Grizzly and other stuff

Well I think I am going to call it quits on the hooking of the Grizzly Bear---ordered the frame and if I feel better tomorrow I am going to get the acid free foam board and start the framing process.  I will cut the  acid free foam board just short of the inside measurement of the frame to allow for the thickness of the rug warp which will wrap the foam board---I will stretch the piece over the board and pin down into the foam about every 1/4 inch----then I will lace top to bottom and side to side  to secure the excess backing and keep the piece tight.  Next I will place it in the frame---I plan to leave a little of the warp showing on the front of the piece (the part that will go under the frame so that the hooked part will extend into the opening---does that make sense---I hope so---I am such a visual learner that writing directions is not my forte---I will try to take some pictures of the process to show you what I do.

I probably should wait for the frame to arrive to double check my measurements---good idea, Anita!!!

Here is the panda turned grizzly!

Our State Line rug hookers guild has finished the rug for which we are selling raffle tickets---donation to benefit Cancer Action.  Contact me if you would like to purchase tickets.

I am going to start a Karla Gerard pattern that I purchased on Ebay---designs are available as a paper pattern that can be enlarged to whatever size you want---I made mine 32 by 40---here it is, a fun whimsical pattern---perfect for hooking while watching TV and killing some time before I start the portrait of my mom.

time to go have dinner---plan to watch the Voice and Dancing with the stars finale---and do a little hooking---still sick---but think I am on the road to recovery---maybe only a couple more days of feeling yucky!

Grizzly Bear

Well here is my progress on the bear---still tweaking things as I go---every time I take a picture I see things that I want to change---that is a good way to look at your work---too often we are looking at our work close up and a camera is a good tool.  In this photo I see a dark brown kine to the right of the right eye that seems too long and I think I want to add more brown to the water area at the bottom

I found a frame on Ebay that I am planning to order to frame this---it is a rustic wood that  I think will add.

I have not been feeling well since Wednesday so have been staying home---hence a lot of hooking time.  I think I am improving but still have problems---upper respiratory issues---no fun!!!

Have much to do  and don't feel up to doing it---so I guess I'll just finish the bear today---it will; make a great Christmas present for my hubby.  We used to live in Alaska from 1991 to 1994 so he will love it---he knows that I am hooking this so it is no surprise.

Here is the frame that I am thinking about:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-Wide-Brown-Beige-Tree-Bark-Canvas-Picture-Frame-Custom-Made-Standard-Sizes-/370627240117?pt=Photo_Frames_Display&var=640031027702&hash=item564b1ae0b5

I added these rug hooks to my collection recently---check out the one in the middle with the letter "A" on it...love it!!!

Well that is it for now---Anita

Pattern of my Mother

I received this pattern in the mail today---I ordered it from Leonard Feenan,  He adapted the pattern from a photograph of my mother when she was about 17 years old.  I think he did a great job and I am looking forward to trying to do her justice.   Right now it seems scary but am looking forward to working on it.  Her name was Pauline and she died when I was only nine years old.  When I found the photograph just recently and saw the paisley background I was blown away and knew I wanted to hook it.  Wish me luck!

I have come down with some kind of upper respiratory crud---not feeling well...didn't make for the best 

Thanksgiving day.

I am still working on the Grizzly Bear---making progress and will post a new picture in a few days.

Home from Teacher's workshop

Got home last night from South Central Teacher's Workshop---I began going to workshop in 2000 and have never missed a year---I look forward to this week of being around other teachers---sharing my knowledge, learning from others and being inspired to come back home and be more creative.  This is the time of year when I am not travelling for several months and hope to use my time to actually do some hooking.  I have several projects in my mind that I hope to work on.  I came home with two projects that I started at workshop.  One was a Panda Bear pattern that became a grizzly bear with a fish in his mouth---reminding me of my time spent in Alaska.

This is Cheryl's teaching piece...and here is the beginning of my grizzly bear

a long way to go...but like how it is starting out...



I also got a start on an artichoke---not sure about this one---may need to do some re-hooking

I was working with a swatch but was adding miscellaneous wools for a more painterly approach.


I taught two of the days---one class was filling in for Kate who couldn't be there---here are some mandalas from the class.

Kate's piece...

and the second class was Grenfell style polar bears...

The center mat is an original and the one on the right is my first one hooked all in wool fabric and the one on the left my second one hooked in yarn and wool combination.

Well it is time to get ready to go to guild this morning---Anne Hoffman is doing the program---I sponsored Anne for Teacher's workshop and am happy to report that she got her Teacher's certification this week.  Way to go Anne!

It has been a crazy week

Between The Christmas Open House in Greenwood and my working at the shop for a few hours on Friday and again today and going to the Vintage market on Friday on the Bottoms---What fun that was---I am running behind in my getting ready to leave early tomorrow morning for Teacher's workshop.

I didn't get to post all the pictures yet from the Nebraska workshop but still plan to get the rest of the posted.

I forgot to take my camera to the shop so had to take this picture with my cell phone---best I could  do.

Sold the snowshoes today---they were from my private collection.  Kinda sad!

Here are a couple of my treasures from The Vintage market.

This wonderful little cupboard had ugly patterned glass in it with an ugly ornate knob---couldn't get them off fast enough.  Going to try to replace it with old wavy glass.

And this old wire store basket had my name written all over it---wish I had a dollar for all the people who commented on it while I was standing in line to pay!

These are staying home with me bus some other small treasures made their way to the shop.

The Christmas house is on still tomorrow and also next weekend---check it out if you are in the area.

Okay I should be downstairs packing but here are a couple of Nebraska pictures---some florals!

These two sunflower patterns were designed by Carrie Martin and are called "Nebraska"---the one on the left was hooked byTerri and the one on the right by Mary Jo--They both did a great job with his pattern---I think it should be called "Kansas"

Jodi almost finished the Red Rocket design pattern---a wonderful soft primitive pallette.

 "Poppies" a Sharon Smith design was hooked by Jane---this is always a fun pattern to work on because the flowers can be so creative.

 Karen was in both classes---after doing the eagle in the first session she switched to a primitive floral which was kind of out of her box and she did a great job!

Another fun floral basket by another Karen---Potted Coxcomb by Kathy Stephans---love the ruffled look of the cosxcomb

Vicki was also in both  classes and hooked this Poinsettia a Maggie Bonanomi pattern from Holly Threads Need'l Love book---a great rug and fun pattern to hook!

Theresa is not afraid of big rugs and big cuts---this was a floral pattern designed by Rhonda Manley---wonderful soft primitive flowers.

These last two rugs are the Shippee Floral---the first one hooked by Diane and the second by Patty---they were both using a soft floral pallette with a dark inside background and a light border---they were in the same class and sat together and shared many of the same wools---great job gals!!!

I really have to quit now---should have quit long ago.

Hitting the road at 6:30 AM---good thing we get an extra hour in the morning.

I can't believe November is already here

I thought I would post a few more pictures this morning while it is still dark before I go out for my run...need it this morning because I ate some candy last night---only four trick or treaters came so that meant there was candy in the house.  I also have to call the doctor because I got a splinter in my ring finger that went under my nail and it is red and very sore and ---can't get the antibiotic ointment to get in there.  And today is the day to decorate my booth in Greenwood for our Christmas Open House this weekend.  It starts Friday night at 5 o'clock.  I will post some pictures of the shop after it gets decorated.

 This is a pattern called Boot Scootin by Cabin Creek hooked by Dennie---it was so much fun---she got some really cool silver star embellishments that she will add to the boots---wish I had gotten a picture of them to---came from a Western Tack store.  Dennie has five brothers and their inititals are going to be worked into the background (subliminally).

This is a pattern by Folk Art Landing.  Karen did a great job with the eagle---wonderful development of the eagle in a wide cut---be sure and click on the picture to see more detail.

Maureen hooked this Vermont Folk Rug pattern---can't remember the name of the pattern---but it was fun to play with colors---we started with a purple cow and went from there---really fun and whimsical.  Can't wait to see this one finished!

 Larry hooked this version of Early Frost Adaptation, a Primco pattern---he did a great job and this is well on its way to being a fantastic rug---Way to go Larry!

Linda tackled this Lib Callaway version of the Caswell Fruit basket ---do a close-up of those strawberries and you will see that they were hooked with three different as-is textures.  this was done in8 and 8.5 cut---I love this pattern and loved working with Linda and Larry---Cammie has great parents!!!

Okay---that's it for this morning!