Good Old stuff

I'm almost done putting together that large punch needle order you see in the previous post and am feeling antsy to paint. So, today I went out and looked at my stash. In the last photo check out these awesome door panels that I get from a great place in Vermont. They make the best canvases as there is a built in border. And when antiqued, because they are wood and have great "character" they look so nice. The "arched" piece is going to be a "Come Sit On My Porch" sign that I will get on my website.
I have a very bad addiction............antique beds. I can't pass one up. Here in the North Country of NY I cannot tell you how many $5 old wooden beds I have gotten. My husband has turned several of them into gorgeous bed benches and I like to paint on the headboards. So, a few weeks ago I bought 2 or 3 and the guy threw in the side rails (which I really never use, so they end up in the fire pit), but the two he threw in had a nice decorative detail on them, so I painted them and made them into "Land of the Free Because of the Brave" signs. I attached two hooks on them for hanging and brought them into the shop on post. The manager told me they are already gone. This makes me so happy because I have really gotten away from painting and now that I am getting my pattern work under control I am really feeling the pull to start seriously painting again. I'll paint on anything if it's not tied down. So, watch for more.

The next thing I wanted to share is the neat bird feeder I made. I could have sold this several times over but just LOVE IT. At some time or other I picked up that neat metal thing on the top, not knowing what I would do with it. It had a hole in the center. I really dont' know what it was, maybe one of you does. So, it sat in the barn for a couple years until I saw this tall spindle with a tabbed end. **DING DONG** (that's really what it sounds like when I get an idea) I thought, "I wonder if that round piece will slip on there. Sure enough, it did, so a little liquid nails or maybe a screw or two, a base screwed on the bottom and a dry brush with white paint and a very cute and primitive bird feeder was born. It is very unique and I get alot of comments on it. So, keep your eyes open for those old wooden spindles and neat pieces for the top. Your bird friends will love you.

Back to antique beds.............tomorrow I'll show you a picture of a gorgeous European wooden antique bed I got for..................wait for it.........$7.50. It's my mother's bed and it is probably the best thing I've ever gotten. So check back.

Until next time.........

Busy, busy, busy

Well, I'm trying to be better about writing, but sometimes it doesn't always work. I'll be sitting here and think, "hmm, when was the last time I was on my blog". Add to that that my college age son convinced me that his professor told him, "if you have a business you have to have a facebook page". Ugh, I have been fighting facebook since it started. All my friends have been trying to get me to join in, but I have avoided it............until now. My son created a facebook and twitter account for my business. One of them is theoldtatteredflag and one is just simply oldtatteredflag and to be honest with you, at this point I can remember. And, it seems that with your twitter you just snap a picture with your phone and type a line. (wow, I sound old) Geez, I can barely keep up with my website and blog and now I have to think about facebook and twitter? Well, I'll try but who knows. Anyway if you are a facebook or twitter junkie, give me a lookup. I promise I'll try to be better about updating.

Right now I am in the middle of filling a big order of punch needle patterns, that is the picture you see. I am covering my table with the order. 275 patterns to hand draw. But, I will say, it's very relaxing to sit and draw, just time consuming. I'm almost done which is good, because when I sit and draw I get all these ideas for new patterns, so I'm dying to either paint or sketch. I get bored with one thing easily, so it's a good thing I have so many avenues in my business to explore, hooked, punched, stitching, painting.

On a different note, I went to my sons docu-play last night called "in our shoes". A playright asked 7 military kids random questions and then put it into a script of their own words and they performed it last night. It was very open, truthful and insightful. I think military families have been on autopilot since 9/11 and just go about their everyday lives, coping the best they can. Most of these kids were between 5 and 9 when 9/11 occured, so they can't really remember any other way of life in the military. I was so proud of my son to hear the "strength" in his voice. Most of the other kids talked openly about their feelings of worry and other difficulties in everyday life, but my son did not. I asked him about this afterwards and he just said, "mom, we've done it so much now (deployments) that you just get use to it". I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not. He mentioned that our family deals with things with humor and I worry, as a mom that perhaps we don't address issues as we should, but then on the other hand, I've been told I am blunt and don't really have a filter, so I can't imagine keeping things in, and neither of my sons are shy, not by a longshot, so I really don't think any of us keep anything in. I think it's just like he said, "we just do it". I don't know where I'm going with this. If any of you are military folks I'd love your perspective on it, or even if you are not.

Until next time........

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......