And the Winner is ~ ~ ~

Tonight was swim class night and I needed someone to pick a give~away winner.  Jake was more than happy to oblige.  Today must have been a bad picture day.  It is nearly impossible for an almost six year old not to ham it up.  I also think too much sun was streaming in through the windows, but I am NOT complaining about the sun.  We don't see a whole lot of it this time of year here in northern Ohio.

And the winner is . . . 

Julia from of Petals and Wool.  Julia is a very faithful reader/follower/commenter on my blog. She has hooked but has not hooked with anything larger than a 6 cut and is wanting to try an 8. Congrats to Julia.

Jake loves to takes pictures.  Here is his self-portrait . . .

 . . . and trying to get a picture of his shirt . . .

. . . and one of his hand. 

Thanks to all who entered my hooker give~away.  There are so many hooker wannabes, I will be offering another kit in the future.

A big THANK YOU to all my followers, old and new.  It warms my heart that so many people stop by to read what is going on in my mundane little life.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

February Report Card ~ March Goals

Can you believe it is March already?  It did not come in like a lion, but I still hope it goes out like a lamb! 

I guess it's time for my February report card!

• go through my mound of paperwork that needs to be filed ~ DONE
• start on my taxes (I always put this off until the last minute) ~ JUST BARELY
• clean the basement (now my idea of a clean basement and your idea may be totally different!) ~ AS GOOD AS IT GETS
• clean the bottom of my closet (how does it end up looking like that?) ~ LOOK!  THERE'S HARDWOOD on the FLOOR!

•  bind and label the little mats that are hooked ~ DONE
• construct the Valentine pin keep (hopefully before Valentine's day . . . lol!) ~ I got lazy and just finished it in to a little mat but it was sent to my friend BEFORE Valentine's Day 

•  hook a little mat for a friend ~ DONE and DELIVERED

• make a birthday gift for a friend~SORRY:( This gift is going to be really late. I have an idea what to make and that's all the further I've gotten.
• have another give-away ~ this is in progress
•  FINISH MY HORSE RUG!!! (at least the hooking part) ~  I DID IT ~ WOO HOO!!!  I finished hooking it last Thursday at That'll Do Farm.   I feel as if a weight has been lifted.  It only took me eleven and a half months!!!  (Peanut wanted to help show it off!)

Now it's time for my March goals.

• make that birthday gift I didn't make last month
• finish my taxes and get them mailed
• bind my horse rug
• make a "wool hookin' tools case" (a pattern by Jenifer Gaston of the Woolen Willow)
• finish hooking this little tulip mat (once again, Peanut insisted in being in the picture!)

• OK.  Now I'm really going out on a limb here.  Hook this Maggie B rug from her book "With These Hands".  The finished size is 24 1/2" x 17" and for me to hook that in a month would be a MAJOR accomplishment MIRACLE!

• purge 4000 (yes, four thousand) emails from my in box.  Why don't I just delete them as they come in???

Last Thursday at the Farm, Andrea also finished her rug - again!  She finished it a number of months ago but was not happy with her needle-felted sheep, so she re-hooked using cria tips, which I believe is the first shearing from a baby alpaca.  The picture does not do justice to the stone chimney!

Last evening I met two local hookers for the first time.  Char is working on only her second rug and Stacy has finished quite a few.  Another local hooker was supposed to come, also, but unfortunately with all the flooding in the county yesterday, she had to attend to a flooded basement.  I didn't even think to get out my camera :(

Thanks to everyone who is spreading the word about my latest give-away. 

Happy Hooking!

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

So You Want to be a HOOKER??? {{Give~Away}}

~ ~ ~ Welcome Friends ~ ~ ~

I often read comments from people who say they would like to learn to hook, so I've put together a little give-away designed for new or almost new hookers.  It is everything you will need to hook this little kitty mat except for a frame or hoop.  {This is not for the finished mat.}

I've drawn the pattern on primitive linen and have cut the wool in #8 strips.  If you do not have a hook, I will include a beginner's hook.  Rug binding will also be included to finish your mat.

To be entered in the give-away, leave a comment on this post or send me an e-mail with "give-away" in the subject line.  You don't need to be a follower, but I really hope that you will be.  I will have my grandson draw the winner Thursday, March 3 at 4:00 pm.

Since so many of my loyal followers are already seasoned hookers, I'd appreciate you spreading the word. 

Peanut is settling in quite nicely, though we have had a few potty issues.  I'm giving her a few "get out of jail free" cards since her life was turned upside down yesterday.  She is very sweet and was referred to as a "Velcro" dog and I think that is an apt description.  Last night she snuggled up to my knees all night. 

Here's a little hooked mat I started that Peanut decided to pose next to.  Isn't she just too cute?

The temperatures are rising here in Ohio and the snow is quickly melting. Rain and wind are in the forecast for tomorrow.

Only 21 days until spring!!!

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Found a Peanut ~

 {{Does anyone remember that song?}}

* * * * * * * * * * *

Well, I didn't actually "find" her

but I did pick her up this morning.

Peanut is my new foster baby.

She is a six year old female

who is an adoption return.

She is on the small side for a pug.

I'm guessing she weighs in about 15 pounds.

Don't you just love that senior muzzle? 

I have very mixed feelings.

She had been in her "not quite forever" home for 2 years.

There have been some aggression issues

that have apparently gotten much worse

with the addition of 2 smaller dogs in the house.

(I think they are a family member's dogs.)

The lady cried the whole time we were doing the return.

I did feel very sorry for her

but I wonder if she really tried

to deal with the aggression.

I also felt so sorry for Peanut. 

When they were pulling away,

Peanut was at the passenger window

"crying" for her momma

and that was heartbreaking, too.

Peanut was introduced

to my Loocie.

They sniffed butts

(what I call the canine Google search)

and all was well.

I hope it is a case of

Peanut just not liking

the dogs she lived with ~

or perhaps she needs to be

an only dog.

Whatever the case,

I will love her

until she finds

her forever, forever home.

Thank you for all your sweet comments

about my Eema.

It tugged at my heart a little

that she did not remember me

(even though I did not think she would)

but it made me feel good

knowing that she is so secure and loved

by her forever family

that she doesn't need

to remember me.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

A Visit with Eema ~

Many of you will remember my foster Eema,

the former puppy mill momma

who was adopted last fall.

I fostered her for 11 1/2 months. 

She lives about ten minutes from

That'll Do Farm where I was headed this evening

to hook for a bit.

I have only seen her once since she went

to her furever home

so I was glad to have the opportunity

to see her this evening.

Oh, she looks so beautiful

with her coat all shiny.

 She still has her snaggle-tooth grin :)

 Here she is with her Ohio Pug Rescue

sister Cher.

 Cher reminds me

of the Flying Nun.

 Eema still loves her treats.

{I affectionately called her

my chunky monkey.}

Isn't she just too sweet?

She is being spoiled in her forever home

{THANK YOU DOLLY!!!}

She did not remember me,

but that's okay.

I am just so happy for her.

All furbabies deserve a life

such as she has.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

My Winnings and One More Thing Off the List ~

I've come to the conclusion that the crow must be my lucky bird.  In December I won a give~away (a wonderful hooked mat) from Sandi over at Olde Crow Primitives and last week I won once again from Mona at My Old Crow Primitives. 

Mona also has a pug named Sydnee and a Basset Hound named Guiness. 

Mona said that the furbabies insisted on sending some treats for my Loocie.  I most probably am getting a new foster girl this week, so Loocie will have to share the treats with her.  The treats even arrived in a paw print bag. 

Here is the angel that Mona sent me.  I LOVE her.  She is hanging on the dining room cupboard so I can admire her whenever I pass by.

The pug card to the left is also from Mona.  Pug people can be a little obsessed.

She is so old looking and has this alphabet stitched to her belly.

A close-up of her wings. 

And here's one more thing I can cross off my list.  Another little pug love mat for a member of Ohio Pug Rescue. 

Thank you all for stopping and Dear Mona, thank you from the bottom of my pea-pickin' little heart for my amazing angel and pug treats!!!

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

This is what I get . . .

. . . for doing a springtime happy dance

in February.

It is a blustery, cold day

here on Ohio's north coast.

At least it isn't

supposed to stick around for long.

 Sam the office cat

decided the top of my desk

was THE place to spend the afternoon.

Thank you so much for stopping by.

I do hope you will come again soon.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren