Catching up

Well my sisters have come and gone---we had a great time being together.  It was a week of extremes in  the weather department---starting with hot sunny days and then cold rainy, snowy days---something they were not used to being from Texas and California.

Cemetery visitation day---Homewood cemetery---a perfect spot to rest on this bench.

On the drive home we spotted this and had to take a picture---they goats were having a great time!

I have hooked some on my "Mother"  but am not ready to reveal yet---still need to do some work---it is coming together but not where i want it to be...so stay tuned.  I need some time to work it out and haven't had much of that lately.

This weekend I am running in a Mother's day---I am planning on enjoying the run and not trying to set any records---I do not want an allergy attack because I am going to Manhattan as my daughter #2 Sarah, is taking us out to dinner.  Today we are finally going to the lake to pull the trailer out of storage.  I plan to take a paisley pattern of Karla G's to work on but don't expect to have a lot of free time.  This is the section I started with.  I actually purchased her original painting---the bottom picture.

Here is an update of my daughter's house in Oakland---they tackled the bathroom and retiled the shower and the floor---I think it turned out great.

Well that is it for now---have to get "on the stick" and finish packing.

awaiting arrival of company

I am excited to have both of my sisters come visit this week from Texas and California---the first one arrives in less than an hour!  Woo Hoo!!!!


The Saint Louis hook-in was yesterday---we went on Friday and got to do some antiquing and have a wonderful dinner at Gian Tony's on the Hill---YUMMY!  Drove home in lots of rain.

here are some pictures of my booth at the hook-in.

the last picture shows the hook necklaces that my husband made---have to get him to make more as only two are left...

The middle picture is me with my helpers---thank you Kate, Jody and Cheryl---also if you look closely you'll see some boo boos on my left hand---Thursday afternoon I jumped on my bike for a quick ride after packing the Pathfinder and took a spill as I was turning onto the bike path as my tires slid and silt and I lost control---ouch!  I'm sill hoping I didn't break my finger---it was ugly!  I was bruised and sore all down my left side and of all time I didn't take my cell phone with me and had to ride my bike back home about 1/2 mile.  I am not too anxious to get back on my bike.

We are finally having a beautiful day in Kansas---sunny and warm!
Here is a picture of my antique find in St. Louis---a hand embroidered paisley in remarkable condition.

Gotta run---Sister Marsha will be here soon,

This and that

Well I have a little catching up to do so here it goes.

A week ago last Saturday I ran my half marathon in two hours and 19 minutes---the last one I ran was 2 1/2 years ago and I did it in two hours 28 minutes so I was pleased.  Having just ran my half marathon I found the whole Boston marathon bombing very upsetting.  So I decided to sign up for another race last Saturday---I only signed up for the 5K---but was determined to run it as fast as I could.  Fortunately there weren't many hills and my legs had recovered fron the half and I ran the 5K in 26:26---I think the course was 1/10 of a mile short and that would have added about 45 seconds---but it was still better than my previous best 5K of 28:44.  Unfortunately due to my "over exertion"  I had an allergy attack which I have had before called allergy induced rhinitis---no fun---sneezing, watery swollen eyes, and a very runny nose.  It is getting better but not gone.

Yesterday we came to Manhattan to finish up the fence at my daughters house and will head back home today to finish getting ready for the St. Louis hook-in which is this weekend.  My husband has been making some beautiful hook necklaces that he turned on the lathe---(will post a picture soon) which I will have at the hook-in.  Hope to see a lot of people there and hoping for good weather.  Looking forward to a great dinner at Gian-Tony's on the Hill.

Kelly and I running at Rock the Parkway

Rock the Parkway

Well the big day is almost here---at 7:30 tomorrow morning I will be Rocking the Parkway---all 13.1 miles of it with my buddy Kelly at my side---it is nice to have a training partner---as Kelly would say, "we got this"---

Can't decide which shoes to wear...actually I am not wearing this shirt---but this is the shirt everyone gets for racing.

I took the opportunity of my rest day before the race to do some hooking...I am not positive that I am totally happy with the start but it is a start...

the first eye

starting some face

pulled out the hair

I think that I am done for the day---ready to fix Chicken and pasta for dinner and hit the sack early!

Paisley progress

Well I thought I would post some pictures of the paisley background----last night I hooked the last of the background although I may get tweaked a bit more as I get into the rest of the piece.

Ouch---top of my thumb got a boo boo!

 Progressing---decided I wanted the main motif on the right to have more red

Because it was the same motif as the one above left I had a decision to make---

   As you can see in this picture I changed it to red as well

   These are some of he wools hat I am considering  for face, hair, sweater and chair.

The paisley was hooked in #4 cut for the wools and #6 cut for the actual paisley fabric.

Three Blooms in the frame that my husband made.

This rug is being hooked by Amy---love the hit and miss in the soft colors---I want this rug!!!

Aureta is almost finished with her sunflower rug---just needs to finish the---beautiful!


Still an Kansas fan but now rooting for Wichita State---go Shockers!!!

A week from Saturday is my 1/2  Marathon---I am excited and nervous!  I plan to rock the parkway!!!

Wrapping up the week

It has been cold this week---with some snow and drizzle.  I need some sunshine!!!!

Today is my final training long run before the Rock the parkway half marathon---11 miles today.

I have been watching lots of NCAA Basketball.  I hope the Jayhawks play better tomorrow.  There have been some interesting upsets---not good to be a #5 seed.  I hope if you love college basketball that your team is still in the playoffs.  I know the Mississippi gals are excited that Ole Miss is still in the playoffs, right Hilda?

Watching basketball has given me an opportunity to do some personal hooking...and this piece is very personal.  I posted this pattern of my mother awhile ago---drawn by Leonard Feenan.

While I finally decided I had to get it going and for me the best approach was to hook the paisley in the the background first so that I knew what I had to do to get her face the way I wanted it.

Here is what I have done so far...

The beginning---this paisley was my inspiration

The light color was too light in my opinion---would make it look too busy.

So I changed it to the darker color---the dark color around her hair is just a holding line---her hair was a light reddish brown.

I may still soften the brown in the paisley---but am leaving it for now.  I am getting excited about it now and hope to get more done in it this weekend.

If you or anyone you know is wanting to  go to Green Mountain Rug School in June I do still have openings in my class and have until April 5th to get the class filled---contact me or Stephanie Krauss for more information.  

My youngest daughter will be turning 30 next week---Happy Birthday Sarah!  Love You!

Next week I will be having home classes on Monday and Wednesday---hoping we don't get the big snow tonight and tomorrow.  

New Website for Greenwood Mercantile

The shop where I have my wool, etc. in Greenwood MO, the Greenwood Mercantile has a new website and there is a section on my Rug Hooking---I plan to take some more picture tomorrow when I am teaching class there to add to the website.

Here are the links:

http://www.thegreenwoodmercantile.com/index.html

http://www.thegreenwoodmercantile.com/Rug%20Hooking%20&%20Supplies.html

I have my half marathon coming up---three weeks from Saturday---one more long run to go in training this weekend---11 miles and ii is supposed to snow on Sunday.  I am hoping they are WRONG!!!


I am excited about the NCAA tournament this weekend...go jayhawks!!!

I am in the dye pots today doing some specific wools for orders---better get back to the dye pots!

Happy Hooking!  Oh I finally started the piece with my mom---not ready to post anything yet---just working on getting the fee of how I want the paisley background to look before I tackle the face  :)
if all goes well I might post progress in a few days.

Anita