An End to a Great Week So it will be Back to Reality

Well this has been a great week filled with friends, fun, and inspiration. After returning from Shelburne and spending the next day dyeing wool, I was back on the road early Thursday morning heading to Shippensburg - what should have taken me just under 2 1/2 hours took about 3 hours due to traffic and heavy blinding rain! Thank God I made it with no incident as there was an accident I passed - looked like everyone was okay though.

I got to my friend my friend Kathy's house and after a tour of her house she took me to a new rug hooking store in Chambersburg her friend Linda has opened. I met Linda at the Brandywine Hook-in and you can't help but like her! Her store is awesome and I told her I want to move to Chambersburg just to hang out in her store. She has anything you need and if she doesn't have it - she will order it for you. She has a wonderful collection of antique items intermixed with the rug hooking supplies and I wish her much success.

Then it was on to Sharpsburg, Maryland - we had to be set-up and in class by 3:00 p.m. Kathy drove me from Pennsylvania to Maryland and then to West Virginia for lunch (just around the corner practically from where class was!)! Then back to Maryland to class. The next three days were spent learning, working, and laughing! Cynthia Norwood was our teacher and I have to say she's my favorite so far - I have been to three rug camps to date - all 3-day workshops . Cynthia really takes the time with everybody - no one is made to feel rushed or dismissed or any of that - she really really listens to what you want and as she said herself - if she see's someone "frowning" she's there to immediately help you. I absolutely love the look of antique rugs and always strive to do that with my rugs but never quite get that "old" look. Cynthia also used paisleys in her rug and she shared with us a lot of the background of paisley and some of her collection. Kathy has posted the progress photos of the group on her blog - http://woolfind.blogspot.com/ - so i won't put my photo's of that which are similiar - but here are few of the workshop -

Cynthia often would be helpding someone up front and then call all of us up to show us how they came to a decision, or what was wrong and how to fix it, or one of many hints and helpful information she taught us over the few days.

This is Kathy trying to decide what color looks best in her rug. So Kathy how far did you get on that Big Pimento rug?

This is my rug - I had completed all of it with the exception of 2 1/2 of the lamb tongue sort of elements in class - Just about an hour ago I finished the hooking part - need to finish the edge yet. My rug is a reproduction of an antique rug - I do not know what colors the original rug was as i have only seen a black and white photograph of it. I think i achieved the "old" feel to it thanks to Cynthia. I incorporated some paisley into the rug - not much but in the 4 corners and a few of the tongues. I also threw in a very small piece of purple in only one area. It seems that the color "Purple" kept coming up this weekend so I just had to throw that piece in.

After the three days it was sad to leave - the class felt like it was over before it started. But I will say i learned a lot and really enjoyed meeting everyone. Mary, Caroline and Ron get a big thank you for their hard work at making everyone feel so comfortable and making sure we all had what we needed. Thanks!

Kathy and I drove back to Pennsylvania - stopped for dinner - and then out for ice cream to end the weekend on a sugar high! Wish I would have taken a picture of Kathy's sundae - she probably hasn't slept yet with all that chocolate! I got back on the road to home around 8:00 and made it home a little after 10:00 - Tired but wired.

I mentioned earlier that I had taken 2 other rug classes so I thought I would share pics of those rugs I did in those classes.

This is called Antique Rose Runner by Karen Kahle. Karen's class was a 3-day workshop in Shelburne, VT 2 years ago- that was my first rug camp - She teaches you hold to look at values and color.

The next class I took was Jon C at Searsport Rug Hooking in Maine. Jon drew my cat Nicky from a photograph of him (he was stepping out of the dryer - he used to love to jump in when i was doing laundry - always checked and double checked i didn't "dry" him) . I I lost Nicky a few years ago and he still owns a large part of my heart - she was a special guy for sure. Jon teaches realistic hooking - Jon drew Nicky large enough so i could do this rug in a #6 cut - I find anything smaller "dental floss" - however he did make me do some of his face in a #4 - this was totally out of my box for sure! We have this rug hanging where we see it everyday.

Today I slept in until 8:30 with Riley glued to me - He really misses me when i'm gone and hasn't let me out of his sight since I got home last nite - Actually right now he's curled up on my hip. I did go out today - Played basket bingo with my friend Nettie (below) - I actually won a game! Nettie got to yell Bingo too but unfortunately there were 3 winners that time and she didn't pull the high number!

Well I suppose it's back to reality now - work tomorrow at a job I really dislike so I'm so not looking forward to going - but unfortunately it's a neccessity if I want to keep rug hooking and keep a roof over our heads. As everyone keeps telling me, "you're lucky to even have a job"! I'm sure at 5:30 a.m. when the alarm goes off I won't feel so lucky!

Good nite!

Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will be Will Be) Ready for Camp

Okay - I'm finally ready for Camp - and no, not the type of camp where we will sit around the campfire and sing Que Sera, Sera and tell Ghost stories, but Rug Camp - I'm going with my friend Kathy to Maryland for a class with Cynthia Norwood. Looking forward to it! It's been a number of years since I went to a rug class.

I decided to do the Early Floral but keep changing my mind (Poor Kathy has had emails asking her opinion!) I decided to change to one I bought at Shelburne this week but then realized that I would need to dye more wool since I had it in my mind a color i would have needed and didn't have it on hand. So I stuck with this one.

This morning I put wool in my pots to soak and went out to the Docs to get my slip - I have to get more tests on my foot - Funny thing happened - I picked up the slip and was halfway to my car and I looked at it - Here it was for a Mammagram. So back in I go and told the receptionist that I needed some clarification on this slip and she said "Well aren't you overdue for a Mammagram? I said maybe I am but the test was supposed to be on my foot and for the life of me I can't understand what those body parts have to do with my foot! She started laughing and then realized they must have reversed order forms - I told her some poor woman will be flashing a technician! Came home and spent the afternoon dyeing wool using recipes from Cathy (Hooked on Primitives" Dye books! Got some great prim colors - some weren't like the swatches but then again i'm used to that - seems our water alters things - but i got some beautiful surprises! I was really low on "lights".

Everything is now packed and ready to go - finally! Let's hope i remembered everything! According to my husband ( who carried down my suitcase full of wool, frame, stand, cutter and all that he that) I'm taking spare tires and the kitchen sink with me! This from a man that can go away for a week for work with only his computer backpack!

Now I really must get some sleep as I have to get up early and get on the road!

Take care and enjoy your week! Joanne

Shelburne 2008 Rug Show

I'm home, tired, but full of inspiration to hook again - things have been so hectic lately seems I haven't been able to find time to complete anything! Well that's going to change - I'm promising myself - after things settle at the end of this month - then my rug hooking room is getting totally cleaned - and will hit the dye pots and stock up my Cobbler's Rack where i keep most my hand dyed wools - Once things are semi in place I will feel better about starting a new project - FOR ME!

Vermont is a great state - love the laid back relaxed "vibe" you get from being there. The weather seemed to have it all - sun, clouds, snow, sleet, rain, and more sun - The ride home in upstate NY it was flurrying on and off but didn't lay thank goodness - I hate to drive in snow! Yesterday afternoon after we left the rugs show we went about 16 miles down Route 7 looking for this warehousey type building that per the internet said was an Antiques center - i thought it would be those type with booths and full of antiques - Not - mostly just "vermont" stuff and that stuff that when you get home you ask yourself "why'd i buy that"! After coming back to the hotel and relaxing for a bit - went to the Lobby and met up with Lauri - You probably know her as MizMaine on Snippets - I had met Lauri before on the Rug Hooking cruise in January (of which i didn't get hardly any hooking done) and only talked to her for a little bit as we were both busy running around the ship doing our "thing". Lauri is taking a class this week at Shelburne - so we hung out and showed her our "loot" and found out her room was right next door! We went over to see her rug for camp and it's amazing - it has so many meanings and stories to it - I really hope she shares her progress with us all on the rug. Went and had dinner and then called it a nite!

We left today after stopping by the rug show one more time to pick up a pattern I was getting made on linen (hate monk's cloth) I was so tempted to shop again but resisted the urge. We made good time coming home and was blessed the traffic was bearable - only one 10 minute hold-up due to an accident that must have happened earlier - made it home to Pennsylvania in just under 6 1/2 hours.

But back the rug show - spent most of the day yesterday viewing the rugs (some more incredible then then next and others you have to look at and figure out "what's going on there") and shopping the vendors and just hanging out - It's so interesting how everyone has their "own" story and at this type of event it's so easy to strike up a conversation - Love listening to everyone's "stories" Like I mentioned earlier, you can't help but get inspired! I did a good dent to my wallet at the vendor tables - bought a cutter stand, some patterns, and only 1 yard of wool - i told myself no more wool until i get my rug room in order! One of my patterns I am hoping to get started on soon and give to my Mother as a Christmas gift.

I will attempt to put a link here (first try!) to picturetrail - Now i"m not the best photographer - I usually end up carrying a camera but forgetting to take pictures. I'm trying to change that! Some are blurry - but you'll get a "feel" for the show! (Okay - obviously i need help - i tried to link it here but didn't work - so it's added to the very bottom of the page - I need some help with this kinda stuff - it's HTS (high tech sh%t to me being technologically challenged! Either way the link works at the bottom of the blog)

Hope you enjoy the pics! If possible for you - this is a great show to go to - I didn't take a class this year but have the past two years and have always enjoyed it!

Joanne (who is tired but must do wash and get things together for camp on Thursday!)

Whewwwwwwwww - Made it to Friday!

Well it's been quite the week and happy that I made it thru another week! I've been in a lot of pain the past week and actually made a doctor's appointment - It takes a LOT to get me to make an appointment - usually if asked if anything hurts - "I'm fine" - equate it to i could be sitting on the couch holding my severed arm and I will tell you "I'm fine" - Just don't like to complain and I guess I subconsciously think things will go away! Well anyway - had to wait nearly 4 days for the appointment - I'm thinking it's just my arthritis that may have moved from my knee to my foot - but the doc thinks it's a "bone splinter" or broke - he pushed on the side where it really hurts and I near went thru the ceiling! Sent me over for x-rays - and am waiting for the results - Anyway - this will not stop me from leaving for Vermont this weekend! No way - No how! Until I hear what's wrong - keeping the foot wrapped (see the pic - my husband wrapped me up good and tight!) and taking the anti-imflam/pain pills!





Here's a few pics from last weekend - I showed a group of ladies at the heritage center how to make the Wool Feather Tree. This was a technique I learned in class last year at the Hooked in the Mountains show in Vermont. All the guilds that have learned this technique and all the friends that have shared this information with their friends - i am certain there will be a forest of wool trees all around the US! Tomorrow I'm showing a group of "hookers" how to make them - I have put kits together for them and one of the woman is generously opening her house to the mess we will surely make! Should be a lot fun. I plan on taking along my camera and hopefully will get some shot's I can use for a "step-by-step" instruction I will try to post that here next week. should anyone be interested

Here's JoAnn CF working on her tree - she made a green plaid and did an amazing job.


Here are Dot and Malisa's trees - Dot made an olive green and Malisa made a dark tan - they two woman are very talented and really didn't even need me. (Dot is an artist and her paintings are incredible. She is the woman I took a floor cloth painting class form last Spring.) The trees are looking very much like feather dusters at the moment - You have to wait until the glue sets to open them! You should probably wait at least a day - but i emailed all the ladies and asked when they "opened" their trees - most opened them the minute they got home! One lady did say she should have waited a little longer - she had to re-glue a branch! Dot was very generous - she brought this huge bolt of bright red wool and gave whoever wanted it yardage - i took 2 yards - she tried to give more - but I didn't want to appear "piggish" - It's beautiful wool - bright red - some i'm hoping to use it to overdye another red on it.




Enjoy the weekend!

With a Little Help from my Friends....

I am slowly figuring this out - like i say with a LOT of help from my friend! (thanks Kathy!)

Thought I'd share some pics of my tiger Riley - he's 2 1/2 years old - and a Bengal - they call Bengals "living room leopards" and he has some leopard spots but i find he more looks more "tiger-like" - He answers to "hey tiger" when you call him. He's a very active cat and he demands attention and will let you know at TOP LUNG when he wants something like food, or when he's on his way to his ltter box, or just wants you to stop what you are doing and pay him attention. He is not a lap cat until he's tired - then he can't get close enough! We have found Riley in some really interesting places throughout the house (like atop my quilt rack about 10" from the ceiling!) but thought I'd show you some of the pics of some damange he did - We have a finished off basement that we call the "bunker" because my husband hangs out down there - he has his big screen tv, his DVD recordors, his CD burners, his 3000 plus record albums, his 1000 plus collection of CD's and of course his posters, magazines, and everything else that goes along with his love of music. In this "bunker" there is one of those overhanging ceilings - Riley gets up there from the unfinished side of the basement and trots around - It's unnerving when you don't know he's up there and hear him overhead. Well this summer my husband heard something and went running down there - and he found a tiger hanging out of the ceiling - he broke thru one of the tiles! Too funny - but what does he do - runs right back up there and inspects the damage! These pics are from this summer but yesterday my husband was home from work and he emails me at work and says Riley broke thru the ceiling again! I'm telling you - he keeps us on our toes for sure!

Here's the pics - a couple of him in the living room atop the quilt rack (he got up there by a chair, a tv - and a long jump straight up! Everything that was up there gets pushed on the floor! For about 3 months we stuffed pillows up there to keep him down but of course the pillows we would find on the floor - how he did it - who knows! The boy has no fear!) And the rest are of him after he broke thru the ceiling!

Hi - Welcome to my Blog -

I have decided to get on the blog bandwagon - I actually started one back in August of 2007 and never shared and decided to try it again. So many of my friends have blogs and it's a way to stay connected and share pics and things going on in your life with others all at once. I love to read them and always look forward to their new postings.

It's hard to believe it's November already - seems the fall is flying by - heck 2008 is flying right on by!

Lots of things happening this past fall and upcoming month - I'm looking forward to having the entire week next week off and away from the drudgery of my job. Recently I had to get a new job and am thankful that I am working however its work that really isn't my cup of tea so to speak - sure it's all office work but for over 25 years I have worked in the construction industry - Now i'm at a huge "corporate america" type place and there is so many unsmiling faces in this environment it's really getting on my nerves! You walk down matching "beige" cubicles of long hallways to people just starting at their monitors. You find your way around as everything looks the same by remembering the artwork! Seriously!

Anyway - one of my favorite things to do in my spare time is rug hooking! This weekend I'm leaving for a mini vacation with a friend to go to Vermont to Shelburne - at the Shelburne Museum they will have a "Hooked in the Mountains" Rug show - Im fortunate that this is my 3rd year going - It's so worth it to just see all the rugs on display and shop at the vendor tables in the basement of the red barn! I am planning on meeting up with some old friends - sometimes these events are the only times you get to see some of your "on-line" rug hooking buddies. I will not be taking any classes this year but the plan on just relaxing and enjoy my friends and new friends I will meet.

After I come home from Vermont i will be home for a day to do laundry and pack to leave for my friends house in Shippensburg - we will be going to a 3-day rug camp in Maryland - again meeting up with some new friends and some old friends and taking Cynthia Norwood's class. I'm looking forward to this - Cynthia has a way of making rugs "look old", my favorite look of a rug, and I have heard i really learn a lot!

The picture above is the rug I will be taking to class. I have only seen a black and white photo of this rug and not sure what the original version looks like. Hoping I can find a color photo of it so i can try to "recreate" it.

Well I want to get some hooking done before bed!

Joanne