Well water needed to be hooked, tweaked and partially rehooked before I was happy with it. Then the far shore and now on to the sky. This rug is a combination of primitive and slightly realistic elements and colours so since the water is not “realistic” I felt the sky should also remain in the more whimsical realm. I picked 4 dirty colours! I hope this works because the worms are piling up and I am going to have to do a lot of scrappy rugs (although that would not be toooooo big a dilemma as I have been inspired by Bea Brock’s wonderful new book – Scrappy Rugs – to hook many huge scrappy rugs!). How will I hook the sky – well years ago I used to live south of Montreal on Lac St. Louis in a village called Ville de Lery. It was former cottage country for Montrealers back in the 30’s and 40’s and there are a lot of wonderful huge old former cottages that have now become homes, windy narrow roads along the lake, dry stone walls – perfect earllllly morning walking territory! At that time I still worked and would get up at 3:30, get everything ready in the office to start the day and then take off around 5:30 a.m. to beat the heat and more importantly to beat the garbage man (note I did not say beat up! the garbage man – in fact I am sure he was grateful that all the stuff I schlepped home meant less lifting and tossing for him). One morning as I was walking I saw this amazing bright light – almost as though someone had a huge spotlight shining through the trees. It was HUGE AND BRIGHT and as I turned the corner I realized it was the most beautiful moon I have ever seen – just above the water line – enormous and golden. It lit up the entire sky and surrounding area. So that moon is in my rug but how to hook the sky and still keep a more folk arty feel is hmmmm challenging to say the least. I have it partially hooked and although Gord says he loves it, I am still on the fence!
The last couple of weeks we have been revamping our hydro room/cat bathroom/junk collecting room. A lot of painting in awkward positions trying to wrap myself around well pumps, sump pumps, water softeners etc. have made me realize there are muscles in this body that have not been used in mannnnnnny years. But we are almost done. Yesterday I actually cleaned off my dye containers – I can READ them again! and not just guess from the colours smeared on the outside – and finally filled a wonderful little rack I found in an antique store recently. It seems it was meant for dyes – my prochem dyes fit perfectly into each little opening. 
I even have a table and under cabinet lighting set up in the hydro room for mixing my dyes. ANNNDDD the litter box dilemma was solved for free! Gord didn’t even have to build anything – we found a huge plastic bin with a hinged lid in the back room that was doing nothing, cut a big opening in the end to accommodate even the fattest of our cats!, filled it with litter and yeahhhh everything is hidden! Usually, my sister Di cleans the litter box(es). Di has Downe Syndrome and is a little obsessive compulsive (hmmmm could it be that that runs in the family?). So when she does a job – she does it right and for a LONGGGGG time! Cats line up outside the door with legs crossed and eyes bulging as Di dons rubber gloves, a mask and goggles and starts hacking with every one of Gord’s putty knives and chisels. Litter dust flies everywhere but when she is done there is NOTHING left in that box that does not belong!!! I am not sure that she will love the new arrangement when she comes back but I sure do!!!
A few weeks ago I taught a class on adding texture to your rugs – visual and tactile. It was a really fun group and wow they just took off with the concept. Within a few days some of them were done their pieces and I have a few pictures to share…
Cindy’s crow – a little fuzzy… 
Liz’ Sunflower – I believe most of this was recycled…
Bev’s Seagull – lovvveee that sky!!!!…
Lois’ Pine tree- again a wonderful sky…
Linda’s fanciful colourful crow… 
And, Beth recently sent me this picture of the lovely rug she just finished hooking of a Newfoundlander dog for her sister who LIVES in Newfoundland…
and Chris’ finished Karla Gerard Pumpkin Patch – what a happy rug!…
Hooked On The Lake 