Lost And Found

I am searching for the person who shopped in my booth at the Michigan Fiber Festival this past week-end and lost some of their purchases.  Your bag was turned into our booth so please contact me and I will reconnect you with your goodies!

I Am An Olympic Junkie!

Despite all the work I still have to do to get ready for Sauder Village and Michigan Fiber Festival, I have been captivated by the Olympics and have been watching it every night.  I just can't help myself...I love the Olympics!

  I think my favorite is the swimming.  I was on the swim team in high school but I was never good at the competitive part.  I swam the backstroke and I used to love to swim laps in practice.  And a bonus to being on the girl's swim team meant that we could be lane timers for the boy's swim team!  Yes, I was a lane timer and we used regular stop watches to time the races....none of this high-tech stuff was even imaginable at the time I was in high school!  

Of course, I can't just sit still when I am riveted to the television, so I have been hooking away with abandon.  I am really loving my little mat just as much as I am loving the Olympics.  Just a couple more nights and I should be done.

  This is Wool Ewe Be Mine, a Notforgotten Farm adaptation.  I think it is just the sweetest little mat and it has been a joy to hook.  I hooked the background in straight lines and made it look a little like old white-washed boards.  I almost never complete the outside portion of a rug before I do the middle, but I was so carried away that I just kept going until the whole outside border was completed.

I will probably make the curls of the sheep little quillie circles.  I have not totally decided yet but that is what keeps popping into my head when I look at this.  Sometimes you have to let the pattern talk to you and it will let you know what it wants to be.

If you would like to order this pattern, or purchase the same wool I used for it, just let me know!

And just one last question....are you an Olympic junkie too?

And The Winner Is.....

Oh My!  I have to say that my husband took his judging very seriously and it took him quite some time to come up with the winner.  Rest assured that he considered each and every entry and even after he had the names narrowed down to the top three, he still took plenty of time before he gave me his decision.

 So without further ado....

 

the

winner 

is

......

(wait for it)

...

...

....

....

...

LAMBKIN

Congratulations Saundra P !!!

Your wool will be in the mail soon!

 

Thanks to all who participated.  I appreciate all of your comments.

For those of you who are interested in buying this kit, it will be available for sale after my class takes place at the Michigan Fiber Festival.

What's In A Name?

Here is a sneak peek at my exclusive project for the beginner class at the Michigan Fiber Festival.

 This was a great little project to hook and I'm excited for my students because I know they will like to hook it too!  However, I have a little brain freeze when coming up with a name for the pattern, so here's where you can help!

Think of a name and leave it as a comment here on my blog.  The winner will be picked by my dear hubby and you will win 1/2 yard of the background wool as my "thank you" for the name suggestion.  The contest will end on July 25, 2012 so put your thinking caps on!

The background wool is one of my favorites.  A brown/green plaid with hints of red and blue.  Not too dark, not too light...just right!

 I will announce the winner on July 26th.

By the way, if you are interested in taking my beginner class (and hooking the sheep kit) at the Michigan Fiber Festival, click here  to sign up for the workshop.  You only have until August 1st to sign up (no registrations will be accepted after that time).

PS:  Submit as many names as you like.

Come Visit A Castle

Yes, we do have a castle here in Michigan! 

This is the view from the back...can you imagine what the front looks like?!?

Come join me in Charlevoix, Michigan for the Fiber Arts Festival at Castle Farms.  I will be bringing lots of new wool and patterns, hooks, books, and other one of a kind treasures that you can't live without. I will also offer a used Frasier cutter and a couple of nice rug hooking frames.

The festival takes place Saturday July 28 from 10 am to 5 pm, and Sunday July 29 from 10 am to 4 pm.  Admission is $5.00.  This is a gem of a show in a lovely Northern Michigan resort setting.  Come visit the festival, then explore the surrounding area.  There's lots of great places to eat and shop... or visit the Lake Michigan shore line, the most beautiful lake shore you will ever see.

For more information about the festival, click on this link.

See you soon!

Alpaca Bliss!

I'm learning more and more about alpacas all the time.  The latest?  Heat stress is fatal to alpacas!  Fortunately, my alpacas are doing fine but I'm trying to find some creative ways to keep them cool in this blistering heat.

First I bought a wading pool, thinking they would lay down in it...nope, it's just a big old water bowl to them.  So I got out the garden hose.

Quinn loves being squirted!  He turns around and around so we can get all his body parts wet.  Quinn is usually the shy and reserved guy, so this surprised me!

  Willie is not sold on the idea of getting wet.  Curious...but not convinced.  See him in the far left hand side of the picture?

 Here's Farmer Ken, setting up the sprinkler for them.  He also set up the tent for shade and a fan is running next to the barn.  I think we have done everything we can possibly think of, to cool them off.  I'd say this is alpaca bliss on a hot summer's day!

I hope you're staying cool in your neck of the woods!

Happy Independence Day!

OK...Just one more sale wool!

I promise I won't tempt you any more...I just found one more plaid...

This one has already been washed and divided into fat quarters.  There are 10 fat quarters available at $4.00 each (that's half off my regular price).
 SOLD OUT!  Thank you!
 

 Orange Halloween plaid.  I have seen this hooked up as a witch's dress.  It could be another great border for a Halloween rug.  Just $4.00 per fat quarter...and it's all ready washed and ready to hook!

The last of the Sale Wools...

I thought I'd better post the rest of the Tent Sale woolens right now.

Lucky you!  The rest of these wools are priced lower than the previous posts.

Again, I will fill orders based on the time received by e-mail or phone.  There are limited quantities available.

 Large black/beige/red plaid.  This is a great candidate for over dyeing.  I have done reds, oranges, and antique black over this plaid.  $8.00 per yard!

 Plum and gray plaid. Soft and old looking. Use as-is or over dye (red or purple would be nice).  $8.00 per yard! Hurry!  Only 1-1/8 yards left!

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

Wow!  All the wools below are an incredible $5.00 per yard.

Quantities are extremely limited so don't wait!! 

 Gold/Black/Red plaid.  I have hooked baskets with this one.  Nice border color too. Sold out!  Thank you

 Brick texture.  This is a little thin but washes up nice.  I have hooked stars and flowers with it. Sold out!  Thank you!

 Blue plaid.  Nice colors.  It is a little coarse so I would recommend a wide cut for this.  Another great border.

 Copper windowpane plaid.  I love this, you ought to feel how soft it is!  It might have some cashmere in it.  This wool is a little on the thin side too, but I have hooked stripes in a cat with this one.  Hurry!  Only 7/8 yard left!

 Purple/red/green plaid.  This is an oldie but goodie.  I've hooked flowers with it.  Another thin one, I would probably wash this wool in hot water.

Primitive pumpkin plaid.  Really more like a rust color.  Just a wonderful wool if you are looking for primitive and old-looking. SOLD OUT!  Thank you.

Three More Sale Wools

Here are three more wools from my tent sale.  All are good for stash building.

Limited quantities.  I will fill orders according to the date/time of your e-mail or phone call.

 Brown/Black/Blue plaid.  A great wool for borders or to mix with your other antique darks for a phenomenal dark background.  Also good for horses, cats, etc.  $10.00/yard  SOLD OUT!  Thank you!

 Brown/black stripe.  Here's another fantastic wool for an antique look.  It is discreetly reversible.  Terrific for that dark look in Halloween rugs...not too harsh, just old looking.  $10.00/yard SOLD OUT -Thank you!

 Turquoise/beige/cream plaid.  I see this hooked up as waves in an ocean.  There are so many other uses for it too.  How about a sheep?  Or a lovely background?  This wool appears thin but will shrink up quite a bit so a cold wash on gentle cycle is a MUST!  I have over dyed this as well.  $10.00/yard

More Sale Wool

Wow!  Your response has been phenomenal!  You haven't missed out on all the bargains....here are three more sale wools for you to choose from.  Quantities are limited!  I will fill orders by the date/time of your e-mail or phone call.

 Turquoise and red stripe   $10.00 per yard SOLD!  Thank you.

 Gold diamonds - this has a slight green cast to it.  $10.00 per yard SOLD!  Thank you.

 Nice prim blue with subtle colored stripes running through....great for an old-looking patriotic rug.  $10.00/yard  SOLD!  Thank you!

Sale Wool

Some of you have asked if I would post left-overs from my tent sale last week-end.  Here are two sale woolens that are available in limited quantities.

They are $10.00 per yard, shipping is extra.

 Orange/red windowpane plaid with yellow and green lines - SOLD! Thank you!

Mustard yellow and tan herringbone - SOLD OUT!  Thank you!

Give me a call or e-mail if you are interested.  

~~~~~~~~~~

I will post two new sale woolens tomorrow.

Rug Show From Star Of Texas-Tyler

Here are just a few of the many rugs that were on display at the rug show at Star of Texas-Tyler.  Sit back, relax and enjoy!

 This is Hilda's Noah's Ark rug.  It is a Susan Quicksall design. 

 The water and the waves are just fabulous!

 Emma's Garden (my design), hooked by Laurie Hannan.

Martha Lowry hooked this Emma Lou design.

Wow!  I love this shaped horse, hooked by Diane Stoffel.

I have always admired this design by Tish Murphy.  Hooked by Kathleen Bennett.

 Linda Long hooked these fun two Halloween rugs.  Both are Notforgotten Farm designs adapted by Spruce Ridge Studios.

Another great Halloween rug hooked by Marguerite Evans.  A Star Rug Company/Maria Barton design.

This is a Star Rug Company pattern too...hooked by Linda Long.  Great soft Easter colors!

 Here's another design I have always loved!  This is a Karen Kahle pattern.  I'm sorry that I cut off the tag and I don't know who hooked it.

 A beautiful Bea Brock design hooked by Janet Griffith.

 Mr. Iggy by Star Rug Company.  Again, I cut off the maker's name...sorry!

A Sally Kallin pattern hooked by Janie Featherston. What a great red background!  I love how the turquoise star just glows against it.

 A fantastic mola design by Norma Batastini and hooked by Debra I.

 This rug was hooked by Dianne Tutt.  It is Annie's Wandering Scroll by Cindi Gay.

 Another Sally Kallin design hooked by Marj Miller.

 This is one huge rug hooked by Paula Fenter.  She told me she had started hooking it in January...and here it is finished and bound by June!!!

Another fabulous rug!  It is a Barb Carroll design, hooked by Cynthia Norwood.  The bird is hooked in different paisleys.  I love the graceful feeling of this rug.

Be On The Look-Out...

I am just disgusted and heart-sick when I hear about stuff like this.  Maybe you can help find these two stolen rugs:

 This is the e-mail I received with all the details:
~~~~~

 Dear Rug Hookers,

Last week I was teaching a workshop in Ohio for a small group in a local church.  Two rugs were stolen from the church sometime after class on Tuesday and before class began Wednesday morning.  The room was filled with wool, hooking equipment including frames and cutters, other rugs and a digital projector.  None of those items were touched.  Please forward this email on to your rug hooking guilds and groups.  If you are a frequent follower of Ebay, Craigslist or any other internet site that sells things I would appreciate it if you would be on the look out for the rugs.  I am offering a reward for information leading to the return of the rugs.

Rug #1 is my Crocodile Mola design.  It was featured in the November/December 2011 issue of Rug Hooking Magazine.  It was exhibited at the ATHA Biennial exhibit in Lancaster, PA in October 2011 and at the Green Mountain Rug Hooking Guild exhibit at the Shelburne Museum in November 2011.  The rug is 36 x 48. 

Rug #2 is my Pumpkins and Leaves design.  It was hooked by Linda Woodbury and has been exhibited at many local shows in New Jersey.  The rug is 28 x 40.

I have attached photos below.

If you have any info please contact me or Linda.

Thank you,

Norma

~~~~~

Let's all do our part to help recover these kidnapped rugs!  If you see them, get the details, etc., then contact me and I'll get in touch with Norma.

Thanks for your help!  Kris 

An Extraordinary Day!

Thank you to all the happy shoppers who attended the Spruce Ridge Studios Open House and Tent Sale.  It was very good to see so many friends and new faces too.  I met several enthusiastic beginners and I must say that I am always tickled and inspired by their eagerness to start hooking!

We really did have an extraordinary day...that started about 20 minutes before all the shoppers arrived.  My town of Howell hosts an annual hot air balloon festival every year in June, and it is taking place this week-end.  This morning was exceptionally calm and clear, and they were able to get the balloons launched.  We are in the flight path for many of the hot air balloons during their evening launch but this year, the balloons came sailing over our house in the morning as we were setting out the wares for the tent sale. Not just a few balloons.  I counted at least 25 beautiful, colorful balloons high in the sky.  What a sight!  As we continued to work, I heard a loud WHOOSH, which I recognized as the sound of the gas jets of a balloon.  When I looked up and to the south, a low flying balloon came drifting over our marsh.

 As he drifted closer, one of the pilots waved to me.

 And then he called out "Is your llama afraid of the balloon?"  (apparently it's hard to tell an alpaca from a llama at his altitude *wink*)  I replied "No" and just as I said that, Emma let out a big BAAAA.  The pilot said "It's OK, it's alright."  All the while the balloon was drifting closer and closer to our house.

 "Are you going to land in our yard" I yelled up to the pilot.  I have always had this goofy desire to have a hot air balloon land in my yard.

"I don't think we can" he yelled back.

"Too bad you can't come back at ten o'clock when I'm having people over" I yelled up again.

"I'll see what I can do" he replied.

In no time at all, he was sailing past our pine tree, nearly hitting the branches as he floated along. 

 A minute or two later, he actually hit some branches of my next door neighbor's tree and we could see him pushing away branches as he skimmed by.  My heart jumped into my throat!

 As Ken and I raced to the road, we noticed he was clear of the trees.  Their recovery vehicle was parked on the road and two grounds crew men were standing on the grassy shoulder.  "Drop it now!" they yelled up to the pilots.

And just like that, the balloon sank smoothly to the ground.  The grounds crew caught the basket and helped ease it to the grass.

Wow!  I love when stuff like this happens.  I couldn't stop thinking about it all day!