Hooking Dog

I set my 1840s rug aside to hook up

a facsimile of my friend’s dog for her 

60th next Sunday.

“Willie Nelson” is about 10”x5” and will

be a wall hanging.

(I’m going to work more on his eyes.)

Willie came up from NC with 10 other unwanted dogs.
Eastern Canada has a shortage of dogs for adoption so the
dogs found homes quickly.
My friend was so pleased to find him;
they’re a good couple!

I made a batch of chocolate chip cookies-
added oatmeal to half as hubby can’t have it.
I took some to another friend who turns 81 today.
Her bigger gift was a load of garden dirt.
This friend is both blind and deaf and has
the greenest thumb of anyone I know.
Imagine!

Eastern Canada has very low crime rate but
a few days ago a man was murdered in the
park across the street from us and
news about the Nova Scotia killings proliferate
the airways today.
I can’t listen too much.
But I pray for the families and friends.
I pray for the earth.

May we all live in the miracle of life
And the beauty and sounds of Spring!

Love Your Neighbors

I continue to plug away at my 1840's rug.

I've got the four animals hooked, the centre done, and the "1840"

and leaf motifs finished.

I am hoping that the fence, on either side of the centre, 

and a couple errant flowers in each quarter will balance out 

the fact that the animals aren't huge.

I don't want too much background "empty" spaces.

New kitten, Reggie, is not a helper.

When I begin hooking he nudges under my arms

and gets atop my frame where he promptly falls asleep.

Being the sook I am, I cannot bear to move him

and so we sit and sit and sit.

But the rug is making progress.

I am torn up over these small local businesses that are gasping for air.

I arranged to pick up my favorite soaps from a local seller.

She left them on her porch for me, along with a generous discount.

Rustik Soaps are, hands down, the most gentle and lovely

on my skin of any soap I've tried.

The maker, Kate, lives here in Canada and ships for free

 if your purchase is over $40.

w

www.rustiksoapco.com

My other plug is for local clothing store, Eloise, Ltd.

https://eloiseltd69york.myshopify.com/

Eloise's has the most lovely selection of seasonal clothing.

Beautiful.

And my husband has started taking delivery from a local coffee roaster

who also brings bread to the door.

Methinks next time we will skip the bread as we both 

over-gorged on it.

You have local stores to aid as well.

What will happen when the isolation period ends and 

these businesses try to re-open? 

I shudder to think.

But any purchases made from them now helps.

My own business, decluttering for seniors, has been put on hold too,

but my partner makes enough that we don't need to worry.

So we worry about everyone else.

When I'm clear headed enough, I turn the worry 

to prayers.

Love your neighbours...

I have seen so many examples of this worldwide that I am encouraged.

Cozies

Atlantic Canada got Dorian-

Here in my town we had strong winds and 2 inches of rain.

In other parts they had 5" of rain and category 2 winds.

Apparently Nova Scotia is 80% without power.

The storm brought cooler air too, so out came these:

My wool socks from Briggs & Little mills nearby.

I have 4 pair and they are toasty.

I've also been working on cleaning yellow stains off a 60 year old quilt.

Much came off with OxyClean, both from soaking and washing,

but a friend recommended this Italian soap and I was lucky to

find it locally.

(My friend used this to hand clean a yellowed wedding dress and

she couldn't believe the difference.)

Here is the quilt, a twin size plus and hand stitched. 

A client gave me this quilt while I was helping

her declutter. 

She was disgusted to find it so stained

and asked me to keep it or pass it to the thrift store.

I decided I'd try to remove the stains and then

offer it back to her.

As it was made by her mother she may want it but in good repair.

I've also been making lasagna today to take to a family 

who just lost their elderly mom.

The house is filled with the delicious smells of sauce and meat.

I handed off the guild project rug to someone else and now

I will turn to my own for hooking again! 

Warm socks, baking and quilts--

all cozy representations of domesticity.

Happy Week...

Rugs, Frakturs and Me

A reproduced fraktur for a friend's anniversary 

The snows lie heavily on my little spot in Eastern Canada. The grown kids have returned to their homes after spending the holidays with us. The tree has been stripped and tossed to the curb and the only lingering vestiges of Christmas are the big white lights that ignite our front porch. Wandering the house today I did some cleaning, some tossing, some straightening, some pet cuddling, not quite sure what I should put my hand to, where I belonged. A good friend texted a thanks for an ornament I hooked for her. Traditionally, I have mass produced one of my designs for little gifts. This year, mass production was two of the child sized mitten with snowflake. I could not sit at the task longer. On reflection, 2018 was a restless year for me. Even my art bounced from recreating frakturs to rug hooking to abandoning all for a garden that needed re-configuring. Could be the change of life or the fact that in my very nomadic adult life, I have been here ten years. Perhaps I should set aside the judgement and embrace what I did accomplish last year.

I hooked and delivered this Primitive Spirit pattern to my sweet niece and her husband to celebrate their marriage in NC

I finished this Halloween rug which I had designed in 2017

After designing and hooking this mill from Kings Landing, NB Historical Site, I gifted it to them. My parents bought it back so that it would stay in the family

There are far more rugs to present, but I'll dig them out slowly. SO maybe I was more focused in 2018 than I give myself credit for. I should remember what I myself have said: Last year does not necessarily inform what happens this year. Each year is different, a treasure being uncovered, even formed, as the days pass... Happy 2019