As the economy gets tougher and the planet gets warmer I am buying my holiday gifts from those hard working, creative, earth friendly crafters who are making such beautiful things. I figure everyone wins: the crafter, the environment, and the lucky person who receives the gift.

As a rug hooker I am always looking for fun ways to finish my pieces - my most recent favorite: heavy, old fashioned pillow ticking. My rugs are primitive, the ticking looks beautiful and enhances the primitive look. Try it!

I make gift baskets for friends with things they really like - for the gardener, gardening supplies, the knitter, good yarns.   For friends who are rug makers - baskets full of wool: strips, small and large squares and a lavender sachet. The baskets are colorful, smell great and are fun to make and give!

Recently, when hooking yellow flowers and a white background, I looked at my rug and could barely see the flowers, they had blended into the white. I  cut a pink strip in half length wise and outlined the flowers - they  popped immediately and I had pink spark!

My sister in law had an old wool blanket that had been the family baby blanket may years ago. Not willing to throw it away she gave it to me for my wool stash. Unbeknownst to her I am using it to hook a little heart design, returning the blanket to her in a different form!