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.

Friday, November 13, 2020

LIFE GOES ON AND TIME PASSES SWIFTLY

 I've been a little preoccupied, no, a whole lot preoccupied with the elections in the USA as I know, many of you also have been scared of the outcome...  I've spent a lot of time on the computer waiting for the results. In this time of uncertainty, everything that goes on globally affects us all. After all, we are all together in this human race when democracy is at stake but I'm keeping my faith alive.


Like I promised, I'm showing you my new hobby. These are the tools that I use in making my rosaries. The one with the grey handles is a new tool that makes the job of making the pins for the beads a lot faster than using the traditional looper tool. 

 I use 6 mm glass beads or semiprecious stone beads, 20 gauge wire, chain that I cut, jump rings to attach the medal center and the crucifix. 


For this rosary in progress, I'm using an antique brass medal center and crucifix and also 20  gauge antique brass wire. I work on one bead at a time by making the link to attach to the next bead. I'm getting a little faster in the process but I'm not an expert by a long shot. With these types of Catseye beads, I have to be careful to get them all going in the same direction. 





This was my first rosary that my son Vaughan claimed for himself. The pearl is his birthstone. The second one I made was claimed by our parish priest. 



I have made 12 rosaries so far and I'm almost finished with the green catseyes one. I have requests for two more rosaries. Each one is different. 


This is a  St Michael the Archangel chaplet. It still needs a medal on the end instead of a crucifix. It has a different bead arrangement as the prayers are different than the regular rosary. 



My poinsettias are starting to turn red. These are huge. Each tile measures 10 x10 inches and the table in the corner measures 30 x 30 x 30 inches and the plants are about a foot higher and wider. It's difficult to see the true size but they have taken over my sunroom. I hope they will all be red for Christmas. I'll keep you updated.




I've had to move the wicker chair in front of the door so they could get sunlight. 



In comparison, remember these poinsettias I received last year from the church after Epiphany. They were huge then but now they are monsters measuring over  3 1/2 feet high and wide. 

Take care, everyone, stay safe and well. I appreciate your comments.

17 comments:

  1. Julia... the rosaries are beautifully created. I didn't know about the St. Michael's, the Archangel rosary and the different beading. Thanks for sharing your new hobby

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  2. Love your beautiful creativity - and envy your poinsettias. I have killed too many of them and no longer purchase them. I really, really don't want another death on my conscience.

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  3. What a wonderful new hobby and so pretty. You have the greenest thumb I have ever seen! please show us as they turn red.
    Cathy

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  4. What beautiful rosaries! A great new hobby indeed. Janice

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  5. Oh my goodness! Your rosaries are soooooo beautiful! The recipients will feel blessed and loved for sure! :-)
    Lovely poinsettias as well...you certainly have a way with flowers! :-)

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  6. I too gave up on poinsettias in my house. I seem to kill them off the first year, let alone keeping them going for the next year. Yours will be gorgeous.

    Can you give any more info on the new bead tool you got?

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  7. You have the magic green thumb! They will be beautiful in bloom. When my nephew died Midge had roseries made from the flowers at funeral. Did the same with Mom's. There's a convent in the Chicago area where the Nuns make the roseries. Yours are beautiful and it's a lovely thing to do. Take care and finally the election is over so maybe one day all will settle down. People just need to take a deep breath and pray more often. Thinking before reacting might help also. Take care Julia

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  8. You have the magic green thumb! They will be beautiful in bloom. When my nephew died Midge had roseries made from the flowers at funeral. Did the same with Mom's. There's a convent in the Chicago area where the Nuns make the roseries. Yours are beautiful and it's a lovely thing to do. Take care and finally the election is over so maybe one day all will settle down. People just need to take a deep breath and pray more often. Thinking before reacting might help also. Take care Julia!

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  9. Hello Julia,
    I don't know if I have ever seen such large Poinsettias.What beautiful Rosaries. You are so talented.
    Well you know what? God didn't wake up on November fourth and say, " Oh gosh how did that happen?" He has all of this in His hands. What ever He allows, it comes through His Father Filtered hands. We will be okay. I am glad you are doing something creative.
    As Mother Juliana said, " It will be well, and it will be well and in all manner of things it will be well." Have a wonderful Weekend.

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  10. I agree with Kim!
    Oh my, YOU really have a purple thumb!
    The rosaries are lovely. You can make anything, I'm convinced!

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  11. That is amazing! I've never seen poinsettias over-winter
    and turn from green to red. And I thought I was a plant person! Thanks for stretching my world:)
    Peace to you in the time-passing,
    Jennifer

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  12. Julia,
    Your rosaries are just beautiful! I'm sure the recipients feel truly blessed.
    Those poinsettias are amazing. I am lucky if I can keep one healthy looking for a month. Your sunroom is the perfect location.
    Big thanks to you and your prayer group for all your prayers for this great Land I am blessed to call home.
    xoxo

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  13. Hello Julia,
    Your rosaries are lovely. I can see why they are being requested by so many. I like the one your son received. :-) The poinsettias are AMAZING. They are beautiful.
    How exciting to have them do so well. It would be fun for your congregation to see them from when you took them home.

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  14. These rosaries are beautiful and unique. Your flowers look amazing, you must have a green thumb. Your poinsettias looks fabulous. In Croatian they are called Christmas stars (Božićne zvijezde), I always loved both them and their name.

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  15. Your roseries are so beautiful Julia, you new creative hobby is something tactial that will be held in heart by those in prayer with these beautiful roseries as used in prayer. Mine has been taken to the jewellers twice to be repaired & used again & again.
    The potsettias are growing huge, everything grows with love. So glad I stopped in for a visit today.
    Have a wonderful, safe weekend.
    Hugs,
    Cynthia

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  16. Wow! Your rosaries are beautiful! Very neat and deftly made. I am glad you have a tool to make it easier to bend the heads. Your poinsettas are wonderfully lush! I DO remember last year's ones!

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