The "Dont's" appear to be winning.

We have just spent our first week’s vacation (and I use the term very loosely) at the cottage, which is about 70% through the renovation. It was a week spent doing penance to the “don’ts” – all the bad decisions we made at the beginning. Many seemed like good ideas at the time, but turned out to be really stupid in hindsight.

Don’t #1: Don’t ever count on the “best case scenario”. It will not happen that way. There are too many variables like “weather” that really determine what will happen and when. Face the fact that you are totally not in control. It will be slower than you expected and it will cost more (just like everyone told you it would). There is no small type that reads “except for Rick and Wendie Davis”.

Don’t #2: Don’t think about not storing your furniture off site. Although the original plan (here it comes – best case scenario) was to build the addition, leaving the existing cottage in tact until the break through was done and then moving everything into the addition. That plan was off the rails before the first month was over. And by the time we tried to find a storage facility, all the units were taken.

Not only was everything totally in the way of the crew, it collected every bit of construction debris, no matter how tightly wrapped it was. When the contractor finally lost patience with us after have to move it all too many times to mention, on threat of revolt it was moved into the basement, where it collected mould and mildew to go with the sawdust and drywall dirt.

So, after spending our first five 14-hour days with a spray bottle filled with a potion of hydrogen peroxide and colour-fast bleach (found on the internet as a result of googling “getting mould off upholstery”), we have rescued nearly everything from the dank and smelly depths. Once we organized everything in the basement and cleaned it out, the mould is gone from there too.

Don’t #2: “Don’t do the kitchen first”, which I did fearing that we would run out of money before the renovation was done. (I was correct in my monetary assumption, by the way.) Miraculously, there is no damage to the new kitchen, but it was definitely another handicap and irritant for the crew, and has affected a floor decision which will not be easy to change, since all the cabinetry is in position. I am happy to live with the floors I have as my penance for this "don't".

Don’t #3: “Don’t assume that the contractor understands what you are saying.” When we told him that we were coming up to the cottage at a certain date for a week, he assumed we didn’t want him to work while we were there. WRONG. Under no circumstances did we want him to go anywhere else, when there is still so much to do. Luckily, we figured each other out and by mid-week we got the crew back. They got lots done without being in our way – though I’m sure we were in theirs.

Don’t #4: “Don’t under estimate the power of beer on Friday.” Since we haven’t been able to be there to establish this ritual at the end of the week (something our friends did every Friday through their reno), we found out just how powerful this small gesture can be. It gave us a chance to spend some time with the wonderful human beings who do the work – and gave them a chance to get to know those human beings who have been committing all the don’ts. I wish we were in a position to do this every Friday going forward, but we aren’t. Our second week of vacation is coming after the Labour Day weekend, so we will get to do it one more time. And there will be some sort of celebration when we are done, I'm sure.

Don’t #5: “Don’t lose sight of the finish line.” I think we are suffering from renovation fatigue, which plagues everyone at some point. Unfortunately, renovation fatigue is right next door to renovation remorse, with which my husband appears to be flirting. Not me – I can definitely see how magnificent it is going to be.

After we were finished de-moulding, we put a number of our favourite pieces in place including a painting on the new mantel of our incredible new fireplace. Amazingly, without paint on the new walls or trim on the new windows, these personal touches really made it feel like the home it will soon be. I am truly excited and know that it won’t be much longer before it’s perfect.

We refused to put all the furniture we so lovingly cleaned back into the basement. We put it all together in the centre of the living room and covered it with a big sheet. This time we told the contractor what we were doing. He didn’t have too much to say about it, which could mean he is o.k., or it’s our next stupid decision.

I sure hope it’s not the next “don’t”.

My First Trip on The Polarfleece Express

About a year ago, I started this project - a bath mat hooked in polar fleece. I wanted something for the bathroom that could be stepped on with wet feet. And I wanted to see what it was like to hook with polarfleece.

I had a stash of old polarfleece scarves and tops, to which I added some remnants from the fabric department at the WalMart near the cottage. I suspected that no matter how horrible the prints were on the bolt, once they were cut into strips and hooked in, they would add texture. Would you ever guess that my textured sky was in fact a swordfish pattern, or that the trees and highlights in the doors were originally John Deere tractors on black? I swear, I am telling the truth. Let's face it, a lot of the prints you see in polar fleece, whether on a bolt or in a blanket are downright hideous, until they are hooked. And for the less adventurous, there are lots of solids that can be used instead.

There are pros and cons of working with polar fleece, as there are with any fabric choice. One definite pro is that not only can you find it in any fabric store, but the Goodwill and Value Village have racks of polar fleece garments that are no longer being worn. The apple green that I used in the grass was a vest. The darker trees were once a plaid housecoat. You get a lot of fleece in a housecoat - multiple mats for sure. It hooks very quickly, especially if you cut it wide. And the ends hide well, just as wool ends do. Another pro is that it does feel amazing underfoot. Very soft and cushy. And I used up some old acrylic yarn in the whipping - something that shouldn't be done on a wool project.

The cons are really minor. The cutting needs to be done either by hand or with a rotary cutter, since you can't use your wool cutter. The synthetic fibers would ruin the blades in no time. I think someone told me that you could use a shredder, but I haven't tried that. The other thing is that you pretty much have to work with fabric "as is". Although I haven't tried, I don't think that dyeing is an option. The only other thing is that the mat is quite heavy when finished, so I'm not sure what the drying time will be like once I have washed it - gentle cycle for sure. Probably drying flat will be the best way to go. I don't think the sun will bleach the colour.

I did say that I began this mat about a year ago. It was one of the projects that got cast aside while others took over. But, now that it is basically finished (a little whipping left to go), I am glad that I picked it up and finished it. I realize that this plentiful, inexpensive alternate to wool is a great suggestion to hookers who don't have access or budget for its more costly cousin.

It joins the ranks of pantyhose as being a fun, somewhat unexpected fiber with which to hook. I highly recommend that you give it a try.

Therapeutic Hooking

There are lots of different ways that people centre themselves. For some, it is running; for others, yoga. For me, it is hooking that restores my soul. Pulling a few loops at the end of the day seems to dissipate the stresses I have collected in the big bad world. I’m able to focus on something small that I can control.

Some nights, I may not get to pick up a hook until 10:00, but an hour of hooking is almost always enough to settle me. If I don’t take the time before I go to bed, the worries of the day start to spin inside my head the minute it hits the pillow and I lie awake trying to sort them all out.

Some people find reading before bed helps them fall asleep. My problem with books is that my eyes usually tire before my brain, and I close my eyes to find my brain still humming. I guess this means I am more tactile than visual in my settling requirements. I need to connect with the wool - go through the motions.

Therapeutic hooking isn’t always pretty. In fact, sometimes the next day, I end up pulling it all out. That’s o.k., because sometimes the pulling of the loops is needed more than the actual results. Runners don’t always have a destination, do they? It’s just the running they need.

Then there’s that rare day in which I find a couple of hours all to myself. When I decide to spend those hours hooking, it’s like a present to me. I’d choose it over a manicure or a facial anytime. And I’d scramble to get everything on my “to do” list done, just to reward myself with that hooking time. It rejuvenates the soul and lets me completely lose track of time.

And, at the end of a few sessions, there’s a rug or wall hanging or purse that you get to enjoy for years to come. That's what I call great therapy.

One Step at a Time.

One of the things on my hooking "to try" list was a set of stair risers. I always thought they were an amazing way to add whimsy, colour and interest to a simple staircase. Stair risers are not something you see much these days. I imagine their heyday was before broadloom and stair runners were very much the fashion. Some primitive websites have them, and I remember a story about Canadian hookers doing them for a restoration in the US.

But, I have a set of stairs (technically I don't just yet, but will soon) that leads to my soon-to-be studio. What better place to display my risers than where students and guests can see them as they go up to the main part of the house.

Various theme ideas danced around my head until, as usual, necessity became the mother of my invention. Actually, necessity is too strong a word. It was more like a theme opportunity that presented itself. To complement a display at an up-coming workshop with a laundry theme, I decided to hook this riser. It pretty much sums up how I feel about laundry. And I have come up with several other companion phrases, certainly enough for a set of stairs. I will call this set the Domestic Goddess Collection.

The perks of risers? They are quick to do. And they can be textural, since no one is walking on them - hence the name "risers". (The part that sits on the actual step is called a "tred" for those who needed to know.) So, there may be some embellishment before these get installed, oh yes, and 9 more to be hooked.
I'm sure that as I proceed through them, they will inspire others. So I think stair risers will be something I will include in my workshops and my website (which is also still to be built).

The positives of negative spaces.

In the past year, I have hooked a lot of faces. It all started with a portrait of 2Pac that I hooked for my son's birthday last year, and there's been a face on the go pretty much since then. I've also done some feature studies. One was a mouth - a voluptuous pair of lips created by hooking the space around them - the "negative space". It was fascinating to see the shapes emerge as I hooked.

So, I decided to try an entire face to see if it worked as well. As in all the other faces and feature studies, the secret is to concentrate on the shapes created in the negative space. It's a little like those optical illusions that fascinated me so much when I was younger. You know the ones where you see one thing first, and then you see something else. I loved those!

From "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" to just about any other art book, artists and art teachers all agree that the space around the shapes is as important as the shapes themselves. Would one exist without the other?

At any rate, this the face that I created with negative space. I enjoyed the exercise of hooking it. And I like how it turned out. Your eye definitely moves back and forth between the dark shapes and the light spaces created between.

And the biggest positive of this negative space study was, of course, the learning.

How many stitches to Parry Sound?

I am a car knitter. I knit in the car while my husband drives...what were you thinking? (I've seen those people putting on their makeup while they drive and it scares the bejeezus out of me.)

I would love to hook in the car, but hooking equipment takes up too much space. I'd probably have to sit in the back to do that, though I must confess I have never tried. My good friend Elaine has hooked on a plane, so I guess it can be done. But probably not on my gripper frame.

I have never been able to just sit. I always have to be doing something in addition to sitting. I knit or hook in front of the television. So car knitting is just an evolution. And it's a very productive way to use time that would otherwise be spent just sitting.

Some people are car readers. I can't do that, without getting an upset tummy. I guess it's that type jumping all around that does it. Knitting is as much tactile as visual. I can feel my way along without looking, and that doesn't upset my tummy at all.

For my car knitting, I pick easy patterns that don't need a lot of attention. And in a few trips, voila - a new garment. I even knit in the city on the trips to and from work, especially when traffic is bad. The benefit of an easy pattern is that you don't have to watch the knitting. You can sight-see and knit at the same time. That's productive multi-tasking if ever there was.

I have met several other car knitters. We all seem to choose socks, scarves or drop-dead easy sweaters. Afghans would be good too, but on a hot day, that bulk in your lap wouldn't be so great. But a great winter idea!

I like seeing the reactions of people in the next lane. They often do a double take. I remember one time, the driver next to me smiled and pointed to his wife, who saluted me with her needles. We are definitely out there in droves (no pun intended).

This weekend, I finished a Sally Melville pattern. I have knit it once before - the first time not in the car. This sweater is a white cotton tunic that knit up very differently than the original. I have a feeling this won't fit at all like the first one either. It's a much heftier yarn and I hope it doesn't look like it was fashioned by Omar the tent maker, since there are a number of hours and kilometers in this sweater. And I did do a tension check, I swear.

So, here's to car knitting. And a sweater in approximately 2,500 km. Not bad!
Picture to follow, unless Omar was the designer. If so, I'll just ravel it back and car knit another masterpiece.

O Canada Day Weekend

For the past 16 years, July 1st weekends have been the traditional cottage kind - filled with swimming, kayaking, eating, drinking, hanging out with friends and family.

Not this year! Without a place to sleep at the cottage yet, the weekend was fractured, the rhythm was off and I was left wanting. Friday was a work holiday, which I spent doing chores around the house. If I stopped to think about what I was missing, it felt like a wasted day. But the weather wasn't great, so it was the perfect opportunity to get to a few odds and ends tasks. And I did end up with better organized spaces, some fresh touches of paint and a feeling of having accomplished something I've been putting off for ages.

On the bright side, not heading up on Thursday night or Friday meant we missed the incredible traffic - which, try as I might to convince myself, is not a high point of long weekends for me. Even at 6:45 Saturday morning, there was a pretty steady flow northbound on the 400. But, as a car knitter, I get lots done on these 2+ hour trips. A full sleeve this trip.

We arrived to find kitchen windows, garage doors and windows, one upstairs bedroom window and two basement windows. The kitchen was the prize of the weekend. Not only was it light and bright with the new windows, but there was running water in the sink and a clear counter which I was able to clean and use to make lunch. Yahoo!!!

During the day on Saturday, we met with the contractor, a few of the cottage neighbours came to peek and we did get several chores done before heading to friends' cottage for dinner and a sleepover. We brought dinner in return for lodging and spent a great evening with them, sharing their first long weekend bonfire.

Next morning, coffee and bagels and then back to the cottage for a couple more chores and then back in the car to head home - again, on the bright side, missing the worst of the traffic. The bonus was finding an amazing piece of furniture for our new entry way, so the day was rescued in that respect. But all in all, it was a big disappointment to have to vary our Canada Day tradition.

I keep reminding myself that this is just one Canada Day in the scheme of things and next year we will be back on track with all the usual activities.

It will be Canada Day again before we know it.

Visiting is not the same as being there.

Last Thursday, I visited my alma mater. Nope, not my University. Better than that -Trent School of Rug Hooking.

I was there to showcase a possible class for the 2008 year, which I really hope I get to teach. I chose Thursday to do the showcase, since that is Open House day at the School. This was the first time in 4 years that I hadn't been there for the week, so this was the next best thing.

My friend Elaine and I went to Peterborough the night before to stay with my mother in law, since my showcase was at 8:30 a.m. Jo (ma-in-law) treated us to a wonderful Prime Rib dinner at Chemong Lodge on Wednesday night. Amazing food at a ridiculous price (low) in a gorgeous setting - highly recommended.

The following morning, we arrived at the college in lots of time to set up - much better than driving for two hours at the crack of dawn. No sooner had we emerged from the car then I found out I was sharing the spotlight with another showcase. Jon, the best wildlife hooker this side of anywhere, was presenting his course outline as well. As he set up his projector, and I knew they would be images of his amazing creations, I was feeling a tad anxious. I definitely wanted to go before him - to be the appetizer before his entree.

And, lest I forget, I also ended up following a very funny skit about Emily Carr, her prolific monkey Woo and Woo's clean-up crew. I felt caught between the ridiciulous and the sublime and it was more than a little like being on Saturday Night Live.

But the presentation went well, and there appeared to be great interest in this little project after all. I guess there are a lot of hookers like me. They already have many long-term projects on the go. They're looking for something they can design, plan, hook and finish in time to take home.

Everyone gets to vote on the showcases they have seen during the week, to help choose the classes for the following year. I have my fingers crossed that they choose me.

The rest of the day was spent catching up with lots of folks. The rug school at Trent has a very loyal student body. Many return year after year, some since the very beginning. And who can blame them! Where else can you hook all day long - and all night long too if you like, laugh out loud, carry on like kids, have all your meals prepared for you and celebrate the delight of being in the company of like-minded women for a week. It's summer camp for hookers! And it doesn't get much better than that.

The rug display this year had some incredible works. It was fun to see rugs from previous years that people had finished since school last year. There was certainly a variety of topics and techniques and it is a testament to how good the school is to see such great work.

We also saw the Friendship rug and it was as amazing as I knew it would be. Taking on that task is quite an endeavour. Having helped create last year's rug, I fully appreciate the effort that goes into creating it. Sally, Gretchen and Jane have definitely raised the bar for the next rug. It's amazing when you think that one lucky person gets to take it home.

Lunch in the cafeteria included the fries and homemade desserts that I swore I wouldn't have. Then off to the classrooms to visit anyone we hadn't seen yet. Visitng the classes is one of my favourite things to do, since it is often tough deciding what class to take. When you get inside the rooms and see the work, you vow to take that class "next year" if it is offered.

This year, the classroom visits were open to the public only. They opted for an "on the lawn" display of the work to the classes on Friday instead. I'm sure it cuts down on the disruption and loss of class time, but I'm glad I picked this year to be a "public".

I remember Thursday as being a bit of a sad day - only one full day of class left before getting ready to head home on Saturday. The week flies by like any week with that much fun in it. I remember my first year hearing one of the women say, as she packed up on Saturday, "only 51 weeks till I get to come back".

I really hope I get to come back in 51 weeks! This time as a teacher instead of a student. I hope I get to lead a class in my nice little project that they can start and finish while we are all having fun.

What a difference a door makes!

It's amazing what things give you the biggest thrill in a renovation. They aren't necessarily the biggest things. But they are the ones that trigger an emotional reaction. That is certainly the case with our front door.

For many reasons, our windows and doors were ordered later than planned, so we have been waiting with baited breath for them to arrive. A lot of things cannot be completed until the windows are installed, so we know that once they are all in, we will feel that things are really progressing.

Everyone knows what a difference light in a room makes, but the impact was greater than expected. Our new entry way was previously our downstairs bedroom. There wasn't even a window where the door is now. Because the room was always so dark, it was great for sleeping. You never knew what time it was, and if you wanted, you could just go on sleeping. Now, thanks to our new door, it is bright and cheery foyer that opens into the great room, the hub of the cottage.

Previously, the only entrance to the cottage was through the screened-in porch to the kitchen. At a cottage, this was not a problem. But for a full-time home, we wanted a proper front door entrance. You know that expression "back door friends are best". Well, that was all we had - until now!

Our city home has a front door that is barely used. Everyone we know comes to the side door. Only people who don't know us go to the front - too often people trying to sell us things, or ask us to donate to things. When we have a dinner party and at Christmas when family and friends assemble, they use the front door. It makes these times feel a bit more special. I know that the front door at the cottage will do the same.

We still have many things to deal with regarding the exterior of our new front door. There's a capped roof to go over the platform. The hydro meter needs to be hidden somehow. And there's an old oak tree that cuts across the door as you pull in the driveway, whose fate is to be decided. But once we have the sconces on the wall, the cap over the door and the landscaping done to lead to the front door, this will be a warm welcome to all who visit.

And there's still the decision of bell or doorknocker. I think I'll vote for doorknocker. But we now have a wonderful front door! And what a difference a door makes.

Some calm amidst chaos

Meet Morris. He is the official guard moose at our cottage. He was a Christmas gift from my husband many years ago. He has been keeping watch over the bay 24/7, 365 days a year and is well loved by all who spot him. Visitors on the lake often circle back to get a closer look, sure they saw something peering at them from our property.
His initiation into cottage life was a story unto itself. Morris was transported in our pick-up truck up the 400 highway, securely bungeed in position, wearing ski goggles and a scarf. The honking of horns and laughter of surrounding motorists was sheer delight. I think we have a picture somewhere of just how silly he looked.
Over the years, Morris has become dwarfed by many of the evergreen trees we have transplanted from around the lake and will be relocated as soon as we have 4 strong people to move him. We have a perfect, more visible spot for him where we lost a tree to a storm last year. A good vantage point for him to keep watch and for passersby to spot him. Morris has become an important part of the landscape, and like all the other elements, needs things need to be moved because of too much shade.
Although I was never a gardener by choice, I have become quite a good gardener by accident. Very much the trial and error approach versus the horticultural scholar. The past two Saturdays have been weeding days, which I love. I think weeding is the one activity that I do without thinking - about anything. It's rather hypnotic, like staring into a fire - you just get lost in it and hours fly by. It's extremely therapeutic. And when you are done, everything looks better. Plants look happier and order is restored. Yes, even to a cottage garden.
These renovation days, it is even more therapeutic, because everything inside the cottage is so out of control. Progress is being made, albeit more slowly than we hoped, in so many areas that everything is in disarray.
So we drive up from the city and spend the day tending to the exterior. After we check progress on the inside and ooh and aah over what's been done, we get to work outside. These days our real sense of accomplishment is in the whacking and the weeding and the tending to the grounds.
We know we will have order restored on the inside eventually. And our inside tasks will become the rhythm of our weekends. But in the meanwhile, we create our calm on the outside to counterbalance the chaos within.
And Morris keeps watch over our progress.

What's in a name?

While we are working away at our addition to our cottage, there's been an even better one at the cottage next door to us. A brand new, perfect baby girl - first child for one of the daughters and first grandchild for the parents. Her name is Rayla Belle - quite a handle for such a tiny person.

Her mom told me that "Rayla" had been in her head for a very long time. And Belle is a salute to her maiden name Belluz. For me, the name brings up images of a southern belle sipping mint julips on the porch. But I'm sure once Rayla grows into it, that initial image will fade. It will be replaced by a toddler eating sand on the beach in front of the cottage, learning to swim and going for boat rides with her grandpa.

When I first saw her pictures of "the most beautiful baby in the world", I had to agree with her new daddy that she was. She has a pink complexion, perfect rosebud mouth and button nose, and a halo of hair that promises to have a touch of red like her mom.

My normal new baby gift (pre-hooking) was always a home-made sweater. I realized that they outgrew those in about 20 minutes, so I have switched to a new, home-made gift that offers greater longevity. Rayla Belle has the distinct honour of being the recipient of the first one.

Influenced by my recent penny rug workshop, I incorporated a little touch into the ends of this piece. I wasn't certain about how to attach the lambs tongues and certainly learned a bit as I proceeded. I will revise the construction on the next one, but basically I am happy with the end result.

I hope Rayla Belle is happy as well. Her parents have given her a name that will make her truly unique. I don't believe she will run into too many other girls in her class with the same handle.