One World One Heart Giveaway

I wish I had known about this a little sooner, but there is still one week left for you to participate. The One World, One Heart event is about bringing all artist bloggers closer together and sharing. My giveaway is open to everyone – please visit the bloggers who are participating and enter their giveaways, too. Follow the OWOH link and scroll all the way down to see all the bloggers who are participating – it’s well over 1000, and be sure to bookmark some favorites so you can visit them often – even after the event ends.

To enter my giveaway for OWOH, just leave a comment under THIS post by the 15th of Feb. Be sure to include your email address as a way for me to contact you if you are the winner! At midnight EST of the 15th, I will announce the randomly selected winner.

To enter the giveaways of the other artist bloggers, click on the One World, One Heart logo below to go to the main blog site and choose from among the complete list of participating blogs. Contest is open until the 15th, but be sure to read each artist’s comments on what time they will close to entries.

So, what if you are chosen the winner of my giveaway? You will win this hand-painted vintage globe, adorned with flying snow angels, stars, and snowflakes flying across the sky of the world! The vintage globe has become a fabulous winter decoration (even if you don’t live in a snowy place, you can have snow!) Pained by my hand, the snow angels have a pearlescent sparkle to them and the base is painted in silvery sparkle and embellished with golden stars. When given a push, this band of angels flies around the globe to being peach, harmony, and snow to the world! I hope you win! Good luck.

Man, it’s cold!

It is frigid here on the north coast today – a little snow overnight, but just plain cold with wind chills below zero! Great day to bundle up and get some hooking done! I have a set of chair pads to work on for a customer – all different cats. Even blue ones – such fun! I finished hooking this one last night, so I am ready to get to work on the next. Finishing is what will get put off til the end — not my favorite part of hooking.

Blue Cat Chair Pad

I was delighted today to discover that my new heart mat was featured on American Holiday Artists blog. What a great group of artists creating really fun stuff! Take a look – the blog is updated twice a week with new creations from the AHA membership. all the artist’s blog links are listed along the left side – lots of eye candy to go around!

If you have not heard of BigCrumbs.com, check it out. You can rack up savings and cash back like crazy. The idea is that you join, and before you shop at your favorite online retailers, log into BigCrumbs.com and then click over to your shopping site. You then get the cash back savings put into your BigCrumbs account. Etsy sellers – you can offer deals for your shop and also save by referring others. It’s a win-win, for sure! Check it out! If you sign up, please click over from this link so I get the referral credit, or when you join, put folk’n'fiber in the referrer box. Thanks!

Well, that’s it for me today — I am off to make some hot coffee and cuddle up with a lapful of wool. Stay warm, my friends!

I’m Baaaccckkk

Okay, so much for being a better blogger. Life sure gets in my way! Early November brought me a ruptured appendix and emergency surgery. I am fully recovered now. then the holidays came and went with a flurry. Those I’ve also recovered from, thank you. So now here it is a new year and almost a month of it already gone. My last blog post was sometime in October . . . seems like yesterday! Okay, I am rationalizing a bit, but I am here to give you some snippets of news.

I have been invited to join the AHA artists (American Holiday Artists) group. I am excited about that and looking forward to producing some fun holiday-themed work for the group’s blog. If you love holiday art, be sure to check out the AHA Blog – it is updated twice a week with new holiday themed art that is for sale either in the artist’s Etsy shops, on Ebay, or at the artist’s web site.

Rug hooking classes that I began teaching in the Fall were postponed due to my surgery and then the holidays, and are now going again. We are having fun and learning from one another. Some workshops are also in the planning, so life is back in full swing.

I’ve also added two new beginner’s rug h0oking kits to my web site – same pattern but two options for tools and supplies to get a new rug hooker started. If you have been thinking about learning rug hooking, maybe now is a good time to check it out! Oh, and please stop over and become a fan of Folk ‘n’ Fiber on Facebook! I am Twittering as well. There sure is a lot more to life than just email these days, right? Well, that’s it for me today — I will be back with some photos as soon as I get some projects completed. Stay warm, y’all.

Check Out my Latest Hook-a-Month Project!

I found the perfect two antique rugs, so I combined their elements to create this Fall’s Hook-a-Month project. It measures 20 x 29 inches and will be sent in four separate shipments, once a month from Nov until Feb. That will give you plenty of time to hook each section, and by Feb., have a wonderful, old-looking rug completed.

Deer and Urn

The colors are so rich, yet have the softness of an old rug. The naive shapes and sections in the border add to the age and primitive aspect of this design. This kit will contain  a lot of textured wools, as well as a great antique black mix for the inner background and a rich, mottled red for the deer. I can’t wait to get started myself!

Click on the photo to go to my web site and get all the details about the project. There are several kit and payment options to choose from, and as usual, there will be a limited number of kits available, so reserve yours now. Shipping will begin on November 10th!

I really love these Hook-a-Month projects . . . and I hope they appeal to many of you, too!

What? You Haven’t Shopped Etsy?

I find myself telling so many people about Etsy.com — I am surprised that there are still so many who have never been to the marketplace! I assume most of my blog readers do know about Etsy, but if you don’t or you haven’t shopped there in a while, this is a good time for a visit!

Etsy.com is the best hand-made marketplace online. If you love to buy handmade, you create handmade goods, or you just like a lot of great inspiration, get over there! Etsy is affordable, do-able, and so much fun to browse around. You can find handmade goods, supplies, and even vintage items. If you can imagine it, you can find it on Etsy! Just go sign up – it’s free to register. Then browse for hours!

Most sellers add ‘tags’ to their items so when you search for things you like (even by color!) you will get great returns to your search. Now is the time to help the artists — you will be buying holiday gifts anyway . . . why not make it a handmade holiday this year and find extra-special, one-of-a-kind items for gift giving. Your recipients will be thrilled and you will be helping independent artists have a nicer holiday for their families, too. There are a lot of us out here who are trying hard to make our living solely on the things we can create and sell. When the economy is down, our sales are way down. Christmas could be looking pretty bleak for many of us.

If you are a seller looking for an affordable place to set up a shop online, look no further! Etsy shops are easy to set up and easy on the bottom line, too. Be sure to use your social networking skills to promote your listings and your shop – Twitter and Facebook are great ways to promote your Etsy items.

Here are a few of my favorite Etsy sellers. These gals are excellent at what they do, and fit into my buying niches of rug hooking, great jewelry, and wonderful creations! Be sure to ‘Heart’ the shops you like at Etsy – it makes it easy to find the seller again and helps others see who likes what.

Folk ‘n’ Fiber (shameless self-promotion – grin, wink)

The Old Loft, rug hooking studio

Prairie Antiques

Simple Joys Paperie

Timothy Adam Designs

Not Forgotten Farm

Susan Sheehan Beads

Beth Singleton Lampwork Beads

Primitives for Sale

Woolenmore

SeaCraft (overdyed wool)

Primitive Spirit Rugs

TruLuxe

this is one of TruLuxe’s items, which I absolutely adore! Oh, I could go on and on naming shops, but you will find lots of your own, I promise!

Fall Hooking

There’s nothing better in my world than a crisp, sunny fall day. Yeah, well, we have yet to see one those days here in northern Ohio. Mid-October, and we have seen record setting low temps all month – rain, wind, and cold. I am really longing for Indian Summer – remember those days? We used to have some every Fall . . . the cool nights would give way to sunshine and above average temperatures as the day progressed. We would get out and rake leaves, put the gardens to bed for the winter, and enjoy cleaning up the yard for Fall. I NEED that!! Bundle up and get it done, you say? I would but it’s rather hard to rake leaves in the pouring, driving rain! OK – that’s off my chest. And there is good news to share . . .

Fall rug hooking classes began two weeks ago, and the new students are very enthusiastic and doing quite well already. I think they are enjoying their night out once a week and everyone is getting along famously. We accomplished quite a lot already and this Tuesday I will be teaching them how to dye wool without commercial dyes. That is always a fun class and I love to see their interest pique as we move along. The best part is when I pull the lovely new woolies out of the dryer and give them each a piece to add to their new stash. I will try to remember to take pics this coming week and share with you.

If you have not entered the Halloween mat giveaway yet, time is running out. The winner’s name will be chosen randomly on the evening of October 18th – the night of the new moon (after dark, of course.) You can enter every day to get as many chances of winning as possible. The mat is one that I hooked and was designed by Sharon West. Here he is . . .

I was excited to get my Fall (Oct)  issue of The Wool Street Journal . . . Bonnie published an article that I wrote and also put photos of some of my rugs on the inside front cover, in color! I am very grateful to her for all of that.  It’s such a great magazine, filled with fun and light for rug hookers – everyone looks forward to each new issue. Thanks, Bonnie!

If you are not a subscriber, check it out — you will love this mag!

I must get going and start painting . . . a lovely antiques dealer from Indiana called and ordered 40 bars of my hand-painted Christmas soap! I am thankful for the order, but I will be painting soap for quite some time. I am not quite in the mood for Christmas yet – I think I will wait until Halloween passes before I break out the tinsel – how about you?

Thanks for dropping in today – send me some warm weather, will ya?

Chilly Ohio

I just looked out at my thermometer – 40 degrees?? It’s the first week of October! I want my nice Fall weather here on the north coast. This is way past crisp Ohio October. I hate to start the day whining, but come on . . . one thing this weather is good for . . . rug hooking, of course. You really don’t mind a lap filled with wool when the weather is chilly. So, I have started a new rug and it’s been my relaxation in the evenings as I watch my fav TV shows or listen to music.

Tomorrow I begin my Fall classes here at the new-old house. I have combined new students with a small gathering of past students and friends to hook together. I think it will be the perfect mix – we will inspire, teach, and have a lot of fun with one another. It’s so great to see new rug hookers come to life, and to see everyone making new friendships that have a common thread. I am really looking forward to classes again. It’s been over a year since I’ve taught a class due to the move and all that went along with it. It’s gonna be good!

Yesterday was sunny, so I took advantage of the non-rainy day to get some of the perennials in the yard cut back. There are so many – all the correopsis, some of the peonies, all of the black-eyed Susans, and the annuals in the flower boxes on the porch got cut back or pulled out. The porch is all decorated for Halloween, too! So, I guess I am ready for Fall — it just needs to get here – Indian Summer – I want it NOW!

what about an e-zine?

Business has been quite slow this year, and I have spent time each day brainstorming (within my brain) about how to improve my business while providing something that people really want. I am not afraid of hard work and I really love to help people. A non-profit is out of the questions (although I do volunteer for one.) Profit is what I am attempting to improve – it is always nice when you can pay your bills on time, right? I need to work to my strengths so that whatever the product or service is, it is of quality and useful. Do I have your brains thinking now, too? Good! Because I really am interested in your opinion of my idea.

What about an e-zine? Do you enjoy reading magazines? Do you still subscribe to magazines delivered my mail? Subscription costs have really gone up over the last few years – I only have two for which I still re-new my subscriptions. So here is the question: would you subscribe to an e-zine? It is delivered electronically via en emailed link. You click the link and you can either download and print the e-zine, or just read it online. It would be totally different from my e-newsletter, which is an opt-in, free newsletter that I publish on my web site. For a great example of what I envision, check this one out:  EXAMPLE

Well, I am sure you want to know what the e-zine would be about, right? How about if YOU tell me! If you are reading this, chances are you are interested in rug hooking, indie crafts, folk art, antiques, and related ideas. You probably enjoy your home – cooking, gardening, and creating things. Those are the obvious categories that could be covered. Are there any others that would interest you? I would invite guest writers, search the web for interesting and relevant web sites, and offer up a big helping of inspiration in each volume. It would be available by subscription and open to advertisers with relevant products. Good idea? Not so much? What do you think? How about a poll of just thumbs up or down to start?

Please leave me comments or email me with your opinions and ideas (sally@amherst-antiques-folkart.com) – I have some checking and research to do if I am going to go forward with this, but without your input and interest, it is still just an idea.

Nothing Better than Old Friends!

I recently helped plan our 40th high school reunion. The planning with old classmates was such fun, and the reunion itself was simply wonderful. I went to a high school in a small township in Ohio where 7th-12th grades were in the same school building. It was a very tight-knit community (and still is.) Going through school, you got to know everyone as well as their siblings, cousins, etc. The reunion was celebrating our 40th, but we also invited the class ahead of ours and two classes after ours to ensure we had enough attendees to make a nice party.

also the 40th anniversary of Woodstock, so the hippies were on hand to help in the picture taking

Our classes each graduated no more than 100 students, so when we had over 170 attendees from the four classes, we were very pleased. We even had several faculty members attend – that was a wonderful and surprising addition. The stories told that evening could fill a book (old people love to reminisce.)

The evening was one that everyone will remember. The very best aspect of the reunion was the chance to see many old friends and catch up with where their lives had taken them – I had not seen many of these classmates since 1969. It’s a goods thing our name tags held our graduation photos! Eliminated that awkward moment when you cannot for the life of you recognize who is standing in right in front of you! As the night was ending, we were asking folks if they would like us to plan another reunion in 10 years. The answer? “NO! Make it 5 years. ” I guess we did something right in getting everyone together in one place, but ultimately, it is the friendships that brought them together and created the desire to do it again soon. That and the fact that as we get older, our lives, our health, and our economic means are less secure — who knows if we will all be here in 10 years or be able to attend. Several classmates traveled from Texas, California, Georgia and Florida to join in the fun!

So, 5 years from now, I’ll let you know how the ‘older’ folks did it again! Keep your friends as close as you can as the years go by — there is nothing like dear, old friends to help keep you ‘young.’

they all kept telling me to stop talking while taking photos – I guess I should have! It’s hard!

can you believe it?

I am actually here updating my blog! You all thought I was a bad blogger before . . . I can’t believe it’s been this long since I had anything to post. Well, it’s not so much that I haven’t had anything to post, but that I haven’t posted it. Between Etsy, 1000 Markets, my e-newsletter, my web site, and well, life, I guess this one keeps falling to the wayside. So here I am to try to take another stab at being a blogger.

Online business has been quite slow since the recession began. While that makes it difficult to pay the bills, the challenge of keeping up with two homes is even more difficult. My son is living in my former home while I try to work on it to get ready to sell (before I lose it), and I have plenty to do here in my childhood home to keep it up.  Life has been a bit of a challenge since my mom passed away – I cannot believe it is almost a year since she died. Timing of paying to keep up with two houses wasn’t the best, but that is what life has given me. Eventually, it will be better.

So, on to rug hooking — what have you all been keeping busy with? Creating designs for Create and Decorate continues to keep me busy and hooking. The gals who have hooked my last two Hook-a-Month projects have kept me busy and I am hearing all good things about those rugs. It is so nice to hear that the rug hookers like the designs I selected and are enjoying the making of their rugs. I know finances are difficult for many right now, and  rug hooking might not be a priority; however, I would encourage you to continue to hook and create – it is part of who you are and what you do to fulfill the creative side of you. It will help lift your spirits, and provide some at-home entertainment and satisfaction while we muddle through this difficult time.

If you are a hooker who normally purchases kits with wool, instead try recycling wool — it’s a thrifty alternative to purchasing yardage, and provides you with some exclusive wools for your rugs. No one else will have the same wools that you have! Look at your local thrift stores – Salvation Army and Goodwill usually have a decent selection of wool clothing at affordable prices. Select large size skirts and slacks to get the most for your money. If you don’t live where wool clothing is available, watch eBay for 100% wool (the wool mark is a good indication) slacks and skirts in large sizes. If the price is right, you can build your stash that way (but then there is the shipping costs.) My point is, don’t let the poor economy steal your passion for hooking.

So here is my latest creation for Create and Decorate – you’ll find it in the Holiday issue on newsstands Sept. 15th. I created a matching punch needle pin design, too.

So, I will try to blog more often (I know, I’ve said it before) and I hope you will continue to read these posts. I apologize for disappointing you with so little activity! You deserve better!

Til next time . . .