This Ruby Is A Gem!

Here is my sweet little surprise...there's a beautiful new girl here on our little farm!

 Look at those curls!  I am a real sucker for that sort of thing.

Her name is Ruby and she is a two year old "red" angora goat!  Her fleece is a gorgeous fawn color and her face is reddish brown (the face color is what determines the color of the angora goat, so that is why she is considered "red").  Ruby is somewhat small for her age...but with a little pampering and some nice grass/alfalfa hay, I think we can get her to grow into a lovely young lady. She has been quite talkative to the other goats, and has been holding intelligent conversations with Emma.  We are keeping her in her own little pen for now so the big goats don't pick on her.

Here she is, striking a pose for the camera!  

I have affectionately nick-named her "Ruby Red Squirt!"

Student Rugs from Holland, MI

I just looked at the calendar and saw that it's the end of August...where has summer gone?  Although I must say that I won't be sorry to see the heat go away...it's been so terribly hot here, like most places...but the other day, I definitely could feel the hint of fall.  I can't put my finger on it but it must be the angle of the sun, the way the crickets and frogs have been chirping lately, the color of the vegetation across the marsh, and the apples dropping off the tree behind the goat pens.  I am anxiously waiting for my favorite time of year...it can't be too far away....

Enjoy these rugs from my students at the Holland, Michigan Rug School!

 

This is Sandie's rug, a great Deanne Fitzpatrick design.  Her sky is superb!

 Vicki is hooking Kissin' Wears Out, a Spruce Ridge adaptation of a Lori Brechlin design.  Vicki was doing a terrific job on this rug...note the little bow in the girl's hair!

  Sherry is hooking Ah, Tis Spring, another terrific Lori Brechlin design, adapted by Spruce Ridge Studios.  Sherry got a  LOT of hooking done at camp!

Sue was hooking Parcheesi Geometric, a Keith Kemmer design.  This was a fun rug to play with colors.  Sue preferred rust, turquoise, and golden tans.

 This is Ally's Cat, a Cindi Gay design, and being hooked by Sally.  I love her "scribbly" colors!  She was also experimenting with colored roving/yarn and quilling in the circles.

  This is Marg's rug, and one of my designs called Juanita's Roses.  Marg also got a lot of hooking done at camp...and she is also one of the luckiest people!  She won the grand prize at camp...20 half-yard pieces of wool from Tomorrow's Heirlooms!

  This is Kathy's rug.  She was using fancy yarn to enhance the rooster's tail, and her sunflowers were wonderful too.

 Janice was hooking a Cactus Needle design.  Lots of progress done at camp, and I love her bees.

This is Brave Hunter, a pattern by Barb Carroll, and it's being hooked by Jane.  She is using my favorite hues of turquoise.

My House Sampler, a Lori Brechlin design adapted by Spruce Ridge Studios, and hooked by Donna.  A lovely turquoise bird!

Dawn was hooking Glad Tidings, a Lori Brechlin design adapted by Spruce Ridge Studios.  She used sheep's locks for the Santa beard.

 Brenda was hooking a flower, designed by her...this is going to be a beauty!

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I'll have a special surprise announcement and pictures tomorrow....can't wait to show you!...but please check back and see what it is!!!

Sheep Costume Parade!

I'm just back from the Michigan Fiber Festival and it was a fun, fun, fun week-end!  I just had to share a few amusing pictures of the Sheep Costume Parade!

My personal favorite...Darth Vader and a Storm Trooper Sheep!

A witch and a Woodland Fairy sheep....

Not sure about this one but I'm thinking it's a Dragon Fly sheep....

I've never seen them do this parade before but it was a big hit with the festival-goers...what a fun idea!...but you can be sure that my pampered little sheep would never tolerate being dressed up -*sigh*

My friend Neil, with his award-winning Black Face Scottish Ram...he won Supreme Ram Champion at Fiber Fest...you rock, Neil and Whitey!!!

My friend Eli, wearing a hat that Neil made from Wensleydale curls!  Tres chic, Eli!!!

I'm already counting the days until next year's festival....

 

The Audience In The Balcony

Apparently I have more "watchers" than just Mr. Frog.  Here is my little fan club that is sitting in the "balcony" of one of the goat shelters:

These are baby Barn Swallows!  I believe Momma has been teaching them to fly during the day.  In the evening they are all hunkered down in their nest.

They build really interesting nests out of mud and straw, then line the inside with feathers.  The nest gets reused from generation to generation.  I think this nest has been used for the past 3 years.  I am happy to have them around because they eat lots of bugs, like mosquitoes and flies....we have a smorgasbord of those around here!

A Few Rugs From Holland, Michigan

Here are a few snaps I took at the rug show that was held at Holland, Michigan during the Tomorrow's Heirlooms Rug School.

 Oh Glorious Day, hooked by Sally Beaton during Star of Texas (Tyler) rug camp, Kris Miller-teacher.  Design is adapted from Lori Brechlin folk art by Spruce Ridge Studios.

Didn't get the name of the maker.  There is a subtle message written backwards in the background around the fish.  I do remember someone telling me that Pris Butler was the teacher for this rug.

 Hooked by Jackie K.  Isn't this a fantastic rug?

 

Harry, hooked by Patti Aichler. Teacher and designer is Sally Kallin from Pine Island Primitives.

Hooked by Donna Gardella.  I believe this is a Lib Calloway pattern.  Love the background!

I think this was hooked by Donna Gardella too (please correct me if I'm wrong)!  Pattern is Jacob's Lion, designed by Cindi Gay and distributed by Spruce Ridge Studios.

Give Ye Thanks, adapted from Lori Brechlin folk art by Spruce Ridge Studios.  (Sorry, didn't get the name of the maker)

Designed and hooked by Lyle Drier of Wisconsin.  Her rugs are always exquisite and exceptional!

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I'll show my students' rugs in the next post...stay tuned...and stay cool!

Who's Watching Me?

Have you ever had that funny feeling like you were being watched by a pair of eyes?  I had that same feeling while I was feeding the goats the other night.....

Mr. Froggy, quiet and safe in his little hole, kept his eyes on me while I walked back and forth with armloads of hay.

Little did he know that he sparked my imagination and inspired me to consider dyeing up some new wool colors...greens, golds, coppers, rich browns...and maybe a new rug hooking design???