A Collection of ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ SPICE CUPBOARDS

This is the first spice cupboard (aka spice box, cabinet, chest, drawers) I purchased well over 20 years ago. {{Gee. I must have bought this when I was 12...lol!}} It is in the living room atop a six pane hanging cupboard, between an old spongeware bowl and a reproduction Shaker pantry box. It has the most wonderful patina and is one of my favorites, probably because I believe it to be older and it's much more unique.

Also in the living room is this very primitive one purchased on eBay from seller Yankeei. A bowl of miniature stone fruit sits in front and on top, a little repro redware plate from Turtlecreek Potters that says "snippets". For those of you who don't hook, snippets are the little tails of wool that are cut off during the hooking process. The crocheted piece was done by my maternal grandma many decades ago.
Here's a close-up view.

In the kitchen, I have two more spice cupboards sitting on an antique cupboard. This one is covered with a thick coat of barn red paint.

And another with more miniature stone fruit in an old pressed glass compote.

Finally, I have two more in the dining room atop an old pie safe. Here's part of my Americana collection that I have been collecting for many years. About half the pieces are vintage ~ most of the other pieces are gifts from family and friends.This one also has the most marvelous patina. On top is a vintage bank.

Here's the last one I have ~ having only six drawers instead of the more common eight.

Thank you so much for stopping by and viewing my spice cupboard collection. I do hope you will come again soon.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Wool Room Re-do {{and two cool gifts}} ~

~ ~ ~ WELCOME ~ ~ ~

I've read on other rug hooking blogs that they have a hard time keeping the wool room organized. I know exactly what they mean. My hooking room is small ~ only 10 feet by 11 feet and that area also includes the built in desk and a small closet. I had shelves added to the closet a couple of years ago and I thought that would solve my organizational problem. Sorry to say, it did not. I've spent the last week organizing and am pretty happy with the results. Now I just need to keep it this way :-)

Here is the closet before....

...and after. Now I know Martha Stewart would be mortified ~ ~ ~ plastic storage containers that do not even match!

I can see the floor!

Here is the room before...

...and after. The antique cupboard to the left of the file cabinet was moved to the spare bedroom. Luckily I had carpet squares underneath and was able to slide it across the landing without difficulty.

A few years ago, this shelf unit was in the bedroom, but I had moved it to the basement. I am a ten pound weakling and moving it back up two stories (with the help of my Sweetie) was almost more than I could handle. At one time it had double doors - you can see where the hinges were. It also has some square nails. The shelves were a later addition based on the shelf brackets. Is it perhaps Eastlake style? Anyway you look at it, it is perfect for my wool!

This is my wool stash. Pretty weenie, no? At least I can now see what I have and what colors of wool I am seriously lacking. The stack on the left side of the third shelf is all wool that is still unwashed. I am so afraid of washing it and somehow ruining it.

Initially I put the file cabinet to the right of the shelf, but it just wasn't "right". When I moved it back to its original location, there was this gaping bare space, so back to the basement I went. The second and fourth baskets are vintage picnic baskets that I've bought with the intention of hooking rugs for the top and giving as gifts. (Obviously that didn't happen!) The first and third are Longaberger baskets.

I hope you've enjoyed my ten cent tour of the wool room. Now if only I can keep the shelf and closet this neat.....

The next two pictures are a couple of belated Christmas presents I received. The first is from BFF Belinda. It came with two more set of papier mache eggs ~ one patriotic set and one for Halloween. Too cute. Thanks, Belinda!

This is from Karin, a fellow hooker (and one of my mentors!!!). It's just the most wonderful blackened beeswax lamb that she made. I love it, Karin. Thank you!

Thank you so much for stopping by. I really do appreciate it. As I've said in the past, when I started my blog I was worried no one would read it, and now I have 50 followers. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Slap~Happy Hookers ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ WELCOME ~ ~ ~

Last month at hookin', most of the hookers decided they wanted to do a purse. It was decided that the hooking would be completed for today's get-together and Carol (on the right), would guide everyone in the finishing process. (Oh, what a talented lady! I'm not sure there's anything she can't do!) Here is everyone busy at work.

The purse assembly was very time consuming and more than a few fingers had needle pricks. Lisa decided to model her hat. (Cossack wannabe?)

And then the games began.

We were almost rolling on the floor in tears.

Aren't these purses amazing? Leather shoulder straps will complete them.

Thanks everyone for stopping by. Please come again soon.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

A Winter Poem ~ ~ ~ and Jacque's Give~Away

A WINTER POEM

It's winter in Ohio

And the gentle breezes blow.

Seventy miles an hour

At thirty-five below.

Oh, how I love Ohio

When the snow's up to your butt.

You take a breath of winter

And your nose gets frozen shut.

Yes, the weather here is wonderful

So I guess I'll hang around.

I could never leave Ohio

Cuz I'm frozen to the ground!

Stop on over at Jacque's blog and check out her give~away. She is actually having two give~aways ~ ~ ~ one for hookers and one for quilters.

Thank you so much for stopping by and let's all wish really really hard that spring is on the way!

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Three legged stool ~

Welcome ~ thanks for stopping by :)

I hope everyone had a good Valentines Day! My DSO was so kind. He gave me cash to buy some wool. I guess he likes me being a hooker...lol!

I appreciate all the kind and wonderful comments I received on my last post. I think for the time being, I am going to leave this rug in front of the cupboard and put the cats in front of the wagon. (This is one of the rugs I did not hook.) I agree with Kathy (woolfind) that I needed a wider rug there and this one is a bit wider. I also think Debbie (woolensails) has a great idea that I should hook a primitive floral. Anyone know of a good pattern to use?

The first few years I hooked, everything I hooked was small. I was too intimidated to try anything large. The first time I hooked a mat that was about 12 x 12, I thought I would never finish it! This is the second piece that I hooked. It measures 6 3/4" x 6 3/4" and was hooked in April 2005.

It is the perfect size for my little three-legged stool.
This little stool has the most wonderful patina. I love the way the legs are pegged into the top. You can see that the top is cracked.

It has been reinforced over the years by the addition of nails, screws and a wood piece under the top ~ and it still wobbles.

Happy Valentines Day to everyone.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Rug Finishes ~ Finally!

~ ~ ~ WELCOME FRIENDS ~ ~ ~

Today I thought I would share with you a few finished rugs.

As I've mentioned before, I like the hooking part, but I really, really, really don't like the finishing process and will put it off for a long time.

This is the largest rug I've hooked to date and the first rug I hooked with the intention of putting it on the floor (in a very low traffic area!). It took me five months to hook (but did a few small hooked and punch needle pieces during that time period) and it measures about 21 x 33. I finished the hooking in September and the binding yesterday.

I can't decide if I'm going to put it in front of the corner cupboard (one of my favorite pieces)...

...or in front of the wagon.

I must be on a cat kick. This rug was finished in November and the binding just this week. It measures about 15 x 19.

Finally, here is the rug that just gave me fits ~ the very belated Christmas gift that is finally in Alaska. It is only 14 x 19, but I just fought with this rug ~ I'm not sure why. If I had to do it over, I would make the dog bigger and not have him pooping a dog bone...lol!

Here is the real Tanner posing with the rug.

Thank you so much for stopping by and I do hope you will come again soon.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

I'm sure THE WINNER IS hoping for spring, too!

~ ~ ~ Welcome friends ~ ~ ~

It's hard to think spring when it looks like this....

...but these sweet daffodils from dear friend Judy turn my thoughts to spring flowers. Oh, it can't get here soon enough for me. {{sigh}}

I know here in northern Ohio we haven't gotten blanketed with as much snow as many other areas of the country much less equipped to deal with it, but I've had enough. Give me sunshine and 80 degrees ~ ~ ~ PLEASE!!!

I'm sure my give~away winner has more snow than we do. Kathy, congratulations!

Thanks to all who stopped by and entered. This was fun. I'll have to do it again soon.
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Bucyrus, Ohio and a Consolation Give~Away

~ ~ ~Welcome Friends ~ ~ ~

Oh, it is a small world, isn't it? Sheila (no blog), the winner of my give~away, lives just about an hour and a half from me in Bucyrus, Ohio. A few summers ago my sweetie and I took a motorcycle road trip to visit the murals of Eric Grohe. This amazing artist paints large public murals on the sides of buildings. The detail of his paintings is beyond comprehension. You would swear his paintings are 3 dimensional when they are not.

This mural, titled "Liberty Remembers", was painted to honor veterans of all wars. It is 36 feet by 44 feet.

I don't think Sheila will mind me telling you that she had the honor of becoming friends with Eric and his wife Kathy while they were in town, and her grandfather was one of the soldiers depicted.

This mural (and I've only captured a part of it), is titled "Great American Crossroads" and is 34 feet by 130 feet. If you turn around and look at actual buildings in the area, you will see these same buildings painted in the mural.
Here's a couple of pictures of us "interacting" with the mural.
Me in my skinnier days...lol!

If you are ever passing through Ohio near Bucyrus, a side trip to visit these amazing murals would be well worth your time.

Since I received so many kind words on my hooked mat give~away, I thought I would offer a punch needle version as a consolation give~away. This little mat is about 5 1/2 inches by 6 inches. I wish I was a better photographer because this mat looks so much better in person. I will draw the winner at noon on Wednesday. Just leave a comment on this post or drop me an email.

Thank you so much for stopping by!

Pug hugs :)
Lauren