Summer Shade

I thought I would show you my new project.  I drew it off yesterday and I'm pleased with it so far.  I'm sure I'll change a couple things before it's finished.  I think it will be a fun summer time rug to hook. 

Here's a photo, might I say not a very good one, but a photo none the less.  I've started with the stems and next will be the leaves.  After that I think I'll play around with the flowers.  I am hoping to use up some of my wool worms.  I think I may have a few, what do you think?  The sad part is the boiler is full and I still have some more that are hidden under my work table. 

Under my pattern is my Sante Fe rug.  This is the biggest rug I have hooked so far.  After I finished this rug I told myself I would never hook anything that big again.  Well we all know what happens when we say a thing like that....I now want to hook a bigger rug for my living room.  Time will tell.

Here's a closer look at the pattern.  I'm calling it summer shade.  The bunny is resting in the shade of the flowers.  I was thinking about calling it a Bunny's Buffet, but decided against it.  If you garden you can relate to the frustrations of watching and waiting for your flowers to come to bloom only to find them eaten before you get to enjoy them. 

Happy hooking to you.

Lion and the Lamb

I just finished my Lion and Lamb rug.  One day the Lion and the Lamb will lay down together.  Peace will rule the land.

I think it turned out pretty well.  I have to laugh though I seem to be putting teal in all my rugs or at least the last 4-5 rugs.  No more teal for a while.  Too many other colors to play with.

Did everyone get their Wool Studio swatches?  I got mine yesterday and I placed my order this morning.  The Eagles Nest Woolens shelves will be stocked full.  This mailer had some really nice colors and textures.  I hope to have them in stock next week. 

To change the subject a bit, okay more than a bit. 

Do you have a place where you can go and re-energize your spirit?  If you follow the comic strip Rose is Rose it would be like Rose and her "Lean on Tree".  A place where you can get your peace back.

I count myself lucky because I have a couple places that I am able to re-focus.  I have written about the Battlefield before, but it is such a peaceful place for me.  This morning it was hot as heck, but as I walked through the fields I was able to think through some things and calm some raw nerves. 

Hooking is another way that I can unwind.  Are you like me and hooking allows you to be transported to another place?  A place of peace and creativity?  After having 6 dogs in my house since last week I will be spending my day in the wool room just having a peaceful day.  House cleaning can happen tomorrow, for today is a day for hooking and chocolate.  No worries or work allowed.

Take time today lean on your Lean on Tree.  Wishing you a peaceful day.

With Hands and Hearts Antietam Fiber Artist

Ron and I went to the With Hands and Hearts Antietam Fiber Artist Guild meeting on Saturday.  We had a pretty good size group considering it was July 2nd.  Around here that means the big fireworks display at the Antietam Battlefield.  This years event was attended by over 30,000 people.  I'm not a large crowd kinda girl so Ron and I viewed the fireworks from the Pry House Hosptial Museum and had a wonderful time.  The Pry House is right at the end of our road so it wasn't far to go and no crowds.  We very much enjoyed the show, it was a good one this year.

Everyone is enjoying themselves either hooking or fellowshipping.  We are very lucky as a guild.  The Boonsboro Library allows us to meet there once a month in their large community room.  It's a great space wtih great lighting.

Of course I had to include a picture of my handsome husband. :-)

This is what Jenn was working on.  The pattern is by Susan Feller.  The outside border is Fraktur while the middle is left blank for you to come up with your own design.  I love the neutral middle.  This makes the colors in the border just pop.

This beauty is being hooked by Kathy.  The Goosecreek Ruggers had Eric Sandberg for a three day workshop and everyone in the group worked on the same pattern.  Each rug that I have seen so far is different as can be, but each is great. 

If you are free on the first Saturday of the month, please join us at the Boonsboro Libray.  We meet from 11:00 to 2:00.   We would love to have you come and visit with us.

View of the Antietam Creek

Not only am I a hooker, but I'm also a walker. I was lucky enough to walk to work for years  When I bought my first home I adopted Miss Beezley from the local shelter.  She loved her Bye Byes  / Walkie Walks.  We would walk together mile after mile.  My friend Heather once called Ron and I the walkingest people she knows.  I wouldn't go that far because we only do a couple miles at a time, but I do walk our dogs at the Antietam Battlefield almost everyday.  Walking clears the mind and helps me focus. 

I simply love the trails at the Battlefield.  It's a safe place so I'm not afraid to walk most of them alone, but there are a couple that are too remote for me to walk alone and feel safe.  Call me chicken if you wish, but I'd rather lean towards caution.  I save the remote trails for the weekends when Ron can come along.  Walking is another thing we have in common.

Now, I know I should be in a church on a Sunday morning, but I just love the inner peace I get from walking under old shade trees with the loves of my life.

I spent 25 yrs worth of Sunday mornings in a church, now I just want to be outside come heat or cold.  Maybe I'll find another church until then you can find me at the Battlefield.  I know the Lord understands.

I would like to show you one of my favorite Sunday morning trails.  The name of this trail is Snavley Ford.  It's approx.  2 miles.  Most of the trail is in the shade and hugs the Antietam Creek.  This trail is pretty easy except for the hill at the end, but if I can manage to climb it I think you can too.

Heading down the first hill.  The puppies love the scent of the deer trails.  We get lucky now and then and spot a deer, but the puppies are pretty noisy through this section of trail.

Wild Day Lillies grow along the trail.  They break up all the green with some brilliant orange.  The butterflies are usually close by.

Maryland's state flower offers a bit more color along the trail.

Okay, I have several other photos of this wonderful trail I would like to post, but after several tries I'm giving up.  I tried on the desktop computer and now on the laptop, but no luck posting more photos. 

I guess this means you will just have to walk it to see it.  Early morning is best if you ask me.  Maybe I'll see you one weekend.  Happy trails to you.

Wool and more Wool

Okay Jen and Mary here are some pictures of my wool.  As you will see below I have just a itty bitty amount of wool.  I would say I have a passion for wool.  At least I hope it sounds better than admitting I have a wool obsession.  I do use it!  Okay maybe I will never us all of the wool I have, but I should have what I need when I need it.  

Please remember all of this wool is not my personal stash.  A lot of it is what I have for sale in my in-house shop.  Enjoy and I hope to see you soon.

This is some of my personal stash.  As you can see I favor dark rich textures.

Yes, I have a barrel overflowing with thrift store finds.  That's how my wool stash got it's start.  I would go to the thrift stores searching for anything with a Pendleton tag.  I don't shop thrift stores so much anymore, but I used to love the thrill of the hunt.  Nothing like the rush you get when you find a treasure.  The table behind the barrel is where I keep the fat quarters and 1/2 yd pieces of wool in my shop.

The wool on the back shelf is all mine, but the other wool is for sale in my shop.  I found the old cabinet in Laughlintown PA at one of my favorite antique shops.

Some great wools for over dyeing.

Speaking of over dyeing wool.  Here's what my kitchen looks like after a dyeing marathon.  I was so glad to put everything away yesterday so I could cook a decent meal for my hubby.  We are having a baked turkey breast with glazed carrots and a cucumber (first one from our garden) salad.

Happy Saturday and relax and rest tomorrow.

Blast from the Past

I just found this photo buried in a sub file on my laptop.  It shows my wonderful hubby, Ron, but what I really want to show off is what my attic used to look like before he converted it into my wool room.  In my last post I have a photo of my big hooking chair.  This is the same window.  How's this for a before picture?  What a difference!  Thanks to Ron for not giving up on this project.  It was horrible when we first bought the place.  This very window is where the momma buzzard would come and go. 

Jen has asked for some photos of my wool.  I'll post them tomorrow (I hope).  I have been in the kitchen the last two days over dyeing wool.  I have some pictures to post, but  first I have to download them into my computer up in the attic.  I just don't like leaving the pots while they are on the stove.

Have a wonderful Thursday night.  The weekend is coming!

My wool studio

I figured it was time to let you see my wool room.  My dear husband, Ron, took two years to convert our attic into our wool studio.   I'm not complaining (though I did in the process).  He commutes 3.5 to 4 hours a day back and forth to work so he really doesn't have a ton of free time.  Sorry I'm off the subject again.  Gotta love getting older.

Anyway, when we bought our home we discovered a momma turkey buzzard and her baby living in our attic.  It was wide open because he previous owner just stopped working on the house and never bothered to put windows in the holes he cut into the attic walls.  I didn't want to call my wool business Turkey Buzzard Woolens so I named it after the Eagle I saw fly by following the Little Antietam Creek that runs behind our home.  Also, one of my favorite bible verses is Isaiah 40:31 "But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength. They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint" 

Here's where I do most of my hooking.  I love my extra wide chair.  I put all my worms right on the chair beside of me and I can hook away.

I find that my wool attic is a very peaceful place and I'm discovering that I almost "need" to spend at least a couple minutes a day up there.  Since I'm no longer working outside of the home I find this to be my safe place where I can dance, sing, hook & create without any interruptions.  It also helps that nobody can see me except the birds in the trees.

Enjoy and stop by sometime to see me.