This 'n That ~

I hope everyone had a safe holiday and were not affected by the devastating tornadoes or storms.  Last eve I drove in the heaviest rainfall I think I've every experienced.  Thankfully I only had to drive a few miles and arrived home safely.

FINALLY ~ 

It seems I've been hooking this rug this forever.  Started seven weeks ago at rug camp.  Color planned by Tricia Travis.  The area that is hooked is 14" x 40".  When I figured out the area completed, it is only 2/3 done :(   I am going to take a break from it and work on a couple smaller projects.

This small mat (only 12" x 20") was started in a class last October with Cathy Stephan (Red Barn Rugs).  Not one loop had been pulled since class ~ until last night when I finally pulled it out of the closet.  It's about time, no?

I am so happy to report that all my rugs are labeled ~ except for one more I discovered that did not have a label.  I will wait to print it so that I do not waste the printable fabric.  Over 30 rugs/mats now have labels.  Thank goodness they are all documented on my blog :)

This Saturday is the Western Reserve hook in.  Melissa and I are vending.  I am thankful for the opportunity, but will be happy when it is in the past.  I have been so busy trying to get things made.  There is a lull over the summer which will be welcome.  Several get aways are planned in addition to a hooking retreat.  I'm sure the summer will fly by.  I am still so far behind on yard work and though I don't buy many annuals, not one has yet been purchased.  Hopefully soon.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Remember Why ~

Please remember why we are celebrating today.  

Some gave their all.

Freedom isn't free.

God Bless America.

God Bless our soldiers.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Darn ~

And not as in socks!  I typed up the remaining rug labels in a Word document.  I did not save it . . . just walked away from the computer . . . but it always auto-saves, right?  WRONG.  It's gone, nowhere to be found.  Today was trash day so my rug notes were also gone.  I remembered some of the labels I needed, but not all, so I had to go through all my rugs ~ once again ~ to find the label-less rugs.  Then I had to search my blog for the dates hooked.  That is an hour + of my life I will never get back :(

Since I have nothing else to blog about, I will share a snippet of the progress on Antique Floral.  I've barely pulled a loop in several days and was hoping to have the inside background done before sharing.  This is all I have left to hook :)  Then on to the outside border.  I feel like I've been hooking this rug forever.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Monday ~

Good Monday to you.  What a difference a day makes.  Yesterday was H-O-T and today downright chilly.  So funny.  One hot day and someone on Facebook that I know was already longing for snow.  Not me, but I do hope we have some real spring weather before summer.

I have no idea how many of these Betsy style pumpkins I have hooked and given away over the years.  I even sold a few a number of years back.  This one, hooked with hand torn strips, will be another door prize for the Crooked River hook in this October.

The back was finished in a primitive patchwork.  As you can see, I am no quilter.  The back takes me longer to complete than the front.  Not hard, just time consuming.

Just Gail, a "no reply-comment blogger", asked me on my last post "had you realized it was already on the wall when #2 was half done, would you abandon or finish it?"  Since I was way more than half done, I think I would still have finished it.  I have one more unfinished sampler tucked away from decades ago I hope to finish next.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Now This is Funny ~

Or maybe it's just sad.  My mind is shot :(

Here is my wall of samplers leading from the living room to a small landing.  These are all samplers I stitched years ago with the exception of one antique.  I go up and down these stairs at least 30 times on a normal day.  They have all been hanging there for so long I could not tell you what samplers they are.

The other day, for an unknown reason, I happened to look at the wall and what did I see?  Lydia Bond framed and hanging there.  Now why did I start to stitch a second one?  I'm assuming (and we all know what happens when you assume) I planned to give to a friend.  Well, at least Lydia #2 is all stitched.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Progress ~

I started Antique Floral at rug camp just over a month ago.  It is one of my largest rugs to date.  I have been hooking on it faithfully each day and it seems to be taking forever.  I love the look of the antigodlin hooking, but still haven't become a fan.  The outer border is also to be hooked that way.  (Sorry the picture is so washed out.)  I still haven't pulled a loop on Tulip.

Went to an outdoor craft event last weekend and came home with this very cool plant.  I was not looking for a houseplant but this one was just calling my name.  It's a euphorbia tirucalli, also known as a pencil cactus (though not a true cactus).  It only needs to be watered once a month during the spring, summer and fall and not at all during the winter.  Talk about a low maintenance plant :)

Rug labeling is proceeding.  I've gotten 12 labels sewn on and if I counted rugs without missing any, I have 18 more to go.  Thank goodness for my blog or I would have no idea when they were hooked.  I found one from 2012 that has not been labeled.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Cross Stitch ~

I finished Lydia Bond.  It only took 25+ years :)  I never thought about the "mememto mori" at the bottom of the sampler until The Cranky Crow pointed it out.  My romance language background then kicked in and I roughly translated it to memories of the dead.  Here is what Robin said about it.

"It is really reminders of death and the mortality of men . . .   It became a term to generally encompass the practice (primarily popular in the Victorian era) of saving momentos from deceased loved ones (e.g., the bits of hair tucked into jewelry, the portraits made from woven hair, etc.).  It is also now a term used to refer to the Victorian portraits of deceased loved ones . . .  Often time the only photographs a family could afford (as photography was in its infancy) were those done after a loved one died.  So they would prop them up to make them "look" alive and photograph them.  Others didn't even bother trying them look lifelike and just photographed them in their coffins, etc."  

Thanks, Robin, for the fascinating information.

The sampler was done on unbleached linen which is darker than it appears in the photo.  With the aid of an Ott lite, bifocals and sometimes a magnifying glass worn around the neck, I was able to muddle through.  This part was a real bear to stitch.  Ok, for starters, I only like to do Xs, so this was a challenge for me.  Perhaps that is why I set it aside for so many years.  The flower, stem and leaves is worked in the tent stitch which is half a cross stitch.  OK, easy enough, except that is worked over one thread.  The motif above the flower is worked in the queen stitch.  ARGH.  I did not enjoy that stitch.  Thankfully the pink band that is also the queen stitch was already stitched.  I am happy to have her done.

Here are some other cross stitch pieces I have stitched in the last six or seven years.  They are just sitting in a plastic shoe box in the closet.  I really ought to consider doing something with them, don'tcha think.

My son is off on his annual motorcycle trip to Hocking Hills in southern Ohio, so I get to watch the granddog, Kali.  She moves so quickly it is hard to get a picture of her.  This was the best I could do.

Happy Mother's Day!  A little mom humor :)

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Hannah Thompson ~ 1847

Last week on Early Works Mercantile I purchased this antique sampler from Pineberry Lane.  Hannah came and I love her.  She's showing her age just a bit, but that's to be expected.

I am close to finishing Lydia Bond, the reproduction sampler started 25+ years ago.  I see why a put her aside for so many years, but this time I am perservering.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Labeling Rugs ~

I finished the binding on Pearl and Earl.  

I thought I would really be on the ball and sew on the label I printed off a couple weeks ago.  Well, I've looked high and low and it is nowhere to be found :(  However, in looking for Pearl & Earl's label, I did find these I have printed over the years and never sewed on.

My goal for May is to sew on labels.  I've gotten three done.  Here they are before staining with coffee . . . 

. . . and after.  I just like them better than stark white.

Here is where I shared how I make my labels.  If you want to make really cool labels, check out how Saundra makes hers here.

I recently saw a milk glass dish like this somewhere on Facebook.  I stumbled upon one for only $5 so it had to come home with me.  It is perfect for holding scissors, hooks and this pin cushion made by dear friend Julia in South Carolina.  It looks like it was made for this dish.

We finally had a dry, sunny day today so a little yard work was done, but oh, boy, there is much more to do.  My yard is small, but I have lots of flower beds that need my attention.  It will get done . . . eventually . . . but I get a little antsy to get the initial clean up finished.

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

Don't Let the Old Man In ~

Or the old lady.  Wonderful words to live by.  Please take a few minutes to watch this video.  It can make a difference in your life.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw0NpFdEme4&feature=youtu.be

And by the way, I thoroughly enjoyed the movie Clint made, The Mule. 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren