Raven's Gate Primitives

Happy 2012!

2012-01-02T08:56:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! Ok, I'm a day late, but yesterday was filled with putting away Christmas and cleaning. We had a great celebration at our friends, the Neals, then headed home so hubby could sleep for a few hours then head to work.

Our 2012 is going to be a year of changes. Hubby's job is doing a weird flip flop, which could have been pretty devastating, but because of his hard work, is going to be pretty great! I can't really say more than that because the whole situation is a bit hush hush. Let's just leave it at I'm married to a great guy that has been working for the past 17 years to do what he's doing now....he just didn't know it...lol I'm sure as the year progresses, I will be able to tell a bit more.

I'm not good at resolutions, but this year, I would like to hook more and get a lot better at my spinning! I also have a "secret" resolution which is something I've been wanting to do for a few years. After a tarot reading I had in December, I am really going to knuckle down and go for it. I do believe if something is talked about a lot, it loses its power, so this is something I'm going to just do, and talk about later..lol

I'm planning on more rug pictures this year for my blog, and have been loading up in Pinterest board with ideas!

Today.....

2011-09-11T10:45:00.003-04:00

Today is a beautiful sunny day....very much like this same day 10 years ago. Aaron and I were watching the Today show at 8:46am eastern time when the world changed. Aaron, who works in the aviation industry, knew it wasn't an accident. I held onto the belief that that's exactly what it was, and not what was feared. All denial fled at 9:03am.

We watched for about another hour, all the time debating whether to pull our kids out of school. We decided to leave them where they were and headed into town. We live in a relatively small town in Connecticut, so finding the streets virtually empty and quiet was not so odd. I went into our bank and while business was happening, people spoke in whispers, as if saying anything out loud would make it too real.

The next weekend I went with some friends to a renaissance faire in Tuxedo Park, NY. As we crossed the Tappan Zee bridge, the traffic was at a crawl. On clear days, you can see the New York city skyline, and it's an awesome sight. That Saturday, it was all clear except for the smoke still pouring from Ground Zero. Nobody honked, nobody yelled at the others to "get a move on", we all just looked. Again, it was made real.

I watched the tributes on tv today, so wrapped up in the scenes from ten years ago, it almost felt like it was happening in the present. Today is a day to remember....remember the heroes that are the first responders....remember the people lost in the World Trade Center towers....remember the families. While it is a difficult thing to do, don't think about hate for who did this. They don't deserve a second of our time today. September 11 should be a day reserved for love, respect, and pride.

Decompressing

2011-09-02T09:46:00.004-04:00

While I should've been busy stitching and hooking for the Harvest Moon Festival last night, hubby came home with the idea to take the kayaks out. I agreed immediately and off we went!! His job is stressful, and he usually de-stresses by taking out his boat. Unfortunately, the water was about eight feet too low for a propeller, so it was paddle power time!

This is coming down the channel and into Lake Lilinoah.

After the hurricane, everything from the shore headed out into open water. This is a huge tree trunk that looked just like a submarine floating through the water.
Here's hubby (Aaron) giving what we call the "Andrew" pose...lol

That rock is what Aaron calls "Deadman's Island". We took our nephew to see it, and at the time, he was swimming around it and we saw a little family of snakes...it's now high and dry.

On our way in. What a beautiful way to end the float!

This weekend will be all hooking and sewing!

Bring it on Irene!

2011-08-26T21:19:00.005-04:00

So the pantry has been stocked, chainsaw bought, cars gassed, water bought, my boy is home from Alaska, and our daughter .....we're ready for ya Irene!!! The chainsaw was a last minute addition....let's hope we don't have to use it!

I have two projects on the frame so I'll be plenty busy. It's two more Nook covers, and I really like them. Here's a picture of the first one. I'll take a picture of the second one when I start working on it.

I love sock monkeys!

Two finished products....not perfect but a lot closer than the first tries!

Last but not least....pictures of Andrew back from Alaska and Jess heading to her first day of college.

Keeping an eye out for flying monkeys!

2011-08-25T20:33:00.004-04:00

So....some nasty weather is headed our way! Hurricane Irene has decided to make a visit and we're ramping up for the possibility of losing power for an entire week, not to mention 100 mile an hour winds and up to ten inches of rain! Guess that means hooking will be limited to daylight hours only...Oh yeah, and bailing water out of the unfinished side of the basement! Wish us luck!!

Movers and Shakers

2011-08-23T20:42:00.002-04:00

We had some excitement on the east coast today in the form of an earthquake! Luckily nobody was hurt, but there was quite a bit of property damage especially in Virginia and Washington DC. It was felt here in Connecticut, especially in the tall buildings.

Now we just have to cross our fingers that Hurricane Irene heads out to sea before the weekend!!

What I've been working on!

2011-08-16T21:26:00.006-04:00

The annual Harvest Moon Festival is coming up in September and I've decided to take a table yet again! This is a small fair that is held by our local Boy Scout troop every September, and I've vended for the past two years without much luck. This year I'm sharing a table with one of my neighbors, so I've been working on some things to bring. I came up with an idea of making hooked e-reader and iPad holders, and since I'm not a seamstress, it took quite a bit of trial and error! (oh, and getting another neighbor to help out with the sewing part..lol) I have three fails, and finally hit a good prototype on number four.

I hooked a simple flower and grabbed some scrap material. Everything's much darker than it looks in the picture and this is without the flash! There is some tweaking needed, and I've got two more hooked pieces on the frame ready to sew.

I need a top that will fold over and somehow latch closed, maybe a look over a fabric or wooden covered button. These will fit a Nook, and once I've got the pattern down, I'll start on a few for a Kindle and iPad.

I need a vacation from my vacation!

2011-07-03T22:15:00.010-04:00

So I took my two weeks of vacation and proceeded to run myself ragged until the last three days! Our daughter, Jessica graduated from high school, so we had mucho family visiting from Arkansas, a huge grad party for Jess as well as JD, Andrew's g/f Tricia's brother. We have been lucky enough to become very good friends with Tricia's family since she and Andrew started dating, so since we combined Andrew and Tricia's grad party five years ago, it only made sense to combine Jess and JD's grad party. We got a Little Mermaid bouncy house as well as sumo wrestling suits, which were LOVED, and there's was a ton of food! Here's a few pictures from the party. I have to start collecting pictures from everybody else because I was too busy to take many.

This is hubby Aaron in the bouncy house with his sister Brenda. She came down from Maine to celebrate with us.

Jess in the sumo suit daring one our younger partiers to wrestle her! She was successful in getting her into the suit, but then was out-wrestled!

Our favorite gal Tricia creating the ever favorite bean dip. She dove right in and helped from start to finish. I don't think the party would've been as much fun without her!!

Our son Andrew (who is also Tricia's boyfriend) , had left the day before the party for a job in Alaska. He was originally accepted for a job on the slime line (that's where they gut and clean the salmon) at a fishery on Petersburg Island. Once he went through orientation, the freezer crew manager took him aside and asked if he'd rather work in the freezers. Andrew jumped at the chance, and it really sounds like he's in his element. The day he left had a bunch of us crying a bit, but we all knew it was something he had to do, and he'll be back in a few months....unless he gets a job on a fishing boat in Alaska! I told Tricia she will need to start buying cold weather clothes soon!! :o)

I did get a chance to start a new rug, and got everything but the background hooked.

This is a shot without the flash. The flash made the colors look almost neon (lol) and they really are quite primitive. I'm debating about adding large yellow squash on the very right, but might just leave it as is. Tomorrow, I'm going to work on something I've had percolating for a few weeks. If it works, I'll let ya know, if it doesn't, then mum's the word...lol. I will get back to work on the horn of plenty in the picture above to get the background hooked some time next week if I survive going back to work...*sigh*.

Now it's off to watch a bit of tv, then to bed. Because Aaron and I are kid-less we are off the hook for any fireworks! While I really like fireworks, I hate the going home traffic, so we're just chilling at home...yeah!!

Tired of traveling!

2011-06-15T20:26:00.005-04:00

Vacation is on the horizon! In the last two weeks I was in Ohio, then Texas for work, and I am quite ready to be home for a while. We really thought we saw the end of the work list when the hot water heater decided to give up the ghost. 50 gallons of water in our basement soaking into the rug and pad underneath. Poor Aaron spent the better part of the week and weekend replacing the water heater then drying out the rug/pad. He is such a worker....I would've given up by then...lol

I am itching to start a new rug, but there just isn't enough time. I still have four more afghans to knit up in the next month or so, and Jess's graduation to get through. Here's a few pictures of the downstairs spare room and my rug display, and hopefully I will have a couple more to add during the summer.

Home DIY Project(s)

2011-05-15T23:43:00.002-04:00

So, our floors are finished and I'm absolutely in love with them! Of course, my camera is deader 'n a doornail, so pictures will come tomorrow after work. I even hung up most of my rugs in our spare room, and they look pretty good.

Next are both bathrooms (paint and some redecorating), cleaning out the basement, then setting up the guest room. Of course, in between all of that, I have at least two and possibly four trips for work coming up before Jess's graduation and her prom. *sigh* I'm ready for my vacation time!!

So pics tomorrow and off on a work trip on Tuesday!

Grenfell Mission rugs on Antiques RoadShow

2011-05-09T20:41:00.002-04:00

I'm a huge fan of Antiques Roadshow, and just love hearing about the different items as well as seeing people's faces when they're told how much things are worth. Tonight, in Billings, MT, there was a lady that had brought in a Grenfell mission rug, and this is the second Grenfell rug that I've seen on the show. The appraiser, both times, has said the rugs were "woven". These rugs were NOT woven, but are actually hooked with stockings that were dyed to beautiful soft colors. I'm not quite sure where he gets the idea that the rugs are woven, and he even said that kits were given out to the residents to create the rugs. How would someone "weave" a rug without a loom? They wouldn't, they would HOOK the rugs and sell them for extra income.

Ok, got that off my chest...it has been bugging me since the first rug he appraised...lol

Our Ranger

2011-04-18T16:43:00.003-04:00

Our sweet dog Ranger has gone on to heaven. He was 15 years old, and up until just recently, still had times when he would act like a puppy. Even with all the work and responsibility that goes along with owning a pet, he brought more joy to our family than I could ever imagine. Our vet is wonderful, and made the end process much easier and brought us much comfort.

We still have our Coco (lhapso apso), and two cats, Zeke and Lily, so our house is still full of animal chaos, but Ranger was the dog that grew up with the kids. He will be missed.

A Primitive Place Magazine Giveaway!

2011-03-26T19:03:00.002-04:00

Hey everybody....head on over to http://aprimitiveplacemagazine.blogspot.com/2011/03/spring-giveaway.html to register for a beautiful basket giveaway!

Work to do before boating season!

2011-02-20T13:52:00.007-05:00

This winter hubby and I decided it was time to replace the floors on the first floor of our house. Our dream has always been wood floors, so we dove right in....we meaning he does the hard work and I stay out of his way! I'm helpful like that. We picked amber bamboo floor and have planned on doing a room at a time starting with the bedroom. With that finished, a new bed all set up, and the walls are still bare...filling the wall are my job..lol Here's a picture of the floors and I have to say I'm really happy with our choice!

The living room is next, and right now is a complete shambles!

The walls will be a lighter color and the floor is the same as the bedroom, so I'm pretty excited about it getting all done. Tomorrow I leave for a work trip so hopefully the painting will be done and the floor started by the time I get home.

On the crafty front, I've been knitting afghans for presents. I have six to do and they have to be done by June....once they've been gifted, I'll put up pictures of the afghans and the "giftees"...lol I'm sure they don't have a clue about my blog, but I don't want to take any chances. I have also drawn up an easter rug that I need to start hooking.

I could only fit the main pattern in the picture...it's a rectangle with a simple border and I'm planning on prim pastel colors. Prim to me, has always meant dark colors, but I'm trying to break out of my "color box"...lol I'll post pictures as I get it hooked.

Back to NASCAR and the Indy 500....always makes me hook faster...lol

Antique Treasures

2011-02-02T18:22:00.007-05:00

We have had a few good weather days in between our snow storms, and I grabbed one to head out to a local antique store. Seymour Antiques is a huge building with three stories of antique heaven! Two Saturdays ago, I dropped our daughter off at work and headed out for a few hours of shopping therapy....it's a great cure for cabin fever!

I wish I had thought of taking pictures of the little vignettes throughout the shop, but as soon as I saw a beautiful spinning wheel, I was done. Usually when I see something I just HAVE TO HAVE, I will walk around looking at everything else, and if I am still thinking about it before I leave, then it's meant to be mine. Of course, the spinning wheel had to be mine! I'm not sure if it actually works, but my spinning teacher has offered to take a look at it when the snows stop and everybody's driveways are safe to drive again...lol

Here she is, residing in our guest room until I can clean her up a bit. I also spied a cute little straw hat that has a G. Fox label. G. Fox was a department store that was bought out by May Department stores, of Filene's fame. I remember the "modern" G. Fox store at our local mall, but from a little research, G. Fox was "the" place to shop in Hartford, CT and opened in 1847. I can only imagine shopping there for parasols, gloves, and gorgeous little straw hats like this one.

It's such a sweet little hat. I can see it on a little girl wearing a flower-sprigged pinafore, white tights, and little ankle boots that had to be buttoned up with a button hook. Once all our new floors are in and the painting is done, I'm going to hang it up in our downstairs bathroom where it will reside alongside a child's white apron (ankle length), a child's nightgown, and a pair of women's bloomers.

On the rug hooking front, I finally got the small circle mat bound! Binding is my least favorite part of rug hooking, but I make myself bind each rug as it's finished so I don't end up with a bunch of unfinished rugs!

The up close photo shows a more realistic color to the background. This is a green/black/gray check pattern that's right off the bolt. I found it at Joanne's Fabrics, and it hooks up great!

I also finished a knitted afghan that is to be a graduation gift for one of my daughter's friends.
My plan is to do one for each of her absolute bestest friends...these are girls she has known since elementary school, and are still fast friends. There are five more to do, so I'll have a bunch of knitting in my immediate future! Of course, I'm itching to do another small rug, and I'm thinking of doing a series of round and square chair pad size mats that will be modeled after blocks from Baltimore Album quilts. I need some flowers in my life with all this wintery weather!

Stay warm and safe!!

Signs from the Universe?

2011-01-29T23:40:00.005-05:00

I have a confession...I'm a chatter. Ask my husband or kids, I seem to have conversations with people when I'm out all the time...lol During a few of these little chat sessions, I've discovered quite a few closet rug hookers in my area! Whether it's someone that hooks rugs with great detail using skinny little worms, or funky primitive rugs made from a design they draw themselves is pretty great. These fellow hookers all seem to be looking for a local supplier of hand-dyed wool, so when I tell them that I dye my own wool and have sold it online, they ask for my contact info. Now if this happened once or twice, I'd just look at it as a coincidence, but this has happened no less than four times in the last week and a half! Short of being hit over the head with a bag of wooly worms, I think I get it! We need a hooking group as well as a place to get some really great dyed wool quick, and I'm going to be the person that gets the group started and really start working on getting my name out locally.

Can't wait!!

2011-01-14T22:18:00.001-05:00

Everybody should find this much joy at least once a day!!

First finished rug of 2011

2011-01-14T12:31:00.004-05:00

So, I fought my creative block by just hooking a little mat using wooly worms I already had. I really like how it turned out!

One view from up above, and a close up of one of the circles. I still have to bind it, but as soon as it's done, I think I'll put it on Ebay and see what happens. I have sketched out my next small rug/mat. It has a Valentines Day theme, and as soon as I get started on it, I'll post some pics!

Our snow is here to stay for a while. Temps are dropping and school in our town is closed for a third day. Not sure why we're still closed, but the kids got a mini vacation out of the deal! I am working from home today, trying to play catch up from my last two trips.

My plans for tomorrow involve starting to simplify some things around here. My goal is to start being more self-sufficient. This means less trips to the store, and spending less money. To start on that goal, our kitchen is going to get a major clean out, and I'm going to put up some homemade quick mixes for pancakes, quick breads, etc. A really great resource is the blog chickensintheroad.com. Suzanne moved to a farm a few years ago, and has come across some really great ideas on being self-sufficient. Her blog is on my sidebar, so give her a visit! Check out Clover and the cookie crew. Those critters will crack you up!!

SNOW DAY!!

2011-01-12T10:00:00.003-05:00

Aaahhh....back from Pennsylvania just in time for the snow! Glad to make it back before the storm so I'm comfy and cozy at home. Here's a couple of pictures of our house buried in snow.

The view from our garage.

The picnic table on our deck.

Maybe I'll get some hooking done today. I'm finishing up a smallish rug, so I'll post pictures later on when it's finished and ready for binding!

A lazy Sunday....

2011-01-02T15:28:00.004-05:00

preceding a busy week! Watching "Singin' in the Rain" and doing a bit of stitching. Gene Kelly - dreamy.....Donald O'Connor - great dancer/funny man.....Debbie Reynolds - beautiful singer/dancer....Cyd Charisse -hauntingly beautiful.....a great movie all around!!

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T11:59:00.009-05:00

What an interesting year 2010 has been. I count my blessings before making any resolutions, and the blessings have been many! Aaron and I are both working (which is a huge blessing in this economy), and both kids are happy and healthy. Our daughter is graduating from high school this year, and is looking forward to heading to college and really work on her art. Our son is doing well at his job, and has some pretty great friends. All our critters are happy and healthy, and we're pretty lucky considering Rangers age!

My resolutions are pretty simple....I want my own business, and eventually, I would like to be able to move to a farm and really get into the fiber business. I've broken it down into smaller steps which are going to be great fun, starting with brushing up on my spinning, and really learning about owning sheep. If you check out a couple of bloggers on my sidebar http://coonhollowfarm.blogspot.com/ and http://pamsfiber.blogspot.com/, you'll see some cutie Olde English "Babydoll" Southdown sheep that just seem to smile all the time. There will be more rug hooking, more wool dyeing, and creating patterns. My goal toward this business will be to use my Etsy shop more and really try to post on Ebay at least three or four times a month.

I hope everybody has a safe and fun New Year celebration! Talk to you in the New Year!!

The Blizzard!

2010-12-27T21:52:00.004-05:00

What a storm we had! The wind is still blowing, but the snow finally stopped around 7:30 this morning. It's tough to tell because of the drifts, but Aaron thinks we got about 15 inches in our area. Luckily we didn't lose power so everybody stayed warm and cozy and I worked from home (lucky me!) and made chicken and dumplings for dinner....YUM!! Here's a few pics.
Shoveling a "potty path" for the dogs!

Coming in after a few minutes at the beginning of the storm.
Aaron looking not to thrilled while shoveling!

My poor car after the storm. She usually lives in the garage but between putting in new floors downstairs and working to rebuild an old horse drawn sleigh, there's no room.

I knitted some after being done with work, but am going through some kind of creative block! Since I'm having this block, I'm going to try hooking a freebie doodle offered by another blogger. I really try to create my own patterns, but it's just not happening right now. I'll draw it up this week and pick colors. Hopefully I'll have some hooking pics to show here in the next couple of days! The blog is on my sidebar if you're interested in seeing her freebie doodles. http://birdinthehandprimitives-robin.blogspot.com/2010/12/first-freebie-doodle-of-new.html

Hope everybody is staying warm tonight!

I'm back!! :o)

2010-12-17T15:20:00.006-05:00

So, my last post had spring in the title....long way from spring now! lol Christmas is almost here, and the northeast is looking at a possible walloping from a Nor'easter on Sunday into Monday. I could use a good snowstorm, but as hubby says, "You're not the one out there shoveling!" I always answer..."Yep, you're right!"

I haven't made time to do much hooking lately. I have been doing so much traveling for work that any down time is used for laundry and reconnecting with the family. Our daughter Jessica is a senior this year, and is due to take her driving test. Boy am I glad she's the last one we are teaching how to drive! I don't think my nerves could take another new driver even though she did just finish driving school! Andrew is still living with friends one town over, and is planning on taking a trip to Alaska to work in a fish cannery. I think his goal is to get on one of the fishing boats, so the cannery is the way to get there. I'm not thrilled with the thought of him going so far away, but I guess when you're 22, adventure comes in all kinds of disguises (even stinky, fishy ones...lol). We are still a two dog, two cat family......
Lily and Zeke relaxing on the table....

Ranger and Coco waiting for dinner!
Ranger is now 15 and on about four different kinds of meds. He has arthritis, old-age vestibular disease, and dementia.....but still gets around just fine. Coco, our Lhapso Apso is blind, and just as bossy as ever.

As for hooking, I have managed to get at least one new mat finished, and have one on the frame. I have been doing quite a bit of knitting seeing as that it's more portable than rug hooking. Here's my new mat....I like the background, but it seems to blend too much with the inside of the tulips.

Tonight I am going to attempt to make my own feather tree. I have wanted one for about five years, but while they are quite beautiful, most are out of my budget. I think I have figured out how to create a "faux feather tree" and will take pics of the process. If it turns out even half as good as my imagination has it pictured, I'll be thrilled!!

Spring is here!!

2010-05-22T11:06:00.007-04:00

I can't tell you how happy I am to see more warm days than chilly/cold! I've been doing some rug hooking and even cross-stitching, but when I'm not at work, I'm out in the yard and garden. Aaron has been hard at work building me an arbor as well as some raised beds for the garden, I've kept him busy! :o) Jess and I also spent a week in Arkansas visiting my parents, sister, brother-in-law, and nephew and had a great time!! Here's a few pics of our visit and the work Aaron is doing in the garden. I'm a lucky gal!!

Evening out the dirt!!
Our front door ready for spring.
Jess, Jake, and their artwork. The raised beds all ready for the garden.

While at Home Depot last night getting the boards for the raised beds, I took a look at the veggie plants and boy was I overwhelmed!! While driving to Home Depot, I was so excited and had a long list in my brain of what I wanted to buy, but as soon as I saw all the plants, I went blank. *sigh* I'm going to make a list and head back over one night next week after work. Tomatoes are definitely on the list, and Aaron wants cukes. I've also got a space for an herb garden which already has chives, thyme and chocolate mint growing.

Welcome Spring!

2010-03-22T09:37:00.009-04:00

This weekend was so beautiful and really needed around here! I love each season for what it brings, and right now, Spring is bringing exactly what I need to see. Aaron worked on the yard the last nice weekend we had, and since it's still not planting time, I looked over gardening magazines and seed catalogs and started making plans. Pellet stove off, windows open, it was wonderful! Jess had friends over Friday night and Saturday, then finished chores on Sunday. After her chores, she was outside painting. Daffodils are her favorite flower, so out in the sun she went, paints, paper and pencils in hand.

Jess is such a natural artist, and I must say I'm quite jealous of her talent. She has a list of requests for artwork from family, including me....not sure when she'll get around to it. ;o)

Our next door neighbor's yard is covered with a cute little spring flower which I think are called "Snowdrop". They are almost like a trail leading from their yard to ours, and I just love it.

So as you can see, I'm ready for Spring! Red geraniums in pots on our front steps to greet visitors and all over the deck just because, a vegetable garden bursting with tomatoes, cukes, and all kinds of herbs, and our rock wall spilling over with different types of hosta, astilbes, and ferns. Hope this weekend got your Spring and Summer dreams started!

What my stars say...

2010-03-12T11:48:00.004-05:00

I found this link on a fave blog of mine....Karen Ranney,the romance author. I think I'm likin' what it says except for the part about lying...I don't lie! And wait, I'm "essentially" smart, what does that mean?!! Oh wait....I'm "extremely adorable"...all's good! ;o)

Lets101 -

Storm Barbara-Blizzard or bust?!

2010-02-10T14:23:00.007-05:00

Well, it was forecasted that we were going to get hammered by at least 18 inches of snow accompanied by howling winds and possible power outages....humph! It's been snowing since about 7am, there's only about two inches on the ground and while the snow is still falling, and it's quite windy....18 inches?! I don't think so...lol A lot of the schools announced closings last night, and my wonderful boss called a snow day and we all get to work from home. There is still time for more snow, but it's just not looking like any blizzard I've seen....*waves to the mid-Atlantic states".

I am getting work done...here's proof with my work at home boss ready to supervise....

Meet Zeke Kadiddlehopper....ready to lay down the law (and start munching on my cinnamon bun...lol). I am actually working on a project for work...once I'm done I just might start talking like a government official! Then at 4:00 sharp I will take the short commute to my studio and get to hooking an easter rug I started a couple of days ago.

My flash brightened things up...the colors are a bit more drab in real life. The background is a mix of dark and light army blanket greet, and I really like how the bunny's color looks with the other colors.

Here's one picture of our snow so far.....it's a shot of the garden where we park our sleigh when it's not decorated for the current holiday (or when it's snowing!) Oh and our son's car parked waaay off of the driveway in anticipation of the plowing of 18 inches of snow...lol

Hope everybody's staying safe and warm!!

A beautiful Saturday!

2010-01-23T20:27:00.010-05:00

The weather today was gorgeous! I tell you, those of us in the northeast really lucked out this past week, and today Aaron and I took advantage of the warm weather (well, warmer than usual), and sunny skies. My original plans included laundry and a bit of hooking, and Aaron was going to work on his boat....but the open road beckoned, so off we went! We ended up driving up through part of the Hudson Valley, and almost into the Catskills, stopping along the way at a few antique stores and indoor flea markets, finding a couple of treasures to bring home. Of course, my treasure was a great vintage hooked rug, and Aaron found an old picture of a man that could be Bill Murray's double from his Caddy Shack days. Bill Senior (his new nickname) is now hanging in the mancave by the bar, and my rug is in my studio, ready for a bit of cleaning. We drove through an old one lane covered bridge, and saw more small towns and villages in one day than we'd seen for the past year. I still want a place in the country one of these days, but I swear all we kept saying was, "I wonder where they buy their groceries?! And what about a Dunkin' Donuts craving?!" lol

This is the rug I bought today. The colors look much brighter in the picture than the actual rug, but what really caught my eye was the border. The wool used looks like maybe herringbone or checks, and reminds me of a kind of paisley pattern. I'm going to tack down the binding, and reinforce some of the backing around the edges, but other than that, I really like it!

Just to show my recent addiction to vintage rugs, this is one I bought at a flea market in New Milford (the Elephant's Trunk), and it's just gorgeous! Again, the binding needs to be tacked down, but other than that, I'm not going to touch anything else on it. It does need a gentle cleaning, but from what I've read, some time right side down in the snow, then club soda on the leftover spots, and it's ready to hang. No, I don't put my rugs on the floor mainly because of our two dogs, two cats, two kids, and all their friends!

This is a rug I bought at a local antique store that needs quite a bit of restoring, but I just love the colors and the pattern. Here's a few more pictures of the damage, and if anybody has any advice on the restoration, let me know!

There's also a hole in the pattern that I'm going to need to patch with backing, then rehook the area after I dye some wool to match the surrounding pieces. I may have taken on more than is possible to fix, but I just couldn't leave the rug where it was....on the floor!!

One of the women that took my hooking class a couple of years ago gifted me with a rug she had found in an attic, and while it's not all the way finished, I just love the pattern. It's not a hooked rug, but one that maybe used some kind of rug punch needle and yarn. I am really itching to get it finished and bound, but it's not something I've ever done before. Again, if anybody is familiar with the stitches of this rug, please let me know! The colors are every bit as bright in person as they are showing up on the picture!!

This is a close up of one of the blocks, and following is the back. As you can see, the pattern is drawn on the back of the rug instead of the front, which I what I'm used to working with.
Well, I'm pretty well exhausted and ready to hit the sack. Hope everyone had a great Saturday, and is looking forward to a restful Sunday...I know I am!

Snowstorm-December 2009!

2009-12-20T08:49:00.006-05:00

I almost gave up on the snow yesterday. Heard it was going to start at noon...oh no, not until 4:00, and wait....around 10:00pm. Needless to say I was starting to think it was a joke, but around 10:00 last night it started and didn't stop until early this morning and boy did old man winter deliver!

Our deck and the chairs I forgot to put away!

Our front door before the shoveling commenced!

I do love snow.....and rumor has it we might have more snow Christmas Eve into Christmas Day....now that would be a hoot!!!! I'm off to shower than start baking. It's definitely a baking kinda day!!

WOOOHOOOOO!!!!

2009-12-18T13:21:00.002-05:00

Wintry storm churns toward Northeast

By Craig Johnson, Special to CNN

December 18, 2009 1:00 p.m. EST

I am so excited! I've been crossing my fingers for a good snow storm forever!! Of course, the weathermen are covering their rears by saying it could just give Connecticut a glancing blow or it could really hammer us with over a foot of snow from early Saturday evening to early Sunday evening. Either way, Sunday is my day to bake and I'm definitely going to stock up tonight.

Seriously....this is one of the reasons I love living in New England.....the snow and the history.

Snowy blessings to us all!!

A primitive Christmas

2009-12-13T18:42:00.013-05:00

Busy, busy, busy! I decided a couple of weeks ago that I wanted our upstairs to be decorated with just less. More hand-made decorations and less lights, I guess. So far, it's working out pretty well. I have dried oranges and made gingerbread ornaments for a small prim tree by the door as well as using things from nature to spice up the place. Last year, I dried oranges by slicing them thing and putting them in a 200 degree oven for about six hours. Since we use propane to cook with, it wasn't really cost efficient. This year, my mom found an article in her local paper about how to dry them quicker but still in the oven. Here's my first try with this way (with pictures of course!)

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. My oven has a convection setting, so I did use that. Kind of makes sense that circulating hot air would dry the slices faster.

Slice the oranges as thin as you can get them.

Then line a microwave plate with a paper towel, line up the orange slices and cover them with another paper towel. Microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on high and transfer them to a cookie sheet lined with foil.

Put them in the oven for one hour, flipping them about halfway through. My slices are a little too thick, so next time, I'll try for even thinner. Then you wait with your trusty assistant until they look done.

Meet Ranger, my trusty assistant.

Here's how they look right out of the oven.

I let them cool on the sheets for about half an hour just to make it easier to handle. Once you can handle them, I add a few cloves, some gingerbread ornament stars and one whole orange studded with cloves into a small wooden bowl underneath my prim Christmas tree. Here's a few pictures to get the effect.

It's a little dark, but you get the idea. Here's a couple of pictures of my tree.

You can see some of the gingerbread men I made last weekend as well as homespun stockings that are stuffed with fiberfill, then topped with cinnamon sticks and a little dough star. I think I'm going to make a few more of the stars as well as hearts and small gingerbread men to put in mason jars along with dried orange slices for little take home gifts.

I have been doing some rug hooking as well as cross-stitching, but can't show the cross-stitch. It's a present for the daughter and fiancee of my absolute best, best friend. Her daughter is getting married in August of 2010, and I'm hoping to be there for the celebration along with a beautiful handmade present.

Work tomorrow, so I'm off for now. I'll post pictures of my current project as well as a couple of vintage hooked rugs that I'm going to attempt to restore.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

2009-11-25T09:10:00.001-05:00

One serious.......

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."
John Fitzgerald Kennedy

......and one funny.....

What we're really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?

~Erma Bombeck, "No One Diets on Thanksgiving," 26 November 1981

Hope your Thanksgiving is wonderful!!

Naomi

Other primitive work

2009-07-21T11:16:00.007-04:00

I thought I'd put some other fun work I did in a separate post. While trying to get rid of my creative block, I tried doing something other than hooking, and had a great time! The last time I was at our local Goodwill looking for wool, I ran across this great shelf/mail holder that was on the weekly 50% off list! So, I splurged the $2 for the shelf, and brought it home. Here's how it looked when I got it home.

Not much to look at, I know, but after a few coats of paint, some sanding to approximate wear, and stain, I think it turned out great!

After that, I was ready for another project, so I headed down to our cellar to see what else I could "antique"! I bought this great little two-drawer chest about 11 years ago at the Harvest Moon Festival here in Naugatuck, and had run out of room for it in my kitchen.

Of course, using the same paint techniques, this is how it looks now. The picture's a little blurry, but it really turned out great.

I grabbed the idea for this refinishing project from The Pickled PepperPatch.
She has some really great ideas, so head over to your Goodwill, Salvation Army, and tag sales for some great and inexpensive things that can be made over!!

Happy Summer (even with the rain!)

2009-07-21T11:03:00.006-04:00

I hope this post finds everyone enjoying their summer, rainy days and all! After a few days of absolutely gorgeous weather, we're in for another week of rain. Since my gardens have had time to recover and dry out, I think my tomatoes are enjoying the rain!

Some hooking has been happening here, but it was a tough go for a while. Every once in a while, like all artists, I think, I had some kind of block. I wanted to hook, almost needed to hook (lol) but just couldn't seem to figure out what I wanted to hook. Then, I headed over to Betty Dekat's blog, Primitivebettys and grabbed one of her freebie patterns. It was great fun to hook, and kind of put me into a fall hooking mood. I haven't bound any of my recent rugs yet, so just imagine away the white border! If you're looking for some great free patterns, head over to Betty's blog. She is one of the fiber artists in the Ebay group PRHG, and always delivers beautiful items!

After finishing that rug, I started on another small mat that will fit on a primitive stool, and a Christmas candle mat. None are bound yet, but I will save that for another day!

Quiet Corner Rug Show

2009-06-25T12:25:00.002-04:00

If you're near Woodstock, CT this Saturday, June 27, drop by the Woodstock Fairgrounds between 9 am and 3pm. It's the annual Quiet Corner Guild's Rug Show, and I hear it's wonderful! The speaker is Elizabeth Black, there's over 100 rugs on display plus vendors, demonstrations, and door prizes. I'm so excited to be able to go not to mention that Barb and Sarah of Hallowed Hill Primitives will be vending again this year. I've run into them two other times, and besides having some gorgeous rugs, patterns, and supplies, they are two of the nicest people to meet up with for a chat off-line! lol

Hope to see you there!!!

A new rug & some new friends!

2009-06-09T19:43:00.004-04:00

Hey folks! I spent Saturday manning my booth at the Woodbury Flea Market, and had a great time. Saw some old pals, and met new people, both of which is fun! While chatting around, I did notice a running theme. Many people commented that their mother/grandmother/aunt/neighbor,etc, hooked rugs, but they never took the time out to learn...or just wasn't interested. I guess that's why so many of the old art forms are dying out, and I think that's a shame. But I'm also glad that there's so many out there that still appreciate handmade in the US items as opposed to look-alikes from other countries.

Three of my smaller rugs sold on Saturday, two of them traveling out of the country, to the UK, I think. The barn red star on the black/brown herringbone background, and the wooley sheep both took a ride on a jet plane, and the Bee Happy mat went home with someone from our happy state. One of the rugs that didn't sell on Saturday went up on Ebay tonight, and I think it's a great combo of colors and would look great anywhere year 'round.

A sweet fraktur tulip, and as always, some of the colors look brighter than they really are. Maybe one day I'll hit the lotto and buy a camera with more pixels! lol

I did spend some time gardening on Sunday, and as soon as it stops raining, I'll post some pics. He bought a pear tree for the front of the house, and two beautiful Abraham Darby roses that he planted against the garden fence. Those roses smell wonderful, and have a great creamy/apricot color on multiple petaled roses. The tree and roses were my anniversary present....22 years on Saturday. What a guy!! I got him socks...hey, don't judge, if you know Aaron (hubby) you'll understand!! LOL

Preakness Excitement!

2009-05-16T18:40:00.002-04:00

Well, gotta say it....girls rule and boys, well,....boys drool!!! Go Rachel Alexandra!!!

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

Now back to our regularly scheduled rug hooking fun!!!!

Busy! Busy! Busy!

2009-05-12T08:47:00.009-04:00

Good morning! Two whole days without rain...imagine! I shouldn't complain really....all that rain has really greened up our yard. Our backyard is small, but surrounded by trees so that when the leaves come back, it's like a cozy little room. I have been very lax about our vegetable garden, and will probably just buy plants instead of starting from seed.

On the hooking front, I put the rainy days to good use. My plan is to vend at the Woodbury flea market this Saturday, so I hooked up a couple of chair pads and table runners as well as taking stock of what wool and patterns I have. My family must think I've lost my mind with all the hooking, but I really enjoy it. Here's a few pictures of my accomplishments!!

This is a double pie carrier with a hooked mat on top. The sheep is hooked with off white wool yarn and gives it a great wooly look! It's not fixed permanently to the lid, so different mats can be exchanged for a new look!

I wasn't sure if I was going to like how this runner came out, but I actually love it! I picture it in a little girls room with a farm or animal theme.

I was inspired by our neighbor's bees buzzing around when drawing out this mat.

Just a simple chair mat showing a spring flower!

An adapted hex sign was the inspiration for this chair pad. I'm thinking of doing three more that will go together. This mat was quick and easy with a great outcome!

This is a small runner I hooked about a year ago. Hooking circles takes a bit of practice, but is a great use for any scrap pieces of wool.

This little mat is the first pattern I've ever done that is someone else's. The latest Create and Decorate magazine has the second installment of antique rug adaptations by Sally van Nuys, and this one is really great! It's not as dark as it looks in my picture, and is just the right size for a shelf on a primitive cabinet. I might just keep this one! lol

More hooking planned for today as well as drawing out some patterns for Saturday. Wish me luck!!!

Visitors!

2009-04-05T09:14:00.002-04:00

Hey....I'm seeing a whole bunch of Connecticut visitors lately!! No matter where you are visiting from, leave me some comments....I love to hear about your primitive projects, decorating, rug hooking, (or really any crafty project), or opinion about our mud season!!!

Naomi

Where is Spring?!!

2009-03-24T11:18:00.008-04:00

It's beautiful, sunny, and COLD!!! The seed catalogs have been pouring in along with my new subscription to Garden Gate (thanks Mom!) and I'm just itchin' to get my fingers in the dirt! I've planned the front garden three ways to Sunday, and can't wait to start my seeds for the vegetable garden. My father-in-law called last week, and we talked gardens for about 20 minutes. He lives in Maine, and grew up gardening. I'm taking his advice and waiting a bit later than last year to start my seeds. Our indoor plants are more than ready to spend the summer on our deck, let me tell you!

On the artsy-frontsy front, I've been doing a bit of hooking, dyeing, and needlepunching. I finished the chair pad, and am quite pleased with it. Two days of wool dyeing, and yesterday was spent starting a needlepunch project. On the job front, I have been given a home tutoring assignment in a local school district, and I'm really excited about it. It's supplementing history lessons, and I LOVE history! (thanks dad..lol). Here's a few pictures of my last week's work:

Pretty chairpad all ready to announce spring...albeit to someone's backend!

Dyed wool all ready to be sized, stripped and made into a beeyoootiful rug!
This is my latest project, and I kinda like it! I wasn't sure about the cows, but I think they add whimsy to the flowers, and I got to use some great purple wool for the flower petals. The background is probably going to be a light blue/white combo.

I also went to a local antique shop on Saturday and bought a gorgeous hooked rug that's labeled "Occupied Japan" I used to collect Occupied Japan figurines, but sold them when I got tired of dusting them, but this rug really intrigued me. I've got to do some research on these rugs!! Here's a couple of pictures of my newest acquisition.

An up close of the center medallion. This rug has a great soft feel and faded vintage look. I think the backing is monks cloth, or some kind of similar material, and seems to have held up really well. Here's a picture of the label on the edge. It's a bit blurry, but you get the idea!

Oh yet another subject, go visit http://thepioneerwoman.com/ Her blog is really great on so many levels, and I actually solved a quiz under her homeschooling tab and a prize! Thank goodness for a dad that passed on the history gene to me!! It looks like there's a second round for the winners of yesterdays quizzes, so cross your fingers that my brain decides to dial in today! lol Oh, and check out her recipes. I've tried quite a few, and they're all delish! My hips agree, btw! lol

Creativity Returns! (I think)

2009-02-17T13:13:00.003-05:00

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!!

2009-02-05T12:15:00.002-05:00

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!

2009-02-04T07:40:00.004-05:00

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!

2009-02-02T08:44:00.003-05:00

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

Fantastic Meteor Video

2008-11-23T18:51:00.003-05:00

Ok, seriously, how many of you would flash to any end of the world disaster movie if you saw this?!!!!

Thankful!

2008-11-23T12:45:00.004-05:00

Happy Sunday everybody! Well, I guess winter is here to stay! It's cold and windy here, but the sun is shining, so as long as I can stay home, it's all good! lol

I have finally finished my most recent hooked table runner, and am very happy at how it turned out! This will be a pattern offered at my Etsy shop, but I'm really wanting to keep the original piece. I was lucky enough to win a book on fraktur how-to that had some beautiful pictures and line drawings that are inspiring.

The background looks black, but it's actually an antique black with overtones of brown plaid. I am planning on building some kind of light box for future pictures because I'm having a hard time getting realistic pictures of the colors in my dyed wool and rugs. All the colors are a bit more muted and primitive than shown in the picture, and I'm really happy with it. If I can't find a nice place for it, I might just offer it on my Etsy shop alongside the pattern.

My birthday was November 8, and hubby came through in a HUGE way! I've been asking for a spinning wheel ever since I took spinning lessons from Pam at Dream Come True Farm in Oxford, CT. Well, this was the year! He snuck around in true surprise birthday present fashion, and completely surprised me with my new Ashford Kiwi wheel!! I have spun a few times, but need to stock up with some basic roving to practice on because spinning is all about learning the basics, then practice, practice, practice...lol How lucky am I, I ask you? Aaron(hubby), our son Andrew went in together on the wheel, and our daughter Jess gave me an iTunes gift card so I can load up my iPod with some cool holiday tunes! November is quite an expensive month for us because we've got at least 10 birthdays, then Jessica's is on December 4. It takes all year to save up for November and December! lol

My Ashford Kiwi spinning wheel!

Next week will be a flurry of getting ready for Thanksgiving and cleaning up enough to get Christmas decorations up. We have 11 of our closest family and friends (lol) coming over for Thanksgiving, and I'm pretty excited! Everyone is bringing a dish, and we'll back up with a ginormous turkey and desserts. Then it will be a day of eating, visiting, napping, then eating again! That's the best!!

Fun in the dye pots!

2008-11-05T14:29:00.004-05:00

I'm finally back into rug hooking! My plans for birthdays and Christmas gifts revolve around knitted gifts, so I've been a mad knitter lately! lol I do enjoy knitting, but had to take a break this week to re-energize my hooking passions! Dyeing wool does just that, let me tell you! I've taken the plunge and listed some of my dyed wools on Ebay, so if you're looking for some great Fall or Christmas colors, take a look. I've only offered a few just to see how it goes, and will probably shift over to Etsy in the end. I'm also working on some patterns and maybe a kit or two for beginners to list in the next week or so.

I have missed rug hooking immensely, and have gotten my brain whirring about thinking up a pattern to work on. I did win a beautiful fraktur book from a fellow PRHG member which I'm hoping will get my creative juices flowing for future patterns and rugs. I've also reorganized my wool studio and had to add another six wire crates for wool storage. I didn't realize how much wool I actually had until it was separated out into more specific color categories. I'm officially overwhelmed! lol If you are a hooker and are looking for specific colors, drop me a line. I am going to start "de-stash" and might just have the exact color you're looking for.

It's off to the studio and some drawing...enjoy a couple of pictures of my crazy cats..lol

Zeke missing Andrew since he moved out.

Lily laying claim to a shoebox.

Don't Forget!!

2008-11-04T08:24:00.002-05:00

Did you??!! Whatever your party, whoever your favorite candidate, get out and vote!

Hooking class 101 finished

2008-10-30T20:03:00.006-04:00

Tuesday was my last hooking class this year (I've scheduled another one starting in March also for Continuing Ed in our town), and I miss it already! lol The class was full of ladies with all different personalities and crafting abilities, but let me tell you, the stepped up to the plate with rug hooking! I really enjoyed teaching the class, and hope to have a mini hook-in at my house at least once a month, maybe more. At the beginning of the class I told everybody that I had an ulterior motive for teaching this class, and that was to get at least a few people addicted so that they would want to hook with me every once in a while! lol I think I "hooked" everyone...pun intended! Here's pictures of the ladies with their rugs, but I am missing two. One new hooked had to attend a quilting guild meeting, and I was so busy stripping wool for one lady at the end of class, I forgot to take her picture. I'm sending out an e-mail to her tonight to either corral her son or hubby to take a picture of her and her rug, or I'll snap one next time she's over for more wool! Have fun looking at the pictures!!

Rhinebeck Wool Festival and other things

2008-10-28T07:27:00.003-04:00

Ok, seriously, how adorable are these alpaca?! A couple of weekends ago, I persuaded Aaron to go with me to Rhinebeck, NY to their wool festival. Now, I had heard wonderful things about this festival, but nothing could've prepared me for how awesome it was! The drive was about an hour and a half, and we lucked out with some gorgeous weather and beautiful fall colors. After leaving the highway, we would through farmland dotted with barns of all colors and sizes, and animals of all kinds. The traffic closer to the fairgrounds looked pretty backed up, but we got through and parked pretty quickly. The sheer number of people just amazed us!
The first building we went into had all kinds of food and wine booths all from local farms and vineyards. The second building was packed with wool vendors of all types! I lucked out and found Barb and Sarah of Hallowed Hill Primitives after the second or third booth. Those two are so talented, and everytime I see their work, I get so motivated to get home and start hooking! lol After that, all the buildings started to blur together. There were about five or six rug hookers there with booths, all showing amazing work. Of course, there was scads of hand-spun and hand-dyed wool hanging everywhere. I was officially overwhelmed, and only managed to buy some sheep roving in a yummy color called Heritage Tomato, and some alpaca roving in a beautiful soft brown. I also bought a couple of books on using natural dyes and spinning with a hand-spindle. Aaron and I stopped to eat lunch and watch the sheep herding dogs do their work, which always amazes me. It was a wonderful day, and I'm already making plans to attend next year! My knitting teacher and good friend has already said she wants to go also, so I'm thinking a great field trip will be in order!

My hooking class meets for the last time tonight, and all the ladies have really picked up rug hooking pretty quickly! I'm bringing my camera tonight to get some pictures, and will post them (with permission, of course) tomorrow. It really is a great group of ladies, and I'm hoping that they will want to continue hooking. I'm going to collect e-mail addresses, and will start having a hook-in at my house at least once a month. I think it's a great way to get to know people, have time to visit, eat a bit, and really enjoy great conversation. Besides, I like hanging with cool people! lol

Well, it's off to the dye pots to see what kind of trouble I can get into before class tonight!!

Fun Weekend

2008-10-13T22:22:00.006-04:00

Thanks to Aaron (hubby) we got ourselves out of the house on Saturday for a beautiful leaf-peeping drive! When the kids were younger, we did this more often, but have gotten away from taking fun drives. We ended up driving up Rt. 8 through the Berkshires and into Otis, MA. Then we picked up Rt. 7, stopped in Sheffield, MA at Sheffield Pottery, and bought a great crock for mums on our front porch. We also found a great garden place for mums and gourds, and I didn't write down the name..grrr! I hate when I do that because it really is a great place, and pretty near Stockbridge, MA, I'm sure. Stockbridge is a wonderful place to visit, and was mobbed on Saturday! Usually we drive through on off-peak times, and you can see the part of Main Street that Norman Rockwell painted.

I need to look up the lake we first stopped at, then the quarry. The quarry was very cool! It's still got a lot of the equipment that was used at the quarry, and lots of hiking trails. It's called Becket's Quarry, and was just beautiful! I chickened out on hiking all the way around, but Aaron decided to crawl up on a "grout" pile (I learned that at the quarry....lol) to prove how beautiful a view it was from there!

We got home a bit late, cooked up a quick dinner, then collapsed! I swear, some days I feel older than others..lol Sunday Aaron had to work for a few hours, and I replanted the mums, and decorated the front door. Gotta take a picture tomorrow. I've got my third hooking class to teach tomorrow night, and I think I'm going to backtrack a bit. The next class needs to be more organized on my side, and I'm going to remedy some of what I've glossed over tomorrow night. I really want the gals in my class to enjoy hooking, and want to hook more! Of course, I have to reign myself in a bit! Not everybody loves hooking as much as I do! lol

Two Posts in One Day!!

2008-10-09T14:56:00.002-04:00

I was reading one of my favorite blogs, and her post for today really hit home. Lori at NotForgotten Farm
wrote about how she can really see how the economy "issues" are affecting everybody. I have noticed that our malls, grocery stores, and gas stations are emptier than usual, and people are really thinking over purchases that aren't needs. I know I do! As I said in today's post number one, my gifts this year will be mostly hand made. My garden did really well, and I've got a few things canned for the winter. Of course, there will be NO shortage of zucchini! :o) Plans for next years garden is already in the works, and it will be planted heavily toward canning and freezing. My job hunt is ongoing, but luckily, hubby still has a job, and we can make do, or do without...as our ancestors have always done.

Lori has some great ideas on saving money, and I've thought of a few more.
1. Buy bulk when meat is on sale. You can make double of whatever is for dinner, and freeze the extra for another night.
2. Surf on line for coupons, but only for items you normally buy.
3. If you are lucky enough to live in town, walk, walk, walk! Health benefits and saving gas!

Let me know any tips you have!!

WOOHOO! Hooking again!

2008-10-09T10:28:00.003-04:00

Fall is here, and I've finally finished a rug! Ok, well a table runner, but it's all in prim colors, with tulips and bluebirds, and I just love it! I've listed it on Ebay, and a part of me wants to keep it! lol But, I've kept the pattern, and might just start offering patterns on monks cloth on my Etsy.

The rug hooking class I'm teaching has already had two classes, and I really think that everybody is enjoying the learning process. Rug hooking is an art of practice, practice, practice, and as long as you keep that in mind while learning, you will really have fun with it. I like art that you can do to your taste and doesn't have a bunch of rules to follow! Doesn't sound much like a teacher, does it? :o) Oh well, guess I'm a rebel at heart! Since this is my first time at teaching a hooking class, I've already started tweaking the "curriculum" for the next one. More organized, less flying by the seat of my pants..lol

I've started on birthday/Christmas presents, and it's going pretty well. Our November is full of birthdays, and it just runs into birthdays and Christmas in December, so we have to be quite organized. Since I'm not working yet, it'll be presents on a budget, but most of my family and friends like handmade stuff...lucky for me and my budget! Aaron also pulled out the garden, and set up a little fall vignette with the sleigh as a backdrop and pumpkins and mums. He really is much better at the putting together of items than I am. I just get the stuff, and he decorates! He claims he's "getting in touch with his feminine side"...lol We actually ran the pellet stove for a few nights this week, but it'll be back in the upper 60's and lower 70's for the weekend, so we got a break from using the pellets. I couldn't believe how much more expensive they are this year, and harder to get! We managed to get two tons, but will need two more in the next month to get us through the winter. Last year three tons just didn't quite make it, so we're planning on four this year.

I'm back to making a birthday present. Later today, I'll be posting some beautiful dyed by me wools for rug hooking/penny rugs on my Etsy shop as well as a pattern or two. Take a look if you get a chance!!

Falls' Here!

2008-09-21T15:21:00.005-04:00

The air at night is crisp, the days shorter, and my poor tomato plants are shivering in their beds! lol I absolutely LOVE this time of year! I've already done one fall rug and have one more on the frame, and we're planning a fun halloween!! This summer was one of a few struggles, one being my certification to teach high school. I had to take one more class plus a very tough certification test. I passed both!! Gotta say it...Yah me! lol Hopefully this new certification will open up more opportunities to teach, and I can finally get on with teaching. Besides needing another paycheck, I feel as though teaching is what I should be doing, and I have alot to offer the kids that will pass through my classroom.

Since that hurdle has been conquered, I am back to rug hooking, and am even going to teach a rug hooking class starting September 30 at the continuing ed classes at the high school. I spoke with the director a couple of weeks ago, and she said my class was practically full!! Now that's exciting! This coming week is going to be a flurry of getting supplies and information packets ready for my class as well as putting items into my new Etsy shop. Ebay is just costing me too much when I actually sell something, and I really feel the need to distance myself from it.

I'm heading back to my rug frame to finish my current rug as well as draw up some patterns for the Etsy shop, so head over by using the link to the right of the posts and check it out!!

Na-

A wonderful lesson for everybody!

2008-07-28T20:47:00.001-04:00

This link came to me through an e-mail I received tonight. You've probably seen it seeing as that I'm usually a day late and a dollar short when it comes to these neat vids! lol If you've got a few minutes, check out the vid, I'm sure you'll be impressed.

No rug hooking...lotsa studying!

2008-07-14T21:35:00.012-04:00

After finishing a commissioned runner.....HI KAREN!! I had to put away the wool and hook for studying. I am really missing hooking, and have about a thousand ideas for rugs running through my head, but since I have to take a teaching certification test on July 26, studying takes a front seat. I am certified to teach kindergarten through sixth grade, but after passing this test, I will be able to teach history, social studies, geography, political science, psychology, sociology, and economics in grades seven through twelve. Hopefully this will mean a permanent classroom this fall...fingers crossed!

Our garden is growing like crazy! Right now zucchini is really in season, and I've canned twelve pints of zucchini relish, and baked four loaves of zucchini bread, and still have zucchini in the kitchen and ripening on the vine. While I loooove all this fresh veggie coming from the garden, it's a touch vegetable to do alot with. Our cucumbers are flowering, and there's lots of green tomatoes on the vine, so it's just a matter of time and we'll have lots more! Hubby has done a great job keeping the weeds down, and hasn't yet complained about the zucchini crowding the kitchen table at dinner time...snicker!

Here's a few veggie garden pics. We also splurged on a new kayak when a local outdoor shop had a great sale on kayak packages, and have already gone out once. I fell in love with kayaking when we went to the Outer Banks on vacation a couple of summers ago, and kayaked with a guide on the Alligator River. No alligators, but our daughter and I sharing a double person kayak was hilarious! We have such similar personalities that both of us kept trying to steer....in opposite directions! Going in circles doesn't do much for following the guide and group!

Hubby on the new kayak!

Me and my Dagger (kayak!) Lifejackets don't
do much for the figure...lol

Finally finished!

2008-06-02T13:32:00.005-04:00

Flowers in an urn

I have finally finished my latest rug, and while it's not huge, there's a ton of beautiful muted spring colors all through out it. Color planning isn't one of my strong points, so it takes me a little while longer to get it just right! It was great fun to hook, and is an adaptation of a square from a Boston Album quilt that I just love! If you click on the link above, it will take you to the rug's Ebay page.

I will have another post today after I finish homework from the history class I'm taking to earn a cross-certification in teaching. I do love rug hooking, but teaching is something I feel I need to do, and this new certification will help me widen my job pool!

A new rug

2008-05-23T21:19:00.003-04:00

The Trotter

I had completely forgotten to post the in progress pics of my most recent rug! It's on Ebay now, and the auction will end tomorrow, and so far is one of my favorites. I had really been wanting to hook a rug with a trotting horse, but had such a hard time getting the pattern just right. After visiting with a rug hooking friend, she gave me a great idea, and the rug hooked up pretty quickly. She suggested using a template for the horse, something I had never thought of. Anyway, I found a great horse "ornament" for want of a better name, made out of metal, traced around it, and voila! A horse...lol

My next rug is still on the hooking frame, but I am planning on a marathon session to finish the background and get it up on Ebay. This rug is a huge departure from what I usually do. Flowers, flowers, flowers, and all muted light primitive colors. I will definitely post a pic tomrrow!

The rain has finally stopped here in Connecticut, and we are supposed to have a really great weekend...fingers crossed! Maybe I'll even get out the kayak for a couple of hours on Sunday. First time this year, and I can't wait!!

Rain, rain, go away.....

2008-05-02T17:05:00.004-04:00

What a gloomy day, and it's looking like we're in for a rainy weekend. While gloomy days are great for crafting of all types, especially rug hooking, my carpal tunnel is still acting up. I hooked for about an hour yesterday, and about an hour today, and can't seem to handle more. I guess the next step will be stepped up ibuprofen dosages and icing down my arm....*sigh* Oh well, it could be worse, and I'm sure I'll be back to hooking soon.

On another note.....how 'bout them gas prices?!! It's almost to $4.00 a gallon, and I've really pared down my driving. You don't realize how often everybody jumps in the car at the slightest 'need' to go somewhere until you're filling up the gas tank twice a week! If you are a blog reader, you'll see similar entries all over the place. Lori at Stitches in Tyme had a great entry a couple of days ago talking about the energy crisis, gas prices, and going green. Looking way back to our ancestors and how "made do" with what they had, or did without is a great lesson. I mean, if we didn't have all the extras, what would we do instead? I've already started a veggie garden and plan to buy locally as much as possible. I'm also going to learn how to can so that we can have garden veggies as much into the winter as possible. Hubby built a great fire pit in our backyard, and I would really like to spend more time out there in the evenings instead of being a tv/computer zombie! (yep, I'm a tv/computer addict...lol) Also, we really don't live too far from quite a few stores, and walking would be a good thing as long as I'm not shopping for the month! It's a lot to change, but in the long run, I think it will benefit me, our family, and hopefully lessen our footprint on Mother Earth!

A rug hooking break

2008-04-30T16:36:00.002-04:00

Carpal tunnel has reared it's ugly head yet again! Years of a job that involved heavy data input started the flare ups, it kind of "went away", then after a Saturday of planting veggie plants, and a Sunday of rug hooking, my right wrist up to my elbow is killing me! I tried hooking yesterday, but it was a no go, so today was a day of rest....well, if you call making three dozen cupcakes rest...lol

I've started a prim horse rug, and I'm pretty excited about it! I'll take a picture tonight, and hopefully by tomorrow, I'll be able to start hooking again. I tried to finish a reproduction sampler, but even cross-stitching is a bit painful. grrrrrr!

Tomorrow, I'm going to post a few flyers around town advertising rug hooking workshops by me. I think it would be great to find some hookers....yeah, hookers...lol!.....around that would like to meet a couple of times a month or more to form a hooking group. I do love to hook, and it would be great to find a few people locally that have the same artistic/crafty interest.

If anybody is reading this blog, please leave a comment! Feedback on my rugs, or especially if you're local (central-ish Connecticut) let me know!

2008-04-09T08:26:00.004-04:00

Sheep table runner (my current favorite!)

Pomegranate table runner

The chairpad

Here's my most recent hooked projects. I do love the look of table runners, and hooked my first chair pad! The finish isn't exactly what I wanted it to be, but now I know a bit better what to expect for the next one!

Must. Improve. Blogging. Skills.

2008-04-09T08:10:00.002-04:00

Yes, I'm not the best blogger in the world, but I am really trying to improve! I've been very busy hooking away, but haven't posted on Ebay for a while. The fees are really going up, and with the economy doing what it is, people just aren't buying like the used to. My plans in the future are to start an on-line business and try to get some workshops going locally. Tomorrow I am going to put up some flyers at the library, grocery store bulletin boards, and possibly the senior center.

My inventory is building slowly, but I had great influx of wool last week. It's all piled on my kitchen table right now, but will be organized by Sunday....I hope! ;o) I used monks cloth for the first time, and will NEVER go back to burlap again! I hooked a really cute chair pad, which my cat Lily loves, and don't really want to part with it. I'm thinking it's time to post some pictures!

A couple of Saturday ago, I went to my first rug show! Fairfield Grace Methodist Church had their 48th Annual rug show, and it was great! I met Sarah and Barbara from Hallowed Hill Primitives/Paisley Studios, and they were quite gracious. I like being able to meet fellow hookers mainly because there's not that many hookers around here. I bought some oatmeal wool, and a couple of yards of light gray, but really had to limit myself. In the next couple of months, I'm going to have an opportunity to build my inventory, so saving money is priority!

Dreary Day!

2008-03-19T16:24:00.002-04:00

Today is dreary and rainy! I love staying home when it's like this, but had errands to run. I took one of our cats, Lily to the vet to be fixed and declawed, and one of our dogs, Ranger for his check up. I hated leaving Lily, but in the end, she will be a happier cat, and my carpets will be saved!

I'm having a bit of a "brain fart" when it comes to designing rugs and stitchery. Maybe the rain, maybe the change in seasons, maybe I need more chocolate! :o) Anyway, I am in the middle of a rug that is kind of fun to hook, but I really feel the need to start on creating some patterns to sell on Ebay and/or Esty.

Other prim artists are doing some really beautiful pieces, and maybe looking around all the time is a bit intimidating! I do have my fave prim blogs/artists to check out almost every day, and many of them are from a group I am a member of in Ebay. Primitive Rug Hookers Group is a meeting of fiber artists that I'm in awe of! There's also another group on Ebay that have some original items and patterns that are wonderful. I sent in a membership request, so maybe I'll be able to join that group also. They seem to be doing rugs and primitive stitchery that right up my alley.

Wow, this is a dry entry! I've got to start relaxing when I write so it sounds more like me! lol One of these days somebody might actually read my blog, and I wouldn't want them to be bored!

Branching Out!

2008-03-02T09:23:00.004-05:00

My first "crafty" love was cross-stitch. While learning primitive rug hooking, it was tough to go from such a precise craft to the free-form art of primitives. I have gone back a bit, incorporating the primitive arts with stitching of a kind. I LOVE old school samplers, and have really gotten into the primitive stitchery that is all over! My latest postings on Ebay are two pockets that for holding tv remotes, game remotes, etc. I have also posted grungy prim easter eggs that sit in a wicked cute trencher I picked up at a local antique mall.

Unfortunately, it looks like these items will go past without selling, but I think I will put them up as my first posts on my Etsy shop. I'm pretty excited about opening an Etsy shop!

Happy Valentines Day!

2008-02-14T17:04:00.000-05:00

Today I did some major cleaning of craft books/supplies. I am putting some books on our local Freecycle(tm) list, and have been slowly moving things upstairs to my rug hooking/craft room. I am going to really streamline my art so that I can get my business up and running. The party idea is still in the works, and tomorrow I will begin stitching again. Reproduction samplers, adaption of old samplers, and more rug hooking.

My newest idea involves getting together a book, but that's all I'm going to say for now. Hopefully it will be something that will take off both on Ebay and Etsy (as soon as I open an Etsy shop!) Having all my supplies and books in one place will really help to get things going and be a bit easier.

On a personal level, my hubby brought me a cute tea rose bush, a card, and chocolate....YUM! Hopefully he won't have to work too late and we can at least have dinner together!

Primitive Decorating

2008-02-08T08:57:00.000-05:00

I've been brainstorming since yesterday, and have hit on something that I think will be really great! There are so many of us out there that love primitive decor and crafting, but don't really have the time to find out how to make certain crafts for our home. These crafts are very green and can actually use items you might already have in your home.

Here's my idea: I want to start having small classes on how to make different primitive crafts. I would start this in my home with four to five people at a time. I would charge a fee that would include supplies and everybody would take an item home that they made themselves plus instructions to make more at home. It would be a great way to meet like-minded people, maybe schedule a class with friends, and spend some fun time crafting things together. I'm going to kind of revamp my very new site so that it's the "go-to" place that I'll put on my flyer, and they can contact me by e-mail to begin with.

Today my goal is to get the flyer made, update the website, and figure out what will be offered the first class. I would need to make the items, take pictures and put them on the site to generate a bit of interest. Cross your fingers for me!!!

My first post!

2008-02-07T10:55:00.000-05:00

Well, here it is, my first post. I guess an introduction is in order. My name is Naomi, and I'm a fiber artist living in Connecticut. My first love is absolutely anything to do with wool. I picked up rug hooking about a year ago, and haven't put it down since. Sketching out a pattern, dying reclaimed wool to the colors I need, then starting the rug is great fun.

I'm hoping that this blog will be a first step to some kind of web presence for my fledgling business. I'm also going to begin stitching primitive pieces again as well as small needfuls for a primitive household.