New Publication!

I am absolutely THRILLED to announce the publication of my "Color Rim Bowl" article in the latest issue of Woodturning Design Magazine! (Winter 2012 Issue). Please pick one up at your local newsstand, and check it out!

Also, I'm adding SIX new crochet hooks to my eBay Auctions page this evening. Please check out recent additions to my Etsy store: BRAND NEW nostepinnes, spinning wheel orifice threader hooks, hair sticks, letter openers, and more!

New Year & New Opportunities

Almost the New Year now, and I've decided to change things up a little in my online shops.

Firstly, I've got SIX brand new crochet hooks on eBay right now! I'll continue to post crochet hooks on auction on a regular basis.

Etsy is now my main fiber tools shop! I have a HUGE selection of special crochet hooks, nostepinnes, orifice hooks, needle cases, and thimbles. I also have other marvelous items, like hair sticks, dread beads, letter openers, toothpick holders, jewelry, as well as very fine scale miniatures. Also check out Etsy (or e-mail me personally) about gift certificates or custom items!

Please check them out, and e-mail me if you have any questions!



I just want to thank all of my wonderful customers for your continuing support! Thank you! My best wishes for a fantastic New Year!

Katherine

Dread Beads!

Whenever I do I custom order, I always make some extras! I just listed these extra Dreadlock Beads in my Etsy store. They have a center hole of 10mm (3/8"), and can also be used as focal beads in any fiber arts project! Check them out!

Posting Day!

I just posted some colorful new crochet hooks and hair sticks on eBay last night! Check them out!

Garden Glories

Summer is in full swing here in Cheyenne, WY. We are in the midst of Frontier Days -- a nice outing if you're from out of town, but an inconvenient traffic entanglement if you are local. It's brings good business to town though, and the Native American dances are fun to watch.

In my own "backyard", my mum has been working and working to get our garden growing, and what a success it's become! Our planting area is quite large - about 12 by 50 feet, so it takes a huge amount of care and maintenance. Forgive some of the weeds in the photos. Yesterday was a harvest day, and we spent over an hour collecting chard, spinach, and snow peas.

I figured I should post some pictures of our garden glories while the growing is good!

A virtual tour of the garden:



On the north end, we have summer squash in the form of yellow squash and zucchini, which are just starting to bloom. Then, two rows of snow peas, uplifted by trellises. The peas have been fruiting like crazy! We are harvesting every couple of days -- and goodness are they sweet!!!



Between the rows of peas, we snuck in some parsley and dill.



Mid-garden we have tomatoes in the forefront, just beginning to bloom. Behind them are the cucumbers, also starting to have blooms. Both of these plants seemed to get started late -- the cold prevented a lot of the "leaping" from the ground that we have come to expect.

In the very background are raspberry bushes, some type that apparently grows well here. No sign of flowers or fruit yet...



Next, we have kohlrabi, with it's strong and beautiful leaves. And in the same row, bok choy, which has gone to seed (regrettably) without producing a full head of leaves. We think it must be due to the weird weather -- first very cold, then very hot and raining. At least we'll harvest more seeds than were in the packet. (Only 10 seeds!)

The strong beets are next, and spinach. After, chard, which was just harvested yesterday, (hence the de-leafed appearance of the plants). Behind those are onions.



Here, an onion plant is having an intimate entanglement with a strawberry!

The onions are doing great! We planted about 200 of them, (overdoing it, I know), but we can have fresh green onions every single day!

Katherine

The excitement of something little...

I just made some GORGEOUS new crochet hooks and posted them on eBay last night. (See photo below for the glorious details!)



This spring I was in the unfortunate situation of not having my beloved lathe to work on. My busy hands needing to keep busy, I decided to get out my crochet hooks and knitting needles to delve into some fiber arts. Most specifically, I am knitting socks. I started out by buying the typical ok-but-not-great yarn found at my local craft store, mostly skeins on clearance... and then, as I was searching for nice knitting needles online, I found something entirely different...

(I needed, needed, some Addi Turbo Circular needles -- they are soooooo much easier to use than some other brands I've tried. I like to make my socks on two circular needles -- that way I can do both socks at once, (making sure they are the same length), and finish them both at the same time, avoiding the dreaded "one sock syndrome"!)

Forgive the diversion... I shall continue the story...
At this online fiber-holics shop I found yarn, (sock yarn), on sale... so I bought some. It arrived a few days later and I was enamored: sparkly yarn, yarn that was knitted into flat squares, then printed, yarn space-dyed into brilliant colors! I was hooked!

I then went back and found sock yarn that was NOT on sale, but I couldn't help myself, I bought it anyway! This glorious spun wool felt so scrumptiously silky running through my fingers, it was ecstasy through propinquity!

Then, last night, I sauntered through the gardens of Etsy, and found and found and found... (and bought!) Goodness me it felt fantastic!



And... I have been knitting like crazy, finishing 7 pairs of socks in the past month! (see above) Anyway, I guess my point is -- even if sometimes it feels like there's "no money" -- it can be worth it to treat yourself to a little something. Such bright little spots of happiness enliven and invigorate the spirit, awakening creativity once again.

Starting by following the first couple of patterns by-the-book, I've moved on to designing several of my own, creating unique works for myself and my mom. (One thing I like doing is calculating the exact number of stitches in each sock, so I can relate the fact to curious onlookers. Did you know that (on average) there are over 21,000 stitches in a pair of socks?)

Anyway, I suppose the point is -- take care of yourself. Do something special for yourself: treat yourself to a dinner out, a skein of yarn, a hand-made wooden crochet hook, or even a CD of your favorite artist. Have fun!

Katherine

Posting Day!

More brand new crochet hooks! I've just posted ALL of the below on eBay, including those scrumptious hair sticks! (With the hot weather, I've been wearing my hair up every day using my favorite hair pin, which I made from Bethlehem Olivewood.)

It's interesting -- when one must take a brief hiatus from creating, sometimes new designs come into view -- it's been fun getting back into the swing of things, turning gorgeous new hooks and hair sticks! Check them out!