HRH Percival

Well the "kids" are growing up fast here -and the bunnies will be looking for new homes soon unless..they're very special like this fellow here.
Percival is out of McMullan's Perfect (100% German) and Smith's Sir Lancelot (97% Chinchilla German Hybrid) and oh my gosh does he ever have density -and the colour!!!! He's a chocolate chinchilla and I am so in love with this colour!
His full brother "Gawain" is available -he's REW and has spectacular body and wool but well he's white :) Asking $125 for him
Also have 3 broken coloured German Hybrids -two black (buck and doe) and one chocolate (buck)
as well as a stunning little white girl from RM's Whimsey (100% German) x RM's Emmerson (75% German 25% French -broken black) Asking $75 each.
Am heading to Rhinebeck in October -can deliver on the way or meet up there!

I finished knitting something!

So tomorrow is the first day BOTH kids are off to school -so the house in MINE!!!! And what will I do with my day?? Finish drop spindle - learn to spin kits, spin some luxurious llama/angora blend for socks, sort through the BIG bags of angora fiber here or go play with baby bunnies??? Who knows?? But I FINALLY finished a project!!! I spun up the matts and tangles I had here and made myself a scarf -half satin angora -half french angora -yummy and ooooohhhh so soft! And then because i was feeling really good and positive I finished another half done project -handspun shetland mittens for my little diva Lindsay :)

Rigid Heddle Loom for Sale

LeClerc Bergere Rigid Heddle Loom -60cm -24inch weavig width
includes stcik shuttles, warping tools and instruction manuals Asking $125 for it including shipping -can deliver to the Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool Festival in October!

Is this what they call the DOG Days??

So the last of summer are called the dog days of summer supposedly because its so hot we all lay around like dogs??? If so sign me up!!!! Sprawling on a couch all day, lots of attention and good grub. Somebody is definetely spoiled :)

Bunny Fur Bling!

So what do you do with a bag of matted and tangled bunny fur?? Well you let two kids loose dyeing it a rainbow of colours and then you card it out with lots of angelina and firestar and create bunny Fur Bling
Here's Lindsay hard at work carding the fiber. And the first two batches green/blue and red/pink. Can you tell who picks the colours around here -Jared and Lindsay of course.

Two Little Monkeys jumping on a Trampoline

How much fun is this two kids a BIG trampoline and nothing to stop you but one mom who is saying "get off there I want a turn now too" They sure are growing up way too fast. Jared will be 10 this coming April and Lindsay will be 6 in March. I feel old all of a sudden -think I need to go play on the trampoline some more!

Bunnies bunnies everywhere!!!!

Here's a pic of two of the future bunnies of Rocky Meadow Rabbits breeding and show stock

On the left we have RM's Travelling Salesman a stunning broken black steel buck -French angora. I had to name him this as someday I'll be able to say "oh their dad is the Travelling Salesman" On the right we have RM's Lightning a booted broken red Satin Angora Doe -she herself won't be able to show as her markings are too heavy but her density and sheen is just too good to pass up!!!!

On the Sales end we have the following bunnies ready to go now!!!

Giant Angoras:

White buck -has serious ear flop but great coat for a wooler!!

Broken Chocolate Buck

Broken Black Doe -would be staying if I had the room -shes that nice

Broken Black Buck

French Angoras:

Broken Chocolate Agouti Buck

Chestnut Doe

2 Black Bucks

Broken Chestnut Doe

Broken Chestnut Buck

Broken Black Doe

Satin Angoras:

Chocolate Buck

Chocolate Doe (may be sold)

Red Doe (may be sold)

Show marked Broken Red buck

Heavily Marked Broken Copper Buck --has a weak ear

Fawn Doe

Chocolate Agouti Buck

Heavily Marked Broken Copper Buck

Email for more information and pics!

New Family Picture

Hee hee -who could resist -we've been Simpsonized at http://www.simpsonizeme.com/. Pretty funny -the kids loved it! What do you think is it us????

Back from the Sheep Dog Trials

Well three fun and exciting days of Sheep Dog Trials are come and gone.
We had a great time there -always busy but so much to see and do. Old friends to catch up with and new friends to make. Saturday four teams competed in the sheep to shawl competition -I always love watching these talented spinners and weavers working together to take a raw fleece and transform it into works of art.

Sunday saw two memories that will alwasy stick out in my mine. First was aquiring a pair of socks that were spun in an original Jazy Dyesigns by Jared -one of his first works now made into a warm and toasty treat for his proud mommy to wear :)

Second moment was a little harder and tearier but sweet all the same. A little black faced border collie puppy trotted its way over to me tounge handing out, leash dragging on the ground and happy with its whole body wagging in delight at being free. I picked her up to find her owner only to have a nice young man come over and say "Scamper you naughty little thing there you are." Well tears started to flow. I explained to him that I had lost my old girl this spring and her name too had been Scamper. It turns out she had been named something else but when he and his wife went to get her at the breeders his wife decided she was Scamper. When he introduced his wife and told her about my Scamper it turned out they had picked her up on the day we put Scamper down. It was so sweet and reassuring to think there is still a Scamper rolling in the grass and playing with a new family. I came home and hugged Java who seemed to understnad that she and I had a whole life ahead of us and that memories would always be sweet. I'll never regret for a heartbeat the life I had with Scamper or the fun that awaits me with Java -both dogs are treasures beyond all else -unless you consider my hubby and kids first which I do (grin). They came to see me down at the trials all weekend -bringing treats and heading off to the beach for a swim or two. There was a jungle cat display there with a baby tiger and Jared got to go swimming with him -wish I could have seen that! Talk about a story to go back to school with!

I bought Java a new lead at the sheep dog trials - I could not resist it its bright pink and says "One of us is a Bitch". Heehee now wonder who is and who isn't . I also got some beautiful wildflower honey from a local farmer there and loaded up at the farmers market on the way home -all those gorgeous fresh veggies !! And come winter I now have an order for farm raised pork, chicken and beef -no store bought for me!

Bamboo Knitting Needles and Crochet Hooks

Cornerstone Fibres now carries a fabulous line of bamboo knitting needles and crochet hooks -straights, double pointed and circulars are all in stock as of this week! 9 piece bamboo crochet hook sets are also available -the craftmanship on these are very high -but very reasonable priced. Knitting needles are $5 a set/single circular and the crochet sets are $20! Good range of sizes and lengths too. We're very excited as you can tell

Jazzy Jared strikes again!!!

See what happens when you combine 2 kids, 2 crockpots and 3lbs of Shetland roving? The wonderful thing is this is all made with only 4 colours of food colouring -who knew so many combinations existed -I figured one or two lots would be close but oh no -its a colour explosion!

6 - 8 ounce lots were created :)

New Fibers available at Cornerstone Fibres!!!

We're so excited we are now carrying Southwest Trading Company Fibers includuing - Milk Latte, Soysilk, Optim, Bamboo Top, Black diamond Bamboo Top and Karaoke:

What is SOYSILK® fiber?SOYSILK® brand fiber is made from the residue of soybeans from tofu manufacturing. This process is 100-percent natural and free of any petrochemicals, making it an extremely environmentally friendly product. Soy is a completely renewable resource - coming from the earth and being wholly biodegradable. As early as the 1940s, textile experts dreamed of a fiber made from soy. (In fact, Henry Ford had a suit made of soy as an early prototype.) SOYSILK® brand fiber offers superior moisture absorption and ventilation properties along with beautiful draping, softness and warmth.

Bamboo carbon fiber, called Black Gold or Black Diamond by those in the industry, is resistant to ultra violet rays and possesses anti-odor properties. It also adjusts well to both humidity and dryness.

BAMBOO fiber is made from the bamboo plant, a grass farmed commercially throughout Asia. Bamboo can grow 10 ft tall and a stand of bamboo plants can thrive for up to 100 years. BAMBOO fiber is cool to the skin, comfortable to wear ,and shows beautiful drape and softness.

Silk Latte is made from the milk proteins. Like SOYSILK, it is a luxurious champagne color fiber but even softer than SOYSILK.They are produced in much the same process.

Karaoke is 50% Soysilk -50% Wool and is available in three colourways as well as white at this time Below is Playful !

A table of Fibre -courtesy of Jared of course :)

Here's his latest works of art - some are already spoken for -I would love to keep it all though

All this wonderful fiber once again came from Kalwa Taure Shetlands in Ontario -the fiber is always lovely and take the dye wonderfully! Tammy has to raise some awesome shetlands to produce this incredible fiber!! Her website is: http://www.acornrack.com/KalwaTaureShetlands/

Memories ...........

Today Jared, Lindsay and I finished our dye day as we bagged the fibre from Jared's last accomplishments. As we sat we talked about family -Jared and Lindsay are so lucky to have so much family who love them Jared commented on. I told him yes he was -he then started asking about the pictures on the wall - the one he really noticed was one of myself, my mom and my grandmother on my wedding day -he commented it was like fast forwarding to show all the different stages of a life. How right he was.
Today marks the 9th year of my grandmother "Beppe's" passing. Not a day goes by I don't think of her -she was an original do it all woman - she was wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and great-great grandmother when she passed. In her 92 years on this earth she witnessed so much and never lost sight of the things that mattered. She witenessed great horrors and wonderful joys in her lifetime. My favorite picture is her holding out her arms to hold Jared. The picture we have in his room is her hands old and workworn being held by perfect little fingers just starting to learn how to take life by the horns.
At 43 she immigrated from The Netherlands to Canada with my uncles who were grown men and my mom who was only three. She taught herself to speak English listening to the radio and later on read when my mom came home with schoolwork. She worked hard all her life -she could sew- was a seamstress by profession, knit (I still treasure my Beppe sweaters and socks), crochet, embroider, and spin. She was an avid gardener and her flowers were always a thing of beauty. And best of all she could cook and bake. Some of my best memories were of a bowl of soup, a fresh bun and later on some cake and cookies all while sitting at a kitchen table and talking. Our days were filled with crafts, laughter and most of all love. She carried on for 16 years alone after my grandfather passed away -she never lost sight of heaven and that they would be together again there someday. Her faith was incredible, her strength immense and her love never ending.
She was without a doubt the most important influence on my life. She was my friend, confidant and mentor. Every important event minus one in my life she was there. Lindsay carries her name -a fact she doesn't like but I wanted my daughter to have something of this wonderful woman whom she would never meet. She watched me grow up, helped me grieve when my grandfather passed, smiled at my wedding, was there to hold my firstborn child.
I know she is still with us in spirit - I feel her presence often, when I sit to spin, struggle to knit or sit in my garden in quiet reflection.

Funny how things come full circle sometimes. Today we sat at the kitchen table -ate fresh buns and soup and later on made cookies from a recipe written in a beautiful spidery script and most of all we felt loved and blessed to be part of a circle that never truly ends. I hope someday when my kids look back they will remember that day with a smile.

And the cutest baby of the year award goes to.......

BRIANNE! Here she is at 11 months - our niece Brianne or Bri for short. This is Don and Lories little girl -spoiled little sister of Brandon. She's a real cutie thats for sure :)

She definetely looks like her brother good thing she doesn't look like her daddy!

Jared at Bat!!

Here he is -isn't he the handsomest baseball player you have ever seen :) Not too proud of a mommy now am I? They played their first tournament today - tey lost the first two games (not a surprise as these were rep teams from other areas) BUT they won their third game 20 to 7!!!!!

Jared got 4 RBIs in this game -can we say thrilled and proud! Absolutely -this is his first year playing after all. My only complaint is it take him away from me and the dyepots .

GO CARDINALS!!!!!!!!!!!

Here she is -getting bigger and more beautiful every day -JAVA!!! What is Java besides adorable - stubborn, opinionated and very very loving! She knows HER territory and kids and god help anybody who tries to get near either without hearing the okay :) She is so gentle with the kids and they adore her, shes defientely spoiled and well loved. She's on lifeguard duty here we sit on the deck while the kids play in the kiddy pool - she had to have her own lawnchair -she's too heavy to sit on my lap!

PICTURES!!!!!!

Here they are the first baby pictures of the three angora litters :) First up is McMullan's Perfect a first time mommy -awesome wool and type on this pure German girl. Her man of choice was Smith's Lancelot 94.75% German cross. These babies are genetically 97+% German bloodlines. There are two chocolate chinchillas and 4 whites in this bunch -I'm keeping on of the choc chins for sure :) I mean look at that face -who can resist such cuteness!

Next up is RM's Whimsey -100% German bred to RM's Emmerson -75% German -25% French cross -broken black. This litter is more than I was hoping for by these two - I was hoping for one or two with spots but got 6! Two whites round out the litter. The patterns on these guys are amazing -lots of colour and splash!

Predominately broken blacks but there is a broken chocolate as well! Very pretty. These guys are 80% + German in bloodline

Should be nice thick coats with easy care thrown in for good measure. Emmerson has retained his nice dark black coat too -here's hoping these guys do as well.

Last but not least is RM's Spitfires -broken reds -first litter of 9!

Bred to Davises Fuzz -lilac she produced this gloreous shimmery bunch of kits. I'm keeping a broken out of this for sure - I love the contrast of the bright white fiber and the sparkling colour -and to spin this fiber is heaven on earth!

My barn is full and boy do I feel blessed - now to watch all these guys develop -it makes it hard ot part with them but I know there are other breeders out there who will happily take some of these guys home with them :)

Canada Day Fireworks arrive early!!!

Well Canada also brought a wonderful surprise first time mommy RM's Spitfire (broken red) Satin Angora delivered 9 fat and sassy kits -these arrived two days early -guess she didn't want to miss the party! 7 brokens and 2 solids. Proud daddy is American import Davis's Fuzz (lilac).
Stay tuned for pics of these and the other two litters here :) Lots of splash and sparkle in this litter - Happy 140th Canada and Happy Birthday to you guys!

Happy Canada Day!!!!!!

Happy Canada Day!!!!!! As a first generation Canadian -my parents immigrated her as children I was always taught to be proud of being born in this wonderful and diverse country. My children also are taught this important lesson -that we are Canadian, we are free and we are truly blessed to be able to live here.

Jazzy JEWELRY by Jared!!!

He's loose again! This time he's raising funds for his baseball team by creating new and exciting jewelry for me to sell for him :) He's waiting for me to get more rovings in to dye but his choices of colours are as always inspiring:

Here's some of his work :)

New Babies!!!!!

Hurray!! At long last new babies in the barn :) So far the count is :

4 New Zealands -3 blues, 1 white to Laura our white NZ mama from NH by Blueberry our blue Diju Rabbitry Buck

8 - German Hybrids 94.75% from McMullan's Perfect -100% German -a stunning stunning girl! out of Smith's Sir Lancelot (chinchilla) 89.5% German -looks liek 2 chocolates and 6 whitesw -coats on these guys should be amazing as both mom and dad are incredibly dense and their body types are awesome~ one of the chocolates will be staying here for sure.

8 German Hybrids/crosses 87.5% from RM's Whimsey 100% German x RM's Emmerson (75% German -25% French broken black -my Xmas baby in pervious posts) 6 brokens and 2 whites -no definete colours yet -stay tuned!

Still due 2 litters of satin angoras -stay tuned for more details!!!!

Its all gone ;(

All of Jareds latest offerings are sold - we'll have to get going on more :) Its fun to do and he gets such a kick out of beign the "dye wizard" He's also taken up baseball -he looks os darn cute in his uniform -he's playing for the Cardinals this year!
Go Cardinals!!!!!

More Jazzy Dyesigns by Jared

Is he awesome or what!! 9 years old and so talented!! The colours oh the pretty colours. I wish I had time to spin it all! There is 2 more 4 ounce lots of the moorit shetland from Kalwa Taure Shetlands http://www.acornrack.com/KalwaTaureShetlands/Products.php which I am so in love with - the colour is amost jewel tones and oh soooo soft! The larger bags are Corriedale -8 ounces per bag. The range of colours this kid can produce is awe inspiring.

Pre-inventory Sale!

Time for a pre-inventory sale – I do not want to count more than I have to so prices are discounted to get this stuff gone :) Updated to reflect what has already been sold:
Misc.:
Spin Craft Patterns $2.50 each 2 X Leaf Lace Vest, 3x Backstrap Loom, 2x Weaving on the fold, 3x Angora Bunny, 2x rag or Yarn Sheep,

Books and Magazines:
Spin-off Magazines $7 each
Winter 2001, summer 2004, fall 2004, fall 2005, winter 2005, spring 2006

Vogue Knitting $2 each
Spring/Summer 95, fall 95, winter 95/96, fall 99

Shuttle. Spindle and Dyepot $3 each
Summer 1992, Winter 94/95, Winter 87/88, Fall 89, Spring 95, Spring 86,Fall 97, Fall 2001

Making Plaits and Braids June Baker $20
Inkle Loom Weaving by Frances B. Smith $15
Weaving is Creative –the weaver controlled weaves Jean Wilson $10
Tablet Weaving by Ann Sutton and Pat Holtom $35
Swedish Weaving By Thelma M. Nye $10
The Urban Knitter by Lily Chin $5
New Knits on the Block by Vickie Howell $15
Spin It making Yarn from Scratch by Lee Raven $12
The Handspinner’s Guide to Selling by Paula Simmons $20
Angora a Handbook for Spinners by Erica Lynne $25

Fibers:
1lb Cotton Candy Pink Corriedale Roving 1lb available $25 for both or $15 am 8 ounce bag

4 ounces of Brown Shetland with silver gray Llama – 85/15 percent blend $15 –2 bags available

4 ounces White Shetland with white angora rabbit wool 85/15 percent blend $15

Natural Silk in Sercin 3 ounce bags –3 available $10 each or all three for $25

Ecopsun –recycled pop bottles white only 2lbs available $25 per lb or $15 for 8 ounces

Prices do not include shipping. Payment is Paypal (contact for account info), cash, check or money order.
Thanks for looking!
Kim

Shetland Dark and Light

Well I let Jared loose again :) This time with some fabulous roving from http://www.acornrack.com/KalwaTaureShetlands/Products.php

located here in Ontario. These beautiful shetland rovings are so soft and easy to handle and they dye beautifully. 4 ounces of white and moorit hit the dye pot in an expiriment of dark and light dye exhaustion. As you can see the results as always are stunning.

My dye wizard continues to amaze and delight me and others -his rovings are currently getting packed up to head to a blending course with Beth Abbot -a master spinner and dyer in her own right. She LOVES Jared's origina; works of art and so do I. Now to convince him to not play baseball so he has more time to dye with me Not happening anytime soon.

Jazzy Dyesigns by Jared -SILK!!!

So what happens when you let a 9 year old loose with some tussah silk, easter egg dye and a crock pot? If its Jared you come out with a work of art!! The picture cannot do this fiber justice -it is amazing~~~as are all his works -but this one might just stay here with me :)

Baby "Goober"

Java has to be one of the most gentle dogs I have ever met -look what she dropped in my lap this morning -we were out in the garden sitting when she plopped this into my lap Besides being covered in dog drool he is completely unharmed -can't fly though poor little thing is too young -I figure he fell out of the big tree in the neighbours yard. He sure likes worms out of the garden though He seemed completely unfazed that this thirty pound thing had scooped him up into her mouth.
Java was so proud of herself -they say labs have very gentle mouths and I can well believe it after this!
Who decided I was the new mama :)

Poor Java the oppressed!

Poor girl -Java went in to get spayed yesterday and to have her dew claws removed -one ingrows and gets infected so we opted to have both removed to help her stay healthy. She is NOT impressed with the love and care she is being shown. Can't blame the poor thing, sore, bandages that itch and this horrible collar thing to have to wear to boot! Going to be a looooonnnngggg week!

CDAA Booth pic

Here's the setup we had at the Canadian Doll Artist Association last friday/Saturday. My friend Wendy helped me hold down the fort but refuses to have her picture taken! The dolls there were incredible!

Busy Fiber Happenings :)

Well its been a busy two weeks first the Port Hope Fiber Gathering and this week the Canadian Doll Artist Association show and sale. Who knew fiber had so many beautiufl uses. Spinning, weaving and dyeing are just the tip of the iceburg. Felting both wet and needle, fusion with silk, free form creations of awesome proportions -it was so neat to see and touch it all. I also got to meet at long last Leslie Samson the lady who co-wrote Completely Angora!!! And got her seal of approval on my new German doe "Perfect" who I got from Julianna McMullan this spring. Can anything be better -well maybe the thought of getting a BLACK German from the new import lines this fall
Photos will be posted as soon as I get around to it - had a wonderful mothers day yesterday complete with breakfast in bed (burnt toast a la Jared and juice by Lindsay), lovely flowers a dozen roses in salmon and a dozen bright red tulips and new shoes -can we say completely spoiled :)
Off to re-pack teh fiber bins and do inventory now -hopping off!

A memorial of a well lived life

My son Jared (who I'm sure has been around the great wheel of life several times) is a wise and beautiful little soul. When we were talking about how we wanted to remember Scamper Jared decided we would plant a tree. A fruit tree that would bear flowers and fruit and carry on long after we're all gone. He explained to me that we needed to write wishes and memories and attach them to the tree so they could float up to heaven to her and people here would know this is Scamper's special tree. He told me "life goes on mommy and so does a tree just like our souls which go on forever. Scamper is always here with us. Her tree is part of the earth and the sky just like she is." Can you see now sometimes why I feel overwhelmed and completely incapable of being his mother.