Sunday Stuff ~

Happy Sunday, dear friends.  I hope this finds you happy and healthy, social distancing, and doing everything possible to stay that way.

This week I was able to accomplish some yardwork.  The weather wasn't yardwork perfect, but I made do.  In fact, I am about half done with the spring cleanup.  I have never done yard work in March :)  

Sweet mini daffodils

I did manage to already catch poison ivy.  Not sure how it happened since I had on a jacket and gloves.  Funny.  When I moved here in 1999, there was lots of poison ivy along the neighbor's fence/my yard.  I tore it out and never got poison ivy.  Along that same fence, coming from the neighbor's side, I've now gotten it for three years.  I guess the old body is changing in more ways than I can possibly imagine.  Today I even mowed the lawn :)  It feels so good to play outdoors.

I finally have been hooking.  Just a mindless hit 'n miss runner that I am making for a friend's May birthday.  It will end up being about 4 1/2' long with each square being just over 4".  I am about half done and getting bored.  Something different will soon be on the frame!

Not much to blog about when one is home all the time.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren  

To Make You Smile ~

As I said in my last post, if we don't laugh, we'll cry.

Rescue dogs

I pray that all my blog friends are safe and healthy, keeping busy and sane.  

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

New Lexicons ~

Social Distancing

Flattening the Curve

Shelter in Place

I must say, these are terms I have not heard before.  Perhaps they have been around, but unfamiliar to me.  Never in my wildest dream did I ever imagine something like this could happen.  I am not worried about becoming ill.  The only underlying issue I have is being elderly . . . lol.  

{{Personally I don't think 68 is elderly :) }}

I am terrified what it is doing to our country and economy.  Both my sons' girlfriends are now unemployed.  Thankfully both boys still have jobs.  In Ohio, dine in restaurants and bars have been closed for about 10 days.  Beginning today, we are to shelter in place.  Yes, we can still go to the grocery store, gas station, work (if you still have a job), etc.  Don't get me wrong, even though I don't fear becoming ill, I am being cautious.  Even before this pandemic, I was staying pretty close to home.  I know some of you will find this hard to believe, but I really am a homebody . . . unless it's hooking related.  Sadly my rug camp, retreat, hook ins, guilds, etc. have all been cancelled for the coming months.  

I did have our March birthday get together on Sunday.  Here are the three birthday boys social distancing for the group photo :)  On the left is younger son J (39 . . . how did that happen?), grandson Jake (15 . . . how is that possible?) and my brother Bill (70 . . . WTH?).  No pic of me!

Such a handsome young man.

If we don't laugh, we'll cry.  I still haven't figured the toilet paper issue and it seems no one else has . . . other than if we are quarantined for a long period of time and not allowed out of the house.  (Personally I am more concerned about food!)  If people would just stop hoarding :(  There are so many funny memes out there.  I bet when it is finally over, there will be books published with them.  Of course, since I wanted to post a few, this was the only one I could come up with.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  
Be smart.  Be safe.  Be healthy.
Pug hugs (from 6' away) :)
Lauren

The Importance of Punctuation ~

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Congrats to ~

Thank you so much for all the sweet comments on the tulip mat.  Unfortunately I only have one to give away.  Congrats to Woolmaven {aka Donna, an Ohio hooker :) }  You have three days to send me your snail mail info.  

I have finished the little applique piece and it is on its way to Arizona.  When DF gave me the little kit, it was not for me to make for her, but I thought she was the rightful owner.  

Here it is with a wonderful rabbit made by the oh-so-talented Julie of My Primitive Heart.  She offers patterns and so many unique items in her Etsy shop.

I hope to finish binding Antique Floral today so I can finally put something on my frame!

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

A Little Applique ~

You'd think for all the time I'm spending at home, I'd be accomplishing miracles.  Sadly, it's not happening and I am no more productive than normal.  I am scared ~ not of catching the Coronavirus, but of what it is doing to our country.  Ohio is about shut down.  Even our city has closed for at least the remainder of the week.  I pray that it does not get worse and that people heed the warning to "social distance" themselves to curb the spread.

I am working a bit daily on binding Antique Floral.  I've also been stitching on a little applique piece.  It is a kit by Buttermilk Basin that DF Wink purchased a number of years ago, thinking she was going to learn to applique while wintering in Arizona.  She has been having too much fun to give it a try so gave the kit to me.  It is perfect for Easter so I thought I'd better get busy on it.  Good thing she did not try to learn using this kit.  I got frustrated and almost gave up trying to applique the little beaks.  They are just over 1/4" in size.  The tulips are no easier . . . sigh.  Oh, well.  The hard parts are done.

Take good care, my friends.  Stay healthy and do whatever is necessary to protect yourself from becoming infected.  

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Pi Day ~

March 14 is Pi Day. It is a day to celebrate the mathematical constant pi (π) and to eat lots of pie. ... Celebrated in countries that follow the month/day (m/dd) date format, because the digits in the date, March 14 or 3/14, are the first three digits of π (3.14), Pi Day was founded by Physicist Larry Shaw in 1988.

What says springtime more than tulips?  Well, actually, to me, daffodils and crocuses, but a tulip is easier to hook :)  I needed to update my "box" for spring, so I hooked a tall tulip.

It was so much fun, I hooked two more.  One was gifted to dear friend Dolly when we met for lunch this week.  

The other (about 4 1/2" x 11 1/2") is being given away.  As always, the rules are simple.  Leave a comment on this post or send me an email with give-away as the subject.  I will choose a winner on March 20, the first day of spring (and also my birthday).  The winner must contact me within three days.  Please, no sharing on social media.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Springing Ahead ~

I know some of you are not too happy today, but I love springing ahead :)  (Except for losing an hour's sleep . . . lol.)  An extra hour of daylight is good for my psyche after the long winter, even though this one has so far been quite mild.

I am finally done with Antique Floral.  It is ready to bind ~ but that will take a while.  I am so happy to have the hooking done.  I definitely am not a fan of hooking antigodlin style, though I do love the look.  Started last April at Great Lakes Rug Hooking Retreat in a class with Tricia Travis, I wanted to have it done before camp at the end of next month.  Mission accomplished :)  (Well . . . except for that darn binding but that WILL be done.)

I have taken countless pictures in many different rooms trying to capture the true colors.  I played with settings.  This picture is too dark . . . 

. . . and this one is way too washed out.  I guess the true color is somewhere in between.  I give up.  UNCLE :)

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Door Prize ~

The Western Reserve Rug Hooking Guild is holding its annual hook in in May.  This year's theme is a "Hook-In-Bee".  Each member is asked to create a mat to be given away as a door prize.  Here is what I came up with.  It's about 9 1/2" x 12".  Hooked, bound and labeled and ready to be dropped of at tomorrow's guild meeting.  One more thing crossed off my list :)

I am still working on my rug from last April's camp.  I'm getting close . . . very close.  I will be so happy when that one is finally crossed off the list!!!

Just a little hi from Molly.  She's having a hard time staying awake.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren