Getting ready to go.....

As usual, it's been pretty hectic here.  We are getting ready to leave tomorrow very early, which means we are trying to fill orders to get out before we go, pack suitcases, pack stuff for the lake house we've rented, iron graduation outfits, bathe the dogs, stop the mail, it goes on and on.  So, here I am writing on my blog.  Well, I haven't written in a few days so I felt like I was neglecting it....

Of course, we have to keep our hands busy, so here some things we've been working on, with continuing work on our Stars and Flowers projects....

Butter Stamp Flower ~ A couple of blogs ago I showed you that I designed this rug from a pottery mug I had made a few years ago.  I had pressed the flower design from a butter stamp I had.  Mom finished hooking it last night.  It will be available as soon as we get back, both in pattern and kit form and very soon available in punch and wool applique....

Here's a cute scrap purse Mom made for herself.  She always chooses very "warm" earthy colors.  Love it!

Six down, fourteen to go.  I'm getting there.....

....from the back, or top depending on how you look at it.  Remember, punchers punch the design in reverse, meaning the design comes out underneath.  

"Stars and Flowers" Hooked Quilt rug HALF done!!!  

Nancy stopped by the other day to show us what she's been up to. I don't think she sleeps.....
She tackled our Butter Mold Chair pads...these are available on our website...
www.theoldtatteredflag.com

She is also tackling a hooked purse...

....and she finished her quilt rug....

......beautiful job Nancy!!! Just stunning..

...and she also finished her Uncle Sam rug, I think I had shown this before, but she added the wool strip binding, see below..

....getting ready to go....

...snacks to bring to the lake house...

Is this wrong??  Hey, I can picture nothing better than sitting on the porch, looking at the lake with an appletini, rum punch, or limoncello in hand!!

So, I will try to write during our vacation.  We plan to visit the Shelburne Museum and there is some wonderful folkart there, I hope to get inspired.  And I'm sure they'll be other subjects to pass along...

If you order from the website or Ebay, please know that we will not ship orders, after today, until May 30.  

Until next time.....

Random things....I'm scattered!

It has been beautiful out the last couple of days.  I love it when I can sit in my studio with the door open.  I DID have a hummingbird fly in the other day, but all in all, most nature stays outside. 

 I find myself a bit scattered lately.  We are heading out next week to go back up to NY so I don't really want to get started on anything new, but just can't help myself, so here's what we've been up to the last few days...

I don't think I ever showed you all four Game Boards in one photo.  They are exactly the way I envisioned them as I was designing them.  I wanted each one to be unique and individual, but to coordinate.  Great job Mom!!  The patterns and kits are available and we are selling the whole set of finished rugs (not listed yet, if interested let me know).  Here's the link to the pattern page:
The Old Tattered Flag Rug Hooking Patterns

Here's a really prim pattern Mom is going to bring with her on vacation.  My sister got it for her for Christmas.  That's right, even when Mom goes on vacation she hooks!!!  The designer of this pattern is Marie Lazzar....and I think my sister got it at the Dorr Mill Store in NH.

Check it out.......The Old Tattered Flag phone case!!!  I got it at Charming Charlies!!

Mom is battling with the weeds!!  There is this profuse weed that takes over everything.  The owner of the home told us to weed whack it all, put round up on everything but the flowers and cover with mulch and keep up with the preen.  So, Mom went to town with the weed whacker yesterday, but this guy survived.  I just thought it looked funny, one lone flower in the middle of all that chaos.....

When I have an idea for a new design I HAVE to get it drawn or it becomes a nuisance in my head!!  I just LOVE this simple little design based on the pottery cup I made a few years ago.  It's not too big, but so pretty and primitive!!!    Watch for it to be on the pattern page soon...

In the middle of everything I am still plugging away at both the punch version and wool applique version of my "Stars and Flowers" design.  Have patience with me.......they are both going slower than I imagined, but that's because I have a lot going on right now and haven't been able to devote as much time to them as I want to.  I am bringing them with me on vacation and will punch and stitch in the car!!  

Hand dyed and Hand Painted tshirts.....something we are working on.  Still tweeking, but coming soon!

Ok Lisa, don't read this if your going to get upset with me........My sister keeps sending me pictures of her fabulous folk art paper mache pieces.  She is trying to get her business going but having a hard time finding a place to actually sell them.  She has put some Christmas pieces on Etsy.  Etsy is great but quite honestly I think it's takes years to build up a following there.  So, she is also trying to get them on an exclusive folk art web site, but waiting to hear from them.....and.....alas, she is getting frustrated.  It's very hard as an artist to get your name out there.  You spend hours and hours designing and making your product, but then if you have no where to sell them, there lies the problem.  So, I am going to ask for your help in getting the word out about her great folk art.  These are EXTREMELY folky and primitive and HIGHLY collectible.  I know that once she starts getting them out there and people can see them in person she will get her following.  I truly hope none of you think I am pandering for business, it's just that I know a lot of you who read this are also artists, so you may have some suggestions/ideas, anything.  I'd love to hear your comments and so would my sister.  Her email address is lbkmt@hotmail.com
Thanks!

.....and lastly, poor Baxter is in the dog house!!!  I sit in the living room in the morning and have my coffee and watch out the window as birds fly by and see the beautiful flowers Mom has been planting and lo and behold here comes Baxter with a dead chipmunk in his mouth.  Ugh, the other day it was a very dead squirrel.  Well, the chipmunk was also dead, but not quite as dead if you know what I mean.  Well, his mouth was a steel clamp, he would not let it go.  So, we sprayed water up his nose until he dropped it.  That's not really why I was mad at him,  he's a dog and a pig, so he's doing what he does, but, when I was washing his face, he growled at me.  So, he's been in trouble all day!!!  Problem is I can't stay mad at him for long!!  Oh Baxter!!!!

Until next time......

April Newsletter.......

Ok, I am teaching myself today. I have heard that some of you are not able to read my newsletter so I have learned how to embed it to my blog and my website. I have also learned a bit about the quality of the file, so next month it will be a little clearer....here goes...

Well, as you can see I've still got some work to do with this....be patient with me....if anyone has any html tips I'd be happy to hear from you....

Until next time

I goofed......

A couple weeks ago I showed you that I screwed up in the placement of blocks on my "Stars and Flowers" quilt rug.  Well, I had to fix it and this is the only way I could think of.  I had to move 5 blocks around, so I went over what I had already drawn with red sharpie.  It will be a bit tough for Mom when she's gets to them but I think as long as she has a the image to go from she'll be able to do it.  These are the things you run in to as you are designing....

Stars and Flowers boo boo!

ugh!

....it is coming along nicely though.  Mom hasn't been hooking on it a lot because we've been doing a lot of yard work, plus I just gave her another project that I haven't shown anyone yet, but I do think you are all going to LOVE it, and she gets sidetracked easily with new projects!!  

While she's been hooking, I've been stitching the design and punching it.  I showed you the slow progress on the punched version yesterday, well here are the first five blocks I have stitched.  Slow going, but I love the look and it's just so relaxing to do!!

Stars and Flowers for wool applique!

I am only doing a tiny stitch around each shape as I feel anything bigger would take away from the design...and I'm using the same color floss as the wool.  I usually like to use a different colored floss, in fact, usually I use black for everything as I think it's more primitive, but with this design I think simple and pretty was a must.

New rug idea ~ I made this cute little pottery mug a few years ago at Fort Drum and it has been in my bedroom holding stuff on my dresser. I've always loved it, but just today thought I'd design a simple flower rug from it.  What do you think of the colors we've chosen??

My sister Lisa gave me a great idea to design a rug from her primitive paper mache JOL's.  So, keep an eye out for that too!  If you are interested in any of her JOL's email lbkmt@hotmail.com  

Wool experimentation ~ We showed a picture of us painting  wool the other day.  The bottom one is the finished product.  I LOVE IT!!  Very nice and muted and earthy looking.  You will get four different wools in one piece.  The other one is tie dyed.  Love that too!!  Look for them soon on the website, or if you need it now, zip me an email, theoldtatteredflag@yahoo.com  Each 1/4 yd. piece will be 10.50...

See what happens when you come to the studio.  Really, Baxter, is there any limit?

....and this glorious creature is what I wake up to every morning.  Max, could you be any more comfortable.....and you should hear him snore!!

Until next time.......

Flowers, some candles, and scissors...oh my!

We have had some gorgeous weather here with temps in the 80's.  I think any threat of a frost is over, so we (I should say Mom) has been planting flowers.  I buy them and haul the bags of soil and she plants.  I really don't do well with plants, I forget that they need to be watered!

So, today's blog is a bit of a mix of things.  I have added some new items to the website.  Our newsletter went out yesterday, if you are not on it and would like to be email me, theoldtatteredflag@yahoo.com and I'll get you one.

Enjoy the pics....

I restocked my great Americana Vintage Candles at the website today.  In addition to my favorites, Apple Crisp and Homestead, I have Caramel Flan, Lemon Custard, Lemon Grass and Orange Clove.  Here's the link to the page:
Odds~N~Ends Page for the Candles

Cart o' flowers by the front door

"Chinese Checkers" pattern available, click on the link below:
Chinese Checkers pattern

Here is a photo of our different hand dyed reds.  Sometimes when Mom dyes a new red I worry about it looking too much like another one, but you don't realize how different they are until they are next to one another.

New Heirloom scissors added to the website today, here is the link:
Heirloom Scissors

Lettuce is coming up and the herbs are coming along nicely!

Look who flew into the studio today!  Isn't he gorgeous?  He let Mom catch him, actually he was exhausted from trying to get out.  I said "well, there's one we can cross off our bucket list".  How many people ever get to hold a hummingbird?

Julie painting wool

Every time I show Mom lately she's on a ladder!!  She is now up to 77 bolts of wool so we needed to get another shelf....

The painted wool before we hang it up.  I'm hoping the colors run into one another, but it's very warm out so it might dry before they run...

Since we've been doing yard work late in the afternoon I haven't had the chance to work on this much, but hope to get going on it soon.  I have four of the 20 wool applique blocks stitched so that's coming along slowly too.  I'll keep you updated.

Now, that's just inappropriate!!!  Some privacy please, still, not something you see everyday!!

Until next time......