My sister, the indoor green thumb wizard

Or is that Wizardess?

Either way, my sister is a genius when it comes to raising indoor flora.  For Christmas last year, we bought her one of those mushroom growing kits.  It comes in a brown cardboard box, with "mushroom compost that has already been prepared and inoculated with the white colored mushroom mycelium" and some pretty specific instructions.

I was hoping that it would work and she wouldn't just end up with a mushy wet cardboard box full of goo.  Well it did work and here is proof:

Mushrooms in a box!

Pretty amazing, isn't it?  While I have been unable to keep any type of houseplant alive (ever), here is my sister growing Gourmet Portabellas in a box.

She emailed me that photo yesterday.  I emailed back this message:

"Wow!  That is awesome.  I am so glad (and a little relieved) that it is working.  I was worried that it might be like those amaryllis bulbs that one can get for Christmas in a pretty pot.  Every time I have tried that what I end up with is a pretty pot with a rotten, moldy glob in it..."

So today she emailed me this photo in an email titled: Like this?

Amaryllis, not a rotten glob...

 Uh-huh.  She's a stinker all right.  It's a good thing that I love her.

P.S. If you are interested in trying to grow Mushrooms in a Box, here is the website where I ordered them: Mushroom Adventures 

and I do not know of  a place to get Amaryllis bulbs, so don't even ask.

Stirrin' the Pot...

Love Soap

One of the things I really love to do is make soap.  It isn't very difficult, it isn't particularly dangerous but it is fairly time consuming.  My friend Lisa and I made soap together two years ago and (gasp!) we hadn't done it since...even though the last bar bubbled down my drain quite a few weeks ago.

Well, we changed all that!  It took us the better part of a Sunday, but now we have about 10 lbs of beautiful, creamy, woovy-groovy homemade soap curing upstairs in my house. Yay!

Since we only make one batch and only do it every other year, we always use the same recipe out of this book:

Awesome book!

 Which you can get through my favorite on line source for soap making supplies, Majestic Mountain Sage

I made a cheat sheet there on the left for quick reference.

The basic steps are:

 

1.  Get all of your supplies together (this is important, unless you like running up and down the stairs 20 times to grab the things you forgot- which, apparently, I do...)

   

   Supplies!

2. Mix the lye with water.  This heats up to 200 degrees F, so my first suggestion is to do this EARLY! Like even the night before.  It needs to cool down to 80 degrees before you mix it with the fats/oils.   ***Lye is VERY caustic, it will burn you if you get it on your skin. You must be very careful when working with this ingredient***
   

   

   Measuring the temperature of the lye water.  For safety's sake- either gloves, a smaller jar or a longer thermometer is really recommended! I tend to live life on the edge ( a little)

3. We use coconut, palm and olive oil for the fats.  Coconut and palm oils are solid at room temperature, so you need to melt them.  They need to cool to 80 degrees also, so plan accordingly.

   

   It's always fun to work with someone who is good at measuring!

4. When both solutions are 80 degrees, mix together.  For us this meant putting the lye water out in a snow bank and then bringing it back in because we were afraid one of the four wild animals (aka dogs) would knock it over. Then bringing snow in and filling the sink with snow and water. Then heating the oils up again. Making them too hot, having to wait for them to cool- You get the picture.  This is the most important step and (for us anyway) the most difficult!
5. Then stir-briskly.  The soap is supposed to trace (leave a  small pattern on top of the solution before sinking back in when you drip some on top) after about 40 minutes.  We stirred for about 2 hours...

Stirring...

Still stirring...

and since it did not separate, we poured it into molds, even though it didn't ever really trace.

Yes, those are lavender blossoms in the bottom of that mold. and yes, they are from my garden.

sleeping kitties

See how I dressed up in my finest for this job?

It's ok if you spill a little, this spill made a little heart!

and then it has to cure.  Leave it in the molds for at least a week.  Our soap isn't hard enough to de-mold yet.  When it is, I will pop the molds into the freezer for about an hour or so to make it easier to get the soap out. Pure vegetable oil soaps (like these, meaning no lard) don't mold as well as lard based soap, because they are naturally softer.
 

All the beautiful shapes...

We mixed calendula petals into the soap, which you can kind of see here.

Some with lavender buds too

Calendula flowers fresh from the garden (obviously, this photo was taken during summer time, not in February...)

So there it is.  Soap making in the short form.  I highly recommend this activity, it is so satisfying and you can scent (or not) the soaps exactly how you like them.  We use a combination of lavender and lemon essential oils~ Yummy!

Have fun and keep your stirring arm warm!

how about some photos?

Smokey, aka Cutest Cat in the World with his mouse toy

So in looking back through here recently it seems too text dense!  Here are some photos that I never posted:

At the Hitchin' Post

These are the boys, getting ready to pick up the elk that Brian got, the day before end of season this year!  You can see they are very excited to be put to work.

Here they are- Mule loaded up and ready to roll. (figuratively, not literally)

Um... the coat makes me appear a bit larger than life, Really.

 These two were taken in our back field, just as we were approaching the final stretch.  These were taken after Episode One, in which the mule broke loose from us, bucking and running, managed to dump EVERY bit of meat out of his packs and get his pack saddle wedged under his tummy.  Luckily, he is not a dumb mule and stopped at the gate for our assistance.  We obliged by re-loading everything back on him...

Ahhh, the drafties...

These sweetie-pies helped my husband move this ENORMOUS tree that had fallen and blocked our road.  Brian cut it enough to move it and they first dragged it into the front field.

Then, since there was still not much snow on Thanksgiving weekend, Brian hooked them up to the logging arch he constructed and they hauled it out to the burn pile.

Good boys!

 And these last ones are for anyone that is feeling like the snow should go away, or anyone in a warmer clime that might be gloating about how pretty it is where they are:

Pink sunrise, from our front deck

Photos can't really capture how surreal and beautiful this was

Ice fog tree

Well, Lisa and I are making soap tomorrow- Hurray!  I'll let you know how it goes and I also have some handspun to show off!!

Happy Valentine's day!

I'm going to Summer Camp!!

Oh my gosh... I can hardly believe it.  I have been dreaming about Horse Camp for 2 years now, trying to figure out how to make it work.  Well, apparently asking the universe is how to make it work!!

In this post I practiced the Law of Attraction: you know-asking the universe for what you want. And, by golly, it worked!

This is the chain of events that precipitated this most awesome outcome:

First- The Asking.   This was more difficult than you might think.  Even when it is completely clear to you what you want, it still feels selfish to ask.  You start second-guessing yourself, wondering if you really deserve "whatever it is".  All I can say, is if it is something you really want, put it out there.  and then prepare yourself to take the next step, which is:

Recognize the opportunities.  When I wrote my blog post about Horse Camp, Rother Horsemanship commented with ideas on how to decrease the cost- which was really my biggest obstacle challenge.  Since one of the reasons I want to go to camp is because I don't think I can do the basic exercises (more about that later...), I figured becoming a "club member" was my ticket to a discount!  Well, the universe provided again- (or really Rother Horsemanship did...) Club memberships were on sale!  I joined up (which has been totally fun in and of itself!) and now I qualified for a 20% discount!

Then I got a Christmas bonus, so I could put a deposit down for camp. Now, the key step:
Commitment. did I want to go enough to commit to it? This is where the Universe lays your wish at your feet and you have to decide if you are going to pick it up and run with it or turn your back on it.
For me, this step involved a lot of question asking- What are the available dates? Can I even make these dates work? Can I get time off?  Is my dear husband willing to take care of the ranch while I am gone?  If I choose a date and then later it doesn't work, what are my options? Once Brian and I hammered out all the details, the biggest question remained and only I could answer it:

Will this decision lead me in the direction I want to go?

Wow. Okay, that is a big question, mostly because then I have to figure out what is the direction I want to go.

Yes, camp would be fun.
Yes, I would get to spend quality time with other horsey people.
But, when it comes right down to it: am I willing to spend the money and time to just goof around? Maybe the answer is yes, and that's okay- we all deserve some play time. 

However, when I really, truly looked at it... what am I craving?, what direction do I most sincerely want to move in?  it is very clear that what I want is more confidence in me.  I am tired of being stuck in the front field due to my own fears.  I have tried on my own to move my horse out into the "big country", but never get farther than our neighbor's driveway. He dances and whinnies and we retreat to our safety zone.  Reading and watching videos, I know what needs to happen- we need to keep working at it, expanding that comfort zone.  However, I have done what I can do by myself- I am ready for professional intervention!

Decision made.  The rest is just...
Follow through.  I made the deposit.  I was committed (to camp, not "committed").  This is when the Universe truly opened up and provided.  I figured I would just pay a little off each month until July.  Well, Rother Horsemanship offered another deal (can you tell I love them?) that you could save yet another $200 by paying the full tuition by January 15th.  And, coincidentally (if you believe anything is a coincidence...), my dearest husband received a small windfall that allowed us to pay off the balance of tuition before the 15th!!

I am still a little bit in awe of this series of events... and I promise to make the best of my good fortune.  Cheyenne (that's my horse) and I are already working on "Level 1 groundwork" and he is so good at it! I am still trying to not hang myself with the excess lead rope...
I am totally enjoying the HorseBook club- always good advice, you can ask all sorts of questions and gain knowledge from the answers to other people's questions.  There are video clips and photos- it's awesome. 
And in addition to my free DVD (Series II), I pulled out our Series I DVDs and am enjoying them as well.

This whole experience has done two amazing things for me already (and I haven't even gone to summer camp yet!)

1. Totally confirmed my belief in asking the Universe and letting it provide.
2. Renewed my excitement about working with my horse.

 So thank you, all of you who showed an interest in my summer camp wishes.  I feel that making it a real request here, for all 6 of you to see, helped me believe in it.  And believing in it made it happen.

It's just like Brian says about anything we want to make happen:
Put it on the calendar.

Sage advice. I did it.  Now what do you want to put on your calendar?

Crochet Mania!!! (as promised)

It all started with a mouse...

No longer so clean, as Smokey has been playing with it!

Actually it really all started with a newsletter from Joybilee Farms with a pattern for a crocheted rabbit.  It was soooo cute, but, alas, I did not know (or remember) how to crochet! Well I shared my lament with Chris (owner of Joybilee Farm) and she promptly posted a link to a "learn how to crochet" video.  If you "Facebook" (hmm... a new verb) you can see Joybilee's page HERE.

As it turns out, you can learn almost anything on You Tube... I followed through a 7 or 8 part "crochet a giraffe" series, learned the basic crochet stitches necessary for amigurumi (a fancy word for: crocheted toys), and started my new obsession craft endeavor. Mouse was the first product.  Stuffed with Greta wool and organic catnip from our garden, this mouse is one of Smokey's new favorites!
(on a side note: never, ever, ever plant catnip somewhere that you don't want it to take over. and if you let it flower, you can just forget about ever not having it. Just sayin')

Encouraged by my success, I quickly made mouse 2:(he even got facial features...)

Pretty cute, No?

The mouse pattern, BTW, is available (for free!!) from the Lion Brands Yarn website.  You have to register, but it doesn't cost anything and, so far, they haven't clogged my inbox with email messages.
Of course their pattern calls for using their yarn, but I actually used my very own hand-spun (it is okay to be super impressed). and I left off the bell from the end of the tail (Smokey just eats them anyway).

Now that I had successfully crocheted up some rodents, I was looking for a different little creature.  Enter "The Birds", not the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock release, but a blog with another free pattern: Birds of a Feather

Santa Bird (the hat was my idea!)

This one was crocheted with mill ends- wool singles. A little easier to work with than my handspun.  I learned something here: if you are planning on putting plastic safety eyes on your crochet toys, you need to do that before you stuff and close them.  Yeah, I know, sounds pretty basic, but I am speaking from experience here.  So Santa Bird got button eyes.  Still too cute.

Onward to... Bird #2:

Can you stand it?

 This little one was made with some handspun that I had in my stash. It was not spun by me, so it is a little more balanced and easier to work with.  He got a jaunty comb instead of a hat!

Then, since these last 3 were all going to sunny So Cal to live with my sister, niece and their 2 cats- I had to make mouse 3 (2 cats, 1 mouse, no good).  Alas, no photo of him (that's what happens when you have to do a rush job and get it mailed out!)

Bird Friends

Are you really going to need that hat in California?

Look this thing has his wings on his head!

Away we go!

Hey!!!! Wait for me!

The End.

 So there they are ~ Crochet Critters.  I have another bird done and am working on a sheep!  The rabbit I originally was interested in is a little more complicated, so I need to get some skills mastered first.  Apparently, winter is kinda slow around here LOL!

Hope you all have a wonderful New Year.  Personally, my 2012 is gonna rock!  I am going to 5 day horse camp!!!!!  I'll tell you how we managed it next time!

Intermission: Horse Creek Internships

Ok, the crochet mania post is coming (complete with photos of super cute crocheted things...) however, I had to put this out here for all my 6 readers to see!

Even if you aren't a "horse person" this is a beautiful video and will make you want to intern at Horse Creek!

And BTW- I AM going to horse camp this summer!!!! More details to follow...


Happy Happy Happy!!!!!!!!

My Sister's Birthday!!

Happy Birthday to you... Happy Birthday to you...

Yes, it's true.  My sister had a birthday last month and I have been dying to write about the placemats I wove for her!  But, I didn't want to spoil the surprise- now she has them and I can show you all photos!!

It all started a year ago, when she asked me to weave her new placemats for her birthday this year.  I tormented her with photos, questions- What colors, what pattern, what size?? And she dutifully answered everything, picked a pattern, suggested colors... so I went ahead and did something totally different!! I know, I know, I'm like that.

Four Placemats

I wanted to use the warp that I painted in the class I took with Kristie at Blue Flag Handweaving Studio.  It was originally supposed to be for scarves, but my sister didn't want scarves... She wanted placemats!  The painted warp is perle cotton and the colors don't show up very well in this photo, but they are the lighter stripes.  Then I had to buy some blue perle cotton for accent stripes and weft.  I did use some of my stash for the green and yellow (can't really see the yellow...) stripes.  This is also cotton, but it is cotton rug warp.

And then, I suddenly got tired of the blue perle cotton and was forced to buy some beautiful dark green- thus 2 blue napkins and 2 green napkins.

2 blue, 2 green

Things I learned:

• a plain weave border looks nice, but takes up differently than a twill body.  Next time, use basket weave for the border (thanks Kathy!)
• Perle cotton and rug warp cotton are not the same, they have different stretch and shrinkiness (yes, I made that word up!)
• I hate sewing.  Well, not exactly true, I don't hate it, I am just not good at it- even seams, I couldn't sew a straight line if my life depended on it!
• Napkins and placemats don't HAVE to be square...
• 6 yds of warp is A LOT of warp.
• I love packaging things! One of the most fun parts was folding these up and tying them with pretty twine and a label.

Pretty twine and label (complete with pink kitty button accent!)

Beautiful placemat!!

Napkins and Placemats

So there they are- Birthday placemats!  (plus bonus napkins)

Next up... Crochet mania

Hope you all have a very Happy Holiday!!!