Three Bags Full Day One

Three bags full is all about choosing color.  Aren't these colors yummy?

Being surrounded by beautiful colors with values, tones and textures the creative juices begin to flow.

Design selected, colors selected let the hooking begin!

The introductions have been made, the room is filled with sounds of laughter and talk about the latest project completed, the project in the works and projects to come.

Completed projects to share.

This rug hooker knows her colors!

Rugs full of color and whimsey.

Rugs emerging.

More fun and hooking and laughter in store for tomorrow.

Three Bags Full

I'm so excited!  This weekend my partner in crime aka Carmen and are are going to our first rug hooking retreat!  The name of the retreat is three bags full.  Lisanne Miller is teaching the class, we will be learning to use textures and shades with just three colors.  Each student will bring three bags, each bag will be filled with a different color of wool (all different shades of that particular color of wool).  Our rug will be hooked using just three colors.

I started this project by looking in books and magazines.  Oh Pinterest, I love you, so many lovelies to see.  The choices are endless and overwhelming.  I finally settled on a Edyth O'Neill rug called the New Bedford Hearth rug--it's a whale.  I choose this rug because Edyth's rug is hooked with three colors--three beautiful shades of colors.  

 I think a whale rug will be a nice addition to these pieces of needlework in Grandmother Bessie's room, don't you?

The retreat is at Montgomery Bell State Park, one of Tennessee's beautiful parks.  If the wind doesn't blow all the leaves off the trees there should be some lovely fall colors.  The temps dropped last night to the 20's--perfect hooking weather!  A weekend filled with fiber, fun and food!  I can already feel the creativity.

Bessie's Room

Grandmother Bessie was very influential in my life.  My Mother often says, the older I grow, the more I become like Grandmother. For me, this is a wonderful compliment!  One of the rooms at Thistle Manor is Grandmother Bessie's room.  A coverlet at the foot of the bed to knock the chill off the cool fall nights.  Pillow shams made from ticking was something I always remember in Grandmother's home.  The nautical themed needlework hanging above the bed reminds me of the adventurous Grandfather who sailed on the sea from Germany to Pennsylvania.

Since it is taking me forever to get my Adam and Eve wall started, I decided to start a Grandmother Bessie wall.  The blank space above the Scarlet Letter memorial sampler has been reserved for the Margaret sampler.  Designer Lori Markovic (La D Da) has a mystery sampler called Margaret Cottam.  There were many Margaret's in Grandmother Bessie's life.  There was Margaret Ferguson, her maternal Grandmother, Margaret "Maggie" Shults, Grandmother's sister and Margaret "Margo" one of Grandmother's granddaughters.  So. . . Margaret Cottam will become the Margaret "Maggie" sampler.

These are some oldies but goodies I found while cleaning out closets.  In her lifetime, I'm sure Grandmother made many quilts for her family, neighbors and young brides.

Grandmother was an early riser and was always up with the chickens.  She kept her purse handy.

I believe a home should be many things and comfort is one of those things high on my list of home priorities.  Grandmother Bessie's room is comfortable and filled with wonderful memories of her life.  Wonder what Grandmother Bessie would have to say about this room.

Anticipation

Liberty Hill

Christmas Carrier

Good things are on their way!

A Walk in the Woods

After a very windy, rainy, stormy Halloween, Mother Nature is showing us her best side- a most glorious fall!

 With a beautiful fall day, we put on our walking shoes and headed to one of our favorite places.

Radnor Lake.  Clear blue skies, the sunshine to warm our faces and a cool breeze.

The sound of the wind blowing through the trees.

Crunchy leaves under our feet.

Berries to feed the birds.

Beautiful colors

Walking. . .good for the body, good for the soul.

The most challenging decision of the day. . .choosing which trail to walk.

Peace. Sunshine. Fresh Air. Mother Nature at her best.

(Almost) Adam and Eve

Remember her?  She's one of my PhD's (projects half done).   

The last time I shared this project, it looked something like this.

It's not quiet a finish (but getting there).  There is the outline border, the words and the personalization.  Am I the only stitcher who adds the border last?  

AppleJack commented that Adam had strategically chosen and is  wisely wearing his leaf.

One of my favorite parts about this sampler:  the way Adam and Eve are holding the apple.  Each taking ownership of his/her decision to taste the fruit.  Oh, my other favorite parts:  it's Adam and Eve and it's almost finished!

It's that time of year again. . . .

From the earth we come

To the earth we return

In between, we garden

There is frost on the pumpkins in the morning, there is an extra quilt on the bed for warmth at night.  Delicious, tasty soups are simmering on the stove, pumpkin muffins are baking in the oven.  It is the time for soft flannel pj's at night and colorful wool sweaters during the day.  The gardening season is coming to a close and it is time for garden clean up and making gardening plans for Next Year 2014.

One of my early Saturday morning guilty pleasures is listening to Richard Bates on the radio.  Bates Nursery is a Music City staple and Richard and his family have owned and operated the nursery and garden center for many years.  Richard gives seasonal gardening advice and listeners can call in with their gardening questions.  There are also some great give aways.  A second guilty pleasure is watching P. Allen Smith's gardening show.  Again, great gardening tips and how-to's.  I justify these guilty pleasures by catching up on the ironing. 

Next Year's Gardening Clean Up List Fall 2013

•   Plant Bulbs--I love the smell of hyacinths and am going to plant bulbs by the front door hoping the sweet smell will find its way inside.  No matter the number of daffodils planted, it is never enough.  Nothing says spring like blooming daffodils
• Shop for discounts--Now is the time of year for great buys, discounts and buy one get one free at the garden centers. Oak leaf hydrangea, lavender and ferns are on my shopping list
• Trim perennials--With a gentle hair cut, my dear sweet friends, the perennials will return with an even more delightful visit
• Fertilize the lawn--Beware dandelions, I'm on to you
• Mulch--Weed control and warmth for those sub temperatures
• Remove annuals and weeds
• Compost bin--Pinterest is full of ideas, shipping pallets make great, attractive compost bins.  Reuse, recycle, re purpose
• Rake leaves--Great upper body exercise.  Yes, leave removal at Thistle Manor is done the old fashioned way with a rake
• Repair lawn mower--Oh, AppleJack
• Re read garden books--Martha Stewart's Gardening is one of my favorites
• Add a bird house and gardening bench--AppleJack if you are reading, here is a suggestion for your Christmas shopping list
• Remove those infernal wild strawberries from the Dianthus bed

Grandmother Bessie believed white liniment was a cure all for all aches and pains.  If, I accomplish all the items on Next Year's Fall 2013 clean up list, I will be needing some of that white liniment for my aches and pains.  Cooler temps, fresh air, the anticipation of the 2014 garden--Life is Good!