Bunnies in Progress and More...

Hi Gayle!  : >)

Hi everyone else too.  For my birthday last year, when I was 39 for the umpteenth time, by BFF Anne gave me the pattern Flip Flop Bunny Hop from Dogwood Hooked Art (website info is at the bottom).  She knew I loved it and even if she didn't know, it would have been a very good bet that I would!!! 

Before I had a chance to start it, I saw this rug in Celebrations XXI...

...and I was immediately Inspired!  About one second later, I thought of Flip Flop Bunny Hop...  could I use this technique on that pattern??? 

First, let me say right away that the rug above, which is called Fishing Day, was designed and hooked by Capri Boyle Jones, Navarre, Florida, in 2010.  (I hope it is OK to put the picture here on the Dusty Trail.)  Second, let me say that although I was inspired by her rug, I knew I was after a much-scaled-down version of her technique.  Her rug is artistic and painterly, with shadows and shading and exquisite use of color - you know - techniques that require TALENT!!!  According to the article in the magazine, she used 3,5, and 8 cuts to create her rug.

So here's where I am as of this morning with Flip Flop...

See what I mean by saying mine is much-scaled-down?  It is definitely more "naive".  Originally I pulled lots of bunny colors, ranging from cream to dark brown, and lots of grass colors, ranging from very light to very dark green.  The only other idea I had in mind was to make the middle bunny medium and dark values and the other two bunnies medium and light values, which I did.  I cut the browns in #8 and the greens in #4 and #6.

As I studied Capri's rug more thoroughly, I quickly noticed there are LOTS of other colors in there, not just "browns" and "greens".  I knew this when I started the bunnies, so from the beginning I added the little spots of color here and there.  When I started the grass, I didn't really think the spots of color would be necessary - but that was Wrong!  I did a big patch of grass using just the greens and it had no sparkle, no personality, it was just kind of blah - even with all those different greens working together.  So I started putting the spots of color in the grass too.  It made an amazing difference.  Here is a close-up of the grass...

When viewed from a distance, the spots of color add "dimension" - that's the best word I can think of to describe it.  I'll post it again when it is finished.  I love working on it, so it has a good chance of being finished soon!  I really enjoy hooking in a "free-form" on the grass (nothing is actually drawn on the background for the grass so it feels a bit like painting).

I was looking for something on my blog the other day and realized I had never posted a photo of the little table my husband built for my sunflower rug - at least not in finished form.  So, here it is...

How it looks on the area rug under it was a rather happy accident.  Here's a shot from the top...  the pattern is called Penny Rug Sunflower by Primitive Grace.  This is the smaller size - it is also offered in a larger size. 

OK - as promised to Gayle - here is a shot of the baskets where I store my wool strips.  My husband built the shelves for me - they slant down just a bit.  The shelf part is not solid - you can kind of see between the baskets that there are "sticks" of wood.  Just enough to support the baskets - which of course weigh very little.  The baskets are Longaberger bread baskets purchased on ebay.  It took forever to collect that many because I had a very low price threshold!  Every once in a while I would win one, and eventually I accumulated enough to make this work.

In the interest of full disclosure... the photo above was taken right after he built the shelves and right after I spent a LONG TIME organizing all these strips by color (sort of).  Strips go in and out of these baskets all the time.  Baskets get pulled out and stacked on the floor. Strips get dumped out on the floor and lots of digging around happens.  Re-organizing does happen from time to time, usually after I finish a rug.  If you could see a photo of my little "studio" this morning you would know why I laughed out loud when I opened this photo this morning!

Here are a few more shots from my little hooking hideaway...

That book cover with the bunny (above) is so wonderful - I want to hook that someday.   Snowman and pumpkin patterns are by Anita White.

I found black striped fabric on a clearance table and bought it to cover the rocking chair seat (above) and make a valance.  I had a pro do the rocking chair seat, but I made the valance - complete with beaded edge (from Hobby Lobby).  I must say I was pretty proud of myself!!!

I know everyone is enjoying the early Spring...  hasn't it been wonderful!!!  We've had several days in the 80's here in Kansas.  The flowering trees are magnificent (already) and the allergy sufferers are... well... suffering! 

Flip Flop Bunny Hop will be back soon...

The pattern may be found on this site:  www.heartandharerugs.com
Click on Catalog, then click on Dogwood Hooked Art, then click on Animals - there are 5-6 pages of patterns, so just keep going until you see it.  There is a photo of a finished one.