The Game Emma Plays

We keep loose minerals available all the time for the goats and sheep to eat. It looks like sand but it contains salt and vitamins and minerals which are essential to keep them healthy. They love to eat it, especially when I bring out a fresh supply. We pour it in a plastic container which is made to hook over a board or fence. We have kept the sheep minerals under their shelter for close to 4 years with nary a screw or nail to hold it. We have simply hooked it over a board and it stayed in its place. Emma has decided to make a game of this.....

Emma has decided that it would be real fun to flip the plastic mineral container out of the shelter. It lands in about the same place every time. Each time she knocks it out, I go out to pick it up and replace it on the board. Pretty soon, she flips it out on the ground again. And then I come outside again....this has happened at least 6 times in the past 3 days....can you see a pattern here? LOL! I wouldn't mind it so much except that the minerals get dumped out and it's becoming a costly game. Looks like Ken is going to have to get out his power drill and some screws this week-end!

Years ago, someone once told me that they thought sheep were dumb and had no intelligence. I'm betting that person never owned sheep before.

Have a great week-end!

Quilt Show

I'll be vending at a quilt show this week-end sponsored by the Berrien Towne & Country Quilt Guild. It takes place Saturday June 28th and Sunday June 29th from 10 am to 5 pm at the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center, Upton Hall, 2755 E. Napier Ave., Benton Harbor, MI (if you are on I-94, it is at Exit 30). Admission is $5.00, children under 12 are free.

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I've been putting together special wool bundles in yummy colors for wool applique, penny rug making, quilting, or rug hooking. And I'll be bringing lots and lots of other overdyed and as-is wool along with beautiful hand-turned wooden sewing accessories for the discriminating fiber artist. Also a few rug hooking kits and some books.

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It will be a lovely week-end to view the quilts and do some shopping...hope to see you there! I plan on visiting the Lake Michigan shore for a little relaxation in the evening!

A fun time at the Mansfield Hook-In

We had a great time on Saturday at the Kingwood Center in Mansfield Ohio. Many heart-felt thank-you's to Katie Allman for putting on a fun and special day to rug hook, shop, and visit with friends. The rug display was absolutely wonderful. I wish I would have taken more pictures of the rugs. This was one of my favorites:

A gorgeous proddy rug! This was made by Ruth Treen. It reminds me of the proddy rugs I saw in England (Thanks to Katie Allman for identifying the maker of the rug).

Emma has settled down a little bit today and she is not rattling our windows with her baa-ing. She still "talks" but it is more gentle and quiet and sounds like a purr-like baa. She is trying to buddy up with Lumi. She still avoids me at all cost but she is constantly curious about what is going on while I am doing my chores. She walks down to the end of the pen and "talks" to the goats too. They just can't figure her out!

Welcome home, little Emma!

Well, it certainly has been an exciting day for both human and sheep here at Spruce Ridge Studios! This evening we picked up Emma from Neil's farm and brought her home.

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Here's Neil carrying Emma out of his barn to load her in our truck. (Good grief, she's being carried? Just a little spoiled already, wouldn't you say?!?) Kind of hard to believe that this is a 3 month old lamb!

Emma and Lumi meeting for the first time:

And now, nose to nose!

Such a cute face (I think I've said this before)! And look at those curls!

A growing girl needs to eat.....yum, there's some good hay here....

And now for some grass and clover....

But this is what Emma has done the most since she's gotten here....

BAAAA!!! BAAAA!!! BAAAA!!!

She is quite "vocal" and has a loud voice to match. Poor girl, it's so hard for her to be separated from her mom and and the familiar surroundings where she grew up.

(I hope my neighbors are very understanding)

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We had a terrific time at the Mansfield Hook-In at the Kingwood Center on Saturday. I'll post a couple of pictures tomorrow. Time for this "sheep mama" to go to bed!

Hex and Frex is finished!

Hex and Frex, an adaptation of Lori Brechlin Folk Art by Spruce Ridge Studios/Kris Miller (c)2007

I finished Hex and Frex last week. I was watching the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup and pulled up the last loop as they were celebrating their win. This rug is hooked in all textures with a #8.5 cut throughout. I love everything about this rug! I love the dark colors and the sparks of turquoise that march around the border. I love the round little eyes of the cat on the left. Simple, yes, but it gives him a personality. I love the "straight-line hooking" on the body of the cat on the right, this gives the rug an "old" feeling.

My favorite color combo is the hex sign...love the combination of the maroon and dirty turquoise textures!

Thanks so much to Jayne Hester for her delicious color planning !

Hooked Rug Show and Hook-In in Mansfield, Ohio

Isn't this a beautiful setting? This is the Kingwood Center in Mansfield, Ohio. I will be vending at the hooked rug show/hook-in that takes place here on Saturday June 21, 2008. The hours of the show are 10 am to 4pm and admission is absolutely free and open to the public! Come enjoy the rugs in the Meeting Hall, and the lush flowers and gardens on the grounds (I have never been here but I'm told it's a wonderful place to visit). Stop by my booth and say hello! If you have any other questions, you may call Katie Allman at 419-685-4490.

Thank You!

Thanks to all of you who attended the Tent Sale and Studio Open House! We had a wonderful turn-out of shoppers. It was very fun to see everyone and share the enthusiasm of rug hooking and fiber arts in general. I got so carried away that I forgot to take pictures! I've decided that it should probably be an annual event so I'll see you next year!