RUGS HOOKED DURING 2009

Woodland Deer seemed like the perfect choice to hook in a class with Barb Carroll.  That made perfect sense since I live in the woods and see plenty of deer to my enjoyment.  The photo is quite washed out and not that light in person.

At a Cape May class my teacher was Bev Conway and chose her pattern Speckled Hens.  Instead of hens each sitting on a huge egg I wanted them sitting on straw.

While at Cape May and checking out the rugs in the show I saw Evelyn Lawrence's adaptation of Domestic Zoo.  It was awesome and knew it would be next on my frame.  I drew it and hooked it at home trying to replicate the colors in the original.  It was the largest rug I'd hooked but nothing compared to the ones ladies are working on these days.

Tonya Robey's whimsical designs were always fun to hook and Fat Dog was no exception.  Matter of fact, you can't see it in this photo but he has a little 'bling' in his teeth, which were sequins.

My picking whimsey designs continued with a Red Saltbox pattern named Flying Trio.

The bee skep and attached bees was my design made to sell at a future show, just something fun and small.

Debbie's Horse is a Barb Carroll design drawn from a pattern in one of her books.  The colors are not that bright in person.

Another small mat I hooked and sold was a Cornucopia design by Maggie Bonanomi. 

Once I had a class with Gail Dufresne so I could learn how to better work with colors and she helped me design a mat I named The Great Escape.  Turns out that I'm more of a drab person.  Thought the name of the piece was better than the colors, lol.  Sold this at one of my vending events.

And last rug of that year was my first and last wool yarn hooked (not punched) rugs.  It went into time out for about 2 years before it was finally finished.  It was a Claire Murray kit purchased on eBay and immediately learned I was NOT a fan of yarn hooked rugs.  As the dang thing wouldn't sell I eventually gave this rug away just to get it out of my house.

Well that's another year of rugs and have learned many of my old rugs don't have a label nor a hooked date.  So if I was positive on the year some were hooked, I'd do a label with the dates.  But guess I could do a label anyway to provide the name of the designer.

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.facebook.com/woodlandjunctionhookedrugs

Still Surrounding Myself With Beauty

Yes I'm slowly hanging more rugs on the walls to enjoy rather than having them rolled up only to be released on occasion.  I did have some rugs on the walls yet it seemed such a waste to have many rolled up and not enjoyed on a daily basis.  I mean this is my home and can decorate it any way I desire.

In the living room I added two rugs to the right side of the fireplace.  The angel and crow is a Red Saltbox design I hooked several years ago with Bev Conway, the mat below is my design of "Use it Up Wear it Out".  The dolls were made by me, by friends or vintage.

On another wall I added another two rugs.  Top left is an antique adaptation of Horse with Scrolls I offer, below that is my original design called Ox Farm, both of which I hooked at home without a teacher.  The larger one is an antique adaptation named Woodland Deer which is a Woolley Fox design and was hooked with the wonderful Barb Carroll.

Another view shows some empty space to the right of Woodland Deer.  On that particular wall I will wait to place the horse antique adaptation I'm presently working on.  But behind the TV I've no idea what I'll put there yet.

Back at the office..... I added 4 rugs to the walls.  In the mirror reflection you can see what is on the other side...a bookcase and Pat's document.

From another angle you can get a better visual of the two rugs on the left and again a view of Pat's memorabilia.  That is an antique mirror and it weighs a ton, it fell to the floor and the frame fractured but the glass itself didn't break ~ thank GOD as I'd have had many more years of bad luck.  Thankfully Tim Ayers had an antique wood restoration guy who brought the original frame back to life.

There are other changes done which I've not posted about yet because the repositions aren't completed yet.  

Received my full tank of propane today and as all nut trees in this wooded development are showing bumper crops it appears it will be a long and cold winter.  But maybe I should read the Farmer's Almanac to double check.  At least when the real cold hits I'm ready.  The next two days are supposed to be rather nice, sunny and in the 70's so will take advantage of that, hopefully you will also.  

Happy hooking and happy life.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Rugs Hooked 2009

It is quite convenient that Lisa asked if I'd post previously hooked rugs.  It gives something readily available to post about and allows more hooking time on 1909 Horse.   Well, that plus dragging limbs back deep into the woods.  There is still a lot of manual labor required of me yet and the trunks of the trees are still here.

Anyhoo.....the second year in a class with talented rug hooking teacher, book author and colorist Barb Carroll, I hooked an antique adaptation called Woodland Deer.  It is a pattern offered by Woolley Fox.

Same year I hooked a pattern design by Bev Conway called Speckled Hens.  Each of the hens were sitting on a gigantic egg and, like Lisa, something didn't suit me so changed the eggs to straw.  This rug has been at my back door in the kitchen for 9 years now.  My dogs and I have walked on it over the years coming in and out of the backyard during all kinds of weather.  This rug makes me happy and looks like sunshine in my kitchen every day.

Ahhhhhh, the year I really fell in love with a rug.  Until seeing a rug hooked by my friend Evelyn Lawrence at a Cape May rug show wasn't aware of who Magdalena Briner Eby was.  This was the first Magdalena rug I drew and hooked ~ known as Domestic Zoo.  

There has been some controversy as to whether or not this is a Magdalena design.  However, there are so many motifs in this rug which (to me) indicate it is hers.  Magdalena has leaf motifs in several of her other rugs, birds and other farm animals.  Since there are snakes in this I'm wondering if perhaps it was a wedding rug ~ just a primitive and naive take on 'the Garden of Eden'.  A mystery which may never be solved.

Fat Dog, designed by Tonya Robey, was a fun smallish piece to hook and he even has a little 'bling' on a tooth.   I've seen where Mad Hen has a companion design called Fat Cat which would be a fun pattern to hook me thinks.

Red Salt Box design called Flying Trio was another hooked that year.  I did some minor changes to this as well by adding the wavy line and stars in the border and having the flying bird's legs flow backward instead of a standing position. 

Looking for patterns to draw myself went looking thru my Barb Carroll books.  Found Debbie's Horse pattern to enlarge and draw.  Ah...have linen and Sharpie, a duo made in heaven.

Still doing shows then I'd hook a few smalls to sell but won't bore you with those.   Here is a rug which was designed in a class with delightful and talented Gail DuFresne.  I pleaded with her to pull me out of my 'primitive box' and teach me how to use brighter colors as I felt awkward with them.  In class with Sharpie in hand this is what developed.  When I got home I had to add fabric to the ends to accommodate the mouth of one and tail of another fish.

I love Gail, her teaching skills and appreciate her wonderful designs. The main thing I learned that day was to enjoy what makes you feel comfortable.  If you recall from a previous post, I learned that narrow cuts were NOT for me, even tho I love the achievements on the Rottweiler Memorial wall hanging.  My comfort zone is with wide cut primitive rugs.

Enjoy hooking in whatever style and cut is your comfort zone.  It is a great therapeutic form of entertainment for me.  Happy Monday everyone.

Saundra

My Other Rugs Hooked with Barb

Seemed only fitting for me to use purple text again when talking about Barb.  In the previous post you saw the first rug hooked with Barb, which was Kinderhook Basket.  The next rug hooked at camp with her was Woodland Deer, another Woolley Fox design under the category Keeping the Past Alive.  You can see the purple in numerous leaves spread about the trees.  

I actually used Barb's idea when hooking a design from one of Barb's books.  The pattern was called July Cabin and instead of flags on the trees I changed to be more like the trees above since I so loved how it turned out.  Here is that rug, the book is titled American Folk Art Rug Hooking and has 18 projects inside.  

You can see that I really got into the 'purple' stage by making a purple moon.

An E.S. Frost Sheep was a 'must have' for me and there were a couple versions but the one with scrolls is the one I knew Barb could help me with.  Even tho scrolls were very intimidating it seemed my home needed to have one.  So figured if anyone could hold my hand thru the job it would be Barb.  Doesn't this look rich and old with the worn spots?  It hangs over my fireplace.

Next rug hooked at a Barb class was Brave Hunter; yes, another Woolley Fox design.  Now here is another story you may find interesting.  There were two of us in class who just happened to be hooking that same design.  Each turned out way different due to our individual wool color choices taken.  Here is mine and I can see the purple even without tapping on the photo to enlarge it.

In that class was sweet Deb Burcin and based on the colors she took to class this is the prize that Deb hooked.  Deb says this is one of her favorites not only because it was hooked in Barb's class but because the deer/moose was hooked with purple and green and the antlers were from an orange plaid skirt.

The following year I hooked Lion in the Woods, a pattern gifted me by my friend Evelyn Lawrence.  It is an antique adaptation offered by Port Primitives.  WHAT??????  Could it be we missed putting purple in this rug?  I enlarged it and don't see any purple.  Maybe I'll have to pull that rug out and hook some in somewhere.  

Oh Deer was the rug I chose to hook in class with Barb.  I'd seen Barb's version while at her camp and got bitten by the bug.  That happens to me a LOT.  Case in point is that while at Barb's I purchased wool to hook Olde Hearts, another Woolley Fox design.

The following year it was Magdalena's Farm on my frame with Barb.  I love Barb and all of Magdalena Briner Eby's designs.

During the year I designed an antique adaptation called Chum, which I offer as a pattern.  It is my feeling the same person who hooked Ned is the person who originally hooked Chum.  So it was Chum which was hooked with Barb the following year.

And this year I'm working on Simple Gifts which is still in progress and will keep you updated.  My only regret is that I didn't attend a Barb Carroll class earlier.  IF you are interested in having a class with Barb you can contact her HERE.  Don't know her schedule but if you contact her I'm sure you will hear back.  

Have a great evening everyone and happy hooking.  BTW, I hook summer as well, for my hooking isn't just a winter project.  With summertime chores it does curtail the amount of time spent with a hook in my hand but enjoy the journey anyway.

Saundra

Out of Hiding

Today I did a little nesting, thanks to sweet Cammie.  When I saw her blog post on Primitive Junky it made me think that my delightful hooked rugs needed to be brought out of hiding and displayed for me to enjoy every day.

Heck, I had the perfect container, an antique copper boiler which belonged to my dear departed grandfather.  Matter of fact as a child it was filled with water and used to sit in it during the summer.  My mother used that as bath time and to me it was play time.

Now some of my rugs are in clear view and can rotate them more easily and frequently. There are MANY more rugs rolled and in wire mesh baskets.  Some are ones I'd like to sell, some are small mats which are brought out for table top decorations during certain seasons and some are meant to be put on my walls.  There's more wall space along the wall below as well as other rooms.

In the same room and to the right side of th above couch along the adjacent wall is the fireplace and an E.S. Frost Sheep rug with scrolls I hooked a few years ago with Barb Carroll.   On the antique dry sink are a few dolls which were made by me and some of my friends.  The oil painted Columbian doll in the antique rocker is one I made.  Two were made, I sold one and kept this one.  She is wearing an antique baby dress but in her lap is the Challenge rug which I've started to bind.

I've got it easy tonight and tomorrow.  My son, however will be cooking and always turns out a great meal for the family.  My only task is to take an apple pie for the Princess (aka the daughter-in-love) and pumpkin pie for my son.  In return I'll bring home all the dark meat and bones on the turkey since they only like white meat.  So you know what my meals will consist of on Friday and into the future.  

Friday will be dark turkey with sweet potatoes and veggies.  But there's the makin's of turkey soup too and the broth can be frozen for later.

Happy eve of Thanksgiving everyone.

Saundra

Different Hit and Miss Borders

A loyal reader asked me about hit and miss borders (thank you Kim), I was going to just send these pictures to her but realized other readers might like to read this information too.  Not that I'm any expert, but to show you what I've done in the past with those pesky hit and miss borders.

This was the very first hit and miss border done on my very first rug camp rug after learning to hook.  It is a Charco design called Heritage.  On this one I used short strips of all of the colors inside the design.

This may have been my second hit and miss border and think it works well even tho the entire rug is somewhat busy.  It is a Bev Conway design called Speckled Hens. 

Below has some blocks with hit and miss and other blocks filled in with a solid color.  That is a great way to do a hit and miss border if you'd like a little variety.  This was a free pattern insert in a former Rug Hooking Magazine named Jack and designed by Barb Carroll.

Another design by Woolley Fox named Henny Penny has the hit and miss just at the ends as you can see.

 Another hit and miss border has a couple rows hooked of the same color side by side instead of just one hooked row of a color.  Two Chicks is a design by Polly Minick.

Below is an adaptation of an antique I hooked and sold.  This one I've considered hooking again and would do those gorgeous roosters as close to this as possible but would probably do other border and background differently.  Don't think I'd make the background blotchy but a little more subtle.

This also has a hit and miss but using textures.  The rug is washed out since the picture was taken with a flash.  It is a design by, guess who..... Woolley Fox called Woodland Deer.

And finally, the circle mat I hooked which, again has the hit and miss using textures.  BTW, this was a great mat to hook which used up a LOT of worms from my baggies.

Hope some of these may help when you contemplate doing some sort of a hit and miss border.  Have a fantastic week.

Saundra

My Woodland Deer

Oh but I do love to watch the deer that roam my property and keep buckets of water for them during the drought.  Problem is that I get absolutely nothing done when they are within my eyesight.  They have such small faces and huge ears for hearing that they look imbalanced on such a delicate head.  So since my deer mean so much to me it made sense that I should hook the pattern Woodland Deer by the same name as my address (a Woolley Fox pattern).

I took a picture of the rug with a flash and one without flash.  This picture with the flash sorta washes out the true color while the one without a flash is somewhat dark.

So the other day I threw out a couple boxes of old cereal thinking my birds might enjoy a different menu.  Much to my surprise my deer decided to come up and enjoy the meal themselves.  These pictures were taken just outside my bedroom window so they are close but 3 are behind the tree.  But the youngster is getting even closer after having munched on cereal as well.

The fawn with the spots must have heard the camera or perhaps there was a reflection of the metal from the camera but I froze fearing it would bolt and take the other 3 deer with it and wanted to enjoy this scene a little longer.

After a bit of a snack my woodland deer moved into the wooded area but they will be back as they know this is a safe place for them to visit.  Ahhhhh, I sure do enjoy my nature.

My Dear Deer

God but I do love my critters and living on a wooded piece of land with wildlife all around.  And when summer time comes and knowing there will be a lack of water for them I keep a water bucket filled on each side of the property to provide water for my deer.  Right now it requires a complete fill up every morning from an almost empty bucket. Obviously they know this is a safe haven and that I won't be having venison for dinner.  Here are only two of numerous photos I took from the window not knowing if I would get a better closer picture later or not. I'm only showing you two of the many. 

These twins still have spots and the mother is in the back toward the far back left and I can see her, perhaps you can too from the photo. I'm sure she has her alarm system to tell them to skedaddle but they are grazing comfortably close to the house and no need for alarm right now.

 

At one point I thought they were going to go on the deck toward the trickling sound of my fish pond, but they didn't.

 

These youngsters haven't been weaned yet because after nibbling on leaves and grass they went back to mum for more nutrients. I watched to be sure the youngsters did not go near the salt lick that I have in the back too, as it can kill a very young deer.

 

Life is good in these here woods. 

Woodland Deer Rug

This is a rug I purchased from and hooked at the Woolley Fox; it and is an adaptation of an antique rug.  Since I live on Woodland Drive and have deer roaming the acreage here it seemed only natural for me to hook this rug and display it in front of my fireplace in my home.  Barb Carroll has a magnificent eye for color and I dearly love the results.

After I took a picture of the finished rug and sent it to a friend, she wrote back asking if I'd ever seen a picture of the original antique.  I told her I hadn't, so she kindly sent me this page from an antique magazine.

Soon it will be time to go to Woolley Fox for another mini-workshop and I'm as excited as if it were my first time there.  I already know what I'm going to hook and it is another antique adaptation which I will transfer to linen (it is old enough that there is no copyrite issue) but the design will remain a secret until after I return home from Barb's so I can share my progress with you.