New ideas and taxes



New Ideas for wool




Dyeing in the kitchen




Tax Time




OOOohhhhh, AAAaaaaahhhhhh!!!

Not much new around here other than  a bit of snow and icy weather.  It's the end of February and we still are asking "where is winter?"  I guess it's going to avoid us this year.  Even if we do get buried in March, it will not be around for long.  I am very happy but still have to wonder at the cruel irony of it all.........hubby deploys we get 148 inches of snow (which is the norm), hubby comes home, we get 36 inches this year.  LOL! Oh well!
In picture one, see my mother holding up a piece of wool that we have experimented with.  I cannot even begin to tell you how excited we are about this new venture.  We have been visited by alot of quilters and wanted to incorporate some ideas for them so we are now special dyeing panels for quilting and pillows, or whatever you want to use it for.  We have just fooled with a few ideas and now need to tweek a bit, but are very thrilled with the outcome so far.  I'll be listing a few of the panels on ebay shortly. 
I also thought it would be funny to show  a picture of the disaster we call a kitchen when Mom is in full dyeing mode.  I laugh because our "hookers" always say how nice and clean our house is.....well, not when they are not here.  It's like that saying, "does a bear *&!@ in the woods?"  "Does your house always look like this when people are not here"  Also had to include a picture of that dreaded time of year.....tax time!!  But, a job well done going through all the receipts and forms today!! It's off to H&R block!!! 
The last picture is one of our experiments......very pretty!  Can't wait to see how well they are received.  I should have some new designs to show you soon...
Until next time.......

"Through the Tulips" all finished!!

Those little fairies up in my Mother's room are really churning out the rugs.....

Here is another design just finished by Mom.  I designed it as we had had some requests for a running rabbit.  Here is just so pretty!!  Sure to be popular.  Pattern available at: http://www.theoldtatteredflag.com/ 

Until next time....

February doldrums......

"Bunny Beauty"



"Through the tulips"




"Baxter!!!  Is nothing off limits?"




February Window Redo

  
February is that month where you start to feel the itch for spring, at least I do.  We have had a VERY mild winter too so that makes it even worse.  We barely have any snow and most of the week has been sunny, which is misleading when you step outside and it's still in the 20's, but I certainly cannot complain.  It does feel good to walk in the stores and start to see spring clothes and gardening stuff.
With Spring in mind I designed two new bunny patterns.  Mom has already hooked one.  I asked her if she has little hooking fairies up in her room because she is really churning them out.  She is half done the second pattern, I'll add a photo as soon as it's done.  Both patterns are available on my website, http://www.theoldtatteredflag.com/
Next is Baxter!!  You have to say Baxter! with an exclamation because that's normally how we talk to/about him.  He's always in trouble or into something.  Well, I caught him in a quiet moment, but geez, is nothing off limits with him.  He has to lay on something that belongs to someone else.  If he's not laying in the wool, he's usually on my pillow (lovely) or in Ollies (my mother's dog) bed. 
Last photos are of the window in our entry room, which we use as a dining room.  Over the holidays I had these Americana buntings up, but in a way that I was really never happy with.  You know how you just know when it's right.  Well, I found "right" this morning.  It truly is February when rehanging your curtains to find the right look makes you giddy!  What an improvement though! 
Well, better get to work, until next time.....

"1831 Antique Floral"



"1831 Antique Floral" **New Design**




Close up

Just had to get this on the blog first thing this morning.  Mom  finished hooking it late last night.  It is just so pretty!  Love the colors she used. 

You can see in my last two blogs the different mediums; punch needle and wool applique that we also are doing it in.  So, all three mediums will be available.  Well, cant' talk long, busy day ahead, it's Hooking Thursday.  I've already made a pot of soup and some brownies, now have to clean.  It's a good thing we have these every two weeks or my house would never get clean. 

Until next time.....





Ahhh, Animals......

"Animal Series"



"1831 Anitique Floral" Wool Applique all ready to be stitched




Fun, fun, fun, some new ideas with mixed media, paper and fabric.  Soooooo primitive!



I'm finding myself in a good place right now, getting caught up on mundane things like computer work, paperwork (although I haven't even thought about tax stuff), inventories, etc. So, as I mentioned in my last post, all these ideas are coming out.  I have so many designs in the works right now it's almost overwhelming.  Mom finished hooking our "Animal Series" rugs a couple days ago.  I have either four separate patterns as you see in the photo, or I have drawn the animals all together. They are all on the website, http://www.theoldtatteredflag.com/ 

My "1831 Antique Floral" is coming along nicely in all three mediums. It is available in punch needle, rug hooking and very soon as a wool applique pattern.  I wanted to show it with both an antique black background and a grungy white background.  I love them both, couldn't choose which one I love more.  (I punched it with a grungy light background).  I am stitching the black one right now and hope to have the pattern available next week.  Mom has hooked it with an antique black background and only has the border to do and OH MY GOSH, it is just beautiful!  I'll get pics of that on hopefully tomorrow.

The last pictures are of the mixed media I fool with on my days off.....!  I am having a blast with the texture you can create with paper and fabric and painting techniques.  This is not for the faint of heart as I like to really make them grungy and super primitive.  I just love it!!!  

Well, off to the store, it's "hooking Thursday" tomorrow and we are off to get some goodies!

Until next time.....