52*

 

52*

Northern Ohio

January 9

 

I'm lovin' it though it will be changing very soon.  Four of the next five days have a chance of snow.  We are so overdue.  We have not yet had any this winter.  I just hope Mother Nature doesn't try to get even. 

 

 

I'm making progress on my Ellie rug.  Thanks for all the kind words :)

 

I'm still getting my house back to normal.  I thought I was so thorough in finding all the Christmas items, but found a 2' tree still lit that I missed for 3 days.  I guess I wasn't so thorough after all :)

 

It's been about forever, so I'm having a little give-away.  I haven't decided exactly what it will be, but I know it will involve some wool for hooking or applique and something made with antique paisley.  As always, my rules are simple.  Leave a comment on this post or send me an email with give-away as the subject.  The winner will be announced next Sunday and the winner MUST CONTACT ME within 3 days or I will choose another.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Happy Saturday to you.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

 

 

A True Friend ~

 

 

I'm back to hooking my "Ellie rug", A True Friend, pattern by Cammie Bruce ~ Primitive Junky.  Cammie has many great whimsical yet primitive patterns.  I've changed it up a bit to look like my Ellie.  The color of the rug is pretty close to her true color.  In the picture below, taken without a flash, the color is washed out but I just love the look on her face.  I still need to fix that line around her ear. 

 

Giving me the stink eye.

 

 

I think I started the rug in August, so I guess it's time to finally be finishing it.  Can you tell that I don't like to hook letters? 

 

The decorations are coming down more quickly than they went up, but not as quickly as I'd like.  I've made 20+ trips to the attic since coming home from work and have a couple more to go.  Then it's on to putting all the "normal" stuff in its place.  I'm just a glutton for punishment.  Maybe some day I'll learn . . . but probably not :(

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

A New Year ~

 

No resolutions for me this year.  I've copied this from last year's post . . . and let me tell you, I failed miserably :(  I actually gained a few pounds and purged maybe 2 bags of stuff.  ARGH!!!

 

"I usually don't make New Year's resolutions, but this year I have two.  The first is to lose the pounds I've put on this holiday season . . . sigh. . . . Secondly, I need to purge.  Not my fun stuff or antiques, of course no wool, books or crafty items, but clothes that I haven't worn in years, many things that I have no use for.  I'm not a hoarder, but I just have too many things because I haven't the heart to get rid of them.  Oh, I come by this justly.  My  mom NEVER got rid of anything."

 

My niece gave me this book for Christmas.  She is becoming a minimalist so is she trying to tell me something?  After hearing that my sister and my brother's significant other got one too, I didn't feel quite so special ~ or is that singled out? 

 

 

For this year, I have a "goal".  To spend more time with friends and family.  Make the time to do the things that are important to me and let other things slide.  No one will know but me.  Life is just too short and there are no guarantees. 

 

Then yesterday, I decided to head to a couple antique shops.  Of course I didn't come home empty handed.  I found some fun stuff . . .

 

. . . a tiny celluloid Santa ornament . . .

 

. . . a little "egg crate" Santa (even though he is just like one other I have) . . . sorry he is a bit blurry.  I didn't realize that until I downloaded to my blog.  Same goes for the snowmen :(

 

 

. . . another plastic snowman from my youth (the red-hatted one in the front looking remarkably like the red-hatted one in the back . . . lol ) . . .

 

 

. . . imitation scrimshaw whale's tooth (a composition of some kind) . . .

 

AND . . . another toy Singer to add to my collection.  This one is in great shape.

 

 

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS to me, thanks to my DSO :)

 

Today I've begun to un-decorate (de-decorate?).  Thankfully it goes down more quickly than it goes up.

 

It was wonderful to have two long weekends in a row.  Tomorrow it's back to reality.  I really like fantasy land better :)

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

 

 

Happy, Happy New Year ~

Happy New Year

to all my blog friends.

Thank you for your continued support,

kind comments

and friendship.

May you be blessed with

health and happiness in the coming year.

 

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Final Finish~

 

Just a quick post to wish you all a happy and safe New Year's Eve.  I will spend the evening doing what I love most.  Hooking, watching a movie, sipping a little wine and being with my DSO and the two fur kids.

 

This was a quick hook.  It measures about 13" x 13" and was hooked mostly in an 8 1/2 cut.  Next month I will learn how to add a braided edge when the Hidden Hills Hookers meet.

 

I opted not to hook the pine bough and considered hooking holly, but didn't.  Me thinks he looks a little blah.  Maybe I will make a smaller version of this woollie pine bough or use a few sprigs of artificial greens.  I think I'll wait until after the braided edge is added to decide.

 

Thanks so much for stopping by.

Pug hugs :)
Lauren

Gifts from Friends ~

I'm not sure how I got so lucky, but I won a give away by Tammy over at Scattered Seed Samplers.  If you've not checked out her blog, it is a must see.  She is a talented cross stitch designer and you can join her Little Sparrow Pinkeep Club to receive the most wonderful kits.  She has THE MOST AMAZING antique sewing collectibles ~ things I've never seen before.  I won this sweet little thread holder and these BEAUTIFUL hand dyed silk threads.  THANK YOU Tammy :)

My dear friend Saundra over at Woodland Primitives surprised me with this little angel who is guarding my Christmas cards.  She is the sweetest little thing.

Oh, my camera is giving me fits tonight.  I am pretty sure it is operator error . . . sigh.

 

Look at that face.  Lousy picture ~ so much prettier in person.  I don't think there is anything that Saundra can't do.  Thank you, girlfriend :)

From my dearest friend Wink ~ this little green featheredge plate.  Soft paste - probably 1780's.  What can I say other than WOW!  I have many pieces of blue featheredge, but only a few green.

 

She also gave me a couple celluloid Santas to add to my collection, including this guy in the car.

 

I am truly blessed to have such wonderful friends :)

 

My snowman mat is nearing completion.  I just have this corner left to hook. 

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

Snowman on Drugs ~

Even when I make a conscious effort not to hook something too large, I have a tendency to hook on the line, which when hooking with a larger cut make an enormous difference.  His eyes and nose were just TOO BIG.

 

 

I think I did more reverse hooking on this little mat than I do on a large rug.  Those lumps of coal were just giving me fits.  You can't tell by the picture, but I used sparkly grunged white wool for the snowman.  It's the first time I've used sparkly wool and I did not care for hooking with it.  The weave was very loose and I had a tendency to catch the wool with my hook ~ hence lots of strings to be cut.

 

 

Just thought I'd share my vintage Christmas books with you.  I've had the little Holly Berries book for decades and have no idea where I got it.  The others I've purchased over the years.  I purchased the Chatterbox because it is dated 1920 and that was the year of my dear mom's birth.

 

Cupples & Leon Company
New York



Christmas Fairy Tales
McLoughlin Brothers, New York

Chatterbox
The Page Company, Boston, Mass
 

Charles E. Graham & Company
New York



I've had a laid back couple of days and I've loved it.  I've been home during the day, hooking, catching up on odd and ends, playing on the computer ~ just heaven.  Tomorrow it's back to reality :(

 

As we wind down 2015, I'd like to say a big thank you to all who stop by.  I really do appreciate your support and kind words.

 

Pug hugs :)
Lauren