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Hello Farmgirl friends! Did you receive your latest MaryJanesFarm magazine and devour it yet? If so, how excited were you to read the articles on quilting? I absolutely loved the short story on page 23 titled The Gift of Quilting as it reminded me what a gift quilting has been to me as well.
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is a certified farmgirl at heart. She’s happily married to her beach bum Yankee husband of 20 years. She went from career gal to being a creative homeschooling mom for two of her biggest blessings and hasn’t looked back since. Debbie left her lifelong home in the high desert of Northern Nevada 10 years ago and washed up on the shore of America’s hometown, Plymouth, MA, where she and her family are now firmly planted. They spend part of each summer in a tiny, off–grid beach cottage named “The Sea Horse.”
“I found a piece of my farmgirl heart when I discovered MaryJanesFarm. Suddenly, everything I loved just made more sense! I enjoy unwinding at the beach, writing, gardening, and turning yard-sale furniture into ‘Painted Ladies’ I’m passionate about living a creative life and encouraging others to ‘make each day their masterpiece.’”
is a “MaryJane Farmgirl” who lives in a large metropolitan area. She is a lawyer who has worked in both criminal defense and prosecution. She has been a judge, a business woman and a stay-at-home mom. In addition to her law degree, she has a Masters of Theological Studies.
“Mustering up the courage to do the things you dream about,” she says, “is the essence of being a MaryJane Farmgirl.” Learning to live more organically and closer to nature is Rebekah’s current pursuit. She finds strength and encouragement through MaryJane’s writings, life, and products. And MaryJane’s Farmgirl Connection provides her a wealth of knowledge from true-blue farmgirls.
an old-fashioned farmgirl with a pioneer spirit, lives in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. As a “lifelong learner” in the “Live-Free-or-Die” state, she fiercely values self-reliance, independence, freedom, and fresh mountain air. Married to her childhood sweetheart of 40+ years (a few of them “uphill climbs”), she’s had plenty of time to reinvent herself. From museum curator, restaurant owner, homeschool mom/conference speaker, to post-and-beam house builder and entrepreneur, she’s also a multi-media artist, with an obsession for off-grid living and alternative housing. Cathi owns and operates a 32-room mountain lodge. Her specialty has evolved to include “hermit hospitality” at her rustic cabin in the mountains, where she offers weekend workshops of special interest to women.
“Mountains speak to my soul, and farming is an important part of my heritage. I want to pass on my love of these things to others through my writing. Living in the mountains has its own particular challenges, but I delight in turning them into opportunities from which we can all learn and grow.”
Dori Troutman is the daughter of second generation cattle ranchers in New Mexico. She grew up working and playing on the ranch that her grandparents homesteaded in 1928. That ranch, with the old adobe home, is still in the family today. Dori and her husband always yearned for a ranch of their own. That dream came true when they retired to the beautiful green rolling hills of Tennessee. Truly a cattleman’s paradise!
Dori loves all things farmgirl and actually has known no other life but that. She loves to cook, craft, garden, and help with any and all things on their cattle farm.
describes herself as a goat charmer, chicken whisperer, bee maven, and farmers’ market baker renovating an 1864 farmhouse on an Ohio farm. With a degree in Design, Mary says small-town auctions and country road barn sales "always make my heart skip a beat thinking about what I could create or design out of what I’ve seen.”
Rooted in the countryside, she likes simple things and old ways … gardening, preserving the harvest, cooking, baking, and all things home. While you might find her selling baked goods from the farm’s milkhouse, teaching herself to play the fiddle, or sprucing up a vintage camper named Maizy, you will always find her in an apron!
Mary says, “I’m happiest with the simple country pleasures … an old farmhouse, too many animals, a crackling fire, books to read, and the sound of laughter … these make life just perfect.”
is a budding rural farmgirl living in Palmer, the agricultural seat of Alaska. Alex is a graduate student at Alaska Pacific University pursuing an M.S. in Outdoor and Environmental Education. She lives and works on the university’s 700 acre environmental education center, Spring Creek Farm. When Alex has time outside of school, she loves to rock climb, repurpose found objects, cross-country ski on the hay fields, travel, practice yoga, and cook with new-fangled ingredients.
Alex grew up near the Twin Cities and went to college in Madison, Wisconsin—both places where perfectly painted barns and rolling green farmland are just a short drive away. After college, she taught at a rural middle school in South Korea where she biked past verdant rice paddies and old women selling home-grown produce from sidewalk stoops. She was introduced to MaryJanesFarm after returning, and found in it what she’d been searching for—a group of incredible women living their lives in ways that benefit their families, their communities, and the greater environment. What an amazing group of farmgirls to be a part of!
Suburban Farmgirl Nicole Christensen calls herself a “vintage enthusiast”. Born and raised in Texas, she has lived most of her life in the picturesque New England suburbs of Connecticut, just a stone’s throw from New York State. An Advanced Master Gardener, she has gardened since childhood, in several states and across numerous planting zones. In addition, she teaches knitting classes, loves to preserve, and raises backyard chickens.
Married over thirty years to her Danish-born sweetheart, Nicole has worked in various fields, been a world-traveler, an entrepreneur and a homemaker, but considers being mom to her now-adult daughter her greatest accomplishment. Loving all things creative, Nicole considers her life’s motto to be “Bloom where you are planted”.
This quilt is absolutely gorgeous!!! I have always wanted a handmade quilt and I really want to learn to make one as well. There is nothing more special than receiving a handmade quilt!
quilting is surely a gift and a blessing. The project can be small or massive. And just love selecting fabrics, or pulling scraps together.
As a quilter in New Mexico originally from Tennessee, I loved reading this. Your quilt is beautiful, and Bonita is blessed. I love the label you made as well—so vintage and pretty!
Dori, your comfort quilt is Amazing and so Beautiful, the fabric you chose just perfect!
Thank you for sharing your friendship story and quilt with us.
Hugs,
Debbie
What a beautiful quilt, and a lovely friendship. Your creativity always inspires me. I’m so glad your blog posts have reappeared in my inbox! Not sure why they stopped, but I really missed them and I’m glad they’re back.
Beautiful sentiments and equally Beautiful Quilt!
I love quilts! I have the ones that my mother made and some from my grandmother. She used to save feedbacks that were pretty and made dresses for me as a child I look at the material and remember some of the ones used that I wore. They made beautiful quilts and it brings back memories. I have made one quilt and I plan to make more. Your story about your quilt is so inspiring. I think of the people in nursing homes and hope to make some for some of my friends who are so loved by me and I hope I can do some for them. Thanks for your sharing your stories.
Beautiful quilt, Dori!
Beautiful gift quilt with sentiments for a dear friend !
What a gorgeous quilt you have made for your dear friend! I love the idea of using a vintage sheet for the backing. My son and his family live in a southern state and they don’t need heavy quilts, so this idea is perfect. I also like to pick up vintage hand embroidered pieces at thrift stores and your idea of using a piece as a label is beautiful. Love everything about your quilt!
Dori, your quilt is absolutely beautiful. I’ve been quilting for approximately 40+ years. I love your choice of fabrics. The blue floral design is very warm and happy. Bonnita is very lucky to have you as a special friend. The words in your note make a heart dance. Thank you for sharing and I wish you both many more years of friendship.