Just For Fun ~

There was a bit of confusion at the store this morning.

When I was ready to pay for my groceries .....

the cashier said, "Strip down, facing me."

Making a mental note to complain to my Congressman about Homeland Security running amok, I did just as she had instructed.

When the hysterical shrieking and alarms finally subsided,

I found out that she was referring to " my credit card".

I have been asked to shop "elsewhere in the future".

They need to make their instructions to Seniors ~ more clear!

On with the Show ~

Here are more pictures from Katie's hook-in at Kingwood Center in Mansfield, Ohio.  This is a sampler rug Katie hooked and she also teaches this as a class.  Isn't it spectacular?  I love it but it's way too much detail for me!

Another version of just the center.  I did not get names to go with the rugs.  Sorry :(

LOVE this Santa!

I do know these two rugs were hooked by Heidi of Wool Nuts.

I hope you've enjoyed the show.  In my haste, there were many more rugs that I did not get pics of.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Busy ~ Busy

Whew!  What a busy weekend.  I thought I’d have time to finish Henny Penny, but I didn’t even have time to pick up the hook.  I did get the lawn mowed and the few annuals I bought planted.  I still need a few more for my urns, etc.  I’d love to find the time to work in the yard this week, but I doubt  that will happen.  No time and even though I prefer summer over any other season, it is going to be stifling hot.  

I spent a couple hours boxing items from the estate sale.  Hopefully I will be done with that soon and can get the items donated.  Then it will be on to getting the house ready to list.  A few things need to be done first.  My mom passed away when she was 90 and was feisty almost until the end.  A year or two before she died, she fell in the living room and broke a hole in the drywall.  The little stinker put a chair in front of it so I would not see it!  It wasn’t until MUCH later I discovered it and she was not shy in telling my why she moved the chair.  What a gal!

Katie’s hook-in was wonderful ~ as always.  It was a picture perfect day and the Kingwood Center is a beautiful venue.  Unfortunately I did not have time to walk the gardens.  Sheila, a friend I met a couple of years ago through blogging, had just finished a very large rug (of which I failed to get a picture!), so she kept me company most of the day.  Thanks, Sheila!  

I shared a table with Larry Ault, Alice was across the room and Heidi was in the opposite corner.  She made me laugh when she pulled out a piece of chartreuse wool and said she considers that a neutral.  No "dirty hooking" for Heidi!

Alice's luscious wools

Heidi's wools

This is the first time I have sold my spoon jewelry at a hook in or show and I am pleased with the amount of sales I had.  I received many compliments on my items.  Anything to help support my habit!  

I didn't have much time to look at the rugs since they were in a different building, but I did manage to take some pictures.  Here are a few of them.

Blogger is giving me fits tonight!!!  I am beginning to understand why some of you are switching!

I hope your week is off to a good start!
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

The Hurrier I Go . . .

. . . the behinder I get.

Another week behind me and did I get everything crossed off my list?  I think we all know the answer to that one!  I did go hook for a couple hours last evening, but did I remember my camera?  I think we know the answer to that question, too :)  I did get a fair amount of hooking done last evening and Henny Penny is nearing completion.  It is only 15" x 21" so it has taken me much longer than it should have.  I do like the purple feet!  

I don't plant annuals in the garden, but I have an old iron wheelbarrow to fill along with crocks, old buckets, etc.  Today was the first day I bought anything to plant.  I need to buy more but I need to plant what I bought today.  {{Just a bit behind!}}

Tomorrow is the hook-in that I blogged in my previous post.  I need to finish gathering up and load the car.  All the spoon jewelry fits in a plastic shoe box, but it's trying to remember all the extras that need to be taken.  Wish me luck that I sell lots of necklaces!

I'll leave you with a couple pics of my favorite redhead.  He was so excited to get his own motorcycle vest.

Soon he won't be toothless.  Kids look so much older once they have teeth!

I really must get busy and pack up.

Happy weekend to you!
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Purple Feet for Alice :)

I survived the estate sale!  What a relief to cross that off my to-do list.  I did okay.  Of course not as good as I had hoped, but I got rid of LOTS of stuff.  Some of the stuff I was sure would sell did not and other stuff I thought for sure would be left over is gone.  I know, one man's trash is another man's treasure.  I am in the process of boxing the leftover stuff (and there is still some good stuff!) to donate and will try to sell a few of the larger items on Craigslist.  

Let me just say I am NOT a purple person and let me also say this is  NOT the first time Alice has tried to talk me in to purple feet.  I guess I am feeling a little wild and crazy and thought I'd give it a try on Henny Penny.  I think I may like it :)

Thankfully we got some much needed rain here in northern Ohio.  Yesterday we got a real gully-washer but hopefully some of it soaked in to the soil.  Today the robins were enjoying their bath.

If you live in the mid-Ohio area, be sure to stop by Kingwood Center in Mansfield on Saturday.  Katie of Kidl' de Divey Woolens is having her annual hook-in, and even if you are not a hooker, I'm sure you will enjoy the rug show and the gardens are breathtaking.  If you're lucky you will even encounter one of the resident peacocks.  The only admission is the $5.00 per car fee to enter the facility.  Katie has graciously asked me to sell my spoon jewelry.  Wish me luck!

Thank you so much for stopping by!
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Random Number Generator ~

I used a very low-tech random number generator to choose the winner of the folky little horse mat.  There were 38 comments and one email entry, so I had the RNG choose a number from 1-39.  His choice?  Number 33.  "S", who is really Sheila from Bucyrus, is the winner.  Congrats to Sheila!  {{Wouldn't you want this guy to choose you???  Oh, the joys of an Ipad!}}

Thanks to all who entered.  I'll be having another give-away soon so please stop back!
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Long May She Wave ~

HAPPY FLAG DAY

RED, WHITE & BLUE HUGS :)

LAUREN

Funky, Folky Horse ~

Oh my goodness!  I can't believe it.  I have been blogging for just over three years and this is post #500.  Some of you have been with me since day one.  Thanks to everyone for reading my blog, leaving so many sweet comments and for being my friends.  I appreciate it more than you will ever know.

As a thank you, I'm giving away this little hooked mat.  It's measures about 11" x 13".  For once the colors of my pic are pretty accurate. As always, entering is simple.  Leave a comment on this post only or send me an email with give-away in the subject line.  Please do not post it to your blog.  I will pick a winner Saturday evening.

Once again, thank you so much for taking the time to read my ramblings.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

All Work and No Play ~ ~ ~

~ ~ ~ makes Lauren a dull, dull girl!

Thank you so much for all the sweet comments on my last post.  Blog buddies are the BEST!!!

The bulk of the weekend has been spent getting ready for the estate sale.  (Sounds so much classier than a garage sale, right?)  I am guessing we are about 80% done but ran out of places to put things.  I'll scrounge up a few more tables to put in the garage and hopefully in one or two evenings it will be done, or as done as it's going to get . . . lol!  I have hauled quite a few boxes out of my basement and garage and taken it to the house.  Everything that doesn't sell will be donated.  The sale is Friday and Saturday and when it is done I will definitely breathe a sigh of relief, though there will still be much to do to get the house ready to sell.

I didn't have time to hook this weekend, but did finish binding one little hooked mat.  I will share that with you in my next post.

I went out and snapped a few more pictures from the yard.  

This clematis always blooms profusely.

My miniature clematis.  I forgot to include this in my "shades of purple" post.  It only grows about 3 feet tall . . .

. . . and has the sweetest little flower.

I hate to water but everything is so dry.  A friend talked me in to this splurge a few years ago.  It spins around and does a great job of watering.

Thanks so much for stopping by!
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Many Shades of Purple ~

Just about everything blooming in my neglected gardens seems to be a shade of purple.  

Do you sometimes feel totally out of control?  That you don’t know which way is up?  Ack!  I feel I have so much to do and am not getting anything done.  You’ve seen my wool room.  The rest of the house is “neat” but not “clean”.  I think my dust bunnies are having babies J  The garage was so bad I couldn’t get my car in it.  The vehicle has a winter’s worth of dirt and pug hair.  I think I have enough pug hair for at least a pug or two!  The basement has a path running through it.  The worse part, though, is my procrastination (as I’ve mentioned before).  My mom passed away two years ago and I’ve finally been going through her house, deciding what to keep, what to toss and what to try to sell.  It seems like every free moment has been spent there.   I wanted to have someone else do an estate sale, but two different people I’ve had come in said I do not have enough stuff to make it worth their while.   So . . . I have to do it myself and I’ve decided that I could put it off for just about forever, or have it next week,  so next week it is.  I have not yet begun to price anything.  I really don’t know what to charge, but Saturday I am forcing myself to “just do it”.  Thankfully I have someone who is helping me.  It really is mostly garage sale stuff, which is probably good because I am trying not to take too much stuff home.  And what am I doing?  Sitting on this darned machine! 

I have been hooking a bit on Henny Penny, though not enough progress to show.  I’ve also been asked to vend at the Kingwood Gardens hook-in on June 23 in Mansfield, Ohio, by the ever so dear Katie of Kid’l de Divey Woolens.  So I’ve been busy trying to get spoon necklaces, scissor fobs and key chains made. 

Here is a pic of my new pie safe.  One of these days it will make its way from the basement to the new wool room and be perfect for wool storage.

LOVE the mouse hole!

Thanks so much for stopping by.

I wish I had some cheese to go with my whine!  (Thanks for listening.)

Pug hugs :)
Lauren