It's That Time Again!!!

December 1st, Early Work Mercantile Update.
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TRAVELLING TO VIRGINIA!!!

OLDE ST.NICK is on his way to Notforgotten Farm for Lori's Christmas Open House, Sat. Dec. 1,2012 via USPS. Too early for the reindeer,they're still workin' out & pumpin' up for the big nite!!!
This is a pattern from my good friend Jackie of T F C Folkart with some Sherry touches. He actually had 3 friends that were "supposed" to join him and even though I kept telling them to hurry up & get dressed,they just didn't make it. The problem is that, #1 even though I do primitive work,I'm way too much of a perfectionist with my work. No changin' that now,I've been doing things this way for at least 40 years,I'd say!!!!
#2 My mind is always working,getting too many ideas!!! AND you can't really tell in the picture,but I fashioned his clothes from one of my many antique cutter quilts. These quilts are REALLY olde & really in drastic condition. BUT they're SO Neat!!! Another BUT, when I use them it takes about 3 times as long to create the clothes. Lotsa cutting in the right places & hand sewing through many layers!!! I also like to carefully remove the olde cotton seed batting,that some of them have,to use for beards & moutaches. That's a little difficult too,to get just right. But for me it's worth it to offer buyers of my work things that are different & that they'll love. Oh and in these beards & moustaches you can even see some of the cotton seeds!!!!
There's another Olde St. Nick who's almost ready to appear,he just needs his moustache. For him I used the back of an antique quilt,so he's all dressed in an already naturally aged whitish color. He may make an appearance here later today.

 

Well here's an Olde St. Nick that didn't make it for the trip to Notforgotten Farm,but he'd still like to travel. Maybe to your house??

 

 

I used the back side of an antique cutter quilt that has naturally aged.

His body is made from osnaburg fabric that I aged with my dye mix.

His face is stitched and his "mitten" hands are wrapped with wool roving.

He's almost 6 1/2" tall and I weighted the bottom so he can stand alone.

 

He's $32 + Shipping

Contact me: jstoff@windstream.net

 

Thanks for stopping by!!!

 

Sherry.....OUT

HAPPY SNOWMAN UP FOR ADOPTION

This Guy is why I was late getting my Belsnickle rug on PHM!!!

I spent about a week and a half punching this sweet snow guy,WHEW lotsa punching to create him!!!

I used all hand dyed Valdani pearl cotton.

I also used teeny tiny black buttons for his eyes and teeny tiny rusty bells down the front of him.

He's a BIG Guy!!!

9 1/2" L X 6 3/4" W.

15 1/2" L including the rusty ol bells strung on rusty ol wire.

The design drawing is by my friend, Lori Rippey. She kindly offered on her blog:Homespun Prims. Thank you Lori!!! 

I added a light weight cardboard to the back & then hand stitched this powder blue herring bone tweed wool on the back.

He's ready to decorate your home all winter long!!!!

Adoption Fee: $102.00 with shipping included.

Contact Me: jstoff@windstream.net

 

Thanks for stopping by!!!!

Sherry.....OUT

 

BELSNICKLE RUG on PHM

 

So I've been feverishly working on this rug trying to get it finished for the PHM update that was yesterday.

 

Obviously, I'm late!!! I pulled the last loop last nite.

 

This was a PHM blog challenge that was given to all of us Artists on the Primitive Handmades Mercantile blog to come up with whatever we chose to do. I chose to adapt it to be this hooked Belsnickle.

 

Thank You Robin of Bird In The Hand Primitives for another of your great little doodle drawings that always inspire me!!!!

 

Belsnickle is approx. 13.5" X 17"

To give him a little extra Sherry touch I used real sheep's wool for his beard & moustache. He also needed jingle bells to call the reindeer, so I gave him 3 olde rusty bells that I attached to aged hemp cord and he need one on the very tip of his hood to.

You can check him out HEREhttp://www.primitivehandmadesmercantile.com/p/from-sherrys-heart.html

 

Now I need a nap!!!

 

Sherry.....OUT

 

TO ALL OUR VETERANS

We could NEVER say enough THANK YOU'S to you for serving our Country and all the sacrifices that you made for all of us.
I can only hope & pray that we Americans will still have all you fought for in the future.
THANK YOU!!!!

Sherry.....OUT

Just A Small Glimpse of What My Life

is really like. This post should come with a WARNING:Don't read if you don't like downer posts.
It's 2:36 p.m. Normally I'd have Rachel Ray on and be back doing my work,which at this time is a large needle punch of a snowman,actually my friend Lori Rippey's wonderful free pattern that's on her blog right now. I work 7 days a week till I make myself go to bed at nite.
My usual routine everyday is to take care of phone calls that have to be made for business stuff and then get to my work. When 12:00 comes I turn on the TV for the news and then one of my very few pleasures that I have, (besides talking to Dear friends on the phone) watching my soapies and at some point having my lunch. Well that didn't happen today,because I have no TV. I turned it on at noon & couldn't change the channel. I fiddled with it for awhile,cause I often have problems with DISH. So I try to fix it from what I've learned,before I call them. Well I had to call them. She told me what to do and the same exercise machine show was on,because I cannot change the channel. Then she told me that it was probably off in preparation for a disconnect for non payment. She connected me to Windstream and yup they turned me off. I never got a disconnect notice. I sent a check on Monday. The bill said it was due Nov. 7th. Yes,it's a 2 month bill because I really can't afford it. My TV, Internet & phone are bundled in the cheapest way I can find. I don't get it. It's not even the 7th yet and they'll probably have my check today or tomorrow for the past due amount. So anyhoo she tells me that it should be back on by 8 tonight. Funny,it takes them a split second to turn it off. YEAH it just came back on!!!
Also in todays mail I got a bill for $1631.50. It was addressed to John and dated for service 07/08/2011. That was the day that he came home with Hospice a few hours before he died. It says that Medicare denied the claim for the reason:PR204. Also that the secondary,United Healthcare also denied it for reason: 96. Aother battle for me to handle,cause I can't pay it. John has been gone 1 year & 4 months this week and I have been in constant battles almost on a daily basis.
Sorry
Well I better get back to work!!!
Sherry...OUT

EARLY WORK MERCANTILE PRESENTS.....

A LOG CABIN CHRISTMAS

 

Is our theme this month at Early Work Mercantile

 

I hope you'll take some time to peruse all the wonderful hand work of the EWM Artisans

                          
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