Blue Mountain Handcrafts

because a fiber addiction is cheaper than bail.......
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November 27, 2009
 
Thanksgiving was great! We had a very relaxed day with roasting marshmallow and a wicked game of modified Candy Land that Katie won. Alex ate as much as 2 full grown men and then had dessert.......I wonder where he keeps is all? Eric made a fabulous dinner with a little help from Katie who put blue food coloring in the gravy. It was weird. Very good, but weird just the same. Eric and I are working on cleaning out the downstairs so if you don't hear from me for  a week or more it's because I'm lost in the maze of aisleways amidst the clutter that is my basement. And just in case you didn't see the home page.....................
 
 
 
November 20, 2009
Yahoo! Nothing like a little fibery goodness to make my day!!! My Nov. Phat Fiber contributor's box

Katie made me cute fimo tops for my bamboo knitting needles!!

Oh! I redid  my banner...again. What do ya think? And yes, that is my yard.

 
 
November 18, 2009
 
I know I haven't done any posting for awhile. Not real posts anyway. Why is it after Halloween things go into high gear and get really crazy? It makes me tired just thinking about it. I'm trying every which way from Sunday to promote the Etsy shops and the craft shop is doing okay........the jewelry shop sales suck. There is soooo much jewelry on the market right now it's just flooded. Here's a little heads up for anyone (yes, all three of you) who read my blog........I'm having a 25% off sale in the jewelry shop on Black Friday (Nov. 27th) and 20% off Sat. & Sun (Nov. 28 & 29). Get your Christmas presents early and cheap.

So, what's been going on?
>I've got 22lbs worth of  wool fleeces heading my way in the mail (Targhee merino, fine merino, and border leicester). I still have 25lbs here I haven't washed yet..........I need a bigger tub and a new washing machine!
>my sewing machine gave up the ghost and I had to steal Katie's. I'll miss it. Eric gave it to me for our anniversary 10 years ago.
>Alex has raked the entire property. He did not do this because he's a nice young man. He is a nice young man and I love him dearly but he's managed to lose a set of gym clothes ($20) and a pair of glasses ($60) all within the same week. Since he's broke he had to work off the $80 ....I pay for the 1st set he pays for the 2nd set. Fair enough.
>Eric is reading newspapers that are over 100 years old. You wouldn't believe some of the stuff in those!
>Katie is still making mini things with clay and is getting taller. I need to put a brick on her head so she stays little.
>The cats are driving me nuts. Cedar was in the living room the other night after we went to bed making his "talking" noises. I got up to see if he wanted out. Nope. He was talking to his stuffed animal toy. Cripes!
>George is hiding from the rest of us.
> The tufted tit mouse birds are swarming the house and making all kinds of noise. I can almost hear what they're saying "fill the damned bird feeders!"
> the new neighbors across the street have tacked up NO TRESPASSING signs all along their property every 10 to 12 feet. They don't understand the unspoken etiquette here on the mountain (if you trespass you may be mistaken for a deer and shot) that we don't traipse around on other peoples property. They're from the city........I don't know what the rules are in the city never having lived in one.

That's about it . It's homework time and I'm scheduled to be the Homework Police tonight.

November 4, 2009

I've been having a great week or 10 days!! I got my Fancy Kitty motorization kit on Monday and it's fabulous!! Eric had to help me put it together.........I suck at directions and there are always pieces left over. Besides, the drum carder and the motorization kit base needed to be screwed together and me and power tools just don't mix. I haven't had much time to play with it but I've managed a batt set and I dizzed a little roving right off the drum. What else? Oh! I started making Caddy Sax sets and listed my first one this week....we'll see how they do. I need to make a couple more sets in different colors but I really like them. Guess I should make myself one huh! I've been sewing alot and playing with fiber.....yes, my hands are purple again but I have some beautiful bfl top and superwash roving to list in the shop when it dries. Things are kind of hectic and I'm wondering if I have to much on my plate. I've got a possible craft show in December, a swap on Ravelry, and the December Phat Fiber Box to get ready and have mailed by the 1st all while I keep up 2 etsy shops and ebay. Somebody shoot me now because I'm sure I've lost my mind. At least I'm having fun as I spiral into this madness. Better get back to work, there's no rest for the wicked!

 October 31, 2009

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

It's Saturday and I didn't need to get up early this morning so what happens.........I wake up at 3:45 a.m.  Figures.  The site is acting wonky and won't let me type without underlining everything, this does not bode well. On the brighter side, I have a knitting group meeting today which is always fun and then the kids and I are going to the grocery store to raid the candy aisle. Alex is to old to trick-or-treat now and Katie wants the candy but really isn't interested in dressing up this year and traipsing around to get it (it's cold and wet here) sooooo this year we're going to get ALOT of candy and a Halloween movie and stay at home. Trick or treating on the mountain is no easy task. The houses are not within walking distance so you have to drive, most of the houses don't participate, everybody seems to have Cujo for a pet, and there are bears wandering around at night and don't forget the bobcat. So you spend an hour of getting in and out of a car only to come home with enough candy to fill a gallon plastic bag.  It's not worth it!

My hands are almost their normal color again which means I should dye some roving this weekend. Monday my motorization kit for my carder is suppose to be here along with the brush attatchment that I won from Ron at Fancy Kitty........I'm climbing the walls waiting! Katie used her clever little hands and big imagination to make fimo ends for a set of my bamboo knitting needles. One of the needles is a tulip flower, the other a chubby bumble bee............they are super cute!! Alex has been writing on his short story every day.........I think he's up to 15 pages now. Before this, we couldn't get him to write a paragraph. His handwriting is awful (I've seen crippled chickens do better) so he hated to write. Now that he is using the word program in his computer he writes everyday and isn't as interested in the games on it. Eric has been running around packing things up and making a list..........reminds me of a neurotic Santa Clause, beard and all. He's taking a load of stuff to one of the local auction houses on Monday which I'm very happy about. This means a little money for the family and some much needed space.............now if I could just get him to clean up the wood and tools in the basement I'd be in heaven!  Well, it's almost 5:00a.m...............is that to early to vacume? I'd probably be shot.

October 26, 2009

Finished!

I got alot of things finished this weekend!!! Yeah! I finished my Nov. Phat Fiber Box Samples and a custom order for two Caddy Sax bags.........they came out fabulous!! I took the kids to the Halloween festival thingy at Katie's school. She visited with friends and Alex flirted with the faculty--he knows them all from being there when he was in elementary school. I finished alot of dyeing this weekend and need to get some new goodies in the shop. I dread needing to sew today........I still have a knot in my shoulder from sewing the custom bags this weekend. I think my chair is to low, or maybe the table. It couldn't possibley have anything to do with me being vertically challenged. All the leaves up on the mountain have turned gold and our little Japanese Maple is screaming bright red........a nice splash of color agains all gold. I missed the Fiber Festival in Berryville which really sucked.......I've never been and have wanted to go for a few years now........but I decided since I'm half way there on getting the motorization kit for my drum carder I wouldn't go. I just couldn't see spending the money at the festival  that I'd saved for the kit. Oh! I have some handmade items in the little gift shop/farmers market at the bottom of the mountain and I found out on Friday they've actually so 3 or 4 of my things and owe me around $100!!! I'm suppose to come pick up my check on the 15th, yeah, of November. Geez I hate waiting. I was so excited (this is suppose to be my mad money) I told Eric. Mistake. He, being my practical worry wort Capricorn, wants to use it for something completely boring like bills, food, and the mortgage. I need to win the lottery...........there might be something left after paying the bills so I could do a little shopping ;)


October 21, 2009

Super busy, still. Here's what's been happening on the mountain..................

  • dyed BFL roving and wool fleece, I now have rusty purple colored hands
  • woke up at 3:30a.m. yesterday after having a dream and couldn't go back to sleep, got alot done yesterday in those extra uninterrupted 3 1/2 hours
  • it snowed Saturday night.........Sunday morning we had 1 1/2" on the ground. What the heck?
  • George is in love with Eric's feet...........don't ask
  • I'm making progress on my Nov. samples for the Phat Fiber box but not fast enough
  • Katie got all A's on her math and science tests yesterday
  • Alex is writing a story and has talked his English teacher into being his editor, she likes the story so far
  • Eric and Alex rearranged Alex's room Sunday.........now Alex falls out of the bed on the side where there use to be a wall
  • the laundry from Monday is still in the dryer, crap! I just now remembered that one.........
  • I think I'm going to have to skip the Wool & Fiber Festival in Berryville on Saturday(major crap)
  • I finished Katie's crocheted pullover
  • I'm sick of knitting the Dutch shawl so I'm going to bind it off today.......it looks like it will fit
  • I need to cut Eric's hair........he asked me 2 weeks ago

Okay, that's enough for now.

October 8, 2009

AUTUMN IS IN THE AIR!

 

Autumn is in the air on Blue Mtn.!! The leaves are starting to change, the last of the tomatoes are getting red, the last of the flowers are blooming, the kids last watermelon is almost done, and the air has gotten chilly. I'm actually looking forward to cold weather.....well, cooler weather. I can pull out my shawls, ponchos, and thick handknit socks......I've missed them. I've been bitten by the sweater bug...........I'm determined to use up some of my wool yarn stash making sweaters. Katie is the first in line for a super simple crocheted pullover hoodie.......I've finished the front panel and have started the back! I've got several fleeces that I need to dye and card up and just placed an order for some BFL (Blue Face Leicester) roving that is divine! So that means I'll be dyeing roving in a few weeks and my hands will probably not be their natural color for months. I hate gloves!

The kids are doing well in school and I can see the beginnings of them untyeing the apron strings. I'm excited about this and a little depressed at the same time......they will always be my babies. Eric and I are certain their are Borrower's living in our house. Really. In the last week to 10 days we've had several things go missing including one of my good shoes, my drying bag for fleece, our VA state road atlas (now we can't get there from here), and several pairs of my good scissors. If they're holding them for ransome I wish they'd hurry up and let us know what they want in return...........I really want my shoe back!
I got my samples out in the mail for the October Phat Fiber Box yesterday. They should get there in time for the video on Wednesday the 14th and I think the boxes go on sale shortly after that. I could be wrong........it certainly wouldn't be the first time. Now I have to work on November samples. Honestly, there just aren't enough hours in the day for all the stuff that needs to be done!!! I also need to grow about 6 more arms. I better go get stuff in the shops and make some money...........there's a Fiber Festival in Berryville in 2 weeks and I want to go!! No fun going if you can only window shop!