check out her new book trailer on the above link,

then consider trying something new this Spring...

The book is available on her Apifera Farm site and at

Amazon.

Have a great weekend!

Happy Friday....

2011-03-24T22:30:00.000-04:00

Hi and Happy Friday!

We have ramped up into high gear here at

Farm and Fru Fru with the construction work on

my mother's new room.....lots of dust, sheet-rock, tile, paint and

MESS!

I have spent the week painting in my workroom that lost a window

and gained a messy wall....I'll be back when the dust clears

and I can make a path....

Have a Happy Weekend!

Feeling....Dottie

2011-03-18T05:00:00.002-04:00

You will recall that I am a big fan of

Dottie Angel

She lives in a place called Mossy Shed...

(and stands on stools)

with her family and this little dog called Olive....who lives in a suitcase.

and another doggie called Used Dog who is too big for the suitcase....

Dottie Angel is British...and quirky.....and brilliantly artistic...

When not standing on stools, she sews, thrifts, writes and crochets...

among other creative endeavors....

Dottie Angel held a little contest...a giveaway....and I WON.....BIG!

A delightful little hand stitched sampler....

a lovely, useful blank book....

and a peachy Dottie Angel tea towel...

It all came packaged in the cutest wrap with string and a tag....

along with good wishes....

Shop here

to get some Dottie Angel goodness for yourself...because a little magic is a good thing.

Thanks Tif!

Springing Forth...

2011-03-11T05:00:00.000-05:00

It may not feel much like it yet, but Spring is coming....

Charlotte Lyons of House Wren Studio is getting a jump start on Easter with her

cute cute bunny pattern which you can pick up along with lots of other

stitch-y things at her Etsy shop...If you go now, you just might have this

done in time to greet the bunny next month...

Need a bigger project? Perhaps a little Spring redecoration...

Aura Home suggests new bed linens to spruce things up for Spring....

...Jewelry is always in good taste, regardless of the season and

Stella and Dot's new Spring and Summer collection does not disappoint... As

always they have come up with the most beautiful designs which can be seen in all the

magazines this Spring.

...and lastly, AnnaMaria Horner is thinking color this Spring....Lots

of color, with her pretty fabrics and skirts ..... What are YOU thinking

this Spring?

Happy Birthday to the Farmer this weekend!
I am now officially married to a senior citizen!

Signs of.....Spring?

2011-03-04T05:00:00.005-05:00

We at Farm and Fru Fru are being teased....

We've had a few 70+ degree days....

with sunshine even!

Sweetheart is waiting for green grass....

...and Jubel is beginning to shed his winter coat....

The chickens don't seem to be shivering anymore....(do chickens shiver?...no clue)

and a little something (weed probably) is slowing trying to creep up the stump...

Maybe in a couple months I can fill a few pots...

Can you see Spring at your house yet?

(photos, Laura Gordon Photography)

Hope you have a Springy weekend....

Crusty Bread

2011-02-25T05:00:00.007-05:00

Last Friday, I promised to post this most delicious crusty bread recipe...you will love it if you love a hard, french-y crusty bread...it is really really good and super simple....really! I got it here at Martha Stewart's blog, and she has a video there if you want to see that...It's originally a Jim Lahey of NYC's Sullivan Street Bakery recipe....now, to the recipe...when I made it, I swore there was no way it could work and be tasty, but trust me, it is...

Crusty Bread

3 C flour (bread flour preferred)

1 1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. yeast (that's right)

1 1/3-1 1/2 C COOL water (yes, cool)

Mix flour, salt and yeast together, then add water...mix will be sticky

leave in bowl covered with a plate for at least 12, preferably 18 hours on counter

then, dust counter with flour and dump dough out

fold over a couple times and form a ball

place ball on parchment paper square and cover with a towel to rest for 2 hours on counter

pre-heat oven to 450 and place a 4-5 qt. oven safe covered dutch oven into the hot oven and preheat the pot for about 30 minutes....empty

after the 2 hour resting period, CAREFULLY remove hot pot from oven and "plop" the parchment paper with the dough on it into the hot pot.

COVER pot of dough and cook 30 minutes.

remove cover and cook 10-15 minutes more...bread should be a golden brown

cool, slice and prepare to be amazed.

this is a VERY crusty chewy bread...

It's a.......NOOK!

That's right, I got one....me who cannot work a vcr let alone a dvd player, me who cannot change the answering machine message or set my digital watch. But, it had to be...and it is....divine! I haven't even gotten around to BUYING any books, I am too busy downloading FREE ones, looking at email and looking at blogs! I love it...love it! The music is fun too and it has lots of other features....Saturday, Barnes and Noble will give you free coffee if you go

by and try one out...prepare to purchase though, you will be impressed!

Have a Fun Weekend...!

Jessica Fletcher, Inspiration and Pods

2011-02-18T05:00:00.021-05:00

My Sainted Mother is at it again....

You may recall some months ago, she campaigned against her yard squirrels.

Now, it is an unknown villain.

A few weeks back, Ma noticed that her newspaper was missing...several mornings.

Each time, she reported it and another paper was delivered right away, but after a few times,

the delivery lady mentioned that other neighbors had the same complaint. The thefts seemed to follow a pattern that in true Murder She Wrote style, Ma, aka Jessica Fletcher quickly deduced to be a diabolical plan. Apparently the thief, not wanting to call attention to himself, chose a different neighbor each day to "donate" a paper..

"Jessica" has decided it must be the man who walks his two dogs daily at 5:30 am....no real reason for this deduction, she just thinks it makes sense.

"So what's the plan?" I asked.

"I'm going to get up early before the paper comes and when I see

the thief, I will throw some pop-crackers at him."

"Pop-crackers?"

"Let me get this straight...you plan to throw open the door when you see the man with the two dogs

walking down the street, at 5:30 am, and in your robe and satin head wrap, light 'pop-crackers' and

fling them out into the yard? ...at the unsuspecting man? ...who might be guilty of nothing more than walking his dogs?"

Well" said she, "it might scare him off."

"ah, yeah, and you don't even need the pop crackers for that" I proposed.

I am not sure I think any sane person is going to get up each morning before light, walk around an unlit neighborhood under the guise of walking his dogs, and brazenly steal a paper all just to avoid purchasing one he could read online for nothing...

Jessica Fletcher however, disagrees...and she is fully loaded.
Beware....just sayin'.

Amy Powers is at it again and her

Spring magazine is unbelievably beautiful. It is chock full of the most enchanting

eye candy and ideas for such lovely crafts to make for Spring. You cannot believe how many projects she is offering up. I found at least 8 I want to try. Click her name to be transported to Eye-Candyland

and order your copy today. It's instant gratification because it's all on-line!

Speaking of Spring, this little number is on my wish list. I have a birthday coming up shortly...Do you think the farmer might oblige me with one of these hanging pods?

Called a NestRest, it is a full size hanging nest... for

people. Complete with pillows and cushions, it takes relaxation to a

whole new level in my mind.

Daniel Pouzet and Fred Frety of

Dedon are two of Paris' most intriguing design talents who came up with

this over sized bird's nest as a sanctuary for relaxation, conversation and

meditation.

Yes please.

Hope you have a great weekend....come back next Friday and I will share THE BEST bread recipe I have come across in a very long time...crusty, yummy and unbelievably simple...

Won't you be Mine?

2011-02-11T05:00:00.003-05:00

It's almost here.....Valentine's Day. Are you ready? Do you GET ready or just let it pass? I found some cute blog entries....here are a few of my faves...

Mayamade is another one of my favorite blogs. Maya made this little valentine ditty last year

and I just came across it...wouldn't you love a treat wrapped like this?

and Amy Powers had this cute little stitched sampler that so reminded me of just the

right treat for the BIG day....

Betz White recommends a tutorial from Craftzine for this
heart chain...it can be made of felt or paper...

and lastly, Laurie, at Tip Junkie, has more cuteness for V-Day than you will ever
have time to use....but such fun to look at!

On another note.....

Caroline, of Ekster Antiques
was featured in theWashington Post this week in an article about Barn Sales.
Caroline, who lives with her family in Hamilton (near Waterford Virginia), owned and ran Ekster Antiques
for a number of years in Leesburg, but has now moved her business to the Barn on her
families property. I have not yet been to the sale, but she has also had sales at the
Waterford Faire which I go to EVERY YEAR, so I am a fan of hers in a BIG way...Check out her site above and read the article. You may like to plan a trip to her next sale beginning February 25...Her taste is to die for.

We at Farm and Fru Fru wish you the nicest Valentine's Day ever....

Back in the Nest

2011-02-04T05:00:00.005-05:00

Hellooooo!

It is such a pleasure to have a brand spanking new

fully FUNCTIONAL computer! Thanks to my long-suffering brother

and my dear sister-in-law, I am fully set up AND backed up...I could not be more

pleased.
I also got a new camera which is great, we saved most of our deep freezer food and purchased a new one AND I worked out the answering machine issues....I am technically up and running once again.

Here at Farm and Fru Fru, it's been a quiet January...Just like January should be....lots of time for reading and movie watching...

I have had the best time watching the first three seasons of

THE TUDORS.

I can't wait for the 4th season. Let me say the costumes are divine. If you love Henry, you must run

and rent the series. It is not, however for the faint of heart....lots of lost heads, burned heretics, gouged eyes,

time on the rack (and in the sack for that matter) and even a cook boiled in his own "pudding". Oh yeah, it's a must see!

Thank you to everyone who has been kind enough to email asking if FFF was

coming back....I plan to post weekly, hopefully on Fridays for a while with a Farm and Fru Fru

weekly roundup....we'll see how it goes...

Have a great weekend!

HEEEEEEEEELP!

2011-01-06T09:44:00.000-05:00

Hello blog readers!

I would be writing a nice blog but.....

1. My computer crashed and burned....a new one must be procured (this one is borrowed)

2. My camera died and must be replaced.....

3. My deep freeze died

4. My answering machine is finicky and must be tinkered with...

in short, I am having a breakdown...technically speaking....and no, I did not back stuff up....

I know.....

When (if) things straighten up,

I'LL BE BACK!

Next Up....

2010-12-27T05:00:00.006-05:00

a brand new year!

Hoping 2011 is everything you hope for.

I'll be taking a little breather and will see you back

here in the coming year...

Merry Merry

2010-12-22T05:00:00.003-05:00

Wherever you are....

Wherever you go

this Christmas...

May your Days be Merry and Bright....

And May All your Christmases....

Be White.

Best Wishes for a Very Merry Christmas

from

Farm and Fru Fru.

Thank you so kindly for visiting my blog from time to time

and for all your nice emails and comments.

It's been a fun year of blogging thanks to you.

(all photography by "your best shot!"

www.digitalmike.smugmug.com )

See you after the Holidays!

Feeling Crafty?

2010-12-20T05:00:00.000-05:00

If so.....here are some fun ideas from some of my favorite blogs...

Go ahead...you've got time!?!

Pam Garrison suggests making these hand stitched ornaments....

Nice Package thinks this is the perfect gift...and it's in a milk bottle....yes. please.

Annekata has been crafting again...this time it's french knots...can't you see this on your sofa?

How bout a simple knitting project? (and it would have to be simple for me!)

Maya whipped up these fingerless gloves...

...and you know Dottie Angel is busy thrifting and crafting the fun and unusual.

Amy has been making little tins.

and Tracy Porter took a little time off from designing colorful clothes to make up a

free download of Christmas Tags...what could be simpler? Download and print!

A Christmas Crafting post would not be complete without a

Martha contribution. These little treat containers started life as toilet paper rolls!

Posie offers a pdf pattern for her felt ornaments including this charming

little cottage...pay-download-begin...it could not be simpler...I have made several

so far and it is such a fun thing to do.

So where is the Farm and Fru Fru contribution you ask?

I hate to say it, but the NEW CAMERA did not work out so I am

camera-less right now....instead, I recommend, like me, you try some of these cute little projects..

If you spend ALL your time doing the things that HAVE to get done this Christmas, you

won't have time to enjoy the season....take a little time to do the things you love,

like simple crafts.

Baby, it's COLD outside!...or SNOW DAY!

2010-12-17T05:00:00.001-05:00

The soup is hot.....

the wood is stacked........

...and the snow has fallen.....

there's nothing like a snow day!

It's Beginning to Look a lot like........

2010-12-15T05:00:00.001-05:00

.....Christmas!

and Farm and Fru Fru Style.

How's your decorating coming?

The Christmas Tree

2010-12-12T05:00:00.021-05:00

We are not known for having a beautiful Christmas tree.

In fact, just the opposite. While most people visit others at Christmas

and enjoy admiring their trees, I think secretly people come

here to see if our tree is worse this year than last.

We cut a cedar. It smells divine. It looks good....

in the field. Inside, after being "trimmed" to fit the room

it usually looks more like a "Christmas bush"....you know, trimmed from the top instead of

the bottom.

Now that they are older, the farm hands go out

on the old one-horse-open-four-wheeler and pretty much

cut whatever they can find....quickly.

Last year was no exception. F2 volunteered to fetch a tree

and returned 15 minutes later with what I thought was

a fine speciman. He brought it in the house, trimmed it to fit the

stand and set it up. I thought it was all good....at least no worse than usual.

It was about this time that the farmer and older farm hand arrived.

To say they began to laugh would be a gross under statement.

Picture knee-slapping, hee-hawing....falling down on the sofa laughing.

Let me pause and say that F2 is a mild-mannered guy....In fact,

I can count on one hand the number of times I have EVER seen him mad.

He just doesn't get mad often.

This was one of the exceptions.

For whatever reason, this knee-slapping, hee-hawing

hit him wrong....Think "The Christmas Story" movie

when Ralphie has had enough of Scott Farkus and explodes.

F2 went off. He yanked the tree from it's stand,

opened the front door, and flung it into the yard, turned and

said to no one in particular, "go get your own tree...!"

The knee slapping reached a fever-pitch at this point as I

chased after him trying to repair the damage, begging him to put the

fine tree back in it's stand....

Somehow, the tree got back in the stand and looked just fine

after it was decorated and

while I am hoping there will not be a repeat this year, that will go down

in the books as one of my fondest Christmas memories....

and no, we do not have a tree this year yet....and F2 declares if it is left up to him

we will NOT have one this year....we'll see......

Tracy Porter

2010-12-10T05:00:00.001-05:00

I have a new fashion love.

A new lifestyle guru.

A new clothing designer....

...shoe designer......

PURSE designer!

And stylist.

Tracy Porter

If you love all things funky, stylish and beautiful, you must

take a look at her website.

Chocked full of clothes, shoes, belts, home decor, linens, furniture,

you must check it out.....she is like a fun

funky Martha.....with great clothes.....and 4 boys.......and lots

and lots of style....

Oh and I still have a couple of aprons for sale for

Pino and his donkey adoption campaign

so if you need a gift email me at

slpstanley0414@yahoo.com

and get one for $17. & $3 shipping

unless you are local...100% of the proceeds will go to Pino!

It's a Wrap....

2010-12-08T05:00:00.002-05:00

I am so happy to introduce you to a fun site called

Nice Package

devoted to incorporating creativity in the everyday and the

belief that it doesn't take a ton of money to do so.

The packaging is exquistite ....

And simple.....

And Fun....

And creative.....

AND, there are fantastic tutorials....

These ladies have found such beauty in the

everyday...and just in time for Christmas...

Love it!

Pino Needs Help

2010-12-06T04:59:00.002-05:00

You may recall that I was one of

Pino's Pie Ambassadors.

Katherine Dunn of Apifera Farm

has one of the kindest hearts of anyone I know of, and has decided to

adopt three more rescue donkeys (see above link for story) from Peaceful Valley Donkey Rescue.

Doing so is not cheap.

As one of Pino's Pie Ambassadors, I would like to help

Katherine raise a little money for her cause.

You might recall that I recently participated in a local trunk show and

as luck would have it, had four cute little aprons left over!

I would like to sell these aprons (which would arrive just in time for Christmas!)

and send the proceeds (100%) to Apifera for Katherine's

Adoption Project.

The aprons are handmade with a handtowel,

a fabric ruffle, rick-rack and ribbon. They are really practical for

anyone who likes to cook because you can use the towel to wipe your hands AND

keep your clothes clean!

If you are interested in helping Katherine and Pino

adopt the three needly little donks by purchasing one of these four little

aprons, please email me at

slpstanley0414@yahoo.com

and I will happily send one your way just as

soon as I receive your check.

I am selling the aprons for $17.00 each

plus $3 shipping.

If aprons are not your thing, do check out the

Apifera site

and see the other donation opportunities and

Katherine's latest book.

Thanks a bunch!

Holiday with Matthew Mead

2010-12-03T05:00:00.000-05:00

I've been waiting since summer for this one....

and now it's on it's way....

the cover is appealing....and the hints of what's inside are tempting....

I am checking the mailbox daily...

Get yours here...

because you can't get it at the super market, or the book store,

or even Wal-Mart....only at his site.

Matthew Mead is an author, designer and former

Country Home Style Editor and has published

Holiday with Matthew Mead, a book-zine full of recipes, decorating ideas and crafts

for your

holiday pleasure.

Have you ordered yours yet?

IT CAME! AND IT IS ALL THAT and A BAG OF CHIPS!
LOTS OF IDEAS.....LOTS OF FUN.

She Blathers On.....

2010-12-01T05:00:00.002-05:00

I am a Wal-Mart shopper. I am not ashamed to admit that Wal-Mart has

afforded me many hours of shopping pleasure....and good prices.

Many were against Wally building his World in our town

and I was just stubborn enough to go the opposite way and say

"come on in the water's fine", and have been happily picking things up there

ever since.

But today I want to preach about a different kind of shopping.

I encourage you to spend some of your hard-earned Christmas dollars buying

hand made items.....preferably from those who make them.

Does your child, friend or family member really need another toy or doo-dad

made in China? Probably not. I know, I SHOP WALMART, WHO AM I TO PREACH?

But, more and more, I am trying to support local people who work with their hands, and that

means not only those who live close to me, but also those who live away from me

but make beautiful things by hand....everything from clothes to bowls, jewelry to pottery to toys.

Writers, Potters, Carvers, Sewers, Knitters, Crafters of all kinds, think about offering them your support.

Check out Etsy if you have not already and prepare to sit a few minutes, or hours or days

and see what people do. Or go to a local craft sale or gallery and check out the local talent.

Or buy a book and learn a new craft yourself to share. Maybe a piece of jewelry or stationary or pottery

or a carved wood bowl.

But, don't be fooled.....I'll see you at Wal-Mart soon enough...I'll be the one wearing a

hand-knit scarf.

And now it starts......

2010-11-29T05:00:00.002-05:00

...The Christmas Rush, that is.

But what if you didn't rush?

What if you took your time?

What if you walked through the season and didn't run...

Would Christmas not come?

Would Santa look at your chimney and say"...hmm she didn't rush enough.... on Dasher, we can't stop here..."

I don't think so.

Even if every cookie didn't get baked, even if every dust bunny didn't get swept up and yes,

even if every gift didn't get wrapped, Christmas would still come.

This year, why not realize that from the start and enjoy the ride a little more.

I know, I know, I am a fine one to talk. Me, who spent part of Christmas Eve last

year in Wal-Mart with 30,000 of my nearest and dearest instead of

sipping cider by the wood stove. Me, who found gift cards for my children after

Valentines Day...Me, who collapsed in the chair Christmas morning and almost missed Christmas lunch.

But.....

this year could be different.

This year, could be the year where good enough is good enough.

This could be the year where small handmade treats beat large crowds and

big spending...

This could be the year where sipping cider trumps a seven course meal and unwrapped stocking stuffers are okay. This could be the year where

paper plates work just fine and one kind of Christmas cookie works just as well and ten. Where visiting AFTER Christmas day is more

enjoyable than rushing to 6 different relative's homes in 6 hours.

This could be the year....

You try Wal-Mart on Christmas Eve this year and see if

you can't think of a few ways to simplify the holidays.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T05:00:00.001-05:00

A Place for Twiggs..

is a fun blog by a woman called Twiggs who lives

with Mr. twiggs in Lisbon. She shares her life and love

of photography, design, and handmade, and has a fun fun style.

This little collage was just too pretty not to be shown

and is just quirky enough to wish you a

Happy Thanksgiving in fru fru style.

I hope you have a great holiday. Come back next week ready to hit

the ground running straight into Christmas.

Trunk Show Wrap Up

2010-11-22T05:00:00.005-05:00

I took my camera.

I took extra batteries.

I had my phone camera.

All I lacked was the ability to use any of the above effectively....hence, the canned photo above.

The camera died.

The extra batteries were dead already.

I am unfamiliar with taking photos with my phone.....they were not pretty.

As a result, I cannot show you the Ashland Trunk Show.

I cannot show you the fantastic jewelry, the fetching pottery, the prints, pillows and pottery.

I cannot show you the caramel apples, the stationary, the photography, or the purses.

And, I cannot show you the jams, collage and aprons or the baby duds, much less the Christmas bling.

The show was perfect....

My photography skills were not.

2010-11-17T07:45:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone.....I'll be back next week with lots of pics of

the ASHLAND TRUNK SHOW....

I'm packing the truck today and can't wait!

If you are local, check the website for

details and COME ON BY!

Have a great weekend.....

Trunk Show 2

2010-11-15T05:00:00.003-05:00

Here is a little sample of the little goodies I will

Have at the upcoming Ashland Trunk Show

Thursday, November 18

10-6

Ashland, VA

Come if you are in the area!

felt/crochet flower power necklaces

towel aprons

recycled tee (of course!) jewelry

funky felt bird ornaments

lots more goodies.....including new jewelry debut.....

Hope to see you....we are all excited....will report back after the big day!

Trunk show

2010-11-12T05:00:00.003-05:00

It's almost here!

The 11th annual Ashland Trunk Show

November 18th

10am-6pm

500 South Center Street

Ashland, VA

Lots of great vendors including:

Caroline Cox Jewelry

Gwen's Garden

Cece Cox

Deborah Tucker

Eve's Apples

Farm and Fru Fru

Jackson Sage

Jane Martin Decorative Ceramics

Jo Ray Studio

Kelly Girl

Lakeview Farm Foods

Lumina Photography

Love Lines Art

Monkey Threads Boutique

Nicole Lee Designs

Pure Light Candles

Rhonda Corley

Ruffled Skirt Designs

Silk Scarves by Laurie Pyszkowski

Suzi Carson

The Kiki Collection

Twist Style

Vicki Kolar

Victoria Horner Creative Handbags

ZouZou's Basement

Silver Tree Art

MORE coming soon.....
Have a GREAT weekend.

Wee Folk

2010-11-10T05:00:00.002-05:00

One of my favorite blogs is Maya-Made. Not long ago, she featured a most

talented artist Salley Mavor. Somehow, I had never heard of Salley or her wonderful

Wee Folk. I am absolutely amazed . Salley has written several books and her newest is

called Pocketful of Posies. She is a needle artist who designs elaborate sets, photographs them and uses these to illustrate beautiful books.

If you are a fan of handstitching, you must take a look at her stitching. The detail is unbelieveable

and her "dolls" are charming.

Salley's books are now on my Christmas list....

You can understand why....

What to do with Toilet Paper Rolls....2

2010-11-08T05:00:00.000-05:00

anastassia-elias apparently had a little time on her hands....

she got out her scissors and paper.....

...and toilet paper rolls....

amazing.

How Many Days??!!

2010-11-05T05:00:00.004-04:00

Halloween is over. From here on in, it's a straight shot to December 25....are you ready?

If, like me, you enjoy crafting at this time of year then you must, hear me, MUST run

don't walk, run to Amy Power's newest FREE online magazine

which is chocked full of fantastic projects contributed by some of the

very best artists around.

Inspired Ideas

is completely free....lots and lots of fun things to make

with patterns included!

After all, there are only so many days left to craft until the

BIG DAY!

Hankies

2010-11-03T05:00:00.003-04:00

Is there anyone out there who still uses a hankie?

I love a hankie and while I have lots of them...linen, fancy cotton,

seasonal, old and new, I really didn't have an...

everyday hankie....till now.

I decided to make a couple using.....

you guessed it, recycled tee shirts......ala Alabama Chanin.

I handstitched the edges and added some applique for fun...

Let me just say, they are soft....super soft!

Do yourself a favor and grab an old tee...

cut it into a 12" square and make a hankie before cold season gets here.

Save a tissue.

Skirt 2

2010-11-01T07:56:00.000-04:00

(photo credit: Laura Gordon Photography)

If you excuse my legs and feet, you can see my completed circle skirt...

This time, I used a reverse applique technique ala Alabama Chanin...

Again, the skirt was a bit short so I added a khaki strip and then another black one...

The circles are gray, white and khaki. I love how this turned out and I love my red clogs...

I think I'll cover up those white stems with black tights though....

These Boots Were Made For Walkin'

2010-10-29T05:00:00.009-04:00

(photo credit: Laura Gordon Photography)

My work boots gave up the ghost.

As you may see from the photo, the soles have "rotted" away. Actually, it's a funny story.

When we bought the "farm away from farm" I decided I needed some real work boots...it was a mess

up there, and the old LLBeans were not doing the job. I asked the farmer to get me some work boots from the work boot store and he obliged....but what he neglected to say was he bought them from

"THE BACK ROOM"

(translation: the section with rejects, overstocks, very old boots, and those poor little shoes no one else wants)

I was thrilled with my new work boots......until a month later when the soles began to......flake away.

Now, admittedly, the farmer is known for his...thriftiness....but these were good quality boots.....15 or so years ago.

I managed to squeeze 2 years out of them, but when I went to put them on the other day, the sole stuck to the floor.... and I lost a good deal of it.

This time, I went WITH the farmer to the work boot store. I now have a PERFECT

pair of work boots...with an in-tact bottom.....I am a happy worker. (not so much, I just love the comfy boots.)

(photo credit: Georgia Boots)

Hope you have a spooky and fun HALLOWEEN!

Is This Fall?

2010-10-27T05:00:00.002-04:00

So here we are at the end of October....

We are all ready for Fall......

...and yet, we've barely had frost....84 today.........

Even the trees seem unsure.....hmmmm...shall I change color or stay green...?

(photo credit: laura gordon photography)

Inspiration

2010-10-25T05:00:00.003-04:00

Katherine Dunn's long awaited book Creative Illustration Workshop is out

and this is my copy! I am thrilled with the book and the easy way

in which she writes and makes you believe that you too can be artistic regardless of

your skill level.

You will recall, Katherine lives with her husband and Pino the Donkey along with

many sheep, cats, dogs, chickens, bees and lavender on their farm called

Apifera Farm in Oregon. She is a renowned artist and illustrator and Creative Illustration Workshop is

her very first book. In it, she hopes her book will ..."allow you, no matter what your level of drawing skill, to open your mind to drawing as a way to share a story, feeling or an inspiration..." through mixed media art. The artwork alone shared in the book is reason enough to invest in it. The colors

are so rich and the drawing so charming, that you will feel as though you have entered

a secret little dream world of animals, bees, barns and fields.
I love an interactive book and one that offers exercises and practices....I have already started
a couple of pieces and think this book is going to inspire me to think beyond my
comfort zone. I just love it.

You may order at Amazon or by clicking one of the links to Apifera's website above.

Katherine has done herself proud.

Stewed

2010-10-22T05:00:00.001-04:00

Saturday, we got stewed.

Brunswick stewed.

Our friend Morris came and cooked a huge pot....

Friends and relatives came...

15 gallons of stew was eaten....

4 bags of marshmallows were toasted....
Tons of peanuts were gobbled up and the shells tossed on the ground....

Backsides (and frontsides) were warmed by the fire....
Kids chased each other....
Hot dogs were grilled....
Tales were told... and disputed.....
We loved it.....
Fall is good.

Have a great weekend!

Gundrun Sjoden

2010-10-20T14:45:00.000-04:00

I have a new love.......Gudrun Sjoden...

A Womenswear and Home Decor business based in Stockholm Sweden. Grab a cup of tea and some cake

and prepare to be dazzled by not only the colorful photography, but the sounds and texture of this website.

I am an earth tone kinda gal, but this company makes me want to grab a rainbow.

Don't stop at the clothes though, be sure you spend time in the Home Decor area.

The company goal is

"to make colorful clothes and home textiles in natural materals with an emphasis on scandinavian design..."

I have clothes envy....pillow envy...and I LOVE the photo of the woman with the sticks growing out of her head...

(It's really a crown made from steel wire and sticks by Caterina Benassi)

The World's Smallest Bath....

2010-10-15T05:00:00.002-04:00

You will recall from Monday and Wednesday's posts of the Little House...Here is the perfect little spot to read....

the bunny pillow is a fave and the funny little frame is made from bits and pieces of pottery found

on the property....it's a really old piece of land with a little grave yard with stones dating back to 1775.

And here is the world's smallest bath....I am standing IN THE SHOWER

taking this picture...that is one small sink...

Here I am standing on the bed just outside

the world's smallest bath taking this picture....for the record, there is usually a cow

peeking in the window as the little cinder block shed is right in the

middle of a cow pasture....really. You have to like cows a lot to be willing to

practically shower with them looking on....fortunately, the farmer does...

One of my favorite Stephen Summerville pottery pieces....

Pretty much the whole room....thanks for visiting the

farm away from farm....

Have a great weekend!

The Little House....After

2010-10-13T05:00:00.001-04:00

If you happened to stop by on Monday, you saw The Little House (which is really a little shed)
at the Farm away from Farm in it's before state....today, I am happy to be able to show you some
pictures taken....After.

The "Kitchen" (ha)

Combo....sit/sleep

Door to the world's smallest bath...

Eating space.....

Shelving and storage....if you can call it that!

On Friday, I will show you the world's smallest bath...

and a couple other photos....

The Little House

2010-10-11T05:00:00.002-04:00

Well, it's finally done.

The little shed at the "farm away from farm" is complete!

It has been a loooong time coming....

and a ton of work for the farmer......

and sadly (ha) the attractive stove is gone, and a nice heating/ac unit is in it's place....

check back later this week for the "after" photos....

A Gift from Old Blighty

2010-10-08T05:00:00.005-04:00

Oh my goodness! I have the BEST friends ever! Last week on

the dreariest, rainiest day we had had in months, a little package arrived....one with lots of stamps

and one of those little green custom labels alerting me that my friend Susan who lives in

New Castle was sending treats. I tore into my little gift with the glee of a 5 year old.

I received what can only be described as a tea party in a bag....

a delightful English book, an even more delightful English magazine, chocolate cookies called

"digestive biscuits" (which fool me into thinking they are better for you than anything called "cookies")

several kinds of tea, hot cocoa mix, orange marmalade, chocolates AND a beautiful hand-crafted glass ring!

COULD THERE BE A BETTER PACKAGE FOR AN ANGLOPHILE?

I think not.

I am still enjoying my treats so much, that I have left them in the little shipping bag so that I may

have the pleasure of taking them out and looking at them all over again whenever I please.

Except the digestives...which I have happily and guiltlessly digested.

A Project Complete

2010-10-05T14:03:00.000-04:00

Back in the summer I came across this thrifted cotton knit skirt...

I fru-frued it up a bit with some applique....and length...

i had no hanger so I made-do with a stick and some twine.

I MUST read up on using this new camera....terrible color.

ahhhhhh...Waterford

2010-10-04T05:00:00.001-04:00

Friday was Waterford Day....one of the three best days of the Farm and Fru Fru year.

"What" you ask, "is Waterford?"

Waterford is a lovely little village in the foothills of the mountains....a place largely

forgotten by time, and a state of mind.

Waterford, is crooked stone houses, gardens, dilapidated fences, sheep, meadows

and quirky little cabins.

It's funny little roads that climb up and down hills too steep to walk, but you walk them

anyway because you want to see what is at the top....even though you know it will be the same thing

that was there last year....another quirky crooked little stone wall or house with a pot of

bright yellow mums sitting on a rock outside a crooked little door.

Waterford is tidy enough to know someone cares, but overgrown enough to be charming.

Some of the barns and sheds are in such a state, that if they belonged to Farm and Fru Fru,

I would pray for a strong wind to blown them out of my misery, but somehow, in Waterford,

they are perfection itself.

Every year, the first weekend in October, thousands and thousands of people

descend on the village to experience the Waterford Fair. This was the 67th fair and once again

did not disappoint. The entire village becomes the fairgrounds and welcomes

a juried group of craftspeople who not only sell their wares, but demonstrate their crafts

whether furniture making, candle making, broom making, soap making, weaving, iron work, baking, painting,

just to name a very few.

If you are looking for warehouse crafts in a large arena, this is not your place.

I have found that you either "get" Waterford, or you don't. My friend Angel brought her mother-in-law one year and they stayed two hours....I could stay two days easy. Stone fences, sheep and quirky houses

were not their thing. The only way we got Angel to go again was to promise to celebrate her birthday, buy her ticket, allow her to nap in the car whenever she pleased and declare Waterford Day

"The Day of Angel". But this year, no nap....she made it through the entire beautiful day.

It was a delightful day. It was divine. It was Waterford.....

Till next year.....

Lunch Sack Tutorial

2010-09-29T11:43:00.001-04:00

Although my photography is awful, I thought you might like to see some little environmentally friendly lunch sacks I am making to sell at a trunk show in November. They are such a cinch to make, I decided to attempt a little tutorial so you can make some for yourself, your kids or as little treats for friends. They are very much like the old type foldover plastic baggies, but you can throw them in the wash with other things and stuff them again the next day with a yummy sandwich without using plastic. Lets get started:

Supplies needed:

strip of cotton fabric cut 17"x7"

needle and thread or sewing machine

iron

1. start by cutting your strip of fabric to the above 17"x7" strip

2. fold under each short end making a little 1/4" hem, iron flat and sew.

3. with RIGHT side facing up, now fold one end down 2 1/2".

4. Now fold the other end UP AND OVER the 2 1/2" you just folded down....iron this.

5. Sew the two side seams...your right sides will be together and the wrong sides will be facing up.

6. Turn your little baggie inside out, and this is what you will have! A little sack with a fold over top to keep your sandwich fresh.

7. Make several in coordinating fabrics and keep on hand for all lunch boxes in your family...including yours!

Sorry this is not the best tutorial, but it is a super simple and QUICK little project. It would be fun to let your child choose his/her own fabrics and do with you. Now, I need to come up with a catchy name for my little sacks when I package them for sale and would truly appreciate your help. Leave me a comment if you have a suggestion.

I will be away on Friday at The Waterford Faire ( http://www.waterfordfoundation.org/) which, next to Christmas is the BEST DAY OF THE YEAR, so I hope to have lots of pictures to show you next week. Have a great weekend.

Fall.......and Camping

2010-09-26T21:37:00.000-04:00

(photo credit: liberty92.wordpress.com)

I am not a traveler. When I leave Farm and Fru Fru, I rarely go more than 40 miles from home and then if I go that far it is to our "farm away from farm", so it's fair to say I am a homebody by nature. This was not always the case. I was raised by two parents who LOVED to travel. Daddy was lucky enough to have a job that afforded him lots of vacation - 10 weeks on certain years - and we spent that time vacationing....camping to be exact. This was the 60s and camping had come into it's own as an affordable way to see the USA...so we did. It was the only way we could afford it.

At our recent yard sale, one of the items that sold was a car top carrier Daddy made for our trips. Made completely of aluminum, he fashioned it to match the pop-up camper he built as well. I hated to see it go, but we really don't need it for the 17 mile trip to the city or the 40 mile trip to the farm away from farm. It did bring back a flood of camping memories......

We took some very long summer camping trips seeing the country, South of the Border, Red Rock Canyon, Yellowstone, Yosemite, Grand Canyon, the Dells of Wisconsin, Disneyland, Dodge City, and more, but the trips I remember best were those we took to the mountains in the Autumn. Usually they were taken with several other relatives and only lasted a weekend, but they were the best. There was always a nip in the air, even more noticeable in the mountains. Our trips varied little: we bought apples, sour wood honey (for Daddy), cider, and some sort of corn cob pipe. I loved the souvenir shop at the campground and usually ended up with a pipe because I didn't save enough for one of the cool felt mountaineer hats with the feather sticking out of the top or one of the Indian belts with those teeny tiny little seed beads worked into the leather in a Native American design let alone the Minnetonka moccasins, so I always ended up with a pipe.

We hiked, and drove around, sometimes got to ride horseback, built a huge campfire, ate popcorn and some version of s'mores and visited lots of roadside stands. It was great fun. My poor mother must have REALLY wanted to travel because she got stuck cooking, cleaning, making beds, collecting trash, packing, unpacking, repacking, all while we ran, played and paid no attention to her whatsoever. She bore it like a trooper though and never complained except the time we were somewhere out west sleeping in the pop-up with no heat in below freezing weather. Sometime in the night she got up out of bed and retrieved the rug off the floor and added it to the blanket, quilt and spread already on the bed. She said nothing till the next morning when she announced to no one in particular that she had spent her last night camping in sub-freezing temps and would never again sleep under a carpet. We spent the next several nights at the Holiday Inn.

All these memories came back as we loaded the car top carrier into the buyer's truck. I hope they pack heavy duty blankets inside when they head to the mountains this Autumn.

Yard Sale.....How to....or Not to

2010-09-24T05:00:00.009-04:00

You may recall my mother's yard sale was last Saturday. I am happy to report that the sale was a HUGE success! The day was cool and clear, the people came in droves and a TON of stuff was sold. I am feeling quite the expert on yard sales now so I am going to clue you in on some of the things we learned just in case you want to have a yard sale of your own this fall.

1. One man's trash truly is another man's treasure.....when you begin collecting items to sell, remember that....NOTHING is too old or useless....just because you think it has breathed it's last doesn't make it so.

2. If location location location is the real estate watch word, ADVERTISEMENT is the yard sale's best friend. We ran an ad in the newspaper, on craig's list and put up loads of signs. The local tv station reads some of the ads on the news early Saturday morning and several people heard that....People cannot attend your sale if they don't know about it.

3. Pricing....we priced most things super super cheap. We had all clothes for $1 per piece...a great idea...people were stuffing bags full of clothes...if we were ready to get rid of it, we priced our stuff to GO. We also entertained all offers...people love to haggle....if you want rid of it, don't hold onto it hoping the next person will offer you $.25 more.

4. Visual Merchandising....think neat. DO NOT put a blanket on the ground and then cover it with clothes or books. We used tables and saw horses with plyboard then covered them with plastic table covers my mother forgot were in the attic. We also FOLDED all of the sweaters and things we did not hang and we RE-FOLDED them as they got messy. This sounds silly but several people said how nice it was not to dig through boxes as they shopped. If they can't see it, they won't buy it.

5. Although Daddy had waaaaay to many tools to price, my long-suffering brother was on-hand THE WHOLE TIME to quote prices and take money on the spot so people did not have to hunt for someone to ask.

6. Many hands make light work. We worked for days getting things together then the day before the sale we were ready to just set things out and organize like items together....My LS brother, his organized wife, my nephew, mother and I were on hand to take things to people's cars, run errands, take money etc....not to mention the farmer and farm hands toting things out, running back and forth from the attic etc....

7. Things will NOT sell if they are in the house because someone forgot to bring them outside to the sale....case in point...my mother's vacuum cleaner....we noticed it in the house about 15 minutes before the sale ended....oh well, she did sell the stereo.

8. Have your sale in the spring or fall...summer and winter...not good....we lucked out, excellent cool weather.

9. If you live in a neighborhood, encourage others to have a sale too. There were several sales in my mother's neighborhood by coincidence and they sent people to us and we returned the favor...free advertising.

10. NEATNESS counts. Place like items with like items...Don't make people hunt for things...put them out front where they can be seen and make sure they are clean....don't sell dirty clothes, dusty glasses, filthy towels etc....some of the tools etc were grungy, but that is kind of expected with garage items...not so much with household things...and who wants dirty shoes or sweaters?

Now that it's over, I hope it's some time before we do it again, but we were THRILLED with the result. Think about having a sale yourself...you'll be surprised at what you can get rid of!

Happy Weekend.

Leaves and Fall

2010-09-22T13:39:00.002-04:00

(photo credit: mindflirting.woodpress.com)

My grandmother attended a tiny little school...one room I think, and memorization was a big

teaching tool....in l910 when she was six, she had to memorize this poem....it stuck because she taught it to me 60+ years later....stuck with me too...

Come little leaves said the wind one day,

come over the meadow with me and play.

Put on your dresses of red and gold,

summer is gone and the days grow cold.

As soon as the leaves heard the wind's loud call,

down they came fluttering one and all.

Over the brown fields they danced and flew,

singing the soft little songs they knew.

Dancing and flying the little leaves went,

summer had gone and they were content.

Soon fast asleep in their little beds,

the snow laid a blanket over their heads.

Hope you have the happiest of autumns....the prettiest season of the year...

The Farmer.....loses his mind

2010-09-20T11:13:00.001-04:00

Farm and Fru Fru is in a rural area with tiny little country roads. We are, therefore blessed (?) with lots and lots of people who come out from the city to bicycle and enjoy the scenery and small town goodness. For some years now, it has been a mixed blessing. Certainly bicyclists have just as much right to the roads as anyone else, but the farmer and both farmhands have been cussed at, spit on, and flipped off more times than anyone can count due to the fact that tractors and farm equipment are very large and cycles very small... When they meet on the road, someone sometimes has to take the ditch. Cyclists are more than welcome to ride through the farm, but often they do so at their own peril. Add that to the fact that the bikes often try to beat the large equipment by hurrying through stop signs, ignoring stop lights etc, and lets just say the farmer is not a fan of the bike.

And so it was that over the weekend, the farmer was ambling through town in his pickup when a cyclist ignored a stop sign and, thinking the farmer would yield, headed for the side of his truck. The farmer however, did NOT yield and the biker had to slam on breaks to avoid a collision. Glancing in the rearview mirror, the farmer saw the biker throw his arms up in disgust before racing off down a side street.

Now, this is when things took an.....odd......turn. The farmer lost his mind.

Right in the middle of town, on a Saturday morning when everyone was shopping, milling around, eating outside etc... the farmer did a U-turn....in the middle of the street...and proceeded to CHASE the biker coming to an abrupt stop IN FRONT OF HIM, blocking the way COPs style.

After a bit of a....chat....everyone went on their way....I won't go into details. The farmer is a LARGE man, the biker was not....whether it was that or just the surprise of finding himself and his bike blocked by a 3/4 ton truck, the biker apologized and all was well.

I, however, almost fainted when this tale was told. This is so unlike the farmer that I worry for any unsuspecting bikers who might now find themselves on our road.....and I am thinking I should sell my own bike.

Sale

2010-09-20T05:00:00.001-04:00

My mother has lived in her house for over 50 years. Next spring, she will turn 80, and while she

is still very active and has all her faculties, the winds of change are blowing and she is planning to make only the second move of her life....this time, north to the farm. Plans are being drawn for an "in-law suite", and we decided it's never too early to de-clutter and begin to downsize......so.....this weekend is

YARD SALE DAY.

A yard sale seems like a good idea....until you begin to collect and price.

50+ years of saved boxes, plastic containers and artificial floral tributes = LOTS of stuff.

My long-suffering brother is in charge of the dreaded

GARAGE.

If my mother is the queen of all things household, my father was the KING of all things garage-y.

No one, and I mean NO one EVER filled a garage and workshop with as much stuff as my father.

Next week, if I can use the new camera to it's best advantage, I will post pictures of some, just some, of his.... accumulation. To photograph all of it would take a life-time and a blog of it's own, so I will try to keep the number of pictures down to a few hundred.....In the mean time, to intice you to return next week, I will list a few of the more...unusual....things we have come across that he saved for reasons known only unto himself....

Dozens of keys that have no doors

More than a few locks that have no keys

At least 10 (so far) pocket knives that have broken blades

Drill bits for over half the drills in the county

Dozens of screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, files, hammers etc.

Handles from 14 rubber spatulas....with no rubber spatulas attached

Charles Chips cans...empty

Charles Chips cans....full of assorted leather scraps, wood scraps, metal scraps etc.

Clocks of all sizes, shapes, types, and conditions.

Old hairdryers, toasters, toaster ovens, waffle irons, coffee pots, lawn chairs with no seats, camping stools,

More woodworking tools than I can shake a stick at

At least 27 hand saws

Yard sticks.....at least 25

6 canes (Daddy never used a cane)

2 sets of handcuffs (?)

50+ bluegrass cassette tapes recorded at the Galax Oldtime Fiddlers Conventions through the years

Drawers and drawers of nuts, bolts, nails, washers, rubber bands, corks, hinges, tacks,......

You get the idea....or actually, no, you don't because I have been down there in the midst of it on and off all my life and I still don't get it.

Well, the sale is Saturday and it will be very interesting to see what sells and what doesn't....

Cross your fingers.....I'll try and post pictures next week...

Have a Great Weekend~

Mending......2

2010-09-15T14:31:00.001-04:00

As you may remember, recently I have had some......technical problems....

First, someone hacked into my email address and sent pharmaceutical advertisements to my contact list....again and again and again.....forcing me to get a new address.

Then my eldest farmhand wished to purchase my laptop (too tight to purchase a new one) so I bought a mini

which I am just, just beginning to become familiar with...

To add insult to injury, my camera died and could not be fixed, so I purchased a new Nikon Coolpix, and am trying to learn to use that. Lastly, both our cordless phones died, and we had to get new phones. I said it before and I'll repeat it...I am in some sort of Tech HELL. My only tech help, my long-suffering brother, is extremely busy with the first couple weeks of school AND cleaning out my father's garage for a sale of 1,000,000 tools for my mother, so I have tried not to bother him anymore than I can possibly help...all is lost when it comes to communication here at Farm and Fru-Fru.

I HAVE used the time away from all things technical to take care of some LOW tech business...more mending.

Mind you, I never said I was good at it, but there is something very relaxing about sitting and stitching even if it is a very well-worn garment not really worth saving.

The repetition of stitching around and around the tear is soothing to my tech-worn soul and before I know it, I have forgotten that my new camera does not operate like my old one, and I find that I really do not

care after all if my pictures are a little fuzzy...I am sitting on my porch in the coolest breeze since last May with a pile of ragged shirts that a normal person would not even use as rags...the computer is humming nicely inside doing it's own thing and I did not even bother to bring the cordless phone outside....and yet, I am surviving....who knew in this day and age that was possible?

Mending

2010-09-15T05:00:00.001-04:00

If you have been a Farm and Fru Fru reader for any length of time,

you know that I like hand stitching. You will also recall that the farmer is

not one to" quit on a garment" once it comes into his possession. This is why this

union has lasted 27 years.....I mend. I used to hate mending

when I used my sewing machine and tried sewing through 6 layers of denim or

tissue paper thin chambray, but since I began mending my hand, I actually

like it....a lot.

It's a good thing....with summer rapidly coming to and end, the farmer is

trying to squeeze that last little bit of good out of each and every blue chambray shirt, every pair

of khaki shorts.

Just when I think he has managed to wear the
worst he has, he finds something worse to wear. I believe in
recycling as much as the next person, but the farmer takes his effort of use up THEN
throw out to the extreme...at our house, the Goodwill is unnecessary...his shirts and
pants go straight from his back to the rag bag.
Just sayin....

Friendship

2010-09-13T05:00:00.002-04:00

Farm and Fru Fru is dry. Very Dry. The little donkey and calf's lot has dried up completely

and the farmer has been giving them hay and staking them in the yard....a novel idea to be sure.

Last week, the little guys got to go into the pasture with the big cows...

You may recall that the calf and donkey have a love/hate relationship, so I thought

they would enjoy all the space, and immediately use the opportunity to escape each other....

But, apparently, this friendship goes deeper than I thought.....

With acres and acres at their disposal, and lots of "new friends", what do you think?

They examined the greener pastures and all the new company....

but in the end, decided they preferred the company of the

familiar....the devil you know rather than the devil you don't...

...and they have been inseparable ever since.....

update

2010-09-06T22:00:00.000-04:00

Sharon had to get a new computer....I am sooooooooo slooooooow.....I don't do well with change...my poor brother is pulling out his already thinning hair......hope to be back to blogging when I re-learn what little I knew....this could take years....just found some very kind remarks from last post...have no clue where they were or how I found them.....thank you so much ......oh, and to add insult to injury, my camera died AND my cordless phone. I lie not....AND I still have not figured out how to forward email from my old email address to my new one....I am in some sort of TECH HELL. When it rains it pours.....HELP!

School....1962 style

2010-09-01T15:32:00.001-04:00

I started school in first grade.

There was no Kindergarten in our area back in the day.

Our school was small even by 1960s standards and was the same school my

mother attended in the 40s...nothing had changed....even some of the teachers.

6 grades, one classroom of each, all of which surrounded the auditorium. 25 kids in each class or in a bad year 30. No aides. In first grade, Mrs Jones had 7 Debbies....7. No Danielles, Katelyns or Brittneys...we did have a Martha, Patricia, and Theresa, but no Ashleys.

We used a black board, read Dick and Jane, played on the monkey bars, swings and jumped rope. We played hopscotch and every MayDay danced around a May Pole. I'm still not sure why.

One bus served the school but did not serve our street as we were only 5 blocks away so we walked or rode bikes.

Lunch was served in the cafeteria and was, literally, homemade, even if bought...the bread was homemade, the butter real, and the chopped spinach yucky. If you gave a boy called Mickey five cents he would eat strange things and you could watch...pats of butter, pencil erasers, lead, etc....

I carried my lunch in a red plaid metal lunch box.

I loved it. I had a red plaid book bag and a red plaid dress my mother made...I must have liked red plaid. In 3rd grade, Barbie was queen and I wanted to replace the red plaid one with a Barbie lunchbox There was much discussion about it and it was decided that the red plaid was still perfectly good and would do for some years to come. I did, however get the Barbie box for Christmas...it must have been a thrill because I still remember it after 40+ years. A couple years later with the Beatles all the rage, I saw a Beatles lunch box and wanted one of THOSE, but my mother said two lunch boxes in 6 years was enough for ANYONE so I continued to carry Barbie. When I reached seventh grade our family had a yard sale and she sold my red plaid one...I have never forgiven her...She was decluttering I guess.

Like most things from our childhood, Longdale School had certain smells that spelled

school to me...The library smelled like new books, the classrooms smelled like sharpened pencils (yes they have a smell), boxes of crayons and paste, and the cafeteria smelled like baking bread...everyday.

The bathrooms smelled like disinfectant and the cake soap that was in

a holder....you turned a little knob and the soap came out as powder into your hand... Then, you wiped your hands on one of those cloth towels that wrapped around some sort of roller and gave you a clean part on which to wipe them each time. Mrs. Jones accompanied us into the bathrooms to see that everyone washed their hands but did not use too much soap.

She also made us clean our fingernails and inspected them each day. She was vigilant about clean hands and was always perfectly groomed and smelled of Estee Lauder powder. She kept a little blue bottle of "Evening in Paris" cologne in her desk drawer, and if your hands looked particularly nice, she would dab a little on your neck...yes, even if you were a boy. Mrs. Jones was.....a large woman who wore dark silky floral dresses with lace collars and stockings with seams up the back. She had those orthopaedic black tie leather shoes, and you did NOT want to refuse this offering...not if you wished to remain inside her classroom.

Unlike my own children in elementary school, I never had a list of needed school supplies....I do remember Mrs. Jones asking each child to bring a cigar box in which to store your pencils, pink eraser (which Mrs. Jones did not like...she had a thing about erasing mistakes and the big red pencils had no erasers) and the box of 8 chunky crayola crayons you were issued....you got one box and that was it, so you had to be very careful not to break or lose them. There was red, blue, green, yellow, orange, black and white...there was one more but I don't remember what it was. It was not sienna or azure. I also had a pair of blunt scissors and a Smokey the Bear ruler a Forest Ranger gave to each student when he came to give a speech. We were expected to keep these supplies throughout the year and hopefully for the next few years as well. The farmer still has his Smokey the Bear ruler.

Even then, art was my favorite subject. An art teacher came to the school maybe once or twice each month and we were then in for a real treat...construction paper. We were given lots of creative leeway...a suggestion would be made and we ran with it...I don't ever remember much in the way of art supplies except powered tempera paint occasionally.

For Back to School Night in second grade, we left decorated handwritten notes on our desks for our parents to inspect welcoming them to our school...Mine said "Hell...we're glad you came"....Mrs. Cross had a sense of humor and was a friend of my parents...(my mother was mortified, but still has the paper.) "Hello" was the proper greeting of course.

It is interesting to think how conservation and thriftiness were taught as a matter of fact. We studied Johnny Appleseed and all went outside to plant some sort of little tree on arbor day. Once, we made a terrarium from one of those super sized industrial pickle jars Mrs Jones got from the cafeteria. We were each told to bring in something for the jar...moss, a figure, little plant, acorn or what have you. We made ONE terrarium for the whole class to share and took turns watering it when necessary and changing it's position in the window. We were not expected to each provide three boxes of tissues for the class but were expected to bring a clean hankie each day. Apparently paste was a rare and valuable commodity because there were only 2 or 3 jars for the whole class to share and we were always admonished NOT to use ANY more than necessary....Mrs. Jones would inspect our projects and you did NOT want to be caught with a glob of wasted paste on yours.

Of course there was no air conditioning and if you were lucky, your teacher had a fan she brought from home. Mrs. Jones evidently did not have a spare. It was of little matter though because we did not have AC at home or church and since these were the only places you ever went, you didn't know you were hot.

There was little diversity in Longdale Elementary school...most of us were some variation of middle class, lived in the same neighborhood, knew all the kids and teachers because they too lived in the neighborhood and probably taught you in Sunday School as well....I did not know what the word "divorce" meant until very late in 6th grade when some kid mentioned someone who knew someone else who got one...I thought it was a disease. I never heard of day care

as my mother stayed home, drove an old car, made all my clothes and her own. We could take piano lessons OR ballet, and borrowed books from the library. We cut our own grass, raked our own leaves cleaned our own house and rarely ate out. My brother and I each had a bike (mine was second hand) and if you wanted a light or a bell, you saved up till you could buy one or got it for Christmas.

Accountability was major in that if you did misbehave not only would you be sent to the corner or principal's office while at school, but you could expect swift and appropriate discipline when you got home. If you happened to be going home with a friend and someone spilled the beans to those parents, you probably got yelled at by them too. If the offense was severe enough, your teacher threatened you with the possibility of your transgression showing up on your......

PERMANENT RECORD.

I didn't know exactly what that meant, but once my fingernails did not come up to Mrs. Jones' high standard and she assured me that if my hands EVER looked that way again, it would be on my

PERMANENT RECORD.

To this day, my nails are kept short and clean....

Even in l962 I think time somewhat forgot Longdale Elementary, and for my 6 years there, we flew under the radar. No one told us not to climb the trees in front of the school for fear of a law suit; Easter egg hunts were held at the home of a student who lived close by and permission slips were not needed to walk there and back. Naughty children were sent outside to "walk the blacktop" alone and no one thought a thing of it.

Last week, I rode past Longdale. A County employee was cutting grass in preparation for the beginning of a new year. Air Conditioning was humming and the huge school "campus" was manicured around the beautiful expensive playground equipment. I wondered if Dick and Jane were there, because I am all but certain I saw Mrs. Jones.

Happy School Year....

Monday Mention...Warm Country Meadows

2010-08-30T06:01:00.002-04:00

Like most of you, I am an Etsy shopper. I love to sift through all

the shops and pull up my favorites...with summer quickly coming to an end, I wanted

to share this Etsy shop with you before the cool fall weather turns my thoughts

in a different direction...WarmCountryMeadows specializes in...

teeny tiny terraniums...some so small you can wear them on a chain

around your neck. I am constantly amazed by people's originality.

The shop owner lives at the base of the Appalachain mountains in

Pennsylvania and while hiking the woods one day gathered moss and made a terranium...

a shop was born.

Pay a visit...you too will be amazed...it's worth a Monday Mention here at the end of

the Long Hot Summer....

Art?

2010-08-25T05:00:00.005-04:00

I love something clever.

This is clever.

This little wall art takes clever to a new level.

Design Sponge has a tutorial that will show you how to make one of these for yourself.....

from...............

toilet paper rolls....

Yes folks, toilet paper rolls.

In my continuing effort to bring you clever ideas made from

recycled items, I think I have hit pay dirt.....

Everyone has some, they are "free" and will otherwise be wasted.

Check the tutorial, then start saving these little gems, and

make yourself some wall art!

TAKING A FEW DAYS OFF SO HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND

AND I'LL SEE YOU BACK SOON...

Monday Mention - Betz White

2010-08-23T05:00:00.000-04:00

Yes I know I have written about Betz White before....

I just don't know anyone who does color any better....

She posted this little mini-collage the other day along with links to the pictures

so if you want to know more, race right over here and get the details....

The colors are so fall-ish and beautiful, I just studied the acorns for a while...and

the zipper mushroom....oh me!

An artist, designer, and green queen, Betz White has a couple books out now

and always inspires me with color....

That's why she is my Monday Mention this week...

Thanks for being an inspiration Betz!

Shoo Crow

2010-08-20T05:00:00.001-04:00

While out riding with the farmer the other day, I spotted three scarecrows....

this one seems to have an arm issue....

...this one is packing heat...he has a rifle...

and this one seems to be wearing scrubs....

Whenever I hear crows, for some reason I always think Fall can't be too far away...

Bring on the cooler weather....

Have a great weekend everybody...

I'm thinking giveaway next week.............