IN THE MERRY MONTH OF MAY

May has been a wonderfully busy month for me.  April was a good month too - my birth month!

The first weekend in May was a wonderful retreat weekend with the Sun Region EGA group.  We had about 68 attend the retreat held in Safety Harbor FL.  I was Facilities chair so I was busy all thru the weekend and exhausted when we left to come home but it was a really great retreat. My mom went with me again, she attended her first Sun Region retreat last April in Mt Dora and we had a great time so we thought it would be fun to do it again.  This was the wonderful view from our 2nd story balcony where we spent a few moments in the late afternoons relaxing.  In the distance is the west side of Tampa Bay.  Espiritu Springs is on the grounds of this resort - purported to be the "fountain of youth" by Spanish explorers. 

We also celebrated Mothers Day with my dear mom.  She and my DH at Blue

 Bamboo - one of our favorite restaurants in town did a lovely MD brunch.

These photos got a little out of order but this is our most recent trip to Hiawassee Ga.  We always try to catch lunch at the Coleman House - this beautiful Queen Anne style Victorian home is in Swainsboro Ga. and they do a wonderful lunch buffet.  I don't know if they still do B&B here but it's a great lunch stop 5 or 6 days a week, closed on Saturdays.  Just one shot of their beautiful gardens.  I had more photos of this stop but it was getting photo heavy.  We were on our way to Hiawassee so I could attend a rug hooking workshop at the Hookery with Linda Bell.  Her studio has been featured before in my blog.  It is just stunning, such a relaxing camp.  This year she had teacher Laura Pierce from California.  Check out her Flying Dog website .  She specializes in faces and she was amazing.  I learned so much from her in this 3 day workshop.  I'll show you my project.

 

me

 If you've been reading my blog for a while you know what time it is ???  It's Camp Loopy time.  Every summer I spend June, July and Aug knitting with a group of friends and attending a "virtual" camp put on by the Loopy Ewe.  Sheri does a great job with this virtual camp and has worldwide attendance.  Check out her website/blog for details - it's not too late to join the fun.  This years theme is "cowboys or western theme"  This is my June yarn and it's one I've never tried Hedgehog Fibres from England.  Color called Cereal for some odd reason.  Not a great photo but you'll be seeing the project I picked out in June.  Not sure but I have several shawl patterns I'm pondering.  This is my 7th year participating in camp.

 While in Safety Harbor a few weeks ago - we visited Roxy's Yarns - a great little shop across the bay in Tampa.  My mom fell in love with this crocheted Noro jacket which they had on display made out of this exact colorway of Malabrigo Rios - a worsted weight yarn.  I'm rusty on crochet but I ordered a new Furls hook (have you seen them???)  and I'm off on the jacket !  it's been fun.  So far so good

Next knitting project getting attention is Neridah by an Australian designer Ambah.  It's in 3 colors but the 3rd color hasn't made an appearance yet.  I found the perfect shade of dusty aqua to coordinate with these greens.  the solid bright green is Shibui Staccato and the overdyed is Blue Moon Socks that Rock in the Bubble Guppie colorway.  It's been so great for spring knitting.

 I needed an easy project for the trip so I started Alchemy by one of my favorite designers Woolenberry.  Janina the designer lives in Finland.  Her designs are usually light and airy and perfect for Florida climate.  This one is two colors but you only see the Shalimar Enzo Sport weight so far in a pretty shade of bluish gray.  Seed stitch is a nice diversion from garter for me so this is easy to pick up and put down and perfect for travel or knit night with the girls.

A bit out of order but here is my St Nicholas project that I did in my Hiawassee rug workshop.  Here is the progression of work I did in 3 days of class.  Bear in mind that this was only class time - no hooking at night on this trip.

 This is probably the end of day 2 of hooking - ONLY on the face - I just had to get the face in.  Laura had great advice and really got me out of my box.  I had never done a human face before.

 Day 3 of class - I worked only on the cardinal and pulled wool from Linda Bell's beautiful selection of hand dyed wools for the staff and background.  This rug is designed by Tish Murphy - sorry I didn't give her credit for the design.  It's not a big rug only 18" x 18".  but in a 3 cut - it moves very
 

 

S L O W - but worth it for the effect.  I am doing the same sort of color plan but with different wools of course - I didn't buy the kit from Tish. 

A close up of the cardinal - I am very pleased with how the rug is coming out.  I hope to continue hooking on him but I have OH SO many rug WIP's and I just don't hook much in the summer months but this is a nice small rug unlike my other rugs which are larger and heavy and hot to work on in the humid summers way down south.

 

Well my blog friends - hope you have also had a merry May and things are going your way.  I always appreciate your comments - love hearing from you and what you've been up to.  See  you in June!

EASTER GREETINGS !

I just couldn't let another month go by without making a blog post.  I really have no photos to show of what I've been accomplishing because it isn't much of anything needlework wise.

Work has been very demanding this year with many tough projects on my plate all due in March and April.  I'm not out of the woods yet but several have had successful launches. 

With all my energy and attention on work - I have had little time or energy for needlework.  I have done some mindless knitting and am making  progress on my Rodeo Drive poncho (but no new photo) and my Jujuy shawl (again no updated photo)

I did have this darling needlepoint bunny canvas by Liz that has gotten some love this past week.  I had put in part of the bunny a few years ago when I first bought the canvas . I had put in the lacy top borders also.  I spent the day with DF Linda K last Saturday and she is a great friend to brainstorm and collaborate with on threads and stitches.  She provided great suggestions for the tulips and all the ones in this photo have gone bye-bye and I'll put them in as she recommended over the weekend.  It came out really cute - now to decide whether I will tackle the finishing or I'll  send it to a finisher.

What do you think of the easter eggy colored chevron fabric?   I think it would be great for backing fabric.

 Sure would hate to ruin it but I haven't ruined anything yet.  May not be as slick as a pro but my finishing is improving and I would like to keep challenging myself.

I hope if any of my blogs friends are still out there reading my neglected blog - that you all have a blessed Easter, don't eat too many chocolate bunnies and better yet - spend some time with a needle "stitching" on your bunnies and chicks !!!

JANUARY - SEASON OF WOOL

Every January for 19 years now (yes hard to believe) I have been attending first On the Ocean and then Off the Ocean (same camp- different locations)  This camp was started by mother daughter team Judy Colley and Katie Puckett.  When I attended the first camp 19 years ago - I was a greenpea - A rank novice - I knew nothing about rug hooking except I had seen it in a North Ga. mountain artisan co-op and was enchanted.  I set out on my journey to learn more about this wonderful fiber art form.

My search after many phone calls (yes no email back in those days) led me to order a copy of Rug Hooking Magazine.  In perusing the mag - I found a tiny block ad in the back advertising Off the Ocean rug camp in Atlantic Beach Fl in January - it was already November and OMG- could this be true.  I called this woman Judy and while she did have some difficulty understanding my southern accent - it was determined that YES she did have room in a class for me and YES - that teacher could teach a beginner to hook and would bring everything I needed.  OK - I won't bore you with all the details but let's just say my first experience was not a great one.  The teacher I had I don't believe wanted to teach a beginner or either she had more people in her class than she could handle - I left after day 2 of a 5 day camp and never returned.  If not for my friend Katie calling me about 6 months later to see how I was doing and ask if I wanted to get together with a small group and hook - I would probably not be here today 19 years later - still rug hooking and still loving this awesome fiber art.

Sadly - Judy has had ill health and Katie had to take on someone else to help her with the camp but the camp is still going and next year will be a grand 20th anniversary celebration.  Of course I am going - god willing and the creek don't rise no more than it has this past year with trees falling on our house and sustaining flooding in the historic home where I work, hurricanes and all the other trials and tribulations life throws at us.

I have some great photos to show you from the Off the Ocean rug camp but first a photo of my knitting project getting the most attention lately.  A beautiful poncho called Rodeo Dr Poncho in lovely new to me Malabrigo Dos Tierras yarn.  I have a lot more done on this poncho now - there is a cable down the center.  It is a pretty bluish gray called Polar Morn - how appropriate since it's even been quite cold in the deep south the past few weeks.  I LOVE IT !!!!  gives me a chance to wear hand knits every single day. 

This Santa needlepoint ornament got about a week of attention before the mood passed and now it's put away probably till next fall.  I did get the reindeer done and Santa's beard and I have ordered the silk for Santa's suit as I needed another color for contrast.  It's a fun design by Mile High Princess.  Stitch guide came with it.  Some suggestions I am using and some not.

On to the rugs - YES - of course I started a new rug this year.  My teacher Diane Stoffel did a fantastic color plan on the William Morris Strawberry Thief.  Here is 1/2 of the mirror image - the rug is 30 x 50 approx.  Yes it was bigger than it sounded on the website LOL - I am hooking this weekend so I hope to finish the bird soon.  The birds are English Thrushes so said by William Morris who used them as inspiration in his art work so many centuries ago. 

 The color is pretty accurate but the shadows do disrupt things.  I only put in one strawberry but they will all be the same rich muted red color.  This rug has tons of green and blue/green and the background is a typical Wm Morris type color - a dark teal blue with lots of black.  The very edge of the rug will be black.  I couldn't be happier or more excited with what Diane planned for the rug and I made very little changes in what she dyed for me.

 There is only 1 other woman who has attended all 19 OTO rug camps - my friend Annie T - she has been in my class a lot over the years.  Here is her WIP from this year.  A barn scene.

DF Donna P was my table mate again this year.  She was doing a quite large sailing ship rug by Pine Island Primitives.  She made great progress.  Donna has attended a good many OTO rug camps and I first met her when she was living in Miami and was in my 2nd OTO class when they were held in Atlantic Beach.  Donna has since moved up to our area and I see her almost every month at EGA meeting. 

 Sisters Nancy S and Sara Beth B also have attended many OTO camps and have an interesting connection to us.  Their mom was in the first inception of the rug guild we formed in Jacksonville back in the late 90's.  They both live in NC I believe but we always have a chat about their mom and things back in those days.  This is Nancy's awesome rug - mostly hooked in a 3 cut.  Diane did the color plan.  and NO - she didn't get all that done at this camp - she started it in the summer I believe.

 Dawn was in my class again this year - this is her celtic bird - she made great progress.  Dawn is another local gal who was a charter member of the rug guild.

 Two ladies in my class were both hooking the same blueberry pattern - the artwork by Mary Fibbich who was also at one time a member of our local rug guild before moving to Maine

 This is friend and fellow blogger Lauren (Rugs and Pugs blog fame) rug.  She was in Kris Miller's class of Spruce Ridge Rug Studio.  It was so great meeting Lauren in person - she and I have similar interests in samplers, antiques and rug hooking.  She also loves dogs particularly pugs and does great work fostering and finding homes for these little sweeties.  Amazing what Lauren got done but then she hooks with an 8 or higher cut. 

 

I have run out of time to show the winners at the rug exhibit and some other WIP rugs.  I will come back again soon (hopefully) and show you more photos.  In the meantime - I hope you are all starting off your new year right with wool and linen in yours hands! 

CLOSING IN ON CHRISTMAS

I LOVE looking at all the pretty snow photos on Facebook and blogs, watching Hallmark movies and dreaming of spending Christmas in the snow, riding in a horse drawn sleigh.  Oh my - sitting by a fire and having a hot beverage - all stuff of dreams. Considering it's 80+ degrees here in the deep south  - that is simply all it is "a dream" !  I don't want to sound bitter but I really do wish it was at least cold or cool enough to wear one of my hand knit shawls.  Oh well - one thing is for sure - I can't change the weather so on to a few finishes of late.

This is part of a club series with The Needlepointer in Wa. - it is Hats , Bats and Boots by Pippin Studios.  They are quick and fun to stitch but the finishing OIY!!!!!!  It took me about 8 hrs to finish up this little beast.  It is nothing fancy for sure but I am proud of the way it came out.  It has a pre-made silver beaded border that was ticky to apply.  anyway -it's a FFO !

Here is the back !

 Next is another Pippin club piece with The Needlepointer.  Fanciful Forest was from a couple of years ago - at this rate one tree a year I'll be done in 2025 LOL !  I have really enjoyed all the clubs I have done with the Needlepointer.  They have used some new to me threads and the stitch guides are simple but interesting enough.  I've already started another one - much taller than this one!

 This is DF Ruth C who picked my exchange gift in our duClay EGA Chapter exchange.  I'm pretty proud of the BBD Sewing Bird.  It was expertly finished by The Twisted Stitcher Finishing Service.
Vonna did an excellent job finishing this exactly like I wanted it done.  I hope Ruth will enjoy it for many years to come.

 This is my mom's exchange gift to Carol P.  It is a With Thy Needle piece called Tulip Fantasy.  Again another fine finish by Vonna.  She did a flat fold stand up on this one - just perfect and I know Carol will enjoy using it - she does gorgeous work and truly has a "stitchers home".  Funny thing - I drew Carol's piece for my exchange - shoot !  I should have taken a photo of it.  If you are on Facebook - you can search for the duClay FB page and look up all our beautiful work that was displayed at our Christmas luncheon.

.Just so my hooking friends don't think I have given it up or forgotten how to hook - here is a WIP shot of a dear UFO I have neglected to finish year after year.  I really love working on seasonal projects in the season.  Once Christmas is over - well ............  this rug gets rolled up and put in the old red cupboard.  It is an adaptation of two WithThyNeedle charts in case you want to know. The color plan was done by my DF Dianne Kelly of the Woolen Cottage in Ohio.  It is mostly in a 6 cut.

Maybe next Christmas I can show  you a finish !

I always get excited about hooking this time of the year.  One reason is our local rug hooking camp opportunity is in early January.  Of course I'm going !  It will be my 19th consecutive year of attending this camp.  Of course I am starting a new rug - you'll just have to wait and see next month what I've chosen.

 My last finishes of the year are two shawls - the limited edition Christmas colorway was started two years ago on a trip to Gatlinburg.  After the holiday season was over - I put the project away.  I enjoy working on seasonal things - in the season.  I found it when I was plundering for something else and thought - WOW - this thing could be finished and worn this year if I put those turbo needles to work.  Which I did !  We had one stinkin day last week that I was attending a work Christmas function and it was cool enough to wear it.  ONE DAY !  it's really pretty - for the interested knitters - it's Blue Moon - a special colorway called Peppermint Stick Forest.  The pattern is Fractal Danger by Martina Behm a German designer.

 This lovely shawl belongs to my mom.  She saw it in a shop a couple of years ago and asked me if I could make it for her.  I said of course I can.  She picked out her own yarn with a little guidance from me.  Baah La Jolla is the brand and type.  Pattern Valley Breeze.  I hope it gets cool enough this year to wear it - it's quite large but I think turned out really well.

Well my friends - I hope each and every one of you has the brightest of holiday seasons and no matter what holidays you celebrate - I hope they are the loveliest ever.  I will wish you all a Merry Christmas because that's what we celebrate, the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior.  I enjoy hearing your comments - If I don't get to come back before New Years - hope you have a happy one.  Are you starting a new project on NYE?  that's a tradition with many stitchers.  Of course I am - I'd love to hear what you are doing.  Cheers Mel

TURKEY TIME !!!!

Thanksgiving seems early this year.  I don't know if that is really the case but this whole year is just slipping away at the speed of light.  One month it will be Christmas - WOW !

Speaking of - I showed this ornament in my last blog post but I finally got around to putting on the hanger.

 It was very plain on the back I thought so I figured out how to make ribbon rosettes from Wiki How on the internet.  It would have been easier I think if the ribbon wasn't so wide and stiff but I am very pleased with my first attempt and it does perk up the back of the ornament.  As I said before it is a LHN Sampler Tree series and we learned to do the beaded edge from our duClay EGA chapter "taste of " program.  I know it's a finish I will use again!

 my dear mom participated in the same "taste of" - she pooped out after doing the one side of beading in class and conned my dear dad into doing two sides and he ran out of beads so it came bouncing back to me to finish LOL !  It is also LHN Sampler Tree series - Deer Inn

 I found a cute little gingerbread man to cover up my messy tacking of the ribbon. 

Next is a gorgeous pillow that DF and finisher extraordinaire Faye - the Carolina Stitcher finished for me.  This is Mirabilia Mermaid initials spelling out M E L.  My dear dad stitched these for me, didn't he do a super job.  The trick was getting them to play nicely together as the colors are different from each other and the L is a larger size (sigh) Faye really handled those issues well and I picked out some pretty batik that pulled the colors all together I feel.  In my delusional wooley thoughts  -  I was going to do all of them and put in a wall hanging- NOT !  these things are as much work or more than the Prairie Schooler alphabet of which I have the A stitched, framed and hanging on my wall.  They are indeed beautiful and I would not deter anyone from stitching them or at least one!

Next up is another challenge piece for our EGA chapter I finished this past weekend.  Shepherds Bush Moonlight Garden.  It is mounted in a cute tray with ravens carved into the ends.  It was only a couple of weeks of missing Halloween but I have it out on a  table thru the weekend.  It will go into hibernation when I bring out the Christmas stuff hopefully this weekend.

Here is the raven carving.  Really cute little tray by Retromantics I think is the company SB uses.

Well my friends - I wanted to pop out and wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving.  I hope you all have family and friends to celebrate with and much to be thankful for this year.  I am thankful for many things, my blessings which are many, my dear family, many friends, a great job, health and happiness and many other things too numerous to list.  Best wishes to you all - please comment - I love hearing from you what you are most thankful for this year.

OCTOBER WANING

YES it's been quite a while friends since I showed up on the blog.  I did redecorate for Halloween with my sweet Merrie Halloween on my blog face.  For those who might want to know this is a Lori Brechlin/Not Forgotten Farm design by Spruce Ridge Rugs.  The color plan was by Diane Stoffel.

There is a mate called Pumpkin Thyme that I've often thought of hooking but there is only so much time and SOOOO many rugs.  Yes friends it's wool season in the Deep South and I've been busy stashing wool yarn and planning a new rug for Off the Ocean rug camp in January.  What to do - what to do - only time will tell.

For those who checked on us and inquired about damages from Irma - We came thru better than most.  We had a whole section of privacy fence down that had to be replaced on our coin because of the hurricane deductible and the new section of fence that was replaced in the last disaster (the tornado in Feb) got broken to pieces by a neighbors falling tree on the property line.  Oh well at least it missed our house and new repairs by about 2 ft.  God is good.

I've had some fun since I posted last.  Most recently I did an amazing needlepoint canvas embellishment class with Robin King at the Bristly Thistle in lovely Fernandina Beach which is only about an hour north of me.  I had a great weekend with DF's Teresa B and Linda K.

I love Michele's new shop location.  Bristly Thistle is housed in an adorable cottage.  Lighting is great, lots of wall space for canvas display and loads of threads.

it was a rainy day but so pleasant being tucked into this cottage with happy needlepointers.

Wish I had a more complimentary photo of Robin King but I was busy concentrating on getting my project off the ground.

Some yummy trunk show pieces and a view of Michele's thread room.

Here is my adorable Steampunk Pumpkin by Brenda Stofft.  My new needleminder there on the right.

 Every canvas should have it's own needleminder.  There isn't much on the canvas yet but I'm loving what Robin King came up with for the key elements of the piece.  I will fill in the rest myself.

Here is DF Teresa B's Steampunk Owl - she is going to have a blast too !

Here is the whole class - DF Linda K on my left - I didn't get a photo of her in class.

I'll leave you with a LHN Christmas ornament I did the finishing on myself.  It has a beaded edge that you can't see in the photo that is pretty cool.

 

Happy Halloween to all my friends in blogland - thank you for your readership, friendship and your comments.

AWAITING IRMA

The Wicked Witch of the East Atlantic is coming our way.  I've lived in NE FL all my life - the older I get - the more afraid of these storms I get.  Even though you have plenty of notice of their coming - they zig and zag and they change directions, change intensity.  Many things factor into their path.  The news media starts hammering us days in advance - rightly so - after seeing the devastation of Harvey on Houston and surrounding areas - it's enough to scare anyone to death.  My thoughts and prayers and all the money I could afford have gone to donations for Harvey victims.  I hope you will see it in your heart to donate too.  We like CBN Operation Blessing, they are already on site in FL even though Irma has not even made landfall.  They were on site in Texas - set up before the Red Cross or National Guard.  Oh I gave to the Red Cross too but I still like the Christian organization CBN.

I let another whole month go by before I have done a blog post.  I usually change up my blog face to Autumn themes along with  the vignettes and collections in my house.  However I was too depressed on Labor day about our unwanted guest to even bother to take down patriotic.  I may do a little of that tomorrow once I finish storm prepping outside.

I spent the whole summer knitting on the Camp Loopy challenge with The Loopy Ewe.  This is my 5th year.  This is Camp Loopy 2 for July - finished easily at least a week before the end of July.  For my knitting friends and fans - this yarn is Blue Moon Socks that Rock Med. weight is the Sea Spots colorway and I don't remember the name of the pretty blue green teal semi solid.  It turned out quite heavy.

This is Camp Loopy 3 in it's present state of incompletion.  YEP !  for the 2nd time in my CL history - I didn't finish the final August challenge.  It's a big jacket 1100 yards which is over the required 800yrds - the Janeville Jacket by Blue Sky Fibers out of two colors of their Woolstok - hand dyed and sourced in Peru.  it's very very dark blue called Midnight Sun with a stripe of very dark maroon.  In seed/moss stitch - I love it and I will finish it eventually but it is SOOO stinkin' hot or was when I was working on it in August. 

Something fun we did in August at our duClay EGA chapter was to try punch needle.  I have always been drawn to punch needle but I have resisted trying it.  I didn't need another addiction or distraction after all I do traditional wool rug hooking so why do I need to do punch needle???  well here is my first attempt - this patriotic tin topper which was a design from the Punch Needle and Prim stitching magazine.  We had permission from the designer to teach it in our chapter.  Thank you Erin and thanks to Suzy S for teaching us.  So what did I do - when I went on vacation in Tenn. I went to the Pattern Hutch in Pigeon Forge Tenn.  They have relocated several times and are now in a wonderful old cabin up in the hills above PF near our condo actually.  So I went all in and bought a Morgan hoop frame/stand thingy, a new pattern for Halloween and a new Ultra punch needle. So we'll see where this leads.

Meet Cappuchino - he came to live with me in late July.  He was made by Heather , Mohair Bears and Friends on Etsy.  I think he's just darling.  I put him in his little wooden pedestal and gave him some pretty fabric to play with.  He was ready to sew with his spool and needle.  I just couldn't resist him.  Heather's creations are so awesome, she is as talented and creative as her mom Gloria Parsons and her twin sister Vickie of Olde Green Cupboard fame.  They owned the most awesome quilt, prim, antique shop in Jacksonville for a number of years.  Now they do designing, teaching, retreats etc.

August also brought the usual adventures while in Tenn.   Alien spotting by my DH,  running from raptors, never a dull moment !

We never tire of the magnificent views in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  It was sad to see what burned in Gatlinburg and surrounding areas but all in all they were in good shape.

 DH and I were relaxing on this second floor balcony in the late afternoon sun, I with my stitching in hand.  All the sudden - a HUGE bear came meandering right thru the parking lot where our vehicle was parked right under us.  By the time I ran inside and got my phone - he had walked around the back side of the pool fencing.

 You can still see the big black shape between those two pool chairs - that was poppa bear !  Sure glad I wasn't downstairs fumbling around in the Murano when he walked by.  This was just up the hill from downtown Gatlinburg but we are just about 1/2 a mile from the park entrance.

Maybe next time I'll have some stitching progress to show. Summer is always a slow time for stitching progress since I devote so much time to knitting.  Well I better shove off and close this up and batten down the hatches.  For all my Florida/Georgia friends and all who might be in Irma's path - be safe and my prayers are with us all.