Green Sheep

I first saw one of these green sheep at our local yarn store in Elkin. It was love at first sight. Don't know why, actually, guess it appeals to the ceramist still lurking in me. The owner of the yarn store said that hers was given to her and she had no idea where it came from. Then last week I found this one at the Goodwill store in Mt.Airy. I couldn't believe my luck! My very own green sheep! (By the way, the sticker on the underneath says it came from Big Lots!) I am hoping to go to a sheep shearing this weekend, so maybe I will get to see some real lambs and maybe even hug a sheep! Hope the weather is good so we can go! I hope that you find something today that you have been looking for!

The Day Before

I have enjoyed looking at sheep owner's blogs lately. There are so many photos of the new lambs and I am so jealous. I collect stuffed and ceramic sheep, but I neither have the land nor the ability to raise real sheep. That doesn't stop me from loving the gentle, beautiful creatures. I do so enjoy spinning wool, and making items from the yarn I make. But this time of year sure makes me want to hug a sheep.

Tomorrow is the big six-oh. Yep, I am turning 60 years old tomorrow. It sounds so old, but truthfully I don't feel old. I keep incredibly busy and keep using from my stash of yarn, fabric and rovings (wool) and donating to my charities. So I don't think that tomorrow will be any different a day from all the rest. I'll let you know later..... Live long & prosper!
In His Service,
June

Kitten Quilt!

Love this photo and had to add it to my blog. I'm still working on the Log Cabin quilt and only have 4 more blocks to piece! As I started out with four inch solid black centers and plan to make 20 blocks, this one should be larger than my usual "personal sized" quilts. I will post a photo when it is together. The weather is warming up nicely, and I hope to fight my way into my studio (that served as a catch-all during cold weather). It sure needs a good clean-out. I also use it to store my spinning fibers. The quilting machine does not run well in really cold weather, and I don't keep the heat on all the time in there since I'm not in business anymore. Have a blessed day. Clear out some cobwebs and enjoy your life!

National Quilting Day

This is Caliber, from www.quiltedkitty.com and I have borrowed him to remind quilters that this is National Quilting Day. I have been a fan of this website for awhile now, and also love calico cats, as you well know. The sun is out today, but it is cool here, a perfect day to work on my Underground Railroad Log Cabin quilt. I only have about 6 more blocks to piece (I average finishing about 3 a day). I hope that everyone reading this has a blessed weekend.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Like the new color? I thought it would be appropriate for today, anyway. Everyone becomes Irish on St. Patrick's Day! I am still recovering from having to get my driver's license renewed yesterday. Lord knows, I'd rather go to the dentist than get my driver's license renewed. Thank God it only has to happen every five years! But I passed with flying colors, and the photo looks ghastly (as usual) and I am once again a happy camper.

Enjoy the day, and think green!!!

Prayer Request

My daughter called me late yesterday afternoon and said that her good friend's (from her church) husband had just passed away that afternoon. She found him laying in the driveway & he was already gone to be with the Lord. It was so sudden, and he hadn't been sick. This friend lost her daughter to cancer just a very few months ago, and needless to say, could very much use all the prayers she can get!! Thanks so much, her name is Chris.

Anglo Saxon Class

My daughter asked me to help demonstrate spinning during one of her classes in World Literature. It has been a pretty good while since I've stood in front of a classroom, and I was nervous! There was food of the Anglo Saxon period (prepared by the students), natural dyes for fabrics and wool, and spindle and wheel spinning. Only spindle spinning was of that era, but she thought they might like to see wheel spinning too. All the students tried spindle spinning, with a little help. Kathleen brought her looms to class, and several of the students tried that also. I think that everyone enjoyed themselves.

The first photo is of me and the finished Dr. Who scarf, the rest are from the class. Actually, these photos were taken after class was over. Some students stayed late to try working on the looms and to help clean up. I am the one in the red shirt at the spinning wheel. I don't like my photo taken (for obvious reasons), so you probably won't see my picture here again!!

This is Ace!

He is a beautiful cat, don't you think? Ace was originally dropped off at my house, but Kathleen took him home with her over 3 years ago, and he has all the love and attention he could ever want.

Weekend at my daughter' house

The first photo is of my daughter's house in Stokes County, North Carolina. It is about a mile from Hanging Rock State Park and is located on the side of a mountain! I wouldn't want to have to mow her lawn!! The second photo is of my daughter, Kathleen, and her cat Grace. The third photo is also of Grace. Her other cat, Ace, didn't want his photo taken. I did get one taken, but the two cats look so much alike that I uploaded the wrong photo!! The only difference in their appearance is that Grace is shorthaired and Ace is longhaired! I will try again to put post a picture of Ace later. The last photo is of my daughter's Tri-loom. She likes to do Tartan Shawls. This one is of her own design, but doesn't it look like a Campbell? She's using Lion Brand "Homespun" yarn for this one.

I left here (my home) early Saturday morning & it took me an hour to drive to her home. She had errands to run in Winston-Salem, so we spent the whole day there. I don't drive much anymore, so it was a real challenge for me to just drive to her home. She drove to Winston. Arrived back at her home about 5:30pm and I was really tired. We cooked supper and watched movies the rest of the evening. I left to come back to my home in the morning, as she was leaving to go to her church. All in all, it was a very good trip. My daughter has a lot of energy, I do not!
(Edit: I just noticed that the black spot in the driveway of the photo of her house is Ace!! He's a big fellow!)

Up and Away!

I am planning to go to my daughters house tomorrow morning. She lives about an hour's drive from me and she has a wonderful hundred year old farmhouse built on the side of a mountain! I have not been to her house since last May (guess I don't get out much?). I will not have internet access while there, but am hoping to remember to take my camera & maybe have some new and interesting photos to share. That's the plan anyway. Blessings to all. Have a wonderful weekend (no telling what I'll be getting into!).

The Bamboo Plate

Once again, pardon my bad photograph. Taking pictures is NOT one of my talents. I just wanted to show a ceramic plate that I found at the Goodwill. I love to look at the "stuff" at the Goodwill. Sometimes I feel sorry for something, like I did this plate. It sat on the shelf for several weeks and nobody wanted it. I kept looking at it every time I went in (about once a week). Finally, I decided to buy it..after all it was only 50 cents. I brought it home, gave it a bath, and then realized what attracted me to it. When I was taking my Ceramic Teacher Certification classes (1984) I had to paint a vase that looked very much like this technique. It was an easy technique, as I am not much better at brushstrokes than I am at photography! The painter of this plate sighed her name "Pat", and I can't help but wonder who he or she was. I'll never know. I will cherish this plate, though, for many reasons, and it makes me think of the good times we had when I owned my own ceramic shop called "Keyfield Ceramics". I had to close it for health reasons, but there are a lot of good memories there. I hope your life is full of "Bamboo Plates", and good memories!

Another Log Cabin

Here is a photo of (part of) the Log Cabin quilt I mentioned in the previous posting. I finished it yesterday and it has 12 blocks, each block being about 18" sq. The quilt measures about 60" by 75" and is the perfect "throw" size. I am planning on using a medium blue solid color blue for the backing. I am trying to use up some of my large basket of 2 inch strips for Log Cabin quilts and plan to start another one today. I think I will use a solid black center and call it an Underground Railroad Log Cabin. My Grandpa Atterholt used to tell me stories about how his family was part of the Underground Railroad in central Ohio during the Civil War. I was small at the time, and don't remember any details, just remember how much I loved his stories!! He was such a great Christian man, and I loved him dearly! He had a Postage Stamp Quilt on his bed...since becoming a quilter, I have always wondered who made the quilt, and what happened to it when he died.

Who Scarf Progress

The Doctor Who scarf is now 5 feet long!! It is a Season 12 scarf and should be 13 to 15 feet long when completed. I am about half way down the second column of the pattern, if that makes any sence to you... I am enjoying working on this scarf, as it requires no thought at all, just all knit. Am also working on Log Cabin squares for a quilt...photo later, when completed!