The WoolWytch

Early in the day sillyness

2011-07-06T09:25:00.003-04:00

So while I continue to try to get my web hosting situation straightened out I am sitting in a cool dark kitchen with my daughter at my side. The Diva has brought me a pair of pipe cleaner sunglasses to wear in the brightness (good thing they don't have lenses) and I sip my coffee while she noms her oatmeal and we talk about what projects I have planned, client meetings ahead (Meeting with a new Mom this week for a Doula job) and telephone calls from India.

In the mean time I am following up on a few projects, some blog posts that I'm looking to do on multiple sites and working at finding something engaging for the kids homeschooling wise this week. It's a short week and it means that the kids of course don't want to do as much but as we homeschool year around, it's business as usual in the WoolWytch household. The Diva is already pretty good with analogies, but it may be time to really sit Calvin down and work on them. I have to chuckle over all the back to school sales advertised on TV because we don't really stop schooling over summer so for us it doesn't apply, so our TV has been turned off and when not on the computer for homeschooling, creative active play has been encouraged.

We are also employing e-readers now in our homeschooling. I use my Nook Color frequently and when we go to the Co-op meeting on the 18th I'll bring mine with the flash cards on it. I love that we can access time4learning on this as well as use all the various apps that are available on it. A proper Nook Color review from a homeschoolers perspective is coming soon - as I have to say this has been a pretty useful tool. Best thing is you can take it out to the park and in between play times when the kids climb off the monkey bars you can sit for story time.

Held Hostage

2011-07-05T14:49:00.002-04:00

Arrrrgggghhhh - so my website is going to take longer to transfer than I thought. I'm dealing with host issues, the company not returning calls, automated processes not functioning, and to be honest I'm quite fed up with it all.

I am working on moving into a new domain and host, and will do so in the next few days for a few of the sites I own, including my Doula website.

In the mean time - I'll leave you with this. Casey Anthony was just acquitted... the prosecution failed to make their case for murder... for lying to the police she was found guilty, but not for murder.

I think I'll go hug my children, what about you?

Which Way Did She Go?

2011-07-01T21:11:00.002-04:00

So it's been a little busy here over at Casa WoolWytch... I've traversed across the country, traveling to Georgia for a client meetings, fixed a washing machine on my own and of course recital season.

Fortunately, recitals are over – both kids did awesome by the way, and they are taking the summer off from those activities, however learning never stops. Homeschooling continues and as Grandma Oulin is now in the Pacific Northwest we've been learning about tall trees, whales, social studies games learning to write and geography. Traveling for client meetings has afforded us a great opportunity to have the kids learn about weather patterns, history of the east coast and colonization of the Americas and the future of industry in the region.

As you can see we're not seated at the normal site – I've had problems with my webhost, and am moving the WoolWytch as soon as I can reclaim all my files, so keep your eyes open, if I'm lucky I'll have everything back looking like nothing ever happened soon.

Moving...

2009-04-10T00:59:00.001-04:00

After a lot of careful thought I decided to move my blog to my own domain.

You will be able to find posts from here over at http://woolwytch.com and I would love to see your visits there. I know that this site is being read, just not commented on that often.

Please, book mark my site and visit often - and Thank you!

Back to spinning, back to dying

2009-04-06T01:47:00.003-04:00

Well this last month has been interrupted by first a trip to Las Vegas to visit my brother and mother, and then coming home to my family getting some sort of gastro-intestinal flu. I've become way too familiar with my washing machine, but in that time that my Whirlpool front loader and I have had together, I've made a discovery you would think that I would have already known.

My washer has a spin only cycle.

Yep. I will now be able to process more wool at home (oh I can hear my husband groaning over that now...) and I can spin out the fiber that I've dyed.

The drying time has been an issue here as we just don't have space, but it now appears that we will be able to get more dying done, and I won't have to worry about my nosy neighbor calling the city to say my house is covered in an odd stringy substance.

It is April, and there are Daffodils showing signs of being ready to bloom all over the place and the weather is just getting so beautiful out... I am fielding more interview calls for QA Manager positions, and I've taken on some new clients for web-design. At the end of the month is the CT Sheep and Wool Festival that I will be going to with Sunny. In between all this I'm working on getting my Etsy shop re-stocked, and consider getting a production wheel.

That would make 4 wheels for those who are counting...

I'm actually considering selling my Colonial Wheel. I don't have space to set it up and it really deserves the room to be on display. I guess I'll have to give that some thought. I know that I really want the jumbo flyer for my HitchHiker Roadbug from the Merlin Tree and hope to pick one up at the CT Sheep and Wool fest.

In the mean time, since I've discovered this new setting on my machine, I will be stocking the Etsy shop with hand dyed, locally processed sliver! I'll announce when I've done my latest updates there.

It's really nice, with my daughter getting ready to start homeschooling in earnest, it's been a relief that we have the Etsy shop to supplement income. Homeschooling can be done very inexpensively, but we're making sure we can provide our kids with the tools they need to succeed in the world - as it takes money to make money, I am hoping we can cover some of her foundations costs this year with the profits from TGTreasures.

New England Spring - Festivals begin!

2009-03-31T22:59:00.004-04:00

So - we're home, it was a heck of an adventure and my kids are happy to be home, and I even got back to my Thursday evening spinning - something that just hasn't happened in a while due to my spinning partner in crime being in her first trimester of pregnancy (she's out now and finds out tomorrow if she has a baby boy or girl in there *grins*.)

If you are around Bristol CT on Thursday night and want to come spin with us - please do! We meet up at about 6:30 PM and are there until they close up. This week is iffy as to if we'll be there or not, but other weeks you can definitely find us there.

So that silk and merino/tencil I promised pics of? My hands area bit rough but somewhere I read a trick about salt and olive oil exfoliation... it's also supposed to smooth hands for working with silk. The silk will be fun to work with though - I have several silk hankies that I've spun up and just loved working with.

I had hoped to post more when I was in Las Vegas, but my little Diva didn't get as much done on her homeschooling programs during the days like we'd have liked, so before bed at night this became a frequent visage in the window...

She's a bright little cookie and has figured out how to use my cell phone as well. She has started texting folks, not content to work on her homeschool website, - no she also wants to Text Daddy, Auntie Reesa, Grandma, and a few others. It makes things a little challenging as she's got my phone figured out better than I have.

So it's spring, shearing season is upon us, and more than likely I will be going back to the same farm in June to pick up more fleeces. Sunny and I are going to wash them out in her backyard this time though, so when we send them off for processing we're not paying an arm and a leg for processing gunk out that we could do ourselves. We also hope to do a bit more dying together than we did last summer. We'll be doing as much as we can outside in the shade as she'll be getting rather large by then...

I am really excited for both she and her husband - this is their first baby, and my Husband was best man at their wedding. As her husband's a police officer in the next town over, there are very few odds that we'll ever have pictures of him posted here, but for future reference, I'll just call him Kel here. Kel's a pretty good guy and I've known him for ages... I don't think he really grasps what we're doing yet with the spinning though. *grins* When his house is overtaken with yarn, as well as all the baby paraphernalia I'm sure I'll get partial blame.

I am looking forward to the CT Sheep and Wool festival as well. It is the 100'th anniversary of it, but I can't find a functioning website for it anymore. Which completely stinks. I know it is happening though - and on April 26, Sunny and I will be there. I'm hoping that Claire can make it too - it's a small enough venue that we may bring my little Diva and if Claire brings her daughter, I expect they will play well together, leaving the adults to be able to oggle spinning wheels and fiber as well as let Sunny get a chance to try out several types of spinning wheels to see if she likes one over another... until then she's using mine and really enjoying it - when she's not having tension problems. ;-)

And speaking of Tension - I'll have a whopper of a tension problem tomorrow if I don't get to sleep now. I'll be bringing a wheel with me to my daughter's dance class, so I should get some sleep now.

Until later!

2009-03-22T19:13:00.000-04:00

Fiber Shop

Really Sick of his car seat

Enjoying the cactus garden together

Springs Preserve

Terraforming at Lake Las Vegas

More Photos later... kids awake now.

Vegas, day 4 complete

2009-03-22T19:10:00.000-04:00

Ok - today was just busy.

Breakfast at mom's
Finish laundry/fold and bag to go back to hotel
Springs Preserve with all 3 little ones.... wow can I have some of their energy?
Back to Mom's to check on step dad and grab anything we left earlier.
Off to Coldstone creamery - 3 quarts custom blended for us, Tessa had to have strawberry gummybear as one of them.
Lake Mead for a Sunset Dinner cooked by my uncle Paul who really is a bit of a gourmet. He makes Spaghetti and Meatballs something amazing... and OMG home made cinnamon buns, from a yeast dough. All this in a 5th wheel camper - wow.
Post dinner Kids went for walk with Uncle WegasWingnut and Grandma Oulin fretted when it was post dark and they weren't back yet.
Kids and Uncle return - Garret has soggy shoes - someone danced in Lake Mead while wearing Sneakers, and Tessa was hungry.
Tess and Liam fed again, and then we headed out...
10 minutes on the road Garret starts crying that he's broken his mouth. Interpreted as teething, those nasty 2 year molars, we stop at the first CVS we see and pick up some children's advil. Once dosed he's a happy camper within 20 minutes and is singing his favorite song - the Boobie Song. His own composition.
Mom dropped off at her house, we come back to hotel. I panic - can not find hotel key, do not want to treck across casino with bag of folded laundry, tired preschooler and shoeless toddler just to get to front desk. Hotel laid out inconveniently unless you are a gambler.
Key found in crack of passenger seat - mom drove to Lake Mead, so I must have lost it out of my pocket. All is well again.
Upstairs again, kids skip bath tonight in favor of feet in sink while teeth get brushed, while I scrub assorted body parts of kids with washcloth while they sit on edge of sink and giggle.
Kids dressed in night clothes, put in bed and within 10 minutes of heads to pillows they are OUT.
Mommy (me) now laughing to self as it's before 11 on a Sat night in Las Vegas, and I'm looking forward to going to sleep more than anything else.
Unemployment filed for electronically and now I'm going to finish uploading pictures and then go to bed.

Vegas, Day 3 complete

2009-03-21T06:08:00.000-04:00

I actually took pictures for day 3 day. I can't upload them right now for fear of waking the kids with the noise of trying to find the memory card adapter for my new cell phone camera's memory card, but they really do exist.

It's 6am local time in Las Vegas while I write this on day 4, but I fell asleep last night so I didn't get to write it.

Friday was a busy busy day for us. I started out the day with a shower while the kids were still asleep and while trying to blow dry my hair the blow dryer popped and caught on fire in my hand. Unplugging it and holding carefully, the flames went out quick, but that was an experience. After the kids were up and dressed I contacted the front desk to request more towels and a replacement for the blow-dryer... one that wouldn't catch on fire please...

Post Breakfast (and Tessa discovering why we we are careful when walking past cactus and not INTO Cactus - or else you end up with spikes poking holes in you) we checked out a local fiber shop where I was able to pick up silk caps for spinning, for a song... as well as Tessa picked out some Merino/Tencil blend. I didn't even spend 10.00 there and feel like I've really gotten a good deal. The Store owner was a lovely woman and has invited me in for her saturday spin/knit day today, but I think I'm going to have to skip it. We have a full day ahead of us. But that is skipping ahead my self here... I have to say that I've never felt that comfortable in a yarn/spinning/weaving shop and if I lived out here, I'd have to be pried out of there with a crowbar frequently.

Following the trip to Wolly Wonders, we went to the Ethel M chocolate factory. Tessa thought it was pretty cool to watch them make little candy bars, and loved the chocolate sample we got at the end of the tour. We picked up something for Daddy, who the kids miss terribly, and then went on to walk their Cactus Gardens. Tessa loved it, and Garret loved the ability to practically run about - it's been a long winter back home with very few days that were really good for playing at the park in comparison to the weather they are experiencing here.

At this time everyone was ready for a late lunch. We piled back into the SUV and headed north towards the region where our hotel was - Gas, Grub, and then Naps were in store for us. Tessa worked on a homeschooling reading site on my laptop, and Garret and I slept with the door bolted and unable to be opened from the outside, nor by little girl if the Starfall games got too boring for her and she decided that in the hour I was going to lay down with Garret that she wanted to do something else. She didn't and when Gaelon called us to make sure I got up on time to get to Mom's for dinner, she answered the phone like a big girl and brought it to me.

Dinner at Mom's with my brother and his family, and my Aunt and Uncle was wonderful. The kids had a blast together, and all three are close enough in age to really enjoy playing together. Liam was more verbally expressive when playing with my kids, so I think his quietness is just because his big sisters do so much for him. Seems to be a family trait - as my brother and my cousin Nick both were the same way as small kids.

Following dinner (and my brother's bunch leaving a little early due to an allergic reaction by his middle girl to construction dust and pollen - and we're talking severe reaction, the poor girl) I loaded the kids up into the SUV while my mom got ready to take her sweetie out to Lake Mead for the night in the rig.

Tessa had requested that we drive the strip at night time as she wanted to see all the lights. As it was a friday night - well I was a little concerned about traffic on Las Vegas Blvd, but it was early enough that we could start out on Fremont, and make our way south. I had expected Garret to sleep through this, but he was awake, and giddy over all the lights as well.

The Spinning Shoe, and Martini Glass made of lights up at Freemont Street really blew her mind, and made Garret babble in the back seat. They were chanting "Glitter Gulch" and having a blast over what they were watching go by. Tessa kept seeing all the chapels and gal's in Wedding Dresses and she wanted to know if the white dresses got dirty from all the pollen and dust... I told her that I bet they did. All the lights, and the fountains impressed them, but the big point that caught their attention was the fountains at the Bellagio - all in patterns with music in an amazing light/sound/water show that both wanted to come back for. I told them when it wasn't Mama alone and they were bigger that we'd discuss it and likely walk around on the strip instead of driving on it.

They were highly amused by the Luxor yet again, and Excalibur blew Tessa's mind as there was a big story book castle in the middle of this sea of lights... driving on the highway back to the hotel, we got to see the other side of the hotels and Tessa told me she was greatly impressed with all the flash and color. She thinks it's very pretty and is very much a grown up playground. I told her she was very smart and that's exactly what it is.

She still isn't really understanding what a casino is - other than that they don't let little kids in there, and people come in to lose their money so they go home with an empty wallet... I have told her I didn't get the allure either so we are sharing a case of "I don't get it's" and she is happy with that.

Completely exhausted she was in bed and asleep before Garret, and he and I followed shortly afterwards. I'm going to grab a bit more sleep my self for now before we go back to my mom's and finish laundry and begin our Day 4 adventure.

Vegas, Day 2 complete

2009-03-20T02:20:00.001-04:00

We were supposed to get together with my Sister in Law today, but she didn't realize the plans were firm and when her sister came into town from Ohio unexpectedly, she spent the day with her. No harm, no foul. We had a nice restful morning and mid afternoon we went out to Walmart for more pull ups for Garret, and Ensure for my Stepdad and then over to my mom's favorite shop, where my beautiful diva had a nightmarish moment that made me take her outside and threaten her with us coming home to Connecticut on the first airplane that would take us home. She didn't like that threat at all and after we discussed it further she was apologetic for her behavior, and she actually contritely gave her "I'm sorry's" to my mom, and not because of what I had threatened her with, but because she was in the wrong. It made me very proud of my little girl, although I was mad at her for her poor behavior for a little while.

We went back up to my Brother's house for dinner, the kids all had fun with each other and I got time to talk with my brother and his wife. She's really a lovely woman, and I have to say a spectacular mama. Liam was a little cutie-pie, and the three littles were all over the place... at one point Garret snuggled up on the couch with Nicole - the middle girl, and was watching TV with her, and happily chirruping to her. They've stolen their cousin's hearts, and the admiration is mutual.

It's tough seeing how hard things are for my mom with my step dad. You take the normal Mother/Daughter dynamic and then factor in a man that you've never liked being an emotional and physical drain on your mother. Next add in the fact that once upon a time he used to make her so very happy, and now he's an invalid and mentally/emotionally not the man he used to be and see the toll on her health and center and it's heart breaking. I want to scream at his children "Where the *F* are you, as he's *YOUR* Dad."

Mine is gone, both my brother and I greatly grieve that he doesn't get to his lovely three little grandchildren playing together and getting along as wonderfully as they are. I'd give anything to have him in our lives, and they are squandering what life their own father has left.

It's not even that they are off-put by his physical state - they would have to see him to actually know what he looks like. No - they just aren't there. This means his grandchildren aren't either. So - Tessa, Liam and Garret are the surrogates for his affection as the Step Grand kids, and Tess is still in that really shy zone with him as he's just not able to be an interactive grand dad. I may not like the man, but I will not refuse him the joy of wee ones to call grandchildren, and Garret has laid claim to him in a way that is very sweet and special.

I am feeling better today compared to yesterday, and tomorrow will be a big walking day for me with the kids. We're going to the candy factory, and maybe over to the strip to see the water show, there's a family dinner with my Aunt and Uncle who will be driving in from parts south, as well as my brother's family and then I have promised Tessa that if she is still wide awake after dark we will drive down the strip so she can see it lighted up like she sees when we watch CSI. As it was her request, I will do my very best to honor it.

Garret is just as sweet as can be, and pure boy. It didn't take him long to get dirty in his cute little clothes today, and he even managed to get some soil (Literal dirt/earth from the flower garden) on my mom as well. The doting on eachother - Mom/My kids/Liam is just wonderful and I hope Tessa retains the memories of this trip.

Well - I'm tired, I should get a drink of water and go to bed. I'm not drinking enough and need to make sure I stay hydrated as the desert just pulls the moisture out of me like a sponge, my lips are feeling chapped and that happens when I get sick or dehydrated, and I'm certainly not sick.

May all who read this have a good night. Rest well, as I know outside of missing my Husband (who is back in CT,) I will be sleeping pretty hard my self tonight.

Vegas, Day 1 complete

2009-03-19T01:25:00.002-04:00

What can I say - I'm whipped. Traveling about 10 hours with two small children (Including my layovers) has me ready to collapse, but at least I can do that in a sunbeam.

My kids are having a blast with Grandma Laney, and my son has of course stolen my mom's heart - like that was any question that it was likely to happen. "Grandma, Grandma, Grandma" has been Garret's mantra. Tess has asked my mom to be her schoolteacher for the week and both children are madly in love with her. (Oh it's quite mutual as well...) Even my step-dad has gotten some Garret Lovin's - he thinks that Grandpa is just the bee's knees, and my step dad who is bed bound seems to be amused to no end by a small child toodling in to see him in his bedroom and chirruping at him.

This trip has been awesome on the heart and hard on electronics.

My cell phone and our video camera both have given up the ghost. I have an extended warranty on the camera and the phone had insurance for repairs, but I'd be without it for the time I was out here, and that would certainly be a hardship as I'm still looking for work out here and am taking calls from recruiters.

I ended up at the Sprint store tonight, and renewed my contract ( it was up for renewal anyhow, so I ended up with a pretty sweet deal on a new phone as well as with a new plan that is less per month than the old one.) I ended up with a Samsung Rant, to replace my MotoQ. I think I like this one more already, but there's a lot of bells and whistles to learn on it. I can pull up YouTube on it, but that sucks down batteries like you wouldn't believe. I'm going to let it charge tonight and we'll see where it is in the morning.

Our hotel - aside from my kids finding drugs on the floor when we came in, is actually a rather nice one, and I have a view of the strip from here - all the hi-rises in a single row, coloring the sky in multi hued brilliance, complete with the Luxor calling the Mothership home...

We had breakfast with my mom, and then went grocery shopping. My kids were awesome in that they asked for fresh fruit and veggies, and not candy nor junk, although for the fun of it Tessa did the "Can I have colored cereal" thing - which if you know my mom you know it will elicit a "I don't think so." I had major issues with the artificially colored and preserved cereals when I was a child and it's left an indelible stamp on my family due to it.

I'm blessed - the kids have healthy appetites for healthy food. They could prefer junk, so I'm very content to know they don't want garbage.

After lunch we headed up to North Las Vegas to see my brother and his family.

Spending time with my brother today was just a wonderful thing. I can't say enough about how that household feels, there is warmth, and love there, and while my nephew seems to be behind the 8 ball linguistically, it seems to be only in verbalization, not comprehension. I think he's going to be one of those big guys that doesn't say much but when they do it's profound some day. And good grief - for a 3 year old, he's almost as big as my 4 year old daughter. Tess is fairly tall for her age, and is often mistaken for a 5 -6 year old physically.

The kids all had so much fun playing together today, and they truly enjoyed each other's company. That to me is priceless. My daughter and son are madly in love with Cloudy - for those who remember, Cloudy was my dad's puppy, and my Brother currently has her, although there may be a war over her as she's just the sweetest thing in the world and a great example of what Daisy was supposed to grow up to be like. :-) (I think I forgot to blog this, but Daisy passed away in January due to a heart defect.)

My brother's step daughters were darlings - well the two who interacted with us. The eldest got time with my kids as my daughter demanded to go see her, but as she was doing homework, she opted to stay upstairs the entire time we were there this afternoon. She's in honors classes and doing well, so I'm not going to fuss. I know it's not personal, it's being a Teenager, and it's homework.

Liam gave me hugs before we left, and was fairly talkative to me - something I'm told he just isn't... but then again my kids are chatterboxes and my daughter was certainly engaging him in conversation while they played. He so looks like my brother when he was that age, and has the jawline from our paternal family line. He and Garret have similar structure in the eyes and noses though - and you can see the resemblance clearly enough to know they are family. Garret however got the peanut genes, where Liam will be a tall drink of water.

We're back at the hotel, where I can write this, recharge my laptop and self, and the kids are asleep. There is a 3 hour time difference between here and home, and I'm still on Eastern time, so it's fricking late for me. I just am enjoying the quiet time and am contemplating taking a bath my self before crawling into bed - the OTHER one in the room that doesn't have small children sprawled out in it. I wonder if they'd notice in the middle of the night that I wasn't there in the bed they were in...

Back to spinning!

2009-03-13T00:50:00.003-04:00

Well I seriously doubt I'm going to fill that custom order by Monday but I'm spinning away... it's a self imposed deadline, not one put on me by the buyer, but still... I had wanted to get it done.

This afternoon I was back at my Mother in Law's, spinning while getting a little adult female social interaction. She and I had a very hard time initially connecting leading to a stressful first few years that my husband and I were together, and somehow after all this time we've come together as kindred spirits - women who left their immediate family miles and miles away and started a family here in New England. She really has become a close friend, and I love her dearly.

The me of a decade ago would have wondered what sort of happy pills I was on for saying that by the way... just to give you an idea of how it was.

But today we sat, drinking our coffee, I spun, she relaxed as much as a Grandma with two very young grand children can (my kids adore her but they are really tiring as they somehow appear to be fueled by Jet Fuel LOL!) I managed to get maybe 15o yards spun, but it wasn't my goal, so tomorrow I'm going to be spinning again here at home, and really hoping that I can make a sizable dent in that order.

After I spin it, I'll be doing the dying. It's a bit in reverse for how I work, but I want to make sure that I can do it uniformly and want to get the whole thing done in one day. I upped my difficulty level in meeting that self imposed deadline when I brought my flyer but not the attached whorl for my Kiwi and had to return home for it.

I've decided I'll be bringing a couple of drop spindles with me on my trip. I'll take some silk and a very lightweight drop spindle and then I'll take probably 4 ounces of Tunis and use my Golding for that. I have no idea as to if I'll get enough time to spin when in Las Vegas, but I hope to try, and there is always naptime for the kids.

My daughter has been asking "Is it time to go to Grandma Lanies yet?" It's been her mantra after getting up in the morning, after dance class, after sleeping over at her Paternal Grandma's and has beat out her request for a baby sister. This one I can honestly say "very soon" and not worry about getting harangued too much. The whole baby sister thing? Thats another can of worms entirely.

The Diva has learned to knit on a Knifty Knitter loom this week. She has me wrap her loops for her, which I don't mind doing, and has had great fun knitting while mommy knits. It's funny how daughters want to be their mothers, I remember wanting to be mine when I was a child, and now I see my daughter wanting to be me - down to insisting we wear the same shoes, and trying to wear my clothing already.

She'll be using my drop spindle before I know it, and will be spinning on a wheel without any assistance soon too.

I'm not ready for her to be so grown up but she is, so I get to roll with it and just enjoy the ride.

Well it's 1am and I am likely going to be woken up by fierce little people in the morning so I should get some sleep. I'll have a post with pics tomorrow and a request for spinner's with scotch tensioning experience.

ok - not so scary after all...

2009-03-11T22:12:00.000-04:00

A couple of months ago my P, L and backspace keys on my Toshiba laptop just stopped working. No clue why at the time. On Sunday night after another key popped off the keyboard and I looked at my husband and said - it can't be as hard as they say to replace the keyboard. (They being the last set of techs I talked to over at Staples which now has a computer repair department.)

I didn't want to send it out for repair in part due to the delays and idiocy I dealt with last time I took my laptop in for repair over at BestBuy (it was still under warranty at the time,) partially due to what we just went through in December getting my Husband's computer back (after nearly 3 months when it was to take 2 weeks - thanks Acer) and in part due to the fact that I just can't be without it right now.

So - I looked up instructions on how to do it online, realizing I COULD do this my self and then ordered the part on Ebay.

Seriously - I can't say enough how easy it was. Replacing the keyboard is almost as easy as removing the battery on it.

In the past few days I've reinstalled the software for the operating system, cleaned out the muck that I don't need installed on my system (superfluous crap that they stuff in the hard drive that is supposed to entice you to spend more money on software or entertainment sites that you really don't want, ) and have repaired my system physically. It's kinda impressive to me actually. I wasn't worried about voiding the warranty, as it's just not got one on it, and the worst thing I could do was render it completely inoperable, which any tech would have that as a worst case scenario.

Why yes, I am very pleased with my self right now. That was a huge hunk of cash I just saved, and per the diagnostics program, the internal workings of the computer are just fine.

YAY me! Best part? I spent 17.00 with shipping and handling on this repair. That's it.

Bad news here is with all my computer woes, I've not gotten as much spinning as I'd like to do completed, so tomorrow Beakey comes with me when I take the kids to their paternal grandma's for the day and I will listen to their glee while they play.

I might even get some other things for the Etsy shop done, but that's a post that will have to wait...

Cheeky Monkey

2009-03-10T09:02:00.000-04:00

So my little monkey girl is starting with the "mom said ____" to her daddy so she can get her way.

Needless to say the fact that we have computers on each floor is not something she finds helpful at all as it means we can IM with each other and we tend to catch those tricks pretty quick..

Last night she asked for another sibling again, and wanted to know how long until we had a new baby in the house. I told her that we probably weren't going to (although both Gaelon and I are receptive to the idea in the future, we're not actively planning on one right now) and that if we did she wouldn't be any younger than 6 - if not older, which was NOT met with much happiness.

Upon telling her she'd need to share her things more she started listing the toys she had that she couldn't wait to share. Hrm. That wasn't what I was looking for LOL.

An unfriendly city to small children, and I'm bringing two of them.

2009-03-09T21:54:00.002-04:00

Do you remember the kingdom where no children are welcome in the movie "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? I will have 6 full days (the 7th is lost in transit) that I will have in Las Vegas with a 4 year old and a 2 year old. Based on my prior visit there, I have concluded that Las Vegas was indeed the inspiration for that City/State and unless you are 21 or older that city is not anywhere near a playground.

I've been doing research on things I can do with the kids that are free, or as inexpensive as I can find (if they get bored I don't want to have to worry about having laid out a mint on entertainment - or my mom being the generous grandma who's already paid enough to get us out there and doing the same...) and I have come up with some ideas.

I would love to have input from others on this subject however...

Ethel M Chocolates tour and the Botanical Gardens (seriously - a candy factory - Tess loved it at 13 months, at 4 years she's going to be over the moon.)

Fall of Atlantis and Festival Fountain Show at Caesar's Palace

Sunday - Thursday, every hour from 10 a.m. - 11 p.m - no charge and whoo hoo a mythology lesson included.

"You might wonder or not notice at all the statues at the middle of the fountain, but every hour from 10 am to 11 pm, the statues move amidst the stunning special effects of fire and water. It recounts how King Atlas children's greed made the gods destroy Atlantis. A winged beast appears behind the throne as fire and water consume the entire kingdom. A mesmerizing view and a learning experience for the kids." - From the Las Vegas with kids website.

The Aquarium at the Silverton Hotel

Springs Preserve (not free... yipes.)
Las Vegas natural history museum (not free but not that expensive)

Mandalay Bay Aquarium - Shark Reef

Bonnie Springs, Old Nevada (Last time we were there Tessa took a major header and ended up with a major bruise on her head for the rest of the trip.)

Red Rock Canyon - thank god my children love going for scenic drives.... and it's on the way to Bonnie Springs ;-)

We're staying in a relatively nice hotel, but I can't find info on it on the web, as face it - they want people in the casino's not the hotel rooms. On the "Cheapo Las Vegas" website I found the following review for their in house child care. "Dump your kids in this supervised play area. You can drop them off while you do sinnerly adult things, but you have to pick them up in less than four hours, not when they are eighteen. For permanent dropoffs, you need an orphanage."

It made me laugh. I don't plan on using their services, especially after reading another Mom's review on Casino Childcare a few months ago. My son is still in diapers, and I'd like them checked every now and again, and both kids fed, not plopped down in front of a TV...

I expect that I'll have a lot of time spent with family and I'm really looking forward to that. My brother's family will be wonderful to get to know and I plan on taking tons of pictures of my nephew Liam... and of course his sisters, my sister in law, my mother and my baby brother. Tessa thinks it's funny that the big guy she saw on Skype the other night via video conference is my BABY brother. She says he can't be my little brother, as a little brother can be picked up and played with, as well as picked on. I told her that the picking up part ends when they grow bigger than you, but that sibling rivalry never goes away.

She asked me at bed time tonight if when we have _(insert prospective name of considered third child not on its way currently, and not sure if it will ever be)__ would she still be my love, and would love her and Garret as much. I told her that I will always love both my Diva and my Peter Pan, as they are what makes my heart go thump thump in happiness, and if we ever had another baby it would add to the happiness and increase our families love. She liked that description and she snuggled in and told me "I will always be here for you Mommy," with the most serious of tones.

She can drive me up a wall and down the other side, and she just makes my heart melt and forget all about when she's driven me nuts when she does that. She really is my little Princess. She has asked to learn to knit, so tomorrow I will see how she fares with a knitting loom in her hands.

Peter Pan has continued on his path of "I Flying!" and tried to go down the stairs again today - without assistance nor using his legs. I was half way down when he leapt on to me. Oye. My hands are full with these two.

I am going to close up now but again, any suggestions of places to check out with two small kids while in Vegas is appreciated.

Frenzied Friday

2009-03-06T22:29:00.000-05:00

Mood: Amused

Music: Labrynth

Ok - what is it with me and Ashford Bobbins? I have had ~~three~~ FOUR bobbins fall apart on me today and they are all being glued back together with Gorilla glue (by my wonderful hubby.) Completely aggrivating and thanks to the first break of the day I had to start over on an entire spool as with the bobbin falling apart the whole spool's worth fell apart. I'll save that for re-carding into an art yarn or something.

Not counting what I had to put aside for re-carding, I'm 300 yards into the custom order, on a single ply - with this afternoons spinning. I didn't get uninterrupted spinning time, but that's ok. I've not had the chance for this much uninterrupted spinning time in a while and since the kids are both asleep I'm seriously tempted (it's 10:25pm right now as I edit this) to go continue spinning. The problem with that is my Jumbo bobbins are down for repair right now. Tomorrow I'll be able to spin again, and it's actually a good thing that I can't continue tonight. I need to unload the dishwasher and get things together for the ham, cheese and potato soup I'll be making tomorrow. It's one pot crazy easy dish to make, but I want to have every thing ready to go for tomorrow so prep time is as short as I can make it be.

The kids both really wanted to help, and it drove me a bit batty - but all in all it's because they wanted to play close to Mummah and I took it for the compliment that it is. My son is still telling me he's Peter Pan, and that he can fly, and this afternoon as I was walking down the stairs from our second floor he decided to fly from the top step halfway down in a single leap to me... while proclaiming "I Flyin!"

Oh they are going to put more grey hairs on my head than I would normally have had by 40 in no time at all. That's the job of a pre-schooler and a toddler though isn't it?

I filed our taxes tonight, and wish I'd gotten it done earlier but hey- it's done now. Our refund isn't that great but it will help out. Job possibilities are finally coming in, and I hope that no one is going to want to do an interview the week I'm in Nevada. It's hard to believe that the trip will be so soon. I'm excited and at the same time nervous, but not as nervous as I previously was due to getting that strap for Garret's car seat. Impromptu stroller here we come... and if he's sitting on it, I don't think they will consider it a carry on, but even so I need to check out the carry on policies for both United and US Airways.

I'm going to get that kitchen work done now and then I think I'm going to listen to my creative visualization CD (for weight loss) and go to sleep.

Faith, Trust and Pixie Dust

2009-03-04T22:35:00.003-05:00

Tonight was a rough one for leaving Tessa at my mother in law's house... after spending a typical Wednesday there and getting some spinning done, some site promotion for the Etsy shop and an update to the WoolWytch.blogspot.com site, as well as teaching my MIL how to actually post in her blogspot account again, I bid goodnight to my beloved 4 year old daughter, and took my two year old son home.

A typical sleep over night for her, and time for him to get some one on one time with Mommy and Daddy - something every child should have, and something we believe in fully.

He let out the most pitiful of cries as we left - wailing his sister's name in grief, as if we were separating them forever, and she in turn started crying too. After reassuring her that we were only a phone call away, Garret and I came home, had dinner with Gaelon and the little guy got some one on one time with both parents. I called and checked on her, and while she was subdued, she was pretty much over it. The little man had a blast, as previously expected and forgot that his sister wasn't home..

He's been more verbal lately, and his imagination has been on overdrive - this morning he covered himself up with a blue blanket and roared at me, causing me to shriek out "oh no! it's the blue blanket monster" to which he roared more and giggled profusely.

He's growing up. It doesn't mean we always understand him though.

So after dinner and while we were watching TV, he stands on a Rubbermaid bin I had situated at the end of the couch with hand spun/dyed yarn in it. He leans on the arm of the couch, standing on one leg and puts the other leg in the air, and lets out with gusto the following

Mumma! I PEEPANTS

I look at him and wonder if he's trying to tell me he peed his pants.

So I ask him this and he says vehemently "NO"

Mumma, Dadah, I'm PEAPAH!

Ok - I was completely not sure what he was saying but I said back to him "Oh you are, are you" in that humoring voice a mother can get...

He smiled and said "Yes!"

and then said again

"I'm Pea Paaaaaaaaaaaaahhn"

I repeated it over and over and over in my head - trying to figure out what my little boy was saying when it struck me.

"You're Peter Pan?"

This was met with an ecstatic and joyous shout of "YES!" and again he repeated "I'm Pea Paaaaaaaaaaaaahhn"

"I'm Pea Paaaaaaaaaaaaahhn"

"I'm Pea Paaaaaaaaaaaaahhn"

"I'm Pea Paaaaaaaaaaaaahhn"

"I'm Pea Paaaaaaaaaaaaahhn"

With such glee and delight while pretending to fly, that all I could do is giggle and be proud of him.

Tessa didn't start pretending she was Lara Croft until she was nearly 4. Garret's only 2 and the creativity and imagination he has just astounds me.

I guess it is true - all you need is faith, trust and pixie dust and you can do/be anything/anyone.

Oh the joy of a child. It truly is bliss.

Work Day Wednesday

2009-03-04T14:26:00.003-05:00

So it looks like we're settling into a schedule of Wednesday's are my work days and shipping days and Mondays are my stocking days - which works as it keeps people coming into the shop on a weekly basis to see what's there. When we're not being helped by our little helpers that is... Garret wanted to have a hand in uploading photos today, but we decided it was better to let him just be in the photos. ;-)

Today I'm working on a custom order for a Mama in Canada who wants to have a heirloom created for her little girl. I've had the order forever, but haven't started on it, and now that I know I'm going away for a week the end of the month, I need to get started on it before that precious little girl goes to kindergarten.

Speaking of that - the kids and I'll be in Las Vegas the 17-23rd, but my Mother in law will be handling all shipping for orders during that time, so don't worry about things not getting out - we'll just be missing a work day, vs work and shipping, and I'll be bringing a drop spindle on the airplane. Two small kids on an airplane for an over 9 hour trip with a change over. I'm a little nervous there... Any advice on carting the car seats while traveling without another adult would be appreciated.

I got a big surprise this morning when I came back from taking the Diva to dance class... a foreclosure notice stuck in my front door.

Thank goodness it wasn't for us - which is good as we're not behind in the mortgage, but for an individual who lived there years ago - for a property the next town over. Needless to say however it was good for pumping the adrenaline. I called the attorney on the paperwork who was glad to know that the document had been served, but unhappy to find out it was to the wrong individual/address.

Also happening today is teaching my mother in law how to blog, and insert photos etc. She's capable of learning, but often knocks her level of intelligence and really shouldn't. Any woman who produced as smart as a man as I married, can't be what she tries to claim, and in no time she'll be posting with comfort and ease.

She's been increasingly partnering with me over at tgtreasures.etsy.com and is an incredibly creative woman. I came in today to find she'd made fully articulated bunny rabbits, in both country and Americana prints. They are absolutely adorable and will be stocked in the online store on Monday.

So while going out to the post office to drop off yarn orders from the past couple of days I learned something new.

Did ya'll know that it's illegal to take photo's inside the post office? Well I was told this when I was there today - not that I took photos of anyone's address or faces without permission, but was told I just can't take pics inside, so you dear reader will have to be content with an exterior shot. Although I did manage to snap a couple inside anyway.

It's been very cold here and my inlaw's christmas decor is embedded within a foot or more of snow/ice so they've not been able to get the decor out of the front yard yet.

The neighbors have had some melt today - but they got creative with their decor. Have I mentioned how much I love New England? We just didn't see stuff like this when I was growing up in the Desert of West Texas and Arizona.

TGTreasures Updated

2009-03-02T14:29:00.003-05:00

In between helpful children and a helpful cat I managed to get my etsy store updated, and this isn't even with the hand dyed rovings I'm considering listing.

There are still about 4-5 more items that aren't listed in this Etsy Mini...

I'm enjoying a day at home with my hubby and beautiful children - even if they are driving me a little batty today.

No Shipping today...

2009-03-02T12:09:00.001-05:00

Unless I can get the mail man to take the package I have ready to go out, there will be no shipping for TG Treasures today.

Why?

It might have a little to do with this:

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

Kiddos and an Etsy update!

2009-03-02T00:02:00.003-05:00

Well it was a quiet weekend. Saturday was a hang about the house day and Sunday was Garret's second birthday party. Pics to come soon I promise.

In the mean time we had a lovely time, and got some cute videos, and are now getting socked with a winter storm. Blech. Even worse - I left my spinning wheel in my trunk of my car and I think that with weather like we're going to see tomorrow, I will be spending a lot of time inside over the next couple of days. New England in our region is supposed to get over a foot of snow. YUCK!

This is a video of our first snow in Dec, this winter - Complete with escaping polarbear club wanna be. My Toddler will be safely baby-gated inside however when I get the next video of snow. We're supposed to get something like that again tonight. BLECH!

I'm working hard at making Mondays my Etsy shop stocking day - so tomorrow I will go outside on the porch in natural light and the cold, and get some updated pictures of yarn and roving that I'm listing. Then I'll get some new items up in the Etsy shop. I took several pics tonight for listing, but my camera just doesn't do well with this florescent light and it's not got a balance feature. So - I'll just wait until the morning, and when the kids are still asleep I'll get some morning light provided it's not too grey out.

In the mean time - as it's been asked for - there is some Tunis Roving in my Etsy shop - this is undyed/unspun, and is for a particular Tunis fan I have, and I plan on dying a bunch more roving tomorrow - as well as seeing how the drain/spin function works on my washer with some roving that I won't be heart broken over if it felts up. On top of that, I seem to need to make more dryer balls as they've been a big hit of late. One never knows what's going to sell, but hey I'm all for it. The Etsy shop is making a difference for us financially right now and I'm not going t complain.

and on that note - take a look at what I'll be getting a better picture of tomorrow - and posting

Delilah does not come with the Finn Handspun ;-) She's Hobbs to my son's Calvin.

Ohhh Yummy - and only a small amount of the hand dyed/spun that I have to re-shoot and post.

And finally - My little helper... My Diva.

Feeling Creative, such a busy day

2009-02-25T19:00:00.006-05:00

One advantage of being unemployed right now is that I can work on building up my Etsy shop's stock, and deal with the huge amount of roving I have on hand.

Just two bags of the roving I have from my recent pick up at the mill...

Today I dyed some of that roving, with the assistance of my kiddos. Tessa and Garret picked out the colors and I'm now trying to come up with names of colorways. They are hanging out overnight in the basement at my MIL's and will go out on the line tomorrow.

Rambouillet - it's a fine smooth fiber

Tunis - still in the pot, it's likely going to be a woolen yarn vs a worsted like the Rambouillet.

While I made a mess,

My mother in law sewed and filled Lavender Sachets....

and my sweet little almost 2 year old (On Friday) runs about and plays.

It was a very good day.

11 Bags of Roving in my spare room...

2009-02-20T18:16:00.003-05:00

I've not started dyeing the wool yet, but today I took 255 yards of Merino roving to my mother in laws house and we broke out my dye tray to do some wet set felting in.

OMG, seriously silly fun was had and we've had a bunch of CPSIA compliant childrens product ideas... and evaluating what we have to photograph, gettingsome non kids stuff up and listed and keeping my almost 2 year old out of my mother in law's purse.

More to post later, including some hand painted roving that I'll post for sale as well.

:-)

Raving about Roving

2009-02-11T22:03:00.004-05:00

Today was a busy day for my fibershop online, I had run out of supplies for Drop spindles, and had a couple of orders to fill, and had to re-bag some of the fiber I usually enclose with my starter kits. This led to running about from location to location to get a few of the supplies I usually keep on hand, as well as new pads for my hubby's dremel and then getting the kits assembled and shipped out.

Which I'm pleased to say they are out and in the hands of the USPS now... and the customers have new DC's for them as Paypal hasn't increased their postage amounts for orders... boo hiss. I had to buy new postage at the post office substation, as the printed postage from paypal was short. Oops!

Before dinner I managed to unearth the Minivan from the snowbank that our tin roof had caused - completely entombing the front end of the vehicle in the last few storms, and I loaded the kids up to make that post office run, and then after returning to pick up my GPS from my normal car I drive, I picked up my husband too - who's presence delighted the kids to no end. We took the trip out to Twist of Fate in Portland, and I picked up the wool I'd dropped off in August for processing. It is now in my craft room in 9 bags waiting to be spun, or dyed, or broken into little bags to go out with the aforementioned drop spindle kits.

The Merino I had such a hard time getting a hold of from a seller on Etsy last year came back a bit neppy, and the guys had said that the fleece looked like the sheep was stressed. I can believe it, and the seller has dropped off radar and not made any further sales on Etsy since. A big box of Rambouillet which was a Hogget Fleece and increadibly greasy has come back the whitest white and so soft and beautiuful that I can't wait to work with it.

I have some Romney Cross - around 500 yards of it in a nice natural gray that I'm ooohing and ahhing over, it was beautiful to behold, and an amazing light grey that will make warm, yet pretty socks I am sure.

There is also some Tunis to die for - oh goodness, this batch is a much cleaner fleece, with far less VM in it to begin with so the fleece itself is just going to be a joy to work with.

I have a little over a pound of Jacob that I am disappointed in - it was a gamble. The cuts were too short and the fleece was vegetable matter filled even with me re-skirting the fleece after I brought it home. Win some loose some I guess. The Jacob did come back a lovely chocolate brown though, and maybe spinning will help more of the VM work its way out.

My mini van was packed, nearly to the ceiling, and my children were delighted to find that they could squish the bags like pillows. I foresee much acid dying in the near future. (I might even have some roving up on the Etsy shop for sale in the near future as I have so much that it might be worth it to start selling my colorways...)

The farm I get my Tunis and Romney fleeces from is a mile away from the spinnery, and we're going to be waiting for a call as it's lambing season, and while they haven't had any born yet, we've been told we're welcome to come back to see the Lambs once they are born. This has been met with great excitement by my 4 year old daughter who has been asking me every day "are the baby lambs born yet Mommy?"

It's sweet as all get out and amusing as heck.

And wonderful that I get to share this love with my little girl.

and Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee between my pick up in November and what I picked up tonight - I have 11 big bags of roving to play with. Oh I can't wait, and creativity is starting to bubble it's way back forth.

Lessons shared are wonderful

2009-01-10T00:46:00.006-05:00

Where'd I go to again? I went back to work from medical leave on the 15th to get cut from work on the 23'rd, and then broke my ankle in 3 places (avulsion fractures) on the 29th. I've been online but kinda meh about posting. I have pretty much been laid up since December 29 and my left ankle and hip are healing from the fall I took but it's a slow process.

I have become completely batty with cabin fever - so as I can balance a bit of weight on my ankle, Thursday is the usual spinning night, and there's a new fiber shop close by hosting their own spinning night. I had to go. Really. You know - the right leg needed the excercise and isn't broken anywhere - can't let the muscle's atrophy...

Their hours for the spin in? 6-7:30PM.

Yeah - that's much earlier than Tara, Wendy (sometimes) and I meet - and as Tara works out until 6:30 with a trainer, well she's not likely to meet there. I don't mind starting there and moving down the road to Starbucks afterward - which is what I did on Thursday this week.

So I have to say this group of women are just a pleasure to spend time with, and I had no idea that there were that many spinners locally...

Initially the plan was that they were meeting only once a month there - but when I mentioned that next week I'd be at Starbucks and anyone who wished was welcome to join me.

They then decided they want to meet weekly too, and will be doing it at the yarn shop. I will probably start there and at closing move down to Starbucks to get my Cappucino fix.

I hobbled in there late with my crutches and my HitchHiker spnning wheel, and introduced my self. These women a pleasure to spend time with. I recieved the highest praise that I have were gotten in a long time when I was spinning some Targhee Top from a woman in her seventies who was hand carding each lock of wool before spinning it.

She told me she was excited to meet me as she felt she had so much to learn from me. I of course was gobsmacked as she's got a beautiful wheel and hand cards/prepares the wool she uses one lock at a time and she spins beautifully - and I had thought she had years of experience on me as she'd been talking about doing demos... when I started mentioning that I'd potentially navajo ply it, she actually said I was so far advanced in skills from her. I was a lot surprised by that, and I told her I was just going on two years of spinning... and I didn't consider my self an expert at all - I was just fortunate to have a large stash of different fibers and a couple of wheels to play with it on. Her comment was "it isn't about age, or time spent - it's what you've done with that time." Hee hee - yep and this woman thinks she has nothing to teach me? Just think about the words she said. That's a life lesson shared right there.

Anyhow - the yarn above was from the fiber swap I was in this summer. It's the aforementioned Targhee and I hadn't realized how well I'd gotten along with my HitchHiker wheel until I saw just how consistent and not overspun those singles are. I'm very pleased with the quality of my work with it of late.

I will be skeining the Targhee in singles, washing it, thwacking the hell out of it and then I'll see if I need to put it through more by plying it. If I can I want to leave it as a single, as the colorway is just beautiful and the spin is consistent. Targhee is an amazing fiber, like Tunis it can be worn against the skin by any age and it's really a lovely springy fiber with a lot of memory and it's not a big one for pilling.

I have a lot of roving coming from the mill at the end of the month and I may leave it undyed when I spin it if the CPSIA doesn't make some major changes... or I can market as "While soft enough to be used for a Baby or child under 12, the CPSIA of 2008 does not allow me to sell this in any modified/processed form (as in acid dying) for child use."

Can I just say I hate that law? Can you just see the WAHM's that are going to have to start marketing their products in this way "It's a size 0 diaper for those adults who have incontinence problems with a 10 inch waist and a 14 inch rise (The measure between your bellybutton and spin around your crotch.)" Either way - by the end of this month I will have about 26 prewashed pounds of fiber I dropped off at the mill in August to pick up and go to work on. I'd say about a good third of that is Tunis.

I got out a little more today (thank god for large doses of Advil) when I picked up my four year old from Mamaws (she overnights on Thursday nights) and we did a little shopping. I leaned on to the cart for dear life, and she was my little helper where she could be. As we went through pretty much the last of the ice melt salt for our walk way with this last storm and we're supposed to get another six inches of snow tomorrow, we needed to get more ice melt and I didn't want to get a little bag. I found 50# of it at Ocean State Job Lot, and had help getting it in the cart, out the door, into the car, and of course out of the car by my wonderful husband.

Before I take my daughter to dance tomorrow morning I think I'll sprinkle some of the ice melt (calcium chloride) on the drive way. Based on a website I found tonight I think that 50# bag will last a long time for us. "For Calcium chloride, it usually takes only two to four ounces per square yard to effective undercut bonded ice and snow"

We picked up some snacks and juice while we were out as well. I still have a fairly well stocked pantry and I had just had enough being on my feet, so I called it a night and we grabbed fast food on the way home. Our driveway sucks and after offloading everything from the car I moved the car to park it where it won't be snow plowed in. I slid our hill into a tree. I don't think there is damage to the bumper, and my aforementioned wonderful husband helped me get it straightened out so I could eventually get the car up the hill the right way and into my parking spot. You can bet that the driveway gets the ice melter tomorrow. With another six inches of snow on the way? Yeah I think so....

I will be spinning more on the HitchHiker for a while I think - due to my left ankle being in the state it's in. I was told it will take about 6 weeks to heal as long as I take good care of it and for the most part I really have. I am looking forward to working with my Kiwi again one of these days though. The poor thing has been awfully abandoned of late.

Keeping Busy

2008-12-18T22:39:00.008-05:00

Good Grief. It's been too long since I have posted here. Warning - for some reason Blogger is putting spaces inbetween paragraphs that are HUGE.

From 12-18-2008

As mentioned previously I pretty much kicked off a spinners circle with Sunshyn689 as she attempts to learn how to use my Ashford Kiwi.

While she's busy with Beaky, I spin on my MerlinTree Roadbug. Every Thursday (with exception to holidays and we seem to be managing to pick up a Friday before or aft to balance it out) we have been meeting at the local Starbucks here in Bristol and we've been spinning.

Looking to get her own wheel in April at the CT Sheep and Wool Festival, she's been getting practice using Beaky and has been bit by the spinning bug pretty hard. She likes the MerlinTree Conversion, so I expect that Dave will have another happy customer that will be sending him business along the way as she becomes a more experienced spinner.

From 12-18-2008

She's been working with some pencil roving as she gets the hang of it (OMG she picked up plying and her finished yarns are so nicely balanced,) and I've been slogging through some pink Merino that I dyed using Cushing's "Wood Rose" acid dye... it's rather pretty, and when spun up it's not quite the Pepto Pink it had been. Tonight I emptied the bobbins of it I had and winding the singles onto my ball winder I have set them aside to get stale before I ply them up. I'm really hoping Santa brings me a Jumbo flyer for my Roadbug, as it's what I've really asked for and had hoped to be able to get for myself earlier this fall.

In late November, Tessa (my four year old) and I picked up the Tunis and Southdown Roving from the mill that we'd dropped off after buying from a local shepard in late spring, and getting a tour of the farm. We'll be dying that soon enough and I will be bringing that on Thursday evenings too before ya know it.

I'm really pleased with how the fiber turned out and would definitely recommend Twist of Fate Spinnery, however with the cavaet that this MicroMill has a very long wait to get your fiber back. The stuff we dropped off in early June took until November 20 to be ready. Hopefully my order to pick up in January won't be delayed like the previous order. So if you are in CT and want to throw your money in a local direction for wool processing and have the luxury of waiting the long wait - the roving they process is beautiful. Not terribly expensive for processing either - I paid 6.50 a pound, pre-washed weight. The only difference I might do in the future is that I may do a pre-wash first so I'm not paying as much due to the lanolin, suint and dirt that gets washed out.

We have had another gal joining us for our Thursday nights on an intermittent basis - she's a rather nice gal and spins on a Kromski Sonata. Hopefully she'll be back, as it's nice having multiple wheels going and seeing the faces of the other patrons of Starbucks as they realize what we're doing.

From 12-18-2008

I finished spinning some lovely Angora Bunneh/Cormo Wool this evening, and took that off the bobbin too. This basket full of singles is just waiting to be put together to be plied - and I think that the Bunneh/Cormo blend may be plied against some lovely maroon silk I still have to spin up. I may just ply on the fly as I spin it and see how that turns out. The WoodRose will be plied against it's self as. The Bunneh/Cormo is the glaringly white ball in the top row there...

I'll have to try to get a better pic of these but all pics were taken with my camera phone this evening. The top left is my bubblegum pink silk. Yeah - the one that I am not too sure what I'm doing with.

From 12-18-2008

I also got to start spinning some rolag's I got in a fiber swap this summer. It's an interesting combination of colors and I'll just have to wait and see what the finished yarn turns out as... but the combinations are definately making me wonder what the person who carded them up was thinking, after all Neon Green and Magenta as a color combination haven't been seen together since the 1980's.

From 12-18-2008

The Creme Orange thread from the previous picture is meant to be plied against the finished yarn there at left on the bobbin. Part of the swap goodies... At present the rolag's are spinning up rather slubby (this means big lumps in the yarn on occasion), and it's not inclined to be a thin yarn, unlike the Bunneh/Cormo. I think that the name of the finished yarn from this fiber swap may just be "Laupered" or "Girls just wanna have fun." To the left is the single right now. To put it mildly it's a colorful visual experience.

The Fiber Swap also Yielded a drop spindle, but I've not been able to use it as such yet...

From 12-18-2008

I just can't figure out a spindle without a hook.

Both wheels were brought in out of the car due to the extreme cold and Winter Storm "Austin" that we're due to get. I usually end up bringing them in the next morning after spinning the night before, but I don't want to have to do that in the morning. I need to find the oil and take care of some squeaks on Beaky, and as I will be working from home tomorrow (the drive in to work is not one to make in this weather.) If I am lucky I will get some more spinning done during lunch time.

I'm looking forward to it, and glad I won't be risking being stuck in traffic for hours, as I expect that the worst of it will be in the afternoon. I have set towels down in front of the bottom of our front door and really need to get to making a door snake. One of these days I guess... ok - it's late, my daughter wants snuggles and I am getting tired, so it's time to wrap it up.

Where have I been?

2008-10-23T23:10:00.003-04:00

I've had some medical issues I've been focusing on of late, and as a result I've not even been spinning. More's the loss there as spinning is something that helps me deal with stress.

I had hoped to do multiple craft shows this season, but that doesn't appear to be happening. I'm resigned to this fact, and rolling with it. In the interim, I'm working on getting my Etsy store re-stocked with what I have on hand, and will be running a sale as I have more roving to pick up from the mill this week. If you've bought yarn from me before, keep an eye out, as I'm going to be offering some deals as the pocket money just isn't there to pick up what I dropped off, and I keep my commitments.

I got to pick back up teaching tonight. Sunshyn689 and I met at Starbucks - where I transferred the full cop on the drop spindle to bobbin and she tried drafting roving to spin. She's getting the concept, but the implimentation is kinda rough, so she went back to the pencil roving and had much better luck. I'll be splitting down what she spun into two even bobbins worth and next week she gets to learn to ply. It was rather nice, and while she spun on Beaky, I got to work on the pepto pink roving I've got plans on turning into a pair of leg warmers for Tessa.

We'll be there weekly, and I'm going to make a point of trying to scare up other spinners to come there on Thursday nights. The kids go to Grandma's on Thursday's so I know I have the evening free to do this. I need more time with other adults. My husband is a wonderful man, but I really don't get enough adult interaction, and given I'm off work for health reasons right now, I should be probably looking into outlets for such interaction.

In the mean time - as I am on leave, I forsee more spinning and dying in my future. I am looking forward to that. Time to recover - physically and more.

Strategy Couponing, Spinning and Grace's passing

2008-10-06T13:21:00.003-04:00

Strategy Couponing
Based on a friend’s experiences with cutting her grocery bill to next to nothing (in fact this week she didn’t have to buy anything) I got a membership over at the Grocery Game. Finances are a little snug this week, and I need to get the most I can for my $, and short of going to Aldi (which is an option I have no problem with) I am in need of spending less than 100.00 on groceries for the four of us for the week.

The grocery game site provides strategies on effective couponing and how to stock pile things when you have the extra coupons for them. Put it this way – folks in the Gulf who are members of this site made it through without worrying about having enough food when they were let back home because they had stocked freezers that were so well stocked that a couple of bags of ice to fill the space was all that was needed to keep the frozen stuffs going when they were without power and when no one else in the area had milk and bread, they did. (along with other sundries as well – they weren’t hurting at all.)

I’ve always been a believer in a well stocked pantry, a byproduct I am sure of my early childhood in Backwoods Michigan, where you needed to be prepared to be snowed in for days at a time, and getting out in winter might not be as easy as you hoped as the nearest paved road was at least 4 miles away. My Mom had a seriously stocked pantry and her brilliance in that manner kept us fed in the middle of several blizzards. My Dad was a small engine mechanic and I remember several winter days he’d not be driving in to work but instead taking a snow mobile or his old Jeep Willys. There’s still a story about cream puffs that circulates amongst our family, and those delicious treats would not have been possible for that blizzardy day without my mom’s well stocked pantry. So – using coupons and the grocery game I’m hoping to be able to build up an impressive pantry my self, and do it on a shoestring. ‘cause again – this month is snug on money.

If you are interested in checking out the website that gives those strategies and weekly reports let me know. I get free weeks of use for referrals and it’s worth spending the money on it for sign ups. It’s far better doing it this way than trying to figure out on your own what you’re going to buy with the weekly coupons. What I like is that the site follows trends and you don’t use all the coupons you have weekly – saving them for use when they alert you to a sale they have tracked as coming up within a 12 week period. Seriously, unless you are beyond anal retentive there is no way without this site that you’d know when the store you go to regularly has specials on stuff you may not need today but will tomorrow or the next month…

I also don’t mind getting the papers I’m getting so I can get those coupon inserts. I want to move up to the north Shore of Boston in the next few years (Probably after CR is born IF we have him or her – yes we have initials for a third baby’s name, and CR is just the girl initials) and I want to really get familiar with the region, so getting the Boston Globe along with the Hartford Courant works for me.

Spinning
I’ve been spinning that wood-rose merino roving I promised Tess. It’s on my Road Bug (the model of the spinning wheel made by The Merlin Tree – now called “Road Bug” where they used to call it a “Hitch Hiker.” The difference between the two models? No cut out hand with a thumb up like the Douglas Adams novels, and about a pound less in weight. I really raised eyebrows when spinning during Tess’ dance class. If I have to wait for an hour for her there (they ask parents to be there for the littles so they can help them go to the bathroom) then I can get a jump on her yarn for the her shrug and leg warmers. I have a ton of yarn in center pull balls set aside for plying, or skeining, but I just haven’t done it yet.

Grace passed on Saturday afternoon.
I have a funeral tomorrow late afternoon, and the day off for it, so I may get some spinning done during the morning and early afternoon. I also have to figure out what I’m dressing the kids in and if it’s even appropriate to take Tess to the viewing – it’s open casket. I’m iffy. She is my Brother in Law’s mother, and I’m just not sure as while I love Joe and Angel, his mother was one of those people you have to watch your children around as they have no brain/mouth filter. A very sweet woman, her views were acceptable abut 30 - 40 years ago, but these days not so very PC... The morning currently includes shopping, putting up meals in a ready to cook manner for a week or two (including a casserole for Joe and Angel) and figureing out if the kids are going what I'm dressing them in. Happy Cinderella Princess dresses aren't exactly the appropriate attire, nor is the favorite Tshirt of "what happens at Grandma's, stays at Grandma's"

Tess has been asking about Grace’s death. “Can she go get her nails done when she wants now? Is she able to drive again now that she’s in the Summerlands? Do they have golf carts in the Summerlands?” She pretty much has been taught that what we call the Summerlands, other people might call Heaven or Valhalla… and that while Grace’s body is stuck here and going to be cremated it’s only her body, that what made her Grace is now in the Summerlands and she’s very happy.

Garret – blissfully unaware. He’s not been aware of so many passings in his short life unlike his sister. I wish I had his innocence.

Teh Sick
Gaelon's down with a nasty cold, Garret and Tessa appear to have it as well and I have a killer sinus headache with sneezes that won't stop today, and wish nothing more than to be able to crawl back in bed. That’s not happening however, and I have a meeting with someone shortly about messed up time reporting that I submitted. This messup? It was all based on the direction of my boss of course thank you…

TehMilitary
My brother is being called up to go to Afganistan in April. Time to learn about the geography where he'll be at and to start working on knitting black wool socks for him I think.

The tale of the busy body neighbor

2008-09-25T23:41:00.003-04:00

I have a handicapped husband who is Mr Mom to our almost 4 year old and 19month old. He's amazing with the kids, and while he'll never be the kind to be able to do yard work or go running with the dog, he's a phenomenal daddy, and happy with his job being the care and nurture of our kidlets.

Me? I come from a long line of type A women who were the primary provider. It's my paradigm, my reality from childhood on - Most of the women in my family fit this archetype and we're good with it.

This seems to completely blow the mind of our neighbor woman. So I don't have a perfectly manicured lawn and my porch needs a coat of paint. I'm OK with that as long as I have my awesome hubby and kiddos. Oh and a spinning wheel or two of course.

I've been getting ready for a yard sale at my Mother In Law's, and have been putting things out on my porch so I can load them up in the van and take them over for the neighborhood wide sale on the 5th of October.

Today however most everything on the porch was freecycled.

A letter came from the town today, complaining about the mess on the porch. Eh? Last year this time she called Animal Control on us to say I was starving my dog. I wasn't... that didn't change her from making the report however. The ACO said our Brittany was a great example of her breed, and looked very healthy - all things her Vet had backed up as well. He verified that it was her who had complained, so I think it's got to be her again complaining about the clutter on my porch.

Seriously however - how does a tent, bookshelves, a sealed 4 pack of Tiki Torches, a windowbox planter, an Excersaucer, a Walker and a play kitchen translate into garbage? I don't get it and I'm not going to worry about it. The Tent and Tiki's are already gone, the Saucer and Walker will go tomorrow or be taken to my MIL's and the shelves and play kitchen will go to my MIL's as well or be carted to the dump. Even in the rain that we're supposed to be getting.

The neighbor woman is elderly. She's lonely. She really freaks out over Mr. Mom who doesn't do yard work and opts to be primary caregiver of our two kids while I work.

She has issues, I get it. But seriously - when I hang roving from the porch on hangers it is not trash, it is processed wool that I've dyed that I am going to spin.

The upside is of course I will have my porch ready to decorate for Halloween a little earlier this year than I did last year. As the skull with dancing flowers finally gave up the ghost, I'll need to find something else to sit in the cauldron and frighten the unsuspecting with.

If I weren't the nice kind I'd likely prank the old bat up the hill, but instead I'll hang back and simply accept that she has already done everything to herself that she can to be this way and I'll hope that somehow she learns to love herself and not be so cranky to the neighbors.

Beware of small children prepping for their own chop shop

2008-09-18T09:46:00.001-04:00

Last night I finished off the first run of some handspun Merino, I'll have a lot more handspun in my Etsy store soon btw, as well as cleared off several bobbins into center pull balls so I can ply, measure, steam, re-skein, and set aside to determine if I stock the etsy store or put them aside for the craft fair season ahead. I have some lovely Cormo (OBSCENELY SOFT and LOFTY WOOL) and Angora (Bunny) blend that I'm half through spinning. It's snowy white, and I think I'm going to leave it that way. This stuff is going to make someone an awesome scarf I think. Just not sure if that someone will be me or not. Seriously, it's blindingly white and so soft my daughter has been caught snuggling the bobbin.

She's been told Santa thinks that the spinning wheel she wants is too much / too big for a 4 year old, but that if she tries out a Babes Pinkie at Rhinebeck, does well enough with it, and really wants it - we can tell Santa that we can contract that out so his elves don't have to worry about spinning wheel manufacture... really she thinks that elves need to make wood and cloth toys only and everything else he has major toy companies to make. Elves are in Management at Matell and Fisher Price ya know, but they don't like working with plastic because its not "creative"

Out of the mouths of babes - I swear, I don't remember being this precocious. I know I used big words and got beaten up in kindergarden for it, but I don't remember being that sharp a kiddo.

For those of you familiar with what Scotch tensioning, I just want to say we're on spring set number 9 for my kiwi, and I've finally gone to a tensioning similar to what Schacht uses with the option of being able to remove the Tensioning band completely when the wheel is not in use.

Garret has completely gone bonkers and removing the drive band, the flyer assembly, bobbins, onboard kate spindles and anything else removable from my Kiwi is NOT enough. No - I had to make it so the Scotch Tensioning was removable as well.

I have a box of springs I bought from the hardware store as the springs have been victim to his little creative exploration / destruction as well, and it's enough to have me want to hang Beaky from the wall out of the way when not using her - even though on the whole I already store the wheel far up out of reach. I'm not sure how far is far enough for my kids these days though. And they do love to treadle the wheel when I'm not using it to spin. Last night as I was finishing off some yarn, Tessa wanted to treadle and help spin. It really didn't take much to make sure she was going the right way for the current twist I was putting in the yarn, and she had fun.

I am sanding down the Kiwi this weekend and going to give it another coating of Danish oil afterwards. Someone took an inkpen to the treadles, and now knows if she ever does that again Santa won't bring her a spinning wheel of her own until she's a teen-ager.

My PVC Swift - which is freestanding on a 3 foot PVC pole is often used for a 'microphone' stand by both kids. I chuckle as well that's annoying, it's not the end of the earth, and it shows imagination. I'm just still at a loss for what the ScotchTensioning knob is in thier imagination.

It's going to be oddly quiet tonight. Tessa is staying overnight at my inlaws, and on those nights (unless he's napped late in the afternoon) I can get Garret to bed early. If so then my plan is to card up some fiber I dyed last week, dye some more for a custom order, and get some more spinning done. Tess slept next to me last night and snuggled tight... knowing she's going to be at the inlaws for the next 36 hours I just cuddled her for all I could. As much as my kids drive me off the edge sometimes - they are the best thing that ever happened to me and I thank the PTB's for their very existance. Even if they do manage to strip my wheel bare quicker than a chop shop can a stolen Beemer in LA.

Busy day, Busy night

2008-09-10T23:34:00.003-04:00

The day flew at Initech and before I knew it, I was back home.

I knew when I came home tonight that I needed to strip my bed as my daughter had spilled her juice and then had an accident while sitting upstairs working on homeschooling programs on the computer (laptop on the bed) so when I came home from work I washed the bedding, fed the family, then finally got into some of the roving that came in on Monday.

I now have half a pound of buttercup yellow that I'm going to run through the carder once it's dry to make sure it's blended into a lovely consistent enough shade of yellow - the first of a custom order... I refreshed the jug of dye solution before going upstairs and will finish dying the pound to be all buttercup yellow before I start on the greens and red that are all in the order. I might start soaking the remaining wool in that pound if I can get the Diva to go to bed. She's good at fighting going to sleep. That is if I am not so tired I just want to sleep m'self...

So I have half a pound of fiber draining in a colander in my sink right now. If Tess will go to sleep for me I'll get that laid out to dry as tomorrow is supposed to be a perfect day for it, and then I'll start on more of the roving for the custom order. If I don't do it tonight, it will be the last thing I do before I leave for work in the morning. My Mailman is vastly entertained by all the dyed roving on my porch I tell you.

I'm going to blow through this huge box of roving in no time flat I think. Working with the Professional Acid Dyes vs the Food Coloring Acid dyes has been a definate experience. I've not gotten into the Jaquard dies - I'm still working with the Cushing's, but I really like how well they dissolve and how little I have to do to get them ready to work with.

I got some of the Merino I worked on over the weekend rolled up and set aside for future spinning and my upcoming fiber swaps. I'm trying to get as much ready for the upcoming craft faire season as possible, I'm trying to go as much with my own spun vs what I did last year of a combo of hand and machine spun and all dyed by me...

A hilight of the evening was Tess' reaction when I got out the other wheel for her (PC, My Hitchhiker) and I told her she could spin. We picked out some red pencil roving, and she tried. Oh how she tried. She has gotten to the point where she's good with a double treadle, and a single treadle isn't going to do it for her. Tomorrow we'll swap over as I want to try to finish a couple of small bobbins I have waiting anyhow, and then we'll see how she does. The biggest problem I have when spinning is keeping little hands out of the way - as Garret wants in on it too.

Gaelon says he can see the day when the house is overtaken by spinning wheels. This makes our daughter smile, a lot. Her mother too...

My best friend's wedding reception is this weekend. I'm taking Friday off as a PTO from Initech and plan on spending it dying roving, spinning, and getting ready to go to Salem overnight on Saturday. My hubby has only been up there once, so we'll be doing a lot of the touristy things - including going up towards the Salem Willows on Sunday, as well as seeing if we can get into Winter Island as well - considering camping there next season when Garret's a little less likely to just toodle off into the ocean on his own (like his sister - I swear they are utterly fearless.)

ok - the Diva has been out cold for a while, and I am getting tired so the fiber gets to go outside tomorrow morning and I'm going to sleep tonight.

Sweet dreams to all who are reading this late at night.

Into the Dyepot!

2008-09-10T09:20:00.004-04:00

From Tessa's first Day at Dance School

Monday my daughter had her first day of Dance School.

Talk about mommy shock. She was more than happy to have me leave her while she learned, pranced, tippety tapped, and tumbled...

The day also included discovering that at 3750 miles I do not have to get my car serviced (wait to 5K now,) so I ran laundry and of course before we left for her first day with Miss Tammy, I pulled the following shades out of the dye pot:

Wood Rose 8oz
Green/Purple 8oz
Moss Green
Sunrise Yellow
Varigated Butterscotch 4 oz
Cherry Red 4 oz
Bubblegum Sherbert Mohair Locks - 2oz

I also explained to my mail man what the heck all that stuff was hanging off the porch. He had no clue what roving was, and spinning was a foreign concept to him. He wondered why I was getting "Art Supplies - Wool" shipped internationally. Ha. :-) See you're never too old to learn!

On the wheel right now I have some white Corriedale, on the bobbin I have some Cormo/Angora, Baby Bluez, and candycorn. The last two are Merino and Merino blend.

Tonight I need to take new pics of everything in stock plus the new things I want to stock tomorrow at my Etsy store. I have an Advertising slot for Thurs... and I need the store brought up to snuff.

Tomorrow night I will set out to mordant the following shades - no nifty title to the roving yet:
Red
Dark Green
Light Green
Yellow
Orange

These are for a custom order for a baby blanket. Hopefully she likes the shades I generate out of my dye pot - its going to be one of a kind however, and for that baby I can't think of anything better ;-)

I also have to get my fiber swap out to SweatPeaFibers over on Ravelry. I think I have enough lovely stuff dyed up to surprise the heck out of her. (pleasantly so I hope, I hope.) I've still not heard from my August swap partner, and hope that the fiber made it to Singapore fine. She's not updated on Ravelry or her blog lately, so it's hard to tell.

And on top of that I have two small ones who have discovered that with their tiny little table and chair set they can use the chairs and treadle Beaky while I'm at work. They both want to learn to spin so much and still Tessa is asking for her own wheel for her birthday. I think Rhinebeck this year may have us on a search for a DT Pinkie. Anyone out there know of a vendor who'll have one to demo?

Meet Violet

2008-09-04T13:55:00.003-04:00

This is Violet. She comes from my birth state - Michigan.

Violet is a BFL/Romney cross who happens to have characteristics fleece wise mostly of her BFL heritage.

BlueFacedBreeders.com has some details about the breed -
Wool: The Bluefaced Liecester is classified as a Longwool breed with a staple length of 3- 6”, a fleece weight of 3 to 6 lbs., and a fiber diameter of 56s – 60s count, or 24-28 microns, creating high quality luster yarns with beautiful drape.

Size: The adult Bluefaced Leicester has one of the largest body weights of the British breeds, some rams having been weighed at over 3 cwt. In spite of this size, when mated to the smaller hill type ewe, the ewe is able to carry and lamb its crossbred progeny without the slightest difficulty. A ram at maturity should weigh 250-300 lbs. They have an excellent disposition and are quite manageable despite their size. Ewes will typically weigh 170-220 lbs. at maturity.

Violet's latest shearing produced 8# of the softest fleece, and that is going to the processors sometime next week or so.

I will have her fleece back in Roving form for spinning about the time we elect our new president, and will have skeins of her yarn on sale just in time for the holidays.

I can and will take orders for custom colors in advance - please let me know what you are interested in.

BFL and Romney are both increadibly soft, but do not felt as easily as Merino. This means that you will not see as much pilling from this as a traditional Merino based yarn. The natural luster from this yarn is amazing though, and it is a big hit through many of the cloth diapering communities for diaper covers.

She's not given up her request for a wheel

2008-09-03T23:40:00.002-04:00

Although she has asked repeatedly for a Schacht Ladybug (spinning wheel for those who don't know) for her upcoming birthday, both my husband and I can not fathom giving our daughter a spinning wheel that is so expensive for her 4th birthday. She's hard on toys and clothes, and while she's mostly respectful of my spinning/fiber tools - I found my Drum Carder on the floor upside down yesterday, uncovered and bearing weight on the bristles. The drum carder was ok, but I still cringe over how we found it.

No way is she getting a $550 spinning wheel.

She has not given up the ghost however. So with that in mind, and between studying the Babes PVC wheels and my Ashford Kiwi, we think we might be able to make something for our daughter that by all rights IS a spinning wheel, but costs much less and has most parts we can fabricate on our own. Right now we're trying to sort out the basics of it, and figure out how to actually get the some of the mechanics worked out... but barring that, and with a little red spray paint, for our daughter's 4th birthday we will have a wheel for her.

BFL?

2008-09-03T09:55:00.001-04:00

For those who've emailed me about Blue Faced Leicester, I contacted a shepard in Michigan who happens to have this lovely ewe recently sheared... If she'll ship to the processor for me then I'll have some BFL in stock in around 2 months vs the insanely long amounts of time it takes normally to get my fleeces back. I'm not sure on the cost per skein right now as this fleece is a little more than the normal cost I pay locally for the Romney, Tunis, Cheviot, and Southdown fleeces I get.

On the Dye front, as it's that time of year I'm keeping a pair of rubber coated gloves and a pair of scissors in my car with me at all times... if I see a plant growing wild in an area where I can harvest that I know will be perfect for dying with, I'm grabbing it, and hanging to dry so I can work with it later. I also happened to get in about 5# of Jaquard acid dyes via mail yesterday. I completely forgot I'd bought them when I saw the box on my porch. Needless to say I'm a very happy camper right now.

While I don't forsee getting to dye much before mid month (have a wedding reception in Mass next weekend and a bathtub to replace at home before then) I do think that before October I'll get a lot of the roving I do have in stock spun, dyed and listed in Etsy.

ACHOO!

2008-09-02T23:03:00.001-04:00

Where do allergies go
When it's after a show
And they want to get something to eat?
Allergies
Allergies
Something's living on my skin
Doctor please
Doctor please
Open up it's me again.

-Paul Simon, Allergies.
ACHOO seems to be my favorite expression lately.

I got a small amount of dying done this weekend - some mohair locks. Not really something I'm looking to do much with, as it's a royal pain to work with. I have roving coming in late this week or early next, which is so needed to fill some orders.

Today the nice mailman brought me 5# of Jaquard dyes, to compliment the Cushings dyes that I picked up last week. I still have a few colors I'd like to pick up and when I go to Webs this weekend to pick up my replacement swift. Alternately on the swift, I may look into making something from PVC - the plans are out there and if the kids break it this time life is not over... I still need to pick up some other acid dye colors though.

I've also been harvesting dyestuffs from mother nature. While the roving I have coming in next is superwash (meaning that whatever is made from it can be tossed in the washer without fear, good for socks, baby garments and blankets, but not for diaper soakers or longies...) I am looking forward to picking up my Tunis and Southdown in October - both very nice for things that you don't want in superwash... so that stuff will get the natural dyes.

A particular breed of sheep's fleece I'd been looking for has come up for sale, and as I've got requests for yarn from it, I am going to see if I can slip that in to the same slot over at Twist of Fate for my January pick up... would be nice if I could get into the Oct slot I have but odds of that happening are slim to none...

I had hoped to go back to the NYRF this weekend. It looks like Hannah will be on her way north though, so Faire may be out of the plan for the weekend... I'm still iffy. We have a lot to do on the house as we get a new bathtub the next weekend. The bathroom needs to be reasonably perfect as we'll not be home when the landlord comes in to replace the tub. We have much more to do house wise as well to be honest... I'm taking the 8th and the 12th off from work and will be doing dump and salvation army runs with the van on those days. I'm trying to get everything together and thinned out and as a result it seems that cleaning a cluttered house is making more of a mess.

Nothing like a self imposed deadline eh?

Anyhow - Tess wants some computer time before bed time and I have some fleece to card up, so I'm going to close off this post.

I'll stop the world and Dye for you...

2008-08-29T15:22:00.002-04:00

hee hee!

I just picked up a boat load of acid dyes for a comparitive song. I love my email lists.

Yarn stocked at Etsy, more to come, and a weekend of spinning and dying ahead of me. I can't wait.

Hope you all have a good weekend!

I want my own spinny wheel Mommy!

2008-08-28T10:46:00.002-04:00

Last night while on the way to pick up my replacement whorl for my Kiwi's Jumbo Flyer my daughter let out a sentance I didn't expect to hear her utter for a while.

"I want my own spinny wheel Mommy!"

Furthermore she's certain she has to have a Schacht Ladybug.

Now I can't argue with her taste. The wheel is one I've been eyeing for myself for a while for the day that Beaky and I decide we've come as far as we can with eachother, but at the same time, it's a bit stunning when your 3 3/4 year old asks you for a wheel. If she hadn't already proven her skill in using the very wheel she's asking for I wouldn't even give this a moment's pause.

So what am I going to do? She's asked for a $550.00 spinning wheel for her 4th birthday.

I have 3 wheels. There is a 4th I'm actively considering, but it's not presently on the budget and is not a Schacht Ladybug.

I've told her she needs to get good at using Beaky first, and we'll make her a "Ladybug" Orifice hook. Ladybug buttons and matching wire to be twisted appropriately have been acquired, she'll get a bundle of roving or a batt for her birthday with this, along with the Barbie she's been asking for and (for now at least) she'll be set as she really gets spinning on my Kiwi down.

I'm also teaching her to identify the parts of a wheel. Which is good, because if you asked me to identify and label the individual parts of Beaky the answers would be functional in description and slightly comical, but definately not the appropriate technical term. So along with her, I'm learning my self. And it's one more thing I can share with my daughter through life. Which to me is just awesome.

As for what's on the bobbin of Beaky right now? Some Cormo and Angora (bunneh - is sooooooooo soft!) and I still have quite a bit to go through before the bobbin is full.

Whoo Hoo!

2008-08-26T11:21:00.002-04:00

Awesome, I found a Sheperd in the area who can sell me raw fleece for nearly the same amount as my other source without the drive, and as the sheep are coated there's less work in cleaning up the fleece.

Even better as it's Corriedale it's next to skin soft but not going to pill in my drum carder. Guess what I'll be doing this weekend? Well if I get ahold of the Sheperd I will be scouring wool and then dying it before carding it. Might as well dye the locks after scouring right?

I really need to get moving on building stock up for the upcoming craft fair season, plus I have currently nailed two advertising slots down starting this coming Friday. If my colorways are appreciated enough I'll have to re-stock anyhow - leaving me again with the whole "Oh Oh I'm running low on fleece!"

I don't regret sending out the Ramboullet, nor the Merino. There's no way I could have processed those - seriously, my drumcarder is a lovely machine but it will create neps in the roving and that's not what I'm looking for.

The Diva is off at Grandma's today and the baby has a nice quiet Daddy day. Leaving me to get what I need to do for the office today. I'm motivated, but it's more as a means to be able to get to doign fibery goodness. If I get 2 presentations and 2 doc reviews done then I'll be that much closer to being able to potentially pick up the raw fleece today after work.

Seeking Reccomendations

2008-08-25T09:07:00.002-04:00

Ok - I have the one mill I work with, that has a rather extended turn around time, and I am looking to find other mills for processing Roving.

Please spam me with your favorite processors as I'm definately looking to find a secondary processor to work with.

Thanks!

Holy cow that was a busy weekend

2008-08-25T09:05:00.000-04:00

There will be tons of pics in this post, but as I haven't learned yet how to work our video camera a as a still camera well enough yet, so be prepared for lots of overexposures.

Tess and I had a heck of a day yesterday. We went out to the farm I have been getting fiber from and picked up two more fleeces. An Oxford/Romney in silver which I will overdye, and a white Romney, totalling about 15 pound unwashed. Neither is a high grease wool, but they do have their share, so I'll lose at least a third of that weight in the cleaning process. I also had another 11.5 pounds that I dropped off with the fleece I just bought at the processor.

That house is just massive and amazing and oh I have house envy. Seriously... neither of my grandparent's farms were this ~~ostentatious~~ big.

Tessa being horse crazy of course was unhappy she could not have a saddle thrown on the Percheron so she could ride across the farm like a princess on a white horse...

She really was in heaven there and was even more delighted to be asked to hold one of the week old piglets.

The piglet was not so thrilled to be held by a small child, and as Tessa put it, "it was very scared and was crying or it's mommy..."

The mill is close to this farm, and the guys that own the mill are associated with this farm (one appears to be a caretaker, or foreman on the farm and it is almost a given if you buy the wool from the farm that you will let these guys process it) - but their turn around time is slower than molasses, so I the bee was set in my bonnet that I just needed to find another shepherd and another mill to work with because what I dropped off yesterday will not be ready until January. What I dropped off earlier this summer, well that's on their calender for an October pick up - it was supposed to be in September. Not too happy there lemme tell ya...

I've also had a bit of a problem finding a supplier or Acid dyes in the area and had to drive up to Northampton Mass yesterday. It's a lovely little town, as Tess and I got lost trying to get to WEBS.

We eventually got there, and did try out some spinning wheels before Tess discovered they had a toy box there. Tessa drew a crowd, and I wish I had the camera with me when I went into WEBS because my three year old was schooling people much older than her in how to spin yarn. She sat infront of a Schacht Ladybug and treadled her little heart out, drawing the fiber out to a spinnable level with only a small amount of help from her mommy. She now has decided she wants her own wheel and she wants a LadyBug. She tried pulling the "My fourth birthday is coming soon mommy, I want this." People got a good chuckle when I asked her if that meant she didn't want the new Barbie doll anymore. Of course she wants them both.

Not really planning on being dependent on my present source for raw wool in CT, I have made some connections while at the Terryville fair today , for a consistent breed of fleece that produces a lovely yarn - baby soft and at the same time not overly pilly. I'll be following up on that this weekend.

I'm still waiting for my jumbo flyer's whorl to return... when that comes back from Ashford I'll be able to really get to a custom order that has come in. I'm going to weigh out the roving I still have and see if it is going to be enough to fill the order or if I need to order more on line. Of course if I can convince the guys at Still River Mill to hurry up then I might be able to use the Southdown I bought in June for that order. It's for a fellow OD'er and as it's going to be used for a baby blanket I'm going to want something sturdy enough to be washed frequently without too much attention to care.

As mentioned about the new wool connection and where I made it, today we went to the Terryville Country fair. Much sunburn was gained by yours truly on my face, and a little on the face of the diva. Garret however was sunscreened everywhere, including the top of his head as I couldn't keep a hat on him. Here are some pics from the day.

Starting the day out right as far as she was concerned.

Then practicing her back seat driving.

Waving at his sister on the Airplane ride

Wishing he was tall enough to go on the ride

She watches MXC with Gaelon and told me it was her "Challenge"

She didn't know what to do with this first and then I told her that she jumped like she wasn't allowed to on my bed.

Screams of delight came from one young girl I tell you.

Ending her day the way it started.

and a couple of you tubes to finish things up. One being her driving.

and on that note - I'm sleepy. Hope you all enjoyed the pics and videos.

Crafty plans for the weekend.

2008-08-21T14:50:00.002-04:00

Given the uncertainty of my job at Initech (oh how I love our economy,) I thought it would be prudent to update my listings over at Etsy, as well as get to work on dying roving and getting some items that aren't ready for display in shape and ready to go for sale in the upcoming month.

So - I went ahead and generated my latest Etsy Mini. I'm thinking that this is the perfect time to start looking at things for holiday knitting, as being a slowpoke at it my self I know now is the time to get moving on Christmas crafts!

I decided to offer the code "Initech" in the note at checkout (and wait to be invoiced via paypal before paying) and I'll give buyers a 25% Discount with it.

This sale will go on through the end of August and into September, so if you want, take a look now, and of course I'll have some more things to list as we get them stock ready.

This weekend I plan on going back to the Farm in Eastern CT and picking up a few more fleeces to drop off at the processor, so I can promise a diverse selection of hand processed yarn available, and maybe even some roving as well. Micron count on thes will range from 21.5 to 35 for a nice fine and medium coarseness to the fiber, making it ideal for next to skin wear. I've gotten quite a lot of requests for that level lately, so it's going to be my goal.

I'll also finally be working on the cloth diapering line I've been talking about for what seems forever. We'll have hemp and bamboo velour lined fitted diapers in a well tested pattern for sale very soon in the Etsy shop. I'm pretty excited about that.

Needless to say - I'm taking lemons and making some lemonade, giving others the opportunity to experience some of the nicer fibers out there at a pretty affordable rate. (I hope -gotta love this economy.)

I'm also going to try branching out in a direction I have been reading a lot about over the last year. Natural dyes. I've tried to spend time learning about what I can and can't do with the available resources I have and as we have a lot of reinactors in the area, I'm hoping to interest them in what I have available.

Busy, busy, busy!

2008-07-29T20:45:00.001-04:00

I came home tonight and dumped the mesh bag of Black Navajo Churro I had dripping all day on my porch out onto my drying matt and then set to flicking out and carding some white ramboullet... which is nice and so soft and feels like cotton balls. Hard to believe it's Wool. I'll probably scour some more wool later tonight - I have a lot of Jacob to clean before I start carding it up, as well as some Llama that I have to figure out how to dehair without viking combs, which just are not child friendly.

The Churro may be perfect for Gaelon in his new endeavor which has already resulted in an inquiry from Jon Bristol of a local production company. (He's also one of Gaelon's oldest friends he maintains contact with.) I looked at it tonight and instead of seeing Yarn, I saw puppet hair... I know - strange eh?

Keep an eye out - as one of these days one of the puppets filmed by Elmwood Productions could be one made by my very own Hubby!

OOOOOooohhhh

2008-07-28T22:42:00.004-04:00

So - I got in a couple of packages of fiber for my fiber swap on Ravely recently. First came one from SweatPea Fibers. I got some beautiful Targhee, some Alpaca/Corriedale and then some Camel down for blending - which is just way cool.

This poor package sat on top of my shelf right in the laundry room for a week as my husband brought it in set it there and then forgot to tell me it was in... I discovered it on laundry day and was absolutely delighted. Targhee is a fiber I've always wanted to try, Camel Down just is way cool, and I love the blend of Corriedale and Alpaca, the colorway is just beautiful.

Then last week I got a package from Singapore - Ghostknitter sent something pretty cool - which surprised the heck out of my husband as he had no idea I was participating in the swap, and the postmark from Singapore alone took him by surprise.

Me - I was stunned by both the fiber and the goodies she sent along... ironically I had just sent a drop spindle to BrookeKnits - so I guess I had drop spindle karma going on.

I am working on my August project which will be sent to Ghostknitter, and based on what I've read, it should be well received. It appears to be a fiber that she hasn't used before or recently at least... I'm pretty excited about it.

and on that note I'll leave you with some more pics of fiber that's come in via mail or that I've begun processing by hand my self...

And of course - me:

Man I gotta take some pictures

2008-07-06T19:53:00.004-04:00

This has been a fiberriffic weekend!

I got a lot of roving dyed... nothing like Joy had dyed up for her by her mom... but about 3 or so pounds of it in the past few weeks, and have been working on getting what I can spun up...

Friday we did the family thing, and I didn't do any spinning at all, instead enjoying family time with the inlaws (a very serene holiday, and it was a true pleasure) and lighting firecrackers and sparklers in the back yard. My brother in law as usual managed to do something to make the holiday interesting, this time setting the neighbors bush in their back yard a fire. Fortunately my father in law had the water hose handy, and we hope that incidents like that won't happen again, but you never know with this bunch...

Saturday I went over to my Mother in Laws again, spent the day teaching her to take pics and load items up for sale in the etsy store, and then taking pics of the hand spun yarn I have that needs listing. I got 5 handspun skeins up, and have much more where that came from.

I also got to spin up the rest of a Batt that I'd been calling "Bradshaw Mountain Fiery Sunset, but after this, I may just call it "Crown King Fire"... it's the thinnest I've spun yet and I need to ply it against itself so it's been wound into a center pull ball to make plying easier. I think that even plied I may have sock weight yarn from this stuff - it's tinnnnnnnnnny LOL

It makes Nicole Ritchie look like she's in need of Over Eaters Anonymous I tell you.

As for Crown King Arizona? It's my teen-ager years playground. Much Camping and hiking was done around there. I lived in the foot hills of the Bradshaw Mountains. Looking at that picture however, I think I need to card up some of my Jacob or Finn to ply against the red and gold of the Merino. A triple ply would be awesome, although potentially a challenge to my current skill level.

Never let it be said that I'm not willing to face a challenge though. I am teaching someone after only doing this with gusto for just over a year my self... and I'm coming up on a year since I bought Beaky. So yeah, learning a lot, and learning by teaching too as Sunshyn689asks questions that challenge me to learn more myself so I can be a better teacher. I think I need a triple diz though. Time to ask my hubby to get creative with the sculpy I think...

Today - I took my drum carder over to Sunshyn689's and we sat on her back patio, flicked out the Tunis she'd scoured a month ago when we had gone to the farm to pick out our fleece, and carded it up. She got a chance to learn how to prepare the fleece her self and to strip a batt, and was a little nervous, but all told it was a good experience for her. The fact that my Three and a half year old was teaching her what to do was not lost on any of us... but I have to chuckle as her bedtime stories have come from YouTube lately and have been from Rexenne... She's got some wonderful tutorials for anyone who's looking to learn some of the basics in fiber prep and spinning.

So Sunshyn689 now has about 4-6 ounces of the Tunis ready to go, and hopefully some time sooner than a month from now we'll get a chance for her to actually learn to spin it.

It's Sunday night and I'm absolutely exhausted - ready for work tomorrow and at the same time I'd like to have had taken the day off... personal time can come later though and I'll get my car back from the shop (owned it 3 weeks, and rear ended someone thanks to a bee flying in my window, foot flying from break to gas and car slamming into big old Ford truck...) I have a bachelorette party that I'll be going to in a few weeks so I'll likely take a PTO day then. I just need to keep doing my very best at work in the mean time. Nothing like being in a new job during an economic down turn - and needing to be on your very best behavior. I'll have a couple of days to me outside of the party so I'll bring my little wheel and a bunch of roving and spin away...

Hard to believe the weekend is over. To be honest, while I spent tons of time with my kids, it feels like I could have spent more. So on that note I'm going to go find my daughter and snuggle her - besides it's beyond time for her to go to bed.

Bubble Bubble Boiling Trouble

2008-06-24T10:50:00.004-04:00

It never rains but it pours, and it seems that May/June for me is traditionally stressful. Last year we scattered my dad’s ashes in Michigan, during a trip that had me stretched to my limits on my sanity… only to return home to discover that the IRS and I were going to be having big issues, and my employment was slated to end as the company was closing it’s CT office and people were going to be laid off en masse.

This year – my Step-Dad had his heart attack, strokes, and my mom had her own near heart attack. My son had his cyanosis that had us going in and out of hospitals for testing, and I started a new job, only to be distracted by the things in my personal life being overwhelming.

I can deal with a simmer, but when things reach bubbling/boil level I get close to cracking… and well I’ve been close.

Today I had a conversation with my new boss – seems I’ve been a bit distracted and it’s hard to judge if a new employee is actually going to be a good fit if they are so out of focus on everything in their life that they can’t see straight. That’s been me. I did tell her that the worst was over and I can say I feel that this is a good fit for me, reassuring her that yes I’ve been distracted, but I’ve really gotten a handle on it. Goddess I hope I have anyhow…

Notice I use the word “Been” as in past tense. It’s all come to a bit of a bubbling head, and instead of the continual teary-eyed mess I was last summer when I nearly cracked, this time I’ve focused my attention on doing something. Making something… taking the time to distress and find a way to say “See – I was productive.”

This weekend I dyed roving like a fool. Seriously, my front porch looks like it’s been hit with Roving Kudzu and we’re no longer in New England. The picture at right does it no justice... Sadly due to a thunderstorm and downpour I have very little dry to speak of and when I get home tonight I’ll have to check what dried today – if any as we may be getting more storms this afternoon. If it’s dry I’ll braid the roving up and set it aside to either sell on Etsy or spin my self.

What makes me think that it’s settled down now? Outside of rediscovering an outlet and throwing my self into it, I got news back from Garret’s doctor’s office. His EEG came back with good news. It appears he's fine - no details, but he shows no sign of seizures, nor was there any brain damage due to the cyanosis. Right now the leading theory is that he has had a lesser version of that nasty virus that attacks a person’s heart… which means that he has a natural immunity to it now, and we can breathe easier. Until I hear otherwise, that’s what I’m going to operate under, and I’ll let life get back to the normal simmer I’m used to.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming and what I write about in this blog normally…

Starting on my video backlog...

2008-06-23T01:17:00.003-04:00

CT Sheep and Wool Fest - April 26, 2008

A Satuday to Dye for

2008-06-21T15:18:00.002-04:00

I currently have 12 oz of merino roving dripping dry on my porch. 4 ounces in my sink in a colander. 4 ounces in the dye pot.

There's more where that came from, and by the end of the weekend we'll have dyed about 2 pounds of roving. I will be ready for that Ravelry swap, as well as stocked with hand dyed colorways to spin, and if I'm feeling adventurous I'll consider selling some dyed roving by its self in 4oz increments on Etsy.

That is if this headache finally goes away...

Finally - some fiber related progress!

2008-06-20T23:39:00.004-04:00

First things first - Garret's doing ok. This last Wednesday was rougher on me than him, although he's still working on getting his sleep back on a normal schedule. That said - he's doing good, and Yale New Haven Children's hospital has not called us back (other than to check on him) to say "Hey his test results show he needs to be back here now!"

I've gotten to do a lot more spinning lately, cleaned, flicked and carded a pound of Border Leicester that I will probably dye tomorrow, and tonight I dyed up a pound of roving - a bunch of reds this time, as well as some earthier tones. At this rate I'll probably be looking to get my Rambouillet fleece scoured so I can get the locks dyed before I card them. I'll need to however or I'll be running out of Roving before you know it.

I'm also looking to add on to my equipment this year. I want to get a picker, some hackles, and some combs. The Combs are a bit frightening only as they are really pointy sharp and my kids have a natural desire to explore - and a drive to help.

Tess has her own project on the carder right now. I have flicked out some Mohair/Border Leicester/Romney and it's being fed into the drum carder in bits - all to be cranked by my bright little three year old. It won't be long before she's spinning on her own... and I'll have to decide which wheel I'll let her use as her full time wheel. Probably the Kiwi as my lovely husband has cleared me to get my Golding.

Of course I don't think that spending 5K on a spinning wheel is a smart purchase when you have small kids, so I'll look at the Majacraft and Lendrum lines... but it's nice to know that I have that backing.

It's late, I've dye all over my hands and likely will be doing more tomorrow (I really want to get the prepared wool ready to work and set aside from the raw wool) and I'll be dreaming of spinning and processing fiber in my sleep, I'm more than certain of this.

and on that note I leave you with this - an icon of my childhood, who's decided he's got a lot in common with Robert Downey Jr.

Summer is still a week away

2008-06-11T14:18:00.000-04:00

Someone forgot to tell Mother Nature that summer is still a week away.
*sigh* It's been too hot out this week. Today is much cooler (By nearly 20 degrees) than yesterday, but it's still no fun.

I came home from work at 1. My stomach is feeling rather upset, and I wanted the comfort of my own bed and to be close to the bathroom if needed. Before lugging the computer upstairs, I made some tea and grabbed me some left overs from dinner last night, and then realized only after I was already upstairs that the power cord for the laptop is still downstairs. *sigh*

I have to go down shortly to get it, and I really need a brief nap. I either have a virus or ate something that really didn't agree with me. Yuck. Nap's not going to happen today though.

On the fibery goodness front I got three skeins plied up last night, coupled with the two that are done and twist set, and a few others that should be skeinable by Friday - I should have somewhere near a dozen skeins of hand spun available on Etsy this weekend.

I'm feeling accomplished here. I think that my skeining is turning out to be the best I've done yet.

Oh and guess what I just won on eBay? It was for 2# of Java, and I'm not talking about the coffee beans. He won't be needing it anymore...

Lets just say I've lucked out in the raw fiber dept lately and hopefully this fleece is skirted and not filled with second cuts.

Some pics from the weekend.

2008-06-09T10:13:00.000-04:00

So as I previously wrote, on Saturday a friend, my daughter and I all went to a local farm and picked up 10.5# of fleece, and then dropped it at the processor to be made into roving.

We picked up all told 4# of Southdown, and 6.5# of Tunis - both good for teaching a new spinner in my opinion. We held back a half pound of the Tunis so sunshyn689 could learn the whole process from start to finish.

Jerimiah from Twist of Fate was awesome, and gave us the tour allowing both Tessa and sunshyn689 to see how roving is made on a larger scale than our little drum carder. Tessa was delighted to see how it all was done and was awestruck by all the bags of fleece waiting to be washed, dried and picked and carded.

From my daughter's perspective, it's always been done in a tub in the sink or bath tub with a little dish soap with as hot of water as Mommy can stand and repeated until the water was clear. We then hang it out on a rail on our porch to dry, and later it is brought and flicked out by hand and then run through the drum carder to be made into a batt.

Those Bats get torn down into strips and then I spin them into yarn, so for Tess to see it all on an industrial capacity was pretty impressive - especially when she got to see the spinner. She was pretty stunned to see that it wasn't a spinning wheel making the yarn. I have to laugh as she see's yarn at places like AC Moore and is convinced that it's all made by people in their living room watching TV while they spin.

The carding machine they have is a smaller machine as mill machines go, but that's not a bad thing. It allows them to do batches as low as 2#, making my 4# (Pre wash weight) of Southdown a sure bet to make it through after it loses at least a fourth of it's weight to the wash bin... There was much more than just the machine you see to the right, but I forgot my camera so you get what I nicked from their website... that said, if you are looking for a really nice processor - these guys are awesome.

The wool was pretty well skirted so when it gets to the stage of sitting on that conveyor belt there should be very little vegetable matter that makes it into the roving.

I have to say I like how close the spinnery is to where I work too - as I have a couple more fleeces to drop off for processing and I'll be doing that this week after work. Probably on Tuesday or Wednesday - allowing the fleece to sit in the trunk all day to kill any thing that might be living with the fleece... like say - moths or anything else that they could have been exposed to during the past 6-8 months in my sun room with a busted screen window...

While I won't get the roving back until October, I've been saying for months that I was going to drop the fiber off to be made into roving and I've just not done it.

Will I keep some back to process and blend at home? Probably. But I've decided that at 6.00 a pound to be washed and carded, that I'm just ready to have it out of my house as I don't know when I'm going to get it all processed. Their price as listed on the website is a bit more than I'm being charged, and I'm not really sure but as my stash is all pretty much low grease wool then I don't feel too guilty for the discount.

Jeremiah is a sweetie too, and the time he spent explaining to Tessa was appreciated. He also gave us a brief tour and Tess got to see the Goats and Alpaca they have as well as a couple of Ewe's and Rams they have... and the poor guy was flustered when sunshyn689 asked why he wasn't shorn down low in the back. "That's his balls ma'am." I think she was pretty embarrassed/mortified too... but it was a very funny moment. I wish I'd have gotten pictures when we went to both the farm and spinnery, as the farm was something out of my brightest and most desired dreams... oh well some day.

Anyhow - after we got back sunshyn689 started on the scour of the Tunis we held back. I don't know if she's taken any pics of it yet, but I know it's not dry yet as we got a heck of a thunderstorm yesterday which soaked the heck out of everything - including the freshly washed fleece. Next Saturday morning we'll be running it through the drum carder and then spinning it up before dying it.

On other fronts - this weekend I got some merino I've been working on finished spinning up - it came out beautiful.

The photo's not so hot, but that's ok - the single twisted up nicely without over twist, it's going to be allowed to sit on the bobbin a week or so before I run it through the yarn winder so I can create a center pull ball to ply. After measuring it up, and skeining I'll put it in the bin for photo's and sale on Etsy... it's a rather lovely yarn if I say do say so my self.

So my previous post I mentioned the BFL I had hand washed, flicked, carded and spun - here's some pics from that. This was all done from 12am Saturday to 2am sunday.

Yes - again the photo quality isn't the greatest, but it was a last minute thought of "Hey I ought to take some pics of what I've been doing for my blog... especially as I've gotten requests for them recently in my other blog. I still have half the BFL fleece to finish up - it's still slightly damp as it was on my porch when the rain that drenched the Tunis drenched my BFL as well... Given that today is going to be a scorcher, I fully expect that I'll be able to card it up in the next couple of days. It should be dry by tonight.

At present I have some Mohair/Romney in the bin you see in the far left above... I've been flicking it out, and opening the locks as well as doing a first blend with the hand cards, and then will be putting it through at least once on the drum carder. That will be set aside to spin later this week too.

I promise more photo's to come and maybe even a video from this Saturday if sunshyn689 isn't too nervous about having herself be the guinea pig in a how to session. :-)

Oh for those of you HitchHiker fans - yes the wheel is still in my car, poor thing is in the trunk with 4# of Navajo Churro and 2# of Jacob. It will probably come out of the car smelling like a sheep farm. That ought to be fun at S&B on Wednesday ;-).

(BTW - Why use sunshyn689 as a guinea pig for photos and video? She's 1. Younger 2. Pretty & 3. I'd be the one holding the camera for all this LOL!)

BFL from ewwwwwww to ahhhhhhhhhhh and Raw Wool finds

2008-06-08T22:49:00.001-04:00

As previously written, given the heat of the weekend, my plans have been predominately fiber related.

Friday I had some of the most amazing Blue Faced Leicester that needed to be scoured to remove the lanolin and any dirt. The fleece hinted at being snowy white and amazingly beautiful when spun up.
It was late, the kids were asleep and the fleece wasn't washing itself, so I got out the wash tub, and filled it with detergent and the hottest water my tap produced.

I was not disappointed - when clean (after about 5 soak/rinse combo's) it was snowy white, and I set it out to dry.

It was very late when we got to sleep - the kids woke at 2:30 and it was emotional trauma time as one of them had a nightmare screaming enough to wake the other and leave me with two frightened kids.

At 9am instead of being on the road, I was in the shower, but caught up pretty fast so we could pick up sunshyn689 and get over to the farm. I have to say I love my GPS, as we might have gotten lost if not for it.

We selected a Tunis and a Southdown fleece, and then as the fiber mill is only 2 miles away and we bought 10 pounds of fleece we dropped all but a small amount off for the processor to turn into roving for dying and spinning... and it's really nice to have a connection with a local fiber source. Plus - those fleeces were well skirted so I know we didn't buy bags of rocks or dung.

We have to wait until October for them to get back, but we held back a small amount for sunshyn689 to learn on... and when we got back to her house she pulled out a dish tub and started scouring her first batch of wool. I have to say I'm tickled pink at how well she's picking it all up, but she's not a stupid woman, so that makes it a lot better. I'll bring my drum carder and a diz next weekend to her house and on Saturday morning we'll finish processing that fleece. We'll decide once we have made roving if we're going to go straight to spinning or if she'll want to dye it first. My first thought is to just spin it and move on from there.

Last night I pulled what was dry off my porch and sat for an hour flicking it out (which means I opened the locks to make it fluffy for carding and had a couple of medium boxes full of fluff ready to be put through the drum carder. Lesson the first however was no matter how clean you think you got your wool, it's still going to drop small bits of dirt and vegetable matter. Doing it on the couch without a drop cloth produces an awful mess on your once clean shirt and shorts.

The BFL that I cleaned the night before and spent time flicking out before running through my drum carder turned out amazing, and I'm really excited about plying it with something... not sure what right now, so I'll be taking it off the bobbin and balling it so the singles can go a little stale before I ply it. I'm not sure what I'll ply it with right now...

My Jumbo flyer for my wheel is broken again, so plans today had me going to "In Sheeps Clothing" but they were closed today, and then back to the inlaws for strawberry shortcake. Lemme tell you that 40MPG is awesome and my new car has 205 miles on it now. We drove about the Litchfield hills before picking the kids back up at the inlaws. Tonight I sat with some Mohair and Romney and hand blended in preparation for working on the drum carder again. Getting the kids to bed much earlier has been a godsend for me in getting anything fibery done. Yay for that!

Stinky Fiber for a Saturday Morning

2008-06-07T00:51:00.000-04:00

So I stepped into a heck of a deal on Monday on raw fleeces (already skirted though which is good, although I'll be doing another good once over before scouring.) sunshyn689 and I are going in the morning to look at them tomorrow and see what's in good condition and will require the least amount of work to get vegetable matter (Hay/straw) out and they've supposedly already been skirted to remove anything gross. As it's going to be 95 here tomorrow I figure I can spend part of the afternoon scouring what I pick up and then set the washed fleeces out to dry on my porch overnight - by Sunday they should be good and dry and ready to be carded to be spun...

It's going to be hot all weekend, and this will be a great time to get caught up on my fleece that I need to get processed. I'm thinking that I might pick up some staples for my staple gun, some window screen and a bunch of 1*2's to make some drying frames with... as well as latex gloves for use when washing the fleeces... ya never know until you see the fleeces out of the bag how well they were skirted for dung etc until you can lay them out on a tarp and do a good once over...

Lincoln 8 lbs. 7” staple grey
Lincoln 5 lbs. 4” staple light grey
Lincoln lamb 9 lbs. 12” staple dark grey
Lincoln 7 lbs. 7” staple silver grey
Border Leicester 8 lbs. 8” staple white
Romney Cross 6 lbs. 4” staple white
Romney cross 7 lbs 4” staple white
Romney cross 7 lbs. 5” staple white
Southdown 4 lbs 1.5 “ staple white
Montadale 5 lbs 3” staple white
Tunis cross 6 lbs. 2.5 “ staple white
Tunis 7 lbs 3.5” staple white
Romney 8 lbs. 4.5 “ staple white
Romney 7 lbs. 5” staple white
Cheviot 4 lbs 4” staple white
Oxford 7 lbs. 3.5 “ staple white
Romney 9 lbs 5” staple white

Will I buy all these? Um No. But this is what I have to select from tomorrow. Pretty cool eh? Ok - you there reading this will probably not comment, and ya know that's ok. To me - it's pretty cool - the farm is so close to me and I like the idea of developing a relationship with a local shepard. Ok - NOW GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER, NOT THAT KIND OF A RELATIONSHIP.

Sheesh folks.

On my wheel right now I have some lovely Merino that I hand dyed in shades of red. It's spinning up pretty nicely but it appears to be more pink than red :-) we'll see how it plies up when I get to that stage. I've been pre-drafting the roving into nice spinnable slivers, and getting in some spinning time each night after the kids have gone to bed. It's a definite change for the better and I find I'm more relaxed and sleep better after getting in an hour or so of
spinning a night.

Tonight after the kids went to sleep I scoured up a pound of BFL - oh so lovely and the staple is really nice and long. I also washed a half pound of Ramboullet... nice but after doing the BFL I'm a bit spoiled... where one has such a nice long staple the other is velvety soft. I'm now going to head back down stairs, get a shipping label that's overdue onto a box to go out tomorrow morning and then get the rest of my red finished spinning so I can ply it later.

how to freak out your cube neighbors.

2008-05-29T12:26:00.000-04:00

So as last night was the first S&B I've been to since my step dad's heart attack happened, I had my HitchHiker Mini in my car still this morning. He came in to work with me today, and I took a brief break to empty a half dozen bobbins using my ball winder that happened to just fall into my purse on my way out the door this morning as I left for work.

This is the results - all waiting plying except the one in the bottom left corner - that's a failed experiment in plying Alpaca, and it's soft, but man I do not advise using the Kate on a HitchHiker Mini for the purposes of plying. Seriously... it's nice stuff, but that other alpaca you see there, it's going to be plied with some Silk I think. Something complimentary that I've been working on with a drop spindle I think. Something with dark but complimentary colors.

I do now have several empty bobbins though - which will give me a chance to get to more of the roving for that lovely purple and green colorway in the bottom right of the yarn ball pyramid. Do I know the yardage or ouncage on any of these yet? Nope. Won't do that until the end, and I still have all of the below shown roving to spin as well.

Isn't it all so pretty? Almost done and I have 3/4 a bobbin full still on the Mini. I'll be plying this colorway against itself, unles I find something in my fiber bin that sings to me to blend the shades together.

What will I do with these? Well when finished they'll end up in my Etsy shop or as gifts to my knitting friends... as usual.

BTW - regarding the previous post, my little guy is doing well. Thanks to all who contacted me off blog to check on him :-) He joined me for lunch yesterday and charmed every one in his path. I'm so in for it...

Scared witless

2008-05-21T11:33:00.000-04:00

Not really a fibery update this week guys. My baby did something on Friday and then Sunday that really has frightened me beyond words. His lips turned blue in his sleep.

In trying to discover what caused it I've concluded that modern medicine is just barbaric.

My poor little man's been a pin cushion, been jammed in a Plexiglas frame that bolts shut on the sides, while he sits on a saddle to get chest X-rays, had an EKG run, and still has to have an EEG run that they can't get scheduled until mid June at Yale New Haven. I'm exhausted from it all, he's beyond words of done with it all. They don't know yet why he is going cyanotic when he sleeps.

It hasn't been something they've been able to observe... outside of a possible arrhythmia - there's a chance it was a series of small seizures - but they just don't know. It first started happening on Friday - and was noted by my husband at nap time.

Sunday I had 4 incidents of it while we were in the car, and I decided that I'd call my HMO's Nurse line. They suggested getting him into the Children's hospital that night, no later. Home on Sunday night, we went to his pediatrician early monday, and I spent the day in and out of medical facilities, and again the childrens hospital in Hartford.

They sent him home, his little arm covered in paper tape and gauze that he immedietly tried to pull off, that covered the site where they drew multiple HUGE vials of blood from him off, and he spends time rubbing the bruise on his leg from where they jammed him into the X-ray frame so they could get a chest X-ray

His heart and lungs look good on the x-ray and for the EKG and Blood tests - they came up normal.

So that one more test is left and the local hospitals aren't deemed prepared enough to deal with little ones, so they are scheduling at Yale New Haven for an EEG for him. (CCMC doesn't have someone who can do this until July.) This will require that he's sedated, and I'll likely need to take another day off from work like I did Monday.

I don't regret it at all, but I'm exhausted and just want to know what caused this so we don't have the ghost of the issue haunting us.

I told Gaelon I need a spa day - but I'm thinking I need a weekend where I can spin, and not be worried about kids, or anything else inbetween massages, pedicures and little things to help de-stress me.

Have I mentioned I was interviewing for a new job at Initech too? It's a wonderful job in Quality Assurance, an audit and compliance position. While dealing with my son's issues, and my mom and step dad's ill health I have been trying to decide if I want this job that I've been agressively recruited for. Critical analysis regarding my career is eclipsed by thinking about one beautiful little blonde haired boy.

So what's wrong with my baby? What made my him go cyanotic and scare the poop out of his Mommy and Daddy?

Well like the Doc said - it's just not known and they are leaning towards saying it's a virus right now.

I looked at him last night in his sleep and said "Garret you aren't MS Windows, there are no bugs allowed."

On the work front - I accepted the position. I start my new job on the 2nd of June.

Silk nice, icecube on my bum not.

2008-05-12T21:34:00.000-04:00

Ok, so in the face of all that's going on right now with my step dad being ill and having recently lost my step mom - which brings the loss of my dad to the forefront of my mind and heart, I decided that if the kids won't let me get time on the wheel I'd haul out a drop spindle. After all, with a drop spindle there is no chance of little fingers getting caught in whirring parts.

So I've been working on a lovely silk colorway that I think is in need of spinning up in a ply with some Alpaca. The Alpaca only has me peeved with trying to ply it with more alpaca and I think that's got a lot to do with the fact that I'm using the onboard kate and my HitchHiker to do the plying, so my need for a real tensioned kate is coming back into play.

*sigh* I was going to get one at the CT Sheep and Wool festival - really, but for whatever reason it didn't happen.

I need to keep an eye out for one, maybe if we get to go to Coggeshall farm in RI this weekend I'll find something I like.

So - regarding the title? My three year old daughter is an ice chewer. She just crawled into bed and dropped a piece of ice down the back of my pajamas giving me a rude awakening. Then she runs off giggling maniacally.

I want to know who taught her that trick. I truly think they deserve a special thank you of their own. Don't you?

Well wishes sought

2008-05-10T18:42:00.000-04:00

My step dad had a heart attack last night. Not a strong man to begin with, this is a very bad bit of news. There may be a trip to Las Vegas for me soon, and it's not to gamble...

I have a rough game plan if I need to go out for the funeral, and a very liberal boss who will undoubtedly be understanding. My complications will be of the financial and toddler kind. Yep - my 14 month old is still nursing, and it's not like I could leave him behind. It's hard enough thinking about leaving my three year old and husband, but man airfare isn't cheap and we've cut down our trips out as it is - I saw gas on the pump this morning for 3.99 a gallon. OUCH.

Now if he happens to miraculously recover (ha - don't laugh, he's managed it before, he's awful ornery and love my mom too much to just check out on her despite frail health) then I'll be taking my three year old to the fiber fest at the Coggeshall farm in Rhode Island next Saturday. She has a love for spinning, and I think that getting her turned on to non oil dependent (other than the petrol to get there to learn more) activities and fabrics and means of living is a good thing.

We'll have to see what the week brings before we make solid plans.

I'm too productive out of the office.

2008-05-09T12:59:00.000-04:00

Today is my work from home day... those days usually start earlier, and end later than a work in the office day, and I am usually saner by the end of it as well.

Already today I've gotten 2 reports and one major document finished, and that was in the first hour of the day. It's a rainy grey day and I'll be slipping folding laundry into listenening to teleconferences. I get asked "How do you do it all Annie?" and well there's a glimpse... like most working mom's I've learned to multi-task at a level I personally thought unatainable before having kids.

Seriously, I've also gotten a couple of loads of laundry started and have a batch of wool I'll be cleaning today so I can card it and then dye it. (Crossing my fingers on the wool scouring as it's rainy, it won't happen if the weather stays so gross.)

I've also got yarn to ply, measure and photograph for the Etsy store, as well as new labels to make up for the existing yarn I have in stock. ahhhhhh I love my little color printer. It makes life so much more fun - printed out coloring pages for my daughter, photocopies of documents for me, etc...

When my SIL moved I interited her big old plastic bins that she had kept dog food in. These are going to be re-purposed to hold wool. These are tasks that don't have to get done today, but will hopefully be done by end of weekend. I am going to finish out my office/studio and get it back in shape where I'm happy with it. This means that I'll have several rubbermaid bins that will be re-purposed as well.

Yep. Work from home days are nice. I made hot ham n cheese sandwiches for lunch for my hubby and I, nuked some kids meals for the tots and on top of it all I'm also not using gas in my car. Yep. Definately nice.

Why would people be so thoughtless?

2008-05-08T10:15:00.000-04:00

Where - MD Sheep and Wool Festival
When - Last weekend while I was in NH (see previous post)
What - Theft, Vandalism, Animal's let out of pens

Read here, and lets all watch out for eachother this festival season ok?

Kids and Dog

2008-05-08T02:16:00.000-04:00

So outside of my spinning, I also have two other loves in my life. My family and my dog. The kids go without saying, and I've described them as my soul on my sleeve. They really are my world, and are the reason I'm a grown up these days...

The dog?

What can be said about Daisy... This little stinker of nearly two years ago

is now this little stinker (Picture taken tonight as I ran out for iced coffee at Dunkins)

She's still doing the weight fluctuation thing, and I broke down and went to the Butcher to get trimmings. Adding extra fat to her diet has been extremely beneficial, and she's starting to get a better sheen to her coat, and is just happier. She's never going to be a rolypoly dog, it's just not in her make up, but I can at least get a little extra flesh on her bones and an insulatory layer. The fatty trimmings aren't going to ever be a staple in her diet, but I can hopefully get an insulatory layer built up under her skin, as she was so lean that this winter was hard on her. No sweater would have helped.

We're going to go back to dog training classes later this spring, and she needs to be better about not having accidents in her crate. She's good about peeing, but not always great about her bowels... I had taken her out of dog daycare in January as we just couldn't justify the expense any longer - the money just wasn't there, but I wish we could put her back in.

I might make a decent living, but my kids needs come first over my dog playing all day with other dogs. We have 'Guiness' the kodiak bear disguised as a dog, down stairs to play with, as well as my MIL and SIL's dogs to play with on weekends - something I'm hoping to do more of now that the winter is over. She is playing more with Tessa instead of just jumping on her, but she's still got house training issues... she isn't good at the communicating her needs thing, and I don't know really how to change that, so I'll be dependent on the trainer for help with that. It's back to the Brittany Dog boards I guess...

Anyhow - I hope to get some better pictures of her soon, but I thought I'd share the pic I have here for now. She really is a sweet dog, and like my kids - each day she reveals more about who she is and how much fun she is to have around.

She's the sweetest thing though, and a real pleasure to spend time with. As she and the kids get older they all get to interact more.

I was contacted a couple of months back by someone who got their puppy from the same litter as Daisy's... wanting to know if we'd gotten papers to register her. None of Audrey and Arrow's pups were papered, as Audrey wasn't. What do you expect for a dog that is specifically not a show dog. She's a pet, she might be bird trained in the future, but that would mean I'd need to have her actually going out birding, and as we've not been in touch with our friend Brian that much lately (He's a police officer the next town over, and has voiced an interest in taking Daisy Birding if she were trained) I've not seen the point in looking into that aspect of her training.

Daisy doesn't care that she doesn't have papers either. She just wants to have that next meaty bone or sirloin trimming ;-) We're participating in a DNA study about Brittany dogs, which should be interesting.

On to the weekend, and my non spinning time...

Are these the cutest kids in the world? Seriously - I know I'm their mom, but still... and man Garret DOES NOT LIKE his monkey suit... can't blame him.

Have wheel will travel!

2008-05-06T15:28:00.000-04:00

What do you do when you own a Hitchhiker and have a wedding to go to out of town?

Why you throw it in your minivan of course!

Friday morning while my family was asleep I broke down the Great Wheel, who by the way has a name now – Deborah. It’s components are spread between my kids play room and my daughter’s bedroom, and will stay that way for the next few weeks at least. After grabbing another bump of fiber, and making sure I had adequate number of bobbins packed too, I finished packing the Mini Van, and woke the family. We drove up to New Hampshire, attended the wedding rehearsal, checked in to the hotel, went to the rehearsal dinner and the kids and I basically collapsed in our hotel room from exhaustion of the day.

Saturday morning was a whole other banana! Up before everyone else, I brought out PC and spun up the rest of the Alpaca I’ve been working on. While trying to correct for some over spinning I of course under spun and a join separated, so I need to fix that before I can ply it. I love working with Alpaca though, as it’s so soft and really an easy fiber for me to work with. After getting breakfast with my daughter and then getting the rest of the family moving we did the typical wedding prep, including tuxedos for the guys, and dressing us gals up. My daughter was in heaven to be wearing her little spaghetti strapped dress.

The wedding was beautiful, and I can’t say more than it was a good evening for all – even for the baby who has been trying to break through his molars.

I’d hoped to get more spinning done, but it wasn’t to happen on that trip. We fell fast asleep once we got back and checked out the following morning. I still think it was a win-win for me as I got to get to the Alpaca without disruption, something I don’t get much of with a toddler and a preschooler.

Once I got home on Sunday I did a brief inventory. I realized that I need to get some singles plied up, twist set, measured and photographed so I can get them up on Etsy. I have probably a dozen skeins that are waiting to be listed, in all sorts of colors.

This morning I’ve gotten an order packaged up and ready to be dropped in the mail room… my hand painted yarn is going in dribs and drabs, but that’s ok. It was fun to make, and I enjoyed it. I’m not sure how regular I may be on doing the hand dyed / commercial spun, as I want to get a bunch of roving dyed up and focus on my own spun yarn both for the therapeutic value of spinning, and of course to sell on Etsy.

I’m spinning silk today on a drop spindle at work. I’ve had meeting from heck day going on where I’ve had the phone (handsfree unit) glued to my head, and haven’t gotten a chance to even get up to go to the bathroom. I do however have a lovely cop building up on the spindle.

Hitchhiker Tuneup

2008-04-28T23:41:00.000-04:00

After fighting with the wheel for 6 months I took this with me to the CT Sheep and Wool Festival and had David Paul from the Merlin Tree give it a once over for me. I love this little wheel for the portability, but man the ability to use it has been pretty hampered as it was noisy, and seemed to have a wobble to it - which it did due to a broken wheel bearing... which David replaced at no charge. The gals at Stitch N Bitch will all be happier for the lack of obnoxious clacking.

It works beautiful now, due to the combined efforts of both my Father in Law and David, and betwixt the two I now can spin pretty much anywhere... infact as I type this, the wheel is in the trunk of my car and is going to be brought into the office with me tomorrow so when I get stressed out I can spin on lunch and relax again.

We have a wedding to go to over the weekend, and this little wheel will be coming with. Right now I have some Alpaca on the bobbin from Hunter Hill Alpaca's in part because a very dear friend finally lit a fire under me and said she realllllllllllly wanted some that I'd hand spun. ;-)

In my fiber chest I also happen to have some Cormo/Angora, Cormo, Romney, Bison, Bombyx Silk, Ramboullet, Mohair, Navajo Churro, Merino, Tussah Silk, and Tencil. I'm sure I've forgotten some - but in good time it will all end up either given as gifts to my knitter friends, or sold in my Etsy shop.

CT Sheep and Wool Fest Day!

2008-04-26T22:58:00.001-04:00

First of all - it was a very tiny little festival, but a lovely one.

I discovered a couple of things - first I have readers of this blog!!! Yay! I've not put in any sort of sitemeter here, just haven't figured it out for here, so it's not been put in... and so I don't know my traffic at all - for all I knew I was writing to my self.

So it's a treat to hear "Oh you're the Blogger at The WoolWytch!" Makes me have my own Sally Fields 'you like me, you really like me' moment. *grins*

Anyhow - I got a late start to the day, so I missed out on classes I'd hoped to take this morning, but did get my HitchHiker Mini tuned up. David Paul from the Merlin Tree was there, and looked at it. It needed new bearings, as well as some other minor work, but my S&B group will be very happy to have a bit more silence on Wednesday nights, vs the sound of a playing card in the spokes of a bicycle wheel.

She spins lovely and I got started on 4 ounces of hand painted Merino that I pre-drafted over the course of the week. It's a very pretty colorway of greens and purples, and I will be Navajo Plying it I think.

I spent time with my friend Claire and her family, bought more fiber that was new to me for spinning - finer grade, supposedly more difficult.

I thought I'd have video, as I took lots of footage, but I'm still not too bright on video editing, so the vids will have to follow.

For the mean time, I'm tired - it wasn't a large festival but I walked quite a bit today as well as got that spinning done, and I am now pooped. The HitchHiker is a different methodology for spinning and as such - I get a different work out than if I used my Kiwi...

anyhow. Thanks to those of you who read! And I'll try to get the pics/videos up sometime soon.

Happy Birthday to me!

2008-04-22T11:30:00.000-04:00

So today is my birthday, and I'm in a pretty good place for it. My boss is happy with my performance at work (although there are items that have room for improvement - which is fine, because who wants to be completly perfect, it would be darn boring) and at some point during my day I'm supposed to be getting flowers from my mom... there's a present waiting from my hubby that I know I'm getting at dinner time, and life is good. Especially as I got one of my pressies last night.
This weekend at the Sheep and Wool festival I get to learn all about the care and maintenance of an antique Great Wheel / Walking wheel.

Yep - last night after work my poor little mini van ate a fully functional great wheel. It needs a little tlc for the wood - but I'm going to be picking the brains of Dave from the Merlin Tree (Who made my Hitchhiker Mini and did my customization on my Ashford Kiwi - PC and Beaky respectively named) on what to use to treat the wood and what to use for a drive band.

She's so pretty though, and OMG HUGE.

This seals it - we need to clean out the sun room or the home office ASAP so we can put together a home "studio" and I think my home office is the winner on this one. :-) She's well over 200 years old, and has a makers mark of JB 1205 carved into the table. My daughter has decided already that this is HER wheel, and I've told her that it's a wheel that she might be able to spin on when she's older, but it's not hers for a very long long long time - as in after Tessa's hair is grey and her face is very wrinkley. *grins* As she's 3, thats not going to be any time soon.

A Quiet day and a Wheel in the car

2008-04-17T11:35:00.000-04:00

Ok - so the weather here in central CT is BEAUTIFUL today. So much that the fact I have my spinning wheel in my car is absolutely taunting me.

I took it last night to Stitch N Bitch up in Canton, where I enjoyed some wonderful company, and talked to one gal about cloth diapering while evidently kicking off another one's "ewwwwwwwwwww" meter, as she's a bit of a germaphobe. Something to do with the whole washing peed and pooped in diapers in the same machine you wash your clothing in. Urm - soiled clothing is soiled clothing and I for one am very glad for my washing machine's sanitize setting. Even if it does take three hours to wash a load of diapers using it. I need to go through my links on why cloth, and using wool, and all that other happy hoopla...

While there I finished spinning some really nastily balanced yarn I had been plying. It's a grape purple and Peanut butter tan color, and I'm going to have to see about re-spinning it to see if I can get it balanced properly before I skein it. Turns out the bobbin was coming unglued and that really affected the spin on it. I had high hopes for that one but it's turned out to be a bit of a dissapointment.

Fortunately I had another bobbin, and some other fiber I wanted to work with. I still have much more to ply in this combo, but didn't it turn out pretty? I think I'll be coming in early to work, taking lunch outside on nice days and spinnng during that time that I'm on lunch. It will be a twofold benefit to me - stress relief during my work day, and a chance to get my Etsy shop re-stocked with something other than commercially spun but hand dyed yarns. I had all these glorious plans last weekend, and very few of them came through, so I'm slowing down and starting over this weekend, and hopefully I'll get a fraction of them done. The good news is that I start my work from home Friday schedule tomorrow, so I'll take a TV Tray outside, and work from my porch with the laptop on it. Provided traffic isn't too much, I should be able to really get into things tomorrow and while on lunch again, get some more roving dyed. I think I really prefer dying the roving, vs the finished yarn. It's just a preferance thing for me.

The Parking lot has been empty. The ratio of open spaces to filled spaces is astonishing. Spring fever really seems to have hit, and with a bang. Convertables and SUV's/Jeeps fill the lot for the cars that are here.

Then there's the motorcycles that people have been riding in. Yes, that is a Ducati. Several of them can be found in our parking lot on a nice clear day.

What I got a giggle over today however was seeing someone else is realllly ready for the weekend too. See that yellow thing in the middle of the picture? Yep - it's a small boat on the roof of someones SUV. As the weather is in the 70's I can't blame them. Winter wasn't a record breaker but wasn't fun and we've all been ready to make a break for it - and I get the feeling the owner of that boat is going to have a three day weekend. Can't say as I blame him/her.

So as it's a Thurs and my last day of the week in the office I think I too have a bit of Cabin fever. I have a full day packed of meetings and work tomorrow but I'm going to be able to do that from home, and get in some spinning time while I'm at it. It all sounds like such glorious fun and I too can't wait to get out of here. So much creativity awaits, and Friday at 5PM can't come soon enough.

How I'm celebrating my birthday weekend after next!

2008-04-14T10:01:00.001-04:00

Yep, I'll be at the Connecticut Sheep, Wool and Fiber Festival a few days after my birthday!!!

Saturday, April 26, 2008

Rain or Shine

9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Tolland Agricultural Center

Route 30, Vernon/Rockville, CT

More event information

Because darn it, I need more bobbins and a lazy Kate, as I think I have enough fleece right now to choke a horse.

Babbling and spinning and life is good

2008-04-14T09:44:00.000-04:00

We got our refund this Saturday. It's already gone, but that's ok. We squared away some bills (which felt nice), got some gardening gear, had a couple of nice dinners out, and I went to Once Upon a Child to pick up some clothing for Garret (my one year old.) Brand new stuff - new with tags, all from a consignment shop. I'm very proud of my score there, and it makes me cringe when I think what I spent 6 months ago at the outlet in comparison. Gaelon (my hubby) ordered some new clothing for himself too, something that he rarely does, as he has the SAHD wardrobe (non stainable tshirts and jeans geared towards being home with kids) and we've got multiple events coming up this spring/summer.

I got a hair cut this weekend. It's a bit of a long shag, and I like it. I can wear it long and just undone or I can blow dry it and it ends up looking something like the mom's from Suite Life of Zach and Cody. Best point is the perm I got after Garret's birth is GONE. Unlike the one I got after Tessa's birth, it fried my hair. Perms post partum are always a crap shoot, and hey hair grows back.

Along with my direct deposited refund, I got a bill in on Saturday from the IRS - which makes me think I need to contact them and see if I can get it in writing that with my 2007 tax refund (I didn't get it all - they took a good hunk to pay off my back debt) that I am clear. I'll be doing that later this morning, the wrong thing to do is to try to call at 8am on a Monday morning - because everyone else and their uncle is doing just the same.

This is the beginning of my new work week schedule. In at 7:30 am, out at 3:30PM, with a phone call every day at 4PM in for a status check. I'm also going to try to get that 4PM meeting rescheduled as I'm not the only person who has trouble making the daily 4PM. We'll see.

I decided I'm going to keep my hitchhiker mini spinning wheel. My father in law fixed it this weekend, while managing to dent the scotch tensioning knob and somewhere recently the on board orifice hook dissapeared. yeah - this makes me very not happy. I can replace the hook, and sand down the dent on the scotch tensioning knob, but man this stinks.

No one likes to see their wheel dented up, but if it's that or not being able to use it, I'm all for being able to use it. It's all lubed up nice too and the clacking sound it was making when I spun is now completly gone.

We also picked up some Watco Danish Oil for both the wheels, as this winter being in a very dry (oil heated) house has definately taken a toll on them. I'll be finishing the drop spindles I have for sale on Etsy with the Watco Oil as well and taking new pics of them too. I'm loving this earlier in earlier out schedule for work as I can actually get time in the afternoons to do things now. I think that I may get a lot more done during the week, and potentially even get the kids on an earlier schedule as well if I can keep this schedule up.

My postal supplies still haven't come in - I'm not too worried at this moment as I don't have any sales pending. I'm going to raise the prices back to what they were before by the end of this week. I had a 'Garret is 1' sale that only one of a couple of buyers took advantage of, and outside of that it's been quiet. I think I need to add more rose shades though, as those seem to have flown out of my store like mad. Who'd have thought that a Victorian Rose shade would be a hot thing this year?

So I guess this is the cue to say to those who've been oggling my yarn, that if you want some at the lower prices that they are at right now, you probably wanna grab them soon, as my next free bit of time both shipping and the price of yarn goes up. :-)

Creative plans ahoy... here comes another crafty weekend.

2008-04-08T13:40:00.000-04:00

So my Live Journal AAM Mentee (I'll just call her J) is looking for baby slings/carriers, at the same time that I'm thinking of what else I want to put in my Etsy shop. I have some baby related ideas, stuff to carry in the shop, and as I'll be sewing this weekend, I'll whip her up an ABC like the one I wore to my Dad's funeral. She was stunned and happy for that. It's the one thing she's been dragging her feet on that she really wants. I understand completely - if you aren't a size 6 or under it's hard to find things in the big name stores that are comfortable and appealing.

It's fully reversable (Brocade on one side and microsuede on the other,) and seems to be a big hit whenever I wear Garret in it, so I'm going to make her one, and then get started on a couple more for friends.

Depending on the input I get on those, they may get carried in my Etsy shop, and when I get about to making a website showcasing the wares with models, I'll have babies to show them off in. Can you believe he's 3 months old in the picture to the right.

Good Grief how they grow. At the bridal shower yesterday he got so many comments on how big he's gotten. Laura had a lot of people in her family who were well aware about her being there when he was born - so the kids have managed to get a bunch of adopted aunts and an adopted grandma who just loves them without having met them before Sunday. It was very sweet.

I'm really looking forward to this weekend coming up - not a lot scheduled but housekeeping and crafting. I have soaps that are waiting to be made up, and roving to be dyed... I have to organize my craft area first though. A must do if I'll be sewing/spinning/dyeing/soapmaking etc any this weekend.

Making J's MaiTai gets me out to my favorite fabric store too - I need to see if I can find some cute quilting squares, as they make up a perfect size panel for one side of the carrier. J wants Pinks and Browns in combination, and as Michelle (my friend in Salem) is planning on going straight from wedding planning to TTC, so I'm also going to work on a Mei Tai for her. She hopes to be pregnant by this time next year, and hopefully close to having the wee one. all I can say is "Oye..." Hers will be in deep reds and royal blues... she doesn't think she'll ever have a girl. I'll also have something in pink on standby too LOL!

I also plan on getting out my knitting machine... I found a lovely lovely shawl I want to make, and the knitting machine would make it in no time flat.

It's called a Heidentuch and it actually ties around back to be worn in this way:

the ties can be worn on the inside or outside of the garment... it's so pretty.... and I'm looking forward to having it to wear. It should be a snap to make as it's pretty much two triangles that have curved decreases at the ends. It's a traditional Danish shawl, and since I've been all into my ancestory lately I thought this would be nice. I have some Bison down that if spun up thin enough may make a very nice very light weight version of this too...

Speaking - or typing about knitting. I don't think that I'll be going back to the local group much, favoring the Wednesday night group instead. It's just a warmer group with much more in common and I feel much more welcome. The Tuesday group is nice - but I'm working on providing AARP services at work, not focusing on how to recieve them at home.

My postal supplies should be in tomorrow, and as I just re-listed a bunch of yarn over on my etsy shop yesterday, I'll have it ready to go for this weeks round of advertising... which I usually do on Fridays, but have slacked the last month... too many delays too many people up and dying on me, and too much keeping me from working on anything yarn related. I'm hoping I can suss out a pattern for longies on the knitting machine too, and I'll not only make Garret some longies, but might convert some of my Etsy yarn listings from yarn into diaper covers LOL. We'll see. I can definately say that the ball winder will be a big help in that instance.

I have come across a pretty cool technique for hand painting yarn involving first knitting it up as a long panel on the knitting machine, then hand painting it, and letting it dry out - we'll see how that works out.

I have one other thing I'm planning on carrying in the etsy shop, but don't want to really say anything about it as I'm not sure how it will go over, and I want to make sure I can actually do it before I go spouting off first. I am sure those of you who craft and sell on etsy can completely understand that...

Outside of crafting, we also have some gardening to get to this weekend. I have seeds to plant, and a front yard to get all cleaned up of last years left over leaves, and branches that fell this last week in the downpour and windstorm that we had. It will be a busy and healthy weekend. Of that I am certain.

PeanutButter, Jelly and Video...

2008-03-20T12:14:00.000-04:00

So at home right now on the wheel, I have a new colorway taking form. It's a ply I'm calling "Peanutbutter and Jelly" and as long as I can get a few hours to get it finished, my game plan is to get it done and blocked this weekend, and then up on Etsy on Monday. The wool is Coopworth, and it's nice for scarves, mittens, and garments worn against the skin, although it's no where near as soft as a blend of Targhee, Merino and Ramboullet that I'm going to start working with in the upcoming months.

I've been thinking that I have zipola for traffic here and I'm trying to figure out how I can improve that too. I could bribe people with pics of the kids, but that only works for those who have a vested interest in my kids...

So I'm going to start doing some video's I think. I sell drop spindle kits over on Etsy, and I was thinking that while I send a written set of instructions along with the two ounces of wool, I might want to do some little videos too. Heck - I have the video camera...

Video helped me when I was learning to spin, and while I'm no where near a master of it, I am far more proficient now than just under a year ago, due to sitting at home with the laptop glued to YouTube, watching over and over as people shared their skills.

In the mean time, I have another funeral to attend this week (which does not make getting spinning and shipping of sales go as fast as I'd like to see it happen) and then with any luck I'll be back to operating under my normal paradigm with the new season.

Can you believe it? Spring is here! This means of course that once the weather gets better I'll be able to get more dying underweigh and will have all sorts of rovings to play with!

A little project for when the weather gets better...

2008-03-03T23:10:00.000-05:00

The Ramboullet fleece I need to wash... omg it's so darn soft. Not a lot of vegetable matter and it's actually far cleaner than I expected.

It's a little out of focus, so you can't see the super fine crinp, but you can see how long the locks are. I'll scour the foeece and then card it into batts this spring. It's over 5 pounds before washing... not sure what the weight will be post scouring.

I have to bring in Beaky from the Mini Van tomorrow, and will do some spinning - even on the crappy ankles, provided I'm not feeling so horrid that I can't move. (Our whole house is down with the flu/cold.) I also have to get the printer drivers installed on the laptop I'm using so I can print out some mailing labels... I have to get some hand spun out in the mail, as well as a drop spindle kit.

Etsy's picked up for me lately, and I'm thankful of this. :-)

Updated Etsy and OMG I'm tired...

2008-02-26T09:59:00.000-05:00

I came home last night to a 3 year old who acted like she'd not been sick earlier in the day... which was a good thing. She helped with laundry (she loves pushing the buttons on the new washer and is rather anal retentive about doing them in the proper order) and then helped me take pictures for the Etsy shop.

She went to bed with Mary Poppins on darn near mute, and slept pretty soundly until about 1:30ish when she had a terrible coughing spasm. This necessitated another complete change of bedding for her bed and ours, as well as showers for Mommy, Daddy and Daughter. She was completely wrecked about waking up in this manner, and I can't say as I blame her honestly.

New sheets on the beds, hers in Disney Princess Motif, we also put one of those lounging pillows on her bed to enable her to sleep on an incline, and then dosed her with mucinex as well as triaminic. Re-Coated in Vicks, with a waterless vaporizer running next to her, she fell back to sleep in no time flat.

Me - well I think I may have seen the clock turn over to 2:48am, but it's all a bit fuzzy. She appears to have slept well after that, and when I woke up she was snuggled in under her covers.

I have two skeins to send out today - both lovely colorways and going to a good home - bringing the number of commercial spun / hand dyed down enough that I was inspired to actually load up some of my hand spun to Etsy last night - so here's what's about to go out this morning:

and here's the new Etsy Mini with some of the hand spun loaded up last night.

Etsy
Buy Handmade
TGTreasures

Pardon me while I pass out on my desk now... or maybe I'll just go grab another cup of coffee.

Pics of my darlings, and enacting some changes so I can get back to sanity (and spinning.)

2008-02-11T13:17:00.000-05:00

ok - First I have some pictures to share... they were all taken with my cell phone, so some have a pretty soft focus.

Standing on the toy box at grandma's -

Waiting for the HannaTanna 3D concert

Hanging out with Auntie after the concert

Being "Fierce" with the hair...

Now - I have a heck of a night owl in my daughter. I've not been able to get any more yarn dyed lately, nor spun. She's up and wants to help, and well a 3 year old in the mix is not always the best for the process of dying and spinning.

So with that in mind, Tess is moving into her own bedroom this next weekend (not this weekend as it's Donna's wedding and she's staying at Grandma's this weekend.) We have co-slept with her since she was a baby, so this is not going to be an easy transition, but we're going to try to make this appealing. Her bedroom will be turned into a Disney Princess dream, complete with matching curtains etc... The DVD/TV may not be going there, but may instead go to the play room. We'll put a cd player in there instead. She seems to fall asleep to Jack Johnson pretty easy.

She can watch movies in the play room while we get Garret down for bed, and then it's bed time for her with an earlier routine. *sigh* This will be followed up by enforced early rise for breakfast, and then as it gets warmer out, being outside all day when it's nice out. We have the van so my husband can play chauffer - she's going to start getting into classes this spring too which will likely have her coming home much more tired than just from a day of play at Grandma's.

We're getting a thicker mattress for the Pack n play. Garret may sleep more in it after nursing sessions so Gaelon and I have more bed space.

I may go home early today, stop and run some errands along the way. I still have to get shoes for Saturday. I then have to get that mattress.

I am in awe of women who can get themselves up, dressed, polished and ready to go all while having the kids clothed, teethbrushed, fed, and off to daycare. Seriously...

and then hopefully once this all gets settled down, I'll be posting more about my yarn production, and less about insomnia.

Support my daughters dress habit... or Etsy Sale!

2008-02-08T16:35:00.000-05:00

I'm running a special at Etsy right now because I want to clear out the commercial spun yarn in favor of my own. All these were kettle dyed and are wonderful in hand - very soft. Both Sock and Worsted Weight yarns... all called Yarngetti by my daughter.

Etsy Buy Handmade TGTreasures

For the rest of the month I'm running a special - 2.00 shipping on the first item, and 1.00 a skein thereafter...

Please, clean me out so I can get some of my hand spun up and can support Tessa's flower girl dress habit.

Also - if you refer folks my way, I'll likely be really nice to you and throw in some unexpected hand spun along the way.

When I have the inclination I'm missing the time.

2008-01-29T13:20:00.000-05:00

I swear time is moving too darn fast. When I have the inclination I don't have the time, and vica vera...

What I do have however is some pics to share. I started on a scarf a few weeks ago after seeing a you tube video on the bubble stitch - crocheting of course.

This is what I started a few weeks ago...

and today this is where I am at with it.

The lighting stinks ...

lemme try this again.

Ok - that's somewhat better. What can you expect for a camera phone though - it's literally hit and miss with it.

So My dilemma with which night seems to have resolved itself. My MIL wants to start taking the kids on Wednesday nights, so there ya have it ;-)

Speaking of the kids - here are some pics from the weekend. Not a lot, but goodness they are growing up so fast...

3 going on 13 here with her toy cell phone...

And my 11 month old trying to look cute and innocent - don't let that fool you however. He's 100% boy.

Ok - off to get this posted, to traipse through my Etsy account, and then on to Ravelry.

Can you call Speedos a Pair?

2008-01-24T11:32:00.000-05:00

So when Gaelon came to bed last night he told about watching the Power of Ten while I was out at S&B, and that some of the questions on the show got him thinking about the silly drama regarding my posts on divorce over at an other site I write at, which then let him to recall a comedians take on infidelity being caused by a lack of imagination.

We decided then that the best form of infidelity was the one that happened completely in a person's imagination.

Keep in mind - I'd been asleep when he came in. So I was processing this in a very groggy state. It was that babbling you do when you're on the periphery of being awake but just not quite. We have some very funny conversations when one or the other of us are in that state.

I then told him that I was having an affair right there in my imagination, and he laughed. I told him then "I'm all done. I had to dump him."

"Who did you dump Annie?"

"Daniel Craig. He looks great in a pair of speedos..."
(Can you even call Speedo's a pair???)

"But I had to dump him because he had a terrible foot fetish, so it's over."

and I went back to sleep.

My hubby just reminded me of this as I told him about my dream with John Larroquette buying me a bikini to take me to Bimini. Urm - me in a bikini? no. John Larroquette? Again - no.

Man my imagination is on overtime I guess. I wonder what it would be like with adequate sleep.

Cheater!

2008-01-24T00:54:00.000-05:00

So - I have two knitting groups available to go to each week. One is 1/4 a mile away from my house, and the other is held about a half an hour away.

Both groups have a lovely group of warm, wonderful women.

However - I feel more comfortable and welcomed at the group that's farther away on the Wednesday nights.

I never knit at the Tuesday group that's closer to home - I bring my wheel and spin, and sometimes even teach spinning. The social dynamic there is different though. The women there are mostly close to if not already retired and their kids are all grown up and having kids on their own. They are also not very computer literate, although a couple of them know their way around XP...

The Wednesday night group - it's filled with both stay at home moms and working moms and some women who aren't moms at all... and not a single one of them is petrified of their computers, unlike the Tuesday night group. I also tend to actually knit or crochet at this group. It's fun, and hopefully I'll get Gaelon's scarf finished soon by getting over there.

Obviously you can tell my preference.

So why do I feel guilty like I'm cheating on Tuesday by going to Wednesday? Especially when I went to Wednesday's first.

Gifts of love

2008-01-18T23:39:00.000-05:00

My daughter's cat brought us a "present" at lunch time.

There we are - I'm working from home with my laptop, she's playing on the Dora the Explorer site (nickjr.com) on her laptop and a little bit of grey fluff with a white string is dropped infront of my daughters computer. At first glanceI thought it was wool from my spinning stash, and initially reached out to take it from the kitten, thanking her for her good hunting skills...

when I realized that white string had a foot next to it, a very tiny foot.

that white string was a tail.

Delilah brought us a mouse.

Reaching over the mouse to the box of babywipes, I grabbed a babywipe instead, and wrapped the little gift up while hearing Tessa say "Mommy, What's that, What did Delilah bring us, that's not fluff mommy, that's not yarns mommy"

Yeah - I'm fielding preschooler curiosity at the same time I'm dealing with a dead rodent.

Delilah of course ran off thinking she was in trouble at my first "EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!"

because come on - if you were eating pizza, snuggling in bed and playing with computers with your little snugglebum - you'd be grossed out by a dead mouse too.

Mouse wrapped up, and tossed into bag with wet pullup pants, tied off, and carried down to the garbage can, we then sought out Delilah. Tessa praised her liberally, and the kitten is now laying next to me purring as I've also reassured her that she's done a good job.

Sunday morning she brought Garret a makeup sponge as a present. She's obviously worked her way up to the real thing.

Well... I did want a mouser. I got a heck of one if the past two presents are any indication. Good thing she's a house cat - the squirrels and possums outside would be in danger next, and I really don't want either of those dropped on my bed. A dead mouse is more than enough thank you.

And I think I prefer the makeup wedge.

Etsy Up and Broken Ankle

2007-12-04T23:37:00.000-05:00

First things first - wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!I spent some time last night listing my hand painted and kettle dyed yarns...My Hand spun needs to be re-skeined before I can take pictures, but I have a ton of those to list too - which will happen this weekend. We've got a lot of other things to list as well.

Etsy
Buy Handmade
TGTreasures

Pretty cool eh? They were a lot of fun to do. Tessa thinks the sock yarn is "Spaghetti Yarn"

I went to the walk in clinic. Seems I've reinjured my foot, in the form of stressing a broken bone in my ankle that I didn't know I'd broken.

Go Me! I turned down the Air Cast, and have an ace bandage on the ankle. I'm supposed to stay off it, keep icing it until late tomorrow and keep popping Advil. That advice I could have given (and did) my self. The broken bone and likely torn scar tissue however - that was news.

Last time I was aware I damaged my ankle - I was pregnant with Garret. Nothing like a 10 lead apron xray to make you remember when you hurt yourself last.

Also - 7 weeks on the job and I've already had to call the help desk. I think I may be getting a new laptop...

Who won the pool?

I am horribly hard on laptops, I went through 12 of them in less than 3 years at CLG.

I'm right on schedule I guess.

*For those interested - Mom's about 100 miles east of Flagstaff. She's trying to get in to Vegas during Daylight today, so she can get the rig put up the way it needs to be - done right the first time.

I'm so very proud of her. Seriously - she's done this on her own, and has completely taken charge of her life, and her preparation for the retirement she desires and deserves.

Spinning, Garret and Boo

2007-12-02T23:23:00.000-05:00

I twisted my ankle mightily tonight. It's icy and gross outside tonight, and coming in from grocery shopping I wiped out. Called Gaelon on my cell phone and he helped me up and into the house. I have had far worse sprains, and it's a beautiful technicolor mess but due to spinning it's stronger than I've ever had an ankle when sprained, and it will probably recover quicker too.

So The Kid shared some of her photo's with me. Here they are in their glory. Remember what I said - ABC Carriers are not nice to the boobs. Garret was happy though.

All those balls from the ball winder were recently twist set and measured to be as accurate in the yardage as I could get... hence being in balls. I don't know which will be better for selling on Etsy - hanks or images of balls already wound. We'll find out, and if I need to I can wind some balls onto the niddy noddy (my PVC one is there in the pic) and see if it helps the yarn sales from there. I do hope they sell as I need to pay for my roving I ordered. Or Repay myself for it? It's good therapy, but is nice that it's therapy that can pay for itself.

Yes - for those of you in the know - it is a smaller bobbin on the jumbo flyer head. I was cheating, it worked out nice though.

Garret was delighted to be in the ABC when I was spinning, but loved even more the attention that Boo and The Kid were showering on him

.
His face is changing again, and in this one you can really see how much he looks like his big sister.

I think he was channeling his Daddy and trying to charm the older ladies... Boo certainly loved playing with him.

He really is a charmer...

Seriously - aren't they adorable, Boo is just awesome with Garret, and really is so good with the fact he's a baby. She couldn't wait to hold and play with him and even shared her little bell which he shook with much gusto.

Like I wrote above, she was awesome with him and he just adored her. I felt bad that Tessa wasn't able to get some time with her, but there's always a next time, and one of these days I think that we'll likely meet her mom and Boo for lunch and the four of us will go out for Sushi and leave the boys at home.

Economic Depression does not sell yarn

2007-12-01T23:22:00.000-05:00

OMG What the heck???

So - The craft show - very talented vendors, beautiful artisanship on a lot of things there... and the buildings next door were boarded off and a bit frightening looking.

It was held in the gym of a Catholic school, but the neighborhood is so scary that it would take a miracle to convince me it was safe enough to send kids into that area.

So - I have a lot of yarn for the Etsy shop. And that's ok really. I am fine with this, and have no problem listing things there.

I did make some sales, and did some Bartering for this awesome little hat that I'm hoping SOMEONE got a picture she can share of it on Garret's little head... hint hint.

The Kid came with Boo and spent time while I spun, and Boo and Garret got along famously.

She has pics to share... I just have to say that ABC Slings do not lift and separate, but instead make your boobs look like they are saggy and spread far apart. I'm not skinny but the pics make me look HUMONGEOUS.... and all I can do is laugh. They are a recording of today. I can be bummed because I look like crud or I can rejoice in the memory of what actually was a rather fun day

So here's a funny for ya'll when you consider the context of who it happened to (me) and what my religion is... (Wiccan/Pagan.)

I was nursing Garret and the only comfortable seating to do it on was near the entrance, so while I nursed I got to watch traffic go by (what little there was.) Well in walks the Parish Priest. I smile as he's immediately noted I have a baby in my arms (Garret seems to draw attention even when he's not nursing...) so I by reflex say "Hello Father, I hope you are well." Why I said just that I have no idea - remember brought up Pagan here, and my family outside of my mom are all Baptists.

He walks over while Garret is still latched and says "Let me bless you" and blesses Garret, tracing whatever it is that they trace (the cross? again functionally illiterate when it comes to Catholicism here) onto Garret's forehead while saying his blessing.

Garret looks at the priest like a new toy and someone else that he can charm to bits...

I smile and say "Thank you Father"

and am befuddled for hours.

Seriously.

I then texted Gaelon and my best friend Donna (Who is a reporter for the Catholic TV Station)

Gaelon's response - "I guess that's Tacit support for Nursing in Public by the Catholic Church then"

Donna's response - "What - you didn't get struck by lightning?"

A little bit later the power went completely out for about a half an hour. No heater, and it was below freezing all day. If if didn't kick in soon ambient heat would dissipate and I'd have to pack it in because I wasn't going to have a popsicle for a baby boy... Just as I was getting ready to pack it in? Lights and heat came back.

I blame Donna for putting the idea into the universe.

So - time to get pictures taken for the Etsy store.

Snowy Day and Yarn Pr0n

2007-11-20T18:25:00.000-05:00

As soon as I sat up in bed this morning I was accosted by a kitten who was realllllllly hungry as she didn’t get her mini can last night. (she gets canned food 2x a day right now)

Then I had to explain to Tessa that even if it was snowy out, I didn’t bring my work computer home last night so I didn’t get to work from home today. That went over like a lead balloon.

Running late I took the dog out, to have her look at me like I was on crack. She HATE’s the snow with a purple passion. She was going back to Dog Daycare today after being out sick last week but I decided I didn’t want to be trying to keep the dog from climbing up onto my lap while driving down an ice laden hill. Back to the crate with a rawhide bone and a bowl of food after a good slurp at the waterer… hopefully Gaelon will get to let her out at lunch time otherwise she’s gonna be really whiney when I come home.

Finished the last of the first batch of yarn to be dyed last night, it's still sitting in the crock pot waiting to be spun out and set on the drying rack. I came home to my sock yarn order being in so those will get skeined and dyed this weekend. Everything that’s hanging to be twist set is going to have to come inside as there’s no way it will dry out on the porch. I think I’ll wait to do the rest that’s waiting to be set until Friday when I can hang it out at my MIL’s next to her new furnace. That basement is dry - so the yarn should set up nicely.

There are several other Coopworth skeins that need to be twist set and when I get home tonight I’ll set them aside to go to my MIL's on Friday too. I bought a Coconut Conditioning Baby Shampoo to set the twist with, as I want to put a little moisture back into some of the yarn that Tessa completely stripped with her Dawn bath. She so loves to help so I don’t make a big deal, but man that could have been a disaster. Plus the shampoo leaves the yarn smelling better than good old blue bottle Dawn…

I was asked over on OpenDiary for a sneak peak. So here's 13 skeins on my porch last night... There's a ton more on my drying rack and hanging in my bathroom, and in baskets... I'm no way going to have the stock for the show that Cinderella had for hers in Wyoming last weekend, but I think that I will have a decent amount when all is said and done.

The biggest skein is all the way to the right. That is about 500 or more yards of plied Coopworth/hand Painted Merino in a Grey and Lilac shade and it's really pretty. I'll have closeups later if I remember to and if it doesn't sell at the craft show.

I have two more skeins of plied Coopworth/Merino and they just turned out beautiful.

I'm going through my carded wool and batts before I get into any of the undyed stash yet. I find I really like working with the roving being dyed first instead of spin first then dye. It just gives a more consistant color.

Pricing is going to be interesting - I am likely taking a loss when you consider all the equipment I bought this year, but for Tax purposes that's fine. It does me well to be in the red on the yarn business for now. Besides - it's Therapy right?

Plus for the show we're going to have the lavendar pillows of multiple types - oh and the mini learn to spin kits... those will likely either succeed or sit drawing dust. Either way, Beaky is coming to the show as asked by the organizers.

I finished a pound bump of Llama / Corriedale last night. It's this lovely Fawn color and is really warm. I have to skein it up but I'm in a quandry as to whether to leave it as singles or to ply it. I'll probably leave it as singles. Tonight I'll take it off the jumbo flyer and move it to a series of smaller bobbins, which will allow me to check the level of twist in it, plus break it down easier into 4 ounce incriments.

My Jumbo Flyer is on the wheel now, but I’m going to switch back to the smaller flyer. Then finish the Merino that I started on the HitchHiker, and skein that up too. It’s going to need to be plied as there are much thinner patches than I really like.

All told however I’m pretty pleased with what I’ve learned, and won’t feel uncomfortable selling my work at the show…

I also need to start on some of the roving that I'd dyed previously - I have this delicious red that needs spinning, and then I want to get into this mohair batt that I call "Vinyard" It's this lucious, lustrous light green with purples in it, and I can see it becoming a sweater or throw for someone who's got dark hair and fair skin. There are also a couple of singles on the bobbins of my HitchHiker... One Merino and one BFL...

While I'm doing that I also need to dye up some more roving soon. I have a lot of wool in my sunroom waiting to be spun up, so I don't think I'll be buying any more for a while. I still haven't gotten some of the raw stuff to the mill yet, and won't this weekend either, but I can at least get to the stuff I have ready to spin. It will make it to the mill some time mid December at this rate, and I'm ok with that I think.

With the weather being so gross I may just stay home and not go to Knit Night tonight, I have a bump of Alpaca, and a bump of Bison that I'm dieing to spin up, but haven't yet. Maybe that's what I'll do tonight when I'm not dying fiber. I've gotten so I can do a large amount in a very small amount of time, I've finally gotten over my obsession with how much I can stuff onto a bobbin, and have really started turning out some pretty yarn.

ok - off to find some hot tea. The problem with a cold is it kicks my arse when it comes to asthma. I'm going to have to turn to my inhaler(s) and I'm not happy with that. I at least have my bosses sympathy and support, as well as strange suggested home remedys for how to stop coughing at night when you sleep.

Even better news is that I have clearance to leave early, which I'll probably head out and work from home this afternoon to avoid the idiots on the road during rush hour.

Oooooo - I have new boots at my MIL's, I'll grab those on my way home so tomrrow I can wear my new boots to work. mmmmmmmmmm shearling and warm. and with getting to go home early? I can get some more spinning done! YAY!

Cold GO AWAY, and Yarn a hoy!

2007-11-18T11:22:00.000-05:00

I have several skeins sitting in a basket - all waiting to be twist set. My Front Porch will be Yarnapalooza today...

I then have 7 more skeins to dye, rinse and set to dry on the dryer. 2 skeins to re-skein, some Corriedale/Llama on the bobbin right now, a promised skein of pink to dye and then spin, although I may cheat and blend some red dyed merino roving with some undyed on the drum carder - which I had to explain yesterday to Tessa that it was not a big kitten brush...

for Mt. Washmore I may just go to the laundromat and use up 6 or 7 machines at once - 3 hours out doing that will get me completely caught up and the majority of my time will likely be spent folding.

Garret and I are the only ones awake not counting the cat and the dog. The cat is curled up in a home made flannel prefold and looks too darn cute for words and Garret's trying to pull the threads from the frayed edges of it...
So not a little baby thing to do, but something his grandfather would have done as a child - my dad was notorious for disassembling things as a child to figure out how they worked. I had a moment yesterday where a sob just randomly escaped as I realized that he and my grandmother are not there this holiday season as I'd briefly wondered if he'd deep fry a turkey again... maybe he is doing that somewhere anyhow.

This cold is still kicking my arse. Seriously - I am getting better and not the snot factory I was, but I'm still having lung issues, and am going to have to go on my Asthma meds. I put it off long enough I guess.

Well - I should post and then tackle the day.

So - I tackled laundry, got about 15 or so skeins dyed, and am going to cry uncle soon as I need another shower and maybe a nap.

My head is killing me and I justwant to curl up and sleep

21 total skeins dyed this weekend. My house smells like a koolaid factory and a vineger distellery...

more to do this week, as well as baking a couple of pies for Thursday's dinner.

oh and I leave you with a pic of what is sitting beside me in bed right now.

Creativity in the wee hours

2007-11-17T21:18:00.000-05:00

By 1am this morning I managed to get:

6 skeins of sock wool dyed in the past 4 hours... tomorrow and Sunday I'll have 16 more to dye.
3 wool diaper covers lanolinized and set on the drying rack
Daisy taken out for a midnight potty break.
Both kids sleeping soundly in bed snuggling each other before 12AM (and would you believe
Tessa went down first? Garret was asleep but the phone rang at 9:30 and that was that - he was up until almost 11:30 snurfling and chattering at me.)
A happy kitten with a fresh box, fresh water and a midnight snack
On top of that I sat through a DVD of Mr Rogers Neighborhood on repeat since 10PM as well...

I have more spinning to do but as I'm feeling like I've been hit by a Mac truck and now starting to feel feverish. I think my cold medicine is wearing off.

this sucks and isn't funny - I have so much to do in the next week. It's 1:15am and Gaelon's still out with his friends Gaming. I was nice and even though I feel like death warmed over told him to still go.

Ok - off to rescue the kitten who thinks she's been abandoned down stairs and to call the hubby to have him bring me some Nyquil home once he finally does come home.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5:30 PM

Coughing and sneezing and dying and skeining and spinning and oye... 12 skeins dyed since 9PM last night. I think we're calling chinese in for dinner as I want wonton soup...

in the mean time the kids are still down with this - and I have to say I am really pissed at the pharmaceutical industry for taking infants cold meds off the shelves because people were stupid and didn't read the labels.

I have meds for Tessa but Garret's braving out this cold being a snot factory and getting tons of steam baths and NaSal irrigations... poor kiddo.

Tess is bouncing back better than Garret, down to roughhousing but still feels bad enough that I'll keep her from Grandma's house for a few days so she doesn't undermine her recovery.

Mommy's little helper

2007-11-17T02:16:00.000-05:00

I had 2 skeins of yarn in the soak, to go into the dyepot tonight. I walked into the kitchen as it had gotten very quiet in there... and as any Mommy knows - quiet is bad.

Tess had emptied 3/4 a bottle of Dawn dish soap into the soak pot.

Yeah. This was not a happy mommy - but what can I do, she was "helping"?

It rinsed out eventually and is now in the crock pot to turn a lovely shade of pink.

I'm still twitching.

She however is delighted with her self as she's told her daddy she's Painting Wool! I can't be mad - she's too damn adorable.

It's official - I make pretty Yarn Tanglers.

2007-11-15T11:13:00.000-05:00

.

Let me tell you all about Christmas presents Garret!

Spinning on Iced Coffee...

2007-11-14T18:10:00.000-05:00

Knitting group last night, Thanks to being fueled by an Iced Caramel Macchiato there at Starbucks, Beaky was in high gear and I got two spools on my jumbo flyer filled. We’re talking about an estimated 600-800 yards of yarn spun. I now have all three of my jumbo bobbins filled and will be skeining them up tonight so I can do a bulk twist set this weekend.

I finally really clicked with someone from the knitting group last night. I’m glad of that as it’s taken fricking forever and I was starting to wonder if I’d just be better off taking an evening a week and spinning at Starbucks without the S&B group. I am glad I’ve finally connected with someone from there, and I like her a lot.

So I’m thinking my long arsed public post yesterday was a bit much for peoples. Plbbbbbt. I liked it anyhow.

On the job front - I had my weekly one on one with my boss. It looks like I’m getting additional work on my shoulders and I am happy about it as he believes I’m capable of handling it. As he plans on retiring in a year and a half and wants me to take his job, well I need to start taking on more projects for him. He’s still pleased as peach with me now that the newness is starting to wear off and he’s sat back in meetings and listened to me push for my departments needs and been very proud. My goal is to make him feel comfortable giving his formal notice to retire and then to make him proud when he’s sitting back and coasting in the last few months and I’m doing the majority of the managing…

The kids are at Grandma’s today. Today is Christmas picture day and their outfits are just too darn adorable. Poor Tessa had to sit still for a hair brushing, last night and this morning, something that for everyone else in the world isn’t that traumatic, but for her is a nightmare. I usually put her hair up in a French braid, and then tuck the braid up on its self into a nub and elastic that up to avoid tangles but somehow yesterday she managed between early morning and late evening to get her hair snarled something fiercely.

Poor kid. If you felt wool at all, it’s like her hair tries to do that itself. Alberto V05 seems to be the only thing I can use to get it back to the curls it should be.

When brushed out and stretched out, her curls reach her waist now. I came home last night to her in a pair of jeans, long sleeved shirt and socks… she likes to run around nakie so to see her dressed kinda surprised me. She was this miniature person, not a baby and I stood there looking at her savoring the bitter-sweetness of it all. My kids aren’t staying at one stage but are growing into fine young people all of their own. *sigh*

Nope. No Bonsai’ed babies here…

I am looking forward to seeing their photos though.

Scottish Castle Dreams and Fibergasms

2007-11-13T11:06:00.000-05:00

I picked up passport applications for the family today. One more step to getting to Scotland in August. Hrm – I can see it now “But honey I wanna go check out the farm and see what fleeces I can have sent home to the Mill…” Yeah, Gaelon would probably look at me like I’d grown a third ear or something.

Seriously though – I should be able to find some nice fleeces there. The wedding is now slated to be held in Argyll at Duntrune Castle, and the Duntrune estate IS a working sheep farm.

Oh the fibergasms... never mind my daughter will be darling as the flower girl, and that my best friend is getting married in a castle that's not built by a mouse... nor walked down the aisle by a stranger in a Mickey Costume (man that's a heck of a job eh??) No, I'm sitting here being an utter fiber addict and fleecegasming.

Hi My name is Annie and I'm a dork.

So I now have to start looking up the area and getting the logistics of our journey ironed out. First up - getting a duplicate of Gaelon's birth certificate as we need that for him to get his passport.

Then little 2*2 photos of the 5 of us. Yes - 5 of us. My baby sister in law is coming to help wrangle kids... and at age 21 with long platinum blonde hair and crystal blue eyes, I actually expect people to ask if Garret's hers, although usually they think she's mine from a first marriage. No, my ex wasn't happy when I got the birth control implant... even more unhappy when I left him a week later. Although he was a blond, and what I don't tell people is that she does resemble what I think a child betweek he and I would look like. Anyhow Theresa about had a heart attack when I mentioned that we'd like her to go and that we might be getting a cottage in Scotland for the week or so we would be there.

She then wanted to know how far it was to Paris, so we looked it up on Google Maps and she asked if she could go while we were there... I looked at her and said "You are an adult, but I'm not sure how much time we'll have to go to Europe"

That and you need to rent a car to get about in the area we're going. It's not going to be easy for her to do a day trip to Paris like she'd like to. We'll have to work on the logistics of that too...

Today the MIL and elder SIL are shopping for the kids Christmas portrait outfits... forutnately I already have the shoes for both kids, and had a dress for Tessa but what they found for Garret didn't match with the outfit I'd bought for Tessa.

Oh well - she loves dress up and it never hurts to have a party dress or two in the closet if you are a Diva...

Knitting group tonight, Beaky already has some pindrafted coopworth started, and I have around a dozen skeins worth right now waiting for twist setting, measuring and reskeining. Have I mentioned I love my swift?

Tomorrow the first of some of the other supplies I’ve ordered comes in. I love having a friend in a spinning supply store as I’m going to be pointing most of my orders to her in the future.

My Pokeberries came in. I need to get them drying as they are sitting in a FedEx box right now.
Tessa cracked her head almost the same way I did on my drum carder. I think it’s resentful that I’m going to be sending some fiber out for commercial milling.

Really.

What?

I shouldn’t anthropomorphize my fiber equipment?

Harrumph.
You’ve never been whacked, concussed nor bit by the Drumcarder from Hell then have you.

I’m already making plans for next spring… in Early Spring there is a Sheep and Wool festival around my birthday time in Vernon CT, and then I’m making plans with TheKid to go check out the FiberFrolic in Maine in early June. I’m going to keep buying my fleeces raw, but as I’ve found a mill I really like I’m going to let them do the bulk of my processing. Scouring and all.

This weekend is a massive dying weekend. Again thank god for the Swift, and I’ll be going to my MIL’s with it to get a bunch of yarn skeined and tied down so hand painting won’t be such a PITA…

BTW – Did you know that 15# of lavender is a hell of a lot of Lavender? But, it smelllllllllls sooooooooooooooo goooooooooooooooood!!!

Now to find Eucalyptus in bulk like that.

I found a use for the short staple fleece that I’ve had such a hard time spinning. I’m pretty jazzed about it and will have pictures of the table at the show once we’re ready to go.

So yesterday worked out well for both kids – Tessa loved having the Daddy time un interrupted and Garret, he was delighted to be the center of attention at Grandma’s house for once. Tessa tends to think she’s queen of the world when she’s there and it often goes to her head. We also have big wars then about her not staying there too long – my MIL needs a break too and Tessa needs to learn she doesn’t always get her way, even if she is at Grandma’s.

And we really shouldn't waste time wondering why she is a Diva....

St. Ann's Craft Show prep!

2007-11-11T23:01:00.000-05:00

Today being Sunday is Soap making day, and of course more spinning. My drying rack will be filled with soap until I have more dyed yarn to do a quick dry with. Next weekend - Dye weekend as the supplies I've ordered will be here and by the first weekend in December I'll be ready for that Fair.

I have no idea what will sell - I've never seen yarn at a craft show, but in September when I was asked to participate in this craft fair I certainly had a lot of interest - and requests for sock yarn. Which I should have a fair selection to choose from - Insha'Allah

I've been a spinning/dying fool. What frustrates me most? Several skeins I spun up and put in storage are AWOL.

*sigh*

I'll just keep spinning - and dying - as what doesn't sell at the show can and will sell in the store.

I've got several other things to get ready for the show as well. IF this works out well I'll be considering several other shows in the future, but I don't want to speak too much of the future... one small step at a time.

Gaelon got me that swift to make up for the fact that I couldn't get one at Rhinebeck - it was a case of time, arms and ability to wrangle a preschooler, an infant and my inlaws who were just awestruck by the enormity of it all. I've also been told to expect a ball winder early this week. Wii buyers guilt maybe? At this rate however - what the heck am I gonna get for Christmas? I actually do need the swift and already have put it to use, so not like I didn't really want it now anyhow.

The Knitting group I have been going to seems to be made up of a lot of older women who are not really net savvy... it's an adjustment for me...

I've been bringing my wheel though and have been asked to teach. Initially I was completely opposed to this bu t the more I think of it the more I'm warming up to the idea.

I really should be spending all my free time getting ready for the craft show, but hey I am going to have to wait for the dye supplies and fiber to get here. Once all this is over I'm going to make that drive to the fiber mill in the Southeastern Corner of the state with all my raw fleece picked up this fall. If I bring the kids with me then maybe I'll see if a certain 20something wants to arrange a play date with the kids - maybe another visit to the Aquarium since we have the membership that allows us to bring guests...

I also have to take patterns and some fabric over to my MIL's... oh and my snap setter as I barely use it but with some of the things we're going to have in the Etsy shop we'll need to use it. I'm not expecting that I'll be there long tomorrow, but it would be nice to discuss what all we'll be stocking for the Dec craft faire and what we're putting in the Etsy shop.

Oh - the coolest thing came in the mail on yesterday. My Ravelry T-shirt!!! Would it be too snobby to wear it to Knitting on Tuesday or would it go over their heads?

What a beautiful Saturday

2007-11-10T14:00:00.000-05:00

I picked up Delilah (our new kitten) this morning, and Tessa is in love. Delilah loves her back most of the time but as Tess is 3 years old and Delilah is 7 weeks old it does get overwhelming for the kitten at times. Best form of Time Out for Tessa today? Delilah got nap time while Tess got 3 minutes on the couch for trying to pick up the kitten by her leg. That won't be happening again.

Right now they are playing with a ball of yarn and are having fun, although I am fairly certain Delilah is going to need a nap again very very soon.

I've gotten a fair amount of spinning done this weekend, and have decided I'm sending some of the fleeces I have off for processing. I have a nice stash but it will take me forever if I am doing all the washing and carding. I'll still keep some unprocessed but as I found a quasi local mill I think it's going to be the most expedient for me to do it this way. This will help with some of the extremely short staple fibers I have as well - and will keep me from giving my self another concussion with my drum carder. Don't ask... really. it's embarassing.

Anyhow - our Nintendo Wii came in - the family Christmas present that wasn't. Another grit my teeth and smile as my hubby and 3 year old are having fun playing. Oh well it's better than sitting on their rears and playing the ps2 I guess... thank god tomorrow is park day.

Along with the Wii something for me arrived - my Swift - I am in love. I'm thinking I may not have a lot at the craft fair, but I should have a decent amount of things ready.

Ok - have to get back to skeining yarn so I can have a free bobbin.

Halloween leads to Nov 1.

2007-11-01T11:14:00.000-04:00

My daughter was frightened by Halloween last year - she refused to trick or treat even though she was excited to be dressed up. She was "The Dread Pirate Sally" the name she'd be using when she would take off with something and hide with it.

This year - Oh Tessa was delighted so delighted to be Cinderella. The camera lost battery at the last moment - so we have the following images as taken by Daddy's cell phone camera.

Princess Tessarella arrives to the great hunt for Tricks or Treats.

A giddy Princess in her (faux) Fur coat plays to the camera

Princess Tessarella mentally prepares for the rigors of Trick or Treating

Princess Tessarella with Lady (bug) Elyse

She started off tentative about trick or treating and I didn't think it would happen. Really didn't.

Then in costume she went with me to go pick up Daisy. They gave Daisy a Trick or Treat pumpkin shaped pressed rawhide. This was what it took for her - if Daisy could get goodies in Tessa's Candy Bucket, then Tessa decided she could do so herself.

So - we came home, gave Daisy her treat (after showing Tessa that we examine all Halloween treats even if we know where they come from) and then headed down the hill with Garret while Daddy got ready to come with us.

The new neighbors down stairs are a couple with a baby on the way. They got candy hoping Tessa would Trick or Treat - fully expecting that we wouldn't have trick or treaters at our house. Living on a sharp curve on a hill without sidewalks we don't see a lot of foot traffic.

She stunned me - she was tentative but could not resist the pull of the Candy Dish. I expected screaming fits of "NO NO NO NO" but there she was, being a novice with potential at the Trick or Treating business.

5 mini Chocolate bars later she was ready to go. We loaded up into the car and went to my mother in law's neighborhood.
She walked the block. Knocked on doors, and had a blast.

And when we came home? She came up to me and said "Trick or Treat was really fun Mommy!"

Pics of Garret later - I promise.
So - I woke up this morning feeling pretty decent although Coast to Coast AM had "Ghost to Ghost" on and Ghosthunters had their Halloween special on too. I was up Way too late. As were Gaelon and Tessa.

I got up, got the crock pot going (I'd come home last night and aside from getting some spinning time I soaked a 13 bean soup mix) with a bean soup combo.

I promised I'd share recipes so here's todays

13 Bean Soup

1 bag Red Mill 13 bean soup beans. Soak beans overnight first.

15 ounce can of diced tomato's

2 envelopes of Lipton Onion Soup mix

3/4 pound of Pork Cutlets (can be tossed in straight from freezer if thinly sliced enough.)

2.5 Qts of water

Combine all ingredients in crock pot at about 7am. Turn on low and walk away. kick yourself for not putting bread in breadmaker for timed start so at 6PM there is fresh bread to go with dinner.

Come home and enjoy dinner at about 6ish. Watch your family be wow'ed over the meal and your 3 year old actually ask for more.

Add on's -
Canned Biscuits that are tossed in at 5 and the crock pot turned up to high.

Small side salad - a bagged salad picked up at the grocery store on the way home works and will make everyone happy.

Getting out the door was pretty easy this morning. I discovered Daisy has an alternate to "Sit" which is "Plant your Butt" one of the gals at Camp Canine said this to her yesterday and she sat instantly. Considering the success of this, I tried it myself this morning. It worked, Daisy sat pretty fast and was pretty well behaved.
This is her first day in actual Daycare. She's actually been in boarding for the past 2.5 weeks by day as she wasn't fixed yet. She now gets to go play with the other dogs and hopefully she'll come home exhausted.
I got into the office and discovered that I had a meeting painfully early. The good news is that the project I'm test lead on is starting to make sense to me. My boss laughed and told me I was 'grokking' it much earlier than he'd expected and far earlier than others do and have done. I told hime I wasn't near an expert yet but I had my "Rosetta stone moment" and that hopefully the rest would start to translate for me now.
I like it here. I worry that I won't succeed, that I'll be percieved as a slacker or a poser, but the truth is I've paid my dues and I know what I'm doing. And I'm good at it. I just need to remember that.
Hard to believe it's the first of November. Hard to believe it's NoJoMo already - and it's hard to believe that I'm functioning without a cuppa coffee, so on that note I'll close off this edit and go get me some JavaJuice.

Knitnight and Spinning

2007-10-30T15:45:00.000-04:00

T'was the eve of All Hallows Eve and What the heck did I just agree to?

A meeting at 8:30am tomorrow.

A status meeting at 8:30am.

My Status will be: "I have begun putting together my project team and have begun printing essential documents."

But I'll really want to say "I stayed in bed too long as Garret wanted one more sippy, and how could you refuse such a darling little boy.

I should know better but there ya have it. I'm a pushover for one cute little blondiebear.

Anyhow - Tonight is KnitNight. I'm planning on bringing both my wheels and need to bring some extra bobbins for both so people can play without damaging anything on the bobbin currently. I have Navajo Plying to do, and several other projects to get going. I have a bunch of wool I've dyed already over summer, and the plan is to get the most yarn I can spun and ready for twist setting and then re-skeining. Now to see if the woman I'm supposed to teach remembers to bring her own wheel.

Thank goodness for the Crock Pot, as I can't see getting everything ready, getting the kids fed and getting the kids ready for bed by 7 if I get out of work at 5. I'm probably going to head out early today anyhow and be in early tomorrow in order to be function in time for the meeting.

Hitchhiker love

2007-10-26T07:46:00.000-04:00

I took my Hitchhiker with me to the inlaws last night. It took a little while to get it figured out, but I think I'm liking my new little wheel. Single treadling produces a pretty decent single, and I'm getting there.

What I'm not sure of is if the noises I'm hearing from the wheel are noises it should be making. There's a definative sound made each revolution and it was loud enough to wake my brother- in -law from a late nap.

I think what I'll do there is have my husband take a video of me spinning on that wheel and we'll send it in to the maker and see what he thinks.

I bring Daisy home this afternoon - hopefully a much more sedate puppy. She's wild at times and it's just normal Brittany excitement.

____________________

Ok - so how was spinning on my HitchHiker?
Well I've not used a single treadle wheel before and my grandmother's single treadle sewing machine is still on the farm and likely another aunt or cousin will end up with it (and that's fine - I think I talked to my grandmother about it years ago but I have enough fiber arts stuff here to choke a horse. I might even see if my MIL and SIL are interested in some of my fiber stash for their contribution to the Etsy shop... we're getting closer to it happening.

Are we at the weekend yet? I wanna spin

2007-10-25T13:49:00.000-04:00

Daisy (My over active Brittany Spaniel) is off at the Vet adjacent to the Humane Society today.

It's Spay the Puppy day and she knew something was up when we passed the Dog Daycare without stopping. Next week she will get to play with all the other dogs, but for the next few days it's limited time outside and crate otherwise. I'm looking forward to her being able to finally interact with the other dogs and coming home pooped out. She needs it. I need it.

What I'm surprised about however is that I made it out without bringing home a cat. We lost ours to old age last winter and I'm feeling the missing the kitty love...

So that knitting I mentioned I had to finish - I'm almost there and it's not one of my better jobs. I have outgrown my KK loooms and will be looking to pass them on soon I think... I've asked for an adjustable loom from DALooms.com for christmas from the hubby.

Here's the current project keeping me from spinning however. If they don't fit Garret they will be lanolinized and sent to SoCal as there are moms there with little ones who have lost their entire stash of cloth and covers in the fires.

The Quarter is on it for reference for size.

I still don't have admin access to my own computer here at work. Talk about frustrating. The new boss seems pleased with me though, so that's a goodness.

I'm definately looking forward to tomorrow. If it's sunny I'll take the wheel outside and sit on my porch this weekend and spin, and let Garret hang out with me in the excersaucer while Tessa plays outside too. I'm also going to go berry picking for natural dye stuffs before the kids wake up on Sat AM

We also are giving the kitchen a complete shakedown this weekend. I'm getting rid of all our old pots and pans and putting away the new stuff. (Freecycle here we come again.) Once that's done I can put in a Peapod order as I'm finding I don't have time to go grocery shopping with everything else I have going on.

Show and Sell

2007-10-24T13:46:00.000-04:00

I'm committed to my first craft show and will be doing it with my elder SIL and MIL, with soaps, hand made wooden toys (dyed with food grade colors vs lead paint), baby supplies, soaps, and hand spun / hand dyed yarn - I'll be bringing Beaky (my larger spinning wheel) and doing a demo as well. Table cost wasn't much and if I generate enough interest then I'll do more of these.

I have been asked to teach Spinning at my local S&B next week. There are several women who have wheels but don't spin as they have never learned.

It's kinda unfathomable, but there ya have it. I was asked how I felt about teaching people and wasn't I concerned about competition. It's a dying art, and if I can help another spinner along then that's awesome. I'm not a master but willing to share what I know and if others decide to sell their stuff as well - hey it helps the economy. I'm all about seeing the little guy succeed.

Making Yarn is an ancient art, but no two spinners will have the same exact product, and what I have to sell might not be what someone I've taught later has to sell.

Rhinebeck tools, and being taunted...

2007-10-22T14:27:00.000-04:00

So - I went to Rhinebeck yesterday. Oh dear god I really should have taken 2 days. I'll know better for next year.

I did get my second wheel - I went ahead and got the HitchHiker and am now going to learn how to use it. I understand where the persnickity part comes from as you have to use your whole foot like a sewing machine treadle to spin with it.

Along with stocking up on some of the fibers I don't normally have close access to, I also got my first Golding Drop Spindle. It's sitting in the corner of my cube here at work, just taunting me.

and yes - that's an ounce of Bison Down beside it... now to get through the things I have to in order to be able to play.

Post Rhinebeck Blues.

2007-10-21T13:40:00.000-04:00

I woke up painfully early this morning - at 5:30am due to a wrong number that wouldn't quit calling me, but it was so worth it. I got a long hot shower, got dressed, spent time with my dog and got ready for the day.

We went to the NY Sheep and Wool festival, and I was in heaven. For the second day in a row I heard "OH MY GOD - YOU CLONED YOURSELF" (with regards to Tessa.) Saturday's was at the CT Faire, where my Daughter has fallen in love with belly dancing. Today's was from Rhiannon - firebow's other half.

I picked up my first Golding Drop Spindle, after drooling over them in Spin Off Magazine all year, and got my HitchHiker Mini...

Tom Golding got a good chuckle as my first fiber to be spun on it will be Bison, so soft, so expensive, and so going to be a holiday present in finished knit form I thinkI called Gaelon after getting the drop spindle and he asked me if we still had money in our bank account - as he'd thought I'd bought a Golding Wheel.

Urm - pretty but I'm not sure that is the kind of money I'll have floating loose for a while.The builder of my HitchHiker gave it a quick once over (I bought it used from someone else) and pronounced it fit, although he suggested I give it another coat of oil some time soon, and an impromptu lesson on how to use that wheel...

I can see how people would think it's "persnickity" and if you don't have experience with a treadle sewing machine, it can be a bear to ge the hang of.I will be spinning through holidays at the inlaws now and for that I am quite happy.There are some things I still need to pick up, but I didn't go crazy and stayed rather under budget. I did pick up some more exotic fibers - stuff I don't normally have access to, including Llama and Yak.

I'll have to tell ya'll how the Yak spins up.Mean while - I'm hoping the Bison spins nicely. In it's planned finished state I'll be doing something pretty special with it.

Um Wow?

2007-10-10T00:08:00.000-04:00

So, at the suggestion of local Alpaca farm owner, I found a S&B group close to home. 5 blocks away from home actually.

They meet on Tuesdays from 7-9PM at Starbucks.

I showed up and most everyone was there - and they were delighted to see a Spinner.

Newsflash to me. I'm better than I thought; and was even asked if I'd teach.

To quote Tim Allen.... "Arooo?"

I graciously said I'd not be teaching at this time, but thanked people for the kind compliments.

I'm going to see if I can build up enough stock to participate in a little craft fair in December.

This group does a lot of charity knitting. I'm only so so as a knitter, but I'm more than willing to donate some hand spun to be made into scarves and hats for this years Christmas collection.

I don't plan on giving up the other group I go to, but I don't get there often and that's where I actually do knit at. I'll probably go this group and spin.

now to get that little Hitchhiker after all LOL.

Tessa's Halloween Bag

2007-10-06T22:56:00.000-04:00

I have found what I'm going to work on over the next few days.

A Candy Corn Bag. As seen over at Purlingsprite.com.

Things I'll need for it

Orange wool
White wool
Yellow Wool

I have some predrafted, and some I need to blend into a batt, but I have the wool ready and on standby to be turned into a lovely lovely bag for Tess. Now to just see if she can even handle the concept of Trick or Treating this year.

I like it - can I have one Dear Hubby?

2007-10-04T23:21:00.000-04:00

As a fan of Alton Brown I can say that unitaskers are no good.

So - having said that - I have discovered what I want for my next spinner.

Yep. Dremel powered electric spinning wheel. Come to Mama Baby!

Inbetween jobs and loving it

2007-10-04T18:00:00.000-04:00

This has been a quiet week. We went to Salem Mass last weekend, and the kids loved it. Hubby wants to go back next week - I'm all for it but HE drives as I want time to catch up on my knitting.

Monday we went to the Mystic Aquarium... what a lovely lovely day with some great new friends - gals I knew online but hadn't met in person yet.

The rest of this week has been spent at home. I've been prepping wool - washing some Jacob and Suffolk fleeces (OMG*DIE the Suffolk was uber gross and will need much carding due to way more veggie matter in it than I was initially told was in it), carding some merino/mohair blends, and spinning some Coopworth on both the drop spindle and plying some on the wheel with some hand dyed lavender Merino. I'm a little unhappy with the Jacob - it's a really short staple, and I may just buy processed Jacob roving in the future...

The Merino and Mohair are both carding up beautifully, and I'm expecting that I'll have a couple of bats put up soon for spinning. I may card up some Merino Batts from the scoured Merino I have and hand paint the batts like canvases...

Yes - I'm spending some of this down time on fiber and fiber prep.

I need a swift, badly. Hopefully on Saturday when I go to the Guild's first meeting of the season I will be able to get one. In the mean time - I will be skeining up some yarn I plied earlier this week (the Coopworth/Merino ply) and setting the twist on that. I don't think it's going to need much at all as the spin on that is a pretty consistent spin.

I've not stocked my online store yet as I've not been fully satisfied with the quality of my spinning. I'm sure those of you who are crafters out there can understand that.

I'm going to be posting some of my yarns up on the shopping cart software that comes with Irissphere - and listing them at tester prices, with shipping being a flat rate. I need to get some of this stuff moving in order to justify actually doing an online shop. My earlier stuff has a tighter spin and is not as loose as my newer stuff - but that's the way it goes when you are learning. I figure using this vs doing the etsy shop will give me an outlet to see if my stuff is good enough or not for sale. If it is - then I'll list in Etsy... if not - well I've got a hobby that's building up a large byproduct collection LOL.

My next big project is to get the kitchen into shape... I have a bread maker that is currently neglected, and a refrigerator in need of cleaning. Once I get that done I can determine what I'm doing about getting a deep freezer and buying out Aldi's (as in stocking up for winter with stuff I can toss in a crock pot.)

My Ravelry invite came over the weekend, I've been familiarizing my self with the site, it's pretty neat! Hopefully I'll be able to get my personal stash listed in there soon too.