Ok, Ok so I have been neglecting my blog..........

Joy.........

That is what I am filled with!! Joy and thankfulness for each and every day God sees fit to give me. Busyness fills each of our days but the interesting thing is that we are not victims of busyness but willing participants. I am slowly learning that I do not have to accept every invitation, save the world or have arms like Michelle Obama. I am learning new priorities and setting new goals for myself. I love being my kids mom, cooking homemade meals everynight and then sitting down and eating them together. ( well, that is the goal....) I am striving to not "schedule" myself, every hour of every day. To be available if a friend is suddenly in need or to be able to take out my bike and enjoy an unusually warm 68 degree day in Michigan in November....now that is a gift!!! I want to "Be still and know that God is God".....to read my bible and really study it, not just go through the motions. I am

enjoying sitting still and stitiching and hooking and repurposing clothing for my fashion loving

daughter. I encourage those of you that feel so much pressure to be super woman to take time

to reflect on what is important to you and then to ACT on those priorities. Feel free to say NO

to a few things, I am giving you permission!! :-) Love your life instead of just going through the motions. Most of you reading this blog are very talented, gifted women......take time to use those gifts to express your love for your friends and family and not just to make a buck.....sorry if that sounds harsh, it is not meant to. Well, I guess that's all for now......I am off to do nothing.....hahahahaha. Well maybe not nothing but off to enjoy the blessings God has given to me.......FAMILY and FRIENDS!!! Blessings to each of you and Happy Thanksgiving.....take time

to be thankful and look back on all God has provided for each one of us this past year. Even in these economic times we are a blessed people......people all over the world would change places with us in a heartbeat!!!

With Joy and Thankfulness until next time,

Sarah

My dear sweet Aubrey has just spent 30 hours traveling to get to Zambia Africa where she will be doing some missions work with our church. She is among 26 other high school young people who have given up time and treasure to make a difference for Christ in the country of Zambia. So many orphans there due to aids killing both parents.  So many need love, food, clothing and the knowledge that Jesus loves them soooo much!!

Please pray for this team and for the people of Zambia to respond to the love and good news of Jesus Christ. We anxiously await her return in August to hear what God did through this team

and through so many peoples prayers........

Still working on lots and lots of primitive folk art and wool jackets, vest, purses etc for the

show in Sept. If you are anywhere near Columbus Ohio you need to attend :In The Spirit of Friends" show that is happening at Malabar Farm in Lucas, Ohio on Sept. 19, 2009. The show is in the barn and outside. So many wonderful primitve antique dealers and folk artisans....you won't be disappointed!!! Well, time to dye some more wool.....boy am I glad it has been a cool

summer!!! Blessings to all, 

Sarah

P.S. Sorry, I forgot to mention that their is a blog for the show where you can see what

dealers will be attending. www.inthespiritoffriendsshow.blogspot.com

Sneek Peek for Primitive Gathering update on the 15th

Spring is coming and I can't wait!!!

Just a quick note today to remind you that the Primitive Gathering will be updating on the 15th!! These pictures are just a little sneak peek of my entry this month.  Her name is Prudence and I sure hope you enjoy her.

Everything on her clothing, shoes even her stockings are vintage children's clothing. I love making dolls and will be doing more

in the coming weeks. Hope you are all well and enjoying the extra hours of daylight!!!

                                                       Blessings,

                                                       Sarah

One of my favorite things........Bonnets!

With Easter on its way, I was thinking of bonnets......not the kind with "all the things upon it."

No, I love the wonderful, earthy farm bonnets that shaded the faces of those who loved

the earth and worked it on a daily basis for survival and to add some beauty to their homesteads.

Such care was taken with these utilitarian pieces of their wardrobes. Hand stitching and homespuns that were handily woven for the purpose of household needs and family. Enjoy  these

reminders of a simpler time when physical labor was a necessity but the rewards of a bountiful table and no problems falling asleep were the blessings of the day. Just a side note....isn't it funny that in todays world, a tan face and body is worth paying for and in simpler times....it was the last thing you wanted and you did your very best to keep your face and arms milky white and smooth

as silk........maybe we should revisit those times and learn from those who have gone before us....

happy friday,

Sarah

Wonderful Wool For Sale

Good Morning,

Just a quick blog  to tell you about some wonderful wool that is on sale

right now at crowing about primitives. She has wonderful creams, browns

and charcoal grey/browns available for all of you fiber artists looking

for quality sheeps wool.

Take a peek at:

www.crowingaboutprimitiveswool.blogspot.com

Enjoy,

Will be catching up with you this weekend......some fun pictures

of farm bonnets to share!!!

Sarah

Latest Creations

I can't believe it is Feb. and I am just posting for the first time since Oct.

Please forgive me and know that my little fingers have been busy but

not at the computer keyboard...with needle and thread!

Here are just a couple of pictures of my latest ventures.

They will be offered on the 15th at The Primitive Gathering website.

So many talented artisans there....please go check out all of the

wonderful items offered.

I have also been invited to show my things at a brand new show

happening on Sept 19, 2009 in Ohio.

Check out the blog for a list of vendors...it promises to be

a great show if you love primitive folk art and antiques!!

www.inthespiritoffriendsshow.blogspot.com

I promise to be back to posting on a regular basis.

I have many things to share and love to hear from you!

Happy Valentines to all of you.......

Sarah

My Son Has Taken A Bride!

Some of you may be wondering where I have been for several months and I wanted to fill you in!! I have been busy planning/creating a wedding for my son and his wife....what a fun time we have had. They were engaged just before Christmas and planned an August wedding on the shores of Lake Michigan where her family has a beautiful home. God gave us a perfect day and lots of fun and family!! We love our new daughter and our youngest child (Aubrey...see post below) loves having a big sister to hang out with. Madison and Sheena are living in the next little town over to ours so we are able to see them about once a week for dinner....how fun! I can't believe I am old enough to have a married child but life marches on! I look forward to this next phase of my life....I hope and pray that I will be a good mother-in-law....and all I have to say is.........BRING ON THE GRANDKIDS!!!!

I have missed chatting with you and my goal is to post once a week from this day forward (oh, I still have the wedding on my brain!) I have started the dye pot and have been preparing to tear into making mittens and scarves with applique and needlefelted accents......ah, wool.....I just love that stuff! Hope you are enjoying the beautiful painting God has provided for those of us that live in "color" states...it has been glorious!! Baked my first batches of pumpkin bread last night to ship out to my son in college and all the college age cousins......such fun!

Blessings to each one of you and thanks for your patience with me....I will try to do better in the future......%-)

Sarah

Dwelling Place

Tis a simple dwelling place that I desire....one made of hands that loved the land it sits upon.....
As my husband and I drove around a couple of nights ago (because it was such a lovely evening)
I made the comment that if I had the large sums of money that many of the people who live in our surrounding area have....I would not build a "mc.mansion" like so many have....tis a simple dwelling place I desire....on acres of green earth with a bit of a running stream and a barn to store the sheep and maybe a horse or two.... isn't it funny how ones dwelling place can be so different.....some seeking notarity, joining the "those that have" club while others struggle just to have a roof over their heads......Lord, help me remember that "this world is not my home, I'm just a passin' through...my treasures are laid up, somewhere beyond the blue..." If I don't get a chance in this life to live in the simple dwelling of my dreams, I have put in an order with the Lord to make my mansion out of logs!!! Below are a few pictures of dwellings I would be happy to call home! Any way....just reflecting and hope it may stir up some thoughts of yours about where you dwell and why............blessings dear friends, Sarah

P.S. Don't forget to check out the latest update at www.theprimitivegathering.com

Motherhood....Living a Blessed Life

Motherhood is such a daunting career and yet I have found it to be the most rewarding experience I could ever had....now don't get me wrong...I am not living in a fairy land but I have been blessed with 3 wonderful children......

This post I want to introduce you to my "baby"!

She is the youngest of the 3 and we shared a very special day this past Sunday as her birthday fell on Mothers Day. She turned 15 and I celebrated my 23rd Mothers day as a mother.

Aubrey is a freshman in high school and is a very artistic gal...I have included a few of her photographs for which she has won awards. She is also a great little "potter". Clay is becoming her new love and she made me the most wonderful vase for mothers day....I will try to post a picture of it so you all can enjoy it too!!! Aubrey loves kids and is a babysitter extraordinaire....... the kids love to see her coming! She also loves to volunteer her time to great causes....this weekend she will be walking for 24 hours for Race for Life.... I am so proud of her heart for others....This has been an interesting Spring for Aubrey. About 2 months ago she started having what we refer to as "episodes" where she, for no reason, would just go in to a stare for about 2 minutes and then eventually faint. She also tried to speak one time and her speech was like that of a stroke victim so this started a whole string of tests......she has had ambulance rides, IV's....CAT scans, MRI's and EEG's (even a sleep deprivation one where she was awake for 30 hours...now that's what I call fun....not!!!). She has been such a trooper through the whole thing and has managed to keep up her 3.6 grade point and all of her activities in the midst of all this. We finally got a diagnosis this past Friday....she has a very mild form of Epilepsy called Simple Complex Seizures...We will be starting her on a very, very small dosage of medicine ( 1/3 the recommended dose) as we are not big "drug" fans but if she takes the medicine she has a 60% chance of being seizure free for the rest of her life in one years time!! Isn't that a gift of God? We sure think so....God has been so faithful through all of this and we are grateful that every time she had a seizure she was at home with us......so.....testing is done...there is a diagnosis ... and we move forward to lots of art projects this summer, missions trip.....a vacation by the lake and lots of bonfires with friends on our property........Motherhood.......lots of work but lots of joy, blessings and LOVE!!! I couldn't be any

more blessed........

Hope you were feeling blessed and special this past Sunday.......I love the quote ...not sure who said it but it is so true and we mothers need to remind ourselves of it often.....

THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE

IS THE HAND THAT RULES THE WORLD!!!

We don't need a woman in the white house to show women are powerful...

We are showing our power, one little precious life at a time!!!

Look out world!!!

Blessings to each of you dear friends!

Sarah

Don't forget to visit: www.theprimitivegathering.com on May 15th as I will be offering

some fun new folkart for ya'll to enjoy......

in case you didn't know, my business name is Old Glory Woolen co

Lately I've Been Thinking........

about how much I LOVE dolls!!! All kinds of dolls!! Well, mostly cloth based.....and old or made to look 100 years old. I have always loved dolls, in fact I was 13 when I got my last doll..it was a Madame Alexander Doll......Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm...I still have her and she is all dressed in her pink satin bonnet and pink gingham dress.....but my tastes have changed some over the years. I love the dolls that were lovingly made by somebodies "momma". Dolls made from scraps of old dresses and carefully stuffed by the light of the fireplace while "Pa"

read a story to the young ones. About 24 years ago, I decided to jump into the world of cloth dolls. I developed a series of dolls called Willow Creek Cousins. My dolls were made out of cloth and I dressed them in vintage clothing and vintage leather shoes. I had a special formula I used to prep their cloth faces so I could paint them with oil paints in the primitive portrait style. I often used flax for their hair which I bought from a weaver that lived in my town. I loved creating each one, some in very primitive clothing with slat bonnets and some wearing a fancier fare that was more victorian.....I have a wonderful collection of shoes even to this day. My wonderful mother lived in North Carolina at the time and attended all of the flea markets and sales and found some precious treasures......I have boxes of petticoats, dresses, vintage calico's and shoes........I'm beginning to think that the bug might just be biting again........(by the way....Willow Creek Cousins were sold all over the US...out east, south and midwest...I even had 2 go to the Museum of American Folk Art in New York City!!! How exciting is that!) but along came my own wonderful children and life has been busy....I have enjoyed dressing them up just like I enjoyed dressing my dolls.....but my "living" dolls are priceless! They are now 23,19 and almost 15 so I have a few more hours in my week. I think I feel the doll bug biting again and so maybe it is time to open up those boxes, dust off those shoes and think about creating a whole new group of "cousins"........hum........think I'll just head out to the studio and do a little sketching.....I'll keep you posted and until then.....

Blessings and Peace to each of you dear friends,

Sarah

The Primitive Gathering First Anniversary!

Hi Folks,
Just wanted to update you about an exciting event happening over at
The primitive gathering. It is our First Birthday and YOU get the presents!
Now, thats my kind of party!!
Simply go to www.theprimitivegathering.com and follow the instructions
to sign up for some wonderful folk art prizes!!! Deena has done an amazing
job this last year and we look forward to many more years of offering up
one of a kind, original folk art!!! Thanks for all your support of my
work this past year!! Its been a blast!!!
Blessings,
Sarah

Serendipity!!!!

ser·en·dip·i·ty

–noun
1.
an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident.
2.
good fortune; luck: the serendipity of getting the first job she applied for.




This is Websters definition of serendipity but I have another!!!


For me, serendipity is what happened to me yesterday when I walked in from work and saw my sons "carry on" bag sitting in the entry way!! Not long after I heard the wonderful sound of his voice that makes my heart sing!! Our middle son, Graham, had suprised us and caught a ride home from Chicago where he is in school at Roosevelt University!! An unexpected but very welcomed visit!!! So I thought I would take this opportunity to introduce you to one of my 3 children!! As moms, we always want to talk about our kids don't we?? Graham is child #2 and has always been a real sweetheart! He is a very talented musician and loves all kinds of literature!! He is a "thinker" as well as a "doer" which I love! He has a great heart for people, especially those that would fall into the catagory of "less fortunate." We named Graham after the evangelist Billy Graham, praying from the time of his birth that he too would have an impact on the world for Christ just as his namesake has so effectively done. Graham had the opportunity to travel to Zambia, Africa the summer of 2006 and fell in love with the Zambian people! After a 32 hour plane ride to get back to the states, Grahams first comments after getting off the plane were, "I have never met a people who have so little, I mean nothing, that are so joyful!"


His experience in Zambia actually led him to pursue a degree in Social Justice at Roosevelt University in Chicago. His goal is to be successful enough in his music career that he can set up a non-profit organization and start making a difference in the lives of people living in 3rd world countries! Our prayer is that God would honor his desires and that someday Graham will have a huge impact for Christ all across the world!! But for now, he plays and studies and volunteers whenever he can. We are loving having him home for the weekend and what a beautiful weekend it is shaping up to be!!! Lots of sun and warmer temp!! Yeah, maybe Spring is here!!


I hope you are able to get outside and look for signs of new birth! Nests being built, flowers peeking up through the ground, buds on the trees waiting for a few warm days before they burst forth......the birds are singing and maybe even this week I will be able to hang the laundry out on the line!!! Now that's livin'!!! Well, I 've got to run......Graham is about to pull out his guitar and the singing is about to begin.........


Serendipity....ahh


God is Good!!


Blessings,


Sarah

Ah, Tis Spring!!!

Well, we are back from our trip during Easter break!

What a great time we had....first went to VA to visit mom and dad ( some of you already know that my mom is also my business partner...she puts together our wonderful wool jackets and is the most perfect embroiderer I've ever seen...all that at age 83!! She is an amazing women but that's another blog!) as well as spent 4 days in beautiful Savannah, Georgia!! I had to post a couple of pictures of the fabulous flowers we were able to enjoy....now picture this.....the day we left Michigan to drive down we got 7 inches of snow....so you can only imagine how absolutely breath-taking it was for us to:

1. See the sun!!!

2. Feel temperatures over the freezing mark!

3. Real flowers that were in bloom and just showing off their radiance!!!

4.Wear flip flops!!

It always amazes me how a little dose of sunshine and flowers can perk up ones spirit!!

We just wanted to be outside 24/7!! It also gives us hope that Spring will indeed come to our cold, dreary Michigan and once again the birds will sing, the flowers will peek their little heads up from the warm earth and the grass will turn emerald green.......and begin to grow.......and need to be mowed............and weeds will need to be picked and flowers watered and fertilized and vegetables to be planted and.....oh my, there is a price to be paid for all that beauty!!!

But you know.....I say, "bring on Spring!".....I am ready to be outdoors!!!

Blessings friends....until next time.......

Sarah

I Finished My Booklet!!!

A Patchwork Of Primitives

This is the title of my latest booklet...and I think you will really like it!! I love drawing and I especially enjoy lettering as you can tell from each of my booklet covers. This booklet does not have a particular theme but has some geometric designs as well as a cute cow design, had to include a log cabin piece also as log cabins are my passion!! Did I tell you that my goal is to be living in one by the time my youngest daughter graduates high school? She is currently a Freshman so the clock is ticking!! I grew up in a farmhouse that was part of the underground railroad and had a mother who collected primitives from out east back in the 60's long before they were cool!!! After my parents sold the farmhouse, they built a reproduction Saltbox with a
center chimney....it was a beautiful house!!! They then moved to the Blue Ridge Mts. of Virginia
where they built a "country home" with a loft and front porch that goes all the way across the front. They sit on top of the mountain and the view is breath-taking!! So......all this to say that my love for all things old and primitive came by me honestly!! If you visit my picturetrail you will see some pics taken from my mothers place...... I love to go there for the solitude and peacefulness........a far cry from our daily life here in the city!!!
Thanks for stopping by........hope we can chat often and share life together through this wonderful vehicle we call blogging!!
Blessings and Peace to you,
Sarah
p.s. sorry, forgot to mention my picturetrail address:www.picturetrail.com/oldglorywoolenco

Merry Christmas

Just a little note to let you know I will be starting my blog in the New Year!!! My sweet friend Deena of The Primitive Gathering will be helping me but right now she is recovering from breast cancer surgery. Would you say a prayer for her and ask God to heal her and strengthen her?
She is such a dear. giving woman and I know many of you already know her. You can follow her blog: www.deenasstory.blogspot.com It will be an encouragment to your heart!!
But for now, I and my family are striving to focus on the real meaning of Christmas! Jesus, born a Savior for all mankind, walked among us and died for each one of us........the best part is that He did not stay dead......He is a risen Savior and is alive in Heaven and wants to have a relationship with each one of us.....what a wonderful gift to yourself this Christmas.......to begin a relationship with the Lord of All Creation....the King of Kings......He loves each one of us so much!!
Blessings to each and everyone of you.....Looking forward to sharing thoughts and love and creative outlets with you in 2008!!

Sarah

"Not to us, O Lord, Not to us, But to Your name be the glory!!! Psalms 115:1