Christmas in July ~

Okay. Wasn't it just the 4th of July last week and Memorial Day a week before that? How can it possibly be July 29th? I mean, it's almost August, for Pete's sake. I know the older I get the faster it goes, but winter doesn't seem to fly by like summer. Why is that? Is it because I don't handle the cold very well?

I confess. I'm a Christmas junkie. What more can I say? I make myself crazy every year during the holidays. I get so stressed. You'd think I'd learn, but I don't!

Here's a few pictures from last year that I'll share.

The living room tree.

My patriotic decorations on the landing going upstairs.
Three antique samplers on the mantle.

The baker's cupboard in the living room.

In the kitchen (with my ugly green, plastic tile!). My Mom made the ceramic St. Nicholas between the two spice chests. She did beautiful work!

Pie safe in the dining room.

Jelly cupboard on the opposite wall in the dining room.

I had to include a few family photos.

My grandson Jake with Santa.

I love this picture of him ~ in awe of everything.

My mom.

My DSO and Loocie.

I'll have many more decorations to share with you at Christmas. It will be here before I am ready for it. You'd think I could figure out that since Christmas falls on the same date every year I could plan accordingly. Yeah right!

Thanks for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Adoring fans ~ ~ ~

Isn't it wonderful to be totally adored? It helps when you are sitting there eating. What a captive audience I had. That's my foster Frannie on the couch. The other fawn pug is my Loocie. The black pug...that's Marvin. Marvin was a foster left by his owners at a shelter last month. They must have forgotten he was microchipped. The owners were called and told their dog had been turned in to the shelter. Well, duh, they knew it because they left him there. It turned out to be Marvin's lucky day because Ohio Pug Rescue came to the rescue! More on Marvin later.
Here's Marvin and Frannie in my car spooning. It was so cute but hard to capture a pic while driving.

A shot of the handsome guy. The funny thing is, I don't foster boys, but after less than 24 hours with this guy I wanted to keep him. He was the most laid back guy you could ever meet, so very very sweet.

Now the really cool part. Marvin had been fostered in Columbus and brought to northern Ohio for his adoption. I did the adoption on Sunday. Marvin was adopted by this wonderful couple, Joyce and Frank. He has a new three-legged diabetic cat brother named Truman. Joyce is a child psychologist and Marvin is going to be a therapy dog. Oh, and now his name is Winston, after Winston Churchill. You see, Winston Churchill suffered from depression and he referred to it as his "black dog". Winston will go to work every day with Joyce and will be the most spoiled pug in town. I just love a happy ending.
It was a busy pug weekend ~ and I wonder why I never get anything done...lol! There was a rescue event at the Grateful Dog Bakery (isn't that the coolest name?) where OPR was set up. Hopefully someone who was interested in Frannie will fill out an adoption application. She will make someone very happy! Here's a few pictures from the event.

This sweet black girl is Vader. She's blind, although they think she can see shadows. She is hoping to find someone to love her for what she is and take her to her forever home.

Thank you for stopping by to visit the pugs.

If you are considering a pet, please consider a rescue animal. Whatever you do, please do not purchase a pet from a pet store. These animals come from puppy mills. They live in deplorable conditions. If you decide to purchase a pet, seek a reputable breeder!

Pug hugs to everyone :)
Lauren

Treenware collection ~ ~ ~

Good evening, everyone, and thank you for stopping by.

In a recent post, I showed the most recent piece of treenware that I purchased, so in this post I thought I would show you my collection. This little red reproduction cupboard was purchased over twenty years ago at the Christmas in the Colonies show in Medina, Ohio. Here is a close up with the door open showing the variety of pieces I've collected. Several of the pieces are banks, and on the bottom shelf are three document sanders.

Here is another open cupboard I have full of treen.

Here's a close-up of the top two left shelves. I believe the two pieces on the right of each shelf are Peaseware. The piece on the bottom right reads "St. Louis Exposition, 1904".

If you notice, there is a the label on the top right. I believe this was made from an old shipping crate. Whoever made it really did a lousy paint job, but it only adds to its character.

This is the side view of a document sander...

...and this is the top.
A fine pumice was shaken out through the holes in the top and sprinkled on freshly penned writings to soak up the excess ink.


(Sorry this picture is out of order and blogger won't let me move it.)
This is on the second shelf in the close-up above. The labels read "Flower Blossom" and the little perfume bottle fits inside the wooden container.
.Finally, here's a few pieces sitting on top of a small hanging cupboard.

I hope you have enjoyed the ten cent tour of my treenware collection. I have many more collections to share with you in the future.

I hope everyone has had a great week! I can't believe tomorrow is Friday again. Where is the time going???

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Meeting myself coming and going ~ ~ ~

Welcome friends!

I'm sure most of you feel the way I do at one time or another. This is just a very busy week and every day (in addition to work!) with the exception of tomorrow I have at least one commitment. The gardens need more attention, there's always something to do in the house, I want to hook and just have some time for me. There's not enough hours in the day to do what needs done.

Last evening I got home at 8:30 to find a notice on my door that my gas was shut off. They are "upgrading the service line connection at the gas meter as part of the Riser Safety Program at no direct cost to me". (I'm sure I will "indirectly" pay for it!) It can't be turned back on until they can come in the house to check all gas appliances for leaks. They gave a toll free number to call. I call and get to leave a voice message. Oh, terrific! I wonder if I'll still have hot water in the morning to shower. At 10:45 I am finishing up the newspaper and see flashing lights and hopefully go to the door. Yep, the gas man cometh. I was glad he showed up, but it was past 11:00 before everything was turned back on. I fell into bed past 11:30 and got up my usual tired self.

Are any of you baby boomers out there dealing with a parent with dementia? My Mom is 89 and still living alone, but probably not for much longer. The dementia is getting worse and worse. I try so hard to be patient, but some days it is so hard. For those of you who have gone through this or are currently dealing with these issues, do you have any insight or suggestions? Tonight she was hinting (well, actually more than just hinting) that she should come live with me. I love her with all my heart, but I just can't live with her. I'm sure some of you will understand and others will think I am a terrible person, but it is just more than I can handle. Oh, I'm sorry for dumping on all of you, but sometimes it helps to get it out.

On a brighter note, here are a few more pictures from my gardens. The yellow jackets (?) love the globe thistle.

One of my favorite daylilies.
The coneflowers are in full bloom.

The balloon flowers are just starting to bloom.

Thank you so much for stopping by and for listening to me.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Beautiful weeds ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ as long as they are not growing in my garden!

Queen Anne's lace is beautiful ~ and I could tolerate a plant or two.
I'm not sure if this is really a weed, but I found it growing in a field.

It looks like a wild sweet pea.
These remind me of giant snapdragons ~ perhaps not a weed either?

Now I would not want teasel in my garden, but they are

gorgeous at this stage.

So very wispy.

Pretty blue.

I really don't like finding these in my yard, but even the lowly

dandelion has a pretty flower.

Can you think of any weeds with red flowers? I can't.

Wishing everyone a wonderful, fun, productive weekend! Hopefully the

weather will be pleasant tomorrow. I'm off to another outdoor antique

show and if I find any treasures, I will share them with you.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Hooking at the library ~ ~ ~

First of all, a Frannie update. Here's Frannie perched on the back of my couch. My "personal pug" Loocie and all the pugs I've fostered LOVE to jump on the back of the couch and sleep like a cat. The saga of Frannie continues. {{SIGH}} Monday was the hernia surgery and Tuesday we were back at the vet. I was panicked when I looked at her belly at lunchtime. She had a huge lump again and I was so worried she had somehow gotten another hernia. We headed to the vet and to my relief (???), it was just swollen. He drained a significant amount of fluid and said we'd probably have to come back again on Friday, and it looks like we will need to return. I'm just thankful it doesn't seem to bother her!

Since Frannie seemed to be doing fine, I snuck out to hook for a bit with the "library hookers". It was a smaller group than normal, but what a talented bunch of ladies. Lisa was finishing the binding on this fall rug. The colors are much more muted than they appear.

Here's Lisa's current project. I always love her color choices.
Karin did a fabulous job on her Rag Doll rug!
Here's an antique adaptation that she is now working on. At the rate she hooks, it will probably be done by the next time I see her.
Here is a close-up. She does beautiful work.

Last but not least is Leah's feather tree rug ~ very sweet and very near completion.

A big thank you to all the ladies for letting me share their rugs. I really do appreciate it and all of you inspire me!

I can't believe the week is already half over. Where does the time go?

Pug hugs to everyone :)

Lauren

# 2 Bad Boy ~ ~ ~

Here is my #2 Bad Boy...lol! His birth name is Jason, but he simply goes by J (though I still call him Jason most of the time). Since I already posted about his older brother, I don't want him to feel left out. Yeah, right. He'd be MORE than happy if I didn't post this. You can see how happy he is to have his picture taken. (Actually he comes by this justly. I HATE to have my picture taken.)

This was last Halloween. He and his girlfriend Janet (who is absolutely wonderful to his son Jake!!!!) belong to the S.C.A., the Society for Creative Anachronism. It is an international organization dedicated to researching and recreating the arts and skills of pre-17th century Europe. Their "Known World" consists of 19 kingdoms with over 30,000 members worldwide. (For more information, visit www.sca.org.) They dressed up to go trick-or-treating with Jake.

J is such a great Dad. I'm very proud of him!

Here they are last summer being "cool in the pool".

My poor little foster girl Frannie. If it wasn't for bad luck, she'd have no luck at all. She tore her spay incision stitches internally, and ended up with a hernia. They repaired it today. Hopefully this time she can heal without a problem. She is so active and to try to stop her from jumping or climbing stairs will be a challenge for me. I must be more diligent this week than I was last. Wish me luck.

Hopefully tomorrow night I can sneak away for a couple of hours and head to the library to hook with the ladies ~ and hopefully I'll get a few pictures. They are all so talented!

Pug hugs to everyone :)

Lauren

Antique show goodies ~ ~ ~

Sorry, my pictures are out of order, and blogger has decided it will no longer let me move them. GGGGRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!! This picture was originally after "wool", but I inadvertently deleted it and when I added it once again, I can't move it so it is here to stay! (Does anyone else have that problem? It just started a couple of posts ago.)

It was a perfect day for the antique show in Milan, Ohio, birthplace to Thomas Edison. It is held outdoors on the town square. This show seems to be blessed with good weather every year. (Last year it rained in the morning but soon cleared up.) I ran into a couple of my hooker friends, Karin and hubby and later Mitsuko with her daughter. Also one of the dealers set up I had met in a class I took from Alice at Folk Art Primitives.

If money was no object, there was plenty I would have bought ~ crocks, baskets, samplers, Leeds...but that not being the case, I was rather conservative.

A few years ago, my DSO gave these printer blocks to me at Christmas as a stocking stuffer...

...I then stole the idea from Linda over at the Wool Cupboard to add these words. The blocks were a bargain at only 25 cents each!
Luckily I tracked down a good friend at the show, so I was able to buy a couple of Christmas presents for the DSO without him seeing them. Now if he decides to read this post, he'll have months to wonder what I bought.

I collect treen (aka treenware). Treenware means that the item was derived from trees. This particular piece is known as Peaseware, made by the Pease family of Ohio in the latter quarter of the 1800's and early 1900's. It is about 5 inches high and about the same width. Peaseware has very delicate turnings and such great form. I have a few smaller pieces but nothing this large. Normally, I can't afford the pieces, but the lid on this piece was broken in half and re-glued and the body also has a crack. Nonetheless, it is a wonderful addition to my collection and I'm thrilled to have found it.

I hope everyone had a great weekend!

Pug hugs :)

Lauren