Mama's Minerals Archives – HIGH ON HOOKING

Why sell the mug and rug? — The hot, hot, hot of summer’s giving way to the heat of roasted chiles and sunflowers. Fall’s coming. Are you ready?

It’s September, the time that many of us consider the real New Year. You know, when you get back on a more regular schedule, stop drinking (as many) margaritas, and think more serious thoughts, like am I freaking crazy trying to sell hooked rugs in this day and age? I mean, most people that show up at my booth don’t even know what the hell they’re looking at. Is that weaving? (We are in New Mexico.) Hey, I did that in the 70s… And rugs aren’t usually the cheapest item up for sale at the fair or market or wherever they’re being sold.

My summer sale season started out very well. Sold a big rug right out of the gate. First weekend at the Rail Yards was good too. Then there were a few weeks of…nothing. Didn’t happen that way last year. Fortunately, it’s picked up lately, and finally going the Instagram way has helped too. One of my rugs will soon be winging its way north to Washington all because someone saw a pic and looked up my website. Woohoo! Actually, I like Instagram. Lots of pretty pictures and little typing.

Sold rug! — “New Mexican Sun” (8″x8″; wool, alpaca, recycled clothing, ribbon, sari) will soon be on its way to Washington state.

So, why do we do it? Why do some of us try to sell our hooked rugs? In my case, the rugs were building up. They cost money to make, so I thought why not try to recoup some costs. To actually make money would be gravy. Of course, if one takes into account the TIME it takes to make a rug, I’m actually paying to make the damn things. But that’s okay. That’s the point, in fact. Whether I sell them or not, I’ll make them because hooking is a passion. And I really like making all kinds of rugs – even mug rugs – especially when I can switch it up all the time. One week it’ll be mug rugs, the next some larger, arsty-fartsy thing. It’s about the creativity.

Okay, and rug hooking lets me watch my television shows without falling asleep in my chair.

The reality is that I like hanging at art shows and markets. If I wasn’t a vendor, I’d be there buying things. At least manning the booth keeps my Visa bill down. Even better, I get to chat up all kinds of folks and spread the gospel of fiber arts. Sure, if I’m having a tough day and folks just aren’t stopping by, there’s a snarky inner monologue that starts going through my brain, but at least I have a purpose. And, hey, I feel just like all the other artists there.

And to that effect, for anyone who’s going to be in the Albuquerque general area (you know, within a couple hundred miles), besides my final two Sundays at the Rail Yards (September 24 and October 15), I’ve been accepted into three other fall shows.

Saturday, September 23 – Mama’s Minerals 12th Annual Arts and Crafts Show
Did this one last year with friend and guildmate Cathy Kelly. Glad they moved it to the fall (from August). Lots of vendors and a big crowd are guaranteed. Albuquerque.
Sunday, October 1 – OffCenter Folk Art Festival
Have shopped this one and really enjoyed it. Especially the giant puppet parade! (You’ll have to come see it yourself.) Robinson Park in Albuquerque.
Friday, November 16 – Sunday, November 18 – Fall Fiber Fiesta, 2017
This is the one that I’m really quite proud to have been juried into. Sure, I’ve taught a class at EVFAC, which organizes the show, but you never know what with all the fab fiber artists who live in the area. It’s a big show, and it takes place in Santa Fe at the Scottish Rite Temple. Friday evening is a meet and greet with the artists; the show-proper runs Saturday and Sunday. Not sure how I’ll handle the commute yet, but that’s a question for another day.

Tynan presents “What’s on the frame” today. I can’t help but feel the season – even when it’s 90+ degrees in the desert. The leaves are already turning in the Bosque! Anyway, this is a double mug rug. The mugs have tree forms on them. That’s all. Why not a landscape rug hooked with all kinds of fibers? The trees are Ultrasuede!

Tell us, if you’re a hooked rug vendor (the rugs, not the raw materials), why do you pop a tent and try to sell your wares?

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Cathy in our booth - selling rugs and spreading the gospel of hooking. It was a warm day, thank goodness for the tent! — Cathy in our booth – selling rugs and spreading the gospel of hooking. It was a warm day, thank goodness for the tent!

My friend and fellow rug hooker Cathy Kelly and I vended at the Mama’s Minerals show in Albuquerque this past weekend. Fabulous show and I’m happy to report good news: I sold a rug and, because of that, at this very moment am waiting for the Lowes truck to arrive with my new freezer. It’s a happy day, and the sale made for a tangible success.

Isn't this a gorgeous rug? Kathy hooked it. It's for sale; give a yell if you're interested. — Isn’t this a gorgeous rug? Kathy hooked it. It’s for sale; give a yell if you’re interested.

Being a VERY small business, when I sell a rug, the money’s usually deposited into our joint account. Cash gets plowed right back into materials to make more mats. Not this time!

When we moved into this house last year, we inherited the fridge as it was in great condition. It’s a Samsung with the French doors and freezer on the bottom. I was excited. In moving, we unloaded our 23-year-old side-by-side, the appliance that refused to die (unlike all the other kitchen machines). We also gave up our old freezer in the cellar. A shame given Tom’s penchant for finding meat sales and my own for over-baking and making enough pesto each summer to freeze for winter’s basil-free months. I miss it, hence, I’ve been nagging for a new freezer here. But life, as it’s wont to do, has been dishing out unexpected expenses (AC repairs, the kid’s wisdom teeth, my own need for a crown…), so the freezer had been moved to the back burner. Meanwhile the fridge freezer’s stuffed to the gills and I can’t make cookies to freeze before our company starts arriving in September because there’s NO ROOM IN THE INN!

"Domestic Geometry," 31x23, $185, recycled bedsheets — “Domestic Geometry,” the bed-sheet rug that became a freezer.

Last week as I was getting ready for Mama’s Minerals, I mentioned to Tom that I intended to sell a larger rug in order to purchase a freezer. (It would’ve been easier if Lowes or Home Depot would take a rug in trade, but I guess the larger economy can’t work on fiber that way. Pity.) He laughed and said, “Sure, you go for that, girl.” It took a few hours Saturday, but one woman came in, checking out our stuff and chatting. Cathy and I both know her; she’s a member of the Albuquerque Fiber Arts Council. Later she circled back in and announced that the rug would match her bathroom perfectly. Woohoo!

Yesterday Tom and I headed to the store and picked out a chest freezer – perfect for ribs and steak and chops and cookies and pesto! It’ll be here this afternoon. Just in the nick of time too; my parents arrive in a week. It’s time to start baking. Maybe put some muffins away for when more relatives show at the end of the month.

No blog next week given the company, but I’m busy working on more and more rugs. There are three more Sundays at the Rail Yards Market and then their Christmas show in December. Kathy and I are looking at more opportunities. Our rugs made a nice mix in the booth: her traditional, woolen mats and my not-so-traditional t-shirt and bed-sheet ones. More about that later, after I show my parents around this beautiful new state of ours.

How are you spending this last week of summer?

The freezer that fiber bought! — It’s here – the freezer that fiber bought!

HIGH ON HOOKING

Tag: Mama’s Minerals

Why do we sell?

Sold a rug, bought an freezer!