Rug Progress

Here's the Welcome Spring tulip runner I've been working on. I just started the background.


I LOVE the background! It's the Rebecca Erb reversible charcoal stripe wool. I cut it against the stripe, and am randomly pulling which side to hook with. It give a very subtle shading.


The other project this week has been our screened deck. A couple years ago, we had a tear in one of the screens, and never properly fixed it. (hey, I was able to get some fantastic photos of our foxes from the tear in the screen!) Squirrels decided that the deck would be a nice place to build a nest and hang out. I really don't like squirrels staring at me when I open the deck doors, so the animal was relocated. I had to tear out the old screen holders (they don't make those holders anymore, and the old ones were brittle), staple new screening, and work in putting some new 1/4 round as trim. I only did one window with trim so far. I want to make sure that no other critter is going to chew through the new screen.

Matt just got home from the band trip to Disney World tonight. He had a great time!

I've sent off a few job applications, but am being really picky about what I send out. I don't need to waste my time with interviews for jobs that I really don't want, or that's too far away. Tomorrow James is volunteering at the library for Scouts. I'll bring along my hooking to keep busy while he works for a hour.

~*~ Laura ~*~

SPRiNG BReaK

It's blocked and almost ready to bind! I did re-hook a few small sections, as I wasn't happy with the hooking. I can tell the sections that I did first, as my hooking as become more even. But with everything, it's a learning process.

Here's a different view of the spring runner that I'm currently working on. The greens don't show up well in this photo, but there's a little more variation in the leaves. I took my project to the hooker's gathering on Saturday, and was able to finish all the scallops on the border. Now to start the background, and decide on an outer border. This one is on linen, and I'm really liking linen instead of monks cloth. It's bit easier to see the spaces. It also seems to not work as tightly, even though I hook in every other hole for both monks cloth and linen. Debbie's rug is turning out entirely different than mine, and it was fun to see the difference. (I forgot to bring a camera, as I've been battling another cold this week)

It's officially spring break for me! One of my boys is currently in Disney World with the high school band. He's been keeping me updated on what he's doing, and even gave me a phone call today at lunch. :) It's a big deal for him, as it was his first airline trip and first trip to Disney. He said it's VERY crowded (unfortunately). But, it sounded like he's having a great time. I'm going to spend the week searching for a job. I love my job as a kindergarten aide, but at minimum wage, I only make $8000 per year. I think I'm ready to find something that pays more. I'm hoping the job market has picked up a bit, as I'm ready!

~*~ Laura ~*~

Side tracked

I've been side tracked the past couple weeks. My plans for finishing my rug have been postponed. My rug hooking teacher, Debbie, will be doing a hookers gathering at the store. There's only 2 guilds in the Chicago area, so maybe time for a 3rd? We'll see how many sign up (besides me!). To get students interested, Debbie designed a pattern to be given as a freebie at the class. I received an advance copy. It's just a drawing ~ no borders. I have NO idea what Debbie will do with her rug, or what type of border she will hook. The idea will be to show how ideas can be interpreted.

I needed some green wool for the leaves and stems. So, I got out my dye this week and dyed up some apple green wool. Just slightly mottled, and a very springy color.


I'm using my very mottled red wool for the flowers and scalloped border. Once I started hooking it, I think I made it a bit too mottled. But, I now know for next time how much to mottle. The background will be a black of some sort. I was thinking of buying some of the reversible black stripe that I've seen. I might do an outer border beyond the scallops. A row of the gold, and then several rows of green? I'll wait to see how it looks before I add the extra.

(please don't look at the ends that still need to be trimmed!) I added a couple different green/brown wools to the leaves. The box of worms that I got sure came in handy! Just having some contrast in the leaves helps to give the piece some "kick".

Chuck has been enjoying all this warm weather we've had this week. It's currently 79 degrees ~ again. I did yard work today, but the yard waste pick up doesn't begin until April 1. So, all my bags of dead leaves will have to wait a couple weeks to be picked up.

I now officially have 2 teens with driver's licenses. One more to go....

One more week until spring break for me. I think I'll enjoy having a week off work, even though I don't get paid.

~*~ Laura ~*~

Worms

I'm getting close! Just some more background to fill in, then to re-work a few sections. I can really tell the sections that I hooked first. I won't tear out all the old sections, but just a few. I can blame some of it on my old glasses, as I couldn't see it! :)

I hooked the face of the snowman this week. It's a little darker than expected, but I like it. It gives it a really folk art/prim look. The cheeks are a nice salmon color from a box of worms I received.


I was lucky to be the recipient of a hug box of worms from another hooker that was downsizing her boxes of worms! I sorted them into colors, and tied them into bundles. I now have some pre-cut worms to choose from when working on a small area, or blend them with other wools.

They are now sitting in a big bag, waiting for more projects. I purchased some linen to try, but I need to finish at least one rug before I draw out the next one.

I'm off to hook some more!

~*~ Laura ~*~

Framing My Bathroom Mirror

It's finished! I removed the tape today, and the molding is nicely adhered to the mirror. It really changes the feel to the room. Makes the counter seem higher, and a finished appearance to the mirror. Why did I wait so long to do this project?? It was SO easy. I think I might do the lower level bathroom, but with narrower molding (it's a small room).

I did some rug hooking this afternoon, but not at the group. I went to the location where I was told they meet, but the house was empty and no cars in sight. ???? So, a trip to the grocery store and home to work on my own.

Still one more day off work tomorrow for me!

~*~ Laura ~*~

Weekend Warrior

I'm a weekend warrior, or at least a weekend warrior according to Home Depot. I have a 5 day weekend due to parent teacher conferences plus President's Day. So, I've put the time off to good use. I've wanted to frame my bathroom mirror for the past year. So.... I started. This is the before photo. A large (as in 6 feet long) plain, boring mirror.

I also tackled the ceramic floor. I had sealed it with grout paint last year, but the sealer doesn't fix the cracking. Some of the tiles were loose underneath. So, I started to dig out the old grout on about 10 of the tiles.

Now back to the mirror and how to frame one. I got some 3 1/2" square corner blocks that were already primed and painted them white. I did put a coat of paint on the back side, as just a hint of the edge shows in the mirror. I started with the far corner block, as it is against the wall. Used some clear Liquid Nails and stuck it to the mirror. I then measured how long the fluted board (the cheap, already primed board) should be if I left 1/2 of the other block over the edge. It helps hide the edge of the mirror. I used a mitre box and saw, and cut 2 pieces the exact same size (one for the bottom, and one for the top). I glued the fluted molding in place and then put on the other bottom corner piece. Since the molding is 1/4" smaller than the corner block, I stuck a quarter and a dime under the molding to hold it up 1/8", so that it's centered on the corner piece.

I then cut the side pieces, so that the top block would go over the mirror by 1/2" or so. I glued these pieces on. I then glued on the far corner block, the one that goes against the wall. The long top piece was next, leaving the upper left corner piece for last. Some painter's tape is holding the pieces in place while the adhesive dries. I was surprised how easily the pieces adhered to the mirror. Since I used the clear Liquid Nails, so glue shows in the reflection.

Here is it drying. Can't wait to take the tape off tomorrow! The floor grout is also drying. I'm hoping my repair job will hold and that the grout won't crack.

I've worked a little on the rug this week, filling in the background. As I'm working on it, I'm finding I want to re-work certain outlining that I've done. I hope to get more done tomorrow afternoon, as I'm going to try a rug hooking group that I found.

I"m off to finally relax this evening!

~*~ Laura ~*~

Nothing.

Nothing. That's how much rug hooking I accomplished this week ~ nothing. Not that having 4 kids that need to be places has anything to do with it. Or the time spent grocery shopping, since 4 kids eat constantly. But, I did mange to try dyeing some wool today! I started with 1/2 yard of khaki/tan wool and some Jacquard dye that I found at Joann. I normally would have chosen more of a brick/barn red, but the darkest they had was crimson. So, I used the khaki wool to tone down the red a bit.

I didn't stir the pot at all, but just let it simmer. I wanted a heavily mottled look, and that's what I got. Since it's a solid wool, I wanted some variation in the color. I'm planning to use this as the background for the snowman rug.

I also threw in the dye pot some cream twill tape for the binding. It didn't come out red, but pink. Maybe because it's cotton and I didn't add salt? I'm not afraid to show my mistakes, as I like experimenting. Maybe I'll try a little more dye for the twill tape and see what happens.

Last week, my older kids went rock climbing with the Venture Crew at an indoor climbing place. It reminds me of all the climbing they did when they were toddlers (climbing out of their cribs, on top of tables, and one tried to get on top of the refrigerator!). I think I'll let them stick to the indoor places. :)

~*~ Laura ~*~