Sunday, August 28, 2011

Black Sheep Rug Hookers at Landis Valley

I was thinking this morning when planning my update how I've been talking about the show that I was going to be doing this weekend. Too many "I's".  Never enough mentions of "we" as a group.  Looking back at my recent  posts, I never mentioned anything about the other girls in our group "The Black Sheep Rug Hookers". We have been together as a group for a number of years. I will make it a point of getting a group shot at Colonial Days this year of all of us!!  Be ready to put on your smiles girls :). 

I also have been talking about getting this done and that done and never showed any updates. Haven't been good with the camera being handy lately.  So I took a group shot of the items I took to the show. Even tossed in some of my recent pieces. Never know, if the price is right to someone, they will buy it. So I took them. I can always hook more!



Worried about the weather of Hurricane Irene, we managed to get there and start setting up with no rain to bother us in the morning.  Linda picked me up before 5:30 a.m.  We all gathered and pictched in and got the booths up rather quickly. Everyone just worked together. 








Beth, playing with my camera ~   stinker....






Louise and Willa were the only two that dressed up for the day. It sure was humid at different times of the day. You could tell it was going to do something...



Louise working on a stocking she is making.




There was a vendor across from us who was making baskets. I was drawn to one of them, and thought throughout the day that I might be taking it home. All the other girls kept telling me to buy it.  I felt so pressured..... Yeah right LOL.  By the end of the day, it was still there and it came home with me :)


It was our first time at this show, and with the expected weather, it wasn't too bad.  This is only the second year for  Landis Valley to do this show and I think they all had a good turn out. We each sold something, so that was nice. I thought it went smoothly.  I believe it was after 2:00 that the skies opened up, down came the heavy rains.  We all moved quickly to get our things in our tubs and boxes.  I felt like I was in a game of twister. I was bending, someone was on top. At one point I said left hand green, right foot yellow, but I don't think anyone heard me LOL.  How quickly we got it all put away. And Grace was given when it was time to take it all to our cars. The downpour stopped and was just a very light drizzle.

Louise suggested we all go get a sundae at the nearby McDonalds, so we did that. All muddy and soaked, we walked in  lol.  It was nice to just sit and talk about the day and how things went.  A great day spent with Great friends.  I'm looking forward to "our" show in just a couple short weeks at Colonial Day.  I have time to make some more items between now and then.  Praying for a dry day at that show! 

On the way home yesterday, Linda and I stopped at the Black Rose (antique store) and looked around.  Even stopped at the Pizza Hut near my house for some boneless chicken wings to end the day.  Needless to say, I was out like a light by 9:00 last night.  Don't even remember closing my eyes lol. 

Today is a day of cleaning for me. Everything has been so neglected, I'm trying to figure out where I will start. I think I'll have one more cup of coffee and then plan it out. If not, I will take the mess from one room, enter another and start cleaning that one, and then will be back and forth. Must stay focused lol!

Prayers are lifted for all who are getting the brunt of this storm. Hope you are all safe and doing well. 

Friday, August 26, 2011

I really should be......

I really should be gathering up my things for tomorrow. But I'll stop for just a bit and update the blog from yesterdays hook in!
It was a busy week, but we were able to relax yesterday and hook and punch.  I have to first give a shout out to my "cousin" Karen Harris who came all the way from Virginia 3 1/2 hours away to visit the shop. See what blogs can do??  I had gotten an email from a Karen on Tuesday saying her and her husband might be in the area and wanted to know if the shop would be open. I kept thinking to myself "who is this Karen"?  She wrote as if she knew me.  I know the memory is not good, but it was driving me nuts.  I did not know Karen, but she sure knew me, Linda and the shop from my blog :).  She did some shopping and we had her fill out a card that we keep on file with contact information for any future classes that they might be interested in.  That is when I found her last name was Harris.  It's going to be an easy name to remember and I teased her about being my cousin Karen.  We had a good laugh :) !   She sent me another email the next day telling me how she enjoyed the shop and plans on coming back. Well Cousin, it will be wonderful to see you again! Glad you made it back home safely. It was her husbands Birthday that day as well, so they were off to do something that he wanted to visit ...  I hope his Birthday was a good one!

Barb came yesterday morning but didn't stay long. She was working on a mini quilt.



Margo brought her pillow all stuffed to show us. Turned out great!

Sherri was whipping her Halloween cat. Too cute of a border, don't you think?

Nancee was away on vacation and said she took wool to work on her rug, but ended up not. I'm glad she enjoyed herself and let the hooking go.  Now she can get herself back into it.

Jill was almost finished with her owl that she hooked into the wool. She will be making it into a pillow. Cute!

And Genny, by the time she left had  filled in all the background on the left side of the piece.

I was working on some punch needle pins, but never took a picture.  I will be taking pictures of the things that I have accomplished a little later on. That is what I should be doing right now. We have a show tomorrow out at the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum.  Hoping the weather holds out and doesn't do anything till the show is over. The pins won't be done, but will be done by Colonial Day in just a few short weeks away.  I need to gather up all my pieces and get them in containers. If you are in the area, stop on by to see us. There will be 5 or 6 of us in our booth.


I was off to dye group this morning.  I hooked just a little of my project, but not quite happy with it. So when the hustle and bustle is over this weekend, I will concentrate and see where I will go with it. Hope to share a picture of that  with you too. I didn't stay long because I had grocery shopping to do. I had planned on doing some yesterday morning. That never happened. Then I thought I would do it on the way home from the hook in. Well, I was too tired and afraid that I would get a second wind. That would not be good either. Over a hundred dollars later, it's finally all put away. Unbelievable on how the prices are going up on groceries too.  Hope the girls continued to hook after I left. We even took a break after lunch (which consisted of a small yogurt and some peanuts... told you I needed to do some grocery shopping! We were out of everything lol)  to take a walk along the creek where Joan lives. It was a nice stroll and I left when we got back to her house.

So much going on this week. From the earthquake which was quite bazaar to experience and I hope I never experience another one, to the Hurricane that is coming up the East Coast. My prayers go out to all of you who will get hit. I'm not sure what if anything we will get. I'm hoping it's just rain and not the heavy winds. May God protect you, your family and your home.

Time to get myself in gear and start packing.  Hubby will be home shortly for dinner!




Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Another Birthday, Another Fair, and Another Sweet Package in the mail...

Last week at the hook in, it just happened to be Sherri's Birthday. Linda had bought a cake to celebrate, and it was soooo good.


Unfortnately, Sherri didn't get there until later (above picture makes it look like she had been there all along :) ).  So Linda cut the cake earlier lol. 

Jill was working on hooking an owl. She was hooking right into the wool. Sorry I didn't get a shot of it.

Genny stopped by to do some punch needle.

And Joan was having fun with her fan (in right hand).  She felt like she was on a roller coaster lol.

I was busy over the weekend trying to finish up some things and get ready to help out at the South Mountain Fair in Arendtsville. Not sure how many years I've been helping out there. Tried to figure that out, but came up empty minded.  It's always a fun time.  Joan (it's all her fault) asked me one year if I'd like to help. They needed volunteers.  So I said sure. Not knowing it would be every year since :). But I love it.  Joan and I help with the registration for 2 days and then on the 3rd day, the judges come and Joan and I, along with some other women help the judges but holding things up, telling them the category they are judging, etc.  I wouldn't want to be a judge!  Too many nice things.  After the judging is all over, the items need to be displayed so that people can come in the building when the Fair opens later in the day. 
Here Mike, Joan and Joan doing some displaying.


Tried to get a wide angle of the room. Everything looked so nice.

And Let's hear the Trumpets Roar for the Best of Show........................  It's Joan Strausbaugh and her lovely rug. I have shown it a number of times on my blog while she was working on it.  It certainly deserved it . Congratulations Joan!!!

Here are some of the other Best of Shows that won.

And they even have Best of Show in the Junior Department. This young girl was 13.

I did win some ribbons. 4 1st Place and 2 Second Place.  Love listening to the judges talk it out when they are looking over a piece. You never know what they will say or if the item will even get a ribbon. Very interesting to be part of it all.

When I came home yesterday afternoon from being at the Judging all day, I had this lovely package waiting for me. Couldn't figure out who or what it could be.  Here a dear friend Bren sent me this. She is a Beautiful quilter, and gifted me with this wonderful piece! Bren, I just love it and can't wait to display it. Nice prim colors. Soooo me :)  There was also a hand held fan, and you can't quite read what's written on the plastic.  She wrote "Open in case of emergency :)"   She knew my fan was using up all it's lives lol.  What a sweet surprise, Thank you again Bren! 


And here is what I made for Rebecca in our AAPG group for the 3rd Anniversary.  Rebecca likes neutrals.  (me too, imgaine that?).  So it was easy for me to hook these up for her. And she also likes birds, so I made her a little pin keep. The wing has a snap on it and you can store your pins under it.

Today I took Nicole to the recruiter again and we talked about her having her physical exam.  After that is all done with and they feel she is fit for the Coast Guard, then she just has to make up her mind for sure if she is really going to do this, and then pick a date for Boot Camp..  I had a bunch of questions of course, and feel very comfortable about everything. George and I will support her 100% if this is what she really wants to do.  After we left, we stopped for some lunch and then at a few stores and did a little shopping. Even picked up a Christmas gift for her.  They were a pair of boots and she tried them on. Had a good coupon, so I told her I'd put them away for her.  She hates knowing what she is getting lol, but she said ok. 

It's been a real busy time, but everything is working out just fine. I didn't help Linda out this week at the shop. But will be there tomorrow for the hook in. Hope there is a good turn out! I'll be taking some of my mats to whip I think.  Hope to see some of you there.

This day is going by quick. Time to make dinner! Hope all of you are enjoying your week :)

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Monday's Hook In and sweet package ~~

I had a wonderful time on Monday visiting the Blue and Grey Hookers in Gettysburg, Pa.  It's been quite a while since I have been able to attend the monthly hook in.  So nice to see  everyone again! I didn't stay too long, but was able to get some shots of the day to share with you.

I'll do my best with the names.  This is Joan's piece which happens to be the pattern that we picked for the dye group.  She's such a show off with how fast she gets hers done :). And in all fairness, we were told last month that we would START hooking our project this month!  Ahem.... Someone didn't listen, but I guess I can't complain since it is her dye group and her house LOL.  Joan, you are doing a beautiful job! I keep telling her she got the best colors! I can't even imagine what mine will look like... 


What a nice turn out it was..


Louise, Ellie and Becky

Marion was doing a nice job with her squirrel.

Ruth working on some flowers

Jan and her large Bunny

Another Marion's fine cut

Peggy determined to finish this piece THIS Christmas ...

And here is Peggy. She is turning 90 this week!  What an inspiration... Lovely woman, and  so happy to see her again.

This is Peggy's piece. A fine hooker who does amazing work.

Nancy and I playing around with our camer's lol

Violet's fine cut.

Lina's

Phyllis's I believe..

Ellie

This is Joanne Henderson's.

and here are some chair pads that Joan has completed for her Church bazaar this year.


I'm hoping to get back there again soon.  And next time, I'll actually be able to stay a little longer and work.  I did take some punch needle with me, and did just a tiny bit. I just wanted to mingle and get some pictures.

Hard to believe it's Wednesday already.  I came home this evening to a package at my front door.  I had mentioned in a previous post about an Anniversary swap that we were doing on AAPG.  I had to go through a  lot of things wrapped in tissue before I found a card to find out who had my name. The return address didn't ring a bell.  Mimi had my name :) ! We were to make 3 bowl fillers or ornies and one of them had to be  a sunflower. Mimi spoiled me with all her hand work! The sunflower lays in the bowl so cute. the bowl has a real nice grain on it. She also made the other two pieces. The mat and the cat face. AND she made the sheep pictures.!  I just kept unwrapping and unwrapping! A cute little tin house to hang on the wall with candles, a winter time pattern to applique, notepad, some gorgeous wools, and a little painted box with a thimble in it.   Thank you so very much Mimi for such a Loaded box of goodies! You are too sweet :)  Love this group ~~~



Now I need to get my behind in motion and gather things up to take with me tomorrow to the hook in at Grant Street. I get my hair done in the morning. Can't wait!! It's been 9 weeks. Having long hair, I'm able to go a bit longer since there really isn't any style. But this has been the longest I've gone in a while. (wish I could take the plunge and get something different, but I would need a valium to do that lol)  I admire people who change up their hair all the time and say "it's just hair"....  Guess mine is my security blanket.....  Might get brave and get a few more layers put in  at the bottom lol.  I have to say that I have had every style imaginable and it took me forever to grow out each one. Don't know if I could do it again..

Today the weather was great and tomorrow it's supposed to be even nicer.  Hoping it's the same where you are!  Enjoy the rest of your week. Do something for yourself !