A Hooker's Retreat

Hello All! Again a while between posts and doing a lot around here. Just went away last week with mom for some girl and craft time. We stayed in Leavenworth, WA and went to a rug hooking retreat with Jane Olson. It was an amazing experience for me. We laughed a lot, created a lot and probably ate way too much! Jane is a real treasure: funny, smart and fiesty. She is truely an artist. I hope to be able to go next year.

I created my own little rug of Pera and Lolly or as Pera calls herself and Lolly "Baby kitty and little tiger." The rug was made using beautifully hand died woolens from Jane's studio.

I heard someone describe what Jane does as painting with wool. I am very much humbled by what she can do, but was very pleased with the results of my own attempts at painting. The rugs are created with wool strips and as you can see from the group photo above there was quite a variety of creating taking place in the room. What I loved most about it was being able to come and go as we please, set our own pace and accomplish each day what we wished. At 85 Jane kept up and was there in the morning when (after a coffee and a walk) I finally came into the studio and at night as I was tottling off to bed.

A lot left to do on my little rug, but very fun and inspiring!