Saundra from Woodland Junction has been hounding me for an update on my rug. As bad as my rug was, it even got worst, just like a nightmare you can't wake up from. The more I worked on the shoulder, the less I like it. It looked OK when I was working up close but the minute I lay it all out to view it as a whole, it hurts to look at it, lol... The shading is all wrong. But all in all, I had a lovely time pulling loops when I was with our hooking group and it was therapeutic having someone to talk to, so I guess it was worth it. Maybe I should dye some wool for the background and wait to be inspired to resume the blue area.
Saundra, on the other hand, when she ran into a problem, decided to put her rug away until she gets professional help with it and is working on another rug. Smart girl...
Yesterday, in between raindrops, I trimmed my very thorny rose bush. The only way I can pick up these branches is with leather gloves.
This is what it looks like now, but it still needs to be cleaned up and weeded.
It's a lot of work but I always cut the branches so I can burn them in the stove. I'm always afraid that some poor animals will get hurt by these sharp thorns. Can you imagine a crown of thorns with these? It would be cruel.
My peonies are poking out. A good thing is that they are deer resistant. There's a herd of 7 deers that are foraging in my yard. Maybe I need to get a big dog.
Do you always cut your rose bush back that much? I have one that needs it but I want it to bloom this year I thought I would wait until after it bloomed.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you got to hook with other people it is good to get with others. Did they have any help for you? It looks good to me but I know what it feels like to be now happy with it. the only thing I can say is to leave it put some background around it and see how you feel then.
Cathy
Cathy, one member of our hooking group is a teacher and she suggested using a black and white picture to guide me where the dark and the light is.
DeleteI printed a black and white picture but didn't felt inspired today. maybe I'll dye some background wool after all if I get the time this week.
I think you are being much too hard on yourself about your poor rug. Perhaps if you put it away for a bit you can come back to it with fresh eyes and attitude.
ReplyDeleteSome roses are truly vicious aren't they?
And your garden is looking MUCH better than mine at the moment. We have had a very wet summer and the weeds have taken over.
I haven't showed one of my perennial bed where tall grass and other weeds have taken over. It's going to be a major job as it an old established bed.
DeleteIf you are looking at a painting or an image you are trying to replicate I suggest you glance at it briefly and then put it away. I found I'd be dissatisfied if my hooking didn't make a perfect representation of the antique I was trying to replicate.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that I put Mother with the Fishbowl away and it will be a temporary stall. I'm mustering up courage to pull it out and work on it before finding a teacher to help. Actually reason for that is I've no classes scheduled for the rest of this year and don't know when the next one will be.
No, I cannot image a crown of those thorns and hate to use the word 'crown' because it gives too much prestige to the torture.
OH! I forgot to mention your hooking looks wonderful to me as did the last photo you posted of it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your positive comment, Saundra. Coming from you, the mean hooking machine, it means a lot.
DeleteAs you know I don't do hooking or needlework or hardly anything as creative as you but I think your rug is beautiful. But you're the artist here and I know you won't be happy until it "speaks" good to you! Hang in there and maybe stepping back and looking at it later will be the ticket! Your growing season is just behind ours a bit. I just planted a new climbing rose to replace one that died. Those thorns are sharp! I always look forward to seeing your beautiful gardens as the seasons pass. You inspire me to work harder on mine! Have a good week Julia!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, Yaya, I don't know if I'll be up to keeping up with all my gardens and yard this year to impress you, lol... I've been plagued with back aches this spring. At 76, I'm starting to realize, I'm no spring chicken.
DeleteOops, It should read, 75. I'm typing in the dark. lol
DeleteI think your rug is looking so good. Maybe put it away for a bit nd look at it again with fresh eyes. I know it is better than I could do. Oh how I love rhubarb! Janice
ReplyDeleteThanks Janice, I'm hoping that by leaving the blue and concentrate on dying some wool for the background might be the change that I need.
DeleteBummer on the rug. I usually have to put uncooperative projects away for a bit, then look at them with fresh eyes & mind. That black and white photo tip is interesting, I've seen it recommended for selecting quilt fabrics too.
ReplyDeleteI had a super thorny rose bush at our old house in town. The pruned canes scattered around my flowers and herbs worked well to keep the neighbor's cats from using beds as their litter box. It did make weeding a royal pain though.
Thanks for the tip with the pruned canes , Just Gail, but I don't think it would work for my yard. I have way too many flower beds to and the thought of weeding amongst thorny cane would be too dangerous for my poor fingers.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a beautiful rug. Its just like a painting. I don't have a single rose here. I had so many at the other house. Those rose bushes look so scary and so rough to work with. I hope you have a lovely day.
ReplyDeleteI think you rug looks amazing Julia.... Do you use your blog reading list that shows all the new posts from bloggers you follow and it usually shows a thumbnail of the lead photo from the post?? Well, if you scroll through that as I did, the realism of your rug is stunning. I think you are standing way too close to the tree and need to step back, get some distance and try to take in the forest. I certainly am no hooking expert, but I am an expert at overanalyzing details and struggle with "larger pictures" sometimes. I know I am doing it with my Welcome Cats rug...and that's a wonky primitive piece. But, like Saundra says, you get so focused on attempting to replicate the original that it can drive you mad. I do agree too that leaving that area "rest" and moving on to the background will help with perspective. We have been windy, cold, and rainy here for over a week now, but I did venture out long enough to see that my daffodils are coming nicely. I see no signs of hostas and such yet, but don't blame them as it still freezes many nights. I have a rose bush (if you can call it that) by my cornzebo and think I am going to try to pull it out. It was supposed to be a climbing rose but definitely isn't.... ~Robin~
ReplyDeletePS.... I signed my comment "Robin" as usual, but see that, once again, Google is only allowing me to comment as Anonymous....so, if you haven't figured it out, that was me, TheCrankyCrow.....
ReplyDeleteI think your rug is amazing. Those faces are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThat is one huge rose bush. No matter how hard I try, my not so big rose bushes tend to tear my fragile skin when I prine.
I am already having a problem with critters . . . maybe rabbits but most likely those damn deer!!! . . . nibbling in my gardens. It usually doesn't happen this early.
Ack! Did my comment just disappear or do you have comment moderation on? Darn blogger.
ReplyDeleteAs I was saying...your rug looks amazing. Those faces are beautiful!
That is one huge rose bush. If I tried to prune that, I would be a bloody mess.
Critters are already eating my flowers and hostas. Maybe rabbits, but most likely those da** deer!!!
Oh, now the message popped up that comment moderation is on. Just ignore me ;-)
ReplyDeleteI like the rug. I think you are amazing to create such art Julia.
ReplyDeleteRabbits are eating my crocus, tulips and strawberry plants. I might have to get a dog right along with you. :-)
Hi Julia! I think the rug looks great! Beautiful! I thought deer DID eat peonies, but I'm glad to hear they don't. All of those lovely sticks for your stove - perfect! God be with you, friend.
ReplyDeleteIt seems to be all my blog friends whose tulips get eaten by deer!
ReplyDeleteWell done on keeping the thorny wood out of people's way! Yes, a crown pf thorns, when you think about how painful it is to get one thorn in your hand seems even more barbaric when you think of what Jesus suffered.x
Thank you for all the info about the squirrels...I knew a little of it and funny thing I was going to look up the gestation period. We used to have another Mama Squirrel that would eat from my hands...she had two litters of babies every year that we knew her for 6 or 7 years. Except one year she just had 1 litter of two babies. She had most of them in our big old maple tree.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, thank you so much for all that information.