New Beginnings 2012

the last day of 2011 leaves behind very loving memories of my fur buddy Roby (so greatly missed), great vacation trips with my Mom and my sister Lorraine (now the rug hooker), a beautiful holiday in PEI with my husband and Roby (his last), literally a new lease on life and an awareness of how important one's health is, nice family gatherings, finding new friends, some really good reads, a new direction for Fully Wooly Primitives, creativity with Island Cottage Needlearts, new found passion for rug hooking and so much more. It's been a couple of introspective days looking back at 2011. 

As to 2012, no one ever knows what the next day will hold let alone the next year. I do know that we will be getting a new addition to our furry children, that I will be focusing on my rug hooking for the next year, that I am launching a new series of patterns for Island Cottage Needlearts that is so exciting, that I will be going on my PEI holiday, that I will be listening to my body more than ever, that I will be meeting new people, that I will expand my creativity and that I will with an open mind, look, hear and taste the world around me. This is what I hope for 2012....


The paintings you see are from a wonderful artist Karla Gerard who I absolutely love. I will be making these available on my website. There will be about 20 of them that have been adapted for rug hooking. These will be drawn on linen and available in the shop starting next week... all a part of the direction I want to take Fully Wooly Primitives, which is All About The Wool.


Happy New Year everyone!.. many thanks to all my readers and customers who read my blog and drop by the website. Drive safe...g'nite. Joni

My Sister is a Hooker - of Rugs!

I am using it as a chairpad

Close up of wonky house

Introducing some yarn bits for texture

That is a rug hooker! She has asked me in the past few months to show her how to hook rugs. I took her to Deanne Fitzgerald's studio in Nova Scotia this past fall on our way to PEI. She walked in and she was hooked. She bought her first canvas ( Wonky House and Lupins) and some skeins of yarn. I have enough of a wool stash that she could raid mine. Then I took her to the Green Mountain show in Vermont and she bought another pattern. Next I will have her designing her own.


She hooked that first pattern so fast! She called me a week before Christmas as to how to finish it. I wondered why the rush, but she came over and we went through a couple of methods. 


On Christmas Day when I opened my gift from her it was HER first rug that I received. I was so touched. We had a sisterly hugfest, a few tears and an understanding that went beyond words...as the men looked on scratching their heads :). So now I have my first rug gift. I have always given mine away or sold them so I have few of mine on hand. Now we know what to give each other as gifts - rug hooking STUFF! Always nice to have a fellow hooker in the family...What did I give her for Christmas?.. well another pattern of course and a pair of offset scissors LOL


Have a great day...Joni

Merry Christmas to All

Wood Carving by Douglas Purdy

Wishing all my on line friends a very Merry Christmas. May you enjoy the holidays with family and friends. May you bathe in the spirit of love and kindness, enjoy much laughter and stay safe! Thank you to all my customers for their continued support, it is so appreciated. 
with fondness, Joni & Peter and the fur babies.

White, Cold & Snug as a Bug

Finally, we have our white Christmas. Never too late! The snow was gently falling yesterday and it was cold enough that it just stuck to everything. I was in the kitchen baking, Papa was playing Pioneer Trail and the fur babies were playing on their new toy. Noogs certainly let it be known that this was his toy, lording it over the other fur baby, Pixie. Don't worry she got in her fair share!

The baking is all done, except for some last minute frosting. Now time to package the goodies and send them their way. It's amazing what a little snow can do to get you in the spirit. It blankets the landscape, coats the trees (now they are in their proper garb), mutes the sound of everyday life and brightens the evening with a glow. Ok but after Christmas you can melt away happily... not likely....Have a great day .. Joni

Mimir - Owl Series

So I started a series of  owl rugs. There will be three (maybe more) in the series and this is the first of the little guys.. His name is Mimir. He is about 7" x 10". Lots of fun to do. Sometimes you just need a little project ( LOL) at this time of the year in the hustle and bustle of everything else.

All the different wools I used.

A hand dyed blue roving for his chest.

Some yarn bits for around hid eyes to highlight them

His wings were highlighted with yarn too.

I'll be offering these as patterns on my website in the new year.

Have a great day...Joni 

If You Like Mocha!

Espresso Chocolate Shortbread Cookies

These cookies were easy to make and used a method I had never tried before. You put all the dough in a plastic bag (gallon size) roll it, refrigerate it, cut it, then bake. It's got espresso in it and I used dark chocolate with toffee bits. Now I have to tell you I do not drink coffee as I am not fond of it, but love the smell of it and the taste of it in baked cookies. Here is the link to download the recipe if you want to try your hand at these!
Have a great evening...

Blog Giveaway Update

Well I have not heard from the winner of the calendar and it has been a week. I'll give her until Friday to contact me and if not I am going to draw another name on Saturday. So Annie C. if you can drop me a line that would be great and I can get this off to you. Have a great day everyone....Joni

Family and Baking

It's been a busy few days as it always seems before Christmas, for a lot of you too I am sure! Mom's birthday was celebrated on the weekend and the family got together at Madison's for a lunch get together. There were 13 of us and it was nice to see everyone. This is not the entire family - I don't even know how many we are - easily 25 - I guess... and no I am not in the picture.

I have been baking up a storm. I managed to take a picture of my specialty (meaning I make it every Christmas), they all seem to like these cream cheese pastries. Here is the link for the recipe if you want to download it.. I also baked some chocolate espresso cookies but the picture did not take on that one. Will try again before they are all eaten. It would be kind of nice if we had some snow though - it certainly would make it more like Christmas. I hope it will not be a green Christmas. That will be a first in a long long time! More baking scheduled for this week. 


I have been doing some rug hooking. I am doing a series of owls.. Why owls I don't know! I think I was inspired by a calendar that was done by my cousin Susan Black (Etsy Shop), and thought I would try my hand at sketching some designs. They are pretty simple and not very big. Can't seem to handle too many big projects these days. Yesterday I got my proddy tool. I looked at it and said "Now What". I had no clue as to how this thing worked. With the help of a friend I have mastered it LOL. I am going to Proddy the edge of a snowman rug (aka pillow)...We'll just see how that turns out. 


I am a little slow in posting/pictures as I am without glasses right now - broken - no spare - bad news. So working half blind...at least I have my sunglasses to drive with. Hopefully get them today.. so that has slowed me down. Off to do some more baking.. Have a great day! Joni 

Rugs I want to Make

Today I just thought I would look at some rugs that have been made and are available as patterns. These are some of the ones I would like to make. They are made by some of the talented hookers that bought patterns from Woolley Fox.

January Sheep

Source: woolleyfox.com via Joni on Pinterest

Olde Floral

Source: woolleyfox.com via Joni on Pinterest

Ligonier Cats

Source: woolleyfox.com via Joni on Pinterest

Dog

Source: woolleyfox.com via Joni on Pinterest

Aunt Tillie's Garden

Source: woolleyfox.com via Joni on Pinterest

1830 Farm Animals

Source: woolleyfox.com via Joni on Pinterest

G'nite all....Joni

Blog Giveaway

 December 13th Announcement: The winner of the blog giveaway is Annie C.. I sent you a message through Google so if you could contact me with your address that would be great! Congratulations and thank you everyone for having participated. Merry Christmas!


To start off the holiday season I thought I would have a giveaway. I have never done one of these before but thought I would start with a calendar for 2012. I think everyone uses calendars unless you are really high tech and only use digital media. Me - I like to have a paper calendar especially ones that mean something to me.


Deanne Fitzgerald's new 2012 rug hooking calendar is beautiful...

This calendar is filled with beautiful images of Deanne's rugs and her writings. Each month there is a diary entry and an image. This 11 by 17 (opened) calendar has plenty of room in the large squares to keep your notes, and appointments.



This is how it will work.. very simply either become a follower (you can find the link on the left hand side further down the page) or leave a comment for one chance. If you add a comment and become a follower you get two chances. If you are already a follower and add a comment you get two chances. Your name is automatically entered once if you are already a follower. Please note that the comment must be added to this posting and it can be on anything that interests you.


The draw will be held on December 12th, where a name will be randomly pulled. I'll get that mailed off to you right away so you can have it for the start of the year. Make sure to check the blog post on the 13th for the winner's name. I will need your e-mail address for your physical address. Thanks!


Good luck everyone!