Odds and Ends

A wonderful rainy, dreary day; perfect for crafting, watching TV and general laziness. I did make it outside to feed the animals. I believe the horses had given up on me already.

So, I few items that I've completed recently are pictured here. Nothing big but they keep me busy. I plan to try out polymer clay in the next couple of days. Just what I needed, another craft. But I want to make my own beads for macrame so the holes will be the right size. I also saw a way to make a bracelet that looks easy and I should be able to do. Should is the operative word there.

So, for posterity (yeah, whatever) here are pics of my most recent items:

How many sequels until you have to start over?

Still learning so much about horses. One of the horses is back with her original "mom". With the drought as bad as its been we just cannot feed 3 horses right now. And she was the dominant mare and none too democratic about it, either. So now we just have Queen, who I'm learning to ride, and Almas who is all ours. She's not broke at all but I do have her eating out of my hand and I can pet her sometimes. She doesn't get to eat until I get at least one good pet and she seems to realize that. I hope that when I'm home several days in Dec. that I can get a lead rope on her. That's my goal, anyway.

I never finished the camo afghan so I need to get back on that. I'm going to try looming a door mat from the twine I take off of the hay bales. Hubby said, "you can buy that twine" and I replied with "but that's not the point". I WANT to use the different twine from the hay. Some is green and some are natural. I've not tried looming flat pieces so this is a new project for me.

So much to do. Hopefully I can attempt to ride Queen today. Well, I can ride her and I can stay on but controlling her when SHE decides to start running for no reason is a completely different matter.

We are looking for a Morgan mare or filly. If any of you have one out there you want to sell, please contact me.

Jodi

Catching up, the sequel

Wow, time sure flies. I was just reading over the last post and realized how much has changed already. We lost poor little Gracie. I guess she just wasn't as strong as the others and she succumbed to the heat. None of the others seemed bothered by it but something happened to Gracie that day. Very sad, but she had a good life while she was here.

In other news, yesterday we got a horse all our own. Rivanna and Queen are still here and we hope to breed Queen to a Morgan and we will get the foal. Rivanna's owner will send someone down for her to breed with or she'll go home for a while for that "service". Yesterday, Almas arrived and she is all ours; or will be when we get her papers tomorrow. She's beautiful. She's Egyptian/Arabian (I'll know better tomorrow) and is 15 years old. She's never been bred or broken so she'll be a bit of a challenge. She's very graceful and light on her feet and seems to have a lot of natural "go juice". It'll take a while for her to become a part of the herd, I guess, and the posturing has already begun. I have plenty of the blue stuff around--I usually manage to get more on me than the horses.

Hopefully I'll have pictures of them on here soon. At least I managed to ride Rivanna, bit and all. I was happy to see her pull her regular stunts with Jenn and Jenn here to see. I had a good riding lession as did Rivanna. Now I just have to prove that I'm more stubborn than she is.

More later......hoping for rain....

Me

Catching up

I cannot believe that the last post I did was in January and it is now already August. I guess that shows how little time I've had for crafting etc.

We're now pasturing two Arabian horses for a friend and I'm getting to do something I've always wanted to try; ever since I was a little kid. I'm getting to know horses, learn about horses, fall off horses, get "massaged" by horses and more. It's a lot of work but so much fun.

We also now have 7 dogs in the yard. Houdini who was an "Irish Setter" rescue (he's really part Golden Retriever and part Chow). Then the neighborhood dog, Daisy, who continues to have puppies brought some to us for the first time. So, George, Gracie and Peanut are permanent family members and Moe and Curley are available for "adoption". Curley is still very shy so we cannot catch him but he takes food from our hand and is very sweet. He's coming around.

I'm doing a few crafts but its just to dang hot! Maybe when the weather breaks I can get started on some holiday projects.

That should catch you up....whoever "you" are.

Be safe........

Jodi

1 of 2 WIPS

I've started a granny square lapghan with camo yarn. I don't work on it every day but it shouldn't take too long to complete. I haven't even decided on the final size, yet. I'm just going to keep going until I like it. No plans on who to give it to, yet. I may put it in the box for the craft fair later this year.

All finished...

And here they are.......the finished products. First shows the wristwarmer without any special edging. I single crocheted around the thumb holes and the arms and did a small scallop around the fingers. I'm very pleased with how they came out. And I'm keeping them. Mine, all mine :) (for a change)

Cables--not so scary anymore

Thanks to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/KnittingNovices/ I found a pattern with cables that I thought I could do and wahooo....I could! These are wrist warmers, which I like to knit or crochet anyway, but with an extra twist (pun intended). Here's the WIP (work in progress) and then I'll post the finished product. I'm thinking of crocheting edges on the top and bottom to neaten them up a bit and to feel like I made them my own. Comments and hints/tips are always appreciated. The pattern can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/9gyns

Balaclava

Crochet Partners (CP) really is an awesome group. My DH had asked for a Balaclava, but one bigger than a normal ski mask. He wants it for hunting and to have enough room to slide some sunglasses under. A couple of the CP members had a pattern to me in less than 1/2 an hour of my posting the request. Two days later, here are two versions; the first which follows the pattern exactly and the second with a few minor modifications to make it bigger. He's very happy and will be able to use it before hunting season ends.

Thanks to all for your help. Hopefully, I can return the favor one day.