Wrapping up the week

It has been cold this week---with some snow and drizzle.  I need some sunshine!!!!

Today is my final training long run before the Rock the parkway half marathon---11 miles today.

I have been watching lots of NCAA Basketball.  I hope the Jayhawks play better tomorrow.  There have been some interesting upsets---not good to be a #5 seed.  I hope if you love college basketball that your team is still in the playoffs.  I know the Mississippi gals are excited that Ole Miss is still in the playoffs, right Hilda?

Watching basketball has given me an opportunity to do some personal hooking...and this piece is very personal.  I posted this pattern of my mother awhile ago---drawn by Leonard Feenan.

While I finally decided I had to get it going and for me the best approach was to hook the paisley in the the background first so that I knew what I had to do to get her face the way I wanted it.

Here is what I have done so far...

The beginning---this paisley was my inspiration

The light color was too light in my opinion---would make it look too busy.

So I changed it to the darker color---the dark color around her hair is just a holding line---her hair was a light reddish brown.

I may still soften the brown in the paisley---but am leaving it for now.  I am getting excited about it now and hope to get more done in it this weekend.

If you or anyone you know is wanting to  go to Green Mountain Rug School in June I do still have openings in my class and have until April 5th to get the class filled---contact me or Stephanie Krauss for more information.  

My youngest daughter will be turning 30 next week---Happy Birthday Sarah!  Love You!

Next week I will be having home classes on Monday and Wednesday---hoping we don't get the big snow tonight and tomorrow.  

New Website for Greenwood Mercantile

The shop where I have my wool, etc. in Greenwood MO, the Greenwood Mercantile has a new website and there is a section on my Rug Hooking---I plan to take some more picture tomorrow when I am teaching class there to add to the website.

Here are the links:

http://www.thegreenwoodmercantile.com/index.html

http://www.thegreenwoodmercantile.com/Rug%20Hooking%20&%20Supplies.html

I have my half marathon coming up---three weeks from Saturday---one more long run to go in training this weekend---11 miles and ii is supposed to snow on Sunday.  I am hoping they are WRONG!!!


I am excited about the NCAA tournament this weekend...go jayhawks!!!

I am in the dye pots today doing some specific wools for orders---better get back to the dye pots!

Happy Hooking!  Oh I finally started the piece with my mom---not ready to post anything yet---just working on getting the fee of how I want the paisley background to look before I tackle the face  :)
if all goes well I might post progress in a few days.

Anita

French Camp workshop in Mississippi

Time to do some catching up...had a great trip to Mississippi last week.  The workshop in French Camp was great.  Here are some photographs.

Wednesday night was girls night out at---steaks at a filling station called "Nail's"  in Stewart MS.

Enjoying out dinner!

 the French  Camp Hookers in our beautiful hooking room---natural light on three sides of the building---a teacher's dream!!!

Six of the students chose to design a paisley purse using visuals that I brought---they came up with some good ones!

I spend the first night in this cabin and then moved to a bed and breakfast room in another building---loved the rustic atmosphere and wonderful breakfasts!!!  I had to run everyday so I could eat al of the wonderful food.  The bacon was glazed with apple butter---can you say yummy!!!!

                                          Gigi got the front of hers designed and hooked

 Theresa didn't get much of hers hooked but I love the design---can't wait to see how it turns out!

Here is another  bag designed by Cindy---she and Theresa are sisters!  Way to go girls!

Here is another great design by Margaret---lots going on in this one---love how it all flows together.

 Deanna's design features the first initial of all of her dogs---I think the other side will  incorporate her initials.

Martha got a lot done on her bag---like the geometric line at the top!

Patricia is doing a Jane Flynn pattern called Paisley Hex---I had helped her pull the wools together when I was at Red Stick but she started it here at this workshop.  Yeah Patricia!!!

I designed this version of my Paisley Runner for Hilda---it is 18 by 36---I named it Hilda's Paisley runner---Thanks Hilda for being a great hostess---we had a great time together!

Linda chose to hook the pillow that I designed for the Atha Biennial---It is coming along great----considering how much time Linda spent running the workshop she got a great amount of hooking done.  Linda---you did a great job---wonderful facility and wonderful food and wonderful students!!!

Sue worked on this Bass designed by Margaret---fellow student----a great looking fish!

Another small project---ha ha!!!  Pat chose this Jane Flynn Azeri---it was fun to help her get a good start of this pattern.  We all loved the bus---singing the wheels on the bus go round and round!

Ann worked on the Crazy Quilt pillow---she used beading to mimic the stitching---she had never done it before and did a great job!

Cathie had started this at a previous workshop---she wanted to change some things in the colors and I helped her pull blues together---It is going to be a great geometric rug.

A beautiful view of the lake the first morning when I was out for my run.

The breakfast room at the B & B

My boots that I bought on my way home---love my boots!!!

I woke up early this morning and couldn't get back to sleep---bummer!

Green Mountain Rug School, St. Patrick's 4 mile race and other stuff

 I wanted to share this information about the Green Mountain Rug School---I have openings in my class and would love to have you join me in June---you can contact me if you have questions or contact Stephanie.

Here are some more pictures of my work---

-----Original Message-----

From: "Stephanie Allen-Krauss" <vtpansy@greenmountainhookedrugs.com>

Sent: Thursday, March 7, 2013 12:20pm

To: vtpansy@greenmountainhookedrugs.com

Subject: Green Mtn Rug School- Teacher Feature

Green Mountain Hooked Rugs 2838 County Rd, Montpelier, VT 05602 802-223-1333      Teacher Feature- March, 2013         Many Classes for 2013 Sessions still have openings! Green Mountain Rug School & Fall Fiesta Rug School Green Mountain Rug School  June 5-8 & June 9-14, 2013  Green Mountain Rug School has been a popular and well-respected rug school for 32 years, and in large part this is due to our wonderful teachers. Many return year after year for which we (and the students) are very grateful. We also enjoy introducing new teachers and offering different subjects. We invite teachers from all parts of the US and Canada, and so it's a great opportunity to take a class with a teacher from another region. This newsletter will highlight several special teachers who will be joining us for the first time. Learn More about Green Mountain Rug School               Old Dorm, Vermont Technical College, Randolph Ctr, VT         Students gather for 'Show & Tell' THREE-DAY SESSION Wed.-Sat. June 5-8, 2013   Norma Batastini from New Jersey joins us to offer a class on A Fresh Approach to Primitives. Norma is a new teacher to Green Mountain, but she certainly isn't new to our campus, having been a student here for many years. She lives in New Jersey where she offers regular classes and she also travels around the country to teach a variety of subjects. You may have seen her beautiful Primitive Pumpkins, her handbag kits or her brightly-colored 'Molas'. Norma is the owner of Heart-In-Hand Rug Hooking & co-director of Rugs by the Sea School in Cape May, NJ.        Iris Simpson from Toronto, Canada is also a new teacher, but not new to our school. Her Open Class offers beginning and intermediate students opportunities to explore a wide variety of subjects. You'll never be bored in Iris's class and she'll keep you laughing along the way. Iris travels all over the US and Canada, bringing her many years of teaching experience and knowledge. See her class description for details about the subjects she's offering which include Geometrics;     'Bold and Beautiful Colors'; Fruit- Fine or Wide Cut; Crewel Designs; Proddy and Creative Stitches; Stained Glass; and Orientals. Students of all levels, including beginners will enjoy this class! THE FIVE-DAY SESSION Sunday - Friday, June 9-14, 2013 Laura Pierce  from Petaluma, CA, is teaching an Open Class and she's new to Green Mountain. Laura is probably best-known for her portrait rug 'Emmy', (little girl blowing bubbles) which graced the cover of Rug Hooking Magazine, June/July/August 2009. Six of her rugs have been selected for Rug Hooking Magazine's Celebration of Hooked Rugs. She's been hooking since 1996 and started teaching in 2003, earning her McGown Accreditation in 2006.  With a background in drafting, photography and painting, Laura is well-prepared to share many skills with her students. She often makes patterns from photographs, helping her students create a personal portrait or a landscape rug. Her classes include subjects such as; 'Rug Design', 'Frakturs', 'Bubbles, Glass & Reflection', 'Landscapes', 'Portraits' and 'Special Stitches'. Don't miss this opportunity to take a class with a West Coast teacher here in New England! To learn more about Laura and to see her work, visit her website www.flyingdoghookery.com           Anita White from Overland Park, Kansas, is offering a class on Wide Cuts & Primitives.  She's also new to Green Mountain Rug School, but not new to our region. She taught a very successful class at our other rug school, Fall Fiesta.  Anita has been hooking for many years and travels extensively to teach. You'll see her name listed in many of the well-known rug hooking schools and camps around the country. Her style preference leans toward a # 6-9 cut, using lots of textures, plaids, over-dyed wools and antique paisley. She's a skilled teacher in a variety of subjects including geometrics, wide-cut animals, folk art and antique style rugs. Anita offers dyeing suggestions and helpful hints. Her class promises to encourage the beginner as well as to challenge the seasoned hooker.  Visit her blog at anitawhite.blogspot.com to read her thoughts on rug hooking, jogging (another of her favorite hobbies), her classes, and Kansas weather.          A Few things you might not know about Green Mountain Rug School... * There is a shuttle that goes between dorms, classrooms, and the cafeteria for students    who find it difficult to walk a distance. * There is an elevator in one of the dorms for folks who can't do stairs.    Request 'elevator dorm' on your application. * There is a fully-stocked rug hooking shop on campus. * Scholarships are available. Call or e-mail to inquire. * Many classes have openings right up to May 15th, although 2 classes already full. Most of the classes for Green Mountain Rug School and Fall Fiesta Rug School have OPENINGS right now. Visit our website for class details and to print a registration form.. For more information & to register,  call today! 802-223-1333 vtpansy@GreenMountainHookedRugs.com STAY CONNECTED

Thanks to my running buddy Kelly I placed first in my age division this morning---It was a hilly 4 mile course that I completed in 39 minutes and 22 seconds---was out of gas at the end. I am ready to load my car---leaving early in the morning for Mississippi.  On the road again!

Snow Angel

Today at the end of my 9 mile run I laid down in the snow and made this snow angel...

It actually felt good!!!---the snow that is---not the 9 miles!

6 of the students at the workshop in Mississippi will be doing paisley purses so I made this small mockup with scrap wool  to test myself---never like to go into something without trying it myself---I think this will work.  Am excited---be there soon!

Two post in one day!!!

Snow is finally melting

Well I have for one have had enough snow---it was pretty but I am over it.  We are supposed to get in the 40's this afternoon so hoping more of it will go away.  I want sidewalks and running paths back.  Last weekend we did our long runs in Corporate Woods, a business park, so we could run on the streets, and plan to do that again today,  Last Sunday was 8 miles and today is 9 miles.  It is getting closer...next Saturday I am running a 4 mile St. Patrick's day race so won't do a long run---leaving on Sunday for a workshop in MS and don't want to risk being sore---so will most likely do another 9 miler when I get back.  That will give me a chance to hopefully get a 10 and an 11 before I drop back down the weekend before to a 6.  I am sure glad I have a running buddy to do this with me---thanks Kelly!!!

Well I have home classes this week on Monday and Wednesday---looking forward to seeing everyone.

Here is my newest cupboard design called Fruit Jar Floral---it was fun to hook.

Here is a picture of my "Paisley on Paisley" pattern hooked at the Fall Foliage camp in Vermont by Susan Russo---it is always fun and rewarding to receive pictures from former students.  I love all the different ways this pattern can be interpreted.

Here is another photo of Early Frost Adaptation hooked by Larry Walton at a workshop in Nebraska---great job Larry!  I really like how it turned out.

I hope you all have a great day!