Tag: Creativity

Chicken Mission

New Construction of the Tractor Variety…

Amy2 Comments

I knew from the beginning that I wanted a chicken tractor for my hens.  The coop is awesome, but I feel like they need to be able to stretch their legs, and free-ranging just isn’t a good option for us right now.  I also knew that my chicken endeavors are just that, my chicken endeavors.  The spouse has not been an active participant.  He’s a darn good listener, but he has  granted me lots of space on starting our little flock.

Imagine my amazement when he willingly took on the project of tractor construction!  And finished it!

He even managed to involve the male offspring (girl child wasn’t having it).

Of course, it could be that one of the fellas helped more than the other.

I’m not naming names mind you…I’m just saying…

So this will be our mobile coop-our chicken RV, if you will. We can position the tractor strategically, moving at frequent intervals (1 to 2 days depending on how many occupants), and those little rascals will eat bugs, pull weeds, and fertilize our pitiful, pitiful backyard.  Score!

Crochet · General

Thoughts of spring

Amy3 Comments

Apparently I’m unable to stop making scarves from the amazing, lovable color wheel that is Catania cotton.  We’re going to chalk this creation up to the anticipation of and appreciation for all things Easter.  Not to mention, a symbolic appreciation of the blooms of spring.  Although it looks like a watermelon to me.

I like watermelon, it just doesn’t make for a very poetic description.

And I think this scarf deserves a poetic description…So does this egg…

My sweet girl experimented with her egg-dying this year.  I love her natural, intuitive creativity

She rocked her eggs…She just rocks in general….It’s an awesome kid that can create this on a whim.

Wonder what I could do on a whim today…. Have a wonderful day, and follow your whims!

Crochet · General · I'm loving this!

I’m loving this!

Amy5 Comments

Love, love, love it!  What an extraordinary idea.  I love the simplicity.  My husband spotted this on Pinterest, and knew I’d like it.

I had to explore further and found Susan’s lovely site at Juniper Moon Farm.   This tutorial for recycling yarn scraps for nesting materials has been pinned and re-pinned.  It was the first time I had seen it, however, and I’m so enthralled that I must share.

Crochet · General

Crochet-A Snapshot of my Blogroll

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Here’s the thing, so much of my blog-reading experience began with my first tentative forays into the world of crochet.  Odd, I know, but once it was on, it was on. I’ve always been a magazine junkie, so you can only imagine the bender I went on once I began to understand the scope and dimension of the blog world.  There’s just so stinking much to choose from! Every subject, style, approach, whatever that you can imagine!  Very quickly, my Google Reader was up to around 1500 new blog posts a day.  Impossible, right?  Right.  Some had to go.  I hadn’t limited myself to crochet.  I had branched out into Finance, Environmentalism, Books, Cooking, Photography, DIY, Quotes, and on and on and on.  Slowly, over time, my reading list morphed.

I thought I’d share the Crochet blogs that survived.  There are several more on my list, but these are the ones that I actually open and read.  I can’t really tell you why.  I think it’s more about the feel and styling of them.  The things they crochet are doable.  Except for Doris Chan. Her stuff is comparatively complex (to me).  She’s just funny.  I like that someone that gifted is that down to earth and open with her thoughts.

Sarah London

Attic 24

Doris Chan: Everyday Crochet

In reality, you won’t always get your best information as far as “actual learning” from the blog world.  What you get is perspective.  Lots and lots of different perspective.  All in the form of tutorials, patterns, examples…it helps you figure out what you do and don’t like.

And although my “Crochet” specific blog list may be shorter, the number of general “Craft” blogs that include crochet has gotten longer and longer.  I gravitate toward Crafters that express themselves in an array of arts and media, like…

Artsy-Craftsy Babe

Wise Craft

Aesthetic Nest

Polka Dot Cottage

Posie Gets Cozy

As far as sites that actually provide more resources than eye candy, you’ll want to look to ones like:

http://www.crochet.org

http://www.crochetville.org

https://www.ravelry.com

I’ve just skirted the crochet world with my list. What are some of your favorites?

Isn’t it amazing! If you’re reading this post, all the answers are at your fingertips.

Very, very cool.

 

Crochet

Whitney’s Scarf

Amy3 Comments

Ok, I know.  To the naked eye, I look to be in a be bit of a rut.  But it’s just such awesome gratification when I complete a variation on this scarf.  Not to mention the fact that my dear, sweet darling daughter has been asking for one since the process began.  So this is the “Whitney” scarf.  She sat down with the rainbow of lovely Catania cotton and chose these colors.

You’ll note that the stitch pattern is very similar to the Spring Green scarf I posted last week. But the color variations bring it a little more into alignment with the Seascape version. Instead of chaining 308 to begin, I chained 208 to adjust for the ten-year old factor.

My child has an eye for color.  Always…all her life. This color pallet reminds me of Easter.  The pastels and gemtones of Easter eggs nestled in the grass.

Have a great Monday!

Chicken Mission

Chicken Mission Accomplished!

Amy2 Comments

We are “go”  for chickens!

I’ve been trolling Craigslist for weeks and quickly determined that given how little I know about chickens, buying my first batch of pullets from a state inspected breeder was probably the best route.  Fast forward to Tuesday of this week.  I took off work early and drove 45 minutes to Fowl Weather Farm, a not so distant breeder that seemed to fit the bill. The young proprietress of Fowl Weather Farm was helpful and professional and we ended the day Tuesday with four new friends and Chicken Mission accomplished!

I had intended to buy at least two Dominique (pronounced dominicker)  pullets and was open to the breed of the other two ladies.  I ended up with two Barred Rocks and two Black Sex Links.  Black Sex Links aren’t kinky.  A Black Sex Link is a cross between a Rhode Island Red Rooster and a Barred Rock hen.  You can tell what sex the chicken is by the coloring around its neck, hence the moniker of “sex link”.  And although their name shows a stunning lack of imagination, all should be great laying hens.  The Barred Rocks look just like a Dominique to the untrained eye, but apparently lay slightly larger eggs.  Eggs being the driving force behind this chicken mission, I was  fickle and opted for the Barred Rocks.  I have an egg dependency, you see. I’m not ashamed of it.