Monday, April 8, 2013

This 'n That ~


What a difference one or two warm days can make.  Today was the first day I got to play in the dirt and my body is already rebelling.  Flowers are finally blooming.  Here are some mini daffodils.  They are just the sweetest little things.


Just your typical daffodil but cheery nonetheless.


I don't know the name of this low growing plant and could not find it even after searching the net.  Anyone know?


LOVE my hyacinths.  Heaven in the garden :)


This is probably the first time in years I am caught up with binding rugs.  Well, they still all need steamed and a tag, but the binding is done, done, done.  Oh, how good that feels.  This is Berks County Floral, a  Barbara Carroll pattern started at the ATHA biennial in October 2011.  The picture is not very sharp but any pic I took with a flash or outside just ruined the background color. Funny.  I hooked this rug while there was a pug in the house.  If there is one thing you need to know is that pugs shed . . . A LOT!!!  There are many pug hairs hooked in to this rug :)


In my last post, I was remiss in thanking Sheila for a wonderful birthday gift.  She knew I was running low on my favorite reversible black wool and hunted it down and sent me a yard.  Sheila is a fellow Buckeye hooker who I met after she won a give away of mine a few years ago.  I am so lucky to call her friend :)

I must say, I LOVE my Snapdragon hooking frame.  It is so easy to use and keeps the linen nice and tight.  No more fighting with a frame!

This Friday I am off to West Virginia for three days of hooking with Susan Feller of Ruckman Mill Farm.  Hopefully I can make lots of progress on my Magdalena runner.  Here is my progress so far.  I am already second guessing myself on color choices.  I am thinking the colors are too bright (though not as bright in person).  I try so hard to be a "dirty hooker", but always seem to fall a bit short.  Since I like to reverse hook about as much as I like to bind, I will probably learn to like, or at least live with, my choices.


Off to the worm basket.  I need to separate these so perhaps I can make a dent in the worms while hooking this rug.


Thanks so much for stopping by. 
Pug hugs :)
Lauren

17 comments:

Wool-Stitches said...

I will never forget the note you sent to me warning......Pugs Shed!
I too now hook pug hair into my rugs! I love my pug though.
Your rugs are wonderful and so happy spring has begun at your home!

WoolenSails said...

That rug is beautiful and love the look of black as a background.

Debbie

marly said...

That pug rug is one of my favorites. Our Labs shed like they were going bald. I know what you're little flower is, and will think of its name sometime in the next six months.

Nan ~ Threadwork Primitives said...

Isn't it wonderful to see the flowers blooming? They are so pretty. Your Berks Co. rug is so beautiful and makes me smile. My husband and I met up with friends one year and stayed at Barb's bed and breakfast. The rugs that lined her walls were amazing to say the least and I fell in love with hooked rugs on that visit. I don't hook, but I do purchase :)
What a lovely post. Smiles, ~Nan

The Eveningstitcher said...

Lovin' the flowers, Lauren! My husband has been working in the yard..I am trying to avoid it this year...not my favorite thing! How lucky you are to be going to West Virginia for three days! You sure get around girl!

Primitive Stars said...

Oh !!!! Lucky you, beautiful flowers in the garden....thanks for sharing......

Janice said...

Yay...it looks like your spring has arrived. Lovely.

Prairie Moon Primitives said...

Oh what sweet spring flowers....Congrats on binding all your rugs :) Your runner looks wonderfulto me.

P.J. said...

Congrats on your binding. As a new hooker I have yet to bind a rug yet. Coming up on finishing my first rug requiring binding. It must bring great satisfaction once it is done. I really like the current colors in your runner, can't wait to see more as you progress. I am curious as to what you use for a tag. The one thing I read over and over is the importance of labeling your rugs, but what do you use?

Penny said...

LOVE your rug!!! So, so pretty.... and there's nothing wrong with a few pug hairs mixed in.... :)
The runner looks like it will be wonderful... Do wish I knew how to hook... I just love the look of the primitive patterns...
Lucky you to have your flowers blooming... I haven't even seen a forsythia in bloom yet.... but we have been having some nice, warm, sunny days, so it shouldn't be long now!

Kim said...

There must be a lot of power in that Ohio sun to get flowers blooming so quickly. We are way behind

Saundra said...

My daffodils have been up for awhile and now the periwinkle (a/k/a/ vinca minor) is blooming and the colors are quite nice together.

Your Magdalena rug is coming along nicely and will enjoy looking at the progress.

Saundra

Alice ~ Folk Art Primitives said...

Love your Berks County Floral! And so proud of you for having all your binding done!! Have a fun weekend!!!

The Wool Cupboard said...

I LOVE the Berks County Floral, Lauren...the colors are perfect!!

Hugs, Linda

Miccosukee said...

Here in the South, we have been dealing with blooms for a couple of months, along with the wonderful yellow pollen that sends me to the benadryl bottle. My azaleas lok great and I bought a new geranium Saturday to hang on the back porch. It finally must be spring as my yard man showed up that same day for the first lawn mowing of the year.
Please take lots of notes and photos of the Susan Feller workshop. I would love to take a class or two with her. So enjoy it for those of us who can't be there!
trisha

Farm Girl said...

So nice you have lovely flowers. Your rugs are beautiful. You do such nice work.
I can't wait to see what you do at your retreat.

HomeSpunPrims said...

We still have almost a foot of snow in our yard so no blooms here yet. Supposed to be winter for the next three days. We did get some rain that took the snow down some. Congrats on getting your stash of rugs all bound Lauren! I know that must feel pretty good. Have a great day. Hugs, Lori