Thursday, July 5, 2018

So, it's been a month.....

Looking for his girlfriend Ruby.  Ruby is a Vizsla that is out for walk/runs every morning.


....since leaving my office job, and life is wonderful!  Yes, the paycheck is much smaller, but so are my expenses, and my stress level is at an all time low.  I knew it would be different, but I am so enjoying being home!  I've been selling wool online, designing and hooking new rugs, doing a bit of punchneedle, and taking daily walks with this handsome boy.


Pretty little flowers alongside the trail. 
 
A little throwback Thursday....here's Jackson the day we brought him home.

Coming home at four months

This morning hanging on the couch after our walk.  He's about eight months old.
We were told by the rescue he is a Lab/Jack Russell.  The vet informed us that he is a Great Dane and probably lab!  But no matter, we love him even when he's eating like a horse and trying to chew everything in sight!  Training will begin in August!

I have a couple of new designs, one completely finished and ready to be fixed to a vintage picnic basket.
A close up of the flower


A top view

Front view


A little pumpkin.  She's a little wonky, but another steam should fix that right up
A needle punch piece mounted on a vintage lunch box

A close up

And currently on my frame.  I hooked all day yesterday and it was just so much fun!  I'm going to work on the background today after a trip to the post office to mail out some wool.

My version of  a yin yang

The sun.  The rays are hooked using sari silk

A little luna moth.  I'm definitely doing more butterflies, moths, and dragonflies. The color planning on this one was fun!
Have a great day!!


Thursday, June 21, 2018

Quiet Corner Hook-In


This past Saturday, I was a vendor at the Quiet Corner Hook-In in Woodstock, Connecticut.  This is their third or fourth year, and I've vended since year one.  This group of ladies are some of the most welcoming and helpful people I've met.  The hook-in is held at the Woodstock Fairgrounds, and it's surrounded by beautiful countryside, farms, and little shops and restaurants.  The other vendors are make it alot of fun, and there's time to catch up with friends as well.  I'll just start with the pictures because words can't really convey how much talent and fun there was inside this building!

Vendor pics first...
Mill River Rugs - Margaret Arraj   
Diana Nylen - Punch Needle Artist

More of Diana Nylen's beautiful punch needle artistry

Nancy D.Jewett - Fluff & Peachy Bean Designs

More Fluff & Peachy Bean Designs

And more Fluff & Peachy Bean Designs
Benita W. Raleigh  Fancy Work Rug Barn
More of Fancy Work Rug Barn


The Paisley Studio ( I see you Barb)!

More of The Paisley Studio - Sarah was wandering around somewhere!
Yankee Peddler Rugs


Tonya Azzaro - Yankee Peddler Rugs

Woolen Memories

The Glass Action Studio

More of The Glass Action Studio



And lastly, me!  Raven's Gate Primitives - Naomi Allen
Next, pictures of the rugs on display.  The talent in this building was amazing!



















This rug was brought in by a young woman and it brought quite a lot of attention!  Her mom is a rug hooker as well as an art teacher, so the talent was definitely inherited!

Her plan is to draw up a companion piece from the same french tapestry showing a lion and another unicorn, I think.  I really hope she brings it in to the next hook in!

Wednesday, June 20, 2018

A Leap of Faith


I have always worked a full-time, outside the home job.  I enjoyed earning my own money, contributing to the household, and have pretty much always had wonderful, positive work environments.  Well, on June 1st, I left my job of eight and a half years!  Truly, I was burnt out.  It was tougher and tougher to go into that office every day and do the same thing over and over without going out of my mind.  So, on May 21st, I gave my boss my two weeks notice and began clearing out eight years of stuff out of my office.


 Last box

Empty walls










It felt....well, right.  Almost liberating, actually.  Now, I didn't do this on a whim.  Hubby and I talked about it, and I began planning almost six months in advance.  Getting our budget in order, getting rid of extra debt, and most importantly, researching healthcare costs and options.  (that last one was a doozy)! My last day was bittersweet because I really loved most of my coworkers, but a few of us will definitely still hang out on occasion.  And of course, I Skype a couple of them every few days so they won't miss me, and know how wonderful it is to be at home. 😄

My plans now are to concentrate on my rug hooking business.  It's always been stressful to try to keep our household together, take care of the fur babies, work an eight hour day, AND hook rugs and dye wool for the many shows I vend at and stock my Etsy shop.  Now I'm at it full time.  I've already been selling quite a bit of wool because I have the time to network better, and I've signed up for more shows this year.  Keep an eye out on my blog for show announcements and my new website!

You will be seeing more pictures of Jackson, aka Chupacabra, my gardens, and daily morning walks with Jackson.  I am so grateful to be able to begin each and every day walking in the woods with Jackson.  We are up early and out with the birds and deer.  It's just a wonderful way to start a day and set the mood.

I will end this post with a tree we pass every morning.  I see a heart...what do you see?

Tree Heart



Wednesday, April 25, 2018

Fiber Festival Saturday!

Working a full time job and prepping for multiple fiber festivals, shows, and my Etsy shop is exhausting!  But, I love it, so onward I go!

This Saturday, April 28th is the Connecticut Sheep and Wool Festival in Tolland, CT.  This is my third year (I think) vending at this show, and it is super fun!  My booth is right next to the door in the Green Building, which is good for ventilation and sunshine.  My pal Dawn, from Coon Hollow Farm will be a couple of booths down from me, so just close enough to get into a bit of trouble!  ;o)  You can find info on the fiber festival this weekend, but I'll put it here as well.  Hope to see you there!!

April 28th, 9am-4pm - 109th CT Sheep and Wool Festival - Rte 30, Vernon/Rockville, CT

And lastly, I'll leave you with a few pictures of what's been keeping me busy.
This is a kit model called Coneflowers

 Another kit model and now mounted on a basket I purchased at Camp Wool in Maine.
 My little Goddess doll.  My sewing skills are lacking, but I love how she turned out.
 My Ohm mat.  I need to make more of these in different colors.
And one more kit model, Sunflower and Tulips.  

Wednesday, April 11, 2018

First Fiber Festival of 2018 and the year Winter wouldn't leave

This Saturday and Sunday is the Third Oxford Historical Society Fiber Festival.  www.oxford-historical-society.org,  and I'm lucky enough to be able to do a rug hooking demo!  I will also have a booth with patterns, finished rugs, and hand-dyed wool for sale.  While Saturday looks gorgeous and in the 70's, Sunday's temps won't get above 35 and it will be raining and sleeting...ugh.
 Image result for time for winter to go away meme

Come on by to the Twitchell-Rowland Homestead at 60 Towner Lane, Oxford, CT 096478.  

Samplermaker