things are looking up...

I just got off the phone with our local camera shop and they said provided no new pictures have been taken, they can recover the photos for $25 fee + the cd. Hip hip horray! The newsletter might not be quite so boring after all ;-)

Now I just have to wait until the computer store opens at 10am...

Oh no....

So I'm busy getting ready to leave (on our trip tomorrow)...scurrying around trying to finish packing and cross the last few remaining jobs off of my list: charging camera batteries...choosing a book for the train... cleaning out my purse...taking the RUG photos from Saturday off the camera...doing a backup of my laptop...etc, when all-of-a-sudden my computer crashes. When I restart there's a flashing question mark, which is not a good sign. I tried a couple of things I know...but nothing works like it should. To make matters worse, my harddrive appears to have vanished...

I will be taking it in first thing in the morning to get repaired and hopefully see if the data can be retreived (remember, I had just fininshed uploading all of the R.U.G. photos - 135, to be exact - and I was in the middle of doing my back-up?)....but in the meantime, does anyone know anything about the possibility of retreiving erased photos off of an SD card?

In the meantime, I'll be sitting here with my fingers (and maybe even my toes) crossed....

48 pounds

It was an early start to the day today - I woke up just after six and even though it was still dark out, I couldn't sleep. This is very rare for me....I guess I'm getting ready for winter?

I'm also busy getting ready for my trip. I packed up all of my workshop stuff in the the XL MEC duffel, and to my relief, it was just the right size. A quick hop on the scale and it's just under the 50lb limit. Hip hip horray! (and I'll be even happier if I've remembered everything ;-)

I'm off to tidy up. Enjoy your Sunday!

Reading Holiday

I used to read a lot. I would stay awake into the wee hours of the night, just to find out what happened next. In spite of everything I love about reading --getting to know the characters, trying to predict what might happen next, the escape it provides, learning about other places and times, etc. -- I can't seem to get around how much time it takes. Especially for someone like me, who tends to gorge on good books.

If I don't finish a book in a matter of days, chances are that I will never make it to the last page. My niece lent me Twilight last week, after months of raving about how great it was. I grabbed it absentmindedly on my way out the door on Saturday...thinking it might come in handy while I waited to see the optometrist. Little did I know that I would be hooked from the start, and do little else but read over the next few days (except eat, sleep and work, of course!)

I'm relieved (albeit a little sad) to have just finished the fourth book in the Twilight Saga. Now I'm just trying to figure out how I'll tackle all of the things I should have been doing instead. Four books in five days...what was I thinking? (but boy, was it fun! ;-) )

opening

Remember these? On Friday, Mum, AB, AJ and I headed up to the exhibit opening...

One visit to the North Bay Heritage Carousel Fibre Art exhibit and you will be hooked!

As residents of North Bay, we cherish the heart warming story of North Bay’s Heritage Carousel. Now, all of the laughter, beauty and enchantment that this attraction is known for have been spun into a breathtaking fibre art exhibition. Submissions from across Ontario, led by the North Bay Rug Hooking Society have resulted in a compilation exhibit that highlights each and every Carousel Horse from the North Bay Heritage Carousel. Each of the 36 hooked rugs on display is completed by a touching narrative.

During the mid-19th century, floor coverings were still considered to be a luxury in Canadian homes. In fact, much of the clothing worn by Canadians in the 19th century was recycled into quilts and rugs. This exhibit highlights the fine art of rug hooking and its roots in early Canada.

Join us in celebrating the opening of this charming exhibition on Friday, September 26th 2008 from 1pm to 3pm. High tea and treats will be served.

WHEN: Friday, September 26th, 2008, 1 – 3pm

WHAT: Exhibit Opening – North Bay Heritage Carousel in Hooked Fibre Art.

WHERE: Discovery North Bay Museum, 100 Ferguson St. North Bay, ON.

It was great to see all of the horses on display together....and to be able to read the stories that accompanied each one. It was well worth the drive, and so nice to see many familiar faces ;-)

Even though you may have missed out on the tea and goodies at the opening, you can still go and admire the horses. The exhibit should be on display until Christmas. (and in case you're still looking for another excuse to hop in the car and drive, the Fall colours are still gorgeous!)

it's ready!

I know that some of you have been waiting for some time for me to finish writing up the pattern for this purse - and the moment has finally arrived. If you would like more information about ordering, please send me an e-mail (fisheyerugs AT hotmail DOT com).

I've been busily getting ready for my upcoming workshop in Amherst, Nova Scotia (part of the Nova Scotia Fibre Arts Festival). As far as I know, the class is already full (and then some!) Speaking of the workshop, if you are signed up and you haven't heard from me (I tried e-mailing everyone last week), please give me a call or send me an e-mail and I can give you the scoop. It's sure to be a fun - albeit very busy - day.

fall

This has gotta be one of my favourite times of year. Every day the leaves just get more and more beautiful...and thanks to the gorgeous, sunny, blue sky days, very few have fallen. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they are still looking pretty when I head to the Maritimes in just two more weeks.

It amazes me how quickly the leaves seem to change colour. I am convinced that if you could sit still long enough, that you would actually be able to see them change right before your eyes. Definitely, it would be an interesting experiment to take pictures of the same places every day (and at the same time of day), and I think the results would be quite remarkable. (I'm not lacking for ideas, just the where-with-all to execute them ;-) )

Mother nature is planning for more great weather in the coming days. It's a great time to get out and go for a drive, bike ride, and/or walk...and don't forget to bring your camera!

I did it!

Anyone who knows me knows that I am a sporadic correspondent. Like so many areas of my life, it's all or nothing....feast or famine. It's part procrastination and part busy-ness....and we all know that once you put something off the first time, it gets easier and easier each time you postpone.

10 days ago there were 95 messages waiting for a response, to be read, forwarded and/or deleted. I'm pleased to say that I finally succeeded in reducing my inbox down to zero...and I'm sure it's been years since this last happened. It's such a small accomplishment, yet it feels so much like one.

honoured

I was surprised this week with my first Blue Ribbon...and it literally came "out of the blue" from a complete stranger: Betsey from the blog Postcards from Waterloo. I went to check out Betsey's blog and right away I noticed 3 things we have in common: knitting, rug hooking, and sporadic posting (I really like that I'm not alone here!)

There are some rules that go along with its honor:

1) Post the award on your blog.
2) Add a link to the person who gave you the award.
3) Nominate at least 4 other bloggers and add their links.
4) Leave a comment at the recipients' blogs so they can pass it on.

Like Betsey, I would like to point out some rug hooking related blogs....some I've been following religiously since their beginning, such as Wendie Scott Davis' The Rugged Moose, and others that I've only just recently discovered, such as Tammy Burks' Skip to My Ewe, Sunnie Andress' Folk Art at Old Crow Farm in Vermont, and the very new Women Matters, and Karen Kaiser's Artworks. Enjoy checking them out...

what are you doing in October?

(Aside from R.U.G. on October 4th, of course!)

Those of you who have been reading my blog since the beginning might remember the pottery class I took. It was great fun.

If you live not too far from Huntsville, you might be interested to know that Lindgren Pottery is offering classes again this Fall. For more details on dates, times, prices, etc. go here. I would love to go again...but sadly it conflicts with my trip down East and I will miss to many classes.

hooking at last

For the first time in at least a month, I am back to hooking. A combination of this very rainy day and the lack of a swap piece for R.U.G. has finally spurred me into action.

You likely can't tell, but it's going to be made into a three-dimensional cob of "Indian corn" (does anyone know the PC term for this? Is it indigenous corn?)

Updated on Monday: The yellow cob is hooked and I've started work on the second cob...this time a rusty red colour. I can hardly believe that my shoulder is showing no signs of trouble. Hip hip horray!

A visit to Cathy's

Okay...so I was on a roll for a couple of days there, and then I don't know what happened. Life just seems to be busy lately...

On Wednesday my mum and I stopped in to see Cathy Henning (Towers and Turrets) for a lovely visit. Cathy and I are going to Shelbune together in November...so we had a little planning to do (like figure out just how many days we need for shopping...). We also had a mini show and tell of our recent projects. This is one of Cathy's--I love how she has changed the birds to be those she has in her own backyard.

the rug in the background...

I was asked a question about the rug that appears in the background of this picture (and also in many others). Yes, I did hook it....in 2002! I can't remember the exact finished dimensions, but it's something like 50" by 83" (the squares are 5").

Here's the only picture that I could find of the whole rug....and it's a little wonky --sorry!

Mother daughter night

My mum is staying with me tonight....and then we'll be heading out
bright and early to go and see the knee doctor for a follow-up.

We're both sitting on the couch, working away--mum on whipping her
over-sized runner, and me on my knitting. The funny thing is that the
colours match--I guess colour sense is genetic...

The colour in the photo is really off, but I post better ones real
soon...promise!

Lazy Sunday

A storm is coming, supper is in the oven, and the laundry is all away...and now I'm going back to work on the "two owls" purse pattern. (yes, tamboinMo,it is a hooked purse--and when I get back to regular Internet, I will add a link to a picture ;-) )

I am convinced that it would be faster to just make another purse than it is to type up all of the directions...but I guess if I were a little less anal, it wouldn't take nearly so long.

Hope the sun is shining wherever you are--it obviously is not here....

This is what I'm doing right now...

Working on the pattern for "Two Owls"

Okay, so as I thought, you can send pictures to your blog and you can
send text--just not both at the same time ;-)

The basket in the photo below is full of knitting. I've been knitting
quite a lot over the past couple of weeks...getting ready for Fall
with some new shrugs and tops, and using up some leftover yarns...

I'm going to play around with this posting method a bit more....and
hopefully once I work out the kinks, I'll be able to post more easily
(and thus more regularly!)

testing continues....

Does this really work?

For some unknown reason, I'm unable to sign-in to blogger on my new iPhone. After several failed attempts, I've found a possible work around....and I'm testing it out now. If successful, I'll be back real soon with a real post. Fingers crossed.....

telling

This is what my page-a-day calendar was showing last night - it pretty much sums up my life of late.



• • • • • • • • •

In lieu of a longer post (which might never get written), I've got a couple of pictues of things I've happily discovered of late.

First up are these storage bins from Dollarama. [Yes, I have a strong dislike for the whole China factor and generally try to avoid the place - but I was able to put it on hold for long enough to make the purchase.] They are about 3.5-4" high, and 8-9" by 12-13" or so - I forgot to measure them before I left the house. I love that they are just the right size for storing cut strips, as well as being lightweight, flexible, and collapsible.


You can sort your wool strips and yarns into as many different categories as you have bins (i.e. by colour, value, intensity, etc.) I originally bought 10 black ones...and when I went back for more, had to settle for the cream coloured ones.

The only problem is that I have to find a place for storing the full bins. I'm also going to start writing some colours on the outside, too (or else attach some tags to the handles).


Next up is this leather purse closure I happened upon a couple of weeks ago. It's made by the same folks who make the leather handles and I bought it here. I'm not sure when it will go into service, but for now I just enjoy looking at it and admiring the gorgeous olivey-green colour.



I'm off to the Campsite for most of the weekend, spending time with some of my favourite little people. Oh, and there'll be a quick field trip to the city for a haircut thrown in there, too!