Before and After

Our local hardware store had a special on barn red paint (just $16.00/gallon) so we gave our barn and chicken coop a $48.00 face lift.

Before...

and After

and the little chicken coop painted to match.

Our family has had to work on our home and outbuildings step by step frugally, often making do with what we have and keeping our eyes out for freebies and sales.  It is amazing just what a coat of paint will do.  

This little chicken coop we found for free on the side of the road a few years ago.

Warm wishes, Tonya

Handwork in Progress

I am working on a pair of mittens for Abraham using this beautiful new shade of blue from Peace Fleece.  I have started offering some of their yarn in our shop.  They have a wonderful mission of paying smaller farms all over the world a fair amount for their wool.  Peace Fleece is based in Maine.   This picture didn't capture the blue as beautiful as it truly is.

Sarah is working on a wool felt alphabet banner.

Abby made this two finger puppet from the book Feltcraft for Abraham's Christmas gift.  Two fingers fit in the pants to make him walk.

Warm wishes for a beautiful day, Tonya

Harvest Fair and Homestead Chores

Sarah with some friends...

We went on an hour drive through our rural back roads to visit the annual autumn fair in Danville on Sunday.
What a picture perfect October day with brilliant blue skies and temperatures nearing 60 degrees.

Isaac eating Fair French Fries - a special treat

Abraham enjoying a bag of popcorn

There were many, many artists and vendors and so many people.   What a nice change it was to be among crowds of people as that doesn't often happen up here in northern Vermont.

Today is another brilliant autumn day with the most amazing blue skies and after lunch we will be working around the homestead ~ finishing up the painting of the barn, painting the small chicken coops, weeding and mulching the strawberries, and putting the gardens to bed.

Warm wishes, Tonya

Handmade Holiday

From those joining ~

The Queen of the Butterfly Ball is up to it again - creating beautiful handmade natural toys for her children.

A seasonal bandana hand towel from Love, Lizzie.

A sweet knit pig from Field Work.

A self-striping fun scarf from The Woodland School.

and

From Honor Crowned Crafts comes this wonderful idea of making mini scrapbooks for those family members and friends that live too far away to see very often.

Autumn Table

Grateful for ~

 many delicious meals of potatoes and butternut squash harvested from our gardens shared at this table with beeswax candles burning as the skies darken earlier each night

Thank you God.

Silly Young Men

The boys and their Dad generally go to youth group each Friday evening at a nearby church.  (Boys' night out...)  We don't attend the church, but they open up the group to any youth from all over the area and it is well attended by young people from a variety of faiths.  (We still hold our Quaker meeting each Sunday in our own home.)  

Yesterday evening, Isaac (age 12) and Thomas (age 16) came downstairs showing off their matching outfits to wear for their night out.

Also, our family's business is featured in a nice write up  here. 

and

There is a giveaway for some hand dyed fabric here.

Warm wishes for a productive and peaceful Saturday,

 Tonya

Rainy Days and Mail Treats

This is what our pond looks like right now with the water swirling around and pouring in one end and out the other.

I had a sweet package arrive from a barter.  These are things that are not normally in our budget but are so special and to know that they are homemade by a sweet mama, owner of Lana Bella.  She had contacted me asking if I could knit her some waldorf math gnomes and when I saw what she made I just knew a trade would be wonderful.

Elderberry Immune Support, Carrots and Honey Soap, Salve, and Stressed, Exhausted Mama Tea

Warm wishes, Tonya