The Dance

This was done by my son, Justin- same son who used to tote crayons with him everywhere he went- that with his floppy blonde hair.

I was up till 1:30 a.m. last light. My son, Justin, and I talked for two hours about the creative process. This kid of mine helps me with a lot with things- I can't tell you how many times I have hit a wall on a project and he comes to my rescue- shedding light on a problem area that has caused me nothing but frustration. 

So last night we talked about how before the pencil hits the paper, most often an idea is carried around in your heart and mind for weeks- going through ideas and colors over and over as though rehearsing dance steps. For me , a rug design starts with a little spark in my heart brought on by a color sometimes, something I see, something I remember and it just stirs around in my mind and heart until it is then something you can touch and see. Over and over you practice- as you work, as you shop, as you try to sleep- until the day comes when all those hours of rehearsing, you are able to put on your dancing shoes!!

I have a sketch hanging in my living room- a woman walking toward the shore of a river during berry picking season. She has a little girl next to her. I also have pinned to my board pictures that are helping me form what I want- a basket of ripe berries, a river, a bridge, scenery, a mountain- to me some are colors, some are items I want to work in. But more than anything, the more I 'rehearse', the more I can feel the cool day, I can hear hear a little girl playing, I can see and hear the water rushing by- I am there. Right now, I just keep rehearsing the dance steps- raspberry, maple, indigo, indigo- 1, 2, 3- pause. Start again- this time trying it with a white mountain top. Yep, in my mind I go through this for weeks until I cannot wait one more minute to DANCE!!

And there is nothing more rewarding than finishing the dance all out of breath and looking out in the audience and seeing that I touched someone, or that I stirred a memory or that someone else would like me to teach them those dance steps I have labored over for months. To me, that is happiness.

'Hand-Spun' How Do I Create the Distaff? Color List

My friend, Cindy, promised this would be a well liked pattern. And, indeed, it has been. And from the ladies that have purchased patterns, I have been asked about the colors I am using in the large pattern and also how to create distaff wool. I want to answer both questions.

To show you how to create the wool on the distaff, I made this quick video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uToFKXFEBZ4&feature=youtu.be

Every color I am using I  purchased from Double M Sheep and Wool.   I recommend Double M over and over. Then I hear lots of, "Thank you! You were right! Her wool is fabulous!" Colors are great, she dyes to order and shipping time is fast. VERY competitive prices as well! Feel free to contact her with any questions- she is a delight and very, very happy to help. She is 'old-school' in customer service and satisfaction. The address is doublemsheepandwool.com



Background-  Pecan

Basket- Cinnamon Toast

Mother's Bonnet- Slate Blue

Mother's Dress- Sapphire

Mother's Apron- Creme Brule

Girl's Bonnet, Skirt and Apron- Sapphire and Slate

Floor- Vintage Brown (may have to ask Christy at Double M about that one-I LOVE IT!!) I did mix it in with some Gravestone Grey to cover the floor area.

Spinning Wheel and seat- Old Wood

Faces- Flesh

Border- Espresso

My little sheep are done with some local hand-sun wool. Please let me know if you are interested in purchasing some. I am working at getting some in my Etsy shop.

One other thing I may mention, I am happy to create a 'kit' for you if desired. Just contact me at yvonne@vintageheartprimitives.com.

Win A Holiday Gift Basket for a Rug Hooker!!

Christy Mason of the Double M Sheep and Wool and I have decided to do a drawing. We are creating a gift basket that will include fat quarters of hand-dyed wool from Double M Sheep and Wool, a pattern on Linen, soap, coffee and chocolate. All someone has to do is buy any piece of wool from Double M between or any pattern from Vintage Heart between November 1 and December 15. Winners will be announced the evening of December 15. A link to Double M is in the side bar if you are interested in wool. Patterns may be purchased out of my Etsy store or contact me directly. Thank you and Happy Holidays!!!!

'Hand-Spun'

Wait till you see what the next design is! What you see is a little girl, a daughter. She is handling the wool that her mother just spun. There is a mother! And some sheep! This one is truly sweet! I have it hanging in my living room as I do with every single design as I change and contemplate colors and if everything is in place- what do I want this rug to say? How do I want the colors to feel? I have two versions of the same design. I will be hooking the larger one and my good friend, Cindy is hooking the smaller one. I told her to come up with her own colors - I am setting her loose on this as I really want to encourage ladies to make the design a part of their own home and personalities. I want the design to be an expression of each woman's own heart and hands.

Do you know I have never been to a rug hooking group? I have never been to a hook-in either! However, the past weeks Cindy and I have been meeting each week and it is wonderful to share in a handi-work that we both love so much! We feed off of each others ideas and skills- it is wonderful. If I ever make it to a group or 'hook-in', I do think I might think I was in heaven! One of my life dreams, besides having my own at-home business is to teach classes to women and I have even given thought of teaching disadvantaged teenage girls if they would be interested. I am slowly collecting rug-hooking frames just for that day! 

More to come on 'Hand-Spun!'

What A Joy!

Cindy Brown- Look at the way she put her lavender in!
Stunning!

Christy Mason- This is being made for a lady
who has a sentiment for wheat.

Anne Marie Lewis

 I have been asked many, many times if it is OK if someone deviates from my colors and just how I have done my own rug. With everything in me, I say, "YES!" I want more than anything of all for you to enjoy the whole process- choose your colors, experiment, hit road blocks, find something that works wonderful for you. I want each piece to reflect the heart and mind of the lady that has chosen the design as something to work on with her hands- I want her hands working, her mind thinking and her own heart poured out - I want the design to have personal meaning to her. I want that rug to be more than a 'project', I would hope that it could be considered a 'journey.' What things were going on while making it? What special colors or little touches can you add that add personal meaning to you? What things did you think of, discuss with other ladies while creating? Were there memories created while you hooked your rug? So most assuredly I say absolutely yes! Make it your own!

This afternoon while visiting with a friend, I expressed to her how I truly believe that fiber arts are a way to bring women together - women that maybe would have never otherwise met. I want to share a video that was shared by 'Fiber Art Now.' It is Renate Hiller - I very much enjoyed this as she really validated my thoughts that I have had of as she says, "listening with your whole being."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfoByYLSBY8

My Own

Elaine Tackett, Finished and Beautiful!! 

Re-do!

There is something that I try to describe that  seems to be only understand by my  son, Justin, who also has a creative mind. In all the years that I have been painting and making rugs, when I am in the process, (here goes that difficult to explain part) it feels as though my heart and mind are coming through my hand and onto whatever I am working on. It is a complete expression of what is in my heart. So it brings me joy when what is in my heart can bring joy to someone else. A few weeks ago I saw a picture of a customer, Elaine, holding up her 'Lavender Lady'. It made my heart want to burst. I saw a sweet lady smiling and I saw that design- one that hung in my living room for weeks as I stared at it thinking and re-doing- many, many late nights of standing over it with my music, an eraser and pencil in hand. And there it was- bringing joy to someone!

When a project is not coming along right, I feel as though there is a misunderstanding between me and the 'canvas'. It seems as if the more I try to fix it, the worse it becomes, that  what started with my best intention turned into something not so good. My heart sinks until I find a way 'to make it right'.

I had to have a 're-do' of the sky in this piece. I loved the first sky but something was wrong and I had looked at it too long to 'see' it. All I knew was it wasn't right. My best friend, Louise, came over and she was able to identify for me what was the problem- the sky I was so sure was going to work was overwhelming the picture. We spent time with different pieces of wool I have, figuring it all out. Yesterday I received the 'new' sky and spent the evening putting it in. I feel better. Over the weekend I will play with the snow - and make a decision as to if those birds will be Cardinals or Blue-Jays. Or should they be there at all? 

She Is Clothed With Strength and Dignity

Day three. I just came back from the Fiber Faire that I have been preparing for. I have not been working at this in an intentional manner. It feels more like sneaking cookies out of the cookie jar. I can hardly help myself. It started with my curiosity as to if the wool I chose for the trees would look like the bark I had envisioned- it did! In fact, as I look at it in the day light it actually looks like a bit of sun is hitting it. Well then, I had to find out if the bucket to the left of the man would contrast nice against his pants which turned into doing his shirt and hat as well. My idea was to fill in all the objects and then put in the snow and sky- but I so wanted to just see- just a peek-  would it really look like the snow I was hoping for? Well if the snow is falling, 'Joseph' here needs 'Abigail' to come to life and make him smile and win him. I hear her laughter and hear him sigh with contentment in his heart.

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