Flat Creek Wool and Pottery

Sheep photos

2012-02-13T15:05:00.003-05:00

It's been so long since I've posted pictures of sheep, it might seem as though we don't have sheep anymore! It's been hard to get out to get pics of them, and I had forgot how much time I used to spend trying to get good pictures. You can tell by these pictures, that this was a very quick photo session. We have 39 sheep right now, with possibly a few more on the way this spring.

above: Sweet Carlie.
Below: Lil friend.
Little Brown ewe. She doesn't have a name.. there are a few lambs that were sold, but never left here, so they didn't get named. I guess we need to come up with names for these gals -since they've been here nearly a year now. They deserve names.

This little lambs name is "carlies lamb"

Girlie:

These are the two new ewes we bought last fall. Daphne is in the corner with part of her face chopped off in the photo (great photography, huh?) And the other gal - well she's really one of my favorite ewes but I just can't remember what we named her! I'll get her a "HELLO, MY NAME IS_____" tag if I can come up with the name. My mind really is shot these days. I'm hoping it's just the lack of sleep.

This is another little ewe i didn't anticipate being here this winter, so she is lacking a name as well. I am going to have to get creative with naming sheep here.. or maybe buy a baby names book. Wow, that will get the family talking.

And Petey... he was going to leave us in the fall (to visit the butcher) but it's just been bad timing on our part.. when we were ready to take him, it was deer season - and lately, there's just been other things coming up. I was worried he would lose weight when the grass declined and we started feeding hay full time - yet, from the photo, he's either eating ok, or bloated. Maybe it's my camera? I sure don't remember him looking this wide, and one would think that would be noticeable?? Note to self, just in case it's the camera, I sure don't want to have my picture taken with it!

NOT another unfinished project..?

2012-02-13T13:06:00.003-05:00

Oh YES IT IS! lol. I could spend a year just finishing up different thoughts and little ideas and projects around here.. and here's another example.

This is an idea that I knew I wouldn't be able to complete for a while (because I haven't found the glaze that I have in mind for it). I went ahead and started it, because if I didn't do it while it was fresh on my mind it would get pushed to that "i thought of doing that" pile.

This is an attempt to carve lil Wyatt onto a handmade tile. The original photo that I used, he was about a year old and had a blade of grass in his mouth. Well.. that ended up looking like a cigarette, so that didn't stay. It was a fun little project to sculpt/carve, but I really need to take a class or read a book on sculpting the mouth and eyes.. I had fun with the rest of it though.

Meanwhile, I'm looking for a glaze recipe that will have the look of something like bronze. When it's glazed, I'd like to make somewhat of a simple shadowbox style frame (without glass) to mount the tile to.

I need to focus on a few things, and not be so scattered with things i want to do, but there's just so many things you can do with clay! (and wool...) I just can't seem to stay focused!

Good news though - I'll be opening the kiln today, and the projects in it are completed..

Thank goodness.

A Shepherd's Cartoon

2012-02-03T02:01:00.003-05:00

The caption is a little hard to read - "yes, I have a 2 o'clock footbath"

Woolworking Cabinet & Carding Station

2012-01-29T13:18:00.003-05:00

This woolworking cabinet and carding station was something I drew up a while back and Jack made from wood he had down in the shop. It still needs to be painted, and it needs doors, but meanwhile I went ahead and started using it. (He's building a house right now..lol) Thinking of painting it with some sheep on either the top, or the doors.. something fun.

The cabinet is on rollers, so it's easy to move around (even though it's quite big) The carder is on a sliding shelf and it works nicely to card wool right there on the shelf while sitting in a chair next to it. I originally thought I would just store it on this shelf, and wanted the shelf to slide out so that the carder could be picked up easier and be placed on the top of the cabinet, but found that it's really more comfortable to sit and card the wool than to stand.

I would like to make one up that is just for a carder. I would put a drawer with sliders on it on the bottom to store wool that's being worked up in. Also, a thin drawer on the top to hold carding tools might be nice as well. The spinning wheel in this one, really was the motivation for a cabinet to begin with. (since i have a little boy that likes to pull on the spring, etc.. thought it would be nice to house it out of sight when not in use!) It's still in sight at the moment.

More Wool Experimenting

2012-01-26T12:41:00.008-05:00

I am forever looking for ways to use up wool here..

Our former church goes to India every year and they take little dollies that are made and donated . I initially thought I would just be stuffing the dolls, (wool -of course) but when I was given a link to the pattern it looked simple enough. To think that some of the recipients may have never had a doll, or may never, was great motivation to make as many as possible before the deadline.

Even greater motivation was knowing that there would be a translator there to tell the girls the simple gospel message. The dolls were 2 sided, with a sad face on one side that represents life before Christ,

and a happy face on the other that represents the change that He can make in your life.

So that was the motivation behind the dolls, but the other advantages are that I'm 4 pounds lighter! (wool only..lol) And another advantage was getting to experiment with making dollie hair. The hair on these dolls were made from washed Icelandic lamb locks. They were made by taking a strip of black wet felted wool and the wool was needle felted onto the strip a layer at a time starting at the bottom working toward the top. (I used a strip of felted wool, but only because the doll had a face on both sides.. if the doll wasn't dual faced, i would have used a base the shape of a little cap to fit their head) Initially I was hand sewing the hair onto the dolls, but finished the last few by spraying Super 77 glue onto the back of the strip. It worked really great, much quicker than sewing and it was a good bond, but just had to be careful not to get any overspray of the glue on the hair. I'd like to experiment more with using wool for doll hair. If anyone has any experience they'd like to share.. . tips appreciated! :) Meanwhile, here in the upcoming months I'll be looking forward to starting dolls for next year- and hope to not be so 'last minute' finishing them this next time around!

Saturday Morning Doughnuts

2012-01-08T14:26:00.003-05:00

Here's a little recipe that we've been enjoying here lately. They are doughnut drops and they are really quick and easy. The recipe makes more than this.. someone must have ate a few before the pic was taken! ?

1-1/2 c flour if using self rising flour, omit baking powder and salt.

1/2 c sugar

1-1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

2/3 cup milk

1 Tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

Mix dry ingredients - add remaining ingredients and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened.

Heat shortening to 365 degrees. (i use an old iron skillet with at least an inch of melted shortening)

Drop the mix by the teaspoon into the hot oil -and cook 2 to 2-1/2 minutes, turning occasionally. Drain on paper towels or a rack. Once slightly cooled, roll in cinnamon sugar. powdered sugar, plain sugar, or serve plain

Cream, Sugar, and a lil Fiber

2012-01-02T02:03:00.004-05:00

You know, I hate to waste anything.

(my mind being the exception to that rule)

This mug here was on its way to the recycle bucket. I had distorted the inside of the mug where the handle attached and it really didn't seem to be salvageable. I started to layer clay up on the inside of the mug where the problem was and thought maybe I should just put a sheep there instead.

For some reason I have an image of a sheep in my head that's stuck in a bag of wool with it's arms and legs coming out the top and an expression of "get me out of here!" on it's face. With that in mind (i don't know why it was there to begin with), but I thought I'd switch the thought up a bit and try it on a mug instead. This is slightly different in that the "bag of wool sheep" wants out, this sheep seems fairly content. She seems here more the girl along the edge of the pool... just kicking her feet, relaxing, and enjoying the warm water.

Fantastic Fiber Book

2011-12-27T10:20:00.002-05:00

Just wanted to share this book that I received, Fiber Gathering. This is such a neat book. This book takes you to 10 of the top fiber festivals in the states, and gives a few photos and beautiful descriptions of each (and trust me, if you don't already attend, you'll be convinced you'll want to make a way to fit them on the calendar!) I want to go to all of them now! But wait, there's more.

There are lots of inspiring knit & crochet project instructions, such as sweaters, socks, scarves and mittens.

The book also includes really great instructions on "how to skirt a fleece", and "washing a fleece" "dyeing multicolored yarn" "andean plying" "spinning for speed" (in case you wish to enter the competition at the Tennessee state fair spinning competition!) "making a spindle from a knitting needle and a potato" and "making knitting needles using dowels, sandpaper and beads" "rug hooking" and even more.

I don't know how they managed to get so much information packed in this book! Yet, it was put together well and it is a book that I will greatly enjoy curling up with this winter while I plan my festival calendar for the upcoming year. (ok, I doubt I'll be able to travel this year, but someday)

An update

2011-12-19T17:20:00.007-05:00

Wasn't I just blogging about how long it takes to sometimes finish a piece of pottery here? Well, that piece took 5 years to get glazed. This one, I couldn't believe it was all the way back in January that I posted about making it! That's nearly a year to get it glazed, but I guess it beats 5 years. (actually, this was glazed in October.. so that's not too bad, right?)

This is my second sculpture. (I was thinking it was my first, but I just remembered that I made a sculpture of Christ holding a lamb that I gave away) It is made from stoneware clay, fired and glazed. I have several ideas in mind for future sculptures, all in the theme of "Sheep Chores". I think I'll call this one "Getting to know the sheep".

Any shepherd knows an important aspect of caring for sheep, is knowing the sheep.

"The more you understand about their behavior, the easier it will be for you to spot problems" - Storey's Guide to Raising Sheep

As you can see though, getting to know the sheep really isn't a "chore", but a special time between sheep and shepherd.

"Make Do" Niddy Noddy

2011-12-16T12:54:00.006-05:00

For the longest time, I've been meaning to pick up, or order a niddy noddy. I have just been spinning for personal use, so my hand to elbow has been a substitute for the n.n. We had a few pieces of wood down in the shop that was left over from ripping down some boards and I thought it was worth a try.. scrap wood and 2 screws, what was there to lose? I cut the 2 ends to the same length and left the center piece as it was. If I was to be technical, I would have measured it to a length that would work out easy to calculate the yardage by the wraps, but ...ok, i didn't.

I'm just wondering now why I wrapped yarn hand to elbow all this time? The n.n. would be more comfortable if I rounded the edges in the center, but until I find that niddy noddy that I just can't live without, this one will do!

It certainly helped to make a nicer looking skein than my arm winding did!

How long does it take to glaze a pot?

2011-12-15T02:21:00.002-05:00

Jimminy Christmas. I made this pot back when I was first learning to make pottery - the date on the bottom is February of 2007. (and it just got glazed a couple of days ago!) So, I guess the answer to how long it takes? Right now, up to 5 years.

I guess I waited so long because I didn't know what glaze would be best for the design. Some glazes are applied so thick that the design can get lost, so I guess I was waiting for the right glaze. As it turned out, I mixed up a new glaze to try - one I had never even sampled, and I glazed half a kiln load of pots. (risky, but I was just tired of looking at all the unglazed pots on the shelf!)I really like the new glaze and don't know if i could have found a better glaze for this particular pot, so this pot has a happy ending.
This pot on the other hand I left bare. It's dated January of 2007. Again, soon to be another 5 year old pot.

I don't really get attached to my own pottery, but this vase is one of two pieces that I've made that I think I'd like to hang onto. I made this just a few months after I started in pottery. (back when I was trying different shapes, and experimenting) For some reason, I have a hard time reproducing this shape? Anyways, I have yet to find a glaze that I think would work on this piece. At one point, it was going to be a copper red, but that glaze is too thick. I'm leaning toward the new denim blue that is on the iris pot, but we'll see... it's sort of ridiculous to put this much thought into it. Maybe something will come up in the next 5 years!

(anyone else have projects that sit around this long unfinished?)

Double Blessing

2011-12-12T21:51:00.003-05:00

Today was a beautiful day.

My friend Donna offered to watch Wyatt for me today as an early Christmas present. How nice was that? Priceless. (not that I needed to get away from my lil guy, but I did have some things that needed tending to) So a welcomed Christmas gift that was.

The second blessing of the day was the incredible sunshine.

I needed to fire the kiln again today. I did a glaze firing last week (i glazed outdoors in 29 degree temperatures - not complaining, yet theres a possibility that the pots were very uncomfortable! I wondered if the glaze would freeze before it hit the pots, but all was well) The firing was successful with the exception of an element coming loose and the bottom shelf of pots in the kiln did not fire properly. Fortunately, things like that can be corrected by running them thru the kiln again, which brings us to today. In order to fire the kiln again, I needed to glaze a few more pots to fire along with the underfired - well today was just a perfect day for being outside glazing pots!

Sunshine on my face, I soaked it up. Sunshine drying the pots as I sprayed them - they were soaking it up too.

Just a perfect day.

New Designs

2011-12-06T16:00:00.005-05:00

Sending thanks out to Kelly at http://mainelyewesfarm.blogspot.com/
and Christine at http://frontporchindiana.blogspot.com/ for submitting great photos and the opportunity to try something new! (and for the permission to reuse the designs!) I am excited to see how the designs turn out on the mugs. (they're in the kiln now, and will be glazed tomorrow)

I watched a show the other day on PBS where a lady would make animals out of gourds and she said sometimes she would get ideas while she slept. I thought that was funny, then last night while sleeping, I saw an ornament made from clay hanging on a tree that was an icelandic ram head - semi/side view. Even while I was dreaming i thought "here's an idea while i sleep..this is awesome" So I guess I need to get a good head shot of Leroy (because the ornament looked like him) Oh goodness, I have a list of things that I need to catch up on, but I'd better sketch this one out before it's forgotton. (or quite possibly, I might need to take a break from pottery?)

Happy Birthday

2011-12-05T22:05:00.002-05:00

Dear Wyatt, Happy Birthday to you!

Wow- 2 already.
Looks like someone might have got into the cake too before the candles were blown out! We had a great day, and hope his birthday was the best to date. Of course, we had cake and ice cream after lunch, and we wrapped up the day with a trip to the zoo with friends to see the festival of lights.

(hm, those lights make my hair look gray)

I have been noticing that Wyatt will address everyone by name now - Daddy is "Da'e" or "jack" papaw is "paw" but he's only said Ma, or Mom when he was fussing, and that happened some time back. (not that he hasn't fussed recently) Well.. this picture, when he saw it downloaded on the computer, I got a solid "mom"! So.. Of course, I had to hear it again and again... "who is that?" "who is that?"

His birthday was special for us, and hope it was for him as well.

New addition

2011-12-01T09:55:00.005-05:00

We had a new calf born last Saturday. This is the 2nd calf we've had born here - the last one was over a year ago and we have one more cow due any day now. Aren't baby calves beautiful?

We borrowed a black angus from a neighbor, but a red bull from another neighbor was in our yard a lot just prior to that... hm... lil calf, who's yo daddy?

(i know now to write down dates of when we turn a bull in, and when a bull is just roaming... not that it's a big deal .. it would be if we had stray rams running the neighborhood though! Our sheep are the only sheep that run loose in these parts)

Looks like we had a good frost / freeze last night. The ground was just covered with white this morning. (Sara, is this the freeze you've been hoping for?)

Bet the boys (most of them) are glad they missed their fall shearing!

Rough Sketch..

2011-11-28T00:25:00.001-05:00

Ok, so this is 'off' a little, in more ways than one. (one?) But this is "the n'ewed beach"

A Zig Wig

2011-11-22T10:46:00.005-05:00

Whenever I start to work with a different fleece, that fleece becomes my favorite.. lately, the Ziggy fleece is my favorite! Working with his wool, I really want to make dolls - and use this for their hair. I pulled apart this section, and wondered what it would look like on my head? no photo available on that.. but here's the zig wig:
I spun a small amount of his wool for a scarf and even looking at the yarn, I want to use IT for doll hair too!

My after Christmas project is going to be making little dolls for girls in India. The pattern is on-line, and they are simple little dolls. I have lots of wool set aside for stuffing and - of course, their hair! The little dolls will either get this "doll making" idea out of my head, or it will really give me the bug for it!

But not today.. today: pottery. Focus. Focus.

Custom Pottery Offer

2011-11-18T10:20:00.008-05:00

I don't advertise special orders, because my time-line is terrible on getting them out. (and if you've asked for something other than what I have listed on my site, you know how true that is!)

I have been needing to explore new designs to add to the pottery, but it seems to get pushed further and further down the list.

I recently got a request to do angora goat mugs. (ok, so it was July - thanks for being so patient Devon!) I am working on getting those mugs ready along with a few other special orders so they will be ready for Christmas. I will need to make several pots in order to fill the kiln and while I can fill it with ewenice mugs and yarn bowls and a few personal Christmas gifts, I wanted to open a time of custom orders for my readers if anyone was interested.

So what's the deal? I will design a mug for you based on a photo you send, with no design charge - the mugs will be priced the same as the ewenice and sheep mugs (20.00 plus actual shipping charges). I am open to doing any kind of animal - cat, dog, alpaca, goat, elephant, ? (you never know) etc, and of course, your favorite sheep! (I only ask that I have permission to use the design that is created for future use on pottery) I am also open to designing barns/houses/church/buildings, etc. for the mugs too.

Also, with any custom order, Christmas ornaments of that same design can be made for 10.00 (a few bucks savings from what the sheep ornaments sell for on the site)

If you are interested, just email a photo of the subject to flatcreekwoolandpottery@gmail.com along with the size of the mug you would like, glaze color, and any other specific requests on the mug (thin lip, heavy, lightweight, 8 ounce 12 ounce, etc) and I will be in touch with you.
(currently I am using 3 different glazes -a gray/brown, blue and a gray/brown that is oversprayed with blue. You can see examples of these at http://flatcreekwoolandpottery.com/potterymugs.html

In order to have the pottery made/fired/glazed and fired again - then shipped in time for the holidays, I will need to put a deadline of Monday morning, November 21 on the offer.

Hope everyone is doing well and gearing up for the holidays! I am in awe at how fast the year passes - and I wonder - do I still have time to meet my resolutions I made for the "new year" ? Maybe I'll just wait on it and put it towards the next one coming up!

It's a process..

2011-11-17T11:10:00.004-05:00

Over the last 4 years, I have really come to appreciate what all goes into caring for sheep and harvesting their product. (isn't wool amazing?)

My goal is to offer exceptional raw fleeces. The first couple of years, the challenge was vm and cleaning the pastures. Oh, and shearing.. yes, that was a big challenge. (not only for the first year..lol) Even though we've continued to expand the pastures, the vm this year was not a big issue. The shearing was much easier this year - teetering on the "i enjoyed it" stage.

I feel better about getting the fleece off with minimum stress on the sheep and myself. Still need a little improving on the second cuts, but that's getting better with practice. We had some really nice fleeces this fall, and a couple of fleeces that seemed to have lived in the holler'. I can't quite figure how one sheep can get matted and filthy while the sheep that lays next to them stays as clean as a show sheep! I had one fleece (from our moorit ewe Sierra) that her belly wool looked and felt like the wool off of a lambs back - I didn't separate her belly wool because it was just too soft and beautiful to toss aside.

But this next picture is the delima for some of our fleeces this year - gummy tips. I've only noticed it on a couple of the fleeces, and I'm looking for advice if anyone has some "gum free tips" for me! I sheared the ewes after they lambed this year and as their fleeces started growing, I noticed these gummy tips. I am thinking that maybe i sheared too early? Possibly before their seasonal wool-break? (however, it didn't seem to early to be shearing.. May?)

So.. I spent a few hours picking the tips off of Alice's fleece.. and by the time I did that, I was invested! I was looking forward to washing and carding and spinning her fleece myself... I still have a lot of wool to skirt, and I'm hoping that i don't get attached to all of them!

Product tester

2011-10-29T05:33:00.005-04:00

I was trying to get a few pictures of new mugs for etsy listings when I had a helper arrive on the scene...

I guess calling them 'sheep mugs' really does have a double meaning.

Zig and Henry

2011-10-22T23:13:00.008-04:00

It's quite a chore to get a good picture of these guys.. and as you can see, I still have some work to do! (since the best picture i could get has a wire running thru it) But this is Zig (left) and Henry - twin brothers, both sporting their summer fleeces.

Zig really is a calm and gentle ram. When the others want to butt and bully around, he is just off to the side. (Him and Joe.. neither one likes to get involved in disputes) I told Zig he looked a little mean in the pose, and for him to just let his personality shine thru....

Then I got this....

No.. that's not quite that either.. Zig is really sweet, but these pictures just don't describe him well. Maybe it's because he doesn't smile much.

Henry on the other hand, well.. this picture fits him.

These boys have the thickest, richest thel coat. (the undercoat) Their wool last year, as yearlings, made such nice rovings, that i'm looking forward to seeing how the wool from them works up this year!

I'm hoping, that with all the thel they produce, to separate some of the thel from the tog (the outer coat of wool) and felt just the thel to see how that will work up.

I made a cobweb felted scarf a few days ago from last years fleece (Ziggy's) and as far as the experimenting is going here, this is my favorite yet. I am still working on the scarves - learning what works.. what doesn't. This one needs to be felted more. I'm finding that with the layers being so thin, it takes a lot longer to felt than if they were solid, thicker layers.

This scarf took less than 1.5 ounces. It is light, yet, when wrapped around my neck, (or the neck of a headless form) it's a nice shade of warm.
And hey- the dyes I ordered just came in! I am really excited to try handpainting the scarves.. yet, I have promised myself I won't get the dyes out until things get a little more caught up around here! One thing (well...30) at a time.. dyes will put me over the limit, but it's great motivation to knock a few other things out of the to do category.

Val

2011-10-20T22:15:00.006-04:00

Here's a fairly recent photo of our new ram, Val. He, much like Leroy doesn't mind having his picture taken. Several weeks ago, I was making a poster for the wool festival to advertise icelandic sheep in my booth and I had Val in mind - he was so patient allowing me to take a lot of photos, and he seemed to pose for each picture!

We'll be using Val with the majority of the ewes this year. He is a young ram (from this spring) yet he seems to be up for the job. When we put him in with the girls, he went up and introduced himself to them all. I hope his recent shearing hasn't effected his confidence. I'm hoping the girls haven't laughed at him - he looks so much different without his wool. He's still beautiful, but he is looking more like a lamb than he did with all the wool. (some of the older girls might feel a little funny about it?)

I suppose we will assign someone the job of clean-up ram later in the year, (something i need to be thinking about) just in case some of the girls think he's too young.

Leroy

2011-10-20T15:22:00.005-04:00

Leroy, Whatcha gonna do with all that wool? (rather, what am I going to do with all your wool?)

I am somewhat of a "collector of rams" - We seemed to have an abundance of ram lambs born here the first two years and I didn't send any of them away, so here we are. They're not any trouble though- we keep them in a separate pasture than the ewes, and they just hang out producing fiber.

As you can see, he's somewhat proud, and likes to have his picture taken. When all the other sheep are busy with heads on the ground, Leroy notices the camera and he will stand still with a pose because he knows my camera takes a minute to focus!

If only they were all this easy to get photos of! Our new ram Val is much like Leroy with the camera, and then there's Lambie that loves to have her picture taken, but the rest? For the most part, not so much

Cobweb Felting

2011-10-19T12:55:00.007-04:00

We had a great time at the Kentucky Wool Festival this year. In the sheep & wool tent, we each demonstrate a fiber related skill - from carding, to spinning, knitting, weaving, and much more. My demonstration was wet felting. I have so much to learn about wet felting, but the basics of it are really simple: Wool + Soapy Water + Agitation = felt. I was motivated to try new projects while at the wool festival, so I made a little goal to experiment more with purses, and scarves using the wet felting technique.

I was particulary inspired by a small sample of merino that I wet felted at the festival. It felted with such thin layers and draped so nicely. I wanted to try this with our icelandic lamb roving. (after all, we get a good deal on icelandic wool.. a little grass, little hay in exchange for the wool, and not to mention, we have a good deal of it - especially now that it's shearing time!)

This is what came from that experiment -

This scarf was made by layering very thin layers of roving and felting using soap and water. The wool was from a moorit badgerface lamb. The scarf draped nicely, like I had hoped and was soft to the touch. There were a few places on the scarf that were very thin -almost holes, so I went on-line to research scarf making and was surprised to learn that this style of felting actually has it's own name- Cobweb Felting. It is intended to be very thin, sometimes with some holes even!

I am looking forward to felting more scarves using this method, and have ordered some dyes to experiment with hand dyeing the scarves also after they are made. There are just so many things that you can make with wool (and other natural fibers) and so many different techniques to try!

Sir Charles

2011-09-07T10:45:00.003-04:00

This is one of our new additions here, Sir Charles. His given name Charlie being already taken here, we modified his name a bit, and just call him Sir. He's an icelandic/Border Leicester cross. I've been waiting for one of those pictures that show his personality - like him reaching out to accept a kiss from a little boy that's reaching for him..but this lil guy said he's too busy for posing, he's got work to do.

Maybe another day.

Wyatt, How'd you get that bump on your head?

2011-08-26T00:09:00.004-04:00

Could it be from trying to do something like this while Mom wasn't looking?

Who is watching you anyways?

I needed to check a few lambs today to see if they needed worming, and Wyatt insisted he'd rather go to the field than sit in the truck and watch a DVD. (educational of course) oh no, wait.. it was the cartoon about the fish, so scratch that "educational".. it would have served a purpose though - like keeping him safe while I checked the lambs. I was attempting to catch the lambs where they were resting in the shade, and while I had little success, I turned around and saw that Wyatt wasn't having trouble catching sheep! Fortunately, Roxy is a sweet sheep and didn't jump and run with him on her back. (likely giving him a matching shiner on the other side)

Thanks Roxy for taking care of lil guy.

All this dirt...

2011-08-19T09:41:00.005-04:00

All this dirt, and so little time to play in it!

Footers are in, gravel is scattered.. basement walls and slab coming soon. (we were bumped back a little, but sounds like they'll be here next week now to do that.)

Meanwhile, we're working to catch up on some projects that need to be finished outside of our place - drywall, tile, beadboard ceilings...

And sheep! Wyatt and I picked up our new sheep from M&K Farms this week! We'll have them out on pasture soon, but here are a few 'barn shots' of the new additions.

This is daphne, a moorit mouflon.

Below here is Val, ram lamb and a gray moorit ewe lamb.

I really like Val and glad we chose him. Although it was a tough decision - H&K had so many nice lambs to choose from!

Not pictured here is Sir Charles. Charlie is his given name, but since we already have a Charlie (a sign we already have too many rams.. duplicating names..lol) we've renamed the new Charlie, "Sir Charles" and we call him "Sir". He's an Icelandic Border liecester cross and he's just something. (Thanks Mary Anne, we just love him!) He was raised on a bottle and he loves attention. I will post some photos of Sir when we get him out on the pasture (if i can get far enough away from him to take a photo)

Wyatt, what do you think of your new sheep?

He is becoming quite the helper around here! From shutting the sheep in the lot for the evening (even if it's not time) and watering and feeding the sheep, he was even helping stack wood last night. (not that we've given a 20 month old chores, he has just jumped in to help..) At this age, i'm sure this all looks like fun.

And well, it is! Isn't it?

Glorious weather

2011-08-12T10:35:00.003-04:00

The heat spell that went through was-well, just - hot! These past few days have been so beautiful! It's hard to believe that fall is just around the corner.

Things have been busy around here, like everywhere. The big hole in the ground is still a big hole in the ground. They are coming Monday to start on the footers/ foundation and we should have a basement in the ground by this time next week.. meanwhile, I need to get a load of pottery glazed, some wool washed, and several miscellaneous projects finished. Looking forward to wrapping up all those loose ends and fraying some new ones with the next project.

Hope everyone is being blessed with cool breezes this week!

The Sheep and the how they're dealing with the heat..

2011-08-01T07:51:00.005-04:00

Well this is how they're beating the heat -- they have an area in their lot that is low lying and it catches the breeze if there is any.
Considering the extreme heat we've been having - and the number of days it's been here, they're doing fairly well.
Our mouflon ram lamb has had a spell with it, but he seems to be pulling thru. I've said if he survived the treatment, he'll do well. He had quite a few shots - mostly vitamins, iron, but along with worming, I gave him a copper drench. He also seemed to be getting summer pneumonia, he had a bit of a rattle in his cough, so he got a few shots for that as well. I'm not a big believer in giving everything you got in the cabinet - but he was pretty bad, and felt the situation called for it! It's been a week, and he's still eating, and getting around, so I think he'll be fine.

The other lambs have been holding up pretty good.

Here's a couple of lamb pics: This is Iced Mocha, ram lamb

and Le Ann's ewe lamb

Sweet Miss Ellie

and our lil friend

While we're all coping with the heat, a break in the weather would be welcomed!

I Take It Back..

2011-08-01T07:30:00.003-04:00

What I said about LeRoy, and "I doubt he'll try that again" ? Ok, I take it all back.

I went over to the barn yesterday, and there was under the wagon.. same spot.

I thought from this angle, he might be starting to bloat? Or maybe it's just the angle..

I got him out and he's looking at me as I'm walking away - as if to say "as soon as you're out of sight... I'm going back to my spot!" (notice Virgil under the wagon too... there really is a fan going in the barn, but I guess nothing compares to laying under the wagon!)

Just one of the many reasons I'm crazy..

2011-07-31T01:51:00.005-04:00

about Jack!

Despite the long hours he puts in at work, and all the other work he has going on when he gets home, and elsewhere- he's never too busy to stop and play.

He's a great guy.

A great Dad.

And a great husband.

A New Project...

2011-07-31T01:08:00.005-04:00

Today was our "groundbreaking" day on getting started on our house. We had planned to build several years ago, but we built a shop first, and along the way during that project we built living quarters in the upstairs. Then.. we were going to start a house. However, we've been cozy and content ever since, and just hadn't been real motivated to leap into building a house after we finished the shop. (and I say we, meaning not just Jack and I, but my Dad, my brother, friends.. a lot of people fit into that "we".. there were a lot of people that helped us along.. a tremendous amount of help!)

We have come to the point though, where we need more space - Wyatt needs his own room! We love where we live now, but it's becoming a necessary. So, all that being said, this is where we're building our house. (it's just beyond our shop/apartment) Unfortunately, those trees there in the front had to be cut down to accommodate an electric line/pole.

We hate to cut down living trees, but really didn't have any other options that were feesible. We will miss those trees, but will replace them with smaller ones in a different area that will hopefully someday reach those heights!

I'm sure the sheep will miss them too, but at the time this pic was taken, that's not what was on their minds. Starting a chainsaw up around here is like ringing a dinner bell.. they came from all corners of the pasture to see what we were trimming, and to see if there was anything in it for them!

There was. With that done, (yet not completely finished.. as there is still wood split, laying everywhere! Not to mention some branches remaining in the sheep pen.. ) but today was the day our excavator was scheduled to dig the basement. It went great -

and we have a hole in the ground!

It will be an on-going project, building this house.. and we cant even begin to have an idea of when we'll be finished, but we're getting started, and we're excited to be at this point.

Hey! Someone get me out of here!

2011-07-31T00:51:00.003-04:00

Today was a full schedule, but nearing the end of the day, I noticed that LeRoy wasn't out grazing with the other boys. Which.. is unusual. The boys are in a separate lot from the girls, and it's fairly easy to find them - if they're not in the lot, they're in the barn. (unlike the ewe pen where you have to go up and down seven hills to find one of them that is coincidentally hiding on the other side of the barn) So, with all the heat, I thought i'd better just check the barn to make sure LeRoy was ok. There's a fan running in the barn, so I just assumed he stayed behind to have full access to the fan! Well.. along the way, I saw a big hind end under our wagon that is parked outside the barn. The boys sometimes lay under the wagon, so I wasn't overly concerned at first, but then I noticed he wasn't moving.

That's because he didn't have room to move! How in the world he got wedged in here, I'll never know. Le Roy had got himself trapped under the axle on the wagon - literally, with no room to spare. The wagon has a load of barn siding/metal on it and the back tires are flat, but they were flat before he got under there, so it's a wonder that he got there, but it was a bit of a wonder that we were able to get him out too. Jack had to "jack" up the wagon and I was on the pulling end. Free at last!

I doubt he'll try that again.

Disclaimer: I didn't leave him to go and get the camera..(lol) that would've been dirty. Of all things, Jack was watching Wyatt at the moment and I had my camera to take a few pictures of the rams while I had free hands.. who knew this is what I'd come back with.

Owen County Fan Fair

2011-07-12T11:02:00.007-04:00

I mentioned in my last post that I stopped by the OCFF on the way home from "sheep shopping'' - and.. I did a little more shopping there:

(and I say I don't like to shop..lol) This painting was painted in acrylics by Ron Devore. I met Mr. Devore 3 years ago when I set up at the Owen County Arts in the Park. He had a painting of dairy cows out in a grassy field with the barn back in the distance.. I've thought about that painting so much over the past few years, that when I saw this one, I didn't go home to think about it! Here's a little bit of a close up on the details of his artwork. He is currently painting a series of paintings - the barn quilts of Owen County. (Kentucky) He painted 2 pictures of this barn - the barn quilt was on the other side of the barn. It is a beautiful painting as well, but I liked this view of the barn. It's more "lived in". The side with the quilt faced the road and did not have cattle tromping in front of it - the grass was all green in front of the barn.. freshly mowed. You know this side of the barn is being used- and I love it.

I was a bit sad to learn that he doesn't always record/photograph his work, and several of his barn quilt paintings have already sold. I inquired about the possibility of displaying his work on a website for others outside of our area to see and appreciate. If that works out, I will be posting a link. His work really is something to see!

Another great find of the day was.... pottery!
This is by Heartsong Pottery - by Gail Herrington of Owen County, Ky.

She was set up with another local potter and they had such beautiful pottery .. I thought of starting my Christmas shopping, but then.. wait, I have just the place for these pieces!

I love these pieces. Someone once asked me if I use my own pottery. I guess it's not good advertisement to say "no" but.. in all honesty, I prefer other potters work. I know what goes into a piece, and when i look at my work, I think of the night I stayed up pulling handles, or glazing them outside when snow was blowing in the barn and my fingers were freezing! You get the idea. I display someone elses pottery in my home and I look at it and remember the day Wyatt and I went shopping for sheep and we stopped by the art fair. I am then freed up to just enjoy the piece and it's beauty. (with no thoughts of sleepless nights and freezing fingers!)

There are such wonderful artists all around us.

A New Ram

2011-07-09T11:27:00.007-04:00

We were looking to add a new ram to our flock this year, and we feel this ram lamb will just the right addition to our flock! I have to say though, the decision wasn't easy.

In addition to great fleece and conformation, we were also looking to add pattern to our flock.

This guy - currently known as 476 looks to be a gray moorit (with a double gray gene) (thanks to everyone who has had a hand in helping to decipher this!) I'll know more about what his pattern is when lambs hit the ground, but we're really looking forward to the 2012 lambs.

We will also be using our mouflon ram lamb as well as ziggy, or moorit ram, this breeding season.

476 was one of a triplet of 3 ram lambs. Just to give you an idea of how hard the decision was, just look at his brothers:

and that's not to count the other ram lambs there to choose from! This beautiful gray moorit has a fleece that just glistens..and the spotted ram? goodness, i need to quit looking at these pictures because i want them all. (Jack is supportive of this venture, but he might not be if I bought 3 or more rams at once! lol) These rams, along with other wonderful Icelandic lambs, are available at H&K farms - located in Pleasureville, KY.

We also purchased a gray moorit ewe lamb and a moorit mouflon ewe that we are excited to bring home. (and Sir Charles.. I can't wait to show you Sir Charles, an icelandic/border leicester cross)

It was a great day visiting H&K farm and then, to top the day off, Wyatt and I stopped by the Owen County Fan Fair - a new event in a nearby county to welcome Nascar fans. There were local artists, and potters.. and a big inflatable bouncy house for Wyatt! I did a little shopping there too! (pictures coming... I love local art)

I'd better stay home for a while now.

Little Ewenice, Big City (part 2)

2011-06-24T07:11:00.005-04:00

It's been a few months since I posted about the exciting trip that Ewenice was taking. I had hoped she would write, or send a post card sooner, but I was just glad to hear she was safe, and having a good time. She sent this to share:

She is having a great time! She said she made this sign in hopes of getting on the Good Morning America show. Yet, she kept getting pushed to the back of the herd. (She said it was much like trying to get to the grain pan in the ram pen.) So, that didn't work out so well for her, but she said it's been quite an adventure.

She is currentnly staying in Kewe Gardens, which is a short ride on the Qewe10 bus to the subway that takes her into the city. (where she grazes in Central Park) She said the grass is good there, and the night life? Well, she's never seen anything like it!

But it hasn't been all play and grazing, (she had her lamb while away you know) and she's had a little work to do, and she writes that it went really well, and it has all been an experience of a lifetime!

So that's her message, that all is well. It's funny that the postcard came the same day (yesterday) that I was in the store and picked up the latest copy of Vogue Knitting.

I knew there was a possibility that the work she was up there to do might end up in the
"What's new, what's now, what's next in knitting" section of the early fall issue, but I was pleasantly surprised and delighted to see that it's on the newsstands already!

Ewenice is pictured on the far right, 3rd row down. Bewelah is pictured 3rd over on the top row. (Ewenice was a bit miffed that Bewelah was asked to go as well, but what she doesn't know, is Bewelah is actually the one that got the invitation - and "she" was the one to tag along - just don't let that get back to her, ok?)

All that being said, I'm a little behind on updating my website! I've been adding new things to the pottery section of the FCW&P site, and working on the on-line shop at etsy. It was on the list to have completed by "early fall" but it's been moved up to.... "now".

Sending out thanks to Faith Hale for the invitation to display my mugs in her article - what an honor. Thank you. (I hope Ewenice has been on her best behavior, and hasn't been much trouble)

Lambs

2011-06-23T07:36:00.006-04:00

It's been a while since I've posted, mostly because it is hard to get pictures of the sheep these days, and my ramblings need pictures!

I was able to get a few shots yesterday of the lambs, and wanted to share those shots.

#44 - Yes, I know - how impersonal. We've always named them, but this year -it just hasn't happened. There are a few with names - like this guy below:

He's "lambies rammie" but then again, so was the ram she had last year..

She's looking as if to say "every time i get up he does this! it's wearing me out."

Myrtle on the other hand is asking "when is this little piggy going to the market?"

This is our yearling "lil friend" She's not as friendly as the name implies - but she was a great friend to the little "broken leg lamb" last year when we had to keep her separated from the group. Lil Friend took up with her, even though that meant sleeping in a cage at night.

By the way - Didi (broken leg lamb) healed up from her surgeries so well, you can not tell she ever had a problem! (much thanks and gratefulness to the great care she received at Carroll County Animal Clinic - they were so wonderful with her. She seemed to rather enjoy getting in the truck and making the trip every time we went - probably because she got so much good and healing treatment there. Not to mention, all the attention) She has a little lamb of her own now. (I'll add those pictures in an upcoming post)

Back to lambs.. this is the mouflon ewe

And her brother:

I need to update my website - he is for sale, but we are going to use him to breed our 3 yearlings this coming breeding season.

And # 41.

It's been a great lambing season- and it's been so much easier to work the lambs this year than in previous years. This is the first year I've been able to get the girls in the barn on a regular basis. We haven't had that barn too long and when we were in the "old barn" - the rams were in the same pen, and the ewes knew they wouldn't get any grain anyways with the boys there, so why bother following me to the barn? We've kept the rams separate so that we can let Wyatt play while I'm checking on the sheep, and we couldn't do that with rams around. Anyways, it's worked out for the best. It's an ever evolving journey here with the sheep, and it takes a while to learn what works. Finally, it's a journey that doesn't seem to be uphill all the time.

Great Time at the Ky Fiber Festival!

2011-05-26T19:08:00.008-04:00

Unfortunately, I don't have photos to back up my story, but the Ky Sheep and Fiber Festival was wonderful!

So many people have given of their time and energy to put together a wonderful show, and their efforts were successful!

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to say hello! It was great meeting new sheep and fiber folks, and so great to see familiar folks too!

Several people asked where my lil guy was, and him being almost a year and 1/2 already, we thought it would be best if he stayed home with Dad. I can only imagine how exciting a wool festival, with all the tempting wool, and goods within his reach.. it might have been hard to keep up with him, and hard to keep him out of trouble! But here's a little photo update on him. We were trying to get a few photos of lambs to put a list of available lambs together (we've almost got that ready, so if you were on the list, we'll be sending that in the next couple of days!) The lambs weren't easy to photograph, they were all either eating, or being chased...

Boy's best friend

Ky Fiber Festival

2011-05-14T13:21:00.004-04:00

Ready or not... here it comes!

www.kentuckysheepandfiber.com

There are pots in the kiln still, and several ideas that haven't surfaced, but here is a few of the new items that I'll be bringing this year.

Ewenice is not pictured here (she's in the kiln) It's been hard with all her jet setting to get her pinned down on a mug, but good news - amidst all the excitement, she had her lamb! We plan to bring Ewenice and baby to the festival as well.

I'm looking forward to the festival, and hope to see you there!

Still waiting...

2011-05-10T22:50:00.005-04:00

we are still waiting on 4 ewes to lamb (5 if you count Ewenice) The lambs are growing fast! Time is just moving right along. We have 16 lambs - 8 ewe lambs and 8 rams - all out of Andy, our moorit ram that was sold in December. After he left our farm, we put Ziggy in with the girls, so the remaining 4 ewes were bred to Ziggy - we're looking forward to seeing his lambs.

This is LeRoy... no real reason he's in this post, other than he was posing for a picture as I was trying to get a pic of one of the other fellas... If we could only eat our lambs, I think this guy would be a great sire for meat lambs. We haven't used him as a ram, but maybe next year we might use him to breed a few of the ewes. (if not, why are we keeping him again? oh it's something about the way he runs up to us and turns his head sideways and says "what's up" when we go out in the pasture. Yes, he's figured me out)
ok, lambs.. these aren't the newest pictures, but they are a little more recent than the last ones posted.

This is our moorit ewe, cheyenne with her babies. This isn't a great picture of Cheyenne, but as soon as I get a better one, I will be listing her and one of our other ewes on the website. I've had people ask if we had adult ewes available, and up to this point, we haven't... but then came shearing time. She's a good ewe, she's just a little much for me to try to shear. She's strong.. lots of muscle and she just won't settle down during shearing at all. Thought it was just me, but she fought our shearer that we hired too. (probably has something to do with the year I was learning how to shear..) (i didn't cut her or anything, but it was surely tramatic for her just the same)

Iced Mocha.. does he remind you of the bernstein bears? For some reason, I think of that when i see his pic.. maybe it's that smile?

And dear Alice. She's our non-trusting wild girl. Not so much as 'ewes gone wild' kind of wild, but she is just very leery of us. As wild as she is, you'd think she'd be a handful to work with. However, if I can get 'trick' her into the barn, she's the easiest to work with of any! She sits still for her shearing, while the tamest of them kick and squirm the whole way. Isn't she a pretty ewe? Nice girl Alice.

And since i haven't been posting more regularly, here's our weather. It's definitely "mud boot" season! This is a lot that the cows are in, so it's one you could easily lose a mud boot in. I don't mean to complain about the rain, but i have to say it's the first time i've heard the slugs and snails complaining about having too much rain.

And my little guy... I sure thought he would be a baby just a little longer than it's been. I look at him every day and just wonder how he got so big - so fast!

Eweniversity sports

2011-04-28T10:05:00.001-04:00

A Few More Lambs..

2011-04-20T03:16:00.005-04:00

and a few more pictures.

The last post ended with Myrtle, so I'll start with her... this is her little guy. 1/2 icelandic, 1/2 ? non icelandic. The little brown ram is not hers, he's just trying to sneak a little milk. He must think she'd never notice a little milk missing.

this is a little better pic of her guy, isn't he cute?

this little ram lamb is 1/4 shetland and 3/4 icelandic. We bought 2 icelandic / shetland crossed ewe lambs last year and this is the first lamb borm from them... can't wait to see what the other ewe comes up with! (i don't think she could top this little fella)

another picture of the mouflon ewe.. same lamb as on the last post, just a little older

What a little character. We might have another 'ziggy' on our hands. This guy loves a face rub. He'll put his head on your shoulder and fall right to sleep.

and his sister.

There's several more out there that haven't had their pics taken yet.. we're up to 15 lambs, with several more looking like they will lamb any day now!

Happy Spring!

Lambs

2011-04-10T17:53:00.005-04:00

We had the first of our lambs earlier this month. I was anticipating late March, and the first ones arrived on the evening of the 1st of April.

We have 4 ewe lambs and 1 little ram. That'll be great if they keep coming 4 ewes to a ram!

These little mouflon twins were the first to arrive. This pic was taken a few hours after they were born. They're so active jumping around, it's hard to get a pic of them now! Plus, it would be easier to get a picture if I could set Wyatt down, but with the protective mothers, we've learned that is not an option. So, pictures are going to be limited to just what we can get. It doesn't help that my camera is acting up either! I'm having a hard time getting it to focus.. arh.

we've been putting the lambs up in the barn for just a few days when the lambs are born. We generally leave them on the pasture, but i'm shearing them as they have their babies... and keeping them in the barn for a few extra days just to make sure all is going well with them.

This is Josie's little girl. I should say big girl. Josie has twinned every year, but this year she 'singled' with this big beautiful girl.

These 2 belong to Delilah.. they're sweet. Not that i can catch them now, but when they were in the barn.. they were pretty friendly.

And of course, my helper in training! He's having fun. (well, except for the protective mother stuff... we bring the lambs to the other side of the gate now)

Meanwhile, the others are enjoying the sunshine, the green grass and the breeze... waiting for their time.

Except maybe Myrtle:

What's that Myrtle? I can't hear you.

"""I SAID SHEAR ME!!"""

"""HEAR ME?""""

"SSSHHHHEEEAAAAARRRRR ME!"

Oh, yes, now that you said it slower, and louder, I get it.

That was kinda creepy!

In the absence of a better title...

2011-04-01T00:31:00.005-04:00

Is this the same ram that drives the 'Ewe Haul' truck?

Looks like it from here... must be his day off.

The Self Reliant Spinner

2011-03-23T21:04:00.000-04:00

Little Ewenice, Big City!

2011-03-23T01:59:00.004-04:00

Ewenice has packed her box and is headed to New York City!

She was thrilled when I told her she was invited, but when I told her exactly where in the city she was going, her eyes got big, and her wool stood on end. (Just as though she had exclamation points following her) !! She turned pale and said that now -she really had nothing appropriate to wear!

(this from a ewe that didn't pack a swimsuit KNOWING she was going to California. Imagine my surprise when I heard she was on the beach... a N'ewe'd beach, no less. Talk about a postcard in need of censorship.)

(photo removed due to content)

I told her more important than what she's going to wear, she needed to think about staying out of trouble... and, taking it easy! She is due to lamb here in a few months. (another story.. one of a fence climbing ewe.. well.. you get the picture)

She's actually going to be doing some work while she's in the city. This trip could be a big break for her, but I'm just hoping she has a good trip, and gets there safe. (traveling in a postal box should well prepare her for the NYC taxicabs.. You've not had an exciting ride until you've tried that!)

It might be a few months before we hear back from her, but I'll post more about the assignment she's on when she checks in and there's more to tell..

The Era Following The Pony Express

2011-03-18T22:41:00.003-04:00

A pot here...

2011-03-10T01:03:00.004-05:00

and a pot there..

It's definitely not been a quick process.. I have been working 3rd shift, well, potting 3rd shift. Not every night of course, but just here and there I'm making pots between the hours of midnight and 6am. I decorate them during the day while Wyatt is awake, but the pots are made while he's sleeping.

I have been working with the white clay, and sgraffito designs. I plan to switch back over to the brown clay here in the next 2 weeks. (Ewenice clay) All the tools, pottery wheel, sponges, wedging board...etc.. everything has to be cleaned thoroughly to use the white clay, so I'm trying to make an abundance of white clay items before I bring out the brown clay again. I am almost out of mugs on my website, so I'm trying to make several of each design so that I can have a good assortment on there, as well as a nice display for the fiber festival that is quickly approaching. The above design is a new one. Very similar to the "ewenited we stand" , but without the wording. I like the simplicity of this one. For whatever reason, I think of Charlie's angels when i see this one. Maybe i'll call it Charile's Ewes? (no, nevermind.. someone might think i'm meaning - sheen..baah! )
(And Alice, if you're reading this, you won't believe it... but I'm making plates. Well, ok, saucers. lol. )

I have another sketch that i'm working up of a postal worker. Ewe.S.Postal worker of course. I probably won't put it on the mugs, but I think they might find their way on some envelopes just for fun.

A Little Helper

2011-02-19T21:22:00.002-05:00

But a huge help!

I've been unable to do much of anything this week (i thought i could lift something that my back couldn't) Jack has been wonderful about taking over the sheep chores, and Wyatt has jumped right in too! Plus, it's given Wyatt a good reason to get out on his tractor! (He won't be "old" enough for it until this time next year..but who goes by the recommended ages on the label? )

Boy that was fun!

It was a beautiful week, and looks like we're in for more nice weather this coming week! How nice it is to open the door and hear birds chirping. Winter is so quiet, but it sounds like spring out there. (and feeling like it too!)

Wool art and projects?

2011-02-14T20:15:00.004-05:00

Does anyone have any icelandic wool projects they'd like to share photos of?

I have added a page to my website and would love to post your project / projects along with a link to your website, or blog, etc.

Thanks!

http://flatcreekwoolandpottery.com/icelandicfiberart.html

They say it's better to give than recieve

2011-02-10T23:54:00.002-05:00

I say "that's not always true"

Our friend Donna Perkins painted this beautiful portrait of Wyatt and gave it to him as a gift. What a talent! Thanks for sharing your talent with us Donna!

The Sign Read "9 Weeks Til Spring"

2011-01-30T07:03:00.003-05:00

I was driving into town last week and passing by a Nursery, I noticed a sign that was advertising to many, the hope of warmer weather, birds chirping, and plans of gardening projects. What I got from the sign was a touch of panic - 9 weeks? !! I still have a lot of winter projects to do!!

I think we're down to 8 weeks now. (just in case you have a lot of winter projects to finish up as well)

I am looking forward to spring, but have to admit, I am enjoying winter. Hope you are as well!

I'm Out Of Wool!

2011-01-06T02:13:00.005-05:00

Well, not exactly. I don't think the wool well will ever run dry. What I'm actually out of is washed wool to card. It is the goal for the winter to wash up and card all of the fleeces. (yes, it would be so much more practical to send it out, but for now, I'm enjoying processing it here) SO.... with wool drying on the shelf, and having stated my excuse for not carding wool today, I experimented with clay instead.

(i say experiment, because so many times, i have no idea what I'm doing, but I had in mind to try a sculpture today)

I have been adding pages to our website, and when I came across this picture the other day of Carlie it reminded me of how sweet she is and how much i would enjoy sitting out in the field with her. She was sweet from the time she was born, so it is just in her personality. Many times I would go out to check on the sheep and sit down in the field for a minute and here comes Carlie. She would sit down right next to me and put her head on my leg and close her eyes. She is a 1/2 sister to Ziggy, Didi, and Roxy - who also seem to have a "sweet gene."

So thinking back on summer days and hanging out with Carlie, this is what came out of the clay.

This is what I love about clay - this looks like just a lump of clay, but Carlie was in there all along! I just had to find her.

The piece still needs a lot of work, and who knows if it will ever make it to the kiln, but it was a fun experiment.

Latest Mug Design..

2011-01-05T01:50:00.002-05:00

Ewe.S.Military

Hey Guys!

2011-01-03T23:38:00.003-05:00

Where is everyone going?

The sheep seemed to be a bit leary of this guy. They've seen him plenty, but he must have looked different to them from this angle!

It was so warm last Friday when these pics were taken. (60's) It was fun to let Wyatt run around in the field - and it was great for me too, as I was able to take some pictures! It seems it's been a while since I've had the opportunity to have 2 hands free to hold a camera.

Oh wait, someone is going to be friendly. Yes, that's our Roxy. She's a sweet little ewe lamb.

We have a sale pending on the 6 ewe lambs that were listed on our sale page, but this girl didn't make that list. We chose 3 lambs to keep from this years lambing and Roxy was so sweet, I hated to part with her.

Sadly, this pretty little lamb is one that will be leaving. Isn't that a sweet face?

And little Charolette, she will be moving on to another pasture too.

This is a picture of "the gang" that we are keeping. Roxy is the icelandic in the front middle. Her sister DiDi in the back right is the lamb that had a broken leg earlier in the year. She has healed so well, and runs and gallops with the rest of them! I have to say, our vet was amazing and so kind. He said that he wished all of his patients had the will to live that she had. She really was something. She was a good patient. Despite the broken leg, she seemed to enjoy her trips to the vet. She is back to being a sheep now. The little lamb on the left is her little friend, that we've renamed "lil friend". I kept her with DiDi for company the many, many weeks that DiDi had to be separated from everyone else. So... those are the lambs we're keeping. They're nice little ewes. And oh yes, the other characters in the picture...

that is Hickory and Hiccup. They came to stay with us back in the summer (and never went home) They were bottle lambs that our friends raised. They are probably some relation to our "myrtle" but we're not sure. They came from the same farm. They hang close to DiDi and the other 2 girls.

We enjoy all of the sheep here, and while we hate to see any of them leave, we're glad that they will be going to a good home.

Happy New Year

2011-01-01T08:04:00.003-05:00

Hope everyone had a great New Years Eve.

We rang in the new year here sleeping! Which, come to think of it is out of the ordinary for me to be asleep at that hour. so that was a party.

We have a winner for the giveaway! (thank you random.org for the number) The winner is Hidaway Farms Shetlands. I will be in touch with you to get your information. Thanks for playing!

Best wishes to you all for a great 2011!

Is It Winter Yet?

2010-12-30T00:42:00.002-05:00

The sheep don't seem to mind it much. They have a path carved out from one barn to another.

This snow has hung on for several days now, but it is raining out tonight and quickly melting. We're supposed to be up in the 50's this weekend, so I thought i had better take a couple of snow pictures - you know, just in case we don't get any more snow this year! :)

and oh yes, Wyatt says "howdy".

After Christmas Giveaway

2010-12-25T17:24:00.004-05:00

Merry Christmas! Hoping everyone is having a great holiday.

The day and season may be coming to an end, but the giving isn't over. I'm giving away a mug of choice. Below are a couple of examples, but the mugs that you have to choose from can be found at http://www.flatcreekwoolandpottery.com/potterymugs.html

Just leave your name or a comment below and on New Years Day, I will log onto a website that will randomly pick a number and I will post the winner then.

Merry Christmas

2010-12-24T01:44:00.002-05:00

A gift from God - A gift sent down,

He came to save the lost.

Christ was born in a humble manger,

but he died nailed to a cross.

This sacrifice becomes salvation,

for all who will believe.

Not just an "I know" in our heads -

but from our heart, a trust that's deep.

The cost to us of this gift?
Well, it's totally free!

But like any other gift that's given,

it's one we must receive.

Our wish to you this season,

is for the joy that's spoke of in His Word.

And that we share this gift with others,

for some have never heard.

Merry Christmas.

Rosco

2010-12-16T20:57:00.001-05:00

2010-12-09T02:45:00.005-05:00

I love this time of year. The water spigot at the sheep pen is frozen, a trailer load of wood needs to be brought up at least once if not twice a week... feeding hay and carrying water now to 3 different lots for the sheep.. if it sounds like i'm complaining, it's just coming across wrong. I do love it. I didn't get out to do the feeding tonight until after midnight and it was well over an hour before all was done, but while i was out there I wondered what was wrong with me, and why was i enjoying it so much?

I think a big part of it is that the sheep seem to be a little more gentle this time of year. (ok, they're hungry) In the spring , summer and fall, a large group of them don't want to have much to do with us, and just seem quite unappreciative. They won't dare be caught in the barn.. they have plenty of grass and are just fine. Actually, a few of them are quite snobby! However, this time of year, they seem to appreciate the care they are given. Oh, makes it all worth while. Well, if they would start paying for their keep it would make it all worth while.. just kidding.

All that being said, there are drawbacks here to the cold. One, it's a bit cold for Wyatt to play outside. (not to say we won't be sledding down hills when the conditions are right) But the other drawback right now is getting pottery glazed! (i do my glazing outside due to the health hazaards of spraying the materials indoors without the proper equipment) I fired the bisque firing on the pots i had been working on since the wool festival either last week or the week before (my memory is shot) and it's like getting the stars and the moon to line up to get them fired again. However - we'll have a heat wave Friday (40 degrees) and Wyatt is going to visit his Papaw and Momaw while I glaze. So.. if I'm making a special pot for you (or glazing a long overdue pot that got broke in transit.. Nancy knows what i'm talking about...by the way, she has the patience of Job! And Alice - so do you! I have some pots in there for you too! lol) But anyways, next week - Glaze firing! Come rain, sleet or snow ... (i think they're forcasting all the above! but not Friday :) )

Here's how the latest mug design turned out. I'd like to have something "catchy" to call it besides "the shear shop" but.. my mind's shot at the moment. I do have one other new design that's on a mug now but I'll need to wait a couple of months to share it. I think it's a funny one, but .. again, it could be that my mind is shot. (i'll give a hint though: it has something to do with the "ewe.s.military" )

ok.. so, what have Wyatt and I been doing during the day when it's too cold to go outside? (Wyatt will tell you it's going to be a really long winter) We've been making stockings from wool.

These stockings are wet felted in one piece and without any seams.

They are made to have shape and be somewhat rounded even when they are empty. Not that stockings should ever be empty.

Notice Mildred here eyeing this one - she's certain it's her wool because she is the only black and white sheep we have. However Mildred, it was made from Carlie and Cody. Maybe next time.

Hope everyone is having a great winter. Oh wait, it's still Fall, isn't it?

Little Guy

2010-12-06T01:42:00.002-05:00

Little Wyatt turned 1 last week. What a wonderful year we've had.

Rough sketch...

2010-11-22T20:42:00.002-05:00

October and November..

2010-11-15T10:32:00.004-05:00

Goodness, where does the time go? The month of October was over in a flash, and November seems to be clicking along at a similar pace.

October was the month for our fall shearing. I was really hoping to get started in September, but was probably lucky to get them sheared in October. It's not an organized shearing where they are all put up and sheared in a few hours.. it's a month long process. A sheep here - and a sheep there. I think 5 sheared in one day was the record. I've heard some shear more than 100 a day, but it will never be a goal of mine. Shearing went pretty well, other than near the end... my toughest girl was on the shearing board and my clippers started to short out - argh! She's a fighter to begin with and she's just hard to settle down - so to have her nearly controlled and the shears not work was really aggravating! And to turn her loose half sheared wouldn't have been appropriate (although it has happened before)

this was her first shearing back a couple of years ago- and my first attempt at shearing. Is it any wonder she is a fighter now?

On a positive note, I called Oster and explained the problem i was having and they sent out a replacement cord - i was impressed with their customer service.

So with 'most' of the sheep sheared, it was time to get back to pottery.

It took a while to get back into the swing of things. A lot of pots were made and soon tossed - because I couldn't trim them in time and they would dry out - argh! But not all is lost.. they will be recycled into another pot.

I hope to fire the kiln later this week. It's full of special requests, orders, and a few new things too.

I don't know if you noticed, but Ewenice was getting pretty big! Here, I thought it was a grazing and grain issue.. what was I thinking? She is actually not due until spring.. looking at the calendar, I'm thinking it will be in May.

This little ornament I'm hoping will be ready next week. I was trying to design an ornament that looked a little more like a suffolk, and Susy here was what came out of the clay. She'll be made from white stoneware clay and will have handpainted black legs and face, and a little red on the hat.

When I can't get down to the pottery room, I've been enjoying working with the wool, and have been experimenting with the "fulling" felting process. I'm excited about a few new projects and will share results when they are finished.

I've been picking thru wool from our Henry - which is a yearling icelandic ram. It is on the drying shelf and the carder is standing by.

We have 3 yearlings that was sired by our moorit ram Andy. Henry and Ziggy are 2 of the 3 and after going thru their wool, I am looking forward to our next crop of lambs as Andy is the flock sire this season. He will then be moving on to another flock. We've enjoyed having Andy here,
he's been a good ram with such a laid back personality.

Thanks Andy!

Shearing TIme Again

2010-10-08T18:07:00.007-04:00

Where does the time go? October is shearing time for our Icelandics, and although I was going to start in September this year, here it is - October already.

Virgil was the first to step up to the shearing board, and he was a breeze to shear. He must have been ready to shed this wool - and with the heat we're having this week, I don't blame him. The ones to follow weren't quite as cooperative, but understandably so. I'm just hoping that no one saw me trying to hang on to Joe as he tried to get away mid shearing... (no one besides Wyatt anyways.. he giggled - and I think I did too at the thought of what it must have looked like) we both were on the ground, and both were kicking our legs. Joe is gentle, he was just uncomfortable :) I think i was too. Needless to say, Joe's wool didn't come off in one pretty blanket - it was a little stretched out. lol.

Virgil was voted least likely to survive or thrive last year, but we think he has turned out beautifully. He seems to have grown horns overnight as well - beginning the spring a yearling with small scurrs? Is this the same guy? His wool turned out very nice as well.All in all, the shearing is going well - still have several to go, but I have to say it is so nice to see freshly shorn sheep out in the field!

Every little kid needs a swimming pool..

2010-10-07T02:25:00.004-04:00

Of Some Sort!

(photos were taken 2 weeks ago, when the weather was really warm ) :)

Yes.. I'm really behind on my pictures, and blogging.. in a few weeks I'll tell you how the wool festival went! lol. Actually it was a really nice time. For some great photos from the sheep and wool tent, visit http://kentuckysheepandwooltent.blogspot.com/

A few more sheep designs...

2010-09-14T00:45:00.002-04:00

It's hard to believe that it's fall - that it's dark at 8:30 now.. and that the wool festival is 2 short weeks away! I have a couple more days of making pots and I will be packing the clay away to move on to the firing and glazing.

This is a few designs that are currently on the drying shelf:

There's so many different pottery ideas that i'd like to try, that sometimes I have to remind myself to just focus so that I can finish what is in the works.. but I wonder if anyone has ever tried "sheep wool" pottery? (you know, like the horse hair pottery??) hmm.

focus.

All fired up..

2010-09-05T15:11:00.003-04:00

literally.. getting all 'fired up' for the Ky Wool Festival http://kywoolfest.org/ that is less than a month away. My pottery wheel had been out of commission for a time, but is all fixed and running better than it was before the lightning hit it! I can't say that "I'm" running any better, but it is. :)

I have a few new designs to bring to the festival - like the "day 6" mug here, In the works, is a "ewe haul", a knitting ewe, "work for weeds" "ewenited we stand" and a few others.

Along with the new designs , Ewenice will be coming along as well.

I'm looking forward to the Ky Wool Festival. The kiln is loaded, so the pots are on their way to getting fired up too. Hope to see you there!

Master Spinners

2010-08-29T01:26:00.002-04:00

These pictures were taken a couple of weeks ago, but I couldn't help but wonder at the time, if

spiders dread dewy mornings?

Summing up Summer

2010-08-08T18:40:00.003-04:00

where, oh where has the summer gone?

Vines growing up the garden tiller..i need say no more about that project..

Wyatt is getting around rather well (army crawling on his belly). He's pullling up on the coffee table, chairs and etc, so it's full-time keeping up with him at the moment.

We recently sold our goats.. seems they might have been the cause of a few sheep injuries here over the years. They weren't convicted of anything, just suspected. I think they might have found a nice new home with other goats - or possibly been eaten...

Meanwhile, we have a little lamb in need of a physical therapist. Somehow, her back leg was broken (appeared to have been butted.. but again, no arrests were made - all speculation)

The little lamb has recovered from the surgery, but is not able to stand or walk on her own. It's been 2 weeks and she has a follow up with the Dr tomorrow, we'll see what he thinks. Despite the injury, she seems to be enjoying a little (ok, a lot) of extra attention.

We have 2 new lambs - they are adorable - what little lamb isn't? (they were bottle lambs from another farm)

What else is new...My pottery wheel is not working! Lightning struck close a few days ago and the wheel was plugged in and hasn't worked since. (nor has the fence charger) But all is well.. and it's a great summer! Hope everyone is having a wonderful one as well.

Pottery photo shoot...

2010-07-08T17:31:00.006-04:00

I was trying to get a few good photos of some pots to post on the website, but it wasn't as easy as it sounds. The pots were reflecting the background, the sky, me... One after another I placed them on the fence post (the finest of pottery photos must include a fence post, right?), and one after another I had bad pictures!

There's so much reflection on this pot that it's hard to tell what the glaze looks like! I'm sure a class on photography, or even a book on the subject would be money well spent. (but for the time being - I'll keep experimenting)

Then I turned around to check on this sweet little guy that had been so patient as mom was trying to get something done and i realized that my camera had been pointed in the wrong direction.

This is what I should be taking pictures of!

He was quite tired, so we don't have any smiles, but sweet just the same.

much more cooperative than the pottery!

New Pots..

2010-06-27T17:16:00.004-04:00

The kiln was opened yesterday, and with a few exceptions, I was happy with the results. There was several new glazes in the kiln this time - like this clear glaze on the bewelah mugs and yarn bowls. This glaze did well as long as it wasn't applied too thick (then it got cloudy)

Above is the clear glaze over the white stoneware, and below is the same glaze over brown stoneware, which came out a nice tan color.

This is a glaze that I used a few times quite a while back called "ketchup red" I liked the way it turned out as well.
And this is an experiment of Ketchup red with a blue glaze sprayed over it. Some of this turned out ok, but some of the pots will be put in the "yard sale" box. lol. I've found that even the worst of glazes/pots are big hits at a yard sale! ? I liked how this one turned out though.

This mug was a little cloudy..
yard sale box!

I'll be adding the pots to my website within the next couple of days.

Thanks for stopping by!

The month of June

2010-06-24T06:33:00.005-04:00

Where has the month gone? I haven't posted to the blog since..goodness, early June, so I will try to get caught up here.

It seems like it's been a wet month with a lot of storms!

This storm came thru a week or so ago and brought the darkest clouds that I could remember. Fortunately there were not any funnel clouds.

Earlier that day...Fortunately, we didn't need all those wagons. Jack cut quite a bit of hay, but decided with storm clouds coming to roll bale quite a bit of it. So even with all the rain, we have been able to get some hay cut and put up.

No pictures yet, but I have been glazing pots. It's always been the most time consuming aspect of making pottery, but it has taken on a whole new meaning with a baby now. Even though the glazes are safe once they are fired, it's an entirely different story when they are being mixed, and when I am spraying the pots. I wear a respirator during the whole process, so it sure isn't something the baby can be around. Getting the pots glazed has been a struggle - but it's all downhill from here.

Speaking of struggle... the rams are all sheared (and it's almost July, why wouldn't they be??) Actually, they were sheared the last week of May and first week of June. That was a process as well.. one here, one there. For some reason I thought they would be easier to shear because they were so much bigger - seemed like they'd be easier to hold than some of the smaller sheep. And.. well, if it weren't for those horns, they might have been. I think I have figured out the shearing part now, but still need to work on how to get a good hold on them and keep it! (and need to work on those second cuts -arh) Oddly enough, despite the struggle with the rams, I enjoyed shearing the sheep this year.

This is Cody - he was a good sport and very cooperative with the shearing (and shearer). I've been taking pictures of the boys this month for the website. I finally put a website together. It has several "check back for updates" pages, but it has been published. Stop by and visit if you have a chance http://www.flatcreekwoolandpottery.com/

Andy..
and LeRoy.. I can't believe how much the sheep have grown the past couple of months! It's like there's a miracle gro out there in the pasture. And when I say "grown" - it's not just 'up'! Sometimes it's 'out'. So many of our ewes look like they're expecting again ...But maybe it's just the angle. They do say that the camera adds pounds.

Speaking of growing...

Wyatt just loves checking on the sheep. He loves to be outside and around all the animals.. and looks like they love it too. They keep coming back anyways, and we seldom have treats.
I love Rosco's eyes in the picture above.. he's saying "what about petting me Wyatt?"

ok.

Poor little guy has been sick this whole last week. Come to think of it, we've all been sick here within the last month. Isn't it June?

A brief "mutton bustin" lesson.

Well.. i think this brings us up to date!

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!

Myrtle

2010-06-04T11:44:00.003-04:00

Just wanted to share a few pictures of Myrtle. She is so full of personality. She's a year old now, but still jumps around and hops like a little lamb. She might not ever grow up and we're ok with that.

She had her first shearing recently, and what she was hoping for was "a little off the top and sides""this is not what I asked for!"
"does this new cut make my ears look big?" "um, well Myrtle...it makes your neck look small"

"Wyatt, it's me... Myrtle"

A Hero

2010-06-01T00:33:00.008-04:00

His letters made it home

But he didn't

He never married

Never knew the joy of having children of his own

He left home a young man to serve his country

He lost his life fighting a war

Freedom is not free

In Memory of a Hero

Opal C Atha

Just Catching Up

2010-05-24T10:04:00.004-04:00

Well it has been a week of catching up around here now that the fiber festival is over. I've actually been enjoying getting the house back in order. (if there ever was such a thing) What am I going to get into now?

Fiber! This is some beautiful Llama fiber that was sent to me from my friend Terese, over at Gizmo quilts http://gizmoquilts.blogspot.com/ I was thinking a hat with the darker fiber, but I'm not sure yet what I'd like to make from the brown fiber?

It is so soft and silky! I was thinking I'd like to spin it and make a lacy scarf with it. I haven't spun Llama before, do I need to spin it with another fiber, or can I spin it alone? I'm looking forward to this. Thanks Terese!

And did I tell you that we were getting more sheep? Oh, I may have hinted around about it here and there.. you know, with all that money we were saving using cloth diapers..lol. At the time, I really was kidding. That was before I knew that Karen was going to sell more of her Icelandics! Our ewes here came from Mike and Karen at Whippoorwill Farms in WV, and we have been so pleased with all of them. When I saw that she had a spotted ewe for sale, well, we(ok, I) just couldn't resist! So - this is Mildred and her Shetland cross ewe babies Bea and Brady.

There's more beautiful ewes where this one came at www.whippoorwillfarm.com/main/page_sale.html It looks like she has just added cashemere kids to her sale page, too!

Karen has Shetlands also, and gave us this beautiful Emsket Shetland fleece! I am sure looking forward to spinning this fleece! Thanks Karen! (and thanks for the beautiful ewes)

It sure seems to be raining a lot here lately. We've had a bit of flash flooding in the area here - just hoping that it's not a terribly wet year - or dry either. That's maybe asking a lot, isn't it? This picture was taken as a tornado warning was posted on the news for an area north of us. The sky looked great from here. Fortunately, we didn't hear of any major damage caused by the storm.

I'll wrap this up here with a picture of Ziggy. He's so hard to get a photo of. (he's always under foot) To get this photo, I would run away from him and try to get a picture of him, but here he was running behind me... this went on and on.. so long, that if you look close, you'll see his tongue is hanging out!

What makes a great festival?

2010-05-18T07:02:00.007-04:00

There were a lot of fabulous wool and fiber products at the first Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival.

Just to list a few, there were raw fleeces available, rovings, yarns. There were vendors with processing equipment, combs, carders, and spinning wheels - again, just to name a few. You could also find beautiful finished handmade items. In the department of product, the turnout was great!

There were Llamas, Alpacas, Rabbits, and Sheep on display. Sheep shearing demonstrations... oh, if I had only taken pictures of all the goin' ons!

There were some very impressive items being made as a result of the workshops. There were needle felted Santas that were just incredible. You could make a basket for drying wool. Instructional spinning, knitting, and wool dyeing and wet felting classes were also available.

There was a great turnout for the photo contest - so many fun and great photos to be inspired by. Keep in mind the photo contest when you're out taking pictures this year. The categories were:

Portraits (sheep and fiber animals)
Working (herding dogs, guard animals, shearing, feeding, etc.)
Landscape (that include fiber animals)
Products (yarn, handmade fiber items, spinning wheel, etc.)
Junior (all the above classes - age 17 and under)

In the way of competitions, there was also a fleece and skein competition. If you didn't get your entries in, start planning for next year :)

The food was great too!

What I really need here are photos to tell the story. But I'll wrap this up by saying that what I thought made this festival great was the people. From the organizers of the festival, to the fellow vendors, the volunteers, to the visitors of the festival. It was so nice to meet everyone, and get to know those who came out to this new event. It was a great time and I'm already looking forward to the next one! This was a great festival.

p.s. Wyatt would like to say 'thanks' to the ladies who gave him attention and smiled at him - in his little eyes, that is what makes a festival great and he sure had a great time!

Ky Sheep and Fiber Festival

2010-05-13T07:32:00.004-04:00

It occurred to me as I was unloading the kiln yesterday, that I had only posted what I "wasn't bringing" to the festival! (I guess because the other pots were busy being fired, glazed and fired.. they didn't have time in their schedule for photos.)

So, now that they're out of the kiln and relaxing, here's a few examples of what is coming to the festival with me.

www.kentuckysheepandfiber.com Hope to see you there! Stop by and say hello!

Lambing season complete!

2010-05-07T21:44:00.003-04:00

These two lambs that were born this week have wrapped up our lambing season for this year. We have 10 ewe lambs and 5 ram lambs. With the exception of the markings on this little lamb here on the left, they are ALL WHITE!

Charlie sired all the lambs this year - except for Lambies little rammy. Charlie was born here 2 years ago. He's a gentle natured ram and sure throws that white! He's shedding his winter wool in this photo, but his fall clip is beautiful! Hoping he passes that wool on.
Had a chance to scraffito a few more mugs and bowls earlier today...

they'll need to be bisque fired, then glazed with just a clear glaze.

Wishing everyone a great weekend!

Pottery

2010-05-03T08:06:00.007-04:00

Well it has been forever since I've posted on pottery!

I've been working on getting a few pots ready for the Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival that will be held in Lexington May 15-16. http://www.kentuckysheepandfiber.com/ This is the first year for the festival and I'm excited to be a part of it! The organizers of this festival have been working really hard to bring a festival to our area that is all about sheep, fiber animals, wool and fiber.

I have to admit, I don't feel that I'm doing my part here. I will be bringing "ewenice" pottery and yarn bowls, but most all of the new ideas that I had for my booth are still in the 'ideas' file. One idea though, is mid-process. It won't be ready in time for this fiber festival, but it's a good time to start executing ideas for next year!

This is a technique called scrafitto - a clay slip, or underglaze is painted on the pot before the pot is fired and the clay slip is scratched away, revealing the clay underneath to create a design.

This is "Bewelah" - sort of a ewe-in-law to Ewenice. (Without going into all the drama of the relationship, they share the same ram, so really there's no "in-law", but this makes it sounds a little more proper.) In defense of the ewes, it's no different than a lot of the drama on tv these days.

Bewelah is also looking for work - she's been seen with a sign "Will work for weed" I'm still debating if this would be appropriate. It seems it might be wrong on a couple of different levels.

Me Tarzan...

2010-04-24T23:55:00.005-04:00

Well yesterday was just a rainy day, as was today. Wyatt and I went out to check the sheep as soon as the rain let up (only to have the skies open up while we were still in the pasture). Chloe was having contractions the first time we were out checking on them, but I didn't know how long she had been in labor. I kept checking on her and the next time I went to the pasture, the lamb was showing. Long story short, an hour and a half later, I called my neighbor for back-up, support, and child care! (just imagine the baby in the stroller, me stradling the ewes neck with my knees - she's facing downhill, I'm facing uphill, she's headed downhill- I'm going with her... the goat is headed to the stroller... ) Thanks Marlene for all your help, advice, and entertaining Wyatt. I don't like to get involved unless it's absolutely necessary, and even though the ewe was still able to get up and carry me downhill, Marlene helped to reassure me that she did need help. This is actually the first time that I've had to assist a ewe. I was afraid that it was too late and the lamb wouldn't make it, but as you can see this story ends well. The angle of this picture, the lamb looks like he has a little head, but it's just the angle.. this fella was huge! Once he was on the ground, I headed back to the house. The next visit to the field I found a little sister. Seeing these two next to each other, for whatever reason, made me think of Tarzan and Jane... I don't know why, but that's their names. Tarzan has to eat on his knees because he's too tall to eat standing up.

We have 7 lambs now - 3 rams and 4 ewes.

Lambie's rammy.

5 Ewes to go... hoping they will lamb when the sun is shining. (and not need any help.. that would be great)

Recipe

2010-04-24T23:49:00.002-04:00

I started a post back in February and just recently went back and finished it to publish it. Of course it posted it in the February files. Anyways, it's a good and easy recipe for bread- and a starter if anyone is interested.

http://icelandicwool.blogspot.com/2010/02/bread-and-roll-recipe.html

Finally, something to blog about...

2010-04-07T08:05:00.006-04:00

Well no one wants to hear about tax preparation. It's been absolutely beautiful this week, but I've been inside trying to get the tax return together. Yes, wait til the last week or so, and you're bound to lose out on some nice weather!

I went out this morning to check on the sheep and couldn't find lambie. Of course she was at the last place I looked. She had company too! (we're not surprised like we were when the calf arrived.. we knew lambs were coming, but to be honest, I didn't know exactly when they would start arriving this time around)

This is Lambie's first lamb. (a ram of course) Lambie was rejected by her mother, and was our only bottle lamb we've had, but I can tell she's going to be a great mother to this little guy. The picture isn't the greatest - had a little guy sleeping in the house and I was way out of range on the baby moniter, so I snapped a picture and ran!

I took this picture of Myrtle a few days ago. She has to be the funniest sheep we have here. She followed me this morning when I went looking for Lambie.. she hops more than she walks, and is just fun to watch.

Snapped a quick pic of LeRoy the other day too. He is looking so much like his papa Charlie that it's sometimes hard to tell them apart from a distance. He's almost a year old now - still has a lot of growing to do. Our rams/wethers are starting to shed and really need to be sheared soon! (this weekend-if all goes as planned) I'll shear the ewes as they have their babies.

The morning sky this morning. It won't be long before those branches are covered with leaves!

Shearing School..

2010-04-02T09:18:00.003-04:00

Sorry, no photo available.

Of all the times to leave my camera home, this past Tuesday wasn't one of them.

The drive alone to the U.K. Sheep Shearing school held in Midway, Ky was enough for me to realize that I should never leave my camera home. The scenery was outstanding. Rock fences, board fenced farms... just a beautiful drive.

(I might have been a little pre-occupied with getting ready to leave that morning. I dropped Wyatt off at Grammy's and it was the first time in -well, over a year that I've been apart from him! He did fine, but mom here might have had a little separation anxiety)

The shearing school was just fabulous. There were 15 students taking the class and great instructors and staff. They first demonstrated shearing sheep on their rump, and after lunch they had a demonstration of shearing a sheep on a stand. The "hands on" is what helped me the most. I have sheared our sheep both standing (with manual blades) and attempted shearing them while on their rump with electric clippers. It's been hard for me to feel comfortable with the electric clippers while not knowing for sure if I was holding the sheep right, and I was always afraid I would cut them. This class is just what I needed to have more confidence with shearing.

I can't say that I'm excited about shearing now, but less scared anyways.

Cloth Diaper Pattern Link

2010-03-28T13:54:00.009-04:00

Just after posting about the savings of using cloth diapers, a baby magazine arrived in the mail and had an article on 'going green'. Their article stated that the average family spends 1,600 dollars per child on diapers! Goodness, that is enough to buy some sheep!

http://fernandfaerie.com/sewing_fitteds.html After trying a few different patterns, this is where I found the pattern for the style of diapers we liked the best.

I used the pattern that is on the above link, but made a few changes regarding materials used, and a few changes to the method of making them.

Since I was using a serger, and the serger would could the material for me as i sewed, I did not cut out the pattern precisely. A pattern was cut out of an old pizza box. I then transferred the pattern onto the liner material using an ink pen. (The line would be cut away by the serger) For the inside of the diaper, i used cotton flannel -one yard made approx 10 diaper liners.

The material here is folded, so once I had all the patterns "drawn" on the right side of the material, I cut them apart and would then turn the material over and then mark the pattern on the other piece of fabric. (by cutting the material while it was folded, it saved cutting each liner individually)
For the "soaker" part of the diaper, I used a washcloth. (purchased in a multi-pack at wal-mart - they look thin at the store, but once washed and dried, they really fluff up) You can tri-fold the washcloth and serge the edges, or just tri-fold and go!
You're now ready to sew it to the diaper liner. Place the soaker under the liner and center it between the sides and position it where you want it front to back. Flip it over and pin in place.

Now sew around all the edges of the soaker.

Now it's time to sew the liner to the outside of the diaper. For the outside of the diaper, I use 2 layers of t-shirt material. Pin the liner to the t-shirt material and serge the side edges only - leaving the top and bottom open. It is not necessary to mark the outer layer with the pattern, I just lay the pattern on the material and cut it out a large square...the pattern is already marked on the liner and that's all we need.

With the sides serged, we're ready to sew in the elastic for the leg openings. (this is marked on the original pattern) You might want to experiment with the length of elastic to use. The first batch of diapers i used 5-1/2". It worked fine, but made the diapers seem a little smaller, so I used 6" and the diaper fit much better.

Place a mark approx 1/2" from end and again at the length you want. Do not cut the elastic until it's sewn in the diaper.

Mark on your liner material with a pencil where the elastic will stop and start. Place the elastic inside the diaper from either the top or the bottom. (this is why we serged only the sides earlier) Pin the end of the elastic (at the mark) to the mark on your liner material. Using the sewing machine now, sew from edge of diaper across elastic to hold it in place. (I reverse over it too) Once you have sewn across the elastic, turn and sew along the elastic to the other mark, being careful to catch the elastic in the stitching. (we're making a "pocket" for the elastic)
When you reach the mark on the liner material, pull the elastic until you see the mark you made indicating the length. Back the elastic up so that the mark on the elastic now matches up with the mark on the liner. Raise the pressure foot, turn and stitch across the elastic to secure in place. Cut the elastic now approx 1/2" from where it is stitched.
Repeat stitching the elastic in the next leg, cut the elastic and you're ready to serge the top and the bottom of the diaper closed. That's it!

I use snappies to fasten the diaper. You could use velcro, pins, etc. I like the snappies because they are simple and easy to use. .

http://www.earthbums.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=24&products_id=173&osCsid=tikj6lajm6qh1f5q13q101d3h4 is the link for the 'snappie' diaper fasteners. (also a great link for purchasing cloth diapers if you prefer to buy your diapers!)

Keep in mind these cloth diapers do need a cover. I haven't had them to "leak" out the sides, but they will soak thru. We have been using a wool cover, and have been pleased with both the diapers and the cover.

A stack of savings...

2010-03-26T00:18:00.003-04:00

I love to recycle. Just recently, we went thru our closet again in efforts to make space.

Most of the clothes will hopefully be worn again. However, there were a lot of t-shirts and such that wasn't of quality to give away -most everything i've worn around the house has paint on it! I had been planning to make cloth diapers anyways - so this was a perfect project to use up those old shirts.Just an idea of the savings that can be had with cloth diapers - if you replace just one pamper a day with a cloth one, in a years time, you've saved right at 100 dollars. That's amazing, isn't it? (the diapers we're using now cost 26 cents, but it could be more or less depending on the size and brand and quantity purchased) That 100 dollars might not sound like a huge savings over a years time, but if you multiply that by the number of diapers you use a day, say, 10 a day, you're now looking at a sizable savings! If you keep your kid in diapers long enough, you can probably convince your husband that you have saved enough to buy a large flock of sheep. lol.

Of course, you do have the laundering with the cloth diapers, but it is simple, and much easier than I expected. I just rinse them out in the laundry sink. I have diluted laundry detergent in a pump bottle and if the diaper is dirty, a bar of natural soap gets them sparkly white again. (it's only gross if it's some other kid's diaper..lol) I wring them out and hang them on a hanger to dry, and just throw them in the dryer the next time the dryer is running. (we don't have to deduct any cleaning expenses from the savings now :) it's very minimal)

Buying cloth diapers can require an up front investment. but it will pay off in the long run. Initially, I purchased just 6 cloth diapers at a price of 94.00 - (some were up to 17.00 each) The price of making diapers is pennies on the dollar compared to buying them, especially if you have a stash of old t-shirts that can be used. I bought 100% cotton flannel for the inside of the diaper and cotton wash cloths for the inserts, and spent less than 10 dollars for 14 diapers! These cotton diapers are not waterproof, so do need to be covered. We are using wool covers.

Even if you don't feel comfortable with sewing, you can still use cloth diapers and save big! That is, if you have a use for cloth diapers.

I'll be sharing the link to the pattern i used along with some diaper sewing tips in an upcoming post.

Spring Cleaning..

2010-03-20T21:35:00.003-04:00

The weather was beautiful out today! We thought it would be a good time to start some spring cleaning.. in our pastures - not that the house didn't need it, but make hay when the sun shines, right?

We're working on cleaning up the new pasture that was fenced in last fall. There's a lot to do, but we've started with an area that has a lot of trees down. This stump reminded me of a tombstone....

Maybe it's a memorial to all the trees that have died here and are resting in peace. (well, until the chain saws started up today)

We took time out for a family photo.. (put the camera on "auto") Wyatt wasn't ready for his picture to be taken when the light stopped flashing, but we can't expect him to smile for all his pictures. I think this is actually the first picture that i have of him crying! Despite his expression in the picture here, i think he had a fun day. (we all did)

This picture was taken at quitting time, the girls stopped by to see how much we got done. It's hard to tell that we got much of anything done, but it's a good start.

Au ooo ah eeeh

2010-03-16T23:32:00.004-04:00

That's right, it's me, Wyatt. Mom has been busy, so I'm taking over the blog- well, just for tonight. Since Mom last posted, I've been learning how to use the computer. I get really excited when i can sit at the computer and play. I'm getting big, but my head isn't as big as it looks in the picture. Who took that anyways?

. This is our new calf, Petey. Mom said we weren't going to have any calves this year, but what did she know? (hope she doesn't read this) I would have thought someone would have noticed the heifer is getting big, you know what i mean? The first clue they picked up on was a heifer in the holler - hollerin'. They caught on pretty quick then. My Dad saved the calf, and the heifer. Mom was holding me, so couldn't help. (i think that was convenient, don't you?) Well.. she did get the sheep book, the one with pictures on how to pull a lamb, (don't you think they could use a book on cows?) but Papaw got here just in time to help Dad. We didn't know if Petey would make it, but he's a week old now and doing just great.

I don't sleep much during the day, but Mom is grateful that I sleep during the night now. If I do take a long nap, when I wake up, she's making pottery. She said there's a wool festival coming up in May that she needs to be getting ready for. Maybe I can go too.

Mom took this picture of me in my camo. I'm hard to find, but if you squint your eyes, let them go out of focus just a bit, you'll see me - I'm in the center.

Well I have to go, i think I hear my Mom coming.

Oh Where, Oh Where..

2010-02-25T21:21:00.003-05:00

Oh where, Oh where has my little boy gone?

Seems like only yesterday we were bringing him home from the hospital.. now he's learning to drive!

We'll have a hard time keeping up with him now.

Bread and Roll Recipe

2010-02-19T14:12:00.007-05:00

I enjoy trying recipes that other bloggers post, so thought I would share a recipe that I've been enjoying.

This is a recipe for bread that I started making this winter. It is labeled "sourdough", however it doesn't taste like traditional sourdough to me.

I think it's much easier than the standard bread recipe, because you don't have to heat the yeast. Just dump the ingredients in a bowl, stir and let it rise overnight - then knead it the next morning and let it rise again a few hours and it's ready for the oven. It will take several days to get the starter going, but once it's established, you just need to feed it every 5 days. When you feed the starter, you remove enough starter for 2 loaves.

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sourdough-Starter-I/Detail.aspx ail.aspx

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sourdough-Bread-I/Detail.aspx

I have been using Gold brand "better for bread" flour and have had good results. Occasionally, I have substituted a bit of wheat flour for the white flour.

The recipe works well for cinnamon rolls too.

But my favorite is the regular rolls and loaf bread.

This is 1/2 the recipe (1/2 cup starter, 3 cups flour, etc.) After the dough has been left to double overnight, divide into 16 equal parts, roll and place in greased pan and let rise until doubled. Bake at 350 for around 25 minutes.. just til the top begins to brown and when tapped, they sound hollow.

Two things that I will note, it does take quite a bit of flour to knead the dough, and the longer i let it rise, the better. The last loaf i made rose overnight initially, then after kneading it and shaping into a loaf, I let it rise for about 8 hours and it was the best loaf yet! (i know it sounds like a lot of time to make a loaf of bread, but i really had only about 10 minutes or so invested.. the rest of the time it was working and doing it's thing without me.)
I had to sample a few rolls as they came out of the oven... I'd hate to serve them to anyone if I weren't absolutely sure they were ok. (it's hard to tell by just trying one.. or two.. or...goodness, how many did i eat?)

Coming Soon... more snow!

2010-02-19T13:38:00.006-05:00

Looks like they're calling for more snow here in a few days.

This picture was taken before the last 9 inches came this week. (taken a few miles from our place)

The next picture here was the road after the snow... It was a level 2 snow emergency, which means you can be on it only if you need to feed sheep and the hay is up the road.

So, after the sheep were fed, we stayed in!

Wyatt has started to laugh more in the past week. The first few times we heard him laugh, he was sleeping and apparantly dreaming about something funny :)

He thinks we're funny now.

I had read a lot of good things about slings and the benefits. Found a great website with a pattern, and once it was made, after a few days of being puzzled over it,,, I finally figured out how to use it. There's apparantly 4 or 5 different ways that you can carry the baby in these, but i had trouble figuring out a single way! ( i know, it looks so simple)

I'm starting to enjoy the sling now...

and I think he is too!

More of winter...

2010-02-12T03:10:00.004-05:00

Well, another week, a little more snow. We can't complain though.. you might have had 3 feet of snow!
.

.

This picture made me think of a bear.. but it's just harmless Andy.

Cody

Now this picture of Rosco might sum it all up. He almost always smiles for his pictures. I think he's starting to get a little tired of the snow.

Shades Of Grey, Blue and Sepia of course..

2010-02-06T15:27:00.004-05:00

Shades of a winter day.

We had a little snow overnight, not a lot compared to what the storm is capable of, but it was enough to cover the ground here.

The little rams (and Myrtle) are in the same pen with the ewes now, but they choose to stay in the little sheep shed instead of the barn. (They tend to get a little more attention and feed away from the big girls)

Roscoe was out romping in the snow.. of course.

Took this next picture on the way to the mailbox.. our fence is brown, but it had a makeover last night.
I finally made it to the mailbox - doesn't look like the mail has ran yet, but it was a nice walk to the mailbox anyways!

Color photos...

2010-02-05T07:25:00.004-05:00

I love sepia photos, but if we're talking about dyeing wool, they might as well be in color.

I experimented a little this week with dyeing wool for the first time. I love the natural colors of wool, and had not planned on getting into "colors" ---but my hats need flowers....or something! I had heard a little about dyeing with kool-aid, so I wanted to give it a try. I was pleased with the results of the dyeing, and it was as simple as could be.

This is the 'flavor' orange. I love the varigated color here, but of course, when i carded the wool i lost that varigation. I'm guessing that if i want to keep the look of different colors, I should card the wool first, then dye it? I'm wondering too how it would work to make the felt first, then dye it?

This is a flower that was made from the carded wool. I made a piece of thin felt and cut it into strips and shaped into petals while the felt was still wet. Not sure if this will be used on a hat, but thinking of crocheting a green "vine" to wrap around the hat and see what happens.

I tried making another wool cap to replace the one Wyatt has outgrown... this one isn't quite what i was going for, but he seemed to be "smitten" with it. :)

He had his 2 month check up this week and he is doing just great. I sometimes look at him and wonder where our baby went? Like in the picture here - he was sitting up so big in the recliner .. taken quite captive by the television. Then he put his arm up on the armrest and i had to get the camera.

"My favorite show is on.. could someone please bring me a glass of milk?"

And back to sepia pictures... here's our little guy in his sheep shearing outfit. Which, by the way, it won't be long before that time rolls around! They may be calling for snow today, but spring is on it's way.

More Wet Felting..

2010-01-27T10:55:00.003-05:00

I've started a few more hats... they're all just wet felted. I have patterns that I would like to try that are knitted then felted, but these hats are just made from layering the roving over a simple pattern (hood style). The roving is hand felted with soap and water, then shaped over a mixing bowl. These hats still need to be adorned with... ? something. Ribbon, felted flowers... that's the next step.

The little "cat" hat I made for Wyatt back before the holidays. (to match his Daddy's favorite hat). He's already outgrown it. The felted hats have a little give to them, but not enough to keep up with a growing boy :)

Speaking of hats ... I have a link to share of an etsy shop that has the most adorable hats ever. The artisan behind these hats designed them using a pattern that she came up with - (i've been everywhere looking for the pattern - then found that it was her own design) they are crocheted and then felted - a must see! http://www.etsy.com/shop/THELittleBlackHat

A lot of catching up to do..

2010-01-18T03:42:00.005-05:00

I haven't posted in a week, so here's a quick update of the week. The above picture is how the week ended. Weather has been very mild the last few days.

But that is after what seems like 2 weeks of freezing temperatures! I'm not sure if it got above freezing the first 2 weeks of January.

Mid week the snow was beginning to melt.

The sheep have been getting out this past week into the new pasture (the pasture with burrs.. ) This pic was just taken while looking for them. hm, no, they're not here.

He's doesn't know where they're at. He's actually sleeping. I don't know how long he was sleeping like this, but i had time to go and get my camera before he woke up.

"I wasn't sleeping! Sheep?? What do you mean they're missing?"

(little disclaimer for him, he's here to protect them when they're in the field with him, he's not going after them!) And, in his defense, these pics were taken a few days after the sheep first got out, yet they were out again. I'm sure he was more concerned the first day it happened. :)

All is well with the sheep.. they are not staying in their pen, but so far, no one has got into the burrs. I'll update on that here soon i'm sure. But meanwhile, I can't keep them from walking through their temporary fencing. It's not all of them yet, just 4 rogues in the group. (But you know what that means.. the others just haven't caught on yet)

Temperatures got up in the 40's mid week and I took Wyatt for a walk outside. Wyatt hasn't been out much other than to the doctor or grocery store, so it was nice to get him out for just a little bit.

Hope everyone had a great week!

Still Snowing..

2010-01-09T17:40:00.003-05:00

This guy sort of looks like he was meant for the snow.

And this one does too! (Sweet Ziggy.)

A look back in time..

2010-01-08T18:35:00.002-05:00

when 'work' had a entirely different meaning,

and 'going to town' was an event.

Snowed In

2010-01-07T21:38:00.004-05:00

With all the snow, the girls just stuck their head out the door to see what I had for them, they chose to stay in today.

The little rams on the other hand were out in the snow quite a bit.

Myrtle didn't seem to mind the snow either (she's in the pen with the little boys and pretty much is just where they are)

And what time i wasn't out tromping in the snow, I was all cozy and warm in the house with little Wyatt. He had his one month check-up yesterday with his doctor. He is a solid 13 pounds now and 24-1/2".. just like they say "growing like a weed!"

No title

2010-01-07T02:42:00.002-05:00