Instructions for whimsy basket

Well, here is the first attemp to post the instructions for the whimsy basket. Not sure if you can read it or not...

whimsy basket

Well, I probably should be getting ready for the Southwest Regional Alpaca Show in two weeks. Instead I’ve been happily spinning yarn and setting up a new Etsy shop (www.alpacazonafarm.etsy.com). I’ve also been filling in odd hours when I’m watching TV or waiting in line by working on coiled baskets. I have a few Indian baskets that have been decorating the shelves around the house. I happened to knock one down one day and started looking at it. I thought, what the heck, I could try doing this. A couple of my creations are now on the Etsy site, and you’ll see I quickly moved away from the traditional Native American motif. The last one I did, was sold before I ever finished it, but I did get some photos before it went to its new home.

bamboo scarf

It’s nice to see bits and pieces of fiber become something. Like this:

This:


Became this:

Christmas ornimants

Off on yet another tangent. I found a recipe for these cinnamon ornaments so I had to give it a try. My FIL made the cookie cutter mold for me. Now I have little cinnamon alpacas drying all over the kitchen. Smells nice.

We went ice skating this weekend for a friends, daughter’s birthday party. It’s the first time I’ve been on skates in over ten years, and let me tell you, it is NOT like riding a bicycle! I did pretty well, managed to not fall on my butt. I may have been a bit of a disappointment to the kids though, unbeknownst to me, Brian was merrily spinning a tale about how I use to train with the Olympic Figure Skating Team! Umm, I’ve watched figure skating on tv, that’s about as close as I’ve ever been to it. They wanted to see twirls and jumps. I wanted to maintain my dignity by remaining up right.
Haven’t had much to report on the alpacas. Everything is calm with them. We’ve got about six weeks until our next cria is due and another about two weeks later and then we’re done for the year.

woven tiles

I’ve been working on a few new projects recently. I actually started these tiles this past summer, but just got them to a friend who had her husband do the frames for me. It’s kind of a nice project for the left over bits and pieces from other projects. Now I have something to add to the store that doesn’t have cold weather as it’s focus!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!
Yeah, I know, I’m a little late. I’ve been busy. Ok, I’m always busy, maybe I’m just starting the new year a little lazy. Whatever.

We had the chance to go play over the long New Year weekend. We went trail riding with some friends of ours out in the California desert.
We had a great time, freezing our butts off, us in our sand rail (not really suited for trail riding, but the Prowler has engine issues) and them in their little dune buggy.
Great fun, until the dune buggy got a flat.
That’s when we realized that the tire patch kit was still in the Prowler, oopsie. The boys got pretty creative on thinking of ways to plug the hole. I’m sure we would have made it out eventually, but lucky for us, some other trial riders happened across our path and they had a plug kit.

It’s nice to be saved.