Our Open House and Studio Tour was a success in ways that probably won't be fully appreciated until the months and days ahead. People came, enjoyed, stayed and watched while our merry band of hookers pulled loops and stitched appliques! We drank mulled cider and shared cookies and hot wild rice soup and marveled at the rugs and beautiful wool surrounding us! All that was missing was the snow...... so I added some to the header photo..... LOL!
Welcome...... come in...... let us show you our studio, rugs and works of our hands! And perhaps entice you to pull a few loops of your own.....
Max could hardly contain himself all morning..... waiting and waiting for the first visitor to arrive! Little did he know he was to be banned to the kitchen during the festivities....... much to his displeasure I might add! He is overly friendly when people visit while his brother Smokey is quite shy and stands in the background and barks. Dave came home early from deer hunting to keep them entertained for the day!
The living room was ready with antiques and goodies. A few things sold..... but unfortunately I have most of it left to decide what to do with!
Lisa loaned me her twig tree to decorate the entrance! It looked so nice she said I could keep it through out the Holidays as she wasn't decorating with it this year! Thank-you Lisa!
The old cook stove came in handy as a wool holder..... anything with a flat surface around here is now fair game for holding wool!
I don't know if I ever told you about the door to the garage.... behind the tree. I painted it a few years ago to look like old wood wainscoting. For some reason people are fascinated by it so I have left it that way. Kind of a rustic charm I guess......
The wool is waiting and inviting! There's a little bit more too.......
A former window turned into shelving holds more wool. Hand dyed and ready for hooking and projects! Jill is keeping us supplied with a nice selection! She dyes beautiful wool as some of you know who have purchase it. Am I spoiled or what to have this all at my fingertips!
My old twig bench and early blue trunk came in handy as extra seating and a place to show off some wool applique! The rug on the back of the bench is Jill's garden rug! I believe she sells the pattern on her website NorthwoodsWool.Com
Jill has done some gorgeous wool applique work! This is a Wool Crazy pattern. Her stitches are so perfect! I absolutely love this piece!
Another view of the living room and baker's cupboard. Jill's rug "Got Wool" under the cupboard was sold! She hooked it quite a few years ago and said she was ready to part with it! It made me a little sad to see it go! Loved the sheep!
I wanted to show you a picture of Lisa's second rug she hooked! My "Wild Horses" pattern. It is a stunning rug! The colors which I kind of winged when I helped her pick out wool really turned out neat don't you think? I loved having it here for the open house! Gosh..... I wanted to keep it!!!
There's more wool in the studio to pick from. I think I had every rug I ever hooked on display!
Here's a little view of my tiny check-out area..... I always have my samples of Rebecca Erb and Heaven's to Betsy wool hanging on a bulletin board behind the counter. It helps to me to recall the names of the wool and to know which ones we have! Am I organized or what! 
Oh yes..... more wool I'm afraid..... Jill's marbeled wool hangs in the door way from a curtain rod. More dyed wool in reds and grays in the cupboard. And it's kind of funny but we talk about how badly we need even more wool!! LOL! Well..... we have to work hard to sell more and teach some more hookers so we can justify all this ordering of new wool! We are just beginning and have high hopes this thing will grow!
I didn't get photos while we had a full house of people. I was too busy talking and explaining things to everyone! We were all all very busy helping people so when there was a break in the action the girls all sat down for some hooking and chatting.
From left to right: Lisa's daughter Callie, Lisa. Jill. Penny. Lorena and Saundra. Callie is our newest hooker by the way! She pulled a couple of loops during the open house and she got hooked big time. She came by the studio today to purchase a kit! Her mother's enthusiasm has rubbed off on her! LOL! I had to giggle as they all looked so involved in their projects! But let me tell you right here and now..... these are some serious hookers! And the best friends and dearest ladies you will ever find in the world!
Many many many thanks to you all for all the help with the open house! It was successful because of your help and enthusiasm!
Good things ahead..... I feel it in my bones! Hooking has taken a hold in the north woods of Wisconsin!
Blessings!
Cathy G
When Dave came home for lunch today he was looking at the junk mail flyers that came in the mail before taking them out to the recycling. He noticed the Christmas decorations in one of them and said " I should go buy a little snowman ornament for my desk at work." I said " I didn't know you wanted anything like that on your desk...." Hmmmmm I think he's getting into the Holiday spirit this year do ya think? 
