Foxy Me

I have been working on this quilt for one of my husbands nieces who is now a mother. Along with farming, gardening, canning I have been sewing. This is a early version of the applique. It has changed a lot from this. But I will save the surprise. This is all machine applique with a lot of embroidery work.

Here are some sketches I made on salvaged moving paper I found. Since the quilt is for a baby everything must me chew- proof and washable. So no cool plastic eyes, all are hand sewn. But the result is a sturdy one of a kind quilt out of collaboration with my husband (the hardest part is that). 

Returning Hens

This is one of three feisty game hens I took to our local animal auction. They have spurs and have been very aggressive with my other hens. Lots of fighting, eye plucking and wounded hen battles over the summer. So in October I made a cage and took them to auction. I did not get much for them but was happy to be rid of their ill tempers. Well over the Thanksgiving break, guess what came back? Yep, two of these girls came back with a rooster and another strange hen in tow. The rooster was killed at night as it did not go into the coop. But the hens went right back into the coop. Somehow they found their way back to my farm. I live about 8 miles from the auction in town. Someone bought them and I got them back. So come spring time I will cage them up and take them back to the auction, again.

Advented

It has been a big struggle this year. A company my husband works for decided not to pay him for his work in the last 3 months. And no money for work he did even in December thanks to a Grinch. We pulled in everything to keep cost down. I had a great harvest so no food worries. But things are tight. No Christmas spending, no frills, no gift giving, nothing extra. Then my husbands mother died, right after my birthday. He had to leave the farm to go to her funeral and be with his family. Meanwhile we had a drought, no money and worry. 

But life is a test and somethings are good and others things bad. We are still struggling but have a plan. We hope in 2018 things will get better. We have fed farm animal for winter and a roof over

 our heads and a mission to get things going our way. We have hope.

This Advent bulletin board I made from scraps of paper and left over paint. I made for our church for the season.