Tuesday, December 24

Red Fox visit


Our blanket of white has almost completely melted.
Early Sunday morning I peeked out the window for a weather check and
something caught my attention!
Trotting through the back field~
Perhaps returning home from an overnight shift...
Mr. Red Fox


Red fox is so very beautiful and so very helpful.
He and his family will help keep a healthy, natural, balance~
Our ever-growing concern with Lyme disease often begins with
the (adorable and sweet) White-footed mouse.
Rodents have been sampling more vegetables from our garden
than we have! They're becoming a concern.
I strive to remain chemical free and organic.
Praying Mr. Fox meets a local Miss and begin a family
in our neighborhood.


A quick sketch on Sunday so that I would remember
how beautiful the morning was and our special visitor.
The sky was pale gray & light blue with a soft peach glow!

Took a few minutes this morning to add color while
waiting for a special order to completely dry...
The cookie butter needed to warm up to room temperature, too~

Hope your travels are safe and that your hearts are happy, Friends!
Wishing you a joy-filled season~



Friday, December 20

Punch Needle Santa Claus & Cardinal


'Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus!'
I finally found my copy of the wonderful,
pattern-filled,
Christmas~Mega Issue,
Punch Needle & Primitive Stitcher Magazine!

Well hidden between two Christmas bags...
I thought I had accidentally recycled it!
Not a magazine to recycle... it is brimming with beautiful patterns~


I have been designing punch needle patterns for
upcoming classes along with patterns
for punching my fraktur rugs.
Will have a new pattern to share the week of Christmas~


'Christmas Eve Cardinal' copyright 2019 Michelle L. Palmer

Christmas Eve Cardinal is wishing Santa safe travels as he
prepares for his late night journey around the world!

Praying all of you have safe travels as you visit those you love~
I hope your weekend before Christmas 
is filled with goodness and love!

Sunday, December 15

Christmas Cardinal Fraktur


 "Peace on Earth Cardinal" copyright 2019 Michelle L. Palmer

Christmas No. 5 of 6 in my Fraktur collection~
One more to go.......Winter!
We all know I have plenty of time to complete that season.

I wait until December to trim unruly evergreen limbs.
Branches that hang low when mowing are gently pushed aside.
Yesterday we snipped and gathered white pine, juniper, cypress and English yew~
Natural boughs dress our windows at Christmastime and
through the winter months.
Today we plan to make a batch or two of cookies &
decorate the fresh cut tree~
We support local tree farmers and our songbirds
delight in the shelter it provides from the winter elements!
Early summer, our dried tree and boughs are pulled from the
compost area for 'fragrant' campfires~

Wishing you every joy of this beautiful
Holiday Season, Friends!



Thursday, November 28

Thanksgiving~


"Acorn Perch" copyright Michelle L. Palmer
No. 4 of 6 Fraktur Rug Series

Thankful for you~
Wishing you and yours a beautiful
Thanksgiving weekend!


Monday, November 11

Veterans Day~


~Veterans Day~
We appreciate you and your families.
Our hearts are forever grateful for your commitment
to defend life, liberty and freedom both here in America and
around the world.
Past, present and future~ You're always in our prayers.
Thank you.

Pictured above: My dad, WWII 

Sunday, November 3

Annual Christmas Stocking


Wishing you joy!
~2019 Christmas Stocking~
Three free applique projects to say Thank you!
Thank you for your friendship!
Thank you for your kindness!
Thank you for your patronage!

I have included all three years of stocking projects in this post.
You can use the patterns for punch needle, embroidery,
rug hooking, quilting, applique etc.!
Personal use only, please.


Carolina & House Wrens are with us throughout the summer and early fall.
They cheerfully sing from dawn til dusk.
Every now and then, one will perch on my studio windowsill~

Right click to save the above pattern to your computer~


My stitches are not the prettiest...
It is always exciting to see finished works from all of you!




Plaids, stripes, textures, over-dyed, mottled... so many options!


(Quiver) Sharing a close up of my stitches...



2018 was a plaid red fox!


Right click and save the above pattern to your computer~




I shared this jolly snow friend the first year!


Right click and save the above pattern to your computer~




Black snaps as buttons & eyes...


Twine or craft hemp for snowman arms~


Wishing you beautiful November days!
Filled with creative projects~
Thank you again, Friends!

Wednesday, October 30

Wool Hooked Rugs


"Dance of the Harvest Crows"  copyright 2019 Michelle L. Palmer

Hello, Friends!
Hope you have been enjoying beautiful Autumn days~
Praying for all affected by the California fires.
Hope they are contained and end quickly.
Prayers for safety.

I finally found my little book of passwords!
That is why I have been away~ I couldn't log on.
It is good to tidy the studio...
It is not good to reorganize the studio.
My mind is not good at remembering 'the better spot anymore'

Dance of the Harvest Crows is one of my most recent rugs.
I love to see crows perched on sunflower heads~
Dancing with delight at the meal they have before them!
I tucked apple trees in the corners.



"Orchard Santa" copyright 2019 Michelle L. Palmer

This jolly old fella looks to have his rain coat on!
Early American Belsnickel's had variety of coats~
He scooped up a basket of apples that had fallen from the tree
when he collected the hive from the orchard.
The skep will winter in the outer-barn where it will be
protected from harsh winter winds.


Just a few doors down, a vegetable stand had harvested the most
beautiful painted corn! Flint corn, Indian corn, Calico corn...
I was taking photographs of several different subjects
on the same sunny day~
The colorful corn had been set next to my hooked rug...
Aren't those blue, black, periwinkle, olive, taupe, umber,
plum, maroon and salmon kernels beautiful?
A pretty side by side.


We have two craft & fabric thrift shops in our area.
The stores are brimming with donated supplies. The proceeds are
used to support, care for and educate the local community.

Orchard Santa's background is a remnant from one of the shops.
It is a little bit thinner than wool milled specifically for rug hooking.
The results came as a complete surprise to me!



Here you can see the original patch of wool
next to a small hooked sample,#8 cut loops.
I wash all wool before adding it to my existing stash.
Making sure it is clean and clear of any unwanted clothes moths
or carpet beetles. I make a sample patch of the plaids and textures.

The wool looks different when it it is hooked in curvy lines!
Since this was a fabric remnant, we don't know how old it is.
I have searched the web for it~ I have not found a source.

The wool in the image below is currently available from Dorr Mill Store.
My friend Caryn shared the photograph with me.
It looks to be similar~



Autumn is golden~
Wishing your hearts joy!

Sunday, June 30

Palmer Fabric Collections


Two new fabric collections to share with you!
P&B Textiles has brought more of my watercolor paintings to fabric~
'Fresh Picked Farm Stand'

I have taken photographs of farm stands for over 20 years~
Along the roadside, while we're out for a country drive.
Most of the stands are 20 minutes or less from our home.
We LOVE to support our farmers & gardeners!



Winter Snowmen Wreaths!
So much fun!!
Snowmen with their cardinal friends... framed by different wreaths~


I began painting some of my favorite stands several years ago.
A few extra props & signs tucked in here or there...
I will often change the crop to fill my 'garden' of subjects.
We do not have a long growing season here~
It is an amazing variety... sweet and full of flavor!



We are surrounded by apple, peach, plum, cherry orchards...




I LOVE honey...
Grateful for Beekeepers! 
No matter how few or how many hives they keep~
Protecting our bee population is crucial.
Grateful for open fields of wild flowers, hedgerows, windbreaks & field edges.
I search for heirloom & pollinator-friendly plants to add to our garden.


Farm stand location/direction signs at cross roads are often made from
recycled wood. I thought it would be fun to add some
farmyard friends!
I will be releasing some of these designs as punch needle 
and rug hooking patterns soon!






The border...
I can't wait to play with some of these fabrics!
(If I could sneak a few more hours into each day...)


Bustling meadow...
They must have wonderful visits!


Some of the coordinates for Winter Snowmen Wreaths


Perfect size and detail to cut out...
Ideal for ornaments, set inside quilt blocks... patch a Christmas stocking!









Margaret Luewen~ Miss Marker's Quilts
Margaret drives past some of the same road side stands...
She designed a quilt for Fresh Picked Farm Stand~
and...

...a quilt for Winter Snowmen Wreaths, too!

We are enjoying dryer, sunnier days...
The vegetable garden is delighted!
The flowers are blooming & bees are humming~

Hope you have a wonderful week, Friends!
Thank you for stopping by~