I didn't get a chance to do another post today looking back on 2010. I'll try to get to that in the next day or two. Today was a busy day that flew by. I cannot believe 2010 is over already!

Wishing everyone a happy, healthy and prosperous new year filled with many blessings!

Happy New Year - Reflecting on 2010 - Foster Kittens

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 Where has 2010 gone to? It seems we just celebrated Christmas 2009 not that long ago.

Looking back on 2010:

We fostered 15 kittens from the Teller County Regional Animal Shelter - that is a record for us! We were blessed with some adorable kittens this year. First (in February) were Thelma & Louise (rescued from the helipad in Victor) who had new homes even before we took them back to the shelter in late April, followed shortly thereafter by the nekked as a jay bird bottle fed kitten, Jellybean (found in a trash can at a gas station). Then came Barbie and Kenny and a week later their sister Krissy (all rescued from a trailer park in Woodland Park - Krissy was found almost dead in a trash can). Immediately after Jellybean, Barbie, Ken & Krissy went back to the shelter in July we got Magpie & Raven (found outside at the Children's ARK in Ute Pass - Magpie was a "special needs" kitten). In August we got Black Jack, Blackberry, Inky (who we called Blueberry or "Boo") and Soot (who we called Ace of Spaced or "Ace") all slender little short haired black Oriental kittens. When I picked Ace and Boo up from the vet's office, it turns out Ace had been switched with Espresso (another black kitten who had been at the vet's for neutering that same day - also from the shelter). We kept Espresso because he needed some socialization work. He went back to the shelter in mid December and I was bereft without kittens in the house! Two days later the shelter called and asked if I could take in two more kittens - of course I could!! So we picked up Mickey and Mack and they are still here. I am in love with Mickey but hubby says we already have enough cats and don't "need" another one. Sigh...it is so hard sometimes to foster these little love bugs and then take them back to the shelter when the time comes!

Tomorrow I'll reflect more on what we did in 2010.

 

Christmas Carolling

Wishing Everyone a Merry Christmas Filled with Peace, Joy and Love

This is an old photo - it looks like we won't have a white Christmas this year. At least we'll be able to make it over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house!!

Stay warm and safe - enjoy the holiday with family and friends. I'm so happy we have a wood stove to keep us warm!

Etsy Featured on ABC Nightline!

Wordless Wednesday - Smitten With Kittens

No rest for the weary - or is that no rest for the wicked?!

Sorry I haven't been very good lately about keeping up with the blog or visiting my favorite blogs! I've been really busy trying to get these scarves done in time for the holiday shopping season.

Recently I posted photos of my "Herb Garden" shawl and my "Autumn Splendor" long skinny scarf. Both of these sold last Friday! I was so excited when I opened my email and saw that they had sold.

The yesterday I posted a photo of my "Summer Meadow" scarf for Wordless Wednesday. That scarf is also sold and on its way to the new owner.

I finished another scarf in the series - this one is called "Spiced Curry" - very warm and spicy!

This scarf has a 52% wool/48% silk base which has incredible luster and drape to it. The fringe is Wensleydale locks tailspun and crocheted along one edge of the scarf. The scarf is available for sale in my ArtFire store. You do not have to be an ArtFire member to purchase on Artfire! I have several other hand knitted and hand crocheted scarves, cowls, etc. available in the ArtFire store so please take a look around if you visit.

And this morning I finished up another long skinny scarf - this one is called "Mermaid". It isn't listed yet but will also be available in the ArtFire store. So, whether you like it hot - or cool - we have something for you!

I have three skeins left of the tailspun yarn so I am currently spinning a merino wool roving for the base of one scarf and am debating on the yarn to use in the last scarf. I have two matching skeins of dark rainbow colored tailspun yarn and was thinking of running the fringe down both sides of the scarf but don't think the wool/silk yarn I chose is sturdy enough to support two rows of fringe, unless I modify the scarf and make it skinnier. I'll probably do a skinnier scarf and put one skein on before making my final decision.

Wordless Wednesday - Summer Meadow

Autumn Splendor Long Skiny Boa Scarf Finished and Listed!

Remember my Somewhere Over The Rainbow long skinny scarf from a couple of months ago? That scarf sold right away after I listed it (actually it was spoken for even before I had a chance to list it - I shared photos of it on our Facebook page.) After making that scarf I started a search for more extreme tailspun yarns and finally located someone who makes these fabulous yarns. I bought several more skeins of tailspun yarn and started going through my fiber stash in search of the perfect coordinating fibers to handspin yarn to make the scarf "canvas" to showcase the tailspun yarns.

Yesterday I finally finished the second scarf in this series - called "Autumn Splendor". I almost didn't buy this skein of tailspun yarn but am really glad I did because I found the perfect coordinating merino roving in my fiber stash.

This long skinny boa type scarf is hand crocheted out of handspun wool. Then the tailspun yarn was painstakingly crocheted along one edge to create the gorgeous fringe of the scarf. The tailspun yarn is fiber art at its finest and is the highlight of this stunning piece of fiber art.

Sure to garner lots of positive comments and compliments when worn!

8 feet 3 inches (99 inches) long
1-1/2 inches wide
fringe is from 4 to 7 inches in length with the average being 5 inches long.

Extremely versatile, you can wear this piece so many different ways. Simply drape it around your neck or wrap it around a couple of times to create a full cowl with trailing ends. Or use it as a belt. Your imagination can provide many ways to wear this fine piece of fiber art.

Available for sale in our ArtFire store!  Here is the direct link to Autumn Splendor.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I hope you enjoy a wonderful day with family and friends. We have so much to be thankful for!

And tomorrow officially kicks off the holiday shopping season! I will be having a Black Friday sale in both my Etsy and my ArtFire stores tomorrow! Use code BLACKFRIDAY10SALE to save 10% off everything in the stores!!

Visit SplitRockRanch's Studio

SAVE 10.00 % On
All Items

Use Coupon Code:

BLACKFRIDAY10SALE

during checkout.

Handmade Purses

Split Rock Ranch Fall Spin Along - Cornucopia

Above is a collage of the finished skeins of yarn from the very first Split Rock Ranch Spin Along. There are two Navajo plied yarns, one singles and one two-ply yarn. I love how these turned out! Great job from the spinners who participated! And check out Lisa's finished scarf crocheted from her yarn! What a fabulous way to use the yarn Lisa!

Herb Garden Shawl is DONE!

I finished the Herb Garden shawl yesterday. It was snowy off and on all day yesterday so I didn't get good photos taken until this morning. The photos still aren't that great but they'll work. It was windy out this morning so I took the photos on the back deck where it is a little better protected from the wind. I didn't want those lovely locks getting blown around! I'm so happy with how this shawl turned out.

While waiting for the tailspun yarns to arrive, I found a batt in my stash that I thought would coordinate perfectly with the Herb Garden tailspun yarn so I started spinning it. I ended up with enough yardage to make the shawl, with some left over. I hand knitted the shawl using a pattern from Namaste Farms on yarnmarket.com. I had envisioned a triangle shawl/scarf to use as a "canvas" to showcase the tailspun yarns and was so thrilled when Natalie posted the pattern on Yarnmarket. I then crocheted the tailspun yarn along two sides of the shawl and along the back of the shawl, just below the neckline. I had just enough yarn left over to do a small tassel in the center back of the shawl.

This shawl is now available for sale in my ArtFire store! I will also take payments or do a layaway plan if you want the scarf but don't have the funds right now.

I need to get some nice shawl pins or picks. The bamboo chopstick doesn't quite cut it!

On the needles - Herb Garden scarf/shawl

I'm working on a shawl/scarf made from handspun wool yarn. I bought the fiber from Hanks in the Hood and spun it up into a slightly thick and thin navajo plied yarn. I'm knitting until I run out of yarn; I have 126 yards to work with. After I'm done knitting the shawl/scarf I will wash it, block it and then will crochet the tailspun yarn on the side edges. I hope it turns out as well as I envision! Here are the yarns I'm working with.

Today I completed the first triangle shawl/scarf using this pattern. On this scarf I used ribbon and yarn to create tassels and attached them along the sides. This scarf is going to be a gift.

This scarf is made from handspun wool/mohair yarn and hand knitted.

The photos didn't come out the way I had hoped they would. The wind was blowing pretty hard and it kept blowing the fringe all over the place. But, you get the idea.

A Spectacular Sunrise!

We got up early this morning, even with the time change. Animals don't do time changes; their internal clocks don't recognize Daylight Savings Time or the cessation of it. Hence, we got to witness this spectacular sunrise. None of these photos are photoshopped in any way - I haven't even downsized or cropped them; I just downloaded them off my camera. The entire landscape was bathed in this fabulous red glow. Enjoy!!!

Sale in the ArtFire Store

Through Sunday November 7th, save 10% off all handspun and handpainted yarns in the ArtFire store.

Visit SplitRockRanch's Studio

SAVE 10.00 % On Select Studio Categories

Use Coupon Code:

B8FCCBD83C-625727FD01

during checkout.

Handmade Toys

Chinese Lantern Hand Knit Scarf from Handspun Art Yarn

Remember the scarf I made a few weeks ago called "Mum's The Word"? Well, I bought another skein of handspun art yarn from the same fiber artist/seller, Rachel at Coolclimates on Etsy. This one is called "Chinese Lantern" and oh my gosh is it gorgeous! Rachel posted photos of Chinese Lantern on her Ravelry page and I immediately sent her a message telling her I wanted this yarn. I knew right away I wanted to make another scarf but I wanted this one to be different from Mum's The Word. I wanted something wider with more of a "canvas" to show off those fabulous Chinese Lantern flowers!

Again, I had another project on the needles and was going to finish it up before starting on Chinese Lantern but I made the mistake of setting that gorgeous skein of yarn on my work table next to the computer and it kept calling to me. So, I grabbed a pair of #13 knitting needles and started a scarf. I made the pattern up as I went along, letting the yarn tell me how many stitches to make and how wide to make the scarf.

And here is "Chinese Lantern" the scarf!

Materials: wool, mohair, firestar, tencel, bamboo, recycled sari silk, fabric flowers, silk and alpaca yarn

Lush fall colors of pumpkin, spruce, cedar, rust, pine, saffron, copper, tangerine, jade and celadon.

Scarf measures over 7 feet in length and 5 inches wide.

Stunning texture and color to this yarn.

Pattern is my own design.

There are so many ways to wear this scarf. Drape it around your neck and wear it straight and long. Its long enough to wrap around your neck a couple of times and still have some to drape down the front. Fold in half, drape over your shoulders and pull the ends through the loop. Your imagination is the only limit to the number of ways you could wear this scarf!

Sure to garner loads of compliments and looks!

Chinese Lantern is available for sale in my ArtFire store. If you are interested in this scarf but don't have the funds right now, I can hold it for you or do a layaway plan. Just contact me or leave a comment here and I'll respond. 

Misty and Foggy - Long Skinny Scarves Made With Handspun Luxury Yarns

I love silver and gray - they coordinate with so many different colors. I think gray may even be the new black - the color that never goes out of style. Over the years I've spun lots of different silver and gray luxury yarns using ultra-soft alpaca, llama, lambswool, bamboo and other fine wools to create some gorgeous yarns. I finally decided to dig into my silver/gray luxury yarn stash and create something. I came up with "Misty" and "Foggy" this week.

"Misty" - Hand crocheted long skinny scarf made from handspun yarns and a novelty "fur" yarn in varying shades of silver and grays. Alpaca, llama, wool, mohair and bamboo. 61 inches long with 7" fringe at each end for a total of 75" in length - 2 inches wide. Even if you wrap it around your neck twice there is still some left over to drape down the front. Use it as a scarf, a lariat necklace, a belt or use your imagination!

Foggy

 

Foggier

"Foggy" - Hand crocheted long skinny scarf made from handspun yarns and a novelty "fur" yarn in varying shades of black, silver and grays. Alpaca, llama, wool, mohair and bamboo. 67 inches (5 feet 7 inches) long with 6" fringe at each end for a total of 79" (6 feet 7 inches) in length - 2 inches wide. Even if you wrap it around your neck twice there is still some left over to drape down the front. Use it as a scarf, a lariat necklace, a belt or use your imagination!

I used some of the same yarns as the "Misty" scarf for this one but Foggy has a darker side and a lighter side - foggy and foggier - for two different looks!

Both of these scarves are available in our ArtFire store. Click on the link on each name to go directly to that scarf's listing.

Psssstttt: Check it out in the right hand column - a coupon code for a SALE on Misty, Foggy and Mum's The Word scarves!!!

Mum's The Word

Last week I did a trade with another fiber artist - Rachel at Coolclimates on Etsy. Actually she bought some of my batts and I bought a skein of her yarn. The yarn is called Hyakkaryouran Hana - after a Japanese textile.

Here is the Hyakkaryouran Hana fabric

She strung fabric chrysanthemum flowers and leaves on pink cotton thread and plied with a chunky spun yarn consisting of wool, mohair, tencel, bamboo and recycled sari silk in a spring-summery mix of pink, peony, fuchsia, coral, apricot, mint, lime and salmon.

Here is the yarn before spinning

I immediately fell in love with this yarn and was so glad that Rachel had asked me if I was interested in trading some items. I got the yarn several days ago and it has been sitting here at my work station in a zip lock bag, calling my name. I already had a silver/gray long skinny scarf on the crochet hook and was going to finish it first but this gorgeous yarn was calling to me over and over and over...so yesterday I caved. I knit it up on size 13 needles making the pattern up as I went along. I managed to get all the flowers and leaves on the right side of the scarf and allowed it to roll to the center to create a tube.

Here is the finished scarf - Mum's The Word

As promised, here is the link to the Mum's the Word scarf. You can find it in my ArtFire store.

Fresh off the spinning wheel - Maerchengarten

I just recently finished spinning this beautiful Falkland roving called Maerchengarten, which is German for fairy tale garden. The colors are so gorgeous - forest green, earthy brown and petal pinks with a hint of gold throughout. I Navajo plied this yarn to retain the beautiful colors. Here is how the roving looked before I started spinning it.

And here is the finished yarn.

This yarn is 342 yards of DK weight and weighs 4.3 ounces. Falkland is soft and squishy and is a very "green" fiber. The listing in my Etsy store can be found here.