Crooked River ~

Life has been pretty dull lately with not a lot going on ~ creatively or otherwise :(  I finished hooking my arrow and will share once the backing is on. 

Next up on the frame is a challenge rug for our guild, Crooked River Rug Hookers (CRRH).  We are a new ATHA guild, having just formed last summer and we already have 49 members.  Northern Ohio is a mecca for hookers.  We are a west Cleveland guild but have members from a large area.  The Cuyahoga River runs through Cleveland and in to Lake Erie and is known as the crooked river. 

For our challenge, we were given the theme "crooked river" and we could draw up any pattern we wanted.  Not having that creative mind, I was totally stumped so guild president Heidi (Wool Nuts) drew a pattern for me.  She knew it could not be modern or abstract or detailed and needed to be hooked with mostly an 8 1/2 cut or larger.  This is what she came up with.  Should be fun to hook.

Yesterday was guild, and here are a few rugs that were shared.  So much talent!

Connie (Wool Yankers) is such a talented (and FAST) hooker.  This is a rug designed from a friend's business card (top right of the picture) that is to be his wedding present.

Another of Connie's rugs.  This one is HUGE and the way it was sitting on the table, I only got part of the rug.  It is hooked in a 3  to an 8 cut.

The next two rugs are Donna's.  In person, they are much more muted.  She is one of the "dirtiest" hookers I know :)

This reminds me of the picture I posted on my last post :)

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Just Monday ~

Saturday we celebrated March birthdays ~ brother, grandson and son.  Me, too, but not a decent picture with me in it.  Our family pictures must always include at least one with bunny ears. 

 

I finally started hooking my arrow that will be a door prize at the Western Reserve hook in.  The theme is "Take a Road Trip" and we could put whatever we wanted on it.  Sadly this is the best I could come up with.  I am showing this because I mentioned in a previous post how well the nylon loops work if the linen is not quite big enough (and you don't want to bother sewing fabric on).  It really is a quick and easy fix.  In the upper right, is something I've recently started making.

 

A scissor minder with a super strong magnet.  I've sold some and hope they sell well at the hook ins this April.

I did not get my Easter decorations out this year and I have many.  I have no good excuse.  Heck, I don't even have a lousy one.

 

Yesterday I decided to go play and came home with this tin Chein bunny and cart.  From the 50's, it is in great condition.  At least, there is one Easter decoration on display :)
 

Just because she is so cute and I can't resist, I leave you with this.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Sad . . . and MAD ~

 

 

On a happy note, this antique postcard reminds me of my cello-playing grandson who turned 13 today.  So hard to believe.  He has turned in to such a handsome young man.  We will celebrate tomorrow.  March is THE BIG birthday month ~ son, grandson, brother and moi.

 

On a sad note, the rug camp I was scheduled to attend in May has been cancelled.  I went last year, had Cathy Stephan of Red Barn Rugs as my teacher (loved her) and was looking forward to having her again.  On a mad (as hell) note, I wrote a check last May for the camp that was cashed at the end of February.  Monday we received notice that the camp owner had health and financial issues and camp was cancelled.  Now I'm sure these issues didn't just pop up in the last 6 weeks.  The old saying, "there's something rotten in the state of Denmark" comes to mind.  They say they will refund our money down the road when she sells her house, but I am not holding my breath.  Someone else is trying to schedule a camp of her own for the same dates, but I'm not sure I'm willing to pay twice for the same camp.  On one hand, (the hooking hand . . . lol) I'd love to go, but on the other . . .

 

Not much creativity going on here.  I am vending at two hook-ins in April so have been busy trying to get things made.  I definitely have a motivation problem so it's been a real struggle.  I did bind my little scrappy mat with my new favorite background wool  

 
and left a little showing on the outside edge of the mat.

 

 

Next up is a small hooked piece in the shape of an arrow that will be a door prize at our guild hook-in in May.  I need to get something on the frame that truly excites me.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

They Say It's Only a Number ~

We may be needing a sled, too :)

But how did it get to be such a big one?  I am now Medicare +1.  My #2 bad boy just turned 37 and #1 will be 39 this summer.  I am trying to figure out where the time has gone.  Seriously, though, I am thankful for every day that I have my health (and a hot shower in the morning).

 

The card my sweetie made for me.  This just cracked my up :)

 

 

Finished my little scrappy mat and readied it for binding.  

 

 

Spring sure hasn't yet sprung and there's a good chance for snow tonight.  Welcome to Ohio.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Miscellaneous Sunday Stuff ~

 

Today we hit the 50* mark so decided to take Ernestine for a walk to Lake Erie.  (I live just 2 blocks away.)  The wind coming off the lake was quite chilly, but it felt good to walk outside.  I was quite surprised to see the trees near the shore covered in ice.  I bet some of the ice was 15' above the water.  The winds coming off the lake can be ferocious.  I've heard of homes on the lake being covered in ice with a fish or two frozen to the house.

 

My first daffodil of the year :)  A favorite flower of mine.  I don't seem to have many buds this year.

After finishing DSO's scrappy rug, did not have anything ready for the frame.  I have a small mat to hook for our guild's hook in, one to hook for another guild's challenge and then a small one to hook for Christmas in July but nothing is quite ready to work on.  I needed something  to hook so found a small piece of linen that was zigzagged and drew up a little scrappy mat to work on.  Decided to round the corners and am changing the lines as I work around.  It's only about 12" square.

 

I haven't heard from Enchilada's new mom and dad.  I'm hoping no news is good news.  Here's a couple pictures of sweet Ernestine.  I know she's doing a happy dance since Enchilada is no longer around.

 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Misnomer ~

 

Mid March.  How did that happen?  (I know, I am always amazed at how quickly time is passing.)  We have not had much springlike weather, though I am grateful we have not had the snow storms that so many of you have had.  It is just too cold with no warming trend for at least the next 10 days.  I am so ready for some warmth!  The forsythia were brought in to the house about a week ago and are a promise of spring.

 

 

I finished this hit and miss rug for my DSO.  I had referred to it as my wormbuster rug.  HA!  I did not even make a dent in the worms and could probably hook a half dozen more and still have worms left over.  The finished size is 27 3/4" x 39 1/2".  Yes, the edges are a bit wavy but it adds to the charm, right? 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Hasta Luego Enchilada ~

Enchilada went to her furever home Saturday.  She now has a pug brother Bob and pug sister Lulu.  Even though I had her for only a month, she has taken a big piece of my heart.  Fostering is bittersweet.  I sure do miss her.

 

A few of my favorite pictures.

Introducing herself to Ernestine :)

The saddest pug eyes
I've ever seen

 

Godspeed Enchilada. 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Finally a Finish ~

At last a finish to share :)  The Rejoice Sampler by Words of Praise.  Started at least 25 years ago, it is finally stitched.  I do think I will give it a light staining to tone it down a bit and then it will join the growing pile of cross stitch that is not truly "finished".  

 

Another sampler by the same company stitched in 1988, back in the heyday of my cross stitching.

 

It's hard to get a picture of the two girls together.  That's Enchilada at the top and Ernestine below.  Ernestine, who I always called the perfect pug,  has decided she hates Enchilada so they often have to be separated.  Poor Enchilada.  She is just the sweetest thing.  We are still working on a few potty issues . . . sigh . . . but she is a special furbaby.

 

How could you not fall in love with this face?

 

Happy Saturday. 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Mindless Hooking ~

I love mindless hooking.  Hooking where I can just sit down, pick up the hook and hardly think about what I am doing.  This rug is just that, but it's gotten to the point that it's a little too mindless.  I'm afraid if I put the hook down and choose a new project, I will have a hard time getting back to this rug, so I am soldiering on.  I am so close. . . just part of one last 12" square to hook.

 

I am also adding a border.  Finished size will be a little more than two feet by three feet.  One of the largest rugs I've hooked to date.

 

 

Sunny but cold here in northern Ohio.  Thankfully we did not have the damaging winds experienced by Saundra and others. 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren