Deb's Big Adventure...and a CONTEST

Oh man- I had the most amazing day yesterday!!!!!!! The night before, a friend, Rachel (also a teacher) called up to see if I wanted to join her on a big adventure. "Of course!!!" I said, and off we went. Our first stop was to visit an amazing artist- Loretta Moore-in the Westport area. (She doesn't have a website, but this is a snippet from the upcoming Fall Studio Tour http://www.artatwork.ca/westport_studiotours/fall-colours/FCstudio2.htm ) What an amazing lady!!!! She brought us into her home (which was "Home and Garden" amazing), gave us a tour of her studio, and then gave us a mini lesson on rug hooking. I gotta tell ya, after seeing her stuff, I wanna be a hooker!!!!! (Geesh- wait until the search engines get hold of THAT little turn of a phrase- I should get some, um, interesting visitors who are going to be some disappointed). She has kits- beginner and up. But her studio- wow- yards and yards of hand dyed wool fabric-she has a little "thing" about beiges and sage greens-and she also has many of her kits made up and ready for sale. My choice? The one Rachel got, actually- a "primitive" sheep- I loved it!!!! I did not buy anything, by the way- mostly because I really do have to tidy up some other projects first. But that doesn't mean I won't try it at some point!!!! But all in all, an amazing lady.

And today- the start of the Kingston and Area Sheepdog Trials (see it here- http://www.cityofkingston.ca/residents/recreation/events/sheepdog/activities.asp)

It is always a great place to go and see the dogs (who are, by the way, amazing) and then look around the crafter's market. Today, however, is raining. And I love the whole thing, but not when I am standing in the rain. Puh-lease!

Another "must see" this weekend is a show called "Women's Work", curated by Carolyn- a fellow Kingstonian and also amazing designer. She talks about it on her blog- here- http://theartofwool.blogspot.com/ . Since that one is inside, it might be the right thing for today.
My sisters are taking my mother to Westport tomorrow- I wasn't invited (hey-- I'm not bitter) (just confused).
What else? Oh yes- Bear has been progressing with his swimming lessons. Sean takes him into the pool, carrying him under his arm, until Bear starts to move his legs in normal "poodle swimming" motions, and then lets him go. The Bear makes a beeline for the stairs (of course), but hey- at least he is swimming!

You can click for BIG.
Check out the look on Bear's face-hey! I've got an idea! Send me your caption ideas (to debDOTseanATsympaticoDOTca-replace the words with the dots and such)-and if I like yours the best, I will send you something yarny!!!!! Please include your snail mail addresses in your entries! As to what the yarny goodness will be, I will negotiate with the winner (or winners- who knows?). And let's put a deadline on it for, say, Monday, Aug. 11th, at 5:00 my time. Let's get those entries rolling!