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Category: not-so-traditional hooking

Another year, another chance at a studio

 

Dare I trust that a studio finally awaits me?

So if I haven’t mentioned it, though I can’t imagine that I didn’t, the kid’s moved out of the house again. But this time it seems as if it might be a bit more permanent than last year’s six months. She managed to get herself a job up in Durango – that’s in southwestern Colorado not far over the New Mexican border. About 3½ hours from Albuquerque. Fabulous little town, not even too much snow. I’m rather jealous. Anway, she found an apartment (with deer in the back yard!) and needed minimal parental assistance in securing it. Hurray for her! We’re proud of her.

 

Tynan just had to get in the pic of the soon-to-be studio/guest suite. Pray that the kid loves Durango.

But this means that once again her room is available for new use. Like…as a rug hooking studio. Okay, not completely dedicated to that, but almost. A twin bed purchased just this week will allow for guest quarters when necessary. I can deal with that.

Again, if you remember last year I’d just ordered the shelving from IKEA when she moved back in. Damn, she arrived before they did. Been in the garage unopened since early last October. Well, they’re opened now! (Thank goodness they were the right color…) They’re even installed, and Tom attached them to the wall just yesterday. (A wall of rug hooking materials falling on someone would be a crappy way to die.) Unfortunately, she says slightly red-faced, everything won’t fit into the room. There aren’t THAT many shelves. Luckily, my kick-ass closet and laundry room are both still available.

Consequently, I’ve been distracted by sed studio and implementing my plan for its best use. Oh, and did I mention that we’re expecting company next week. Just in time for Balloon Fiesta here in Albuquerque. (If you haven’t been here for that, put it on your bucket list this very minute!)

Tynan presents “what’s on the frame” this week. Does anyone know who designed this rug??? I inherited the pattern. More on that later.

 

 

I have managed to hook more on my primitive rug. Tynan models it for you to the right. I’m actually liking it; it being my first primitive rug. Oh, did I mention that I’m hooking it in t-shirt? The plan is to finish it this weekend and start something new right away. Hooking, hooking, hooking. I received confirmation that I’ll be vending again at the Fall Fiber Fiesta November 16-18 at Santa Fe’sScottish Rite Temple. It’s a great event. Will I see you there?

 

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Statues as rugs?

Statues in Bordeaux.
This…giant head is called “Sanna” and was created by Catalan artist Jaume Plensa. It’s in la Place de la Comédie in Bordeaux. Very cool.

 

 

 

Back to Bordeaux for another week and talking cool statues and sculpture.

Whether you hook rugs or draw or paint or in any way create “stuff,” you’re always on the lookout for other art that just might provide you with some inspiration. At least you should be. In theory. And given that we’re all carrying automatic copying machines around with us (in the form of our phones), there’s really no excuse for not making “graven images” of the things that call to us.

 

Okay, I admit that I often forget to jot down the artist info or even the name of some of the artworks I see when I’m out and about, but not in a museum or gallery with an identification sign conveniently placed near the object. I had to Google “large head sculpture in Bordeaux” to find out the info above. Enjoy!

That first night walking about the city, we came across the “Monument aux Girondins,” a monument/fountain created to memorialize the local heroes of the French Revolution. The various scenes portrayed seemed almost real in the dark and jet lag after traveling so many hours to get there.

Statues in Bordeaux.
Look at me pondering on how we shall take down that aristocracy and eat their cake.
Bordeaux statues.
Why, yes, I do see you pondering what this will mean for our future. Do you think that their wardrobes will contain something we can wear? I mean, better than these bedsheets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bordeaux statues.
I am a mighty steed and have no need for stupid clothing. I am afraid, however, that I have caught a serious head cold.

 

 

Bordeaux statues.
Forget the Revolution! I fear that we’ve stumbled onto the set of “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Save us, Johnny Depp!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sorry, sorry! It was the jet lag like I said.

Meanwhile back to real life. These guys were in l’Eglise Collegiale de Saint-Emilion. It’s still a working church though not a monastery any more. Interesting fact we learned: Sincethe Revolution, the Catholic Church no longer owns any of the churches and other buildings in France. It only uses and administers them. Because of such dwindling attendance at Masses in the last decades, the churches do not receive much in the way of collections and support for these marvelous buildings. It’s up to the cities and government to take care of them. It also  explains why you can roam at will through them; they are truly tourist sites.

Statues in Saint-Emilion church.
These guys were in the Eglise Collegiale de Saint-Emilion. Never saw anything like them in any of the Catholic churches that I’ve belonged to.

 

And then there were the carvings in the wall of a wine cellar beneath the medieval village of Saint-Emilion. Who knows when they happened or who made them?

Bordeaux statues
Mon faux-pas! My bad! I neglected to write down the name of the winery who owns this most excellent cellar.

 

Not Bordeaux statues.
Oops! Sorry about that, Tom. You’re definitely NOT one of the statues, especially carrying those two bottles of wine we purchased.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bordeaux statue.
Okay, this is my most favorite image of the whole trip. I’m assuming it’s Dionysus. I will hook this rug! And I promise that purple will fit in with him somehow.
Bordeaux statue.
It is all about the grapes in Bordeaux. This is a BIG flower pot.
Bordeaux sculptures.
I shall peel these grapes for you, mon cher. Mais bien sûr, we must have another glass of wine.

Okay, okay, I’ll stop now. Instead we’ll leave the statues and the trip behind for this week and head back into reality…

 

Tynan (dog) with hooked rug
Tynan brings you this week’s “what’s on the frame.” Hm, looks very primitive doesn’t it? Not like what I usually hook. And yet, and yet… More next week!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you hooked something “not you”? Share with us on High on Hooking’s Facebook page!

 

 

 

 

 

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Crazy days at High on Hooking

Hooked rug
What’s occupied my time these last crazy days of summer. “Patriotic WOOF” was a commission that last week went to its forever home in Missouri. If you notice, it’s an almost copy of my original OD green “WOOF.”

 

Hi, guys! Did you miss me? I hope so. Sorry about the longer than planned hiatus, but life’s been filled with crazy days here at High on Hooking. And they continue for another week. Sharon Smith of Off the Hook Wool Rugs comes into town today; she’s running a three-day workshop for the Adobe Wool Arts Guild (AWAG). Meanwhile, if you’ve seen my personal Facebook or High on Hooking’s Instagram feed, you know that my 21-year old daughter, “the Kid,” suddenly got a full-time job up in Durango, Colorado, an absolutely fabulous mountain town about 3½ hours north of Albuquerque. Hence, she’s moving. We were up in Durango this past weekend securing an apartment. She’ll leave for real Sunday, her minivan stuffed with a bed and necessities. Tom and I will follow her up with packed car(s) Thursday.

You can see the crazy days? But I’ll be back in a week or two. So much to tell, especially regarding our river cruise vacation in Bordeaux last month. Good pics to share. And we’ll have photos of the Sharon Smith workshop too. So much going on… So little time…

How was your summer? Any interesting stories?

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It’s my birthday and I’ll cry if I want to. Or not.

No, of course, I won’t cry because it’s my birthday. But what I will do is keep this post brief. And write it up on Monday the 4th to post Tuesday. Because, peeps, I am très busy on my birthday. After a mimosa breakfast of champions, I’m off for a visit with the rheumatologist. Then I’ll meet friends for lunch after which we’ll head off to Edna Fergusson Library for an afternoon of hooking. Which is good, as I need to finish a piece that’s nowhere near done for Sunday’s Rail Yards Market here in Albuquerque. What the evening will bring is still up in the air, but Tom’s promised to get me gluten free carrot cake from Flying Star. This excites me to no end as I haven’t had cake on my birthday in years. Oh, and there will be wine. Good wine.

Happy birthday to me! What might your birthday traditions include? I’m always looking for new ways to celebrate…anything!

Dog with hooked rugs.
Tynan brings you not just one rug, but two! Yes, there are two rugs on the two frames. The Anderson holds the BIG Boucherouite which is on the l-o-n-g plan. Ty’s keeping his paws on the one that needs to be done for Sunday’s Rail Yard Market. (That might require a little miracle.) Come visit us there. Mention this blog post and get 10% of a rug!
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