Wow!!!! I did not realize it has been so long since I last wrote in my blog.

What a year I have had so far. Health problems have really impacted in all aspects in my life. But.... I a dealing with things as they continue to be a concern. And I feel I am handling things fairly well for the most part.

This year.... my youngest daughter and I participated in the GREAT LAKES FIBER SHOW in Wooster, Ohio. This is always held Memorial Day weekend of each year. We had a GREAT time and we hope to continue this as our Annual Mother/Daughter weekend getaway.

This year we stayed in a hotel that had a Jacuzzi in the room. We really needed this to soothe our aching muscles. We plan to reserve the very same room for next year!

This year..... I introduced some of my new hand-dyed sock yarns and sock knitters/spindlers bags. These were a HUGE success!!!!

My husband even made me new displays..... for displaying all of my new knitting bags, felted purses/totes. These really enhanced how our display space looked this year.

This year.... I also opened an Etsy Store. And it is very slowly introducing customers to ALL that I have worked on for quite some time prior to opening this store. I hope this will be successful in regards to generating more sales for me.

Take a look at my new Etsy Store:

www.ewenme.etsy.com

I continue to add new items in my store each week.

Last week.... my Etsy Store was promoted through Lime & Violet's Chum Blog Site. I am so thrilled to have been chosen for a write up about my Etsy Store. I am hoping this will help with more people discovering my Etsy Store.

Please take a few minutes to read this wonderful write up about my store.

http://www.limenviolet.com/blog/?p=757


Well.... for now.... this is as much of an update I can write.

I hope to start writing more and also want to try to figure to out how to add photos.

My Favorite Coffee Mug

My favorite Coffee mug is one that my husband bought at an Art Show several years prior to us meeting. It is one made of pottery and has a matching creamer and sugar container. We have two of these mugs... but through the years of use.... one of the handles broke so it is no longer used even though I have superglued the handle back on several times. I continue to use "my" mug from this set.... and have replaced Fred's mug.

I can describe this mug and the sugar and creamer. These are all handmade, by a potter using a potters wheel. Is a nice size, with a large handle. Painted with a white glaze/paint for the background and a couple "splashes" of color of two shades of turquoise glaze. If I could figure out how to add a photo to show this set, I would.

It is similar style as the set that Margaret shows a photo of of her own coffee mug and set.

I also have a tall Cappocinno mug that I made when I had my "Paint your Own Pottery" shop several years ago. It is tall, with mauve glaze sponge painted all over the mug. I used to drink coffee or hot chocolate from this mug every day when I owned my store.

Sharon

Ewe N Me

This morning while trying to post an entry for the Feet to Prayers blog for our Christian Artisans group.... I found that my post actually ended up in my own blog! LOL!!!

So..... I decided maybe it is time to update my own blog and possibly start writing on a regular basis again. I noticed I have not written to my own blog since April 2005! Wow!!! Has it really been that long?

Alot has been going on in all that time. So, where to begin. For now..... I think I will keep with just what is going on in the present and possibly someday catch up with writing about things prior to today.

I don't even know where to begin. Yes, it has been that long since I have written and it seems to leave me with what to write about first.

I guess I can share about what projects I have been working on and what I have recently finished. Yes, that sounds like a great idea.

I have been working on a sweater for myself for many months. It started out with falling in love with two gorgeous sweaters that a friend of mine made several years ago. This friend wore these while working at the local yarn shop earlier this year. And seeing this sweater inspired me so much. My friend told me she would share the pattern with me so I could make one for myself. It is a diagonal knit sweater, uses various shades of colors in one color of many shades of multiple colors. I chose to use all my own handspun yarns in various shades of purples. I have been spinning for over 2 years various yarns that I only bought 2-4 oz. of each color. I saved up all these skeins and had no project in mind until I saw this sweater. These yarns seemed to be perfect for this project. So, I began knitting this sweater 2 months ago. I finished most of the sweater within less than 3 weeks and only working on it minutes and sometimes an hour or two at a time. Once I was where I picked up to begin the sleeves I had various obligations to tend to first. One of these being the Art/Craft show I am a vendor in each November. I also had some spinning to do for a couple of people that needed to be completed and shipped out. Once I was caught up with these commitments I could finally get back to to knitting the sleeves and bands of this sweater. It is now complete and it has turned out GORGEOUS! If I can remember how to add photographs to my blog, I will add them soon.

I also have recently finished up a sock for the Feet to Prayers exchange with the Christian Artisans group. Finally mailed out the package to my exchange partner this week. I am praying she will like the colors and yarn I chose for her socks.

I have several socks that I found were stored away that I started many months ago. These were for myself and other projects for others had to be completed before I could get back to these. I have finished 1 sock of one pair and almost finished knitting the matching sock. I have 1 sock to another pair finished and have not begun the match. Another sock on the needles and will start working on this one soon.

I am trying to decide on what my next large knitting project will be. I am torn between making a diagonal knit vest or starting a lace shawl. I have all the yarn for the vest. Still searching my yarns for something suitable for a shawl. I may have to spin some yarns for a shawl.

Several months ago..... September or August..... I finished a knitting a vest which was made from handspun. This Superwash Wool is various Autumn shades. This gorgeous wool was part of an exchange with a friend this past spring. I knew right away that I wanted to make a vest with this as soon as I started to spin this wool. This is another photo I would love to post here.

Another project I started and recently finished is another shawl for my Mother. I made her one last year for Christmas and she requested another one for her Christmas gift for this year. I started this shawl for her in August while waiting for my daughter during her Cross Country practices.

Well, for now..... this is all I have time to write. I hope to write more often as time allows.

Feet To Prayers

Feet To Prayers

I have received the gorgeous sock, hand-dyed yarn, crochet bookmark, Hershey's Chocolate bar, pattern and a box of inspirational sayings, all from my secret sister..... Charlotte. The pattern and colors she chose for my sock is beautiful! I am looking forward to knitting the matching sock after the holidays. Thank you Charlotte.

I also have sent out a package to my "Feet to Prayers" partner. She may have it as of yesterday or today. I was a bit delayed getting this to the Post Office but.... she should have it this week.

I also received my "prize" from Eve. Oh my goodness..... what a gorgeous hand-dyed sock yarn. The colors are perfect as it signifies my recent scare with what was thought to be breast cancer, as well as my youngest daughters recent breast tumor which was found to be benign. Making socks with this yarn and wearing them will remind us how fortunate we have been and how we fully support research to hopefully someday cure this awful disease. Eve also sent me the cutest little sock blocker key chain with a pattern to make a tiny sock to fit this. Cute! Eve remembered how much I loved the photos of her "Rose of Sharon" photos on her blog and sent me seeds to start growing my own next spring. Thank you Eve!

This has been a fun exchange. Thank you Cary for organizing this for us.

Sharon

(I hope I have finally figured out how to blog to this site.)

Ewe N Me

Hi everyone. It has been over 15 months since I have written an entry to my blog. Alot has been going on with my health and I have not felt like writing about it all. However..... I have filed for disability last August and still working on getting this approved. I am on my 2nd appeal and needing to hire a new attorney. Should not have hired the attorney that I had since he was not really my first choice. Now I must recontact another attorney and praying he will take my case.

Anyways..... so much all of that.

I have continued to try to work on knitting and spinning. I have not been able to continue with the farmers market as I have in the past and quit last year. However, I do continue to make soap and send these to a friend to sell at her farmers market in Michigan. This has worked well for both of us. I love making soap and with what we have worked out, it provides me ability to continue to do something I thoroughly enjoy.

Since last year we have 2 new bunnies and another cat. We brought home our white english angora bunny from the Fleece Fair from Greencastle, Indiana last year in April. Our newest kitty came home with us from Great Lakes Fiber Show, Wooster, Ohio last year in May. This year from the Great Lakes Fiber Show we brought home a miniature Jersey Woolie bunny. We are really enjoying the new additions to our family.

Last year I began teaching my daughter how to spin. She has her own spinning wheel and is making beautiful "designer" yarns. She is really enjoying it but does not have much time to spin or knit because of her busy school, sports and now work schedule.

My daughter and I are enjoying the summer together. I am not able to do as much as I would like to go out and do. But, we do what we can, when we can.

Spring is finally here! Or is it?

It is supposed to be Spring. But yesterday we woke up to snow. It snowed all day. Did not stick to the roads but at one point early to mid morning the snow was accumulating on the lawn.

Today.... the sun is shining and it is in the high 50's - low 60's.

Crazy weather this year. Makes me wonder if we will jump right into summer.... hot, humid weather. I hope not.... I want to enjoy the nice cooler spring days for awhile.... with lots of sunshine!

I have been feeling better each day. I still have some difficulties with the asthma when I try to do more than I should in a days time. But atleast I am getting better and I am able to get things done that have had to be put on hold for awhile.

I have managed to get most of my soapmaking caught up and also have been dyeing ALOT of wool to sell on my online site. I have a online photo site where I am listing dyed wool and will soon be adding dyed handspun yarn also available for sale. I also have a site where I have loaded photos of my knitted/felted purses and scarves which are also items I sell.

This week I have been busy dyeing wool, spinning more yarns, photographing wool and planning what I will work on for this week.

Here are my photo sites for the dyed wools and handspun and the other site for my knitted items.

http://shoefelmeyer.photosite.com/handspundyedwoolandfibers

http://shoefelmeyer.photosite.com/knitting/

This past week I sold some of my very first dyed wools that I just created this past week. This sale has been very encouraging for me and hope to see more sales soon. I will continue to work on new things to add to my photo sites. So.... if you take a look at these now.... bookmark them.... I will add more each week.

I have not been knitting much for the past few weeks. Too busy working on other things and catching up with work that I have needed to do. I also have been washing fleeces and doing some drum carding/blending of dyed/undyed wools.

Last weekend was Easter and we went to visit with my family. My oldest daughter and my grandchildren, my sister and her family all joined us at my parents house. It was a nice to see everyone. And of course.... Grandma (me) was so happy to see my newest grand-daughter again. I have been trying to get myself well enough to go down for a visit and finally I was able to go down for a visit.... even though it was only for a few hours on Easter. Time just flew that day and I really miss my family.

My daughter had both of my grand-daughters dressed in matching dresses. They were so adorable. And of course I took lots of photos of them.

We had such a great time visiting and wish we did not live so far away so I could see everyone more often.

The sad news from the weekend.....of course... again.... I became sick after our visit with my family. And found out that I definitely have an allergy to one of the food dishes my mother prepared. Monday I almost had to be rushed to the ER due to my throat swelling and choking. I had been having allergic symptoms since the visit to my parents house. This was the first time this has happened with this particular food dish.... but was the worst reaction. This is really sad.... because I LOVE this food dish my mother prepared..... but can't eat this one ever again. It took me until late Wednesday to things under control from this allergic reaction. But I am OK now.

This past week my youngest daughter has been on Spring Break from school. Even though they were on spring break..... her track team still had daily practices and three track meets. We managed to still find some time to enjoy quality time together. Rented movies and went shopping also. Tomorrow..... she goes back to school.

This week I had more fleece arrive and some dyes. I want to order more dyes for dyeing wool, silk and mohair. I also want to order Tussah silk and mohair to dye and blend with the wool.

I also want to find a couple of books I need/want. These books are called, Yarns to Dye For : Creating Self-Patterning Yarns for Knitting by Kathleen Taylor. The other book is called, Color in Spinning by Deb Mentz. I have added these two books to my Amazon wish list. Hopefully soon I can get these.

Also on my wish list are two circular size 3 Addi Turbo needles. I want to be able to knit socks using two circular needles. A group I belong to called Christian Artisians (Yahoo group - for spinners, weavers, knitters, crochet) has started a sock knitalong..... knitting socks from the toe up. I have not begun my socks yet. Also.... another knitalong that is about to begin is for making a scarf using stash yarns (handspun and/or store bought). It is made length wise, instead of width wise. The stitch pattern throughout the scarf is a very simple seed stitch. Most are adding fringe at each end as they change yarns with each row. I won't be adding fringe to mine. I don't have quite enough of the handspun I am using to add fringe to my scarf. I think the yarn I have spun will really look so pretty for this scarf. The yarn is my own handspun and plyed with one strand of lace weight mohair yarn. Really turned out so pretty. It is in shades of purple and just a hint of light turquoise.

Well.... this is all the news for now. I will try to write more often. For now.... I am just trying to get caught up with things and don't have alot of online time.

I am still here!

Hi to all that may read my blog.

I apologize for no recent updates to my blog. But.... I have really been having a rough time with the severe asthma and then my husband brought home a bad cold from when he was away on business travel. This hit me directly in the lungs.... causing bronchial problems, fluid build up and more asthma difficulties. It was bad.... very, very bad. My doctor finally put me on some very potent antibiotics to try to knock this right out of me and more steroids.... in addition to the daily asthma meds I have to take. Finally..... within the past couple of days.... I am regaining my strength and I am beginning to have some relief. This is far from being under control... but with each day it is better.

In the midst of all of this.... my step daughter contacted us suddenly.... while my husband was still away on business. She needed a place to go to... she was leaving her husband and filed for divorce. She "needed" to come here (they live in Michigan and we are in Ohio) for a week or so.... until her Mom could fly up to help her drive back to Texas. Anyways.... with being sick for so long... the house was not in the shape I would have preferred for family visiting. And with my husband away.... no help to get it into shape. He was due to arrive home the very same time she was to arrive here. So... I did the best that I could.... but not exactly how I want things to look. The house was clean.... just a bit disorganized due to not being able to do much since early January. My step daughter told me not to worry.... she really did not care about a little disorganization... she just wanted to spend time with us.

So.... she arrives.... and no help with even the daily things that need done.... this is a grown woman that should know to help out when visiting. Even helping with meals, clean up of dishes after meals, etc. would have been helpful. But no.... that did not happen. It was nice to have her here.... but the timing was not good to have someone extra to care for. I did enjoy having her here. She asked before she arrived I knew how to sew with a sewing machine... now she knows I do..... I have several machines and have sewn all my life. I also do machine embroidery. So... she asked if I could teach her how to use her machine that her Mom had given her. I told her yes.... and we could come up with a simple project for her to learn on. So while she was here.... we chose to make a purse. Turned out to be a very good project for her to learn on. She really is excited about sewing now and plans to continue with more projects once she is back home and settled in. The day she was leaving.... she presented me with the sweetest card and such a precious note inside. It brought me to tears. Here I was.... sick... not able to do much with her while she was here.... and she gave me such a wonderful and loving gesture of how much she appreciates me. Wish she lived closer to us so we could enjoy more things. I would love to share what I have learned to teach her. More for other visits in the future.

Since I have felt a little easing of asthma symptoms this week I decided to get back to the reorganizing I had started in early January. I figure with each day.... do a few things... then work on my preparations for the farmers market. I am very behind on making more soaps. I have plenty to start off the season and more in reserve for someone I am waiting to trade fleece for soaps. Aside from that.... I really need to get more inventory prepared for when things sell out that I will have more in my reserve stock again.

So... yesterday I made several batches of soap. More to be made within the next week or so. I will have more than enough now to be prepared for the market which begins in 7 weeks.

I also washed raw fleeces this week. And dyed some wools on Tuesday. These all turned out lovely. I tried Wilton icing dyes this time for dyeing. Works wonderfully! Love all the colors and also some colors will split... which I was aware of and wanted. Gorgeous colors. I have a nice selection of wool roving all dyed and ready to sell now. Also some dyed wool locks that I will blend on my drum carder into colorful batts which I will also offer for sale. Some of the dyed roving I will spin to make more handspun yarns to offer for sale. Some for gifts also.

My secret pal enjoyed her handspun that I created.... I have plans to create a few more for her.... since I know she will enjoy more and it is something she can't find in a local yarn store. I love one of a kind type of things to send out as gifts. And I love receiving that same. In fact..... raw wools, dyed wools, mohair locks or raw mohair, tussah silk roving, dyes are all things I would love to have. Unique handspun yarns and unique novelty yarns are also favorites of mine. I love the unique novelties for making scarves and adding accents to my purses. Anything spinning or knitting related is fun to give and receive. I really am enjoying coming up with ideas for the gift package for my secret pal. I need to get another one out into the mail soon. May be a bit delayed though due to being sick.

Well.... can you believe it is SPRING? It still feels like winter here. Last week was nice.... almost in the 60's and the sun was shining. But now... cooler temperatures again, grey and dreary. Had some rain the past few days.... off and on. Today we should have a little sunshine later on today. It could be alot worse..... look at what some of the other states up north of us are getting.... SNOW! And lots of it! So... I am not complaining much about the cooler weather and rain. I am really ready for spring weather, sunshine and flowers blooming. Hope we don't skip over Spring and the weather become unbearably HOT all of a sudden. It has happened before.... not very pleasant at all. And it ruined all my flowers that were newly planted that year.

It is time for me to get a few things accomplished today. I plan to work on washing more fleece today and possibly may get more dyeing done and finish spinning yarn for another skein.

Wishing everyone a great day! And if for some reason I can't get back online by the weekend.... Have a Happy Easter!

Thank you Secret Pal 4

My daughter brought in the mail when she arrived home from school. She handed my mail to me and I had a mailer which I thought may be wool samples I have requested. But when I saw it was postmarked in Utah I knew it was not wool samples. But then I wondered.... hmmmm.... what is inside and whom is it from.

So, I look inside.... and I find 2 gorgeous skeins of Home Spun Thrum yarn. It is made by Spinderella's Creations. So soft.... and a beautiful cranberry wine color with specks of blue and angelina spun throughout this yarn.

My secret pal also enclosed a card which told me that this yarn is made by a local spinner where she lives in Utah. This yarn is sold in the local yarn store where she also teaches. Oh how I would love to see more of this yarn and all the fibers this spinner has on her website. I looked up the website on the yarn label. This spinner makes such beautiful things. Very talented and also sells wools and also cards, spins wools for others. Very impressive and a true inspiration since I am working hard on creating my own handspun yarn and fiber business in addition to the handmade soaps, lotion, etc. that I sell.

Receiving this package today was very uplifting and I want to Thank You secret pal for sending such beautiful yarns to me. I may have the perfect knitting project for this yarn..... a scarf.... using a seed stitch pattern which will show off the various shades of color and fibers. I could also make a Sophie purse.... but this really is too pretty for making something I would felt. Or.... this could be the perfect yarn for the design work in a sweater I have plan to design and make for myself.

Now to update all that know me..... I really had never intended to write about my health in my blog or other personal things but to be quite honest this has become a great way for me to keep track of how often my health issues continue. I am being persuaded by family to consider filing for disability for the past few years and I have refused with reluctance. But I am finally realizing that my hopes of returning to work in mortgage finance, management level is probably never going to be very possible.... atleast not on a full time, permanent level as I once used to do for a living. So, I am blogging about my health for the past year so that I can look at how often I have been ill and the degree of how serious things have become.

What I have dealt with now for almost 6 weeks is severe asthma. It has been so severe that I have required weekly visits to my doctor, change of meds each week and increasing my breathing treatments in addition to adding new and increased meds. Also had to go through tests last week. The doctor was worried that it could be possible that my heart was also causing me problems as it has in the past. After all.... last January I was hospitalized for heart problems and a blood clot that thankfully was dissolved due to immediate medical care and rushed by life squad to the hospital ER and then hospitalized, tests were run for two days, my blood pressure was extremely low but was told to keep a close watch on it and I finally was released. More tests continued and finally found that the clot was not longer a problem, it was dissolved by meds. Anyways..... with this recent severe asthma nothing has helped much..... until yesterday. I finally see some easing of asthma symptoms. Today I am am feeling even better. I know from past experiences.... this does not mean I can go do all the things I want to do. I still need to continue to rest and have family help with all the daily chores, etc. And I still can't drive until the meds are completely used to continue to get better and asthma episode completely under control. I am almost there.... but not quite.

So.... I apologize to those that read my blog and read about the health issues. But, as I mentioned..... I write about it only because I want to see how often and how severe the health issues are. So, I mix lots of other GOOD things with this also.

On to the GOOD things.......

Since I could do little of anything other than rest in bed..... I have been able to do things I normally never have time to work on for myself. I always make things for others as gifts and to sell..... never much for myself. So, I have taken the past 6 weeks to work on knitting 4 pairs of socks (2 pair for myself, 1 pair for my husband, 1 pair for the sockapalooza sock exchange), continuing to knit a shawl and a cardigan sweater for myself, 2 pairs of slippers using my handspun (1 pair for me, 1 pair for my youngest daughter), spinning yarn for my cardigan, a pair of slippers for my oldest daughter and more yarn for other projects not yet determined, 2 scarves, finished a purse and felted it yesterday. I have many projects planned to begin working on soon.

So see.... there were some really good things that came about all due to me having to rest for all these weeks. Very productive.... but yet..... it really is very boring for me to rest.... regardless of how productive I have been.

More good news..... my wool picker arrived yesterday. I bought this at a great price. I found a listing on one of my Yahoo spinning groups where a vendor was offering through the end of January 10% off and free shipping on all their products. I had been wishing for a wool picker.... from another vendor but theirs cost almost double what I paid for mine. So, when I found this one and still had Christmas gift money to spend.... I thought.... why not buy this one. I ordered it and it arrived yesterday. Very well made and it included alot of things that the other wool picker did not include. Things I would have had to buy extra. I am so impressed with this wool picker, I used it to test it out last night. I love it! This will definitely speed up the process of preparing wool for carding. Just one swing of this wool picker and the wool is fluffed up ready to card.

Guess what I plan to work on next..... picking and carding wool for spinning. I also need to get some dyeing done soon. Maybe if I continue to feel as well as I have today.... I can possibly work on this tomorrow. Now that sounds like alot of fun doesn't it?

Last week I also worked on wrapping and labeling soaps for the farmers market. I need to get all the soaps off the curing shelves to make room for new soaps soon. Yes, it is that time of year when I need to be busy working on inventory for the upcoming farmers market season. I had also planned to participate in a fiber event in April. But.... that may not work out for me now.... I am behind in what I had planned to have ready to sell for that event. So, I may go as a customer again. I am already wondering if I should get myself another angora bunny also. I am still thinking about that one. I have read that the German Angoras produce alot more angora fiber than my English Angora. I would love to have white one. And Charlie would probably enjoy having a friend. I am not sure about breeding....but who knows. That would be a huge commitment I am not sure I want to take on at this time. But having another bunny for a companion for my other rabbit and more angora fiber would be nice. Plus the kitties would enjoy another bunny to play with their toys with. The kitties and our rabbit do get along really well together. They are such fun to watch as they all play together.

Well.... I need to run.... have a few things to finish up with before my husband arrives home from work.