Something Old ~ Something New

Saturday I headed to the antique/primitive show, In the Spirit of Friends, at Malabar Farm.  Nestled in the Ohio hills of Pleasant Valley, Malabar Farm was built in 1939 by Pulitzer Prize winning author Louis Bromfield and was his home until his death in 1956. On May 21, 1945, Bromfield hosted Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall's wedding and honeymoon at the farm.

 

My purchase of the day was this hanging wallbox with drawer.  Though I doubt it's technically an "antique" (100 + years old), it is sweet nonetheless and with a little rearranging, found a great spot on the stairway wall.

 

 

{I see a bare spot that needs a little something.}

 

 

Here's a closer picture with the sweetest little sock kitty ever hiding in the sunflowers.  I just purchased him from Julie over at My Primitive Heart.

 

 

Julie's work is always perfection.  Isn't he just too cute?

 

 

I am busy trying to get things made for my upcoming shows.  Here are strawberries in various stages of completion.

 

 

Sadly there is nothing on my frame :( and probably won't be for a while until more show stuff is done.  A necessary evil to help support my two bad {read expensive} habits ~ hooking and antiques.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Crewel/Jacobean Class ~

 

Day one of the rug hooking crewel/Jacobean class is done.  Taken from the handout . . . "Jacobean embroidery is a style of embroidery design, rather than an embroidery technique.  The style includes elaborate stylized flowers, vines, plants animals and birds.  Crewel embroidery, or crewelwork, is a type of flat embroidery using wool."  "A small crewel pattern is perfect for a first project.  It lends itself to a simple color plan using swatches to experiment with color, value and balance.  Since there are no realistic images, you are free to experiment and have fun with the whimsical motifs using colors that you like!"

 

Teacher Connie Bradley is a bundle of energy.  She has been hooking for at least 30 years and she is just a youngster :) 

 

 

Taught by her mom, there isn't a style of hooking Connie can't do.    Here are some of the examples she brought to class to showcase the style.

 

The mat I chose to hook.  No small motifs so I am able to hook it using an 8 and 8.5 cut. 

I am not using swatches ~ just colors I like.  I purchased the lighter teal blue from Connie ~ a wonderful as is wool.  The darker teal is a small piece of overdyed wool I had left.  Sure wish I had more of it.  The wool used in the leaves is a piece Connie suggested.  I think once my dark background goes in they will "pop".

 

I found this wonderful antique paisley tablecloth the other day at a local antique shop (for a really GREAT price).  It has some damage, but I'm not sure enough damage that I can justify cutting it up.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Three Ingredients ~

Do you like yummy?  And easy?  I have the recipe for you.  We had a potluck at work today and I decided to give it a try.  I doubled the recipe and there was not much left.

1# hot Italian sausage, browned and drained

1 - 8 oz. cream cheese

1/2 jar salsa

Put in crock pot to heat.  Serve with tortilla chips.

I doubled the recipe and used a 24 ounce jar of  medium salsa.  It just gave it a little bite.  (FYI ~ It heated up very quickly in the crockpot.)

Only 8 more days until ~

It seems I have been making stuff forever getting ready for the show.  I have so much more to finish up, rugs to label . . . and then pricing the items.  I find the pricing difficult.

Something new I've been making.  Bracelets made with paisley.  The blueish paisley was purchased at Sauder.  The others are made using vintage paisley.  One just never knows what might sell.

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I know many of you are welcoming September ~ but I'm not one of them.  As I've said many times, I wouldn't mind fall if winter did not come afterwards.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

So I Lied ~

I forgot to post these two pictures from Sauder.  Beautiful antique paisleys. 

I finished the freebie pattern that Lori Brechlin posted on Facebook.  It's only 10 1/2" by 15", but perfect in front of this small cherry cupboard (though it probably won't be staying there).

And yet another small hit and miss mat.  I'm sure I will never run out of worms.

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

Horse Stitches ~

There is NOTHING delicate about the size of my blanket stitches.  I was asked what I use to stitch with.  I use #3 crochet thread (off white) and dye it in the same dye bath as the wool.  It's a little thick, but it works.

I finished eight little penny mats and I am DONE with pennies.  Hallelujah :)  I was getting mighty tired of them but think they came out pretty good if I do say so myself.

I drew up a pattern for a hooker friend and I said she could pay me in a small piece of paisley.  Well . . . I received this huge piece and she also made a most generous donation to the rescue my dear Ellie came from.  Liz, thank you from the bottom of my pea pickin' little heart.

Not much else going on.  Another hump day almost over.  Have you noticed how the days are getting shorter?  I don't like it ~ not one little bit.  When I got to work this morning, the motion sensor light was on.  It hasn't been on in months :(

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

This 'n That ~

The strawberries are finally finished ~ well, except for adding a rusty pin and vintage buttons to some.  Most are made with antique paisley with wool tops, but I've also used vintage ticking on a couple and velveteen on a few others.  These will be traveling to the Holly Hills, MI, show along with the hooked goodes. 

They range in size from about 4 1/2 " to 2 3/4" and are firmly stuffed with crushed walnut shells (aka reptile bedding).  The smallest berries have metal caps, the largest mother-of-pearl thread rings.

I received this in the mail yesterday.  What a beautiful surprise.  It came from IHeartDogs with no packing slip or paperwork of any kind.  Sure wish I could thank the thoughtful person who sent it to me :)

Nature is amazing.  This log is in the channel in front of DSO's condo.  I find it incredible that weed seeds made their way in to the log and sprouted.  At least they are not lacking water like the rest of northern Ohio. 

Tomorrow's Friday ~ and payday.  Life is good.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Frozen Charlotte ~

Greetings, dear friends.  Have you ever heard of Frozen Charlotte?  I had not until I read that Bobbie bought a Frozen Charlotte necklace at the Holly Hills primitive show in March.  You can see hers here.

Here is a synopsis found on Wikipedia. 

Frozen Charlotte is a name used to describe a specific form of china doll made from c. 1850 to c. 1920. The name comes from the American Folk Ballad Fair Charlotte, which tells of a young girl called Charlotte who refused to wrap up warmly to go on a sleigh ride because she did not want to cover up her pretty dress.  She froze to death during the journey.  

Just a bit macabre, don'tcha think? 

A Google search finds a plethora of information on Charlotte and her male counterpart, Frozen Charlie.

Bobbie brought one Frozen Charlotte necklace to From Our Hands, and I knew it had to come home with me.  Made with an antique Charlotte and vintage heart, I just love her.

Friend Melissa comes up with the best ideas.  This little pendant is made with antique paisley and vintage buttons.  Isn't it sweet? 

I am in a creative slump :(   I could hook on Daisy . . . or start a new project . . . or get busy on my Rebekah L. Smith mystery stitch along (that I cannot share) since I am now three months behind, but I just am not motivated to do anything.  I'm still not out doing yard work since the weather is not cooperating.   {{Sigh}}  I hope this passes quickly.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

UGG

I should not have to get out my Uggs in April.  Don't you agree?  Thankfully we did not get the 8" of snow predicted ~ maybe 2-3".  Spring snows are always a winter wonderland ~ that wet, heavy stuff that clings to everything.  There were so many pictures on Facebook that I failed to take any of my own.  I hesitated heading an hour and a half away to the Gathered Treasures show in Mansfield, Ohio, since more snow was predicted, but since the sun was shining and the roads were just wet, I decided to chance it.  (Ever since I crashed on ice a few years ago I've become a weenie.)  I did encounter near blizzard-like conditions for about 15 minutes but arrived safe and sound.  I'm happy I did and met friend Sheila there.

Isn't it ironic that Friday I went to eat Lake Erie perch (YUM) at a local ethnic club and there were probably 150 people there and I didn't know a soul?  I drive an hour and a half away and I see people I know from Pennsylvania, Michigan and from all corners of Ohio.  Like minds travel parallel paths :)

I heard a few dealers say the crowd was smaller because of the weather but I hope their sales did not suffer too much.  I only bought a couple things.  I should be purging, not buying . . . lol.  I got this wonderful penny rug . . . 

. . . in beautiful primitive colors . . .

a small piece of paisley from Alice that I thought was green but is brown . . .

. . . and an old leather bound engineering book dated 1898 for my sweetie and a small birthday gift for a friend.  

There was lots of great stuff, but nothing else that screamed "BUY ME", at least at prices I was willing to pay.  I guess I'm getting cheap in my old age ~ or maybe I just have too much stuff :)  Sheila did buy a wonderful trencher for a super price and a small tobacco basket.  She did good.

A couple weeks ago I ordered a velveteen rabbit from Julie (Primitive Heartstrings) and he arrived this week.  Isn't he sweet?  Her work is perfection.

I love the little Xs on his belly . . .

. . . and the vintage key around his neck.

I finally started working on my taxes.  Every year I swear I won't procrastinate, but always do.  They are not difficult.  I use a tax program . . . sigh.  Maybe next year I'll do better :)

I hope you all had a wonderful weekend.  I always say a bad weekend at home is better than a good week at work.
Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Gathered Treasures ~ Simple Goods

 

Two antique/primitive shows were held in Mansfield, Ohio, yesterday, only about 10 minutes from each other.  I headed out with friend Melissa and met up with friends Sheila, Bobbie and Earlene.  We first went to Gathered Treasures, one of my favorite shows.  We got there when it opened and it was a mass of humanity.  Much too crowded for me.  The older I get, the less I like crowds.  Many of the booths you couldn't even get in to browse and the ones you could get in, I found it hard to really see what they had to offer.  I guess I was just too distracted, but that didn't stop me from finding a few treasures.  The kitty is not old, but so sweet.  (The little putz sheep was a purchase from Simple Goods.)

 

 

I was pleasantly surprised to find this on the bottom.  

I collect old figural Christmas bulbs and purchased 4 of them.  One went home with Melissa.  I wire the top and use them on a tree during the Christmas season.

Next we headed to Simple Goods.  To be honest, I am not a big fan of the show, but I knew the tin lighting vendor would be there and I was hoping to purchase a bedside table lamp.  I find many prices laughable (ie, a mirror maybe 4" x 5", though early, $300.00.  Puleeze.).

 

I had no intention of purchasing anything much, but I fell in love with this sampler.  My mom's initials were AKD and I thought EKD was close enough . . . lol.  How's that for rationale?  Dated 1843, I'm assuming it's a British sampler because of the crowns.  It was in a horrible new, cheap frame so I've already removed it and will see if I have an old frame in my stash that I can make work.

I've never noticed antique paisley at shows before, but found 3 vendors that had four large pieces.  I purchased this wonderful large piece (see the next two pictures for truer color) with the intention of selling half to Melissa.  Now I'm not sure if I want to cut it.  It is in beautiful condition . . .

. . . except for this one tear.  I don't believe I'll be cutting it any time soon.

 

By the time I got to the lighting booth, selection was very limited.  I could have ordered one, but chose to purchase this lamp.  Perhaps a little too small, but I do like it and can always find another spot for it if I find something else.

 

The little hit and miss mat is the 3rd thing I hooked ~ back in 2005.  Then I hooked all very small pieces and they used to take me many hours.  Thankfully I've gotten to be a faster hooker.

I can't believe the weekend is over already.  This will be a busy week with hooking two evenings, but Wednesday is a holiday so that will be a nice break.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren