Inspiration from...........

Inspiration from Treats!LOL! Not sure whether it is my sweet tooth or maybe fond childhood memories. I have often incorporated sweets in with my crafting. You just never know when and where you will be inspired!

I may have already mentioned this, but before I sold hand hooked items, patterns, and such on ebay, I used to sell my sewn (hand and machine) items on ebay and at craft shows. They were actually not always sweet though...lol. I think I made every kind of vegetable and fruit out of muslin, lots of painting, sanding, grubbing, etc.. Fun, but....... this was before rug hooking totally captivated me! Sometimes, I like to revisit these things in my hooking projects. Here I have a lil' Easter Thyme sampling of Peep bunnies for you! Once I finished assembling these, I sprayed them with an opal spray glitter for a bit of vintage sparkle! It adhered to the wool very well.


Here we have the chocolate hearts! I visited my mom last night at the bakery where she works, and there they were! I knew I had not imagined these...LOL! Just as pretty as I remembered. I guess they don't look much like the hearts I hooked...lol! That is how ideas are though, we have our own interpretation and way of re-creating what we see. That is what makes our art and all types of art so much fun! The uniqueness and individuality of it all!

Still busy with orders, and some new patterns, but I did manage to dye some wool tonight, so more dye adventures soon!! Wishing you dreams come true, a passion for life, and happy hooking always! Cathy

Yummy New Pattern!

I finally finished another new pattern! This one is for my large chocolate floral heart. The color's are fun! I used lots of shades from my dye book like: Aged Barnwood, Dark Mossy Green, Grandmas Rose, Antique Rose, Pony Brown, and more!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=190284042061

Not just for Valentine's Day! Great for shabby, primitive or country decor!

Penny For Your Thoughts.............

We had a fun-filled day Saturday at a children's museum! A great Italian meal and a bit of shopping! Something for everyone. Museum for the kiddos, food for hubby, and shopping for me!
Our weather is still pretty bad here, all of the snow is drifting, very slippery roads. The kids missed 3 days last week. It is hard for me to teach when all 3 are home, so we all missed school! LOL!

I can't stop making hearts!!! LOL! :) This is my latest creation for ebay! FUN!!! A great way to use use up those wonderful strips that you only have 1 or 2 of! The one's you keep because you know they belong in something.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=120371893778

Selling on ebay is usually pretty seasonal, so I am trying to stretch the hearts out as long as I can. I always kinda miss hooking a particular item once the season ends, silly I know! Hearts really work anytime though, stars too!

These are my little "chocolate" style hearts, another way to use pink. I am glad I am not the only one who likes pink! Alright ladies it is time for more prim lover's to come out of the pink closet and admit it!!! LOL! We do like pink! Have you seen the guys wearing pink neck tie's? Love em'!

I hope to complete the pattern soon for my large "chocolate" heart pillow. I call them chocolate because my mom always bought me a small decorated cake for Valentine's Day. You know the pretty one's with lacy white icing and a rosebud? They were almost too pretty to eat, and honestly, they looked better than they tasted. Am I just imagining I ate these years ago? My mom has worked part-time in a bakery for years, I know that is where she used to get them! The belly aches afterward were not imagined, I guess should have just looked at them. LOL!

Got Prim Pink / Pink Heart!

A little pink inspration & A fun valentine!

Okay, I know prim rug hookers don't use much pink, but sometimes we need a little right?? Maybe for a floral rug, a heart, a bunny's nose, etc....??? I was in a pink mood today. As our temperatures drop yet again, I am SO ready for Spring. I do like pink, my youngest is crazy for pink. Pink is our birthstone, our b-day's are 5 days apart, in October! One of my bathrooms is Shabby Chic, so I use pink, green, and white in there.

These wool pieces are smaller than they appear and not as bright. Pink can be prim, much depends on the wool used and the addition of a green to tone down any brights. So here we have 3 shades, on the far left we have a mauve shade, I used Woodrose over a grey herringbone and a taupe plaid/texture. Let your wool be the guide, mix and add dye as needed to achieve the depth you want. In the center I have a small piece of pink, I used just a bit of American Beauty and Bronze, and dyed over a light gray mini herringbone.

Finally, at the far right end, my favorite's, I like the warmth. I used Old Rose and Mint Green over a tan check and a white confetti. You probably see the confetti speckles, it looks like I didn't mix my dye well, but I did!!! LOL!! The lightest of these was added to the dye bath last, I wanted one piece a bit lighter, gotta have contrast. I chose Mint Green because it is a warmer green, but not dark. This is the fun part, if you don't have mint try another green to tone it, or a brown shade for a deep, almost salmon shade. Happy Day to ALL!!!! :)

Good Luck!:)

I am Irish, so every season I make up a couple of shamrocks, maybe that is why I like green so much!! LOL! I placed these on painted/aged glass candlesticks. FUN!!!!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=190282032101

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&item=190282033919

I hope to offer the pattern soon!!!

Adventures in Dyeing and Hooking...........

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120364355889&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=002

When I hook our PRESIDENT'S...........LOL! I do love the challenge. I always want there to be no doubt who they are. I start with a portrait (George & Abe) or a photo for Barack. Then I move on to the colors, now for Barack I used both of my Spiced Up Tan's from my dye book for his skin.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=190275712448&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=009

I used my favorite boucle' for his hair. I used the same wool for Abe's beard and hair, and for George's hair. Three different dye formulas. George's hair was basic a drabbing down of this wool. Don't know what I will do when I run out of this wool .......lol.

I will be back soon for more........To be cont............



Ok, since I talk about it all of the time..lol! Here is a sample of the type of wool I like to use for hair, beards, etc.. I have it in cream, it is at least 80% wool and it takes the dye very well. It is perfect for sheep and other animals too! I used this sample because it looks just like the piece I used for Barack's hair and eyebrows.

P.S. I am an Independent voter! My hooking is totally a non-partisan thing! LOL! Had John McCain won, I would have been happy to hook him. I really like and admire both men and thank them for their service to our country.

Busy as a Bee!! LOL! Feather Tree Ornies Idea...

Well, Happy 2009 to everyone!!! I have (most thankfully) been so busy with orders, hooking away here, putting together pattern packs etc...

Trying to get back into the "swing of things," teaching my daughter again etc.... I was going to keep her studies going over the holidays, but we were both ready for a break. I had to catch up on so many things! Do we ever actually catch up?? LOL!

I have a new pattern on ebay for my Penny Sheep, plus I have a couple of newer cat patterns too. Penny Heart & Tulip Bunny coming soon! Here is the link to the sheep pattern. I always tell folks that if they don't like to hook shapes, most of my patterns can be hooked as a square pillow or rug.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=120361847565&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=002

I was thinking about those little ornies on the wool feather tree. They would be so easy to make!!! I once bought a small lot of little tree's set in mini repro yellow ware bowls...lol. I wanted to decorate them, so I bought those little packs of small Styrofoam balls. I pushed wire hangers into each one first, and then painted them. I did some in orange, painted lil' faces and made JOL's for Halloween. I applied faux snow to another set, and painted faces on them for snowmen. Then I hung them on my tree's, even sold a few a ebay. I also used paperclay, formed shapes and painted them and made lil' ghosts, etc... You can make any shape of course. I also started with a mini Styrofoam ball and made little paperclay ears, stuck them on the balls, and made cats! So lots of possibilities!

I bought these yellow ware ball ornies some time ago. I have some that are gray with blue decorations, they are the stoneware ornies. I just thought in case anyone wanted to make some of these, they are simply painted mini Styrofoam balls with a wire hanger. Had I known this, before I bought them, I could have made some myself...LOL!! So, you can have yourself a set of ornies for every season and some for any season!

See you soon for more dye tips, etc...........Back to hooking!!! Blessings for a great 2009!!!!