October, My Favorite Month of the Year

As far as weather, October is my very favorite month of the year because it doesn't require heat or air conditioning.  Normally it is sunny and mild during the day and crisp at night.  Have often said that I could live with 12 months of October but then there's something to be said for the spring and beginning of new buds.

In a previous Cape May rug camp post I mentioned some of the gals going on a Ghost Tour.  While being invited to take one of the tickets declined to stay back and hook.  Not that I was afraid, just wanted to hook.  Perhaps one day I will go.  More on the things the gals told me about the tour later.

If you have been reading my blog for a while then you have seen photos where I've captured orbs.  In 2014 there were numerous orbs which appeared also an image of a woman (I thought) elevated in the curtain in the bar area.  2015 however, although I would call for the ghost or spirit to join me was only able to capture one orb. Interestingly enough, there was no band or music at the Chalfonte last year.

This year there was music and I went to different floors, down hallways, during daylight and evening as well, trying to get the spirts, angels or ghosts to appear.  Guess what, orbs appeared.  So maybe they like to see people have a good time and enjoy music.

I have never seen a ghost and 2014 thought the image along the side of the curtain was a woman but in checking other photos at night realize it may have been a reflection from the light outside.  Dang!  I wanted so much to see a human image.  To enlarge the photo to see more clear just tap on the photo.  There are more orbs from 2014 all you need to do is type the info in the search engine of my blog.

Okay here we go for 2016.... the photo below is obvious and a very dominant orb found in a hallway on the second floor but cannot remember which side of the Chalfonte it was taken.  No I didn't see it while there but only after I checked out the digital photos.  But was definitely calling them to show themselves to me.  Ladies and gents that is no speck of dust on my lens.

 There is an orb on the guitar player's right hand.

Below there is an orb in the top center of curtain on the wall.

There is an orb to the left of the guitar player in the light colored clothing.  This was the impromptu band who started playing earlier in the evening.

 On the wall to the left of the curtain on the left is a faint orb.  I always find orbs in this room, even last year.

A definite orb at the bottom of the foot of the guitar player in grey.  Is it the same orb but it moved or a different one?

See that brown cabinet in the back?  There is a faint, but large orb in the center.

In the photo below there are a couple orbs in the ceiling. 

Guess these spirits/ghosts get around in quick time.  

Okay, what the gals told me standing in chow line at Cape May about their Ghost Tour.  The tour director told the gals that a couple years ago he took a group to a particular spot (maybe the one they were visiting at the time) everyone walked in and within a few minutes a woman ran out screaming and refused to go back in because she saw an image.

The guide also said that some people commented they could feel the hair of dogs rubbing against their legs as they entered a house.  Am sure there would have been other interesting talk if the chow line hadn't moved so fast. 

They also informed me of a book which I purchased in Cape May and immediately read the section on The Chalfonte Hotel.

Here is the Table of Contents.  I'm looking forward to reading it all.

Oh man I'd love to know who those orbs are and wonder if one of them is Theodore?  To learn about Theodore you'd have to get this book by Craig McManus.  

Oh, am sure some of you followers recall my speaking about the floral aroma of the hooked pieces purchased at a thrift shop.  Well I believe that orb which is often in a photo upstairs is that lady enjoying my craft and hooking room.

Believe or not, it is okay with me.  But I believe spirits exist and sure hope that the only ones encountered are the good ones.

S

Old Rugs Live On

The old rugs live on thru us with our replication of the designs.  Wonder what Magdalena would think, or does she know, how her designs have influenced modern day rug hookers?  Old rugs evoke emotions in us, or at least that is true of me.  Could be the design (I do gravitate toward horse and deer rugs) and could be the colors.  

So I'm thinking there are attachments to old rugs which also live on thru the antique rug itself.  A Horse rug measuring 37 x 37 was hooked 1880.  Look at the orb on the inside brown border.

If you have followed me for a while then you know of my posting photos with orbs taken at Cape May and even here at home.  Orbs at Cape May I've thought are part of the hotel and for whatever reason their spirit remains there.  

Then I wonder if the orb at home is a family member watching over me or my guardian angel.  Even blogged a true story about my repair of a thrift shop piece I purchased where there was a scent attached.  To you who have read it my apologies for being redundant but there are new followers and new rug hookers who may not have seen that post.  To read about it click this link:  https://woodlandjunction.blogspot.com/search?q=scent+of+potpourri  

Or perhaps you'll need to copy and paste it in the search box.  If that fails look in March 2012 of the post dates.

 

So perhaps there are spirits who attach themselves to rugs.  Okay, back to antique rugs ....

A delicate floral hooked piece dated 1830 sold for $2,500 in 2012.  Dimensions are 31 x 48.

An Elephant and Castle with tongues was said to be hooked 1850-1880.  It measures 29 x 43.  I read somewhere that years ago elephants were a favorite animal to hook.  Don't think it had anything to do with politics back then tho.

Squirrels and tulips circular rug hooked in the 1900's is 39" in diameter.

You may think I've gone crazy, but something about this next one appeals to me.  Have no idea as to date hooked or dimensions.

The  next one is definitely not one of my favorites by any stretch of the imagination.  But since I found it and an oldie hooked between 1885-1915 here is Bat and Cat measuring 23.5 x 70.   Could be the hooker had a favorite cat who was a good bat catcher.             

A closeup of the cat's head.

And finally, a cat with trapped mouse dated 19th century measuring 12 x 15.  Well there ya go with some unusual pests, cute cats and large animals.

Another mild day and was able to abolish some periwinkle in one area  and do laundry which I hung on the line to dry a little and reduce time in the dryer.  

Happy hooking.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Behind The Scenes at Cape May

Sounds a little 'insider', exciting and mysterious doesn't it?  There's a little of all that in this post.  This is the camp store, well part of it, as there was Norma's wool on the left side of the room and some of Linda's wool to the right in this photo below. 

• NOTE:  if you touch or click on a photo it will enlarge to see the images better.  

You can see a witch along the lattice screening.  The witch has a hooked face and was among a few of the Halloween items remaining  from my last show so took them to sell in the store.  There are also a few Applique Jacks, Candy Corn Cats, and pumpkin angel.  Most everything sold and several people requested my making them a witch but declined ~ am totally done with making dolls to sell.

Morning mess below in hooker's heaven at Cape May.  Hookers are beginning to arrive day two and in the center is Linda Woodbury welcoming us all back to begin another day.  Norma and Linda, the organizers, do a magnificent job of hosting this two week event.  It is two weeks with 4 different teachers each week.  Some hookers even stay for two weeks and take classes both weeks with different teachers.   

Below is a section of the "Secret Garden" just outside the dining area where our class was being held.  Matter of fact, my seat was just inside that window so I could see and hear the water falling from sink to sink in the garden.  Do you know mesmerizing and sleepy that sounds makes you feel?  It was a delightful and calming sound; think I had the best spot in the house, a breeze, wonderful sounds and smells of wet soil and flora.

The other hooking room is affectionately dubbed 'The Dungeon' by the hookers as the lighting isn't as good as in the dining hall.  That is depending on where you sit too.  I've had classes there and use an Ott light when my teacher is assigned that room.  One never knows which room you'd be in until arriving at camp. This year it was Cammie's and Michelle's turn to be in the dungeon.  

Actually after the initial greeting and planning by the teachers, most students head out to hook on the porch in great light and rocking chairs anyway.

This is my pal Deb hooking on the porch days before the 'throw down'. Wanted you to see how she changed the design from a fox to a family dog, you can see the curled tail Deb drew and the original tail of the fox. I know the dog and Deb nailed it!  Great job Deb!

Now for the mysterious part.  You who have been to The Chalfonte understand the history of this Victorian hotel and frankly all of Cape May.   In 2011 I took pictures of Joan and Annie.  Double click on the photos and look for the orbs which appear visible to me.  Am not sure if the orbs are angels hovering the girls or if they are spirits who dwell in the room.  Some of you may not believe in angels and spirits but I do and am very receptive to this sort of thing.

Last year as I was going thru photos and reducing them in size using the Paint program saw some more interesting things.  In the dungeon again, there is an orb near Deb, the gal in a jeans jacket.

Later in the evening I heard a band playing in the bar so went down to listen, look and get a couple photos to find lots of surprises. In the next two photos there is an orb to the right against the screen near the push wooden middle part of the screen.

The orb below is in the center of the wooden push area on the screen, I can see it clearly in this small photo as I'm typing.

I have drawn a black box around the area on the screen where the orb below can be seen as it seems to move around.

And now for the creme de la creme.  My very favorite visible sign of a ghost that makes me happy.  Now I'm standing inside back portion of the bar to get a frontal picture of the band.  Mind you I've no idea of capturing anything except band photos.  Okay, double click on the photo below and look at the right side of the curtain.  You will see what looks like a streak of light but it goes beyond the curtain and into the molding.  I believe that is an image of a woman who is wearing a long dress with a V in the front or perhaps a dress and coat with a V.  If I'd known she was there I'd have panned the camera upward.

In past years I wasn't looking for anything and was surprised when I opened up the photos.  This year I went in search of orbs and activity but only found one orb in the dungeon.  

Okay, kiddies, that was a little of the behind the scenes.  Hope you were able to see the orbs and the woman in the curtain.  If you're a non-believe hope you were entertained anyway.  Have a great evening everyone.

Saundra

MORE from CAPE MAY

As you know I was in Lucille Festa's class and had never met Donna Hrkman until Cape May.   I found Donna to be very approachable and happy to share her knowledge.  While I have seen some of Donna's works of art via the internet, there's no comparison to seeing them in person.

All of her rugs have an emotional connection and for me some were more intense than others.  The Painted Lady was an interesting rug.  Years before color photographs some people chose to have them tinted vs. the generic black and white.  So her plan was to replicate that old style photo.  Donna is holding the rug so I could take a photo of the back.  The white wool ends you see tied at the eyes is to keep the loop for the spark in the eyes from coming undone.

The front of that wonderful Painted Lady was painstakingly done as it required her to paint a small section at a time so the dye didn't run into the other color.

The real Helen Keller had no sight or sound but she did still have her sense of smell and touch.  Donna wanted to bring attention to those facts in her hooked piece.  Notice the wording at the top of the rug "Knowledge is love and light and vision".  Donna googled the braille translation for that and hooked it at the bottom.

Christopher Robin and Pooh.

You  may be interested to see the real Christopher Robin and Winnie the Pooh photo circa 1927.  Look how detailed Donna hooked the sweater.  Well heck, everything!!!  But you can get that detail when you're hooking with dental floss thin wool, lol.

I would love to know more about Red Bird as I'm sure there was a powerful message in this piece too.  But I couldn't monopolize Donna's time forever.

Women's Voices, below, speaks for itself.  We have the right and privilege to vote and that time is coming up again soon.  

Running out of space to display rugs, these three were placed on the wicker seating.  The WWII Soldier is the rug which tugs at Lauren's heart strings.

The Semper Fi rug is the one which does that for me.  I cannot talk about or look at the rug without getting choked up or teary eyed.  Donna hooked it in the shape of a dog tag complete with hole on the right side for the neck chain.

Donna had a few of her steampunk rugs but there was no room for all of them.  This one did make the show, Steampunk Polly.

Years past I would walk the halls of the entire Chalfonte Hotel taking random photos in hopes of capturing a ghost (which didn't happen) or at least a few orbs.  While I didn't roam the halls last year or this year I did notice a few small orbs.  They are hard to see and I've circled them so you will have to tap on the photo and strain your eyes to see them.

Years past they have been much more prominent.  One such great year was 2016 and you can see that blog post HERE.

Hope you enjoyed Donna's rugs as I did.

Saundra

www.woodlandjunctionprimitives.weebly.com

Happy Halloween

Tis fright night, and time for ghosts, goblins, superheros and princesses to appear.  Don't think I'll have any visitors again this year as all the kids in my neighborhood have grown beyond the age of trick or treating.

You may or may not know when I go to Cape May rug camp will go in search of orbs.  People either believe or not they exist.  I do believe they are a spiritual energy.  Could be someone who has passed and attached themselves to the location or just a departed spirit roaming the halls.  

Last year at camp the book above came home with me as there is a chapter on ghosts of the Chalfonte Hotel.  So this year my search for orbs went into a part of the hotel I'd never gone before...the annex just off the restaurant side.

When Craig McManus visited the Chalfonte for ghost activity he found strong energy near room 24 and 25.  Those rooms are locked closed and never used.  Below is a photo of the landing between those two rooms.  Didn't notice any orbs or strange sensations.  Wish I had felt cold or creepy, but didn't.

I visited that area several times during 2 days to see if I could find orbs.  Many times I didn't.  Except this time........

If you tap on the photo to make it larger you can see 2 faint orbs on the stairs.  These are the stairs leading to rooms 24 and 25.  One orb is in the center toward the top and 2 stairs below on the right is another orb.  I'm very tuned into orbs but if you need help noticing, I have put a box around the same two in the photo below.

Those are not light stains on the stairs as they weren't there at other visits but then appear at will.  

Leaving the annex after visiting near rooms 24 and 25 I discovered an orb on the screen to my left. It is along stud and screen.  This is the walkway toward the dining hall.

I find most orb activity if there is a band or music in the King Edward room.  That is when I grab my digital camera and go for a walk-about.

In the photo above there is an orb on the wall just above center of the curtain.  Guess the spirit enjoyed the music because below is another orb photo taken in the King Edward room.

Notice how strong that one is under the foot of the guitar player.  Spirit must really appreciate his music.

Above you can see an orb in front of me on the right side.  

And above another orb a little closer to me on the right.  If you tap on the photos they will enlarge but these are easy to see.

Above is the class room I was in which everyone refers to as 'the dungeon' because lighting is not so good and requires Ott or other lighting to help.  Notice the two orbs on the wall between the two wall hangings.

Some orbs show more brightly than others, as you saw in one of the photos above.  

Another very strong orb in the hallway and was so excited to see it.

No tricks folks, just treats of the spirit world for you to enjoy, Happy Halloween.

Saundra