A Handmade (and almost finished in time!) Christmas

Every year one or two of us seems to make a present for some member of the family. I usually knit at least one gift; Mike will take the time to build or turn something. But this year was an unusually handmade-gift-filled year. And we almost had them all finished in time for the big day!

To begin, I knit Mike the Dwarven Helmet hat that he's been wanting for a few years now. I had to give it to him unfelted because I needed his head to test size, so that wasn't done in time. Here it is today: felted, but no braids. Once he comes in this afternoon, I'll get some braids and mustashe on!

Then there were the hats I wanted to make for all the little cousins: my two girls and my neice and nephew. Three of the four were finished for Christmas (the neice and nephew got theirs--poor Kat's was still on the needles). Here's baby Emma modelling hers:

And Kat's was finished the next day. Warning, the next photo was of her an hour ago after being in the snow all morning and ready for a nap. She is currently asleep!

Hopefully tonight I'll get a picture of all four of them in their hats together! Fingers crossed.

And now on to Mike's projects! They're awesome!!!

First, he and Morgan made me a sign for the farm!!!!! Here's what I got on Christmas morning:

They worked hard cutting and carving the sign from scratch. The lamb was a hanging sign that my in-laws had given me a few years ago, but the hangers had broken. It was resting in my studio until it could be fixed, but Mike snatched it up without me noticing in order to incorporate it in the sign. I love it!!! I'm not sure if you can see "Glen"--it's right under the lamb. 

Since Christmas morning, Mike has stained it and just put a coat of polyurethane on it this morning. Here's how it looks right now, drying:

The words and lamb need to be reattached, and it's good to go! And did I mention that it's completely reversable so that passersby can read it going both ways down our street? AND there's a tiny little M + A in a heart on the tree trunk. Aaahhhhhh.

And the grand finale is . . . . . a clubhouse for the girls in their room! We presented them with a ladder and a bow on Christmas morning, then Mike worked at assembling it the rest of that and the next day. 

Christmas:

The next day (with, from L to R: Kat, Morgan and Brendan):

The girls have slept up there every night since! Left to do: Morgan and I are going to build a paper machet tree on the front right corner of the wall to look like the clubhouse is sitting in it. We're also going to paint the clubhouse white and re-paint the room.

I'll keep everyone posted as projects are completed!

From my family to yours, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and will have a Happy New Year!!!

It's Here!

My Phat Fiber Super Box came yesterday! Morgan and I plunged in, organized and took pictures! Jessie of Phat Fiber, showed-off the samples in a video and then sent the video contents on as the Super Box. When Morgan and I opened it up, I had to laugh because she must literally show the sample on the video and then sweep it into the box. Baggies were opened and left empty, lables are scattered, it was hilarious! I decided since I'll have to review the video to match up the tags anyway, I'd take all labels off and get some great shots of piles of fluff and yarn.

The theme for this box was "Day of the Dead," and it has to be the most consistant, coordinated box I've seen.

The bags and pattern (yes, I count the pretty organza bags; I re-use them all the time!):

 

The accessories:

A close-up of the 16! skull stitch markers I got! There was only one set, Vampire Diaries, that wasn't skull-themed!

The yarn (it's all so-well coordinated!!!!):

There were lots, and lots, of "Sugar Skulls" colorways. Here's a fun shot of them:

And (drum roll please!), here's the fluff!!!!!

So many huge samples and ALL gorgeous colors! I am one lucky girl!!!

Oh what a week!

I've had a great one, and I'm so excited, I just have to share!

First, I won the Phat Fiber Super Box!!! What doesn't that mean? For posting my purchase from a Phat Fiber contributor (The Critter Ranch) in the Phat Fiber incentive thread on Ravelry, I was entered into the drawing for the monthly Super Box prize.

The Super Box contains all the samples that have been sent into Phat Fiber for a given month that are included in the monthly box preview video. I know, if you're not in the Phat Fiber world, it's complicated. Just be assured that it's a huge box full of yarn and fiber and I'm really, really excited about it!

On top of that, an added prize changes every month and is AWESOME! This month was a knitting bag from Namaste! I've wanted one for over a year now, and can't believe it's on its way to me! I got to choose what I wanted, and I picked the Laguna bag in espresso:

AND I got a $25 gift certificate to a Phat Fiber contributor's shop of my choice! Can you believe the prizes just keep coming? I've chosen to get some yarn from Stimpylab! Can't wait for that, too!

OK, now on to my next great news for the week . . . I had a meeting with the Roycroft Campus Corporation yesterday to discuss holding classes there! I'll be offering classes through the Roycroft beginning in January! I'm in the process of developing the class offerings and setting the schedule. I'm thrilled to be working with such a wonderful group. Here's a look at the beautiful facilities that we'll have classes in:

And last, but not least, HAY! For those of you that aren't farmers, there's a hay shortage EVERYWHERE!!! We don't usually contract for hay because we have such a small farm that a hundred bales isn't typically a problem to come by. Not this year. When we contacted our regular hay provider, he had NONE. And told us that no one has any left. We then started an all-out panic search asking everyone that we've ever met for available hay to buy. 

Finally, today we have some good news! Dick Martin, our "regular hay guy" was working with us to find people with some still available. Luckily, one of the 87-year-old farmers that he plays cards with has some! We took delivery of 10 bales today, with 75 more coming next week, and the remaining 15 the next!!! I've never been so happy about grass. 

Computers, Goats and Hurricanes

I got a laptop! I know it's been a while since I've blogged, but I find it hard to get some time to sneak into my back studio to write at my desktop, especially with Kat not napping as much as she has in the past. But now, I have no excuse! I can write where ever, when ever I'd like.

Now I have some catching up to do: I've had a nice little mini-vacation with Mike to the Fingerlakes for our 10th anniversary. I started my first learn to knit class; the ladies are doing very well with their hats. We've survived Sandy, Halloween and now Thanksgiving!

Over the next few days/weeks, I'll put up some of the more memorable moments from the past two months.

Hurricane Sandy made us scramble to get ready for Winter a little earlier than we had planned. At the top of the list was a more secure house for the goats so that they could get completely out of the wind.

Despite all the problems we've had with parasite infestations, emergency vet calls, and finding out that these guys are bucks and not wethers, we love the goats! They're are so friendly and fun which is ideal unless you're trying to work in their space.

 Poor Mike had way more help than he needed.

But look how cute they are!

KixDunnChecking out their new digs.

The final house

Sandy ended up bringing us some rain and a little wind, but we've had worse plain 'ol thunderstorms. But now we're all set for winter (which is good because today we had snow!).

First Fiber Festival and Fantastic Friends!

Last Saturday's Western New York Fiber Festival was absolutely wonderful! We couldn't have asked for more beautiful weather or a more perfect setting. Crisp Autumn air got everyone in a fibery mood! 

This was the first time I've ever set up my own booth at a fiber festival, and I've been very excited and even more nervous, but it all came together with the help of some wonderful friends and a great sidekick.

My friend, Hannah (seen here posing with me!), really encouraged me to get it together and have a booth, so I made her help :) She was my right-hand girl for getting it all ready, setting up, selling and taking it all down. Oh, and for taking pictures!! Thank you Hannah!!!

And I can't forget my friends Petra and Jen who devoted themselves to cutting paper and packaging products all day last Thursday. Couldn't have gotten through that without you!

My parents are in town from Texas, so they had to see what all the fun was about. And my in-laws couldn't miss it either! Brendan, Morgan and Mike were with me all day doing various tasks for the festival. Did I mention I was on the planning committee as well? Brendan and Mike ran the jump rope maker until Sue (of The Critter Ranch)'s son Cameron showed up to help Brendan. Thank you family!!!

Jude and Dave (in-laws extraordinaire), Mike with Kat, and Janice and Bill (best parents ever).

One of the very best parts of the day was getting to see old friends that I only catch up with a few times a year, and getting to meet people I've only ever met on-line. What an amazing community of fiber friends we have here in Western New York. I am so blessed!

And now for some random fun shots of the day!

The BoothFoofing

Sue Phillips of The Critter Ranch hard at work in her booth.Brendan helping me twist up skeins (with Petra looking on!)Petra and Renee having a great time!Morgan telling me all about the great things she'd found (and it was her birthday, so she was a bit spoiled!)Jen and Rich Johnson of Whispering Pines Shetland Sheep Farm with FOUR bags full!Packing up after a long, wonderful day!!Now that the festival is over, I'm turning my sites toward Winter and organizing some classes to teach. I collected a lot of names and email addresses on Saturday for a E-Newsletter that will include more details. If you'd like more information, please feel free to give me your email to be added to the list. Off-hand, I know I'll be teaching beginner drop spindling, beginner knitting and the pattern "Wingspan."