New Etsy Listings

I believe that I listed my largest group of baskets last night.  That's not really saying much...it was still only 13, but that is a lot for me trying to work full time + and maintain my Etsy store.  I have to admit, I really do love to see all that color on one page.  Two found new homes with in an hour!  That will never cease to amaze me.  I now have colorful cauldrons all over the continent.  Happily sitting on shelves, filled with fiber or other goodies (or so that's what I imagine for them).  That's what I created them for - a vessel to complement all my colorful, handspun yarn.  I found I just couldn't stop making them.  It is a great stress reliever for me after a long day/week.  I'm drawn to color, and these are just an expression of that passion.

Tonight is not a cauldron-making night, nor is it a spinning night, however.  It's been a long week and I'm quite exhausted.  I think I will just sit back and knit for awhile, until these tired eyes just can't stay awake any longer.  With only four hours of sleep last night, I think that time will come sooner than I think.

A Much Anticipated Break

Yay!  I made it through another busy semester and now I have a couple weeks to get caught up around the farm.  Monday was officially my last day, and I have spend the past two days sewing up a storm and getting some more baskets listed on Etsy (including the one above - don't you just LOVE those colors!?).  I finished a few Baprons (baby aprons) for a friend, and made a few for my next door neighbor's little one.  It's such a fun and simple pattern!  I also finished an adult apron pattern that I'm working on.

A few months ago I bought the Book "Spin Art" by Jacey Boggs (a fabulous book, which I'll blog about another time).  It came with a DVD where she demonstrates some of the spinning techniques.  And I noticed that she was wearing a long apron while she was spinning.  That of course got me thinking, "Why haven't I thought about that before?"  I'm always covered from head to toe with fiber when I spin.  Wearing an apron would be a perfect solution.  So I began designing my own - a Craft Apron.  I think the pattern still has room to grow, but I'm loving it's development.  I've made a bunch as I've been tweaking the pattern and am hoping to offer them on Etsy soon.  Actually this one above was suppose to be for sale, but I made enough "mistakes" that I didn't feel I could sell it.  So, I'll add it to my own personal collection.  =)  I love this fabric!

Those patterns go so perfectly together.  Perhaps I will have to make another like this.  

There is so much that needs to be done around the farm.  While we got our garden fenced in, only one 4X4 plot is ready to be planted.  I think I will put in some purple potatoes I found.  We did sweet potatoes two summers ago and they grew wonderfully.  But the red potatoes we planted last year - not so much.  I'm a little overwhelmed this year by what to plant.  I'm going to move the sunflowers up to line the garage.  I think they will look so pretty there.  That will free up some room.  We also will have the "experimental" plot free for more vegetables this summer.  Our experimental plot ended up being flax from the rabbit food.  It sure was pretty to watch grow.  I might just have try planting some in a pot for the fun of it.  Either way, I'd like to get the garden in before June this year.  We were a bit behind last summer.  That's coming up soon.  

MountainMud Handmade on Etsy

I've finally re-opened my Etsy shop, MountainMud Handmade.  And what a more perfect day than my birthday.  I stayed up until 2am to get items posted and ready to be displayed and I couldn't be more pleased.  I have been a basket-making fool this past month and a half.  I love stitching these together!  I am addicted to color, the more the better.  For the majority of these baskets I use quilt quality batiks.  I have many of these around the house stuffed mainly with handspun skeins of yarn.  They are just so happy to look at, and very versatile in their uses.  I can just imagine many of these lined up side by side on a shelf holding all of the things we love to see and touch.  I'm a very tactile person, so these fit me to a T.  So hop on over and take a look; let me know what you think.  Just click on the Etsy link to your right, and it should take you right there.  I do have a few other items for sale as well:

(beautiful vintage fabric patchwork skirt) 

(aromatherapy bags) 

(100% handspun amazing angora yarn)

Etsy Shop Reopening!

I've finally re-opened my Etsy shop! And it's about time. I've been...err...collecting finished projects. There are a bunch; I'm starting with posting some of my fiber and then moving on to some of the other handmade goods. I'll have everything from yarn to fiber projects (and carded batts coming soon!) to clothing and origami. I have too many creative outlets. Life is never dull that way. If you are a knitter and/or crocheter you will definitely want to check it out. My favorite fiber to spin is ALPACA! And if you've never worked with it...you are in for a treat! It is amazing and oh so warm!

On a different note, the farm has kept us busy. Mostly with the chickens. We've lost a couple to the hawks (which is very sad) and there seems to be some sort of upper respiratory infection going around. Most seem to be responding to the antibiotics and colloidal silver pretty well, but it's heart-wrenching (for a chicken-lover like me) to watch them suffer through the snots and sniffles. And if you know us well enough, you would know that antibiotics would be a last resort. Some might say to cull the sick ones (others, the whole flock), but THAT would be the absolute last resort. Those only mildly affected are still outside; others who are a bit worse for wear are brought into the house...a sort of chicken hospital.

Mrs. Buns tricked us with yet another false pregnancy. I'm not sure yet if I will breed her again.

On a happier note, I will hopefully have news of a NEW ADDITION to our farm family soon! So stay tuned!

What have I been up to?

As winter hangs on, I find myself with a severe case of 'cabin fever'. I'm desperately ready to get outside and start to garden! I have all sorts of plans for this year (hopefully some of those will actually come to fruition). It never hurts to dream big, and that's what I'm doing. As the ground is beginning to thaw, you can smell spring in the air. Though it is only 55 degrees out today (really a far cry from the -10 wind chill we had a few days ago) I've opened the windows to allow some of the stagnant air out of the barn and the cool 'spring' breezes in. So what have I been up to? I'm always looking for new hobbies, crafting ideas and the such. Usually I have about 5 things going at once, and this winter has been no exception. Along with launching my Etsy site (mountainmud.etsy.com - this has been an endeavor in itself since I'm teaching full time this semester), I've become addicted to spinning! Fibers, that is, mostly wool. I love it! Looking for ways to wind down, relax? Needing therapy? This is it! I've been spinning for about a month now, and I just can't stop! I've been spinning with a homemade drop spindle, made from a 10 inch paint brush handle, small tea cup hook, and two CDs, and a turkish drop spindle purchased from a the new aquaintance that got me started with spinning. Such an easy DIY project, and dyed and carded wool is easy to find through Etsy! Perhaps someday I will afford an actual spinning wheel, but for now, I'm really enjoying the simplicity of a drop spindle. See my before and after pictures above!

Mountainmud's Grand Opening

Well, I've finally done it! My Etsy shop is finally open! Now that the semester is done I can focus on stocking up on and post all my handmade creations once and for all! I will be adding lots of items over the next three weeks. So stop on over and take a look!

www.mountainmud.etsy.com