Two Star Rug Camp, fall of 2016!

This has been an exciting day in so many ways.  It is for me as for all of you I expect, a heartwarming thing to see and hug people you have known for years and share the excitement of a well loved craft together.  I love seeing what people are making now.  An additional pleasure was seeing friend Linda set up her jewelry for just a tight 45 minute slot to sell in the sales room, and how well her things were received! It was a happy near riot. Thirty eight out of forty two pieces offered were sold, that is almost one per minute.

Hope you will enjoy the pictures below, it is hard to catch color and creative highs in a small rectangle with my camera.  warmly, e

 Men can hook rugs too.

Linda starting to set out her jewelry

Here come the buyers!

It went so well!

An enthusiastic bunch

Debbie wrote the tickets.

Added Note, see Linda's jewelry on etsy at 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/PrairieRoseRanchwear?ref=l2-shopheader-name 

A whale rug from my pattern. He has barnacles on him using spot dyed wool!

Weaver's Lion is one of my favorites.

three examples of pretty wool applique.

 See how muted the colors are for an antique look.

Kay's armadillo is one of her Texas Critters, So beautifully done!

 This rug represents Shake Rag Street in Mineral Point Wisconsin designed and hooked by Sally Kallin

The wool is luscious. 

Maggie is holding her early looking one. I had so many favorites! But this might be my favorite favorite today!  Nina Fletcher Little would have approved I think. This is a very wide cut.   Glad you can be a mouse in my pocket and share this. e

added on Thursday:  Below is the first Bird and Pomegranate rug I hooked in 1982, signed and dated.  I have recently purchased it back from someone who bought it in the 1980's.    Over years I have hooked this design three times. I am glad to see the rug again and that it is in fine shape.  It has not faded which is a tribute to Evelyn Newton’s dying, as it is all her wool.   e

Rachael's lovely hand sewing for my dolls

Here is the dear early girl I bought last week on line, in appalling condition but too interesting to pass up.  I have collected over 60 years and have only seen this head style four times I believe and one of  those may have been the same doll, so perhaps just three times. Her hand sewn cotton twill body appears original except one replaced arm.  I fashioned an under dress for her out of an old one thin as gauze and with shredded sleeves which I hemmed away.  I will find or make drawers by and by.

She is now in a Rachael Kinnison dress and has some of my beads draped over her shoulders until I can get some for her.

I have seen her with glass eyes as well as painted.  A glass eyed example was in the Merritt Museum.  Can anyone else add something about this head mold? 

I love all dolls with the simple covered wagon hairstyle.  I believe this one may date in the 1840's.

Another uncommon papier mache is this Motschmann type with a great snood hair style. I would date her about 1860.  There is no residue or sign she was ever waxed though many of this style were. This  doll also wears a dress made by Rachael.  Although she has a snubbed nose and other wear, I have chosen to leave her as she is.

Please comment, I read every one. e

Art is life at present.

  I have painted so many now that pictures are stacked up and down the hall on the floor with no place to hang them. There is a local show I will possibly put some in this November.   My grown children want some of them.  Some I am attached to and want to keep a while. 
  Several tall easels stand in the sun room where I can dry paintings in progress. I have also learned I can keep some in my car to speed drying as the car stays hot here in the summer.  Friend JoAnne admits to putting some of her oil paintings in the oven the last weeks before our local art show in November.
My usually tidy front bedroom looks like a storm had struck.

Most of my New England paintings more than fill a wall of my studio/library and the lighthouse paintings are in a guest bathroom.

 I started another one Monday of Penny's little model ship.  I want a ship in a bottle to paint.  The beautiful little blue marbleized book in the new painting was bought from Barbara W.  The book is laying on an old map, I hope I can do justice to that. 

Yesterday was varnish day.  The final finish makes the paint look bright as it was when wet and makes the colors more vivid.

I plan to list a few small ones for sale soon. The big ones would be a bear to ship. 

There is a runner's high, which many of you understand who have ever been runners.  There is also something of that sort for people who paint seriously and lose themselves in a state we call the zone. If you become used to painting daily it is like exercise, a pleasurable thing you miss if you skip it.  I feel the lack of it now if I do not do something art connected each day.  Given how limited is my energy for activities beyond simple personal maintenance of my home and yard and self,  it is hard to find time to work on my many doll projects when I am deeply involved in art.    e