Meet "Sam"

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to share a couple of new rugs my mother has finished. You will see one of my newest patterns, "SAM". He is also on my website as a painting. So patriotic, the perfect summer rug and I just love the colors she used. The second Pear Tree rug is a rug that was commissioned by a very nice lady in Maine. She had seen a similar rug but wanted it quite a bit larger, so I did up the pattern and Mom hooked it for her. It was AMAZING and we are very happy she loves it!

Some exciting news for The Old Tattered Flag, the August issue of Create and Decorate came in the mail today, and our two page article was in there. I am so pleased with the article, even got a little choked up. After reading it, my mother looked up and said "wow, I'd like to meet those ladies". LOL! The write Judi, did a wonderful job and was such a nice lady, she put us right as ease as she interviewed us. Hope you can pick up an issue, they always have the cutest ideas and patterns in there as well.

Until next time......

Oh my gosh, how did it happen that I haven't written for over a month? I guess that's life. When things start awakening, here in the frozen tundra, we enjoy our time outside. With all the rain we've had, it is so beautiful, lush and green here, which means, the flowers are all bursting, the trees are leafy green and I am mowing twice a week. I love the smell of freshly cut grass. I also love to go outside and take great photos with my Dad's camera. See some above.

Mom and I have been very busy tweaking things. I have been creating a little catalog of all my hooked rug patterns, as well as getting some monotonous stuff done. It's boring, but good to catch up on stuff.

Tomorrow I will add some photos of some of our most recent projects. Mom finished hooking my new "Sam" pattern and I painted it and I finished my hooked "Tangled Tulips" Both are great patterns for summer.

Speaking of summer, I have had a couple requests for my favorite black bean salsa, so thought I'd share it here with you as well. This is great with baked chips (weight watchers friendly), to have a spoon or two over your salad, or great in a wrap, just about anything:

1 can black beans drained and rinsed

1 tbsp. minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1-2 roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup corn

2-3 tbsp. lime or lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all together and let set for an hour or two so flavors intensify!

So, until next time, hope you all are doing well and enjoying summer!

I don't know what I'm thinking, first I hate having my picture taken, secondly, ugh, to put it on my blog!!! But, it was the traditional Easter photo with my two boys. My hubby wanted a recent picture of us. Handsome boys huh? We had a nice Easter, the boys, my mom and I went to brunch at the Commons on Fort Drum. I decided absolutely no point counting on Easter Sunday and ate to my hearts content. Problem was, I ate way too much Easter Candy. It became a quest and boy did my tummy hurt by the end of the day!! Live and Learn I guess!

The other picture is one of my newest designs. I don't usually choose bright colors but wanted to show this rug two ways. The first is the summer version which I did, with daisies and a blue background. The second version is being hooked by two of our students right now. It is more a Fall version with a primitive red background and gold sunflowers. It is very pretty either way!

It is still quite cool here but the grass is green. In fact, I went over the backyard with the mower yesterday and it really perked it up. We were able to do a couple hours work in the yard. Things are popping up. I think spring is my favorite time of the year because it holds such anticipation for what is to come.

Well, better get back to work. I hope everyone had a nice Easter and is enjoying Spring! Until next time........

Ahhhh Spring!

Well, outside of the fact that it sounds like there is a tornado outside, I would say spring is here. It is 71 here today!!! Today is one of those April days where you want to pack up all your winter clothes and get out your capri's and sandals. Not yet though, I have learned that lesson. The grass is greening up nicely and you can even see the buds trying to come out. I LOVE SPRING!!
Mom made me spring clean my room last week. That sounds funny doesn't it? Sounds like I'm a kid again and my mother is making me clean my room..............well! Actually it feel so nice to have it done and in the process we made some new curtains and pillows for my bed. Spring sure does motivate you to hoe out and clean.
I showed you a picture of my girls. They are so happy to be running around again. I have a tall bird feeder where there are normally about 6 swallows eating, and the girls just wait patiently underneath for the scraps to fall.
I also included a picture of one of my latest designs. It is called "What a crock....of flowers". It can be done like this, with daisies or would be beautiful with sunflowers, a red crock and antique black background. It's just so pretty! We are very busy trying to get organized before the magazine comes out. Although I still feel a bit overwhelmed with all we have to do, I know that each day a little bit more progress is made and hey, you can only do what you can do right?
So, enjoy spring, remember to take the time to actually hear the birds and feel the warmth of the sun.
Until next time...........

Plugging along......

Well, we are officially at the halfway point, give or take of my husbands deployment. It's so nice to know that and that I survived another harsh North Country winter. Last time he deployed everything broke and I had a chimney fire. This time, smooth sailing so far.........knock on wood.

I feel so bad for the folks in New Englad who got slammed with the snowstorm yesterday. I'm not sure I'd be able to cope. I will say that although it is still cool here, warms temps but very breezy, that my tulips and daffodils are peeking through. I let my chickens out for the first time in four months the other day and they were so happy. I just love to see them running around the yard.

We've been busy as usual, trying to get ready for what we hope will be a busy summer. If I'm not painting, I'm either hooking or punching. I've gotten quite a few of my designs punched in the last month. Progress, progress!!! I've included a couple of photos of some of my newest ones. These little punch needles are just the cutest things!!

Well, off to bring my son to work, until next time......

Spring is on it's way........

Well, I haven't written in awhile. Somehow the time in the day just gets away from me. There is a definate change in the weather and it's almost like you are reborn. The sun shines more now and the birds are out in yard just chirping away. My newest dog Baxter loves to sit on the back stoop watching them and then he quietly creeps up on them. He is convinced that one day he is going to catch one. Yesterday I took him out meet the chickens. I think he was shocked at how big "those birds" were. So, with the nice weather comes the knowledge that we are going to be outside in the yard more which leaves less time for "creating". There's always a bad with the good eh? I'm not complaining at all because summer up here is the best. I think when you live in an area where the winters are so harsh it really makes you truly appreciate the warmth and beauty of summer. Mom has been planting veggie and flower seeds to get them started. There are seed boxes near every window!
So, about the pictures. The Tangled Sunflowers is one of my newest patterns and is very popular. Mom just finished hooking it and the colors she chose are absolutely stunning. I have also finished it as a penny rug. The next photo is of my "Are Ewe Patriotic" design in punch needle form. I also have it as a painting and mom is currently hooking a huge, 24 x 36 inch version of it. It is a favorite of mine!! Then, of course Baxter. He is just so darn cute it's hard not to snap photos of him. As you can tell, our dogs have the run of the place.

So, I hope to write more often. Hope everyone is well and enjoying the changing weather....Until next time.......

Busy and exciting week!

Phew! I haven't had a chance to write in a week and I feel like I have so much to share. I don't even know where to start, so I'll start with the photos. While my sister was here we visited that quilt shop, Mission rose I told you about last blog. Well, they had lots of neat ideas for needle felting. None of us knit though, but as you know we all love wool. So, we decided to pick up some 100% wool sweaters while scavenging at the salvation army. Now, let me tell you, I know there is a stigma for alot of people to go to a salvation army, but I got several sweaters from J.Crew, Eddie Bauer, Gap, American Eagle, and did not pay more than $5 for any of them. When you are going to come home and shrink it to less than half the original size it is, how could you not shop there. Plus I have to say, here in Norther NY, we have some of cleanest and well organized Salvation Army's I have ever seen. So, we all put our "inner snobs" aside and dug in. So, anyway, my sister and I each made some slippers with our felted wool sweaters. I love them and would venture to say that you may see some on my website very soon.

Next is one of my newest patterns that I just finished hooking. It's called "Hearts Abound", is 10 x 55 inches long and intended to be used as a table runner, but of course could be hung or (the horror) go on a floor. I'm very pleased with how it came out and thanks to Mom for the color planning!

Next is my Old Glory pattern that I have had as a hooked rug pattern and have just turned into a penny rug pattern. Mom's hand dyed wools are just gorgeous for these penny rugs, so nice and mottled that they look antique. I have the pattern/kit available on both ebay and my website.

Last is one of my new paintings. It's a primitive tulip design that I punched a couple years ago. I got really funky with the border but was pleasantly suprised with it and love it. It's done on an old door panel.

Now, for the most exciting part of our week. Mom and I are going to be featured in a national craft magazine in either June or August. I really don't want to say too much because I'm a bit superstitious, but let me tell you, we are both so excited. I can honestly say that I know I am lucky to be able to work from home AND love what I do. I wake up every morning eager to get into my projects for the day, so the chance to be in a magazine that is sold nationwide in craft/grocery/walmart stores is just so thrilling. On a side note it feels good because I've been doing this for 12 years now and although it's been nice to be home for my boys I have not "gotten rich" doing it. As my boys are getting older now, it's so nice to know that perhaps this really could turn into something serious for me. Sometimes I think that as women, when our kids leave the home we, (I know I) have dealt with feelings of self worth. As a military spouse I am always "standing by my man", which don't get me wrong, I have loved. But, it feels good to finally have something of my own to embrace. My husband and boys are just thrilled for me which makes it even more special. I am so thankful to my mother too for nudging me to write in to the magazine. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

So, that's it for now. I got a bit wordy today but there was alot to share. I have to be very organized before that issue comes out in the summer so there will be tons of new designs coming.

Until next time......