Three Years Ago

That was a very productive year hooking 14 pieces; but then several were small mats.  Hannah's Hen is the first on the list.  It is a design by Woolley Fox.  Shown below on my antique school master's desk.

Antique adaptation of a Magdalena design is known as Harvey's Magdalena which hangs on a wall in this room.

A crow design by Heavens to Betsy I made into a pillow. 

Right after finishing the pillow decided it might be fun to have another crow pillow so designed a Magdalena inspired crow which ended up hanging in my kitchen instead.

An antique cat rug inspired this small piece ~ the edge is finished with the Betsy Reed technique.

The rug below is an antique adaptation and was color planned by Barb Carroll.  And yes, the antique rug showed the dog having claw like toes.  I didn't know whether to hook the dog with regular paws or toes.  Barb suggested I hook it like the antique.

Another antique adaptation which I LOVE is one I named Cherries and Candy Stripes.  It has my favorite blotchy background.

Mr. Cotton Tail is a design by Brenda Gervais.

The rug below was an Out of Hand Rug Hookers challenge which I named Puppy Love.

That year I finally decided to hook a pattern from my stash ~ actually it was a kit purchased years prior from Tonya Robey who once owned Mad Hen.  The first photo is with a flash.

What a difference.... the photo below is without a flash now taken on my back porch.  One shows an orangy red and the one below a blue red.  Neither red is how it actually looks in person.

That year I did 3 fall/Halloween themed pieces.  First was Hester, a design by Lori Brechlin which was a pattern offered in Primitive Quilts and Projects.

Also Hobo Joe, a design by Lucille Festa.  She showed her sample as a cut out but I chose to hook a mat for the table.  You can see I used the same green over-dyed wool for both.

And at a Cape May rug camp with Kris Miller, I hooked this wonderful pattern by Lori Brechlin called Nantucket Broom Ride.  We three gals did a good collective job, didn't we Kris and Lori?  

Actually, there was one more contributor to the success of this beauty.  That was my dear friend Barb Carroll who came to my rescue when I had a cellulitis bacterial infection.   Sweet Barb sent a few purple choices, red for hair and green for the flowing scarf.  Yup, that did it!  Thanks for the 'get well' package dear friend.

And last but not least, this was the year I designed a rug for my son's addition to his home.....his "Man Cave" rug.

Happy humid Sunday folks.  But at least it isn't raining.  

Yesterday I mentioned to someone I was going to cut grass before the humidity set in today.  She wrote back asking if the water had subsided enough to cut the grass.  The first photo inside the fenced yard shows still a puddle of water but surrounding that is mucky mud.

It is hard to see, but just beyond the fence the water has receded but beyond those trees and my clothes line is full of water and tons of mosquitoes. 

In the picture below you can more easily see the water and the shine into the woods of the sunlight's reflection on the water.

Was able to walk in this area just beyond my garage side without getting my feet wet, but to show the water level I opened up the in-ground propane tank and you can see water.  There are leaves floating around in there but was afraid to stick my hand in to remove them for fear of damaging a wire, gear, etc.

So yeah, still have lots of water here unfortunately.

Saundra

Where Were We??

Oh, now I remember...... 2008 I had my very first class with Barb Carroll.  Kinderhook Basket was the rug design chosen for the class.  Barb owns the original and patterns can be purchased from Woolley Fox.  I LOVE this rug and remember the class with Barb fondly.  After that class purple became my friend.

That year Karen Kahle's Small Flowerbox was on my 'must do' list and hooked it at home.

Was still doing dolls and small projects so for the fall show hooked Wytch Pulling Pumpkin design by Lori Brechlin.  It is a pattern in one of her booklets and  of course it sold quickly.

The rug below which I named "Olde Gals" was adapted from a quilt pattern and hooked it in a class with Bev Conway.  I wanted to  make the nylon hose look a little wrinkled and drooping at the ankles but didn't think I could pull off that look.  Figured it would look like a blob or women with fat ankles so just hooked the seam  up the back.

That year I hooked another Polly Minick design called Patriotic Sandpails.  Photo taken outside on my deck in the sunlight so is a little washed out.

At Cape May in another class with Bev I hooked Herb Angel, a design by Brenda Gervais.  Her hair is a red and orange yarn.  OMG I have YARDS of it left.  The huge spool was purchased around 1980 when working for Sunset Designs, a needlework company located on Crow Canyon Rd, San Ramon, CA.

Well kids, I've got work to do and want to get some hooking time in too so will continue with the next year's rug later.  Happy Hooking and where is spring????

Saundra

More of My Hooked Items

At Cape May in a Bev Conway class I hooked HERB ANGEL which is a design by Brenda Gervais.  It was a needle punch design and wrote to Brenda asking permission to hook it, which she generously granted.  

The angel's hair is hooked with a red/orange thick and thin wool which I have yards and yards of.  The huge cone was purchased when working for Sunset Designs, a stitchery company located on Crow Canyon Rd., San Ramon, CA.  The company was started in a garage by Tom Cundith. Oh it feels good to think about such memories of that great job.

There was another class with Bev Conway scheduled at another camp and wondered what to hook.  At first my mind went directly to a Deanne Fitzpatrick's design whith slender women standing along the coastline waving their scarves.  OMG, I wanted to hook that so badly.

But, as I was going thru a divorce and not a youngster any longer, it didn't feel right.  Instead I hooked what I've named the Olde Gals.  To me they embody the celebration of women friends of all sizes.  No longer youthful, no longer wearing the latest fashions, but friendship forever.  Still love this piece and it hangs just off the living room so that each time climbing the stairs to the wool room I see these lovely ladies.

The little mat below was a Tonya Robey  pattern I hooked as a sample for the photo shoot of one of her pattern booklets.  As the initials are still SS instead of SP it must have been hooked pre divorce and her booklet has a date of 2007.

Below is a wonderful Edyth O'Neill pattern called Birds and Pomegranates.  The pattern was in a book to enlarge and hook. The rug sold at one of my shows as that was a time of wondering if I'd be able to make ends meet.  

Time has gotten away with me and must clean up the kitchen then hook on Gossip.

Saundra

Lucky Winner....Me

Much to my surprise I was the lucky winner of Julie's Giveaway.  It arrived yesterday and was wrapped beautifully with some fresh lavender.

And when the prize was revealed it looks prettier in person than on her blog.  Will save a view of the front for later...first the back has aged pillow ticking for the country look I like.

Her crossed stitches on the edges are perfectly done (everything she does is with perfection).

The front is an aged tapestry which has easter flower colors and of course the applique brown bunny with blue ribbon.  If I'm not mistaken, think I detect a mild clove scent on the pillow.

Naturally I had to make a proper place for the bunny pillow for Easter.

On my sofa table it is nestled in between a velveteen bunny left over from my craft show days and a hooked mat named Mr. Cottontail, a design by Brenda Gervais.   

Thanks for your generosity Julie, it will surely be treasured.

Saundra

Happy Easter

As kids Easter was all about the Easter baskets and candy.  As we matured we realized what celebrating the religious holiday was really about.

Since this is a hooking blog I will show you rabbit items I've hooked.

A rug designed by Sally Kallin named "Harry".

A painted cloth bunny holding a hooked egg and basket with hooked egg.

Mr. Cottontail, a design by Brenda Gervais.

Both the rabbit and crow purses sold years ago at a show.

The velveteen rabbit on a tuffet may have sold......or maybe it is still in one of my totes.  Perhaps I should check that out.

 The rug above is a design by Karen Kahle named "Stop and Smell the Roses".

Above is the first and last wool yarn hooked rug.  It is a cute design by Claire Murray and named Strawberry Patch.  I hate hooking with yarn. No it wasn't done with an Oxford needle, but rather a Hartman hook. Don't think I'd have liked using the Oxford needle either.  To me, the rugs hooked with yarn look rather machine made or like they came from China.  Just my humble opinion and personal preference.

Hope all of you have a great Easter Sunday.

Saundra

Happy New Year ! ! ! !

Wishing all of my blogger friends a very Happy, Healthy New Year. Frankly, if I have my health, family and friends I AM happy. Okay, okay, add a hook in my hand and that adds to the happiness.

Although I didn't get the sheep rug finished yesterday (my first deadline), nor today, at least I can show you my accomplishments of 2015.  And like Julie of Primitive Heart strings said, it will be my first finished piece for 2016.  Thanks Julie for making me feel my glass is half full instead of half empty.

Here are my 2015 rugs but not sure they are in the order they were finished.

Hannah’s Hen ~ Woolley Fox

Harvey’s Magdalena ~ antique adaptation, Magdalena Briner

Crow Pillow ~ Heavens to Betsy

Black Kitten ~ antique adaptation drawn by me designer unknown

Crow Mat ~ designed by me inspired by Magdalena Briner

Porter’s Man Cave Rug ~ Original design for son Greg ~Christmas 2015

Cherries and Candy Stripes ~ antique adaptation, designer unknown (pattern available).

Chum ~ antique adaptation designer unknown (pattern available)

Mr. Cotton Tail ~ designed by Brenda Gervais

Hester ~ design by Lori Brechlin, free pattern in Prim. Quilts and Projects

Hobo Joe ~ Lucille Festa of American Country Rugs.

Nantucket Broom Ride ~ Lori Brechlin design/ Spruce Ridge Studios

 Puppy Love ~ Out of Hand Rug Hookers Challenge (with templates)

A Day in the Country ~ by Tonya Robey of Mad Hen Prims.

So now the first rug of 2016 will be the glorious sheep rug.  So guess my past year was filled with lots of happy hooking.  Since my computer crashed in 2015 and where my list of hooked accomplishments was listed, that is why I couldn't remember the order in which these were hooked.  Am also wondering if any mats were missed.  Sadly I've also lost the historical list of rugs hooked since 2003 as that list was on the old computer.  Now I have an external hard drive as well as my flash drive so that there are back ups.

Wishing you all a very happy 2016 and praying to God our world changes for the better.  

Saundra