Christmas in July

Time to start thinking about Christmas...

I love Christmas!!!  It has to be my favorite season next to football Ü  Last year, I suggested we make our gifts for exchange for our family instead of buying them.  Lauren and Jordan did very well-- thanks ladies!!!  Ash (my international girl), had more money than time and gave us all beautiful, thoughtful gifts-- thank you Ash Ü  I still have the girls gifts but in my defense, -- ok, I have no defense, but they are 99% complete-- just need framing now. 
This year I'd like to do that again because I loved making the handmade gift.  It made it special for me in that I got to think about all the beautiful memories I shared with each daughter and those memories were a beautiful gift to myself so it was a win/win!!  What could be better than that?  Ü
I'd better get my mind working on some ideas-- It will be August next week!!!

This make's me HAPPY!!

One of my girlfriends shared a photo of one of my designs (R 103 Angel Sampler) she is working on-- I LOVE it in the colors she's chosen-- it's so sweet Ü  Thanks Michele for sharing-- you're doing a GREAT job!!  I am hoping to hook together one Saturday Ü

i love sundays Ü

Today has been such a perfect relaxing day.  I have had a little bit of work to do but it's all gone so smoothly, it hasn't felt like work at all Ü
I have been evaluating some new sketches and trying to decide which will be the next project. 
There are some big Rug Hooking events on the calendar and I need to start thinking about quilting again.  Being off for the last two years has given me a new perspective on things and I'm truly happy with where I am right now Ü  I am SO blessed!

UN-hooking ;-(

Hello!!!! 
Yesterday I got to spend the day with the Mason-Dixon ATHA Rug Guild ladies up in Ellicott City, MD.  It was FUN!!!  I am constantly amazed at the talent in the rug hooking world Ü
I did a little bit of UN-hooking myself.  What took hours to put in only took about 3 minutes to undo...
I decided the tree trunk on my "Temptation" rug was too dark so I pulled it out and started over.  I very much like the new color-- it's softer and will stand out way better with whichever background I go with-- the antique black or the blue Ü  YAY!!!
I bought some beautiful blue wool yesterday and then today ordered what I really wanted from Karen Kahle from Primitive Spirit.  It should be here in a few days and I can really buckle down and get this rug DONE!!
Here is the rug so far-- 

Lynn's Drawing Prize

A few days ago I posted a special drawing to draw traffic to my new blog from a rug hooking board that I am a member of, The Welcome Mat. 
It is a great wealth of knowledge for EVERYTHING rug hooking!  On that particular day, Wanda, the site's owner and host, offered a self-promotion day. 

I participated in the promotion and as a thank you to Wanda and the other Welcome Mat members, I offered a free drawing of one of my rug designs on "red dot tracer" as a pay-back for everything that I have benefited from as being a member of The Mat.

Since I never got to the store to purchase the red dot tracer, the winner of the drawing, Lynn Kinsella instead won an actual rug canvas hand-drawn on primitive linen fabric, which greatly increased the value of the drawing.  Lucky Lynn!!!!  Ü
Furthermore, this is one of my newest designs , "R 202 Garden Visitor", that I haven't even been able to hook yet, so Lynn, it's all on you to hook it up and show us how it's supposed to look finished!!! 
Lynn, I hope you enjoy hooking this piece-- I can't wait to see it all done Ü

My "Temptation" rug is coming along s l o w l y . . .  I do have the tree going though.  I changed the shape of the bottom of it and I'm thinking the serpent needs to be blue.  Your thoughts?

I Have A Winner!!!

Woo Hoo!!!  I have a winner in my drawing for The Welcome Mat and her name is Lynn Kinsella!!! 

I am excited to send her one of my designs.  I had initially offered a red dot transfer for my drawing but I didn't get to the store to actually get the red dot and I have a canvas ready to go, so I hope she doesn't mind the "switcher-oo".

Congratulations Lynn!! 

Happy Hooking Ü

Steady As She Goes

Well the weekend is here Ü  Last night I posted a drawing for a free rug pattern from my line for a promotion of my business on another site that I am a member of (The Welcome Mat).   http://thewelcomemat.ning.com
The winner will be announced on Monday, both on this blog and also on The Welcome Mat page that the drawing was first announced on.  For this particular drawing you have to be a member of The Welcome Mat.  It's a fantastic forum for EVERYTHING hooking--  more than you could ever want or need to know about rug hooking can be found on that site.
I am having fun deciding which canvas to go with-- I have a lot of favorites and then there's that creative thing...  I might just draw up a new one--  hahaha!!  This one might be the chocolate with the soft center Ü
Yesterday I got more ferns hooked on my "Temptation" rug.  I like how it's looking so far Ü 

I'm off to hook a little bit more and then it's off to bed for me--
Enjoy your Saturday night  and Sweet Dreams Ü

!!!Comment Box Not Working for "TWM" Entry ;-( !!!

Oh No!!! I have received two comments back to me stating the comment box for my "Welcome Mat" drawing isn't working so I checked further and made a few phone calls to family and eventually figured out what needs to be done to post--  you have to be a registered user of one of these approved social email servers such as Google, LiveJournal, WordPress, Typepad, AIM, or OpenID.  You write your comment and then to post, select one of those options.   I found that all blogs are basically set up that way. 

In the meantime, if you still can't post to the blog, I am asking instead that you please go to my website:

http://www.handmaidendesigns.com

Get my email link from there and send me an email that way to enter "TWM" drawing.

Please include in your email subject line "TWM" and in the email body, your "Welcome Mat" page link (so I can notify you of winning Ü woo hoo!!) and I will make my list from there.

Thank you so much for your participation and I apologize for the inconvenience.

Debra <3

The Welcome Mat Drawing

Howdy!!!
Tonight I decided to do a drawing on my blog Ü
It's actually a drawing to promote my business on a rug hooking site I am a member of
http://thewelcomemat.ning.com/

For a special promotion to the members of The Welcome Mat, I would like to offer a drawing for one of my designs (my choice) on red dot. In order to place your name in the drawing, please visit my new blog and leave your name w/wo a welcome note in the "comment" box. Please include the initials "TWM" in your post so I know it's an eligible post.

The winner will be chosen randomly by my husband (he's going to love this!!! hahaha!)

I will announce the name on Monday, July 11, 2011, both here on my blog and also on The Welcome Mat. At that time, I will need to get an address from the winner so the pattern can be sent out.

I wonder who the lucky hooker will be?????

I think this is going to be fun!! Thank you all for participating Ü

Happy Anniversary July 6, 2011

Happy July!

It's one of my favorite months for two reasons. It's our nation's birthday and I LOVE AMERICANA!! But then, I don't really need a holiday to wave a flag Ü

The most special reason I love July is because my (secret) wedding anniversary is in July and it's TODAY!!! Ü 35 years ago Casey swept me off my feet forever... the time has flown by so fast that I can't believe we are at #35! Most days I still feel like a newly wed Ü


I got to hook a little bit on my new rug "Temptation" today. Adam and Eve are done Ü Now on to the ferns in the garden... The rug name was suggested by my friend Gina Glenn. She has always given me great suggestions for my projects Ü and I'm taking her up on this one-- THANKS GINA!!!

I have a lot to do between now and the end of the month to get my rugs ready for the Sauder Village Rug Hooking Week in August 2011. Alice Strebel http://www.alistrebeldesigns.com/ has graciously offered to take my rugs for me again this summer. I'll also be sending some punch needle samples and patterns with her this time Ü

Before I close this post out, I figured out how to get the magazine cover on here. Last night I was having problems but today it's working!! Woo Hoo!! So, here ya go--

I'm not sure why the outside and inside covers came out with such a difference in color or so grainy but it's the best I can do for now. Regardless, I get excited every time I see it!! Ü


Blessings to all Ü

First Day

It's here!!! My new blog is here!!!
Today was an exciting day for me. In the mail I received my new July issue of the Wool Street Journal and as it turns out, I know the designer of the cover rug "Friendship's Offering" pretty well. *wink Ü

I posted the picture above from when I was working on the rug. I later changed the star flower to a color that was less bright Ü As soon as I figure out how to upload the photo of the magazine cover, I'll get it on here. It's one of my favorite rugs that I've done so I'm pretty excited to show it on the cover!!

As many of you know, I have been an avid rug hooker for the last year and a half. I have been working really hard to get a good line of rug patterns designed and hooked as well as keeping up with my quilt and punch needle line of patterns.

I am thrilled to be featured in the magazine and owe this wonderful success to my family and friends. Thank you SO MUCH for your love and encouragement!!! I am very grateful and appreciate all of you more than I can say Ü

One more thing, the article about me in the magazine was actually written by my daughters, not me Ü (Just in case you were wondering ;-0)

I hope everyone had a beautiful 4th of July!!! We'll keep celebrating until the homemade apple pie is all gone...

Take care, God bless, and see you next time!!