Western Reserve Hook In ~

 

The Western Reserve rug hooking guild put on an amazing hook in yesterday.  A big THANK YOU to the committee who did such a wonderful job!  One hundred fifty hookers in attendance and incredible vendors selling everything you needed and some things you didn't . . . lol.  I always say need has nothing to do with a purchase :)  THE BEST doors prizes and raffle baskets galore filled with wool, patterns, etc.  I was thankful to have been asked to vend.  I must say I was extremely happy with my sales.  Anything to help support my hooking habit.

 

I failed to get pictures of all the vendor booths, but here are some of them.  I also did not take any "people" pictures.  Sorry about that.

 

My neighbor was none other than the sweet Betsy of Heavens to Betsy fame along with her daughter Erica and hubby Eric.  She is coming up with some fun new hooking techniques.  Her wool, as always, is incredible.

Julie of the Old Tattered Flag along with her mom were also vending.  What a couple of dear ladies.  I think a road trip to New York is in my future.

 

 

Alice Fraizer's booth ~ beautiful as always.

 

 

Breezy Ridge Rugs had wonderful wool yarn for binding or rug punching.

 

Donna Bennett of Crows on the Ledge.

 

Friend Bobbie came down from Michigan Friday night and she was such a help getting my booth set up.  Many, many thanks, Bobbie :)

To the right are friend Melissa's embellished wool bracelets.  They are beautiful and were a big hit.

 

I really tried to behave and not spend all my earnings, so this is what came home with me.  A yard of a new Betsy wool (from Betsy, of course), paisley from Alice Fraizer and this fun necklace from Julie of the Old Tattered Flag.  

I still have rug show pictures to share and a fun hook story.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Many, Many Thanks ~

 

A big thank you to all my blog and hooker friends and family members who were coerced in to purchasing tickets for the pug rug and paw print mat to benefit Ohio Pug Rescue.  Thanks to your generosity I sold $231 worth of tickets and about another $100 was made at the reunion held last Saturday.  I am so pleased that I sold the winning tickets.  (No, I did not pick the winners.)  Former Buckeye and current Florida resident Judi who is the proud mom of 3 pug boyz (who happen to be rescues) won the pug rug.  She has donated to OPR several times over the last few years so I am so happy she won.

 

The paw print was won by hooker friend Sue who is happily hooking, I'm sure, in Nova Scotia with the winner of the pickle and olive forks.  It sure is a small world, isn't it (and getting smaller all the time)?

 

 

I am still busy trying to get ready for the Western Reserve hook in this Saturday.  I thought I was much more organized than I am, so it's taking me forever to get ready to vend.  I hope I do well.  We all know supporting a hooking habit is not easy :)

 

There's still nothing on the frame.  I can't believe how long it's been since I've picked up the hook.  Tomorrow evening is hooking at the library.  I think I will take the time to put a pattern on linen ~ not that I don't have plenty to choose from. 

 

Once again, thank you to Louise of Dogwood Farm who so generously shared her pug pattern with me and to all those who bought tickets.  The pugs and I appreciate it.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Memorial Day ~

 

NEVER FORGET

those who have served

and may God Bless

those who continue to serve.

 

A big thank you to my

father, younger son

and DSO who

have given their service

to this Land that I love.

 

God Bless America.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

A Little Birdie Told Me ~

 

Here is my little robin mat, all hooked and bound.  This delightful pattern by Red Snapdragon Farms can be found here.

 

It was a fun hook and used up a few worms (very few . . . sigh).  The finished size is 12 3/4" x 21".

The little birdie has told me that local hooker friend Arlene (who entered via email) is the winner of the pickle and olive forks.  Congrats :)  Arlene is even luckier because she is leaving on Tuesday with several local hookers to hook with Deanne Fitzpatrick in Nova Scotia.  Safe travels, my friends.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

What a Mess ~

 

It's a good thing I live alone.  Others might have a problem living with this mess.  When I hook, it is upstairs in my hooking room so my mess is contained there and pretty much out of sight.  I stamp my spoons and forks in the basement, but any other creating is done on the dining room table and this is what my table has looked like for a couple of weeks.  Even I am tired of the mess, but makes no sense to me to put it away each evening.  I am getting ready to vend at the Western Reserve hook in at the end of the month and am trying to come up with a few new things.

 

 

I will be taking some of my garden markers . . .

 

. . . and some of the pickle and olive forks.  (There's still time to enter if you'd like to try winning a set.  See my previous post.)

 

I've been making pendants out of antique paisley (oh, they are so much prettier in person) and some pendants made with quillies.  

Velveteen and antique paisley pincushions are filled with crushed walnut shells to keep needles and pins nice and sharp.  I hope to get a few scissor fobs made, but we'll see if I run out of time.

My complete set of typewriter keys (missing the "C" . . . lol) now have bales and are ready to add to a necklace.

After nearly two weeks, still nothing on the frame.  I need to do a better job of planning ahead.  I've pulled several patterns already on linen and a few on paper, but nothing is screaming my name.  I hope something screams soon.

 

My little robin mat is about 80% bound.  I'm going to give myself an atta-girl for binding it.  I will share the finish in my next post.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Just for Fun ~

The Secret of a Long Life . . .

Bless her little heart . . . how sweet . . . the secret to long life . . . this has been around, but it still warms the cockles of my heart . . .

 

A doctor on his morning walk, noticed the old lady pictured above:
She was sitting on her front step smoking a cigar, so he walked up to her and said,
“I couldn’t help but notice how happy you look! What is your secret?”
“I smoke ten cigars a day,” she said. “Before I go to bed, I smoke a nice big joint.
Apart from that, I drink a whole bottle of Jack Daniels every week, and eat only junk food.
On weekends, I pop pills, have sex, and I don’t exercise at all.
“That is absolutely amazing! How old are you?”
“Forty,” she replied.

And just for fun, I'm giving away these olive and pickle forks I've made.  Leave a comment on this post or drop me an email with give-away in the subject line.  I'll pick a winner at the end of the week.  Not exactly sure when because it's going to be another busy week :(   My only "rule" is that the winner will need to contact me within 3 days.   

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

Whole Lotta Nothin' ~

  

What a week it's been.  It has been the work week from hell.  Just crazy busy and lots of unhappy people.  The phone hasn't stopped ringing.  Yes, the city is riddled with potholes.  I will log your complaint but I can't tell you when it will be done.  No, our department doesn't handle high grass complaints.  Let me transfer you.  Let me check to see if that ballfield is available and I will email you a permit.  ARGH!!!  The clincher today was that I inadvertently called someone ma'am when it was a sir.  No, you didn't tell me your name was Gary and I do apologize.  My name . . . Lauren.  He wanted to be sure he knew it so when he called the newspaper he was going to tell them how I spoke to him in a condescending tone of voice.  OK.  Done with my rant :)

 

I bought these old typewriter keys a while back, but the tag just cracks me up.

 

 

I finally got the label sewn on the pug rug.  I hate labeling rugs almost as much as I hate binding them.  I couldn't sew a label on straight if my life depended on it and I even took the time to baste it.

 

I found this on Facebook.  I've seen it before but it always makes me smile.

 

 

I finally finished hooking my robin mat and I am actually getting ready to bind it.  I haven't pulled a loop in days.  I have so many rugs already on linen and many more patterns ready for linen, but just can't decide what I want to hook.  I need to do a better job planning ahead. 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

 





Happy Mother's Day ~

 

 

 

MOTHER'S DAY QUIPS

PAUL REVERE'S MOTHER:

"I don't care where you think you have to go, young man. Midnight is past your curfew!"
 

MONA LISA'S MOTHER:

"After all that money your father and I spent on braces, Mona, that's the biggest smile you can give us?"



HUMPTY DUMPTY'S MOTHER:

"Humpty, if I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times not to sit on that wall.

But would you listen to me? Noooo!"


COLUMBUS' MOTHER:

"I don't care what you've discovered, Christopher. You still could have written!"



MICHELANGELO'S MOTHER:

"Mike, can't you paint on walls like other children? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that stuff off the ceiling?"



ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S MOTHER:

"Again with the stovepipe hat, Abe? Can't you just wear a baseball cap like the other kids?"



MARY'S MOTHER:

"I'm not upset that your lamb followed you to school, Mary,but I would like to know how he got a better grade than you."


BATMAN'S MOTHER:

"It's a nice car, Bruce, but do you realize how much the insurance is going to be?"



GOLDILOCKS' MOTHER:

"I've got a bill here for a busted chair from the Bear family. You know anything about this, Goldie?"



ALBERT EINSTEIN'S MOTHER:

"But, Albert, it's your senior picture. Can't you do something about your hair? Styling gel, mousse, something...?"


JONAH'S MOTHER:

"That's a nice story, but now tell me where you've really been for the last three days."


SUPERMAN'S MOTHER:

"Clark, your father and I have discussed it, and we've decided you can have your own telephone line.
Now will you quit spending so much time in all those phone booths?"


THOMAS EDISON'S MOTHER:

"Of course I'm proud that you invented the electric light bulb, Thomas. Now turn off that light and get to bed!"

I posted these quips a few years ago, but they still make me laugh.

 

Happy, happy Mother's Day to you and Happy Mother's Day to my mom who I'm sure is smiling down on me.

 

Thanks for the visit.

Hugs :)
Lauren

Mish Mosh ~

 

Just a little of this and that.  As always, I'm so happy tomorrow is Friday.  This very long week just flew by.  Does that make sense to anyone else but me?

 

I am sorry if I sounded whiney my last post.  I really didn't mean to sound that way.  I enjoy blogging and plan to continue.  Now whether I make another 900, I haven't a clue, but I will give it a try. 

 

This was the sunset over Lake Erie a couple of weeks ago.  Once the sun starts setting over the lake, it goes down fast and we barely got there in time.

 

My neighbor's magnolia (?) tree is always breathtaking.

 

Our Loocie a few weeks ago after going to the vet.  This poor little girl is just a mess.  She had a cyst on her back paw, something icky under her chin and an infection.  She is only 9 and not aging well, but she is just so DANG CUTE :)

I thought I'd be done with my robin a week ago.  I'm close but instead of being able to sit and hook now, I must go cut the grass.  The joys of home ownership.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Congrats to ~

Thanks to all who entered my post #900 give-away.  I know blogging is not as popular as it used to be, but I was surprised at how few people were interested in the wool.  I guess next time I will have to think of something my readers might like better :)

 

So . . . congrats to longtime follower, Trish - Miccosukee of Florida.  Send me your snail mail address and I will get your wool mailed out. 

 

No matter how many pictures I took nor in what light, I just couldn't get good color.  They are much more subtle and muted in person.

 

 

Many, many thanks to my readers who take time out of their busy day to read my blatherings.  I really do appreciate you.

 

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Dyeing ~

 

Yesterday's dye class with Connie {Wool Yankers} was great fun.  It was a beautiful northern Ohio day (FINALLY) and we were set up in her garage.  I think she had hot plates and roasters set up for eight dye pots.  Of course I forgot to take out the camera.  We spot dyed, marbleized, scrunch dyed, dip dyed and more.  Unless Connie is dyeing to get a specific color for a hooker, she is a no rules kinda gal, flying by the seat of her pants. 

 

One of the colors I chose to dye, champlain blue, is from Vermont Folk Rugs and I am so happy to have the book and love the outcome.  ARGH!  The true color is somewhere between the two.

 

Today instead of doing what needs to be done, I have been playing in the dye pots.  My supply of Cushing dyes is limited and I need to find my Cushing chart so if I don't have a color, I can choose one that is very similar.  I don't yet have the confidence to alter the recipe.  I did break a very important rule ~ wear gloves.  My hands and nails can prove that I did not.  No one ever said I was the sharpest knife in the drawer . . . lol.
These are the wools I started with.

Here are the results.  All are formulas from Antique Colours for Primitive Rugs by Emma Lou Lais and Barbara Carroll. 

Khaki - ended up more green than Khaki

Bronze green - a very pleasing color in person.
NOTHING like the color showing on my monitor :(

 

Antique black - came out more blue than black. 
Darker than showing here.

Oh, the things a mom can learn on Facebook.  I was on yesterday and saw that my California son was in Hawaii.  HAWAII???   His girlfriend is a flight attendant and a Friday night flight to Hawaii she was working was only half filled, so he got to fly there FIRST CLASS.  I'm guessing he is back home today, but what an opportunity.  Lucky guy.

Definitely NOT Lake Erie

Can you believe this is post #899?  My 8 year blog anniversary is approaching soon.  Where has the time gone?  I do enjoy having give-aways and haven't had one in forever, so if you'd like to win some of the wool I dyed today, leave me a comment on this post or send me an email with give-away in the subject line.  My only "rule" is that you must contact me within three days or I will choose a new winner.  I will pick a winner Tuesday evening, 8 pm-ish. 

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