Sauder Village Rug Show
Originally uploaded by bbmarie {studiobeerhorst}.
Wednesday - We took a day - trip to Sauder Village for the Rug Hooking Show...what a great day! Four other rug-hookers and I drove the 2 and 3/4 hours to get there - rugs, rugs, rugs! Vendors, Vendors, Vendors! Ice Cream on the way home, beautiful weather, pleasant companions what more can I say?
Here are some of my favorites.... for more info about each rug go here
Yesterday I joined the Ten-Minute Rug Hooking Challenge - Started by April DeConick of Red Jack Rugs - here.... I did my first 10 minutes yesterday at about 9:15 pm. I was tired and I still hadn't hooked. So I made myself hook! yeah me! It was also a challenge for me to get that badge put on this blog (on the right) -- I am proud of myself for that as well. Next I want to put a banner I made for this blog up at the top - but I don't know how... woooh! this is a lot of change and challenges for this 48 year old woman!
The new girls
Originally uploaded by bbmarie {studiobeerhorst}.
Drum roll please...... and the winner of my Blog Give-away -- one Button Bracelet and three flower pins iiiiiiiiisss............ Dulcy !! Dulcy of http://dulcysdoorstep.blogspot.com/
Thank you all for your participation it was fun - fun for me anyway :) !
P.S. If you want to "Clean more Green" Norwex Anti-Bac Micro-fiber cleaning clothes are wonderful -- I do not sell the product :) You can clean with just water! it is amazing....
At my Blog - Give-away!...Comment at my blog for a chance to win!
Originally uploaded by bbmarie {studiobeerhorst}.
I've always wanted to do a give - away at my blog! So here is Your Chance! Just leave a comment here for a chance to win..... On Monday July 27th, 2009 at 5pm EST I will put all the comment names in a hat and pull one lucky winner to win the 3 flower pins and one button bracelet --- all made by ME! Please make sure I am able to email you if you win!
Also on Monday evening I am having a Norwex party. It is kinda like a Tupperware party -- I know-- I know.... - but they make a great line of cleaning products that are chemical-free. One of the reasons I dislike cleaning {and there are many reasons .....} is when I finally get around to it - strong chemicals are usually needed... and the use of chemicals is scary to me.... So anything that gets me cleaning is a good thing... so if you are around Grand Rapids at 7 pm Monday, July 27 please come on by and bring a friend and learn about "chemical free cleaning"....
Brenda's Rug --Susan Feller - Fraktur Rughooking
Originally uploaded by bbmarie {studiobeerhorst}.
Last week I took a class taught by Susan Feller. In her class the students designed their own rugs using Fraktur folk-art motifs. Susan had available lots of glorious books with Fraktur -artwork to inspire us and had many templates available to trace. The class was fun and everyone came up with a unique rug design without any frustration...! Susan also had awe-inspiring wool in traditional folk-art colors and some that were just bright and sparkly! The class was a part of 'Heirlooms Rug Hooking School' in Holland, Michigan, put on by Fred and Nancy Blair of "Tomorrow's Heirlooms". I am happy to have been there, lots of good food, good people and hours spent rug hooking! It was a happy week and if you can go next summer you should!
Susan Feller is a great teacher. She really brings out the creativity in each student, and passes on her knowledge in a very cheerful style. This rug just flowed! Susan's suggestion to bring some of the gold of the bird's beak into the leaves really helped add some spark to it! She really enhanced any colors you were 'drawn' to into a cohesive color-plan.
It was a great get-away for me - I made some new friends..... and I am happy to be home as well.
Birthday cake
Originally uploaded by bbmarie {studiobeerhorst}.
Today is my 48th Birthday! Chocolate cake made from scratch by my daughter Pearl. One of the benefits of growing older is children who bake you cakes! The day is bright and beautiful and Rick is making homemade pizza. Shepherd my 11 year old son (and only boy) even straightened up the house on his own and has been extra nice to me.... I kinda like being treated extra nice!
Hooked flower pins
Originally uploaded by bbmarie {studiobeerhorst}.
Slowly I have been finishing these flower pins. I think I will bring them to Rug Camp. I am going to Camp! This will be the first Rug Hooking Camp I have ever been to. I am looking forward to it! Many a day I have longed for a Mommy get-a-way... 6 kids and one husband all together all the time... (Rick and I work at home and we also unschool our 6 kids)... You can imagine the desperate thoughts that pass my mind on occasion. :) All that said, the weather is cooler this week and my mood has sweetened!
So - we have an opportunity at Camp to sell some rug hooking stuff on consignment - I am thinking of selling these and some other things for more spending money. I think I will want to buy wool!
I am attending Heirlooms Rug Hooking School in Holland Michigan, July 12 17. It is put on by Tomorrow's Heirlooms - a rug hooking Shop run in Allendale, Michigan owned by Fred and Nancy Blair. They are some good people! I will be taking a class by Susan Feller we will be designing rugs inspired by Frakturs and other folk art. Yea!
Early summer garden
Originally uploaded by bbmarie {studiobeerhorst}.
We are having a heat wave...... There are not enough fans to cool this mama down.
Rug Hooking
Originally uploaded by bbmarie {studiobeerhorst}.
This is slow-going! I almost always get stalled in the beginning of a rug. There are usually too many options and I am really picky. So-- I am ambivilent about these two flowers. It's not that I hate them..... it's just that I don't love them --- But I am not sure why or what the heck? So I have been avoiding working on it. I am waiting on that mental "click" that happens when I know what and why I should do something to this rug. But in the meantime I am making hooked flower pins. I know I should work on the background or finish the vase. I will. Maybe if I try a third flower it will all "click". Even when I am not working on it my subconscious is hashing it out. At least I am hoping it is :)
rose red and rose white
Originally uploaded by roses&pearls.
These two dolls are a collaboration between my husband Rick and our oldest daughter Rose. Rick carved and painted the heads and Rose hand sewed the bodies and refit some old doll clothes to fit them. I think they are mysteriously stunning.
