Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Katie Wright!!!

Katie Wright (#5600) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a Beginner, Intermediate & Expert Level Aprons Merit Badge!

“I made several aprons from old pillowcases, decorated them with some old doilies, and made waistbands from patterned fabrics, matching some to the bottom of a few of the aprons.

I wear aprons in my kitchen whenever I am cooking or baking. I like the full aprons, but use the half aprons mostly for gifts.

The half aprons were very pretty and made simple, but special, gifts for several friends.

These are the types of aprons that I enjoy wearing. Maybe it is because I get flour all over when baking breads or making pies. I have made some special aprons for friends and family. Recently I helped my granddaughter, almost 13 years old, sew a full apron. I wore one of my aprons to her house, and we enjoyed an apron day, making her apron, wearing mine, looking at some of my others, and having lunch that her mom made for us.

Alorah’s apron turned out wonderful. My latest apron was fun to do, and I like the pattern. I also enjoy the print, which I purchased at our local quilt shop, The Hickory Stick, in downtown Hannibal. It is one of the 10 top quilt shops in the nation. Both aprons are nice, and I believe we will both enjoy them for years. It also built wonderful memories for us both.

My apron is not that frilly, and I do have some frillier ones, but the most recent apron I made has such a lovely print … it has aprons all over it. It makes it special to me, an apron lady. I also made one for a friend for a Christmas gift, so have not given it to her yet. As far as wearing it, I wore it to my family’s home today, 4/20/15, but I wore it to my knitting circle last week after finishing it. I told them I was working on my MaryJanesFarm merit badges.

The apron turned out well. I like the black bias tape on the edges, which make the fabric “pop” even more. I also like the fitted sides and back. It’s almost like a dress coverlet. I believe this apron will be worn lots. However, I do have some others I like just as well, simply made, but pretty prints. I even take my aprons, a few, in my camper to wear when cooking over the campfire.”

It’s here! Our first annual Farmgirl Jubilee. Farmgirls are celebrating far and wide by gathering together (in person or online); we’re going glamping; making Jubilee banners; and in some instances, spending a reverent day alone in the garden, in a hammock, or on a mountaintop.

Dream it! Make it! Bake it! Shake it! I’m sure more photos will be rolling in …

Here’s a sampling of the many banners:

ceejay

Sara

Here’s a sampling of the many aprons:

RedTractorGirl

marilyn

Hope you’re enjoying your Jubilee weekend thus far. I know I am.

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Linda Van Ausdell!!!

Linda Van Ausdell (Vanavista , #4347) has received a certificate of achievement in Outpost for earning a Beginner Level Speak for the Trees Merit Badge!

“I went to the Sandy Historical Museum and found an old tree book, then found a newer copy at the library. My husband and I own a tree farm, and by that I don’t mean Christmas trees. I can identify many different types of trees. My favorite trees are Cedars. They grow by streams and rivers. They consume up to 30 gallons of water a day. We also have Douglas Firs and Hemlocks.

I enjoy walking through our forests and looking at our trees, so this was a very enjoyable merit badge.”

The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 6,346 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—9,010 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! MJ 

For this week’s Stitching and Crafting/Sew Wonderful Beginner Level Merit Badge, I took advantage of the fact that I had been a human pincushion one too many times this month.

Eh?

I know, you’re not following. Perhaps that’s because you’ve never spilled an entire collection of straight pins into your entire collection of fabric?

Well, count yourselves lucky, my chickadees, because, well, darn it, I don’t recommend it. Ouch. There’s another one.

Sucking on my poor, Swiss-cheese fingers, and determining never to attempt acupuncture—at least not without a professional—I made up my mind to do something about this awful situation, and why not earn a badge? Seemed sensible. Yowch.

Time out to find the homemade first-aid kit …

All right, I’m back and more determined than ever. (And wearing thimbles on all 10 extremities).

I sorted through my bolts and squares and stacks of calico, gingham, toile, corduroy, denim, satin, flannel, and the like. In order to earn my Beginner Level Badge, I needed to make a sewing kit, complete with pinkeeper, to give to a friend.

You know what they say: Be your own best friend.

What? No one says that? That isn’t a quote? And I was going to embroider it on a pillow.

Well, fine, I’ll simply make two, because I have the puncture wounds to prove I need a little organization as well. Ow.

I decided there was no need to shop to earn this badge. Not with all the lovely things I have lying about my home. Upcycling is the name of game with this farmgirl these days. Why, I hardly remember what the siren call of the mall sounds like, now that I’ve turned over a new (organic) leaf. (Okay, okay, I do occasionally answer the siren call of the Pretzel Palace, which is inside the mall, but hey … I’m only human).

I found two sweet baskets left over from my basketry-making season, and they were a perfect fit for the following:

• A few adorable fabric squares (perfect for quilting)
• Several different shades of threads, both for machines and for hand embroidery
• Straight pins (since evidently I own approximately eleventy-seven thousand)
• Safety pins (oh, how I love them … and am considering switching to them for all my pinning needs)
• A handful of buttons
• A fabric pen
• A small embroidery hoop
• Scissors

To top it all off, I put together two rather charming pincushions. One is the old-fashioned, stuffed-strawberry type. You know the one: made of red felt and stuffed plump, it’s extra endearing with the white-tipped pins. The other, I got fancier with: it’s a blue satin dolphin. Well, it was supposed to be a blue satin dolphin, but it turned out more like a cheerful and overfed flounder. Either way, it’s cute. Until I started poking him with pins, and then I felt terrible. Like a flounder killer. I should have stayed with strawberries.

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Lynette McPherson!!!

Lynette McPherson (#6300) has received a certificate of achievement in Cleaning Up for earning a Beginner Level Shopping Green Merit Badge!

“I reclaimed 3 pairs of my husband’s work jeans, made 3 garden aprons and 6 shopping bags.

This worked amazingly well! Not only did I use all of the jeans, but I cut off the belt loops, labels, and other smaller pockets for use in future projects. The reusable bags were made by opening the seam on the legs of the pants, sewing back together, adding a bottom, and cutting along the inseam for the handles.”

The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 6,346 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—9,010 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! MJ 

For this week’s Outpost/Pampered Pets Intermediate Level Merit Badge, I took my love for Mr. Darcy even further.

Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley. London: George Allen, 1894, via Wikimedia Commons.

No, not that Mr. Darcy, though I do love him, too. But no, it’s my Labradoodle, Mr. Darcy, who keeps my feet warm at night and who keeps my hearth and home protected (from slightly gusty evenings, small birds, the ringing of the doorbell, and postal carriers).

Photo by Searchtempo via Wikimedia Commons

After switching from his usual old, dry dog food—loaded with animal by-products, soy, grains, GMO corn, and enough additives to stop a train, so to speak—and supplementing with all-natural concoctions of my own, my furry friend was happy, healthy, glossy, full of energy, and (dare I say it) not making visitors’ eyes water with the strength of his manly flatulence.

And all the people said Amen.

Anyway, I wanted to share some of my favorite finds and recipes with my fellow pet-loving pals and earn my Intermediate Level badge to boot, so I got cracking with filling some gift baskets. I just know that my animal-adoring acquaintances will love all of these almost as much as their pooches, kitties, and pot-bellied piggies will!

Buckwheat and Mint Doggy Biscuits

1½ cups buckwheat flour
4 T fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 T fresh mint, finely chopped
2 T olive oil
1 T pure honey
1 egg, beaten
1-3 t water

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, stir buckwheat flour, parsley, and mint together until combined. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil and honey; pour into the flour and stir. Add egg and stir until well combined. Knead dough with hands to thoroughly mix the ingredients together. Add 1 t of water at a time to help the dough come together. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out to approx. ¼” thick. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutter. Bake for 15 minutes. Store biscuits in an airtight container in the fridge to keep fresh.

DIY Flea and Tick Spray

20 drops essential lemongrass oil and 20 drops essential eucalyptus oil
4 oz water

Combine in a spray bottle and shake well. Works well for people and horses, too!

Oatmeal Cinnamon Bun Pet Shampoo

1 cup oatmeal
½ cup baking soda
1 T cinnamon
1 qt warm water

Pulse oats in food processor until they’re a flour-like consistency. Stir in soda and cinnamon. Mix in water.

Dry Shampoo for Smelly Pooches

Mix one box baking soda with several drops of your favorite essential oil. Shake well. Apply liberally to Fido and brush through coat. Much better!

Pet Ear Wash Solution

Combine equal parts water and witch hazel (or apple cider vinegar), a little melted coconut oil, and a few drops of tea tree oil in a squirt bottle. Cleans pet’s ears, wards off infections, washes out foxtails, and makes them smell better, too.

Homemade Doggy Toothpaste

• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 1 t cinnamon
• 1 t organic chicken or beef bouillon granules
• 3 T baking soda
• 6-7 mint leaves

Combine in food processor; store in fridge.

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Sara Knight!!!

Sara Knight (YellowRose, #6034) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a Beginner Level Aprons Merit Badge!

“I chose the clothespin apron pattern that was posted on The Farmgirl Connection for the Jubilee. I used two fabrics from MaryJane’s Milk Cow collection.

I hadn’t sewed on a machine for 30 years, but it all came back to me. The pattern was easy. I am pleased with how the apron turned out.”