RUG HOOKING BLOG

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I'm a mother of four grandmother of seven and great grandmother of three. I live with my husband in the house that we built with the help of my brothers and will have been married for 57 years this February.

Thursday, December 13, 2012

RUG UPDATE AND GETTING TOO OLD FOR ...


I've hooked a wee bit last night again until I ran out of the dark green and I dyed some wool today and it's drying, hanging from the ceiling in my husband den by the heat of the wood stove. I've ripped and redesigned to make the vignettes fit but it wasn't easy because of the limited space. If I ever make another similar rug, I'll try to only draw the idea as I go and only pin the rough sketch on the backing to get an overall picture of the rug. It's a learning experience.


The little girl on the rock is me fishing in the little brook, only there's not much room for my brook and that pig is too darned closed to my head for comfort and will have to be ripped out. I knew he was trouble from the start. I had to redraw the legs as they were too closed to my dad's head and that wasn't proper either... I feel like I've  boxed myself in on this rug, lol...

The dude in the red shirt is my dad preserving  mackerel in a salt brine in a wooden barrel. This was a yearly event. He brined pork and herring and sometime mackerel. The kids helped of course but I didn't had room to fit anyone in there.


I've been feeling rather unproductive these last couple of days as far as Christmas preparations are concerned. All I want to do is do nothing or at least as little as possible. I don't want to go shopping for Christmas because I'm already tired of all the flyers that are bombarding me since October.  I don't want to bake, bake, bake because there's no one to eat all the fatty stuff and we  want to eat healthy.  Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas and I don't mind giving, my family knows that...
 I've addressed a total of 6 Christmas cards so far  and have lot  more to do but just not in the mood...

I don't like to buy things for people that are not needed and will only clutter. Everyone already have too much stuff,  including me and my husband. I'm at a lost as to what to buy.  I've gone shopping and come home empty handed. It must be that I'm getting old. There's way too much stimulus out there for me with all the electronics and games, toys and this and that. I feel overwhelmed with too much stuff and want to go home.

 I love decorating for Christmas because it brightens the house at a time of year when we're indoors more.  Everything I bought to decorate with were bought very cheap or I would not have bought it.
I've added Christmas lights in my vine plants in the sunroom and I've got lights everywhere, on my tree, on my village, on the banister.  I never got my outdoor lights on this year.  I was too lazy on days that I had the chance.

 Christmastime is a time to slow down and receive the gift of our Redeemer, Jesus and everyone is rushing like mad. It's just not right.

My husband and I have been way too busy with farm work  to entertain  and we even declined several Christmas parties as we rather stay home.  We must be getting old.

 I'm planning on a very small turkey dinner with all the trimming because we love  to have leftover turkey and chunky cranberry sauce with orange zest and juice. It will be a quiet Christmas but next year will be different.


I've been playing with my camera at night taking photos on two different settings.


This picture taken on the Automatic setting at night with no extra light


This one was taken with the flash disabled to get a warm glow but it would be better if I had a tripod as any shake makes the picture a little blurry. The shutter speed is slowed down.





With flash disabled and no additional light, giving a warm ambiance.  I like it better.



This one taken on the automatic setting with no other lighting except the flash, again at night



I added some lights to my vines and it lights up the sunroom at night with a warm glow. Picture taken again on the disabled flash. I'm having fun.

Thanks for putting up with my eccentricity. Have a great weekend and if things gets just too hectic for you, go play with your camera.
Thanks for visiting my blog.
JB

24 comments:

  1. Julia,
    It's so refreshing to read your post and know that someone else out there feels the same way about the shopping frenzy! There was a time years ago I enjoyed shopping to see the Holiday decorations in the stores..... there really aren't the great displays they had years ago. Everything is so overdone! I love your lights and I think they help to brighten up the long evenings in the winter! Your rug is really looking fabulous! I am humbled by your skills in executing your life in pictures and then to hook them into a rug! And you don't have far to go!! I know you will get that pesky pig in just the right spot!!
    Savor the quiet moments this season and I shall be thinking of you and doing the same!!
    Hugs!!!
    Cathy G

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  2. Julia ~
    Your rug is magnificent! Your house looks very festive, too. Beautiful tree.
    Hugs :)
    Lauren

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  3. HAhaaa that rascal pig... oh, me... HAhaaa.... your house looks wonderful ... so cozy and warm.

    I think you've read my posts on my Christmas thinking. I decided long ago ... to not buy gifts for anyone but the little ones. I love to see the stars in their eyes ... they all get too much and it's no longer fun after they get a certain age.

    I do not believe in buying gifts for people who don't need nor want anything I can afford or want to give. Christmas to me should be a time as you said if you're religious for Jesus' birth and what that means.

    I'm not religious but I believe in the spirit of Jesus' birth ... love - fellowship and giving of yourself ... not material things.

    My Mother wore herself out trying to please everyone ... if you will recall, my Dad was a minister and Mother just totally stressed about forgetting to send someone a Christmas card or should she buy a gift or someone gave her something and she didn't have a gift for them ... good lord ! she couldn't buy for the entire church ... the church would always give my parents a church gift then some of the individuals would give ... nothing but stress ... jeeeez

    I say the biggest gift of all is a great big ol hug and a smile and lots of cookies .... made with cinnamon with a peppermint Santa on top ... yeah

    phooey on obligatory gift giving ... just buy for the babies .... what fun that is ... not for adults ... bah humbug

    g'night ;) .... I'm about to turn the heat on in Homer again ... jeeeeeez it's cold tonight ... man? in Florida? oughta be a law

    HUGS

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  4. Hi Julia,
    Your rug is looking wonderful! I can't believe how talented you are...to be able to draw you life and then hook it! Wonderful!
    Christmas at our house gets simpler every year. I've gotten much less "frenzied" about it all as I get older. Less is more seems to be work at our house these days.
    I hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas and that you find lots of time to work on your beautiful memory rug!
    Take good care,
    Robyn

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  5. Julia, your rug is delightful!!! I didn't realize how much you've gotten finished. I don't know if there is more you want to add in the upper left, but instead of pulling out the pig, it looks like you could slightly move 'you on the rock fishing' back just a little bit and then the pig wouldn't be crowded and you'd have more room for the stream. That's just a suggestion! You 're doin fine on your own!!!

    I certainly know what you're saying about getting ready for Christmas. Zip and I no longer do all the rushing and worrying about buying gifts and going to parties. We are sick of Christmas starting before the Thanksgiving turkey is even in the oven. Quiet and simple is all we can handle any more.
    There are blessings to getting old!

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  6. Forgot to say I love your photography! The pictutres without the flash are lovely. I do think the lights in the vines are a great idea.

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  7. that rug is amazing. I try to do a bit of shopping all year I pick up things as I see them then birthday and christmas is mostly taken care of. I do have just a couple of things to pick up but nothing big.
    I think your house looks warm and cozy no wonder you want to stay home. You both work so hard.
    enjoy the up coming weekend
    Cathy

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  8. I am endlessly impressed and in awe of you! You are Super Woman!

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  9. I love all your decorations Mom! The lights in the vines are wonderful too -- they makes me think of sitting under the stars on a warm summer evening. Thanks for taking some pictures and sharing them.

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  10. Hi Julia,
    Your rug is fantastic. I just love looking at it and I wish I could see it in person as it looks like a work of art. I like seeing how it was when you were a kid.
    Oh well, I always feel the same way you do about Christmas so I fight it just because my kids are so excited.
    It is hard to got shopping when they start advertising in October.
    You have been so busy this year. You work so hard. You always manage to get it done.
    I wish I was there to help you. I always have liked being in the barn at Christmas than in the house. :)
    Have a lovely day. I loved all of the different pictures you took with your camera.

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  11. I am loving your rug. A family history of memories.

    Enjoy your Christmas and don't worry about anything.. this time 6 months from now you won't remember Christmas events anyway. LOL

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  12. Hi Julia, Found your blog through Pugs and Rugs. I recently started working with wool and will be attempting my first hooked rug as soon as the kit arrives. I also have struggled with Christmas gifts my Kids all wanted gift cards, how boring is that? This year they'll get gift cards but next year I'm coming up with something more creative. My son suggested we have Christmas early, draw names and give the person a toy we think they would have liked growing up. The toys would not be opened and would be taken to Toys for Tots. Doesn't help this year but shows my family thinks it time for a change too.

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  13. What a beautiful tree! Looks like a postcard! I like the warmth of the pics with flash disabled.

    I agree with you. Folks need to slow down and enjoy the peace of the season... All the ads for shopping, shopping, shopping make me want to cry... very overwhelming

    Merry Christmas to you!

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  14. JULIA.....the rug is beautiful! You've got a lot done lately. It is just so special and it all flows so well. Your transitions are awesome.

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  15. Hello Dear sister,I love your rug and the memories you drew in it.I think your cloth should be twice as long to put them all on it.(joke)You have so much more memories than I have about our growing up.It all comes back as you describe them.
    One of my memory is when we set a blanket atop of the tall grass and we(about 3 or 4 of us at once)jumped on top of it to find ourselves on hard ground.lol What fun that was.Picnic came afterward.

    As for a Christmas gift,a fruit basket is a very good gift for someone who likes to eat healthy during festive season.It is not so expensive either.I love reading your blog and miss it when your too busy to write.I am a lazy girl when it comes to writing and I rather read.Sorry for the lack of communication.I am busy being grand-mother to 8 little ones and 2 foster one and a half year old twin girls.We will have a super noisy and blessed Christmas day.God bless you and your loved ones.I love you Julia.P.S. I totally agree with you about the shopping.It is way too commercial.Merry Christmas to you and hubby.

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  16. Your tree and all your decorations are just beautiful! You are coming right along on the rug too, it is looking great. Thank you so much for stopping by Chancy's blog with your kind words when our sweet Angel went to The Bridge. Hugs

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  17. Julia, I love your tree and decorations. I have not shopped at all for anyone yet. I finished a knit bag for my daughter for her birthday. I just couldn't think of anything she needs but good health. Your rug looks so wonderful. I love rugs that tell a story.Have a wonderful Christmas. HUgs Cheri

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  18. I get so hungry for light this time of year
    and love to set the house to twinkling, too.
    And I love your homespun (literally!) rug
    and your grandma moses way of seeing it:)
    and yes, slowing down to lean into the
    real source of love and light
    is Christmas in it's realest sense
    and i appreciate the reminder to be still
    and know Him.
    love and thanks,
    Jennifer

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  19. Julia, I love your rug -- I wouldn't change a thing! I love your decorations, too. Sarah

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  20. Julia....I think we would be such good friends if we lived close....I just love your attitude about EVERYTHING!! You write so meaningfully and I feel like you do about so many things....the Christmas rush, buying too much stuff (I do anyway), decorating etc.
    Your rug is just wonderful! It is such a snapshot of your life and I wouldn't tear out the pig...it's so Grandma Moses-ish! Love the scallop around the whole rug.
    Your photography is lovely....I like to experiment with the flash off too and really like the effect. You are right, it's so warm looking.
    Thank you also for all your supportive comments all along my illness. I often don't look at the computer for long periods of time (not feeling well, or no time) and don't comment on others so am amazed and grateful for faithful friends. I still like to keep up the blog for the kids and especially at the end of the year to make a book. The grandchildren really love to look at it all.

    Happy Holidays to you Julia....and I will be thinking of you as I enjoy my left-over turkey and cranberries...like you!!!!

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  21. Julia..... that rug is absolutely AWESOME!! I love it! It would also make a wonderful painting. I love how you design as you go because that's what I usually end up doing. I think that's how you get more depth and details. Also, I completely get you on Christmas. It's just a bit much, but you home is beautiful and festive. Have a wonderful holiday, dear friend......
    xo
    dulcy

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  22. Your rug is going to be awesome. Your tree is beautiful.
    Merry Christmas to you .

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  23. OH Boy can I relate to this post. I too have been feeling the very same way as you have. Then after the horredous shooting in Ct. I have gotten worse.
    My tears come often now for no reason so I will kind of be glad when the Holidays are over even though I do love Christmas.
    I am going to miss having Turkey and Dressing this year.
    We are having Christmas Eve at my sons and they only want to do something simple like sandwiches and then it will just be Christi and myself at her apt Tues and she doesn't want turkey and dressing so I am sad about that. hahaha
    Wish I could stop in your lovely home. I love your trees and all your greenery.
    I love seeing your rug. It really leaves me in awe of you every time I see it.
    Love
    Maggie

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