Working on...

Peter took this one...

So we had a huge storm come through. Heavy, beautiful white snow stuck to everything! Then of course, the wind whipped itself up to a frenzy on Saturday. This was the day sis (new hooker) and I had decided to go down to Champlain NY to pick up the Betsy wool waiting for us. Driving on the 15 and then into NY is highway but unfortunately travels through large empty fields of shorn wheat and corn. With wind gusts and snow flurries this equals whiteouts and slow going. But we made it (a few tense moments) and picked up my stash of Betsy Wools. Way worth it! Got lots not shown to overdye and I'll get some bundles on the website. We then treated ourselves to going to Mainely Lobster for a yummy lunch of haddock nuggets, homemade fries (bad girl), stewed tomatoes and a shared piece of coconut cream pie (two bad girls). Nothing fancy but very satisfying for two gals who knuckle drove 50km of white out highways.

Some of my Betsy wool along with some wools I have been auditioning for a project. These are the wools covering all of my dining room table awaiting mass reorganization of the studio upstairs with new shelving units. Right now wool is spread over three rooms.. ahhhhhhhhhh. 

 So what am I working on right now is this scarf below but using the colours above. I am really enjoying these DROP patterns. There are a couple more I want to do. The wool is a good price and it can be found through Nordic Mart in the USA. They do ship to Canada.

Source: garnstudio.com via Joni on Pinterest

I am still working on my Coastal Girls, a pattern from Deanne Fitzpatrick. I changed up the sky and decided to add some paisleys (you can see my markings). Since the paisleys are all different textures of blues, I decided to keep the background surrounding the paisleys simple using two wools (a plaid and a herringbone) this would calm the sky down a bit. I also ripped out some of the hooking from the paisleys and hooked in some wool slub yarn. I used the same ones I sell on my website. 

The final picture is an exercise I did for the Deanne Fitzgerald on-line course I am taking. It was to randomly draw some stars (I chose hearts and stars) on canvas and hook them without much thought. Just hook! I picked these colours and just randomly hooked lines and did not follow the shape of the heart or star. It is a more painterly approach to hooking. I then backed them with glue/ black wool and they will hang in a window or door. 


Oh one more thing - I have to show you the cutest sheep I just bought from Colins Creatures on Etsy. I just love his sheep! Another addition to my sheep collection. I am sure it won't be the last!

Now I am off to do some more fun assignments for the class. Enjoy your Sunday afternoon...thanks for stopping by... Joni

Music and Creativity

Hi
I came across this on one of my facebook postings and thought it was worth sharing. I am taking an on line rug hooking course with Deanne, which you all know from previous posts. So been having lots of creative exercises and thoughts twirling around in my brain.
I thought that this video made with 12,000 pieces of papers for a new song by Josh Ritter was so well done. I could not stop watching it! Talk about creative.. Enjoy!



Josh Ritter - Love Is Making Its Way Back Home from Josh Ritter on Vimeo.

Hearts

Haven't had much time to post lately as I have been busy taking an on line rug hooking class with Deanne Fitzpatrick. She is offering it again in April - it is so worthwhile and fun. Has me going in different directions. I'll post some of the hookings I have done in the next couple of days.


In the meantime, since it is Valentine's Day - not such a big thing for me - but I do love hearts! so just some photos of pics I have across on the net and pinned.

Source: facebook.com via Emanuela on Pinterest

Source: etsy.com via Koren on Pinterest

Source: bailiwickdesigns.typepad.com via Helena on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Aunt on Pinterest

Source: attic24.typepad.com via Katie on Pinterest

Source: bing.com via Rose on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Ana on Pinterest

Source: tumblr.com via Tatiana on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Sassa on Pinterest

Source: annies-eats.net via Brianna on Pinterest

Source: flickr.com via Karen on Pinterest

Source: littlebirdiesecrets.blogspot.com via Sherry on Pinterest

Source: gracieswainson.tumblr.com via Rita on Pinterest

Creative Musings!

This book was recommended by someone on another blog. I ordered it and it is a fabulous book on American Folk Art. I have been looking through it and it has given me lots of creative thoughts. This week I have been spending time just mulling and cooking in my mind. Looking at things around me with a different eye. I have been madly pinning to my pinterest board, which to me is a great tool for inspiration. It can be a colour, a design element, the line of something in a photograph or a feeling from a photograph. It is a whole lot of everything that gets melded down to one or two thoughts of what I would like to put on paper and then hopefully a rug. It's been a week of dyeing fabric and cutting it into little rectangles. It allows me to let my mind wander....freely....

The second book of the collection, which I have not received yet, but if it is anywhere as good as the first it will be worth the price.

This was another book recommended on a blog. I have always wanted to add a braided border to a rug and this book has loads of information and is beautifully put together!

... and this is what I have been up to - dyeing yards and yards of wool to cut up in these little rectangles. I also learned something new about photography from one of my pins on pinterest.. white balance - now who knew about that - not me. I am terrible about not reading manuals that come with things. Let alone finding them after the fact. So the wool above was taken with white balance - and how true is that to the colour - pretty true I can say. The next picture.. hmmmm.. not so good..before white balance trick. You'd think it was a different wool. I have a really nice camera - I should use it more instead of my quick and easy iphone LOL...lesson learned. Important if you want to sell your stuff - good pictures will make or break a sale...

Oh - and exciting news for today - February 1st...this is THE DAY when I start my on line course with Deanne Fitzpatrick. Can I say on top of the world - buzzing with creative thoughts.. hook ready to wiggle across my linen. So the last couple of nights I have been reading her book "Inspired" - wow! A wealth of information and talk about a confidence builder. Loved it....and I can see I will be going back to it often. I don't know where this course will take me. I want to revel in the feel of the wool and be free of constraints. So maybe my loops won't be oh so perfect and maybe they will squiggle, wiggle here and there and maybe there will be a tuck of sparkly yarn hidden among the wool loops but if I love it and think it is a thing of beauty then that is ok. I have to hook for myself and maybe that is a whole new path I am taking... we'll see. Have a great day.. Joni

Kitty! Kitty!

I am in the middle of dyeing some salt box red wool and some old tin roof wool threads, and realized I have not posted for a couple of days. Decided today would be pictures of kitties. I usually post dogs but cats deserve their fair share. So from Pinterest - my new fave app...

Source: sensuelle92000.tumblr.com via Joni on Pinterest

Source: theittybittykittycommittee.com via Joni on Pinterest

Source: attackofthecute.com via Joni on Pinterest

Source: nob.tumblr.com via Joni on Pinterest

Source: stumbleupon.com via Joni on Pinterest

Have a great weekend!

Crochet a Japanese Flower Shawl

Source: paulineetmarie.canalblog.com via Joni on Pinterest

This is a beautiful shawl that I want to crochet. It has been making the blog rounds. The pattern is the Japanese Flower pattern. It's hard to find in English (next to impossible) so I sourced out the book on ETSY and purchased it in Japanese. I did crochet quite a bit when I was younger and the stitches are not complicated so I think by the diagrams I can figure out how to do this one.

Source: etsy.com via Joni on Pinterest

The quandary is finding the wool I want to use. The picture above (from a very talented French designer) used Holst Garn yarn - which has an array of 121 colours.

Source: holstgarn.dk via Joni on Pinterest

Then there is a Debbie Bliss Andes (pricey) but a mix of Mulberry Silk and Baby Alpaca. It is beautifully soft with a slight sheen. ----hmmmm

Source: ca.deramores.com via Joni on Pinterest

Attic 24 blogger used the Debbie Bliss wool to make this shawl.. absolutely gorgeous too. I'll probably end up making both in the long run and give one away as a gift. Great as a pick up activity when watching TV....have a great afternoon.. off to some rug hooking...

Source: attic24.typepad.com via Joni on Pinterest

More Cute Fur Babies

just some puppy pictures to brighten up ones day!

                         Source: bing.com via Joni on Pinterest

                                      

so cute! !!Source: google.com via Joni on Pinterest

Source: ffffound.com via Joni on Pinterest

Look Ma I caught 4 or is that 5!

   Are you looking at me....awwwww!

Source: Uploaded by user via Joni on Pinterest

Can't Decide?

I can't decide which pattern to put on my rug hooking frame. I love this one by Sharon Smith. These women just being swept away by the wind. There is so much movement in the rug. But this one I think might be a long project. I just received some of her patterns and have more coming in for the website and I know there are others there that I want to do. Sometimes I wish I was 20 again and just discovering rug hooking so maybe I could get all these rugs in my head hooked!  Then again this one from Karla Gerard is a beaut and I could really get this one done quickly.

 I just dyed some antique pink posey wool so might do that colour scheme with a brown background. Also use up some of that robin's egg blue wool. 

add to that some of the this hand dyed yarn, pink sand, for some added dimension... hmm I think the Bird on the Bloom pattern is going to win out. I've never worked in browns and pinks/blues so that will be a challenge. Besides this one is slotted for a gift for Christmas 2012 so I better get it done now. Who knows what the year will bring!

Have a great evening.. it's a snowy one here. Time to break out the frame and get my cup of hot chocolate..Joni

Yummy yarns

Spring Bouquet

Mussels

All That Glitters

Island Hopping

Sophisticated Lady

Yummy yarns to add to your rug hooking materials! I plan on using some of these in my rugs, They are spun from 4-5 different fibers and are just beautiful. I think they will add a little something different to a rug - it's that theme of mine this year - Think outside the box.


I have 34 different ones to post on my website in the coming days. I love my job (no not job - passion) We are hunkering down for a snowstorm tomorrow. I know I have lots to keep me busy.....smiles.. have a great evening. Joni