Our Farmhouse Nest

 

nest (nst)

n.

1.

a. A container or shelter made by a bird out of twigs, grass, or other material to hold its eggs and young.

b. A place in which young are reared; a lair.

2.

A place affording snug refuge or lodging; a home.

 

This nest wasdangling from wild grape vines hanging from my giant red oak tree at the farm.  Having a weakness for birds and nests, I gently clipped the vines and nest from the tree and gathered them together with a bit of jute twine and it now hangs from a white cast iron bird hook in my dining room.

I have abandoned bird's nests scattered throughout the farmhouse sometimes nestled into a ironstone bowl, under a glass dome or in a vintage jar.  They are in every room of the house with the exception of the kitchen.

I think the nest and grapevines look great hanging from the bird hook against the white door.  The grapevine has dried blue grapes in clusters on the vines.

 

Ah yes, Life Is Beautiful, don't you think?  A new bracelet in French fresh from my studio that sums up those little nests...

 

Blessings My Friends,

 

Julie

Angels Are Always There

Encouragement Bracelet - Purchase Here

Recently, I was reminded that angels are always there when you need them.  The reminder arrived in an email request from a lovely woman who wanted to give her close friend something special to let her know that she was loved dearly before her surgery date later this month.  Her friend was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer and they were both reeling from the news.

 She wanted to offer her friend a heartfelt gift - something special for encouragement and an offering of hope as her friend begins her journey through cancer treatment or is it really torture?  Well, it is really both.  We have all been touched by cancer in our lives whether personally or through our family and friends.  It is a journey that takes you both through hell and back.  The angels in our lives are never more important to us than at these moments.

We designed this piece together and many expressions were considered, but this is the one that rang true for her.  It is my wish that her friend finds a moment of peace whenever she looks down at her wrist and sees this bracelet as she is receiving her chemotherapy treatments. It's those little moments that become so important when your life is on the line and you need a bit of hope to get through the day.

As a jewelry maker, it is rewarding when you know that your creation is going to make someone feel special.  It is the type of art that can be worn and travels with the wearer, hopefully bringing them little moments of peace and gratitude for their earthly angels that are always there when they need them.

It is finally sprinkling tiny rain drops today and I sense that the trees are as happy as I am to feel the happy wetness washing away the dust of the dry days we have been having of late.  I ventured out for a morning walk and every living soul on the trail looked energized and happy by the cooler temperatures and promise of rain.  It was a great way to start this day.

Blessings to you my friends,

Julie

Giveaway -Not All Who Wander Are Lost Bracelet

Hello sweet friends,

It's time for a Prairie Thistle giveaway....

I have chosen one of my favorite expressions... Not All Who Wander Are Lost.  With Spring right around the corner, I have been venturing out on the warm, sunny days visiting my favorite antique shops.

For this bracelet, a vintage spoon bowl was flattened, textured, stamped and then a sweet soaring bird was soldered in place. 

This bracelet is comfortable to wear with the leather cording that forms to your wrist.  The extra large lobster clasp makes the bracelet easy to take on and off.  All and all a sweet bracelet.  Perfect for the wanderer.

The giveaway will be open until March 20th..  I will announce the winner on the 21st which is the first day of Spring.

All you need to do to enter the giveaway:

1.  Become a follower of the Prairie Thistle blog.

2.  Share the giveaway by posting the giveaway on your blog.

3.  Post a comment - let me know where or how you love to wander...

Grab the Button at the Sidebar to your Right.

Blessings - Julie

Mari Muinonen, Made By Myself Knitting Project - Krookus Cardigan

It's a quiet morning at my house with Angus on my left and Molly on my right snuggled in under a soft fleece throw - it's our favorite place to be on cold mornings.  So warm and cozy, it sets a nice tone for the busy day ahead.

Today I have several pieces of jewelry to finish on my bench that need to be shipped out this afternoon, it's also set up day at the Liberty Belle, and I still have to finish pricing and packaging new jewelry pieces for the show.  The day before a show is always a busy one and part of the process that we artists undergo to continue funding our passions, it's an ongoing cycle.  Design, Create, Promote and hope for sales.

As the temperatures begin to drop, I begin to yearn for fiber - there's something so soothing about the soft yarn passing through my fingers and the sound of clicking bamboo knitting needles.  It's how I wind down at the end of the day.  After reviewing literally hundreds of knitting patterns, this is the one I chose to knit. It's a sweater from the book Brave New Knits by Julie Turjoman.  The sweater I chose to knit is a design by Mari Muinonen, a school teacher in Finland that also designs knitting projects.  She has a wonderful blog - Made By Myself filled with original knitting designs for sweaters, socks, hats, scarves...her designs are simple and architectural - she has a free pattern section that is a must see.

The cardigan I am knitting is called the Krookus Cardigan - Krookus, which is the Finnish name for the flower Crocus chysanthus.  Being an avid gardener, the name sealed the deal for me.  I love the design, and the color is a vibrant fuschia.  I selected a soft wool fiber that is resulting in a very soft knit that will be so comfy to wear with the added warmth of wool.   The shorter sleeves and full flowing fit will make this sweater my new favorite cabled sweater as I can wear it inside without getting to warm.  A problem with pullover cabled sweaters that tend to be bulky and too warm for inside wear.  They feel great outside, but once you leave your car and enter a shop, you instantly get too warm.  Why do they keep shops so warm in the Winter, anyway?  Carrying around a coat or sweater is not a good shopping experience for me as I have to touch everything before I buy it...am I the only one?

On my list of things to knit this Winter also designed my Mari -

This reminds me to share my White Elephant gift for the upcoming exchange at the next Fiber Guild meeting.

Love the soft buttery leather in a creamy shade of white with a sterling silver stamped plate stitched in place with brown thread and gun metal snaps.  Perfect for the fiber enthusiast - can't wait to see who will wear it at the end of the exchange.

Off to start my busy day....

Blessings - Julie

You Are My Sunshine Bracelet

You Are My Sunshine Bracelet - Purchase Here

I made it into the studio today, finished up orders from the weekend and had a little time to spare to experiment with a vintage silver butter knife.  I have had this lovely little butter knife sitting on my bench for months just waiting for the right expression to be stamped onto its gleaming surface.

Today, I grabbed my stamps and began hammering - You Are My Sunshine onto the blade.

Maybe I was thinking about the movie, Oh, Brother Where Art Thou with George Clooney or maybe being at the bench for fun brought the expression to mind.  Whatever, the reason - I really love it.  I have a deep love of cast off vintage silver.  It's just too pretty to sit in a box!

I chose a coral bead, faceted turquoise beads, a lustrous pearl and a sterling silver flower to adorn the side of the bracelet.  I love the combination together and it reminds me of Spring blossoms.

What do you think?  What expression would you choose to wear on your wrist as a visual reminder as you go about your day?