Nesting and the rain

I haven't blogged in a week now......I'm trying to figure out what I've been doing.....nesting....watching movies....my favorite has been "Marie Antoinette"....a truly beautiful movie....I ended up watching it 3 times.....like I NEVER do that!!!

I've also been hooking, dyeing wool.

I went outside this morning in the rain with my tennies and big pink fuzzy robe on and snapped a few pictures of the bird houses that are in various stages of transition....some are occupied and others are waiting for their new spring occupants.And look how much promise these daffodils holdI love the contrast of the fresh green against the old fall leaves that have been dampened by the rain.The hellebores are beautiful....such a lazy flower with their heads always bent down and shy....reminds me of Princess Diana.
The snowdrops have also bloomed.

Even when it's overcast and rainy, beauty abounds.

Go forth and be creative,

Tammy

Huge appetite

I've had a huge appetite for reading lately....I've been reading lots of books about balance, de-cluttering as well as some fun reading....if you want to see what I'm reading just go to the bar at the right to take a look. I'll try to update this frequently as my reading list changes.

Generally, I tend to read more in the summer time. Since I've read "The Secret" I've been rather fascinated with the subject of the Law of Attraction.

Just think if you watched this video to start your day.....doesn't it put you in that positive state to make great things happen in your life.

I've been fortunate to generally always be a happy person. I feel that I'm an optomist.....I always try to look at the good and not the bad and I've been blessed to have so many good things in my life.

Do I watch the evening news?

no

Do I think about why things that I want to have or do probably won't happen?

no

Do I see myself in my mind DOING what I WANT TO DO?

yes

Do I just sit around all day and visualize?

no...

I think I do my part to go out and make things happen.

Just something to think about.

Go forth and be creative,

Tammy

Snow Day!

Yay! Yesterday we woke up to about 10 inches of snow....the most snow we've had around here for a while. It melted off pretty fast, so once the sun came out the roads were pretty do-able.

Patti came by to pick me up and we went to our favorite place, Casper's, to eat chili with gunslinger sauce!!! When we got back we took the grrrrrllllls out for a walk and they got to meet a neighbor girl, Megan, who was making a snowman.
Her snowman had a mouth made from Nilla Wafers that had been dyed with food coloring.....Cleopatra especially enjoyed digging through the snow on the ground for the ones that had fallen off!As the sun set we had a beautiful sky and peaceful garden.


Go forth and be creative,

Tammy

Update

The "new" book by Deanne Fitzpatrick is actually a reprint of an earlier book called "East Coast Rug-Hooking Designs"....all of the same designs. Some of the pictures are different or are in different places in the book.

Thanks Debe for the heads up on this one.

....we got lots of snow last night so I hope to get out and get pictures in a bit....stayed home today because my car rides low to the ground and was afraid I would tear it up if I got it out in the snow today....sooo....today I'm working on taxes.

Yeah, fun right?!

Go forth and be creative,

Tammy

A great new hooking book

is out and it's by one of my favorite author's, Deanne Fitzpatrick.

Deanne is not only a great hooker and designer, but is also a wonderful writer.

I must be honest and say that I really didn't "get" her hooking when I first saw it....she does not hook in that straight and even style that so many of us aspire to. Her hooking is lumpy, bumpy and hickity-pickety and she uses wools and roving and cast off clothing.

Then I started reading her words.....she truly hooks from the heart about her life and her town and the people she is surrounded by.....I also love that her rugs are not all straight....I mean, look at the top of this one below....that is just SO AWESOME!!!

So, if you want to be inspired AND get 33 designs to hook, this is the book!

I have a few copies for $19.95 +$2.50 media mail shipping....if you just have to have it send me an e-mail HERE and I'll let you know if I still have one available to ship to you....I think I have 4 extra copies. Of course if you live here in Springfield, Missouri you can arrange to pick up your copy at Simply Fibers.

Just a few of the patterns included are:

Pitched Roofs Under a Starry Sky

Mermaids at Midnight

Company Houses on the Coast

and so many more!!!!

So if you want a book that is great to read, look at and have patterns to hook...this is the ONE!!!

Go forth and be creative,

Tammy

Hooking with Sheri

Sheri Demate is one of the girls in our hooking group.

She took a class with me a few years back and then she struck out on her own.

Here is a picture of her 2nd rug.....the first being just a small beginner project.

If you'd like to see a larger version of it please click HERE.

It's really incredible...the wonderful use of color and then the flower down in the right hand corner with the beaded center....just amazing!!!!

Here is a pillow that she made for her sister for Christmas.....LOVE IT!Look at the cute fringe dangling from his scarf!!!!
Sheri never ceases to inspire the girls in our group and we can't wait to see what she comes up with next!!!!

Go forth and be creative,

Tammy

Get ready.....

.....to be blown away!!!

Here are all of the rest of my pictures from Lenexa.....this is truly just a SMALL sampling.....I took pictures when I first got there and there were more rugs being hung throughout the day....but hey, a girl's gotta shop too!!!

This first rug was hooked by Belva Brown.....one of the hookers in our local group.....I think she might have done this one in a workshop with Bev Conway. Bev Conway is the designer. Another beautiful rug hooked 2 different ways.....isn't that just the best thing about hooking....each person's interpretation. I'd love to know who designed this rug....I kind of have a "deer" thing....I just love to hook them! How cute is this next one? Of course I'm rather partial to spring and Easter. I love the reds in this one! (1/29/16 I am told this pattern
is called Wild Cherries and is from Lib Callaway Designs)
What a nice crewel design and I really like the colors in this one as well as that dark striped background. A beautiful Oriental. A couple of rugs with Adam and Eve and their fig leaves!! What a great interpretation of an antique rug....I really like this one! This sheep rug was designed by Maria Barton and hooked by Betty Dekat of Primitive Bettys
A great geometric....something I'd like to try one day.
A beautiful floral! I believe the design is "Friendship Flowers" from Judy Cripps of Rustic Rugs. Cute snowmen! This is "Parson Brown Makes a New Friend" a design by Black Sheep Wool DesignsSeveral Saltboxes....

Wish I would have gotten a better pictures of this with more of the cat!!! Pretty and prim saltbox and willow Another great floral.

Wow! A pheasant tucked into a bowl of fruit This one looks like a quilt.....I've been told this might be from Vermont Folk Rugs. A pattern called "Josephine's Garden" Two folky roosters! I really loved this one too!!!! A snowman in a field of sunflowers....who would have thought?! A great sampler rug....this design is from Nola Hooks called "Heartland Sampler" Another design from Nola called "Kansas Postcard"
What a cute snowman family! Design from Maria Barton of Star Rug Company for the PRHG challenge...hooked by Pam Goode (pretty sure)
Another beautiful floral!!! Love the pinks in this one!

A really fun rug hooked by Paula Cole....a cat with marble eyes! Patriotics....always a favorite.....I think this design is from Need'l Love and this one is from Polly Minick.A beautiful floral rug....design from Nola Hooks. One of the girls in my group, Sandy, is currently hooking this same pattern using different colors....can't wait til she finishes and I can share it with you! What a cute snowman pillow! Hooked and prodded and a sparkly star!
This is such a kewl rug.....check out that braided border.....it's not really braided....just hooked to LOOK braided!!!

What a great peaceful lion! I really love the colors in these two pillows!!! And the edge on this pillow just really caught my eye....it has a lacy crocheted edge....I've got to learn how to do that! How fun is this one? I think this is a pattern from Vermont Folk Rugs. And this rug is just a kick!!!! I'd love to hear the story about all the little blocks!! And now I have the story
(Tammy, thanks for sharing your pictures from the Lenexa Hook-in! On one of the pictures you mentioned that there must be a story to all the blocks. The rug was hooked by my friend and business partner, Jane Rowe. It will be an ottoman cover, once her husband builds the base. All the blocks are copied from some of her kids' artwork from elementary school. It's such a great way to remember all those treasured masterpieces and to have them out to see, instead of in the attic!

~Anne~)

Thanks Anne for taking the time to tell us this!!! What a great idea!!!

How darling is this ?! A cute little snowman peeking in at us all snuggly warm in our house. This design is from Victoria Hart Ingalls. I think this one is called "Stop and Smell the Flowers" from Nola. Surely this must be an original design......the originals are always my favorite.....look at all those redheads!!!! What a crazy flower rug!!! This is another design from Nola. A fun little jack-0-lantern designed and hooked by one of the girls in my group, Sheri Demate, and a really modern monochrome rug!

This is a cute design from Vermont Folk Rugs!!! Okay, the picture really doesn't do this one justice....I loved this rug.....a blackish brown background and then this marvelous chartreuse green against it.....so beautiful! This lady liberty is just wonderful!

A Carol Endres design, "Woolen Barn", available through Woolley Fox , hooked by, Paula Cole....beautiful! This is another rug that really blew me away!!!! I love all of the color in it!! Pretty fall oak leaves and acorns. What a darling rabbit......the designer of this rug escapes me at the moment.....

?Sally Kalin? A fun Noah's ark....I think the design is from Rustic Rugs

This makes me think of Harry Potter....owls always do....I love the sky on this one. Sweet and simple and I love the border on this one. That is one satisfied looking cat! What a fun floral....I love the shape of the flowers AND the basket on this one.Okay, that's it....like I said....so many more rugs there and if any of you know who hooked these please leave me a comment and I'll go back and give credit to all the wonderful hookers of these rugs.

Go forth and be creative,

Tammy