FABRICFROG

I have a new banner for my etsy shop...what do you think? I think it is more professional. I have listed alot of new things...and hope you visit my shop soon.




My shop is listed under LOVE THESE LINKS on the left side of my blog...check it out!!

MY NEW FRIEND.....

I'd like to say "HELLO" to my new friend, TATTA in Russia.

I hope to hear from you soon.

KING FREDDY OF FROG HILL FARM

We went to a farm auction last week, and got 28 bales of hay, a nice metal nest for the hens, and ... UM ... this wooden frog. He appears to be looking over his kingdom, here at FROG HILL FARM... well done, frog, well done.

The truck was loaded down, but we made it home without incident.

SOME CHICKS I HAVE KNOW......

WE LOVE OUR CHICKENS.... WELL..MOST OF THEM.......we have two roosters who must be kept in their own area...a kind of BAD BOY FARM FOR CHICKENS....

This is a group of our "goldie girls" don't you love their bloomers!

Some of our chickens are going into their third winter, and some their second. We did not get any new chicks or allow the hens to hatch out any eggs....we have enough for now....Some of our chicks are just called by their type..."The Buttercup", "The Reds" (from Rhode Island, of course!!!)... But some have names, Moonbeam,,the white hen, Sangiah, the two Polish with the crazy black top hats on, Marilyn, the blonde Polish, and Thor, the thunder rooster. Some have nick names, The Rounders, two golden brahmas that ran around and around when you petted them, and my favorites, a group of three, that we just call "Hen", who are Cocco marans, and lay the most beautiful dark brown eggs. We get between two and three dozen eggs a day, and give most of them away, and sell a few...someday..they may earn their keep. Cracked corn is about $8.50 for a 50 pound sack.

AFTER, AND BEFORE......THE CLUBHOUSE....

Just thought I'd give you a peek at my sewing clubhouse. It started out as a "wrecked up" trailer...but after alot of hard work, by us and son Jon and good friend Rosie....it's now every quilters dream...Sewing machines, surger, cutting tables, big ol' ironing board....and lots and lots of fabric. I turn on the air conditioner early in the morning, and after farm chores are done, Shadow and I go to the clubhouse, me to sew, and Shadow to take a nap...
(ummmmm...SORRY...but the before photos were just too awful...couldn't show you those!)

WOULD YOU LIKE A SPOT OF TEA?

Have you ever used a tea cozy? If you love hot tea, and want to keep your tea HOT in your tea pot..you must try a tea cozy. These are listed in my etsy shop, and so are a newer item called TEA WALLETS. Handy little thing to keep in your purse, pocket or backpack, to keep a few sweetner packets, or your favorite tea bags in.
I've also found some wonderful pig fabric....love those pigs...and have made several things out of it....including a super simple pillow case kit....check it out.....at www.FABRICFROG.etsy.com THANKS!

NEW CRITTERS

My friend, Rosie, found an ad in the local newspaper for a "free" pot bellied pig. The ad also stated that they had a miniature horse for sale. Sight unseen, because I was in Arizona, I said, "I love to have them." I am afraid of "big" horses, but thought the mini would be a nice addition. This is a photo of the new piggy girl, "Angelina" with our own fella, Angus. The mini horse is nearly the same size as my sons black lab, Shadow. My daughter and her family were fostering Shadow in Arizona, but there was some fighting with their black lab........and Shadow had a fast trip from AZ. to Illinois! We love her, and she is a sweet girl. Fred, "loves" her too, so we need to keep them apart for a while......
The morning feedings for the animals who live in the quonset hut involve two bunches of ripe bananas, sweet oats, oats, hay, day old bread, and sometimes carrots.

.BUSY..BUSY!!!

Summer has come to FROG HILL FARM...and the day lilies are in full bloom.

Winter was so long and cold, and spring all to short.

I've been busy revamping an old house trailer, that my family has named NANA'S CLUBHOUSE. I am moving all my sewing machines, big ironing board, Accucut machines and FABRIC into it. We are about 1/2 done with the revamping! I have the front room set up with all the sewing and cutting equipment. The kitchen has some fabric storage, and a mini-fridge and a coffee pot. The little bedroom is full of tall white bookshelves filled with bolts of fabric. Still to be done....flooring for the hallway, convert the "gutted" bathroom to storage, and carpet the large back bedroom. I have a beautiful old bedroom set and my Gracie quilting set up for that room...... I listen to books on tape while I am working....OH, I AM SOOOO SPOILED BY ALL THIS!!!

VISIT MY STORE....

Ok...here it is...a direct link... click here and then let me know what you think... Etsy is the new, popular selling place. Ebay has raised fees so very much, that the little sellers, and creative people are looking for other places to display there wares. www.FABRICFROG.etsy.com

Come on....visit me there......

CHARM SQUARES

I have opened a store on etsy.com The name of my store is FABRICFROG

If you love fabric, super easy kits and all things country...visit my store. Here is a photo of a box with 100 five inch fabric squares...beautiful quilt shop quality fabric...go check it out...

We have been very busy at Frog Hill Farm...ice, snow, more ice and then more snow topped off with wind and sleet....OH JOY... I cannot wait for Spring......

Set up your sewing machine...and start a tote bag or throw with pretty flowers on it......

THIS HAS BEEN A LONG, COLD WINTER.....

We have several inches of snow on the ground...some melted, then turned to a crust of ice. The wind always blows at Frog Hill Farm, and when it gets going it drops the temp. 'way down. It has been below 0 for about a week. It is so hard on the animals. We carry their water out to them in 5 gallon buckets, because their pumps are frozen. We give the pig his feed, but the sheep sneek in and steal it. The poor roosters.....they broke their heat lamp one night, and by the morning, they had frostbite on their bright red combs.... Our chicken book says it is not painful to them...but it still looks sad.....

I am having problems with not going "cabin crazy".....OH, there is plenty to do here...always cooking and washing to do, and alot of fabric to play with....it's just that I cannot get out and drive around like I am used to......the cold, the ice, the wind, and the price of gas..... Well...I've just got to remember.....Spring cannot be far away.........

This is ANGUS the pot bellied pig. We adopted him two weeks ago. He has made a "pig nest" in the sheeps straw pile. He has a banana and a bowl of oats every morning...gotta watch his cholesterol, don't ya know! He grunts, and actually barks, and seems to laugh too. SOME PIG....

ONE COLD DAY.....

The wind blew all day, and we got about 4 or 5 inches of snow last night. The poor criters ...the chickens cannot go outside, must be contet to eat, drink, chase each other around and lay eggs. The sheep are still afraid of the pot bellied pig. He just eats their food, and laughs.....

The cat is the smart one...he stays inside, and sleeps on a heated blanket...Not spoiled much.....

Well, time for this ol' gal to go to bed......Stay warm..all y'all......

This is a raggy quilt, but can you see the difference? Instead of sewing an X in the center of each square, I sewed a SWIRL .... since one of the flannel fabrics features snowmen.....why not ??

This quilt took a little longer to make, because I did all the fringing by hand....clip, clip. clip..

All the fabrics are flannel, and in the middle of each square is a smaller square of batting....it is sooo warm and cuddlie.... One of my favorites....but the next one I make will be cut out with the Accucut machine....

If you want to learn alot about quilting and raggy quilting, you should check into some of the ebay quilting groups.... I'll just mention my favorites here...

RAG QUEEN QUILTERS RQQ

QUILTERS CORNER GROUP QCG

Quilters cottage

RAGGY QUILT QUILTERS

and AQWWG which stands for A QUILTING WE WILL GO. When you do your searching on ebay...try putting in one of these group names.... like ..... RQQ or QCG you will discover so many beautiful handmade things and wonderful fabrics...... go see........!

OTHER QUILTS ... still fast....and easy......

Here is another quilt that I made. Can you tell I love the fast and easy quilts? This one is made of strips of quilt shop quality fabric, featuring ducks. 100% cotton and cotton flannel, with a thin batting. I believe it took me longer to add the bias tape around the edge, than it did to make the whole quilt! If you love my quilts, you can visit my sales on ebay ...... just search for friday-frog to see what I am selling this week...You can be sure it is quick and easy !

VALENTINES QUILT ... so easy ...

I must admit, I enjoy cutting out the quilts more than sewing them. But, this Valentines quilt was so much fun to design and sew....that I may just have to sew up another one... I used red and pink valentines fabrics and flannels for the squares and vintage chenille bedspreads for the raggy hearts. I have a huge machine, which is called an Accucut Grand Mark, which I use to cut the squares and shapes. It's wonderful...It cuts the squares and fringes the edges all at once. All you have to do then.....is sew it together. You run it thru your washing machine and dryer....and TA DA..... it starts the ragging process. So..... what do you think??