Ewe and Eye

New Wools

2012-01-23T07:45:00.000-08:00

Just received these wools last week. I am going to work left to right so you can get a good idea as to what they are.

1. One-inch grey and off white squares. Great for sheep or very good as an over-dye.

2. A wonderful reversible green. I stole a piece for myself it is such a good color.

3. Off-white window pane. Great for an over-dye.

4. Grey and taupe boucle'. We have had something similar to this before. It is reversible and works well for sheep faces or even bodies.

Yardages are washed and ready to go. Retail price is $14.00 per half yard.

Think warmer temps..........

2012-01-23T07:32:00.000-08:00

Hot off the frame..............Mom has just completed this project. It is smaller than some we have had. Don't know about you but sometimes I like a smaller project so I can get it completed.............or atleast I think that I can!

This is the only one I have drawn up at the moment but hope to have some done within the next few weeks.

For those of you that were wondering why I had posted anything within in the last few days....................well, Natalie's dog decided chewing on the cord that gets the pictures from the camera to the computer would be a really GREAT idea. NOT! I had to purchase a new cord therefore delaying posts on the blog! Gotta love a go-getter!?!

I HATE to think of how much money this dog has cost me.........................just in replacements!!!

How The Mind Works............................

2012-01-16T09:34:00.000-08:00

The other day I was in one of those moods where I wanted to work on a project. The above project is for the shop and was started LAST year. I sold the background I was going to use and that is ALL the farther I have gotten (I think I did hook the e this year). I decided I did NOT to work on that so......................

This project is 95% complete and was started last spring...............I did NOT want to work on it either. So................

This I started this fall and went great guns but then got side tracked. NO, didn't want to work on it either. Onto the next.................


This project was started as it wasn't selling in the shop and as soon as I started it, it sold out. Yes, it is 95% complete as well. Didn't feel like working on that one either. So, when all other projects do not catch your eye..............................START a NEW one!! Yes, it is totally unrelated to rug hooking. I like samplers and have had this sitting ready to go for sometime now. I promised myself I would work 30 minutes a day as that ISN'T that much time and it was ME time!! Now, why do you suppose I couldn't spend 30 minutes of ME time on one of the projects that I have already started as some are CLOSE to completion? Pretty sure I might just need to have my brain checked out?! Seriously, why do I do things like that? Now, I have just added ANOTHER unfinished project to my pile!!

New Applique Patterns

2012-01-08T13:21:00.000-08:00

Two NEW patterns from Heart to Hand. My Sewing Room is 33 x 45 wool-appliqued wall hanging with handy pockets to stow your stuff. Pattern retails for $9.00

Snowy Days is 23 x 37 wool appliqued and yarn embroidered quilt wall hanging. Hard to think about snowmen when it's 40 degrees outside but.............................there's always next year!! Pattern retails for $9.00.

We have MORE wool applique patterns on the way! I can't wait for them to arrive!!

G is for .....................................Gabriel

2012-01-03T09:20:00.000-08:00


G is for Gabriel the Guardian Angel. We (Natalie) had Grandma's name for Christmas this year. I have gotten myself into a pickle by giving a hooked doll when we have Grandmas name.

I knew that I wanted to do an angel I just wasn't sure HOW to put it altogether. I sat down in church the Sunday before Christmas and there was an angel on the front cover of the bulletin. I quickly sketched out a design and knew things would fall into place.
Tuesday I drew out the wings and began hooking........................gift was due on Friday by 5. I sculpted the head using Sculpy clay but wasn't sure how to attach it to the wings.
Friday morning I called Grandpa and said I needed some help. I took all the pieces and 30 minutes later the head was attached and I was ready to finish up Gabriel.
He needs a little something for his hands and I think we decided that a horn would look really good so Grandma will be on the look out for that!
It's always great to do something a little out of the ordinary.

The letter of 2011.........................G

2011-12-30T16:34:00.000-08:00

For those of you that don't know Mom started a tradition about 7 years ago that began with the letter A. That means.......................each year we have a different letter and our gifts that we give have to begin with that letter. 2011 was the year of the G gifts.
Now if you know my mother at all she tends to go OVERBOARD with the whole idea and by the end of the night we are all very TIRED of the letter.
As you can see Mom can decorate a pretty good table. We had a gingham table cloth, green candles, gauze that ran down the center of the table and a Gatorade at every place setting.

Cheap GAUDY snowmen also found a spot at the table!

Yes, this is mom...........................she and Dad were our GREETERS!!

After we eat Mom reads a story that has LOTS of the letter G in it that she has so carefully written! We are all given a package and every time a word begins with G we pass the gifts. Now your gift may be grand or it may not but it begins with the letter G.

My brother Jeff received a very fine box of Gas-X. We also had a giraffe, gorilla, grease and ginger.

I believe these fell under the GRIPS category?
Grinch sleep shorts, pants and shirts were also wrapped up.

So, next year is the letter H. Mom has already bought gifts and the ideas start swirling before the evening is over. The question is..................can she remember where she stashed the H gifts?!?

Santa's Workshop

2011-12-30T15:38:00.000-08:00

When ideas come to me sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. This one did. If you received the last issue of the magazine Primitive Place then you may recognize this Santa. In the back of the magazine was a Santa ornament that you could make from Sculpy clay. I decided that it would be a fun project to do with Grandpa and Grandma. I bought the supplies and made the soup and we were off.

The creativity has begun.................

Lots of concentration going on............

Santa heads ready for baking. Yes, that's a reindeer in the right hand corner...........he didn't fare so well!!
Below, Santa has facial hair and rosy cheeks!! We had a great time and it was fun to see how everyone's Santa came out differently! Grandpa's Santa even had ears!!!

Remember This?

2011-12-01T14:10:00.001-08:00

Do you remember this? Does it resemble a living room? I thought that I would show you a before and after picture so you would understand my frustrations.

The other day when I couldn't sleep I started to count the number of months that the plastic sheeting has hung between my living room and dining room..............9 months......and that was the SECOND time!!
I decided I had be patient long enough. The goal was to have it completed before the college crew came home for break.........................and we did!!

Yes, this is a very empty wall. I didn't want to put anything on it until I got a cupboard in there. I want a cupboard that I can put a small television in and shut the door. Ultimately, I would like a corner cupboard but don't think that is in the budget right now. I know, the rug is small but I wanted to get a feel for what one would look like. I was going to order one but decided to wait till I get my furniture figured out.

A small table to play checkers or sit with the laptop.........I am hoping that will get them off of the kitchen table. The table is actually from an auction that I purchased several years ago for $25.00. It's walnut and works perfectly there. Jenny refinished it for a 4-H project and it went to the State Fair.

This is my "thinking" chair. I love to sit here with my favorite cup of coffee in the morning before everyone gets up. I can collect my thoughts and figure out the day. Notice the wing back chairs? I purchased them at the consignment shop. There are now green and kinda work but I want something different. I decided that after the first of the year I would "try" and reupholster them. I have done some research and have been told that it isn't that difficult to upholster!?! I may be out of my mind or just plain stupid?!? You may hear my screams over the internet!! I will keep you posted as to the progress.

In our SPARE time...............

2011-12-01T13:52:00.001-08:00

Our days are busy with the kids so thought I would share a few pictures with you so perhaps you MIGHT understand as to why my posts are farther apart than you would like,(besides the fact that I am having trouble with the new blogger). Natalie is a freshman at Buena Vista College in Storm Lake, Iowa. She tried out for the cheerleading squad and made it.

Natalie is known as one of the "flyers".......yes, it means she is the one that gets "tossed" in the air!

The same day we watched Natalie cheer Drew was in the High School play Arsenic and Old Lace. He played the role of a homeless man that was "almost" poisoned.

I think he will "age" just fine.

Sam and Drew both were in the North Iowa Honor Choir representing their school.

Yes, that's Sam sitting with his head in his hands.........looking VERY excited. It does get to be a long day.

Parent's weekend took us to Pensacola, Florida to watch Jenny play volleyball.

We caught all of these activities in about a 7 day period. I was just a little tired to say the least. Some days I ask myself why do we do this to ourselves? If you are a parent you know.........because you wouldn't miss it for the world!!

It's a BOLT load that's getting smaller..............

2011-12-01T13:47:00.001-08:00

Okay, so I have written this post MANY times and am still having troubles with this blogger. For some reason some pictures are VERY big and other are the regular size. We have received 12 new bolts of fabric. Shown are only 6 as I can't get the other picture on without it being LIFE size!! Perhaps you will have to stop by and check out the other 6.

Just In..........New magazines

2011-11-18T12:24:00.001-08:00

We have been patiently awaiting the arrival of these two magazines.

Above A Primitive Place magazine is the Winter Issue. It looks WONDERFUL. I can't wait to sit down and check it out. It retails for $10.00

This is issue 2 of the Folk magazine. I guess the printer decided we could wait a little longer than everyone else.............he/she sent it WITHOUT postage so it went back to the printer. I haven't even skimmed it yet. Folk retails for $6.95

More from Booneville

2011-11-18T11:23:00.001-08:00

The Halloween rug I can write about...........we sold that one. It's a Potted Pear design called "Little Weenie".

I believe this rug was designed and hooked by Elanor B. (hope I am right on that one).

The October rug is also a Potted Pear design and I LOVED the way they rolled strips of wool for the ends. Very clever...............:)

This is how I feel somedays.......especially when it comes to technology!! It was actually part of the table decorations. Great Job Girls!!!

Booneville Hook-In...................take 3

2011-11-18T11:13:00.001-08:00

The end of October, the 31st to be exact Mom and I vended at a hook-in in Booneville, Missouri. It was our first time there and the 2nd year for the hook-in itself. It was held in an old building located just off the main drag in Booneville.

There were lots and lots of people and they were treated like Kings and Queens...........yes, there were even a couple male hookers!

There were many rugs up on the old stage. They were a little hard to photograph as the lighting was dark. I don't know who they belong to but thought you would enjoy taking a peek.

I will give it a try................

2011-11-18T09:54:00.001-08:00

Well, here we are several days later. I am minding the shop today so I have some uninterrupted time to work on the blog. I seem to keep falling off the blog wagon. Okay, if you read the last post you will know that blogger has made some changes and I haven't figured them out yet.

Above are two rugs that Mom and I have recently completed. Bless This House was hooked by Mom and I hooked the Pineapple Chunks. Mom has completed another one since and I seem to be moving SLOWLY with several in the works. Both of these rugs are available in the shop to stop by and check them out.

Change

2011-11-11T07:29:00.001-08:00

For those of you that witnessed the MANY pictures of our completed projects....please forgive me. Yesterday I sat for (I hate to admit how long) what seemed like hours trying to poston the blog. I was VERY proud of the fact that I actually got a post done.I hate to admit my failings but I really stink at electronics......I love how theywork but sometimes I HATE when there is change. Blogger decided to change the "Look"..........well, let me tell you that's not all they changed!! Mom so kindly informed me this morning that there were SEVERAL photos of our two rugsLet's just say it's a little embarassing when the photos are larger than life. :) I did remove the pictures and will try to repost them........but not today as my computer is at home.So again, I apologize and hope to be better at this new change as time goes along. Oh, and if you see something weird on here........please let me know. It's kindalike going all day with your pants unzipped!?!

Jill Peterson's New Book

2011-10-04T08:30:00.000-07:00

Jill Peterson's New book............Simple Cooking for A Simple Life is wonderful. A hardcover book featuring simple recipes from antique collectors and dealers. Photographs of kitchens, butteries and taverns. Book retails for $24.00
Trust me...............you will want to get your mixing bowls and whip up a recipe!!

New Book

2011-09-30T06:55:00.001-07:00

Just In.......................Judy Condon's latest book. Holidays At A Country Home is all about Christmas. LOTS of great decorating ideas for the holidays............get a jump start!!
The book retails for $24.95

Homecoming at Buena Vista University

2011-09-26T06:20:00.000-07:00

Saturday we took a short trip to visit Natalie at Buena Vista University. We left at 7 a.m. and arrived shortly after 10:30 a.m. We had a great lunch just outside the football field and then headed to the game. The Beavers won and some of us actually got sunburned! Natalie made the Buena Vista Cheerleading squad but is not quite ready to cheer. We will be making another trip to see her perform. She will be one of their "fliers"...............yes, that would be the one that gets tossed in the air!?! I didn't get any pictures of Natalie..........those will come later. I thought that I would share this "lovely" picture of the men in our family.............don't they all looked thrilled to be there?

#!#@*# DOG

2011-09-21T03:36:00.000-07:00

Look at that face. Does that look like the face of a dog that would destroy anything?

Let me give you a little history about this dog named Cooper. A couple years back the girls and I were visiting the mall and came upon a pen of puppies. Natalie wanted one soooooooooooo badly. Dad said, "NO" and Mom said, "If you use your own money." Well, that didn't work out so good............we came home with the puppy.

The "perfect" dog that we already had wouldn't even be on the same floor as the "new" dog. That should have been my first clue!!

I can't even tell you how many things this dog has destroyed. He seems to have a fetish for my underwear, yes, he has eaten too many pairs to even count!

This morning I came down stairs at 5 a.m. to find a special surprise.

Last night I sat and hooked while listening to Jenny play volleyball. I was very proud of myself that I actually worked instead of just sitting.

I found my most favorite hook laying on the floor.............NOT where I had put it when I was done hooking!!!!

YES, he ATE my hook! I couldn't believe my eyes. There were actually splinters laying on the floor beside the hook. If I could kill this dog AND get by with it he would be GONE!!

Drinking a cup of coffee................(I seriously thought about something stronger) I wondered what I was going to do.

So, I think I am going to sand it and use it the way it is UNTIL I can get another one that hasn't been eaten by a dog named COOPER!!

It's Here................Folk Magazine

2011-09-20T13:05:00.000-07:00

Well, the much anticipated magazine is finally here. I am not sure how I found out about this magazine but I thought it would be great for our shop. The magazine is published, written and edited by college students...............yes, college students. By the way, they are very proud of the University of Kentucky Wildcats!!

It is the FIRST ever issue and has sold out of all copies that were printed. They love the primitive, simple style of the country life. Most of them grew up with families who cherished the simple pleasures in life.

Now, I don't usually admit my faults in public but when it comes to magazines I am a "picture looker-ater." However, I have read several articles and I haven't finished "looking" through the magazine. I can't really explain it other than it's different from your "usual" magazine. I sat with my laptop and looked up web sites, drooled over the cake recipes by Aunt June and thought of ways to make it to all of these places!!

I am ready to make the Pea Picking Cake and the Witch doll that comes in the magazine. Now, if you are like me and like to look at the pictures.............they are fabulous to say the least.

We have already placed our order for the next issue...............Christmas
The magazine retails for $6.95 an issue and we have 10 left..........YES, of course, we took one for ourselves!?!
Let me know if you would like to have a personal copy.

You know it cool weather when.....................

2011-09-16T05:35:00.000-07:00

It's time. Yesterday we had a good frost and it was a little chilly in the house. I was standing in the kitchen and turned around and there was Sam wearing his hat. He looked at me and said, "It's time for the hat". Sam wears this hat from early fall to early spring. We usually spend 15-20 minutes looking for it every morning as he can't remember where he left it last! It has even taken a couple of rides on the bus. The hat was a gift from his sister TWO years ago. She never dreamed that he would wear it this much!!
Here's to the hat!

It's here!

2011-09-13T18:34:00.000-07:00

Yes, it arrived this afternoon. We watched as the postman loaded the package into the mailbox...........aren't we terrible? We would hate to be too anxious!? I haven't even had a chance to flip through the pages yet but it looks good. It talks about the history of Magdalene and how her rugs came to be.
The book is a softcover and retails for $24.95
Call or email for your copy.

Threads That Bind

2011-09-12T16:08:00.000-07:00

On our way to Warsaw, Missouri we took in a few stops. We had a couple of favorite antique shops that we stopped at along with a few new ones. A few treasures were bought and even used in our booth!! On the way home we stopped in Macon, Missouri to see the new home of Threads That Bind. Words cannot describe this place. It is an old building located in downtown Macon. I only took a few pictures because it isn't "officially" ready yet. There are wood floors through out the main area and they are beautiful. Tin ceilings cover the entire first floor and they are in mint condition. We were so excited just looking at it that we chatted all the way home about it. Shawn will do amazing things with this place. We will be sure and let you know when the retail store is up and running!!

Pennies by the pound? Believe it or not these two pieces of furniture were bought about 10 years apart! I was with Shawn when she bought the top cubby............I wanted it too but she saw it first!! The paint is identical and it is a match made in heaven! Shawn plans to put different size pennies for customers to purchase by the pound. The scale is sitting to the right. What fun...........I am sure that I will need some!?
Note the wood floor..............it was laid on the diagonal. Don't you ever wonder how some things survive 100's of years and others don't?

This is a picture of one of the store front windows. It is displaying some of Shawn's wonderful creations. I took a picture of the other window but it didn't turn out as well. To keep the displays from fading there are black and white awnings that can be hand cranked.

Just a closer look. You all would be soooooooooooo jealous if you saw it in person! Shawn is a dear friend and we are very excited for her. I have been trying to come up with excuses to go back down and visit but so far none have panned out!! We even offered to be live models in her window!!!

Warsaw Missouri Hook-In

2011-09-12T15:23:00.001-07:00

Warsaw community center is where the hook-in was held and where we vended. The scenery was BEAUTIFUL!!

Patty's helpers dressed like lambs and sang a song to Beach Boys Barbara Ann.....it was very entertaining!!

A view of the water. It was so peaceful there. I had to laugh......when we checked into the hotel there was a sign that read "Please do not clean fish in your room" We got a good chuckle out of that.

Pictures of our booth

We had a fun time and met LOTS of new people and a few old friends. The rug hooking world is full of such wonderful, caring people!

2011-09-08T19:46:00.000-07:00

IT'S HERE........................Maggie's latest book Buttonwood Farm. The projects are WONDERFUL and make you want to get started on a project right away. Wool applique, rug hooking, bed cover, strawberries, crewel pillow................even a quilt!!
Retails for $24.95.
Email or call to get your copy!

Labor Day Weekend

2011-09-07T17:35:00.001-07:00

Jenny's biggest fans!!

Jenny and one of her roommates/teammates

I would hate to be on the other side of the net!

Can't you tell where she gets her height?! :)

Well, let's just put it this way......................102 degrees outside and 100 + inside the gym that had NO air conditioning!! We sweat and didn't even play!!

Early in the morning................don't they look "fresh"?

Little brother got to miss school and come along and no he didn't want his picture taken. Despite the 8 hour drive and ALL the cherry pies that Mom ate we had a great trip and it was good to she Jenny again!

Good things are coming..............

2011-09-07T17:17:00.001-07:00

We have several new books, magazines that are on their way and should be arriving within the next 2 weeks.
First, Maggie B's new book should arrive this Friday. It is enroute as I post this blog. The book is titled Buttonwood Farm. There is rug hooking, wool applique, bed rugs, pillows and more. Maggie uses blue and white as her theme. The blue is the old indigo color from the past. The book retails for $24.95

Second, we are anxiously waiting the arrival of a book about Magdalena Briner and her rugs. The cover looks fabulous and I can't wait for them to arrive!! I believe the book retails for $24.95. If you love primitive rugs then you MUST have this book in your library.

Third, we are waiting for a NEW magazine to arrive. The magazine is called "FOLK". I believe that the first ever issue was shipped out today. The magazine will retail for $6.95. I could tell you more but I want to hold you in suspense.

Fourth, we will be receiving TWO new books by Jill Peterson. Tis The Season Christmas Eve with James Cramer and Simple Cooking for a Simple Life will be coming the first part of October.

Lots of new things coming your way. If you would like to reserve your copy of any of these books/magazines please feel free to email us and when the book/magazine arrives we will ship it out to you. I will also post a picture as soon as it officially arrives in the shop.

50 YEARS and still speaking............................

2011-09-07T16:59:00.001-07:00

Well, it's pretty sad but I don't seem to have a picture of my parents standing side by side. Memorial day weekend we drove to Indianapolis, Indiana to watch my daughter Jenny play in her first collegiate volleyball tournament. On Saturday, September 3 my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Yes, 50 years!! I tried to make a post from my Ipad but it wouldn't let me so this is a little belated to say the least.
Two Cherry pies from McDonalds and a box of Hostess Ding Dongs helped celebrate the day!!
Congratulations to the both of you and thanks for being such wonderful examples!! Love You!

Wild Daisies

2011-08-31T13:52:00.000-07:00

This is one of our designs called "Wild Daisies" JoAnn T. from Newton is hooking this and doing a FABULOUS job. She has a 60's themed kitchen and this rug when finished will hang there. JoAnn is hooking the jar so it looks like you can see through it. Nice job JoAnn.
The mat retails $46.00.

Latest Issues

2011-08-31T13:08:00.001-07:00

The latest issue of Primitive Quilts and projects is in the shop now. It is filled with new projects to make your home fill like fall. The Fall 2011 issue retails for $9.99.

The Fall 2011 issue of A Primitive Place & Country Journal is also in the shop. Lots of wonderful goodies for your eyes to look at. This issue retails for $10.00

More photos from Newton

2011-08-31T12:35:00.001-07:00

These puzzle pieces were hooked by Sharon Townsend

Santa was hooked by Linda Cookman of Fort Dodge

Hooked by Elsie Ulland of Newton

A new rug of Sharon Townsend's called "Transition"

FINALLY! We all have watched JoAnn work on this beautiful piece of artwork. The cornfield is finally finished and it is beautiful. Sorry the picture isn't better.

Hooded by Sharon Townsend's granddaughter. It won a purple ribbon at the Iowa State Fair!! Congratulations!

Paisley by Sharon Townsend. Note that parts of the paisley are cut out.

Lemonade anyone? This piece of 3-D is truly amazing. Hooked and designed by JoAnn Tomlison, Newton Iowa.
Many of these rugs were at the Iowa State Fair this year. Way to go ladies.

Newton Hook-In

2011-08-28T17:16:00.001-07:00

I wanted to share some of the rugs that were in the rug show in Newton. I don't know who hooked all of the rugs but when I do have an idea I will tell you. I believe the above rug is hooked by Sharon Townsend's daughter.

This is our BYOP floral rug hooked by Sue Bryan of Newton.

Sorry I don't know this one.

This rug is HUGE!! I believe it is 5x5

A second look is always good! ;)

The last two pictures are our booth!

Green Devil Marching Band

2011-08-28T17:07:00.001-07:00

Friday night was the first home football game as well as the first performance of the Osage HS marching band. Pictured above is my oldest son Drew (junior) playing a bass drum of some sorts. Below, is Sam (freshman) playing a tuba. I witnessed first hand Sam running into the person in front of him (who had stopped) because he was so busy playing the music!! It looked quite funny from the stands! Sam said he can either play or march but can't do both very well.............hopefully that will improve!?

Another one off to college........

2011-08-28T16:54:00.001-07:00

Then there were two............another bird has flown the nest. We took Natalie to BVU last Thursday. We got her bed lofted, refrigerator full, made yet another trip to Walmart and shed some tears. Classes begin for her on Monday. Pictured above is Natalie and her roommate Lindsey. Lindsey is from Pennsylvania and is studying nursing. I think it is a match made in heaven.......................they both LOVE the color pink!!!!

Then There Were Two...............

2011-08-25T05:46:00.001-07:00

Yes, it's the first day of school. As tradition would have it we take a picture. As you can see the boys were not thrilled ! Both in High School and no longer riding the bus to school. I can't believe it. Seems like yesterday that they were getting on the bus for their "First" day of school.

Drew is a junior and Sam a freshman. Here's to another school year!

Recipe as promised

2011-08-20T12:34:00.000-07:00

This is the recipe that you were all asking about at our BYOP. I hope that I have it all recorded correctly. Enjoy.............sounds good right about now.

Cornbread Salad

1 pkg (8.5) cornbread mix (or make the cornbread recipe on box of cornmeal)

Dressing
1 envelope dry ranch style dressing mix
1 1/2 c. sour cream
1 1/2 c. mayonnaise

Salad
1 (16 oz) can pinto beans, drained
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained (whole kernel)
1/2 c. chopped onions
1 chopped orange bell pepper
1 chopped sweet red pepper
1 pkg frozen peas
2 large tomatoes, chopped and drained well
2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese, more if you like
10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

1. Prepare cornbread mix according to directions
2. combine ranch dressing, sour cream and mayo
3. Combine all veggies
In a 3 qt. container, layer half of the cornbread broken up, half veggies, half dressing, half cheese and half the bacon. Repeat. Cover and Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Happy Birthdays

2011-08-20T12:27:00.000-07:00

First, I want to say thank you to all of you who sent prayers our way. Things are getting back to normal here so I hope to be more regular with the posts.

Secondly, I want to say Happy Birthday to my Dad (yesterday) and Happy Birthday to my Mom (today). I have been blessed with such good examples. May you have many more years to come.
I love you both.

Closed

2011-08-13T19:55:00.000-07:00

Our shop will be closed on Tuesday, August 16, 2010 due to the death of my father-in-law Dale Bellairs.

Rugs from the BYOP

2011-08-11T15:59:00.000-07:00

Hooked by Karen Carey of Marshalltown

Sharon Townsend?

"Pumpkin Guy hooked by Charlie Reeves

Antique Reproduction by Charlie Reeves

Rug design by Anita White hooked by Elsie Ulland

BYOP PICTURES

2011-08-09T13:24:00.000-07:00

Busy with wool applique

At least ONE of them is working...... :)

I wish I looked this happy when whipping a rug!!

Morning roll call

Hard at work!

Specialty wools and new patterns

More wool and patterns!

Challenge Rug................American Dream

2011-08-09T07:27:00.001-07:00

As promised, here are the Challenge Rugs........................American Dream. I was worried about getting the proper picture taken and what I should have worried about was getting my foot out of the picture!!!!! I don't know about anyone else but it was exciting for me to see how the same pattern can be done in so many ways. Everyone is getting more creative with each rug that you do!! The above rug is done by Charlie Reeves

Elsie Ulland created this rug................I do believe that is Miss Fertile in the center.

Karen Carey got creative with her rendition and has her wedding anniversary in the center with two trees.

Avis Shrier, of Joined At The Hip, added her quilting block to the center of her rug. I know there was meaning behind this block but I think I forgot to ask...............sorry.

Sharon Townsend from Altoona I believe hooked her rug in less than a week? Hit and Miss surrounding a grouping of flowers.

Last but certainly not least this rug is hooked by Marge. She got creative and placed her 4 wonderful children in the center of this rug! ;) Nice job Mom

Just curious to see if anyone has begun next years challenge rug? Mom has her wool picked out but has yet to start! Looking forward to next year already!!

YIPPEE!!!!!!!

2011-07-31T05:46:00.000-07:00

Yes. YIPPEE....................a great day was had by all. We met new friends and caught up with "old" friends. I didn't get as many pictures as I would have like to but will be posting them within the next few days. I promise to be better at blogging. I am hoping that our schedule will be a bit more normal...............if there is such a thing!?!

Washington DC trip

2011-06-10T06:13:00.000-07:00

Dave and I had the privilege to be chaperones for our high school band trip to Washington D.C. We were gone for 4 days from start to finish. We left the high school parking lot at 2 a.m. on June 1st and returned June 4th at 2 a.m. We had a rough start to the trip with airline reservations for 80 but no tickets!! Somewhere along the line either the travel agent or airline never processed our tickets and Dave and I were omitted altogether! We missed the first flight and ended up taking 3 flights to D.C. At 6 p.m. that evening we all gathered together at a well known restaurant called Phillips Seafood by the waterfront. We were all tired and hungry so I think we would have eaten anything!!

A long the way we meet Abe and his brother while touring the Ford Theater ;)

This was part of day one. We had just arrived in D.C. (at least 1 group) and this is in front of the White House. Don't they looked thrilled? My son Drew is in the blue shirt! He was so excited about the trip that he never went to bed!! It eventually caught up with him..............he fell asleep in the Archives Museum!!

The first concert the band students played was at an Assisted Living Home. The band played on the front yard and we were treated with snow cones and lemonade after the concert! The residents really enjoyed the kids and the music. It was a little windy..........one sheet of music flew as high as two stories.

Wouldn't you love to have this handsome young man sit next to you when you are this age?!

A quick view of the White House

This picture sort of sums up the trip. It is 8 a.m. and the kids were in front of the Washington Monument to play. This poor girl fell asleep on the sidewalk while we were waiting for stands and drums to arrive. Can't imagine the sidewalk was very soft! I am just now getting back to normal. The chaperones averaged 31/2 hours of sleep each night.............we had hall duty too! All in all it was a fun trip and the kids handled themselves well.

PROGRESS!!!

2011-05-28T09:06:00.001-07:00

The stone is all in and the workers have left..............at least for now. This is Mom and Dad's new fireplace. It really classed up the place..........not sure they were ready for that? ;) I think Dad is working on the mantel over the holiday weekend. A new one has to be constructed and I believe that it will wrap around the fireplace? Not sure on that one. Oh, just for smiles.......if you look close you can see my legs in the picture!! :)

Dad is tired of living in the mess......................I told him he has 7 years to go before he can complain!!!! It looks wonderful and I can't wait to see what Mom decides to hang over the mantel........................no pressure Mom!

State Track Meet Results

2011-05-28T08:58:00.000-07:00

I feel as though I am a little out of sorts as well as out of order here. I got lost in the shuffle of all the events that have been going on in our family. Someone asked me how the girls did at the State Track Meet. They ran their best time and placed 15 out of 24. It wasn't good enough to place in the finals but the girls were pleased with the fact that they actually made it. It was a great way for 2 seniors to end their final track meet!

As promised................

2011-05-28T08:29:00.000-07:00

Well, as promised here a couple of pictures that I had to share. Below is the rug that I hooked for Natalie as a graduation gift. It is completed except to hand sew the binding on the back side. She was pleased...............especially when she saw that her dog, Cooper was included!! I am just glad that it is done!!!
When I told Natalie that I was making something "rug hooking" she said, "I'd rather have a quilt instead"! So.........like an idiot I thought........................why not do both!? Well, good thing her older sister came home. We ran into complications.....................decided to make it bigger and didn't have enough fabric, sewing machine stopped working and couldn't stay up late enough!!! Jenny was determined to say the least and she was up till 1:30 a.m. working on it and finished it at 11 a.m. the day of the party..................I went to bed!! Truthfully, Natalie was more excited with the quilt but that's okay...........I picked out the colors. Just in case you haven't figured it out yet Natalie loves bright colors like bright orange, green and of course PINK!!
Now, she asks me every day when we are going to get it machine quilted!!! Can't wait until she is a parent! :)

Pattern by Vermont Folk Rugs.............with a few changes.

She Did It!!

2011-05-23T17:50:00.000-07:00

Busy, busy weekend! On Sunday 94 seniors walked across the stage to receive their diploma and my Natalie was one of them! She graduated 4th in her class with a 3.97. Next, she will begin classes in the fall at Buena Vista in Storm Lake, Iowa to study Biology and minor in Spanish. Congratulations, Natalie I am so proud of you!

2 new books

2011-05-17T19:46:00.001-07:00

The latest book from Judy Condon called The Spirit of Country. It retails for $24.95

Primitive Place Magazine issue arrived this morning and I have only had a chance to quickly thumb through the pages. Looks like another keeper!! It retails for $9.95. Towards the back of the issue there are lots of garden pictures.............fun ideas.

PRIMITIVE QUILTS AND PROJECTS

2011-05-17T09:02:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone. This is going to be a post without pictures. I wanted to let everyone know that we just learned that the magazine Primitive Quilts and Projects has numerous corrections. I printed them off the computer and plan to make copies for the magazines in the shop. If you purchased the magazine from us please email me and I will send you the copy of the corrections. I certainly hope you haven't already started a project!?

I will be posting again as soon as I get home as we have Judy Condon's new book as well as the latest issue of Primitive Place magazine!

Enjoy the sunshine everyone.

State Track here we come...........................

2011-05-13T19:16:00.001-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS to the Osage Girl's Shuttle Hurdle Team!!!! They qualified for the Iowa High School State track meet in Des Moines. They have worked so hard and everyone ran great last night! We are very excited for them...............this is a memory they soon won't forget. What a great way to end your senior year...........yes, that's my Natalie on the left! Right now she is so excited she probably won't be able to sleep.......even though she has been up for 48 hours!!

Bless This House

2011-05-12T04:52:00.000-07:00

This is Mom's latest project called Bless This House. She was stuck out in the shop while her house was torn apart and look how much she got done!! A little each day goes a long way to getting a rug completed!! This is a new rug for us so check it out when you stop in the next time!

Last Track Meet

2011-05-12T04:43:00.000-07:00

District track meet this afternoon. This will be Natalie's LAST track meet in high school! Tomorrow is her LAST day of high school! Where or where have the years gone? Wishing the hurdle team good luck...............run fast and fly high over the hurdles!

Replacement windows leads to............................new fireplace?

2011-05-12T03:27:00.000-07:00

Last year Mom and Dad decided to replace some of the windows in their house. The contractors were there putting them in and suddenly the house filled with gas..........lucky Mom didn't lite her usual candle! To make a very long story short they are now replacing the gas fireplace as well. The old fireplace was not up to code and in order to replace it changes had to be made..........which required more mess. Now the house looks like...................well.............mine! :) Mom says she is getting use to the mess...............unfortunately this does happen!! The stone for the fireplace could take up to 4 weeks. Those of you that are coming for the BYOP should be able to "see clearly" and enjoy the presence of a new fireplace!

Tuba Solo

2011-05-10T07:38:00.000-07:00

In February each of the middle school students prepares a solo for band contest. The judges also choose students that do an outstanding job. If you are chosen you play your solo at the last band concert of the school year in front of an auditorium full of parents, grandparents and teachers. My youngest son Sam plays the tuba and was selected as an outstanding solo. So last night he performed his solo. He did a great job despite the fact he was nervous! Didn't know it took that much air to make a single note......................wonder where he gets ALL that hot air? :)
It was a wonderful concert and fun to hear how the kids have grown in sound over the school year.

Way to go Sam!! Nice job! I am glad your choice was to play the tuba!!

Banana Bread

2011-05-04T19:51:00.000-07:00

This is Sam's banana bread he decided to make at 8:30 this evening! He has taken an interest in baking this bread. I have LOTS of bananas in the freezer and I WON'T complain about someone baking! FYI this bread is only 15 minutes out of the oven and this is all that's left of a full loaf. We all had to have a sample! :)

More greens?

2011-05-04T19:38:00.001-07:00

Yellow and Blue make Green. Right? Well, that depends on what yellow and what blue that you use. The bottom two piles are using prochem dyes and the top pile is using Majic Carpet yellow and Prochem blue. The top picture is a poor picture of what the green looks like. It is actually very pretty and will be used in my library.
Have some fun.............hit the pot.......................dye pot that is! It's fun experimenting and the best part is...........you can't mess up!!!!

Green with Envy

2011-04-30T18:13:00.000-07:00

I have been doing a little dying trying to come up with some green recipes. This is my first attempt. Not sure if the "grass" needs a little sunshine or has had too much rain! :) I hope to do some more experimenting some time over the weekend? Check them out and see what you think!
Don't know about you but wasn't it WONDERFUL to see the sun shine today?!

New Magazine

2011-04-28T08:00:00.001-07:00

We literally received this magazine just an hour ago. In fact, I haven't had much time to study it. It is a brand new magazine dedicated to primitive projects!! :) It is called Primitive Quilts and Projects. It contains 17 projects for the primitive quilter, rug hooker and stitcher. Some of the designers include Buggy Barn, Cheri Payne, Jan Patek, Lisa Bongean, Lori Brechlin, Maggie Bonanomi and Lynda Hall. This is a few of the designers and we think it's a great magazine.

As of now we are 1 of 2 stores in the state of Iowa that carry the magazine. Stop by the shop and pick yours up today. It retails for $9.99 and this is the very first issue. It will come out 4 times a year.

Color Wheel

2011-04-27T10:50:00.001-07:00

I have been spending the few spare minutes that I have doing some dying. I needed to dye samples of the basic colors so I know what I am doing (or trying to do) when creating my own dye recipes. The first picture represents all of the Majic Carpet dyes that I have except for black.

The picture below is the same colors only toned down with black so they are a little more grungy then the original color. If you haven't tried this, I would suggest that you do so you have some idea of the colors that you have. I have greens in the pot right now and am playing with the color yellow and what I am going to tone them down with. I will try and post that tomorrow. Enjoy your day!

Loaded with wools

2011-04-22T15:08:00.000-07:00

As you can see our shelves are full with wool. We have received 2 shipments within the last week. We have some good spring colors as well as some pieces that look like they have been around forever. So, if you are out and about come check out our wool.

This weekend I hope to hit the dye pot and get rolling on hand dyed colors. Think I am in the mood for brights................perhaps that has something to do with the weather?!

Renovations

2011-04-22T14:38:00.000-07:00

For those of you that were wondering how the progress of my living room was coming..............well, life hands you many challenges and this room is one of them. The sheet rock is primed and ready to paint but I have to wait for the floor to go down first!
The problem with the floor is the hump in the middle!! A beam had risen 3/4 of an inch............therefore the bump!! This photo is how my floor looks now..............ever heard of the black hole? Dave has been hand planing this with his grandfathers plane. It should sound wonderful using a family tool to work on your project but..............this stunk!! Lots of LABOR! What did we ever do before electricity?
When you are having a bad day just look at the black hole................it has to make someone out there feel better!!

More Newton Projects

2011-04-15T05:19:00.001-07:00

Mary from Des Moines was working on her own creation called Symphony in Red. The design was created on red burlap and she was using a variety of textiles for wools.
JoAnne's project is ongoing..................it is her own design and will be a gift for her husband when she completes it. It is a cornfield and if you look closely you can see a tractor in the middle of the rug heading toward the sun. This is hooked in a 3 or 4 cut...................are you nuts?! It is beautiful and we have watched it progress over the years, I mean months. ;)
Wanda too has designed her own paisley and it was stunning. Her colors were exquisite! Wanda too enjoys those tiny cuts of wool! She keeps saying she wants to do large but I think her true calling is fine cut!

Newton Class projects continued

2011-04-15T05:03:00.000-07:00

Eden designed this paisley pillow herself. A big debate over what color to use on the inside of her paisley..................we all voted and choose a dotted wool. It was perfect and convinced her to use it in the other paisleys as well.

Karen is from New Foundland and this rug is a little out of her color box. She loves the bright bold colors so this was duller than she had planned on. Karen is a fast hooker and her rug was turning out beautifully.

Elsie decided not to do a paisley but this diamond in the middle with flowers all the way around the outside of it. She choose a rich red color for the diamonds and it was to die for!! Elsie turns out so many rugs and it has been a pleasure to watch her grow in her hooking skills. She is like a sponge................soaking up all the information she can!

Class Projects

2011-04-14T19:25:00.001-07:00

Jane from Kansas was working on a paisley runner. Her colors came from a pillow that resides on her couch. The rug will go under a table in that room. Jane's hooking was perfect and she is fortunate to live near Anita White................so help is around the corner when she needs it. I can't wait to see this finished.

Barb decided on a smaller project and had a great time until Anita suggested that she put a braided edge around her pumpkins as a border. We heard LOTS of ................well...............mumbling as she was doing the border. Her pumpkins were almost complete by the 4th day. It was beautiful.

Marie choose a single paisley. She too did LOTS of hooking and stayed late with us at night. Much happens AFTER class is over and we hook till late evening. :)
This is my project on day 4. It was fun to work on but at times challenging trying to place color around the rug. Oh, after class was officially over I worked on Natalie's graduation rug............can't show pictures of that..............caught her on the blog looking for sneak peeks!!

Newton continued..............................

2011-04-14T18:57:00.001-07:00

Pictured above is the rug that Mom worked on.........Rise and Shine. Mom used to sing the song Rise and Shine to us each morning at 5 a.m. to get us up and out of bed. She thought that it was very fun..........................not so much. In the rug there are 4 beds.............one for each kid. Mine happens to have a paisley bed cover............no I was NOT a princess by any means!!!
This is Elsie's project. I can't remember the name of the rug but it was turning out fantastic. The way Elsie hooks it should be done by Monday morning!!
Diana's rug was called Joanne's Quilt. A row of black background was being put in the last day of the workshop.
This was Marie's rug...............a paisley that she designed. Color scheme was red and green with some gold.

Newton Class continued

2011-04-14T18:29:00.001-07:00

This is day 1. To the left is Mom and Elsie. As you can see Mom did A LOT of that........... while I was actually WORKING on my project!! Below is the picture that my nephew drew when he was 4 years old. Yes, it's a lion without a body or a tail......just 2 legs! I smile every time I look at this design. I wanted to do something a little different in the background so I chose to draw squares. My color scheme is gold and purple. The mane around the face of the lion is proddy.

There are many wonderful projects that were designed during our 4 day class so stop back again.

Newton Class

2011-04-14T18:12:00.000-07:00

We just returned from our annual rug hooking class in Newton, Iowa. This year our teacher was Anita White from Overland Park, Kansas. These tables were piled high with wonderful colors of wool. Anita also had LOTS of beautiful paisleys in an antique suitcase. Did I mention that there was ANOTHER table full of nothing but yardages? A great time was had by all! Elsie does such a wonderful job putting on this event.

The suitcase on the right is filled with paisley pincushions that Anita had for sale. Of course, we bought one. ;)

Uncle Harvey completed!

2011-04-14T18:05:00.000-07:00

This pattern, Uncle Harvey, was designed by Sharon Townsend. She gave us the rights to this pattern for our shop. Her rug was recently in Rug Hooking Magazine. I fell in love with the rabbit but wanted to do something different from hers. I came up with the idea of straight rows of hooking to represent a wall paper. It was easy hooking but the idea of the stripes came AFTER the rabbit was hooked. It was a tad more challenging but I think I made it work. The pattern retails at the shop for $40.00

Lincoln here we come........

2011-04-07T05:03:00.000-07:00

As the crow flies we are headed to Lincoln, Nebraska for Cammie Bruce's Hook-in. We will be vending at a church on Friday from 9 to 3. We always see some great old friends and look forward to making new friends!

You have all seen Robins but have you seen a LARGE black crow in your yard? The other day this guy appeared in Dad's garden....................................must be Spring?! :)

New pattern by Heart and Hand

2011-04-03T08:41:00.000-07:00

Oh, to dance with flowers! Brand new applique pattern by Heart to Hand. We are so excited to get started on this one. The pattern retails for $8.50. I also hope to have some kits ready to go shortly. Doesn't it just make you want to dig in the dirt..............or maybe smell the flowers?! :)

Off to Market we went............................

2011-04-03T08:17:00.001-07:00

Off to market we went to pick up a few things! Above: Reproduction dome screen, $18.00, octagon trivet, $26.00. The trivets will work with anything. We have large and small ones.
Primitive Peg Shelf, $64.00. These work anywhere!! We also picked up some primitive battery operated tapers. They come in 2 sizes; 11" @ $15.50 and 6" @ $15.00 and yes that includes the holder as well! These are awesome when lit.
Primitive Bowl Bin, I LOVE this shelf! This is the small and retails for $54.00 and the large on retails for $72.00. I could have one of these in every room in my house. So, here is the deal........we only have a FEW shelves..............guess we were a little conservative? Next time our motto is: "Balls to the walls" :) These really are fun so stop by and check them out.

Florida

2011-04-03T07:32:00.000-07:00

A quick trip to University of Central Florida (UCF) to watch our daughter, Jenny complete in the first Spring tournament playing for UWF University of West Florida. This picture isn't the greatest as I was having trouble getting the right setting in the gym. Jenny is #16 in the foreground. Her team won 2, lost 2, and split 2. Not a bad day considering they lost several key players.
We arrived in Orlando on Friday mid-afternoon and decided to take a quick trip to the beach.............we were in Florida after all! Well, it was 29 degrees when we left Minneapolis and 85 degrees when we arrived. I had an awful time trying to figure out what to pack for clothes. In my stupidity I packed NO short sleeve shirts. Jenny said I fit in as I looked "white"............whatever that means?!?! It was a short trip and we always enjoy watching Jenny's team play when we can. Believe it or not I was cold in this photo!!

Challenge Rug.......................American Dream!

2011-03-18T10:52:00.001-07:00

Here is a sneak peek at Mom's challenge rug. This end of the rug went fairly smooth but the other end is a different story. I am not sure how many times that the house has been "painted"......still don't know if it has it's permanent color yet! Maybe she should just go with siding. :)
Mom has gotten into "beading" as you can see it is traveling it's way around the middle part of the rug!!

More of Delhi

2011-03-18T10:28:00.000-07:00

Sneak peak at Charlie's "American Dream" challenge rug. For all of you that have the rug.......are you working on it? I know I am not.......haven't even started! Yikes!!
Rugs were tucked in many different places around the house. Of course, we had to take them all out to see the rugs! Sorry Charlie.
A large crock filled with more rugs!! What a fun day we had. Many thanks, Charlie.

Road Trip to Delhi Iowa

2011-03-17T08:45:00.000-07:00

A very good friend of ours has recently moved to a home on the lake and has been wanting us to come and see it. Monday morning we (5 of us) hopped in the van and took off. We had a wonderful day with Charlie seeing the new renovations and all of her "wonderful" rugs. I could not even photograph all of them. Here are just a "small" sampling of the rugs.
Pineapple Grove by Ewe and Eye............................:)
Above: In memory of Charlie's two cats, Blanche and Stella
Notice this rug of Barb Carroll's (I believe) is on top of another rug by Woolley Fox called Bus Rug.
Mr Pumpkin was one of Charlie's favorites. I believe that he is from Kris at Spruce Ridge Studios. The colors are wonderful and each rug is hooked to perfection! Charlie, it was a wonderful day.........your home was beautiful, the rugs spectacular, and the food was out of this world. You made our day! :)

Dyeing Days

2011-03-07T07:04:00.000-08:00

For those of you who receive Rug Hooking Magazine the latest issue has an article about dyeing the color orange. I was soooo inspired that I soaked the wool, filled the pots and begin to dye. This picture doesn't do the luscious colors justice. This isn't even all of it.....the rest has been delivered to the shop. While the wool was cooking in the pots I was stripping woodwork.....trying to finish it up. My goal is to have 1 doorway ready to be re-assembled by the time my husband gets home this week. Shouldn't be a problem. The first round of mud and tape is officially on in the living room. As Sam would say, "Is that one dude coming today?" The answer is yes. We have hired a wonderful man to help us to finish up the living room. Dave and I bought the wood for the floor and it is in the shop waiting to be prepared. I decided to have 12" pine boards. I am so excited I can hardly think straight! When something wonderful happens I will post pictures.

Designs for class

2011-03-04T06:27:00.000-08:00

In April we will be taking our usual class in Newton. This year we will have the pleasure of Anita White as a teacher. I am always excited about going as I get to hook for 4 days without any interruptions. Guess it is a little "Me" time?! The above picture is what I will be working on. A few years back my nephew drew me a picture of this lion. I have been waiting for the right moment to work with it and now is the time! I am using the background for geometric fun. I can't wait to get started. No, I am not giving this to my nephew, Ben for a very LONG time! :)
Above you will see Mom's rug. When we were little.......... and even into high school Mom would sing this song to us to get us out of bed. Now remember our day started between 5 and 6 a.m. We grew to HATE hearing this in the morning and she took GREAT pleasure in that. :) Think that is what you call "pay back." I will be taking my camera so I can post while we are in class and you will be able to see the progress.

One more of Turby's Rugs

2011-02-26T16:12:00.001-08:00

Another idea from Maggie's book. This was to be an applique pattern. Turby used some wools to make it look like she had patched the rug! Great job.

Turby was here......................

2011-02-26T15:13:00.000-08:00

Turby was here this Friday and I just had to share some of her rugs!! Turby is a dear friend of ours and a great customer. She comes and gets a project and we see her when her project is done and she is ready for more. The last few times she has come she has purchased blank linen to draw on. The above rug is just that. Turby used her scraps and her smarts to create the rug.

Mister Snowman was purchased when we had our 15% of any rug with a snowman sale (on the blog).
Winter Wonderland is by Star Rug Co. and she did a great job hooking it! The bunny even has a dimensional tail.

This simple little flower was an idea she got from Maggie's book. It looks so old and wonderful. Again she was just using what she had on hand.

Every year Turby makes her husband a Valentine..............this is it! Simple but yet oh so primitive. Oh, did I mention that Turby is color blind? Don't you think she does a great job? Sometimes I think she can see the values better than us!? We loved her rugs and wanted to share them with you. Turby doesn't do the computer but we did ask for permission.......she would probably die if she knew how many people read this!!!
Thanks Turby for all your wonderful treasures! :)

The Comfort of Home

2011-02-21T06:50:00.001-08:00

We have ordered many of Judy Condon's books and decided not to order this particular one. It was brought to our attention that Barb and Wayne Carroll (Woolley Fox) were featured in this book (Thanks Charlie). It isn't quite as primitive as some of the other books and might be something we could all relate too. The hooked rugs are FABULOUS! So now we have copies in are shop and wondered WHY we didn't order it to begin with?! If you love rug hooking you will love this book. It retails for $24.95

New punchneedle..........................

2011-02-21T06:39:00.001-08:00

The following are NEW punchneedle patterns that we received late last week. They are from Brenda Gervais; Country Stitches. Above is Bunny and Co. It is 41/2 in. and is called a cupboard hanger. Pattern retails for $14.00

Peter and Peep; A 6 inch ditty bag and retails for $14.00

Cheep Cheep; 41/2" Easter Peep. The chick is punched on one side and fabric on the other. This little guy could be tucked anywhere! He retails for $12.00
These are great Spring projects!!

Where did Spring go?

2011-02-21T06:30:00.000-08:00

Just enough good weather to melt the snow and give us a taste of Spring...........................Mother Nature had other ideas!! Freezing rain and sleet hit our part of the country yesterday. As I stood taking these pictures I could hear the branches breaking and falling to the ground.

We are to get more snow today too. Guess I will have to sit a do some hooking...........along with laundry, baking and straightening up. :) Enjoy every moment you can.

Home Tweet Home

2011-02-17T10:55:00.000-08:00

The latest of designs from Ewe and Eye. Mom hooked this project in less than a week. It's called Home Tweet Home...................I know not overly original! This is such an easy quick project. It retails for $26.00. Mom decided to do something different with this project.

This rug is wrapped with a ticking curtain that Mom no longer wanted. It was a great idea to recycle but Mom had a little trouble as the fabric was a little thin. Something new and something a little different?! Nice job Mom......................you're getting to be a "fast" hooker in your senior years! :)

Home Renovation.....................still..........part 2

2011-02-14T08:30:00.001-08:00

The Living Room.....................well what can I say? This room has been in transition for some time now. Dave built a new wall so we can close off another room behind it (aka; the office). The kids and I ripped up the carpeting and tore the existing wood floor up. What we found................at one time where was a sink in the middle of the floor! Sheet rock is up and has almost the first coat of mud and tape on. Once the sheet rock is finished the sub floor has to be fixed then we can lay the new floor down. The new floor will be 12" pine boards..............simple but will fit the era of our home. Oh, did I mention the deadline is March 15?! Yes, we are going to need help and I am placing the call as soon as I finish here!! :)

Home Renovations..................................Still!!

2011-02-14T08:11:00.000-08:00

A little birdie told me that they would like to see some pictures of the renovations that are taking place in our house. This is the laundry room that is soon coming to a close. Wainscoting is up, some of the trim and some of the baseboard. I have a call into the plumber to move some pipes for us so we can put a sink by the dryer......................still waiting to hear from them. Once they do their job the sink can be put in and the rest of the trim can go down. :)

This cupboard came out of the basement in Dave's father's workshop. It held nuts, bolts and what ever else he needed it to. Dave built a cleat for the cupboard so it could hang on the wall. It has been cleaned and deodorized. It needs a couple of coats of lacquer but that can happen in between loads of laundry!!

Every thing has it's place now.................well almost! Just glad it is getting closer to being done. I heard from the cabinet guy this morning and he is stopping by to measure for doors on the back side of a built in butler's cabinet. Oh, how I love it when things fall into place. :)

Happy Valentine's Day!!

2011-02-14T08:02:00.001-08:00

Happy Valentine's Day!! May your day be filled with heart shaped jelly sandwiches! Enjoy the day with your family, friends and those close to your heart. Be sure to say, "I Love You", it can never be said enough!!

Happy Valentine's Day Dave, Jenny, Natalie, Drew, Sam, Dad and Mom! Love you all.............hope you have a great day!

Checkered Past?

2011-02-11T13:46:00.000-08:00

Check out this new pattern! Mom jumped right on it and stepped out of her box. The rug is now completed and hanging in the shop on the wall. It looks really good to. The outside outline is beading done with black and off white.
The outside edge is wrapped with leftovers strips of the red wool. Great job Mom!!

New at the shop..............

2011-02-11T13:32:00.001-08:00

Maggie Bonanomi's latest..............Book of Days. Learn how to make an old-fashioned journal using scrap booking materials, wool, ribbon snippets and pictures. Book retails for $14.95
Primitive Place magazine....................Spring Issue. This is the BEST magazine ever!! The only problem is it comes out only 4 times a year! Retails for $ 9.95
The latest book by Judy Condon. If you love gardens and all that go with it you will LOVE this books. Lots of pictures for those that don't like to read! ;) Simply Country Gardens retails for $24.95

Good Neighbors

2011-02-02T07:54:00.000-08:00

Welcome to North Iowa weather!! Once again we have been hit with high winds and blowing snow. Dave arrived home late last night and I pulled him out once and then we ended up leaving the car at the neighbors. So today as we were eating breakfast and saw a pick-up truck stuck not to far from our house. It was the same young man who had pulled us out not too long ago. Dave took off with the truck to pull him out......................in the process of getting one truck out ours went in the ditch!!
This is the tractor we use to move snow...................it is as old as I am!! Serves the purpose, but it's small!
Call in the neighbors BIG tractor and out the truck comes without a hitch!

A big thank you and a shaking of hands...........................until we meet again!? I hope it isn't this year! :) We are very lucky to have such good neighbors............now to retrieve the car at the other neighbors.

More new wools

2011-01-28T08:29:00.000-08:00

Just fresh off the truck 3 new wools. We decided this time to try some lighter pastel colors as we have a tendency to head towards the medium values.
1. Raspberry Parfait this is a great color. I am already using it in the background of a rabbit I am hooking................thanks for the help Newton ladies!!
2. Light Blue and Gold small check. This screams Spring and would be a great over-dye for those of you that dye.
3. Dark Plaid is yummy. It has black, tan and brown and would make a wonderful background, horse or whatever.

The hand on these wools feels like butter!

Fabulous Hookers

2011-01-28T08:24:00.000-08:00

Lunch served around Mom's table. Homemade soup and brownies that left a lot to be desired......!?

Yesterday we had the pleasure of sharing the day with 3 hookers from Newton, Iowa. They made a special trip to come and see us. A day of eating, shopping for wool, and laughing was had by all. Three bolts of wool rolled off the UPS truck before the day was out. We ate a chicken/vegetable soup and some REALLY flat brownies........they tasted good just a tad flat!! Laughter was key..............that is my brownies! :) Anyway, we so enjoyed Elsie, Sue and Joanne, 3 very talented rug hookers!!

My Hearts Content

2011-01-25T11:08:00.000-08:00

Well, Mom FINALLY started hooking again! She was taking some sort of a break!? I wasn't sure if it was temporary or permanent.........hee hee. Know that I am just teasing..................Mom is getting out of her box on this one. This is another new design we have just in time for
Valentine's Day. Mom is having fun with the checkered design and refreshing her skills in beading.
The mat sells for $26.00 and is a quick and easy project!! Let your creativity run wild!!

Natalie's Graduation Rug

2011-01-19T07:27:00.001-08:00

When my oldest daughter Jenny graduation form high school I hooked her a foot stool that was all about volleyball..............which is all about her. So this year my second child, Natalie graduates from high school and I found a rug that I think fits her perfectly....................even though she said she wanted a quilt instead! I can only show a few sneak peaks as the rug will be given to her the day of her party. A flower in bright orange, purple, lime green, and red. I did some beading around the middle of the flower to add a little punch. Natalie's personality has always been bright, wild and full of life. There were days that my ears hurt because she never stopped talking!!!

NEW WOOL IN THE SHOP

2011-01-19T07:06:00.000-08:00

Just in case you haven't been in the shop lately we have received a new shipment of wool. 8 bolts of new wools with more on the way!! We received a wonderful grey/beige that would be great animals and a brown that is to die for!! A rust, gold, blue and a pink. I can't even describe them well enough...............you gotta see them! Oh, did I mention more is on the way? Should arrive end of this week or the beginning of next week!!

F is for Florence

2011-01-07T09:09:00.001-08:00

F is for Florence......................This year for Christmas I drew mom's name. I decided to hook her a doll. I began THE DAY before we had our gift exchange.................the thoughts were busy swimming in my head?!? hee hee. I didn't have a pattern I just shot from the hip......sometimes it works and sometimes not..............this time it did. To some Florence may be, well, homely and to others she may warm the heart. I really don't think anyone in my family will be fighting over this one. It takes a really special person to appreciate her................that's why mom got her. Florence was fun to hook and there are changes I would make if I was to do her again. I'm not holding my breath on that one!!!
Notice the many imperfections..................big nose, eyes are uneven and no neck!! All I can is..................have you looked in the mirror lately?! :)

Back to School

2011-01-07T09:01:00.000-08:00

On our way to the airport to take our oldest back to school. She was going to see a 60 degree change in temperature................................isn't she lucky. Imagine that she is enjoying the temperature (class too) as we haven't heard from her since we waved good bye in the airport!!! :)
Guess that is all part of the apron strings being cut?!

My Humble Home

2010-12-30T07:28:00.000-08:00

Last night I pulled out my rug hooking and did some work on this project that I have started a couple of months ago. The pattern is My Humble Home by Karen Kahle. I love the scrappy part of it............................it helps use up those leftovers. We have the mat in the shop if you are interested.

Homecoming

2010-12-30T07:21:00.000-08:00

New to the shop within the last few weeks is the latest book by Jill Peterson called Homecoming. This is the third book in her series and it is WONDERFUL. If you love primitive you will enjoy this book! It retails for $29.95. Great for a snowed-in day and a cup of hot coffee or cocoa!

Oh, Christmas Tree

2010-12-30T07:11:00.001-08:00

Oh Christmas Tree! This tree is outside my parents big window. The shot doesn't do it justice. The tree is around 15 feet tall. Dad put all the lights on without getting on a ladder!! Don't know how he does it but he is the "KING" of putting lights on a tree. I imagine there is well over 1000 light on that tree. It was breath-taking!! Thanks Dad.

Christmas 2010

2010-12-30T06:49:00.000-08:00

F is for .....................................................? A new tradition that was started in our family 7 years ago. Each Christmas represents a different letter of the alphabet starting with the letter A. This year was F. The gift you purchase must begin with the letter of the season. Some years it is easy and others are difficult.
This is a picture of Mom's table...............................as you can see we have FLAGS represented on the table. Mom and Dad also write a little poem in which every time the letter is said you rotate a gift (all of these are F gifts). My son received a 5 lb bag of flour while my sister-in-law received fruit cake with a $50.00 bill in the bottom of the box!! I received a $5.00 bill with a flashlight!!
Fleece, fishing equipment, fragrance and hooked flags were just a few of the gifts that were given.

As this Christmas gift giving came to an end the G ideas were already a buzz. Gum, golf equipment, gold, ground beef...........................oh what will we get?!