Finally Bound and Happy

Push come to shove Margaret Shaw's pattern Stacked Birds is finally bound with a whipped edge and label attached.  As I'm getting close to finishing the horse antique adaptation and wanting to draw my next one that's when push came to shove.  If you are interested in purchasing this pattern you would need to request it as it is not listed among her designs.  You can find her web site HERE.

Matter of fact I like it now.  Perhaps the recent hanging of rugs in the house reminded me of the other colorful rugs I've hooked.  Here are just a few which I see daily.  On the cedar chest at the end of my bed is this rug which I hooked 2004 called Humble Beginnings.  

One recent rug hung in the kitchen is the Simple Gifts designed by Karen Kahle and hooked in a Barb Carroll class.   

And to the right of that I hung OH Glorious day by Lori Brechlin and hooked in Kris Miller's class.

Below is a Bev Conway Speckled Hens design and the hens were sitting on one large egg except I wanted them on straw.  This is still in my kitchen at the back French doors.

Hanging in the living room is Long Island Farmhouse by Lucille Festa.

Pineapple and Flower used to be on the floor in the kitchen but retired it with another rug.  It is a Bev Conway design which I hooked in her class.

There's also the Wee Folk design I've loved forever and hangs on the wall over my bed now but photo was taken on the floor in the kitchen before hanging it.

So you can see a theme here...suffice it to say that I do like some color but have an affection for antique adaptations too.  Perhaps I was in need of an antique rug fix while struggling on what colors to choose for each of those multi-colored circles and was wanting a change.  

So I will not be giving Stacked Birds a wash of walnut dye as I love it just as it is and very glad it is bound.  Haven't decided where to hang it yet as it needs to make it in the show next September at Cape May.

Saundra

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Getting Ready

The 'gathering' has begun and it is being collected in my office near the garage door.

Haven't packed my suitcase yet as I wanted to print out the 10-Day Weather Forecast  for Cape May to see what will be needed.  It looks to be a good week.  I almost feel guilty for being thankful Florence didn't come upwards along the east coast.  Poor folks and animals in North and South Carolina are being battered, some deaths, and will take a while for them to recover.

Okay, moving on to lighter topics.....

I weighed myself this morning before breakfast and am 125 pounds.  Always want to see how much weight I gain at camp and then upon coming home work at getting back to that weight again.  I do love the food there but choose to not eat the red meat or pork.  My favorites are fish (particularly the salmon) and chicken if it is baked ~ no fried chicken even tho I hear it is delicious.  Also yummy is their corn pudding and delicious homemade yogurt.  

In the photo above you can see 9 rugs rolled up, that is the number of rugs completed since last year's Cape May camp.  I'm not done with Lady the Donkey yet so she isn't among the rolled up rugs.  But will take her to work on until Lucille gets to me.

Last year at Cape May I started On the Loose with Cammie Bruce, a design by Bev Conway.

When it was finished I drew and hooked an adaptation of a dog who I named Spike.  I'm hoping my friend Evelyn will take hers as she started hooking it at Cape May last year.

Also hooked a smaller version of Magdalena's Goat.  The first larger one true to the original size was hooked similar to Magdalena's.  But the second smaller one thought I'd show folks a different color palate.

At Cape May last year I was lucky enough to purchase 1909 Horse pattern (by Emma Lou Lais) at a great price.  It seemed to hook fast since it takes no time to finish a block and before you realize it the whole rug is hooked.

At Ocean City, MD last November I started Primitive Horse which is a pattern by Lib Callaway that I'd had for some time. That pattern seems to be the rage now so decided to pull mine out and hook it.

In an April class with Eric Sandberg I hooked this Nola Heidbreder's Flower Power design. 

Next, itching to replicate an antique chose a design from the Kopp book which I named Radiant Flower.

With Cape May looming closer, was feeling the pressure to hook the "Sheep at the Beach".  It was a pattern so generously given to each student at last year's Cape May rug camp.  This is the design drawn on Monk's cloth, except there were no exterior lines.  I drew those to not exceed beyond that to ensure room for binding.

This what I designed.  It will be fun to see how others hooked their pieces and will take pictures of all of them to share with you.

And the last rug completed since last September is Stars and Diamonds antique adaptation.  I hooked the sheep in short spurts while concentrating on the adaptation.

Will have my iPad with me so I'm only an email away.  Not sure how successful I will be posting newly created blog posts while I'm gone but will try.

Saundra

The New Rug Unveiled

It was fun reading the comments on which design you would have chosen for me.  And all those patterns are still special and will eventually be hooked but just didn't call my name this time. Wondering what was chosen?

Turkey and Tallowberries from Spruce Ridge Studios, a design from the art work of Lori Brechlin was my choice this time.  

I wanted my turkey to have a little bright spark in it's eye and used a strip of very bright orange from a married piece which wasn't my favorite at the time.  So see Lauren, those ugly brights do have a place in our primitive rugs once in a while.

Something I've learned from Barb Carroll and Bev Conway is that the eye needs to stand out and be something special.  Barb may have chosen and preferred a texture...sorry to have disappointed you Barb; hope you love me anyway.

As I'm looking at my hooking see an area of dark blue on the turkey which will move direction.  Instead of a loop that strip will become elongated.  Yes, Kim, I'm the queen of tweak as I just started hooking this, lol.

Below is a combination of the wool used in the turkey's head and wattle.  Lauren is so good at showing photos of wool she uses in her rugs and most times I forget.  Glad I remembered this time.

 Below is even more wool I'm planning to use.

To the far left with the blue plaid on top of another piece of wool is being used in the main body of the turkey.  There is a plan for the other wool too.

Tomorrow I'll tell you about some of the wool and things I've learned from at least two teachers.  Ah, got your attention, eh?  Check back tomorrow to see what that is all about.

Hope you are staying cool and happy.  Which brings me to a question.. ..how many of you hook during the summer months??  Obviously you see that I hook thru all seasons.

Saundra

Rufus and Friday Wine Tasting

On Fridays several of us friends gather at the local liquor store for wine tasting.  We get to catch up on each other and test new and different wines for less than an hour.  It is always fun and they have come to expect the 'local hooker' to bring something for show and tell.

Tonight I decided to take a rug they had never seen before as there's nothing much progressed on any of the UFOs.  So I took RUFUS, a design by Bev Conway which was hooked in her 2006 Cape May class.

Much to my surprise the owner of the liquor store picked it up, inspected it, hugged it and asked what it would sell for.  I told him it wasn't for sale.  Again, he persisted asking what it would sell for IF it was for sale.  To that my comment was...."it is bigger than the last rug you purchased so it would cost more".  Then I added...."I'm getting ready for rug camp and if you really are interested in purchasing the rug contact me later."  With that he took a picture of it.

Am not holding my breath and not dependent on a sale of a rug.  BUT... how many rugs must I keep?  Believe me when I say there are many here to give duplicates to my relatives and still have hanging on my walls or on the floor....OR, the ones I switch during holidays for the harvest table.  So a sale would give me more cash flow for rug camps and more wool to feed my addiction.

Have a great evening everyone.  I'm in the calm before the storm ~ tomorrow is when all the S**t hits the fan, the van gets loaded and leave for camp on Sunday morning.  

Saundra

Cape May Rug Show #2

Sorry I didn't post pictures on my blog yesterday but I've been achy, cold, sensitive skin, a temperature I'm sure because Sunday evening I couldn't get warm.  Had my flu shot on September 3rd and never experienced this before, which makes me believe this is a strain of the flu not mixed in the serum.  Am feeling a bit better today but not back 100%.  

The rug below is called Adurundel Crewel and hooked by Sally Raub.

Finally had a chance to meet Cammie Bruce in person; I follow her Primitive Junky blog and like her designs.  Such a sweet gal and think it would be fun to take a class with her.  Looks like she is contimplating color planning for two rugs, most likely the same hooker. 

At the top is a Lori Brechlin design called Pear Tree (sorry the top is cut off) and hooked by Carol McKey, below that is Elephant Twins designed and hooked by Ellen Savage.  Sadly I forgot who hooked the piece below and didn't get the name tag in the photo.

From left to right is Entangled hooked by Mary Lou Bleakley, Barnegat Light designed and hooked by MaryLou Nuzum.  Far right is Farmhouse Geometric designed and hooked by Kris Miller of Spruce Ridge Studios.

Below is another big rug by Cheri Reid who is a speed hooker for sure.

This pillow design is called Floral Petite Mini II hooked by Carol McKey.                   

I have hooked this turkey design also; it is a design of Anne Nichols and this one was hooked by Carol McKey.   Sorry the flash of the camera obliterated the information on the card for the rug below that.

The piece below is a collaboration between two artists ~ a painter and hooker.  The name is Helter Skelter and don't have the name of the painter.  Cheri Reid hooked the elements which were added to the piece.

Top left was hooked by Kay Leisey but can't make out the name of rug. Below that is Patriotic Sampler designed by Camme Bruce and hooked by Marion Wilson.  Moving   to the right top is Henny Penny a design by Woolley Fox and hooked by moi.  On the right is obviously a Magdalena design and not sure who hooked it.

 

Hen Pecked was designed by Ellen Savage and hooked by Fern Strong. If you are interested in any of Ellen Savage's designs posted, contact Norma Batastini.

It appears this design is named Dowry and was hooked by Sally Raub.

Manatee and Me was designed by Bev Conway for Linda Woodbury who also hooked it. It was based on her experience swimming with the Manatee in Florida.

Not sure if the name of this design is Garden or Cardina but it was hooked by Alex Mathiason.  Dang it.... meant to go back and take a full picture of Judy's Shoes designs but forgot. You know how it is when the place is crowded and you make way for the next person.

Midnight Clear below is a design by Kris Miller and hooked by Kathy Mullaly.

Noah's Ark and the animals was designed and hooked by Norma Batastini for her grandson Jack.  There is a pocket at the bottom of the piece so Jack can keep his treasured animals safe from harm.

Below is Old Tennett  hooked by Susan Foley.

Old Tom hooked by Kris Miller.  This is in my stash to hook as well and if I didn't have enough patterns piled up purchased the Turkey and Tallowberries while at camp.

Ah.... Pear tree, I did get back to taking a full picture of the rug later.  It was hooked by Carol McKey.

Prarie Santa was hooked by Betty Ann Brittingham.

Pumpkin Trilogy  and the two fall designs were hooked by Nancy Weaver.

Well I had planned on posting a couple more rugs but Blogger has decided to quit on me.  Guess you will need to wait to see the rest on another day.  Hope you enjoyed the show.

Saundra

Time for some Cape May Photos

And so the week's adventure began as we arrived at The Chalfonte last Sunday.  This rug is a design of Bev Conway and was hooked by Ellen Savage.

I thought this design with it's quote was fun.  It is called Resistance by Judy Phillips.

The rug below was the very first hooked piece by Dorothy Marcus at the age of 85 years old.  Quite incredible I'd say.

Below is Big Whale by Lucille Festa and below that is the whole picture of her 1856 Floral.

Animals and Ferns is hooked by Judy Phillips too.  BTW, it was Judy and her friend Jill who were the new participants in classes at Cape May last week, so keep those names fresh in your mind til later.

 Antique Hearts by Kris Miller of Spruce Ridge Studios.

 Oak Leaves and Acorns is a design by Cindi Gay, on the right is Fiore' and both were hooked by Karen Buchheit.

Below is Blackbird Sampler and Falling Down.

By Alex Mathiasen is his Cat's Meow.

And Lucille's Crows Song is below.

Daisy is a pattern offered  and hooked by Kris Miller.

Okay, here are some fun pictures.  I always enjoy Cape May where laughs and friendships abound.  But think that between the hour of 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. dinner on Thursday evening I laughed as hard as had been laughed all the rest of the week.  

It all started out as Judy invited Deb and me for a Marguerita.  It has been years since I'd enjoyed a marguerita and it was as good as I can ever remember having.  The group grew and Judy kept us all entertained.

Here is half the group; the other half will be in the next photo.  From left to right is me, Cheri Reid with hair in a bun, Kris' sister Amanda and Judy providing some entertainment.

Then on the other side of the circle of friends is Jill Parisian, Mary Lou Bleakley and Kris Miller.

 Also joining in the fun is Mary Lou's daughter Elise and not shown but taking the picture is my pal Deb.

We had a magnificent time at Rugs by the Sea once again, this would be my 12th year attending this magnificent camp.  There are more rugs to show so stay tuned.  Have a good Sunday evening and hope your week is as great.

Saundra