Locker hooking rugs

In October, at our quilt guild's retreat, Gwen taught us locker hooking-a rug making techniquethat uses a special hook & latch hook canvas. We made "rug mugs"-approximately 4" X 6" coaster for a coffee mug. We used quilt weight cottons. I liked the technique, but wasn't happy that so much of the canvas showed through on mine. Gwens rugs didn't have that problem. I decided to use some of the recycled wool that I've been buying at the Goodwill store.
This is the first rug that I made-It's small 16" X 25". I just wanted to make sure that I liked working with the wool & the resulting product. I love it. The kitties love it.

I decided to make another one the same size. It was a fun, design as you go pattern, but I like the looks of the first one better.

I just finished the third one this morning. It's 26" x 32" & I'm really happy with the finished rug. I feel that I succeeded in making it random, but balanced. I want to start another, but will try to discipline myself to finish the quilt guild newsletter & a few small projects first.

Ashley fitting for a prosthetic

Poor little tailless kitty thought she would look nicer with a tail. No, this one's too skimpy-let's try another...
Wow! this is more like it! Don't I look sexy? (wink)

Fall leaves

Fall leaves are at their peak now.

Shhh-don't tell the kitties

It's not even Meow Mix. This is the container that I fill with the very cheap store brand cat food that I use to feed the feral cats & the raccoons & opossums. We give our indoor kitties a variety of the pricier cat foods-Iams, Science diet... Mostly with labels that state they are for sensitive skin (See how shiney their fur is getting?)
After I fill the outside cat bowl, the indoor kitties think that I'm giving them something special when I give them a handful of cheapie stuff. I guess that it's the same thing as giving a hot dog to someone who eats caviar & lobster every day.

Necklace

I will be out of town for the Seventh Annual Kettle Creek Music Festival on the weekend of August 10-12. (http://www.kcmusicfest.com/ ) It is a benefit for the Kettle Creek Ambulance Association. Since I won't be able to be there spending money, I decided to donate a necklace that I made for their Chinese auction. It has turquoise, bone, coyote claws & fangs & a raccoon baculum. (penis bone-the reason that raccoons don't need Viagra)

cabin pics by request

Deirdre requested more description of our cabin construction. Here's a couple of pictures from last winter. A short history of the project. When I met Charlie 26 years ago, he was finishing the inside of a 12' X 16' cabin-1 story with low attic. (The section with the peaked roof on the right of the unfinished portion) He was only able to work on it 1-2 weekends/month & with a 5 hour ride to get there, that really means only working Saturday & there was no electricity.
The next section to be built was a 12'X12' shed on the right side of the original cabin. After that, the electric Company decided to wire our mountain & we got electricity.
Next project was a large 8'x8' outhouse. (We do not have running water.) It's not visible in the pictures
He decided that he wanted to add a large lodge 24'x32' with a barn roof & a second floor 20'X 32' because of the roof angles. He wanted it 12' from the original cabin. I persuaded him to hire a local contractor to dig a foundation & lay blocks instead of pickaxing & building footers which would have taken much backbreaking work. We built that section & a deck between the 2 buildings.
Now we're working on the "tower" connecting the 2 buildings. It will be 2 stories with a deck on top for hunting, sunbathing (not me) & relaxing.
I'm proud to say that Charlie & I have done most of the labor ourselves with technical assistance & help from his brother & occasionally a few friends. The only other thing that he has contracted out is the roofs. He hates doing roofing.
I keep 4 sewing machines & an 8' long map table for cutting etc in the lodge so I can entertain myself when not involved in construction.

A good day for pictures

We went to camp Tuesday to do a little construction. It turned out to be a good day for pictures. First-a beautiful clump of indian pipes just pushing out of the leaf litter.
Second-a beautiful Red Admiral butterfly. It seemed very friendly-flittering around us & landing to sun itself. (The temps were in the low 60s when I took the picture.
On our way into Cross Fork we saw 2 birds in the road. They were Marsh Hawks AKA Northern Harriers. This one was in the sun. I zoomed the camera as far as it would zoom, took a picture & then we attempted to inch closer to try again. The second one grabbed what it had been pecking at (A small mouse?) & they both flew away. Oh well, at least I got the one picture even if it's a little pixilated.

This is what we were working on. A little wall on the first floor of our tower addition. above, you can see the second floor wall that Matt built when he & Linda visited a few weeks ago.
When I was not chasing butterflies or helping Charlie, I worked on a bracken fern basket coiled with hemp. I love the color variation in the stripped stems-from a rich red brown to a pale green.

Buddies sharing a favorite food

Charlie & Ashley-scallion buddies. Ashley has decided that she loves scallion greens & charlie has always enjoyed them.

Garden pictures

A view from our front porch. The tall lillies in full bloom. The aroma is incredible!
An unusual daylily that I bought at a Mennonite multifamily yard sale. The lady didn't know what color they were, but thought they were the common orange tiger lillies.

birthday pics

I finally got around to downloading the pictures we took on my birthday of Charlie & me between my tall lillies & a mullein (Weed/wildflower.)

The "kittens" are growing up. First, a picture of the magnificent Fuzzy Wuzzy. I couldn't resist taking this picture of Ashley & Junior. Ashley must have fallen asleep during a bath & she forgot to put away her tongue.

Lots of lillies blooming in the garden this week.

Update-project completed-a personal challenge

I won a door prize at the quilt show last month- 4 fat quarters. I love the stripe, the tans are useful. but the white doesn't really talk to me. One of the quilt guild members challenged me to have something made with these fabrics by the next meeting, so I'm taking it as a personal challenge. I found this sew on embellishment on a stretch velvet evening gown at the Goodwill store($5.99) I'm wearing the dress as a lounging dress-very comfortable. I'll be using the embellishment in my project.
Another evening gown that I bought at Goodwill. I will be using some of the dark green velvet & the embroidered sequin trim.
Stay tuned for the finished project-tentative title-"The Singer" (& I don't mean sewing machine.) ....Update 7-8 follows:
It's done-just in time for my quilt guilds' annual picnic today. The name is now "Lady sings the Reds" I decided to use the green velvet (so dark that it almost looks black.), but not the sequin trim. The rosette on the hat was fun & easy to do & turned out better than I could have hoped. I'm happy with it, but I have to ask myself why I tend to make women that look like roaring '20s? I keep thinking that my sister-in-law, Lani should put some red streaks in her beautiful gray hair. Now I know that I'd better get to those cushion covers.

Happy 4th of July

Junior doing the kitty version of flag waving.

finally done

I finally finished the comissioned shower curtain. There are parts that I could have done better, but overall it looks OK. That's one less commitment breathing down my neck. I want to play! I guess that I'd better finish the cushion covers that I promised Charlie first. Sigh!

sewing difficulties

Jesus & Junior try to be helpful. Betsy Ross never had this much help. Ashley just left before the picture was taken. She was on top of the roll of twill tape. I made 13 U. S, flags.

Flower gardens

A view of part of my flower gardens. Some of my lillies are blooming. Look at the lily plants near the windows. They are over 6 feet tall & still growing!

Celtic dragon is going to Austrailia

quilting the blues

I've got the urge to make a quilt in all blue & white prints. It'll have many different fabrics, but I want them to all be blue/white prints. This is the 6" block that I decided to use. It's a variation of the flying geese pattern:

I was playing around with EQ4 last night & these are what I came up with. You must imagine more blocks & assorted fabrics:

This one uses all dark blocks. The rest use equal numbers of light & dark blocks.This one definately looks like geese flying.

I like the counterchange of this one.

I'll probably do this last one. I've always been a sucker for the barn raising look. I don't have to make up my mind right away as long as I choose one of the last 3, since they would all use the same blocks.