RAIN RAIN GO AWAY!

come again another day - I thought I'd better check in and just say we are treading water here. Any of you that might have seen Mike Siedel from the Weather Channel broadcasting from Jacksonville Beach might have a clue that we've had more than our fair share of rain this week. It started raining Sunday afternoon before we left sampler guild and it has rained almost non stop thru this afternoon. At my house we've had 12+ inches of rain and we've had to drain off the excess water so the pool didn't overflow every afternoon - poor Jody - out there in the pouring rain tending to that stupid pool.

No I don't have any pretty photos to show this post. I have been having terrible headaches - sinus or what I don't know - but every morning this week I've had to get up and creep around struggling to get ready for work with an annoying headache. Low pressure/high pressure - I feel it is somehow related to the weather - not to mention feeling like a mushroom. I know I am just whinning here but I am just tired of this and ready to see some sunshine. I could even deal with no sun but NO MORE RAIN. Yes I know we were in a deficit condition but now we have plenty of rain on the books to carry us thru May. Sad thing is that there is a pretty large chance of rain for the next week.

Wish I had some photos to show you from our annual rug guild hook in - we had 37 women from all over north east florida and even one from GA. It was a great time - I did not get much hooking done but it was sure fun. Sunday was sampler guild and we took a roundabout route thru Gainesville to visit Hanks a great yarn shop - so I had plenty of stash to look thru this week. One saving grace about the rain - I could just sit and plunder thru stash not feeling too guilty as there was nothing else to do.

Oh - I do have one pretty photo I can show you all - some of you know that both my parents stitch - My dad does big pieces from Mirabilia, L&L and so forth - Here is his Lady of the Flag which hangs in my office. Yesterday was his 71st b-day and he is so much more productive a stitcher than I. Mom and I just put in our order and he gets it done - he is currently stitching the newest Mirabilia mermaid for moi' and Mom is in line with the 100th Mirabilia design - the Santa -



I am sorry to be in such a sour mood but I am starting to mildew I guess! Be back soon when I am dried out.

MERRIE HALLOWEEN

This is Merrie Halloween by Notforgotten Farm. She is one of my favorite WIP's - Again you will have to just bear with my sad photography - there must be a way to take better quality photos - I'll have to ask my camera savvy friend how to adjust the quality/closeness/sharpness or whatever I am missing.



The other is Hare Easter by Paulette Stewart of Plum Street Samplers - she offered this freebie design for Easter and I asked her permission to have translated to a rug canvas. My dear friend Katie who is an awesome rug teacher/designer/dyer in her own right - copied it to canvas for me and added the darling carrot border and gave it to me for my b-day last month. Don't know if you can see the Happy Birthday Mel on the bottom.








I hope to have Merrie finished for use this October - lofty goal I'm sure LOL since I never work on her at home. She is small enough to be a good project to take to guild meetings and hook in's - She will get lots of attention at our local rug guilds annual hook in which is coming up in mid May. It's a wonderful day of visiting with friends from all around the state and even some from Georgia will come. We have wonderful food provided by the guild members and we take up a donation from all the participants to defray the cost of the meat and drinks. A small informal display of finished rugs will be put down.

In the stitching world I am doing pretty good on my rotation of Shores of HRH, SL "where the hart lives" and Primitive Needle's A&E however I have stash on the way one of which is a SAL on one of my favorite internet boards so that will have to be worked in somehow. I was going to show a photo of my A&E but the progress is so meager - I've worked and worked (or so it seems) and I only have the top border, part of each side border and the top line of wording done. I really am not that crazy about stitching wording so it is usually the kiss of death for me and a design when it starts off with a bunch of wording. AAACCKKKK - I will persist because I love the design.

My knitting accomplishments have almost slowed to nil - Of course that is not unusual for this time of the year. I don't care much for knitting with cottons or lighter weight yarns - hence the name "woolwoman" - I LOVE WOOL - so when it starts to swelter way down south - I usually only knit in silk and maybe some lightweight wools or wool blends. I have a lovely laceweight wool shawl that I work on when I am just too tired to stitch or if it gets late and my brain has turned to mush - I can still knit.

Better shove off for now - hope everyone is finally enjoying spring like conditions.

WOOL ROOM

Since so many of you are spring cleaning, reorganizing, sprucing up your nest - I thought I would show you my *wool room* - Since my yarn stash takes up the majority of this room followed closely by my rug hooking stash - it is deemed "the wool room" - My organizing is on-going because I am STILL bringing stuff over from my old house. I am trying to come up with a plan for the large closet to house most of my yarn and I have a huge primitive cabinet that contains most of the rug hooking stuff. I have some photos of my "corner" which I am enjoying very much since deciding last week I would never get that big rug finished if I did not put it up on the frame and work on it. I'm trying the "strand a day" mantra and it is working - I am filling in a lot of spaces on the backround of this rug and I'm lovin' it! I end up doing more than a strand so my progress is amazing. I snapped a shot of the rug on the frame but I will show you a complete WIP photo one day soon.

I tried to get a WIP shot of Scarlet Letters "Where the Hart Lives" - it was crummy - I am all the way across the top - I mentioned somewhere that I was terribly afraid I was going to fall short on the right margin as I miscounted and started too far to the right on the left corner - EEECCCKKK - but I made it with only about 1 1/4 inches to spare but I'm rocking on otherwise this project would have hit the scrap pile and I really do like it and it will be perfect for my folks anniversary in 2010.
There is a LOT of solid stitching on this piece so I'm trying to get a jump on the deadline which is over a year away but I can't be dedicated to one project or even one needle art so I m being proactive with this deadline.

I'll try to do better with my photos - it's new to me - I just admire so much all the beautiful artfully presented photos so many of you share on your blogs - maybe I'll get there one day - for now this is it - Enjoy!

IS APRIL OVER YET???

I usually enjoy April - my birthday is in April - Easter is usually in April - the weather is usually still great in NE FL in April - My mom and I usually take a little trip to our ancestral home in GA in April - WELL - this April has been NOTHING like it usually is.

Tuesday was my birthday - we had plans for dinner and our owners always take each person out for their birthday so I was looking forward to Tuesday. There had been storms in the area on Monday and they predicted additional storms on Tues morning - they did NOT predict 60mph winds and tornadic conditions. I work in a historic home on the river near downtown Jacksonville - lovely location on a great day - scarey stuff in storms - Hurricane force winds hit our front door at 9:35am Tuesday morning with no warning at all - It looked like the perfect storm out on the river - waves crashing over the seawall and splashing into the street, wind howling thru the fireplace - it was almost as bad a being here in a hurricane which I have done before. Anyway - little did I know that one of the huge oaks in my back yard had come down on our back neighbors house - EGADS - fortunately it was braced by two large magnolias and they did not get the full force of the weight of that tree hitting their roof - once the tree guy got it out of there - it looked like they had very little damage to the roof. So thankful for that.

Next thing that happened this week is that I started getting a sore place on my upper inner thigh - got worse and worse and finally had to go to the dr today - abcess - EEEECCCKKKK - it was disgusting and hurt like hell - good thing I went as it was badly infected and I am on 2 antibotics - must be serious as I have to go back for follow up on monday.

The week was not totally a bummer - I had my mom staying with me this week while my dad went on a fishing trip - she is a big help around the house especially since I was not feeling well and was completely stressed out about the fallen tree. We had several nice meals and she drove me to the dr today - just what a girl needs is her mommy on a day like today.

I'm hosting our local ANG chapter for a luncheon/meeting/stitch in tomorrow - About the last thing I feel like doing right now is standing on my feet all day. I'm SOOO glad I had our favorite caterer do all the food for me - God must have been looking ahead as to the week I was going to have and said "hummm Mel I think you'd better order all the food" that's the little subliminal message I got last week.

Just needed to vent a little about my month so far - hope to show some photos next time. Until then - I hope your April is lovely and full of spring flowers and many happy stitches.

NO FOOLING !

Well it's April Fools Day and I have not played any tricks but I'm not fooling around when I say I actually have a photo to show that *I* took with my new Cyber Shot camera - it's not perfect mind you but it is a long awaited photo of my little miniature oriental rug that I finished in December. It is approximately 18" X 26" and for any hookers out there - it is in a 4cut with a little 3 for fine lines and veining.



I hope to start adding more photos as I become more proficient - it has only taken me about 2 hours to figure out how to unload the photo from the camera to the PC and then to my folders and webshots album. Too much like work I say!

My mom and I had a wonderful time at our rug hooking workshop downstate this past weekend. I got very little done on the rug I was working on which was a project I started 2 years ago at the same workshop with a different teacher. I thought it was a scroll rug but another teacher told me it was actually a rosemaling pattern that includes some scroll type motifs - the name of the rug is Telemark and she said that was a type of rosemaling - gees I need to do some research on rosemaling I guess - she said my colors were correct and my hooking to simulate brush strokes were correct - OK folks that was a total fluke because I wasn't trying to simulate anything but I just smiled proudly and said "oh thank you" ! So I got a whopping two motifs done in about 10 hours of hooking - a palm size bud and a fern frond thingy. WHOOPPEEE! I don't think this rug is going to be high on my priority list - I have WAY too many rugs that are calling my name. So this lovely telemark will be rolled back up and stuffed right back into the red rug hooking cupboard. * Make mental note to get photo of red rug hooking cupboard to show to friends*

On a more personal note - I got drug into a meeting at work on monday to be told that in an effort to keep our company from going bankrupt - we were all going to get a mandatory pay cut starting April 1st - no fooling on that one friends. I was not shocked as I see the financials every month - I know we are losing millions and can not keep up like this for long and so the bank reiterated to our owners last week - we have 3 mos to start showing a profit or they will pull our backing. I have been very depressed all week but trying to pull myself out of it and remind self how lucky I am - still more fortunate than those who are already out of a job. I just dread at my age being jobless and having to compete with thousands of younger people for what few jobs are out there - I have only had this job and one other job in over 30 years so to say I am out of practice is an understatement.

Well - enough of my depressing stuff - just need some prayers or good thoughts from those who can spare any to come our way. Our owners are lovely people and they don't deserve this bad hand they've been dealt. they are 3rd generation car people and are fair and honest and are wonderful to work for.

Hope you all have spring weather and wonderful plans for Easter and spring breaks and so forth.

RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS

you know the song - Rainy days and Monday's always get me down! Well that's not exactly true - I just wanted to curl up and go back to sleep this morning when the clock went off at 5am and I heard something that "sounded" like rain. - could it be rain? We have not had any rain in so long - the wildfire threat is coming into the media again and there was a big wildfire in the next county over from where I live over the weekend so I'm not complaining about a little rain. However it sure would have been great if it was not a day that I had to get up and get moving.

Had a nice time at our ANG chapter meeting on Saturday - it was a combined stitch in and meeting at DF Candy's house - Not to say that I got a lot of stitching done - what with looking at everyone's WIP's = talking - eating - talking some more - you get my drift - I finally did thread my needle and take a few stitches. I know I know - where are your WIP photos Mel ??? My blog is so boring compared to other friends who post all kinds of interesting photos for us to drool over. I keep saying I will do better and one of these days I will surprise you with photos on the blog and the boards I frequent.

This Friday my mom and I are heading down to south central florida for a rug hooking workshop. It is held at a lovely family owned inn on a big lake - very picturesque - very relaxing and their restaurant has awesome food. We sprung for a lakeside room with a small balcony overlooking the lake - Hey what a great photo opp - I promise I'll take my camera and try to get a some photos of the rug exhibit or at least my little oriental that will be in the exhibit.

I'm starting the new A&E sampler by Primitive Needle this weekend - incentive stitching on one of the Yuku needlework boards I frequent - I love this design - the deer and the little hedge hoggy critter is the same as the one on my A&E rug. I know you need to see a photo of that WIP too - it's way cool if I do say so myself.

Still raining - still wishing I was stitching or knitting in my chair at home but on the other hand I am very very thankful I have a wonderful job to go to every day.

IDES OF MARCH

I have begun to think blogging could be a full time job - I have good intentions of doing more blogging especially when I see and read what others are doing however I refuse to do a lot of computer work at home - I should be doing something else at home right? mainly stitching/knitting or hooking not to mention the never ending yard work, cooking cleaning etc. You get my drift - we all have the same challenges in trying to juggle all the balls and keep life in order and have a little fun along the way.

I was going to post months ago and it was going to be called The Journey of Sarah Marston. Sarah is a little sampler I did several years ago by Essamplaire - it is not even in her catalog any longer or I could not find it in the fall when I went looking for a photo to send to Jane Timmers for an exhibit that the Sampler Guild of Ga was doing this past fall. They were asking members to send smalls or samplers to display in a historic home in Mableton Ga. I have been a member of the guild for a number of years but don't get up there for meetings - I have attended a workshop with them and always hope to do more with them but I thought this was a way I could support the guild. So in October I asked a good friend in the Dixie Chapter EGA to transport little Sarah and also the primitive pocket I made for DF Nancy to Jane for this exhibit. Unfortunately I never did find anyone who had photos of the Mableton exhibit so if anyone reading this blog has photos of that exhibit - please send me some. Sarah and the pocket was on display for a month - I was hoping that I could make it up there but as most of my friends know I had just moved out of my life long home into a new home (new to me) so I was neck deep in projects and feeling financially oppressed which equals no travel in the fall of 08 LOL - anyway to continue Sarah's story - soon after the Mableton exhibit came down - the Magnolia Sampler Guild of which I am also a member was invited to decorate a room at Bulloch Hall which is the ancestral home of the Roosevelts. I was so pleased that little Sarah could continue on her journey and grace the mantle in the "warming room" at Bulloch Hall. I was also pleased to receive this photo from the woman who chaired and decorated this room Sharard Williams.

This piece is framed in one of Cathy Campbells grain painted frames although it's pretty hard to see detail in this photo.

I have more things to post but need to get photos - I got a nice Sony camera from DF Nancy who is a camera buff and had so many she needed to move one out so I bought this one from her in December but have I taken one single photo NOPE - I need to get house photos, WIP photos and even a rug finish photo. Mental note to get that done this weekend LOL

All for now - I'll be back much sooner - until then happy happy

END OF YEAR LOOMING !

I know I say this every year but HOW can the year be almost over ???

I am pleased to say I have finished ONE rug hooking project this year. It wasn't the biggest one in my WIP pile but it is a nice one. My Desert Rose miniature oriental is complete. What no photos you say? Not yet - I still can't find my camera - not even sure it got moved from the old house to the new house. If I can't locate it soon I will have to beg one of my friends to take a finish photo for me. It came out quite nice and I was very pleased. Next year I hope to have my big 3 X 5 rug finished and maybe a smaller rug too. Considering I got a ton done on Merrie Halloween at the Halloween Hooking workshop at the Azalea House with Diane Stoffel - I might can get that one finished in 09.

I'm not close enough with any stitching or knitting WIP's that I will have a photo finish before the EOY. AWWWWWW - If I only applied myself and stuck to one or two projects instead of 10 or 20 - I would probably not be having this EOY Woe is Me conversation with myself! But as I always say - it's the journey thru my needlework life that counts - not how many finishes I have in a year. However an occasional finish is certainly good for the soul !

Christmas is just a little over 3 weeks from now - We have decided not to do too much exchanging in my household this year. Having all the added expenses of moving in July - adjusting to new and bigger bills including keeping up a pool AND still having to support my old house until it sells (if it ever sells) is just about all I can handle right now. I participated in a couple of guild group exchanges and that is about it for exchanging with friends. Sadly - I just can't do it this year.

Hopefully I'll be back soon with a photo of the mini oriental - until then - happy stitching

GLORIOUS FALL!

I am so ready for fall! We actually had record lows last night which is very unusual for NE FL in October. I am usually knee deep in knitting projects in October but this year I am in a knitting slump - not to say that I have not added lovely fall yarns to my stash this month - the long awaited Rowan Colorscapes for the Fall VK Fassett jacket and also the luscious Cocoon - too gorgeous to escape my clutches. I swatched up the Coocoon but that was as far as it went - the VK design - AACCCKK - not even that much - oh I did get a nice start on a beautiful jacket from the new Debbie Bliss mag - the Drop Collar jacket done in a beautiful rustic gold chunky donegal tweed.

I am trying hard to finish a mini oriental hooked rug called Desert Rose - I am down to the final two borders and just can't seem to get over the hump. This coming weekend is our long awaited rug hooking workshop at the Azalea House with national teacher Diane Stoffel from Cape Cod. Diane did the color plan on my beloved mermaid and also is responsible for the reasonably decent job I did on Shakespeare the marmoset monkey! I am doing a cool folky type design by NotForgotten Farm called Merrie Halloween. I can't WAIT to see what gorgeous colors Diane has cooked up for that project. My dear mother and I are sharing a room and we are both looking forward to getting away from the guys for the weekend and having some fun with our friends who are coming from all over FL for this intimate workshop.

On the stitching report - EEEKKKKK - that is almost worse than the knitting report - what have I done - NOTHING - absolutely NOTHING - have not touched any of my WIP's in soooo long - have taken a few stitches on a little halloween ornament but that is the extent of my efforts. Now I have to admit - I have been doing a good bit of canvas work lately - I have been keeping up to date with a guild group project with my local ANG chapter and that has been fun so far. I also finished a Lee tote insert which I started a couple of years ago - Yeah I know -I know - it could have been finished in a few months but give me a break - at least it is done now and DF Nancy has already mounted it in the bag and made sure I was able to use it this weekend for the retreat to carry a small knitting project or maybe a small stitching project since a good many of the attendees at this workshop are also stitchers.

Hopefully I can put up some photos soon of the finished tote and the finished oriental.

Until then - Happy Halloween - don't eat too much chocolate and make good use of the coming LONG nights on the sofa!

DOG DAYS

WOW has it ever been hot here in NE FL - I was in Savannah last Friday and also again on Wednesday and they were having 100+ temps up there - EGADS - that is REALLY hot -

Tomorrow I am hosting a little party at my new house for my dear friends who have August birthdays. There are 5 of them and one of them is my dear mom - she is part of our stitching and hooking guilds so she will be there too. After relaxing with some snacks and stitching we will go to a high tea at a local establishment. Should be a memorable day for my friends. This is be my first attempt at entertaining in my new home. I don't have everything exactly like I want it since I have only been in the house for one month but things are at least presentable. The room I am going to use as my studio is a grand mess - there are bags and boxes everywhere but I do have my primitive cabinet set up with my rug hooking stash and projects. So at least one thing is complete in that disaster area. Maybe one of my friends will bring a camera and I can post some photos of the festivities.

Until then . . . . . happy stitches!

MORE NEW ENGLAND PHOTOS

Here are some more photos from our New England trip -

A replica of Carols ancestor who came over on the Mayflowers house in Plimoth Plantation - Frances Cook.

the interior of the Cook house

The Wilbur house - A quaker family in Little Compton Island, RI and a photo of an unbelievable wool penny rug or table covering which was in great shape.

Some awesome scrimshaw work boxes in the collection of the New Bedford Whaling Musuem

NEW ENGLAND IN JUNE

My long awaited trip to New England and the Needlework and the Sea symposium at the Whaling Musuem in New Bedford has come and gone.What a GREAT time we had. I met Carol in Boston - her flight was moved up and mine was moved back so Carol was kind enough to pick up the rental car and acquaint herself with the historic area of Boston. She picked up me right on the curb and whisked me off to the Freedom Trail - Bear in mind that this was the hottest day this area has seen in a long time - Bostonians were sweltering and while we Floridians are accustomed to extreme heat - I am NOT accustomed to tromping around in it! So we only walked around the historic area for a couple of hours - we saw the Old North Church where the famous "one if by land and two if by sea" scene was envisioned and immortalized in books, historical accounts and movies. We saw Paul Revere's house - and guess what - THERE WAS A SAMPLER! It was stitched by Paul's granddaughter - Carol thought for sure she had seen it repro'd by DMC or something jogged in her memory about this sampler. So after the tour - off we stalked in search of the gift shop - hummm - no gift shop - just a little tiny ticket booth - we skirted around the back side of the ticket booth to avoid hundreds of squirming yelling running school children and THERE - taped to the back side of the ticket booth was the chart of Paul Revere's GD's sampler - We tapped on the glass to get the kind young man's attention and asked for two copies - he said $8 each ma'am and I'm sorry but that doesn't include the thread - LOL - (snicker -giggle) we scoffed and scurried off with charts in hand and laughed all the way to the car about paying $8 for a chart! Our next quest in Boston was to find the Old Oyster House - purported to be the oldest restaurant in Boston - we FINALLY found it after walking all around - I was so hot and tired - eating just didn't seem so appealing so I opted for a cup of their famous clam chowder and some fried calamari - thus ensued the "great chowder quest" I became obsessed with clam chowder - I ordered a cup or bowl every single restaurant I went to on the whole trip - Even ordered one final bowl of Rhode Island Red Clam Chowder in the Boston airport on my way home! I'll have to say - I had some awesome clam chowder while in New England!

Boston traffic is world renown - we knew we were leaving at a precarious time - 5:30pm on a Tuesday! EGADS - How hard could it be to find I-93 south - apparently it was pretty hard because we ended up going north and ending up almost in NH - OK - I have to give a real big virtual hug to Carol - she was such a trooper and darted in and out of those angry honking Bostonians like a pro - she picked her way up and down the highway until we managed to get on the road to New Bedford. We ended up getting off the main highway and traveling thru a lot of little scenic new england villages. They are so quaint - I could have lived in any of them.

Finally - the sign for New Bedford - our hotel was actually across the river in Fairhaven. It was almost dark when we arrived but safe and sound and ready for new adventures we trudged up to our room with all luggage.

Wednesday morning - Carol was up early - hummm about 5:30am I think - for some reason the sun comes up earlier there in New England and our room faced east - so by 6 I was also up and at it. This pattern of early rising continued thru our entire trip -most unusual for me! We strolled down to the breakfast bar where we met up with our cohort Patsy - she was also attending the jacket lecture at Plimoth Plantation and she had also done some research into what else we should see while in the Plymouth area. We arrived at Plimoth Plantation about 30 min early so we perused around and watched a film before meeting up with the balance of the symposium participants who were interested in seeing the jacket project. What an undertaking - this is gorgeous - I would encourage everyone to visit the PP website and start monitoring the progress on the jacket. They are having the exhibit in the fall of 2009 - hope I can be there. After seeing 3 awesome samplers in the archives we walked down to the recreation of the original settlement of Plymouth. Here is a super photo that Patsy shot. Oh well - I can't figure out how to get the photo down here .

Next up was Plymouth Hall to visit Mercy Otis Warren's unbelievable game table and Loara Standish sampler. The museum was small but they had a large amount of pilgrim artifacts and it was enjoyable being there. We also happened upon the Sampler - a small needlework shop which was right across the street from Plymouth Hall. Then it was off to try and find a small historic home the Winslow House in Marshfield. We zipped along up country roads and here it was - what a neat house and there was samplers in several rooms - no a/c - probably no heat and here they were still hanging in pretty good condition after about 300 years - amazing! Ok - still in the wrong spot - I am probably not going to post any more photos :(

We tried to get in the Alden House but they were closing up - it is the oldest property in the US still owned by descendants of the original Mayflower settlers. Dinner was with a group of friends at a local seafood favorite spot - it was right on the river and very picturesque. Didn't we do a lot on our first day!

Thursday was Ellen Chester's Ditty box class at the Whaling Museum. We gathered in the breakfast room again and saw lots of friends from near and far. All were cackling excitedly about the upcoming events. We gathered our stitching bags and off we headed for downtown New Bedford. Ellen had prepared a wonderful slide show showing lots of scrimshaw works of art - apparently the NB Whaling Museum has the largest collection of scrimshaw in the world and an expert on the subject on staff - we were to hear his lecture later in the week. The pieces Ellen designed for the ditty box are really neat - we worked in class on the little fish scissor keep and needleminder. It was a most enjoyable day with Ellen and the other attendees. We ended up walking over to a nearby cafe for dinner - another test run of the local chowder for me - it was awesome. We had to attend the opening lecture on Thursday evening and while it ran pretty late we enjoyed being in the lovely auditorium with most all the event participants.

Friday morning lectures were scheduled - one on the lost art of sailmaking. The speaker was quite the expert and while it was interesting for a while - I think I heard more about sailmaking that I needed to know. I waited too long to write this trip journal because all the lectures and lecturers are running together now. After lunch Carol Patsy and I along with about 15 other participants boarded a bus heading for Little Compton Island in Rhode Island. It was a lovely ride thru more scenic little new england villages. The Wilbur House was our destination - built in the late 1600's by a quaker man I believe it was said that he and his wife bore 11 children. The house had been added onto several times but was in original condition for the most part and YEP - they had samplers - loads of them - most done by descendants of the Wilburs and other people in the local area. It was a lovely day and there was a gentle sea breeze - there was a lovely garden and I loved seeing the peonies. We don't have them or Florida or if we do - I am not aware of it. The bus trip back was quiet and uneventful. We had a Portuguese buffet at the museum - I am sad to say it was not memorable. Another lecture by a textile expert from the Peabody-Essex in Salem was after dinner. Another long but exciting day - I don't think I even remember falling into bed.

I must say sleeping thru the night and sleeping like a log on this trip was a real blessing.

Saturday there were more lectures scheduled in the morning - I skipped a couple of them and sat in the courtyard and stitched and chatted with other friends who ducked out of the lectures. I had grown tired of box lunches so after Carol got out of the lecture - we walked to some of the local shops and I found a nice antique carved piece of whale bone - it was probably an awl but it will be a nice accessory for my ditty box and I will probably use it as a laying tool. Carol wanted to walk and look and I wanted to get something for lunch so I hiked back to the cafe in the next block and had another bowl of clam chowder before heading back to the museum for my afternoon class with Kathleen Staples. Kathy reproduced the Lydia Ricketson sampler which is in the collection of the museum. It is lovely but has a lot of filled satin stitch flowers - Kathy was kind enough to draw the basket with flowers and spray of flowers at the top and bottom for us. It was sad news that this will be her last reproduction - I have enjoyed taking many classes with Kathy - she is one of the most knowledgable people I have met in the sampler world. Part of our class included a tour of samplers in the archived collection that did not make it into the exhibit - it was very interesting. After the class we sat in the open air courtyard and just took in the lovely sea air and waited for Patsy to come back from her Duxbury tour. Carol told us of her lovely walk thru the surrounding area and off we went to tour the area by car. Patsy was awesome at getting us around the area. We crossed the river and decided to explore the riverfront in Fairhaven. Lots of gorgeous homes lined the river and what views could be seen. We passed several interesting restaurants near the marina but kept driving - wanting to see all we could of the area before darkness fell. We ended up back at the hotel and decided to make a pit stop and freshen up a bit - we asked the clerk for dinner recommendations and he pointed us to Margaret's which is the quaint little cafe we had seen earlier. Driving up to Margarets we were dismayed at the number of cars and people waiting in line - it was a good sign however that a great meal was in our future. I am always looking for memorable meals - this was one - I started with their version of clam chowder which was decidedly different than anything I had experienced on this trip or any trip for that matter - after seeing my chowder both Pats and Carol ordered a bowl as well. I was dying for meat - after 5 days of seafood - I was dying for meat - I had a great steak and I think both my friends had fish. What an awesome final meal we had in the picturesque little village of Fairhaven. What a beautiful little town - I could live there - of course I would need a translater - they don't speak Southern or understand it either! However the owner I presume was cordial and mentioned that they opened the next morning for breakfast a 7am - Hummm- my mind was already processing how we could work in breakfast at Margarets and still get to Boston on time. Patsy wanted to sleep in so when we got back from dinner we bid farewell to our travel companion extraordinare - our friend and oh what a wonderful time we had with our dear Patsy! Carol and I felt if we got up on time - we could run over to margarets and have a nice breakfast to send us home to Florida. Needless to say it was enjoyable and I got to experience one more new england dish linguiuse or something like that - a portuguese sausage in my omelet oh and norwegian pancakes with lingonberry jam - WOW - I was determined to finish my trip with another food memory!

The weather all week was lovely - seems new england was crying that we were leaving - it started to rain just as we left Margarets and rained on us all the way to Boston - heavy at times but we arrived in plenty of time to turn in the rental car. Carol's flight was hours earlier than mine so it was sad saying good bye to my good friend and travel companion. I headed to the Delta gate area and proceeded to peruse Borders and buy a book I had seen reviewed on the B&N website - Garden Spells - I still have not finished it but it is a fun easy read. I found a quiet place to sit and I started the page for Carol's Ackworth friendship book. I was honored she asked me to do a page for her book and I eagerly started my favorite page while I sat and pondered the past week and tucked away all my memories in that secret place we hold so dear.

Happy Memorial Day!

Memorial Day is a time to remember everyone who has served our country and fought for the freedoms we enjoy today. Lots of people just enjoy a day off from work to cook out or shop the sales or spend time with family and friends. How many people actually remember to thank God and our service men and women for laying their life on the line every day to protect our liberty. What about the veterans and those who have fought on foreign soil and died fighting for our freedom.

I also give thanks to our police and firemen - they fight the fight in every city, town and village in the US every day - protecting us from what seems like a war right here in our midst. The city where I live seems to have murders every day - children being hit by stray bullets - teens killing teens in street wars - So I give all the praise and credit in the world to police officers who step out of their cars into danger every single day.

Wow - need to lighten up a bit but I just needed to say that!!!!!!! Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe Memorial Day!

Now on to the fun stuff - I have been having a little fun lately - earlier in May - I took a class with the Blackbird Design gals at a local quilt shop. They taught 3 classes but I only took the cross stitch class which was a paper covered box which had a little pin pillow in it and a scissor fob. It was great being with Barb and Alma - they are so creative - I would definitely take a class from them again.

The following day I went down to Treasure Island Fl with a guild friend and took the Sampler Huswif class from Ellen Chester of With My Needle. I have had a class with Ellen before and she is always a pleasure to take a class from. I had the good fortune to be invited to stay with a friend on Treasure Island and her lovely home was filled with antique and reproduction samplers. She hosted a small group including Ellen and Tom Chester for dinner on Fri night and what a great time we all had. Saturday after class Beth opened her home to the class participants if they wanted to come and see her sampler collection. It was a great weekend and a most memorable time on Treasure Island.


Not much rug hooking going on but that is pretty typical of me in the summer - I cut way back on my hooking when hot weather arrives. Our rug guild had it annual hook in the end of April at the TPC Senior Center in Ponte Vedra Beach Fl and that was a great day - Got quite a bit of hooking done that day on the Antique Blue Basket - An older WIP of mine - something that needs to be finished up but probably won't get finished this year - it is a very large rug - about 3' X 5' - I took a round of classes from our local rug hooking teacher earlier this year and continued to work on my Adam & Eve cube stool cover - it is completely done now - revision wise and Katie did an awesome job mimicing the elements of an antique sampler that I love called Jane Atkinson. I'll try to show a WIP photo of that piece soon.

Knitting - oh my - I am so dysfunctional - I hop from this to that and just don't get much done. I took a class in May at a LNS - actually she called it a Knit A Long and the pattern was for the cover of the spring/summer Vogue Knitting. Mine is in a lovely chocolate brown and I have not knitted a lick on it since the weekend I started it. Last weekend we were at St Augustine beach and I visited the local shop down there - she had some lovely summer yarn from Filatura called Dusk and I started a cute summer top - it is easy 12 row pattern and I am having a great time with it. Already have about 10 in. done in 8 days.

Needlepoint has been slow too - however I do want to show photos of a lovely needlecase from a class I took last year with Carole Lake and our local ANG guild. I have to admit that my friend Nancy did most of the stitching on this case - All I did was the double fan double stitch on the back of the case and the border around it - Nancy did the rest - it was her generous and wonderful suggestion that we give this to my mom for mothers day as a joint gift. I had the case professionally finished and bought a lovely pair of Dovo scissors to compliment the case.






So - have a great Memorial Day friends! Hope you are spending the day doing whatever you love to do!

Shakespeare the marmoset

Here is my big finish for 2007!

This rug is about 24" X 30" - it is done in a mix of cuts 3,4,5 and 6. I have to give credit to 3 teachers who helped with the color plan and dyeing of the wool for this rug. Vivily Powers did the copper compote and the fruit, Diane Stoffel was the creative genius on the monkey and provided the border and Katie Puckett was the designer of the rug and also provided the backround and the awesome addition of the carpet mat which was not in the original design.

This rug was awarded 3rd place at the Ocean rug exhibit in Jan 08 in the fine cut division. I was very pleased with this recognition.

I don't know why I even have a blog - I promised myself I would learn to use my digital camera and make WIP photos and keep my blog updated more often. Ha - if anything I am worse than I was before not better!

I like to read my friends blogs and see their projects in progress - It is a way to keep up with them when you are not able to see or talk to them that frequently. It is also a good way to show your finishes to friends and acquaintances that may not live in your area of the country or world for that matter. I hope to do better.

2008 has been very busy for me - I'll recap the highlights so far

January was "off the Ocean" rug camp - I took Diane Stoffel again and started a very unique canvas that I purchased at the ATHA national in New Orleans in the fall from a well known Texas designer Bea Brock. It is her Angel Sampler and is full of 6 angels and all sorts of motifs - it is a very busy canvas with very little backround. Diane did a spectacular job on the color plan altho' initially I thought there was too much blue/purple in there for me - My goal was to get all the angel faces done in camp and I accomplished that goal and more. I have worked on it a time or 2 and have 1 large angel complete and a 2nd large angel almost complete.

Also in January was our ANG chapter workshop with David McCaskill - I was smart on this one - I worked on an existing WIP - a design called "Bottles" - several others in our group took this class and others worked on his halloween house and his patrotic candle. He was a very good teacher with a relaxed attitude and fun to be around. I understand he had some health issues just after our class so I hope he is doing well.

February was the long awaited ANG chapter retreat that I chaired for the group. The retreat was attended by 9 members including myself and it was held at the Azalea House B&B in Palatka Fl - owned by a good friend Jill de Leeuw. Jill has a small needlework shop in the inn and specializes in repro samplers. She stocks wonderful linens, threads, kits and charts but she also has needlepoint canvases from Melissa Shirley Designs. Jill was kind enough to arrange for several trunk shows for our shopping pleasure. MSD sent in a great show along with Drawn Thread and Holly Hill which are primarily sampler makers who have released their designs to canvas. She also had a wonderful trunk show from Gloriana Threads showcasing her new line of hand dyed wool Lorikeet. A wonderful time was had by all - we spent hours stitching on the porch - staying up late, laughing , eating and oh - SHOPPING - SHOPPING AND MORE SHOPPING!

March was another rug camp - this time Scrub Hooking in Sebring - this is a camp that I have attended every spring for about 7 years. My mom started rug hooking a few years ago and now the March rug hooking camp is something we enjoy doing together and look forward to. Our good friend and certified teacher Katie Puckett was invited to teach this year in March and we really enjoyed being in her class. Mother continued on her fish rug that she started with Diane Stoffel in January but I started an Adam & Eve cube stool that Katie and I had been collaborating on - it is loosely based on an antique sampler that I have a chart for. The designer was Kim Nixon but we pretty much threw out everything in her design except Eve - the tree and the snake. So . . . . . that project is really coming together very well - I used some wool I had on hand and got some lovely additions to the color plan from Katie. She is doing a round of classes in her studio and I will continue to work on that this spring.

Easter weekend Mom and I always go and visit our ancestral home in Eastman Ga - we clean and put fresh spring flowers out on my grand and great grand parents and g aunt/uncles graves. It is a bittersweet journey - as I have traveled those highways all my life - now it is just mom and I to make the journey and one day there will be just one and then none. That seems so sad to me that one day no one will care about my dear loved ones graves. Oh well - I guess that's life. Wonder why one always starts thinking of these things when a birthday rolls around - another year older and what have we done - I think that was a song!

Signing out now and hoping I come back sooner to show more photos and updates on what is going on in my life.

2007 WHERE DID IT GO?

Is the world spinning faster? Do the weeks and months just fly by for everyone or am I the only one spinning out of control?

2007 in some ways was a very good year. No major illnesses, injuries or accidents in my immediate family for which I am so thankful for.

I remember being so lost and upset last year at this time because of the announcement that my boss was leaving. He was my work rock and I remember feeling lost and desperate however a year has passed and the building is still standing and I am still functioning very well in my position so I guess time does heal all wounds.

Wish I had some progress photos to show but I am happy to say I finished my monkey rug a week ago. What a relief to have another fairly large rug completed. Something to show in the upcoming Ocean rug exhibit. With another camp in just a little over 2 weeks - I am thankful to be starting a rather smallish runner that I picked up from a Texas designer this fall at the ATHA national seminar. The Angel Sampler is by Bea Brock and it is very folk art-y - antique-y and primitive. It should be a challenge to hook all those faces and get the effect I am hoping for and I am excited to be taking Diane Stoffel again this year. She is the teacher who color planned and dyed the wool for my beloved mermaid rug. My next big focus rug to finish is the Antique Blue Basket by Edyth O'Neill also in Texas. The interior motif is complete and about 2/3 of the interior backround is complete but I have the entire border to hook on this 3 X 5 beauty. I expect it will take me most of the coming year to get it completed.

I don't make new years resolutions because I never keep them and then I am disappointed in myself. Much better for me to just say I will try to do something or hope to get something accomplished.

My knitting world is all aglow right now with some recent new starts. A beautiful shawl from the Winter 07 VK is already in progress on the needles in the lovely Colinette Cadenza colorway Mist. I know - it is not a "melody" color but it is very pretty and I needed a change. I have many other knitting projects in various stages of completion. I just finished my first magic loop sock - toe up which I liked doing very much -I thought the short row heel was a bear but I am game to get that 2nd sock cast on as the 1st one fits me so well. Thanks to my mentor Corrina for sticking by me and encouraging me on the magic loop technique.

My stitching world is filled with many WIP's and even more UFOs - I hope to get into organizing my stash in early 2008 and seeing what I can sell,give or throw away. Some of my friends are organizing and downsizing their stash like crazy women so it makes me feel like I am missing something - there must be some hidden pleasure in ditching this stuff -

Also have a needlepoint workshop in early 2008 with a national teacher from California. David McCaskill is coming to teach a 2 day workshop for our local ANG guild - I am working on an existing McCaskill project that I started several years ago at a fave shop downstate but of course never finished. Instead of starting a new project - I am very proud of myself that I resisted the urge and decided to work on a UFO instead.

Well that about wraps up my thoughts on 2007 and my plans for early 2008.

Happy New Year all ~ ~ ~

SWEET NOVEMBER

I LOVE FALL!





This is about as close as we get in North Florida to fall - I travel a lot to Auburn Alabama and last week when I was there I actually saw fall leaves on the trees. It was beautiful! Usually in mid October it starts cooling down here and gone are the oppressively hot humid summer days.





What have I been doing since I posted in June - Wasn't that just a month or two ago????? EGADS! NOT - I can't believe how fast the time is flying by.





My blog is predominately about my love and pursuit of needlework bliss. I fully intended to write a trip blog about my September visit to the ATHA rug hooking national in New Orleans with 3 of my friends. Well - Sept came and went and no trip log - oh well - we did have a nice time at the national - took 2 classes and bought 2 cool new rug canvases and a few toys from the Spruce Ridge booth in the boutique. They had some awesome rug hooks made from exotic woods along with scissor point protectors and magnets to hold your scissors on the hooking surface. I believe everything I bought was burled cedar or some exotic beautiful cedar. Love the new hook and YES I am able to hook with it! Got a great canvas from a Texas designer named Bea Brock - I had met Bea two years prior on a trip to Texas with my friend Karen. She does interesting designs and I bought her Angel Sampler in a runner size along with a 2 X 2 rug for my mom which is adapted from an antique quilt pattern. New Orleans was still somewhat deserted - lots of businesses and restaurants are still closed down. We ate several meals out - Emeril's NOLA, brunch at Brennans', a cajun place which was just a block from the Marriott and very good. Had a great class with Susan Quicksall of Holly Hill designs and a class with Judy Quintman from NC. All in all we had a very nice trip.





I am still trying to finish up my monkey rug - maybe I can put up a WIP photo sometime soon. It is coming along nicely - just have a small amount of back round left and 2 sides of the border.





In my stitching world - I have been focusing for the past several months on a class piece that I was doing with the Dixie EGA chapter in Columbus Ga - Jane Timmers of Fancy Work was down to teach her Charleston Sewing Box class - awesome project - just lovely work from Jane. I did attend one day of the two day class - I got my drawstring (twisted cord) and 2 tassels made - and that was with Jane sitting right by my side helping me! YEP - I am "finishing" challenged - I am well aware now that I need to leave the fine finishing to someone who can do it well. I am going to finish up the blasted little necessary bag on my own but the actual box insert and scissor case and pinkeep - I am sending to a pro!





My other stitching focuses are Faith Hope and Love by Workbasket - my DF Teresa took some WIP photos for me but I have not been able to get them from my home PC to my work PC so I can upload to my blog and the stitching boards I belong to - one day I'll get it done!





In my needlepoint world - I am mainly focusing on a Lee canvas which is to be an insert for one of the Lee tote bags. Very nice little piece done in silks and metallics. Hope to have that finished in the next few months so I can actually use this tote bag to tote my WIP's in!!!!





And the knitting project update - lions and tigers and bears OH MY! ( yep I watched the Wizard of OZ over the weekend) that is the usual state of my knitting world focus - Fall is the worst time of the year for me and my knitting - I get so excited about new yarns - new patterns - I just can't focus too much. I have gone back to my Blue Sky cardi and am finishing up the first front on that one. Also just became reacquainted with my Colinette Cadenza cardi and am also finishing one front. Our LYS (Knit Witz) has 2 knit nights every week and an occasional midnight knitting. I chose the Cadenza cardi for my focus piece for those nights in recent weeks. Kathe just received a lovely shipment of Cadenza and I'm sure it has flown off the shelves. I would love to have more Cadenza but instead bought more Jitterbug from the same shipment and the accompanying book for which I am in love with the cover Swing jacket. I am doing the Copperbeach colorway of which my friend Corrina said "it's a Melody color for sure" My other main knitting focuses are a lovely pullover in Rowan 4ply tweed called Lava by Brandon Mably - it was in a winter mag from last season. Colorwork is very tedious but I do try to devote at least one night a week on this project. Also in the bag are a simple shawl using the new lace weight Malibrigo in a lucious color called Hummingbird and a wonderful shawl in Sea Silk - can't remember the name of the pattern but I got it at my fave LYS Knit Witz.





Well - turkey day is upon us - my mom and I have finalized our menu. The bird is bought so we just need to tweek things and we'll be ready! I am hoping for a 4 day that weekend but haven't gotten the word from my boss yet.





Hope well all have a sweet november with many happy memories!

ARIZONA BOUND

WHOOO HOOO I can't wait till tomorrow when I board the plane for Arizona. I am attending ASG (A Stitchers Gathering) in Scottsdale. Rae Iverson of Moss Creek Designs puts on these events 2 times a year. I will have a class with 3 national teachers one of which is Rae. The others are Ann Pettit from Brightneedle and Betsy Morgan Willing Hands. I am also going on an excursion to Sedona that was arranged by the Iverson's. While I have been to this area of the country before it was 15 years ago and I am anxious to return there. Friday morning we have plans to visit a great local shop called the Attic in Mesa. Now I don't need a thing - if I never bought another piece of linen, chart, canvas or ball of yarn in MY LIFE - I would never use up what I have stashed. Oh well - what difference does that make???? I wouldn't miss the Attic for the world! I have also snooped out a great yarn shop in Mesa - Fiber Factory purported to be "the best in the west" - we'll see if I make it there.

Quick run down of my current WIP's -

Stitching: Just started Martina Dey's Quaker Sal - beautiful contemporary sampler using traditional quaker motifs. I am using 36ct antique white edinborough with two colors Crescent Colors Belle Soie Silks - elegant eggplant and plush plum - ooh la la - it is beautiful - finished my first motif in eggplant and am dying to get the plum in the linen!

Elizabeth McMachen - repro from a sampler in the collection of the Maryland Historical Society - I did this class with Kathy Staples and Kathy Lesieur in Baltimore in April when I attended the Maryland Sampler Symposium. It is lovely in AVAS silks and 30ct Legacy linen. It has a huge rose and rosebud border and a funky folky basket with eccentric flowers in the middle. It has taken a back seat to my new quaker but I will probably haul it to Arizona with me.

Martha Brady an Ackworth Quaker by Needleprints is now in the works. It was my Memorial Day start. It is worked on 34ct Legacy linen overdyed by Lakeside in vintage bisque with the called for AVAS. We'll see how that goes - I love stitching with AVAS but i'm afraid Miss Martha may take a back seat to the new quaker lovely.

Knitting projects - oh my!

I spent some time this weekend preparing my plane projects - I simply could not fly that far without plane(plain) knitting. I have a beautiful Rowan garment - the Wraparound Jacket worked in the colors suggested in Rowan #40 in 4ply wool. I have passed the first armhole and am about at the 55cm point. This jacket is an unusual construction in that it is worked sideways so it will be straight stockinette for eons. Perfect for plane(plain) knitting.

I have a cool and brightly colored Colinette jacket in Prism Jamboree that I may also take - It is from an Interweave Mag earlier this year. It is not appropriate plane knitting b/c it is worked on huge 10.5 needles - straights not circulars and I always fear dropping my needle and having it roll down the aisle and being stuck not able to knit for the duration of the flight - EGAD - not acceptable - so all plane (plain) projects are on circulars! The colors remind of the mexico - so I might drag it along -

Rug hooking projects - and there are many - but my main focus is to finish the monkey/fruit rug. You can see a WIP photo elsewhere on the blog. it is coming along and I need to get another WIP photo soon.

Better sign off here - I have a long night of haggling over what to take to a place where it was 107 degrees today! EEEEKKKK - I sure wasn't prepared for that!

Spring has sprung!

March already?? - It is already unseasonably warm here in North Florida and all the spring flowers, trees and bushes are in bloom. Pollen is so heavy you have to rake it off your car. This is the first year of my life that I have had trouble with my eyes - oh well - middle age has struck I guess!

Had a rug hooking workshop the first of March with Bev Conway from Vermont. Started a canvas out of her repertoire - A fall scene called Pumpkin Patch which has a scarecrow as the focal point. I enjoyed spending time with my friends but the weather was crummy - rained the entire weekend until it was time to go home. Have another rug hooking workshop next weekend in Sebring FL - quite far south where all the foliage is very tropical. I go to this location 3 times a year for 3 day camps and it is glorious. Hook as late as you want - sleep as late as you want - it is just a great time to be had at an old family owned hotel called Inn on the Lakes. I am starting a minature oriental rug with Vivily Powers. I am trying to get a grip on the concept of oriental rugs so that I can return to my huge oriental and do a nice job on it. Hoping Vivily, a long term teacher and someone I have taken before and respect very much can help me drill home that concept.

Am knitting a lot too - Have almost finished one sock out of the new Colinette Jitterbug and close to finishing the back of my colinette cadenza cardigan. Gorgeous yarn - Another midnight knitting at our LYS to look forward to next month.

Stitching - hummm - I am working on a new Long Dog design called St Reatham - gorgeous gigantic sampler - am using Gloriana silk floss in a color called Victorian Garden - hope to get a WIP photo soon. Needlepoint update - am just starting a lovely canvas that I got in the fall at my fave needlepoint shop The Black Sheep in Winter Park Fl - Sadly the owner wanted to retire and has sold the shop but at least it will remain open on the avenue and I hope to visit it soon to see what changes the new owner makes. I plan to keep in touch with the former owner - we have become good friends over the 15+ years I have shopped and taken classes with her. I have an exciting workshop this month with the local ANG guild and a national teacher Carole Lake. 4 of us are also doing a more advanced correspondence course with Carole which we will kick off with an informal meet and greet and dinner during the time she will be in north florida. Lots of exciting things planned for the next several months before the 2nd phase of my project starts up again in Auburn Alabama. Have to have all the fun I can before that gets going and draining the life out of me. Speaking of work - I have just about adjusted to my former boss being gone. My new boss is really kind and has been making some positive changes around here and bless his heart he is getting me a really expensive and ergonomically correct executive chair from Relax the Back store. YIPPEE - I am sooooo excited about that!

MERMAID AWARDED BEST IN SHOW!

Well at long last the Mermaid rug is finished!!!!!!!

I am very proud of the end result and was also very pleased she was awarded Best in the Wide cut category at the "Off the Ocean" rug hooking conference. There were people there from all over the US so I was very pleased at her recognition among all these great rug hookers. I am plotting which rug (s) will be my focus for 2007 and hopefully I will have another big finish for this year. My Edyth O Niell "antique blue basket" is probably at least 1/2 completed as well as the "fruit compote and monkey" - those will probably be my focus rugs for 2007. I started a big oriental in January and have picked out a fall themed rug for an upcoming March workshop. Just a fun piece with a scarecrow and pumpkin patch - nothing as taxing as the oriental!

I finished a lovely knitted hat made out of Blue Sky Hand Dyed Bulky - neat yarn but much too heavy for Florida - I don't prefer to knit on large needles so I would not select that for a garment however I am making a lovely cardigan out of the Blue Sky Hand Dyed Worsted weight and it is just yummy.

Our LYS had midnight knitting this past weekend - fun for all who attended. Our shop owner has ordered some neat sock yarn from Colinette called Jitterbug - I am just a collector of sock yarn - never finished but one pair in my life and they were so huge my SO (significant other) inherited them. The Jitterbug was SOOOO cool - it even enticed me to take out the size 2 DP's and cast on the "simple sock" which was included on the ball band. I purchased "Bright Charcoal" which is one of my fave Colinette colorways - YEP - I am a bonfide Colinette junkie from way back -

Not much to report on my sampler and needlepoint projects. I have a needlepoint workshop next month with Carole Lake sponsored by the local ANG chapter and we are also starting a correspondence course with Carole on a more difficult charted design. I am itching to start a new Quaker sampler called Ann Trump from the Ackworth collection but I am using extreme restraint in the matter as I am just not getting much stitching done these days.

Took advantage of only one Super Bowl sale yesterday and ordered a lovely new Rowan sweater from Whippletree in Vermont - I have been participating in their Super bowl sales for many years now - Can't wait to see what this yummy selection of yarns looks like.

HOLIDAY TIME - CAN IT BE TRUE???

I am sitting here at my desk at work listening to christmas music trying to get "in the mood". I am totally NOT in the mood for the holidays. My job has sucked for so long I can't remember what a normal life is like and now I was informed earlier this week that my boss is resigning. He is my lifeline - my mentor - my ally and mostly my friend - I am just truly devastated over this news. If my work life was not difficult enough - this is going to make things 10 times worse in the coming months. The other distressing thing for this week is that one of my dearest friends had to endure two really horrible surgeries on her back - spinal fusion - thankfully she has made it thru the 2 operations and will now just have to go thru the long healing process.

My mermaid rug is NOT finished - should be but is not - I have so little left to go - I would say about 10 hours of hooking. It simply must rise up and be more important in my life so I can get it done for our local rug exhibit in January.

I have not been stitching at all except a little needlepoint. Every time I try to work on a sampler I just end up making stupid mistakes and screwing up and having to pull out all my progress. I started a lovely new Quaker sampler ( Martha Brady) and had finished the first motif when I realized I had stitched the darn thing in the WRONG color - WOW - can I not do anything right these days???

In my knitting world - all things are right - I am doing a ton of knitting which is not unusual for this time of year. I always go crazy in the fall and winter buying new yarns and knitting like crazy. On my business commute to Alabama - I have 1 1/2 hours in the plane one way and I always knit knit knit - I am very pleased with my knitting projects - guess when things are bad - I always fall back to my first love of knitting - hence my board/blog name Woolwoman - I truly love all things wool.

Here's hoping my next entry will show some completions or at least a better mood for the holidays! Cheers!

Can it be Fall????????

How can it be October already???????? Time certainly flys by. I would say when you are having fun but with my work project consuming most of my time for the past couple of months - I can't say I have been having a lot of stitching fun. I have gotten a lot of knitting done while traveling on the company plane and while I am out of town. It is just easier to focus on knitting than taxing my eyes even further working on tiny linen and a chart. However I do have an update photo to show on my Permin Celle 1826 repro sampler. I discovered a mistake in the motif I am currently working on and had to pull out the whole motif and start over - DRAT - Do I have to be a perfectionist - I figured it was something that might haunt me later so I'd better do the right thing.

I have a neat hooked rug WIP to share. It is a design from my friend Katie Puckett's design catalog. It is called Fruit Vase with Monkey - I started it at a rug camp in March with a national teacher Vivily Power - she did a marvelous job with the wool for the vase and fruit. Katie has dyed the backround wool and a few other colors that I needed to fill in here and there. I plan to tackle the monkey with another national teacher Diane Stoffel at a rug camp in January.
I think he looks like a Marmoset monkey - I'm sure it will be a challenge to get the coloration and markings correct but Diane is super with animals so I think it will be just great. I hope to have a lot more done by January but then there is the MERMAID - OMG - I simply must finish her this year! I won't be able to hold my head up in public if I don't have a rug to display this year at the show in January. I don't have that much more to complete - just about 1/2 of the outer border is it. I must press on. Hope the fall is a great one! My favorite time of the year - Enjoy! Melody

Mermaid sighting!

Wanted to update my blog with a couple of photos taken by my friend Jill at the rug hooking workshop last weekend in Sebring FL. The mermaid is almost finished. WOW - doesn't she look good in these photos!

I am now about 1/2 done with the outer and final border. I won't say how long I have been working on this mermaid but it has been delightful to hook. The colors are so pleasing and the subject matter is interesting. Thanks for looking!

HAPPY 4TH ON THE 3RD

I have some exciting things coming up this week. Off tomorrow for the 4th of July holiday. - YIPPEE !! Always great to have a day off. I am also off Friday this week and heading down to Sebring for the summer Scrub Hooking workshop. I am going to do a giant zinnia pattern and learn to use a dip dye. I chose a pretty rose pink for my main color so the dip will go from practically white to a deep rose pink. Zinnia's were one of my grand mothers favorite flowers and she had them growing in her garden every summer when I was a child. Occasionally she would let me cut some for a little vase on the dining room table. Funny how we recall those fond memories of the little things in our past.

I am starting several stitching SAL's - today a board friend in England is starting a SAL on the Blackbird design Quaker Garden - I have everything kitted up and assembled - ready to go so I will start that tonight. Tomorrow I am doing a tiny little patriotic SAL called "Liberty for You" which is a cute little sheepy holding a flag. Even got my mom involved on that one. Later this week the Mystery Stole SAL starts - clues are to be issued one a week for 6 weeks. I have to get my swatch made up - am hoping to use some stashed 4ply wool instead of going out and buying MORE yarn. Need to check the yardage and see how the swatch looks. The stole was meant to be worked on a lace weight yarn and I do have a lovely skein of Helen's Lace on hand that I was hoarding for just the right project. My friend bought some lovely 50%wool 50% silk lace weight yarn from the LYS on Saturday - she has already completed her swatch and says it is lovely. I did very good to resist buying any more yarn on Saturday.

I am planning a pretty quiet 4th this year. I have the option of going to my folks place at the lake and cooking out and so forth but there are a million visitors on the lake and in the adjoining houses. I am pretty tired and it is a 50mile drive so I think I am just going to chill out at home and get some extra rest in the morning. We might cook a burger or we might go out and get BBQ if there is any BBQ joints open tomorrow. Thankfully we are off from work - the rest of the plan is just whatever comes up.

My mermaid rug is coming along very well - I hope to show a progress photo after this weekend. I only have about 2/3 of the outer (final) border left to go. I will have a BIG finish for this year at least in rug hooking. Actually I have a summer sweater that is nearing completion - I think about 10 more hours will wrap up that project as well. I have beautiful buttons from my trip to NYC last summer - I am anxious to affix them to my hand dyed cotton sweater.

Wishing all my friends and my folks a very happy 4th of July - relax - have fun and take a few stitches!!!!!!!!

ALBERTO

Thought I'd post a little something about our first named storm of the 2006 season - ALBERTO - I work in a historic home on the St Johns River and the waves are crashing the sea wall and splashing over into the road in front of the house. Sea spray is covering all the front windows and the wind whistling down the fireplace sounds so eerie! We have not had much rain with this storm and we are terribly dry here in NE FL. I wish I was at home just curled up in my chair knitting or stitching with a great cup of coffee!

Happy Memorial Day!

Another month has passed since I wrote in my blog. I can't believe how the time just flies by. I have not really accomplished much in May but I did attend a super needlepoint workshop last weekend sponsored by The Sampler Guild of Ga of which I am a member. They had Carole Lake in for her Mary Queen of Scots lecture and to teach a canvas piece that she designed in honor of Mary's insignia. It is a fabulous piece which includes the four symbols that were most special to Mary aka Marie Stuart - the thistle for Scotland, the Tudor Rose to symbolize her joining (trying to join Elizabeth I), the Lily for her love and remembrance of France and the crown to show her reign as Queen of Scotland. It also includes her unique cypher in the center which spells Marie Stuart. We were in Marietta GA and visited Abcedarius a stitching shop while there. One afternoon after class we visited the old square in Marietta and some unique shops and had dinner at a great restaurant on the square called Sympatico. Got my thistle completed in class but had a real hard time with the buttonhole stitch used on the tudor rose. Didn't even attempt the long and short stitch for the lily but will get help from the local shop owner in the future on that one. I regretted that I was unable to visit the local yarn shop in Marietta and I understand they have a great needlepoint shop too - just not enough time to do everything I wanted to do.

In samplers - I am still working mainly on my Celle 1826 and my Long Dog design called Sarabande. Am dying to start a new design by Mariska, a belgium designer - it is called Nine Alphabets and is sorta a french alphabet type design. Still have not started my online class with Joanne Harvey - Hannah Prescott - need to get that underway - I think the colors are beautiful but would have been much more tempting to me if silk was included in the kit instead of cotton.

In rug hooking - man am I stagnant - In the beginning of May our local rug guild had our annual hook-in and I worked on the mermaid. I hope to spend some time on the mermaid again this weekend. If she never gets out she will never be finished. But she MUST be finished this year - must must must!

In knitting - I have had a lot of fun knitting in May. I picked up some lovely yarn while in Charleston in April along with a great simple jacket. After knitting along for about 4 inches I realized that the pattern stitch did not show up at ALL with this particular yarn. YIKES - So now I have purchased MORE yarn to go with my FREE pattern! I have restarted the jacket and am about at the same point I was at when I ripped out the first attempt. Need to get my Noro Silver Thaw jacket finished up so it will be ready for fall. Just need to do side seams on my ROwan Soft Tweed vest and it will be completed. Have several summer tops in progress or planned - better get busy on them. A leftover project from last year is a great looking summer cardi out of a hand dyed cotton from Peru with great buttons from the button shop in NYC I purchased while on a trip there in June last year. Better pull that to the top of the stack - it is close to completion and could possibly be used this summer or late fall.

Don't forget the moment of silence at 3pm on Monday to honor those who have served our country. Happy Memorial Day to all !!!!

CELLE WIP

I am participating in a SAL (stitch a long) on a world wide internet board of sampler enthusiasts called Legacy. Actually I am participating in many SAL's - some are getting more attention than others! Currently I am really enjoying working on a large sampler from the Celle Museum collection in Germany. It is a motif sampler - reminscent of a quaker sampler however I do not think they feel the stitcher was Quaker. Here is my current WIP - There are several north florida sampler enthusiasts and friends who are working on this SAL. Mine is stitched with Gloriana Charcoal silk and is worked on 36ct Vintage Lt Examplar linen from Lakeside. I have many sampler charts in my stash and a lot of them started or in various stages of completion. I have done cross stitch since the early 80's expanding my interest in decorative stitches in the 90's and for about the last 7 years I have mainly focused on samplers and the history that goes along with sampler making in the US along with the other countries in the world where sampler making was practiced. The historical aspect is almost more interesting than the actual stitching. Many samplers are reproduced and released as charts or kits to be stitched in the likeness of the original. I find it a fascinating interest and wish I had more time to devote to travel and study. My previous post covers what it is like to go to a sampler symposium. I am very excited to be planning a trip to the Ackworth Quaker School in Leeds England in the winter. This is a long planned event and will attract participants from around the world. Our studies will be focusing on the Quaker schools samplers and their makers. We will actually be staying in the Ackworth School - which has been in continuous operation as a school since the 1700's - Better quit watching Ghost Hunters or I'll be in BIG trouble in that spooky place! First Friday in May - so hard to believe how fast the time just flies by. Tomorrow is our annual Hook-In - our local rug hooking guild sponsors a hook in around the first weekend in May every year. We have 24 participants so far. It is a always a great day of hooking , food and fun. Maybe I'll get another WIP photo of another of my rugs to post on the blog. Until next time . . . . . . . .

CHARLESTON SAMPLER SYMPOSIUM

I wanted to write a short report on the Charleston Schoolgirl Sampler Symposium while it was still fresh on my mind. Rachel Chesser reported that there was about 70% participation on their target number. It was small enough to be intimate and visit with everyone and large enough to be exciting and see a number of "sampler celebrities". My personal excursion was with two fellow Azalea Sampler Guild members and friends. We left Jacksonville FL in the late afternoon on Wednesday heading to Savannah. Our idea was to stay at an inexpensive hotel up on I-95 and go into the historic district to eat at Paula Deen's "Lady & Sons" restaurant - NOT - There were about 50 people on the sidewalk and the hostess said "No Ma'am we are sold out for this evening" RATS - She said people stop by the restaurant early in the day to book a seat for dinner. I had previously eaten at a wonderful locally owned restaurant on one of the historic squares called "the Pink House" built in the late 1700's - I was just as happy eating a wonderful dinner there with my two friends and we managed to dodge the rain all evening. Thursday morning we were up like a shot and off to Charleston. We had lunch near our hotel at Jestine's Kitchen. Good southern fare and the BEST fried green tomatoes I had all weekend. Carol and I were taking the sampler class in the afternoon and Karen was planning to go antiquing and exploring with Ellen. Taking a class from Kathy Staples is like being in a time capsule. She talks about the old south like it was a familiar scene to her. She just rolls off such interesting information like it was yesterdays news and not centuries old practices. Our class even included a guided tour thru the exhibit by Kathy - it was spectacular and the adaptation of the antique sampler is just so neat and of course the supplies in the kit were all top quality and wonderfully presented by the Sampler Dames. After the class we rushed down to the Meeting St Inn in the heart of the historic district to check into our room. It was lovely and just as nice as I remembered when I stayed there previously for a museum class. We even had a few minutes to check out the simply marvelous new yarn shop in town KNIT. I had to be dragged out of there because as my blog name suggests (woolwoman) I love yarn and knitting. We vowed to return at our first opportunity. The reception was just wonderful. Shrimp and grits along with finger sandwiches, fresh veggies, dips and libations made it just a fabulous experience. We had to drag our exhausted bodies back to the inn but were so excited about the coming events we didn't even quit talking when we hit the beds and I think it was midnight or after before I drifted into sampler dreamland. Friday was another super day - we had 4 lectures - 2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon - I won't name the speakers because I don't have my notes handy and don't want to slight anyone by misspelling their names or leaving someone out. Suffice to say that they were all wonderful speakers and had the most interesting research to report on. We all walked down to lunch at Rue de Jean - I was very shocked that we had a choice of soup or salad and entrees and even a choice of dessert. It was a great food memory and I was soooo glad I had my knitting with me - no matter how interesting the speaker - it was really hard to stay focused after such a rich and filling meal. Friday night we had dinner reservations at Carolina's - one of my very fav local restaurants - We had a large party - about 20 of us - it was very nice to meet a few women from England and some other sampler nuts from near and far. It is always wonderful to visit with old friends and make some new friends. Saturday morning Kathy Staples wrapped up the lectures and then if you signed up for optional tours they commenced at 11am. I was lucky enough to be in the morning group of the walking tour. The afternoon tour got rained out but got a very cool private tour of the exhibit with Kathy - I don't think anyone was disappointed and everyone was dry and safe. The walking tour was fascinating - we saw so many lovely historic homes and buildings and even saw some of the homes and sites of the girls schools from that era. Saying that I was exhausted after that walk is a total understatement. I was BEAT - I am not used to doing a lot of walking and the stormy weather had brought in the humid heavy feeling in the air. We stopped for lunch again at Rue de Jean and it was very good. I was signed up for the archival tour in the afternoon and saw many more samplers and interesting items from behind the scenes. Upon leaving the museum Carol dropped Karen and I at KNIT - WHOO HOO finally able to peruse that yarn shop. Honestly there was so much stuff in there I was hard pressed to make a decision - I say hard pressed but not impossible. I came home with a bag of wonderful swirled merino wool to make a neat jacket - how appropriate it is called Argyle - better get knitting if it will be ready for Ackworth! Saturday night we met another group at COAST - a restaurant near the museum - not my personal fav but I think everyone enjoyed the evening. Sunday morning we decided to get on the road and catch lunch at the Cracker Barrel on the way. We finished up our last meal together and what a wonderful way to end 4 glorious days of total sampler saturation. I hope others will write about their experiences and views on this sampler event. I was at the one in 2001 and this one was equal if not better than before. If you missed it this year - be ready for the next one and do come and visit America's First Museum!

FINALLY FRIDAY!

I am excited to make this post - I finally have a WIP photo of my mermaid rug. It is adapted from a folk art painting by M Shaw. For the rug hookers it is a Spruce Ridge design and has now been retired and is no longer available. WHEW - I feel lucky to have gotten it. Ooddles of people are now trying to get it and can't. I have now almost finished with the middle border which is a dark blue. The seaweed is almost all finished and YAHOO - I see a finish in sight for 2006 on this rather large rug. I will warn you that my rug is anatomically correct. This photo was taken in early December by a friend and fellow guild member. I am making this my focus project in hooking for this year until it is completed. Diane Stoffel was my teacher on this rug and she had complete creative license on the color plan. However I certainly do love the colors even though they are not typically colors that I am drawn to.