So Much to DO

So this is our first spring and summer in our new to us house.  I swore I would just care for the yard and manage what was there....but like usual I had to brighten it up and make it OURS.  So through the 98 degree days we have been having (only 80s this week thank God!) I managed to accomplish quite a bit in the garden:

New hosta bed under our pink dogwood, all moved from the back yard where we have a ton more....

Bee Balm (the bees and butterflies are happy)

Lavendar.  I hope I have better luck with it here...
.

Another new bed with plants sent to me by a friend in Massachusetts!  I think these hot days have been quite a shock for them.  Luckily we have full rain barrels....

LOVE this coreopsis.  I've been trying to keep natural dyeing in mind while planting....

Chocolate Mint sent to me from Texas!  (You'll notice its in a pot.  Learned my lesson years ago about the invasiveness of mint!!)

Echinacea (should be a good show next year) zinnias and dusty miller with some basil in between. (MMMMMMM  pesto!)

Our first tomato is almost ready!  Thanks Aline!!

Cascadian Hops.  The previous owners were homebrewers.  Greg packed up his homebrewing supplies when he bought his last guitar....his aunt wants to use the cones for baking bread and I am researching the dyeing possiblities for the vines.  One things for sure.  THE VINES ARE LETHAL.  The sticky spiney vines left bloody scars on the backs of my legs after a day of weeding.  Now I know.

Of course, in the evenings I found time to spin...Wensleydale from Flying Fibers in Pennsylvania.

And YES I have been throwing pots.  I have a few commissions that are ready to be bisque fired...

Below are some assorted farm style cereal bowls, slipped and painted and ready to go.

A herd of sheepy banks....

Full to the brim.  But I have two more small plates that I have to make room for....

I only have one table to work on in my studio, and a small one at that.  So my Dad and I came up with a plan, carried out by Dan the Handyman.

These two side by side shelves have become....

...a terrific canvas covered work surface!

Still have a long list of things to do this Summer....painting rooms in the house, new stock for my Etsy shop, preparations for the Fall Fiber Festival (I need to modify my show setup) three looms to warp, concerts to attend (The Decemberists, Gillian Welch and Ray LaMontagne to name a few!)

I'll be back!

Etsy. I've Done It.

It took ALOT of work...well sitting at the computer, cussing and carrying on....

But I have my store set up and stocked a bit.  From everything I have read it is better to add a few things over time rather than everything all once.

I have learned some things.

1.  I don't like taking pictures (I think I already knew this one.)

2.  If I wanted to take pictures I would have become a photographer.

3.  I don't like my camera.

4. My tripod is awful.

.......

I have been obsessing over the last week about making my store perfect.  The banner, the policies, how to do shipping, what to charge, THE PICTURES....

I finally realized I need to start somewhere.  So I have.

Next I need to figure out how to put the direct link in blogger.

Meanwhile.

Here's the LINK.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Struggling Photographer

So I've pulled out the lightbox and spent the last several hours taking pictures.....

I don't have the graduated black to white backdrop....so I have been using the gray.  Since my slipped pots don't seem to pop the way I would like...

...I have switched to the black.  I don't like that there is no shadow under the piece to ground it.  At least the pots themselves seem more prominent with the black.

I'm loath to admit that I still use the automatic setting on the camera and instead play with the light sources...I really need to find my manual and really learn how to take decent pictures.

These are much better then the ones I took a couple of years ago without a light box.

While I was struggling....

The mailman brought a parcel of Fall Fiber Festival brochures!  I am so excited to be a vendor there  this year!   

I also spent a couple hours painting a wall in my weaving studio in the basement.  I have some projects that I MUST get on the loom(s).  I have a plan for some woven goods for Fall as well.

At least the rain has stopped!!

Juniper Moon Spring Shearing Festival

What a great day.

So I have spent the last two months in my studio preparing for this event.

I had no idea how it would be.

But I knew that the people there would be wonderful....

and I was right.

(Sorry the pictures are only fair.  I just never seem to bring my REAL camera and it was very overcast all day.)

Daisy the minature donkey.  I want her.

These maremma guardian dogs were off duty for the big day.  They are such fantastic dogs with the flock!  But they were given the day off.

Ironically there are no pictures of the actual shearing going on!  For those, go to the

Juniper Moon Blog.

Why Do I DO This Every Year....

Maryland Sheep and Wool.  The biggest sheep and wool festival in the country.  (Though I hear Rhinebeck is moving up fast).  I go every year.  USUALLY I get there with my friend Lynette before they even open and we are DONE by 1.

This year Lynette had a family obligation so I tagged along with another friend Linda. We didn't arrive till 11:30.

The parking doesn't look so bad does it??

Except that was the OVERFLOW because of

THIS...

It was CRAZY crowded.  By the time we got through to the gate and I went off on my own it was just too tough to really shop.  So I visited my favorite vendors especially Flying Fibers.

Turns out I was in a Wensleydale mood!  Picked up some Jacob and a bit of weaving cotton.

Briefly met up with a gang from Ravelry's Juniper Moon Farm

(Where I had an attack of shyness, my friends forget that I start that way and struggle to be comfortable with a new bunch)

Was relieved to hang a bit with my old Fredericksburg Spinners and Weavers Guild buddies.

Ribbon fries and lemonade and we were out of there.

From now on it's the morning for me. The afternoon is for everyone else!

Here's the Answer!

Remember these?

Now they look like this!

Nekkid sheep banks!

They are looking fancier now.  (The OPPOSITE of shearing.) So will post pictures again when they are finished.

Did anyone guess right???

Patron Show Project Delivered

Hey all!  The big annual Patron Show at LibertyTown in Fredericksburg is coming up FAST! (The fast is in all caps for those of you still working on your pieces???)  Mine was delivered today:

(the other side)

(another view)

(more details...)

(the cow field)

I'm really pleased with how well they nest.  They seem a little primative to me...but I am beginning to think that maybe that is what comes naturally and that it works?

SO BUY A TICKET.

Everyone who buys a ticket is GUARANTEED a beautiful piece of art.  Maybe if you're REALLY lucky you will pick my set of bowls. :)