Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Primitive Oxford Punch Needle....TURKEY Rug *~



Can you believe September is coming to a close. I really need to be busy on my quest with some deep cleaning but my day just doesn't seem complete unless I have held a needle of some sort in my hands.
This morning I finished this little turkey rug and it turned out oh so prim....Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays!

I plan to have this listed on eBay in the morning. Hope you'll stop over and take a look.....NYAFARMGIRL

Our little poppy seed shop will also have a couple of new items tomorrow. October is sure to be filled with lots of happenings. Hope you stop by again and see what we have been up too!

Happy Trails....Ginger

Monday, September 29, 2008

How to Over~dye cotton yarn for Oxford Punch Needle



I've been trying out my oxford punch needle and purchased some "Sugar & Cream" cotton yarn. It comes in too bright of colors for my liking so out with the rit dye and my crock pot. If you like primitive you might want to give this a try!



This is what it looks like before it hit the dye pot. I just unwound some of the skein and tied some together at the top...


You will want to start heating your crockpot with water on high then just pour in some rit dye....I don't measure I just pour in about 1/4 of the bottle....I add more as I need it. I also add in just a tad bit of salt or vinegar to set the color in!


While I'm waiting for my dye pot to get good and warm...I continue getting my yarn ready and let it soak in some clean water.


When I'm ready to dye my cotton yarn I just twist it good and tight.



I then dip it down into the pot. After I dipped it in I set part of it on the edge of the rim and let a portion of the yarn stay in the dye to give it more of a variegated look.


I rinse it a couple of times in clean water then I let it dry.


Now doesn't that look nice and prim!


Here it is side by side....bright to prim! Give it a try today it is a fun and simple way to prim up your cotton yarn.

Happy Trails....Ginger

Sunday, September 28, 2008

~*SUNDAY SOCIAL*~


Another beautiful day and I can truly say that when we gather together as a church family it does my soul good.
My mom's older brother and his wife started a little country church in 1981. They are no longer here on earth as well as some of our other members. I thought of them this evening as we gathered under our new pavilion and fellow shipped together. They would have been happy to see how much we have grown and would have been pleased as we enjoyed singing, playing, and visiting with one another.




The children enjoyed many games of volleyball, tether ball, horseshoes and much more.








While the kids were enjoying their games....Danny and I were busy cooking hamburgers, hotdogs, smoked sausages, and bratwurst. Before long the food was cooked and we enjoyed a wonderful meal together.



Next came the entertainment. My niece Mandy is just learning how to play the piano. Her older sister Erin is teaching her.


We not only had gospel but we had a little bluegrass, too. Erin can play the piano like a pro and I could listen to her play for hours.


Some of the girls sang ....I'll fly away, Down to the River to Pray, and many more.





This lil' boy was accompanied by his Daddy as he sang Amazing Grace. If that doesn't warm your heart.....


Doesn't my Mom look cool in her shades!






Beautiful flute music from this young lady filled the air.




My sis Jane with her hubby Brian. He is an officer with the Highway Patrol. He found a little time to stop by and enjoy some food and see his girls play the piano and join in on the singing.


My sister Sherry with her two children.



The clean up crew! Three of these guys are my cousins. They are talented musicians. They can play guitars, banjo's, fiddles, and the piano.

Soon we will have another church social and it's sure to be just as fun. I hope you enjoyed your Sunday and were blessed in some special way. I know I have been!

Happy Trails....Ginger

Saturday, September 27, 2008

~*Country Collections*~


Thanks to Betty of Primitivebetty's I was inspired to give my oxford punchneedle another try. Actually I had ordered a smaller one and it arrived when Betty posted about doing some punching with her oxford punch. Now I own a 1/8" as well as 1/4". This little piece was done using wool yarns. It goes super fast and I'm liking what I see.

It's been a very fun~filled day. It's always a good day when you spend time with friends doing a little needle punch and some locker hooking! I teach a class in Moore, Oklahoma in a primitive store called "Country Collections". If you are ever in central Oklahoma you will want to stop by.
If you love primitive this store is for you. Even before you enter the door you'll be tempted by all there is in the windows. Primitive Folk Art painted items on just about anything you can imagine, hand hooked wool rugs, needle punches, little quilts, treasures of all kinds.
Open the door and you'll be greeted by Karen and Vonda. A daughter and mother who own and operate the store. They offer patterns for just about any kind of handcraft you can imagine. From the ceiling to the floor you'll see wonderful goodies of supplies to make your own handmades or perhaps your looking for a ready made gift well they got them! You can see wonderful handmade quilts, samples of hooked rugs, locker hooking, needle punch, embroidery, wool applique, folk art painting, unique stenciling, needle felting and more. You just want know where to start!


This is my good friend Sandra. She teaches the rug hooking and quilting classes. She dyes lots of the wool they offer and is always making something new.



Jeanie and Doris were new to needle punch today but they caught on quickly and had accomplished quite a bit before the day was done.



Judy and Karen began a locker hook rug. They chose homespun fabrics and decided to do scrappy rugs. By the end of the day they each had a good start on their little rugs.


Karen Hart is one of the owners of the shop and I caught her a little off guard...sorry Karen. Her mom Vonda is always busy somewhere's in the shop. Helping someone or making something wonderful for lunch.

When we have classes everyone brings a little something to share for lunch and we usually wind up swapping some recipes before the day is done! Today was no exception we had some great foods and desserts....mmmmhhh!


Well after class I headed home and Danny has been hard at it. This ol' country gal is loving the new solar powered gate he has put in. Now when it's raining I don't have to get wet opening the gate just a click of the button and waalah!


Of course the cows decided I'd just have to wait they were crossing the drive headed down to the barn where Danny was. Whenever they see him they think it's feeding time!

Now it's time to put away the craftin' for just a little while and get busy with preparing for Sunday. Our little church is having a fall cookout tomorrow evening, with games for the children as well as adults. The children will be singing for us and we always have a great time when the guys bring out the guitars, banjo's, and fiddles. Soon we'll be tapping our toes and singing along. Nothing feeds your soul as much as fellowship with friends and family.

Until we meet again HAPPY TRAILS TO YOU......Ginger

Thursday, September 25, 2008

DID YA HEAR WE HAVE A WINNER



Well my cows and calfs are all talking about how great a response I had to the Penny For Your Thoughts Fall Giveaway. Don't you just love taking a few minutes and thinking back to you childhood. I do it often maybe I've never really grown up!

Thank you to each of you for sharing some cherished memories and since I had such a great response I decided to give away 3 prizes in all!

1st place winner of the pumpkin penny mat, tart warmer and tarts is......
Sandy at For The Love of Prims and you can visit her blog by clicking on her name!

2nd and 3rd place winners are.....

Tammy of the Olde Hollow Crow and Christina of Mustard seeds.

Tammy and Christina will receive a lil' goodie in the mail, too!

I loved all the stories so much I think I'll do another Penny For Your Thoughts giveaway again real soon!

Happy Trails......Ginger

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

~*~ A Time to Remember ~*~

This is sure to be a lengthy post but I do it for my family. My sisters and Mom visit my blog at times and they were unable to make the trip to see the places where Dad grew up.
My Dad grew up as a kid mostly in San Saba, Texas. Times were hard but he said that he really never knew it at the time. There was always food on the table and to a young boy that's what counts. He was the next to the youngest of six children. His dad was quite a bit older than his mom.
I never met my Grandpa he passed away when my Dad was 10 years old. I have pictures of him and of all the kids my Dad looks the most like him. He worked several jobs, he was a pumper in the oilfield, he laid bricks for a road that still exist in Breckenridge, Texas. We have driven across those bricks many times going to visit my Grandma when she was still living. We drove across them on this trip and Dad told me about his dad laying those bricks. Makes you feel good that a part of what he did with his hands is still around.
Dad told me of when he was a young boy not too long before his Dad passed away. It was during a cold winter and their house caught fire. Everyone got out but dad only had what he had on...his long underwear and he was able to grab his shoes. His Dad made it out but without his shoes and his feet froze.
My Grandma was a hard worker, too. She helped to run a gas station...she pumped the gas. One time Bonnie and Clyde came by to buy gas she said they treated her very nice and paid for the gas. Bonnie had a machine gun lying across her lap...Grandma was asked if she was scared and she said she wasn't....I would have been!
She also worked in a nursing home and later on in a sewing factory.
There is quite a funny story of Grandma and Grandpa. My Grandpa was about 40 years old when he asked my Grandma to marry him. She was about 20 years old at the time. She left a note for her Moma and Pa saying....Dear Moma and Papa I have went to meet Mr. Doyle to marry him. Bye Bye now....Love Nodra The piece of paper she wrote this on was framed and hung in her home for as long as I can remember.

Now for the pictures....



Down by the old mill stream in San Saba, Texas. They have restored some of the pieces. My Dad said that as a young kid, him and several boys once took gasoline and poured on the water and set it afire.






This is the old jail. I asked Dad if he had ever been in there and he said all the school kids use to tour it. Perhaps it was in hopes of keeping them on the right side of the law.



Pecan Grove Baptist Church is where Dad attended with his family as a child. Daddy and his brother Desmond "Des" worked for the pastor of the church plowing and planting his fields. I believe Des was about 10 years older than Dad. They lived in a shack outside of the pastor's house. They could have eggs from the hens that the pastor's wife had but Daddy said Des was always in a hurry to get to work or get to bed. They always ate oatmeal....Dad won't eat oatmeal to this day unless it's oatmeal cookies which is his favorite cookie!




As we drove along the road we seen lots of deer in the fields and crossing the road. Dad told of stories of growing up with his friends and neighbors. He pointed out places and things that happened.





Harmony Ridge Cemetary is built upon a rock hill. Dad and Des once helped to dig a grave there. He said it took 2 days with the help of others. He still wonders to this day why anyone would start a cemetary on a rock hill. It took picks and shovels and lots of muscle to get the work done.





Dad and his younger brother "Bill" along with some friends spent many a day swimming here. Under the large rock was a little air pocket where you could come up and catch a breath of air. They also would swing out on the rope. I'm sure over the years the rope had to be replaced. The land was owned by the Reisen family and then was donated to be used as a park.

We left San Saba saturday morning...while we were there we did see my Aunt Evelyn dad's sister in law. She was married to Des but he passed away 3 years ago. We went to visit them so long ago when I was just a kid...some of my best memories were visiting them on the ranch and riding a horse and playing in the hay barns with my cousins. We also stopped by my cousin Cindy's home for a very quick visit!



We arrived Saturday around noon at my dad's youngest brother and wife's house. Dad and Uncle Bill always have lots of stories to share and they also try to outdo each other on everything to this day!



It wasn't long before they had the trotlines set out and we headed down to one of the ponds to try and catch some bait. Bill always says Dad is resting while he is working and you'll notice in most of the pictures Dad is taking a lil' rest.



This is the river behind Bill's house. He pumps water out of it to irrigate the pecan trees in the front of his home.



Dad goes up the hill on the steps that Bill and Sandy made of logs.






Dad found this live oak tree not too far from where I was fishing and called for me to come look. Up in the tree was a prickly pear cactus growing in the branches of the tree. My Grandma use to make prickly pear preserves. Bet it was a sticky task!


Back at Bill and Sandy's we took a look at their garden. Sandy does most of the gardening and sells some of her produce to the locals.



This is some of the okra that they have growing. It is called "Fat Okra" and is very tender. We each brought home some to cook as well as some dried pods for seeds. I hope to plant some next summer.



Bill and Sandy also have a pecan orchard of about 300 trees in front of their home. They harvest the pecans and sell them and also work for other folks tending their orchards.


They built their home some 20 years ago and have lots of rock work on the inside. It is done in the rustic cabin style.


Dad slept out here. They have a screened in back porch. Our grandma use to have one when we went to visit. I just love screened in porches!



We left Tues morning bright and early and started making our way back home. We stopped at Dad's older brother's house and visited with my Uncle Don and Aunt Nancy. We had a wonderful home cooked dinner and homemade pecan pie. It was so good to be able to have a few hours to visit with them.



There are more stories but it will have to wait until another day. It was a trip that I will always treasure and feel sad that my sisters didn't have the chance to see and hear all the memories that my daddy treasures to this day!

Happy Trails.....Ginger