Age Old Question

You know that age old trick question..."if a tree falls in the woods and you didn't hear it, did it make a sound?"  So I've got a real true to life question ~  If you can no longer see your pond is it really gone?

The answer is no.  Doesn't mean the entire pond is gone because it was a large pond using large pieces.  I woke up in the middle of last night thinking about all that needed to be done here.  So despite the nearly 90* temps this morning decided I'd better start disposing of the pond's  carcass.

After I removed the rocks (remember those posts?), and transplanted flowers from inside the corners to the yard.  And even after the men removed wood framing this very heavy liner remained.  The backhoe pulled it and debris remaining inside to the back of the shed.  

There were 3 sandbags left, several bricks, a few rocks which had fallen inside during the pond's life and decomposed leaves.  The wooden T shape is the result of a fight the backhoe had with the end of my clothesline pole and the backhoe won.  A neighbor has since put in a new one for me.

A sideview look. 

Below are 3 sections which when put into my dumpster filled it up more than halfway.   After the trash is picked up tomorrow I'll cut more for pick up next week.

Wonder what work guilt will keep me awake tonight?   Needless to say a whole lot of loops weren't pulled today.  And my back hurts from the work because.....I got sidetracked and had to lift and toss tree limbs into the woods.  You know, that attention deficit syndrome thing?

Also the back deck needs to be power washed and sealed.  I have the stuff to wash it and plan to do that myself.  If I can borrow a sprayer I'll also seal the deck but hope to get my grandson to do that for me and bribe him with pay.

Am going to enjoy a glass or two of vino and hook this evening and not do yard work tomorrow.  Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

WHOLE NEW ATTITUDE

My new attitude toward this unsavory project will be one of Devil may care.  The last few times I've put it back on the frame I haven't cared one iota what shape or size the wool strip is as long as it is the right color.  I just want the dang thing done by the end of the year.  Sometimes I think I'd rather be binding a rug instead of hooking this.  Now you know that's say'n something.  For you newbie followers if you don't know what I'm referring to you can check out this older blog post HERE.  

This is the Comstock rug before it is put back in the bag and imprisonment again.  Don't know how long she will be there.

Getting ready for a more fun-filled afternoon working on the Deer rug again.   That date is waiting for me so I gotta go....tata.  Happy Hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

 

Deer and Blue House Update

I'm definitely not maintaining my every-other-day blog posts I'd hope to keep up.  But at least I'm still blogging...for now anyway.  Many have given up the ghost years ago and was saddened when they left.  Here's the update on Deer and Blue house, an antique adaptation.

The original  was drawn 30 x 52.5 but didn't want mine that big so drew it 21 x 30.  However I will draw it whatever size you wish.  In case you're wondering, those dots/dashes are to indicate the change in background color and/or outline.  You've probably noticed my comments on previous rug shows how I love those blotchy backgrounds of antique rugs.

Guess it is also time for me to remove Mary from the confines of her imprisonment and begrudgingly pull some loops so it can (hopefully) be finished by the end of the year.  The only thing worse than having a rug to bind is having one to hook you're not happy with.  Yet I refuse to toss it in the trash.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

 God Bless America

ROLLING OUT OLD RUGS

Going thru my flash drive to show some old rug photos I've saved.  A Red Floral with zigzag/sawtooth oval band and triangle corners.  It measures 16 x 34  but no date provided.   

This week I found this rug with 3 Central Balls and leaf border.  Dimensions are 22 x 44.  While I claim to not be a pink person (despite my recently hooked pink and red cottage), I find this salmon color quite appealing.

And would make a great companion piece with the Bowl of Flowers below, which measures 22 x 40 and hooked early 20th century.

A rug simply named Blossoms from Sussman Collection measures 16 x 17.   No date provided.                          

Okay, enough of the florals, let's see a rug depicting my favorite animal and the name of a book I read as a kid... Black Beauty.  The rug was said to be hooked around 1885 so my guess is the initials LBJ couldn't be former president Lyndon Baines Johnson because he was born 1908.  Unless the auction house was incorrect in its date.

With autumn on its way I'd probably turn that bird into a crow and still have it surrounded by the stars and scrolls.

While it isn't a rug it would make a beautiful one, is an 18th century French Letter Case.  It is embroidery on silk with metallic threads.

The rug below is quite interesting/funny.  Said to be hooked 1890 the hooker understood the mama cat's dilemma as she is surrounded by her 4 kittens Ban, Nan, Ned and Ted.  Missing is the father who she named CAD whose name appears without a hooked image of him.

Guess the canine needs representation too; so here's a black and white dog measuring 19 x 29 and was also from the Sussman collection.

There ya have it, my latest antique rug show.  Hope you enjoyed it.  Now I'll get back to work on my deer rug.  Happy hooking and welcome to my new followers.  I love comments and welcome questions and suggestions for topics.

Saundra 

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Finally Finished!!

No sillies, not the Mary Comstock rug nor the Deer and and Blue House.  We (I) have a tendency to forget just how long a rug is in limbo and not considered finished until it is bound.  For me, the final finish is binding of Cottage and Apple Tree, an antique adaptation.  

Okay, okay, some say it isn't quite finished until the final steaming.  That hasn't been done yet but will be tomorrow.  Yet I wanted to show you the rug so am calling it finished.  This was a fun rug, was hooked with #8 in the cottage, #8.5 in many places and more narrow strips where needed for apples, outlines, etc.  It is drawn 22 x 30 but would draw whatever size someone wants.

Not sure if you've followed along on this rug journey, but am just again perusing and admiring my rug and still amazed at how the 'ugly wool' made that tree to the left so delightful and similar to the antique.  If you'd like to revisit that journey check it HERE.

Whew, so no rugs in the 'to bind' pile.  That's the pile I hate to increase.  However,  there's still the you know....the pile with the fun rug and the not so fun rug to hook.  

Happy hooking, knitting, quilting, stitching or whatever my readers are doing to keep themselves busy and reading my blog.  OH!!!!  I forgot my "reader" readers...you know who you are!  And don't give me a lot of guff in your comment 😘, yet I know you will.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

SMALL DOSES

Finally the Mary Comstock rug was released from hibernation and is/was on my frame for another small dose of work.  There's only so much I can tolerate while working on this rug yet am determined to finish it before the end of the year.  Am afraid if completion gets dragged out beyond that it may never see the light of day, ever.  Here is what it looks like before succumbing to the depths of hibernation again.

If you'd like to see the previous post on the rug and compare progress, you can find it HERE.  Already I notice things I'll change next time IF I remember but I'm not putting it back on my frame now.  Instead will happily put Deer and Blue House on the frame and hook the evening away.

Happy weekend, heat and humidity is back and rain is supposed to happen the next two days, or so the weatherman says. 

Saundra                  

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

UPDATE on DEER and BLUE HOUSE

Am taking another look-see of the rug since pulling out the reddish brown wool at the top and replacing it with the brassy gold I first fell in love with.

As usual I wanted to keep hooking and accomplish more but this morning realized my last post was Sunday so needed to pull it off the frame and take a photo.  It's the same brassy gold which is also in the MIA Comstock rug but think there's enough to share.  Yet I'm not ready to put Comstock back on the frame.

Not sure how many loops will get pulled today as the higher humidity comes back tomorrow and there's work to be done outside.  However it will be  happing hooking when I do get to pull those loops.

Saundra

            

 www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

THE CREEDS

A few posts ago I introduced you to Louisa Creed from the UK who hooked only with clothing consisting of stretchy knits and velvet; anything with a give to it.  Now I'd like to introduce her husband Lewis. 

According to an article in a 2001 issue of RHM she cuts the fabric 1-3" wide.  You may have read that article which was copied and pasted in that previous post.  Here is a rug hooked by Louisa in 1997 of Lewis and Louisa making rugs which measures 34 x 52.

Lewis didn't start hooking until about 10 years after Louisa but he still managed to produce many rugs.  First up is named Baby Scarecrow and is a cute rug.  The scarecrow doesn't seem to have scared off many crows.

A Puffin.

Wonder if the rug named Buttons is an adaptation of their dog?

and wonder the same about Cyril with the ball.

The following few rugs were also hooked by Lewis ~  Rooster and Hen.

Rabbit at Dusk, 

Australian Green Tree Frog,

the Flying Parrot and others not yet posted.

But before ending this post thought I'd show a few more cat rugs hooked by Louisa for those feline fondlers (you know who I'm referring to).  This is Samuel, Rosie's half brother.

Horace, another half brother of Rosie. 

I love this following piece hooked by Louisa titled Paws and Knobs.

There are many more cat rugs (and other subjects) by Louisa which I've not shown and more rugs hooked by Lewis.  

Yesterday and today have been delightful outside, even chilly  in the morning ~ I'm not complaining tho.  So bad on me for not taking advantage of the nice temps to work outside.  Hope you have a delightful Sunday and happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

TAKING a LOOK SEE

Today I decided to not spend the hour plus whipping the edge of my previously hooked rug.  Instead chose to hook more on my present project to decide color choices for the leaves.  Seems more clear when seeing it on the monitor.  So here goes....

Well hells bells.  Seems it is the background which stood out like a sore thumb to me.  The original antique background I struggled with how to hook it as I loved that blotchy gold part but already did that with Cottage and Apple Tree. Here is the original deer antique below.

I'd decided to not do the gold again but do a different color from the rest of the lower part of the rug.  However I don't like what I've hooked for the top background at all, just too dark too red.  

Don't fret, this is not a 'put it in the bag' moment.  Am still in love with this design and I'll have to choose different colors for that part of the background.  Ya know, this is how those damn wooly worms multiply as I've a lot of that background color already cut.  

So guess that hour plus of whipping the edge of Cottage is about to happen this evening after all.  Who knows what my rug will look like next time you see it.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

RUGS of OLD

As I did some reverse hooking on Deer and Blue House won't give you an update on that today, besides a picture was snuck in on my previous post.  Instead will post a few antique rugs.  One which is simple in design but very nice in my humble opinion is Circles and Stripes.  It measures 30 x 52, dated 1920 and sold for $6,500.

Named Homestead with Apple Tree by the auction house and said to be hooked 19th century.  Along the border are lambs tongue motifs with flowers interspersed.  It measures 38 x 51.

A wonderful Geometric.  Notice that even tho there are different colors used throughout there is a rhythm or consistency with the little squares of red in every other row which brings the rug together and makes the eye move throughout the whole rug.  It measures 24 x 36 but no date was provided.

This next rug makes my eyes crossed and hurts my head, one would think it was hooked by a person on hallucinogens.  But it is really 4 way Pots of Flowers. 

Dated 1891 Stag and Swan measures 27 x 38.5.  Am guessing the feathered critters are peacocks.

A Fish mat from the Peter Brames collection collection measures 18 x 19.  It was hooked late 19th century and sold for $1,700.  I'd say that was a hefty sum for that size primitive design.

It's a little blurry but still cute as the dickens...Colorful border and cat with green eyes.  No date and no dimensions.

Okay, back to pulling some loops on the deer.  Mary is still in hiding and hasn't seen the light of day since being put away.  

Keep on hooking to stay calm, am sure better days will be ahead.

Bk, you inquired about Cottage and Apple Tree wondering who offered it.  I draw the pattern and you can click on the link below my name at the end of this post to check out the patterns, size and cost.  If you wanted a different size I can do that for you as well.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

NAMING and LABELING RUGS

When to use these words:  antique adaptation, inspired by or my design?  I'll give you a few examples.  The first photo of a small mat was inspired by the style of Magdalena Briner Eby and named it Crow Magdalena Style.

The following rug named "Gossip" was designed by Bill Laraway and my friend hooked the feathered friends as Bill designed it.

I wasn't so enthusiastic about hooking the feathered non-bird motifs (turkey, rooster, swan, owl) so I took creative license to draw my own birds.

I cannot claim this to be my design just because I changed and redrew a few things.  This is how my label reads; yeah hard to read but I included a photo of the original design by Bill Laraway.

Another good example is the design by Nola Heidbreder named Golden in the Garden and here is a photo of the original linen.

Again I didn't want to hook the Golden I wanted to hook a Rottweiler to represent my boy Ben.  Tho my drawn perspective and hooking of the head isn't a very good representation of my handsome boy, I know who it is.  

Okay, so you're thinking that because these patterns were drawn by someone else that's why I give credit to them?  So what if I draw a pattern on my own linen?  Dear departed Barb Carroll authored a book with several free to draw patterns.

In that book is a design named July Cabin and here is the original photo from the book.  You can see there are flags on the trees instead of leaves.

I drew my version with leaves, added more stars, lowered the smoke at a different angle to reduce the height of the rug and eliminated the cat on the roof.  Yet I still cannot call this my design ~ it is still Barb Carroll's July Cabin and labeled as such.

Ah, you're thinking because these are modern day designers that's why I can't take credit, right?  So what about antique rugs whether a purchased pattern or you draw it yourself?  When I draw an antique design I usually name it how the auction house described it.  Or if the designer is known, such as a Magdalena design, I give her credit on my label and on my blog.  My last two Magdalena rugs were Magdalena's Rooster, Duck and Horse....

..and Magdalena's Bird Dog.  Both of which I've given Magdalena credit for the design and say it is 'an antique adaptation'.  I'd show you the labels but the rugs are on the wall.

However I do have a photo of other labels I'd made so you can see what they say.  Notice on the Mighty Whale and Posies and Stars I indicate they are antique adaptations but designer unknown.

When I hook antique designs I am not trying to pass them off as antiques but rather an adaptation of an antique and indicate that on the label.  With Deer and Blue House rug if I were to remove the antlers of the buck I still cannot in good conscience say it was my design.  It was a design by someone else even if I don't know that person's name and even tho it was originally hooked 1920.  Therefore a label for this rug will indicate it is an antique adaptation and NOT designed by me.  I may have drawn it and offer as a pattern, but is not my design.

See how I snuck in an updated photo of my present project?  I almost changed the color of the antlers but decided to keep how it started.  Before moving to another motif I'd like to get one row of dark around the buck and the thin light outline completed.  Am going to change the blades of grass colors below him too.

Happily hooking inside today as it is another hot as hades day outside.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com