Tag: Old Pueblo Rug Hookers

February 5, 2019

I am a traveling dog…

Tynan the traveling dog in Hatch, NM — Can’t we ever just walk by weird things? Of course, not. (I remind you of the **Uranus Fudge Factory** she made us stop at in Missouri.) Notice she’s holding my head so that I’ll look at the camera. Anyway, this is Hatch,across the street from the famous Sparky’s Restaurant with its aromatic smoke.

Tynan the traveling dog back for a third week! Woof! Unfortunately, the idiots have no plans for us to go anywhere anytime soon. Bummer. But, as promised, I thought I’d catch you up on our Arizona trip, show you how I added a state to my repertoire, as it were.

If you’re not all caught up, check last week’s post, a quick summary of the trip, then sit back in your armchair while I drive for a change.

We left Albuquerque on Thursday, January 2, by about 10:00. The time was more tailored to ensure lunch at Sparky’s in Hatch, the chile capitol of the world. He’d never eaten there. Me, I got to sit in the car while the smoke coming from all those burgers and pork wafted in through the cracked car windows strangling me with its perfect aroma. It was not an auspicious start for the trip. In retaliation, when they ~~waddled~~ walked me around later, I peed on Sparky’s. Not my finest moment, I admit, but peeing on my people really wouldn’t have worked. Then they made pose for pictures in front of the kitschy stuff near the restaurant. Whatever.

At last we were off again. It’s a long ride to Tucson, and I snoozed through most of it. Finally, we arrived at our destination, the Best Western-Tucson Foothills. Apparently, she and my lady friends from the Adobe Wool Arts Guild (AWAG) prefer this place when they make their annual pilgrimage to the Old Pueblo Rug Hookers Hook-In. (Hook-in, yes they really call it that.) There is a reason for their fealty to this particular hotel: free booze! Yep, the place provides a gratis happy hour (more like three hours), and you know they aren’t passing by that. Wouldn’t you know it, we arrived during sed happy hour. So off to the “cafe” we go thinking the idiots will pick up a glass of quaffable, free wine and sit outside or, more realistically as the sun was already going down, head back to the room to drink then argue over who would go back to get the next round.

Tynan the traveling dog on the hotel bed. — Best Western-Tucson Foothills: Four paws up for the comfy bed. Pity the master kicked me off every single night once his **World of Warcraft** character bit the big one (over and over).

But then the beautiful bartendress sees me, and she says these magical words: “Oh, he’s so cute, Of course, he can stay.” She caresses my chin and whispers, “Would you like to go home with me? I can give you your own downy hotel bed, barbecue on demand…” Sorry, I digress there, maybe fantasize a bit. The point is I was invited in to happy hour all weekend. Nice touch, Best Western-Tucson Foothills. Oh, especially, that popcorn machine. Loved the popcorn machine!

Drinks drunk, we head back to the room so the idiots can rest. (Wow, tough day: eating, driving, and drinking.) Anyway, he takes over the desk with his laptop; she and I claim the bed. This traveling dog is really starting to love human hotel beds. They’re lower than the one back home, and they’re BIG! She doesn’t care if I take 2/3s of it. Very comfy.

Saguaro cacti in the Coronado National Forest. — On the way up to Mount Lemmon in the **Coronado National Forest**. Check out all the crazy **saguaro cacti**! Have you ever seen so many in one place? They even constitute a cactus forest!

Next day, we’re off to Mount Lemmon, Tucson’s tallest mountain. Back maybe 16 summers ago, they were vacationing in Tucson, checking it out for possible future residence. They tried to drive up but were turned back by officials. The mountain was on fire. Not this time! Of course, we had to drive in stops and starts since she had to take all her freaking pictures. Fortunately, there was some pretty spectacular scenery. And I got to get out of the car!

Rock formations on Mount Lemmon. — The topography changed on our way up to Mount Lemmon. The cacti gave way to juniper bushes and then pines. There were interesting rock formations on the way up. You could climb on them!

Cool tree on Mount Lemmon. — She captured this old tree for her friend Karen Miller of **Karen D. Miller Studio** in Ontario. I know why I’m fascinated with trees, but them????

View from Mount Lemmon of Tucson. — This is the view looking over Tucson from near the tree. Quite…expansive.

Mount Lemmon Ski Area. — This is what a **skiing area** looks like in…Tucson. We saw three people ski across that hill. Three. Can you say “ice”? Unfortunately, the rest of the road to the top was blocked here with snow. No telescopes for us. But we got pretty close.

Man in front of restuarant. — The master after a fine lunch at the **Iron Door Restaurant** across the street from Mount Lemmon Ski Valley. Notice that I am not in the photograph. Perhaps someone should alert the authorities regarding how often they leave me in a vehicle while they stuff their faces.

Tynan the traveling dog on snow hike. — After lunch on the mountain, the pudgy ones decided to work some of it off with a hike. I’m always good with that. And unlike them, I miss snow, so this was a fine activity.

That night, my AWAG ladies finally showed up at the hotel. At happy hour, of course. Mary R. brought me gifts, and…the popcorn machine was working! Nan watched me while the idiots went for food. She let me on her bed. I love Nan. Plus, she brings toys for me when she comes to our house.

Saturday morning, we drop the mistress off at the La Paloma Country Club for the hook-in. Looked like a swanky place for something with such a stupid name. He tells her not to spend so much at the silent auction this year. Right. (Later she called not breaking $100 a win. He did not.)

Back to that day, he decides to take us to some park; he’s already forgotten the name. (At least she wouldn’t have done that.) We get out of the car. Something is not right. He wonders why I don’t want to do the usual who-peed-here sniffs, but something smells really bad at this park. “Come on, ” he tells me not particularly patiently. He calls me squirrely, mocks me with that word. But I’m trying to tell him, I think there are f-ing rattlesnakes here! They paid for me to have that hateful training, but it did work. I smell their dirty asses (not that I’m exactly sure where a snake keeps its ass). Finally, he’s fed up with me; we turn around. There is a god! We head back to my favorite Best Western. Frankly, I think he just wanted to get back to his stupid laptop and World of Warcraft. Whatever, I got the bed to myself.

That night we do happy hour with the girls again. Folks fawn over me especially when they hear what he did to me. I appreciate that. Sunday morning we’re off for home. She gets an idea that she wants to take a different route, not the one we came on. He’s skeptical, but of course, she wins. We turn the car to the north. At first it’s nice, sleep-inducing. We stop at McDonald’s for their “quality” brunch, then get into some more remote country. I’ll let the pictures (she took soooo many) tell the story.

El Capitan Pass in Arizona. — Excuse me for waxing poetic, but you have to drive around this great country of ours to really appreciate how big and beautiful it is. This is **El Capitan Pass** in Arizona. Things were getting pretty desolate out here, and no, there was absolutely no cell service to call AAA. (We were in another rental; he didn’t dare risk driving his ancient Honda Accord on this trip. She wouldn’t have let him forget it if the damn thing broke down.)

Snake River Canyon in Arizona. — Okay, this killed about an hour, but she insisted it was worth taking all the photos then hanging at the visitor center. While they’ve been to and even hiked down the Grand Canyon farther north and west, they didn’t know crap about the **Salt River Canyon**. It and the many switch-backs it took to get down to the river were admittedly impressive.

Snake River in Arizona. — A view of the Snake River down at the Visitor Center.

Traveling dog at Snake River in Arizona. — A view of us practically under the old and the new bridges where Route 60 crosses the Snake River. How many of pictures can one person take of the same thing?

And yet another one of the Canyon after we’d crossed the bridge and started to climb out of the Salt River Canyon.

Cliffs in New Mexico. — Finally! We get to something in New Mexico! And it was suitably impressive. These cliffs and rock formations were in the **El Malpais National Monument**. (They didn’t know anything about that either.) Driving through there was even more desolate than going through Arizona. Again, thank God for the rental car!

Malpais arch. — Incredible as **La Ventana Arch** is, she didn’t spend a ton of time outside, though she still took way too many shots. It was cold and windy; she was dressed for Tucson. Ha! It’s always good to wear just one outfit your entire life. Me, I’m ready for anything in my naturally red and white fur coat.

At least we made it home before dark, and now I’m coming to terms with my lack of hotel beds and popcorn machines.

Hooked rug. — She’s still not letting me sit on her current rug, the “**Big Boucherouite**,” and get a treat for sharing it with you, but she’s got this tiny photo for you. Looks like all the others if you ask me

I hope she’ll let me come back again sooner than later. I enjoy sharing my travels with you. And you make good witnesses as to how the idiots treat me.

Later,

Tynan the traveling dog

January 29, 2019

Tucson was terrific!

Dog on hotel bed in Tucson. — Author Tynan here. You know, I’ll be 11 this year, and I’ve only recently been allowed the pleasure of hotel beds. This one belongs to my friend Nan. She took the photo while I was spending a little time with her Friday evening. I look gooood. Tucson was terrific!

Tuscon was terrific! The idiots sidelined me less than usual; even better, I was allowed into happy hour at the hotel! And they had a popcorn machine! One of my ladies Mary R. brought doggie bagels for me too. And Nan babysat me for a while Friday night while the idiots went for some food. (They did NOT bring any back for me. 🙁 )

Because the mistress is rushed this week getting her rugs ready to take up to the Española Valley Fiber Arts Center (EVFAC to you and me), and typing is difficult for me given my lack of thumbs, this is an abbreviated post. She insists that next week, I’ll be able to tell you all about our Arizona road trip. Okay, and the Old Pueblo Rug Hookers’ hook-in too.But I was allowed to post a couple of photos to whet your whistles.

Dog and woman on Mount Lemmon, Tucson. — Again, just to make you eager for my post next week, here’s one of the mistress and me up on Mount Lemmon in Tucson. What a view. And there was snow!

She’s insisting that I suggest strongly that you make your own road trip up to Española starting Saturday. The scenery’s beautiful up in that part of the state what with the snow on the mountains and all. There’s New Mexican food there at El Paragua. Oh, and don’t forget to see her “window” at EVFAC. Don’t forget too – she’ll be teaching a 4-hour introductory rug hooking class on Saturday, February 16. We hope to see you! (As if they’ll let me in.)

Till next week,

Tynan

January 22, 2019

Off to Tucson we go (by Tynan)

Text by dog, hooked rug going to Tucson. — Okay, she wanted me to put this picture up. It’s of the finally completely finished t-shirt rug she calls “Kleeful (Autumn).” The other thing in the picture is a jar. She’s taking it, the rug, not the jar, with us to Tucson to show off, because isn’t that what they’re all doing there at this hook-in thing? Besides buying even more rug stuff, I mean. Wouldn’t her money be better spent on dog treats?

So, the idiots tell me we’re off to Tucson come Thursday. And NOT because their anniversary is tomorrow and we’re celebrating somewhere warmer than Albuquerque. No, it’s a rug hooking event, something she calls a hook-in. (Stupid name.) Apparently, some folks called the Old Pueblo Rug Hookers hold it. She goes every year leaving him and me at home. Bored.

Not this year; we leave Thursday morning, so we can be there by dinner (I love dinner) that evening. Eight hours in the car each way. And just like that, it’s October once more, and we’re back on the road again… They insist that I will not be left in the car while they do fun things without me, that we’ll go hiking. This remains to be seen.

Personally, I think that she wants me along so that he’s distracted after she buys all the crap she usually ~~wins~~ buys at the hook-in’s silent auction. (That and Darlene’s in Florida and isn’t available to dog-sit.) Two out of three years she’s come home with yet another frame! I tell you this, no frame is taking up my seat in the car. If it doesn’t fit, she’ll just have to get one of hooker friends to take it home in their car.

Dog on hooked rug. — So, here I am, her little prop doggie. I think I deserve a better title. Marketing Manager? Top Dog? She told me to tell you that this is the only little section of the “Big Boucherouite” you’re seeing this week. At least you’re seeing more color. Not that the color-blind Marketing Manager is though.

Never fear, I will be recording everything on this Tucson trip and will report back to you. Follow me on my High on Hooking’s Instagram/Facebook feeds in the meantime. You’ll see what I have to put up with.

Tynan

January 31, 2018

Rug porn from Tucson

In front of Sparky's oon the way to the hook-in in Tucson. — This fine metallic gentleman greeted us at the door when we stopped to lunch at **Sparky’s** in **Hatch**, New Mexico. You know, the chile capital of the world. It’s an **AWAG** tradition to stop there for lunch on our way to Tucson. (Even if you’re on a stupid elimination diet…)

Like every good blogger who goes to a hook-in, I have returned home from last weekend’s Tucson Hook-In to share the event’s rug porn. Okay, I’m a little slower getting to it than the ladies who were at the Eliot Hook-In in Maine last weekend – a couple had there photos out by Sunday! – but does that matter? No!

I’ve got pics for you. Enjoy!

Flowers growing in January in Tucson. — Okay, NOT rug porn. But I love bougainvillea so much. This big bush was growing outside my hotel room. And blooming in January! That doesn’t even happen in Albuquerque.

Rug porn. — Did I mention our guild’s project, our friendship rugs? Here’s a sneak peek of Nancy Hart’s. It’s done; all she has to do is finish it off. Lucky girl.

Paloma Country Club in Tucson. — This was the view from the terrace where some of us ate lunch. Have to hand it to the **Paloma Country Club** and the **Old Pueblo Rug Hookers (OPRH)**, they certainly know how to feed folks. Always a fabulous salad bar and BIG cookies. (Although, those of us who are gluten-free and also on an elimination diet at exactly the wrong time, might feel a little sad about those cookies…)

This spectacular rug “Mimbres” was hooked by members of OPRH: Kathy Kavoric, Julie Gibson, Adrienne Price, and Diana Foltz.

“All is Well” was hooked by Kathy Kovaric. Cheers the heart, no?

Silent auction rug porn. — I have to stop making a habit of picking up frames at the silent auction. Two years ago it was the **Anderson frame**. This year I admit to somewhat aggressively pursuing this **Puritan frame and stand**. Hey, I have students coming in March. I needed one more frame!

Lastly, I bring you a gorgeous picture of some seriously cool rock formations. I took the pic at a rest area on the way home. See why I love New Mexico? Thanks to Melinda, Cathy, and Mary for a fun weekend!

Thank you to OPRH for once again putting on such a classy and fun hook-in. One that was worth the eight hours of travel each way. See you next year!

Tynan’s back with this week’s “What’s on the frame?” As you can see, the **mystery rug** is coming along. It must be because I’ve started to make some corrections. Still not completely sure how it’ll look when it’s done, but I press on. More next week!

January 17, 2018

Where rug hooking takes me

Rug hooking - pumpkin — A close-up of the first rug that I ever hooked. Note that those are wool strips. Thank you, Franklin, Massachusetts, Adult Education program.

One day you take a community adult education class; rug hooking it’s called. For the life of you, you can’t remember why the hell you did that. In fact, your ex-husband’s mom was a hooker, and you paid absolutely no attention to that. Really. None! All you can remember is that she used a lot of black backgrounds. (Something you despise because all-black is such a pain to work with. 🙂 )

Now and again, maybe fifteen years later, you think about where this rug hooking thing’s taken you, what it’s given you. And it makes you shake your head in wonder.

It’s given me a good bit of self-confidence
As an artist. Especially one who doesn’t really fall into the category of a traditional rug hooker but only because of my use of alternative fibers and other materials. Originally, because I hooked with t-shirts and such, I was afraid to hang with other hookers, join a guild. I got over it. Thanks, Adobe Wool Arts Guild (AWAG) for such a great welcome to Albuquerque’s fiber arts scene two-and-a-half years ago. And especially for your encouragement. It helped when I went out to sell at art and other shows. And it appears that I’ve made a little name for myself. Just yesterday, as I was wandering through Kohl’s, I got a call from some woman up in Santa Fe who found me online and asked if I could repair her punched rugs. Apparently, her dogs regularly do a number on them. Of course, I can!

Relaxing after rug hooking. — AWAG members Mary Schnitzler and Kathy Kelly relax after a day’s hooking at the hook-in hosted by the Old Pueblo Rug Hookers in Tucson. We’ll be there again at the end of January!

Oh, the friendships!
Never mind that most of my friends here in my adopted city of Albuquerque are hookers. Hooking’s introduced me to folks all over the world – thanks, Facebook and now Instagram! Make no mistake, these are friends with benefits. Just take a gander at yesterday’s Loop by Karen Larsen. She’s working on a commission, a rug featuring two dogs and mentions how we learn from one another.

Judy Carter’s book, Hooking Animals [© 2014 Stackpole Books], is bookmarked and often referred to as I go along. Judy mostly hooks with narrow #3 and #4 wool strips, but I am hooking these dogs with wider #7 wool strips. That’s as narrow as I like to go, so I have used Judy’s book as an inspirational jumping-off point.

It has taken me years to realize and accept that I hook the way I hook. Although I have learned and incorporated many helpful hooking tips through the years, I must have confidence in my own abilities. I plan to look to my friend, Nancy Parcels, for inspiration as I do the background.

It does indeed take a village!

I’m doing a little teaching
Because of the feedback I’ve received when I sell my less-than-traditional rugs, I’ve been asked to teach people how to do it themselves. I was even invited to teach a rug hooking class up at New Mexico’s famed Espanola Valley Fiber Arts Center. Woohoo!

Rug hooking exhibit — A view of AWAG’s Fiber Fiesta rug hooking booth this last May.

To be a part of Albuqueque’s larger fiber arts scene
There’s no better way to get to know your new town than to volunteer and join things. And the guild knew a sucker when they saw one. They made me AWAG’s representative to Albuquerque’s Fiber Arts Council. That meant meeting all kinds of fiber artists and working with them to make Fiber Arts Fiesta 2017 happen. I must’ve done a great job, because somehow I also became our rep to the Education Committee which is currently planning our biennial spring show “Earth, Wind, and Fiber”. (Entries are due February 25!)

Susan’s Legacy helps women with co-occurring disorders regain their lives and their families.

Susan’s Legacy
Last week I asked you if you have any purses languishing in your closet, that I need them bad. Clarification: I need brand name-type purses. Frankly, the kind they DON’T sell at Kohl’s. I also mentioned that I’d explain why this week. Turns out that as a guild rep to the Fiber Arts Council, I had to vote on a charity to be promoted at the Fiber Arts Fiesta last May. We chose Susan’s Legacy, a non-profit that serves the needs of women with co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders. Having some family experience with such things, somehow, like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, I clicked my heels, and was suddenly on the Board of Directors. Long story short, we need money to make our programs go. One thing that’s worked in the past has been a silent auction at a women’s networking luncheon. Albuquerque’s Women Make a Difference puts that on – a big WOOHOO for them! We at Susan’s Legacy find the purses, clean them up, and run the auction at the luncheon this Friday, March 9. Registration starts February 19, on Women Make a Difference’s website. If you’re local, maybe we’ll see you??? (Or at least your purse. )

Where is rug hooking taking you?