MORE SNOW??!

Well, it doesn't look quite like this where I live - yet - but we do have a LOT of snow on the ground from all the storms thus far. This morning the local weatherman announced that we're expecting another one to two FEET - yes, I said FEET - of the white stuff by the time this next big storm comes to an end sometime Thursday. Not sure there's room to put anymore snow! The small country roads are getting narrower and narrower, as are sidewalks and my shoveled walkways at home. And it's not even February yet! I'm willing to place a hefty wager that old Punxsutawney Phil will definitely be seeing his shadow this year! I used to have that backwards, by the way - it's if he DOESN'T see his shadow that means spring temps are not too far away. Seeing his shadow means six more weeks of winter. I think that's a slam-dunk.

I'll be trying to get as many orders shipped out before Wednesday as possible with this upcoming storm. Hopefully I'll only lose Wednesday at the post office and not Thursday too - it depends on the aftermath clean-up. Here we go again!

Stay safe and warm, everyone!

UPS came early

The UPS man came with an early delivery of Maggie Bonanomi's new Book of Days. Last night I was busy beginning the processing of all those pre-orders - THANK YOU for pre-ordering! They date back to January 14th and a big group is being shipped this afternoon. It will take me through early to mid-next week to get them all out the door. Thank you as always for your patience as I'm sure you're all aware that I'm a one-woman show here at Simple Folk! ;-) Plus, as things usually work out for me in my life, I've got a hook-in to vend tomorrow so will lose a day at the post office.

Also, every book in my first shipment of three dozen is spoken for in pre-orders so I've already placed an order for a second shipment, which shouldn't take long to receive.

So, now that the books are available the pre-order free shipping has ended. Orders placed for this book beginning today, Friday the 28th, will incur normal shipping charges.

Thanks again for the pre-orders and I hope you enjoy Maggie's new book! Now that I've seen it and the supply list I'll be working to acquire some of the things you'll need to build your own book so watch for news about that.

Happy Friday!

Hitting the Road

I'm packing up and getting ready to vend the first hook-in of the year, the 27th Eliot Hook-in this Saturday, Jan. 29th at the Regatta Banquet and Conference Center at Eliot Commons, Rt. 236/Dow Highway, Eliot, Maine. Donation - $5.00; breakfast pastries and luncheon available, and of course vendors and a day of rug hooking fellowship. Come and bring a project to work on and a rug to display.

I just got notification that my shipment of Maggie Bonanomi's newest book, Book of Days is on the UPS truck and on the way! If they are on schedule I *might* have them at the end of the week or at least early next week. Woo Hoo! Have you pre-ordered? There's still time to avoid shipping charges, just place an order now and you won't pay for shipping.

The next events where I'll be vending are in April, the Spring Fever hook-in, Apr. 16th in Brunswick, Maine and the Camp Wool hook-in weekend, Apr. 30 & May 1. Contact me for more information on either.

See you on the road!

A Book of Your Own

Another new book from Maggie Bonanomi is on the way, yippee! Book of Days is a book about making your very own, homemade book - a journal, a diary, scrapbook, whatever you can imagine. Here's what Maggie says in the book's introduction about this wonderful, primitive project:

This book, designed to be a Book of Days, is very basic and primitive. It has 25 pages - four per month - with a front page and a back page. The covers are wool-covered cardboard with some appliqué added.

The Book of Days is designed with a non specific year, which can make it a great place to keep a record of important occasions, birthdays and anniversaries. You can use it as you wish – as a journal, a baby book, a memory book to send off with an adult child leaving for college or moving away. Adapt it for your own life or special occasion. You might want it to be a book about quilt projects or rug hooking with photos from guild meetings or rug camps.

I am offering a pre-order option for this book, priced at $14.95. As in the past, I will give free shipping for pre-orders. If pre-paid via PayPal I will refund shipping charges to your PayPal account. I need to check on the book's availability, but I believe it will be shipped towards the end of January. If this is not accurate I'll post a correction.

Can't wait for this one!

I Wanna Go!

If you're a rug hooker, you are almost certainly aware of ATHA - the Association of Traditional Hooking Artists, an international organization devoted to promoting the art of rug hooking by sharing ideas, information and through educational activities. And, if you are aware of ATHA, you are almost certainly aware that they are having their Biennial this year, October 19-22 to be exact. This is a 4-day rug hookers retreat with numerous workshops, vendors from all over the country and a wealth of instruction and fellowship with other rug hookers. Recently I received my December/January ATHA newsletter, with biennial workshop information and registration, and I really, REALLY wanna go!

Imagine taking a workshop with some of the best rug hooking teachers in the country, like Barbara Carroll, Jane Halliwell Green, Kris Miller, Gail Dufresne or Maria Barton, just to name a few. Registrations will begin to be accepted postmarked on January 31, and I need to convince my husband that this is a great way to spend some of our annual vacation time! I'm already trying to decide what workshops to take, so that if, or hopefully when, he agrees I can jump right on it!

Are any of you planning on attending ATHA's Biennial? If so, what workshops are you looking forward to taking?

A Year of Inspiration

I'm always happy when I receive packages from my friend Lori Brechlin, but her new 2011 calendar that arrived today really made me smile! If you haven't found just the "right" calendar for your studio or office cubicle, this might be the one. Twelve of Lori's charming folk art drawings, in full color, from years past - a year's worth of inspiration! Many of these designs have been rendered as hooked rug patterns produced by Kris Miller of Spruce Ridge Studios. The calendar is spiral-bound and has a hang-hole, ready for hanging. A limited quantity are available.



Colonial Homestead Pinkeep Drum is one of three new patterns from Stacy Nash Primitives. Also new is Stacy's latest pattern booklet, Home for Christmas (yeah, I'm a little late getting this one!) with five cross-stitch designs, all with a holiday theme.

I'm feeling more energized now that the holidays are over. That whole "new year" thing I think. Starting to plan and dream about new things to come. Isn't January great? We get a new beginning every twelve months!

Have you made any New Year's resolutions? One big one for me is to carve out more "me", creative time and actually make more things. I've already started - I'm making a great big wool tote bag from an old army blanket pieced with some cool striped wool - browns and blues, love that combination (see blog background!) Oh yeah, and the default resolution to lose weight! Let's see how long that one makes it this year!

Be back soon...