Looking thru old Woolley Fox camp photos has been bitter sweet. It has been a couple years since enjoying a class with friends and icon Barb Carroll. The last time was perhaps a year or so before she sold the Ligonier estate with the cottages.
My friends and I were fortunate to say in either the Woolley Cottage or Guest House with classes just a scenic walk away. Both building had their wonderful antique decor, lots of hooked rugs, books and magazines to read AND a gas fireplace for ambiance.
The kitchen was stocked with coffee/tea/ sodas, breakfast cereals and always a fridge full of snacks and other breakfast items. While that was wonderful in itself, the cherry on top was having a class with Barb.
It was 2008 the first year Deb and I attended rug camp at Woolley Fox and we stayed in Barb's Guest House on Barb's property.
The other four students/friends were staying in the Woolley Cottage, also on the premises. In this photo is looks like the Cottage is way down the road.
But actually, it is just beyond where we were staying. You can see in the photo below that it is closer.
Sweet Barb would take us on a guided tour of her home each year we visited. There would be new rugs she hooked or antique ones purchased, rugs and antiques we'd seen before would have been rearranged so looked different than the year previous. Always a wonderful treat.
Would you believe the first year I actually took a photo of Barb's hands? For years I'd admired her and didn't think it possible I'd ever be in a class with her ~ my celebrity idol. So I had to have a photo of those creative hands. She is showing us her next rug project.
Now to the classroom in Barb's home ~ In red is Char, to the right is Bonnie and foreground is friend Deb.
Below is Barb (and moi) color planning my rug.
After class we would relax back at either the Guest House or Cottage, usually with a glass of vino. When Deb and I stayed at the GH this would be our view from the deck.
And, we stayed at the Woolley Cottage this would be our view on the deck. A couple times we saw deer grazing in that field.
Perhaps there will be another rug camp with BARB CARROLL in my future. We would need to sleep at another location and drive to her classes, which wouldn't be quite the same as we'd enjoyed before.
There are a couple hotels and B&Bs in Ligonier and heard from another friend who said their group was lucky enough to find a family with accommodations and stayed there. If you are interested in taking a memorable class with Barb, click on her name above and you will find information.
Saundra
Everything was luscious with velvety green grass, beautiful gardens, pond filled with entertaining koi, and delightful yard decorations. This is a picture of the boat in the pond facing toward Barb's wonderful home.
Another view of the boat with the huge trees in the background.
This is a metal and bead sculpture on the bow of the boat but difficult to see in the pictures above.
Here is the Guest House back porch which is great to sit and hook with a glass of wine, enjoy the scenery and the sounds of birds singing.
This was our view of the pond and entertaining koi from the porch. Once Deb and I heard a loud splash obviously made by a big daddy koi and sounded like a marlin had broken water.
This was our 'home away from home' for 4 days. You can see a gas log fireplace to keep us warm if necessary. To the left is the window next to the porch.
There were two ceiling fans in this room which circulated air for us the first couple days when it was hot and humid. Just beyond those blue shutter doors to the right is our bedroom with two twin beds and wall A/C unit. There is a fully stocked book case for your reading pleasure if your hook gets too hot from hooking so much.
Oh, and hooked rugs, some antique and some hooked by Barb hang on the wall throughout both this Guest House as well as the Woolley Cottage.
The mohair cat in the cage got Deb's attention and I just had to take a picture of it to post. Notice the kitten on the outside looking in.
As this is a Bed and Breakfast there are dishes, microwave, sink, toaster, coffee and tea, condiments, egg steamer, coffee maker as well as breakfast food provided. That antique stove is non-functional but it sure is lovely.
From our Guest House porch this is a view of the Woolley Cottage which Deb and I have also stayed in. That is where the other 3 gals stayed who were in our class. You'll have a chance to meet them and their rugs in a future post.
All of you may know that Barb has sold the rights of her pattern business to Katie of A Nimble Thimble but Barb will still continue to teach. Katie is in the process of revamping the Woolley Fox web site but you can still order Woolley Fox patterns. Once you decide which patterns, write Katie at woolleyfox@animblethimble.com.
If you would like the experience of taking a class with Barb you can write Barb HERE. Sometimes a person(s) will drop out due to various personal circumstances and sometimes spaces need to be filled.....just what happened to us when 3 of our friends moved or had personal responsibilities. So call and put your name in or if there is more than one of you let Barb know and maybe you'll get lucky.
Have a great Memorial holiday everyone. Tomorrow's post will be about a friend of mine who just published his first book. He has been working on this manuscript for a couple years and is also working on another. I swear that thing is as big as War and Peace. The book is full of intrigue, and the setting is on another continent. Drop by to see what that's all about tomorrow.
As you can see I'm teasing you again by making you wait to see the rugs and the other gals in class. But I figure since so many will be occupied with family and friend celebrations this weekend that the delay will be better anyway.
Saundra
