Started this one a while ago but hmmm it kind of got lost so here are a few!!! pieces to share…
Diane finished her fun 3D Santa on a vintage toothbrush holder…
and Jonah in the whale…
and a few punched pieces on vintage stocking stretchers…
and a new version of a penny tree…
Beth’s lovely Tom Thomson rugs…
Liz finished her Owl…
and I finished a few punch needle pieces…
Trawler on a vintage lobster buoy (pattern by Deanne Fitzpatrick)…
Snowman mounted on a 1930’s wooden skate and another one on an antique candle mould…
Corina’s second piece was a kit she did in a class at Martina Lesar’s studio which she framed herself…
and her third ever hooked piece based on a photograph she took in Newfoundland…
Betty’s Mola Fish…
Wendy’s Maud cat…
and Ruth’s Christmas trees…
While we were in Quebec City and as we were walking through the old town I spied an amazing idea!!! zoom in and you will see the fabulous bells made out of – yup, rusty old sap buckets!!!! with a big round bell as the clapper! Wellllll, thought I, I have old sap buckets! and I have one of those bells!!! hmmmm. Still have not made one but it was a fabulous idea… That would be meeting pointing so that Gord would understand what I wanted a picture of haha and Bill and Diane who came with us to Quebec City.
of the most amazing, handmade gifts ever. Well, I think I say that every year and every year it is true. This year I played games master along with Laura. I taxed everyone’s brain and Laura taxed the bodies and hand/eye coordination. Needless to say, Loretta did not do well on the hand/eye games! Everyone brought a plate or two of something delicious to share for lunch and then!!!!! we rushed back down to the family room and got to the best part – the gifts. We picked, we stole, we passed, we unwrapped and stole again until we all finally ended up with an amazing gift… Our theme was up cycled – so some element of the gift had to be up cycled… next year we have decided on something a tad smaller – bowl fillers. Of course not ONE but THREE!!!! and in a container of choice if you wish…
Years (and years) ago, my father sent my mom, sister and me to Germany for the Christmas markets. It was such fun driving around Germany and Switzerland to visit the markets. I think we probably visited at least 12 – 15 different markets from the huge ones in Stuttgart and Nurnberg to the tiny ones in Regensburg and Heidelberg and Basel. We ate and drank and shopped our way through them and had a blast.
Well, hubby Gord has never been to the markets and this year we thought of going to Alsace and Germany and Switzerland to visit the markets together but I got very nervous about flying and travelling overseas so instead!!!! we visited the German Christmas markets in Quebec City. It was so magical! We had an absolutely fabulous hotel that dated back probably 200 years and was spotless and right in the middle of everything. We could walk to the markets in 10 – 15 minutes, walk to the museum of civilization in about half an hour. We just parked and walked everywhere and enjoyed the ambiance of this most beautiful Canadian city and the markets. So a few pictures to share… I was so worried that it might be tacky but there were no imports from you know where! only from Germany and Alsace and many beautiful hand made items. Of course!!! there was a ton of German food and Gluhwein so Gord was in his element.
Oh and this little guy is Bucky! Today was the first time we have seen – in the end he chased off all the rest of the deer and finished everything off himself!
Weather has finally cooperated and sitting on the porch or on the dock are now perfect locations for hooking and punching (have given up on my gardens which the deer have totally devastated again). So a few things to share…
A few years ago I made this kit up for Sharon. Sadly, Sharon developed some health issues and could not finish her kit so I jumped in and took on the task – she was a new hooker but was doing beautiful work so it was easy to just slide in there and hook away. Well, the piece was finished in a few days and made into a pillow which will go on her lovely chair in her room – such fun to finish this off for a friend…
Also finished off Whale of a Tail in a lobster trap ring…
And Winter is Coming on an antique childs shoe last…(this one is for sale)
and Punkin Jack Halloween tree on an antique butter mallet (also for sale)…
a commission I did for Paulette of her log home…
and a snowman on a long paddle just finished…(haha the second picture is a bit hmmm snowy!!!)
Wendy send me pictures of some of here finished pieces…
Diane finished her Welcome sign on a great metal tray…
and her punched horse shoes…
and her snowman…
and Anne finished her very first piece – my Pine Tree kit – and I believe may be hooked!!!…
Not sure why they call them dog days – I guess I should look that up. Thankfully, we have AC and a lake so we can keep cool and refreshed – well except when we are working in the gardens! Although the deer was caught at 5 a.m. the other day munching on my lovely yellow flowers – AND SHE DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE. I had to finally chase after her and she ran up the driveway however, she did continue to eyeball my flowers. Guess I need to do the Irish Spring thing again!
This morning we made the most wonderful discovery. I was mentioning that I needed to cut back some of the irises in the pond when I discovered the tiniest little green tree frog – and then another and another and another. Within 5 minutes we had counted 11 of them – when we came home later in the afternoon we counted again and found even more. They are the most adorable 1/2 inch long frogs – I have occasionally found 1 but never this many. I guess mom laid a bunch of eggs that all hatched at the same time and all those little pollywogs turned into little frogs at the same time – although we did discover a runt amongst the litter that must have taken a little more time. It totally made my day…
So some lovely pieces to share…
Wendy has been finishing her hooked pieces – these are attached to lobster trap parts discovered on the beaches of PEI…
My Punkin Angel on an antique (rather rusty – yeahhhh) doorknob…
Two pieces I did for Jackie…
Witchy Woman and Punkin (pattern by NFF) mounted on an antique grater…
a few commissioned pillow tucks for Laurie…
cute little stocking on a butter paddle…
Diane’s pig (pattern by OTF) mounted on what we think might have been an old piggy bank…
What Wonderful weather we are having – after the heat and humidity and torrential rain of last week this week is so lovely and fall like. NOT that I want fall yet – I just enjoy the cooler dryer temperatures and the lovely breezes off the lake. Have been able to sit on the back porch and punch to my hearts delight!
So, a few pix to share with you – some of my own and some by others…
Sue’s nephew did this amazing drawing which Sue then turned into a lovely rug…
Sherri’s stunning rug (pattern from Lisanne Miller)…
Christien’s lovely rugs…I believe the second one is going to become the back of a jean jacket…
Wendy’s assortment of mini punch needle pieces destined for a few shops in PEI…
I cannot believe it has been so long since I last posted – boy life can just take over sometimes.
We have had a busy, busy spring and start to the summer. Lots of work to do on the property and house, lots of wonderful company and wow, our first trip in almost 10 years. When you have four aging and ailing kitties that you love and cannot leave to someone else’s care because OMG they are on sooooo many medications which have to be administered at specific times that you need a flow chart to track and make sure you have done them correctly – travel is out of the question. We lost our oldest – Chicky – at the ripe, old age of 22. She was our “ghost” cat – a stray we adopted – or should I say, who adopted us! but never wanted to be seen let alone touched or cuddled. Until! that is, her last few years when she must have finally realized that hmmmm, life can be so much more interesting if you come out of hiding, stick your claws into Chris’ leg (a good friend who invariably went home with blood stains on her clothes after visiting us) and beg for smoked salmon! and a little cuddle on the couch is not so bad either. That was a few years ago but then our next stray, Lucky, whom we discovered in the bush one day after he had been dumped and who immediately wrapped his arms around my neck and stuck his head under my chin because, I believe, he was so happy to have been rescued, succumbed to kidney failure at 17. Lucky was a thug!!! We loved him and he loved us but he terrorized the other two cats – especially Peanut. He would hide behind furniture, pounce on Pea when she walked by and gently, but firmly, bite her in the back! and walk away with a big smirk. 2 years later – last September – we lost our little Pea. Pea was a whiner – she had the most distinctive Meow – like she was constantly peeved off. When my friend Diane and I would be busy in the studio punching or hooking Pea come in and give us royal s…t until we brought her bed in so that she could also be with the girls. She would climb into her bed purring furiously and happy as a clam. Pea and Fleatwo were brother and sister and also rescues – they were 18 and we had had them since they were 5 weeks old and they were devoted to each other. When Pea passed suddenly in September, Flea went into mourning. He had his own health issues and was on 3 meds which had to be administered at specific times 2 times a day. He was the gentlest and most loving of all of our cats and passed away in December. He was the cuddler and needed to be in our lap constantly.
Pea and Flea…
Chickie…
Lucky – check out that naughty face…
I miss all my little kitties – all their idiosyncrasies and personalities and their love – butttt I have to admit, wow, no litter dust, no litter all over the floor and yup we travelled!. I would give it all up to have them back but I am taking advantage of it now. We spent 2 1/2 weeks travelling to Cape Breton and PEI. Visited friends on the way there and back and while we were there as well. Walked beaches (many kilometers) searching for sea glass and drift wood and cast off bits of lobster traps, Gord golfed 3 times (one course was just amazing – I walked it with him and the 2 young men he was golfing with), we ate lots of delicious sea food (even tried oysters in PEI – I can now say I have eaten an oyster haha) and loved every minute of our trip. However, coming home yikes! Weeds, deer devastation, more weeds, pine pollen a 1/4 of an inch thick, more weeds and on and on. So the last few weeks – in between company – we have worked our butts off trying to catch up and YES WE HAVE CAUGHT UP. Gord is just donning his zoot suit to spray the house for spiders and ants (when you live in the woods in a wooden house hmmm ants are not a good thing). This will keep them away for the rest of the summer.
I have been creating but will share that and some other folks work in my next post and I promise – it will be sooner rather than later…
Wow, it has been ages since I posted – life just kind of got in the way. But finally, a few minutes to do some punching, read my book and POST many wonderful pix of finished pieces. Hope you enjoy them…
Tricia sent me a picture of her finished Fox and Crow (Lisa Ferguson pattern) – it is outstanding…
Diane finished a few mini punch needle pieces…
Wendy G. sent pix of her two butterfly mats…
I finished A Whale of a Tale and my Antique Rabbit and Tulips, Bird House (pattern by Brenda Gervais) and Oliver and Oliver and Bean…
Wendy T. sent pix of her bowl fillers made from an antique cutter quilt. Love these…
Helen is working on some mini punched landscapes…
Linda finished her lovely quillie punkin with wool leaves and a real pumpkin stem…
Hooked On The Lake 
