Kris Miller from Spruce Ridge Studios

Rug of the day-Jaunary 22nd

2012-01-22T10:09:00.002-05:00

Thank you for all your kind comments about "Rug of the Day." I am humbled knowing that I had many readers coming back each day to see what was next. I am happy that I have inspired you! Now (sadly) I have to take a break, since I will be on the road teaching for the next two weeks and will have limited computer use.

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This rug is hooked by Susan Pilotto. Wow! What a great autumn look! I love how Susan swirled those yummy colors into the hill/ground. And who wouldn't want to live in that wonderful rustic cabin? Great job, Susan!

I took this picture at Sauder Village last summer. This rug is hooked by Barbara Hoffman. I love the addition of blue...very unexpected and very whimsical. I also love the red roof and door on the cabin. The background gives the rug an overall old "antique" feeling.

The third rug is hooked by Jan Adler. Her rug was on display at Sauder Village last year but this is the rug she worked on when she was in my workshop that I taught in Indianapolis in 2010. The dark background sets off the red and orange colors perfectly. I love the two-toned leaves!

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Again, these three rugs show the wonderful variety that can be executed with the same pattern...all have the same feeling of autumn and cozy-home-cabin, but still they are all different and contain the personality of the rug maker.

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I'll be back in two weeks with new rugs and new stories!
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PS: Forgot to post what my secret was (mentioned a few days ago): My Midnight Clear rug won an honorable mention spot in Celebrations XXII! WooHoo!

Rug of the Day-January 21st-something different

2012-01-21T22:00:00.001-05:00

I taught a great beginner class today! There were 8 eager learners and they are now on their way to becoming accomplished rug hooking artists. I talked a little about the history of rug hooking and the way old rugs were hooked. It made me a little nostalgic, so I looked up my pictures from the Magdalena rugs that were on display at the Sauder Village rug exhibit last summer. I'm sure many of you have seen pictures already but I took some close-ups and I think they are worth sharing.

I like to think that Magdalena had a wonderful, whimsical, and very creative imagination. I think this rug is terrific. If you want the pattern, Barb Carroll from the Woolley Fox does an adaptation of this rug. Look at these close-ups:

You can see all types of cool fabrics in there-stripes and dots and prints! Maybe Grandpa's pants or Grandma's old Sunday dress. Not all of it was wool. The colors are vibrant still, even though more than a hundred years of wear has taken its toll.

I don't think anyone should ever worry about if their hooking is even or not...Magdalena just worked her magic and we love it!

I love this little dog rug too. The colors are so simple and yet it just speaks to my heart.
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PS: Just in case you haven't noticed, I have posted my 2012 schedule. Just click on the words at the top of this page and it will take you to a new page with my schedule. There may be a few more additions, so make sure you check back occasionally to see what's new.

Rug of the Day-January 20th

2012-01-20T23:53:00.001-05:00

The snow is coming down and swirling all around tonight!

This rug was hooked by Rebecca Erb. As you might expect, I love the turquoise stocking. Her little doll has such a sweet face!

This work in progress is Janet Kersh's rug. She was a student of mine at the Star of Texas Rug Camp in Fredericksburg last September. What a beautiful job she is doing on this rug! I love the gold dress with the "lace" trim and the multicolored wings. Her doll has a sweet face too.

This rug was on display at Sauder Village last August and it was hooked by Alicia McLeod. She used brighter colors and says she "gave the angel the wistful look of a child's porcelain doll." I think the face is indeed lovely and I think it is wonderful that one pattern can be hooked up in so many different ways. I think this is another pattern that will be added to my bucket list!

Rug of the Day-January 19th

2012-01-19T21:33:00.001-05:00

Brrr....it is so cold and blustery outside tonight!

Today's rug is Midnight Clear, adapted from Lori Brechlin folk art by Spruce Ridge Studios.

This rug was on display at Sauder Village last summer and was hooked by Ann Corazzi. I love how Ann used sheep curls for Santa's beard. I also love the tweed that she used for the trim on the coat...it's a great texture!

This is my Midnight Clear rug....one of my favorites! I have some news to share about this rug later...but here's a hint for now: you will probably be seeing it at Sauder Village this summer.

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Rug of the Day-January 18th

2012-01-18T23:51:00.000-05:00

Another Halloween rug!

This sweet little mat was hooked by Ginny Westover. She purchased the pattern and wool kit from me and mounted it on a black board that was cut out in the same shape as the hooked piece. Ginny has it displayed perfectly!

Here is my hooked version on display in my booth at the ATHA Biennial in October. My husband is a professional picture framer by trade and he always comes up with creative framing ideas. He made the gravestone out of wood and painted it with some type of textural paint to make it look like stonework. Throw in some leaves, moss, and a black crow...instant spooky grave!

(I still have a few of these kits available...if you are interested, shoot me an e-mail).

Rug of the Day-January 17th

2012-01-17T23:07:00.001-05:00

For all you Halloween fans out there, today's rug is

Sunflower Witch

Adapted from Lori Brechlin folk art by Spruce Ridge Studios

Pat Cross hooked this wonderful witch, whom she affectionately calls Agatha. I love the purple hat and dress, and the sunflowers are divine! She used a real skeleton key for Agatha's necklace.

Dawn Walczak hooked this Witch. Love, love, love the light purple background!

Lauren Haisley is hiding behind her Sunflower Witch. I taught a workshop for her group in Libertyville, IL last June and this was her project. Lauren also used a real skeleton key for the necklace. I believe she called her witch Wilhelmina. All I know is that Wilhelmina has a very pretty face!

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Great job and beautiful rugs, ladies!

Rug of the Day-january 16th

2012-01-16T23:49:00.000-05:00

This beautiful little Merrie is hooked by Melody Bryan. I love her pumpkin face and the way Melody used purple as an accent color. Here's a closer look at the face:

Wonderful!

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The second Merrie Hallowe'en rug is hooked by Diane Lestina.

Diane hooked her Merrie as a white pumpkin. The gold background is unusual and just terrific for this rug!

Rug of the Day-January 15th

2012-01-15T18:29:00.001-05:00

I have to be quick with my post today...my husband is down in my studio installing some new shelves for more wool. He is a gem of a guy!

This is my hooked sample. Notice that the leaves on the trees start out darker and graduate into a lighter color at the ends of the branches. I used a golden striped wool for the lion's mane. So simple to do...just cut the wool, separate the stripes, and hook them in. The background is one of my favorites: I took 3 light textured wools and mixed them together in a plastic bag. I randomly pulled out the strips and hooked them as I pulled them out. This was a very fun rug to hook!

This Lion and Lamb rug was hooked by Margaret Pittman. She took a class from me a couple years ago and followed many of my hints for hooking the rug. I love her addition of quillie circles to the lamb.

Rug of the Day-January 14th

2012-01-14T21:58:00.000-05:00

Today's rug is Bittersweet Pumpkin, a design adapted from Lori Brechlin Folk Art by

This was hooked by Susan Pilotto. I love the green pumpkin and how the eyes, nose and mouth glow with orange, almost like there's a light from within. This is a fun little fall mat! Great job, Susan!

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Here's an update to yesterday's rug: Maureen saw my post with her Goat Hill rug and sent me a picture of the completed rug.

Bravo, Maureen, it is beautiful!

Rug of the Day-January 13th

2012-01-13T19:58:00.003-05:00

Even though this rug is not completed, I could not resist showing it.

This rug was being hooked by Maureen Lowrey. She was my student at the Star of Texas rug camp in Fredericksburg this past September. Maureen has a good color sense and brought some fabulous wool to work with. First of all, I love the turquoise house! And I especially love the soft coral pomegranates at the top. I think the combination of turquoise and coral are the best ever. Don't you think the little goat is sweet?

Here's a closer look at the house.

And a closer look at one of the pomegranates.

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I have to admit, this is another pattern on my bucket list...maybe I'll have to move it up to the top of the list!

Rug of the Day-January 12th

2012-01-12T20:19:00.000-05:00

I love the colors in this rug, especially how Janet used the blue. I would not have considered it but it makes a huge impact in the overall color plan of this rug. I also think the dark background is stunning and the colors just glow against it (another surprise for me, since I tend to lean toward light backgrounds). The use of the plaid in the pot is like the icing on the cake. Wonderful!

Rug of the Day-January 11th

2012-01-11T19:22:00.000-05:00

This beautiful rug was hooked by Liz Marino, and I believe she gave it as a wedding gift. I love Liz's jewel-toned colors which make this rug just glow. This pattern is another one of my favorites since I am a fan of any kind of motif with an oak leaf and acorn. The fraktur birds are so graceful in this pattern and I love the whimsy of having acorns growing on the same stem as the tulips.

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And speaking of Fraktur birds....

My friend Marlene Dusbiber is a very talented woodcarver who carves the most wonderful folky creations ever! I recently purchased some of her fraktur birds and they are sitting on my desk. I feel inspired every time I look at them.

If you want to see some of her other pieces of work, you can go to her blog and take a peek. She has recently done a wonderful paisley heart for Valentine's Day!

Rug of the Day-January 10th

2012-01-10T20:03:00.003-05:00

Today's rug of the day: A few more beautiful examples of My House Sampler. This is a great pattern that you can personalize to make it more meaningful.

The rug was hooked by Diane Eaton. She attended a workshop I taught in Arizona about 3 years ago (oh my, how time flies!). Isn't it wonderful? I love the addition of her family name in place of the "my house" words. And I love the way she varied the colors in the alphabet.

Kathy Simmons hooked this great version (above)....

...and Rebecca Erb hooked this beauty!

All of these talented ladies hooked a red house and a light background...and I would probably do the same...I love, love, love to hook light backgrounds and I live in a red brick house (and my house is on a hill)! Ooh! I've got to hook this pattern!!!
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PS: For my dear readers who would like to learn to rug hook or are very basic beginners and live in this area, I will be teaching a beginner's class at Washtenaw Community College beginning Saturday January 21st. There are still openings available. Click on the "classes" link below for information. Primitive Rug Hooking 1 - Classes.

Rug of the Day-January 9, 2012

2012-01-09T21:53:00.002-05:00

My House Sampler is the rug of the day.

The first rug is hooked by Linda Long.

No surprise here...I love Linda's use of turquoise!

The next rug is hooked by Linda Thraen. She changed it up a little so the rug says "Our House." I love the red up against the dark background...and again a gorgeous turquoise bird!

Often times on a summer's evening when I am down at the barn feeding my animals, I have turned around to look at our house and have seen a lone mourning dove perched right on the top of our roof. As the dusky light emphasizes the bird's silhouette, it reminds me so much of this pattern and I just have to smile to myself. This is definitely another rug that is on my bucket list.

I have a couple more great examples of My House Sampler to show you tomorrow!

Rug of the Day - January 8th

2012-01-08T11:59:00.002-05:00

The rug of the day is Kissin' Wears Out!

This design is perfect for personalizing for weddings or anniversaries and the next two rugs are great examples of hooking it for a special day:

This version is hooked by Vicki Monroe. She was in my class at the Heirlooms Rug School in Holland, MI in 2010 and we worked on her color plan. She gave this to her brother and new sister-in-law as a wedding gift. How wonderful! Of course I love the turquoise dress and also the addition of beading to the bottom of the apron.

The second version is hooked by Marie McDonald. She had this on display in the rug exhibit at the Heirlooms Rug School in July 2011 (the photo quality is a little washed out because it was displayed in a very sunny room!). Marie hooked this to commemorate her anniversary. I love how she added the saying at the bottom of the rug "United are we for life"....and is that a golf club in the gent's hand!?! Perfect!

I also love the fraktur colors both these ladies have used. Since this pattern has a fraktur feel to it anyway, their color choices enhance the whole effect of the rug. Bravo!

Rug of the Day-January 7th

2012-01-07T13:39:00.000-05:00

Another unusual spring-like day here in Michigan! Today's rug is

This rug is hooked by Deb Wilson. As many of you know, I have mad-crazy-love for the colors turquoise and aqua. I use it a lot in my own rugs. Have you ever heard anyone say that if you are having trouble with a color plan, just add a little purple? Well, to me it's "just add a little turquoise!" It is my "go-to" color and it makes me happy. So, of course, I love Deb's use of the turquoise in this rug.
Here is my version of the pattern. As you can see, I used a wonderful turquoise and purple plaid for the background. The rabbit was hooked with a Harris tweed that I picked up at Sauder Village years ago. It was a small piece of plaid but oh, was it spectacular! I loved the way this rug turned out.

Sadly, I sold my rug about 2 years ago to someone who made me an offer that I couldn't refuse. However, I used the money on a fabulous overstuffed chair and matching ottoman for my office so, in a way, the rug is still making me happy (just in a different way). I still dream of hooking another MacGregor for myself....
Oops! I found one more unfinished version of Mr. MacGregor:

This was being hooked by Becky Marshall who was my student at Star of Texas, Fredericksburg last September. Becky has an extraordinary sense of color and her rug is going to be spectacular. I love those turquoise flowers!!!

Rug of the Day-January 6th

2012-01-06T14:36:00.000-05:00

I was going to post more Halloween rugs but I will save them for another day. The reason? The weather today is so mild that you would swear that it is the 6th of April instead of January. A Spring rug seems a little more suitable. I hope my poor daffodils don't get confused and decide to poke their little heads through the soil too soon!

Yvonne Meriam hooked this cute little mat. Her spring colors make this such a happy rug. I find this design especially unique, with the rounded top and the division of the night sky above the bunnies. Such a naive and child-like simplicity that we primitive folk artists and fans love!

Rug of the Day-January 5th

2012-01-05T11:29:00.000-05:00

This little rug design always makes me smile when I see it! It is the perfect pattern to try all kinds of embellishments and fun techniques. Susan Walsdorf hooked the rug pictured above. I love the glittery yarn used as a lush collar for the dress. The skull and cross-bones buttons Susan added are just THE best!

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Here is my version of the pattern, with sheep curls for hair, proddy accents, beading, and old black glass buttons for the dress .

This rug pattern also has a companion piece called Trick or Treat. I started hooking it at the end of October, but had to put it away due to other obligations. Another UFO that I need to finish!

Rug of the Day-January 4th

2012-01-04T14:37:00.000-05:00

The sun is shining brightly today and my sheep are basking in its warmth. It is a nice day, finally!

Let's celebrate the sunshine with Wool Garden!

This beautiful rug was hooked by Phyllis Monjar last June when I taught a workshop for her group in Libertyville, IL. I had fun with this great group of ladies. I love, love, love how the turquoise blue background and border work with each other. And the beautiful sunflowers. And the gorgeous red tulips. And the very calm and gentle sheep. Phyllis hooked the big sheep with roving.

She says this rug will be hanging in her own Wool Garden room.

Thanks for sharing, Phyllis!

Rug of the Day-January 3rd

2012-01-03T22:07:00.000-05:00

Marsha often does fun, adventurous things with her rug hooking. When she hooked the lavender, she made little knots with her wool strips to form the buds. She also added bees to the rug which was a very creative idea all on its own, but take a look at the detail of a bee:

It looks like she did a little sculpting (or could it be yarn?) and added some fabric and a touch of netting to the wings. Another genius idea! It makes the bees look soft and very, very cool. Brilliant technique, Marsha!

Rug of the Day-January 2nd

2012-01-02T14:17:00.002-05:00

Today's rug is a design that is probably one of my all-time favorites.

This rug is hooked by Linda Woodbury. It was on display at the Chalfonte Hotel in Cape May during the 2010 Rugs By The Sea rug camp. I had actually helped Linda with her color plan when I was teaching at the Ohio Rug Camp the year before. I love Linda's color sense and she had some definite ideas about how she wanted to hook it. Her night sky is amazing and so are her purple stars and blue-hued leaves.

Here is my original version:

Barb Carroll had color planned this for me some years ago when I attended a three-day class at the Woolly Fox. It was one of the rare times that I did not bring much wool. In fact, maybe two pieces of overdyed wool and a piece of paisley (used in the palm fronds). All the rest of the textures were from Barb's wonderful treasury of wool. I think this is still my favorite rug of all time. I loved pulling up every loop!
A couple of people have told me that my leopard reminds them of the creatures in the Edward Hicks painting Peaceable Kingdom. A high compliment indeed!

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PS: The Antique Hearts will be available as a pattern ... stay tuned for details!

Rug of the Day-January 1, 2012

2012-01-01T14:57:00.000-05:00

I don't know what the weather is like in your neck of the woods but we woke up to ANOTHER gray and rainy day. I feel like I should be living in Seattle. We broke a record in 2011 for the wettest year ever. The ground hasn't frozen yet so we are dealing with ankle-deep mud. My woolly critters hate it.

I think that I have the perfect rug for today:

This is Rain Rain Go Away - adapted from Lori Brechlin folk art by Spruce Ridge Studios (2007)

I love this pattern and thought many times of hooking it for myself. I think I will definitely put this pattern on my bucket list for 2012. I particularly love the primary colors used in the ladies dresses. If you look closely, you will notice that the polka dots on the umbrellas correspond to the color of each lady's dress. Genius!

I took this picture at a workshop I taught at in St. Louis, Missouri in November 2008. Unfortunately, I thought I could rely on my memory as to who hooked this rug so I didn't write it down. Hah, who was I kidding?!? Of course I can't remember! Please leave me a comment if you know who hooked this.

Rug of the Day (and a demo on steaming)-December 31st.

2011-12-31T15:35:00.000-05:00

Here is a brand new rug that is hot off my rug hooking frame. I finished it up last night and needed to give it a good steaming. It is my adaptation/interpretation of an antique rug. I tried to stay true to the original color plan.

The size is about 25 x 25. I hooked this in all #9 cuts (my new favorite cut!!!) Even though I don't crowd my loops and I do leave enough spacing in between rows, my edges always curl.

The center circle won't lay flat either; it's sticking up and it looks like a dome.

I never worry about this because I know I can steam it out easily with my Eurosteam Iron. Maria Barton from Star Rug Company raved about this iron in one of her blog posts and I have gotten several e-mails inquiring about it, so I'd like to show you how it works!

First fill the iron with the recommended amount of water. You get the funnel and pouring pitcher with the iron. You never want to overfill because it will cause spitting.

Close the top cap of the iron tightly. They actually give you a little red gizmo to do that. Now you plug it in and turn it on. Set it on the little gray rubber mat that is provided. You're going to heat it up laying flat (you never rest the iron on its heel like a regular clothes iron). Make sure it's on a safe surface because it will get hot (there is no temperature setting-you just turn it on). I let it preheat for about 5 minutes or until the little orange light goes out.

While the iron is heating up, I prepare my pressing space. I put a couple of old wool blankets down as a base and then place a towel on top of that. I lay my rug out on top of all those layers, wrong side up. Look at those edges! They will not lay flat!

When the iron is ready, I hold it over my rug and press the small white button that's in the middle of the gray button. This will give you a burst of steam:

Wow! Look at that steam come out!

You can also turn the gray button to get continuous steam, but you will run out of steam faster that way. I like to control the steam by using the white button.

I first tackle those pesky curled edges. NOTICE I AM NOT USING A PRESS CLOTH NOR A DAMP CLOTH! I press the iron right on the rug and hit the steam button. You do not have to press hard and there won't be any press marks.

I'm working around the rug to get it flat. Once I get the edges down, I start working into the rest of the rug.

Here is a shot to show you the flattened edge (on the right) vs. the curled edge that hasn't been steamed yet (on the left).

Here is the back of the rug, completely steamed and flat. This took me no more that 5 minutes at the most. Seriously.

I flip the rug over and begin to steam the front. It doesn't need as much work, but for this particular rug, I am concentrating on the circles since they tend to pop up.

The front is steamed and completely flat. No more curled edges! The front took me no more than about 3 minutes to complete. Seriously!

I still have some steam left in the iron. However, I turned it off and I am letting it cool completely before I empty out the excess water. Remember, the steam works under pressure like a pressure cooker. You want it to cool off first and release the pressure by pushing the button before you open it up to empty it.

Remember the center circle? Now it's as flat as a pancake! Yay!

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I have the Eurosteam Iron in stock. They cost $200.00 and shipping is extra. I would have never thought that I would spend that much on an iron, but I have used mine often and I'm a believer. No more press cloth and it cuts your steaming time in half! I have also used it to steam my linen pants and tops. You can actually steam them right on the hanger if you want!

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Happy New Year everyone!

Rug of the Day-December 30th

2011-12-30T11:16:00.000-05:00

Today's Rug of the Day is Not Forgotten Flowers, adapted by Lori Brechlin folk art by Spruce Ridge Studios

This sweet little rug is hooked by Pat Mensing and was on display at the Sauder Village rug exhibit in August 2011. Pat took a one day class with me in June and we worked on her color plan. This is just the nicest, softest floral! So many things to love about this one...the striped pot, the proddy flower, the blue leaves, the nice soft neutral background. The red tulip gives a nice pop to the whole thing!

Rug of the Day-December 29th

2011-12-29T11:19:00.000-05:00

Jan Hammond hooked this rug in a workshop I taught for her group in 2010. I think this is such a sweet design and Jan has done some fun things with her version. She worked some quillie circles into her flower and in one of the flags. There are also some tiny stars to be hooked in the sheep's blanket, so Jan dove into her sewing stash and found some delightful star buttons to use instead. She also sewed them on some of the smaller flags. Genius! I would have hated to hook those itty bitty stars! I think you'll agree that this is one happy sheep!

Rug of the Day-December 28th

2011-12-28T18:16:00.001-05:00

Today's Rug of the Day is Majestic, adapted from the artwork of PJ Rankin-Hults by Spruce Ridge

This rug was hooked by Gail Soltar and her teacher was Anita White. I love the nice soft gray textures used in the bird with the accents of red. This is all beautifully set off with a dark background. Just a wonderful rug, so graceful and truly majestic!

A job well done, Gail!

Rug of the Day-December 27th

2011-12-27T19:21:00.000-05:00

Today's rug is another fabulous one from Deb Nees.

Deb was a student of mine at the Rugs By The Sea rug camp in Cape May, NJ. I love Cape May! What a great rug camp and what a great town. I have taught there for 2 years and each year has been unbelievably creative and wonderful. I have the best students!

There are so many good things about Deb's rug. I think the blue stars are wonderful and so is her Appaloosa horse. She hooked Santa's beard with some Wensleydale lamb curls which turned out to be absolutely perfect. If you click on the picture, check out the buttons, belt buckle, horn strap and jingle bell on Santa's hat. Deb hooked them with some sparkly yarn she found at a local yarn shop in Cape May (there is also some that weaves its way throughout the wreath). It had just enough burnished sparkle to make it noticeable but not overly obvious or gaudy. This yarn sent us teachers (and students) into an anxious tizzy to try to find some for our own stash. The yarn shop was wiped out of it immediately...I wonder what the shop owner thought when we swooped in!?!

Here's a closer look at Santa's beard:

Rug of the Day - December 26th

2011-12-26T10:43:00.000-05:00

Wish Upon A Star - Adapted from PJ Rankin-Hults folk art by Spruce Ridge Studios (2005) and hooked by Kris Miller

This is the rug that hangs as a companion to Old Saint Nick on the wall above the sofa in my studio/family room. I love this guy with his stocking knit cap and big basket full of stars. To give the basket a woven look, I hooked a nubby textured wool vertically and the pattern in the wool did the work. Just one of the many reasons why I love to hook with textures!

Rug of the Day-December 25th

2011-12-25T23:30:00.002-05:00

Old Saint Nick- designed and hooked by
Kris Miller (c) 2005

I love to hook Santa rugs! Today's rug is another Santa; his beard hooked with roving from my friend's Lincoln sheep. It has a hairy texture and also has a little glow to it. I tried to make the background and border look like faded old ivory and gold colors from a vintage postcard. This rug is hanging above the sofa in my studio/family room...along with another winter rug which I will show tomorrow.

Wishing you blessings of the Season!

Rug of the Day-December 24th

2011-12-24T18:04:00.001-05:00

Christmas Eve is Santa's night to bring all woolly creatures a treat or two.

All my "creatures" have been tucked in for the night and they are awaiting their apple treats tomorrow morning.

Merry CHRISTmas everyone!

Rug of the Day - December 23rd

2011-12-23T10:39:00.000-05:00

I'm going to change things up today and show you a rug that is not my design nor one that I sell, but it is too fabulous not to share!

This was hooked by Kathy Gish. Her husband had taken a photograph in Nova Scotia and drew the image up on linen for Kathy to hook, and she wanted to give it to him as a gift. She was a little worried about how to proceed so she signed up for a class with me so I could give her some pointers. We also referred to Jane Halliwell Green's book., Pictorial Hooked Rugs. The picture originally showed an empty boat but Kathy added George fishing.

I am so proud of what Kathy has done with this rug! It is just fabulous and I know her husband really loves it too.

It was a little out of the box for both of us (me being a primitive teacher, Kathy being more of a primitive hooker) but it's proof that once you put your heart and soul into something, you can make it happen.

Rug of the Day - December 22nd

2011-12-22T11:20:00.000-05:00

Since today is the first day of winter, the Rug of the Day is Cocoa & Cookies.

Deborah Holden hooked this version. She gave the snowman a chocolate chip cookie, steam coming out of the cocoa mug, and a little red bird perched on one of the trees. There's no snow on the ground, which is just like here in Michigan...we probably will not have a white Christmas this year.

Yvonne Meriam hooked a night sky, and it looks like this snowman will have a white Christmas! Maybe that's why this little guy is smiling!

Good job, ladies! The great thing about the design of this rug is that you can leave it out all winter long and not just for the Christmas season.

This is my version of Cocoa & Cookies Alphabet Sampler. I gave my snowman a red ware cup and plate. I really enjoyed hooking the alphabet! I mixed up the colors of the letters just a little bit to give it some variety.

Rug of the Day-December 21st

2011-12-21T13:14:00.002-05:00

Since I told you about Emma yesterday, I thought I'd continue that theme for another day. Here is Have Ye Any Wool:

This rug is hooked by Deborah Feldman and was another project taught at my workshop in Mississippi in 2010. Of course, everything about this rug is terrific but I love the way Deborah added the quillie circles to the O's in "wool." A very nice touch.

Once again, Emma was the model for the sheep standing at the bottom. I literally took a photo of Emma and traced around her body for the pattern. The goat was just a little sketch I drew but when I hooked my own rug, it ended up reminding me of my goat Zack. I don't know why, because Zack is a white goat and not orange, so maybe it was the expression I put on his face (ears? horns?). Here is my original:

The wool roving that I used to hook the sheep came from my Finn sheep Mikko, who died a couple years ago so there are many reasons why this rug is near and dear to my heart.

Here is a picture of Zack:

The picture below is kind of funny...showing Zack half shorn. It's amazing to get all that mohair off of him and see what's below!

Don't you wish you could shed 6 to 8 pounds so easily???

Rug of the Day-December 20th

2011-12-20T13:58:00.000-05:00

Today's rug is Emma's Garden

This rug was hooked by Linda Brown. Her proddy sunflowers are beautiful and her little lamb looks so happy. Linda used to raise sheep herself.

Lanna Omlor hooked Emma's Garden and her grandkids just loved it!

Aren't these pictures adorable?

In case you don't know the story about how the rug Emma's Garden came to be: Emma is my Wensleydale sheep. She has a very distinct personality and doesn't seem to be afraid of too many things. Whenever a bird would land close by, her curiosity would get the best of her and she'd end up chasing it across her pen until the bird flew away.

A couple of years ago, I was going to teach a techniques workshop in Mississippi and the idea for Emma's Garden was born. It commemorates Emma's fascination with birds.

Here is my original version:

And here is the original Emma, hamming it up for the camera!

Rug of the Day-December 19th

2011-12-19T20:29:00.001-05:00

Peace and Plenty is the rug of the day and it is hooked by Deb Nees who has been a student of mine at Rugs By The Sea, Cape May, NJ. It is a Lori Brechlin design adapted by Spruce Ridge Studios. This has always been one of my favorite designs. When I draw up the pattern, my mind automatically starts color planning it with warm autumn colors of browns, soft golds,and muted reds. Deb has done a beautiful job with this rug but I especially like how she treated the checkerboard squares at the bottom of the rug. I had always pictured the squares hooked with two alternating colors but Deb has used multiple colors to make it look like a lovely soft quilt. What a great idea.

Rug of the Day-December 18th

2011-12-18T10:50:00.001-05:00

Today's rug is a little rug with extra delight! This was sent to me (and hooked) by Dianne Tobias. She is the co-author of Combining Rug Hooking & Braiding, along with Kris McDermet and Christine Manges. This is really a must-have book for your reference library. Besides stunning and inspirational pictures, there are detailed pictures of instruction. I am so glad I purchased a copy.

The little owl pattern was designed by me and appeared in the September/October issue of Rug Hooking Magazine. The article was about making spooky quillie eyes for your Halloween projects, but the pattern was included in the article for one's personal use.

Dianne tells me that she is new to rug hooking and that the specific braid border she did around her little owl mat was developed after the book was in publication.

Here is my original little owl mat:

Has anyone else hooked my little owl pattern? I would love to see what you have done! (If you didn't get your S/O issue of Rug Hooking Magazine or you don't like to draw your own patterns, you can always order it from me.)

Rug of the Day-December 17th

2011-12-17T13:14:00.002-05:00

Today's rug of the day is a perfect one for this time of year. This is Glad Tidings, a design adapted from Lori Brechlin Folk Art by Spruce Ridge Studios. I have two hooked samples to show you and they are both wonderful. The rug above is hooked by Leanne Sitler. So many things to love about this rug! The purple Santa, the unusual and spectacular background, and the way the gold lettering glows.

Dawn Walczak hooked this Glad Tidings rug. I love her use of sheep curls for Santa's beard and the embellishment of jingle bells (hat and wreath) and gold buttons on the jacket. And take a close look at her letters and you'll see how the G and T are hooked in a beautiful red and green Christmas plaid that matches Santa's jacket. What a wonderful way to tie everything together!

Nice job, Dawn and Leanne!

Rug of the Day-December 16th

2011-12-16T13:44:00.000-05:00

The rug of the day is hooked by Dorothy Delaune from Covington, LA. She was in my Fancy Barn Symbol class at the ATHA biennial (Lancaster, PA) along with 19 other very delightful and enthusiastic gals. We had a fun day of learning 8 or 9 different techniques and incorporating them all into this one little sweet mat. Dorothy has done a wonderful job with her hooking.

I can't remember if I've posted my mat before so here is a picture of the original:

Alpaca Update-It's All About Food

2011-12-15T14:06:00.001-05:00

The alpaca boys have been here for one month now. It has been a giant learning curve for me but both beasts and owner are settling in nicely. I have taken some time to observe their behavior and learn about what makes them tick. Typical for any animal, it's all about food and they will do just about anything for a tasty bite. The above picture is Willy waiting (impatiently) for his scoop of pellets/grain.

We have certainly struggled with thinking of names. Finally, my husband said " I don't care what you name them!" Ultimately, I have decided to stay close to what their original names were. I have realized that Willy's name fits his personality perfectly. He is more friendly, a little silly, and more verbal. He makes the funniest little groans when he sees his food coming. He is the one who spits more frequently too. The spitting is always directed at Quinn and not me, but somehow I always get caught in the crossfire. At first I was making sure that I always wore a hat when I was around him, but I soon realized that spitting can be a learned behavior and I can have a little control over it. Now when he tilts his head upward and starts to whine, I put my hand up in front of his nose and say "NO!" and it actually stops him from unleashing his spit.

Quinn is more reserved, a little shyer, and harder to get close to. He is also the alpha male, which is a little curious for me to understand since he is more reserved. He does not like to be touched at all...unless food is involved! So every morning while he is eating his pellets, I slowly stroke his back and talk to him. If I touch his neck, he will back up and try to escape, so I am just working on petting his back. I know I will win in the end...I have melted many an icy heart!

Willy has always allowed me to pet him while he was eating, however today we had a little break-through. Before I ever brought a morsel of food into the barn this morning, Willie walked up to me and poked his nose close to mine. He stared at me with his big dark eyes and let me stroke his neck. Yay! I think my patience is paying off!

~~~~

I have decided to start "Rug of the Day" again and it will continue for the next 4 weeks or so. I have received so many wonderful pictures from folks who have hooked some of my patterns and I'd like to share them with you. Come back tomorrow and see what I have chosen.

First Major Snowfall

2011-11-30T09:39:00.001-05:00

Beautiful snow overnight...these pictures don't need any explanation.

A Sweet Little Holiday Show

2011-11-29T13:13:00.000-05:00

What are you doing this week-end? If you have plans to be near the Ann Arbor area, make sure to stop by the All The Trimmings Holiday Show at the Chelsea Fairgrounds! It's this Saturday, December 3rd from

10 am to 4 pm.

This is a sweet little gem of a show! Free parking, free admission and free refreshments for everyone. I find that it's cozy and a fun thing to do on a wintry week-end. I will be vending there along with other quality "made in Michigan" artists. There are lots of unique, one of a kind products that are great for gift giving or for your holiday home decorating. It's hard for me to say which booth is my favorite but the folks with the fresh Christmas greenery are always popular and busy (I always find a fantastic wreath!). Other items you will find: Marlene Dusbiber's wood carvings, jewelry, antiques and collectibles, photography, pastels and folk paintings, collectible bears, tiles, textiles, stained glass, bread boards, honey and more! I've just gotten in some wonderful textured woolens, and I've got some fresh new overdyed wool too. Along with some woolly items that are hand made by me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chelsea Fairgrounds

20501 Old US 12

Chelsea, MI

www.allthetrimmingsshow.blogspot.com

The town of Chelsea is also having their Hometown Holiday festivities on this same week-end, so come on out and join the fun!

See You Tomorrow?

2011-11-17T12:45:00.001-05:00

The Merry Makers Folk Art Show is tomorrow starting at 4 pm. I am so excited to be a part of this fine collection of artists!!! This year is going to be spectacular, with a stellar line up of vendors. Click here to see the line up of exhibitors.

Besides lots of wool, rug hooking patterns, books (including my finishing book), hooks and kits, I will have some hand-made items for sale....lavender sachets, scarves, little wool-stuffed pumpkins, acorn feather tree ornaments, hooked rugs, and one-of-a-kind wool applique pillows. All proudly made by me and great for gift-giving or a treat for yourself. Santa told me you were good this year.

See you tomorrow afternoon!

New Members of the Family

2011-11-14T00:01:00.001-05:00

Sunday evening our little fiber family welcomed two new members...Alpaca boys!

They look so much alike that I have a hard time knowing one from the other. However I do know that they are Suri alpacas and one boy is 3 years old, while the other is 4 years old. They did have names but the alpacas didn't really respond to them, so the previous owner gave us her blessing to rename them whatever we would like. It is such a daunting decision to pick names! I feel like first I must be able to tell them apart and then maybe naming them will be easier.

In the meantime, we will need a lot of time to get to know them and make them feel comfortable and safe here on our little farm. I'm looking forward to some wonderfully soft and silky fiber!

The Countdown Begins (and a sneak peek)!

2011-10-14T21:56:00.000-04:00

Just a few more short days and I'll be headed out to the ATHA Biennial in Lancaster, PA. Not only will I be vending, but I will be teaching and attending the Executive Board Meeting as your elected Secretary. My noticeable absence from my blog is a testimony to how hard I've been working to put together a unique and wonderful collection of items for my booth. I've been drawing patterns daily, with an emphasis on fall and Halloween designs. I've been washing sheep curls and dyeing wool and assembling kits. Best of all, I've done this:

I have self-published a booklet of finishing techniques for rug hookers. I taught these techniques at Sauder Village last summer and this booklet is a collection of the handouts that I provided to my students. There are 5 different techniques in all, in 6 chapters. All techniques are described in detail with tons of colored picture close-ups. The booklet is spiral bound with a clear vinyl front cover and a sturdy black vinyl back cover. It will be for sale at the ATHA biennial for the shoppers who visit my booth, however the booklet will also be available for sale to anyone after October 24th. The price is $18.95 (shipping would be extra).

I hope to see you next week!

Who's There?

2011-09-25T10:15:00.000-04:00

Have you seen the latest issue of Rug Hooking Magazine? If you haven't, you are missing my article on quilly eyes. It features my little owl, instructions on how to make the eyes, and you can even use the free pattern, Who's There.

The colors in my mat are much more vibrant than the picture, especially the background which is a deep purple. I'll be bringing this little mat to display in my booth at the ATHA biennial so stop by and check out the original.

Click here for a link to Rug Hooking Magazine's web site.

If you have read the article, let me know what you think. Will you try quilly eyes in your next Halloween rug?

Dressed up Sheep!

2011-09-05T11:21:00.002-04:00

For me, the highlight of the Michigan Fiber Festival is the Sheep Costume Parade. I mean, how do they get those sheep to wear those costumes anyway? I guess you have to chalk it up to the kids. I think kids and sheep make a good combination. The kids are creative and the sheep are cooperative.

Unfortunately for an old gal like me, they move too darn fast and it's not always easy to take a good picture.

The Three Little Pigs...note that one has bundles of straw on its back, another has sticks. I don't know what's up with the third one.

Circus Sheep

Mario Brothers (Mario and Luigi)...my personal favorite of the parade.

Wild, Wild West sheep.

Every parade needs to have a Princess sheep.

Happy Tails To You! (and note that there IS a goat or two in this picture-sheep walk with their tails down and goats walk with their tails up).

I just had to show you this guy too. I'm told his name is Humphrey and his pen was in the livestock barn with the llamas and alpacas. He was not in the parade but I think it would have been cool if he was. I have never been this close to a camel before...and believe me, he was HUGE!

I'm already counting the days until next year's festival!

Blog Challenge Girls

2011-09-05T11:05:00.002-04:00

I haven't been current on my posting because my life is moving at the speed of light right now...but I do have some great photos to share.

Here are the Blog Challenge Girls at Sauder Village. We're posed in front of the display of our pieces. What an honor to have my work in the same room with Patty Yoder and Magdalena Briner! It can't be any better than that.

left to right: Maria Barton, Ali Strebel, Kris Miller, Alice Fraizer

When You're At Sauder Village This Week....

2011-08-16T09:08:00.000-04:00

Be sure to look for our Blog Challenge projects! Maria Barton, Ali Strebel, Alice Fraizer and I will have our blog challenge projects on display there. I can't wait to see everyone's work...they always look so much better up close and in person!

Leave me a comment if you see them at Sauder and let me know what you think.

Lots of Pictures of the Holland Rug Camp

2011-07-31T22:56:00.001-04:00

There are only a few hours left in July before we turn the calendar page forward to August. I think I love August because it means we are closer to September...which means cooler weather and Fall is on its way! But I couldn't let July end without posting my pictures from the fabulous Holland (Michigan) Rug Camp. I absolutely love this camp and hope that I am invited back another year to teach again. My students are always the best!

First of all, we found out that Fran turned 90 in mid-July. Well, I must say I would have never, EVER guessed that Fran was 90 years old, or even close to that age. My, oh my, she is a wonderful rug hooker with a kind and gentle personality to match. When I grow up, I want to hook like Fran!

Fran was hooking a version of a Magdalena Briner rug. Her leaf was stunning!

Here is a general idea of the main hooking room at the Holland Rug Camp. It's a bee hive of activity!

And now for some of the rugs at the rug show which took place on Wednesday (July 13th):

Ah Tis Spring, a Notforgotten Farm adaptation, hooked by Sherry Dart. She hooked this last year in my class.

Sunflower Witch, a Notforgotten Farm adaptation, hooked by Dawn Walczak.

Jane Miles hooked Brave Hunter, which is a Barbara Carroll pattern. Jane hooked this last year in my class.

Emma's Garden hooked by Judy Malarney and designed by Kris Miller. Judy started hooking this rug earlier in the spring during a one-day workshop I taught for her rug hooking guild.

Give Ye Thanks hooked by Kathleen Keithly. This is another Notforgotten Farm adaptation.

Dawn Walczak hooked Glad Tidings in my class last year. This is a Notforgotten Farm adaptation.

Marie McDonald hooked this rug in a class with Susan Feller. It is Kissin' Wears Out, a Notforgotten Farm adaptation, but Marie personalized it for her anniversary. What a great idea!

Sheila Murphy Russell hooked this purse in my class last year. It is a Merry Hooker pattern.

Arlene Johnstone hooked this Keith Kemmer pattern called Red & White Oak Runner.

Kathy Purk hooked this in my class last year. I believe it is a Diane Kelley pattern.

Marg Talbot hooked this in my class last year. It is designed by me and it is called Juanita's Roses.

This is Sun Flower, a PJ Rankin-Hults adaptation. It is hooked by Sue Russell.

Judy Colley hooked my pattern, Bird of Paradise. It was on a table at the rug show and I couldn't get a whole picture of it...but I think I like Judy modeling the rug better!

Now here's what I love about rug hooking...I have color planned this design a couple of times as a wide-cut/primitive rug, but Judy's version just blows me away! It is fine-cut with shading and dip dyes...and equally as stunning this way! Thanks for honoring my design in such a beautiful way, Judy!
~~~

And now on to the "Throw Down.."

If you don't know what a throw down is...well, it is when all the students take the rugs that they have been working on all week and lay them out on the floor or the ground outside (it was a beautiful day for this), and show off what they have done. It's always a big highlight of the week for me.

Since we were out in the bright sunshine with a little bit of shade thrown in, my pictures were less than optimal. Here are just a few of the rugs. Please excuse the shadow of my arm!

Smell My Feet (Notforgotten Farm adaptation), hooking by Donna Gardella.

Herb Angel (Notforgotten Farm adaptation), hooked by Barbara Moran.

Holly & Ewe, designed by Kris Miller and hooked by Sherry Dart.

~~~

A very sweet picture of my class (I love these gals to pieces):

The highlight for the students is the grand prize drawing on Thursday at 7 pm. Nancy Blair draws a student name and that person wins 10 yards of overdyed wool. And the winner was:

Judy Truax!

I think there was some kind of wonderful Karma attached to my classes here at Holland because my students won the wool prize both of the years I taught! Quite a thrill for me! I was very honored to help Judy pick out her wool colors along with the help of Judy's teacher back home in Indiana, Arlene Johnstone.

Judy's fabulous armload of wool! A good way to wrap up a week at rug camp!

~~~

Wonderful Charlevoix

2011-07-19T19:04:00.000-04:00

I'm looking forward to spending my week-end in Charlevoix, Michigan at the Castle Farms Fiber Arts Festival. It's Saturday July 23rd and Sunday July 24th. I'll be located in the West Garden Room (which is in the back hallway), booth #40. I hope you'll be able to attend too! Stop by and say hello! It's a beautiful setting in Northern Lower Michigan and I've heard the weather will be cooler there (low 80's).

I took this picture last year. It's really the back courtyard of the complex but beautifully picturesque. The grounds are perfectly manicured.

This is our booth last year. The show is indoors and air conditioned! The building we are in has beautiful slate tiled floors and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling with large windows running the length of the hallway.

I think I've used the word beautiful three or four times in this post! There's no other way to describe it...you will just have to see it for yourself!

There are so many wonderful vendors selling all kinds of fiber related products. Buttons, yarn, roving, clothing, books, anything for knitting, spinning, weaving, needle felting, and rug hooking. I've got a collection of brand new patterns, lots of textured woolens and a few new products.

See you there!

Pictures of Rug Camp

2011-06-24T10:55:00.000-04:00

In the beginning of June, I had the pleasure of traveling to Libertyville, Illinois to teach a 3-day workshop. These girls were not only talented but a lot of fun! As typical for me, I did not pull my camera out until the last day (too busy!) and snapped a few pictures. I wish I could have taken photos of all the rugs...but here is a good sampling:

This is Karen Maddi's rug. It was her design (inspired by Klimt) and her color choices. I mostly offered my opinion. This is going to be spectacular, folks! I can't wait to see the finished rug.

Carol Waugh was hooking my Liberty design. She had started this at another camp and continued to work on it while I was there. Another gorgeous rug and a great color plan.

Betty Miller was working on a new Lori Brechlin adaptation, Lori's Flower Basket. She revised the pattern, hooking the name and birthdate of her new granddaughter.

Workshop participants come in all shapes and sizes!

Liz Abel was working on Emma Lou's Antique Floral Runner. Whew! This is ONE BIG RUG! But we got it all color planned and Liz is a pretty fast worker so she'll have it done in no time.

This is Lauren, busy at work. She hadn't hooked in a while so she was getting back into the swing of things.

Here is Lauren's beautiful rug, a Lori Brechlin adaptation, Sunflower Witch. This is turning out fantastic! Part of my workshop demonstration was hooking eyes...I hooked one eye and Lauren did the other one...bet you can't tell who did which (or should I say "witch") eye?!?

Some of the rug hookers, busy at their frames.

On the last day of class, there was a house fire across the parking lot. I had never been this close to a house fire before and it was interesting and horrifying at the same time. Here's a shot of the firemen trying to break in the back door. You can see flames in the front; this was a car that was on fire too.

It was a fabulous camp and I was impressed by the hooking abilities of all the ladies. Thanks so much for choosing me as your teacher!

Blog Wool Sale

2011-06-22T14:15:00.001-04:00

Here are a few woolens that did not sell out at my Tent Sale so I am offering them for sale on my blog. Quantities are limited and shipping is extra.

Light olive green/blue plaid

$12.00 per yard
only a few yards left..........

Maroon/Taupe check

lovely to overdye

$8.00 per yard
Sold Out!

Large Purple plaid-looks much better in person

If you love purple, you will love this one!

$12.00 per yard

Light blue/dark blue/with maroon line

$10.00 per yard
Sold Out!

Large plaid-rust/black/oatmeal

Another perfect wool for overdye

$8.00 per yard

Tealy-blue plaid with magenta line running through it

$10.00 per yard
only a yard or so is left........

~~~

Please contact me if you are interested!

Michigan residents must pay 6% sales tax

A Wonderful Day

2011-06-19T17:03:00.001-04:00

Thank you to all who came out to my Tent Sale and Open House yesterday. Despite the weatherman's prediction of 60% chance of rain, nary a drop fell and it turned out to be a beautiful blue-sky day. I enjoyed seeing all of you and we had a fun day! I snapped a few shots at the beginning of the morning:

My dear friend Donnie and my son Stephen took charge of the check-out table.

Tables of goodies and vintage treasures are waiting for the first shoppers to arrive....

10 am sharp! Dale snaps up some great deals in a bargain bin.

~~~

Shall we do this again next year?

Rain Or Shine

2011-06-17T17:36:00.000-04:00

A few little rain drops won't dampen our day of fun....

See you at the Spruce Ridge Studios Tent Sale & Open House tomorrow, starting at 10 am!

New Book!

2011-06-11T17:07:00.000-04:00

I'm selling a new book here at Spruce Ridge Studios, for a limited time. It's the newly published Fleece And Fiber Sourcebook and if you are a fiber aficionado like I am, then this is a must-have for your library! Not only does it cover sheep and goats, but also rabbits, llamas, camels, and other fiber-bearing creatures. All are precisely catalogued in visually stunning chapters. What I really like about the book is that each breed is shown, along with pictures of its raw fiber, processed or clean fiber, and sometimes spun and woven fiber. The authors even cover other useful facts such as the fleece weight and characteristics for each breed along with tips for dyeing, spinning, knitting, crocheting and weaving. It is a hefty 438 pages but a wonderful resource guide for knitters, spinners, and weavers. Even rug hookers will find themselves thumbing through the beautiful photographs again and again.

If you love sheep, if you love wool, if you love anything "fiber"...this book will be the ONE for you! The price is $35.00 and worth every penny. Please contact me if you want one, or pick up a copy when you are here for the Tent Sale, or when you see me in Charlevoix at the Castle Farms Fiber Festival!

Eight more days!

2011-06-10T17:09:00.001-04:00

You snooze...you lose!

Don't forget about the Spruce Ridge Studios Tent Sale and Open House!

Saturday June 18, 2011

10am to 2 pm

No early sales please...sale begins promptly at 10 am.

I'm gathering together a collection of clearance-priced wool, patterns, and other fun rug hooking and fiber merchandise! I've decided to add some antique furniture and other collectibles. I'm still looking around for sale items so who knows what else I will find!?!? All sale items will be located outside under the tents. My studio will be open (inside) for your regular shopping needs so if you've ever wanted to stop by and shop....NOW IS THE TIME! Visa and Master Card is accepted for tent sale items as well as regular priced items.

See you on Saturday June 18th!

Where has May gone?

2011-06-04T12:36:00.002-04:00

Busy is good. I say this to myself all the time. I like to stay busy. But busy also means that the time flies by and one day you wake up and wonder where it went. That's the way I feel today. Somehow May flew by when I wasn't looking.

I traveled down to Odenville, Alabama to teach for the Wool Sisters a few short weeks ago. I love these gals! They are so talented and just a little bit crazy too. We tease each other about our accents and then I always learn a new Southern "phrase." This year it's "coldrank" and "eatersnacks" and "hose pipe." The food is all made from scratch and it's good old Southern cooking...biscuits, grits, cornbread salad, barbecue brisket, and chocolate sheath cake and banana pudding for dessert. Yum! No wonder my pants are tight.

And I've got lots of pictures to share.....

Just a section of the wool I brought...I always bring too much.

Show and Tell time....this is a wool quilt that Sheila made...

...and so is this quilt. This one has a cute story behind it. Last year, Sheila asked each workshop participant to draw a sheep and then she made each picture into a square and assembled it into this Wool Sisters quilt. Awesome!

Show and Tell again...this is Ruth's rug from 2 years ago when I taught for the Wool Sisters. I couldn't wait to see it! This was adapted from a black and white photograph of her family. Each person has their own distinct personality but without a lot of detail. I love this rug!

Here is Wendy Miller holding up a new design she calls her Prairie Series. *sigh* I love Wendy's style!

These two smiling faces are Bobbie and Ginger, real life sisters who run the workshop. They both just wrote a book about string quilts so I felt like I was in the presence of famous people!!!

More students in my class, working hard on their projects. (ah-ha! I see some "eatersnacks" on the table!)

Ali Strebel was the other teacher at the workshop. She was teaching all kinds of fun and creative techniques in her class.

More of Ali's students.

Here is Nancy Wiley. She was working on a pillow to give to her nephew, who is a hockey player. He is depicted in the design, with the Colorado mountains and some trees in the background. It is really turning out great and I know her nephew will be thrilled with this gem.

Here is Ruth. I think she is the queen of photographic hooking. This is a view of a street in San Juan, Puerto Rico and it is turning out FABULOUS. She is hooking in 3's and 4's so I am impressed with how much she got done in 3 days!

(When I got home, I was disappointed to find that I had not taken any more pictures of my students rugs...I am sorry for that and I hope that they send me pictures of their rugs soon).

Diana McMichen brought in a fabulous estate sale find....rug hooking retreat paperwork and photos kept by a rug hooker named Edith Wood. The top picture is the front of her Retreat notebook.

This is the letter about the retreat. We chuckled about the sentence telling the ladies what to bring....and check out the cost of the 3-day retreat....

Here is the gathering of rug hookers at the retreat. Note that all are wearing dresses and sensible shoes...

Another group pose with their rugs.

I found these three pictures to be quite interesting. They were inside the retreat notebook and colored carefully with colored pencil. Lessons and notes about shading. I found myself wishing that I could have known Edith Wood and I probably would have asked her what a rug retreat was really like back then. I think she would have been surprised to hear about our rug camps 53 years later...that we don't wear dresses much anymore and we don't have to bring our own sheets and towels!

Sheep In A Sweatshirt

2011-05-18T10:49:00.000-04:00

Sheep shearing was last Saturday. The girls had their day at the "spa" but it turned so cold and rainy the next day, that we noticed the new little ewe was shivering so I put a sweatshirt on her to keep her warm for a few days.

Here she is making her grand debut! We had to tie up the excess fabric with some baling twine so she won't get her legs caught up. Miss Emma likes to come up from behind and chew on the fabric knot!

We have decided to name her Sukka (pronounced Sook-ka) which means stocking in Finnish. This is in honor of her cute little white socks. She had a huge appetite and loves her hay! Unfortunately, she has had a runny nose for the past day or so and the vet thinks she might have a slight case of "shipping fever." No real fever, so we are just watching her. It's kind of like when you send your pre-schooler off to the first day of school and they come home with a cold that everyone else has spread around! We just have to make sure that it doesn't turn into pneumonia.

Here is my other Finn sheep, Lumi. She is a sweetheart and follows me everywhere I go. She is the most gentle creature I know and Sukka loves her.

And here is Miss Emma! A big, big girl! Look at those ears! She and Sukka get along but Emma is much more pushy and bossy. Sukka has already figured her out and knows when to stay out of the way. The sheep shearer pointed out to his apprentice that Emma's fleece was a nice one, full of luster. I'm sure he's seen plenty of sheep fleeces in his line of work so I am extremely pleased!

A few random snaps of the Maryland Sheep/Wool Fest.

2011-05-17T10:07:00.001-04:00

Just a few random photos of the Maryland Sheep/Wool Festival. Enjoy.

Looking up one of the main venues. This photo was taken on "set-up" day before the crowds came. There is still a lot of activity going on as the vendors get settled into their spots.

"Mr. Spruce Ridge" in front of the barn where our booth was located.

Didn't eat anything from this place.....

Beautiful baskets in a booth in the Main Exhibition Hall.

A couple of gorgeous Wensleydale sheep in one of the animal barns.

My little lamb (black one) and her beautiful twin sister.

Our booth (it looks like there were a few things that needed to be arranged yet).

What I brought back from the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival

2011-05-10T21:40:00.000-04:00

I brought back the usual stuff...a T-shirt, a tote bag, a couple sheep and goat figurines...

but I also got this:

Yes, a new sheep! Isn't she adorable?!?!

She is 6 months old, a ewe (girl) and her breed is Finnish Landrace, more commonly known as a Finn Sheep. As you might remember, I already have a white ewe Finn sheep named Lumi (means "snow" in Finnish).

She was born on a farm in Maryland and her farm name is Fern, but I am going to change her name to something Finnish. I'm thinking about a couple of good names but haven't made a decision just yet.

I believe her official color is black, however the sun usually fades the fleece so she looks more like a deep chocolate brown, with a white crown, muzzle and four sweet little white stockings!

Here is Miss Emma, lurking around and trying to check her out without being too obvious:

Emma and Lumi are getting along pretty well with the new addition. I think Fern is a little homesick as she had a twin sister that she was penned with (she was also gorgeous but not for sale). However, all animals here are pampered quite a bit and I'm sure she'll feel at home very soon.

~~~

By the way, the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival was such a fun place to be and we loved every minute of it! I was quite busy (thank you to all who shopped!) so I did not get to take many pictures but I will share a few snaps tomorrow. We will definitely return to Maryland next year...but I'm going to stay out of the sheep barns....way too tempting!!!

(A big thanks and endless appreciation to my husband who went along with the purchase of this pet without too much of a fuss! I am forever blessed to be married to that man!)

Thank You

2011-05-02T12:24:00.000-04:00

In tribute to our military, our servicemen, our heros

who keep us safe and protected

so we can enjoy our freedom and

LIBERTY

Hooked by Pamela Mayfield

Hooked by Pam Hufford

As seen at the Lenexa Hook-In 2011

~~~

It's a lovely day to celebrate our country!

You Gotta Have Friends

2011-04-29T22:03:00.002-04:00

Spring has sprung (finally) here in Michigan. It was a sunny, warm, happy day. Now that the rain has gone, the animals seem to be in a festive mood and they are enjoying the bright sunshine.

Miss Emma has made some new friends in her little corner of the world. She makes me laugh because she is such a curious girl. I swear she's not afraid of anything!

A male and female goose have been hanging around so Emma decided to be a good neighbor and say howdy.

"Good Morning," says Emma, "Won't you stay and sit for awhile?"

Emma decides there wasn't much to the conversation. "Humph!"

A nice little nap in the sunshine works wonders for the soul, especially when you can share it with a friend.

And here are Emma's other friends. They were living below her hay feeder, all safe and snug. I'm sure they enjoyed all the bits of alfalfa that Emma dropped while she was eating (looks like one is wearing a piece of alfalfa on its head!)

~~~~

Next week-end (May 7th & 8th) is the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival...I don't need to tell you how excited I am to be attending! If you happen to go, please look me up and say hello...I'll be in Barn 5, space 8. I plan on taking lots of pictures too! In the meantime, there is a flurry of activity to get ready for the trip!
P.S.: If you want to see more pictures from my class at the Ohio Rug Camp at Punderson, click on the link to go to Liz's blog. Scroll down and you'll see lots of nice pictures. Thanks for sharing, Liz!

Welcome to Michigan

2011-04-18T11:01:00.000-04:00

That was my husband's exclaimation when we got up this morning and discovered this:

...and it's still coming down....

Don't get me wrong, I love snow...but not in April when my daffodils are struggling to come up and show their little yellow heads.

We bought my neighbor's used tractor yesterday and it came home with the snow blower attachment still on the front. Gee, did we jinx something????

Happy Wool Day!

2011-04-16T13:16:00.000-04:00

Today is rainy and gray so I am spending the entire day in my studio, straightening up my wool supply. It REALLY needs some reorganization! So I am restocking shelves, and to make room for new wool textures, I am pulling out the "old" wool that I want to sell at my tent sale in June (there will be plenty!). I never thought in my whole life that I would have THIS much wool...seriously! My collection is not epic, like Barb Carroll's wool stash, but let's just say that I'm moving my office upstairs so I will have a larger space to put out more wool. I have completely run out of room.

Things could get lost in all that wool.....

Ummm....OK, Riley....you're not really blending in....I can see you......

Hope your week-end is a cozy one and you get to play with some wool!

Rugs From Ohio Rug Camp

2011-04-13T10:57:00.002-04:00

I was honored to be a teacher at the Ohio Rug Camp last week and despite the dreary weather, we had a terrific time! In hindsight, I wish I would have taken some time to get a few pictures of my class....they were all such wonderful students! However if you click on this link to Andrea's blog, you will see a few pictures of what folks were working on (scroll down to the Ohio Rug Camp post, then there are several entries after that).

I did enjoy the rug show that was laid out for the campers and the public to enjoy. I took a few pictures of Spruce Ridge Studios patterns and here they are:

This little glowing gem was hooked by Cynthia Norwood. This is Pear Tree (AKA Yuletide...because you can order it to say either of these phrases), an adaptation of Lori Brechlin's folk art by Spruce Ridge Studios. Cynthia chose not to hook the words. The reason why it glows is because Cynthia used a multitude of antique paisley in this rug. Here's a close-up of some of the paisley pears:

Spectacular!

This is Conquest of Queen Anne, a Cindi Gay design, hooked by Janet Watson. This rug is very near and dear to my heart because I helped Janet with most of the color planning last June at her guild's rug camp at Cherry Valley Lodge. I must admit, I was a little concerned when Janet announced that she wanted a red background! But the end result is another stunning rug!

This is Merry Christmastime, a Keith Kemmer design, and hooked by Jane Doppke. Jane is a relatively new rug hooker but so far, she is doing a terrific job! The most wonderful thing about this rug is that Jane hooked some nubby yarn to represent the snow. I don't think it shows up in the picture as nicely as it did in person. Also note the roving beard on Santa.

And lastly, here is Emma's Garden hooked by Judy Paterson. This is not a typical color plan that you would expect for this rug but I LOVE it! Here is a close-up of the little sheep:

What a sweet little lamb!
~~~~
I am now working like a mad woman to get ready for the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival which takes place on May 7th and 8th. I have never been there but have always wanted to go. It's such a big deal in the sheep/goat world...sort of like going to a Royal Wedding! LOL!

I'm not foolin'

2011-04-01T18:20:00.000-04:00

No fooling....we're having another Tent Sale and Open House this year!

Back by popular demand!

Spruce Ridge Studios

Open House and Tent Sale

Saturday June 18, 2011

10 am to 2 pm

(sale starts at 10 am sharp-no early sales please)

There will be clearance-priced wool and rug hooking patterns, and lots of other fun fiber-related items at reduced prices....you never know what you'll find! Maybe some stuff from my craft closet, maybe some antiques or collectibles.

All sales items will be under the tent.

For your regular shopping needs, my studio will be open during the sale.

Visa and Master Card accepted.

Kindly contact me for directions.

Fourth Blog Challenge Project Revealed!

2011-03-20T16:35:00.000-04:00

Here's the fourth and final (for now) Blog Challenge Project! As you remember, Alice Frazier sent a "conglomeration" (those were her words!) of wool fabric, nubby wool yarn, shibori ribbon, pieces of knit sweater, piece of purple paisley, and three beads. I was totally at a loss...nothing was speaking to me....this was a true challenge...what to do?

I did a little sketching.

I hooked a little bit of wool.

And then hooked a little bit more....

Guess what?

I think this little guy turned out pretty darn cute!

I call this piece "Dreaming."

"thought-cloud" with fish and dragon fly

I hooked the nubby yarns around the edge to create a funky frame for the piece. The chenille yarn was used for the cat's whiskers, the shibori ribbon was used for the bow around his neck. You can see the strip of purple paisley along the upper left side of the piece. I used the various blue strips of wool in the sky. The glittery navy knit sweater piece was cut into smaller strips and used as the outline around the cat's head. And of course the two fish beads and the dragon fly bead are used in the thought cloud. Little kitty is thinking about his next catch-of-the-day and he is licking his lips! Yum!

Even though I used #8 cuts, this piece is small and I mounted it on a piece of gator board. I wanted the yarn edge to be the border so opted not to whip the edges or finish them with crochet like I did with the previous project.

Check out Maria, Ali, and Alice to see what they have cooked up!

~~~~~

It was a grand challenge indeed! I am off to other adventures this Spring and Summer, but I'm sure at some point we will all put our heads together and figure out another challenge to keep our creative minds and hands busy!

I Love This Rug!

2011-03-07T10:58:00.001-05:00

The hooking on my Midnight Clear rug is completed! I pressed it last night and now have to decide on a binding technique. I love how a good steam press really brightens up the colors and makes your rug look a whole lot better.

This is hands-down one of my most favorite rugs I have ever hooked! The color plan came together nicely and the rug was a pleasure to hook. I was sad to pull up the last loop, knowing that it was over.

Note the glow of a light in the upstairs window of the blue house...someone is trying to stay awake for Santa!

There's nothing on my frame right now but I can't feel too sorry for myself...I have lots of hooking projects waiting for me. One project is my blog challenge (still have designer's block about that one!) and now there are new Notforgotten Farm patterns posted on my website! Hmmm, which one should I choose??????

A Carefree Girl

2011-03-05T23:07:00.000-05:00

It was sort of a weird weather day today. First it poured down rain and then in the afternoon, it turned to snow and it came down all day long. I'm sure we have two inches of fresh snow on the ground right now.

I was so amused to look out of the window and see little Miss Emma laying out in the snow storm, chewing her cud and acting as if she didn't have a care in the world. I took these photos from the back window. If I would have opened the door, I would have interrupted her beautiful and carefree daydreaming....

I love her spunk!

~~~~

The colonoscopy went well...everything was clear and I don't have to be back for 10 years...yippee! PS: The anesthesia was worth the whole thing...best nap I ever had! Now go schedule yours!

March Happenings!

2011-03-03T16:58:00.000-05:00

Alice's blog challenge material came Monday in the mail. It is quite a collection of various wool and yarn pieces, a strip of purple paisley, shibori ribbon and some little glass beads. One is a dragon fly and two are tiny fishes. This box is proving to be quite a challenge for me as nothing comes to mind just yet. You and I will both be surprised on March 20th!

~~~

I have been working on my Midnight Clear rug and it is almost done! I have just a few little areas left to hook so I won't show a picture until it is all finished. If you are a fan of Lori Brechlin, you might want to take a minute to visit her blog...she is having a great give-away and the drawing is this Sunday, March 6th.

~~~

And lastly, did you know that March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month? I had no idea either until yesterday but the timing is perfect. I am having my routine colonoscopy tomorrow. Yes, I am apprehensive about the prep (I'm going to start drinking that yucky liquid in about an hour) but I have decided that I'm going to do this in honor and memory of my brother-in-law who passed away from colon cancer just this past January. My sister-in-law is certainly too young to be a widow. I decided it was time to quit putting it off and just get it done! I hope you make the same decision.

Splish! Splash!-Blog Challenge #3 revealed!

2011-02-20T10:43:00.001-05:00

I thought I'd get my project posted early because we are leaving later to attend my mother-in-law's 87th birthday party!

Again, here are the objects that we had to work with:

And as you remember, I had a bit of indecisiveness with my project. However, once I sat down and got hooking, things flowed fairly smoothly and I am happy with the results:

The overdyed sheep's curls were used for the hair, the bit of variegated yarn was used for the "wave", the twig was used as driftwood and sewn to the hooking, the sparkly cording was used as accents in the mermaid's tale. I overdyed the white roving with a greenish yellow hue. There wasn't enough to hook the entire tail, so I used it to outline each "scale" and filled in with the same striped wool that I hooked in her tail. It really turned out better this way, I like the dimension that the combination created. Since the twig added a three-dimensional visual to the mat, I decided to add the shells as accents too (then the twig didn't look like it was just stuck there all by itself). I love the shell-bra too, don't you? She's a little sexy but not risque...no wardrobe malfunction here!

Closer views:

Close up of Mermaid's face and torso.

Scales with roving outline.

(not so good) picture of tail with glittery cord accents.

Angle view to show the dimension of the objects.

Oh! Forgot to mention that I bound the mat with a crocheted edge, using wool strips, cut in #8. I used the same wool as my background, thus a harmonious blend that extends the border out a bit. You can see the crocheted edge in this picture. A fun and quick way to bind your rug! I'll be teaching this way of binding in my Sauder Village workshop this year.

~~~

It was a very fun project indeed and I'm looking forward to discover what my blog sisters have created! Check them out:

Maria Barton

Ali Strebel

Alice Fraizer

You would think....

2011-02-14T12:54:00.000-05:00

You would think that since I was the person to send out the mixed media for this month's blog challenge, I had everything figured out for my project.

Nope.

I thought that maybe I'd have a small advantage over everyone else to dream up something as I was gathering the materials to send out to Ali, Maria, and Alice.

Nope.

Last Friday, I was suddenly overtaken with a sinking feeling that the blog challenge was less than 10 days away and I had nothing....

well, actually I did have something...

two totally different ideas that were fighting each other in my head. I had even sketched something up on a piece of paper. But my indecision literally took my creativity hostage and I had nothing started...I couldn't make up my mind!

Late Friday night, I sat down and started to hook.....

ripped out and hooked again....

things are taking shape....

only six more days....

I think I might make it to the deadline.

It's Mississippi, y'all!

2011-02-09T22:11:00.000-05:00

Mississippi: land of King Cake, fried catfish, and fried pickles! And some serious rug hooking happens in February as well!

I flew out of Detroit just minutes before the blizzard hit...and flew back into Detroit during a second snow storm. Seems apropos that this year's Mississippi workshop rug was Santa!

Here are a few photos of the happy hookers, busy with their patterns:

Everyone was very productive and as you can see, they did a fantastic job with the Santa face. Part of our lesson was hooking eyes.....

The part I loved the most was that everyone put their own little spin on how they hooked their pattern. Some used paisley for accents, others used more muted or antique colors for Santa's robe. Unfortunately, I did not get a picture of ALL of the rugs, but this is a good representation of the work being done. As always, I was simply amazed at all the talent in the room. These girls were serious rug hookers! They got a lot done and it all looked good!

We decided next year would be a Halloween theme. I can't wait!

Tomorrow is the beginning of something BIG!

2011-01-30T20:02:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is the first day that you can officially register for the ATHA Biennial which is being held in Lancaster, Pennsylvania this October. This is a BIG, BIG event! There is lots of buzzing going on about the classes and the great roster of over 20 teachers. I think there will be a huge response to the classes being offered, so if you are interested...tomorrow is THE date to mail in your registration and don't delay! The hotels have been booking up fast (I believe 3 hotels are already close to capacity). If you need a registration form, click on this link.

If you want to see the roster of teachers, click here.

(psst!...just a sample of some of the teachers include Barb Carroll, Jule Marie Smith, Elizabeth Black, Pris Butler, Heather Ritchie, Maria Barton...and Kris Miller!...)

This is the project for my ATHA class. It is officially called Fancy Barn Symbol but my friend Kate calls it "Eight Ways To Thrill A Hooker." I think she's right! There are lots of different techniques and embellishments to try out.

1. Hooking with antique paisley

2. Beading (hooking with 2 colors)

3. Herringbone stitch

4. Hooking with roving

5. Quilling

6. Bird's eyes

7. Hit or miss

8. Proddy

and a bonus, folks...separating and hooking a striped fabric to make it work for you.

This will be kitted up with a linen pattern, all the woolens, and some hand-outs, all at one affordable price. It will only be available to the people who take my class.

I don't expect you to get the whole mat done in one day! But we will work on all the various techniques during class and then you can go home and finish it up. Sounds like fun? Yes, I think it does!

Materials for Blog Challenge #3

2011-01-27T15:47:00.000-05:00

It's my turn to challenge my blog sisters with some different types of materials. They should be getting their boxes today so I thought it was safe to show you what is in my magic box of tricks:

There is about a yard of nice Corriedale roving, some over-dyed Wensleydale curls, a couple yards of variegated blue and green yarn, a length of glittery craft cord, and a twig! Just like all the other projects, I have a general idea of what I might want to create. Last week-end I stopped by a yarn shop and unexpectedly got some inspiration! You'll see the results on February 20th!!!

Second Creative Blog Challenge Project

2011-01-20T11:44:00.001-05:00

Ali Strebel has posted her project so I am going to go ahead and post mine as well.....

as you remember, we were given these materials to work with:

When I saw the old lace, I had a general idea of what I wanted to do.

So here is what I came up with...

A little Valentine heart pillow! I was inspired by those candy hearts with the messages printed on them.

Back of pillow. The lace is used as trim around the outside.

Here are the words and you can see just a glimpse of the pink sari ribbon hooked around the edge.

I sewed the felted heart to my foundation and hooked a shadowed shape around it using the stretchy nylon and some purple sari ribbon I had in my stash. The purple sari ribbon was also hooked all the way around the outside edge of the pillow.

I appliqued two small hearts to the back of the pillow and the beads were sewn to the center of the hearts.

My personal challenge? Well, I don't use pink in my hooking so that was certainly a challenge (although the color I used was more of a coral-type pink)! Sewing up a heart-shaped pillow and attaching the lace trim in between the hooking and the wool backing was another small challenge. And I discovered that I love hooking with sari ribbon! I had bought a little from Ali Strebel in years past to keep in my stash and now I know I want to get some more...hope you have some more, Ali, because I'll be buying more from you!!!

Please check out Ali's blog, along with Maria and Alice for their results.

~~~

I'm responsible for the materials for the next Creative Blog Challenge. Give me a few days to recover, girls, and your package will be on its way!!!

Teaser!

2011-01-19T17:42:00.000-05:00

The last stitches have been put into my Creative Blog Challenge project!

Come back tomorrow afternoon for the grand unveiling!

A Tale Of Two Santas....In January

2011-01-17T00:31:00.000-05:00

I never get tired of Santa and here's proof...I've been working on this Santa rug for a workshop in Mississippi, coming up the first week of February:

There are several different techniques that I'll be teaching my class...hooking with roving (of course), how to hook eyes (and there are three of them here!) and sculpting. The holly berries are all hoved, which means they are sculpted from wool strips that have been pulled up high. They are actually 3-dimensional. And the pom pom on Santa's hat is also sculpted, but it is sculpted from roving. It's hard for me to say which materials I like to work with the most, but I do think perhaps the roving is a little easier to sculpt with. I'm also going to crochet wool strips around the edge to finish it and that will be another thing that will be taught in class.

I still don't have a name for this pattern...any suggestions???

And I am itching to return to my hooking on this......

My Midnight Clear rug! I had to set it aside to work on the other Santa rug, but now I'm anxious to get back to it. Everything was hooking up wonderfully and I couldn't be happier! The background is a mix of two navy plaid wools. I think they make a stunning midnight sky. It is important for the letters to pop (but not too loudly) so I chose a brighter blue plaid for them. I don't use a lot of blues when I color plan for myself but I love what I am using for this rug!

Of course, there is no rest for the weary! I'm ALSO working on my blog challenge project which is due on January 20th. Yikes! I'll be burning the midnight oil for sure because I am nowhere close to being finished! I don't even have enough done for a sneak peek yet...but I can tell you that it will have something to do with Valentine's day. LOL! So come back on Thursday to see what I have concocted.

More Farm Mischief!

2010-12-30T16:21:00.000-05:00

While I was eating my lunch and looking out the back window, I noticed the goats acting a bit odd and out of sorts. The little voice in my head told me to get out there and see what was going on....

Yes, I had another "jumper!" This time, Willow had gotten into the hay feeder and was waiting patiently for someone to help her out. The last goat to do this, Bryce, is actually her twin brother. And like a good brother, Bryce was standing close by. I'm sure he would have helped her if he could.

Some of the other little boy goats are acting strangely, but I'm pretty sure I know the answer to that...little Miss Ruby has come into season and she is driving the boys crazy! Even though my boys are neutered, the call of the wild is loud and clear and they like to think they are Big Men On Campus!

I know....too much information.....welcome to my world!

Forgot something!

2010-12-28T23:45:00.000-05:00

Just an addendum to my blog challenge items...I found 5 little red beads in the bottom of the envelope. They look a lot like Red Hots candy and will be a perfect addition to the rest of the Valentine theme. Here's a corrected view of everything:

The Newest Blog Challenge

2010-12-28T16:48:00.000-05:00

I received a package yesterday from Ali Strebel for the newest project of our blog challenge. There is a length of vintage crochet cotton lace, a small pink needle felted heart, a couple of yards of silk sari ribbon, and a curious little piece of material which reminds me of a nylon stocking with runs in it (also pink). It's time for me to put my thinking cap on and get creative! This definitely has a Valentine's Day theme to it! I do have somewhat of an idea of what my project will be.....but again it could be a mystery as to how I will get it to all come together! January 20th will be the next unveiling....

~~~

Here is the aftermath of Christmas Day....Jack was totally exhausted after opening gifts and all Riley wanted to do was play with the paper! The goats and sheep got apple slices in the morning so it was a wonderful day for everyone!

The Wait Is Over!

2010-12-20T17:38:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the delay...Blogger was posting my pictures SIDEWAYS - Errrr!

Well, you've waited long enough...so here is my blog challenge project!

This is Santa's Little Elf! He has a hooked face, a wool cloth body, and woolen clothes. The beard is hooked with Angora goat locks, and the back of his head is hooked with wool roving.

I'll point out the challenge items used: red pompom on top of the hat, star button adorns the middle of his jacket, white pipe cleaner was used in the candy canes, ribbon is tied around the present in his sack, the green pipe cleaner holds the green glittery tree with jingle bell. I also received a length of wire, which I sewed inside his right arm, thus that is why his arm can bend and hold the sack of gifts.

Here's another view:

A close up of his face:

A close up of the back of his head:

A close up of the sack of gifts:

And finally, a close up of his hand holding the tree:

I only took one picture of my work in progress. This was when I was hooking his face:

Not only was I challenged to use all the little implements, but I also hooked on monks cloth (I ALWAYS use linen!) and I hooked the face mostly in #4 cuts. A proud accomplishment for this primitive wide cut hooker!!!

Be sure to check out my other blog challenge partners' blogs for their wonderful creations!

Maria Barton

Alice Fraizer

Alice Strebel

Thanks to Maria Barton for organizing and coordinating this challenge. It was a lot of fun and I'm looking forward to the next one!

So what do you think???

Just a tease........

2010-12-19T21:07:00.002-05:00

Don't forget about the unveiling of our blog challenge tomorrow...at 5 pm!

Just one more little tease before tomorrow.....

Ruby has another secret.......

2010-12-18T12:39:00.000-05:00

Ruby here, and I've got some secrets to share again! Any pattern order that you call in to my mom Saturday (today) or Sunday (tomorrow) will receive free shipping! This offer is good for all patterns on the Spruce Ridges Studios website at the regular retail price for anyone living in the contiguous United States only (expires at midnight on Sunday-but don't call my mom at midnight! She might be too busy hooking). She gonna want to ship those packages out on Monday!

tee hee hee....

my other secret is that I've gotten a sneak peek at the Blog Challenge project and I'm going to share it with you right now...

Shhh...don't tell! It looks like roving to me.....

What's On My Frame Right Now?

2010-12-15T14:57:00.000-05:00

Now that I have all the traveling and shows and camps over with for 2010, I have had some time to sit at my frame and hook. It's a great feeling to get back to my creativity and rug hooking! And nothing is more festive than to hook a Santa during the Holiday season! I know I won't get it done in time for Christmas but hey, it doesn't matter. It's just plain old fun to do.

I'm working on Midnight Clear, an adaptation from Lori Brechlin's folk art. I have wanted to work on this pattern for sooo long! The colors were swirling around in my head, so it seems like the design is practically hooking itself!

Santa's face was fun to do...once I got his eyes worked in there, his personality just popped! I think outlining his mustache in the gray wool helped give a little more character to his face too.

And what could be more delightful than this little pocket snowman? I hooked the pocket in red striped wool to make it look like it was patched and added on later. Lori has such a wonderful, whimsical way of creating these charming characters!

***

Five more days until the unveiling of the blog challenge project.....tick tock tick tock....what could it be?

One of the reasons I love Michigan!

2010-12-12T17:03:00.001-05:00

Snow, of course! Here is what my back yard looked like this morning...

and then about 4 0'clock this afternoon....

I'm so excited about our first major snowfall of the season!

Emma

Ruby.

The only way you can make her stand still for a picture is to feed her a little hay.

By the way, come a little closer....Ruby wants to share a secret with you.....

"My mom finished her Blog Challenge project on Friday before she came out to feed me my evening hay!"

Oh Ruby, I told you not to tell!!!!!!!!

~~~

Yes, it's true! I started my project on Tuesday evening and finished it on Friday afternoon! I wonder how my other blog sisters are doing on their challenge?!?! (Tee Hee! Sorry girls, there's no stopping me when inspiration hits!)

It's killing me not to show you all! I hope Ruby doesn't give out any more secrets until December 20th.

A Sneak Peek......

2010-12-08T15:36:00.002-05:00

Wow! All of a sudden, inspiration has kicked in...and motivation...and creativity...

I have begun my Blog Challenge piece and I couldn't be more jazzed about it! I can hardly stay away from my rug hooking frame and my work table. No matter what I do, I keep drifting back to my project...just pull up one more loop, just one more stitch, just one more minute to figure out one more piece to the puzzle....

If I even took the blurriest picture of what I'm working on, you'd be able to figure out what my project is, so I'll tease you with this:

There are many facets to the way I've challenged myself. Can't wait for December 20th!

Creative Rug Hooking Blog Challenge

2010-12-01T18:42:00.001-05:00

In an effort to expand our rug hooking creativity,

Maria Barton

Alice Fraizer

Kris Miller

Alice Strebel

have joined together to challenge one another to come up with fresh new ideas for rug hooking projects. How the challenge works is simple. Over the next few months, one of us will take the lead and will send items to the others to use in our rug hooking project. The requirements are that the project involve some aspect of rug hooking and all items received will be used in the challenge. The leader of the challenge can designate a theme if she wishes.

We will have deadlines for the projects and will post the deadline along with the items received for the challenge on our blogs hopefully on the 20th of the month. On the day of the deadline, we will post on our blogs the finished project along with links to the other participants' finished projects. Our hope in this challenge is to inspire you to think outside the box, use new materials in your rug hooking projects and to be creative. If you would like to participate in the challenge with us, you can contact the leader of the challenge to purchase the items.

Thanks for allowing us to share the works of our hands with you.

The date for the first completed challenge project is December 20, 2010. Maria Barton is creator of this blog challenge and the first project leader. Here is what she sent to us:

As soon as I opened my box, a little vision with an idea leapt into my head so I'm pretty sure I know what I'm going to do with these. Let's hope that I can translate what I see in my head into a material project! I can't wait to get going!!! What would you do with these???

A Very Sweet Holiday Show

2010-11-28T10:31:00.000-05:00

Come one! Come all! To the All The Trimmings Show

Saturday December 4, 2010

10 am to 4 pm

Chelsea Fairgrounds Service Building

20501 Old US 12

Chelsea, MI 48118

Free parking, free admission, free refreshments!

This sweet little cozy show is very special to me because it showcases all local artists...all made in Michigan and the USA!

There are plenty of beautiful offerings for gift-giving or for treating yourself!

Wood carvings by Marlene Dusbiber, jewelry, tiles, folk art, stitching, painting, honey, Holiday greens to deck the halls, hand made soaps and creams, hand made bears....and of course, rug hooking! I'll have lots of treasures for gift-giving...more of my wool applique scarves, Holiday cones (hang them like Christmas stockings and fill them with treats!) lavender sachets, and cute little acorn ornaments (perfect for gift embellishments or for hanging on your feather tree)!

Get to the show early for the best selection because the good stuff goes quickly!

See you next Saturday!

It Was Very, Very Merry!

2010-11-23T02:28:00.000-05:00

I am still basking in the glow from last week-end's Merry Maker Folk Art and Fine Craft show! If you were there, you'll know what I mean...and if you weren't there, then seriously consider making plans to attend next year! The artists and their offerings were simply amazing!

These pictures represent just a small portion of the talent:

Entrance to the show

Ali Strebel's booth

Redware by Ginger Cazan

Beaumont Pottery

Humble Crow Creations

Pieces of Olde

Lori Bosi from Pine Hollow Primitives

Wonderful creatures from Lori Ann Corelis

The work of Scott Smith from Rucus Studio

Small Stories Studio

Spruce Ridge Studios!