Saturday morning, one week to go

Well here it is, a quiet Saturday morning.  One week from today and I will be on the road heading to teach in Baton Rouge.  I am looking forward to kicking off 2012 in Baton Rouge.  I think things are ready---just a lot of packing to do.  I also want to get some cupboard frames painted but am waiting for a sunny day which is coming  next week.

I got good news this week that my daughter in California got a job with Bloomingdale's in San Francisco as a retail stylist in their visual merchandising area.  Yeah!!!  She is so creative and I am so happy for her.  Her art and theater background should serve her well in this field.  My degree was in Clothing Retailing and I worked retail management when I graduated from college.  Most of my years spent in Dallas in Store Management at Joske's.  When Chelsea was a little girl she got to be in several fashion shows at the store.  I guess you could say it is in her blood.  Congratulations Chelsea!!!  Go for it!

I was introduced this week to "words with friends" on my i phone with Chelsea.  Just what I need, something else to occupy my time---but it has been fun.  We both love scrabble.  I have learned some new words this week.

Well it is now Sunday night---where has the weekend gone?  Last night I started celebrating my birthday early---Hubby and i fixed a nice dinner and opened a special bottle of wine we had bought many years ago in Napa---YUM!

This morning I continued the celebration by going to brunch with friends---YUM again!

Tomorrow which is my real birthday, I plan to celebrate some more by getting a massage which was purchased a while back on groupon and going out for dinner again to use another  groupon coupon---it is good to be the birthday girl!

Today I had a design revelation for a future project---can't let the cat out of the bag yet---I've got to get it into action first but I am very excited about it.


Okay that is about it---but I'll go into my files and see if I can find a good picture---it's not a good post without some kind of picture,

Here's a fun rug almost finished hooked by Sally---her son drew the sketch and I enlarged it into a pattern---it was a Christmas present for her son---fun!

Happy hooking!

Vacation is over---time to get back to work!

We had a great vacation---enjoyed the warm or should I say hot weather in the Cayman's.  The water was beautiful as were the beaches---and oh my---what great food!  My favorite thing I ate was Naked Wahoo and mushroom bites at the Sunshine Grill---so incredibly delicious.  I mostly had fish--- snapper, grouper, tuna...oh my!

I did run in a 2 mile race on Saturday morning benefitting the local Catholic school----small race of about 90 people.  I came in 11th and was the second female to finish so I was very pleased---18:56.  thankfully it was at 7 AM so it wasn't too hot, but I was still sweating---very humid!

My hubby went scuba diving every morning---so we were up early.  I went snorkeling several times and that was fun.  We also went on a nighttime catamaran sailing---was a perfect night with millions of stars!

When I got home I quickly got myself back in the swing of things by spending two full days in the dye pots---and started packing for my first workshop of the year in Baton Rouge LA.  The Lenexa hook-in is at the end of February so it will be here before long.  In March I will be teaching at Yellow Rose in Texas and looking forward to my return trip there.  April brings a new hook-in in the St. Louis area where I will be vending and in May I will be teaching in Birmingham AL.  June brings me to my last of my three years teaching at Caraway in North Carolina.

Tomorrow and Wednesday my home classes start back---yeah!  It will be good to see everyone!  Thursday I am teaching a class at my shop in Greenwood---a busy week!

this colorful guy roamed the grounds in front of the hotel---great visual for hooking a rooster!

Hubby getting ready to go in for his dive at the Kittiwake shipwreck site

Here is our group on the catamaran---a fun group we were!

Okay time to go get busy---have a great day!

Open Studio Day has come and gone

Yesterday was a fun day getting me back into the swing of things.  Since I am leaving on a trip tomorrow I didn't have time to start classes back until after I get back but since I haven't had home classes since early December I thought I would offer and open studio day for anyone who needed help or supplies to drop by.
The day started off slow and then some started arriving---it was good to get back into the groove.

Thanks Amy for bringing the Lawrence girls over---hope your group last night had a good time.

Congrats Carole on the new grand baby---she is precious!

Jean---thanks for making the trip over and your wool you left is on it's way---I hope you have more confidence on getting started on your rug---it will be beautiful!

Anne---love the new cat rug---it will be great fun!

Anne H.---hope Birches will be finished soon---keep at it or Cheryl will be after you.


Don't forget about purchasing raffle tickets for the State Line Rug Hooker's rug to be awarded at the Lenexa Hook-in on February 25th---here is the rug again:

Tonite will be an early to be night as I have an early morning 6AM flight tomorrow---but will have plenty of time to rest when I get to my destination.  We have cashed in air miles and Marriott points to make this trip to the Caymen's.  My husband is a scuba diver and will be diving 4 days---I plan to snorkel, run on the beach, swim, shop, read books, eat seafood and even run in a 2 mile race called Keep the Resolution on Saturday morning---I thought it would be fun to say I ran in a race outside the US and come home with a t-shirt commemorating the event---someday I need to come up with a hooking project using all my race t-shirts---not ready to cut them up yet but it is in my mind to do something with them.

The weather in Kansas has been so mild this year---am hoping it continues all winter---nice not to have to worry about the weather and the roads.

I am looking forward to several camps and workshops when I get back.  In February I will be in Baton Rouge at Red Stick and in March at Yellow Rose in Texas.  The 25th of February I will new vending at the Lenexa Hook-in---if you have never been you might want to consider coming---so much fun!

I love texture---here is a close-up that I took on the beach in Bodega Bay!

Here is a link to an antique button button on Etsy---inspiration for design comes in many forms---I see a great chair pad design in this button!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/72278442/antique-button-champleve-enamel

Well it is getting light now so it is time to get busy---much to do today!

Have a great week.

Anita

Home from California

Well I am home from California and am doing a quick post.  I got home Sunday night and woke up with an intestinal flu on Monday about 3 AM---not fun!  I am finally feeling human again but am still dragging.

We had a great time with family and really enjoyed Christmas and New Years.  My son in laws parents were very welcoming---the home we rented in Bodega bay turned  out great---we were so close to the ocean, and staying in Oakland with my daughter and her husband was extra special.   Lots of running, hiking, eating, playing games, and just enjoying being together.

Doug caught lots of fish on a charter which also included 6 live dungeness crabs which we boiled and ate until we were stuffed and had crab cakes made with the leftovers the next night.  YUM!

Also when I was in California I broke off a crown---the bad news is that I am going in this morning to have the tooth pulled and an implant put in hopefully at the same time if all goes as planned.  That was an expensive bite on a tortilla chip!  I thought the tooth had already had a root canal but found out yesterday that it didn't.  I was very surprised that I wasn't in pain.  I probably won't get much accomplished today so I thought I would get a post in.  I can't believe it has been so long since I have posted.

The rest of the week I plan to work on my upcoming camp Red Stick in Baton Rouge,  get welcoming letters out to my students from Yellow Rose in Texas and get ready for my open studio day next Monday here at the house...that should keep me busy!

here are a few pictures from California--

Christmas afternoon at the Marin's in Grass Valley---me and my family---with Jackson---Chelsea's 18 year old cat who now lives in the country with her in laws---he loves the country!

Chelsea flying with the birds on the beach in Bodega Bay!

A view of Bodega bay on one of our hikes---breathtaking view!

On a hike in Oakland California---it was steep hike behind the Claremont hotel---our only drizzly day so the view was not as spectacular as we had hoped but we still enjoyed it.

Chelsea and Noah are avid collectors of 60's...they have had this shell of a TV with cool antenna for a while and bought a flat screen that would fit inside---the white part around the screen lights up---the rotating color light was shining ion their silver tinsel tree.  It was fun to see their place in Oakland for the first time.  Now I have a better vision of where they are---makes a mom feel better!

Okay time to get ready to go to the dentist, not one of my favorite things to do.

Have a great day!