Farmhouse Fun

Remember years ago when you grew up in the country and a day might include riding a tractor, playing on hay bales and feeding the chickens? I know I'm not the only one. Funny how time leaves us fondly remember those days...which may not have always been fun. Even shucking corn which wore the hands raw and spreading manure are now comfortably woven into country quilted memories.

From time to time, the farm animals I fondly remember show up in my designs. And I make sure they are having fun! My new Piggy Checkerboard Fat Quarter design recalls vintage folk art, but with a nice modern multi-tasking twist. This fat quarter doubles as a placemat and a checkerboard. Now your guests (or peeps) can do something before dinner that interacts with humans...like for real...and not on a phone. Combine with one of the coordinating designs below for quilted placemats. And, simply serge the edges for a casual look. You know your pig design is special when the spider from a certain classic children's book stops by and writes "some pig" in the web. I wonder if anybody knows what I'm talking about.

Checkers game pieces are not included. But, I have seen them for sale online. Or you can be creative and come up with your own special game pieces.

My new Farmhouse Love collection borrows from vintage folk art, but utilizes fresh pastel colors. These delicate Chintz style samples are often seen on vintage china dishes.

Roosters and hens are showered with fresh petite blooms.

I tended to many different farm animals like chickens, geese, turkeys, rabbits, ducks, pigs, cows and even a couple horses in my youth. No doubt I spent many hours watching their quirky behavior.

The thing I remember most is how they are smarter than folks give them credit. There was a dairy cow...Maneater...who responded when we called his name. We had a turkey too...George...who knew his name in a crowd. He followed Pappy around like a puppy. Our turkeys weighed forty pounds, and I think they learned size mattered...and not for our Thanksgiving dinner. Once full grown, they didn't care to be herded around by skinny ten year old girls. Occasionally, we were the ones being herded. FYI...turkeys will jump up and knock you down. If you see them puff up and challenge you...be smart...walk away!

Our favorite escape from those bossy turkeys was jumping up on the well house which was about the size of a six foot square box. We'd have to yell for someone to bring a broom to shoo them away. If you think maybe we could just jump off the other side...nope...turkeys are fast. It was always a good laugh being "captured" by turkeys. Maybe there was a Charlotte's Web spider writing "terrific turkeys" up in a web somewhere.