It's Not the Destination ~ It's the Journey

I think that's my cross stitch motto.  I love the stitching part, but not the finishing part.  The last stitch was put in Marie Journet last evening.  The linen is 30 count Cocoa by Weeks.  On my monitor it is showing pinkish, but it definitely is not.

It will join these other cross stitch finishes . . . sigh.  Hopefully one of these days I will be motivated to do something with them.  They have all been stitched in recent years except for the tiny one in the middle which is the only time I stitched an entire piece (even though small) over one.  It was stitched in 1992 :)

Before the crack of dawn tomorrow, I will be off to Sauder Village in Archbold for two days of hooking.  It's only about a two hour drive and there is no snow in the forecast so it will be smooth sailing.  I will be binding a rug, finishing the border on another and hopefully start hooking True Hearts.  Of course there will also be a stop at the antique mall just around the corner from the Village.  It is pretty hit or miss, but usually a little something comes home with me :)

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren   

Winter Cottage Studio ~

Are you familiar with WinterCottageStudio on etsy?  Terri offers so many wonderful rug hooking patterns in her shop.  I love that she offers them as a PDF, as a mailed pattern or on linen.  Her style is so naive and primitive.  She is easy to work with and so accommodating.  The pattern I was interested in, True Hearts, was not listed as a PDF, but she added it for me.  Hopefully it will be on my frame in the next couple of days.  I've transferred it to linen, but haven't chosen my wools.  I love her version in browns/blues, but not sure if I want mine more neutral.

I've hooked her Pussywillow and Robin ~

~ and also Horse.  Molly always wants in on the picture.

Color is more true in the picture with Molly.

You must stop by and check out Jonah and the Whale (Kim, didn't you hook that?) and a new pattern, Jack's Crow (which I also purchased).  I bet you will find a pattern or two you can't live without!  She has so many to choose from.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

And Finally ~

~ Winner #3.  Krissy chose Hannah, so that left Eliza.  Eliza will be heading to sunny Arizona to Julie of My Primitive Heart fame :)  Julie is another blog friend I had the pleasure of meeting in 2016 when DSO and I were on our adventure to the west coast.  

I've been hooking and stitching but nothing to share at this point :(  Hopefully in my next post.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Let's Try This Again ~

I have not heard from winner #2 in the allotted 3 days, so email entrant Krissy B has the choice of Eliza or Hannah.  Krissy, you now have 3 days to contact me :)

DSO is busy working on his hot rod.  He puts in many hours each day and is so enjoying the process.  I got in on the action the other day.  I put 2 nuts in the left rear brake.  He says if the brakes ever fail, he will know who to blame . . . lol.  Aren't my helpers just the cutest?

A rainy day here in Ohio, but it is in the 40's so I won't complain a bit.  

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

The Things You Find . . .

In this age of political correctness, are almost naked cupids allowed . . . lol?

Forgotten projects found when cleaning the hooking room closet.  

Maria Barton Santa.  Little tree with high/low loops to be cut out and lightly stuffed.

Bunny to be put on a bedspring.  Class with Annette Shaffer quite a few years ago.

Small red, white and blue hearts.  Maybe I can finish these before Valentine's Day?

There is still a huge (for me) rug I haven't yet found in the closet.  Started I think 3 years ago and not touched since . . . other than to "borrow" wool for another project.  Such a bad idea . . . sigh.  Several Rebekah L. Smith applique projects.  Maybe a cross stitch?  Too many projects.  Too little time.

Still have not heard from Just Me.  Two days and counting.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Just Me ~

Just Me is winner #2 in the cross stitch pattern give-away.  Cathy has chosen Cornelia, so you have the choice between Eliza and Hannah.  You must email me within 3 days with your snail mail address.  Congrats, Just Me.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Winner #1 ~

Winner #1 is someone who has followed my blog for many, many years.  I even had the pleasure of meeting her and hubby in 2018.  Congrats to Cathy from Acorn Hollow :)  Please let me know which chart you would like and I will move on to winner #2.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Winter has Arrived :(

We have had a very mild winter here in northern Ohio (and I am NOT complaining!), but that has changed.  17*.  Windy.  Snow.  Ugh.

At the end of the month is my annual trek to Sauder Village for the winter retreat.  Always a fun, no stress two days spending time with like-minded individuals.  Usually I agonize over what to take to work on, but this year I've already decided.  Here is McMinn Antique . . . without Molly :)  The only thing left to do is the border . . . a total no brainer . . . so I will take that with me to finish.

Vintage Blossoms is ready to be bound.  That will come along with me, too.  And just in case I am really productive, I will take along a little heart piece to work on.  I will share the pattern soon.

I am currently hooking a little mat that at this time I cannot share because I know the recipient reads my blog :)  Hopefully that won't take long to hook.

There is still time to enter the cross stitch give-away.  See my previous post to enter.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren 

Calling All Cross Stitchers ~

Are you familiar with Melinda of Merry Wind Farm?  She reproduces the most wonderful antique samplers that she sells in her etsy shop.  She has charted three of my antique samplers.

Cornelia A. Moore

Eliza Griffith

Hannah Thompson

She has graciously given me a copy of each chart to give away on my blog.  You have three chances to win.  The first person chosen will have first pick, etc.  Leave a comment on this post only or send me an email with give away in the subject line.  I will choose the first winner Sunday evening and the winners will each have three days to contact me.  Feel free to share on social media and please stop by her etsy shop to see all her wonderful offerings.

On Facebook I stumbled upon this fundraiser for two brigades of the NSW Rural Fire Service in Australia.  All proceeds are being donated.  Jane Marshall 1857 is an Australian sampler with a stitch count of 94 wide x 144 high.  You can read more about it and purchase it here.  PayPal automatically converts British pounds to US dollars.  The sampler chart ended up costing $13.55.  I don't know if I will stitch it, but definitely a worthy cause.

I have been slowly working on a reproduction sampler, Marie Journet 1863, by Pineberry Lane.  I am loving all the red :)

I will leave you with this picture of Molly.  She is so photogenic :)  In the morning when I crank up the furnace, she loves to sit inches from the heat register.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

In Progress ~

Thank you so much for all your kind words on the changes I made to Vintage Blossoms.  It was unanimous that the gold was welcome in the flowers.

Currently on my frame is McMinn Antique, an antique adaptation offered by Kris Miller of Spruce Ridge Studios.  

This was started back in October in a class with Janice Johnson of Wooly Woolen.  I had not touched it since class, so it was rather confusing to get back to.  I just have had a hard time with some color placement, plus I have had to vary the size of my worms from an 8 to a 9.5 depending on how much room I had to hook a color.  It is predominantly being hooked in an 8.5.  I think I may run out of the gold wool, but will use the wool I used in the four corner leaves and stems.  I think it will be close enough, but if not, oh well, oh hell :)  On my monitor, the rug is showing up very purple, but it is definitely blue!  Molly insisted on being in the pictures.  I picked her up and moved her, but before I could get a picture, she was back on the rug.  She's lucky she is so cute.

Molly's butt is sitting on an area that is not hooked.

Saturday I went to a VERY high end antique show that I had not attended in years.  I was WAY out of my league.  Wonderful antiques, but sorry, overall the prices were laughable.  I assume there are those who are purchasing such antiques because many dealers travel a great distance to vend there.  It's just not a show where I could afford to buy.  I did spend a whopping $15 on a leather book for a gift.  That dealer had hundreds of leather books for only $15 each.  I almost bought a few more, but then asked myself why when my other leather books are currently sitting out of site in a cupboard.

This hooked rug was for sale.  

Now I thought that was one of the bargains at the show, but it did not come home with me.  

A very similar rug but in mirror image can be found in Joel and Kate Kopp's book, American Hooked and Sewn Rugs, on page 74.  Years ago I did a punch needle version of this.  I think I may need to consider a hooked version. 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Maybe a Finish ~

I started this rug early in October in a class with Caroline Twigg of Eagles' Nest Woolens.  It  is Vintage Blossoms, a Peyton Primitives design sold by Heavens to Betsy.  I finished it in 2019, but was not happy with the three large flowers.

I have tweaked them several times (in 2020) and am still not sure I like them.  The all red ones, they just seemed too, well, red. 

I thought they each need some gold.  Can't decide if I need to reverse hook some more.  The colors in the picture above are pretty accurate.  Below not.

Molly wants in on the photo shoot :)  Her color is pretty accurate.  The rug . . . not so much.

Anyway, here is what it looks like now.  I do like hooking straight line hit and miss, but got REALLY bored with it, but was determined to finish.  The finished size is about 22" x 39".

Christmas is put away except the "big tree" still has not been hauled to the attic.  I am about half done re-decorating.  I will never learn . . . sigh.  It's just that I LOVE all my Christmas stuff :)

Another fun picture of Molly.  She fits perfectly in a 6 gallon crock!

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Around the House ~

Usually by now I am in a frenzy to get everything Christmas put away, but this year I have decided to leave it up for a few extra days since I am enjoying it so much.  The house always looks so gloomy when the glow of tree lights is gone.  My decorating is very similar from year to year.  If Christmas is out of your mind until next November or December, you may want to skip this post :)  I am just getting around to sharing  some pictures.

It's official.  I now have a collection of vintage paper mache Santa boots.

I figure if people can post selfies taken in a bathroom, I can share my bathroom tree.  (Doesn't that make you crazy?)

Tree is all vintage Santas and tiny vintage glass bells.

1950's hard plastic Santas.

My collection of choir boys is growing ~ and so is the salt glaze Santa collection.

Snowmen!

My only vintage feather tree with new and vintage glass ornaments.

 Everything patriotic :)  God Bless the USA.

Only Santas on this tree.

A few special gifts.  

Felted wool wreath.

Vintage wind up Santa with key . . . though he doesn't work well he is still cute as can be.

Hand made fired clay Santa. 

Thank you for all the wonderful comments and emails on my Cindy Lou Who post.  They made my day.  Also my last post . . . everyone thought it was a great read and advice we should all heed.

I hope your new year is off to a good start.
Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs :)
Lauren