Life has been a little nutty...

NUTS ABOUT...CHRISTMAS

While talking with one of my sisters one day about an upcoming craft sale, I told her I was trying to think of new items to feature at the sale.  She reminded me of a decoration she had given as a gift several years ago...a skier made out of a walnut, hazelnut, felt, popsicle sticks, & toothpicks.  After digging through the Christmas tree decorations in the attic I found the little skier (minus his skis!) and decided to see if I could replicate the little guy.

It didn't take me long to start thinking of other little critters I could make...

NUTS ABOUT...YOU

I made several sales at the craft show and was encouraged to continue to design more of these little guys.

These pictures are the first editions of what I'm making in our new  "Nuts About..." product line.

I'd love your feedback and suggestions so please leave comments or contact me at:  spinninglmj@yahoo.com

NUTS ABOUT...COOKING

NUTS ABOUT...KNITTING

My daughter-in-law's mother gave me the idea of chefs


You know I'm never far from my knitting needles so there had to be a knitter in the group

'NUT' A CREATURE WAS STIRRING

NUTS ABOUT...SKATING

WOOLY THE SNOWMAN

This little 'mouse on the half-shell' is similar to ornaments I made years ago.  I'm thankful for Sculpey clay so I don't have to make my own dough and paint the mice like I did back then.
As I was making it all I could think about was the line from "The Night Before Christmas"...






My daughter-in-law loves skating so this little critter was 'born'















I also started making snowmen out of wool I had scoured and carded this past summer.  I have smaller versions with acorn hats, but I like this little guy with his felt top hat.

Springing Forward...

This afternoon Marc's goat herd doubled.   "Mavis" delivered 2 girls and a boy (names are still in the discussion phase).  "Josephina" is due any day...will the herd triple?!

February Flies By...

Winter is fading and we've been busy passing the time with projects.

This eagle is Wayne's latest finished piece.

 I've been spinning the fiber I bought at Rhinebeck Sheep & Wool Festival back in October.  This spool is almost ready to ply.

 I've been experimenting with sock patterns over the past few weeks.

Here's a pair of alpaca/wool blend boot socks high-
lighted with some of the fiber from Rhinebeck's purchases.  I think I'll add more color on the next pair.

A woman asked me to make her a pair of toe-less socks so the picture below shows that pair.

Socks are time-consuming, but it's nice to have a portable project that in the end warms your 'sole'.

Trying to Catch Up in 2016

I can't believe how much time has passed since my last post!  I must be getting old--time is passing more quickly than ever before.

I have been having so much fun learning how to use the new loom.  What's neat is that the kids are interested in learning how to weave also.  Marc has made two different samples of weaves.  He's waiting for me to re-tie the warp (I cut off some of our finished pieces to make a project) so he can get back to weaving.

Wayne has been busy with glass projects and here's a sample of his latest.

He's been teaching a class for a local woman and has several more interested in classes.  I told him that the studio project will have to stretch to the whole length of the garage so there will be classroom space. 

The local diner is being renovated and the owner asked Wayne to restore the original cut glass windows.  Here is one of 10 windows he restored.  We're really looking forward to the re-opening of the Unadilla Diner.

We have had very little snow so far this winter so the kids decided to make some 'melted snowman' cookies from a packaged mix they received for Christmas.  They decided not to go with the cute designs shown on the package...they went with the Calvin and Hobbes version of snowmen...Snow Goons.  The laughter and conversations during the baking process were a gift of memory making.

In addition to the weaving, spinning and knitting fill my creative hours these winter months.  Some day I dream of taking a weaving class, but in the meantime I'm taking advantage of the resources I've been collecting over the years.  With a book propped open and knitting needles in hand, I'm learning about weaving and getting socks made while sitting in front of the woodstove.  What better way to spend winter in Upstate NY?