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