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?
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 mimosabreakfast 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!
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!
After a super busy two months of fiber art shows and vending, spending a slow three days at Casa San Ysidro last weekend demonstrating and attempting to sell gave me some down time, a chance to think, to come to a few epiphanies.
This was the kick-ass set-up that Cathy and I had at last week’s Heritage Days and New Mexican Fiber Crawl, both happening at Casa San Ysidro in Coralles. They were very generous in providing us space; what a change for us! Though we both made sales, we hope that next year there will be more vendors and better publicizing of our location in the Crawl.
Hooking and husbands Cathy Kelly and I would have a wicked hard time (yes, there’s still some New England twang left in this now Southwestern girl) vending without our husbands Bill and Tom. (Sorry, never got any pics of them Sunday evening.) Between my recent RA flare-up and Cathy’s emergency appendicitis (the same night as our last vending gig!), those display grids were not going up or down by themselves. Thank you, Bill! Tom, unfortunately, has been suffering his own autoimmune failure – gout – for the last two or three weeks, but he gamely showed up with iced tea and helped with break-down. Hooking – it’s best when it involves a village, but it’s nothing without a helpful spouse.
Living or reading about living?
During last weekend’s New Mexico Fiber Crawl, we were at Casa San Ysidro from about 9:15 to 5:00. Those were three long days, and we didn’t see the traffic we expected. But what a great place to hang and hook! By the time I made it home each evening, though, my laptop was the last place I wanted to be. So, I wasn’t. Lo and behold, the world didn’t cave in because I didn’t share as much on the three Facebook pages I manage (my own two and the guild’s). Don’t get me wrong. I managed to do most of my daily computer and email “toilettte” on my phone as I sat enjoying the weather and the ambiance of the old casa’s courtyard. But I didn’t worry much about passing anything further down the information highway. Sure, if a blog or Facebook post came along that had an easy share button, I’d click it away to others. If not, oh, well…
Here’s how “Zinnias” looked finished. Now to get them up on the Etsy shop.
This got me to thinking about how tethered I am to seeing info and, more importantly, passing it on. Which I generally think is a nice thing to do for everyone. But it takes time, time I want back. Summer is perfect for letting go of the self-imposed idea of me as the town crier. After this weekend’s Rail Yards Market, I’ll have a couple of months with only one gig each before fall festivals and such heat up again. I have products to make, a BIG rug on the Anderson frame, a friendship rug to finish, and a whole slew of new ideas running through my brain after I turn off my light each night. And…I think it’s finally time to try some weaving. Starting with a triangular loom, but it’s a start.
So…actually working, playing, and experimenting more are on tap this summer, less so reading and passing on other folks’ work, play, and experiments, much as I like to do all that. Don’t take it personally, anyone. And thank goodness that Instagramonly requires pressing that little ♥ button. We won’t even mention my late night Pinteresthabit right now.
Change happens
Awhile back I mentioned how I really wanted to get back to writing short fiction. I spent years writing and even had some bits published. It was creative and incredibly challenging. But emotional family issues got in the way making it difficult to access the place in my head where
Not about writing or even hooking. Just about freeing your time up to do the things you want to do, making a change. I was getting pretty testy; with everything going on, Tom and I hadn’t managed to plant anything this spring. We live in New Mexico; it all could’ve gone into the ground or pots over a month ago! Finally did some today like this mini-succulent garden. We managed it without the usual domestic squabbles that crop up when we do this kind of thing. Even after another very prickly cactus kept biting us.
stories came from. Hooking showed up too, gradually taking up more and more of my available time. Frankly, making rugs, visual art, is easier for me, and it’s been quite healing. Still, every few months I’d beat myself up and drag out the pen and paper. It’s part of who I am I’d tell myself. After countless false re-starts, though, sometimes we have to grasp that CHANGE REALLY HAPPENS, and I think I’ve finally gotten to a point in my life where I can admit that writing short stories is more about who I was. It’s a hard thing to admit, but it’s where I am NOW. And it’s rather freeing. Fiber art’s it for me right now. I’m happily looking into things to become better at and new techniques to try. Maybe I’ll even pick up my journal again now that I can ignore the guilt monster. Even better, it gives me more time to read. There are so many great books out there just waiting for me!
Like I said , ramblings… Nothing earth-shattering; in fact, most is stuff I already knew, but so often we need a good reminder about just those very everyday things in our lives. Three quiet days can give you that, can remind you of the life you really want to live.
Happy Memorial Day, all! Remember those who should be remembered. And enjoy this first summer weekend.
Tynan’s back with this week’s “What’s on the frame.” It’s three mug rugs destined for Sunday’s Rail Yards Market here in Albuquerque. After that, I’ll have a bit of a break and finally be able to clean up all the clutter-piles that have collected around the house these past two months. Tom’s been very patient, but don’t tell him I said that. Usually, I’m the clean one.
You know, when I lived in New England, we never combined Cinco de Mayo and rug hooking. Rarely even margaritas and rug hooking. We ain’t living in Kansas Massachusetts any more, señor! Saturday, Cathy Kelly and I will be under our joint tent selling rugs (and doing demos, of course) at the 11th annual Cinco de Mayo Folk Art Fest here in Albuquerque. If you’re local, stop by. It’s happening right at La Parada and Farm & Table. There’ll be music pretty much all day, and Farm & Table will be offering food and beverages on their patio. That would be where the margaritas come in. And if I don’t manage to get one there, Tom will have one or three waiting for me when I get home. Woohoo! (And, trust me, he doesn’t skimp on the tequila. His margaritas are yet another reason that I had to marry this man.)
While technically it’s not on the frame, this week’s “What’s on the frame” offering shows that __________ (no name decided on yet, hooked with recycled bedsheets) is almost done. Just have to sit down to hem it. That WILL happen much sooner than later as it must be ready for sale at Saturday’s Cinco de Mayo Folk Art Fest. Hope to see you there! The weather’s supposed to be warm and sunny.
