A Wool Gathering on a Beautiful Day, and Meeting Up With Some Stamping Friends Too!

This event, A Wool Gathering, has grown by leaps and bounds since I first started going some 10-12 years ago… from one dinky tent to 3 huge ones, a regular size and lots of vendors set up outside! Any thing fiber related you can imagine!

The last few years I’ve been with the “Animal” tent where people can get a hands-on feel of different fibers and what animal it comes from. This year Annie and Fusion went along. Annie was a big hit because of her spots…although I did one little kid run in and say… LOOK, A GIRAFFE!!!

It was a gorgeous day that brought a huge crowd. If you’re anywhere near the area, it still goes thru tomorrow, Sunday. Lots for the whole family  to enjoy if you go to Young’s Dairy or restaurant afterwards too!

My stampin’ buds from Miamisburg came along with their families. Karen and her daughter-in-law, Jenna!

Then… I knew my ODBD DT pal, Angie and her hubby, Tom were coming from Indiana…what I didn’t know was that she had talked to Kelley who, along with her husband, Rick, planned to come too!

It was a never-ending stream of people!

Then…. Monsi and her family came! Monsi is one of my oldest stamping friends from when I was a newbie!

We even took some llamas down to her house for a birthday party…. back when her kids were much smaller! My, how they’ve grown!!

So, that was my day today. I got some much needed spinning done, enjoyed talking llamas and the company of good friends!

Thanks for stopping!

Dawn

Annie Comes Home!

Nine years ago this cutie-patootie was born here.
I named her Annie after a dear friend and llama mentor
that died of cancer shortly before.

Annie grew into a big girl, was worked with by 4H kids, and had great spin-able fiber. But there comes a time when you need to downsize, make some cuts….and Annie was one of those decisions. (although I regretted it for years!)

To make a long story short… Annie needed to be removed from her current conditions along with her friend, Belle, also a llama born here…sweet as could be. I agreed to take them back, but unfortunately, Belle died before we were able to move them. Yes, I cried.

Thanks to Elizabeth (a former 4H’er) and her hubby, Sean, who went and picked up Annie and brought her home. She was a mess of burrs from her head to her tail, she hadn’t been sheared in the 3-4 years that she’d been guarding fiber goats. We had a BIG job on our hands!

Elizabeth was all ready to help me shear Annie and as soon as we both had the time we set about getting Annie cleaned up!

Annie, after being blown out with the Circuiteer. The barn was full of dust in the air!! GACK…CHOKE…COUGH

Part way into the shearing, I remembered how she liked to lay down while in the process! Hey, we can still keep shearing whether you’re standing or not! And we did!
Over 6.5 POUNDS of trash fiber was taken off her!

And there she is… all clean and ready to start afresh! Elizabeth even took her through a few obstacles, Annie hasn’t forgotten!

It’s too late for Annie to join the ranks of 4H, but look for her next year as several of the kids have already laid claim to her!! HAHA!

Thanks for stopping!

Dawn

Time In A Bottle….

An all time favorite song from my teen years…ack…was it really THAT long ago??!!.. Time In A Bottle, by Jim Croce, is one of the new stamps from Our Daily Bread designs, Blessings Collection also a new collection! Available June 1st.

Another new set being released is Time. A large lovely clock face, perfect for scrapping or cards with several sentiments and scriptures.. a must have!!

This is the sketch on Splitcoast today, flipped to accommodate the quote. I used Bo Bunny Timepiece and embossed it with Cuttlebug’s Clockworks. Also with the same DP, I used Spellbinders Sprightly Sprockets in my Grand Calibur, such a cool die set!

The clock and quote are sponged with Ranger Distress inks, Antique Linen and Frayed Burlap.
The quote is faux layered, meaning I used a black Sharpie marker and ruler on the edges. Saves a little bit of bulk.

********************

Speaking of TIME…. I could sure use more of it! Or maybe I should say, more time=days with LESS rain! I just started shearing this week!! I have 4 done of the 14, (my own). I also have a half dozen or so that I do for others! Today though, even though it isn’t raining at this minute… I think I’m giving my hands a break from the clippers and get some stamping deadlines met!

Here is Dapple, my very first cria (baby llama and now 12) and his new hair cut. He’s such a sweetie with very nice fiber too! He’s an Appaloosa, just like in the horse world.

I always have the 4H kids help with their llama. Last night we got 2 done while the boys were unloading hay and the rest of the group were practicing Showmanship.

This is Tobi and Levi. We tried a new “do” on her this year. I really like it!! And once Levi has her all groomed up, she’s going to be gorgeous!!

Well, that’s some pieces of my week… hope you’re doing well and getting the things done that need done! LOL

Thanks for stopping!

Dawn

I Remember it From My Childhood…

That bright shining object in the sky was called the SUN! See? Shadows! Cast by the Sun!! And the sky was blue! Here in Ohio we’ve had so much rain, but we were fortunate to have a gorgeous day Saturday for the Upper Valley Fiberfest!

Not all my 4H kids could make it, 5 of the 9 went along with their llamas. It’s always good for them to get out with the public as they get asked all sorts of questions….good time to test their knowledge! Sit back and enjoy.

A walk around the grounds upon arrival. Ross and Levi with Scout and Tobi.

Carmen and Willy catch up

Katie and Shadow … wait for us!

The highlight of any time we take the llamas out is seeing the little kids as they get to see one up close and personal, sometimes for the very first time, to touch it and to feed it!
Here, Lady decided it was time for a rest and had kushed. (that’s what it’s called when they curl up “cat style” and lay down) She’s a big girl but not so intimidating when she’s at eye level!

I love this shot!

Lucky for the llamas since we’ve had so much rain it also means the grass can’t get mowed as often and the dandelions are everywhere! It’s always fun for kids (young and old) to pick some and feed them to the llamas!
This youngster wanted to feed Lady dandelions…BUT… he also wanted to eat them himself! Hence the look on Lady’s face, he had just offered her some then pulled back with “no, maybe I’ll try a bite first”!

Ahhhh, finally! With Mom’s help,
Lady got to eat the dandelions!
He was too cute!

Ryan and Lady taking it easy!

Ross and Katie sharing some Llama education.

I remember this lady from last year…love her bag… Shop, Bag, Repeat, Easy!
Ryan and Carmen sharing what they know.

We always say we wish we had a nickel for every time we get asked
“Do they spit?”! LOL

The Sheep to Ewe booth.

Lis, crocheting. You can read about how the shop got started in the current issue of Create and Decorate! The online pages are here in Country Lanes. I got to do the photos for this article!

We always take a few obstacles along so the public can see some of the fun things we do with the llamas.

Of course there’s always a future 4H’er that wants to try! Katelyn’s mom was in my club 10 yrs ago and worked with Tobi as a yearling!

We use any opportunity to practice an obstacle!

One last walkabout…

Thanks for stopping!

Dawn

Needle Felting Meets Card Making...and some News!

You'll be seeing some new creations
from me using Mark's Finest Papers.
Starting in November
I'll be on their Design Team!
Yeah, I'm excited!

Faith (owner) sent me several months releases along with a couple from this month! Today's HYCCT and Inspiration challenges on Splitcoast were perfect for this cute Polar Bear! To use felt, and the inspiration piece I used had snowflakes.

I needle felted some sheep's wool and stamped the bear from the set Time To Chill and cut it out. Also felted a little for the "snow". Then stamped the snowflakes from the same set with Versamark and heat embossed Holographic and Glacier White embossing powder.

A different card for sure, but fun to make.

Hope your weekend is wonderful!

Thanks for stopping!

Dawn

A Beautiful Day with Fiber...and a Front Moving In!

We had wonderful weather for a day out at A Wool Gathering, and it seemed to be a good sized crowd.

People really got to see what llamas "do"...we had Alarm Call demos just about all day as Willy (not in the picture) was bothered by some goats over in the pasture and had to let everybody know about it periodically from 9-5! Shadow, on the other hand, was bothered by Willy sounding off all the time and pacing around the pen, getting in HIS space...so he gave the Spitting demos!

All in all, though, people enjoyed petting them and asking the usual questions. Most of them the normal ones about spitting, shearing etc. And I got some much needed plying and spinning done!

I was in the animal tent with several types of sheep, goats, the sheep shearing demo, and Jeff with his bunnies (also has goats).

Lloyd came back in the afternoon with the Snow boys (grandsons) who had a blast running around. They got to make several ropes in the kid's tent, make felt and some other things.

The Society for Creative Anachronism is always there dressed in Renaissance style. We even got to see some jousting!

  Preston had fun sitting with Jeb Mac (Jeff McKinley) and his wife, Carolina Pearl who entertain the kids playing a farmhouse fiddle, banjo, lap dulcimer and other instruments. I think this one was Old McDonald's Farm... lol

One of our last visitors before we packed up...was this lady with an apple! Apples around llamas?!! Seriously? Ooh boy! Willy was the first to get a bite, but Shadow soon dominated the situation and ended up with the entire thing!

I never got her name...I just called her the Random Lady with an Apple... which she quickly added, from New Hampshire! So, here's the Random Lady from New Hampshire with an Apple....

 

You still have time to go today, although I won't be there. Lots to see and do for all ages!! Why not make it a family outing... and go to A Wool Gathering!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

After getting home and unpacking, a front moved in... some really cool clouds. I don't think we ever got any rain though!

Thanks for stopping!

Dawn