See Rock City

Eventually, I hope to be more faithful in blogging. Retirement is so busy! These are two of the latest things I've hooked. You could say that I'm hooked on hooking; that would be putting it mildly! I drew both patterns, the Rock City pillow, a loose interpretation of an old illustration. There were so many See Rock Ciy signs on barns as I was growing up. We would see them on the way to the Smokies. I haven't seen one in years. The second image I have entitled God's Eye chairpaid as it felt southwestern to me when I finished. The title really followed the hooking. The only thing I drew was the largest circle in the middle, then, just started hooking.

The final picture is what I am hooking now. It is one I designed and have done a lot of the dyeing for it.


See Rocky City



God's Eye chairpad


King of the Barnyard

Stay warm

It is bitter cold here today. I remembered to pull out my corn bag and heat it in the microwave for 3 minutes. It's meant to drape around the neck but works well on cold feet. It's simply a cotton bag stitched in a swirl down the middle, filled halfway with dried corn. Try it; you'll like it.

This is the latest rug that I just completed hooking. It is a Bea Brock design. Bea color-planned and dyed the fabric for it as well. I enjoyed hooking it and scooting pictures around for a place to hang it.

Tumbling Cats

This is the latest picture I have of Tumbling Cats. I have since had it blocked, applied rug tape and label and will post a picture soon. I really enjoyed hooking it and looking forward to the next project.

Newest fascination(s)

I really didn't need to be fascinated with anything new but rug hooking reached out and hooked me along with dyeing the wool fabric for the same. These are my latest pictures of the latest project:

"Tiger and Leopard" design by Dahlov Ipcar
"Tumbling Cats"
Rug adaptation by Patsy Becker

Twenty Things About Me

This has been something popular to do for a few years now. I saw one blog with 100 things. I don't think I would ever think of 100 things about me but, here are 20.

1. From these parts, it is said, "American by birth, southern by the grace of God." True, but I prefer "Southern by birth, Christian by the grace of God."

2. Don and I have been together (counting dating time) 32 years. We had known each other by sight for 6 years through our careers in music. We will celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary in 2011. We have no children except for 2 four-legged babies that have gone over the rainbow bridge.

3. I don't understand boredom. I have always needed a challenge and because of it, a jack-of-all-trades. No challenge and I'm gone. So, on to #4. (;

4. I was a professional vocalist in my twenties for 6 years. I worked all over the U.S. and enjoy the memories made in those years.

5. After those 6 years, I was vocalist with Don (pianist) and was vocalist in the 41st Army Band (MS Army National Guard) and full-time supply technician with the MS Army National Guard.

6. I served as a color and design consultant and picture framer in a cross stitch/frame shop.

7. I was an administrative assistant for two divisional merchandise managers (with 13 buyers between them) for a major department store followed by administrative assistant to an independent sales rep.

8. I have been a knitter since 1964 and a weaver and dyer since 1987, and loved a multitude of other methods of color interaction. In the last year, I have begun rug hooking. I have been and am a member of various crafts-related guilds.

9. I love all colors but prefer rich, saturated color.

10. I finished up the last 15 years of my working career by establishing Heritage Yarns and wore all the hats that owning a business entailed including dyeing most of the yarns.

11. It is a joy to be retired and dyeing, knitting, weaving and hooking for my own pleasure. Not to say anything about how wonderful it is to take a guilt-free nap or have lunch with a friend.

12. I don't like beets and that's about all except I may be allergic to mangos and something in Margaritas.

13. I love spicy foods and have made chili so hot we had to open the doors in January. I wish my stomach liked spicy foods as much as I do.

14. I love cooking for friends and family. When I can't, I cook too much for two people to eat.

15. I love riding on the back of one of Don's two tour bikes. We've toured all over; I've been riding behind him for 32 years and pray the Lord sees fit that we can ride many more years.

16. We live in the same home that my daddy and mama built in 1964. They were self-employed with a home office. Who knew I would use their office for my business?

17. We still play music monthly at no charge for our local senior adult daycare center. They love it and we love them.

18. New friends are wonderful; old friends are best. We stay in contact with our musician friends, some of whom span back 48 years.

19. My only brother passed away a few months ago. Heaven is an even sweeter place now. His two sons are good men with sweet wives and children.

20. There is not enough time in this life to do the things I want to do. I wonder what our Father, our Creator, will have us doing in heaven.

After the Rain

We had the pleasure of a visitor that stayed for quite awhile the other night. He crawled up and down the door, disappearing occasionaly and then returning. Is he a baby bullfrog or a rain frog. Regardless, I love to hear them after rains.