Felting

On Tuesday I went out to Andrea's house to learn to felt it was very interesting and a lot of fun we made a rug/mat of 7 layers of white wool then we went through the process of hot water, soap being rubbed in and then rolling with a bamboo blind. It actually turned out okay and I am now needle felting it to take out some of the white. I will post a photo in a few days when it is finished.

Finished Product

Slowly over the summer projects were finished time has gone by so fast it is hard to believe the holidays are over. I wonder when the next holiday starts...

A very cool new gate!

My mom and I found this lovely gate in an Antique store so now the work has begun. I had absolutely no where to put it so we are building somewhere to hang it. My very loving, patient husband has been digging holes, building frames and she is now ready to hang.

It's beginning to look like a hay shed.
They have built it so fast it is crazy, a very clever lot that lives around here:)

More building

2nd Stage

This is the second stage laying the cement.

This is the first stage of our new hay shed. I am very proud of my son's they have been working along side of my dad cutting wood, building hay sheds, fencing, moving sprinklers. It has been amazing at he progress on the hay shed.

Hi I am back mom and I had a nice trip we went to a lot of Antique stores, gift stores and a lot of driving because we got majorly lost! It took us 7 hotels until we found a room and it was just getting cancelled when mom went into ask very busy, very crazy.
Would anyone like to know how stressful life is let me tell you my son was off to a party on Saturday his second it was because he is going away so he was off to meets some friends. I would not say yes or agree I made him ask his father "I wanted nothing to do with it" so he manages to find alcohol and all was fine until his friends go to leave. There is a boy who does not like my son no real reason I guess they just don't get along. So my son is by himself they start mouthing each other off then start fighting which would be fine but an older boy jumps my son and they are hitting, kicking him, and must have scratch him because his back is full of scratches just like a girl fight. It must have caught him off guard then on top of the drinking he doesn't remember much other than if does not know if he would be around if his friend did not notice and come and help him get them off him. He will not tell me much but my husband filled me in on some of the details the older boy who jumped him is known to police. So now a one on one fight is one thing but two on one is another and the older boy does not even have anything to do with my son. My son had never been in anything like this he is not a fighter and even going to the parties is new. My son has scratches on his back like he was fighting a bear, a big goose egg on his head, I see a cut on the side of his head, I heard him getting dress saying ow his leg is hurting him and he is cut on the leg.
I guess it was a good thing I was not home my husband wanted to go the police about the older boy who jumped him he did go talk to a retired police man about what we should do they said press charges but I hesitate to do that. That is like opening up a whole can of worms... I know my kids are not perfect but I really dislike other peoples kids right now and at the same time I am so grateful for his friend who saved him.
I knew deep down something was going to happen that is why I would not have anything to do with him going. and just wait until he wants to go out to a party again NO the answer is NO.
My dad son and husband are building our hay shed they are getting so far it is very exciting. I will post pictures on the start to finish soon.

PEACE

This is a very beautiful Rainbow if you look closely you can see two!

Very Beautiful Soft, Silky Mohair the colour is actually a bit more mauve but the camera changed it.

After yesterdays very disgraceful tantrum over my loom I am taking a break and off on a road trip with my mom so I will talk to you all soon Sunday evening or Monday. Have a wonderful weekend and play safe!

Can anyone here me cursing this .......loom... I hate it!... I hate it!... I hate it.... if you could only here my real tantrum AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh.....
I think I will take a break from it maybe use it for kindling and a hot dog roast. How can one thing be so difficult.
Anyways on a better note actually there is not a better note so I am going to bed. I will not dream of my loom.

Fun Times

These photo's are taken on one of our favorites spots on our property. The kids and the dogs seem to really enjoy it.

Early Morning Ritual

The girls looking rather content.

This is the morning routine here at Sunflower Farm.

My mom and I might go on a little trip but we are not sure where I am off the ocean with all the hurricanes and the tsunami a few years ago is enough to finish anyone. I will let you know where though.
Summer is coming to an end mornings are getting cooler and days are hot very Fall, it is rather depressing. I love the season Fall but I do hate school I will have to suck it up and start pretending I love it so the kids will look forward to it...sigh... the lies one must tell...

It's a wrap

My summer project is done my shawl in very lovely Italian wool of thick and thin, some very lovely loopy Mohair and some of my own spun up Alpaca. It turned out quite nice, simple I can't knit anything to fancy yet. Now I am starting to make a purse/bag on my hand loom but farm work is interfering:)

Getting ready for Fall

Here we are deworming, hoof trimming and getting the girls all ready for breeding season the shearer comes in one week.

It is a big job and it is good to have it behind us.

This is my new knitter on a round loom. He is making a hat... I am wondering how long it will last. I have just been informed I am not allowed to encourage this by his older brother and his dad just quietly shakes his head:)

Here is a very lovley Peach that we grew on our tree, our tree has only been planted for two years. This is the one and only peach to make it, the only one that did not freeze in the spring.

Future Hat

This very lovely wool is going to be a future hat. The wool is just about to nice to use.
I am finished my blanket I was weaving I learned a lot of what to do and what not to do. It feels like a burlap sack not very nice I washed it up and hung it outside in hope that will soften it up.

A working Loom FINALLY.
I am using up all my own spun wool.
I or actually my son figured out my front roll thing on the loom was on backwards that is why it would not stay tight.

Full bobbins filled at the pool; on a electric screwdriver and a pencil. With Marigold dyed wool.

I have finished my shawl it is outside laying, drying it nice to have something actually finished...Yeah Me! I am weaving and not overly happy with it but I am weaving I am using up all my hand spinning which my children informed me those colours don't go together hmm no pleasing anyone.
The kids swam so much today it was very warm tomorrow we have to get up early to mow the lawn then I will let them swim most of the day. I have been either knitting, winding bobbins, or spinning at the pool so tomorrow I think I will spin my 2010 Olympic challenge project. Is anyone else joining in? Well off to bed have a wonderful night.

Yesterday was a full day of extra children my six plus4 friends it was a little crazy around here. We did a lot of swimming but the kids did not go to bed until 1am way too late. As soon as my oldest daughter and youngest daughter get home tonight I am off to bed.
My oldest sister lives in Hawaii so we were watching the weather channel to see about the hurricane I don't think she is in to close to it so I am not sure how it will affect her. What a worry and kinda scary.
My loom is finally threaded but oh my gosh what a night mare I redid it 6 times!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! even now something seems not right when I step on a treadle one of the strings seems slack usually the bottom set AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhh I could have bought a dozen blankets by now. There is an amazing amount of thinking involved what and how much wool to use should there be a pattern etc.
Tomorrow I may build a gate and I am also putting slabs up on the back fence over the spaces for more winter protection so I need to get on with that. Well all the kidlets are home so I am off to bed. Goodnight.

I noticed I have been missing a day in between blogging that's because I have been just too busy! I am just about finished painting my hall it was not a big space left but our local paint store change their paint so I could not buy the same colour go figure then I had shelves with nine little screws in each piece that had to come out that took me forever because I could not find the right size bit and my husband was away. Then the shelves were full of wonderful magazines that I had to find a good spot for and on and on it went. Then I peeled and froze a bunch more apples, cleaned sorted out my beautiful all window room it looks quite nice again, then cleaned the front deck trimmed tree's, and regular daily chores all that by 4pm then the day just kept going until 11pm.
I am still threading my loom but I am getting there I can't wait to start weaving on it.
Today I would like to go into town and go for a hike up to the flag pole with my kids but I am not sure if we will have time also I have many bales of hay I need to move out of the barn. So have wonderful day and talk to you all soon.

One BIG mess

The first photo looks okay but the wool was fluffy and got all tangled. This is the end result 5 balls of yarn wrecked messed up, horrible, frayed to easy.