Hooking Outside the Box . . .

. . . also known as trying to hook "Deanne Fitzpatrick" style.  

Yesterday I took a class taught by the ever-so-sweet Katie Allman of Kid'l de Divey Woolens taught at That'll Do Farm.  I have spent the last 7 years hooking exclusively with wool strips trying to get even loops.  Yesterday I was to put that out of my mind and it was not easy!  I can best describe Deanne's style as very random using as many different fibers as Katie could come up with.  We hooked with wool, yarn, roving, sweaters, fabric, etc.  It is not the orderly hooking I am used to!  Two ladies had never hooked before so they had a definite advantage.  The hooked piece must be viewed from afar like an impressionistic painting.  Here are a couple works in progress.

Katie explaining how to hook the sky.

Hookers hard at work.  I can't believe I didn't take any pictures of the many DF style rugs that Katie had hooked and brought with her.

Here is the progress I made in class with a little help from Katie.  Every once in a while she would come hook with me, adding a piece of wild roving or other fiber :)  I think I need to re-do my windows.  They look, shall we say, a little large?

After a yummy lunch we headed to the pasture to visit with some of the furry residents of That'll Do.  Here's Katie taking a picture of the oh-so-handsome Joey, guard of the sheep.

Melissa giving the boys a little snack.

Having a bad hair day.

What a fun day!  I think I am going to struggle with this rug but since it's not very large (about 12" x 16") I should be able to get it done . . . some day.

Happy Friday to you!
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Just Stuff ~

Fall has arrived, by date and by the blanket on my bed.  The electric blanket has been officially turned on :)

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I have been busy hooking.  I finished the hooking on another pumpkin with the hand torn strips.

I've also finished my sunflower ~ a pattern by Cathy G of Red House Wool Studio.  I changed the pattern just a bit.  Instead of the 1820 date on the left side, I added some . . . not sure what you call them.  I don't think they are clamshells.  Aren't those in corners?  Anywho, I think I did more reverse hooking on this mat than I've ever done before.  I didn't like the size of a couple of the leaves . . . changed those.  I changed colors on some of the whatchamacallits.  I changed the left margin.  I really like the way it came out.  So wish I could capture the true colors!

Thanks, Cathy, for such a fun pattern.  I was hooking on this at last week's hook in and you would be amazed how many hookers were familiar with the pattern or planned on hooking it!

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This guy has been watching us and taunting Annie while I sit and hook.

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Speaking of Annie . . . I've said it before and I'll say it again (I'm beginning to sound like a broken record.  Remember those?).  How could you not love this face?  She has been with me for a year now (and, no, I am not her furever mom!) and it is time for her to get adopted.  I mean really!!!  There was a possible application for her that I reviewed the other day.  I'm not sure why, and even though they haven't met her, decided she was not the pug for them :(

She has only been sleeping in my bed for the last 12 months, and just discovered two day ago that she likes the pillows.  Maybe she will stop crowding me during the night!  I can only hope.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

How Can it Be?

I don't understand how tomorrow can be the first day of fall.  Wasn't the Fourth of July just a couple weeks ago?  The weather has changed so quickly.  It is downright chilly most of the day and seems to only warm up for a few hours in the afternoon.  I have resisted turning the furnace on, but I have gotten out my little electric heater.  And to think it will only get worse ~ lots worse.  I am not a winter person and the older I get, the more I hate the cold.  I think I was meant to live much further south . . . lol!

My sunflower rug is nearing completion and hopefully will be finished tomorrow.  I'd really like to make a few more of the pumpkins with hand torn strips.  I'd love to find more time to hook and stitch and punch but the day job and life just seems to get in the way . . . sigh.

What a pathetic post!  Hopefully next time I'll have more to say.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Hook In ~

Today was the biennial hook-in hosted by the Lorain County (Ohio) Hookcrafters.  What fun to take a day off work and spend time with hooking friends.  AND . . . I actually got a little hooking done.  

Here are a few of the rugs from the show.  

Terrible picture, but I love this rug!

I apologize to Arlene for this lousy picture.  This rug was one of my favorites and the colors in person are beautiful.

This picture was taken without a flash and the colors are STILL too bright.  Donna really hooks dark and dirty!  LOVE IT!

Tomorrow it's back to reality ~ aka work, but it sure was great to play today.

Thanks for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Congrats to ~

Just a quick post to say congrats to Sue (no blog) ~ the winner chosen by Miss Annie.  Please send me your snail mail address and I will get your pumpkin sent.

Thanks so much to all who entered!!!

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

New on my Frame ~

I've decided to take a break from my What Nots rug and work on something for fall.  This is a pattern from Cathy G over at Orange Sink.  The pattern can be found here.  The pattern is about 10" x 20" and is a fun one to hook.  (As always, the colors, especially the flower petals, are more muted in person!)

Today, in Oberlin, Ohio, was a rescue event called the Doggie Do.  Annie and I spent the day there and she is totally worn out.  She is like a little kid trying so hard to keep her eyes open.  She was using one of her toys as a pillow.

I actually sold one of my pumpkins :)  If my memory hasn't failed me (and it has that tendancy), it is the first hooked piece that I have ever sold.  Thanks, Jan, you made my day!

Don't forget to sign up for my give-away.  I will pick a winner tomorrow evening.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Oh Deer!

Detail from a sampler rug hooked by Katie Allman

Do deer like impatiens?  Yesterday I discovered that my impatiens were totally gone.  In the past, I have seen them nibbled on, but nothing like this.

I live in the city, but have woods not far from me and deer are known to frequent the area.  The pots are very lightweight fiberglass, so I think if it were a rabbit, squirrel or any other little critter, they would cause the urn to topple over.  I guess it's time to go buy a few mums and hope they don't like them!

Thank you for all the kind comments about my pumpkins hooked with hand torn wool.    Saturday I did not leave them at the antique show.  The rain had stopped, but it was windy and I had visions of them blowing off the tables and being stepped on.  Sunday they were displayed among with the antiques.  I had a couple lookers but not one person even remotely interested in buying one.  Oh well, oh hell!  I guess that means I need to give one away :)  Leave a comment on this post only or send me an email with give-away in the subject line.  You do not even need to be a follower.  Please do NOT blog about this.  It is for my faithful readers.  I will pick a winner Sunday evening after 7pm.

Thanks also for all the sweet comments on "How it all began".  I really do appreciate all of you!!!

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

How It All Began ~

Karen from My Colonial Home has asked that we do a blog post about when we started blogging and how we came up with our blog name.

First I'll say that I'm a late bloomer.  I didn't even have any idea what a blog was until sometime late in 2008.  I had never read one.  I am not sure how I even stumbled upon blogs, but boy, oh boy, have I become addicted.  I wonder what I did with all that extra time that I now use to blog and to read them. 

Rugs and Pugs.  I picked out the name long before my first post.  I just thought it sounded kind of catchy and fit me to a T.  I thought I would try blogging, but then no one would read it, so why bother?    At that time I was reading Alice's, Betty's and Ginger's blogs to name a few.  My first post was on May 31, 2009.  I was so hoping that someone ~ anyone ~ would read my blog so I emailed the above mentioned bloggers and they so kindly stopped by.  {{Thank you!}}  If you've read my blog once or twice you will know how my name was chosen.  I am a rug hooker and a pug lover.  My significant other and I have joint custody of a pug named Loocie (she spends the majority of her time with him) and I foster pugs through Ohio Pug Rescue.

A few of my rugs . . .

. . . and a few of my pugs.

I closed my first post with "Please remember, what counts is the journey, not the destination".  That still rings true.  This blogging journey has been so rewarding.  I've met so many new friends and some I've even gotten to meet face to face.  I still get excited with each new follower and the comments warm the cockles of my heart (whatever cockles are . . . lol).  I have been blessed with many faithful readers.  Thank you so very much!

Pug hugs :)
Lauren