Handspun Revolution

Spinners go check this out. Speaks for itself.

It's Fluffy Out There

Almost all of this is just since last night and it's still coming down heavy. Yep, we must be in Idaho.

Flat Christmas Tree

The first contribution to the Flat Christmas Tree project arrived in the mail today! I'm so excited about it. Sue at The Critter Ranch created and sent this darling felt Christmas Llama piece to go on our special project. The fibers were donated by her own critters and we just love it! Check out the cuddly cuteness!! The kids are just in love with this piece and so looking forward to seeing the other pieces that are coming!

What We Did On Black Friday

We did NOT go shopping. In fact, I have never been to a store the day after Thanksgiving. Why ruin a perfectly happy record. What we DID do is remodel the outdoor cooking area in our front yard. And when I say WE, I mean the Farmer Man did all the work while I supervised from a lawn chair. This is the old, much beloved cooking area. We have made many meals here in the last two years. We learned that it had some flaws, however. Notice the crab apple overhanging the whole affair. Every summer for the last two years that poor tree has borne the crisped evidence of a family who loves to cook out. We also learned that our original plan was too small and it blocked traffic flow in the yard. So, we finally set out to improve the plan and clean up the mess.

Here is the site for the new cooking area. Everthing was leveled, mostly, and roots etc were removed. The excavated area behind the cooking area will eventually be a small patio where I can set up a prep/serving table. We do a lot of entertaining in our yard in nice weather.

The base is being laid. Moving these cinder blocks wasn't too bad, though a couple of them are fairly heavy.

Here is the finished overview of the new cooking area. There is a flat spot to the left where we can put lid lifters, rest lids, put the salt and pepper shakers, etc. Next to it there is a cooking well that accomodates on of our grill racks perfectly so it can be used for either dutch oven cooking or grilling. The next well will serve as a place to start the coals and keep additional coals heating. Love this! It also fits the smaller grill perfectly so we can use it to cook if needed. The third bay is perfect for dutch oven cooking or for setting finished ovens to rest before serving. There is another, smaller, flat area to set lid lifters and utensils. The front features a lovely stone landing which I adore. Now, those stones were a buggar to move. Made me hurt to watch!

A close up of one of the paver stones. Isn't it cute?

Here you can see the diffenrent wells and the grills we use. I can hardly wait to cook here!

Turkey Hunt Winner!

The Turkey Hunt "Gobble Gobble" yarn was inspired by this guy. This is Little John and he is my son's Blue Slate tom turkey. Isn't he gorgeous? He knows he is! I love his colors and his "I'm too sexy" attitude and so from his inspiration this was created...

This is a pre-washed photo of "Gobble Gobble". It is approximately 64 yards of bulky spun merino lamb, silk, banana fiber and bamboo. The grey sections are lumpy, bumpy and squishy and the pink sections are sleek, smooth and ultra shiny. I love it!

Now, who is getting this fun bit of fibery, turkey yumminess? Drum roll, please......craftypuppylover! Come on down! You will be receiving this quirky yarn in the mail. Thanks to everyone who played. Stay tuned for other games and specials for the remainder of the Christmas season. We've got some fun stuff planned.

Big Shopping Weekend Specials!

Exciting specials going on around here. Through Cyber Monday we are offering Free Shipping on orders over $50 in both shops. Also, all clubs are marked down 15% and all totes and bags are also marked 15% off. Great deals to be had!

We want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! May you all have a peaceful day filled with family, friends, love and good food. Thank you all for your continued support and friendship. Our homesteading dreams are bolstered by the love, shared knowledge, friendship and interest in our products that you all contribute. We are truly thankful for so many things and look forward to enjoying a quiet holiday in contemplation of those blessings. And in turn, Blessings to you all!

Turkey Themed Contest!

Announcing our first ever Hide and Seek Turkey Contest. Each day this week I will hide the word "Turkey" in one of the listings in our shop at www.desertgarden.etsy.com and in one of the listings at www.prairiestyle.etsy.com. Find the listing/s and email, pm or convo me to tell me which item is hiding the Turkey. For each listing you find with the word, your name will be entered into a drawing for a special art yarn entitled "Gobble Gobble" which I am working on right now. This means, that you have two opportunities each day to earn a spot in the drawing from now until Friday for a total of 10 possible entries if you find them all. So, start checking those listings and find that Turkey!

Monsters and Menaces

Our new collection of batts designed and named for various mythalogical baddies. The kids had a great time helping me come up with monsters and color combos for these.

A Fun Project

Started to work on a fun project today. I brought home a new toy from a visit with my mom. It's a Viking Plus! sewing machine! I'm so excited I can hardly stand it. Squee! Of course, such a gorgeous machine deserves a really cool place to hang out so I picked this baby up at the junk shop downtown. Okay, so it's kind of a mess and a little on the ugly side right here.

But look at how it folds out and there's some really neat storage and shelving inside. So, I thought about what I wanted to do and a few hours later, voila, check out my new baby's home now....

That's a Rustoleum spray paint in a hammered finish. I adore this color! Sonny Boy painted the hardware for me while I was working on the cabinet. Those handles are so cool! It was a glitter Rustoleum in a soft black with silver glitter in it. I love it! Marshall the cat thinks it'll do, too.

Here's a closer shot of the door and the hardware. I'm so thrilled with how this cabinet turned out. As soon as the paint is cured, I'm getting the machine in here and taking it for a test drive!

Where have I been?

Honestly, I don't know. I mean, I've been around. I've been working on stuff. But, I just can't really account for my time. Here are some things I know I've been doing. Chickens got a new house and run. Much more space, much more escape proof and I can find all the eggs in one place.

Floyd has grown. That's about how I feel some days! LOL

Lots of dyeing and carding.

More batts.

And more batts.

Been Busy

Lots of stuff going on around here lately and I haven't had as much time to spend on the computer. We spent a week in Cambridge, Idaho at the Washington County Fair. The kids had a great time and enjoyed showing off their livestock projects. We spent a quality week together camping, seeing the sights and showing and made lots of great memories. Another 4h year is complete and the kids learned so very much. We're looking forward to getting started on next year's projects!

Now we are cleaning, reorganizing the house and cupboards, doing some canning, putting parts of the garden to bed for the year and prepping the barnyard and livestock for winter. I'm also planning the school year and figuring out with the kids what activities they want to do this fall and winter.

We are still on cria watch with Miss Rosie. No baby llama yet, but she grows and is looking very healthy. I hope she's not just messing with me!

I'll try to update more regularly now that fair is over and to get some pictures up to share.

Mmmmmmm, Fiber!

Here's is part of what I've been doing for the last two days.... Dyeing, blending and carding these lovelies. Most are Rambo and Icicle, but the red ones are a merino/corrie/rambo cross with some merino lamb and angelina. Don't you just want to roll in them?

Stormy Surprise

We didn't think Xena was bred so I had her back in with Cypher to see if we could get some Fall babies from her. Then, we had a heavy cloudburst last night and when it was over, we came out to find this little cutie. His name is Floyd and he is the most luscious shade of coal black.

While I was out taking pics of the new little man, I couldn't resist sneaking a shot of this sweet little nap. Courage thinks his momma is just so soft and cushy!

Last of the Spring kids

Ella finally had her kids this afternoon! These are also Cypher babies and should be the last kids we are expecting until Fall. This is the doe kid whose name will either be Harriet or Gretel.

The other is a buck kid who was being difficult to photograph. Sorry for the wierd, grainy pic. I'm still figuring out the settings on this new camera. Anyway, he'll either be a Harold or a Hansel. What do you guys think? Hansel and Gretel or Harriet and Harold? Hmmmm......I'm torn.

Llamas and Chickens, Oh My!

By request....pics of some of the other animals that live here. A golden sex link hen searches for bugs in the garden.

These birds sure are good at bug control.

This is Ricoh, one of the four llamas that live here. Ricoh is our smooth talking, ladies man with a cool attitude.

This is Hudson. He is the class clown and if anyone is going to get into mischief, it will be Hudson every time.

This is Hot Shot. He is laid back and spends most of his time sunning in a nice dust bowl.

And, this is Rosey. Rosey is Queen Bee around here and will let you know, in no uncertain terms, that you are here to serve her. She is expecting a cria this year and we are very excited to have a baby llama running around.

Special Surprise

Look what we found when we got home tonight! Born to Dori and Cypher....triplets! Our first triplets ever. A doe kid named Truth.

A buck kid named Honor.

And a buck kid named Courage. Sonny Boy will be taking mother and children to fair this year. Yay!

And, the promised picture of Temperance. Isn't she a lovely girl?

May Phat Box

Got my Phat box for May today and boy was it nommy! Here's a shot of the fibers. Top row includes: Crocus Merino from www.Chimera.etsy.com; gorgeous sample batt from www.froggyfibers.etsy.com (love this!); Alpaca sample from www.alpacanation.com/sciotovalley.asp; Bellino mohair/merino from www.natchwoolie.etsy.com (I've been eyeballing this!). Bottom row includes: Superwash Merino from www.twistedfiberyarn.com, Chloris SW Merino from www.spincerely.etsy.com, and Flourish Merino/Bamboo roving from www.lotusjulie.etsy.com.

Here are the yarns. In the top row: Sprinkles handspun by www.ambrosiaandbliss.etsy.com (we love this one), Tigerlilies and Nasturtiums handspun by www.rsuntop.com (another fav), delicious Petal Pushers hand dyed from www.my8kidsmom.etsy.com, and Poppy organic merino sock yarn from www.extremespinning.com. Bottom row: Spring Shower sock yarn from www.sqwish.etsy.com (love the bus name!), brilliant Victory yarn from www.epicurus.etsy.com, and Appletini cashmere lace from www.JagsFunkyFibers.com (makes me want to learn to knit lace!).

Then there are goodies. Tons of coupons and cards tucked into this darling notions wrap. Also included: tiny project bag by www.BlueTulips.etsy.com (amazing!), gorgeous shawl/kilt pin from www.dawningdreams.etsy.com, ceramic buttons from www.heartstone.etsy.com (I'm a button freak!), tiny stitch marker from www.twiceshearedsheep.etsy.com, and a darling raindrop stitchmarker and cute rain themed bookmarks from www.winemakerssister.etsy.com.

All in all a very satisfying box. I'm off to fondle it some more! Thanks to all who contributed!!!

Catching Up

If feels like forever since I posted. Well, I guess it has been awhile. But, I'm BAAAAAAACK and with a camera. So, to catch up on some of the stuff that's been going on around here. Loved these shots of the kids at 4h meeting the other day. We practiced our herding skills and even had a mini timed trial. They were in teams and had to put the sheep in the barn the fastest and even got extra points if they put them between two obstacles in the yard. I loved this shot of Hubby and Baby Girl, the Oldest flying behind the beasties.

Here, the kids worked as a group to bring the whole herd in off the pasture. They did an excellent job and didn't even leave any strays.

Whoosh, right through the gate.

Gratuitous baby pic! This is Patience. She was born to Grace and Curly Joe on May 4th. Grace's sister, Felicity, had a doe kid who is a sister to this one on the 11th, but I guess I didn't get a picture of her yet. I'll go back out and get one shortly.

And, a fluff piece. These are some batts that Sonny Boy and I carded from a blend of lincoln lamb and kid mohair that we grew right here on the 'Stead. This colorway is called "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" and was part of the samples we sent in for the May Phat Fiber samples. This group of full sized batts went up in the shop today.

Dredlocks and Half Moon Natchwoolie

Cool new purse for me was handspun, crocheted and then felted. It has half round bamboo handles. The oatmeal colored fiber is a blend of wool and mohair that I got in a swap from katessheep on Ravelry.

The silver stripe is some llama roving that I got in another swap from Roving1 on Ravelry. Lovely stuff! You can't see it here, but it has a shine that won't quit!

The locks are dyed Teeswater locks that I bought from katessheep. They are absolutely the most gorgeous thing I've seen in awhile! When he saw the finished purse, hubby remarked, "Look! You made a bag with dredlocks!" Funny man.

This is the beginning of my half moon shawl featuring some merino/silk that I bought from Natchwoolie (the pink and grey blend) and some grey merino/alpaca from Ashland Bay. The Natchwoolie fiber arrived undyed and in cloud form. I dyed it three different colors and then my son carded it with some angelina into the gorgeous batts I posted about not long ago. I spun it bulky and it is really beautiful! Such a soft blend of the colors and the texture is amazing.

Here is an overview of the shawl in progress. There will be another band of each color on there by the time it is finished.