MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE!

I just put Monkey Balls (better known as Monkey Bread) in the oven for breakfast at son Teddy's house!  All of the kids will be here this afternoon for dinner ~ turkey and tenderloins ~ hope they bring the trimmings!  We went to our friends, Margo and Cliff's, last evening for their annual Christmas Eve party ~ like the old fashioned cocktail party ~ we had great fun ~ laughed, ate, drank and were merry!   Then we stopped at Teddy's ~ Tad was there for a celebration!  I hope I can get a nap sometime between now and 2 p.m. ~ I'm not as young as I used to be!!  Have a wonderful day with family and friends ~ as we
                              Remember the Reason for the Season! 

Alice

ALL AROUND THE HOUSE ~ ~ ~

 MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!!   This could be the last installment of Christmas decorating ~ there are more pictures but maybe enough is enough already!!  We'll see!  This great iron reindeer was a garage sale find this summer ~ you may have seen him then!  He's looking good with pinecones and winterberries on a bed of fresh pine!

A small Santa collection done by an artist that I never met ~ she sent her work along with a friend and I bought each one as she would make them.  The bodies are muslin and after she painted the faces on, she dipped the head and hands in parafin.  All the clothing is stitched by hand ~ each one very different!  I felt very lucky to be able to own them ~ she was elderly and soon quit offering them for sale.  The little cupboard is very old ~ the tiger maple we bought from someone at a show years ago.

Two redware Santas keep company with a very old chenille Santa ~ he's pretty fragile ~ he's seen a lot of Christmases! Ginger Cazan, redware artist and rug hooker, made the little one on the top right and the bottom one is by well-known potter, Ned Foltz.

Handmade Santas on the top shelf of the corner cupboard  ~ one carved, the middle one is wool made by an old friend, Dottie Schmitz, and the third one is papier mache by Tom Coe!  The three on the bottom shelf are all antiques ~ the middle guy is a bank! 

Here's Marge's cabinet ~ that's what we seem to call it ~ decked out with a little greenery and old bottle-brush trees.













 The little tree resides at the bottom of the basement stairwell ~ years ago, I made hearts out of antique quilt pieces ~ and friend, Carol Mowry, made this little treetop angel out of muslin strips ~ lots of memories on this little tree!

This week we attended a high school choir concert and Camden's 5th grade talent show!  We were amazed at how good these kids were ~ Cam was in a dance troupe that did a routine to "Thriller".  And you'll be pleased to know we got our shopping done!!  I took Tad out yesterday afternoon to do his ~ he buys for everyone in his family ~ that's a lot of presents!  Last night, Sonny and I went out to finish up and stopped for a bite and beverage!  Then we hit Walmart and got home at 11:30 ~ woo hoo!!  Earlier today, I baked the cakes for my Black Forest Cake and will finish that in the morning ~ Sonny baked a fruitcake  and has an apple pie in the oven! Dora Domestic rides again!!!!  With a little more wrapping, we'll  be ready for the big day! 

Grandson Luke came over this morning for breakfast and to set up Tad's Ipad for us ~ call a 12 year old if you're in need of technical help!!  Tad is going to love it!  In fact, he is over at Teddy's now for a Christmas Eve celebration with their step-mother and family and Luke is going to show Tad how to use it!!  Tomorrow he'll get all the accessories to it ~ SmartCover, stylus, etc.  It's very impressive to me that even though Tad has Downs Syndrome, he can use these 'newfangled' technologies ~ these kids have their limitations ~ but they have wonderful and far-reaching capabilities, also!!  One of God's blessings!

Have a wonderful Christmas Eve ~ whether you're alone or with somebody ~ think good thoughts and have some Christmas cheer ~ that's what we're going to do! 

Talk to you soon ~ Alice

MORE CHRISTMAS AROUND THE HOUSE ~ ~

A few more Christmas pix ~ I should be at the grocery but I'll go as soon as I'm done here!  This is a little kitchen table where we sit to read the mail and Sonny and the cat read the Sunday paper!  The handwoven mat under the candle was made by my friend Carol Rahall, who knows more about traditional crafts than anyone I know!

The fireplace looks well used ~ but actually not very often ~ although we have used it to cook our whole holiday meal in the past!  The wool applique piece over the mantel was stitched by Joyce Sherk ~ we did shows together many years ago and occasionally I run into her now at rug hooking events!  I've always loved that piece and every year it resides right there ~ wonder if Joyce reads my blog and remembers her little work of art?

This was Sonny's grandmother's dry sink ~ we bought it at her auction many years ago.  To the left there are two butter churns that also came from that same auction!  I love these lighted sticks in with the live pine ~ and the two little reproduction Santas in the tin salt box. 

 For many years, we would go to Yankee Peddler ~ a large folk art craft show here in Ohio.   We would buy a salt glaze Santa every year from a potter from Pennsylvania ~ they're still some of my favorites. 

 This is the back door area ~ antique blue homespun aprons and bonnets ~ a laundry bag with redwork stitching ~ and some painted pieces from Maude Chiardi.  We did shows with her for many years, too and I always bought a piece of her hand-painted Christmas.  The Santa in the middle is an old chimney flue cover ~ anybody remember those? 

Over the nearly 30 years that Sonny and I have been together, we've built a nice collection of antiques and folk art ~ I always wonder if any of our kids will value it and enjoy it as much as we do!  I hope you enjoy looking at it and if you're one of our friends who comes to visit, we love to share it with you all!   I have to tell you the other night, I made this fabulous pineapple upside down cake from the website smittenkitchen ~ it was scrumptious! By the way, don't type in smittenkitten like I just did as I was trying to find the link ~ you'll get more than you bargained for!!!!!  Anyway ~ I found it by Googling for the recipe and they have wonderful looking things there that are tested by the blog author.  We had friends in for dinner and it made a sweet ending to our meal!

Well,  I'm off now ~ busy day ahead ~ it's kind of cold and rainy here ~ not very Christmasy looking ~ but I'm finally getting in the spirit of things!!!  Woo hoo!!!!!!

Have a good day wherever you are! 
Alice

CHRISTMAS DECORATING ~ ~ ~

 The decorating that's done now will be it for this season!  There is more in the basement but I can't do anymore!!!  Sonny cut and decorated the tree ~ he always does ~ I appreciate it a lot ~ he knows that!!  At the top is a Santa tree topper made from heavy paper, given to me by daughter-in-law Cheryl many years ago!  There are others, but this one is my favorite ~ tree toppers ~ not daughters-in-law!!  Can't have favorites there!  But they're all nice ~ thank goodness!  And I have to tell you, the tree was a gift ~ someone we used to do business with and is retired, called and left a message to come get our 'free tree'!!!!  Free is good and one of our Christmas blessings!

We love this centerpiece created by our friend Margo ~ it was a Homebuilders Auction purchase quite a few years back!  In the background, the Norfolk Island Pine is decorated with glittery candy canes ~ that tree has been with us many years ~ I actually can't believe I've kept that thing alive all this time!  It's a Christmas Miracle!!

 The two Santas are by Twin Feather Trees ~ handmade and signed in 1988 and 1990!  I was shocked when I saw those dates ~ 23 and 21 years old!  Good grief ~ soon they'll be antiques ~ like their owners!!

 For the first time, there's an artificial wreath on the front door ~ with a papier mache Santa suspended inside!  It's always been fresh pine ~ I decided to spend the money once, instead of every Christmas!! 

This is also in the front entry ~ this little table resides where the Christmas tree is right now.  Over it is  "Baby in Red Chair" ~ I've always loved that painting and brought this one back from Williamsburg one year.

Friday, I had a luncheon for five old friends ~ it was nice to get together ~ life gets so busy and we don't all live close by each other ~ so it was really nice to catch up!  Tonite we had our friend, Marge, in for dinner  ~ she is  the giver of the antique cupboard that we got a while ago!! This is her second Christmas alone and she's doing quite well ~ her 'dance card' is always full ~ she has lots of friends including her in Holiday plans ~ that's a wonderful thing!

I hope to do some other entertaining this week ~ we shall see!  We have another choir concert and a 5th grade talent show on our schedule so we'll have to squeeze friends in where we can!  And shopping ~ there are three things that can be wrapped ~ three things!!  We've never missed a Christmas yet ~ it's hard to know what to buy for all these kids ~ but we'll figure it out ~ soon, I hope!!

Sonny, otherwise known as Dora Domestic to me ~ made jam today ~ 24 jars he said!  Strawberry-rhubarb and blackberry ~ I'm not a jam maker ~ thank goodness he is!  Much of it will go to the kids and friends.  Tomorrow is the library hook-in in Akron ~ I thought I was going to go ~ now, it looks like maybe I better put my nose to the wheel and figure out some gift giving!!

It's 11 p.m. ~ I think I'll drag myself up the staircase and 'dream' up something fabulous to put under the tree!  Sweet dreams to you and hope you're enjoying the season!!!!
Alice

Oh ~ Free Shipping Friday produced a couple of orders ~  it was a good thing!  Thank you!

FREE SHIPPING FRIDAY ~ ~ ~

I've been reading that tomorrow December 16th is "Free Shipping Friday"   ~ so just this moment I decided to offer that to any of you here in the States, who would like to take advantage of it!!  Anything ordered between now and midnight tomorrow, will be shipped to you free of charge ~ wool, patterns, hooks, rugs from my website  ~ whatever strikes your fancy!!  Email me at gfraizer@neo.rr.com and I will get back to  you as soon as possible!!  And I have PayPal for convenient payment!!

RUG FINISHES ~ ~ ~

The Berks County Floral is bound and steamed and has found it's  new home!  I hung it and moved it and hung it somewhere else and moved it again till it looked right! The first spot was too dark but this seems pretty good.  I do love the colors ~ dark and rich!

The Shape of Things from my Tipp City class this

Fall is also done!   I laid it on the floor of the guest bath ~ it needs a little rug in there ~ we'll see ~ for now it's back down in the hooking room!  I love the colors in this rug, too ~ and the striated background. 

 These are all the different wools used in that background ~ and they all work well together to make a dark "black" color.  It was kind of a learning tool for me and I'll use that style again sometime.  There are three rugs down there waiting to be finished ~ I think I'll start on the smallest one first ~ it might need to be finished quick for a gift! 

We've had a busy week ~ last Saturday, we spent at a wrestling meet for grandson Luke!  It was kind of fun ~ I didn't expect it to be ~ but it was!  His dad, Teddy, wrestled in Junior High, too and my stepson, Brian, was a wrestler in high school. 

Went to Luke's Christmas band concert one evening ~ 7th and 8th grade bands ~ they were very good ~ better than my own high school band, as I remember ~ I played the trombone ~ can you imagine?!  This next week we'll attend a choir concert and an elementary concert  ~ we're vying for our Grandparents of the Year award!! 

Last night, we went to a wine tasting (fun!) and then met Teddy and family at a restaurant for Miss Luci's 9th birthday gathering ~ that was fun, too!  On the way home, we stopped at our local Happy Grape wine bar for some more socializing and then stopped back at Teddy's house to finish off the evening!  It was a great Friday night ~ right up our alley! 

Tomorrow, I'm dragging out the Christmas decorations in hopes of instilling some Christmas spirit in this old soul!  So many of my fellow bloggers are in the same boat as me ~ lacking in enthusiasm for all that entails Christmas, as we know it these days!  I even planned a little get together in the next week ~ very self-serving in that I need a boost!  Life can be challenging sometimes ~ and I only need to look around me to know that we have many blessings. So, I'm getting on with it ~ join me in a little Christmas cheer!!!

Yesterday, a friend and I shopped for coats for a church that has a clothing program for the needy.  Just by chance, on Thursday night, I was told that they had no jackets of any kind for their monthly clothing day, which was today! During my sleepless night, it occurred to me that we have all this money from our Homebuilders Auction ~ and even though, we aren't meeting to distribute the funds till  Monday ~ that the gal who holds the checkbook and I could make an executive decision and make sure there were coats for kids today!!  I called Joy and she wholeheartedly agreed and off we went to Burlington Coat Factory!  We scoured their racks and found 17 coats that were $10 and $20 each ~ we were thrilled!  Then we went off to Kohls and bought some infant snowsuit type things, hats and gloves and with the Kohls cash we got, I'm going back tomorrow with my 20% coupon and buy underwear that they'll have for their January clothing day!  Now, I do have to say ~ that brightened my mood a bunch yesterday ~ Joy and I wasted no time in gathering a lot of things and spending over $400 very wisely, for sure.  I know there had to be some thrilled kids ~ and parents ~ today!  Actually, a good cure for the doldrums is to go out and do something for somebody else ~ note to self ~ remember that!!!!!!

It's going on 8 p.m. and we have not had supper yet ~ I'm fixing reubens ~ the first time in a long time that I've made those!  Reubens and a nice Riesling wine ~ good combination, me thinks!!!!!!  One night this week, I made tuna noodle casserole ~ something else I haven't made in eons!  That worked out great because we ended up having grandsons Jakob and Camden for supper ~ they have never had tuna fish ~ isn't that odd?  They liked it a lot and the universe was working for me that night!!!

Have a good Sunday ~ hope all is well in your world! 

Alice

Notice that on the left sidebar, I have noted that I have gift certificates available.  If you want a quick gift for someone you know that is a rug hooker or works with wool, please keep me in mind!! 

SEATTLE TRIP ~ ~ ~

 My Seattle son and kids picking us up at Sea-Tac the day before Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Day after Hunter's Grid-Iron Classic football game!  It rains in Seattle ~ almost all the time ~ we were bundled up but Chris had rented us a "box" ~ very nice little room all warmed up and we could see everything ~ what a view!  This high school stadium where they played was really nice!

Friday we went to Pike's Place Market downtown Seattle!  Stopped for a beverage at the Virginia Inn ~ it dated back to the 1800's ~ great place!

Grandma and Grandpa helped decorate their tree and I posed like granddaughter Haylee always does in her photos ~ looks cute when it's a 13 year old!

My daughter-in-law Coni and I ~ she and I share the same birthday ~ both Aries ~ wonder if my son married a mother image??!!






This was taken a year and a half ago when we were there ~ kids have grown a lot since then.  This is THE GUM WALL ~ famous to some ~ unheard of by me!  It's in an alley somewhere near Pike's Place and this entire wall is covered with gum wads ~ nice, hm?  This little band of people added some to the mix ~ we didn't go back this year to see if we could find their exact pieces ~ Haylee made hers into a heart so they thought maybe we could!  The GUM WALL is one of the strangest things I've ever seen! Sweet Hannah is carrying a purse I made for her from a recycled sweater ~ nice girl to use it while I was there!

That's our Seattle trip in all it's glory ~ it was fun to be with the kids ~ their lives are so busy ~ and we certainly added to that busyness!  Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving ~ now on the next big celebration!

P. S. How do my blog friends like the new posting set-up?  A little hard to find my way around but it worked!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING ~ ~ ~

Have a Happy Thanksgiving Day wherever you are!!  We are in Seattle with son Chris and family ~ the first time we've ever spent a holiday away from home
and all the kids that live around us!  Grandson Hunter has two football games this weekend and we'll get to see him play for the first time ~ one of them is today, of all days!!!  We're putting the bird in the oven and when we arrive home ~ hopefully, dinner will be ready!!

Yikes! I forgot to post this yesterday (I created the post before we left) so here it is - a day late!! Hunters team won 12-0, Gramps & I put the bird in before we left, mashed the potatoes, baked the sweet potatoes & green bean casserole and when we got home, dinner was ready to eat! Have you ever used the cooking bags? Son Teddy always does so we put the 17# stuffed bird in the bag and it was ready in 3 and a half hours! Amazing!




Have a wonderful day with your families ~ will post when I return ~ or maybe before from my Iphone!!  Ta ta for now! 

SATURDAY'S SHOW ~ ~ ~

Last Saturday was the Gathered Treasures Christmas Show, held here in Mansfield, Ohio!  Here's a picture of my helper and our booth at the beginning of the show.  I swear, I think he's doing sudoku ~ or maybe he was counting out my change!! 

 Our friends, Vivian and Lou Schomburg had the booth next to us ~ they make all kinds of boxes and shelves  and file cabinets and television cabinets, etc. ~ I could go on and on!  We divided 3 spaces between us ~ a booth and a half each ~ it worked out swell!  Then we went out to eat after packing up ~ we always laugh and have a good time!!  We love doing shows ~ well, a couple of us do!

 This is Sherry Davis' friend ~ don't know where Sherry was when I was taking pictures of her booth ~ she always has such interesting things.  Eclectic ~ that's what she is and that's what she sells ~ you know what I mean!  Actually, Sherry is pretty eclectic herself!

I thought this was a great looking booth, too.  There were about 35 of us ~ lots of primitive antiques and folk art.  I was a little concerned as to what I might sell as I don't have holiday things or gift type items ~ but bless those rug hookers' hearts ~ they shopped!!  Thank you one and all!

Friend Lauren was there ~ Rugs and Pugs is her blog ~ and she just happened to have one of her silver spoon necklaces with her!  We made a nice trade of wool for a necklace ~ she has them for sale on her blog ~ you can contact her thru there! I see lots of my hooker friends wearing these so I was glad to get one!

Last evening, I updated my website ~ namely, the pattern pages.  I mailed out some yesterday and decided I need to mark "Sold" on what is gone (but I can order them if you'd like one) and added pictures of all the Liberty Homestead patterns that I have.  These patterns are primitive and folk arty (if that's a word) and some are small if you want a quick project to hook for a friend or yourself. This small Rooster pattern is one of them ~

I also added the Sauder Rug Week class to my Classes page ~ and I was happy to hear from a gal today that has signed up herself and her friend!!  Yay!

That's all for today ~ I was outside for a while cleaning up the garden ~ still some out there to put on the compost pile ~ hope I'm not still out there when the snow flies!!  Off to pick up Miss Luci from the bus ~ she doesn't know it but we're going to make banana bread!!  She'll like that ~ especially when she gets to take home a loaf!  Have a good evening ~ a friend just called and invited us out for dinner ~ my evening just got better!!!!

Alice

RUG FINISH AND SATURDAY'S SHOW ~ ~ ~

The Berks County Floral is finished!  Actually, it was finished on Monday!! I emailed a picture to the Woolley Fox and it's on their website already!  I'm quite happy with the finished product and now all it needs is to be bound!  I might get that done tonite and take it along to the show this weekend ~ more about that in a minute! 

When I was pulling out the 'junk' wool used to hook the numbers,  I decided to leave the number seven just as it was.  Two different wool strips were used and it looked kind of neat so it stayed in! This rug was hooked with  lots of antique paisleys and lots of sparkly wool ~ not your typical primitive but a unique one, for sure!

Kathy works for Barb at the Woolley Fox and she brought in her almost finished Purple Peeps!!  We all loved her bright, Spring-like version ~ she's almost finished ~ we got the idea that she had been working on it a while! Hook on, Kathy!!!

This Saturday, the "Gathered Treasures Christmas Show" will be held at the Richland County Fairgrounds!  It's a new primitive antiques and folk art show put on by the gals that do the "Gathered Treasures Spring" show and "In The Spirit of Friends" at Malabar Farm in the Fall.  It's from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. so if you're looking for a fun way to spend the day, come see us!  As shocked as I am, Christmas is right around the corner and this would be a good place to start your shopping!  We'll be there with wool, frames, etc. ~ gifts for your favorite hooker!! I am packing now and have a BARGAIN BASKET with some great mark downs (lights, pillows, candle holders, etc.).  Also have some 1 yard bundles of wool for $20 and some $5 Christmas trees!!  I'm cleaning out the shop ~ come to the fairgrounds and save some money!!!!!

My  'Finishing Touches' class is now added to the Coming Events on my sidebar.  Sauder Village class sign ups started yesterday at 10 a.m. ~ I wonder if anybody's on my list?!  We won't really know much until December.  There is always a frenzy to get your favorite teacher but no doubt,  there are some who are not full yet. So,  if you're thinking you might like to experience Sauder Rug Hooking Week, you should check in and see if there are  still openings ~ or at least, come for the day.  They have one of the best rug shows in the country and Kathy Wright works very hard to assemble a list of very talented teachers and give us lots of choices ~ you should consider putting it on your next summer's list of things to do! 

I need to get organized for tomorrow's packing ~ right now, I'm washing and wishing ~ washing wool and wishing I would get some new projects finished!!! Off to the hooking room!!  Have a good weekend!

WOOLLEY FOX TRIP ~ ~ ~

Good grief!! I hit publish instead of save!!  And then, yesterday afternoon, I typed a whole big post and at the end, hit some darn key and it all went into cyberspace neverland!!!!!!  I gave up!  But, I'll start anew!

This is Barbara Carroll's Berks County Floral that she introduced at the ATHA Biennial recently.  I have been wanting to hook it since I saw the sample last fall but had to wait until it was rolled out in Lancaster!  It's 17" x 20" and I hooked all this in the three days we were at the Woolley Fox this past week!  The background is a mixture of my sparkly wools and the hearts and gold flower centers are paisleys.  Barb's loving it and I am, too!  The numbers are hooked in just to hold the space and then I'll rehook after the background is in. That's a very good way to make sure they stand out ~ same for the flower stems!

Maria and Mary M. were having a fun chat!  This was the only people picture that I got ~ we were really hooking up a storm! 

Judy is hooking a new Magdalena pattern ~ I can see Happy Trio in the upper left of the pattern so that must be it's name!!  Love the duck with all it's directional hooking!  Judy also stitched a little pinkeep for each of us ~ very thoughtful!





Mary is hooking this monster of a rug!!  It is a room size rug with pineapples on both ends ~ the colors she and Barb have chosen are beautiful mauves and creams ~ it's really going to be something!  Mary says it's her winter project ~ for me, it would be my lifetime project!

Miss Maria just got in around noon on Tuesday and managed to get this hooked in her day and a half with us!  It's Aunt Tillie's Garden ~ another sizable rug!

Donna ~ our leader ~ is hooking Magdalena's Great Grandaughter's Rug.  When she was returning from the Biennial with a friend, they travelled the Magdalena Trail as set out in Kathy Wright and Evelyn Lawrence's new book.  This pattern is painted on a barn that's on the trail and Donna is  memorializing their trip with this rug!  It's really going to be soft and old looking!

This is Donna's new friend ~ Gabby!  She made herself right at home in Donna's hooking bag!!!!!  We had a lot of fun with Gabby and Posey, the Woolley Fox cats ~ they go anywhere they want ~ and they're quite entertaining!

We had a great time on our trip ~ it goes so fast ~ it's time to head home when you're really just getting settled in.  We ate some great food and I love the shops in Ligonier ~ we always find some great things there!

The day after I got home, Tad had to have a tooth pulled ~ we have been dealing with this tooth for a couple of weeks and Tad and I are both so glad it's over.  Dealing with dentists and oral surgeons who are in no hurry to make things happen, made this mother have a headache!!  It was quite an ordeal but he's on the mend and happy as a clam ~ thank goodness!!!!

Luke and Luci and their mom, Miki, were at the lake with us this weekend!  Son Teddy was deer hunting so they hung out with us. Miki joined us and our lake friends for a trip to a local winery, Chateau Tabeau, in Fremont!  Very nice little place ~ good wine and good food.  It was a beautiful afternoon so we set outside for a while and then moved inside for a bite to eat.  We have been doing this for a couple of years in the fall ~ just a nice way to wind down our season! 

I have a NEWSFLASH!!  I have been asked to teach a one-day workshop at the Sauder Rug Retreat next August!!  Kathy Wright called me some time ago and I'm really honored to be included on a roster of such creative rug hookers!! I'm going to be doing a hands-on finishing class and want to make it fun and informative for you gals that want to know how to put that finishing touch on your artistic endeavors!  You can check out my  page on the Sauder Village Rug Retreat website.  Come join me!!!

So that's it for tonite!  I finally got this post done ~ and now I'm going to hook on my class rug!!!

GONE HOOKIN' !!!!! ~ ~ ~

Wish I had a picture to post but alas ~ I do not!!  Tomorrow, I'm heading to the Woolley Fox for three days of hooking, eating and shopping!!  Woo Hoo!!!  I'll have some pix to post and hopefully, stories to tell!  It's going to be cold and maybe some rain ~ but we'll have our wool to keep us warm!!!!!!  I'm going with Donna, Judy, Mary and Maria ~ it should be lots o' fun!!  I'm going to hook Berks County Floral ~ the new rug that Barb introduced at the ATHA Biennial!  I've been waiting to do it ever since I saw it finished in her studio but had to wait till ATHA was over!!  I still haven't finished The Rooster Pair from my Spring class so I decided to do something more manageable!!  Talk to you at the end of the week ~ unless I can figure out how to blog from my phone!!!!

Hope all is well with you and yours! Ta ta for now!!
Alice

ANOTHER FUN WEEKEND ~ ~ ~

Tipp City rug progress ~ wish I would get it finished!!  I took this photo with the cell phone in  a lot of bright light ~ yikes!!  But it's coming along!

This weekend, Sonny's son Chris and family came up to the lake and we were invited to Karen and John's (next door neighbors) for their annual Halloween lunch!  They go to great extent to make it fun and tasty ~ there was pizza, chicken tettrazini and lots of appetizers and bags of goodies for the kids and even for the ladies!  Very fun!! 

 Then we took the kids and their parents to African Safari ~ one of my favorite places to go up there!  You drive your car thru and feed the animals!!  This buffalo liked Chris a lot ~ but he needed a tic tac or two ~ whew! Some of those guys had really odoriferous mouths!!  We laughed so hard ~ it's just crazy when these animals stick their whole heads in your car and snarf around for food!  We took four bags of carrots and they give you a cup of pellets which don't last long and usually the animals yank it out of your hand!!  Chris is a very meticulous fellow and he about had the big one when they slobbered on his car ~ that was almost as funny as the wildlife!  We went directly to the car wash when we left!  That night, we went to the Japanese restaurant, Nagoya, for dinner ~ always fun with the kids!!

Two weeks ago, we went to Kelleys' Island with our friends ~ this was at one of the pubs along the way ~ we were pretty happy by this time and I'm shocked at how big my arm looked that day!!

 Our partners in crime ~ Carol and John and Karen (our Halloween hosts)!

Diane and Greg and Bill ~ Carol's husband!!  We had a riot that day!  Went to the annual Chili Cookoff at the Brew Pub and met up with our friends, Tom and Janet, who live on the island part time!  Always lots of laughs ~ we love our friends!!!

It's been quite a couple of weeks ~ lots going on!  Yesterday, I bought a new phone system and got that into operation ~ I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to these new fandangled pieces of equipment!!  I also bought a new printer because the current one has a broken hinge (how, we don't know but it wouldn't print unless I laid on the top of it and now it won't even do that!)  Tonight's project is for me to try to get the new one up and running!  Wish me luck!  I had to hand write paychecks today ~ that's not good ~ and then will have to print them to paper so the guys can have a copy!!  And on it goes ~
I did it!!  I have the fax set up and the printer connected to the Ethernet so it's wireless!!  Woo hoo!!  I have to say ~ the tutorial was so good that probably my cat could have done it!!  But, there is no less sense of accomplishment!!! 

Anyone watching Dancing with the Stars?  It's getting a little dicey with tempers flaring a bit!  Okay ~ I'm outta here for now!!  See you soon!
Alice

TIPP CITY RUG PROGRESS ~ ~ ~

A lot of progress today!!  Because I hooked for several hours this morning!  I just threw caution to the wind and didn't look back ~ therapy ~ I needed therapy!!!  It's coming along!!  Lauren asked the size ~ it's 16" x 24" as it is now, but there is a lot of  extra foundation fabric so I could add a nice geometric border.  I wanted to get this done ~ a border will slow me down!!  We shall see!

When the teachers were talking about various aspects of designing our own rugs, Karen Kahle mentioned that it doesn't have to be perfectly symmetrical ~ I only had to hear that once!!  Mine is not and I know now that's okay!  I drew around a small drinking glass that was on my table to get the largest gold circle shape.  The others were drawn freehand ~ shocking, isn't it?  But, I like their funky shapes ~ same goes for the half rounds at the edges of the rug ~ not quite the same but pretty close for just being sketched on the pattern backing. 

The ATHA convention has begun!  FaceBookers and some of the blogs are already posting about it!  The rug exhibits look great and of course, the vendors make me want to be there!!  As if I don't have enough of my own stuff ~ but I love to buy dyed wool if I find something unusual!!  So for now, I will enjoy my armchair visits to the Biennial ~ I see so many of my rug hooking friends and acquaintances ~ I know they're having a blast!! 

I'm off to my bed now ~ big weekend ahead ~ have to dig out my woollies because it's cold and damp outside!!!  Take care and enjoy this drippy weather!!

Alice

P. S. I got word last night that Linda of Simply Country Seasons blog is recovering from a serious surgery ~ she's doing well but will be in the hospital for another week or so.  I know she has connected with quite a few rug hookers ~ some here at the proddy sheep class this summer and thru other blogs. I'm thinking you can leave her a message on her blog and when she gets home, I know she'll appreciate that we all were thinking of her and sending prayers for her healing.  Linda is a great gal ~ lots of fun ~ even though her sense of direction allows her to see lots of new countryside!!!!  I'll keep you posted when I hear something!

TIPP CITY RUG PROGRESS ~ ~ ~

Just a short post ~ wanted you rug hookers to see this background!  I'm loving it ~ learning to love it, actually.  One thing about this Karen Kahle-type striated background is that you can't hook in straight lines ~ and you get better variation if you use some different widths.  Most of this is an 8 or 8.5 cut but there are some 9's and a few narrower.  So on it goes ~ it takes me a while ~ I've put two hours in on this background since the last photo from the class.  But it will be a neat rug when it's done ~ a study in "The Shape of Things"!

I've been up to my ears in office work ~ preparing invoices and putting some order to my office.  I've had grandkids for several days now ~ Luke is staying while his parents are on vacation and then Jakob and Cam took turns staying the night Sunday and Monday.  Getting kids off to school in the morning takes some getting used to ~ fixing breakfast and shuttling them to the bus or school!!  Whew!!  I'm tired!!! 

So, I'm off to put dinner on the table ~ one of the grocery store clerks said "Boy, I've seen you a lot lately"!!  That's sad ~ they don't see much of me because we eat out a lot or do something simple ~ this cooking is getting to the old girl!!!! 

I'm hoping to hook tonite while Dancing with the Stars is on ~ that show is a little ho-hum this season but I do enjoy J. R. Martinez ~ he's doing a fabulous job!!  Have a nice evening ~ I'm going to!
Alice