Half Done ~

I'm half done hooking my border.  It is slow going, but I do love how it is coming out.  I think it took me a week to get it half done, so will be working on in for quite some time.  

There are so many projects on my list ~ hook in give away mat, a chicken challenge for another guild I belong to, small Eastery-y applique, a spring mat for my old drawer . . . and the list goes on.  Plus I have not pulled one loop on the rug that was supposed to be a Christmas gift.  I planned to have it done by the time she returned from Florida in less than a month.  It's not looking good :(

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

Antigodlin Style Hooking ~

Several readers have inquired as to what is meant by antigodlin.  It is a style of hooking.  Also called higgledy piggledy, higgly piggly and I'm sure there are other names, too.  To me, it is messy.  You hook every which way, constantly turning the frame (unless you are one of those hookers who can hook in any direction).  It does produce a wonderful look.  I just find it hard to hook and for me it is more time consuming.

The back of your hooking is rather lumpy.  I'm not sure how it would wear in a high traffic area over the years.  

The gardens are coming to life here in northern Ohio.  Snowdrops and winter aconite have been up for weeks.  I spy hyacinth peeking from the soil and even saw my first daffodil bulb yesterday.  I just hope we don't have a hard freeze because the daffodils buds will not survive.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Saturday Stuff ~

Happy Saturday :)  I love being retired ~ every day can be Saturday if I so choose.

Each year when un-decorating, I miss a thing or two, but it has never taken me until the end of February to find everything.  This is what I discovered last night.  How in the heck did I never notice? 

Ticklepie, a "noreply-comment blogger" was asking about the rug behind the hearts.

It is an antique adaptation and the pattern can be found in Polly Minick's book, The Spirit of Sacajawea.  The finished size is approximately 30" x 45" and each cross is about 4".  It's a great rug to use up worms, though I barely made a dent :)

After not working on my camp rug from last April for many, many months, I finally dyed the wool for the border.  It is just a bit lighter than the background and is also hooked in the antigodlin style.  I am still not a fan of hooking that way.  I like the look . . . just don't like hooking it.  The border is actually 1/3 the area of the rug so I will be working on it for a while.  I would like to get it done before camp this year.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Happy Hump Day ~

Only 18 days until daylight savings time begins.  Only 29 days until spring.  As always, time is flying by at record speed.

Molly loves soaking up the sun.  The way she is sitting, I call it "pug sit", just cracks me up.

McMinn Antique is finished, bound and labeled. Started in a class with Janice Johnson in October, I am happy to cross it off my WIP list.  The pattern is sold by Kris Miller of Spruce Ridge Studios.

This is THE most gorgeous amaryllis.  I wish I could take amazing flower pictures like Kim does.  Hooker friend Mitsuko gifted me the biggest bulb I had ever seen.  I planted it early in December and although I could see the buds starting to emerge from the bulb, it just seemed to take forever to really start growing.  There are now 11 flowers on two stems.  Just BEAUTIFUL.

Thanks so much for stopping by. 

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

A Few More Finishes ~

Saw this sign driving through town yesterday.  I guess it's a little church humor :)

I got quite a few finishes done in February and the month is just over half done.  In addition to finishing a Token of Friendship, the heart in the old drawer and Vintage Blossoms, I also finished the hooking and binding on McMinn Antique (pic next post).  Kind of last minute I decided to make some Valentine gifts.  These were about 9" wide by 10" tall, hooked with hand torn strips.

I did not have time to do my usual patchwork back so just backed them with wool and stuffed them with snippets.

A friend has a vintage cast iron pan, just 5" in diameter.  Last year I hooked her a snowman head and did a little applique heart to gift her.  I thought it time to move on to another holiday, and here is the result.

I needed a large bunny to sit in my shoo fly.  Since I have no desire to sew, requested friend Rhonda make me a bunny.  (Isn't he sweet?)  She wanted to know if I wanted to swap for it.

She said to surprise her, so this is what I hooked.  It is from a Notforgotten Farm booklet from many years ago.  

That's it for today.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Winter Wonderland ~

Molly and I have something in common.  We are not fans of winter and cold weather.  I must say, though, it is absolutely beautiful today.  Not too cold.  Just around the freezing mark . . . but tomorrow will be most unpleasant with a high of only 19* . . . but at least it's supposed to be sunny.  Just a few inches of snow so far, but one of those heavy snows that clings to everything.

Doesn't the rooster profile look like a person's face?

  

Happy Valentine's Day.  Love and happiness to all.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

A Token of Friendship ~

This little cross stitch is on its way to sunny Arizona to its new home.  It is a freebie from Lori Brechlin that can be found here.  (Thanks, Julie, for the inspiration!)  I changed the date to reflect when dear friend Wink and I met . . . just 100 years off.  I simply turned back the edges and stitched it down.  It is sitting on what used to be known as a "primitive" doll that she gifted me many years ago.

At the Sauder retreat, I failed to take any pictures, except for one of Cindi Gay's rug.  Neither words nor a picture can depict the beauty of this HUGE rug.  She has been working on it for many years and brings it to each Sauder retreat.  To give you an idea of the size, this was taken from the second floor balcony, the only way to get the whole thing in a picture.

Friend Heidi got to talking with Cindi, and has put together a 3 day class at Cindi's in June.  Seven of us will be going.  Woo hoo.  I love having hooking events to look forward to.  You can find a wealth of useful information on her website.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Antique Pox ~

Antique pox, a disease for which there is no cure.  Last week at the antique mall near Sauder Village, I came home empty handed.  Monday friend Linda and I headed to Seville, OH.  A shop there is closing soon and we wanted to check out the sale merchandise.  Even though Facebook and the sign on the door said they were open on Monday, they were not :(  We walked down the street to Seville Antiques.  Well, I was B.A.D. there!  As I tell my boys, spending their inheritance . . . lol.  I saw this large Peaseware container back at the beginning of December, but since I bought my trencher, passed on it.  It has some damage so it was a great price.  I was shocked to find it still there.  It was meant to be, right?

I'm also a sucker for antique samplers and have purchased several from that shop over the years.  Elizabeth Richey, age 9, is not dated, but I loved the red, "dirty" white (more of a tan color) and blue used in the sampler.

I finished binding and labeling Vintage Blossoms.  The finished size is 23" x 40".  It just dawned on me the other day it matches DSO's barn red half bath perfectly, so it will go live there.  I can't put a rug on the floor without Molly coming in for a photo bomb :)  I took the first picture and she left, but before I got the second one she was already back . . . lol.  The colors in the first picture are more accurate.

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

I Should Have Known Better ~

I was just a bit (now that's an understatement!) optimistic about what I would accomplish on my Sauder retreat this past weekend.  I had started this before leaving . . . 

. . . and finished the hooking at the retreat.  Sunday I "finished" it.  I just turned back the linen and stitched it down before putting it in this old drawer.  It is about the size of an old sewing machine drawer, but not nearly as deep.  The plan is to change it out seasonally, but we know about good intentions ~ haha.  I am most pleased at how it turned out.

I also had plans to finish the border on McMinn Antique, bind Vintage Blossoms and start on True Hearts.  Well, that sure didn't happen :(  I got about half the border hooked on McMinn and never started binding the rug until I got home, nor did I start True Hearts.  Such is the story of my life, but hey, I had a great time at Sauder so that is all that matters.

I was going to show a picture of McMinn Antique, but Molly climbed up on the frame and I didn't have the heart to move her.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren