Some Humor ~

First, we hear alcohol may prevent the virus . . . now research suggests the opposite.  Then we're told heat and humidity has no effect, but wait . . . direct sunlight might quickly kill the virus.

So, if you come across some middle aged woman, standing in the front yard, intoxicated and naked, leave me alone . . . I'm conducting important medical research.

I've finished binding BOO.  It just needs a final steaming and a label.

The hooking is complete on a Trio of Pumpkins.  There is room for one more door prize mat on the linen.  Then three little mats will need binding.  UGH!

~ BEWARE ~

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Be safe and stay healthy.
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Binding, a Restart, a Start and a Start ~

Well . . . the hooking is finished and BOO is being bound.  Pattern by American folk artist S. West (paper pattern sold by Buttermilk Basin).  It measures 11 1/2" x 15".  A  birthday gift.

I frogged and restarted a Small Marine Sampler but not enough to bother with a picture.  Another birthday gift in the making.

And yet another birthday gift.  This applique runner is a pattern by Crows on the Ledge.  It is about 13" x 35".  

A little hooked mat that will be another door prize at the Crooked River hook in this October.  A total no brainer piece.  

I finally started putting the mulch down in the flower beds.  The weather hasn't been too cooperative.  (I mowed the lawn today wearing winter gloves.)  6 bags down . . . 34 to go.  I must be a glutton for punishment.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Be safe and stay healthy.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

NOT a Happy Camper ~

NOTE:  Before I hit publish, the designer had already responded to me.  She apologized and refunded my money within minutes.  She is in Italy and said with the situation in her country, she has a problem concentrating.  We can relate, can't we?  I think this was an anomaly and I would not hesitate purchasing from her in the future.  And I really hope to get a corrected version at a later date :)

So last night I started a little cross stitch piece.  The chart was a PDF download from Etsy.  

Working on 32 count linen which I've not used before.  DMC floss, 1 thread over 2.  All was going well . . . until I discovered that the upper case letter E is not charted (but is on the picture of the model).  Easy enough to add the E, but then spacing is all wrong and since I already started stitching on row 2, I cannot just drop one letter from row 1 to row 2.  

Upon further examination, the lower case alphabet, is how shall I say?  WTH???  There is a mystery letter ~ I think it's supposed to be a k.  

Then I notice that the lower case l, n, o, p and q are missing.  (See above picture.)  These are not stitched on the model.  Is the "model" really stitched or is it just a computer rendering?  And no.  I do not find this charming.

I am not a fast stitcher and even slower when watching a show.  Slower yet when it is Man in the High Castle which I find very confusing and needing much concentration.  This is what I accomplished in 2 episodes.  Kind of pathetic.

I have contacted the seller and asked for a corrected chart or a refund.  To be continued . . .

My sun worshiping Molly.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Be safe and stay healthy.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Attention Span of a Gnat ~

That about sums it up.  (Thanks, Carolyn in Texas for that.)  Is it just me, or are you having a hard time concentrating?  My mind is just all over the place.  I am working on binding my hit 'n miss runner . . . so close to being done.

. . . working a little Halloween mat . . . 

. . . and just about ready to start a fall applique runner . . . 

. . . and a little cross stitch piece . . .

. . . and I'm going to try to join Saundra in hooking a cat's paw mat for a rocker.  Now when I get to that may be another story.

. . . and the list goes on.  I have several more small patterns on linen.  Easy pieces that I don't have to think about much.  Most of them will be gifts.  

I have number of these storage cubes from Dollar Tree to keep everything separate.  

Whatever I can do to keep my sanity in these trying times.  I feel I am one of the lucky ones.  I have my house, yard, Molly to walk and I do see my DSO daily.  Plus I have my hooking, applique, and cross stitching.  I'm sure I've asked before, but what do people do who don't have a hobby to fall back on?  Or who are cooped up in an apartment?  I hope and pray that we can soon flatten the curve and get to whatever our new normal will be.

And let me add ~ two, to, and too!!!

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

More Dyeing ~

And I will add ~

Rug hooking is not cancelled

Applique is not cancelled

Cross stitching is not cancelled

{{But of course all must be done solo.}}

I played in the dye pots again last week.  Fractur orange is from the this dye book by Cathy Meyer.  

Turquoise spark is from this dye book.

I love the results.

Yesterday I decided to dye another pot of fractur black for an applique runner I want to stitch.  I don't normally use a sold wool, but had some Dorr wool that I though would dye up nicely.  It did.  However . . . I did not take in to account the shrinkage, so the piece is now not large enough and I did not want to reduce the size of the runner by several inches.

Today more wool is soaking.  I do hope it will work out for the applique runner.  Even though the wool has been previously washed, I still allowed for shrinkage :)

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Be safe and stay healthy.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren 

Happy Easter ~

I wish you health more than anything this Easter.  A little chocolate wouldn't hurt either.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

Hook-y Stuff ~

My hit 'n miss runner is complete and the binding has been started.  The finished size is just over 1' x 4'.  Though I used many worms, the worm farm is far from being depleted.  One of these days I need to sort through the bins.  So many are pieces that will never be used ~ too short, too narrow, too ragged.  

I also hooked this little mat that will be a door prize at the Crooked River hook in this fall.  I need to tweak the nose a bit.  The free pattern can be found here.

I tried taking another picture of my fractur black wool.  This picture came out much better.  It is a smokey grayish color.

Molly . . . just because.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Be safe and stay healthy.
Pug hugs :)
Lauren