What the heck have we been doing lately!!??

I'm not going to apologize anymore for not writing on my blog in a long time.  The pictures below speak for themselves.  We have actually settled into a nice pace with the shop, preparation for upcoming hook-ins, quilt guilds and our own special events, oh and add to that everyday business from the website.  I find that I am asleep before my head hits the pillow.......that's not really a joke, the other night I fell asleep in the middle of my nightly game of candy crush.  We are busy, but I am very grateful......grateful that everyday I hop out of bed thinking about what is ahead of me for the day and loving every minute of it.  I'm very lucky that I get to work from home doing what I love.  Here's what's been going on lately and why I haven't had a chance to write.....

Every other Thursday we have "open hooking" in the shop and I am always amazed at the creativity and beautiful pieces the ladies bring in.....

Here's Annette's adaptation of my Fraktur Flower Runner.  Just beautiful, those colors are amazing....

...and she tackled our Quillie Flower.  Very nice!!

Lillith, Robin and Paula hooking away!

Martha is binding her bunny rug.  

Sharon punches....

Tamara and Jill keeping those hands busy...

What is Jill working on?  I guess we'll have to wait and see!

 Then we have our Monday night group.  These ladies come every Monday night.  Another very talented group!!

Here's Cathy with a very cute pattern from Robin Leuschen.

Looks like the Monday night group knows how to have a good time, lol!

 Betty brought over some of the gorgeous antique rugs her Mother hooked.  Absolutely stunning.  Her mother hooked in a #3.  Wow!!

Mom and I find the time to do some good ol' picking and I love to find unique display pieces for the shop.  This bread board is AMAZING and will be a great piece to mount a hooked rug on.

This neat piece, I'm really not sure what it is, some piece of old farm equipment is going to hang on the porch with perhaps some primitive lighting in it?  I'm not sure yet, but something will come to me.

I got this great piece from a local Antique store called Attic Treasures.  Sue has the neatest pieces.  The store is located in Evans Mills, NY.  When she posted this little cabinet on facebook I knew what I wanted to to with it!

Ta da!  I love it!

 In between open hooking and "picking", I have managed to get some new designs out.  This antique crow was originally a doodle but has made it into the regular pattern line.  I hope to have it up on the website by the end of the day.

This cute little Spring Pocket is already on the website, www.theoldtatteredflag.com  for punch.

Another doodle that made it into the regular pattern line for punch and hooking.  The hooked rug pattern is already on the website, this punch pattern will be added today.

 And I'm working on some new Wool Applique patterns.  Gosh, I just love stitching....

 ...and hooking....Here's my Flag Door Banner.  I'm using #10 strips...

...and punching.  I had to punch my Quillie Flower design.  This picture is not that great because the flash went off, but that Antique Black background is GORGEOUS!!

Speaking of doodles, I periodically draw on leftover scrap linen and monks cloth and come up with random drawings.  I post these on facebook and if there are any takers and I think it might be a popular pattern I'll add it to my regular pattern line.  This last batch of doodles was very popular and a few will be regulars.  If you see something you like you can email me at theoldtatteredflag@gmail.com 

..and I got my "Cora's Garden" put onto weavers cloth for punch.  Add that to my list to punch.  This one will require some serious thought.  I love the colors Mom used in the hooked rug, so will probably go with her color scheme, but there is always some thought when transferring the wool colors to thread colors....

And what about Mom?  Well, she has been keeping busy too!  She's been playing with wool...great dip dyes...

and made a sparkly summer sky!

...and is working on my Liberty Eagle design, she has much more done on this since I snapped this picture.  This is drop dead gorgeous.  Those colors are soooo bold, rich and beautiful.  

 ..and just finished a rug for my brother and his wife.  Hey, better late than never right?  

Lol, and guess what's next, yup, a baby rug for my brother and his wife.  She vows to have it done by July, the birth.

and, just when you think everything is wonderful take a look at this mess!!! This is what my office looks like on a daily basis.  I really don't know how I function, but within those piles is organized chaos, I know where everything is........sometimes!

I always say every season is my favorite...ok, maybe not February and March.  April is still ugly as the buds have not popped yet and everything is still well...ugly, but, there is hope as you see things start to pop out of the ground.  It really is like the plants are waking up after a long nap and pop out and stretch.  I love seeing everything come to life again.  

Here are the garden beds.  Mom wants to get some spinach and swiss chard in.  Yum!  We use to have a big garden but just can't keep up with it anymore so these little garden beds are great for what we want, herbs, tomatoes, lettuce....

 ...and I gave my living room a little facelift with some new curtains.  Very summery, just what was needed!

And with the approach of summer comes birds nests on the porch....

..and a good scrubbing of the porch.  Oh I just love porch time!!

 ...and preparation for flowery entrance in to the shop...

We had this watering can set up last year and we hooked it up this year to keep the water flowing, but it's not staying.  I don't like to do the same thing twice so I will be switching it out with something else.  I'm not sure just what yet, but it will come to me..

...and in between everything we have added tons of new woolens to the website, www.theoldtatteredflag.com and I have lots of new things to keep adding, just need to find the time.  So, keep checking...

And the most exciting news of all is our 

"Gathering of Friends". 

It will be held here on the premises of The Old Tattered Flag on June 27 from 11-4.  We will have gourmet box lunches, a rug show (bring your favorite rug to display) and prizes for the viewers choice rugs, as well as door prizes, open hooking from 1-4, good food and shopping with a few wonderful artisans.  So far I have my Sister and her amazing folkart (Folk For All Seasons), Misi Axel from 1890 Gable House Goodes and Betsy Reed from Heavens to Betsy will be joining us with some of her wonderful patterns, wool and a demonstration on wide cut rug hooking.  This is not an event you want to miss.  Skip on over to the website to purchase your ticket ($20) or email me, theoldtatteredflag@gmail.com or call 315-767-8313 if you would like more info.  We are almost halfway to our cutoff point so don't wait, tickets are selling fast.

So, as you can see, we have been busy.  I'd like to say I'll be better about writing, but you've heard that before, eh?  I will keep you updated on the progress of our new designs and the Gathering of Friends.  I wish each and every one of you could come!  

If you'd like to take a look at the website here is the link, 

click on: www.theoldtatteredflag.com

Have a great day everyone and 

Until next time.....