Welcome to my blog!

Hello to all, and welcome to my blog! If you are a knitter or crocheter looking for one-of-a-kind natural fiber handspun yarns, this is the place to be! I am an award winning spinner and offer for sale, as I make them available, my lovely handspun yarns. I specialize in worsted weight thru lace weight yarns in exotic or luxury fibers such as alpaca, angora bunny, mohair, silk and more (not to mention wool, of course!) I can CUSTOM SPIN anything you might be looking for. So feel free to contact me and tell me what you need. I purchase all of my fibers raw and wash/process them myself. I do NOT purchase commercial fibers that are imported from outside the U.S. I support the American Farmer!

I also custom spin pet hair including cat and dog. I have spun many breeds of dog including Golden Retriever, Shetlie, Australian Shephard, Samoyed, Great Pyrinease......just to name a few.

I am also looking for good quality fibers, especially angora. So if you raise any quality fibers, please contact me via email! Visit my complete profile for my email address.

Thank you for visiting my blog and visit often to see what I'm offering. Paypal available! HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Monday, April 13, 2009

English Angora bunnies for sale

This is my first of 3 litters planned for this year. I do NOT breed for sales! I breed for improved wool production and type. This litter was sired by Countryside Patriot, littermate of the 2007 ARBA national convention youth Best In Show winner! Patriot is a chocolate tort and sired by Silvertone Jester. Dam is Silvertone bred blue tort doe, BQ Myrhia. There were 8 bunnies in this litter, 7 of which were little boys! So I have priced them at $100 each to move more little boys. They are approaching 6 weeks of age and will be ready to go in another 2-3 weeks. There are available: blue tort and REW bucks. I am retaining the only little girl and one tortoiseshell buck. These are SHOW QUALITY bunnies! photo of sire Patriot as a Jr at the bottom of my blog!
Thanks for looking and have a great day!
Tami

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Hand made, crocheted wire jewelry

Here is a sample of my natural stone crocheted jewelry. Yet another form of "crochet" and "art" that I enjoy doing. This set includes a necklace (with the lily pad/dragonfly pendant), bracelet and earrings, all of which also sport small dragonflies. This set is made of real turquoise, seed beads, square beads, dragonflies and fine wire. I have several different stone necklaces on hand, but this set seems to attract the most attention when I wear it out. Especially with my hand spun, hand knitted poncho with turtleneck (yes, I spun the yarn from my own sheep and knitted myself as well.)

I hope you enjoy yet another form of "art", as much as I enjoy creating them.
Have a great day!
Tami

Saturday, March 14, 2009

My handspun and crocheted sweaters




Here are a few examples of sweaters that I have crocheted. The pink sweater was made with Galway 100% wool yarn. I just finished it for the wife of our lead pastor at our church. She is such a thin, thin woman. And OH! so deserving of a warm sweater! I will be presenting this sweater to Mary Langford tonight at church. She has NO idea it's coming, tho her husband, Ron, does.

The green sweater (actually more of a jacket!) is a blend of hand dyed wool, silk and silk noil. Handspun by myself, it weighs 4 pounds and is WARM! I have worn it outdoors already when in the low-mid 20's and was quite comfortable. The pattern I used was modified quite a bit. Pattern called for worsted yarn, where my handspun was bulky. It also called for a knit button and button hole edge. I didn't like it since my yarn was bulky, so I crocheted the edge. It took quite a bit of tweaking, but I was able to pull it off. I know the sweater (jacket) looks "boxy", but it fits my short, cobby torso just fine! I get compliments on it from everyone! From the checkout lady at Walmart to my eye Dr!

The only lessons I've had in crochet was when I was 5 or 6 years old when my grandmother taught me the chain and single crochet. I took it from there. I'll have to post one of my intricate doilies next!

I have had NO spinning lessons what so ever. Been spinning now about 14-15 years and have taken only "Best Of" any catagory I have entered in spinning contests, and a few Best In Shows. (Yes, there really are skien [yarn] competitions.)

If anyone in my area needs help with their crocheting, just ask! (northern Illinois). I DO take custom orders!

Have a great day!
Tami

Saturday, February 28, 2009

My huge livingroom window




Here is my huge 11 1/2 foot wide livingroom window that faces south here in northern Illinois. I have shears hanging that are adjustable. There is a 3 1/2 foot overhanging soffet outside that totally blocks the sun in the summer. NO summer sun comes thru the window, tho the light is brite. Winter when sun is lower in the sky, we get sunshine coming thru for several hours. The window sill is 18" from the floor.
I would like to put a 30" tall and 4 foot wide table in front of the window for my African Violets. They will not be next to the glass, shears will block some sun or all in winter, depending on their needs. Also block some light in summer, depending on needs again. I have a humidifier on the floor. We also have baseboard hot water heat running under the entire length of this window. We keep the thermostat set on 66-68 in winter. It's very comfortable in winter in front of the window! Summer is nice too. I also plan on table lights....needed or not, per my book "Growing Violets For Show".
Here is my store bought AV. it's been sitting on the window sill the latter half of the winter and is beggining to flower. There are 3 more sets of buds peaking out from under the leaves. Now, the center leaves are thicker and cupped under. Outer leaves are "spooned" out somewhat. Too much light? Too cold on the window sill? Otherwise it likes the window since it hasn't bloomed for many months until I moved it to this window.
I also have several of my scented geraniums here that I dig up in fall to overwinter in the house. Along with a few jade plants and a varigated ficus that I "rescued" from Walmart, nearly bald of leaves.
So! All you AV owners! Will this window work for my AV's with the above destribed changes? Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Hand made goats milk soaps!

I offer hand made, cold process, all vegetable goats milk soaps in a variety of scents, unscented and oatmeal and honey. (well, NEARLY all veggy oil, only animal fat is in the goats milk!) I offer 4.5 - 5oz bars for $4 a bar or 4 bars for $15 plus postage. I also have non-goats milk soaps, same size bars for $3.50 a bar. Contact me to scents and blends available. It changes often!

I do not to "craft shows". It's way too much work for shows that aren't advertized well and unattended. So only available by mail order. THANKS!

My pencil art











I wanted to share some of my pencil artwork that I have created. Most of these were drawn when in my early 20's. Some were commissioned portraits. Obviousely my specialty is horses. These are all pencil (graphite). I'm self taught and don't remember when I started drawing. I haven't drawn anything for a number of years because of eye problems that I've suffered; inflammation causing retinal vasculitis, vitritis, gloucoma and cateracts. Surgery on my left eye has left me unable to see close up (less than 4 feet) so makes working with small things very difficult. Am hoping to overcome this setback and try to do some work in the near future. I do appologise for the quality of my photographs of my work. They survived our house fire back in 1999 and many are smoke damaged. They were also taken with an old 35mm camera, then scanned to my computer. All of these pieces were sold except the two Arabs in motion. I have that original, but was damaged in our fire. I didn't burn, but was water damaged. I did loose other originals, that burned away and could not even find the frames. I hope you enjoy my work!

Friday, January 23, 2009

ALL bunnies adopted!

I understand a few out there may have thought the abandonment of these angora rabbits to be a gag our farse, but it sadly, true. HOWEVER! ALL of the rabbits and bunnies have been adopted into new homes! I recoved just under half of what it cost me to "rescue" them and find homes, but I feel it was worth it. Thanks to everyone whom gave homes to them.
Tami