Etsy Weekends - Roving

A person can never have too much roving. At least, that's what I tell myself. Here's a sampling of roving I wish I could get my hands on!!

Swirled Alpaca from North Star Alpacas

Bamboo/Wool/Alpaca from Aloha Blu

Angora from Cashmere Bunny

Purple Merino from Divinity Fibers

Check back next weekend to see what else we've found on Etsy :)

Winter Wonderland

The snow has arrived again. Well, it came earlier already, but this seems to be the kind of snow that will last. Actually thinking that I should have gotten out and raked the backyard...but it will wait for Spring now! As will the sod cutting I kept putting off, and the garden cleaning I haven't quite finished...although I might run out and pull the tomato cages into the garage before they get too rusted from the snow!

Either way, the sight is one to behold.

Etsy Weekends - Men's Soap

Christmas is coming, or so my work schedule tells me - our schedule for Black Friday came out this weekend...whether or not I am prepared, it is coming! Got me to thinking about presents, and while perusing my favorites on Etsy I came across a great collection of Men's soaps!

Cowboy Soap from Ginger Grey Soaps

 Cool Man Soap from Artisan Bath and Body

 Orange Clove from Dancing Mooney

Hemp Soap from Mandala Rain

Sink Kitty

Happy Friday! Here are some pictures of Lela, the famed sink kitty, in several sinks across the country! :)

Green Bay, WI

Black River Falls, WI

Gresham, OR

Mishawaka, IN

Written Word in Knitting Part Two

A couple of weeks ago I mentioned the PieceWork Magazine's contest about the Written Word in Knitting. I've been thinking about this a lot. I've also been thinking about my future profession as a teacher, and funny enough, they kind of go hand in hand! You see, I want to be the kind of teacher that has quotes up on the walls. But I want them to be quotes I've gathered, hand selected, quotes that speak to me. Anyone can go to a list of historical quotes and pick and choose. I want these to be quotes I come across in my readings in preparation to become a teacher (kind of wish I had been doing this for years now lol) Well, I came across my first classroom wall quote. I am taking a Latin American History course, and we are reading about the "First Encounters" of Europeans with Native Americans. One of the readings really resonated with me, it was a piece written by Bartolome de las Casas about encounters with the natives, and relations with the Europeans and their Kings. Las Casas was a native sympathizer, who rallied for their rights, and was very frustrated when other colonists thwarted his attempts for their own personal gains. The quote that stuck out to me was this, "You can see how easy it is to deceive a King, how ruinous to a kingdom it is to heed misinformation, and how oppression thrives where truth is not allowed a voice." He wrote this in 1561, and it still resonates today - "how oppression thrives where truth is not allowed a voice".

I copied this into my OneNote notebook a while ago and it has been rattling around my brain ever since. I want to dig in to the culture of the Taino people he was talking about. (He was talking about the conquest of the peoples of Hispaniola, which is now Haiti and the Dominican Republic.) I know at the time that clothing wasn't big, so I can't really replicate any textiles, but I could replicate patterns from their carvings, or pottery maybe, and find out what colors they would use. Depending on the colors and patterns I come up with, I'll try to decide if I want to put this design on a hat, or mittens, or what. He mentions in the writing that the only clothing he saw them wear was a "humble cotton shawl". So that's a thought too.

Then again, trying to be historically accurate as far as the clothing is concerned feels a bit silly. I will be using a quote in English, written by a Spaniard, and using the wool of an animal that never lived on the island Hispaniola...so if you take all those other thoughts into account, does it matter that it's been placed on an item of clothing that would never be necessary in the tropics? Maybe not. :)

Critters not found in the Carribean!

Etsy Weekends - Knitting Supplies!

Since I don't have much time to actually knit, I spend an awful lot of time thinking about it. Here are some great Etsy finds that will help with any knitting project needs!

French Knitter by Amy's Woods

Siamese Cat Yarn Bowl by LAS Pottery

Tote Bag by Kelly Connor Designs 

    Knitting Needles by Peace Fleece through Scrumbobbly

That's  all we've got for this weekend, come back next weekend to see more treasures!

Tuesday Tip - Eating Healthy

So we all know that you need to eat a rainbow right? Well, today Pam is going to talk about eating something orange!

Last week a friend gave me a huge squash. I've never done much with squash, so I was surprised to find that it is amazing! I'm going to save the seeds to grow some next year. She bought them from a company in Missouri that sells organic and historic seeds. Anyway after I cooked it the shell just peeled away from the squash. There wasn't a lot of scooping necessary just put it in big bowls and then I put some in freezer bags. I still have several regular squash to cook. I read an article a few weeks ago about how orange food is good for you and since my coworker broke my heart telling me that Cheetos don't count - I guess I'll have enough squash to last all winter!

Pam didn't do too much squash cooking when I was growing up, the veggies we ate the most of were peas, carrots, and corn. When I mentioned to Matt that Mom (Pam) had made a squash and I wanted to get the directions from her he was surprised that I didn't know how to cook them! I think I know what Matt will be cooking the next time he makes supper :)

There are a ton of great recipes out there for squash, but here is one of our favorite cooks, giving the lowdown on Butternut Squash Puree. Be sure and check out her other recipes while you are there, but if several hours go by while you sit and ogle food pictures...don't blame us!

Image Also courtesy of Pioneer Woman :)

Etsy Weekends - Wooden Decorations

When I was younger my Dad used a lathe to make several turned wood bowls. They were really nifty, each one slightly different, with a different finish, different decorative pieces, and made of different wood. He told me about a star pattern bowl he had made a long time before I was alive with different colored woods and a lot of effort. I always thought we would make one together, but never got around to it. Of course, this has never diminished my love of hand carved, hand turned, or otherwise hand crafted wooden pieces. Here are a few of my favorites from Etsy!

Oak Butterfly on Bowl by Glowing Heart Studios

Walnut Raindrop Tray by 3D Woodturning

Cherry Pedestal Bowl by Wood Expressions

Box Elder Bowl by Uneducated Woodturner

Sheep Fleece Anyone?

There was always one creature who was super excited for sheep shearing day every year. Her name was Spike, and she has since left us. These images really convey her feelings toward Sheep Shearing Day :)