Creativity Returns! (I think)

While still pretty cold, the sun is out, and it's been gorgeous for a couple of days! How lucky are we to have some real sunny days in mid-winter?!! I think that the sun has nudged my creativity a bit, so today, I drew up two patterns. One is for a fellow hooker in my group, and one I'm going to start on today. I am considering doing a local flea market to get my name out there as a fiber artist and teacher. I'll hook up a few chair pads and a couple of table runners to do with some rugs I already have, then have a dyeing weekend!! I swear, I really feel it when I don't hook for a while. It's like something's missing!The wool on the upper right is the background (kind of a prim springy green), the blue solid and plaid is for the bird, and the two on the bottom right is for letters (lighter color) and underneath the birds feet (the dark brown). The colors will show up better once it's hooked up and I have it on a white background.

Changing the subject, I might be heading to my parents house at the end of the week, and I'm quite excited! My parents and sis and her family all live in Arkansas, so I don't get to visit as often as I'd like. Well, hubby has worked some magic, and I may be able to hitch a ride down on a small private jet heading to the Little Rock airport for some kind of inspection. All I'll need is a ticket back, and it's a go!! I'm very excited to see my family, but I hear there's a great hooking shop in Hot Springs that I'd love to visit. They have hooking camps there every year, and I've heard great things about the artists. If anybody has any scoop on it, let me know!!

Zero Degrees?! I mean seriously!!

I absolutely cannot believe how freakin' cold it is today!! Weather.com says it's 14 degrees but feels like zero! The wind is whipping around the snow, and my loverly daughter is scheduled to go snowboarding after school! Jess joined the ski/snowboard club at her high school again, and just let me know that they are still going tonight. I'm not too happy about it, but can't seem to talk (bribe) her out of going so she doesn't get frostbite on the mountain. I really am at a loss to explain why these teachers don't call this stuff off when the weatherman says it's even too cold to let kids stand out at bus stops for very long.

Anyway, with that rant over, I've heard from the ladies in my hooking group, and it looks like a near full house for the hook-in next Thursday! One of the ladies has recently found out she is going to be a grandma, and is itching to do a rug to commemorate the occasion. Someone else also said they were interested in learning how to do needle punch. It's going to be a fun night!! After my next round of classes starts, our group just might grow a bit bigger, I hope! It's great fun to be able to get together with people who are interested in the same types of crafts you are, and just chat, nibble on goodies, and have a glass (or two) of wine!!

I'm off to try to contact the high school again to see if they really are planning on going to the mountain today *sigh*

Stay warm and be creative!!
Naomi

SNOW!

Ok, so a bit more snow, and luckily nowhere near what the original forecast, thank goodness! The kids lucked out with an early dismissal, and I baked a bit. A bit pot of chili for dinner and chocolate frosted brownies for dessert. Yep, my butt is growing just thinking about the pan of leftovers!

I did work on my sampler a bit last night. I also worked up the pattern for my Pennsylvania friend, and picked out some wool. I'm still not itching to hook, and would really like to finish the sampler. Here's a stock picture of it, and when I finish mine, I'll post a picture of it. I have missed cross-stitching, but I figure once it's finished, I'll be ready to hook up a spring rug.

Speaking of hooking, it looks like a hook-in is in the works for the 13th! A few have rsvp'd, but I figure whoever shows up, then great! My next round of classes starts on February 24, and I'm hoping for another full house. I'm also going to throw in an hour lesson on punch needle if there's time. I've tried out three different types of needles, like two, and HATE one! The one that I hate just doesn't work on so many different levels. It's very difficult to thread, and once I got it threaded, the needle portion would bend to one side or the other and not want to go into the material. Maybe tomorrow I'll drop in a little post about needle punch and a quickie review of the needles I've tried. If you are a floss collector (like many cross-stitchers, embroiderers, and quilters) this is a neat new craft for you!

Well, it's off to drop some laundry in and start on the sampler. I'll stitch til about 10:00am then start cleaning up our spare room for an office/guest room.

Do something to make you happy today!!
Naomi

The Winter Blues!

This winter has really blindsided me! I'm usually a snow gal, ready to bake and crock pot with the best of 'em on snowy days, and get outside for walks as soon as it's possible. Not this year. I'm in hibernation mode and my crafty imagination is tough to muster up! Since I'm not one to wallow for long, I'm taking a very proactive approach to this nonsense! lol We are looking at another stormy Tuesday/Wednesday, and I've stocked up on goodies for the day in, and I've already strapped on my snow boots and headed outside. I hate feeling blah when there really is so much to be happy about. I believe that looking at things from a positive view is very much a choice, and I've just got to "reprogram" myself this week!!

On the rug hooking front, I've managed to finish one pretty big rug/wall hanging, and even got out an unfinished cross-stitch project. I've got a ton of bare walls in our newly decorated guest room, and this reproduction sampler will look great when it's finished and framed. The current rug is quite the primitive valentine type, but would look great hanging year round.
It measures 21"tall by 15" wide, and is bound on the back with strips of the same wool as the background. It was on Ebay twice, but no bids. On the positive side, it's going to look great hanging from the inside of my armoir door in the living room!

I also sold my first pattern to a rug hooker in Virginia, and I really hope she enjoys hooking it. I am planning on offering more patterns here and at my Etsy shop, but I'm waiting on a monks cloth order to come in. For me, monks cloth is the easiest backing to use that doesn't cost an arm and a leg! Scottish linen is dreamy, but a bit beyond my budget.

Now I'm off to draw a pattern for a friend, collect a bit of wool for her, and get it into the mail. I'm also going to get in touch with my hooker friends here in town and try to get all of us together for some hooking finally! Time to shake the winter blues and get creative!!!

Sending out creative vibes to you!!
Naomi