Just a Couple Hooky Things ~

I finally did it.  I broke down and bought another Hartman hook.  One of my biggest fears was losing/misplacing mine.  (After many months, I still haven't found my proddy tool.)  I have several other hooks, but have been hooking with my Hartman since day one and have not had any success with any other hook.  I was all set to buy one at the hook in from Alice.  Thankfully she let me "test drive" the pear handle hook (she didn't have any ball handle hooks) and for the way I hold the hook, it just didn't work out.  I know you are supposed to periodically switch hooks so your wrist gets a break, but I ended up buying the same ball handle hook I had, except that the shank is a 9 mm rather than an 8 mm.  I found a couple sites that sold them but they wanted $9.95 for shipping.  I HATE being gouged on shipping, so finally found one on etsy with a better shipping deal.

Another great tool I recently purchased ~ at the pet store.  I heard dog brushes were good for cleaning gripper strips, and let me tell you, this one works great and it was about $5.00 on sale. It cleans the strips much faster than anything else I had tried.

I know, boring post, but just wanted to pop in and say hi.  I thought I'd have Hearts and Clover done by now, but just can't seem to find any time to hook.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Hook-in ~

Today was the annual Western Reserve Rug Hooking guild's hook-in.  What fun.  Of course, I barely got the camera out and only have a few things to share.  

Betsy's bunnies ~ Betsy of Heavens to Betsy fame.  They were hooked with handtorn strips . . .

. . . and finished "Betsy style".  Aren't they fun?

I purchased the pattern for the medium sized bunny.

Rhonda (My Glory Stars) and Betsy.

Oh, I do love this rug Kaye is hooking.  She always chooses THE BEST primitive colors, but she did say she hooked the rooster THREE times.

Alice's gorgeous wools . . .

. . . and Donna's.

Isn't this bulldog a hoot?  The dog was hooked in handtorn strips.

My winnings from the Chinese auction.  It also came with the finest rug hook I've ever seen.  I think you'd use that hook to hook dental floss . . . lol.  I gave it away before I thought to take a picture.

For the second year in a row I got lucky and won a door prize.  

Even without a flash the colors are too bright.

Yummy new wools (not the true colors, either).

And another Heavens to Betsy pattern. I still haven't hooked the cat pattern I bought from her a couple years ago :)

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)

Lauren

So Thankful ~

Northern Ohio had torrential rains Monday evening.  Somewhere around 4" of rain fell in a couple hours.  I've never had the tornado warning come over my phone before and it scared the bejesus out of me.  They say one touched down for a short period of time but did not cause any major damage.  So many basements were flooded.  I am thankful I just had a few streams of water that seeped in.  Many people had 3-4' of water in their basements - some having sewer backups.  Rain is in the forecast for the next 3 out of 4 days.  I wish we could save some of this rain for the months of July and August.

I'm pleased with the progress I've made on Hearts and Clover.  Saturday is the annual Western Reserve hook-in.  Always a fun time with good friends, good food and lots of good vendors.

Maya the granddog is still with me for a few more days.  She is such a mouthy little thing.  She moves so fast it's hard to get a picture of her.

The funny thing is that she is the alpha dog over Ellie . . . Ellie who wants to kill most other dogs and people.  

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Happy Mother's Day ~

MOTHER'S DAY QUIPS  (An Oldie but Goodie)


PAUL REVERE'S MOTHER:

"I don't care where you think you have to go, young man. Midnight is past your curfew!"
 

MONA LISA'S MOTHER:

"After all that money your father and I spent on braces, Mona, that's the biggest smile you can give us?"


HUMPTY DUMPTY'S MOTHER:

"Humpty, if I've told you once, I've told you a hundred times not to sit on that wall.

But would you listen to me? Noooo!"


COLUMBUS' MOTHER:

"I don't care what you've discovered, Christopher. You still could have written!"


MICHELANGELO'S MOTHER:

"Mike, can't you paint on walls like other children? Do you have any idea how hard it is to get that stuff off the ceiling?"


ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S MOTHER:

"Again with the stovepipe hat, Abe? Can't you just wear a baseball cap like the other kids?"


MARY'S MOTHER:

"I'm not upset that your lamb followed you to school, Mary, but I would like to know how he got a better grade than you."


BATMAN'S MOTHER:

"It's a nice car, Bruce, but do you realize how much the insurance is going to be?"


GOLDILOCKS' MOTHER:

"I've got a bill here for a busted chair from the Bear family. You know anything about this, Goldie?"


ALBERT EINSTEIN'S MOTHER:

"But, Albert, it's your senior picture. Can't you do something about your hair? Styling gel, mousse, something...?"


JONAH'S MOTHER:

"That's a nice story, but now tell me where you've really been for the last three days."


SUPERMAN'S MOTHER:

"Clark, your father and I have discussed it, and we've decided you can have your own telephone line.

Now will you quit spending so much time in all those phone booths?"


THOMAS EDISON'S MOTHER:

"Of course I'm proud that you invented the electric light bulb, Thomas. Now turn off that light and get to bed!"


Hope your Mother's Day was the best ever.
Thanks so much for stopping by.
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Totally Random ~

There was an antique/primitive show that I wanted to attend today, but I just could not talk myself in to the 5 hours I would have spent in the car . . . sigh.  I guess I need to look at the bright side and think of all the money I saved ~ in gas alone besides what I may have purchased.  I am just in dire need of an antique fix.

Since I probably won't have any hydrangea blooms this year due to the harsh winter, I bought this one at the discount store the other day.  I just love the blue.  I really need to amend the soil with ??? to keep the blue color.  

The lilac has started to bloom.  Ahhhhh . . . heaven.

A few more pics from around the yard.

 

I found this little guy in the yard today.  Actually I ran him over with the lawnmower.  Thankfully he is okay.  I'm hoping he'll stick around for a while.

I've started a new little rug though I have not yet tweaked the faces on Here a Chick.  I hooked Hearts and Clover last year and it is one of the few rugs I've ever sold, so I thought I'd hook another.  The hearts are the same color as last time.  The clover is slightly different and I'll hook the bird differently, too.  I think the pot and the background will be the same as before.

Meet Maya, my granddog.  Son J and girlfriend Jessica are on their way to Florida for a much needed vacation.  She might weigh only 4 pounds but is a mouthy little thing.  My son wants a Great Dane . . . girlfriend came in to his life with a rescued Chihuahua.  Makes me laugh.  Notice Maya's studded collar my son made her . . . between the studs are pink rhinestones.

Thankfully Ellie doesn't want to rip her throat out like she does most other dogs.  

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs (Jack Russell and Chihuahua, too) :)

Lauren

Seis de Mayo ~

As usual, a day late and a dollar short :)  

Tonight I met a friend for dinner at a local Mexican restaurant.  I hadn't seen her in forever so it was nice to catch up.  (In less than a week I've been out for Italian, Chinese, Mexican plus 5 Guys and I wonder why the scale hates me . . . lol!)

I finished the hooking on Here a Chick, a Barbara Carroll pattern found in this book.  

The finished size is about 26 1/2" x 24".  

I need to do a little reverse hooking on these two faces.

The chicks were hooked with an 8 cut (ick), some 8.5 was used, but the majority of the rug was hooked with a 9.5.  

Now it's time to plan and get busy on the gift rugs.  Why do I not do a better job planning ahead?

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Goin' to the Dogs ~

Yesterday was the 17th annual Medina Adoptathon and Ohio Pug Rescue was set up to promote pug adoption.  Several fosters looking for furever homes were in attendance including this pair.  I'm not sure how they ended up in rescue, but they are 9 year old siblings and a bonded pair.  They were adopted out but soon returned :(  How sad.  What a difference in the faces ~ one is so much more grey than the other.  Oh, how those grey faces melt my heart.

This is Lucy (nka Loretta) and Loocie.  It was hard to get a picture, but I wanted to show the difference in size.  Lucy was one of the biggest pugs I've ever seen at 35 pounds.  {{Loocie weighs just under 16#.}}  She was just "big boned" . . . lol! Can you believe she is 11?  Not nearly as grey as my Loocie at 8 1/2.  No, Loocie is not up for adoption.  She was there because she is just so cute ~ but I'm not prejudiced, not one little bit. Poor Lucy/Loretta.  She was an owner surrender. She had spent her entire life with her furever mom. Furever mom got a new boyfriend with a German Shepherd and the dogs did not get along, so Lucy/Loretta had to go.  I say get rid of the boyfriend!  That just breaks my heart.

This gentle giant was a 190 pound Newfoundland. Maggie was there with her owner.  She is a search and rescue dog and just as sweet as can be.  She went through two homes as a rescue before she was adopted by her present owner at 9 months old.  

I'm just trying to give you an idea how big she really is.

And here's Ellie this morning with daddy.  She didn't go to the event yesterday not because she's not a pug, but because she has little dog syndrome so bad she would have wanted to kill every dog there, even the 190# Newfie.

Thursday the Hidden Hills Hookers met at Deb's house.  A surprise 50th birthday party was being held for Katie of Kid'l de Divey Woolens.  The surprise was that Katie showed up early and was the first one there . . . lol.

Deb, Katie & Teri

Everyone brought a rug/project that Katie taught or helped her with for "This is your hooking life". A book will be made for her.  Here is partner in crime Melissa with a rug from a class taught by Katie.

Don't you just LOVE Katie's expressions?

I am happy to report that my closet is much more organized!  It's amazing how much additional space you have when there is some semblance of order.

I was hoping to finish Here a Chick this weekend, but I've run out of weekend :(

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