Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Christmas in California

Flew to California on Christmas night and going back home on New Year's Day---then celebrating my 45th wedding anniversary the next day and my birthday at the end of the month---why does it all have to happen at once!

Here are some new pictures of Baxter!  So much fun to be with him!

                                                Looks like he is singing Joy to the world!
   Love playing with the wrapping paper---although you wouldn't know it looking at this picture!
                                      And he loves feeding himself---yum---butternut squash!
 
                                        Likes to walk assisted and is crawling everywhere!

I must get a family photo before we leave---today might be a good day...the women are going for pedicures while the guys babysit and then it is hamburgers for lunch day!


Windsor Manor Bunco Christmas Party

  

Annual Rug Hookers Holiday Gathering---great group of students gathering at Mimi's house---thanks for a wonderful year!!!
  
I made this end table for my daughter Sarah from an iron base found at Restore and painted with a hammered brown spray paint---and the top made from an old door remnant that I have had in the garage---nice old thick wood---have more piece to male a coffee table too if I can find the right base---hope to hit the Vintage market this weekend when I get home and see what I can find.


And I will close with this picture of Bumpa---AKA Doug White enjoying his grandson Baxter.





Monday, November 30, 2015


Mommy Daddy and Baxter on Thanksgiving Day
   
Grandma and Baxter selfie on the floor!


Baxter with Great Grandma and Great Grandpa on Thanksgiving


Baxter will be crawling soon!

 He loves to play with his toes!

 
Loves to stretch when he wakes up and gets out of his swaddle!


Baxter having a conversation with Mr. Fox!

This is my last week with Baxter---it has been a great time but I am pooped!

Tomorrow morning I am going for a well deserved yoga therapy session at Barefoot Movements where I went when I was here in June.  It felt so good last time that I had to do it again.  I think tonight we are going to put up the Christmas tree---hopefully where Baxter will not be able to reach it!  I am glad I will be back at Christmas for another grandma fix!




Sunday, November 29, 2015

Baxter time!

I have been in Oakland now for a week and two days---and I am not on Anita time but on Baxter time!

What joy to be able to be here and spend time with Baxter---he will be 5 months old in two days---but he is a handful!  I now why we have children when we are young!


What a joy he is!!!

   
A teething toothbrush is a good thing!  No teeth yet but he is definitely teething!




He likes his sippy cup!

He is rocking on all fours so soon will be crawling---he is still breastfeeding and bottle feeding is a challenge though he loves to eat---likes to hold his own bottle so he is in control---wonder where he gets that???

Now for the rug hooking related part of my blog...had a wonderful workshop in Bothell Washington.  Here are some pictures from the week.


Olde St. Nichloas---one of my cupboard patterns hooked by Diane, a new hooker doing a great job!

Blue Basket Antique by Edyth O'Neill hooked by Patricia---a great old antique rug design!


  

Paisley Hex a Jane McGown Flynn pattern ---one of my all time favorite pattern hooked by Kathy---doing a great job with the beading and the antique paisley!


Christmas in the Valley being hooked by Larry in  a 3/4 cut---the snow laden trees were hooked with a dip dye--about 5 inches long.




Penny designed this pattern based on a photo she took in Mexico---so much creativity!

Susan was working on Hot chicks by Sharon smith---fun bright colors!


Vicki was working on a Karla Gerard pattern called Quaint town---she wanted bright colors so I sent her a photograph of some rainbow eucalyptus trees---hence the inspiration for the tree---love it!


What a fun goat pattern!  When I suggested she proddy the flowers around his neck she jumped in with both feet---loved her enthusiasm!
Marla's Westie pattern is based on her westie dogs---we redrew them slightly and she added the radio flyer on the wagon!  Happy little dogs!
Mona was working on a Maggie B. flower basket---great work!
Marti was also a beginner hooker---this is Edyth O"Neill's candle mat---she made great progress on her hooking technique this week..keep it up Marti!!!




Patty  was working on
the Boys at Play ---love how it was turning out---she will be finished in no time!


Ruth Ellen was working on a Susan Quicksall pattern Gypsy Wagon---she had purchased the pattern from someone who had started it and removed all the hooking to do her color palette---fun jewel tome colors with some added textures from paisley and speckled wools!
Evie was working on Orchard Quail by Maryjo Taylor---love the colors---a happy little oval mat!


I have been trying to get this post written for over a week and I am finally going to finish it this morning!

The past two weeks at my daughter's in Oakland has kept me very busy!  I am exhausted at night but go to sleep knowing that my precious grandson is thriving and has a happy home!
I will be heading back to Kansas on Thursday and December will be a busy month---I  will return to Oakland for a week at Christmas and get to see Baxter again!

One big reminder---the annual Christmas party at Mimi's is Wednesday the 17th of December---call me if you have questions.



Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Texas two times

September took me to Texas twice---and since I used to live in Texas it was like going home.

My first trip was to San Antonio for the ATHA Biennial...those Texans really know how to throw a great party---many thanks to Tricia Travis and her gang for really doing a great job.

I taught a Grenfell class and had a wonderful group of students.


Longhorn

Barn

Star



Here is view of the riverwalk outside the hotel---a lovely place for a morning walk, in spite of dealing with a broken toe.




when i got back from San Antonio I finished preparing for the Two Stars in Texas Fredericksburg camp, and again Tricia did a great job of following up her Biennial efforts with running this camp.

I had a great group of students ---they worked on some great rugs!


Fleece Navidad a fun pattern hooked by Judith---such jolly sheep!


Burnham Medallion  an old  Pearl McGown pattern hooked by Victoria---this one took some trial and error with the colors but it is going to be a beauty!!!


Pere Noel a Woolley Fox pattern---Santa got a new face, a job well done, Jeanne!!!

She was having seconds thoughts about doing this pattern---I told her I knew she could do it!

This Poppy pattern is my design and Sandra was doing her first wide cut---found a picture of a Himalayan poppy which was purple and would match her bedroom colors---the center was so much fun and the green colors will also become the leaves in the background. 


Sue chose a Karla Gerard pattern in a 16 by 20 size---fun bright flowers with a dark wallpaper look background---Sue was delighted to have her name drawn by me for free registration for next years camp!    Yeah Sue!

Janie was working on a pattern by Mary Johnson called Garden Retreat---a great small rug---and a beautiful job of hooking!!!

Marilyn was working on one of Tricia's antique postcard patterns of an easter bunny in a #6 and #8 cut---lots of primitive shading and took some interpretation on both our parts because the wool was kitted by Tricia---it was a fun pattern to work on!

Sitting Pretty was a Martina Lesar pattern---this is Elvis, Joanne's Birman cat---he has quite the attitude!  We changed the shape of his head to look more like his picture.  Fun flowers and a geometric border will add much to this pattern.



Becky was hooking my Paisley pattern called Paisley for Faye---she got a lot done in addition to going bike riding two morning!  Way to go Becky!

Bob chose a pattern by Sally Kallin called Kathy's Eagle ---his first rug camp given to him and him wife Sandra (poppy) for his 80th birthday---this was his first time to do an #8 cut rug---great job Bob!


This is the link to the original pattern but Sandy wanted the deer to look more realistic---so here is our redrawn version---great job Sandy!

Lynda chose this Need'l love Halloween pattern---we had lots of fun with this one---check out the lettering with the black and white bow tie wool!  Way to go Lynda!




Larry was my fine hooker and chose this Jacqueline Hansen winter pictorial.  We added some fun textures in the barn, silo and the rock wall---can't wait to see what he decides to hook when he is in my class in Seattle---I'm still voting for the Koi!

Cora was working on Woolley Fox  Pineapple Pattern---that is Paisley in the centers of the Pineapple sections.  With a dark brown/black background those pineapples will really pop! Love it!




Cyndee made more progress on "Comstock"  which she started with me at a previous camp--this if one of my favorite versions I have helped color plan.  This is a pattern that I will hook again someday---but this one will be hard to beat!

Stephanie was working on an impressionistic floral that she had previously worked on and we refocused on some of the areas that she was not completely happy with.  Perseverance pays off!





My awesome class---minus Stephanie and Judith.

And now for my grandson Baxter---thank you all for letting me know how cute he is!!!



Playtime!

Love my 501's!



In his lederhosen for Octoberfest!