A Flitting Glimpse into Rug Hooking People

Today I caught up on my reading, as in reading the blogs of the people I follow.

I enjoy reading the little glimpses into their lives.

I have noticed some mutual characteristics of the rug hookers:

• They seem to live in small towns or in the country.

• Most grow their own vegetables and preserve them.

• They are close to their mothers and families.

I am generalizing, I know, but this is what I have observed from the rug hooking blogs that I follow.

When you start writing a blog you may think you know what you want it to be, but along the way the blog starts to take you where it wants to go.

I never thought when I started my blog over a year and a half ago that I would connect with a lot of interesting people all over the country and beyond.

To be completely honest I didn't have a vision for my rug blog at all. My boss asked me to start one, so I did. Now, I write two area rug blogs and I am slowly getting a direction for my rug blogs. The rhythm is flowing.

As I learn more about how to make my blogs better the rhythm will change just as a river changes over time.

Thanks for reading, RugloverMary

Rug Hooking Reading

Today I read several blogs about rug hooking. I am now following many rug hooking blogs on this blog site.

Most of the blogs I came across today were not only about rug hooking, but also about these ladies lives as well.

I was very happy to stumble across this rug blog, Momz Wool. This lady visited my home village, Advocate, Nova Scotia. She lives in Amherst, Nova Scotia, which is the last town I lived in before moving to Victoria, British Columbia.

Another great rug hooking/life blog is about Julie from Newfoundland. I enjoy the white board message in this entry.

For a more technical blog about rug hooking, check out Red Jack Rugs. There are loads of tips and tricks in this blog. Plus there are lots of ways to learn from and support many other rug hookers.

The more I read about rug hooking the more of an urge I feel to start a new hobby.

I recently found out that one of my neighbours knows how to hook rugs. When I talk to her more I will find out what kind of rug hooking she knows.

There is the rug hooking kit you buy that the rug has a loose pile and then there is the rug hooking on linen/burlap. I want to learn the traditional way with the burlap.

I am worried that if I start rug hooking I will soon over run the house with pieces of wool. Not that I don't already have pieces of paper all over the house when I make cards or pieces of yarn when I crochet.

From what I have read today rug hooking grabs onto you and takes hold.

The ladies who write these blogs are very passionate about the whole process from dying the wool to the completed rug.

This weekend I may investigate what I need to start rug hooking and the investment I have to make to it.

No promises that I will be a rug hooker next week, but at least I will know more about it.

Thanks for reading, RugloverMary

Rug Blog Revamping

I have been reading a lot about how to really make your blog stand out.

I started using some of the tips and decided to change the look of my blogs.

That is why some of the older blog entries may look a bit weird. I haven't gotten to retweak them yet.

It seemed like such a small thing to use a different template, but the rug blog entries do not adjust to the new template automatically.

I have been spending the last few hours editing all my old rug blog entries.

I may take me a few more days to get through them all, so bare with me. I must continue on with the editing.

Thanks for reading, RugloverMary

RugloverMary is now officially on Google Profile

I filled out my Google Profile today.

What will this do for me and my work: It is another way to increase my web presence.

It is never a bad thing when a client does a search for rug cleaning and Luv-A-Rug dominates the first page of the search. I have two area rug blogs, work website, ads on local search sites, and twitter.

Wow when I think about it we have a lot of stuff for Luv-A-Rug out there floating around in cyber space.

It is my desire for Luv-A-Rug to dominate the search for rug cleaning in Victoria, BC. That would be a great accomplishment.

I did enjoy customizing my Google page. To get a great page for yourself all you have to do is sign up for a Google account and if you already have one take 5-10 minutes to jazz it up.

I believe if you are have a page on the web it should be personalized and even a little fun. We have forgotten that it is okay to have fun once in awhile.

Please do something a little bit fun today!

Thanks for reading, RugloverMary

Rug Blog Rut and Cell Phone Driving

I have discovered why I have such a hard time writing area rug blogs. It isn't for lack of things to write about that is for sure.

I am too much of a perfectionist.

I try to make each blog tell a story and put as much information as I can in it. The problem with that is I get too caught up in the way I write it more so then what I am trying to say.

I have two blogs waiting to get finished. I end up writing a line or two and then erasing them. Then I try to rewrite everything and I end up losing the point I was trying to write about.

I get frustrated and then I end up writing only a few blogs a month instead of a few blogs a week. Other than lack of time there is no other real reason stopping me from writing a blog a day.

My need to make it perfect every time the first time is my downfall. I need to relax and let the word flow and hope for the best.

Today I am going to go off topic of area rugs just to switch gears.

I would like to put my two cents in on a hot topic in British Columbia right now: Banning cell phones while driving.

It is proven that talking on a cell while driving helps cause accidents due to driver distraction. I agree, but it isn't just that drivers are talking on the phone it is also that they have a cell phone in one hand and something else in the other.

I have seen people smoking or drinking coffee and are talking at the same time. If both of your hands are busy how are you driving, and don't say with your knees? What happens when the car ahead does something and you need to quickly advert your car? CRASH!


My view on this isn't just the cell phone aspect, it goes beyond that. There are long waits in traffic here in Victoria, BC due to the increase of more people living outside the city. The roads weren't design to handle the amount of traffic that they do. Most are one lane in each direction when they should be two lanes going each way.

Besides poor fore thinking by city planners years ago the biggest problems I see with drivers today are these:

• NO RESPECT- there is less respect for people and traffic laws these days.

• NO PATIENCE- everyone is in a hurry to get one car length ahead that they drive dangerously and don't obey the rules of the road.

• WE ARE INDESTRUCTIBLE- With more safety features on cars and with SUV's being big we are led to believe that we are in a protective shell.

Patience is the biggest one. I have seen a lot of cars run red lights because they had to wait to make a left handed turn. Cars also pass the city bus in places where they shouldn't.

Cell phones are not the only distraction driver's have, but it definitely doesn't help people pay attention to the road and other drivers. We have become too comfortable in our cars because we spend a lot of time in them and a car isn't just a car any more. With features that allow for DVD players, video games, etc. it is no wonder we have become relaxed in them.

So the question still stands: Should cell phones be banned while driving?

I don't know, I don't drive and I just got a cell phone two weeks ago. As a pedestrian in this city it would be nice to know that when I enter a crosswalk that the driver wasn't distracted by the latest drama unfolding at home and I get hit.

We need to remember that we are not the only person in the world, be more courteous and stop making cars into mobile homes.

Thanks for reading RugloverMary

Another way to find Luv-A-Rug

Luv-A-Rug has joined the community of www.squidoo.com. I will be adding more content when time permits. It is another sunny day here in Victoria,BC. It seems that the rain is holding off this year. Usually by November we have had a few wind storms and rain for weeks, not that I am complaining I am just pointing out a fact. This is just a short rug blog today as it is almost time for it to get busy. Check out our page on www.squidoo.com/luvarug for more about area rug cleaning and maintenance.

Revisiting the Past

Today I took a trip down memory lane and skimmed all of my past blogs. I have a hard time re-reading anything I have written, be it an area rug blog or a poem. I over analyze and want to change it, but over all my rug blogs aren't bad. The tone of my area rug blogs have seemed to mature some what, but that could just be the fact that I am more comfortable writing them. One of my favorite rug blog titles is, 'I am F.I.N.E, thanks for not asking', it cracks me up even though the rug blog is about something else.
This week at work, the whole two days, has been busy with clients picking up their clean area rugs. We got to spare a husband from his wife's wrath which was very good. Their rug has a colourful history with us. They brought it in a 3x5 Karastan area rug in April 2008 for cleaning, that was the month there was the fire in our building, and they had to wait 6 weeks to get it back. It had a repair done to it during it's visit with us. It came back to us two weeks ago because it got red wine spilt on it. My co-worker and I both guessed that it was red wine as soon as we saw it which didn't put the husband at ease at all, he thought that he was going to be in hot water, but all went well the red wine disappeared because they brought it in right away and didn't try to get it out themselves.
I just did a search on Google using the search words 'rug blog' and guess what? my blog that I plugged with the keywords was on page one. When I used the search words 'area rug blog' the same blog popped up on page three. I am not obsessed as to where my area rug blog pops up, but it is very good exposure and it makes the boss happy and that is what it really comes down too. Okay that is a bit of a lie. I love being on the first page of Google because it makes me feel that I am doing something right and what I write matters to someone other than me.
Thanks for reading, RugloverMary

Random Rug Blogging

I got inspired by www.rugmaster.blogspot.com last blog about rug blogging. I did a search using 'rug blog' and I couldn't find my blog, so I tried 'area rug blog' and I was on the fifth page which was disappointing and it was yesterday's blog that popped up. I decided to self promote my area rug blog today. My rug blog jumps from page one to page three depending on the search words used and the day.
I read other rug blogs and most of them are written from the technical view of rugs and rug cleaning, I do not come from a technical background in rug cleaning or weaving so mine is more personal and raw. Raw is a great way to describe my rug blog. My boss gave me no instructions on what to write or how to write my area rug blog. He wanted to see what I would do with it. He likes how I write it and gives me suggestions and tips as needed. The hardest part about writing a blog is time. It sometime takes me any where from several hours to days to finish a blog, but clients come first.
The other day I am coming into work and I noticed a bit of an usual sight. Located in the window sill next to our door was a seashell. A bit odd since we aren't near any place that would have seashells. I took the opportunity to snap a picture of it and of course I tweaked it a little bit. Yes I am a strange one, but I appreciate the little things. Speaking of little things I am also including pictures of my much loved Chihuahua, Texas and Jack Russell, Daisy. Whenever I have a bad day as soon as I enter my home they come and greet me with wagging tails and kisses. How can that not make your day better when you know that you have been missed and are loved. I know that some people reading this think I am insane for owning two dogs that are known to be hyper and yappy, but I assure you that my dogs are very well trained and calm. They both spend most of their days sleeping and don't think about disturbing them, unless it involves the park, a ball, or food. I do not allow the dogs into the kitchen when I am cooking, so Texas will lay at the 'boundary line' and watch me very intently. He sees everything that falls to the floor and when I give the okay he runs in to clean it up. Daisy is very smart sometimes too smart and loves to cuddle and take Saturday afternoon naps. I love both of my dogs very much and couldn't image my life without them. Since getting Texas in October 2007 Daisy has become demanding. If Texas wants to get petted he pushes his head under your hand, Daisy has started to that now too. She has picked up on his questionable habits, whereas Texas has only picked up a few of her good habits. They get along very well. We were a little concerned at first because Daisy was an only dog for 5 years, but we were worried for no reason. It is kinda funny that I have 2 dogs since I was always a cat person, but that was before until Daisy and Texas. They have such strong and unique personalities you can't help but love them. I still have a cat, but she is very independent and doesn't cuddle much, only in the winter when she is cold or feel that you need more hair on your clothes.
Thanks for reading, RugloverMary