Stairway To Wool Heaven!

Whew!  The title of my post may be a bit misleading today... but as the story unfolds, you may get the gist!  

First though may I THANK all my dear readers and friends for your wonderful comments, emails and cards!  Your prayers, love and condolences have meant so much!  They have helped these past few days as my mind is slowly processing all that has transpired since losing my mom in August!  I am trying to regain some sense of normalcy but as the days go it has been anything but! 

Lots of changes still going on here, including one involving the stairwell to "heaven" LOL!!

Actually it is a stairwell to a dungeon!  Yep... our basement!  Yikes! Moving things from my mom's house to ours, it has become a dumping ground of sorts. And we had plenty of our own crap stored down there to begin with!

To make a long story short... I've wanted to open up that cramped and narrow doorway leading down to the basement ever since we bought this place more than a decade ago! I am happy to announce that   process has begun and is nearly finished as I type!

But before I reveal the "after" photos, let me share the wooly projects going on out in the studio... the "wool heaven" if you will!

At this month's second Tuesday Hook-in here, Shirley has finished her gorgeous rendition Harvest Moon, a Heart to Hand design. On my list of patterns to do!

Celeste has finished her wool appliqué of a Buttermilk Basin design! "Autumn" with punkin and acorn!  Beautiful wools and stitching!

Cindy  has a good jump on the Chrismas season with her fun little stitched piece using a Little Bits pattern by Joan. Love that background wool!

Cindy goes right to hooking on her pumpkin rug... I didn't catch the designer but look at those awesome Halloween colors she's using!

Shirley is working on a Little Bits by Joan pattern too... hers is the Gingerbread men! Can't wait to see it done!

When the girls all meet here for our monthly hook-in, some bring projects other than wool applique and rug hooking!  Celeste is working on knitting some socks for hubby! You should see her knitting!  I will try and get a pic of her finished socks next time.... they are wonderful!

Betsy shows off her Chicken rug... again I am bad at getting the designer! But didn't it turn out fabulous!  

Saundra and Lorena are hard at work on their rugs and are already planning their next projects!

Saundra's working on a little design by me... a little owl mat called "Black Tie Affair"! It will be so darn cute when finished!  

Lisa is working on a larger rug with a dove by The Sampler. It is going to be one gorgeous rug!

So as the wool flies in the studio.... the sawdust was flying on my stairwell!

Demolition begins... but my wonderful carpenters built a makeshift wall to surround and it did keep the dust to a minimum! 

I've had this antique post that came out of an old barn in storage forever!   Several times people have asked if I would sell it!   Came close a couple of times but always held back, hoping that someday I'd have the perfect spot for it!

I just love it.... in all it's crustiness and there's even a couple of old rusty nails embedded in it!  What do you think?  Was it worth hanging on to? 

A new white railing...

And my stairway to the dungeon is almost complete!  Next week the wall treatment will go on and I have to shop for some new carpet for the steps!  So I'm off to open the boxes of a new wool shipment and dream of that stairway to WOOL heaven!!

Cathy G