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Making a purse out of a dollar store find....

9/24/2013

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"Give a woman a hooked rug and she'll smile for a day, teach a woman to hook and she'll smile for a lifetime. "  C. Little
PictureJ0-Anne left and Bev on the right, two gals who know how to have a good time!
I had a bunch of good time gals in the shop yesterday.  I haven't heard that much giggling in a long time. Vacationing from Ontario, these glass-half-full gals probably have a great time everywhere they go. 

Jo-Anne Koch from Cobden and Bev Swrjeski from Killaloe, both from areas I'd never heard of and was told  they are little Irish towns.  

They were bubbling over with enthusiasm to be in the shop...and then I spied the bag Jo-Anne was carrying and zoomed in with my eye and then grabbed the camera! 


Jo-Anne ended up buying a floor frame and I packed it up in a box and they were laughing all the way out the door that they planned to stuff the remaining space full of their purchases from Nova Scotia, to make up the 50 Kilograms the airline will allow.  They'd been looking all around the county for a second hand suitcase to stuff to the seams so the frame box fit the plan.  What a hoot they were and definitely women you'd want in your hooking group.  Laughter really is the best medicine and they were both good pills!

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Head to the dollar store and find these neat burlap bags and hook a motif for a custom carryall. Last year I bought a dozen when someone came in with one.  I sent out my personal shopper, Sue to buy out the store.  I didn't know yet what I might do with them, just planned to do something.  

I thought maybe it would be fun to hook a small piece and then attach it to the bag because I was worried about the plastic liner but Jo-Anne just punched right through it with her hook.  Of course you can't put it on a frame but that didn't deter her and said the bag itself acted as a weight to hold it down. Actually you could put a hoop inside the bag to  push out the sides to make it rigid!  I'm going to try it tomorrow to see if it works. 

The bag has cotton handles and is a nice size for travelling, to hold a purse and all the stuff we women like to haul around.   Not bad for a $2.00 find. 
I've used a couple of them to give as gift bags, one went for the draw when the busload of hookers visited the shop last Monday.  If only I'd thought about hooking something on it to further jazz up the prize!   Ah, maybe next time!

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Well, I started the day off butt lagging.  I was up late working and then was too exhausted to sleep....but once I hit the car and turned on the radio to find ZZ Top, Sharp Dressed Man I pushed the volume button to ridiculous and boom boxed my way to work tapping and boppin in my seat.  Instant energy!  Who needs uppers when you can tune into rock guitar nirvana! 

Shane is zippy too.  I hear him downstairs zapping fruitflies with that battery operated Executioner.  They're terrible right now and if we forget and leave vinegar out they materialize out of no where and swarm the joint.  Hate to kill anything but they mulitpy like rabbits and are in your face when trying to eat lunch.  I don't share my gravensteins with anyone or anything!   Have a great day people!  I think it's going to be a gooder!

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A bus load of hookers.....

9/18/2013

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PictureHad to wait until the crowd thinned to take this picture!
It's not every day a bus load of hookers roll up to your door, but it sure would be nice if it did!  There was something wonderful about looking out over the shop and seeing all those lovely ladies  smiling and having a good time.  It was a sight for sore eyes and I got all misty a couple of times.  

I didn't get to chat with everyone as the phone kept ringing and non bus customers were in the shop as well.  It was a good chaos for sure.  That kind of stress I can handle!  Charlene and Sue came by to lend a hand which was a great help and Shane and Glenna  took care of the sales and coffee.  I bought a couple of large boxes of Timbits although I had hoped to make homemade doughnuts but I was too dang tired as I fell into bed the night before.  Maybe next time! 

It seems the star of the day was Sue with her Women of Abundance designs.  A couple had been preordered to be picked up that day; more of them flew off the racks and the ones not available were ordered to be shipped.   Sue says she has more big boned women designs ready to go, just needs to get them to me so look forward to additions to her humorous line of ladies with extra padding.  They do bring a smile!   

I packed a burlap bag full of  goodies as a door prize and tickets were handed out as the women entered the shop.   Sylvia, the woman who won the draw was so sweet and told me she'd never won anything in her life, so it was perfect.  I hope they all enjoyed visiting Mahone Bay and will take fond memories and stories back to Ontario.  

What a great a way to enjoy the company of women, share a passion and see the country while not being burdened with driving or worrying about where to spend the night.  The  predetermined itinerary unrolled ahead of them like a red carpet with nothing to think about other than meals, fun and shopping.   Sounds like a plan and so totally civilized!     

They all attended a hook-in at the museum on Saturday and got the guided tour of the facility. Unfortunately the last leg of their trip was clouded with the sad news that Hugh Conrod passed away over the weekend.  He was the co-founder of the North American Rug Hooking Museum. Our condolences go out to Suzanne, his wife, loosing not only a friend and husband,  but her partner in this great venture they've brought to fruition.    
 

After the bus gang left, I started to yawn.  I didn't know what to do with myself.  After working at full throttle for weeks all of a sudden a calm swept over me and I didn't know how to handle it.  Shane suggested we close and go home but that wasn't an option.  You never know who might be on they way to the shop from the valley or Halifax and how disappointing that would be. Luckily we stayed as it was busy all day long with many visitors from the US and across Canada.  I just took it easy for a change and worked at a leisurely pace., although it felt as if I was in some else's shoes.    I even walked up and down the stairs like a normal person instead of striding two or three steps in a rush to get things done.   The panic was over, we were in the new room and had it arranged so that it didn't look too unput together.  We still have big plans but that will come with time. 

I made it to 5:00 without fading but the need to sleep was creeping up on me.   Shane said go home and relax, put up my feet, I'd worked hard and deserved it, but I have to say it was done with guilt. After working pretty much every night, sitting and watching TV with the useless crap they offered as entertainment made me sort of angry.  It felt like a big waste of time, time that I would never get back.  I kept thinking I should just go to work and do something productive and the internal argument raged on until I fell asleep somewhere around 10:00.  I awoke early morning on the sofa, with my shoes and glasses on, fully dressed with every light burning in the down stairs, the TV was blaring and the back door was unlocked.  It was as if I was anesthetized for surgery, nothing but blackness; no dreams, no momentary consciousness.  I was cold without covers, had four dogs snuggled against me and a dry mouth from snoring......but I felt refreshed! 

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Bet they're talking about wool?
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Checking out the Sari Silk
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Happiness is an armful of wool!
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So much to see, so little time!
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Sylvia Schenk, winner of the door prize of a burlap bag of goodies. Christmas in September!
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Coffee, tea and Timbits were available for snacking. Take note of that gorgeous hooked purse on Sylvia's shoulder....I have to make one of those!
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Sue chatting with Mary Janet Mustard.
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Shane and Glenna behind the cashier counter.
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Mary Janet and yours truly. Why do I always look pregnant in photos?
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Late comers after the crowd had disbursed so it was quiet enough to chat.
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Sue Cunningham and Charlene Scott, my little helpers! Thanks guys! Sue is just fooling around...they're just friends!
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Helen Sands, a rug hooking sister from Ontario

8/31/2013

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I met a very talented rug hooker and had a great chat. She came in looking for the pattern "Alice" but unfortunately it wasn't on the rack so I’ll make it up and mail it out.  Helen Sands is from Ontario and she hooks with a group called the "Frontenac Rug Hookers" that meet Thursday mornings in Harrowsmith, North of Kingston. Usually there is 16-18 attendees every week for fellowship and to share the joy of rug hooking. 

Helen herself has been hooking since 2006 and she has been enjoying it very much.   She likes vivid colours although she says she doesn’t do any of the dyeing herself.  I had a look though Helen’s portfolio and it was an impressive lineup of pieces and I saw a few of my designs in there so I wanted to show them off. 

She said The Herd was fun and different from what she usually hooks.  I like the vibrant rust background framing the sheep.  She hooked the critters in yarn and the rest was done in #4 cut wool strips.  The Strawberry themed pattern isn't mine but too pretty not to showcase.  It's a Joan Moshimer design and although she couldn’t recall the name we figured Strawberry Basket was close enough.   It was featured in the Ontario Guild Newsletter awhile back.  Good job Helen! 

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The Herd....sort of says it all!
The last rug is Condo Living.  If I was a bird I’d be hanging out in this swanky neighbourhood. The primary colours bring this piece to life.  They are my favorites so I love what’s she’s done with the colour planning.  She said she bought the pattern from me when I set up shop in Belleville for the AGM.  

Hubby Ron was in tow as most husbands are, although most prefer hovering  outside the door to keep the sidewalk straight.   Don't worry guys, a wing back chair is on the way for taking a load off while waiting for the better half to fondle wool.  Poor guys, popping into stores all over town with as much enthusiasm as a pin in the eye.  Guess they love us eh?  

Ron didn't seem to mind and I found out he's also a crafter, teaming up with Helen to sell their wares at the local markets.  Obviously proud of his wife's handiwork he was the one who mentioned showing me her portfolio that was filled with beautiful rugs.  Helen also does crocheting and sewing  and Ron makes Muskoka cedar lawn furniture.   I wasn’t sure what a Muskoka chair was and he explained it has a curved back, like the Adirondack but more comfortable.  Interesting and lovely couple, retired and exploring their creative sides together.   A lovely couple!

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Joan Moshimer pattern "Strawberry Basket"
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Condo Living...in the swanky part of town!
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Putting faces to names......

8/30/2013

2 Comments

 
PictureBeth Miller holding Celeste
We've been having a lot of rug hooking visitors from across Canada and the States.  At times I'm connecting faces with names or making a brand new hooking acquaintance. Facebook is a great place to meet rug hookers and I've seen Beth Miller on there before.  She's opened a rug hooking studio called Parris House Wool Works in South Paris, Maine. 

She came in hoping I had a few angel patterns.  Her friend Wilder Oakes, a professional artist, saw an angel as a child with blond hair.  She thought she would hook an angel rug as a gift and make the hair golden. What a thoughtful, special sentiment. She choose the pattern Celeste and was quite excited to find a design that fit what she had in mind.  

We had a long chat about running a rug hooking business and traded a few experiences back and forth.  Retired from the hectic world of real estate she is going the entrepreneurial route so now the work day is pure play.    It's very obviously from her enthusiasm that she is having a great deal of fun exploring her creative side.  She reminded me of myself when I opened my door, like a kid in a candy store.  Best of luck Beth and it was fun chatting/getting to know you.

If you would like to look up Wilder Oakes work click the link.  A worth see!

http://home.earthlink.net/~wilderoakes/

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Passing the rug hooking torch to a younger generation.....

8/9/2013

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PictureTrying out different hooks and just pulling loops because they can!
Today's blog is short and sweet, just like the two friends who met and joined the hooking fold this summer.  Two young girls formed a bond through rug hooking that could potentially last their life time.   It sounds like a made for TV movie!

A family from Vancouver island, BC came into the shop and I got to meet Hollis who struck up a friendship with Laura while visiting in Nova Scotia.  They both learned to rug hook.  Their enthusiasm led to a couple of sweet designs and they are doing a heck of a job hooking them.  You could feel the excitement that radiated from the girls as they chatted about the exciting journey they are on.  It is so nice to see kids take up this craft to ensure the rug hooking torch will be carried on.  

Hollis 12, and her new found friend Laura 14, have shown the same enthusiasm  I had that evening fourteen years ago when I pulled my first loop.  A craft is a skill that can follow you throughout your life, partaking in when time allows and putting it away when it doesn't, but like riding a bicycle you can pick it up at any time.  I joked that as long as the girls were hooking they wouldn't have time for boys and the mother laughed, there will be plenty of time for those kind of relationships in the distant future, right now pursuing a fabric art comes with a greater comfort level for a parent.   

With vacation now over, the girls were separating and you could see that it was going to be a sad parting, but with social media being what it is, it allows for constant communication unlike in my youth when pen-pal snail mail was the only way to go.  Hopefully they will continue to forge a lifelong friendship, built on a mutual interest of rug hooking.
 

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Hollis on the left and Laura on the right. One is working on a nautical scene while the other is hooking a fanciful horse.
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Visitors from Ottawa hooking at the shop

8/7/2013

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PictureAlex happily hooking grass on her whimsical pattern.
Alex,  17 from Ottawa, learned to hook at her Grandmother's knee at the tender age of six.  She smiled recounting the memory of sticking her  grandmother's favorite hook in the crack of a tree stump, tugged a bit too hard and broke it off.  She was worried she'd be in big trouble but her grandmother was very kind. 

Her first finished rug was an oval chick holding a flower and she has since completed two of Sue Cunningham's designs, Beach Ballet and Buoyant Beauty and a funky fish with pinks, blues and yellows.  She likes the whimsy of Deanne Fitzpatrick's designs and she also likes to draw her own. 

Mom and dad are very proud and tell me that Alex is a very talented actor who participates in drama class and in the latest production, she played a singing Snoopy.   Alex is also very conscientious of helping others, traveling to Baja, Mexico on missions to build homes for the poor. 

I formed a quick opinion of Alex and the parenting she has received, liking the family dynamic immediately.  I listened to her interact with her mother, Jenna, as they picked colours from the rack.  She knows a thing or two about colour balance and position.   Jenna says she relies on her daughter for help colour planning and hooking her projects.  I was impressed at her polite social skills and demeanor.  

I also liked the way her parents haven't indulged or spoil their daughter.  Parents come in the shop all the time and buy whatever their children request as if no wasn't a word in the English language.  Hey, I'm not complaining but I found it interesting how Alex picked out what she wanted and then paid for it out of her own money and worked out what she could afford to buy and still have some spending freedom for the duration of her vacation.  In all my years in the shop, this was a first. Teaching this kind of life skill is priceless, setting her up as a responsible adult who won't spend beyond her means.  Not having every whim land conveniently on the plate  is the best lesson any parent could teach a child. 

Mother and daughter spent an hour or so in the shop hooking and chatting and later dad popped in to say hi as well.  It was nice to have the company.  Jenna also brought  in a pattern that she hooked for a show and tell so that was the cherry on the day!    

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Jenna hooking a Deanne geranium pattern.
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Condo Living.....40" x 24 1/2" Pretty swanky housing surrounded by a feast of sunflower seeds so they don't have to fly to town for provisions. Hooked by Jenna.
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    Christine Little has been ranked #5​ out of the 60 top rug hooking bloggers by Rug Hooking Magazine!

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    Max Anderson, Australia, recipient of my Nova Scotia Treasures rug.  An award of excellence for promoting Canada through his writing.  
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