It's Been Way More Than a Month!

I sat down today to put something new on the blog to see how long it has been since I last posted!  Whoa!  I had put a lot of emphasis on actually living life this summer, and to be honest, I am so busy living it, I have not been here very often! Not for way over a month it appears!!! I have lots to share, in all sorts of different areas!  However, for the moment I will pull a few things at random, and hopefully everyone will enjoy!

This year my sunflowers are all over 7ft tall! They have kept a great bee population around to keep everything pollenated, and productive!

Sad state of affairs, but this is all of the knitting that I have done this summer!  This owl was for Ky's birthday, and it blended in on the shelf so well, I forgot it was there, and she received it a couple of days late!  

Blueberry season is here!  Hot, humid, hazy, and lots of berries this year!  This picture is of a random field, and is looking pretty good!  I did see some fields that were blue carpets, but I found myself without a camera, and a lot of farm equipment to navigate.

Went to the Gentlemen of the Road Concert this year.  Mumford and Sons, and seven of their favorite bands. Heard music from 2pm till nearly 10pm!  Awesome day!  It was held in Portland, ME, on the Eastern Prom overlooking the harbor! 

Kylie enjoying her grandmother's birthday clams!  She ate a pound by herself!

Had fresh peas from the garden all July long!  This was pretty exciting as most people's peas rotted in the ground this spring, due to it being extra wet, and had to replant.  Second plantings had a difficult time in the heat!  So, we thankful for this blessing!

Ky cooked dinner for me and herself, all by herself for the first time!

Little birthday present for me!  It is still waiting for me to pick it up, and create!  I am waiting until it is a bit cooler!  Don't need sweat mixed in with the lovely smell of wool!

My sister loves sushi, so Ky tried sushi!  She loved it! :)  Thanks for the exposure to new things Auntie!

Bunnies have become big and fluffy, and even had their first hair cuts!!! I am not yet a "good hair cutter," so I am saving them from embarrassment by not showing the after pics! I promise to work on my technique!

Yup, I am a rooster! Started crowing last week!  This picture is from about 3 weeks ago, and the girls and boy are bigger yet! Going to go have to snap some new pictures! He still needs a name!

Well, it seems that 12 chicken were not enough!  I got three more!  These are Barred Rocks, they are the chickens that I wanted in the first place, and could not get. I found them at the local feed store when going in for rabbit food!  They are bigger now too, and my older girls accepted them into the flock with ease! Need names too!

Much fun, much action, family and friends = serious napping!

That's what I have for today!

Love and Blessings everyone!

Finishing-Up Winter Some Winter Knits

I have a couple of projects that have just been waiting on me to finish them!

Here is the last of the Cowl/Scarves that I have made this winter.  My sister got the test model, and after her nod of approval, on I went to make more!

I still have to finish a couple of owl fuzzy hats, can't wait to show them off!  I always find myself slacking a bit when it comes to hand sewing the pieces together. Then as I was  rummaging around I found some flip-top mittens that I was experimenting with, combining techniques from a few different patterns/ideas to get the mitten I wanted.  I wonder if I can still find the thought patterns I was having while creating them?

Spring is going to arrive next week, right!? Our half an inch weather for cast was already up to three when we went to take the dogs out for there last "walkies" before bed last night!  Gonna have to rewash that bath mat I had air drying in the sun just hours before!

Off I go to finish a project or two (if I do not get too distracted,)  then I can start making new lovely things with some of the stash below! I think that I will forget to tell Shawn that I just ordered more colors!

Springtime is land awakening.  The March winds are the morning yawn. ~Quoted by Lewis Grizzard in the Kathy Sue Loudermilk, I Love You

Do What You Love!!!

About nine months ago I let a lot of things go in my life!  My job (who doesn't like working up to 65-70 hours in a week and getting paid for 40?), people who were negative, and satellite TV.  The world did not stop because an income was missing, I became nicer to myself, and not being bombarded by negative, scary breaking news and their cooperate sponsors, I believe that is called relaxing.

Being a stay at home Mom with my daughter all summer was awesome! And to be honest it really took me that long to actually let the job, and the things that I felt responsible for, go.

Fall came around, and I volunteered at her school one day a week, and became the room mother for her class.

What about the other four days?

I was not feeling useful, I was not sure how to define myself.  So, I did what any respectable woman with yarn would do.  I made a Christmas that was entirely hand made (until the dog ate several presents, but really, I did it!)

After Christmas, same issue...

"Do what you love, love what you do!!!"  This has been said a myriad of different ways, by people of success, and compassion.  Origin of the quote, I do not know, if you do let me know, and I will put the credit where it is do.

That little saying kept popping up everywhere, email, blogs, websites, books, and straight from a friends mouth!

But how! My mind kept asking.

First, I had to get honest, what do I love doing?  Knitting, crocheting, sewing, gardening, and being with my family.

Second, I did not need to make a million dollar business in two days, and understand clearly how it all worked. (Still learning things in all areas daily!)

Third, I had to actually do it!  

So, I have done it!

I have opened a little store on Etsy, created my FaceBook page for my business as well.  I will have the links placed on my blog (one of the things that I am still learning to do!) as soon as possible.

Until then my Etsy shop is called LadybugHillFarm, and my page is Ladybug Hill Farm on FB as well. Hopefully by the time you read this it will not be an issue! But sometimes this computer has an off sense of humor!

I have spent more time at the computer lately, putting all of this together, and knitting as such has taken a back seat! So, I am hoping that this will start to even itself out soon as everything is finally put together.  

What I have noticed is that I have been very busy, given myself a new way to define myself, and have not felt like I have been "working" yet!  I have sold two hats so far, and that cash went straight back into the yarn supply.  However, for now, slow is good...let's see where this may go, shall we?

Doing what I love, and loving what I am doing!!!

I do have to give one huge note of thanks, to my sister, my lovely hand model below!  This was a present, nearly a month late, for her birthday.  She posted her wares online, and the response!  That was the moment that started this whole adventure in motion!  She is my best tester (the pay is not so good, but if she gets to keep the goods she is a willing participant!) She has a good eye for what's gonna be "hot" this year, and the colors she suggests to me makes sure I do not just use my own favorites, and thus will be eye catching to others that do not share my tastes!

So, needless to say, she has been a huge support!  I would like her to take a closer look at the twists that I did put into the  fingerless gloves themselves.  Because when stretched they are x's and o's!!! Love you, and thank you!  I think I need to find a really good name for that pattern!

Thanks for checking in with my ramblings! 

Namaste` Everyone!

Spinnin' and a Grinnin'

Started by separating the wool roving, then started the first strand onto the leader! This is the easiest time I have ever had doing it!


Spinning away and getting into the groove...until that phone started ringing...


After lunch, I am not addicted or anything, I could put it down if I wanted to, I just don't want to!


A couple of hours later, when the spindle got too heavy, I put the yarn on the swift. This is the first time that I have been able to use it for making my own yarn!!!


The yarn is now ready to soak, then thwack (repeatedly hitting the bundle onto the side of the tub to set the twirl of the yarn, great stress reliever!)


Yarn has been thwacked, and hung to dry over night. I cannot wait until morning to see if this worked, and I can wind it into a ball without it coming unraveled!


I did it!!! Now, to finish the rest of the roving, and be able to make a finished product out of the yarn. I am thinking socks!


"And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair."
~Khalil Gibran

A Little Self-Indulgence

Shawn gave me a gift certificate to my favorite yarn store for Christmas! It had been burning a hole in my pocket for over a month!  I finally found something that caught my eye, something I normally would not get for myself!

Untwist, and on the swift!

Two gorgeous, bulky skeins, of pink fluffy goodness!  I think a fluffy cowl is in my future!

Celtic Tote!

Supposed to be Felted Celtic Tote! However, I have to bring this down to my Mom's with me, because you see, last year we bought a new washer! It is lovely, economic, uses less detergent, energy, and can wring out clothes like you would not believe! But it is a side loading machine, and you cannot just stop it in the middle of a cycle to check on the amount of felting that is going on! You cannot stop it from spinning out and distorting your project! So, when I visit my Mom I will finally be able to finish this project! (Good thing I am going down this weekend!)



Same bag, side view, flash made the color a little funky! The first picture is more true the actual color!


"And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair."
~Khalil Gibran

Kylie's fall sweater!

Here is the back of the sweater that I am making Kylie for school this year. The close up is more true to the colors of the yarn. I was surprised that she liked such a color, green is more of what I would pick, but the blue, pinkish red, and purple must be the selling points for her! I'll show you more as I move forward with this project...lately is has been too hot to knit!


















"And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair."
~Khalil Gibran

No honey, I did not buy more yarn...why do you think I would do that???

Okay, so I did buy more yarn! But it was not all at once! My family is expecting a new baby girl, so something has to happen with those pink and orange colors on the bottom. Cotton, very soft for something labeled rope, I was thinking wash clothes for tender skin, booties, or a hat...decisions!

The green tweed is for Kylie's back to school sweater! It looks totally different when it is knit up! More pics to follow on that one!

And the blue...something for me in lace...just waiting for the right gorgeous pattern, and for me to get better at reading charts. I do not usually select blue for myself, but when it said "Me, me, pick me" how could I say no?








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