Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Holiday Update Completo!



Well, the update got done, no thanks to MOOSE! He loves to sleep on the couch in my office--it is an old wool tweedy couch and very warm in winter. The only trouble we have Moose and I is the race to the couch every time I want to spin yarn--he is quite the crabby pants when I make him move over. He refuses to share, growls and even shows me his teeth, then hops down to slep on his office bed. He is a dude with a tude but he is my office supervisor and never a foot from my side. I adore him--and this picture shows him not only taking over the couch, but hijacking my knitting also!

The update on the site includes new yarn-crazy quilt and Magpie's almost lash yarn to name a few; dyed fiber and lots of new fleeces on the unwashed fiber page--including a sweet little baby alpaca fleece, blanket fiber and so so soft--almost black in color too! Wheee!
Have you seen our new Crazy Quilt sheep yet? They are on the 'Sheepy Gift Originals' page, along with lots of other fun stuff I dabble with in my 'free' time..... The CQ sheep are originals created by our friend Dennis (our Barbara's hubby) with left over wool from his rug hooking projects. He finds wool coats at thrift stores, takes them home, dyes them, cuts them into strips and wa-la, perfect recycling a perfectly good coat into something unique and special! Each is a little different and I adore them--be sure to have a look!

Hope you all had a special holiday and have time to recover for the next one-- N-ewe Year's Eve-- bwaaahahahahaha!



Monday, December 24, 2007

And to all a good sheep!



Isn't this a cutie pie? This is a baby picture from two years ago--our Baaaxter! He is twin to Piper and his mama is Abigail--all three are part of the infamous McNair flock. We adopted Abi when she was pregnant with the twins, what an adventure that was! Glad I am not a sheep breeder, I am a nervous nelly for sure! Abi was a great mama and both the boys are grown up, gorgeous sheep now--Baaxter is white and looks just like his papa (Kirk) and Piper is black and looks like his mama. Blessed we are!

We will be updating the site on Wednesday the 26th so be sure to stop in when you have time--happy holidays to you all and thank you for another wonderful year!!

Monday, December 17, 2007

Joy to the Wooled everyone!



OK, now THIS is what I have to deal with when I type at the computer--yes, that is our Noodle, the 8 month old deaf Border Collie--giving me the biggest sad faced guilt trip. Ugh. She loves to be anywhere I am but when I am working on the website, she feels the need to be 'helpful' by insisting her paws be 'typing' on the keyboard just like mom. It is cute but not for hours of wrestling with her over it! She sits on the other side of the gate to the office on that blasted chair, usually with her chin hanging over looking even MORE pathetic. Very hard to ignore that cute face and blue eyes! Love that girl!!

I just finished updating the site so be sure to have a look--new fiber, hoopty hat, and this weekend there is more to come--we have a snow storm on the way again so will be a good day for a MAJOR update! The dyepots are cooking as we speak! More pictures here.

And if you are in the mood for shopping, check out my good friends HollyEqq, Carolyn and Linda for some great gift ideas, fiber and yarn.... The sheep are enjoying sun and fun in the snow today, some time off before 'work' on pictures and fleece sorting tomorrow--hee hee!

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Snow happens and talk is sheep--hee hee!




Hello all! Yes, more snow and we just finished digging out--it is NIPPY out there! The sheep say I am a wimp--and that could be true!!

We planned an update today but those silly sheep are out galloping about in the snow and have no work ethic today..... ugh. I will get them to work later on and do the update tomorrow. They keep pointing out that the fiber drying today will be ready tomorrow anyway--along with the batts they are overseeing in the morning. Guess it makes sense!

The pictures are of one of my latest projects (always seem to have at least 4 on the needles!) which will be a cutie pie curtain for out little bathroom window. I am just doing a straight knit, size 15 needles, a cone of acrylic/cotton (?) yarn AND a cone of fine elastic thread--which makes this look like I really worked hard to get it to look all squiggly and fancy.... The elastic thread is available on our website, we have 3 cones available on the 'findings' page and they are gigantic!

We are also off on a sheep run today-- some wonderful Romney sheep from our friend Kendra are my Christmas presents--wheee! Stay tuned and more soon--off to get the sheep off the sleds before they break their necks!

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Update = Happy Sheep!


First we have an update for Lela and Lucky! Yey! I am working on spinning Lucky's gorgeous fleece so I can create two woven blankets for Lela. Way fun and a ways to go but am enjoying every step! Proof!!

Hey Florida Holly--does this fiber look familiar??? Thank you again, the mohair is grrrrreat and I am spinning it up now--what do you think??



Oh, of course we have a major update on the website so be sure to look around at ALL the pages! Lots of fun including more hand dyed Cotton Roving (think I am getting the hang of it!), cutie Crazy Quilt sheep by Dennis the rug hooker (thank you Dennis!) and lots of 3 Chic Knit items!

We are not done with the update, even after 30+ pictures (more here) we have more fiber, yarn and 3 chick finished items to add this weekend--maybe we will be caught up?? Oh, we would be but the sheep walked off their photo duties--they are out playing in the sun and snow now--turned around and they were GONE. Ugh. Guess that means I can go spin yarn right? Happy Thursday!!




Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Mega Update in the offing!!



Do ewe see what I see? (sorry the sheep just had to get that out of their systems!) We are working on a HUGE update to the website tomorrow so stay tuned! The sheep are working on pictures--lots of them, they are up to about 30 and we are not even close to done!

The 3 Chic Knit (ters) have been very busy and we will be offering up some great winter items that would be great gifts for friends, family--or YOU! Over and out--have to get the sheep to stop bickering over the camera! :0)

Monday, December 03, 2007

Meet the sheep! Update done too!!



Thought it would be fun to do some 'meet the sheep' again--our flock has grown a little and I forget who I have introduced to their adoring public so please forgive any double ups!

This is our little Becan--a single coated Shetland baby. Well, he is not a baby any more and he would HATE to hear me say that! He arrived from a friend as a bottle lamb and lived in the kitchen with us for a while that winter. He has grown into a gorgeous boy with soft fleece that is a cinnamon/silvery color. It is so so soft mainly because he doesn't grow the outer guard coat that most Shetlands have. His fleece is so cute and curly--and he loves to follow us about and get treats--and hugs! He spends most of his time romping with his buddies Toshi, Arthur and Shannon--more of our little Shetlands!

The sheep just updated the site with LOTS of new stuff, including fiber, roving and yarn. We are planning another update this week that will include hand painted drop spindles, fiber/roving if it is dry, and lots of new items from 3 Chic Knits. Great gifts for you or yours!

Also, we added a new 'wish list' feature to the site a few months ago--it is a good way to create a holiday wish list and it is not visible to us--but you can send it to anyone asking for a list just by hitting the email button. Then they can easily shop for your favorite Homestead items!

More update pictures are available here and Happy Monday all!!

Saturday, December 01, 2007

Let it snow!! (not rain?)



Well, Libby has the right idea today for sure!! She and Noodle often spend hours outside herding each other about the yard--today they are just plain couch potatoes--and snugglers! We had about an inch of snow this morning and since about 11 am freezing rain/sleet. Ugh. Just hope it doesn't build up and cause tree topples or power line troubles....

The sheep are working on an update that includes lash yarn, Crazy Quilt bulky singles, fiber, roving and more! Keep an eye out on the site and will post here when it is ready also--tomorrow at the latest, still taking pictures! I am off to spin some more lash yarn--oooorrrr, maybe a nap on the couch with the BC's! Happy fiber art everyone!