Junk Journal ~

My junk journal has been a little slow going, but I did get the journal sewn together with one signature.  I equate a signature to being a chapter in a book.  You can have as few or as many as you wish and can have as many pages as desired in a signature.

My cover is a piece of an old cutter quilt that was given to us by Linda who is teaching.  The quilt was beyond repair so we were able to use that for our cover if desired.  I added bits of coffee dyed lace, buttons, etc, which helps to hide the holes.

The front ~

Do you recognize the round "picture frame"?  Remember the crochet pulls on a string from the old fashioned window shades?  That is what I used.  The heart was fussy cut from a strip of lace and the thin piece of lace was purchased at Dollar Tree and coffee stained.

The back ~ another piece of fussy cut lace.

Here are a few pages I completed ~ on my own 😁  I think my journal will be much more simplistic than many I have seen.  Mostly stained, primitive looking items and not at all artsy fartsy.

This page is actually an envelope and where the red tab is on the right you can put little treasures in the "pocket".

Love the paisley.

The inside front cover is a piece of card stock I rust dyed.  Today at class Linda showed us how she rust dyes items . . . fabric, lace, paper, rick rack, etc.  I can't wait to see the results.  I need to find more rusty stuff to use.

My granddog Kali.  Son J and girlfriend took a weekend trip to Kentucky.  Of course they picked the coldest weekend so far this winter to have me dogsit, but seriously I can't complain about our winter so far.  It does me good to go for a walk - even a short one - in the cold.

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

Mystery Solved ~

Thanks to blog reader Kathleen, I now know where to find this pattern.  It is from the May/June 2014 issue of Create & Decorate magazine.  I thought I had all the issues from late 2005 until it ceased publication, but can only find issues until 2012.  The person who hooked the rug let me know she found the magazine at the library but did not remember what issue it was in.  Thankfully friend Melissa found her copy.  Now after all my whining about the pattern and where to find it, I better hook it :)

 

I love my yard in spring.  So much is in bloom and everything is turning so green.  Spring has finally arrived in northern Ohio and a few days of summer, too.  This is some of what's blooming today.

There was a Vintage Market in Cleveland this weekend, but I bet 90% of the items were Chinese imports.  Kind of hard to see, but I did get this wonderful yard ornament. 

Granddog Kali went home today.  She enjoyed her walks, but when she saw a squirrel or another dog, she was almost more than I could handle.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

A Weekend Visitor ~

Pug wannabe Kali is my weekend visitor.  Son J and grandson Jake are on their annual bikers weekend at Hocking Hills State Park in southeast Ohio so I get to watch the granddog.  It's so hard to get a good picture of her because she never stops moving.

 

Congrats to Tammy Pelkey, the winner of my give away.  You have three days to email me your snail mail address and the pouch you would like.  A hooker, she says her hook is always busy.  I wish I could say the same . . . sigh.

 

I went through many years of my Create & Decorate magazines (I have from half of 2005 until they ceased publication - I think I was just missing one issue), and never did find the pattern.  I contacted the hooker, but did not receive a response.  Does anyone know which issue it was in?  If I ever find out, I will let you know.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Finally ~

Geez.  Where does the time go?  I planned on doing a blog post a few days ago . . . sigh.  Better late than never, right?

 

Saturday I did head to the antique show in Lakeside, OH.  It's a nice show but loaded with jewelry dealers and others with booths full of glassware.  Neither much my style.  I did buy a couple 48 star flags to add to my crocks, a few skeleton keys (hope to make some necklaces) and a Christmas gift.  There were things I would have loved to bring home, but not at prices I was willing to pay. 

 

Lakeside Chautauqua is pretty much a summer community, sitting on the shore of Lake Erie.  Some of the cottages are just too stinkin' cute.

 

 

Granddog Kali went home on Sunday.  Overall she was a good girl :)

 

Ernestine has settled in nicely and is already family and the perfect little girl.  I picked her up only 2 1/2 weeks ago but it seems like we've had her forever.  (Technically she is DSO's dog.)  If you are considering getting a pet, please, please, please consider a rescue animal.  Most rescue animals are loving creatures just looking for a place to call home.  They are in rescue through no fault of their own.  If you think only old, sickly animals end up in rescue, you are wrong.  Ernestine came to rescue because one of her humans died and the other was going to a nursing home.  Remember adopt, don't shop.  Animals purchased at pet stores and through many ads in the newspaper and online are bred in horrific conditions at puppy mills.  If you don't believe me, do a Google search of puppy mills.  It will break your heart.

 

How could you not fall in love with this face?

 

 

I still have lots more rugs to post from Sauder.  Hopefully soon.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

I have no idea why I have this huge space at the end of this post and it will not let me delete it.  ARGH :(

Just went to edit and now it let me delete the wasted space.  Blogger can be so frustrating at times :(

 

NOT a Foster Failure ~

A foster failure, in rescue parlance, is when the person fostering a dog adopts it.  Cheeri has already been adopted, not by me but by the next best thing.  DSO was immediately smitten and has already adopted her.  I think it is a match made in heaven.  (I must admit though.  If he hadn't adopted her, I would have.)  This is the official adoption picture.  I think they are both looking pretty happy.

Her rescue name for microchip purposes will always be Cheerilee, but she has a new name.  Ernestine.  OK, stop rolling your eyes please (but I did the same thing) and I will explain.  Remember Laugh In?  Lily Tomlin snorting/chortling as the phone operator?  DSO says that's exactly how she sounds, hence the name.  It is a mouthful for such a little thing :)

Son J and grandson Jake left today for Tennessee to see the solar eclipse.  Viewing is better there than in Ohio.  They are going with J's friends and trailering the motorcycles.  J and Jake are looking forward to riding through the mountains.  That means I get to watch the granddog Kali.  Her mouth is just not big enough for her tongue . . . lol.

I was at Sauder Village Wednesday for day one of rug week.  I'll have lots of pictures to share in another post.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Thank You ~

Thank you so much for the good wishes on my retirement.  All the comments and emails truly warmed my heart.  The next few months are so busy it probably won't sink in for quite some time.  I must say it sure was nice not having to set my alarm for 5:30 this morning.    I was pupsitting and this alarm told me to get up at 7:30.  It is almost impossible to get a picture of her.  Though she has calmed down considerably, she is still very much the puppy.  My granddog Kali :)

Checking out the neighborhood

The show in Holly, MI, went well.  I made some fun money which is always good.  Here are pictures of our booth.

Melissa's AMAZING jewelry

I can't believe I didn't take pictures of any other booths.  The set ups were beautiful.  Lots of good stuff at some great prices.  I had my eye on a rather large dovetailed box.  I was happy it sold quickly so the temptation was gone :)  Earlene had the most wonderful little table but it's sad that I could not think of one spot in my house where it would fit ~ other than the basement.  Friend Bobbie hosted Melissa and me for the evening.  {{Thanks, Bobbie.}}  I bought these two frozen Charlottes from her for a former co-worker whose grandma's name was Charlotte.  They will be Christmas gifts for her mom and aunt.  Bobbie's necklaces were wonderful. 

Francine surprised us with a visit all the way from Winnipeg, Manitoba.  An eighteen hour trip.  Now that's a prim lover!  Didn't get a picture of her, either . . . sigh . . . but I did snag this one of her and her sweetie from Facebook.

My purchases ~

A fun pumpkin . . .

. . . and the sweetest little needle case (the piece in the front).

Two German putz sheep ~ complete with their neckbands and good legs.  So many in my flock have bad legs :(

My flock ~

I have no idea what I will do with these old wooden spoke wheels, but they spoke to me (bad pun intended).

Sweet little hypertufa snowman (no, I'm not hoping for winter) . . .

. . . and finally after years of saying I was going to try making one, a hypertufa beeskep.

Oh, and the sweetest little potty chair. 

Wish I had more room next to my commode because it would make the perfect tp holder.

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