Wool geek

If you are a wool geek, like myself, I think you will enjoy these videos.
I ran across this, this morning….videos from artist/designer
Christien Meindertsma
She makes beautiful chunky rugs and poufs and ottomans from wool yarn as well as flax.
She also makes what she calls “one sheep, one sweater”…..sweaters knitted from individual sheep.



I hope you’ll visit her website to see even more videos on her process…..lovely!



shearing, washing and spinning from Christien Meindertsma on Vimeo.

Headed to the Ozarks Empire Fair

It’s that time of year when the fair is in town.

This weekend I’ll be demonstrating rug hooking in the E-Plex on

Saturday and Sunday from 11am-7pm.

Stop by and say hi if you get a chance.

Rut

‘Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task.’ ~William James

This past week I feel like I’ve been stuck in a rut.
Maybe it’s the heat…..
I go to work and when I get home all I want to do is sleep…..and eat…..
….but when I eat, it’s like there is nothing that really quite hits the spot…..
do you ever get that feeling?
I’ll have a few chips…..no that’s not it.
I’ll have a popsicle….no that’s not it.
Maybe some trail mix….no that’s not it.
I’ve been trying to read a few books, but can’t really seem to get into them either.
Then today it hit me…..I need to do some space clearing….generally when I feel “stuck”, if I can purge some of my “stuff” it leaves me feeling clearer.
So, I left work early and came home and organized my closet…..seriously folks….my closet has been a wreck since summer arrived….I still have a few winter things hanging out in there, when I’m in a hurry I’ll just pile my clean clothes on the shelf instead of hanging them up, throwing my flip-flops in and grabbing my tennis shoes to go to the gym……I’ve been a disorganized mess!

(Okay, I admit, I can become easily distracted by bright colors, feathers,
sequins and various sparkly things….this is not my closet, but wouldn’t it just
be the coolest if it was?! I’m talking clothes and ALL!)
I was able to find an entire sack of things to get rid of.
None of them were shoes!

(again, not my shoes, but WOW….love them all!)
Just putting this in here again, because I feel it needs repeating…..
okay, needs repeating to myself…..
‘Nothing is so fatiguing as the eternal hanging on of an uncompleted task.’ ~William James

Not fast enough

Oh how I wish this were going faster!
However, I must say that I’m not feeling overwhelmed
by this large runner….I’m rather savoring it.

I’ll work for a while on background when I need mindless hooking….
Work on the circles when I’m wanting to vary my colors back and forth….
Hook on the pods when I’m in the zone of doing a little more detail….
Or work on the leaves, when I’m really feeling detail oriented…..
Then there are days when I just want some immediate gratification….
That’s when I hook on those little flower buds that have fallen to the ground….
This rug is just what I’ve been needing!

Still, my mind is starting to think of the “next rug” that I want to hook.
Perhaps something with trees and birds….and words….
I don’t have anything definite in mind, so that is probably a good thing…..
just twirling ideas around in my mind…..

Isn’t that just another great part of the hooking adventure?!

Bits and pieces of things I see that make me smile….












We’ll see what comes out of the “mind meld” as I like to call it…
collecting all of these things in your head and then
seeing what comes out in the next rug….

To live content with small

Off to hook

I took the day off work to go down and visit and hook with the women in
Warsaw, MO…..in the mean time click on the link below to visit the
Rugs of Rebecca Knudson ……inspiring to say the least!

7 layer Greek Dip

Oh yeah, another cool, no cook snack for the summer!
Even better, it uses feta cheese, which I love!

7-Layer Greek Dip
Adapted from Our Best Bites
1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened (I used fat free)
1 tsp. dill weed or Greek seasoning (I used dill seed, because that is what I had on hand)
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 c. hummus (Make your own HERE)
1 c. seeded, diced cucumbers
1 c. seeded, diced tomatoes
1/2 c. chopped Kalamata olives
1/3 c. chopped green onions (about 3 green onions completely chopped)
1/2 c. crumbled Feta cheese
1/8-1/4 c. minced fresh parsley
With an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, seasoning, garlic, and lemon juice

until light and fluffy.

Spread in the bottom of a pie plate or a small, shallow baking dish.
Then spread a layer of hummus.
 

In order, create layers by sprinkling the cucumbers,

tomatoes,

olives,

onions,

Feta cheese,

and parsley.

Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours.
Serve with pita chips, fresh vegetables, and/or flatbread.
Tonight I’m partaking in a guilty pleasure……even skipping yoga
class…..meeting up with an old friend…..our friendship is old…not that
WE will ever grow old!

Hooking and a super easy dessert!

It’s summer and I’m all about easy!
I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted about rug hooking……
Had a few of the girls over to hook……
and eat…..
We had the grilled hearts of Romaine that I talked about HERE,
topped with grilled chicken, feta or bleu cheese, craisins, almonds
and dressing. On mine I tried this Maple Fig dressing….
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!
Sandy is working on some cute flip-flops…..

Ebay Renee is hooking some stars…..

Dulcy of Dulcy’s Doorstep has started a new piece…..looks like a little cottage….

Sheri of Shabby Sheep is working on a purse…..

Kelly is working on binding…..

….and I’m still working on the Redbud runner….

Of course we had a little vino after dinner and got to hooking…..

Even Lonnie came and hung out with us….

For dessert I made this super easy strawberry
shortcake on a stick…..

Just alternate strawberries and chunks of angel food
cake on skewers and then dip it in whipped cream or use the
spray on kind. (freeze your cake first….it will be easier
to cut into chunks)
Found this great idea at Lemonade Makin’ Mama ……