Happy...Happy New Year!

Pineapple Needle Book...The newest of my needle book designs is my January offering over at Early Work Mercantile...hope you'll stop by for a visit with all the talented artists there!

Wishing you a safe and happy eve!
~L

Happy Holidays...

~Laurie
PS...Happy Anniversary Sweetheart...so good to have you home for the holidays!

Just a dusting...

That's what we got overnite...

...such a contrast to last year...when the snow was up to the windowsills.
I can't remember having such a BROWN Christmas here in the north country! ...No wonder I'm behind in my preparations...it doesn't look like Christmas.
Just a few more customer orders to finish up and then I can get busy on baking...wrapping and a bit of decorating. Since moving the studio back home...We've cut back on all the decorating...there isn't much room for it with all the wool.

I'll leave you today with another treasure from the old 1890's autograph album I found awhile back...Rosey's sentiment is perfect for how I feel about not posting here as often as I would like...

Dear Friend,
For weeks may pass,
And years may end,
Yet you will find,
In me a friend...
Your friend, Laurie

December Offerings on Early Work Mercantile

Merrie December Dear Friends...
The studio has been looking more like Santa's workshop...and oh how I could use a few little elves around here!!!
Here is a peek at the Woven Heart Ornaments I just posted over at EWM...

Hope you will hop over to see all the treasures from a great group of artists!
~L

Escape the shopping madness...

The studio is open today and tomorrow from
10 am to 4 pm!
4630 Wentworth Avenue
Minneapolis, Minnesota
and anytime by appointment!
Happy Holidays ~L

Happy Thanksgiving...

Wishing you all many blessings for a safe and happy day!

Friendship & Other Fun Stuff…

Happy Mid-November to you…

The weather here in Minnesota has finally turned cold...We have been spoiled by a Gorgeous Autumn…but today reality has set in…
16 degrees this morning…yet the sunrise was still most beautiful!
Today has been one of those days where little things draw my attention away from all I planned to accomplish…
so be it…
at least there is fresh hot bread ready for dinner…

This is one of the many things I have on my work table…a wool crazy quilt pillow…I’m obsessed with these lately. The center image is my Great Grandmother Anna in her garden…I printed it on fabric…
Now the fun of stitching can begin as soon as I have some time to sit in my favorite chair!

Last week I snuck in a visit to one of my favorite places…Hunt & Gather
Treasures always follow me home…this is an autograph album from 1893.

The penmanship is amazing…the sentiments delightful…here are a couple of my favorites…

“When you twine your wreath of friendship,
Fasten in one bud for me.”

“May your friends be added,
Your enemies subtracted,
Joys be multiplied, and
Sorrows divided.

I'll share more another time…Wishing you a wonderful evening ~L

All Soul's Day...

Merrie November My Friends...
Hope you had a great Halloween...I've been a bit behind...and just got my offerings up on Early Work Mercantile...

...I hope you will stop by and see all the wonderful offerings from a great group of talented artists!

Just a peek...

I want to thank you all for your comments on my previous post...and...your thoughts and prayers for my dear friend and her daughter...We are still looking for Juliette...

if you are in the North...Northwest Minneapolis area...including Crystal, Golden Valley, Robbinsdale or the Kenai Peninsula area in Alaska...or possibly North Carolina...please keep an eye out for her...Many Thanks ~L

Autumn Greetings...

October seems to be flying by…perhaps the unseasonably warm temps we had were deceiving…
But the frosty temps the past few days have finally made me realize that October is nearly gone.
I’ve been in “production mode”…kitting up the final part of Brocade…the 2011 annual rug project…

I’m happy to say that the kits were finally mailed out today…Yeah!!! I have lots of ideas for the 2012 rug project…but nothing final yet…stay tuned!
Hope you all have a lovely weekend ~L

~ * ~ Catching Up ~ * ~

It’s been a beautiful Autumn day with temps well above normal...
and dry...I’ve been moving the sprinkler from garden to garden all day...

The ash tree near the back patio is suddenly a blaze and I could spend hours sitting beneath it...but not today...

With the Autumn Valley hook-in behind me there is much to catch up on...our neighbors gifted us with Fireside apples from their tree...so the apple sauce is simmering on the stove...cinnamon and clove scents the whole house...the canning jars are ready...what a treat this will be on a cold winters day!

I’m working on getting the final part of “Brocade”...the 2011 Rug Project together...I’m hoping to have the kits ready to mail by weeks end. I’ve got lots of ideas for the 2012 rug...nothing final...except maybe the border?!?!

I’ll leave you today with a couple pics of some wonderful sunflowers a friend gave me last week...I love how they look above the potting bench in the back of the house...thanks again Chris Ann!!!

Wishing you all a Good Autumn Eve...~L

If you are in the area...

Sorry I've been away so long...mostly getting ready for the Autumn Valley Hook-in!

Promise to get back more regularly next week!

Happy Autumn!!! ~L

Settler's Harvest...

Click on the banner above to go over and see all the Early Autumn goodies this talented group has to offer!

I just made the deadline...and am now finishing a few gifts for the weekend...Back soon! ~L

* ~ * Golden * ~ *

* * * Happy 15th Birthday Nick * * *

Love, Mom and Dad

And The Winner Is...

*****Karen Buchheit in Kentucky****
Congrats Karen!!!

I wish you all could have won...so...I'm offering a consolation prize to you all...a FREE downloadable/printable pattern for my Pumpkin Candle Mat!

Click *here* to download or print the PDF file...at least I hope this works...you may need to reduce the pumpkin template a bit...sorry I'm showing how "technologically" challenged I really am! The actual pattern size is if you click on "view" then click "fit two pages to screen"

Again...Thank You so much for entering this giveaway...I hope you will continue to visit here on the blog...and at WoolyRedRug.com! ~L

There is still time...

The 2nd Saturday hookers just left...so I'm sitting down to tally up all the entries...I'm overwhelmed by the huge response to this giveaway...Thank You all so much for your kind words here on the blog...on the website guest book...in your emails...and for spreading the word on your blogs and facebook. I'm so thrilled that some of you have signed on to follow along here, too!

If you know of a friend who would like to enter...or you just now found your way here...you have until 6:30 pm CDT to enter on the previous blog post.

I'll be back later this evening to annouce the winner...the box is packed and ready for our Postman on Monday!

Thanks again...and good luck!!! ~L

Wooly Red Rug Giveaway...

Good Day My Friends...
The heat and humidity have finally retreated...and like many of you...I'm in an Autumn mood...
I've spent the past two weeks working on the new website and I think it's time to take a break and CELEBRATE!

It's been a real learning experience...I was so comfortable with the way the old site worked...and I still have a lot more to put up...but I think the new place is looking pretty good.

The hardest part was getting the old web address to forward to the new...What should have been an easy process was complicated by unknown forces and had me totally freaked out! Thanks to Victoria at the domain name company...for finally finding the glitch!

I feel like a year ago we opened Pandora's Box...and am a bit weary and wondering...what next?
So...to put those thoughts aside...and to CELEBRATE...staying in Minneapolis...the new woolyredrug.com website...and all the blessings each day brings...I'm having a GIVEAWAY!

What's the prize...well WOOL...of course! A bundle of my hand-dyeds...a fat 1/8th each of Boo Black, Mushroom, Old Brown, Leaf Green, Maple Leaf and Mustard...plus a couple great Autumn textures...that's a yard of fun wool for hooking or stitching! Some Gentle Arts "Simply Wool" threads and a few other goodies, too!

You'll get your name thrown in the pot for...
1...Leave a comment here on the blog
2...Spread the word...post this on your blog or facebook...
3...Check out the new website...www.woolyredrug.com and leave a comment in the Guest Book...

That's 3 ways to enter...if you do all 3...that's 3 chances to win...
Please be sure to leave an email address, if you don't have a blog, so I can contact you if you are the winner!
The drawing will be held on the evening of August 13th!
Best of luck...and thanks so much stopping by...L

*no purchase necessary to enter*

What I've been up to...

Or...When life gives you lemons...?
...the new website...http://www.woolyredrug.com is coming together nicely...lots of long hours and still a lot more stuff to put up...but I think all will be well.
For the most part, I'm a glass half full kind of gal...and I think things happen for a reason. The old LJFibers website was due for a good house cleaning...just never thought I'd have to start over from scratch!
Running a web biz is always a work in progress...but I hope to have most of the essentials in place this weekend...
Keep watching for a Celebration Give Away to start soon!
Hope you all have a great weekend! ~L

R.I.P. ljfibers.com

...all good things come to an end...
I just got word that my sweet old website is dead and won't be coming back...
I've been working on a new site www.woolyredrug.com since last year when the host service was sold...but it's really complex compared to the system I've been using for over a decade...
I'm an old dog...and you know what they say about old dogs???

Oh well...better get busy...
~L

Website Woes...

If it ain't one thing...it's another...

this is certainly not how I planned to spend the day...the website is down...and I'm waiting for my host server to get back to me.

Seems like this is an annual thing??? I remember other hot, humid July days sweating over website issues...Could it be a planet alignment thing?

Last year I started building a new site...but it is really complex for this ole' brain. Yes it has lots of fancy bells and whistles that the old site doesn't...but there is always comfort in the familar and I've worked so hard to get the old baby looking just the way I way I want.

So...while I wait for the webhost to diagnosis the problem...I guess I better wake up my teenager and have him help me fiqure out the new sites code!

Hope you are doing something FUN today! ~L

It's a giant mess...

...but good for the soul!

...that is a favorite quote of mine...I clipped it out of newspaper when I was in grade school...too bad I didn't have the presence of mind to save the whole article...or a best the artist's name!

...it SO describes my studio...especially today as I finsih up goodies for my July 1st release on Early Work Mercantile...
I hope you'll visit after midnite tonite to see all the treasures offered by so many talented artists!

Hot & humid today...but beautiful sunshine! Wishing you a sunny day, too!
~L

Delicious New Wools...

busy day in the studio..but just had to let you all know that these lovelies will be arriving soon! Pre-order if you would like to reserve...some will have limited quantities...you can click the picture to go over to the website.

Thanks for visiting...and looking!
Hope you have a great week!
~L

Anna in the garden

it is too wet for me to be in the garden...
going thru old family photos...
here is a picture of my maternal Great-Grandmother Anna...
in her garden...I'm guessing sometime in the early 1920's
...she and my Great-Grandfather Joe
came to the USA in 1900
...she passed in 1924 at age 67
...six years before my mother was born
I was married with her gold wedding band...

looking for sunshine...
wish we could share the rain
with all those who really need it!
~L

Simple Goodness...

Rhubarb Oatmeal Banana Muffins...
...one of Summer's delights!

I've used this basic recipe for years...and no matter how I tweek it the muffins are always yummy! I like to measure and store all the dry ingredients in canning jars.
Then...it's quick and easy to add the wet ingredients and any fruit, nuts...or whatever is on hand.

Basic Oatmeal Muffin Mix
♥ Mix:
1 1/2 cups Flour
1 cup Rolled Oats
½ cup sugar
½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
2 tsp Baking Powder

♥ 2 Eggs
♥ 1/4 cup Oil
♥ 1/4 cup Milk
Beat eggs til frothy, mix in oil, milk & 1 CUP MASHED BANANA.
Fold into dry mix til moistened.
Fill muffin cups ¾ full, bake at 400°
For 20-25 minutes

For the Rhubarb muffins...I add about 1 and 1/2 tsp cinnamon to the dry ingredients.
To the mashed banana I add 2 handfuls...about 1 and 1/2 cups...of diced rhubarb, sprinkle with a teaspoon of sugar to cut the tartness, mix to coat fruit well. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients, fold in fruit...
Fill muffin cups...
I like to dust with fresh ground cinnamon and a sprinkle of pearl sugar!
Bake...Cool...YUM!!!
~L

Workin' Wednesday...

It feels SO good to be getting down to business...I've had to put so many ideas on hold for far too long...
...today I'm playing with...um...working on...my new hand-dyed wool samples...I've been out of the old color cards for a while, not wanting to make new when our water source would be changing...no excuse now girls!!! I have had this idea to do it in a little booklet format...got a good start on it this morning!
...No...this isn't going to be a recipe book...I mean...I think there are enough of those floating around...and I don't dye my wool in the conventional rug hooker's way. Most of my colors I formulated back in my old spinning and weaving days...am I really this old???

Anyway it's a fun day here even if it's cool and cloudy for our first full day of summer. The greens are rich after all the rain...and the herb garden is so fragrant! Hope you have lovely day! ~L

Merrie Solstice...

~L

Digging in the dirt...

...it's good for the soul!
Last Saturday I cleaned up the herb garden...
The gardens were so neglected...with the relocation plans...the gardens were the last thing on my mind...but...
All that has changed! We have come to the FINAL decision that Nick and I will stay in Minneapolis. It's a looonnnggg story. Too many issues started coming up with the house in Wisconsin. And the seller's market here in Minneapolis has hit rock bottom. I didn't want the responsiblity of two places! Needless to say, Nick is happy to finish high school here at Washburn! I'm happy to stay near my aging parents.
It's not an ideal family situation...Paul will make the trip home as often as he can...we will make it work.

So now I can start working on all the ideas for the studio and website that have been put on hold...the shop will remain here at home on Wentworth...and I'm happy to be in my garden!
~L

Another off the frame...

Apologies for not posting more frequently...this is a snippet of what I've been up to! I can't show the whole rug just yet...but will soon.

Tomorrow is our last 2nd Saturday hooking group...if you are in the Minneapolis area...give a holler and we'll make room for you! Would love to have you join us!

We should be closing on a house in a few weeks...can you sense my hesitation?!?!
There have been so many bumps in the road on this relocation journey...that I hate to give too many details for fear of jinxing it!

So...I keep pulling loops...or taking tiny stitches...to keep my sanity! After our 103 degree record breaking start to the week, the weather has turned more Spring or Autumn like...60's and 70's...suit me just fine!

Hope you have a delightful weekend! ~L

Calm After the Storm...

Wild columbine in our backyard wildflower garden...
Such beauty after such devastation...
The Northside of Minneapolis...the neighborhood I grew up in...is aching today. The roof on the grade school I went to is gone...the stained glass windows at the church across the street are damamged...Thankfully no one here was injured...tho' one man died a few blocks away...Other areas were harder hit...such sadness...
My thoughts are there today...and with those in Missouri, too.
The weather has been wild this year...Winter...now Spring...What's up?
Hope you are safe and dry where ever you are!
~L

Just had to share this...

The sweetest couple wandered into my booth at Shepherd's Harvest...Roxy writes for Access Press. You can find her complete article here ~ http://arts.accesspress.org

Even tho' I was loosing my voice, we did a short interview and her husband made this great video. It was so fun for me to see all the things I miss while working. I do get to tap my toes tho'...these musicians are just a few feet away!



Thanks to Roxy and her husband...and to all the other great people who came out for a visit!

~L

still searching...

for just the right place...
Have a GREAT weekend ~L

A Great Read...

The Summer issues of A Simple Life arrived at the studio today!
Another beautiful issue!!!
Herb gardens and honeybees...need I say more?
~L

Mother's Day Wishes...

a bit late...but heartfelt none the same!

Here is where I spent my weekend...

...I believe it was the 14th annual festival...guess I've lost count on how many Mother's Day's I've been here. Luckily...my not so little boy...still likes to help out his Momma!

Hope however you spent your weekend...whether you are a Mom or not...that it was lovely!

May Day and a Peak...

Happy May Day My Friends!
It certainly isn't Spring-like here...tho' the sun does try to shine now and then...

Here is a peak my new offerings on Early Work Mercantile...hope you'll stop by for a visit on May 1st to see all the lovely work of many talented artisans!

Will be a busy week...getting ready for Shepherd's Harvest Festival next weekend! If you are in the area...I hope you'll stop by and say hello. For many years I've been at the southwest end of Building C...hoping to have my usual spot!!!

Spring-time blessings to you ~ L

Happy Easter...

...still looking for Spring ~L

Textures...

Love'em!!! Lots of NEW wooly textures...and a few "oldies"...arrived a week ago! I've finally got the studio back together after the annual Spring hook-in...opps...no pictures...
Anyway...just got all the woolies added to the website!
Now busy hooking up some treasures for Shepherd's Harvest Wool and Sheep Festival on Mother's Day weekend.
This will be my 7th consecutive year at the festival! It's always a great time!!!

Cold and dreary here today...but thankfully no snow...just cold...a good day to hunker down with wool!
Still Looking for Spring, L

Where did Spring go???

It's a blustery Wednesday here in the North Country...a few days ago all the snow had melted away in our yard...the birds were singing...but NOT today! This is how March is...a teaser of what's to come one day...then a slap of reality the next!

It's okay...I have much to do inside...drawing patterns, dyeing wool and preparing kits for Brocade...the picture above is another preview of this year's rug project. If the sun was shining and the birds were chirping I'd want to be scratching in the herb garden! The 2011 Rug project is close to being sold out...so if you are interested in joining in...don't wait too long or you'll be dissappointned! If you want more info...click on the underlined link above to go to the website for all the details!

99 followers here...how cool is that? A heartfelt thanks
to all of you who visit and follow along with my rambliings! Our new windows are all in...and are amazing...while I miss the look of the old wavy glass...I don't miss the wind rattling the panes...sad we waited 18 years for this! And...hopefully we will have some news on the house hunt in the next week or so!!!

Wishing you all a Wonderful Wednesday!!! ~L

Brocade ~ The 2011 LJF Project Rug

Happy St. Patty's Day to All!

Well...I've finally figured out a way to proceed with this year's rug project!
Brocade...a 18" x 42" runner
A little different format than the last 5 years...but I should be able to pull it off even with our relocation!

Visit the website for more information...http://www.ljfibers.com/patbom11a.html

May you have all the
happiness
And luck that life can hold ~
And at the end
of all your rainbows
May you find a pot of gold!
~L

Someone is having a Birthday Give~away...

Lori Brechlin at Notforgotten Farm is celebrating...click on the title above to hop on over to her blog...Wish her a Happy Bday and enter to win!



I just finished up on goodies for my March 1st offerings on Early Work Mercantile...hope you will take a peak on Tuesday!

Now back to some new rug designs...Wishing you all a GREAT week!
~L

Tidying on a Bright Cold Day...

Good day to you...
It’s sunny and bright...the cardinals are singing their sweet song...
But...OH SO COLD...
What a winter we've all have had across the land?!?!?!
The forecast is for our January thaw to arrive for the weekend...a wee bit late...
But NO complaints here...Just in time for our Second Saturday Hooking Group!

I’ve been tidying the place to make room for all the gals...snapped a few pics...guess I’m focusing on WARM colors today!

Like a well stocked pantry...I just love my jars of threads and shelves of wool!

Thanks for visiting...wishing you a bright and cheery day ~L