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Issue: January 2009

Welcome . . .

to this issue of my e-newsletter! Northeast Ohio, like much of the northern U.S., is waiting to come out of the deep-freeze. We have been in sub-zero temps for the last few days, but they are promising a high in the teens today! These are days that you just hole-up inside and find something warm (like rug hooking) to distract you from the cabin fever that quickly sets in. It's my hope, however old man winter is treating your area of the country, that 2009 has found your life healthy, happy, and full of fun distractions. Stay warm, my friends . . .

quick links

Quick Links are links to other websites that I think you will find useful and interesting. Places that are fun to explore, articles that are interesting to read, and people I just love!

What Is It?

Do you know what this little wooden tool was used for? Watch here next time for the correct answer. If you think you know, email me with your guess.

Last Issue's 'What Is It' Answer: These shoes were used for deep sea diving - no one even ventured a guess at this one!

Subscribers: Do you have a favorite website or shop you'd like to share with everyone? Send me the link in an email and I will share related information in a future Quick Links column.

Business owners: Want to advertise here? Just  email and ask how.

New Hooking Forum is Online

I was happy to find an invitation in my Outlook box to join a new rug hooking forum called Rug Hooking Daily. I have been a member of various online forums and discussion boards in the past. Each came with its own quirks and frustrations -- you know the ones: Delphi (Wool Gatherings), MSN (Wool Snippets), and Yahoo (Rug Hookers & WoolnFriends.) I loved the interaction with hooking friends, but found the applications kind of cumbersome to sue. And, just when you figured it all out, the platform changed and you had to start all over.

 This forum is on a network called Ning, which was new to me, but so easy to use. It has tons of features and I really am enjoying it. It is sort of like a Flickr page, but with much better dialog capabilities and more. I highly recommend it!! So if you are a rug hooker who loves to interact with other hookers across the world, please come and join in. You can then invite hooking friends of your own to join, as well. It is also FREE - so much the better!! I am sure you will recognize many members' names when you get there.

Click here to get there, then sign up!
View my page on RUG HOOKING DAILY

Moving On . . .

If you've been following the newsletters, you know that I am in the process of consolidating two households and moving from one house to another. I am pleased to say that the little house on the Ridge (my childhood home) is all painted and I have several rooms almost finished. I am getting close to getting completely moved in and I really can't wait to be living in one place. Over the last couple of months, I have been back and forth so many times, I almost feel like I am living on the road! I would like to think that Mom would be pleased to see what I've done to make the house my own. It is a warm and fuzzy feeling to know I will soon be using the address and phone number that I had growing up. I lived there from birth until I married at age 20.

I am already looking back and wishing that I had taken photos of the rooms before I started making changes. But while I was still mourning the loss of my Mom, it just did not dawn on me to do that. I will, however, add some photos here when the rooms are finished so you can see the rooms I've been working on.

Recently my two good friends came to see my progress. They were both familiar with the "before" decorating. I was pleased to hear

them say it 'looked like me' and that they felt it was 'warm and inviting.' The accessories are a mix of my favorite antiques and some of Mom's.

I used lots of old family photos of great grandparents and all my maternal great aunts, as well as my grandparents and parents. One day, I will tell you the story of how my seven maternal, great aunts (and one uncle) helped to raise one another without parents. The youngest of my great aunts is still with us - she just turned 100 this month! Happy Birthday, Aunt Dora!

My big splurge for the new living room and adjoining keeping room was furniture by Johnston Benchworks.  I happened to be searching online back in the Fall and came across a web site offering a "buy one piece, get one free" special. Unbelievable! So I ordered a settle bench and a wing chair, and got a sleeper chair and storage ottoman free! Since the 2nd bedroom at the new house is now my office and work room, I thought the sleeper chair was a great addition to the living room; it opens into a twin bed (and it's comfy) and the ottoman opens to hold pillows and blankets - perfect for overnight guests! Who wants to be first?  All the pieces are mustard and black, but different fabrics.

Unfortunately, when they were delivered, the settle was damaged and had to be returned. That's my luck, folks. But I know it will be great when I get it back.

I painted a floorcloth for the small bathroom (the only bathroom) and I am happy with that. The bath had carpet over OLD linoleum, so this was an inexpensive and perfect fix. I removed this monster medicine cabinet/light/mirror combo from the 60s, as well as this wallpaper, which was a nightmare to get off! The room is painted now and I need to add bead board and a mirror over the hole left in the wall. I have a small painted cabinet on the opposite wall and I've ordered this cool light bar with metal stars and 4 arms, but mine is painted mustard crackle over black. I am anxious to get that installed, too!

Antique-Inspired Rug Series

If you subscribe to Create and Decorate magazine, you know that I am designing a series of hooked rug projects that are adaptations of antique hooked rugs. I am adding my own elements to the designs and using the antique rugs as my inspiration. I am also offering a companion project of the same design for punch needle. The first of the series was a log cabin design for the Feb 2009 issue, which is out now. You'll find that design shown on my Front Door page.

Coming up next is a clam shell design, so watch for that one in mid-March (the April issue.) As part of each project, I am including a photo of the inspiration rug, and some notes about the changes that I've made, and how I went about making the color choices, etc. for the adaptation rug. I hope you all enjoy the series - please email and let me know if you are enjoying the projects, and if there is something more you'd like to see included. I'll be doing the series for most of the 2009 issues. I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions.

Happy Winter . . . Pray for Sun!

Sally

If you are a subscriber, be sure to click the link in your email to see the Subscriber Special for this issue.

Sally Van Nuys          Amherst Folk Art & Rug Hooking      141 Woodhill Drive     Amherst, OH 44001         440-984-3486 Home Studio

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