Fingerless Gloves and Yoga Socks

After numerous requests I finally put yoga socks 

and fingerless gloves in the Etsy shop. 

Now if I could just take a moment to make some for myself!  :)  

Wordless Wednesday - A Soft Bangle Makes No Noise

The Vintage Tax Man Cometh

This is a fun treasury I made today featuring vintage and vintage inspired tax finds.

I made this one featuring some buddies on Etsy.  Lots of great Mom's Day ideas here!

Finally, my alpaca baby booties made it into this treasury today by PamelasJewelry.  Aren't her finds gorgeous?

Treasuries are sort of mini-galleries shop owners create to feature items on Etsy.  It is a big gift-giving time with Easter, Mother's Day, and Graduation coming up.  Everything you'll find has a story.  Buy handmade!

Wearin' of the Green

These just make you smile!  I LOVE making these baby slippers. 

I made these based on a Mon Petit Violon pattern.  If you like to crochet, here is Vita's facebook page: Crochet Patterns by Mon Petit Violon 

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Winning, This Way and That

First of all, should we be hearing Spring Peepers at the end of February?  We heard the first "chorus" last night before the next round of storms moved in!

I'm on track to begin week 3 in my running program today and so far it is going very well.  I'm also busy hand prepping fleece to spin up more yarn.  I really should take it all to be made into roving.  I'd get a lot more accomplished.   Roving is fleece that has been carded (brushed) on machines into long, continuous strips or bundles.  A spinner will use this to spin yarn.  I do this by hand with carders and make rolags.   Hand carders are like paddles with wire bristles all over them.  The Joy of Handspinning website has lots of info about it.  Here are my rolags ready to spin.  They look like little cinnamon buns! :)

Mataeus' Fleece and Hand Carded Rolags

It is time to announce the winner of the book "Running Made Easy" and an item from my Etsy shop!  I numbered each entry and used a random number generator to determine the winner.  Congratulations Diane Whitcomb! I'll be contacting you to get your address and find out what you pick from the shop!  It was fun to offer my first giveaway and make new  acquaintances,  and I really appreciate each comment and entry.  Thank you.

It is time to welcome March, Spring, flowers, Lent and Easter, and even the little Peepers.  I guess they are ready whether we are or not.

Book and Alpaca Gift Giveaway

An update on "The Next Step".   A friend recommended Running Made Easy by Susie Whalley and Lisa Jackson as a place to start.  It is a ten week plan to transition from absolutely zero to walking/jogging for 40 minutes.  I am now in week two!  Little Man is my trainer.  He is 10 and doesn't remember me when I was hiking and snowshoeing, or during my time on the radio or on stage.  So he is thrilled.  He keeps hugging on me and smiling a lot.

Quite a few people are inspired to join me in a return to health, so I'm giving away a copy of this book, along with an item from my Etsy shop!  The winner gets to pick which item they'd like!  Here is what is currently in the shop:

The winner will get to pick from whatever is in the shop on Monday.  Just leave a comment here and you'll be included in the random drawing on Sunday.  The winner will be announced Monday, February 28th. 

Now, I will tell you this book is written for people in the UK, so weight is converted from kg or stones to lbs.  I have no idea how many "stones" I am, but I have not found this to be a problem for this program.  I love the book!  It has lots of tips, stories, and inspiration...weekly plans, charts, and celebrating.  It has been very well thought out to help people like me who are coming back from physical challenges, weight problems, or are just plain 'ol couch potatoes.  Spinning and knitting does keep us sitting a lot!

Today I started week two.  I run (haha which is more of a shuffle) for 60 seconds and walk for 2 minutes, then repeat 5 times on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  My basset, Lucy, has joined in.  Guess what I learned?  When female dogs get older, they have to stop and pee pee every few minutes, too!  :D

More Treasure!

Like much of the country, we've been inundated with snow.  The alpacas are quietly keeping warm in the run-ins.  Much of our days are spent inside so it has given me time to knit more pouches. Treasure pouches, rosary pouches, what-not holders, coins....  I'm writing out the pattern so I can list it in my shop.

First they look like this:

Then they becomes this:

As you know from my previous post, I've also been working on cross-promoting other talented people from all over the world.  I communicated with someone from Latvia yesterday!

Thursdays are when a new challenge is presented to create a treasury around a certain item.  Here is my entry this week.  There are lots of beautiful things to discover! 

We have our yearly meeting for the Kentucky Alpaca Association coming up this weekend. I'll get to mingle with fellow farmers, share ideas, and start preparing for the Kentucky Classic. Everyone is supposed to bring their best "winter woe" story. I don't have one! Which I guess is a good thing. I am truly blessed.  Oh, wait!  Does kids being home for a gazillion snow days count?  I am about to eat my young!

P.S. I haven't forgotten about the Cranberry Swirl Coffee Cake I promised to share. I have to make it to the store to get nuts and getting out of our long, hilly, icy driveway might take a few more days.

I have a pair...

Mumble, Grumble, Humble

Today I am mumbling inside about where I need improvement with my knitting and crocheting skills.  I came up with this adorable bootie, but trying to figure out the pattern in order to duplicate it has left me humbled...thus the mumbles.

So.  The left bootie came out smaller.  Now, do I make a third and keep fumbling through?  I might.  Do I (gasp) use a pattern? I think I need to be okay with the learning process and that I'm not going to be that good without investing time into the knowledge that is already out there waiting for me to use.  I am mumbling to myself that I don't have to reinvent the wheel.  Right?  I do raise the alpacas, hand card the fleece, spin it, and knit it!  It is okay to use a pattern.  It is okay to use a pattern.  It is okay to use a pattern. Mumble, Grumble, Humble.

P.S.  I should clarify that I mean it is okay to use existing patterns, not always my own.  I beat myself up when I can't come up with my own.

"Kool" Valentine Hearts

I figured out what to do with that little bit of "Kool" dyed yarn....

I made "Kool" little Valentine hearts!

Round 'em up!

A few days ago I took a short break from spinning and knitting in order to get my hands on the actual animals!  We needed to manage some herd health issues so it was time to round 'em up!  See what the drought has done to our once-lovely pastures?

Teddy enjoying a beautiful fall day.

Missy still isn't too sure about this.  See how she has her ears back?  She's a yearling now! She has gorgeous, dense fleece.  We'll be breeding her in the spring to our new junior herdsire Accoyo Mystery.

Here is our Mystery man now!  Stunning fleece!  Son of Accoyo America Sinbad, the high-selling alpaca of the prestigous 2006 Parade of Champions Auction. Sinbad sold for a well-deserved $205,000!!!  Here is a link to Seldom Scene Farm's Herdsire page with info on Mystery's sire and his incredible genetics.  Seldom Scene Farm  We are thrilled to have Mystery!  He recently settled his first two dams.  I need to spend some time updating our website to add him to the herd.

Ahhhh...and here is MY man.  Handsome Hubby helping 

Mataeus with his medicine.

What a difference a day makes. Today there is a downpour.  It is too late to help the grass grow but the fire ban has been lifted!  All our pastures have rivers running through them and the critters are a muddy mess.  Everyone is hunkered down so it is a good time for me to get back to playing with fleece!

Working on a bunch of these....

...and these!

Bangles and soaps seem to be my hot items this time of year.  I encourage you to support independent artists whether locally or globally.  You can find lots of neat things on Etsy! 

Tickled Pink

 I didn't have what I needed so I made a call to my "source".  

We met up at the designated spot...a side parking lot where we could make the exchange.  

She brought the goods and I had the coin. 

After a speedy transaction I was on my merry way.  

Another successful roving and yarn purchase! :-)

Yes, I have my own stash of natural fiber and yarn, but when I want color I make that call to Lindy.  She dyed this for me on special order for a project I am working on for another friend, who is giving something special to yet someone else!  How neat it is to see this travel through our hands.

Lindy, also, carries things on Etsy occasionally, so keep an eye out for her beautiful, and colorful creations.

http://www.alpacalindy.etsy.com

Tickled Pink

Alpaca Bangles

Lovebug debuts as the model for my bangles on Etsy.  They are fun to make and even more fun to wear. Super lightweight and soft.

The ones made with hand spun yarn are the softest.

What a great way to use up my yarn stash!  

I'm thinking stocking stuffers!!!!

Make Your Own Lightbox

Inexpensive Lightbox

Here is a great tutorial to make a lightbox.  

Click here for a tutorial on wikihow.

I use mine to photograph items I make for my Etsy shop and websites.

Felted Bowls

Small Felted Pouches

I'm getting ready for fall and winter holiday shopping!  

Wordless Wednesday - Three Felted Pouches