Owls~

Owls seem to be the 'thing' around here right now.

Here is a custom order I just finished, I want to keep it!

Eve's new jammie ensemble, from nightie to socks!

Ann's beautiful eyes.Sentinel dog, making sure no one bothers the tent.

That's all I have for now, back to WORK!

Up all night~

Last night the girls had a camp out in the yard with their neighbor girl friends.
Outside of my bedroom window.
I had NO sleep last night- but not because they were rowdy- not at all! They were out at 10:30, but neurotic mamma was half asleep or awake all night listening to be sure they were ok.

SO- mumble. blerg.


This is a pic of Paul and Ann squishing blackberries (from our yard) to make a batch of wine-- yuM!Back to the wheel-- I can spin and doze -- I think.

Retired and RE-tired (meaning tired-again)

I have been a bit quiet lately as I am spinning spinning spinning all of the Ocean Wonder skeins that have been ordered.

SO- this email is to let you know first that after Sept.1st the Ocean Wonders will be retired.
If you would like one, come and get it, or email me if you had planned on ordering in Sept. (but are not prepared to do so by the 1st) and we can work out a reservation.

Second, keep an eye on the site-- I have a new spinner coming and have a few new Reenie yarns to put up. I will be dabbling them up over the course of the week as I find holes of time and will email you again when it is finished.
I have a pile of Halloween and fall yarn ideas I have been writing down as I spin the OW skeins and I am very excited about them.
cackle cackle.

Falls and Sister Torture~

Last weekend we took my mom to see the Lucia Falls, one of my favorite places here in WA and where we have been looking for property.
It's also where bigfoot lives.
Here some shots from the trip:

The water just below the falls was really low- last time we were there it was much higher since the snow was still melting on the mountain.

Big amazing tree:

Trees over the falls...they are all mossy from the mist in the air. Eve calls them Muppet Trees. haha

The following is what happens when you give a bored 12 yo a camera. She annoys her sister. The girls really rarely fight, but there is this new irritation factor- must be a tween thing.

However, the entire time their feet were intertwined. Sister Love.Back to work!

Re-prioritize-mification

Usually I avoid online swaps and such since I tend to have enough on my plate to remember. However, this swap was too tempting.
It is called the Hush Hush Handspun Hootenany.

The other day I sent my downstream package out. The swap was a 4 oz skein of handspun, 4 oz. of fiber and goodies. Kim was fun to spin for, she gave a lot of great information. She is an amazing artist! Go see her new site.

Here is the yarn, inspired by her favorite painting, called the Fire Tree.
Click the pic for a larger verison and artist info, etc. Painted by Eyvind Earle.

The yarn will knit in stripes/sections of the oranges and blues (representing the sky) and coiled green (representing the tree).
I used a black ply to represent the silhouetted branches.

Here is the yarn with the coordinating batt:
I sent her black thread and glass beads to spin her own coordinating skein.

So much fun to spin for the sake of pure creation. I need to do more of this. Life changes. Different decisions. Re-prioritizemification.

gurgle

I have been treading water for over a week now and have to admit I am getting fatigued. I wish spinning was more cardiovascular, I would be so slim and fit!

The orders keep coming for the Ocean Wonder skeins and I keep plugging away, getting caught in the undercurrent and fighting my way back up for a breath of air.

Keep 'em coming and thanks for your patience.

My mom is here from PA for a 2 week visit. Of course when she arrived the weather took a rare turn to hot- like 100+ degrees hot. We do not have air conditioning because it is never this hot. Blerg. Good thing the studio stays cool. It's supposed to break tomorrow so yay!
I leave you with a shot of my Ann Elf. She manipulated the picture herself in Photoshop.
LOVE IT. haha
Back to the wheel!
I appreciate you!

Charkhas for Africa

Charkhas for Africa wheels arrive in Nonsombougou!
Therese of Jump Sheep reports on details here.

Click on the picture to see a larger image.

Wheels are purchased with the proceeds of items sold on the Charkhas for Africa page, so GO, SHOP, what are you waiting for??

Quiet

Can you hear that? ME EITHER!
The sound of silence, something I rarely hear.
As I mentioned before, my parents are here from PA. They took the girls to the Oregon Zoo for the day. Paul is working.
I am here. alone. in the studio, prepping to hook on the ipod and take a dip in the Ocean for several hours.

Yesterday we drove to Mt. St. Helens. SO worth the 2 hour drive. I am in LOVE with this volcano and can see her from my deck. Here is a live volcano cam.
Before I hit the wheel, here are a few shots from our trip.

First stop was Bigfoot Land, a kitschy, tacky gift shop and used-to-be-cinema. There is an A frame house that was buried in ash from the 1980 eruption, but you cannot walk through it anymore, it is just a barricaded, bird poo-filled corpse of a house. The best part (well, other than the statue and the pottery made with ash in the glaze) is the porch with pictures on bulletin boards and a tape playing with information about the eruption.

Jordan and girls at statue.

Real mullein plant with silk sunflowers stuck in it. Hilarious.


Bigfoot footprint castings.


Sam and Helen.


Sam, Reenie and Helen. Helen is behind us, the clouds were covering her top.


My mom voguing for the camera.


Paul and Eve.


Chilling out.

Off to spin.
talk later.
xo

Treading water

Treading water in the ocean-- or TREADLING water in the ocean-- har har har

I am up to my eyeballs in Ocean Wonder skeins and having a blast.
Not quite drowning yet, but a wave may come and drag me under-- wait maybe it has!
My parents just arrived for a 2 week visit from PA.

Back to cooking dinner and stringing seashells.

gurgle

Spun Monkey!

Material Whirled is proud to announce the arrival of a new spinner to the handspun shop!

Shannon Herrick's (aka The Spun Monkey's) creations are unique and inspiring...
Grab them up- they won't last long...

Ocean Wonder~

Ocean Wonder 2008 version!

As seen in the 2008 Stitch n' Bitch calendar designed by the talented and amazing Angela Place.

Spun from frothy merino in soft ocean blues, green and cream with a touch of white nylon to add a subtle sparkle.
Plied with a sand colored cotton with ocean themed charms, shells and silver beads.

Spinner Combos!

Did you ever have an idea and were just so very proud of yourself?
While I do have good ideas, it's rare I am this tickled with myself...

I was rearranging my yarn inventory and had piled yarns from several different spinners all together on my table.
Some of the skein started to crawl towards one another and the combinations were SO BEAUTIFUL! This sounds exaggerated, but as you know, handspun yarn vibrates with the life and energy of it's creator. Each spinner has a unique 'signature' when they spin and you can identify this signature from skein to skein.
I have noticed these amazing combinations before, but realize it is hard for you to see this when all of the artists are organized on separate product pages.
In comes my brilliant idea!

SPINNER COMBOS!

When you combine the art of different spinners there is an intriguing and intense, almost audible energy created!
I have many combos laid out and am working to get them photographed and in the shop for you. So please keep stopping by over the course of this week.
Perfect for larger projects or as a stash enhancement!

Off to reward myself with a lemon drop! :D
xo