Merry (late) Christmas!

Merry Christmas to everyone, even though this is a bit late! Mom and I had to work through Christmas and we got today off as compensation (though I had to fight for even that). Melinda has asked me to post about the projects that I work on occasionally and Mom and I had a big one this year. Felted Slippers! Now that everyone has opened their gifts, I can fully post about their creation. I had read on another knitting blog about these super cute ballet flat looking slippers and bought the pattern last year. In July I emailed all those that I thought would enjoy a pair of slippers to find out their favorite color for their feet and their shoe size. Mom and I worked from then on knitting ridiculously large slippers and sewing them together in preparation for their baths. At the beginning of December we felted down 8 pairs of slippers (plus one set for Tony that weren't ballet flats). Then we sewed on the flaps and buttons to finish them off, of course getting down to the last minute before they had to be shipped! Before they headed off to their new homes, I did a sexy slipper photo shoot.

If you were one of the lucky recipients and your slippers were too big, don't despair! If you have a top loading washing machine, set it to the hottest water setting and the smallest load. Add a touch of detergent and throw your slippers in. Let them agitate for 2-5 minutes. Pull out a slipper, ring it out, and put it on to see if it is small enough. If not throw it back in for another 2-5 minutes. When your slippers fit well, rinse them with cold water, ring them out, shape them back into slipper form and set them somewhere to dry. Just remember that when you shrink them you can't go back! They will probably stretch out a bit in time, but don't go so small you cut off circulation to your foot. We hope you all enjoy them...and we are already planning for next year!

What a Hoot!

So tonight Mom went out to tend chickies really late and she heard a sound in their fenced-in run. She thought maybe it was the little pheasant hen that hangs around trying to find a way in all the time (people who raise birds in a pen and then set them free should know what it does to them psychologically.) But instead she found and caught this:

I know!














So Cute!












It was a pygmy owl! She told me to run and get the camera and held the poor baby while I took pictures. When you stroked his little head he would close those big eyes and his eyelids were covered in downy feathers that looked like long lashes. I asked him if his name was Pig (from Harry Potter .. Ron's little owl Pigwidgeon?) and he would bat those eyes, so I took that as a yes. Mom said his talons were very very sharp and he would try to nibble her to let him go. After the photo shoot she just set him on the porch rail and he took off into the night. We were in awe.