Monday, February 28, 2011

~*Early Work Mercantile*~


It seems my calendar and my 'to~do' list have collided with a huge BANG! So... with great regret... I need to take a month off from Early Work Mercantile. Other artists will still be updating tonight... so I am sure you won't want to miss the update. Please swing by tomorrow to check 'em all out!

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty

~*Lenexa Hook~In Fun*~

Hello Dear Friends! Oh... goodness... the hook~in was so much fun! I had hoped to post about it yesterday, but I needed the whole day to rest after all the excitement! Now, I'll show you some pics I took... but I want to direct you to another blog that has much, much, much better pics than I took... Amy's Dusty Trail.

The day started EARLY! I already wasn't sleeping because of all the anticipation of the day... so I rolled out of bed shortly after 4am. My sweet SIL, Robin, picked me up at 6... then we went on to meet up with my good buddy Sher and her family. Her husband was so kind to drive us the rest of the way. (thank you Keith!) We were worried about the weather and did have to deal with some ice in the KC area, but for the most part, teh weather was alright. We arrived at the Lenexa Community Center just after 8... and were pretty close to being first in line! I think secretly, that was our goal! lol

We quickly found our other friends... and meet up with several that we only get to see each year at the hook~in... always a great JOY! When the doors opened, I lost Robin, Sher, and my other pals... we all separated to shop I guess... but we did spend the day chatting, giggling, smiling, and crafting together.

Robin & Sher... I think they were talking about the new Oxford Punch Needles that they both bought...


Sher, Ginger, Robin, Reggie (with the lavender top), and PatiJane in the bottom corner... she was cross stitching. She wanted me to show her how to stitch on linen... and she picked it up like a pro... spending a great deal of the afternoon stitching...


Sandra & Chelle... I didn't get a picture of you... but I'll bet there will be one on Ginger's blog soon... with more hook-in pics too.

Robin gave us all a sweet package with wonderful lil' goodies. Here is mine...

A needlepunch~topped stone box... with a CUTE sheep... earrings, a needle threader, a needlepunch threader with beautiful beads, a cranberry candle... and on the package tie was a darling hang tag made by my bud, Doris! Thank you Robin! :)

Ginger also gave more gifts on Saturday... a lovely piece of wool and a crocheted dish cloth. I didn't get a photo... and am already using the dish cloth. Thank you Ginger!

Before I post pics of the rugs... here is Maggie Bonanomi. She was there with her books. She is always wonderful to see! I didn't buy a book from her on Saturday because I already have all 4 she has published... and I should have taken at least one to have signed...but didn't. I did ask her when the next one would be out... she said it may be out in September! Goodie!!


Rug show pics... I'm sorry, but I didn't note hooker or designer names...and this isn't even all the rugs there...


























Wishing you all warm smiles...
Betty

Friday, February 25, 2011

~*Friday Finishes*~

Hello Dear Friends! With all the excitement from yesterday and all the gatherings of fun for tomorrow's hook-in... I almost forgot to post ~*Friday Finishes*~! How could I do such a terrible thing? I feel so bad! Please forgive me.

This rug is one that is definitely NOT to be forgotten... it is outstanding in every way...


My good buddy, Sher, designed this rug using my freebie doodle ~*Antique Cookie Cutter Pony*~ . The colors and design elements Sher used are so antiquely perfect! I've had the pleasure of seeing this rug partially hooked in person... and it is just wonderful in every way. I'm hoping she takes it to Lenexa for the hook-in tomorrow for all to see. Although, Sher has several other fabulous rugs too... any one of them that she picks to show is sure to be an eye~catcher!

Thank you, Sher, for hooking & sharing!

If any of you have finishes to share... please send them along with your blog link if you have one... 'cause you know I love to see 'em & I love to share 'em too!

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty

PS... the next post will be of all the Lenexa hook-in fun! :)

Thursday, February 24, 2011

~*Friends Are So AWESOME*~

Today's visit with my dear friends was most wonderful! I only wish they could have stayed longer. We chatted, giggled, shared, and snacked... and, of course, smiled!


From left to right... PatiJane, Ginger, and Sandra. :)

They arrived shortly before 1:00... with their arms full of gifts! Goodness did they give gifts! Their friendship is really gift enough... but look at these most awesome new treasures!

From Ginger...


I have the perfect spot picked out in the studio to hang this. Isn't it spectacular?! I love everything about it and am really speechless... how do I come up with words good enough to describe how it looks, is hooked, is designed, and is LOVED? It is so heartwarming... and so very special.

Ginger also gave me a new Oxford Punch Needle (the #10)... and a quick lesson on how to use it (I may actually have it now! YAH!)... and this sweet froggie tote bag. :)
Thank you so very much, Ginger!!!




PatiJane made me this stunning piece...


She thinks it is from a Maggie Bonanomi pattern. The craftsmanship is truly splendid! I just love the coloring of it too. Red is my favorite & it looks beautiful in my living room. I had to take the picture of it sitting on the floor to frame the shot... but it is already displayed on our coffee table... and you bet I'll be warning anyone who tries to set a drink or dinner plate on it! It is going to be guarded with lots of threats. I wouldn't want anything to happen to it!

PatiJane also gave me a COOL 'Got Wool'? apron, a luscious stack of wool, and a prim notepad... that I've already started using. I've wanted one of these aprons for the longest time.
Thank you so much PatiJane!





Oh... and they both showered Trinity with gifts too... Legos, puzzles, colored pencils, a new wallet, a sleeping bag... and much more. See how happy he is! He spend the afternoon cuddled in the sleeping bag & building his new Lego car.


Sandra shared a hand cream recipe with us for dried, cracked hands. She said the recipe came from a quilter. The ingredients are easy to find at the local dollar store (my notes are on the notepad PatiJane gave me)... so I'm stopping by the store tomorrow so I can make my own. Sandra let us all try some of hers... and boy did it feel good! Thank you Sandra!

Friends are so AWESOME! I can't wait to see them again on Saturday at the hook-in!

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

~*A Little More*~

Hello Dear Friends! I've been working to get things lookin' extra nice next door at the studio. Tomorrow I have some very dear friends from Oklahoma coming to visit... Ginger, PatiJane, and Sandra. They are stopping here before heading on to Lenexa for the Rock Creek Hook~In & Rug Show. I'll see them again there... but want to be a super hostess for them tomorrow while they stop to visit.

I've had great fun pulling out my old treasures to display... some I had forgotten I had... and some that I knew I had but yet couldn't find them without searching the house & barn over and over again... until finally they are found.

Here is how the front porch is looking...


The first room as you walk in is just a display room, I suppose. The second room is where I have my supplies & tools. These are photos of the room as you walk in... on the wall are vintage cat pictures that I collected several years ago. They have been packed away in a box for about 10 years... and this is the box that I spent literally hours searching for over the past few days...


The antique spinning wheel my Mom & stepdad gave me for my last birthday...


Some of my cross stitch models displayed on a corner shelf that I paid only a quarter for at a garage sale last summer...


My craft and decorating books... along with my lovable clutter... and my sweet Katie Jo...


A view from another angle in the room... the crazy quilt was an auction win & the other one hanging was a gift from my sweet hubby for our anniversary last year... the one on the table is just a cutter quilt I've had for a long while...


This is a sweet picture made for my by Kris Saia of Dickerson Antiques. It was a Christmas gift in 1994. 'Betty's Scrapbox' is what I called my crafty makin's back then.


You know... after putting out my treasures today... the cat pictures, the teddy bears spread here and there, my handmades, antiques and other cherished pieces & gifts... I truly felt a warming inside. This is my space... this is ME. I haven't looked for a cat picture to add to my collection forever... and haven't had any desire to buy another teddy bear. Some notions fade over time... but some linger... some of rekindled in the heart. They all, however, are special.



Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty

Monday, February 21, 2011

~*Studio Update*~

Good Day Dear Friends! I took full advantage of the warm weather days we had this past week... and did a little bit of decorating next door... FINALLY! The bone~chilling temps were too low before. The space heaters we have over there could only keep it at about 35 degrees... which is just too cold to be comfortable for me. The little princess kitties, however, didn't seem to mind it too much. They have their cozy chair and fleece blanket... and seem to love the sunlight that flows in the through the tall windows. I was still visiting them everyday. They do like the company.

I found myself there more as the days warmed up... and even cleaned the windows. I just must say... I really like these new windows! I've never had windows before that could be cleaned on both sides while you are inside! They tilt in & cleaning them is a snap! They already have kitty nose marks on them again... but that is alright. It needs to have that 'lived in' look... doesn't it?

Each day when I pop over... I enter & almost trip over the rug inside the front door. It seems Ima likes this spot...


She does like to play & wiggle on it...





Katie is content watching for birds out the window...



I've put a few things out to decorate. Some of the displays I like and some I feel still need tweaked. But then... it will probably always be a work in progress... moving and re~arranging. However, I have a few friends coming to visit this week... and I want it to look SUPER when they get there. So I'll be working hard over there this week getting it up to par!

To hang the rugs, I used a trick learned from other hookers... carpet strips. I picked up a bag of 3 strips at the lumber yard for only $1.99. Tony has cut them to size & attached them to the wall for me. They really do work wonderful! Hanging a rug with these keeps the 'shape' of the rug so gravity doesn't pull on it & make it sag.


(It was 59 degrees inside this morning while I was taking pictures... comfy!)




I saw a Mary Engelbreit magazine once where they hung small collections like this on the door... and have always loved it. The doors in our house are just plain, solid core doors and I can't do this on them... glad I can here...






This rug will be hung over the old rake in the next photo...



I used one of my old cutter quilts to make a curtain for the closet/kitty box room...

The shelf that holds the TV still needs to be stained...


The board under the rug says "Better Neat and Tidy Than Tight and Needy". The board is from an old wardrobe closet. It was painted by my buddy Kris of Dickerson Antiques in Topeka, Kansas. I've had it for years and just LOVE it! The hooks are great for holding my 'designer' threads of floss.


That red stool by the window was painted by Kris too! It has a sunflower & hearts on the seat.



Thanks for letting me share! I'll post more decorations soon.

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty