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I’ve been known to bite off more than I can chew and say yes to things when really I should’ve said no. Do you ever do that? So the last few years I’ve really tried to weigh my yes’s carefully!
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Debbie Bosworth
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.’”
Rebekah Teal
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.
Cathi Belcher
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
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.
Mary Murray
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.”
Alexandra Wilson
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!
Nicole Christensen
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”.
Oh my goodness! That’s so cool! And her fabrics are beautiful! Bless your heart on your knee surgery, I am so happy you have great help! You are indeed blessed!
Hi Ramona,
Thank you! And yes… Jera’s fabrics are so gorgeous!
~ Dori ~
THANK YOU! can’t wait to see the notecards and put them to use. You are such an inspiration to us fellow “farmgirls”.
Hey Mary… did you get my email??? Would you email me your mailing address please so I can get your cards in the mail for you?!
Thank you!!!
~ Dori ~
Saying “Yes” to myself! I teach origami besides just folding paper for fun and gift-giving. We have a beautiful local library now and it’s a large enough venue for several folks to come and present a craft or music lessons or for needlework groups and so on to meet regularly. I’m friends with the adult activities librarian who had been bugging me to schedule some classes. After a few years I finally made up my mind to schedule monthly paper folding sessions and I’m so glad I did. Besides introducing others to origami, I get the fulfilling enjoyment of teaching even though it means putting in the time for preparation and thinking through the whole teaching process. Love the quilts and the bag – they all look so yummy!
Margaret,
I have NEVER learned the art of paper folding and I’m so envious the people that do it. I wish I could take one of your classes. What an awesome thing you are doing!!!
~ Dori ~
I love Jeri’s fabric’s! I have bought them in precuts!
My ‘Yes’ moment was this summer when my grown son , who took off from work for a year because of cancer treatments, came up to our mountain cabin to spend several weeks with us and ask if I wanted to go on a all day hike. I thought I could at 72 years old so said yes!! We ended up doing three different all day hikes and what sweet memories with my oldest child. (Husband had back surgery and could not make the hikes).
I made the son a large quilt in between his visits to surprise him.
I love your bag, I also love making bags, most of my purse’s are made by me.
Love your sewing projects!
Dear Cheryl,
That brought tears to my eyes. What a beautiful memory. So thankful you had those times with your son. I hope he is doing well now?
Hugs,
~ Dori ~
Dori, you have an amazing talent and beautiful eye for color and pattern! How exciting for it to be featured at such prestigious events!
One thing I’ve said yes to this year is being healthy. It was a hard yes because it takes so much work and dedication as you know. It’s been wonderful to FEEL and SEE the benefits from that YES. The unexpected part of that yes are the special friends I’ve made along the way, and I treasure them so much.
Oh Kim,
I agree to the saying YES to being fit and healthy; the best yes ever. And I am so very, very, VERY thankful that you are one of the friends I’ve met along the way that encouraged me so hugely. Loads of love sweet friend.
~ Dori ~
My friend: first I am so in love with these fabrics!!! ALMOST it makes me want to do some sewing, quilting or fabric crafting!!
Something I have said “Yes!” to recently is to a six week “62Success” FB group, geared to being motivated to think more positive about oneself & to make healthier choices. I have gotten so down & negative about myself since being diagnosed with a degenerative back condition that I really needed some incentive to boost myself back into a positive mind frame. Hoping it works for me!! I don’t have a problem with being upbeat & an encouragement to others but turning the same inward is sure a struggle for me.
Dori,
You are a farmgirl of many talents! I love following your sewing projects and I especially enjoyed your article in MaryJanesFarm in the most recent issue, Stitching with Dori!
I am a fan of saying YES to things that will teach me new things and allow me to contribute to the happiness and success of others. These are my guideposts for if I say Yes or No.
Every wedding I create flowers for feels like more than I can handle, but I love the challenge and I love being a part of each couples memories. I must admit, many of the “Yes’s I answer to are of my own creating but that’s fun and challenging, too!
Thank you for your inspiration!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Deb
Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful work with us! I have said yes to my own little home this year and although it is a bit scary am excited to have a place to grow my own food and decorate to my heart’s content.
Omy! I have been SO INSPIRED by reading your blog and seeing the gorgeous mini quilt and bag!! Holy smokes what a fantastic gift you have! The materials are so beautiful as well! Loved reading this! Hope you heal quickly!!
Hi Dori,
Your designs and your quilting are so beautiful!! I love the close up shots of the details….love is in the details, you know!! A friend asked me to take a 2 day cold process soap making class recently. I hesitated because it was taking a whole weekend and I would have rather done just one day. Well, the instructor was delightful, super organized, and informative…and fun!! It was a small class of 4 women and we had a great time!! Glad I said yes!! Home made soap for Christmas!! Happy healing!
Thanks for sharing, Dori
I said yes to a greenhouse this year. I really didn’t know how I was going to get the area ready, the holes dug, posts poured, constructed etc. This is no ordinary greenhouse, but a used 24×70’ giant greenhouse.
I managed to get it done and now I’m so excited to start planting !
I am a fabric fiend. I don’t sew, but I can’t resist a good fabric to put on the shelf and admire as art. Jara’s fabrics are beautiful, especially the Woodland Rose, and what you have done with them makes my heart and eyes sing! It is good to hear that you are recovering well; soon you will be running down the hill. That travel bag is wonderful, as well as the quilt. I don’t travel any more, but I do like a good bag. Keep up the good work, and thanks for sharing with us.
I am so glad I said YES to being Granny Nanny to our daughters two girls in the Willamette Valley, Oregon. It means I can also spend time with our son’s 2 gurls who live just down the street. Ages: Almost 7, 6, 4, 3 years old. Sweet times!
You are so talented. I love seeing all of your projects. You inspire me. 🙂 I said yes this year to coming to stay and help take care of my 4yr old grandson while my daughter in love went through some treatments, what has turned into now being here 6mos, while my sweet husband is at home in NC. However we are glad we said yes to sending me, as she is doing great and my grandson makes his Nonnie’s day everyday..I write this now in my camper where I am living while staying here, with him beside me, watching his movie…he loves camping with Nonnie. Ha. 🙂
The mini quilt is beyond gorgeous. The fabrics are terrific but your design absolutely makes it pop. Thanks for sharing. Praying for quick recovery for your knee.
You are so talented, Dori! What beautiful visions you have brought to reality. Thanks for sharing. And how sweet is Jillian? How lucky for the both of you to have the experience. I’ve had a yearning to go take care of my grandpa lately, too. I hope your recovery continues to be optimistic and that you get more time to be creative while you are on the mend. Sending love from AK!
Alex
May God heal you quickly. Bless you and your family. I enjoy your posts immensely!
Dori I love the bag you made. It is absolutely beautiful. All the fabrics are, but your design of the overly large bag is magnificent. I am finally in my home after waiting 3 years for it to be done; which it isn’t completely, but I moved in anyway. I wanted to have my birthday and Thanksgiving dinner combination here and I accomplished it even though it was very tiring for a 74 year old. There were 11 of us, friends, family and neighbors who helped me celebrate. I would do it again just for the pleasure of having the people join me in my joy of life.
What lovely quilts you made. The dress is beautiful as is the bag. The fabrics are lovely. You are so talented. Hope your knee is better. Jillian is a beautiful young lady. Wishing you and yours a Blessed Christmas and a happy,Healthy and Peaceful 2019.
Marilyn and Family
I love the mini quilt you made. Do you have the pattern available to sell. I always enjoy reading your blog. I feel like I’m sitting down with a good friend when I read it.