Spinnin' my Wheels ~

 

All week long I've felt like a hamster running in the wheel.  Going as fast as I could and getting nowhere.  Yesterday I took part of the afternoon off and finally feel as if I've accomplished something.  All the decorating is done except for the big tree.  Some shopping still needs to be done, gifts wrapped and boxes readied for mailing.  Oh, I need to finish the cards, too.  Tonight, though, I have a date with a cute little redhead.  We have shopping to do and gifts to wrap.  We also need to stop and say hi to Santa and visit the model train display.  It will be a busy evening but great fun for sure.

 

Thursday the Hidden Hills Hookers met and we each brought a 1/4 yard of wool for a gift exchange.  We played "dirty Santa" and this is the wool that came home with me.  I love it.  I have the white and black honeycomb, but this is a wonderful grey and black.  I am almost half done binding this Santa rug so I may actually have it done before Christmas.  Woo hoo!

 

 

Don't you just hate computer issues?  I have a desktop computer and an iPad.  I prefer the desktop since I'm iPad stupid, but the desktop is giving me fits and probably needs to visit the computer doctor.  It's always something, isn't it?

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.  Time to go pick up my date.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

What a Mess ~

 

I still have not grasped the concept of "less is more" or "simplify".  I'm just a glutton for punishment, but as I open each box, there are just so many memories attached to the items that I just can't not put them out . . . sigh.  Maybe next year.  It always has to get worse before it gets better, and I am still in the chaos stage. 

Part of my herd of celluloid reindeer . . .

 

. . . and a few Santas.

 

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

Poinsettia ~

It's not often I have an evening where I totally lack energy or ambition, but tonight is one of them.  I have gotten nothing done (other than taking an hour nap that turned in to two ~ a rarity for me) except for finishing the edge on this little mat.  It is a design from a Lori Brechlin booklet purchased years ago.  I hooked it on the burlap I blogged about here.  I am glad to have it done.  I never hooked on burlap before, and I found this hard to hook on.  I cannot get the metallic threads to show in the picture, but trust me, they are there :)

 

 

I can't believe Thanksgiving was a week ago.  Where, oh where, is the time going?

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren



Crunch Time ~

 

 

ACK!  December 1.  I hate when Thanksgiving falls late in the month.  At least that is my excuse why I already feel behind (and I'm sticking to it).  Yesterday I did get the greens hung on the windows and light poles.  It was 60+ degrees and is probably the first time I have done it when it's not freezing.

I've barely started shopping, the cards are not even bought.  No boxes have been hauled down from the attic.  I still have one rug that MUST be bound that is a gift and two that I would LIKE to get bound.  Yes, it would be a good idea to finish my Santa and sheep rug (Star Rug Company) and my stag rug (Lori of Homespun Prims).  So appropriate for the season.

 

So why am I sitting here on the computer instead of being productive???

 

I got my staples out today.  Finally.  They were driving me crazy.  Dear Kim wanted to know if this is what they used this on me.  It kind of felt like it.  Gotta love her :)

 

 

Tomorrow it's the mammogram, Wednesday back to the vein doctor and next week the ophthalmologist.  I don't think I've ever had so many doctor appointments.  This getting old is not for sissies :)

 

My Thanksgiving was wonderful.  Hectic but wonderful.  It was so good to spend it with family.  Our family is very small, so being together is special.  My California son and girlfriend even made it to town.  Melisa had to leave Friday, but Bill just left this morning ~ very early ~ 5 am early ~ is when we arrived at the airport.  ARGH!  He made it home safely and already has started eating the pumpkin roll that made its way west.

 

My grandson, his Chicago cousins, and my brother.  I'm not sure who was having more fun.  He gives them "bucket rides" and they squeal with delight.

 

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

So Thankful ~

 

Blog friends are THE BEST :)  I have received so many sweet comments and emails regarding my recent "mishap".  I really do appreciate each and every one of them and it warms my heart knowing how much you care.  Thank you so much.  The wrist is still a little sore and the staples will come out Monday.  Hopefully the wound will heal quickly so I can take care of those unsightly roots . . . lol.

 

Here is the little mat I could not show you.  Santa Paws (correction ~ Claws, not paws . . . duh) is a freebie pattern from Lori of Not Forgotten Farm.  My California son Bill and girlfriend Melisa have a pure white cat named snowball.  They were here for Thanksgiving so I gave them the mat.  What I failed to remember about Snowball was that she doesn't have a normal cat tail, just a curly stub.  Oh, well.  She'd look like this if she had a normal one :)  I also could not hook with white wool (just me . . . I don't like to hook with solid colors), so I used a very light wool with a bit of color in it. Melisa is already back home and my son will be here for a couple more days.  It is so good to see him.

 

 

My niece and family were here from Chicago.  It is a tradition started about 15 years ago and they have made it here every Thanksgiving since.  Jake absolutely adores his cousins.  Jake just loved his purple shirt and Melisa told him it takes a real man to wear purple, so he repeated that many times during the day.

Elise and Michael

Holiday crunch time is quickly approaching.  I know all my stress is self inflicted so I have no one to blame but myself.  I will never learn . . . sigh.

 

I hope you had the best Thanksgiving ever.  Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

OUCH ~

 

If it wasn't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all.  Yesterday morning walking Ellie I fell on an icy sidewalk.  Thankfully I did not fall on Ellie nor did I lose consciousness.  I don't remember falling but I do remember my head bouncing on the concrete.  I am not one to run to the doctor or ER, but this scared me enough to go to the ER.  I had split my head a bit but it was determined that I did not need a cat scan.  The physician's assistant said I needed to have it stapled closed.  I asked her how bad the cut was and she took a picture and showed me.  My reaction?  OMG, I had no idea my roots were that bad . . . lol.  Now let me tell you getting your skull stapled is not what I call a lot of fun.  And in a week I have to have them removed.  Double ouch.  They did x-ray my wrist (my hooking wrist - ack) and determined that it was just sprained.  Last night with just a bit of pain I was able to finish the little mat I am hooking as a gift and started hooking on the burlap with metallic thread that I talked about here.  The burlap does not grip the frame well so I'm not liking hooking on it, but for a small project it is ok.  It is a pattern from Not Forgotten Farm that I did in punch needle years ago.  Since I am not hooking any background, I hope to have it done soon.  The burlap is very glittery but it just doesn't show up in the picture. 

 

 

I am thankful that my injuries were not worse.  I feel very fortunate.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Portabella ~

I'm not talking mushrooms.  I'm talking wool.  This wool is much more luscious in person.  It is from Rebecca Erb's July 2014 mailer.  It hooks like butter.  Just a great piece to get a very primitive background from only one wool.  It is a green, not something I'd normally use, but very muted and drab.  This may become one of my new favorites if it is still available. 

I'm using it for the background of the mat that I can't show you, but I'm sure many of you can figure out the pattern I'm hooking.  My goal is to have it hooked and bound this weekend because hopefully it will be going to its new home at Thanksgiving.

TGIF.  It's been a very long week.

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren