Sunday Hook-in at Maren's

Isn't this just the most wonderful mermaid? Katie K. made this for her home in Cambria and I needed a photo for our calendar...I just love it!
Another piece by Katie...a floral pillow.
We welcomed a new member to our group...Anna, originally from Sudan and her first rug.
Here's Sue with her latest piece.
And Annie gets the award for most rugs hooked since our last meeting! This fun rug has depictions of all the rug hooks in her collection.
another Annie rug...this one a gift for a friend.
And Annie is still working on this rug for the Obamas....it spells out UNITY in the center squares.
Wouldn't it be cool to see this in the White House???
And here is Maren with her wonderful fabric collage...all hand stitched...love all the wonderful fabrics.
Succulents in Maren's yard..
Close up of Maren's pumpkins....
And a beautiful quilt top that Maren is working on....don't you love her fabric choices?
We had a great day hooking and sharing stories at Maren's sunny and art filled home. She spoiled us again with the best lunch...mostly from her garden....and an incredible carrot cake for dessert! It seems that I was the only one to do the "One Color" challenge, so I don't have any to show you...we had a few absent members and I'm hoping that some of them may have risen to the occassion and will bring them to the next meeting.

The Big Flower

Whew! I finally got this piece completed before our meeting and hook-in tomorrow! I still need to do some kind of backing. I think it might make a good pillow so we'll see what happens. Our group meets tomorrow at Maren's home and we get to see how everyone did with the challenge.
We've been having cold and rainy weather here which is great for rug hooking, with kitties on your lap.

The Owl has Landed!

Here's my funny hooked owl that just returned from a visit to Australia. He was part of a show and possible book called "Mixed Nuts". We all had to use the same "peanut" shape for our creations. It was fun to see all the different variations that were sent in. The book deal fell through and I think they were for sale for while in a gallery, but it was time for this guy to come home. I tried to do a different style than I usually do...sort of more folky, outsidery, and using sort of the "hit or miss" colors from my wool bag. Right now he is hanging out in our living room.

And this is a little "House Blessing Charm" that still needs to be finished. I will put a backing on and a little wool strip to hang it with. I also like to put a tiny pocket on the back for a little message or fortune. I taught these in a class at Art and Soul in Portland and we had 2 different types of houses for patterns. I had this one left over and may put it in my etsy shop when I finish it up.

New bird

A bird that I hooked last night....and the finished up Milagro Heart for Pam.

Tears of Joy!

We have a new President and I couldn't be happier! Tears of joy flowed as I watched the inauguration of Barack Obama with millions of others around the world. You can feel the hope for much needed change in our government and we are up for it!

Hooked Milagro Heart

This was a fun special order that I hooked up last night. I did a little "fine tuning" today and if I get the OK from Pam B. I will sew it up and stuff it and get it ready for shipping.
I tried to give it a Mexican folk art flavor, using fun bright colors. I dug into my burlap stash and found the red burlap that I had bought at a craft store about a year ago. It worked perfectly for this project.
I met Pam at ARtfiberfest when she and her cousin (?) took one of my rug hooking classes almost 2 years ago. I am excited to report that I will be teaching 3 classes again this year and look forward to seeing fiber friends....old and new!

Hooking away....

Got a little more work done on my piece for the challenge. I think I will let it rest for a day or two while I figure out how to proceed. I was going to call it "The Big Flower" and have a tiny scene at the bottom but not sure if I have enough room.....and I will have to adjust the border I've drawn and make it smaller. In the meantime I'm off for another beach walk while the weather is so nice. The boys have gone fishing to Lake Cachuma and it's quiet here. Maybe I can finish up some of those projects from ARtfest classes that linger in my studio waiting for completion.....we'll see!

Beach rocks....

Beautiful kelp floating on the surface of the ocean caught my eye as I took my morning walk out the Goleta pier.
This group of brave swimmers are getting ready to swim out to an anchored sailboat. In the distance is UCSB and Campus Point, a surfing spot. When it's low tide I like to walk all the way to the point. My oldest brother and I both went to college there and lately I've been trying to connect with that young art student...who was she...and what did she want to do with her life..??? I can still see myself going to evening art labs in the Printmaking dept. and getting all inky, soaking paper to print on....I loved making etchings because I got to draw...but the chemicals were pretty toxic and after school I let that go and got more interested in fiber art-weaving and quilting and clothing design, which I love to this day.
Under the Goleta pier....
What are these rocks saying to one another? Sometimes I find rocks that look like faces...here are a few, just for fun. I thought it would be fun to have a set of cards that had the rocks saying funny things to each other....I probably won't get to that...but I still can't resist picking up these funny guys.
And more heart rocks! Even found a cement one!
And just some more odd shells and rocks from my beach walk yesterday.....more fiber art soon!

Now for something different...

A close up of something I'm working on for our rug hooking group... we have to use a limited palette and it's hard for me not to use lots of color, so this is what I came up with so far.
and a new little owl I just finished and hope to get in my shop later today...
And beach rocks from my morning beach walk yesterday.....we are having record breaking high temps while the rest of the country is having cold spells...strange! But I'm not complaining...I have to take my son to school, and then I'll take a quick beach walk while it's such nice weather.

Hearts on etsy!

OK! I finally did it! Got these hearts listed on my etsy shop! Can you tell I'm proud of myself?
Next time it will be easier. The only thing is that I have to resize all my photos so it takes a bit of time to get it all done. But I am excited about getting my etsy shop going this year, so this is a start!
I think I might make some slightly smaller hearts in time for Valentine's day, so come back for a look in week or so. In the meantime I am working on a rug hooked piece for our group meeting at the end of January.

a few new things....

Made these hooked birds for a class that I will be teaching in the future...just a little peek!
And the pieces below are felt inlay collage, a fun new technique that Barbara Carr taught us a bit ago. We had a felt day last week and made some samples for an upcoming class.
I got my hooked hearts sewn and stuffed and just need to get some photos taken tomorrow and put them on etsy! I hope to put some other goodies on there too.

More hearts

Finished hooking the remaining two hearts. Below is how I have them placed on the burlap. Now to cut them up and sew on a backing, stuff them, and get them on etsy!

Two hearts

I have four hearts drawn onto a big square of burlap. I finished hooking these two and need to get the others ones done so I can sew them all up. Hope to get at least one more hooked tonight.

Hooked chair pad...Done!

I finished hooking the little chair pad and sewed it up today. Here it is on my sewing chair, ready for use. I made a whole list of things I want to sell on Etsy this year: owls, squirrels, dolls, hearts, and house charms for starters!

Back to Rug hooking....

Got started on this chair pad for my sewing chair the other night. Just a little more background to go and it will be done. I used wool strips from my "leftover" basket and that was fun. I have some hearts in the works which I am hoping to put in my Etsy shop this year...one of my resolutions....to get my Etsy shop going!
These wonderful mushrooms appeared next to our driveway and I spotted them on the walk to the mailbox....couldn't resist setting up a little scene with them.
Looking forward to a Wonderful 2009!!!

Happy New Year 2009!

I'm a little late, but wishing everyone a creative and wonderful New Year. We've been gone on an after Christmas vacation up to the beautiful Napa Valley where we stay in Calistoga and soak in the hot springs, take hikes and sample the great food at our favorite restaurants. Justin had his 15th birthday while we were there and he directed the days events. Lunch at Taylor's Refresher in St. Helena a bit of shopping and a stop at a Tuscan Castle on the way home. We just got home last night and I've been doing laundry, cleaning house, reading mail, getting groceries. Can't wait to get back into some "stitching and hooking" when things get back to normal.
This new magazine was in my mailbox on Christmas eve and I have 5 pieces included inside! I consider it my gift from the Universe! It's a really fun issue with lots of fun fiber creations. My art pal, Tara Ross has 3 wonderful dolls in it too! They are already planning the next issue, so send something in if you like to make softies or one of a kind dolls.
Here is Miss Birdie in the "Stuffed" mag.
This cool mushroom was just outside my aunt and uncle's front door in San Mateo! Just like the ones I seem to collect! It was great to get in a quick visit with my favorite relatives on the way up and back.
On New Year's Day we had breakfast in St. Helena before heading home. I loved the windows in the front of the Vintage Home store.


It looks like Tuscany, but it's a stone castle in the Napa Valley! We had fun exploring the castle and grounds of this incredible place. There was a sign that this location was used for the movie "Bedtime Stories" that just came out....now I may have to go see it.

It was cold up in No. Calif and I ended up wearing my hat most of the time. We took a hike up to the spot where Robert Louis Stevenson spent his honeymoon and wrote one of his first books. We've been going up to this area for over 20 years and always seem to find new places and things to do....I guess that's why we keep coming back....that and the hot springs...I am missing them already! But, It's good to be home, too! And I missed all my blogging friends!