I finished my purse and a couple of other things and ssshhh, don't tell anyone, but I think spring is here!!

I have had to lay off designing for a bit because.....ahem......Mom can't keep up with me.  I'm just joking, because you all know she is a faaassst hooker, but if I bring her up a new design, she always wants to hook it next and tosses the others aside (remaining 5 weathervanes).  So, I've kept busy doing other things, as you know from the pin cushions, beeskep, etc.  Well, I decided in honor of going to Angus Hill (our favorite junky flea market) I would make myself a "HIPP-ee" bag (thanks for the name Robin).  Not Hippie, but rather Hippee, a bag that hangs at your hip.  I love hip bags because I can just hang the long strap over my neck and go! 

I am very pleased with how this one came out.  I just love a black background and gosh, I don't know where red came from for me because Blue has always been my favorite color, but lately it's all about red.

Love, love, love that background which is a mix of our Brown Black (plaid) and our Black Fencing.  For the edge I twisted three 1 inch strips of red, gold and black and ran a primitive stitch to attach to the bag.

I love to back my bags with tapestry looking fabrics....

...and I lined it with a pretty homespun I had.....

So, tomorrow when we head to Angus Hill I will be all set with my Hipp-ee bag!  If there is a request I can make it into a pattern/kit....

This next thing I JUST LOVE!!  I have had it in mind ever since I made the beeskep.  Well, I sat down yesterday and made it in about an hour.  A woven wool basket for the front door.  I already had the flowers, but these are easy to make with stiffened wool.  Throw a rusty wire on to hang and a stained American flag and you are good to go.  I will be making a video to show how to do this very soon and if you are local we will be making these on May 15 at our "open hooking".

Just love the look!!!  Imagine the possibilities with the color woolens of your choice.. brown for a grapevine looking basket, gold for a traditional basket and how wonderful this would be filled with dried flowers!!

I made these wool flowers to go in the basket above, but they were too boring!!  They sure do look nice against that gold in my office though!

....and here's a picture of my favorite goody, my grapevine beeskep.  I don't know, it just makes me happy so I snapped the photo....

Here's another favorite spot of mine, the top of my chimney cupboard in the corner.  Do you have a favorite corner or vignette in your home that just makes you smile??

...and I don't want to jinx anything....but.....I think spring might be here....

...this is a good sign right??

There are so many flowers around this property that I can pretty much have some sort of flowers in the vase from now until October...there really is nothing like going out to pick flowers to brighten a room...

Here's the feedsack I punched through hanging prominently in my living room.....(stain and all Mom)

We are moving very slowly on the shop progress.  It seems that when we start moving something steps in the way.  Hubby threw his back out and has been in a lot of pain so construction has had to stop for the time being.  He did make a bit of progress on the "shed".  The shed will store a lot of tools that are currently in the garage (shop).  So, once this is done, we can move those tools and really get serious.

Keep watching as I have a fabulous wood aging technique.  This shed will look like it's been here since the house was built, and the best thing is that the technique works overnight!!

We had a lovely day with the hookers today.  Such a nice group, lots of laughing.  The topic of discussion (led by Mom) was how uncomfortable women use to have to dress.  She recalled wearing her crinoline under her skirts and white gloves with hats.  I'm glad I'm of this generation where jeans are acceptable daily!! Imagine how the women dressed when our house was built in 1831!!

This was the treat we served today.  I got the recipe from pinterest and they were a hit.  Supposedly they are only 1 weight watcher point.  

The recipe is:

1 box cake mix ~ strawberry in this case

1- 8 oz tub cool whip (I used lite)

3 egg whites

Mix the egg whites and cool whip then mix in the cake mix.  The dough is thick and sticky so refrigerate for about 20 minutes, then roll in confectioners sugar and bake at 350 for 12 minutes.  

These could be done with any flavor cake mix.  Bev plans to use a sugar free cake mix.  

If you've been waiting for the summer penny pillow woolens I have uploaded the wool option to the website, here is the link:

Penny Pillow Summer Woolens

...and last but not least I've decided...again, to buckle down and work on punch needle.  I am currently hooking a smaller version of my Antique floral purse that you saw at the top of the post.  I will be doing a giveaway hopefully on Sunday for this little pouch, so keep watching.

I have decided to wrap my hand dyed threads a bit differently, it 's a bit more labor intensive for me, but the outcome is much prettier.  I have a new thread that I will be adding to the site soon called "crow feathers".  It will be the background for the floral purse above.

So, that's what's been going on here.  Come back this weekend and I'll show you what treasures we picked up at Angus Hill and maybe some progress on the shop.  Oh and a new hooked rug that Mom just finished....

Until next time....