Duel at High Noon

So, the sandy deserts of the west are conducive to having pistol shootouts, so my entry for this month's spinning contest is in a sandy color, overspun so that the yarn is "fighting" itself:



It's not spectacular, but it's something. And it's something I will be working on for some time, since I haven't spun half of the 8 oz bag, and the other 8 oz bag is still waiting...

I've got some other rovings that are waiting in the wings (no pictures yet): A garnet-multi-colored mohair/silk blend, and a plain cream colored superwash merino, and of course, I still have tons of both the "bahama blues" merino and the "just before the dawn" alpaca/silk blend...

Then there's the 45 pounds of i-don't-remember-what's-in-the-bags-anymore (I know there's wool and alpaca in interesting natural colors), and what's left of the corriedale from a few years ago, and the princess blue silk/merino blend, and the rabbit and my own hair I didn't finish last month...

Yes, I'm on a spinning kick. Coulja tell? Need to finish a baby blanket in the meantime tho.

First (non) creative post of the year!

Okay, I got nothin'. ;)

Actually, in all seriousness, I've got a new pattern I'm working on that I can't show here unless I want to screw with the possibility of getting it posted elsewhere. :)

I also have 338 yards of undyed two-ply new zealand wool I'm currently working on making more of (started the new batch on New Year's, actually, first new spinning of the year!), but haven't taken pix of yet. It's also not all that exciting looking, since it's undyed. Okay, I'm being a boring fuddy. :) Plus, I really would like to get back to that bunny fuzz, but haven't had the time at all, and Christmas wore me out! :)

So, just wanted to say Happy New Year!

Last Creative Post of the Year!

So, among other things I created for Christmas were a necklace and bracelet that I cannot put up here 'cause I forgot to take pix, a necklace and earrings that I cannot put up for again the same reason, and a few other things I *did* take pix of:



That is a slightly better picture of the snowglobe I made for the brother and his wife.



Those are bath salts. I made ten little bags of them, three glass jars, and three plastic bottles (my grandmother has issues with dropping things, and I'd rather not have her dropping glass).



My mother's necklace. Turquoise beads with silver spacers and glass teardrops.



My SIL's necklace and earring set. A combination of metallic glass and painted freshwater pearls.

This upcoming year, I think I may work in wood. But I have to finish the yarn I've been working on! I don't have pix yet, but I have 335 yards of slightly overspun laceweight new zealand wool that needs to be put up here! :)

I hope everyone's had a wonderful year, and I hope the new year sees you happy and crafting! :)

A lot of my pix are on my other camera, so shall have to wait...

But in the meantime, I can show you the pix my husband took of one of the gifts I gave this past weekend:



Yes, it's a wedding snowglobe.

I will just say trying to find glycerine this close to christmas was an interesting feat in itself, but you need the glycerine to keep the glitter suspended. I think I put a little too much glycerine, but the globe works, and my SIL was entirely happy with it. :)

I've been saving up to do this one myself for a few years... Had the supplies, just hadn't done it yet. And she loves snowglobes. And they finally got married this year. :)

It just dawned on me...

... That although I haven't posted it here, in the last month and a half I've made:

15 beaded ornaments and six glass ornaments with different things inside, four necklaces (two more to go), one bracelet, two pair of earrings (two more to go), ten sachets and one glass jar of bath-salts (two more glass jars and five more plastic bottles to go), and I'm halfway through making a snow globe. I've also been spinning new zealand wool in my spare time.

As soon as this holiday is over, I'm getting a nap. Then I'm getting a jump start on next year.

Of course, I say that every year...

Things I've been working on...

... Oh, like christmas stuff.

I can't post the presents yet, people might be watching. Well, that, and the husband seems to only have put up a few of the things that I've taken pix of this week. Must rectify that. :)

I'll probably be taking pix on location, so to speak, since things aren't done yet.

But I do have something to confess... I found out the hard way why they put plastic wrap around spools of memory wire:



Yeah, I wound up with a giant slinky. ;)

But the latest ornaments for the family are now ready to go! Fifteen of them, so not only do people have choices, but if the brother's in-laws show up, I don't show up empty-handed:



There's four different varieties:



And the glass ornaments I made last week:



Some time this weekend (or not, since I'll be at the family's places this weekend), I'll show some of the other presents I've been working on!

If I don't come back, Merry Christmas! And for those who don't celebrate, happy holidays!

Wherein I declare myself an idiot...

Okay, yesterday, we celebrated christmas with the in-laws.

Among the presents were three gifts I had made. A glass leaf necklace with gold accent beads (magnetic clasp), a beautiful tigers-eye necklace (lobsterclaw clasp) with matching earrings, and a blue mother-of-pearl shell necklace with silver celtic accent beads with matching bracelet (toggle clasps).

The only one I can currently take pix of is the glass leaf one (will take pix later), since my MIL asked me to change the clasp for her to make life a little easier. The glass beads are apparently so heavy they overwhelm the magnetic clasp. She had a spare clasp that has a screw-in bit to go with the magnetics, so I'm going to change it out.

The tiger-eye I can at least show some of the beads I used to make it, as with the mother-of-pearl one, but I can't show the finished product, 'cause they're already with the recipients. Yeah, I wasn't thinking when I wrapped them. Alas, I am an idiot.

I did, however, take pix of the ornaments I gave them. I'll make those available later today after the hubby uploads them. :)

Later today, I shall be making more ornaments for the *other* half of the family, plus a turquoise necklace, and possibly an amethyst one and a garnet one. I'll try to remember to take pictures this time, otherwise I'll be able to take pix on the recipients on Christmas. :)

I also have spun a *lot* of wool lately. I was plying all the way through yesterday while we were at the in-laws (they're used to this. Doesn't phase anyone at this point. You know you've made an impression on the inlaws when your brotherinlaw gets you a gift card to a major hardware store, and your Godsisterinlaw gets you a gift card to a major craft store. Yeah, they don't know me yet, right? ;) My MIL also got me a gorgeous acacia wood bowl, she knows I love wood with character. :)

Okay, so I'll head down to the parents place on Christmas, but they're about 400 miles away. My grandmother, uncle, parents, brother, and his wife will all be down there, plus the new in-laws from the brother's new wife.

Time to get cracking on the presents!