Really ???

Should anyone have this many Easter decorations?  About half of them are ceramic pieces my mom made ~ which I treasure.  A few are vintage items and others are, gulp, Chinese imports.

After unpacking all the above, I remembered to look in the dining room cupboard and found these.  Lovingly made by friends.

Only 20 days until spring and the yard is beginning to come to life.  The snow is 99.9% gone.  Hopefully we won't have more white stuff, but there are no guarantees here in northern Ohio.  Though very unusual, I can remember having snow in early May.

The snowdrops are blooming.

So is the winter aconite.

Even the daffs are showing their buds.

I put my big girl panties on and (just barely) started hooking my letters.  (Ignore that long tale on the lower case r.)

My challenge piece is done!!!  I am doing a happy dance.  I am a WOOL girl through and through.  When I get it bound, I will share with you.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Robin's Got my Number ~

In my last post I mentioned that Peter Rabbit was taking entirely too long to hook.  Robin (my evil twin) quickly came up with the answer.  Letters.  Those darn letters.  Not many.  Primitive letters.  I have an aversion to letters and will always do them last.  Looks like I will be needing to hook letters soon . . . sigh.

My challenge piece is close to being done . . . but not close enough.  I.AM.NOT.HAPPY with it.  It is what it is and I WILL finish it this weekend.  Like I said, it has been a real challenge for me.  There will most likely be an update this evening on Saundra's blog so you can check it out.  There are some really fun rugs being hooked in the challenge!

I was not up to see it this morning, but DSO said the moon was absolutely incredible and I snagged this photo from Facebook.  The building is the Lorain Lighthouse, known as the Jewel of the Port.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Another Hump Day ~

I've made a bit of progress on Peter Rabbit.  It is such a small mat you'd think I'd be done already.  

I have also been working on my Tattered Tulip challenge and let me tell you, it is challenging!  I'll give an update on my next post.  In the meantime, hop on over to Saundra's blog to see all the fun pieces being created.

Congrats to Samplings from Spring Creek.  I coffee stained the little cross stitch piece and simply turned back the edges and stitched with a running stitch.  The lazy person's finish.  Betty, please send me your snail mail address within 3 days to claim the prize.  (She is a cross stitcher extraordinaire . . . I hesitate sending this to her . . . sigh!)

Seen in my yard yesterday.  Gotta love those snowdrops ⚘

A friend took this picture at the Medina ice festival.  I wonder how long he was there until he melted away . . . lol.

HAHA!

Thanks so much for stopping by/
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Measure Twice ~ Cut Once

 

I measured only once and cut the wool to bind Wonky Love Hearts.  

Ugh, I cut it all just a bit too short which caused problems in the corners.  When I realized what I had done, I should have started over but did not.  BIG mistake.  I am not happy, but unless I want to take it out and begin again (which I really don't), I will have to live with the ugly corners.

I started hooking the background of Peter Rabbit with the top wool.  It just seemed too light so I was happy to find the wool on the bottom in my stash.  I think it may be called "seeded blue" or some such thing.  I like it much better and I think I will be able to mix in some of the lighter wool.

Here is just a little sneak peak of my challenge rug.  You will have to hop on over to Saundra's blog to see all the rugs being hooked in her challenge.  I am not very far along and have already learned two things.  When I came to the realization that cotton was not going to form nice loops like wool, things hooked up a little more quickly.  The other thing I learned?  I PREFER WOOL!!!

This about sums me up 😁

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

A Token of Friendship ~

 

Shamrocks are not falling from the sky here in northern Ohio, but more of the white stuff.  I must admit it is very pretty, but I could do without ⛄  My son brought his BIG snowblower over the other day to do my drive and walks.  DSO would have had much difficulty with his smaller snowblower.  Thanks son 💙

I am ready to begin binding Wonky Love Heart.  Hopefully I will have a finish to share soon.

I have started to hook Cammie Bruce's Peter Rabbit.

Saundra posted a hooking challenge on her blog for anyone wishing to join in.  She has chosen 6 antique/vintage rugs and will provide the line drawing to anyone wishing to participate.  We are to hook it using alternative fibers, what we have on hand as our foremothers would have done.  There is still time to join in on the fun . . . but let her know by tomorrow (Friday).  There are no rules (my kind of challenge) and it will be fun seeing all the different adaptations.  Here is the piece I will be hooking.

I finished stitching a Token of Friendship, a free pattern by Notforgotten Farm that can be found here.  I will simply turn back the linen and primitively stitch it down.  It has been too long since I have had a little give-away, so I will be gifting this to one of my blog friends.  As always, the rules are simple . . . but there are a couple.  Leave a comment on this post only or send me an email with give-away in the subject line.  Please no sharing on any social media.  I will choose the winner on February 24 and the winner must CONTACT ME within three days.  {{Sorry, my Canadian friends.  Even though this is very flat, I worry that USPS would charge me a parcel rate.}}

A page a day calendar I received at the Millersburg retreat last fall is just a pithy saying each day.  A few of my favorites so far ~

Never miss a chance to just shut up.

I came . . . I saw . . . and I forgot what I'm here for . . .

Sometimes . . . it's not about the destination . . . it's about everything that happens along the way.

Some days you need to just suck it up . . . smile . . . and be on your way . . .

And these last two are so apropos in today's world.

There is always hope .

Remember to laugh . . . it's all temporary.  (So I hope and pray!)

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Yardi Gras ~

Mobile, Alabama is the home to the original Mardi Gras.  My sister has lived there for decades and always joined in the celebrations, including attending a few of the balls.  Sadly, this year it is not happening, so they have come up with Yardi Gras, where people have decorated their houses and yards.

Thanks so much for stopping by 
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Three Little Finishes ~

Happiest of Valentine's Day to you 💖  I hope there is something/someone in your life to make it special.

I have three small finishes.  Two will go to the finished but not really finished pile.  Punching is complete on Coxcomb & Tulip.  The pattern by Notforgotten Farm can be found here.  I may tone it down a little with some coffee or walnut crystals.

The cross stitching is finished on another little Valentine freebie.  Even on 28 count linen it measures a mere 2 3/4" x 5".  I think I need to stitch this again . . . in red . . . on a smaller count linen.

Here are all my Valentine stitcheries that someday (hopefully) will become little pinkeeps.

I am most pleased with the colors chosen for Wonky Love Heart.  Here is my original finish.

When friend Heidi saw the bottom partially completed, she suggested maybe I needed to frame LOVE in black.  She was so right.  Thanks for the suggestion, Heidi.  Much better!

Nothing is planned for the frame, so I thought I would check my pattern stash and choose one from there.  I have narrowed it down to four.  Two from Cammie Bruce ~ Baskets of Wool ~ and two from Heavens to Betsy.  I am thinking perhaps of working on a small pattern and also starting Gypsy.  I haven't worked on anything "large to me" in many months.  Now that darn Saundra is putting us up to a hooking challenge, so I may need to join in on that, too.  So much for my "What am I going to hook next?" dilemma.  

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

This 'n That ~

Happy Thursday 😏  I can't believe it's been a week since I last posted.  Time is still flying by at a standstill.

I have been working on my little projects.  The punch needle is nearing completion.  Not worth showing a picture.  I had not intended to start another little Valentine cross stitch, but friend Bobbie gave me the heads up on another freebie, so decided to start stitching it, though none of the others have been "finished".  I grabbed a piece of linen that happened to be 28 count.  WOW!  The Xs seem so big.  I am stitching with 2 strands over 2.  It looks so different than the others, but I'm sure if I ever get them sewn in to little pinkeeps, they will look fine together.

I am closing in on finishing Wonky Love Heart.  Unlike Saundra who always plans ahead, I have no idea what I am going to hook next.

My annoyance with the USPS continues.  They are finally delivering packages in a timely manner.  However . . . I wanted to send paper hearts I made to family and friends.  I took a heart, a Valentine card, put them in a manila envelope and went to the post office.  "How much to mail these?" I inquire of the clerk.  Seventy five cents was the reply so I buy the stamps.  I get home, address the envelopes and mail them.  Two days later they are returned to me stating they have to be sent as a parcel for $4 +.  I head back to the post office and was just told that the clerk should have known better.  Too bad, so sad they basically told me.  Needless to say I was not going to spend $30 + to send them.  I ended up putting a few on my tobacco stick tree.  

Thanks so much for listening to me gripe and for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren