Knitter's Coffee Swap #3 Getting to Know You

I'm part of the Knitter's Coffee Swap 3!!! I'm very excited to be part of this, it combinds my 2 favorite things, Yarn and Cofffee. I'm Answering these get-to-know-you-questions as I guzzle down a jumbo cup of coffee. Yummmmm.

1. Whole bean or ground? Whole Bean

2. Fully-loaded or decaf? Fully Loaded!!!!

3. Regular or flavored? Whatever

4. How do you drink your coffee? Cream or milk and a touch of sugar - let's not spoil the coffee with additives!

5. Favorite coffee ever? I have to say that my favorite coffee ever was a Dark Roast with Orange in it. It had bits of orange peel in it so they got ground with the coffee and then brewed. It was awesome. Not that I'm a fruit coffee drinker all the time. In fact see #8 for more info.

6. Are you fussy about your coffee or will any old bean do? freah roast is better but on our new budget...any whole bean will do in a pinch. =)

7. Favorite treats to have with your coffee? Boscotti

8. Anything else about your coffee preferences? We brew dark, so even the light roasts come out more robust. I dislike with a firey passion hazelnut and Choclate Raspberry. No reason for it, just ick, now isn't that funny after saying one of the all time favs is a fruit coffee.

9. Yarn/fiber you love? I love natural fibers, and blends there of. Cotton, wool, flax. Love, love, love. Handspuns are also high on the love list!!!

10. Yarn/fiber you hate? Fun Fur. - I have about 100 balls and I'm at a loss on what to do with it.

11. What's on your needles? Toe -up socks. Well, were on the neeedles...now 2 socks at one time.

12. Favorite colors? Anything, for real. I have a color that I tend to buy all the time, so everything I knit is that color and it's driving my crazy. So I say anything.

13. Allergies? Cherries - they make my mouth ichy

14. Anything you really love, really don't like, or just need to get off your chest? I really love art and all things crafty. I love coffee - tea is not a substitute!!

Spin Challenge #2- WUZZLEFUBBER Done!!!!

I finished my WuzzleFubber for the Spin Challenge. I'm pretty happy with the way it came out but I might end up felting it. It my stand up to time better and make a better crazy dollie that way.

Anyways, check out all the contestants at the Yarn Museum and cast your vote at PluckyFluff's blog on Friday the 28th!!!!

Spin Challenge #2

PluckyFluff posted the second spin challenge and I've been working on it in between everything else. This is my sketch. I have the yarn spun and I'm almost done knitting it. Here is the challenge.

Spin Challenge #2- WUZZLEFUBBER

CRITERIA:
1. sketch your wuzzlefubber and state your fibers and measurements.
2. all elements of the creature must be spun into the yarn.
3. creature must be knit/crocheted continually, following the dictate of the yarn (meaning knit the arm when you get to the "Arm" section of your yarn, wether you want to or not)
4. the yarn can not be cut.
5. the entire skein must be used

I wasn't too sure how to knit this thing, so far any good knitter is going to say what the hell are you doing but it was the only way I knew how to make the legs and not cut the yarn. I have to say that my measurements are off a bit. But oh well.

All creatures will be posted at the Yarn Museum and voting begins next week.

Spin Challenge Voting Polls Open!!!!

The Voting Polls have been opened for the the first Spin Challenge!!! I entered my Spring Showers yarn. To vote visit Plucky Fluff's blog at: http://pluckyfluff1.livejournal.com/13447.html?mode=reply

All the enteries are listed at the Yarn Museum.

I have more of my pictures posted on my site at www.DustybottomAcres.com

Yarn Museum

My Beach Baby Yarn hangs in the Yarn Museum, in the No Wool exhibit. I was pretty happy with the results of this spin. Spun out of hemp fibers, muslin, pink sparkle and fabric flowers. I want to knit it up into a summer hand bag. I just have to find the right handles first. Click the link to the museum to check out more shots of my yarn and lots of other skeins!!!

Deitch Reunion

Games at the Deitch Reunion. Mike & Jon played the waterballoon toss. TP mummy is always fun. Jon was the newest member - only being married a week. Mike with his candy price for guessing the number of gum drops. As always, lots of food. We took Brownie and she played ball. Shocker there.

Farm Pictures

My cousin visting with the kids.

This was a cool web that had dew on one morning. It's was pretty neat.

Here's Pumpkin our new cat that we rescued from High Street in Carlisle.

The Beauty of Shit!!!

I've been after this butterfly for months. It would taunt me from the window. I would grab the camera and chase it down only for it to fly off before I got the lens cap off, I would frantically take pictures only to realize there's no memory card - so there's no pictures. Today was the day. I was ready, then it landed in all it's glory...right on a big pile of pooh!!! Then it took off not to be seen again. But isn't it a beauty!?!? I guess there is beauty in a pile of shit.

Watching fireworks

From our front yard we were able to see Carlisle's fireworks, several different displays on the South Mountain and these must have been right over the hill in Bloserville. So now we know, we don't have to go into town to get a good show.

New Addition!!!

Our newest addition to the family!! This is Adder. She is just about 5 months old. She came from the farm on the other side of our lane.

She is a little sad and confused about the move. She's trying to play with the goats, but they aren't really sure of her.

The pups are very interested, as she is with them. They were nose to nose through the fence, checkin' each other out.

Now, if you're wondering about the name....See the goats are all named after white flowers, Snowdrop, Cosmo & Hawthorn. We wanted to carry that tradition along with the sheep too and what better name for a black sheep than Adder, now we have the Black Adder. ( That is totally for the BBC fans!!)

House Hats Done!!!

I finally used up all the yarn and was able to knit 3 hats for

the Charmed Knits Knit-Along. I chose Slytherin Colors because everyone wants a little bad in their wizard!!! Anyways, this was a great pattern, super easy and quick to knit. The hats are knit out of wool and are being donated to Warm Woolies, a charity that gives hats to kids in need. If you are interested in more information check out http://charmedknits.blogspot.com/ .

My creepy little dolly wanted to model one of the hats. I guess she's actually part of head-less hunt, unlike "Nearly Headless Nick".

2 skiens of yarn, 1 gray, 1 hunter green, was enough to knit 3 hats. 1 small, 1 medium, and 1 large with a little yarn left over.

Down On The Farm

There are some days I get nothing done but taking pictures of my "kids" and things happening on the farm. Our family has grown since we got here, we are now the caretakers for 3 barn cats, and we are renting out space in the barn for a couple of barn swallows that just had a family of 4 babies. ( I say renting because their job is dive bomb the dogs all day, it keeps the pups on their toes.)

I have spun a lot of wool, because I have a stand at the Carlisle Summer Fair, with my sis this year. I also just got a great big bag of Alpca fibers that needs washed and spun, busy, busy, busy.

I finally finished the 3 hats for the Charmed Knitting group. I hope to be sending them off this week after pictures have been taken.

These are some pictures I just took on the farm. They are pictures of Aj, Brownie and her ball, the Sparrow and baby family, Cosmo & Hawthorn, my 2 angora goat kids.

Good Cause Knitting

I've started my knits for charity this week. I've already finished 1 Harry Potter house hat for the Charmed Knits - Knit along. I chose Slytherin because well who doesn't want a little "bad" in their wizard?!?!?! The hats knit for this group are going Warm Woolies. Warm Woolies is a non-profit organization whose volunteers knit warm clothing for poverty-stricken children who would otherwise suffer from cold. If you're interested in knitting some house hats for a great cause visit: http://charmedknits.blogspot.com/

I've also started a scarf for The Knit before Christmas - Christmas at Sea Program. The Knit Before Christmas is the blog of the Seamen’s Church Institute’s volunteer knitting program, Christmas at Sea. This program has been going strong since the Spanish American War, but this knitting blog has only just begun. If you're interested in finding out more visit: http://blogs.seamenschurch.org/about/

And lastly, I joined the Caps for a Cure Yahoo group. I haven't started any caps yet, but I have may cotton yarn ready to go in the near future!! Join us as we knit caps for chemotherapy patients. Feel the satisfaction of reaching out to others as you enjoy knitting along with the group. Visit this group at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/capsforacure/

We have Kids!!!

Goats that is!!!!! We are getting 3 lovely Angora goats for the new homestead. We visited Cold Goats Farm in Haddam Neck, CT yesterday and we picked out new additions and will be picking them up on our final move in June. We got Snowdrop, the mom and her newly born set of twin boys. They are super freindly, nice and soft. I can't wait until we pick them up. These are fiber animals, they will get sheared 2 times a year and the Mohair will be spun into wonderful yarn. How exciting!!! To learn more about Cold Goats Farm visit www.ColdGoatsFarm.com

X-mas gift Finally done!!

OK, so what, just because we entered the month of May doesn't that this is late...it's just early for next year. After several hours of bitchin' and moaning this thing is finally done. Mike started on this for our friend, right after they got back from Europe last summer/fall. The horn was very hard to work with, pieces just went missing, and well it's done now.

This is a rondel. A rondel was a type of stiff-bladed dagger used in Europe in the late Middle Ages. It was worn at the waist and might be used as a utility tool, or worn into battle or a jousting tournament as a side-arm.

This blade was hand forged, in the backyard. The handle is made of brass plates and horn. The bottom plate has a bat cut into the brass to show the horn.

For more pictures check out www.DustyBottomAcres.com

Artwork Published!!!!

My card art was published in the "Catch Up Issue" of Stampers' Sampler!!!! I had submitted 2 enteries last Aug. for the October issue. When that issue came out and I had not made the cut I was bummed, and got in a funk about not submitting anything else. BUT I just recieved this extra issue in the mail yesterday. My subscription doesn't include this issue...I got super excited... and there it was, or should I say there THEY WERE!!! Both submissions were published in this super issue.

This is a great issue with over 500 project, samples and ideas. Check it out at: http://www.stampington.com/html/inside_catchup_11.html

We Bought the Farm

Well, it's finally happened, we bought the farm. I mean we're finally getting out of the over priced, rat race environment we live in now and we're moving on to bigger and better things. The pups love the freedom - Aj loves it a little too much, but it's wonderful.

The move has begun. It'll be a long, long road until we are completely settled but worth every minute.

Not your Grandma's wash cloth

I love hand knit wash & dish cloths. I am slowly replacing the lesser cloths in the house for these super spectacular wash cloths. These are the gifts of the future, everyone I know will be getting one of these awesome cloths with a personal message. These are a present for my sister's birthday, I know she will love the Skank and Skull collection.

I searched forever for a great pattern and the one I love is from Knitty.com here is the link. http://knitty.com/ISSUEfall06/PATTbacktoschool.html

I changed the text and art but stuck with the same knit pattern for the body of the cloth. Totally worth checking out.

Wool socks take on a man

So, for Valentine's Day I handspun 250 yards of wool yarn, dyed that yarn and knit up a pair of the coolest frickin' socks ever. They were to be for my hubby for V-day. He loves wools sock and I thought that the homemade goodness would be perfect for a V-day gift. BUT then I was worried that they might not fit since it was the first time using that pattern, so I gave them to him early. They fit, he loved them, they were warm and comfy - everything a wonderful sock should be. He went off to work in them for the first time, they were perfect. THEN he thought he would do the laundry, in went the handspun, hand dyed, hand knit socks into the wash with his white cotton socks on super hot wash. Then they took a spin in the dryer. Needless to say that I now have a wonderful pair of socks and he doesn't.
No more wool socks for him.

What's on the Wheel?

Velvet Elvis - well this project started out cooler then the end product. I tried to take some shortcuts and it just didn't work out. Cool enough for me, but I wouldn't give this to anyone. Oh well, back to the wheel to try again.