New Store Opening, Folk Art Sales, and More

For the last few years I have had some of my rug hooking items in a store called The Copper Partridge, located on Main Street in Sellersville. The Copper Partridge is full of mostly hand-made items from different artists - Pottery, Redware, Fiber Items, Jewelry, Some Furniture, Some Antiques, and so many more unique items. Well on Friday, Diane (owner) opened another Copper Partridge in Skippack Village in Skippack, PA. It was amazing how much work she did in only a few short weeks to get it opened in time for the Holiday season. I was in an almost empty store on Sunday to drop off some items and last nite, it was full of great items and so nicely decorated. I wish Diane and her crew and all the artists and craftspeople much luck in both stores.

Here is Diane - who is smiling - hard to believe the woman is even standing with all the work she's been doing!

A part of an area where some of my larger rugs are displayed -

Well after visiting The Copper Partridge on Friday nite, I went to visit my sister-in-law who was doing a show at a craft fair - She makes some really nice jewelry - forgot all about taking pictures there!

After visiting and looking around the craft fair I was off to the Heritage Center in Harleysville. They have an annual PA/German Folk Art Sale for the entire month of December. This is the second year I have participated. Friday nite the participants are invited for an opening reception and also the public is invited to shop for a donation before the show actually opens on Saturday. My uncle was there, he did their decorations and was helping out with the punch bowl and whatever was needed. So I spent a little bit of time there looking at every one's great items - lots of redware, fraktur pictures, fraktur painted boxes, woodgrained boxes, painted carved birds, quilts, and I could go on and on - I had some rugs in the show and was pleased to see some had already been sold by the time I got there!

Well now it's Saturday and it was dreary day - then it started to rain/snow and then just snow. Just not ready for that! Tomorrow is supposed to be sunshine so I'm sure all the snow will be done.

The mail lady brought a big surprise - our group AAPG had a Secret Santa Swap - well my package arrived today - Chris Moore (Mystical Primitives) had my name and boy did she spoil me - She is an incredibly talented lady - She made me this wool kitty pin cushion and covered the pins with wool on the hand, also a large box she covered in fabric and put a pin cushion on top - in the front of the pic is three stitch handids - oh her work is incredible, there was also 2 ornaments - they look old -not sure what the technique on them is called. Also was some chocolate, a notepad and a kitty calendar - and if that wasn't enough...

She sent me this old quilt - she thinks it's probably from the 40's - really cool - I love it, and if that isn't enough....

This old tin container with a date of December 7, 1880 - from Norton Bros,Chicago, will have to do some research to see what it was originally used for - Veggies? Ice Cream? Coffee?? I don't know but I love tin items and this is wonderful!
So thank you Chris!

During the day I was trying to bind some of my items - but as you can see from this little guy in my lap that was requiring belly rubs and/or playing with the wool yarn and cording - it wasn't even going! He's just too cute to shoo away!

When he wasn't over helping me bind my items - you can usually find him waiting on the bed wtih that dollar store toy - he is too funny - he will be downstairs and be sitting on the step and if you walk by he starts "talking" and you follow him upstairs, Jonesy "talking" the whole way - and he jumps on the bed and sits by his toy! Too funny!

Wishing everyone a wonderful Sunday!

Hey Guys, follow me - I got a cool toy to show you! Be prepared to play!

Ah the Joys of Shopping...

Well this week I've been doing some Christmas shopping and errands and things. Today I went to the Mall - yes the Mall - to Macy's - they had big sales going on and also sent coupons to use today and tomorrow 25% off your total of whatever you spend. Well I have to tell you - Sometimes you just have to throw up your hands and go along with things.

I had three items to purchase in the Men's department - two were the same item at $12 each.

Macy's has these scanners so I scanned it since I wanted to see the price with the sale - So 25% off $12 is easy - $9.

The Scanner says $11.25. (Original Price $15 - less discount = $11.25)

Wrong!

So I look at my items in my hand - Nope - two tags on each say $12.

I went to pay for the items and waited in line for one of the two salesclerks.

My turn - so I tell her about the price problem and to sure it rings up $12 less the 25% equalling $9.

Easy - right?

So she said Oh yes, no problem - they are $11.25 each.

So I explained the original price was wrong and should have been 25% off of $12.

And she says - yes you got the sale price which equals $11.25

So I explained again how it was basing it on wrong starting price.

So she re-does it and says - Yes Ma' am (I hate being called Ma'am) they are $11.25 each and that is with the 25% discount.

So I go thru the scenario again.

And again...

Now the 2nd sales girl is involved... She tells me the same thing...

I explain again...

and again...

Now the customer behind me is laughing with me - she understood what I was getting at (The first time!) ... So she tries explaining....

These two girls could not figure it out for the life of them - so I'm laughing and trying not to grab them and shake them...

So over comes the Manager...

We go thru the story AGAIN....

So he does everything and says they are $11.25 a piece with the 25% off.

So I explained AGAIN!

Finally another salesclerk jumps in and said she understand and rings up my order -

Guess what she did....

She gave me 25% off the $11.25 - not the $12 - Which comes out to $8.44 - Okay - it should have been $9. Oh My! At this point I'm thinking should I explain they are underselling themselves - and I just look at the other customer and we laughed and I said "Okay whatever - and thank you for your help!"

So I ended up with the additional 25% discount for the total amount I got each of the $12.00 items for $6.44 each!

You gotta love it!

Anyway - Christmas shopping for the Family - DONE!

My husband and I are not exchanging gifts this year but I did find him a pair of Doc Marten boots (personally I think Doc Martens look like Frankenstein shoes/boots and are so stiff but he loves them) at a real discount so I bought them for him and surprised him by putting them on my 3 foot Ziggy and putting them on the bed for him to find! LOL! Yep I'm a bit strange. He bought me that Ziggy when we were date some 23 or 24 years ago. He said he felt like a dork carrying it thru the mall at the time! Now him being a typical male - comes home and sees them - and says "Oh boots, for me" and takes them off Ziggy - Puts Ziggy back in the hooking room and then throws them on the floor. GEEEZZZZZ - Now me - if there were a new pair of shoes - I would be trying them one - looking at them i n the mirror - totally checking them out, etc. Men!

Yesterday I was on the way to the hospital to visit my Dad and my Mom called and said that there was a possibility of him getting sent home so not to come down (it's an hour drive and parking is expensive) So I called my husband as he originally wanted to meet at a new Mexican Restaurant - So while i was waiting for him I went into the Dollar Store to meander around. Found this silly cat toy - it's a leopard print fleece with elastic on a pole with 3 felt fishes on the end - Well let me tell you - Jonesy is in love with this toy - OH my goodness- he sleeps with it, he stands in the middle of the bed screaming for someone to come play with him with it and just goes absolutely bonkers running around when you let it fly around. Riley loves it too and even had Miles playing too . Jonesy really had me giggling - when he jumps up and catches it mid-air - he starts hissing at it - Never heard this little guy hiss before - it had me in stitches.

Oh and when he's not playing and I'm on the computer - you can find him behind my computer. Didn't embarrass him with the hat this time!

My Dad is home from the hospital and doing okay for now which is good news. Let's hope it stays that way and not have a repeat of last winter!

Hope everyone is having a wonderful week!

Dreary but Productive Day

Well yesterday I got my act together and dropped off my rugs to the new store that is having their Grand Opening on Friday. Wow I was amazed at all the work that the Owners put into it in a few short weeks. It will be great "Uniquities" type store. Can't wait to check it out when all the crafters have dropped off their wares. I will try to remember to take my camera with me.


I came home and my husband was in his bunker watching the "game". i go upstairs and this is what I find in the spare room - It was like they were all saying "Nope we weren't napping - not us" - Too funny - as you can see in the next picture - Miles was already asleep sitting up, Jonesy was yawning and Riley already back down for the count (notice the ear!)

Oh what a life - It's amazing that even Riley and Miles are in the same room but Jonesy neutralizes them I think. Plus Miles sleeps on top of the blanket while Riley burrows in so I guess that means they aren't really "touching"! LOL

I lifted the cover and got this pic of Riley a little while later - oh the life of a sleepy tiger...

Later that evening I decided to get caught up on some things I needed to get mailed out, RAK's, b-day presents, cards, etc. So I had my gift box out (a huge tub i put things in during the year to save for presents and some for specific friends and relatives and whatnot). The room was a mess and I was sitting in the middle of it on the floor - I looked up at the little table my laptop was on and there was Jonesy asleep behind the laptop (it gets warm there!) He is so darn adorable, he had his paws together so I popped a little duck hat on his head and took a picture....shhhh don't tell him I posted this...wouldn't want to embarrass the little man!

My Mom called me this morning - she took my Dad to the ER again this morning. They have admitted him. He has pneumonia again - his problems always seem to start like this and he always suffers complications from that - Hopefully it won't progress this time and he can come home soon - He is also having some heart issues which with his medical background is another reason he was admitted. Hopefully this will pass quickly this time and he'll be able to come home soon.

Wishing everyone a good week and a great start to December!

Post Thanksgiving!

Well the turkey's been picked apart and put away - the fridge is full of leftovers and everyone in the house has been just doing whatever they feel like it!

Thursday as the Turkey was cooking the noses on my kitties were going full tilt - They smelled that turkey and didn't miss a chance to run to the kitchen whenever anyone walked in there!

Jonesy just loves food - he wants to try whatever you are having and we have found that he absolutely loves bacon. He can smell frozen bacon I swear! Anyway - Thursday morning my husband took a pound of bacon out of the freezer to make for his breakfast. He put it in the corner on the counter to start thawing. I was buzzing around the kitchen doing some prep work on the Turkey and didn't notice that Jonesy was sitting on the counter watching me. Well my husband comes upstairs and yells at Jonesy to get off the counter! Well don't you know that little knucklehead was sitting on top the bacon! LOL We laughed until our sides hurt - the corner of the bacon he was sitting on was thawed! So that added to our jokes about Jonesy and bacon - most of the day he was known as the "Baconator" - Okay - guess you just had to be there to find it funny!


Now Riley on the other hand - could care less about people food - but he does like to sit on the laptop! Looks like he's sending an email here.

I took this pic at almost midnite Thanksgiving nite - Jonesy was enjoying his pieces of Turkey - while Riley was eating food - he just will not eat people food!

Friday was play day - Riley and Jonesy were hunting lobsters in the basement!

This is the husband's bunker - notice the hole in the overhanging ceiling. Well Riley did that a year or so ago and keeps knocking out the piece and lots of times you feel you are being watched and look up and there is a tiger looking down at you! Well he is an instigator - he's shown Jonesy how to get up in the ceiling and they run around up there and now he's driving Jonesy crazing showing him the hole from the other side. So for about 1/2 hour these two were trying to get up in the hole rather than getting in the ceiling and looking down. I keep hearing my husband yelling "Jonesy" "Riley" "Knock it off" - they were climbing on his stereo equipment (not pictured) and knocking things off! Oh my

Wasn't me - It was Jonesy - yep that's my story

Hey Riley lies - wasn't me - I was sitting here minding my own business!

Time for an afternoon siesta (that would be Riley peeking out from under the blanket.

Think I'll try my paw at hooking -

After my nap of course

Remember last year when I got those tubs and tubs of wool from that woman from my parents church. Well she found another big bag of wool! So yesterday I washed it to re-fresh it from 30 years in her attic - I see some dyeing in my future!

This woman is always making things too - she makes quilts and dolls and all sorts of things. Here is a "nut head" prairie doll she made and named "Joanna" - her head is a hard shelled nut - pretty cool - so now she's displayed on top of my TV cabinet with some of my others...

Also in that bag of wool was a lot of rug tape - I do not use rug tape but if you do and want it - let me know and I'll send you some or all of it - just email me. Most of it's tans and natural but there is some blues and a little green -

Black Friday! Anyone venture out? Well I did and actually it wasn't so bad - I only went a few places. I think finding a parking spot was the hardest but it didn't feel "over crowded" in the stores and I didn't have to wait in long lines - Maybe earlier it was worse?

When I got home I had a package in the mail from one of Santa's Elves! Oh wow - it was wonderful - the box was stuffed full of goodies - 2 magnets to hold my scissors when rug hooking with appliqued dsigns, a stocking with a tree stitched and appliqued on it full of candy, note pad, a calendar and note pad for the fridge, a candle and tart, a pincushion with a jeweled pin in it and a little magnetic clip holder for the fridge.

Thank you so much you sneaky elf - Love everything! I think I have it figured out who Santa's helper is but I will not give up the secret as this little helper is sending a lot of gifts out to others in our little group!

Hoping everyone has a nice weekend and enjoying whatever you decide to do! Key word - Relax!

Back to Blogging!

Well I've been away from blogland for a while - So sorry - didn't mean to become one of those people that have a blog and never update it - not my intention! Actually it was through no fault of my own - I've been having computer issues on and off for a while and for the past month or so slowly it got so I couldn't open anyone's blog and read them - some would open - sometimes and other times not at all. So after a few fixes and re-installs (hey, I'm limited on how to fix these things) I at least have the blogs working again and I can finally sit and catch up - well when I can find the time.

Been pretty busy the past few weeks doing I don't know what! LOL! A few weeks ago I went away for a few days to the shore - Met up with a friend on a beautiful Sunday afternoon in Stone Harbor - we walked around the shops and she was able to get some Christmas shopping done. Then we had lunch at a pub and sat and chatted for a few hours. For dessert we had Chocolate Martini's - mmmm soo good! They weren't on the martini list but the bartender made them for us -



Spent the next few days meandering around and enjoying the nice weather.

On the home front, the furry ones are doing pretty good - I mentioned earlier how Jonesy was going thru a bratty stage. Well now he's just going through a complete loverboy stage. Just like when he was a little kitten. He wants to be held and his belly rubbed. He loves snuggling tight at night (I wake up and wonder why my joints don't move and I'm sweating - I have one on my feet, one snuggled between my legs and one on my side!) and he has been just so sweet, playful and lovable. My husband and I remark everyday what a special day it was when I brought him home - he has brought so many smiles to us. Riley is Riley - sweet as ever also - He will give me "kisses" and snuggle with me - but don't dare pick him up and hold him - he's so strong it's impossible - he has to come to you - but it's nice - he's often found sitting on my side as I hook or in my lap if Jonesy isn't there. He also is a little instigator - he's been showing his "little" brother how to get into the overhanging ceiling in the basement, how to jump on top of hutches, how to knock over my water bottle - you know things like that! Well what are big brothers for I guess!

Here's a pic of Miles -

Poor guy - he's still throwing up - not quite on a daily basis but so often - we can't figure it out - we've changed food - we tried everything - he doesn't appear to be sick at all and we've had tons of tests done at the vet - no problems. Honestly - I tend to wonder if he's doing it for attention (which by the way he gets a lot of!) or maybe out of habit? Who knows! Being older I think he's getting forgetful and more demanding! LOL! But we love him anyway! The minute you start petting or rubbing this little guy he'll purr for you.

I've been remiss taking pics this past few weeks - I had the camera out in the car for a few weeks and kept forgetting to bring it in!

A few weeks ago a RAK (Random Act of Kindness) arrived in my mailbox from my friend Pam who belongs to the group AAPG. I was lucky to get to meet her in person last month at the Brandywine hook-in and she is the sweetest and most generous person. She sent me some wonderful wool, some notepaper with my initial, some cute kitty cat coasters. I just love everything. Thanks Pam!

Last weekend I met up with Kathy, Beth, and Linda at the York Folk Art Show in York. I bought a few little things and we had a good time. We all went to lunch and then back to the show. I had my camera in my purse and forgot to take pictures (again!).

On the creative front, been busy making small items and getting together items for a new store opening in December that I will be putting some of my rugs and things in. Also have been making some of the feather trees. All these little things just fill up the day and next thing you wonder where the week has gone.

Today I spent the morning baking pumpkin rolls and just got done making some Pumpkin Mousse for my Dad. It's a new recipe a friend of mine gave me - My Dad can't have sugar so I thought this would be a good recipe - i used sugar free vanilla pudding, light cool whip, skim milk, and there is no added sugar in it - Will take it over in a little bit - hope he likes it.

Here's the recipe for anyone that wants to try it - it's light and fluffy.

1 can (16 oz.) Pumpkin
1 tsp Pumpkin Spice
2 cups Cool Whip
2 1/2 cups Milk
2 containers Vanilla Instant pudding.

Whip pudding mix and milk together until thickens. Mix in can of pumpkin and add pumpkin spice (i used cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in mine). Stir in cool whip.

That's it - easy peasy. After making this I have an idea - next time I'm going to make a pumpkin cake and use this as topping (sortof like that creamsicle cake recipe I shared with you earlier - doesn't that sound good? Well I guess if you love pumpkin it does!)

Well I want to get myself together and get a pumpkin roll and the pumpkin mousse delivered to my parents and then it's off to Bingo tonite - (Oh and I won the jackpot last week - well half of it - someone else called Bingo at the same time - so I was over the moon to come home with the $250! Maybe I can do a "ditto" tonite!)

Happy Almost Thanksgiving - Wishing everyone a wonderful - unstressful day - day tomorrow!

Things Never Go As Planned - That's Why I Hate Planning

Well I have had every good intention on updating the blog for the last two weeks but never got to it! Something always seemed to come up or when i was on the computer just didn't feel like doing more than clicking the mouse!

On Thursday last week - not this past week - I went out to Grant Street Woolworks for their hook-in. I always show up on Kathy's doorstep and she takes me lunch and to yard sales on the way. Then to the hook-in. When we arrived there was a full house with everyone working on something different. Doris was there working on her black and white project, Joan was there and she was doing a very interesting binding method so had to stop to watch that, and being that it was nearly 2 weeks ago I can't remember every one's name - a friend of Pat's was there knitting and Pat was there. There was also another woman there - again the name escapes me but later her sisters showed up so I'll just call them the "sisters!"

I brought along a couple of rugs to bind and after I finished binding the one I threw it on the floor - It is so funny watching people just walk around it. I kept saying - feel free to walk on it! I'm not one of those anal people that won't let anyone touch or feel the rug or even walk on it - Sure rugs are a lot of work but in my opinion they are made to be "loved", walked-on, used, hung up or whatever (don't even get me started on the subject of saving things for "good") Anyway - Jill just wouldn't walk on it - So Kathy came over and did a little dance on my rug -

With her shoes on even - LOL! Wish I had video of the dance!

I finally coaxed Jill to walk on it - woohoo! You did it Jill - You walked on a rug!

Here are some random pics thru-out the day -

Doris and Linda talking paisley -

Doris' rug almost done -

Watching everyone working away -

Kathy giving Linda advice on color - Barb working away on her quilt squares -

The "Sisters" -

Well that night I didn't get home until a little after 3:00 a.m. I'll just say I slept late the next day!

Well the last few weeks at home been busy finishing up some rugs and pulling out my pile of rugs to "re-block" to freshen them up and price them. I will be participating in a Folk Art Sale in December, also there is a new store opening up that I will be putting some of my rugs in for sale and also need to take over some more rugs to another store I have some rugs in - So I was trying to decide what to take where, make sure the rugs were labeled and also labeled all the ones that weren't done yet. Still have to finish up but made some headway.

Of course for some reason both Riley and Jonesy have decided the best place in the house to sit and nap is either on my rug I'm working on or on my computer! I mean really - we have 3 bedrooms, a family room, living room, dining room, kitchen and 3 bathrooms - but no they have to be right there with me! LOL - I do love them dearly but sometimes i wish they would just sit next to me! Anyway - here are some random shots of the boys the past two weeks. I do not have any of Miles - he's been on the throwing up kick again - and been sleeping a lot - when he's up he's sittng in the bathroom meowing for the water to be turned off - Seriously - we think maybe he's getting a little senile as he does this constantly! Anyway - when he does come out he gets belly rubs, hugs, and squeezes - well they all do actually! Nope they aren't spoiled - Not at all!

Oh and I've been in the hooking room a lot lately and watch movies when I hook - My husband gave me "The Soprano's" to watch on DVD - so I've taken to calling Jonesy 'Jonesy Walnuts' cause he's such a wiseguy sometimes! LOL Yep watching too much TV I'd say - Anyway I told my husband and he about rolled off his chair at work laughing and then he says "does he want a gold chain and a track suit too!" Oh my - we do get silly - anyway - Jonesy is now Jonesy Walnuts , Riley is Riley Donuts, and Miles is still just my lovable grump!

Riley Donuts and Jonesy Walnuts (my two wiseguys) in a little basket together -

Riley giving me the hairyeyeball about something - I think he wanted to go to bed - he starts getting pesty when he wants me to go to bed so he can sleep on my butt - he's too funny -

Riley on my rug not letting me hook -

Oh Sherry was at the hook-in and had on the cutest handpainted sweatshirt - I wanted to steal it from her but it would probably be too cold for her to go topless for the evening -

Isn't this picture too funny - this is my snapdragon hooking frame - I had finished a rug and Jonesy feel asleep watching me do something - I don't know how this could be comfortable hanging over the edge like this -

I tossed Jonesy into the wool worms - he wasn't happy -

Here he is peeking over my laptop falling asleep - guess he's wanting to go to bed - either that or he likes the heat from the laptop

Okay here is Jonesy being pesty - as you can see he has his paws in my snippet dish - he later toppled them all over the place! You'd think I never gave them any attention -

Another day back in the basket together -

Well I did this rug a few weeks ago - It's "O Christmas Tree" from Maria Barton (the Star Rug Company) - More prim in person - this one hasn't been blocked (steamed) yet - I did whip it with a blue variegated wool yarn and after I was done I thought it was too bright - so I mixed up some walnut dye and dabbed it on - Much better.

This one is all bound now - Kathy's Garden from Searsport Rug Hooking -

This one was a kit my friend started in a workshop - remember I was finishing projects for my friend - well this one I finished and bound it - this needs to be blocked and labeled yet and of course given back to her.

This is one I just finished - it's about 43 inches x 17 inches - there are 35 blocks on each side for a total of 70 - I used only wool from my already cut wool - I wish I would have run the center hit and miss the other direction - i think it would have looked so much better- but when I realized it i already was halfway done the center - Oh well - it's only a long scrappy runner anyway.

Have a couple of smaller things I got done too this week and still have a lot to do to meet a few deadlines.

This morning while eating my breakfast the phone rang - i glanced at the phone but it said "out of area" which normally translates to "sales call" so I didn't answer it. Well whoever it was left a message- so when I picked it up found out it was the doctor's office - they needed someone to take my Dad to the ER and couldn't locate my Mom or my brother. My Dad stopped in at the doctors this morning because for a few days his BP had been way high - So it took 20 minutes to get thru to the Doc's office and by then my Uncle had been notified and he was on his way out. So I jumped in the car and went out to see what I could do to help - oh and forgot our bridge is out and we have to go around (3 miles around the block - ughhhhh hate it!) so I get to the Doc's and they were already gone but there was a message from my Dad for me to keep trying to call my Mom (she has a cell phone I gave her but she never turns it on!) Anyway - I went to there house - left a note for my Mom to call me on my cell when she got home and headed to the hospital. When I got there my Dad was in the ER hanging out on a gurney in the hallway - no rooms available - My uncle was sitting with him - so we spent the morning there. Finally around 12:30 or so my Mom called so I told her where Dad was and she said she'd get a ride to the hospital with the neighbor and be there - So spent the morning and some part of the afternoon there - By this time his BP was coming down some but he has a history of atrial fib among many other things (we nearly lost him earlier this year) anyway - his heart was skipping beats and stuff - Well all in all - he's home now and with a monitor and will go back on Monday to be re-checked. So hopefully everything will be okay.

So that just shot my day and I haven't gotten to anything I had planned to done! Oh well - tomorrow is another day right?

Spent the later part of the afternoon in the kitchen making "Slippery Pot Pie" (thanks for the recipe Pat and the dough squares Dolly!) and doing laundry - such fun.

Hoping everyone is having a great happy and healthy week! Doing nothing all day surely tuckers you out! (Notice on the frame again!)