All this and money too!!

I had so much fun at OFFF that I neglected to take pictures of all the wonderful people and animals that were there (Tina got a bunny!!).....so I decided that I would share with you these amazing people by the presents that I got... This is a part of the bounty that I received at OFFF this past weekend.
Ofcourse....their presence was the real gift!!!




From HollyO I received these amazing Ball jars, her mate Michael found them at a yard sale and she decided to share them with me :) ....knowing what a fool I am for Ball jars & in blue no less!



Plus she gifted us with some of her home made
applesauce....YUM! I have decided to save
it in the pantry untilthe holidays when our girls
come home to vist. Thanks so much Holly!!











From my amazing friend Barb I received......this Locker Hooking kit.....what is locker hooking you may ask? It uses roving and....well, you will just have to *check here* to see. It looks like Barb has invited me into yet another penchant. We'll see! Thanks Barb!



















Moving right along.....is this BEEutiful handspun yarn gifted to me by Sam. Can't wait to see where it's suppose to go. Wherever that is it will add grace and texture, much like Sam!
Thank you too Dear Lady!






I also received a lovely bit of silk ribbon from Janice of Dyelots in Eugene Oregon. I think that it's going to go into a
felted bag and make silk billows all over the place! Janice and her talented Mom, Annabelle were our neighbors at OFFF.

I also got some lovely tea from Tina.
Hugs from everyone...My life was full of JOY!
I swear it was like a family reunion once again.
Thanks to everyone who made OFFF such a loving and wonderful time......Oh yeah, we made quite a splash with our new circulars....our other products were flying out of there too!! It was definitely a BLAST!!
Look out Stitches East...we'll be hitting your area next!!

Gifts of Fall

Michael found these two incredible bird nests and brought them to me.....
knowing that I am a sucker for bird nests tooo!
I have quite a LOVE-HATE relationship with Fall. I love the air, the sky and the way the Sun shines. The way that it filters in.. rather than blasting through... like it does in the Summer. However...the fact that Fall means that Summer is over and that Winter is lurking right around the corner... really annoys me to my very core.

So...this year I am attempting to have a good feeling about it and enjoy the wonderful gifts that it brings to the world and to ME.
So I am waking to the exquisiteness of the Fall air and the light coming through our bedroom window. The Oak tree with the funny vine that
grows in it in the Summer and then turns a beautiful
raspberry in the Fall...

our yummy cherry tomatoes (in red and orange) that
we will soon eat.... then remember all Winter and Spring
long how they tasted and how much we look forward to
planting them again.


The transition that Fall brings always makes me ponder how this will include me. This year will manifest different values and a realization of all the Sweet friends that have come into my life. I am very grateful and in wonder of each and every one.. Those that I am in close contact with as well those that are out there somewhere.

The amazing Alison Hyde wrote and told me this week that when The Yarn Harlot came to visit in the San Francisco Bay area she gifted her with a pair of our glass circular needles that she had recently purchased. They will be Oh So Cool for Stephanie's next lace project and it is so very Great to know that the cobalt blues will be touring the country with The Yarn Harlot!!!

Yeah, so what have you been up to?

I know, it's been just ages since I have written onto the blog. It's not because I didn't want it done, or that I didn't have news to report.....it was just because I've been doing other things. So now I have pictures to prove it.

First of all, thanks to all you Angels out there for your healing energies sent to Smerm. Without you and a very tall gorgeous vet I wouldn't have this picture to post....of the next life of Smerm Ernst. Isn't she cute. Alive and well and full of IT..... just the way we like her.
She told me to relay to you how much she appreciated you all and that she wasn't ready to give it up yet.
The vet (Mr. G, I have no idea what his name is, but he was tall and very handsome) shot her up with electrolytes, cleaned her teeth....tarter may have been one of the factors....gave her a Vitamin B12 shot...I volunteered for one to, but NO...and sent us all on our merry way. Since she got home she's been gobbling more food than she ate in a month and using the um...bathroom alot. Blessings!!

So I have been taking the opportunity to work on things that I had been putting off with the recent upset of Smerm's impending departure. IE....knitting on Michael's new turquoise socks....well, fact is I only have one done so far
but hey, I couldn't wait to show off. At least the other one is started. I just adore turquoise and this is from Lisa Souza's amazing hand dyed sock yarn in the "Peacock" colorway. I did put in some reinforcement in the heel. I have finally figured out how to make the Purrfect..... fit his feet..... socks for Michael ;)

I also have been working on my VERY first cable project... as I stated a few blog entrys ago, but who can remember that far back....so anyhoo,
I just love cabling.
I must admit that our circulars make it very fun indeed!! Show off that I am I had to put them in a prominent place for all to see!
This yarn is so sweet to work with. I got it in a lovely trade with the same Lisa Souza that I mentioned above. She tells me that it was from a prize winning Alpaca. Only Tom, yes...Tom Clark and I were the only ones lucky enough to get a bit of it.... ;)
Even the Buddah loves it...but then, he loves everything!!

We will be going to Oregon Flock and Fiber in Canby Oregon in a week (September 23 & 24). Our booth is located in the 4H building....across from the kitchen area.
We will be have our glass circulars in the booth for all to try, along with our buttons, shawl sticks, crochet hooks, straight knitting needles and loads of other Ernst products.
Please stop by and see us!! The show is great and well worth the visit. ;)

In addition to readying ourself for OFFF I have been making bizillions of buttons for an order I got going with Hill Creek Yarn Shoppe near Kansas City, MO. It's still not quite done but I am hoping to have it in the mail next Monday. The gals there are super...if you ever stop by send my Hellos.

This week I contacted Toni Neil of The Fold. She is going to be handling our circular needles at the
New York Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck NY in October.
We are very excited about this!!! Toni is awesome, to say the least!

Michael and our friend Dan took down our gignormous Cedar tree from behind our house. I tend to stay away from the area when men, trees and chainsaws are involved. Besides that....this tree has been the main component of the Christmas wreaths that I make each year. I was quite sad to see it go....but it will give us warmth and cedar bags to put amongst my wool yarn this year and in the years to come.
Oh yeah....the tree was already dead ;( (Michael made me tell you this so you wouldn't think he was a tree killer....like some Oregonians)

I hope that all is well with you and thanks for reading while I blather on!!

AH Life!!

I feel that this will Not be my last post with this title. Life has a way of mixing the bitter in with the sweet. Consequently I am putting up a picture of our Sweet Little Smerm. She is leaving, I fear. She has been a member of the family for 17 years now. This past year and a half we have lost our Mama Cat, Pia...our Chow, Schatzy and now Smerm. I thank them all for having helped us raise our children and for loving us so well. It's always hard to say good-bye and I must admit that I am finding that letting go is one of the hardest things I do. Many thanks to all of those who are sending light and love as we go though this rough time.



I have been busying myself, trying to remain calm and remember that life is Sweet. I put up some pear preserves for the winter....however they are so good I will be amazed if they last through the Fall. They are yummy and Michael and I have been enjoying them. Luckily the tree still has a few to be picked and put up.


Our server finally allowed us to put the circular needles up onto the website....they had to retire the old server....it went to server heaven.
We have been blessed with orders almost every day since they went up and we are so pleased..... it's so good to have the new baby up and walking. Run baby run!!

Now I get to show you what Pat Fly of Angora Valley Fibers made using our buttons and beads.
I have been talking about having a sock pattern that incorporated our buttons and Pat ran with the ball. Aren't they cute! I just love Pat! She's put these up as kits for people to buy. They are on her website and hopefully one day soon will also be on ours as well.
I have also been knitting a cable scarf as a Christmas present for our daughter's boyfriend. It's my first cableing and I have found that I just love it. It's good for having a cat in your lap who needs comfort and attention.
But right now I have to finish getting things ready for today's mail run ;)

Summer's Harvest

This is one of the things that I have been up to this week. Making Pico de gallo...tons of it. It seems like tons because I am slow and methodical when it comes to my canning. The thought of having this is the gray winter makes me smile. Michael brought home these wonderful canning jars for me from the Annual Drain (our town) Garage Sale. He's GOOD ;)....He knows how I am hooked on old canning jars.


He also got this little beauty on Ebay....for a song!
It's an official Lampworker's lamp from the "olden days". We will have a tutorial and exhibition (we are going to fire it up...pyros are like that) of this wonder in the days to come.
It's from the early 1900s and will be an addition to the Studio*
*see later...much later...or not*.




We all want our own fairy and this is mine!! I got her from a wonderful lady, Penny Michelle at the Fabulous Fiber Fest....The crown pendant too! They were a trade for a pair of my favorite Flower Top Knitting Needles and I know that both of us are happy with the trade.
There were many more that I could have taken home too!!
Michael and her husband Dan both learned glassblowing at Palomar College in San Marcos, CA. at different times.
It's a small world!!
They were such lovely people. I wish that we could know them more than just once a year....but I'll take what I can get!!

We are working, with the help of Holly, on getting the circular page up onto the website. I Power seems to be mucking up the system.....I am hoping that over this weekend it will be there for us.
I am excited about them being out there for all to see...and buy.
I sure would appreciate a testimonial from those of you who have a pair or two. I would like to, soon, have a page with testimonials on it from REAL people who use and love them. Thanks!!!

Michael and I are staying home this weekend. I am going to make Pesto and knit and maybe even work a bit....it is Labor Day Weekend.....or do I have that backaxwards?
Please have FUN ;), and Be Safe!!