Who is Orange Sink?

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Rice Lake, WI, United States
My home town is Rice Lake, a small town in northern Wisconsin. I own Red House Wool Studio~ an in-home wool and rug hooking business. I enjoy collecting and decorating with antiques and primitives. Orange Sink Blog is a journal of my interests and ramblings about life. Cathy Greschner

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Thursday, November 24, 2016

A Special Bouquet This Thanksgiving


Dear Mom,
The first Thanksgiving without you is not easy.  A beautiful bouquet from Dave this morning has brought some cheer.  The smell of fresh roses and cedar mingle with the smell of turkey roasting in the oven.  I made a gluten free pumpkin pie for dessert and thought of your pie crusts...  how did you ever make them so flaky, tender and just perfect? 
I hope so many who've lost loved ones this past year and may be spending the day alone will find comfort in a memory or two.  
And for everyone making new memories I wish them a most joyous and bountiful Thanksgiving!
Missing you mom,

Cathy






Thursday, November 17, 2016

A Hunting Tradition


In our neck of the woods in northern Wisconsin, deer hunting is the official start of the Holiday season.  With opening day this Saturday, I can say with certainty that the lefse,  cheese, rifle shells and orange hunting apparel has disappeared off store shelves this week with a vengeance! 

My earliest recollection of deer hunting is watching my dad and his buddies carve up the deer carcass 
in the basement of the old farmhouse where we lived.  Not a pretty site for a nine year old girl who fainted at the sight of blood!
Pretty much explains why I never felt a desire to take to the woods with a rifle. 
I still don't care for venison, but it seems like we always end up with a little of the meat in the freezer each year.
My hubby  loves to deer hunt.  On both sides of our family we have nieces and nephews who are hunting fanatics!  Now there are GREAT nieces and nephews who are following their parents into the woods,  learning the rules and traditions of the hunt! 

I love the old antique rugs which depict deer hunting! Long before blaze orange was ruled as the color one must wear while in the woods...wool coats, pants and hats would be worn in bright red and plaids of many colors.  Don't you just LOVE the hunter's pants in the  rug shown above? Do you think they were hooked from old hunting pants that had seen better days?

I wasn't able to find too many photos of vintage and antique rugs depicting deer hunting. 
But aren't both of these rugs just great! 

The maker in both instances has captured the spirit and tradition of the hunt!










Just had to share this new deer rug because of the striking colors and design! Dave would love this one for his man-cave!

And this one as well!  Interesting border on this rug!



It's fun looking for photos of deer  and deer hunting rugs online! 
Perhaps one day I will have to hook a "deer hunting" rug of my own.








My niece Anna and her daughters Kaitlyn and Courtney on last years hunt in the photo below.
They were successful and will be hunting in the woods again with their mom and dad!
Yes, deer hunting is a tradition in these parts!
Be safe young ladies and gentlemen!
May the hunt go well with you!

Cathy G






Tuesday, November 8, 2016

November Election Day Hook-In at Red House Wool Studio~ Lots of pics!

Our regularly scheduled Hook-in ( second Tuesday of every month) went off without a hitch today! Everyone voted, then hopped in their cars to gather here again for a wild and wooly day of hooking, stitching, chatting, laughing, eating and sharing our handwork!  Republican or Democrat... it really all washes out in the wool doesn't it!  So sit back and enjoy the labors of love in our handwork! 


Nancy made this oh so awesome covered paper mache' box ( in wool) to resemble a #2 crock!  How fun is this!  Nancy once again shows her creativity and expertise in stitching all things! I could fill this with wooly worms.... hmmmmm.  Decorative and functional! 



Cindy and Shirley model these adorable vests they made from wool!  A couple of posts back you remember Betsy showing us hers she bought in a boutique!  Well the girls got to work and made their own!  They are ready for the colder weather predicted this weekend.... we live in Wisconsin remember?  November 8th and we are still having summer like weather!  It's been wonderful! 



Shirley finished this eye -popping rendition of a Little Bits by Joan pattern!  She's working on  more of these adorable little patterns!  Nice stitching there Shirley!

Cindy finishes two more little wall hangings using the Little Bits by Joan patterns also!  A couple of posts back she shared a Christmas one she finished!  I love seeing how everybody has a little bit different slant on the wools they choose! So fun!



Nancy is our hand stitching perfectionist!  She shared some stitching on toweling that is fantastic! 

This Buttermilk Basin design is done by Nancy as well!  Isn't it awesome... Oh I think I spy some of my hand-dyed wool in there!  It gets me in the mood for some Christmas music.. I made the girls listen to my favorite XM Radio station today that plays continuous Christmas music!  I didn't hear any complaints... 


LOVE love love this stitching and with Bible verse done by Nancy! Love how she changes thread colors in the lettering.... so great!


Oh and Santa shows up every now in then here in the studio.... and today he is being hooked by Lisa! She's using a design in a Needl'Love book and don't you just love his golden coat!  She is using some real Flax for his beard... and did you spy those little rusty bells on a wire?  I can't wait to see how she works those in!  Am loving this rug so much... as a matter of fact I have a santa drawn out ready to hook.  Hope I get some time to start it now!


Betsy is making great progress on her turkey of many colors!  Forgive me I am not recalling the pattern designer name.... someone help me out please!  It's been a long day and I'm listening to election results while trying to type... probably not the best thing to do.. LOL! Anyhoo... I am loving this rug and she wants to finish by Thanksgiving!!  The race is on Betsy!!

Cindy making more progress on her Jack-O-Lantern in gorgeous wools!  Oh what a stunner this is going to be!!  

Debbie is hiding behind this wonderful wool applique quilt she is working on!  I bet you recognize it as one of Maggie Bonanomi's designs!  For sure it is... so lovely as Debbie is another meticulous and expert stitcher!  She gives these quilts as gifts to sons and daughter-in- laws!  Lucky kids! Maybe she will adopt me!  LOL!! 

Saundra is working on whipping her wonderful little oval shaped rug!  She hasn't been hooking that long but would you look at those even and perfect loops!  Saundra is destined to create some very lovely rugs as she is a true artist... as is her husband who is having knee surgery tomorrow!  We wish him well!  


Now please let me introduce our newest rug hooker! Her name is Shirley!  Yes we now have two Shirleys hooking  in our group! And can you believe this is the first rug for this Shirley!! It's good luck I believe to hook a sheep for your first rug ( a Heaven's to Betsy design)! We welcome you Shirley to our merry band of hookers and stitchers!  I think she was overwhelmed today but I did hear her say she will be back next month if we don't have a snow storm!  She has quite a drive to get here.. a couple of hours from Black River Falls.  

Here is the other Shirley working on a log cabin rug for a neighbor. Look at the wools... yum yum..perfect for the roof and logs!  Shirley drew this design from a photograph. Talent abounds here and I think it's marvelous these girls draw some of their own designs!  One of the fun things about rug hooking you can use your artistic gifts!


A very happy day when the studio is filled with dedicated and hard working friends!  The hours fly by and we leave with hugs and inspiration to carry us through til we meet again next month!  Thank you all for making the miles, bringing the nourishment for stomach and soul!
I am blessed indeed! 

Cathy G

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

"Novemberish" Thoughts and Turkey Rug Finishes

(Pattern design by Anne Nichols from the Needl' Love Book Falloween Threads)
Hooked by Lisa Halverson

"Novemberish" is kind of how I've been feeling today.   You know those kind of rich browns, golds and rusty reds you see this time of year in the fallen leaves and foilage. Different than the brighter oranges and fire reds of October. 
 Lisa and I finished our Turkey rugs and the dark and light backgrounds are  equally appealing! Lisa's, in the photo above speaks November all over with that great brown she used in the turkey's body!  I can't get enough of this rug!  Just gorgeous my friend!




I chose neutral wools for the back ground in my rug.
Maybe not quite as "Novemberish" as Lisa's rug...  but the reds, rusts, greens and golds take on a festive kind of feel~ Oh... dare I say.. a "Christmasy" sort of look and feel! 
Nothing wrong with a Turkey for Christmas... or any time of year for that matter!
So there you have our finished rugs!  Yes they both are bound as well!  ( Bells and horns tooting in celebration... LOL!)





Other "Novemberish" thoughts and happenings around here:  Still having some sadness overtake me and missing my Mom terribly... mornings are bad for some reason.  As the day progresses though all the duties and things I must attend to seem to help ease the sadness.  Mom's birthday would have been this month on the 14th.  That will be a hard day I'm sure.  I decided I need to do some things right now to take care of myself and to keep my spirits from sinking into a big black hole.  I went and got my hair cut on Monday!
That was a big deal for me... yes I have been wacking my own hair off for quite a few years ( like 30 years maybe?) I was a beautican once upon a time!  But I've been admiring these new layered shorter cuts on people and knew that my Cathy Sissorhand would probably screw it up looking in the bathroom mirror in reverse and trying to cut the layers!  LOL!
So off to the beauty shop with a cut from Deanna!
( My lovely niece Alicia goes to her and highly recommended her)

So here is the back! 

It is so easy to wash and dry!

I do love it now!











Another little pincushion and needle book I stitched with "Novemberish" colors of wool. Pattern by Primitive Gatherings.


So for now my hook and scissors are resting.  But not for long! 
I have another pattern drawn on Linen... not my design though.  In time I will be designing again. Right now I have many more duties to fulfill as we sold my Mom's house and I have to turn over the keys on Friday.  THAT will be hard. But I need to put the past behind and move on into the future. 
There are plenty of things I want to accomplish in the coming new year.
Plenty of changes  ahead to adjust to ( like a new President.. won't that be a challenge!) LOL!
and still trying to figure out how to manage this new hairstyle..  it doesn't look as good after I blow dry in the morning as it did in the salon!  

Enjoy these "Novemberish" days.

Cathy G