Blue Turns 6 Months

 I am fairly certain the question that has most been on your mind is,  "How is old Blue, doing?"  Well, as you can see, he is nearly (absolutely) perfect.  He turned 6 months old a few weeks ago and I hired a professional photographer, Ali Frost, to come out and take his picture.  It did not occur to me until after the photo shoot, that I am not really sure I had my children's photos taken at 6 months.  It is alright, I am currently on the bad mother's list for a number of transgressions anyway.  I might as well just own up to it now.  I like the dog better than all people.  I finally admitted it to Carl and he took it fairly well.  My children might be a little poutier about it.

Blue and I finished 8 weeks of obedience training with a private trainer, just yesterday.  Sue Torpy is the trainer, of River City Obedience Training in Omaha.  She is awesome and I learned tons of dog training skills and theory in our 8 classes.  Blue is prepping to take his Canine Good Citizen test in a few weeks.  I will let you know how it goes, but he is one fine, obedient fellow for only 6 months.

We started summer theatre on Monday and Blue loved seeing all the kids.  We sit in a circle and discuss our goals at the beginning of each class.  Blue laid by my side and napped thru most of that, but is up and watching when those kids are dancing and singing.  He loves them all and is a devoted theatre dog.

If you look at his ears in the top picture, you can see that his color is changing and he is definitely a 'BLUE' Standard Poodle.  The ears and top of his head are a bronzish color.  I have no idea what will happen in the next couple of years, but he will be somewhere between smokey black and steely grey.  Beautiful, no matter what the color.

I was told that Standard Poodles are particularly devoted to their owners and Blue certainly got that memo.  He is happiest when he is collapsed at my feet or resting his head on my arm or leg.  He likes other people too, especially Colleen and Pat from the store.  Colleen has always been his spare momma and he is not happy until she gives him the attention due him, when she arrives at the store.  Pat is another dog lover and will babysit him if I have to leave for a few minutes.  He loves his ladies!

Ah, yes, rug hooking.  Pictured on the bottom is the rug I did in the Diana Geisinger class.  We learned faux braiding, chain stitch, basket weave, beading etc.  I love my little rug and really enjoyed the faux braiding.  It is a little extra trouble, but worth the effort for the effect.

Bye until next time…..

Janice and Blue

Diana Geisinger Class

Hello All Blog Followers,

Yes, Beate, I am back!  I promise to try to blog more frequently than I have been.  There certainly is enough to blog about!!!!!!  

We had a wonderful class this weekend with Diana Geisinger of Ankeny, Iowa.  Diana is a McGown certified teacher who brought a full bag of tricks, lessons and ideas to this three day class.

One mini class was on CREATIVITY and we did some very interesting exercises to encourage creative thinking.  Another class was on faux braiding and I finally feel like I understand how to accomplish this wonderful look on my own.  Diana is a great teacher and a great deal of  fun.
She also does MAGIC, the picture on top shows part of her one woman show.

The second picture is Beate Hager from Missouri, who mentioned she missed seeing my blog of late.
So I am promising renewed blogging with renewed vigor.

Below, is a picture of the entire class and a more lovely group of ladies you could not have asked to be locked in a room for 3 days with.  We ate Carl's good food, laughed and hooked and the time just flew by.

We have a class here at the store every year about this time.  Of course, we have a 3 day class almost every month here at The Rug Hooking Store.  Next year on June 5,6,7, Kris Miller of Spruce Ridge Rugs will be here to teach.  I have just of couple of spots open for that class, so contact me if you are interested in hooking one of the wonderful designs from her studio.

Also, don't forget we are having a one day SINGLE SATURDAY event here at the store on June 21st.  Designer Jan Goos will be teaching this one day class using her brand new design "Autumn Gobbler".  This comes in 3 sizes and you can pick the size of your choice.  The class is a special bargain, for $100 you get the class, lunch and the pattern in the choice of your size on linen or monks.   There are only a couple of spots left in the class, so let me know if you would like to join us.  We will be doing more of these single Saturday classes thru out the year for people who can't take time off work, but can squeeze in a little time on the weekend.

All for now, more pics of the workshop soon,
Janice

Birthday Girl

Hello All
My daughter Leah's birthday is coming up, so it was important that I get this rug of Mij done in time for the birthday party.  Please note that Mij has her left ear cocked forward…..that is because a squirrel is hiding behind the flower on the top right hand corner. Mij is a big squirrel fan and only lifts that ear when she sees one.  You would not think that lifted ear would present much of a problem, but it did.  I hooked it about 10 different ways and finally walked away from the rug in disgust.

Jan Goos was here visiting and I said to her, "I have had it!  Do something with that ear, will you????? And left the building.  Fortunately when I returned, my clever rug hooking buddy had hooked the ear and I must say she did a marvelous job.  Thanks Ms. Goos !!!!!

I hid the letters M I J above the dog's back and apparently did such a good job of hiding them that you cannot see them in this picture.  In person, you can pick them out, hidden so nicely in the background.

Of course, Leah has Mij's sister Dolly living with them now.  It was a rough couple of weeks as these 2 litter mates played the getting acquainted game, but now they are fast friends.  I am sure that now I will be required to hook a rug of Mij AND Dolly, but maybe that can be for Leah's next birthday.

We are having a big weekend here at the store.  Jan Goos is coming to teach a 3 day workshop.  She designed a wonderful runner called BARNYARD FOLK ART and we will all hook the same rug, but make them distinctly our own.  They will be fun for sure.

Stop by when you are in the area.  As always the store is full of antiques, hand dyed wool and over 750 rug hooking patterns.

Janice

In the Dog House

 I am in the dog house, for not blogging for the past several weeks, but it has been crazy busy around here.  We finished FIDDLER, it went very well, was a nice, tight production.  Then I began dyeing day and night preparing for the Diane Stoffel class here last weekend.  17 of us worked under Diane's amazing tutelage and the rugs were absolutely phenomenal.  I am working on a photo adaptation of my son.  I will show it when I am  finished.  Lots of people worked on dog rugs, but since I did not, I have to show pictures of Blue.

On top is a picture taken at the groomers a few weeks ago.  We are still going to the groomer, Mandy McMenamin at Unleahed Dog Spa, every week.  I told Mandy we would come every week until Blue will stand for grooming like a show dog.  We are NOT there yet, but he does get better every week.  He hates having his feet clipped, but with some treats and Mandy's amazing patience, things have greatly improved.

Blue is 4 months now, weighs 40 lbs and is 22.5 inches at the shoulder.  We have been attending a puppy socialization and obedience class every week and he is smart, smart, smart.  So smart, that he figured out how to open the back yard gate, how to pop the top on his dog food container to steal his lunch, how to untie his leash from whatever he is tied too.  It is great to have such a wizard of a puppy.

The bottom picture shows Blue with me at the theatre.  I was working with a student on the stage, Blue is in his normal position.  Notice he has blocked me off, so I cannot move without him noticing.  That is because he is my absolute shadow.  He is everything I wanted in a dog, smart, loving, out going and social.  He has also developed a big bark, he definitely sounds like a baby Rottweiler when he does not like the looks of someone.  I like that about him too.  No wimpy Poodle here!

I will be putting pictures of our rugs from class up soon.
Janice

FIDDLER OPENS TOMORROW

Sorry blog followers, I have been busy, busy with the show at the theatre.  Tomorrow night is opening night for FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, so we have been having rehearsals every night this week.  I am sure everyone in the cast is pooped, but after the shows Fri Sat Sun this weekend, we have 4 days off from the theatre until we do the 2nd weekend of shows the following weekend.

Blue has been going with me to visit rehearsal a little bit each night.  He goes with me to the theatre for voice lessons, but I thought it was good to get him up on stage and under the lights we all the people and sets and activity around.  He takes it all in stride.  This is a picture of him at his last haircut.  Mandy at Unleashed Dog Spa has to be one of the most patient women alive.  Blue still does not like have his toenails trimmed or his feet clipped, but he is getting better each time.  He looks a little grumpy in this picture, but he had just finished his beautification ordeal.

Below, is a picture of Pat Shafer's beautiful rug that I talked about in the last blog.  This rug is a CELEBRATION finalist in the original category.  Pat calls this "Lessons From My Son".

It is a gorgeous rug and will be displayed at Sauder Village this August with the other CELEBRATION finalists.

Pat will be teaching a mahogany Santa face class this Tuesday at the store.  We have been working on our traditional Santas but thought it might be fun to try something different.  Let me know if you are interested in participating in one of our one day Santa face classes.  Pat has promised to teach some more in the future.

We also have a date selected for our Wayne Kalal 'Color" class.  We will have that one day class on Saturday March 29th.  Contact me if you would like to be on that list!

Diane Stoffel will be here to teach another March workshop in just a few weeks.  That class is full, but if you would like to be on a waiting list for any of her future workshops, just drop me a note.

Coming soon, April 11. 12, 13 is a three day workshop with Jan Goos.  She has designed a rug for this class called "Barnyard Folk Art".  We are all going to do the same pattern and see how different we can make them.  This should be a lot of fun!  I have 2 spots in that class, so contact me if you are interested in doing a Jan Goos original.

Off to the last dress rehearsal.  It will be a very good show, with some rug hookers you might know in it, as well.  Colleen Cochrane is one of the people of Anatevka and Ken Petersen plays the Rabbi.  Pat Shafer, who was supposed to be in it, will now be helping in the box office, since she broke both her ankles a few weeks ago.  They are healing well, but she is not up to tripping the lights fantastic….at least yet.

Soon,
Janice

Color Class a Success

WAYNE KALAL came last Saturday to teach us a class on color and it was a terrific success.  Wayne is an Omaha artist, working in oils and pastels, but has a broad background in many art forms.  He was at my store before Christmas and we had a fascinating conversation about color and placement and balance that was really helpful with a rug I was hooking. I thought……others would enjoy this and the class was in the works.

Wayne talked about color theory for the first part of the 4 hour class, then we got out our rugs and patterns for help with color planning.  I encouraged everyone to bring rugs they were having problems with or completed rugs that had not turned out how they expected.  It was really interesting to hear Wayne's suggestions about possible color changes.  We spent a great deal of time just throwing wool around, talking about VALUE, HUE and CHROMA.  We learned about greyed value markers and how he prepares to paint a piece, by first doing a values sketch of it.  All these tips about painting, we found valuable for rug hooking as well.

It reminded us that we are indeed artists!  Many of the problems that face painters, designers and other artists, are remarkably similar to the challenges we rug hookers experience.

Wayne enjoyed learning more about rug hooking and meeting the textile artists.  We are planning another class with Wayne, later this spring.  I will let you know the date when it is set.  This is a class that I think every rug hooker could learn from.
Thanks Wayne!

Pictured on top was our 'Color' class.   There were 6 of us and it was a perfect size.  We will keep class size to 6-8 for the next class, as well.  Below, is Wayne looking at an unfinished rug, dispensing advice.  Look in the middle, who made it to class too.  Yes, Blue was there.  Although at 26 lbs he is getting a little heavy to carry around for long.  Blue enjoyed the class and the activity as well.  A great day all round.

Next time…..
Janice

Georgia O'Keefe Floral

Sorry bloggers, so much has been going on, I have not had a chance to log in.  We had another great Santa FACE class a week ago Saturday.  Several of us took both classes that were offered on Saturdays this month at the store.  Pat Shafer did a bang up job of teaching us the shading required for the face and beard of the each Santa.  Each one us made an entirely unique look, but they all turned out great.

Taking both classes really helped cement the information into solid application.  I feel like I can tackle an eye with much more confidence than before.  We will be having more of these classes in the future, so let me know if you would like to get your name on a list.  We are going to do a mahogany Santa in an upcoming class.  Pat is already completing the sample Santa and it is beautiful.  Thanks to Kathy Morton for her beautiful Santa patterns, I try to keep all of them stocked in the store.  We have gone thru lots of them in the last few weeks.

Speaking of our good friend and dedicated Friday rug hooker Pat Shafer…..she had exciting news in the last week.  Her beautiful rug was selected as a finalist for Celebration this year.  Pat worked on this rug in a Pris Buttler class and many of you may remember it.  It commemorated the life of her son, it has a piano key board, top hat, theatre faces etc.  Remember it?  It was a work of love as well as a work of art.  It will be going to Sauder this summer for display.  We actually will be driving it back with our 'Ladies' rugs that will be displayed there this August.  We did those rugs in a Pris Buttler class too.  Am I seeing a trend here????

That is a perfect segue……we are having Pris Buttler back in Sept on the 5,6,7.  A few years ago, we worked on rugs inspired by Gustav Klimt with Pris, here in a class.  Last year we did our lady rugs, inspired by the work of Jan Toorop.  This year we will do these beautiful florals inspired by Georgia 0'Keefe.  Pris teaches at the RETREAT every year in an open class, there are few spots left for her class this year, if you would like to attend.  This floral class had been full, but suddenly I have 3 spots that have opened up.  If you are interested in working with Pris on this specialty class, contact me.  We are sure to learn lots and tackle a new technique and style.

Of course, I had to include a picture of Mr. Handsome.  He got another haircut yesterday at Unleashed Dog Spa in Elkhorn.  Mandy was again a patient sweetheart with his less than enthusiastic attitude about his grooming.  He was better tho, than the last time, so progress is being made.  He got the first clipping of his puppy body hair and is starting to look like a grown up poodle.   Oh, they grow up so fast, don't they.  Of course the house revolves around him, as it should be.  He is one adored pooch.

Soon,
Janice