Etsy TX Crafters has special Monday sales

This Monday, June 29th, will be the 5th Monday in June. Five Mondays in a month only happen a few times a year. If you Click on Armadillo Tex to view our $5 listings on Etsy.com at the top right of the blog, it will take you to all the listings from the WHOLE team for $5. not just mine. The search will only work so long as someone has a special tag. So if you click it next week, it may not show any items in the search. But if you would like to look for an item $5. in price, give it a try! There are already some 72 items in the list if you want to get a jump on Monday. :)

I'm going to make sure to get some things listed this weekend! Jo

Rug Hooking tutorials on Rag Rug Cage

If you've always wanted to make a rug, there is a new website you'll love! www.ragrugcafe.com They have very clear directions on how to make rugs of the style usually called toothbrush rugs. Videos make the process very easy to understand!

They have set up a special blog for me, to give directions on rug hooking. Now that is really funny in many ways, because I haven't ever been to a hook-in with a roomful of actual rug hookers. I have gotten tons of information in a variety of groups on ebay, for hookers. (what we call ourselves-don't be shocked) However, since this blog is to help people interested in learning how to make rugs, any instructions about the process may help. The other thing that makes it funny to me, is that none of my creations has actually ever been used as a rug. But I've seen some fabulous hand hooked rugs on the floor in pictures of other ladies homes.

Unfortunately, we don't have a video camera, although I might need to start dropping birthday hints for one now! So my tutorials will be digital shots. Hope you'll drop byhttp://www.ragrugcafe.com , leave comments, ask questions, and help me get it off the ground floor! Jo

My dear husband hung my retirement hooked rug today. It is in a post near the end of February that I updated and edited today. After we were finished he mentioned that he hung Bob's rug too. Bob adopted us about a 10 years ago. He is an American Bobtail with tuxedo markings. I'll add a pic of him to this post after find one on the computer. He has been quite a clown, and is a great hunter. His favorite prey seems to be the rats that are quite common to this area, although our address is in a suburban area that wouldn't boast about rats. So his rug had to be of him finishing off a rat. Bob will eventually cross the rainbow bridge, as so many beloved pets do, but this will help us to keep our memories of him in his prime. I made it during our first challenge this year for An American Primitive Group.

A Mini Lesson on Color and Value

I thought this was a great time to document the benefits of reverse hooking on a rug. Color choices can make such a difference. Unfortunately, I didn't take a pic of the original prior to reverse hooking and choosing a different color for an area. The dark brown of the dirt road went up to the dark purple of the "trailer". From a distance, the trailer just didn't show up very well. Brown and purple and it didn't show up? That was because their value was too close. It is why lots of deep colors can be mixed in with black for an antique black. So I knew change was needed.

My color choices are limited by the fact I don't dye with anything but koolaid. More about that in another post. Most of my wool is upcycled from discarded men's sport coats, ladies blazers, or skirts*trailer is from a tweed skirt* OR hand dyed wool I purchase from other members of Primitive Rug Hooking Group PRHG on ebay. Such as Christy Mason of Double M Sheep! So first the reverse hooking which really just means pulling out the wool strip that is hooked into the backing. My backing, 100 % linen is visible in the photo. You simply find an end and tug to remove it.

If you look below the trailer you'll see a light brown that appears brighter than it is because of the contrast in value. So now the trailer "pops". :) Should make me happy, but sadly, as my hooking experience has developed, thanks to observing the beautiful work of all my rug hooking groups, An American Primitive Gathering in particular, it just won't do. Not only does the trailer pop, but so does the new buffer color. Looks out of place with two darks on either side.

Second reverse hooking, with the really medium brown strips coming out and a sage green plaid strips in their place. Voila! The rug works so much better! :) Blending is quite an improvement over disappearing or sore thumb placement! I like clear bright colors, but not when they stand out like a sore thumb.

CPLG monthly giveaway!

The drawing for these precious yellowware baskets is currently going on at the CPLG Blog.
The actual drawing will be done on April 14th, so you still have a few days to make a comment! Good luck!

Come visit me at Discovery Green on April 11th!

If you are in the Houston Area, this coming Saturday will be part of the Earth Day celebrations. I will have my items in a booth area during the afternoon from 2 - 6 pm. The Green Market will open in the morning, and there will be lots of other activities as well. If you haven't visited Discovery Green yet, why not come out this weekend.

I'll be bringing some small rugs, table mats, and upcycled items such as the bunnies now listed in my etsy shop. The bunnies were made from a hand embroidered and quilted lilac quilt. So why cut it up? Well, the quilt was also covered with cigarette burns. Why not set the good parts free to another use? Hope to see you there!

Earth Hour 2009 Saturday March 28, 8:30 pm your local time

Join in the vote for our planet! Saturday, March 28 8:30 your local time. Turn off the lights, stay off the computer, no tv, maybe go outside and look at the stars. Meditate, pet the cat, or whatever you'd like to do. Help world leaders understand the need for working together on the problem of global warning.