Can you believe it? A 1o day forecast full of sun in Connecticut!  This week, I’m dyeing for the September Phat Fiber box which has the perfect theme -  Farmer’s Market.  Last weekend, I took my camera to one of our local markets to gather some inspiration…

“Zinnia”  is already out “baking.”   I want to do at least one more theme color – I can’t decide – I like the Heirloom Tomato and oh – those apples!   I think I’m really ready for fall.  One more week of summer weather with the girls back at school will be perfect, then give me the clear skies, cool breezes, and glorious days of autumn!

Just one more quick “advertising interruption.”  I just want to talk about the “August Superbox Giveaway- BUY PHAT incentive” for a moment.  This is a prize you can enter to win if you purchase anything in the month of August from either my shop or another Phat Fiber contributor’s shop during the month of August.  All you have to do is post what you purchased and from whom in the above linked forum threat to be eligible to win.  I think the Superbox is like a regular box, only with a set of larger than average samples in it.  At the top of the first post int he thread is a link to the video.

I’m off to the “dye pots.”  Hope you have a great weekend!

I was so inspired by my new Wildflower roving that I finished my spinning in less than a week!

Details:

Dyeing by Dani of Sunshine Yarns
Ounces: 3.75 ounces (106 grams)
Yardage: Aprox. 200 yards
Plys: 2
WPI (wraps per inch): 12
Weight: dk
Fiber: 100% superwash merino

Now I’m on a hunt for another wonderful multicolor fiber to spin!  Yes, if you think I’m lurking on “your  Etsy shop,” then, yes, I am!

This morning I also started a Flickr Group for photos of fibers, yarns, and projects made from Spincerely yours, products.  I love to see what the dyed rovings look like when they “grow up” and become yarn and this seems like a pretty good way to start gathering some all in one place, so if you have any please join!  The link is:  http://www.flickr.com/groups/spincerely/

The April Phat Fiber box will be going on Sale in about a week.  I’m not participating in the box this month, though you may find an ad and coupon for Spincerely yours on “the secret site.”   If you haven’t signed up yet to be on the mailing list, here is the link:  http://phatfiber.com/joinus.htm

I keep intending to write a blog post about all the marvelous and wonderful goodies that I received in the March Box but where does the time go?  Someday, I promise!

What else is new around here? I think I’m due for a quick update, right?

Agent J is in Washington D.C. for on a student government field trip this week. She is due home tonight.  Highlights of her trip include “meeting” Chris Murphy, going to the zoo, seeing many, many monuments, and going shopping.

Agent K has started to play Lacrosse.  This weekend we need to go out on the hunt for an Under Armor black Lacross skirt that will fit her.

Agent B just finished a filmaking class at the Warner. She and Agent J start softball season this week.  On Sunday she is going out with Junior Audubon to check out the vernal pools which is her most favorite thing ever.

IHA is leaving for Washington D.C. on Sunday to go visit his Aunt, Uncle, and Grandmother and to attend a conference at the Patent Office. He is also anxiously awaiting the start of fishing season.

What does that leave for me?  I have a scrapbook retreat coming up next week!  Yay!  I think I really need to get away for a bit…  Phew, this Spring is certainly starting off busier than ever!

Thanks so much for reading and have a great weekend!

So today was the day that I decided to start listing things on Etsy again.  After the Fiber Event, I took a sort of break for a bit to catch up on things around my house.  Yesterday I started washing windows.  I washed 12 and then figured out that I have 27 left to wash.  Now, I have decided that it is time to take a break from doing things around my house and starting putting things up on Etsy again.   So in case anyone noticed my little Etsy leave, I’m back and please feel free to visit me over there.

A few weeks ago, I bought this cute little box bag on Etsy:

I haven’t used it yet, but it is really cute and I think it is going to be perfect for carrying around my sock projects. It is made by Jess from JessaLu Knits (and Spins). I really love little knitting bags and I think that you can never have too many!  My favorite thing about the bag is her signature bead work on the zipper pull.  Oh, and I also like the poke-a-dot fabric lining too.   Ok, I just went to her Etsy shop and now I see that she has a box bag in the exact fabric that would match my purse!   Oh my…. I better move along now, but really just one more quick plug — Jess is a very talented seamstress and very attentive to detail and these bags would make awesome handmade Christmas gifts.  Really — you don’t even need to be a knitter to have one of these – they would be great for travel or for carrying around your cross stitch (well, I think, I don’t know what you really need to carry around cross stitch as I don’t do cross stitch myself but I know many of you do). You can use them for toys or for tissues in your car.  And what about just for a lunch bag? They are washable and very pretty!

Also a few weeks ago, we had a Mad Knitter sock blank dyeing day in my basement and it was just mad fun!  I didn’t get to dye my own sock blank that day, but I loved watching everyone else choose their colors and their patterns.  I dyed mine a few days later and this is how it turned out (although the purples are really more purplely).  I don’t know when it is going to become socks, but I think it is going to be a lot of fun to knit. I’m actually having a hard time not pulling it apart and rolling it into balls. Snickerdoodle is really going to love me and my yarn isn’t he?

Well, this is a great segue way — going from sock blank to Sock Blankie!  Yes, I’ve been working on sock blankie and he is growing. Slowly but surely…

Such a great project to work on when you really just need to knit and need not to think too much.

Tomorrow, IHA and I are going to go buy all our kitten supplies and pick up Snickerdoodle and bring him home with us.  My mom thinks that it is so funny that the two of us are going together.  I think that it is really sweet that IHA wants to come with me.  When we were first married and bought our first house we went to the store together to find kittens and I think he is so sweet that after being married for 18 years, he still wants to get kittens with me. (I should scan in some of those photos from when our first cats were kittens and we both looked so young!)  Plus anyway, I need his help because I can’t decide on which kitten food and kitten litter to buy.  I just want to get the best so that everything will go smoothly, you know?

Have a great evening everyone!  I’m sure the next time I post it will be the start of my gratuitous kitten photo series!

Fern, Sage, Catnip, Valerian, Butterfly Bush, Cardinal Vine, Morning Glory, Sumac, Oregano, Tomato, Evening Primrose…

At Leaves of Clay, the nature is in the pottery. Michele creates each of her pieces to be unique by pressing different leaves into the clay to leave their own lasting impressions.  I recently purchased this natural and rustic vase from Michele after lurking her site for quite a while.  I also bought these precious little green bowls.

Did you know that quite a few Esty shop owners will also ship to other addresses too?  Michele was very accommodating and sent a thank-you gift off to LFG for me.  Of course when you send direct you don’t have the opportunity to fondle the item before sending it back off again, but in this case, we will be visiting LFG in VT in a couple of weeks so I can see her new candle holders in person.  They are the kind with leaf impressions also.  According to LFG, this greatly confused LFB as he was reading off the list of plants and didn’t know where they were.

I was also tempted to buy some of her buttons too. I had them in and out of my cart a few times before I decided to wait until I need some buttons.  Hey – I wonder how many buttons the new Knitty sweater uses. Did you see it yet?  It is Hey Teacher by Hélène Rush.  I LOVE it!!!  And, oh, it is rustic-y and has buttons!

Since I’m in promoting mode, I have totally forgotten to mention that LlamaFarmGirl and LlamaFarmBoy are now selling their LLamaFarmPoo.  It is called Llama Llama Poo Poo and you can get more info on their website.  If you are interested in very clean and soft llama fiber, LFG now has her own Etsy shop at www.llamafarmgirl.etsy.com.  Her fiber is dehaired and ready for dyeing or spinning.  Very yummy, I promise!

Oh, I think the sun is coming out!  Maybe I’ll have a chance to take some more fiber photos.  Have a great day everyone!