Hand-Me-Downs ~

A friend who does mostly modern Christmas, gave me her vintage Christmas items which she referred to as hand-me-downs.  I could use more friends like her 😁  Earlier this year I purchased a ratty little feather tree.  The "trunk" has been redone, the base is questionable at best, and most of the branches, well, not sure what happened to them.  They almost appear as if the feathers had melted.   (Is that possible?)  But it was cheap and I am no purist so it came home with me. This entire vignette is composed of my friend's hand-me-downs.  Glass ornaments, old glass garlands, celluloid Santa and antlerless reindeer, Santa in a sleigh, little cardboard house, and hard plastic Santas.  

There even was a tree topper!  This will be known as my Chris vignette.  Everyone needs a friend like Chris if you appreciate old stuff.

Remember this floor lamp base I purchased last month?  Of course I did not make something to hang from it as planned.

BUT . . . I found the perfect thing for the Christmas season in my goodies.  I think it is just right.

I am still having some technical issues.  Most of you are not receiving an email when I leave a comment on your blog.  I don't know why it is happening and I don't know how to fix it.  I did not change any settings.  GGGRRRRRRR!!!

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

International Rug Hooking Day ~

December 4 has been proclaimed International Rug Hooking Day.  Honoring the anniversary of TIGHR - The International Guild of Handhooking Rugmakers' formation in 1994, the focus is to spread friendship exploring the different rugmaking techniques used worldwide.

I have only pulled a few loops in weeks, it seems.  Ole Jack has been set aside (and I am so nearing a finish) to work on Santa & Reindeer, a pattern by Doodle Dog Primitives that can be found here.  I always prefer to purchase a PDF pattern if available and transfer it to linen myself.  To me it is worth the cost savings.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

More is More ~

 

As I said in my last post, I cannot subscribe to less is more, so I am knee deep in Christmas boxes.  A few trees are decorated, but lots of major stuff left to be done.  With that being said, nary a loop has been pulled in days.

Since I really don't have anything earth shattering to share, I will share my Santa tree.

A few favorite ornaments.  Topping the tree is a Hallmark Santa angel from many years ago.

A little handcarved Santa purchased long ago at a local frame shop and gifted to me last year by friend Chris.  To the right the little Santa on the swing was painted by my dear mom.

A sweet little Santa, another gift (from friend Wink) that I have had for many years.

A little occupied Japan Santa.

Oyster shell Santa by dear friend Julia in South Carolina.  She sent me several of them.  When I visited her a few years ago, we walked the beach on Edisto Island so I could gather some to paint.  Well . . . that hasn't happened.

Molly just cracks me up when she sits like this.  I think this posture is a result of her pug myelopathy.

And just so she won't feel left out, a recent picture of Ernestine.  She has recovered from her surgery and has been declared cancer free.

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Let the Madness Begin ~

You know me.  I will never learn that less is more . . . sigh.  I have begun to haul boxes down from the attic.  10+ trips down and countless more to go.

Thanksgiving was wonderful!!!  Time spent with family ~ and mine is very small ~ is important.  My Las Vegas son Bill was home for a few days.  Good for this mom's heart.  He is the guy in the Browns' shirt.  Younger son J and his son Jake are bringing up the rear.  Jake is officially taller than his dad.

When hooking in Millersburg, I had to leave for a few hours to attend the Seville Antiques Christmas open house.  I can't believe I came home with another Peaseware container.  I have others already put away.  It will be fun to see all I have when my house is back to "normal" in January.

And speaking of Millersburg, while there I pulled a few loops on Ole Jack but still not done (unlike Saundra).  I did hook Mr. Jingles and last evening added his shoe button eyes and those on his chest.  Another Santa rug was started, but not enough progress to show.

This is in my yard today.

The sidewalk in the front of my house was in dire need of leveling.  Because the problem was due to tree roots, they could not just be leveled.  I have been trying for two years to find someone to do it.  I had gotten a couple estimates that were just totally outrageous so was happy to find someone who though expensive, did not totally break the bank.  Suffice to say it is costing many yards of wool and hooking camps 😞

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Gotcha ~

Two years ago today Molly officially became a member of my family.  What a difference two years can make.  When I adopted her, she and Ernestine (DSO's pug) got along.

Now they cannot be in the same room together unleashed.  Ernestine was originally the aggressor, but now Molly is just as bad now if not worse 😢

Some Molly facts ~

~ She not only doesn't get along with Ernestine, but she hates all other dogs!  I have heard a dog with that attitude referred to as an "only".  I call her my pit pug, but that is insulting to pits 😞

~ She recently finished an antibiotic for an ear infection and two antibiotics for UTIs.  Did you know that a urine culture for a dog costs $120 and we have had three done?  Cha ching $$.  Any non-animal persons reading this just won't understand.

~ She has pug myelopathy, a neurological condition which affects the use of the back legs and a few other things we won't discuss . . . lol.  For quite some time she has been losing her balance on smooth surfaces such as linoleum, but it is now happening on carpet and the lawn.  Thankfully it causes no pain.  You can read more about it here.

She has also recently been diagnosed with a mast cell tumor, a form of skin cancer common in pugs, on her back.  Ironically, Ernestine just had surgery for the same thing about a month ago so I say she caught it from Ernestine 😁  She will be having surgery to remove it on December 13th and while under anesthesia, will also have a dental.  Once again, cha ching $$.

Molly is going to be my million dollar baby, but I love her to pieces and will care for her in the best way I possibly can.

PLEASE REMEMBER!!!

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren

Happy Thanksgiving ~

 🦃 Happy Thanksgiving 🦃

We have much to be

thankful for

and we must always 

count our blessings 😊

xoxo

Lauren

Once Again Battling Technology ;-(

Some days you just can't win.  Suddenly, when I leave a comment on a blog, the email that the blogger would normally receive showing I left a comment, comes back a delivery failure.  I haven't changed any settings.  I've restarted the computer.  So far, no luck.  I am wondering if when you leave a comment on this post if I will receive a notification.

Then my PC (non Apple product) would not recognize my iPhone for me to download my pictures.  That issue seems to have self corrected.  Fingers crossed it stays that way.

As usual, I took too few pictures at the hooking retreat in Millersburg.  I'm not sure if this is a Caroline Twigg pattern, but it was color planned in a class with Caroline.  The "dirty" spots at the bottom are shadows.

Sweet little pattern by Maria Barton (Star Rug Complany).  You can spot her patterns a block away.

What fun.  Between the whipped edge and the hooking, she added some butcher twine.

This was a free Tonya Robey pattern, I believe in a 2013 Create & Decorate magazine.  Her example was hooked as a black snowman.  (Am I allowed to say that?)

Another free pattern (me thinks), this one by Lucille Festa from a few years ago.  I believe it was in a Primitive Quilts & Projects magazine (but don't quote me on that).  This pattern was purchased on linen from Lucille.

A couple close ups.

Woolnuts pattern, being hooked by Heidi, the designer.

Last but not least . . . and this one is for you, Saundra.  Ole Jack, pattern by Cathy Stephan of Red Barn Rugs.  The same pattern as I am hooking, but this is the large version which is REALLY BIG.

Close up of the horse.

My intentions to take more pictures were good, but we know the road to hell is paved with good intentions 😁

My Las Vegas son was scheduled to arrive at Cleveland Hopkins airport at 1:00 AM.  As they were boarding the plane, they suddenly announced that this particular airplane was actually heading to Memphis and everyone heading to Cleveland had to deplane.  Really?  Don't you think they would know that in advance?  So . . . he is headed to a different terminal and as of this writing, is scheduled to arrive about 2:30.  There is absolutely nothing glamorous about flying!!!

Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs 😊
Lauren