Flashback AND alternative fiber handspun!

Well, I finally got the sheep's new line of yarn onto the site!! You see here the 'flashback' to a previous entry to the journal--picture number one is a pretty cotton shirt, complete with raised polka dots, and silk scarves I found at the thrift store--they are now shredded, most into yarn (some waiting in the wings!). I also added ribbon, ribbon/beaded flowers and some pretty cotton novelty yarn--all in one ply. The second ply is dyed Corn Fiber--so--wa-la-- just one of our new alternative fiber handspun yarns! THe second picture is the result of my shirt/scarf shredding, the third is a completely corn fiber (both roving AND crimps!) two ply. Wheee! We have had lots of requests for alternative fiber handspun so the sheep got busy and went shopping for fiber and I am working on lots of fun yarn! More in the works including Linen/Viscose blend, Ramie and more! Keep an eye on the site for sure....

I will be adding some new spinning fiber this weekend including Merino/Viscose blend mill ends (recycle!) dyed by yours truly and lots of wool--even some from our little Goliath sheep!

Hope all is well and happy fiber art!

A thank you from my beautiful mom....

Attending the Avon Walk Against Breast Cancer was a deeply moving experience for my husband and me. To see such a large number of people (more than 3,600) gathered together for one cause was awesome. All those walkers were backed by wonderful people like you, who gave of their time and money to help defeat breast cancer. $8.3 million was raised on the walk.

I am so proud of you Sandy. And I am grateful to all of your friends who participated in the raffles and helped you reach such a phenomenal goal. You all were there Saturday and Sunday, encouraging Kristie and Jenny and all the walkers.

Thank you all so much. Maybe someday breast cancer will be a disease of the past and you all will have helped.

My thanks and love to all of you,

Sandy's Mom - Nancy

They made it!!!!

And we never doubted you for a minute! These are my wonderful sisters Kristie (left) and Jenny (right) who (along with all of you) were responsible for keeping our naughty sheep home at the farm this weekend! They walked over 39 miles with 3700 other walkers through Chicago. They walked half the walk, camped over Saturday night and got right back up Sunday to complete the walk--amazing women they are for sure! Thank you!

And thank you to Jenny's hubby Kevin's friends at Orbitz who got together to reserve an executive suite right downtown for our Mom and Dad to stay the weekend. They drove the walk route down Lake Shore Drive--completed the walk too--cheering on the walkers all the way! Dad even wore a pink polo shirt--woot woot! Mom managed her chemo treatment to allow her to be there when the walkers arrived at Soldier's Field--it was an overwhelming moment for her to see all the people, volunteers, walkers AND hear that the Chicago walk had helped raise $8.8 million toward BC research! Amazing!

Thank you also for wrapping all your good thoughts around Jim's mom Claire--we miss her to bits and she was honored to be included in your walk...

Everyone is back home now--nursing their poor feet--and taking a day to sleep off the soreness. Under neath it all though, they should be so proud of their accomplishments--it was not an easy two days for either of them and they made it through--so so wonderful and we are so proud! Love you both and thank you again Friends of the Homestead for your support!!!

Thank you from us all!

You are all wonderful! Friends of the Homestead just donated $706 to support my sisters Jen and Kris in the Avon walk--TOMORROW! I hope they have comfy shoes--and maybe some special 'drinks' to get them through those 30 miles! Jenny told me she will get to the finish if she has to crawl--we are so proud of both our girls! They are walking for our mom Nancy, who is bravely battling BC (and doing quite well I should mention-we are proud of her too!!) and in memory of our Claire (Jim's mom who passed away last week after her battle with cancer). There are also several other people close to our family who have recently been diagnosed so they will be with the girls every step of the walk in spirit. As we will--and thanks to all of YOU, the sheep have finally agreed to STAY HOME and not participate in the walk! Yey! I am still going to keep an eagle eye on them though--I was not born yesterday!!!!

We will continue to fund raise for BC research this summer and to support the hospice center in Madison that helped us take such good care of Claire in her final weeks. We will offer different items all summer and the entire proceeds will be donated to the cause--in the purchaser's name.

I am working on spinning 'Kindred Spirit' yarn (to benefit hospice)--from beautiful Merino and Blue Face Leicester roving that my good friend Martie (of www.taossunflower.com) sent me to 'play with--which of course means SPIN!!! Watch for that yarn--I am done with the first ply and plan to get the second ply finished this weekend.... Bwaaahahahahaha!

Again, we could not have done this with out all of you and we are so grateful! The winners of this month's drawings are: Andrea Dejarlais, Heather Spellman, Rachel Johnston and Pat Retlick--congrats and fun packages coming your way next week!!!! Adore you all- The sheep, the Ryans and family