Monday, September 29, 2008

Alpacas and Apples

The spinning demo went great on Saturday. Beautiful weather (78 and sunny) and an excuse to sit in the shade and spin for 6 hours. We had about 100 visitors and lots of enthusiasm and questions about everything. I find it hilarious that little children become entranced by my spinning wheel, and then, almost zombie-like, begin reaching toward it, to - what? Touch the wheel? Touch the flyer? And all the tots on Saturday had hands covered in melted chocolate chips because the refreshments table was in the sun. Sometimes I actually had to stop spinning before I could get their attention to please not touch. I couldn't stop smiling the whole day.
Sunday I took the girls out to there so they could pet the alpacas. They had a blast.
Afterwards, we went to the Gibbsville Orchard and went on a haywagon ride and went apple-picking. They had a blast, and they now have their very own handpicked apples for school snack every day this week. I don't have any pictures because I was too busy having fun. Bad foster mommy. Sigh. I often rebuke myself for not taking enough pictures, and forcibly have to remember that in this big world there are far more important things to be concerned with than having too much fun in the moment to try to capture them. We had a wonderful time I'll never forget and they probably will, and in the big picture, it doesn't really matter all that much. Laughter and love stay with you whether it's in a picture album or not.
That said, I got a great one on the way home from the orchard. I guess the caramel apple wore off. Heh.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Spinning Demo at Raspbaerry Hill Alpacas

This weekend is National Alpaca Days, and I'll be doing a spinning demo at Raspbaerry Farm up in Plymouth WI. I'll be bringing my wheel, some fiber, and some handspun that I'll have for sale as well. It's supposed to be a beautiful sunny 76 tomorrow, a perfect fall day to visit a farm. I'll be there from 10-4 so I hope to see a few friendly faces there! :)

http://www.nationalalpacafarmdays.com/farmlocator/details.asp?zip1=53013&zip
MilesHigh=25&id=7885

Raspbaerry Hill Alpacas
Barbara Baer
W6399 County Rd U
Plymouth, WI 53073
Phone: (920) 893-8218
Cell: (920) 918-8033
Email: alpacalover@wildblue.net
Email 2: rhalpacas@wildblue.net
Web: rhalpacas.com

See you there!

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Where ARE the damn things?!?!

I knitted an exquisite pair of pink lace socks for my friend's birthday present a few months ago and one time when she was coming over I hid them and now it's PAST her birthday and I can't find the flippin things. Dammit!

I got my shipments of roving and dyes yesterday. 16 pounds of merino and 8 pounds of sw merino, and 30 1-pound containers of one-shot dyes (also sold as Country Classic dyes). I can't wait to get dyeing; hopefully I'll be able to get a few rovings done tonight even. Jewel tones seem to fly off the shelf this time of year, so I'm going to come up with some new combinations. Coming soon to Willow Acre Fibers!

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Oh my goodness, I've been gone a long time.

Things have been crazy busy here. No, you don't understand. CRAZY BUSY. I have my full-time job, Richard has eClutter, I have Willow Acre Fibers, and we both have the girls, who are enrolled in dance class on separate nights and increased visitation with their mom. Several weeks ago Aunt Connie passed away and left Richard and his brother a house that needs to be fixed up and sold. Which is over 2 hours away. Lots of work in the upcoming fall.

Willow Acre Fibers is doing really well. I've sold 30 items in the 5 weeks it's been open. I had an inquiry for wholesale prices on my roving from a yarn shop in Kentucky because they like what I have and want to carry it in their store. I worked up a price sheet/colorway sheet and was shocked to find that I've created 30 separate, distinct colorways in the 5 weeks my shop's been open. I was pleased to find that I had recorded enough information to compile into a recipe sheet for all 30 as well, so I can recreate any of them. I sent off the price sheet and am waiting to hear back.

I will be doing a spinning demo at Alpaca Days, hosted by Raspbaerry Farms in Plymouth, Wisconsin on September 27-28. They invited me to bring any handspun yarns or handpainted rovings to sell if I like as well, which is a wonderful opportunity. I'll have to go through my inventory of handspun and see what I have, and make up some of my more popular colorways of roving as well.

See what I mean about crazy busy? I will try to post more often. Promise.