The Things I Learned at Hooking ~

Tonight was hooking at That'll Do Farm. I learned two things this evening. Well, actually more than two, but only two that I can talk about on the blog.

First ~ in Cleveland there is a man named Buck who teaches yoga ~ naked yoga. It's called Buck Naked Yoga. Okay, it's for guys only, but somehow, no matter how buff the guy, I can't believe it's very attractive.

Second ~ there are Christmas ornaments called "pornaments". The example we saw was a glass ornament of two deer ~ doing the "dirty deed".

Honest. This is for real. I'm not clever enough to make this stuff up.

I think I need to get out more often :)

On to the hooking...

That's Jane in the foreground just getting started on a geometric. Heidi is in the red sweater and in the back is Andrea who so graciously invites us to hook at the farm.

A close up of the start of Jane's rug.
Farmer Gal Marilyn working on a needle felted...

...sheep. Isn't it just too cute? She is using cria tips which is baby alpaca fleece from their first haircut. I just love that wild look!

Andrea originally had needle felted her sheep, but didn't like the look, so she was hooking the sheep with unspun sheep locks. Only one more to go!

Okay. So I'm trying to get my hooking mojo back, but it wasn't going to happen on my horse rug. I drew up this little cat mat. To most of you I'm sure it doesn't look like much hooking, but for me it was monumental!

Thank you so much for stopping by and please come again soon.

Whatever you chose to do on New Year's Eve, please be safe and watch out for all the crazies out there.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Murphy's Law ~

Here's a punch needle piece I finished a couple of weeks ago. It is an adaptation of an antique hooked rug found on page 74 of "American Hooked and Sewn Rugs" by Joel and Kate Kopp. My finished size was approximately 7 1/2" x 5 1/4". I hadn't intended to give it as a gift, but one of the gifts I purchased for my sister was nowhere to be found when the box needed to be mailed. I had searched on several occasions and spent way too much time looking for it, so I gave up looking and sewed the wool backing on this little piece. Of course, the day after I mailed her box, I stumbled upon it. GGGRRRRR!!!! Thankfully she liked it :)

I don't know why, but I have "hooker's block". I desperately want to finish my horse rug, but I am not hooking on it. I think I've spent maybe 20 minutes hooking the last two weeks. I need to get with the program!!!

I hope everyone is still enjoying this holiday season. I am back to work this week but we have another long weekend due to the New Year holiday. I'll never complain about a long weekend {grin}.

Thank you so much for stopping by and please come again soon. I've picked up a number of new followers and I really do appreciate you taking the time to read my ramblings.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

They say it isn't over...

...until the fat lady sings, but in this case, I guess it's Santa who sang. I can't believe it is the day after and tomorrow it's back to work and reality.

Christmas was a magical time this year. It is the first time in many years that I got to share Christmas morning with a child who believed. My son and grandson spent the night. Jake had assured us that he would be up "5:30-ish". I am so happy he slept until 8:15 :)

He woke up to this on the fireplace hearth. Santa had left footprints! (Thanks, Fritz, for such a wonderful idea!)

This is Christmas eve. Jake was allowed to open one present and he just happened to pick a Transformer ~ and it was Bumblebee ~ one of his favorites.
Christmas morning.
Jake and Dad playing a game.

Playing with Loocie.

Hopscotch decked out for Christmas and all worn out. She acts like she has been here forever.

Aren't these just the cutest gifts bags I found at the dollar store?

I received so many wonderful gifts. I will share just a few of them.

Two pug bags and a pug luggage tag.

A featheredge plate to add to my collection.

A photo book my niece made for me and my three siblings. It's my Mom's life in pictures, beginning with a picture when she was probably five (the first picture we have of her) and ending with her obituary. Oh, how that made me cry. Thank you, Elise! You are the most wonderful niece a person could ask for!

A special mug from my grandson.

Earrings that my younger son made for me.

A new Ott-Lite for the living room so I can see to hook downstairs.

Two gift certificates to buy wool ~ WOO HOO! (Now if I'd do some hooking!)

I must have been a very good girl because I got many more presents!

Today, Fritz (my sweetie) and the two girls (Loocie and Hopscotch) and I took a quick trip to Chelsea, Michigan, and on the way home made a quick stop at Cabela's to look at coats. I desperately need a warmer dog walking coat. I found a great down filled one, longer like I am looking for, a perfect fit, but the totally wrong color! If you know anything about pugs, you know that they shed ~ A LOT! My next task tonight is to go online and order a fawn-colored one :) The store is amazing. A person could spend hours wandering around. They have something for everyone. Here's just a few pictures of the animals inside.

The smile on this goat (?) reminds me of Hopscotch.

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas. Thanks to each and every one of you for stopping by and reading my blog. I really do appreciate my blog buddies.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Merry Christmas to All...

...and to all a GOOD NIGHT!

May your Christmas be the best ever,

spent with those

who mean the most to you.

I would like to thank each and every one of you

for stopping by.

I have "met" so many new friends through my blog!!!

Just thought I would let everyone know

that Hopscotch is doing very well.

She acts like she has been here forever.

(NO!!! She won't be...lol!)

As Tiny Tim would say,

"God bless us, every one!".

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Pug Wannabe ~

Merry Christmas eve eve :)

Today I drove an hour and a half south to pick up my new foster. She's a six month old girl named Hopscotch. She's got the tail of a pug...

...but not quite the face :) Doesn't she look like one of those dogs on the Internet wearing the false teeth?

We're not quite sure if it's the result of poor breeding, or perhaps she is a chug (chihuahua-pug) or a puggle (pug-beagle). {{Don't you just hate that people are breeding these mixed breed dogs and calling them "designer dogs" and charging big $$ for them?}}

So far, so good. She sat quietly on the passenger seat on the ride home and is sleeping on the couch next to me. She was spayed yesterday so she is probably still feeling the effects of the anesthesia.

Is this the face only a mother could love?

Dear hooker friend Karin gave us all these sweet little gingerbread guys last week at hooking. They smell WONDERFUL! Thank you Karin.

Since I was picking Hopscotch up ten minutes from the Carousel Antique Mall in Mansfield, Ohio, I left a few minutes early so I could make a quick stop there. I did find a few vintage Christmas items.

Can you help me out here? I'm trying to find a nickname for Hopscotch, something with a derivative of her name. Even though it's only two syllables, Hopscotch is not that easy to say. Hoppy? Scotchy? Any other ideas?

I guess I'm as ready as I will ever be for Christmas. I thought I would have all kinds of time to relax, but {BIG SIGH}, it wasn't meant to be.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

If You Looked up "Cute" in the Dictionary...

...you just might find a picture of our Loocie. Loocie is our "personal pug", not adopted from Ohio Pug Rescue, but it is because of her I got involved with OPR.

My DSO and I have been together for fifteen years. After ten years he made a commitment ~ you guessed it ~ her name is Loocie. Hey, it works for me :)

The cards were mailed yesterday and shopping was finished this morning. Other than a quick trip to the grocery store, I think I am ready. Woo hoo! I took vacation this week so maybe I can even find a few minutes to hook!!!

Thanks for stopping by!
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

More Vintage & a Tubachristmas ~

~ Welcome Friends ~

Today I have just a few more vintage items to share with you.
Here are a few of my plastic light-up Santas.

This little guy is missing his candle.

Aren't these snowmen too cute? They were gifts from BFF Belinda two different years.

Have you ever been to a Tubachristmas? Have you ever heard of a Tubachristmas? Today was the 15th Tubachristmas in Lorain. It was conceived as a tribute to the late artist/teacher William J. Bell who was born on Christmas Day in 1902. Basically, the morning of the event, tuba and euphonium players gather, they practice and then hold a free concert in the afternoon. It really is a hoot. I had no idea there were so many different types of tubas. The participants play a short carol and then the audience is invited to sing along. If you don't know the words, you are encouraged to sing la la la. This year's Tubachristmas in Lorain was the largest ever with 127 instruments with the musicians ranging from the age of 11 to 86! Many of the instruments were decorated with lights and garlands. Go to Tubachristmas to learn more.

The last song of the concert is Jingle Bells and those in the know who have been there before come with their jingle bells. Jake was excited to hear a song to which he knew all the words.

Well, I still haven't gotten as much done this weekend as I should have. Thankfully I am off this week. I still have gifts to buy, many to wrap, grocery shopping, etc. Tomorrow I don't have a free minute, so hopefully on Tuesday I can accomplish miracles.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren