NOT NH Festival. Mass Festival. (also, I really do know where I was last weekend.)

Went to the Mass Sheep & Wool Festival, not New Hampshire (thank you Lisa - I just show up, what do I know.) show as a vendor this past weekend, and had an excellent time. (I went to NH festival as a vendor as well and had a great time but took no pictures etc.)

Got to spend time with famous people:

BrewerGnome

Cassie

And a gaggle of fiber artists lounging about - Juno, Cate, Tsarina, Kellee, Cassie (again) and names I've forgotten - sorry.


There was fine music on Sunday - don't remember for sure if they were playing on Saturday...



This is Patrick of West Elm Farm, he was generous enough to share tent space with him, and we love him for it! If you've seen us at Rhinebeck, you know he's there as well, couldn't do it without him. He makes some fine soap and awesome hand balm with lanolin, go try some, it's at the bottom of this page here.



And of course, it wouldn't have been 'normal' if there wasn't a drying rack full of drying yarn in the hotel room...

So, not much of the actual festival but that's typical for me, as I've found it really is nicer to take home some of the money made in the booth rather than spend it all at the festival... the husband is way less cranky that way ;-)

In other news, and really way other news, can anyone guess what this is a picture of? (Hint: The smart-ass answer of 'truck' will not win anyone any prizes. Perhaps guessing what the truck represents, or what is on the truck would be a step in the right direction here.)

I get the weirdest emails.

So, in this morning's email I find this:

Dear sir or madam:
We now need to purchase a large number of sheep scrap
purchase a large number of sheep wool.
We also need to purchase a large number of muskrat skin.
If you have, please tell me at once.

uh-huh. Muskrat skins... let me think... now where did I put that bin of muskrat skins? crap. Never can find something when I need it, cuz you know as soon as I tell them I'm fresh out of sheep scrap & muskrat skins, I'll totally find that bin.

eta: for those who've asked or are wondering, this is a muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) :

For those of you not familiar with this here critter, I've gone ahead and found all you need to know about the beast, to give you good standing on most game shows. Read, learn, go win a whole row on 'aquatic pond beasts' for 1000 in Jeapordy:

Muskrats: gotta love Wikipedia.

It was on Fire when I laid down on it.

Ok, so I've found (borrowed) a cable for the camera, and found some wonderful pictures. I don't have a bunch of time, so here's what I found on the camera (warning, tons of pics):

Mah couch on Fire, let me show u it:

FireBird that is, colorway: HellFire. plus the gold skeinlets to go with, and the orange in the corner is a byproduct. Every so often I would have to exhaust out a gold dye pot that gradually would go 'orange' after a few rounds of red skeins swimming around to gold-i-fy them. (that's a technical dye term, btw.)

So, how is HellFire made, you ask? My mess, let me show u it.

First we lay out the skeins and start adding red.

then we add WAY more red. (and a little more for good measure)

Then we do something arcane with a pot of gold, more red, and some steam to produce this:

After it set the couch (aka the packing department) on fire, it went to Dave-of-the-Post-Office, and I have proof he exists:

Mommy-Giraffe was a BIG help.

While I was dyeing Firebird (and vintage, and everything else) Nora got bored and wanted to dye some yarn. She wanted to dye green yarn, and so I give you Nora's favorite chewing gum, Mint-Mojito:

And also, more lambs were born:

and in fact more lambs born today but no pics yet.

Now if you'll excuse me, I must get back to the dye pots. I know your still waiting on your kit or yarn or both and I appreciate your patience.

From under the debris

I post this in a haze of migraine meds (no, it's not imitrex. no, I am not taking it, cannot take it, will never voluntarily endure take it again - giving birth was less painful).

Important facts:

1. All of the Firebird kits have shipped out, as of Tuesday the 15th. International kits were shipped out by the 12th. (except for Irene. Sorry. I'll be better next time now that your in the mailing label list.)
2. If you are concerned your kit is not the Large you expected, the skein should be tied with a black thread, and your gold lace skein should be a doubled small skeinlet, about 5-6 inches long. If instead it's a small button skeinlet, and your main color is tied with 2 white threads... well, you should get in touch with me before you cast on. Please note: this does not apply to all kits across the board. If you have questions on say, your Kitri kit, give me a shout.
3. I am dyeing and shipping out backorders (and have been all week) on a daily basis. I admit this week has not gone quite as well as I had hoped in really getting caught up. I blame the school systems for scheduling some insane thing called 'spring break'.
4. An extension of number 3 above, there is a 5 year old in the house. All Day.
5. I have amazing photos from the last week or so. I cannot find my camera cable. The amount of migraine meds leaves me in a state where I find myself putting the camera next to the computer and muttering 'make pictures go'. Osmosis is not working, but I'm hopeful.
6. There is a new set of twins, 2 girls - one white, the other black/white spots. I'd show you a picture... never mind.
7. If you've tried to reach me via phone or email in the last couple of days, things have not been working here. Spotty at best, our phone line from the pole to the house works but under the house things have degenerated into a state where 2 cans and some string would work better. Needless to say, my DSL rides the same string. As of now, in my desperation, (and probably to stop me from muttering 'make internetz go') my spouse has strung a phone line from the pole, into the living room window, and moved the dsl modem and phone directly to that outlet. I'd show you a picture... never mind.
8. I have a migraine. Have I mentioned this yet? The monitor has a lovely halo now, and I've had enough. I will catch up with the rest of things tomorrow, after several hours with an ice pack and more meds. I have a pile of packages ready to go to the post office tomorrow. I'd show you a picture... never mind.

Yarn Pron

Look! Something Shiney! Over There!

To be Defined.

The definition of the word 'Define', according to The Free Dictionary, gave me this:

Define: (v)
1. describe the nature or basic qualities of; explain.
It also offered this:
3. To give form or meaning to.

I've been pondering lately, what defines us. Or, perhaps more accurately, how do we define ourselves. How do I define myself? Describe myself? Sometimes it's hard to forget that who we were yesterday, is perhaps, not who we are today. At what point do you let go of previous job titles, career choices, life decisions and embrace the new ones? Nature abhors a vacuum (anyone for a Far Side Cartoon?) and so it is impossible to stop being one thing without becoming something else. The actual moment of switching can be faster than a blink of an eye I suppose, but the actual accepting of, believing in, claiming... well, that can take much longer.

I've defined myself as many things over the years. I find looking back, that I have enjoyed being able to define myself slightly outside the expected norms of the times. Veteran (Air Force - drove a forklift). Phone-Jockey (pc/computer helpdesk). Network Administrator (had an office and everything). Place Holder (they gave my office to someone else). Wife. Mother (best job ever). Shepherdess (midwife,vet, slayer of bugs). Some of these job titles overlapped. I was a network admin and a shepherd at the same time, but when did I stop telling folks I 'worked in computers' and start telling them I was a shepherd? Not for several years. It is understood that when someone asks what you 'do', they are asking how you make a living, not about your hobbies. This is because according to society's accepted definitions for and of ourselves, it is our ability to make money that defines us. (Ask a starving artist who is flipping burgers so he can buy more paint if he's an artist or a short-order cook to see how wrong this notion is.) So, why don't we define ourselves by what we enjoy? Why can't we define ourselves by what makes us feel complete?

A few months ago, I was introduced to someone somewhere, in a locale slightly out of my element. Whoever had the pleasure of meeting me asked me what I 'did'. They were asking for my definition - my 'label' in society. A way to neatly categorize me into their understanding of the world. In a flash, without thinking, I answered "I'm a dyer." You could see the poor man's brain processing this, and being unable to produce a suitable place to put this in his mental filing cabinet, he repeated "A dyer?" I explained what I did, he nodded knowingly and understandingly, and a little condescendingly, asked me politely if there was anything else I did (obviously I had not understood his original question). I answered him with yet another puzzle: "I'm a shepherd." He gave up, nodded as if this explained everything and I think we probably talked about the weather for a few minutes. I suppose I could have said something fancy like "I manage custom pigment-bonding with protein and cellulose-based materials for a niche segment of the art industry."

It's just easier and more fun to say "I'm a dyer." (And a wife, a mother, a veteran, and a shepherd.)

For those of you looking for help with your computers, I'm thrilled to say I've been 'out of it' for longer than moses, and am just as lost as you are with that new Vista laptop. (I'm sure there is a support group for us somewhere.)

For those of you looking for help with your forklift/flightline cargo handling needs, I frankly never want to strap down another pallet of cargo again - though driving onto a C-5 cargo plane IS pretty cool. I am however, proud of the military service I did, and am proud to be an American Veteran. (They work hard, no matter what branch or who's sitting in the Oval Office - never forget what the commitment they've made really means.)

For those of you who want to discuss office politics.... that's why I don't have the office anymore. If that office career is what's important to you, then I suggest you try sucking up to your boss. I did NOT and look where it got me. (though I'd love to wear my muck boots into the office again, just once.)

For those of you who want to discuss motherhood, I am all there. And by the way, please breastfeed your kids, it's good for them. (I mean REALLY people - what do you think is better: chemically re-constituted soy proteins simulating foodstuffs for the child you spent 9 months creating, or milk that your body is continuing to create, that is based on the needs of that child that only your body can know that your child needs? Read that sentence again.)

For those of you who are in need of an animal midwife etc, I've got some mad lambing skills and animal husbandry trivia here to pass on, just give me a shout.

For those of you in need of custom pigment-bonded protein and/or cellulose-based materials (a.k.a. hand-dyed yarns), I'm your gal. And oh look! Here's the 500lbs of yarn to prove it:

This was the 'small' box of just over 100lbs (that's 2 layers of cones there and yes, some are missing cause they've already been skeined for dyeing).

Each of these boxes are 200lbs. Please note they made a stencil to label the box just for us :-)

My New Look (aka 'thanks to the yarn mojo)

Thanks to the awesome yarn mojo created by waiting club members on Ravelry, the yarn has left the mill and is winging it's way here pronto, scheduled for a Friday Delivery.


So, here's my new 'look' for probably about the next 3 weeks.
(Just a thought, but I wouldn't sneak up on me, if I were you.)

General Updates

**If you are still waiting for your yarn or kit, I have not lost your order or dissapeared into the night with the money. I am expecting yarn from the mill in the next few business delivery days, and after that, and several sleepless days and nights, I'll mail out your packages. I appreciate your patience!
To entertain you until the yarn arrives, (Look! Something Shiney! Over There!) we'll use 'distraction technique number 32', labled 'Cute Animals' from the handy book of distractions. (These are the lambs that were born in February - a set of twins and a single. They are all doing great, even the one with the broken shoulder is now leaping & playing games with his mates.)


And here's another one...

And Look! Lambs!


And what's this? Ok, it's not a lamb but it was cute.

We'll follow that up with 'distraction technique number 17': yarn Pr0n. This is some of the yarn I dyed for a knitting class taught last saturday in Fonda. 4oz balls of worsted 4ply wool, I assimilated had 6 new/newish knitters! Fun was had by all, they are knitting hats.

Ok. You there! Back to work.

Winter 2008 Newsletter

Vancalcar Acres - Winter 2008 Newsletter

It’s March now, and I like to imagine that winter is almost over, but when last week started out with a foot of new snow, and ended with another 8… well, it’s hard to imagine anything but snow. On the positive side of things, 3 lambs were born last Monday just before the storms – a set of twins and a single. The fact that all were born in the daytime, on dry hay bedding, in the sunshine with no wind means that 2 sheep have finally gotten their acts together on this farm, and we’re just hoping the rest follow suit. Or better yet, wait until spring like they’re supposed to, because we’re not supposed to be lambing in February. I say this every year, and every year we have at least one lamb born in February just so the fates can laugh at me.

On the fiber front, I wonder have you ever heard of the Yarn Harlot? Yes, I’m sure you have. In January, 3 days after I finally snuck my loom into the house and out of the freezing garage with big weav-ish plans… she blogged the Vintage sock kit. And by blog, I mean convince eleventy billion other knitters that they also needed to share in leaf-knitting. Life as we knew it around here ended. I called the mill to order more yarn, just in case. I mean, there wasn’t really a chance of running out of yarn, it was in the triple digits here in poundage but there were the new club kits coming up and it’s best to be prepared. And then in February, I realized, the poundage was now in the double digits and dwindling FAST. The Yarn Harlot officially broke the stash here, and we’ve run out of yarn. Oh, there are skeins here and I’m finishing off as many pending orders as possible, but for all intents & purposes, the cupboards are bare. I’ve called the mill, and begged and pleaded. They do not know who the Harlot is, and were not nearly as impressed with it all as I was. Barring my calling other companies and begging them to cancel their orders to move mine ahead in line, there is nothing to do but wait. I should have yarn the 2nd week in March and I’ll probably be heavily sedated by then with anxiety and frustration.
Besides that, there are several wonderful new things planned for when the yarn DOES arrive. Obviously, filling all the pending orders if the first priority. After that, the first club kit Firebird gets prettied up and sent out the door, and then Cleopatra is released on the world. She is the first club kit from last year, and a beauty. A pattern called ‘Afterthought’ is all but printed, Swan Lake is being tested out (felted boot – how cool), and there are several new colorways I’m dyeing to release (get it? Dyeing?). End of March for the new colors is the goal, we’ll see how it goes what with sleeping and eating interrupting me now & then.
On the family front, don’t tell anyone but we seem to have gotten a complete month’s worth free of colds. Husband is the one who broke the record by bringing home the flu the last Friday in February, and he was sequestered in his room, hibernating for a week. There is not enough hand sanitizer in the world to make me feel completely safe, it’s as if he’s got bubonic or something.
I think that sums things up for now. There are a couple of farm & family related issues that I’m not ready mentally to let loose on the world, some changes around here that have left me wondering a lot about priorities and choices. With everything else going on and as busy as I’ve been, I haven’t been able to concentrate on those things right now and so, we’ll let things ruminate in my mind as I come to grips with a new reality. A good one, to be sure, but different from what I had come to expect.

Thanks for sharing time with us,

Eric, Jennifer and Nora Vancalcar

NOT what I had planned for today.

There were a ton of kits I had wanted to get mailed out today. A ton.

For some reason, I couldn't seem to get anything finished today. I didn't waste time knitting, I didn't watch tv, or read a book, or sleep in, or watch a movie....

But I DID take a walk through the pasture this morning. I'm not completely certain, but I think this is what caused my problems today. Yes, now that I think about it, I'm pretty sure that the pasture walk was definately the root of my lack of completed and mailed kits today.

First, I found these:

Then, when I went back out to bring them in the space in the barn I'd made for them, I found THIS:

Frankly, I'm afraid to go out again.

Out the Door.

Both Roxie and myself, actually.

Roxie in all her infamous glory went out the door Thursday, along with goodies, as the last official 2007 FlockSock Sock Club.

I followed shortly after, for a brief visit to 'the city', staying on Lisa's proverbial couch as it were. I am here officially, to deliver awesome grassfed meats to equally awesome customers in the city. I brought the snow with me from upstate, and with about 3 inches of snow on everything here, at 8am Friday morning I was brought back to consciousness by the sound of a snowmobile. They are a bit desperate for snow here I guess, cause his tracks cleared what little of it there was off the road in his wake. By noon, the plow truck came by actually plowing water. Interesting. Oh well.

Friday marks the first day since the Yarn Harlot did this where I did not dye any yarn at all. Not for lack of trying mind you. As I added bin after container after bucket of stuff for the husband to load in the car, he began to have suspicions that I was not, as stated, 'done' putting stuff by the door when he was not looking. When he noticed the bags of undyed yarn and the bin with dye and spoon (rabbitch, please not the singular of this word).... well, he drew the line. After much discussion and debate about the remaining and pending orders, customers waiting, lives hanging in the balance (ok, maybe that was a bit extreme), he finally won the argument with this one:

"You know what will happen. You'll start dyeing yarn, the 2 of you will start yakking and giggling, you'll FORGET about the yarn and completely RUIN the color you were aiming for and you don't have time for mistakes... blah blah blah."

For the record? Lisa and I do NOT giggle. Cackle maybe, but NOT giggle.

Sniff.

I consoled myself with instead bringing all of the yarn that IS dyed and ready to mail out, which is going out today. So while I'm not actually dyeing any yarn for more consecutive hours than I can even think about (I get a little anxious when I think about it - kind of a precursor to withdrawal I think)... please note that I am being productive on ya'll's behalf. (Yes it's a word. Go visit Texas if you have any doubts.)

My daughter helped me pack, and she reminded me to bring my camera (what a good little blogger), and gave me this so that I would not be lonely and so I would have something to protect my suitcase and clothes from bad guys. (Don't let the pansy colors or the strawberry tattoo fool you. This is really one wicked guard-pony.)

She also gave me a picture of her from the fridge collection, so I would "not forget what she looks like" she says.

The forced moratorium on dyeing any yarn is giving me the time to update the info on club members for the 2008 FlockSock Sock Club, and some other paperwork-ish duties I've been neglecting.

I DID bring knitting, but for some reason, can't bring myself to do more than look at it. I like the project (scarf in a simple wave stitch), I like the yarn (undyed bulky aran-style wool), I am PLANNING the color (it's undyed as I plan to dye it after it's knit), but I think that I feel like it's for 'when everything else is caught up' and so I keep leaving it upstairs. Of course, with this bizarre thought process it will never be finished... oh well. Off to pack up kits to take over to Lisa's post office, which also seems rather bizarre to me. (She mailed me the patterns from this post office, I drove them back here and assembled kits, and mailed them AGAIN from the same post office... weird.)

We interrupt this broadcast....

"...for a critical 'where's waldo' type scenario - especially if you live in Augusta Georga:"

Florie R. in Augusta GA - - Please call me back!!

Florie is a wonderful knitter in Augusta GA who meets with other wondeful knitters at the local library. They told her all about us over here at chez Vintage and we had a wonderful phone chat when she called me. Now, she says she's not online and so I'm looking for other knitters in Augusta to help me find her. If you'd please have her give me a call ASAP, that would be WONDERFUL. Otherwise, you'll find me calling every library in Augusta, and I don't even know when they meet.

---

"And now, back to your regularly scheduled broadcast"

It's almost to late!

... to get in on the club, that is.

Here's a hint:

If you haven't heard from me yet regarding your club membership and you've paid for a spot - your in like Flynn. (Bet you didn't know Flynn was a knitter, eh?) I'll have a welcome note out to you in a couple of days.

If you mailed in payment via check/money order, please email me to make sure I have a way to contact you other than just dropping kits out of the blue on you, via the USPS. There are contests & stuff and I'd hate to see you miss them! If your PLANNING to mail me payment via check/money order, let me know asap so I can pin a name to the board for you here.

Yes, I'm still mailing out kits that you wonderful knitters have ordered. Yes (Colleen) I'm still spinning 'the yarn' as it's known by around here.

Talk about your black hole...

Stephanie mentioned a time loop phenomenon happening with her totally AWESOME Vintage socks. Most knitters have experienced the Black Hole of Knitting during a project where you knit forever and accomplish NOTHING. And then there's that hidey spot in the universe, where the dpns and tape measures go, and sometimes they show up in interesting places giving rise to many theories like elves, gnomes, fairies, and (my favorite) matter-transport as seen in Star Trek (oh I'm waitin' for the day).

A similar thing is going on here, having to do with packages. I dye the yarn, I skein the yarn, I address envelopes and pack the kits, I stuff the envelopes, I take BAGS of packages to the post office (hi Dave the postmaster!), and I deliver them into the waiting hands of the Post Office, U.S. style. I mail between 15 and 25 packages a day on most days. The phenomenon? You still don't have your kit/yarn/package!

If your still waiting, I'm still packing/shipping packages. I appreciate your patience. Yarn for the 101Kits and the Fiber Festival came in, and I've been catching up those.

Some Updates:

• Roxie, the last kit of the 2007 FlockSock Sock Club (please refrain from looking at your datebook) is getting ready to ship, along with goodies.
• The first kit of the 2008 club is in the works.
• Cleopatra is on the horizon as the first kit released this year from last year's club kits.
• I think the new-for-Valentine's Day colorway is going to have to wait until March :-)
• As soon as they get that matter-transport thing working, your packages will arrive WAY faster. Tell your congressman to get crackin on funding that one, eh?
• On March 10th, after all the kits are gone, and I've dyed a whack of that new Valentine-in-March colorway... I'm planning on taking a nap. I'm a little tired so mark your calendars cause I'm taking the phone off the hook for an hour or so.

So Close...

So Eric & I have been pretty focused lately on numbers. Specifically, the number of skeins of yarn yet to be dyed. We talk about it quite a bit I guess, because this morning before running off with dad to the Library, Nora left me this 'note'.
She told me "this is the number of yarns to dye while I'm gone."
"If you forget, you can look at it until I get home."

Here's the note:

Here's the couch:

She told me when she got home, that I didn't quite get enough done. Taskmaster, that one.

**If you are still waiting for your kit, I appreciate your patience! This past few days (and the current weekend), have been all about dyeing everything needed for the outstanding orders.

Assembly is the name of the game.

I know there's a title here somewhere...

Hi! I dyed almost 80 skeins of yarn today, how 'bout you? Yesterday's batch(es) are being (re)-skeined, and tomorrow's skeins are prepped & ready to hit the dye pots. Do you know that moment when you feel everything come together, and for one brief shining moment (I feel a show-tune coming on - Camelot here I come) you are one with the universe? Ya, it was a good day.



Tomorrow is a holiday at the post office, so I'll be packing up some eleventy-billion kits to go out bright & early Tuesday morning. I love hitting the post office with more packages than will fit in the building. The post office here is so small, that until the recent postage increase requiring weight AND measurements.... all he had was a scale. Nora loves that post office because she gets to put the stamps on - this place is so small they do not have anything automated. Once or twice I've sent out some hefty boxes. They looked like some old lady who'd been saving stamps finally mailed out that fruit cake she'd baked a billion years ago. Nothing says crazy lady like $17.00 in self-stick stamps covering 1/3rd of the package. (way to use up those .03 cent stamps, small-town postmaster.) If that was your package please know I'm not crazy. The postmaster is.

Good news on the Tsocks 101 Kit and the Fiber Festival Kit: New Base Yarn has been found! After much searching, swatching and testing, a new base yarn to replace the discontinued yarn has been ordered. If you've ordered either (or both) of those kits, the yarn will be here next week, and as soon as the paint's dry, so to speak, your kit will wing it's way to your door.

And look! The latest batch of sheep's milk soap is just about cured.

Ok, the last batch of yarn is done, and my 'break' is over!

update

I was all set to take pics of yarn today.... and the batteries are dead. For once, we can't blame Nora's Disney Princess Phone... They're in the charger now, but they take a few hours to charge (and I have GOT to remember to turn the camera off after downloading pics).
So in the meantime, just a quick update.

If you've purchased a sock kit or yarn, I'm working on it. It's going to take a few days to get all caught up, but since the dye pots & I live in the same house.... well, let's just say it's more than a 9:00 to 5:00 job around here.

If you've joined the Club (all the cool kids are doing it ya know), expect to hear from me in a few days... still catching up and getting everyone in the database. There's still room... come sign up!

On the health front, we're still suffering a bit from lingering bronchitis & head colds here, and last night I almost had a bit of a panic attack because people, Nora SNEEZED. Twice. Never has such a small reaction to (hopefully) dust or other minor allergens caused such a reaction in me. Quick! Everyone have a zinc swab & some echinacea. Have a couple, and a glass of orange juice while your at it.

I have big plans to log on again tonite with pictures, when I take my next break from the dye pots and knock back another Emergen-C drink, we'll see (film at 11, don't ya know).

4.2 seconds allotted for blog post.

Ready? Go!

First, for those of you who participated in the recent Secret Santa Project, I'd like to thank you from the bottom of my heart, and I do, but she does it better:

"OMG! Thank you soooo much to anyone who may have contributed!
I am so excited and happy and CRYING!
You have no idea how much this just made my day!
You tell those folks that I LOVE THEM TOO!!! Thank you all so much, I can hardly take it all in!"

I think she's happy, don't you? Here's what we gave her:

There's just a WHACK of yarn there, from STR to alpaca, from lace to worsted. A lovely collection of Avon goodies. Gift cards from Target, Home Depot, and Meijer (that's a midwest grocery/everything chain. Those of you who've never been in one, don't know what your missing). Movies for the kids (and family) to enjoy, and what's that in the background? A digital camera! (I feel just like Bob Barker.)
For those of you who contributed via check or paypal, you helped purchase the grocery card at Meijer, as well as these items she'd been doing without (they shipped directly to her):
You guys are the best!

Now! On to new 'news'. Just as I begin to recover from bronchitis... Barely recovered enough to get up off the floor... but in time to hit the ground running:

In case you hadn't already heard, the Yarn Harlot is a leaf-lover. (No, that's not a new term for tree-hugger.) She picked up a Vintage Kit at Rhinebeck and has begun knitting.... leaves. Go see the wee things, I'll wait here.
Aren't they great? They are great. They are also the reason why I only have 4.2 seconds to blog this evening. I have to go dye leaf-yarn! Lots and lots of leaf-yarn. To go with lots and lots of Vintage Kits. So, the dye pots are dyeing, the skeins are drying, and the dyer is well... dyeing.

And it's a multi-tasking party over here:

**Note to Colleen: 2/3rds of the way through your yarn ma'm.
**Note to Holly: almost finished carding your fleece!
**Knittingfiddler: I have NOT forgotten your 'best socks ever' project that languishes here.
**Tsarina: 'hand' yarn, navy blue yarn, flames & stuff. ya, ya. It's on the list.
**Susan: Yarn Party custom colorway: Got it, you'll have it.
**JanetK: Your replacement contest winnings have not been forgotten, and we hates that they were lost. (To whoever at the post office has some lovely yarnz now, give em' back - they are not yurz.)

Anybody need anything else? Bring it on. I've got cold medicine and caffiene: I can take the pressure. (now if you'll excuse me, I need to go collapse in a heap and has anyone seen mommy's bottle of wine?)

Someone asked...

I was trying to tell someone recently about this picture, it used to be on the website a long time ago (in a galaxy... well, nevermind). Anyways, I found it stashed on the ol' desktop in the bedroom, so for a walk down memory lane... I give you the rams. Not the brightest, ok, well one of them is obviously smarter than the other, but rams none the less.

'the box' (and some yarn stuff)

Colleen has asked for an update - and while I WAS collating email addresses and putting together an email to the folks interested.... this is way easier. (DUH moment)

So, 'the box' has made huge progress here. A couple of Target gift cards have arrived to be stuffed in the box, and emails from 3 people that packages of goodies are on their way to me for the box, mailed out to me either yesterday or today.

Some of the cash donations thru paypal went to good use yesterday. Santa found out about a couple of things that had been long on a waiting list for her (score 1 for ebay) and they are on their way to her today, ahead of 'the box'. I don't want to spoil it for Santa and tell you what was purchased so you'll have to wait until after 'the box' and the wishlist items are received.

A check came in the mail that I've combined with other cash donated towards a gift card at the local grocery chain for the family. I grew up with this grocery chain and I'm here to tell you that it's not just food - it's pharmacy, clothing, housewares, you name it - it's there. And it's not wal-mart... This chain has had everything in their stores since before I was born (and we will not discuss that date any further). Anyways, a dollar goes a long way there and I'd love to see this amount doubled... right now it's at $75.00. You can paypal me funds at gwynivar @ hotmail dot com and put 'secret santa' in the comment/note/subject line.

Still waiting on some things coming in the mail that folks have emailed me they were sending. If you've mailed it to me, please let me know so I can anticipate things here. If you have not mailed it but still want to, get your keester to the Post Office asap. I'd like to get this box on it's way Jan. 2nd at the latest - depending on who emails me with cries of "It's on it's way!!".

**Very Important: If you commented that you wanted to participate but have not had a chat with me via email or Ravelry mail, you need to get in touch with me asap at jennifer @ nysfarm dot com. I have not ignored anyone, I simply could not find your email address thanks to the blogger system. There is still time to play your part as Santa for a family making ends meet - out of the string in her stash. Give me a shout!

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Yarn Stuff:

For xmas, I knit my MIL a scarf. Nora announced she wanted to dye it. And so, the scarf:

And then here's Nora getting ready to dye it....

And, the finished scarf (we won't discuss what time christmas eve this photo was taken):

Pat, Lisa, you'll please take note of a couple important things here. First and foremost, I FINISHED A PROJECT. Second, it even has design 'features' (not mistakes or 'bugs').

Big deal you say, it's a scarf! Ya, well, Pat & Lisa know that knitting hasn't EXACTLY been my forte lately. I've knit circular lace shawls on the fly in the past, but recently haven't been able to knit, well, anything without completely screwing it up so we're pretty pleased with the basics right now. So, if you'll excuse me, I've got an appt with an ice pack for the migraine. Ta for now!

The other side of the black hole.

Apparently, my house is the other side of the knitter's blackhole.

Could someone let The Harlot know that I found her tape measure? Thanks.