Baby Stuff

Here's my cute tiger lamp that matches the fabric perfectly. I'm super happy. It needs a new shade, it's faded bad but that's an easy fix.

Here is a picture of the baby's room. This wall had about 6 layers of wallpaper and paint on top to remove. Mike got a little crazy and striped a little too much, down to the Sheetrock, pulling off the Sheetrock paper. So there will have to be filler. We don't think the other 3 walls will be as bad. They look to only have 1 layer of paper at the bottom.

And who could resist this awesome Cuddly Rigor Mortis Zombie? The were selling these at Hot Topics and I was afraid they wouldn't carry them in July so I just had to get it now. It's full of different textures, fuzzy, leather, satin. The top is even an anatomy lesson of the brain. =)

Our child will have a full understanding of the undead!!!

Spin, Spin,Spin

I was working on some art yarn techniques. Here's how my coils and nubs came out. First is a natural dyed yellow wool, dyed with goldenrod from the fields next door. I spun in some turquoise dyed curly locks of wool then added electric yellow and blue angelina fibers. Then I 2-plied it with a white cotton yarny string. The coils came out pretty nice.

The second yarn is dark brown llama spun with nubs of light tan alpaca. This yarn is super soft. I'm also please with this one, the only thing is I wish I had my bulky spinner up and running. I would have loved more than 40 yards of this one.

Tea Time!!!

I finished the Tea for Two yarn. The antique white fibers along with the off white lace spun together beautifully to create a Victorian tea time yarn. This would be awesome knit into a tiny handbag or clutch for an afternoon tea.

The work has just begun. I had a brain storm and new ideas are popping into my head by the second. Although mostly baby stuff, a couple ideas for yarn are in the pot too.

I must finish writing the pattern for the vest I knit for Mike. It's super cool and it needs photographed and written up so I can submit it.

Busy, Busy, Busy....

Tea for Two!

My mom asked me to go along with her to the local Girl Scout Victorian Tea on Sunday. My mother, sister and I are all lifetime members of Girl Scouting. I enjoy working with different troops and helping out. Scouts opened a lot of doors for me and I went places that would take a lifetime to get to see.

In honor of the tea, I had a brainstorm and carded up some awesome batts of cream colored wool to spin with a large amount of taupe lace along with this awesome thread to ply with.

I'll get to spin it tomorrow. I'm really excited to see how it will turn out. I'm gonna brew up a cup and spin away.

Holy Speed Shipping Batman!!!

Wow, I just ordered my fabric on Friday Jan. 4th and It arrived yesterday, Monday the 7th!!! That's awesome. It came the whole way from Cali.

I'm very impressed with the speed of shipping, the quality of the product and the price!!!


If anyone needs fabric check out http://www.sewzannesfabrics.com/ They have awesome kid prints, but the also have great florals too. So many choices. Go look.

I also got some P.U.L. fabric, it's water proof on one side with a soft fabric on the other. I think I'll be making some bibs and maybe even some cloth diapers. I'm soooo excited.


We also just got back from our Dr's visit at 14 weeks. We were able to hear the little ones heart beat and everything sounds good, 140 beats per minute. I'm on cloud nine today.

I really had my spin on

Yesterday at the PA farm show was really neat. I was spinning with 2 other ladies from my spinning guild. There were lots of people and the kids seemed really interested in watching the wheels and touching the fibers.

Of course my bright purple wheel always draws attention.

I was spinning up some purple Tencel. It's super soft and shiny. Oooooo...shiny things.

Now it's spun I think it will look good plied with something else. I just don't know what.I have lots of ideas just gotta get to the wheel.

If anyone is interested, a woman from my knitting group will be live blogging the Sheep to Shawl competition at the Farm Show on Wednesday night. Here's the link to her blog. Log on and check it out!!!! http://accidentalknitter.blogspot.com/

New Years Resolution - Blog more

My New Years Resolution is to blog more. Which means getting more organized with pictures and all.

First let's talk about the baby. Let's see, the little one is due to arrive sometime around the 4th of July. We're past the 1st trimester now, so that's good. I'm feeling pretty good. And now we're working on the baby's room.

I just purchased the last 3 remaining yards of Alexander Henry's "Petting Zoo" fabric I could find on the net. We'll be using this as accent fabric. It's very vintage looking and matches the furniture we have. When I was little I had a tiger lamp that matches the tigers on the fabric, so I have to snatch that from my 'rents. This has all kinds of animals on it so matching it should be easy, although there are no monkeys.... maybe that's better, monkeys can be trouble.

Today, Mike is out in the garage working on a repair piece to my new spinning wheel. I picked up a bulky spinner on ebay. This wheel should travel a lot better than my Kromski. I love my fancy wheel, purple and all, but it's huge and awkward to carry. In the next couple of months the new compact wheel will be a blessing.

I joined the Southern Cumberland County Spinners Guild of PA. We will be spinning tomorrow, Sunday the 6th at the Farm Show in Harrisburg. I'm very excited to be part of a group. I like to see what others are doing.

I also just skirted a 10 pound fleece to have processed. It's a little too much for me right now to wash and card huge fleeces, so I'm using some holiday cash and having it done. I didn't finish up washing my adult mohair yesterday. It's drying on the kitchen floor.

I've finished some project which I want to take pictures of. A mohair beanie for Mike, 1 pink sock out of 2 some day they'll be a pair, a water bottle cover which is a trial run to see if the pattern will work for baby bottles and half an elephant toy.

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/