New patterns are done!

Yay! Got three new patterns done today and on my website! I also am sending out a newsletter. You read it here first!

In addition to Kari Christina, that I showed the other day, here is my Easter Bunny Table Runner, and Mama Annie & Sampler.

Primitive blessings,
Laurie

Just Finished Her!

Meet Kari Christina! This sweet prairie doll just got finished, and I'll be adding a pattern for her to my website very soon! I wanted to make a non-raggedy Ann-type doll, and I also wanted it to be an Easter doll. I've made several dolls with bunnies and chicks, but wanted this to be more about the real meaning of Easter.

I'm so happy with how her bonnet (trial and error!) turned out!

She is named after one of my twins, Kari Christina, who just had surgery a couple of weeks ago. Kari's full name means "Pure and Christ-like". A perfect name for my daughter. During her surgery and recovery, even in pain, this sweet and good daughter of mine always had a "thank you, Mama" whenever I brought her her medicine, food, plumped her pillows, helped her to the bathroom, etc. Now that she's returned to school and still can't carry her very heavy backpack, her twin sister, Kaitlyn, carries it for her. Every time I hear "Thanks, Kaitlyn. I love you". Such a sweet, sweet girl! I am truly blessed!

I have two more patterns I am working on: An Easter table runner and a Mother's Day Annie and sampler. Watch for them in the next couple of days!

Primitive blessings,

Laurie

It's Finally March!

It's been a little while since I've posted. February was quite a month for us, and we're certainly glad to put it behind us! Started out February with two daughters, my husband, and myself sick. Relapses followed a few days later. Just about that same time we started lambing. We had 29 lambs born in 7 days! At one point, we had 10 in about 20 hours! This is exhausting even when you aren't sick, especially since we have to check the ewes for lambing problems about every 3 hours around the clock! And problems do arrive! We lost three lambs total this year, from mal-presentation (triplet stuck...was able to save the other two), to two trying to be born at the same time (saved one...lost Mom also). We had a lapse of 10 days, but had 4 lambs born last night, and have just one ewe left to lamb. We're certainly ready to be done! We are also bottle-feeding the lamb who lost his mother.

Also this month, one of our twins had to be rushed to the hospital and ended up having emergency surgery! She's on the mend now, but it's been one month we were certainly glad to see end!

Thinking about wondering back into the crafting room, so watch for some new patterns soon! Think Spring!

Primitive blessings,

~Laurie

Happy Valentine's Day!

Is it already the middle of February!? Must be Valentine's Day soon! Do you have plans with your sweetheart yet? As Valentine's Day falls in the middle of the week this year, we'll just be staying home. I thought I'd make homemade (heart shaped) pizzas, and of course there will have to be chocolate! Some years I make up a double-batch of chocolate chip cookie dough and bake giant cookies in my heart-shaped cake pan. Sometimes I use that same pan and fill it with Rice Krispie treats. It's fun to use my cake decorating stuff and decorate them with frosting.

This year I sent our son, who is away at college working on his Masters in Teaching degree, heart-shaped buttermilk biscuits, a couple packets of Country Gravy (just add boiling water!) and some real bacon bits. I also sent him a note to mix up the gravy, add some bacon bits (sausage would've been better, but I can't send sausage in the mail!), and serve it over the biscuits. His favorite: Biscuits and Gravy! Little sister also sent some of the cookies that he and she dreamed up a few years ago. A little love from home!

One of my favorite Valentine's Days was probably over twenty years ago. We were snowbound from a big snowstorm, and I didn't know how I was going to be able to get out and buy Valentine's Day treats for my husband and our (then) two children. I remembered that after Christmas I had bought a turkey when they were on sale. I'd never baked a turkey before, but I took it out and defrosted it in the bathroom sink downstairs where my husband wouldn't see it. My husband was able to get to work, by hiking over a mile through our fields to our 4 x 4 that he had parked. I surprised him when he came home from work on Valentine's Day with a turkey dinner, homemade pink peppermint taffy that I'd made and pulled, and my big heart cookies. Valentine's Day doesn't always have to be about spending gobs of money (contrary to what all the jewelry store and florist advertisements are telling us!). It's the thought (and the love!) that counts!

Hope your day is extra sweet and extra special (and involves CHOCOLATE!)

Primitive blessings,

Laurie

New Patterns - Finally!

Yes, January was a long, long month, and I pretty much didn't do anything crafty! (Other than organizing my photos and putting together some photo books). Finally decided it was time to get busy, so I have two new patterns brand new on my website! I'm not really Irish (a little here and there mixed in with the other, but mostly Scandinavian), but thought it would be fun to add a couple of St. Patrick's Day primitives to my site! Here are Kaitlyn Ann and my Irish Blessings Sampler. Both are available as paper patterns or e-patterns. Check them out on my website, Prindle Mountain Primitives , or you may wish to order them through Pattern Mart for immediate e-pattern download here:

Irish Blessings Sampler Pattern

A traditional Irish blessing is stitched up
in a fun script on our 8 x 10” sampler.
Click to order through Pattern Mart.

Price: US $5.50

Kaitlyn Ann Pattern

Kaitlyn Ann is Irish through and through!
Click to order through Pattern Mart.

Price: US $5.50

I had a lot of fun designing Kaitlyn Ann! I couldn't find any shamrock/St. Patrick's Day fabric that I liked. It was all bright kelly green, and I prefer more of a sage or olive green. So, I chose some that was solid, and came home and made my own shamrock fabric! I'll show just how I did it on my pattern, using my PDF shamrock download, freezer paper, and your printer! When it came to naming this doll, I already have a Patty Ann doll, so that wouldn't work for this new St. Patrick's Day raggedy. I asked my family, and my daughter Kaitlyn told me that "Kaitlyn" is Irish. So, that's where the name came from. (Although my Kaitlyn's name is Kaitlyn Grace, not Kaitlyn Ann!)

It's Groundhog's Day, and I guess we're supposed to have six more weeks of winter. We have beautiful blue skies and mild temperatures, so if this is winter - I'll take it!!!

I plan to add some finished items to my Etsy site, but I've got a sick husband on the couch, as well as a sick twin (the other one - Kaitlyn - hopefully stays healthy so she can play in the last home basketball game tonight!), and I'm not feeling too swell myself, so that will be a day or two. Check back!

Primitive blessings,

Laurie

I Love This!

I saw this on Facebook, and had to add it to my website! (Of course I had to re-do it to make it match my website!) Hits close to home!

Hope you've had a terrific week, and are ready for the weekend!

Primitive blessings,

~Laurie

P.S. Feel free to post this on your website/blog too! :)

Tame the River CD for Sale!

Yes! Lukas has his Bluegrass/Acoustic Folk Songs CD for sale for $8.00 (and $2.00 shipping). (See post below if you missed this!) It is comprised of 10 original tunes, and Lukas plays all the instruments and sings all the parts. He recorded himself playing each instrument, and then combined them, so it sounds like a whole band!

Songs included are:

In Full Bloom
Tame the River
Home on that Mountain
Woman, Not a Girl
Train of Thought Blues
I Think You’re Thinking
Magpie
A Young Boy and his Pup
Beneath the Snow
Silver Thaw

I've made up a video of him playing as well as photos and video of Mr. Bird, and Lukas' song "Magpie" plays in the background. Thanks for the kind words about my Mr. Bird story and Lukas' music! If you'd like to purchase a CD, please click the PayPal link below.

Here's a little about Lukas from his CD:
I grew up raising sheep, beef and chickens on a 50-acre farm on the west end of the Columbia River Gorge. I have always been involved with music, performing in wind ensembles and jazz bands on bari sax, tenor sax and bass clarinet. In the past four years, my interest in Bluegrass and Old-Time music has grown, and I’ve frequented festivals and jams in my area. I’ve been playing guitar for around 10 years, and mandolin for almost two years.

I am currently completing my Master in Teaching at the illustrious Washington State University. I plan to teach high school English and lead my secret double life as a Bluegrass and Jazz musician.

I can be seen playing in the Pullman/Moscow area with my Bluegrass band, Train of Thought. I also play mandolin and saxophone in the folk-rock band, New Mother Nature.

As you can guess, I'm pretty proud of our son! Have a great week!

Primitive blessings,

~Laurie

P.S. I didn't tell you about my favorite song on this CD...."A Young Boy and his Pup", which Lukas wrote about Molly; the sweet cocker spaniel we had all his growing up years.....but be prepared with a hanky for this one!