Thursday, July 22, 2010

Destination: Moab, Utah

We finally got away from the farm after all of the lists and preparations, details after details, and extra training of our helpers who will be caring for our animals and home while we take a good long trip for the first time in ages! Our somewhat unreliable motor coach was finally fixed and we left the same day, anxious to start chewing away at the many miles we hoped to cover.
Munchie and Sushi, of course, got to come along! Some friends have expressed surprise that we would bring the pets with us (not the teens!), but after the third day I can attest that they are, um, a bit easier than the teens can sometimes be.... Spousal harmony has been tested to the max, too, as we have driven many hours a day and experienced the frustration of discovering things still not fixed on the coach as promised.A few rare minutes of sibling cooperation at a rest area near Vail, CO
Sometimes it does become about the destination, and we were all excited as we approached Moab, Utah and pulled into our lovely campsite to stay for at least 4 nights (a big improvement over the Walmart parking lots we parked at for free in Missouri and Kansas). Colorado was gorgeous as we drove through, but Moab is sooo different than anyplace we've ever experienced. We had a great Mexican dinner in town and all had a decent night's rest, finally.We set out today on our dirt bikes (and I on a Honda Reflex scooter), with the goal of getting acclimated and finding some petroglyphs which are in the immediate area. The first place we identified to look for a brochure was actually near a golf course in the back of a cool subdivision of desert adobe homes- not really where you'd expect to find an ancient archeological site. I had become intrigued by these ancient rock drawings while researching a felting commission earlier in the summer. I thought they were awesome!
This lizard wasn't especially impressed.We then rode up a road beside the town's McDonald's to find some more, and within just a mile or two this is what we began to see...We plan to go back to locate the petroglyphs, but for today the beauty of Moon Flower Canyon just kept beckoning us further, despite the heat. Moab has been on Paul's "bucket list" for a long time, and from what we experienced here on our first day it's been a very worthy destination! We still look forward to visiting Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park, which are only a few miles from here... it's gonna be a great trip.The kids climbing around on one of many water breaks- it's HOT, but so NOT humid!
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Friday, July 16, 2010

Fiber Friday

I've not made as much time for fiber pursuits lately, as I tend to need big blocks of time to maintain the concentration I require to be creative. I have, however, made time for a little bit of spinning as part of the Tour de Fleece (a fun, self-imposed competition which is a "spin" on the Tour de France). I recently spun up most of the merino-angora blend that I had purchased at the Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival.
I'm always trying to come up with new ideas for projects using our alpaca fiber that aren't dependent on cold weather or the correct fit. I've started making some jewelry with beads that I felt from hand-dyed roving (as well as glass beads)! These are earrings that I recently made, and they can be purchased along with some cool and colorful bracelets and necklaces at Damselfly Gallery in Midway. Pin It Now!

Friday, July 2, 2010

Fiber Friday

I've not made a whole lot of time for fiber stuff lately, but I did manage to make this felted table runner to go with our dishes. It was time to change out the easter-y quilted runner, so I thought I'd give this a whirl.
My goal was to pick up on some of the colors and motifs of our dishes without trying to be too matchy-matchy- I think it works!
It does seem like I can't get away from this particular color pallete right now, at least for home decor items. I've heard that eggplant and green are in for fall, maybe that will be next.
I'm happy to make custom felted table runners for $135- all you need to do is give me some ideas and good photos of your dishes if that's something you desire, and we can work out the details! It will wash up just fine in the kitchen sink (hang to dry), and should last for years since it's made from durable alpaca. Pin It Now!