Underhill House Handmade

Possum Yarn

2012-01-23T21:01:00.001-05:00

As previously mentioned, our great trip to New Zealand led me to a new yarn discovery.

There is a beastie known as the common brushtail possum. It is a native of Australia but made its way to New Zealand thanks to European Settlers who hoped to use it as a food and fiber source. This did not turn out to be a good idea. Today there are literally millions of possums destroying natural New Zealand habitat and acting as a vector for bovine tuberculosis, thus threatening both the ecosystem and agriculture.

However, Kiwis are nothing if not resourceful. If Australia gives you brushtail possums, make... yarn! Folks now make a living collecting possums and selling their pelts. Incidentally, Wikipedia tells us that possum is a delicacy in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Malaysia, where they are known as "Kiwi Bear". Who knew.

But on to the yarn. New Zealand is of course famous for sheep and their wool. The possum fur is very fine and light, a little like angora but shorter. When mixed with wool the result is a light, very warm yarn with just a hint of natural heathering.

I wanted one of every color. In every weight. Husband pointed out we only had limited suitcase room. I ended up with the following:

I had the vague notion of making myself a hat... but then the fiddlehead mittens I was making on commission inspired me. The pattern was so Kiwi... so my possum yarn is now getting knit into mittens. The yarn is slightly more rough than pure merino wool, but I love the wispy look to the colors. The black pattern is knit with Cascade 220 wool. I also brought home some grey in a slightly lighter weight. I am sad to admit that the baby sweater still on the needles is no longer likely to fit E. We'll have to find another recipient...

Holiday Wrap Up

2012-01-23T11:10:00.000-05:00

Writing about the holidays now is a little like going to an extended relative's house in January and having another Christmas... fun but it feels a little odd.

We'll just get caught up quick and move on. To possum yarn. No seriously. Really, this time for real.

We had a great trip to visit the grandparents and aunties and uncles... Little E made out like a bandit with books, toys, and more outfits than one little girl probably really needs. Her favorite part of the trip was smiling at all of the new faces, and being the center of attention for about two weeks.

She sported reindeer horns (a longstanding tradition in my family)

Helped make press cookies (she REALLY liked the jars of sprinkles)

Was introduced to a special gift from Grandma - Badger Annie!

Met her cousin for the first time and celebrated New Year's Eve in a snazzy outfit.

Cheered on the Packers (Her daddy actually went to the game in Green Bay... brrr!)

And had fun watching the Badgers in the Rose Bowl... despite the loss.

Returning to our little house under a hill in MA was a little dreary - only mommy and daddy and the kitties to play with! We'll be trying to spice life up in the near future by attending some classes - yoga? Dance? We'll see.

Ok, the holidays are caught up.
Next: Cozy Give Away! Possum Yarn! Other fun things! Not quite as many baby photos!

The Mittens that Ate Manhatten

2011-12-02T23:00:00.001-05:00

Ok, the mittens didn't eat Manhattan. Not even a few buildings. But they have eaten my life the past few days. I'm making them on commission for an Etsy customer - I'm using Adrian Bizilia's really excellent pattern - find it HERE.

I love how the colors have turned out, and I think the inside of the mitten is just as beautiful as the outside...

This, folks, is why you block. Unblocked mitten right, blocked mitten left.

My super fancy blocking frame? Yep, wire coat hanger. Works great.

I just have to knit the lining - I have some nice alpaca yarn. Back to mittens!

Oh, and remember, our 15% off sale at AWM ends December 3rd at midnight. Visit the site for a list of participating shops. Cheers!

Lots of Thankyness (Thankiness?)

2011-11-22T21:56:00.001-05:00

Here at the Underhill House we are thankful for a happy, healthy baby, a warm house, good food, good friends and a fast internet connection. And yarn, of course.

A few things - help out your economy and community. Join the local movement this year and do your shopping with small businesses as much as possible. Here is a nifty site that makes it easy to track done small businesses in YOUR area:

http://shiftyourshopping.org/2011/

If your area includes Western Massachusetts come and join the fun with Artisans of WMASS - There are sales, specials and some great artists to discover!

Gah. Enough shopping stuff. If I'm being honest, this Black Friday stuff makes me shake my head and want to never buy anything ever again.

But then our cats would be hungry. Like this. Wow. He is thinking:

1. I am in a chair where food is delivered. Turkey would be nice.

2. I will now get food.

3. Otherwise you die.

4. Numbers 2 and 3 are not mutually exclusive. Timing is key.

I'm thankful my cat has not murdered us yet. How about you?

Twisted Minuet Wrister Pattern

2011-11-20T12:03:00.001-05:00

Happy Sunday and start to the holiday season - in honor of the giving spirit I've finally transcribed my pattern for the companion wristers to our Twisted Minuet Scarf. You can still find the scarf pattern HERE - enjoy the new wristers and please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions!

If you like these wristers but aren't quite sure that knitting them yourself is your style... They can be purchased ready to wear!

Twisted Minuet Wrister Pattern

Remembering Greener Days...

2011-11-17T16:07:00.001-05:00

It is about 40 degrees, gray and drizzling today in Massachusetts. We had to get out of the house. E and I had some fun this morning visiting friends at the vet clinic and doing a little second hand shopping. This girl is growing like a weed, and even though she has her 3 month birthday tomorrow, she is already wearing 6 month sized clothes! We found overalls - overalls are awesome and she will be rocking them as soon as they get washed...

Brand new overalls for $4. We love the consignment shop.

I feel a little nostalgic for the garden today - probably because of the weather. I never posted pictures of the garden this summer, so I think now is a perfect time for a time lapse series of our raised beds. Today we'll do the cold crop and onion bed - with beans and cucumbers later in the season.

April - Broccoli, Onions, Kale

May

June

Late June

Late July. Hooray!

After this point... baby E came along so we don't get the slow decline into weeds and brown foliage - the garden pictures stop at the height of their beauty. I'll add some of the other beds in future blog posts. This really cheered me up!

A little baby knitting

2011-11-15T12:48:00.000-05:00

I'll admit it, I've taken full advantage of knitting for a wee one over the past year. How could I resist when there are books like Kristen Rengren's Vintage Baby Knits? The book is full of updated, adorable patterns... I finished E's pixie hat and immediately cast on some purple yarn for a sweater. I'll let you know how it goes.

Our little pixie

In case you had any doubts that these were legitimate vintage patterns... here is E's great uncle modeling HIS pixie hat back in the '50s.

Shop Handmade!

2011-11-08T11:45:00.004-05:00

Remember to shop locally this holiday season! Follow the link to join a group of folks who are dedicated to handmade vs box store gifts.

Here is a fun collection of items to get you started - a baby boy treasury in honor of our good friends from Michigan who welcomed a healthy baby boy into their lives yesterday!

http://www.etsy.com/treasury/Njc4NDAyMnwxMDU3OTIxMTEx/a-new-baby-boy

You can also find a great group of artists at www.artisansofwmass.com - for all of your holiday gifting needs. Shopping handmade! Woot!

Baby Wipes - Tutorial

2011-11-04T10:05:00.000-04:00

We try to be reasonably green around here... and I like to keep the chemicals touching my baby to a minimum. We cloth diaper as much as possible and I wanted a way to use plain water to wipe the little baby bottom. Although we ended up with several baby washcloths from a variety of sources, I didn't really like them for wiping. Most were just not squishy and absorbent enough to do the job.

I grabbed some 100% cotton WASHABLE worsted weight yarn and went to work.

This is the easiest knitting pattern. Ever. I mean, seriously, if you can't knit a scarf but want to knit your friend a baby gift? THESE ARE PERFECT. And if you can knit decently, they'll just go really fast.

I used size US 9 needles... I happened to grab my trusty dps, but straights work just as well.

Cast on 16... or 18, or 20. Your wipe will just be slightly larger.

Knit back and forth in garter stitch until the wipe measures 2 inches or your desired width. This is about 16 rows. No purling, just knit. See how easy?

The finished product! These wipes are also great for facial cleansers... not the same ones as the baby wipes of course... perhaps color code?

So they look pretty freshly made, but you may wonder how they hold up. The following is a picture of some wipes after heavy use and many trips through the washer (Hot water!!) and dryer (Hot air!). They actually become MORE absorbent the more they are washed... just like cotton cloth diapers.

Happy Wiping!

By Candlelight

2011-11-01T22:33:00.001-04:00

Dawn on Sunday morning

Trees down in the backyard

We were in the epicenter of Saturday's October snowstorm and are just starting to get back to normal. We currently have power (probably because there is a warming shelter on our street), internet (just got that back tonight), and heat (wood stove... never lost this!), but many of our local friends and neighbors are without all three.

Cozy!

Saturday night was very strange - thick, heavy snow falling quickly with occasional green flashes, the cracks of falling trees and branches, and pink flashes and sparks as transformers blew. Quite surreal. We kept ourselves occupied by lighting candles, keeping the stove stoked, and trying to keep the basement from flooding. And we learned that beans and toast can be prepared quite well on the wood stove!

It will be quite some time before the area will be back to normal. Our thoughts go out to all of those still in the dark - stay safe and warm!

The view went from this...

To this!

Here are a few more stories about the storm from local friends...
http://jansjems.blogspot.com/
http://poetesswug-thewugsbackyardblogspot.blogspot.com/

Saturday Morning Goodies

2011-10-29T10:15:00.000-04:00

Need some delicious finds to accompany your Saturday morning cup of coffee? Look no further!

Click on the pictures above to visit the treasury and see the wonderful items up close!

Applesauce, applesauce

2011-10-27T11:09:00.001-04:00

As you may have surmised from yesterday's photo, the little tyke and I recently visited the apple orchard. We went to Cold Springs Orchard, a teaching, research and working orchard maintained by the University of Massachusetts, on a stunningly beautiful autumn day. We strolled through the rows of trees heavy with late fall fruit and then headed to the cider barn to pore over the tempting varieties.

I'll let you visit the Cold Spring website yourselves to get a full idea of the range of apples available. We picked out some Honeycrisp, Winter Banana, Emerald and a few more for eating fresh, then picked up 2 peck bags of seconds for turning into applesauce.

All these apples should make about 16 pints of applesauce, but they would need to be done in about 4 batches due to the space chopped apples consume. And if each batch needed to simmer for HOURS, well, with a 2 month old to watch and hold I knew I needed a better plan.

Enter the pressure cooker! About 10 or 12 minutes to come up to pressure, 5 minutes at pressure, cool under cold water, and done!

You don't need to peel or core the apples... just wash well, quarter, and throw them in the pressure cooker!

A nifty food mill

After cooking the apples will be mushy and saucy. To remove the skins and cores I used a strainer, ladle, and a little elbow grease, but a food mill or similar item would make this job even easier...

I decided to freeze some of the applesauce in ice cube trays for later use as baby food. Makes it easy to grab just a few servings from the freezer.

Finally I wanted to can some of the applesauce since our freezer space is getting tight. Mostly from all of the peaches our tree produced this year (yum!).

The easy 15 minute waterbath canning process is very well spelled out over at Pick Your Own, so I won't repeat that here, just leave you with a tantalizing photo of the finished product. And my helper.

And... We're back!

2011-10-25T14:50:00.003-04:00

When I last blogged it was early spring and things were just beginning to grow, including me! Throughout the spring and summer I nurtured the garden and a little baby. Now it is fall, the garden is done, and and baby is here and not so little! I'll be trying to catch up with some good posts as I'm able (the long awaited Kiwi yarn post, applesauce and PIES), but in the meantime I'll leave you with a few photos of the babe and me.

Digging out

2011-03-12T16:54:00.005-05:00

Spring is finally approaching in snowy New England, and not a minute too soon. We're starting to see patches of lawn through the snow and I *think* I spotted a few daffodils shoots springing up.

In the meantime we're getting ready for the growing season and counting our blessings as we keep in mind those who have been affected by the horrific earthquake/tsunami in Japan. Speaking of this, click HERE for info helpful to those wanting to help the 4-legged victims.

I've been starting seeds for my garden already, which has the triple benefit of getting a jump on the growing year, saving money on buying started plants, and keeping me from going stir crazy. I recently attended a gardening workshop led by the dynamic father/daughter team Ron and Jennifer Kujawski and got some great new ideas. They have a new exceedingly practical book that I am loving - click on the picture for more info.

Inspired by their words and lacking a sunroom or even good south-facing window I decided to invest in some additional lighting for my little seedlings. A quick search online and in the local garden store showed that unless I was willing to shell out $100 or more for lights and a stand I was going to have to get creative. Luckily I found some handy websites that helped me do just that.

Marion Owen has a great 1 page resource for seed starting in general at http://www.plantea.com/seedstart.htm#raise - she confirmed the idea that a plain old $15 shop light will be completely suitable and that seedlings like a whopping 14-16 hours of light per day.

Cornell University's Extension added another helpful piece of the lighting puzzle with complete plans for a cheap, easy to build PVC light stand at the following page: http://www.gardening.cornell.edu/factsheets/growlite/index.html

One afternoon visit to the hardware store, about $30, half an hour of work (with a little help from the husband) and my lighting stand is complete!
These are my cold weather crops - Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kale, and Lettuce. I didn't get them under the lights quite as early as I would have liked so they are a bit leggy, but I'm hoping I can correct this when I transplant the sprouts into individual pots. The clementine box is an ideas from the Kujawski book.

Happy almost spring - next task is pruning the apple trees!

A Kiwi at heart?

2011-01-26T09:03:00.009-05:00

We recently returned from a long awaited trip to New Zealand for some winter vacation and family visiting. Everything you've heard about the beauty and friendliness of the country is true, and we really can't wait to go back.

Some highlights:
1. A 19km hike over an active volcano at the heart of the North Island.
2. Seeing endemic wildlife like the Kaka and Tui bird, the living fossil lizard the Tuatara and giant Weta insects.
3. Sea kayaking with shags (cormorants), sting rays and moon jellyfish.
4. Finding Lord of the Rings filming locations and re-enacting scenes :o)
5. Possum yarn!!!! This last deserves a whole post of its own, so stay tuned for that.

Some Winter Love....

2011-01-25T10:56:00.003-05:00

A new treasury from the good folks of Artisans of Western Mass - some splashes of heat to offset all the snow we've been having...

Free Shipping Day... And I love being a Localvore

2010-12-17T09:58:00.007-05:00

Hi all - happy Free Shipping Day! To celebrate I'll be having free shipping in the Etsy shop, but I think my free shipping will go all the way until Christmas. This deal also includes international orders! The US Post Office estimates that items shipped to the continental US by First Class mail will arrive by Christmas if shipped by Monday, Dec 20th. Time to find those last minute gifts!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/knittyvet

In other news, we picked up our first winter farm share from the wonderful Swartz Family Farm in North Amherst. Delicious! I love the idea of continuing our local eating into the cold months of winter, and I ADORE their fresh, pesticide-free salad greens!

Wow! Look at all that great produce. And yes... a bad cat.

Happy one week to Christmas!

This one's for the birds

2010-12-10T18:41:00.009-05:00

The feeders are stuffed, the kitties are alert, 'tis the season for birdwatching! We've got a column feeder full of black oil sunflower seeds and several resident birds... So far I counted 4 species today - I'll be keeping a list and post more birds as I see them. The pictures I will be posting are taken with gratitude from fellow Etsians' shops. Please click on the photo for more info about the picture or item! For today:

1. Black Capped Chickadee- This lively little guy is also the state bird of Massachusetts. They can decrease their core body temperatures by 10-12 degrees F to conserve energy during cold winter nights! Click HERE to visit a wiki page to hear the chickadee's call.
2. Tufted Titmouse- These birds are generally friendly and inquisitive... and they have a great name! Click HERE for their call.3. Dark-eyed Junco - Another bird with a great name, this little sparrow tends to hunt for food on the ground in small flocks.
4. Northern Cardinal - We all know this common winter bird. We have a male and female pair that visit the feeder on a regular basis. Click HERE for the sounds of a male.
To completely change gears for a moment, I recently received an email from CISA (Community Involved in Local Agriculture) about local eggs, chickens, and other assorted poultry and fowl. Our local farmers are necessary and inspiring - do you have a way you can support farmers in your area?

Tempting Tuesday - Gifts for sisters

2010-11-30T21:41:00.002-05:00

I hope everyone who was celebrating enjoyed their Thanksgiving weekend - plenty of family, food, etc...

Now that we are turning our thoughts toward shopping for the holidays, I thought I'd post a little treasury of some unique gift ideas for that very special family member - the sister!

Special Orders

2010-11-21T13:04:00.005-05:00

I've been knitting up a storm around here - thought I'd share some of the outcome...

We have some lovely mittens for adults and children all made out of scrumptious superwash wool. Enjoy!

A Knitty Opportunity - and Cyclo-cross

2010-11-06T17:32:00.005-04:00

Nice sunny day = watching cyclo-cross, taking lots of product shots like the one to the left, and visiting the yarn store (only a little bit, I promise).

The cats have been a just a bit put out since our cyclo-cross friends brought their Austrailian Cattle Dog puppy to visit. Our shyer cat Caramel hides upstairs (under the bed or in the bathtub... whichever is available), while Tricksy simply stares down the puppy and steals her food. Classic Tricksy. Cyclo-cross, in case you were wondering, is a very cool combo of road biking, mountain biking and obstacle course. Watch the following for a little taste, complete with overly epic music:

The Cattle Dog puppy also REALLY likes wool (socks, yarn skeins, yarn projects.... basically our whole HOUSE) which segues nicely into the actually title of the post.

There is a more than vibrant (buzzing? frenetic?) knitting presence on the web, and I thought I would share just three items of interest.

Item the 1st: Ravelry.com! Most of my knitting, crocheting, or fiber arts readers probably know about this site already, but for those of you who dont - go over there and get your knit on! There are patterns, forums, help sessions, a trading post, and lots of fiber, yarn and inspiration in the way of FOs. My username is KnittyVet (just like on Etsy) - feel free to look me up and say hi! Here is one of my FOs posted on Ravelry:
Item the 2nd: KnitPicks.com is great online one stop fiber arts shopping. This is a known fact. Right now they are also running a contest on their Stash blog to win 20 balls of yarn and a free pattern. The contest is promoting a new feature allowing crafters to buy one pattern at a time from popular books - definitely a savings if you are like me and usually end up buying the whole book to get at one particular pattern. You have until Nov. 10th to enter the contest - simply leave a comment on the Stash Blog!

Item the 3rd: Tomorrow I am planning on attending the Fiber Festival of New England in Springfield, MA... If you are anywhere in the area it sounds like quite the good time - Moo Dog Knits from over at moodogpress.com says there are over 200 vendors - and sheep! Yay!

I think this post contains my first embedded video... Does that mean I can graduate blogger pre-school?

Tempting Election Tuesday

2010-11-02T11:48:00.003-04:00

Happy Election Day! I've thrown together a quick Voting Treasury featuring artists and collectors from many states of the union. Just click on the screenshot to go see the treasury. Get out there and do your civic duty folks!

I guess this is a seasonal blog...

2010-10-31T15:13:00.007-04:00

...But if so, now begins the blogging season!

Happy Hallowe'en! - This year we put together some Pumpkins for Sanity and/or Fear.

A quick wrap up of the summer: Lots of gardening (mostly watering... we had very Sarahan summer), vetting (now a regular part-time gig), and enjoying visits by family and friends.

I've also been occupied helping establish the Artisans of Western Massachusetts as a legitimate non-profit organization. We are over 50 members and growing fast - feel free to visit the AWM website by clicking on the logo. You can find great handmade items made with love by local artists.

My artwork and knitting has been squeezed in between the previously mentioned activities - I did get a chance to do some custom work of a very sweet kitty.

I also had fun putting together a few treasuries using the great new treasury tool over at Etsy.com. Now... we're cleaning the garden, raking leaves, and enjoying cozy wood fires and mulled apple cider. I hope to keep the blog a bit more updated... but right now it is time to go light the pumpkins!

Stay safe, and remember to VOTE on Tuesday!

-k

Gratuitous Garden Post

2010-09-12T13:47:00.004-04:00

Ok, the weather is more like fall and I've emerged from a long hot summer full of gardeny goodness and watering. Lots of watering. While I get the blog back into some sort of order here are some random garden pics...

Tempting Tuesday - Help the Gulf Coast

2010-06-15T20:10:00.005-04:00

The following items are from shops donating some or all profits to recovery efforts along the Gulf Coast. Good cause, shop well.

Tempting Tuesday - Up, up and Away

2010-06-01T20:27:00.004-04:00

I spent a wonderful summery day dodging raindrops and building trellises for vertical growth in the garden. Up up and away!

1. Cuff links for the discerning gentleman in your life - make a fashion statement!

2. Decorate your walls with artwork inspiring you to take flight.

3. A lovely locket for your secret treasures.

4. Lunaria seed pods add to this ephemeral artwork.

5. This print reminds me of good friends and care-free summer vacations.

6. Don't be fooled by the fancy frame - this lovely piece is actually a 40 page journal!

Tempting Tuesday - Pretty Pink Wedding

2010-05-25T21:24:00.004-04:00

We have the good fortune to be attending a family wedding this weekend - I thought I'd make this week's temptation a tribute to the happy couple! Enjoy!

Tempting Tuesday - Graduation

2010-05-18T21:34:00.004-04:00

Happy graduation season - I've found a few great gifts for that special graduate in your life!

1. This striking pen from moonskywoodworks would be a stellar gift for any aspiring writer, signer, or new grad with a need for a cool pen!

2. These little laser printed beans from LaserBeamCreations actually grow real bean plants with the message still imprinted on the first leaves! Cool!

3. Earrings from PunkyJane celebrate the current graduation year in sterling silver.

4. This leather bound journal from julieboyles is handmade with lots of special details.

5. This special soap is for brainiacs only. KcSoapsNMore brings us this cotton candy, brain shaped goat milk soap. Bet you've never seen that before!

6. As the new graduate sets out on their journey through life, send them with a beaten copper tag from bellabeadstudio.

Thanks for looking, have a lovely week!

Selective Taste

2010-05-15T11:26:00.004-04:00

We have a mysterious visitor to the garden... my suspicion is that the adorable woodchucks up the hill have something to do with this. However, they seem to have very discerning taste. In fact, the following photo illustrates the only damage done since the fence went up. I believe that this used to be a Buttercrunch lettuce plant.
Last time they really liked the romaine. Maybe they just felt like a change?
The rest of our lettuces were particularly beautiful the other afternoon- I love the way the varieties are so different. Here we have:

Rouge d'Hiver Romaine and Atlas Farm Red Leaf
Black Seeded Simpson and Red Freckles Romaine
Red Riding Hood and Atlas Farm (a local farm) Red Leaf

Framed by red beets, spinach, and laundry line.

Tempting Tuesday - Seedlings

2010-05-11T22:02:00.005-04:00

Happy Tempting Tuesday - We seem to have skipped spring, had summer, and now have entered fall here in Massachusetts, but I am determined to keep the growing spirit alive. Here is a lovely collection of little sprouts for your enjoyment-I'll let the pictures speak for themselves- just click on the image to go to the shop!

Gardening - the good, the bad and the itchy

2010-05-10T18:37:00.006-04:00

In the good news column we have the square foot veg garden. The cold weather crops are growing visibly by the day and we just enjoyed our first spinach salad. For any who may be interested, the home-made dressing was a blend of red wine vinaigrette, honey mustard, minced garlic and fresh parsley, pepper, salt and olive oil. Delicious.

In the bad news column we have a freeze warning for tonight that may wipe out our 2010 peach crop. Our tree is pretty big and we don't have any sprinkler system or other frost deterrent, so we'll just have to keep our fingers crossed.

And the itchy? I decided to pull some weeks on our back hillside, at least around the perennials we put in earlier this spring. Imagine my delight when carpets of poison ivy started appearing under and around the taller weeds. I've never before gotten a rash, but THIS COULD BE IT!
As a public service, here are a few poison ivy tips...-Leaves of three, let it be. Leaves can be toothed or smooth, green or red.
-Urushiol is the "poison" oil - only because humans seem to be extra reactive. Animals are not affected and some even EAT poison ivy (goats, naturally)!
-Some people seem immune while some seem extra sensitive. It is not wise to push your luck.
-Wear skin protection - gloves, long sleeves, long pants- if not washed off of clothes the oil can last for years.
-If you think you touched poison ivy, washing with lots of cold water within 1/2 hour may prevent the rash. Hot water will open pores and let more oil be absorbed.
-DO NOT mow (esp with bare legs!) or burn poison ivy. Emergency room visits can result.

For more great info you can go to http://www.poison-ivy.org/ - if nothing else they have an incredibly graphic rash collection!

I think we need to get a goat.

Tempting Tuesday - Felines

2010-05-04T20:57:00.004-04:00

The dogs have had their day... now the cats shall play! Here we have a small collection of feline oriented items for you to enjoy.

1. We'll start with a canvas field bag from rctees. This handsome bag features a hand printed image of the artist's own beloved cat, "Abby".

2. This very unique piece of glass art from GlassCatsStudios is ready to brighten up your windowsill or office. Great for cat lovers with allergies!

3. Cats need collars too. This classy example from AmandaBrewerTextiles would look great on a discerning cat.

4. I just love this card from bipolarbettygoods, especially since I happen to cohabit with a crazy cat myself...

5. Cat tags are always a great gift. Stekspets tags are hand engraved and ready to personalize.

6. Finally a great whimsical print from johnwgolden. He also has great folksy dog images, so both cat and dog lovers are covered!

Have a great week - and give those kitties some love(1)!

(1) Also known as tuna.

Tempting Tuesday - A Rainbow for Mom

2010-04-27T20:43:00.004-04:00

Hi all! It has been a busy few weeks with vetting, craft shows and gardening, but I'm taking a little break to share with you a literal RAINBOW of goodies to shower upon mom. We all know that Mother's Day is often celebrated with flowers, so I've stayed upon that general theme, but in ways you may not expect.

1. My RED pick is this luxurious card from crankbunny. The outside of the card is a simple bud, while inside mom will find an amazing pop-up red flower.

2. ORANGE is a fused glass daisy pendant created by pennyglassgirl. This vibrant piece was created in her own glass studio.

3. For YELLOW I found this amazing preserved rose necklace. RoyalPrincess preserves and turns flowers into jewelry for a really cool gift.

4. I just love this GREEN little hand bag made by EightSeasons. Wouldn't mom look great with this snazzy new wristlet?

5. BLUE is provided by this wonderful bowl from StudioElan. Hand made with love, care, and exquisite attention to glazing!

6. Last but not least, VIOLET can be for all those moms with allergies, black thumbs, or an intense love of crochet (or all 3!). LindseySedlar created this little work of art and it is a marvel!

Thanks for looking - support the artists by clicking on the above links and photos, and thank your mom!

Tempting Tuesday - Puppies!

2010-04-20T20:18:00.006-04:00

I've been vetting a lot over the past week which inspired me to create this Puppy-centric post. Because really, you can't go wrong with puppies!

1. This snazzy collar from BowWowCouture is just the thing for the discerning pup. It looks comfortable, washable, and perfectly designed for your puppy's neck!

2. How about something for your one neck? Try this one of a kind hand hammered copper necklace made by lonesomedovedesigns.

3. This adorable letterpress card was inspired by the artist's beloved stuffed dog toy, Fritz. How cute is that?! Visit inkadoodledoo's shop to find out more.

4. You'll need a tag to put on your dog collar - here we have a very fine sterling silver example from TheTwoBeans.

5. I love this whimsical yet practical garden stepping stone from the aptly named dogsteppingstones. Check out their shop for examples of many more breeds!

6. Last but not least I'd like to share this precious dress from thetrendytot. Fire engine red offseting a handsome dalmation makes quite the fashion statement!

I realize that I did not make a pie in March. This was my mistake, and I'll try to do better! I've got one down for April - stay tuned for that post soon!

Tempting Tuesday - Cafe

2010-04-13T21:10:00.005-04:00

One of my favorite parts of spring is sitting at a cafe on a sunny morning with an iced coffee and good book or bit of knitting. Here are a few temptations in the cafe mood!

1. These delicious beads were created by artbylisi and would look great in a statement piece of jewelry. Don't they look just like swirling coffee?

2. You'll need a bag to bring that book or knitting project - how about this cute offering from truffalope?! It is repurposed from a burlap coffee sack!

3. Chunky coffee exfoliating soap... mmmm. These soap bars from bainetbulles are reputed to be great at cleaning off strong odors and dirt- perfect if you are heading to the cafe after gardening or cooking.

4. These size 3 needles would be perfect for that project you've been meaning to get to. They are hand worked by ElementalHandcrafts and look smooth, silky, and heavenly.

5. Need to celebrate a cafe morning on your own porch or patio? Let this adorable hand-thrown teapot from organicceramic help.

6. Had to include the actual cafe scene! Can't you just imagine yourself at one of those tables watching life flow by? This gorgeous impressionistic piece is from artstudio.

Thanks for joining me at my little cafe table - we'll see you again soon!

Garden time - Row cover tutorial!

2010-04-10T15:03:00.007-04:00

Spring is rolling along here in New England - I've calculated that we're about 5 weeks from our last frost date, so the veggie gardening is getting busy. We built 3 raised beds this year and a cold frame to give the veg an extra head start. Everything is crammed in the sunniest corner of our backyard, but I like to think that the lack of space just makes us more efficient.

The peas and spinach are already up and rocking and the broccoli that I started from seed was begging to join them, but I had a bit of a problem. I've always learned to place a cloche (protective covering) over broccoli starts to protect them from cold nights, scorching sun, and wind. I grew up using milk jug tops... a really wonderful (and eco-friendly!) idea. However, we've been drinking milk from paper cartons so I did not have a ready supply of milk jugs. What was a gardener to do?

Gardening supply companies sell little plastic cloches and I called a few coffee shops to see if I could have some jugs, but then I did a little more research and shifted my game plan entirely.

I decided to build a mini-greenhouse... basically a cloche over the whole row of broccoli! It would shield the plants from sun, wind and frost AND I had all the materials on hand.

Step 1: Green branches of equal length were bent and inserted into the garden soil to form a row of hoops over the intended planting row. Flexible PCV pipes or wire hoops could be used instead - I just didn't happen to have these.

Step 2: A length of heavy duty plastic was cut into a rectangular shape that would fit over the hoops with about 4 inches extra on each long side and enough plastic to reach the ground on the short sides. We had plastic left over from covering the wood for the winter, otherwise it is available at hardware stores. Water permeable row cover material would be great... again, I didn't have that on hand.

Step 3: I cut 2 slits through the plastic on either side of each branch about 7 inches from the ground and used twine to tie the plastic to the branch. Zip ties or twist ties would also work here. I only did one side for now since I needed to plant!

Step 4: Plant and water!
Step 5: Tie the other side of the row cover to the branches and cut some holes along the top of the cover. This will allow excess heat to escape the row so that you don't cook your baby plants.
Step 6: Cover the extra plastic on each side with a little soil. I set the ties fairly far up the branches so that I can roll up each side if we get a really hot day.
This cover should be useful for a few weeks while the broccoli gets well established and then I'll be able to pick it straight up and likely reuse it on whatever needs it next. Peppers? Eggplant? Stay tuned!

Tempting Tuesday - Daffodils

2010-04-06T19:18:00.004-04:00

Inspiration continues to flow from the springy world outside. In a few short weeks we've seen our peas and spinach sprout, planted apple trees and raspberry canes, and marveled at the amazing blooms of the daffodils springing up. Without further ado, the temptations!1. This journal from QuinnBookbinding would be a perfect place to record your spring musings and thoughts. Sturdy construction and a daffo-liscious print!

2. Our next item is a one-of-a-kind work of art from fullenstar. Imagine strolling along on your spring walks with this lovely bit of wool and silk fluttering behind you!

3. I think the bright yellow of these earrings is outstanding! They are wood cutouts from SAEE, ready to be worn, seen, and admired.

4. Zebras and Daffodils - what more do you need? This is an original artwork by unitedthread and would be perfect hanging in a sunroom or nursery.

5. Keep your little neccessaries in this glowing clutch. Sewlola made this purse from a fabric purchased in Avignon, France!

6. Last but not least, a fine art photograph of an actual daffodil by peggyhodge. I hope your spring is as beautiful as this print!

Thanks for joining us once again - remember, click on the photos for a trip to the listing of the item on Etsy.

Cheers!

Tempting Tuesdy - RAIN

2010-03-30T18:22:00.004-04:00

Oh it is SOGGY! The rivers are rising and the lawn is soaked... but if we can just hold on until Thursday the sun should come out and spring will appear. To make the best of a bad situation, today's theme is, you guessed it, rain!

1. These cheerful coasters will help you chase your rainy blues away - 4.25"x4.25" with slight variations and cork backing, these coasters from littlecoastergnome come in sets of 4.

2. If these soaps from asliceofdelight smell half as good as they look, you'll be singing in the shower! Hawaiian Rain Salt Bar soap is scented with frangipani, white ginger, plumeria and weighs between 4.0 and 4.5 oz.

3. I love the mood created by this artwork - I also adore the illustrative quality. Get your very own 11"x14" print from Kecky.

4. Brighten up the day with this vibrant reversible rain jacket from BeckyDrolen! Vintage, flirty, and did I mention reversible?

5. It wouldn't be a rain collection without an umbrella, so here is a prime blue example from vintageboxofdelights. Made in England with a great classic handle!
6. This beautiful tile was hand made by MichelleProsek. It is a wonderfully atmospheric, and just the thing to cap off our rainy day collection!

Stay safe, warm and dry, and thanks for tuning in!

Tempting Tuesday - Spinning!

2010-03-23T15:51:00.014-04:00

Time for the second installment of Tuesday Temptations! This past weekend I attended a great drop spindle hand-spinning course at the Webs store in Northampton, MA. Highly recommended for any New England dwellers who can make it!

Before we get to spinning fun though, let's have a moment of serious advice and warning. (disclaimer- although I am a licensed vet I am not YOUR licensed vet. This post has general advice and is not meant to diagnose or treat your pet.) All you folks with cats? Lilies are poisonous to cats! Very poisonous! Now is a good time to start thinking about this since Easter and spring are almost upon us. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE lilies. They are beautiful, elegant, and smell great. However, they also cause kidney failure in cats. It doesn't have to be a lot of lily either- chewing on a leaf, petal, or even grooming pollen off of their fur have all been shown to damage the kidneys of a cat. Some cats are more susceptible than others but it is impossible to tell how your cat will react. Which lilies cause problems? This quote is directly from a Consulting Veterinarian in Clinical Toxicology at the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.

Tiger lilies (lilium tigrinum) can cause renal failure in cats, similar to easter lilies (lilium longiflorum), stargazer lilies (lilium orientalis stargazer), and oriental lilies (lilium orientalis).Day lilies (hemerocallis sp) can also cause renal failure in cats.

"Lilies" such as peace lily (spathiphyllum sp) and calla lily (zantedeschia sp) are not in the lilium genus, and while they do have insoluble calcium oxalate crystals in them (which cause oral/GI irritation), they do not cause renal failure.

So stay safe this Easter season and don't risk your little feline's life! Now back to your regularly scheduled spinning temptations.

1. The drop spindle. Obviously a necessary tool for spinning with a drop spindle. They can be made out of every conceivable type of material and in many different shapes, but all have a whorl (the round disc bit) and a shaft (the long part you wrap the yarn around). Here is a simple, beautiful spindle good for spinning many different weights of yarn, made using reclaimed wood from aspinnerslair. This happens to be the type of spindle I have and the folks I bought it from. Lovely!

2. Roving is the second ingredient to spinning. This is the cleaned and carded version of fiber- all the strands line up. First up is an alpaca/silk blend from bluemoonranch that just begs to be touched. The color is glorious and you even get to meet the alpaca (Sophie) in the Etsy listing. Visit their blog for a chance to WIN an alpaca fleece!

3. If wool is more your style there are quite literally endless options. Here is a vibrant example of merino roving from SpinningAwesomeGood. I really don't know whether it should be spun or just hung on the wall to admire! Ok, ok, we'll spin it...

4. Not enough fiber yet? How about spinning from bunnies?! I have heard that you can spin directly from the rabbit- someday I will try this and report back. Here we have an English Angora Rabbit named Dexter from SevenAcreWoods. He has some angora for you - how can you resist this guy?

5. This is a nostepinne. Basically it is a tool that lets you wind a center-pull ball with relative ease. Mostly I like the name. This nostepinne from WoodElements is made from Zebrawood and is striking all by itself.

6. The finished product! This is yarn that has been spun, plyed, and set... This is a beautiful DK-worsted yarn named Sea Glass. It was created by artemisiaink - my handspinning teacher!

Whew! Finally, here is my first attempt at handspinning.... kinda chunky, kinda weird, but I'm proud of it. Now what should I knit???!!! I've got about 17 yards of bulky...

Learning and Features

2010-03-21T22:12:00.002-04:00

A weekend full of gardening, fiber and learning. Heaven!

I've also been fortunate enough to have a few featured items in fellow blogs!

Here is a GREAT and SCRUMPTIOUS list of knitting goodies from

and here is a link to the Underhill House Handmade feature from TagsandButtons

Thanks so much all - there is so much great inspiration out there!

St. Patty's Day Special

2010-03-16T23:52:00.001-04:00

FREE shipping on items with GREEN in the Etsy shop, one day only :o)

Tempting Tuesdy - Green!

2010-03-16T19:41:00.008-04:00

We're trying a new thing today - Tuesday Temptations! I'll find some lovely items from our Etsy friends to share with the blogosphere and we can all be tempted together. Just click on the photo to go to the item's page.

This Tuesday's theme will be green for gardening, St. Patrick's Day, spring... did I mention that our daffodils are coming up? And today was partially spent tending to the blueberries... but that is for another post. On to the temptations!

1. Since we are mostly in the planning stages of gardening here in New England, how about an Eco-Friendly Garden Tools Journal from disconsolator in which to keep your musings, sketches and plans? Best of all, this journal is made from materials produced with wind power - how cool is that?

2. Farmer's Markets are starting soon as well so you'll need a nifty bag to carry home all that produce. The TomaTote from EarthCadets fits this bill perfectly with a great sassy tomato style. This tote is also made from recycled materials, including soda bottles!

3. Once we get around to actually planting, we'll need labels for those tiny seedlings. These Herb Signs from sierrametaldesign are adorable, functional, and just the right amount of funky. Use them indoors, outdoors, and year after year!

4. So let's actually plant something! How about Mammoth Long Island - a heirloom dill seed from myvictorygarden. Dill can be used in many ways - salads, veggie dishes, dips, and my favorite - with new potatoes! Use the seed heads to make delicious pickles as well!

5. Need something to put your plant in? Are you more of an indoor gardener? Then this adorable Love Bird heart shaped planter from DariellesClayArt is for you. A beautiful glaze job, drainage holes and precious details... I'm thinking this is a perfect Mother's Day gift!

6. Last but not least, we in the Northeast will be watching the clock a little longer before we can get into the garden full time. Why not watch an amazing clock? This handmade Flower Garden Ceramic Wall Clock from lurearts is just the thing.

Feel inspired? Me too! I'll prove it - see the colors I've been working with lately?
Stay tuned for a useful post about your feline friends - until then, happy St. Patty's Day!

Planning the growing season

2010-03-10T09:30:00.004-05:00

If I haven't updated the blog as recently as we might have liked, blame the weather. It is unseasonably warm and lovely, filling my head with dreams of this summer's garden.

Since we recently moved into our home, this season is the first to start painting on the canvas of our property. While a little lawn is nice (impromptu croquet anyone?) on the whole I would rather have flowers, vegetables, fruiting shrubs, etc. Accordingly, I've been surrounding myself with gardening books, catalogs and websites to decide what should replace the ragged verge (Voles. Whole separate problem).

We have a little patch of sun (square foot vegetable garden), a patch of mostly sun next to the blueberries (raspberries, possibly semi-dwarf apple trees), a sun/shade hill (native plants, prairie plants, lilies), and an area of shade (lilies-of-the-valley, ferns, bleeding hearts). In front of the house are a few warm sunny spots where the herbs will go.

I think my most exciting experiment will be trying a few Honeyberry trees. They are native to Asia but reportedly grow well here, have elongated blueberry like fruit that ripen before strawberries, and grow well in partial shade! They grow 6-8' or 3-4' tall depending on the variety and you need more than one plant to have mature fruit... I'm think a hedge of 4 right now.

The craft show last weekend went swimmingly - met some great folks, sold a few items, and got the year started out right! Thanks to JenDederichPhotography for the great pics!

6 Days to the first Craft Show!

2010-02-28T11:57:00.005-05:00

That is right - in 6 days I'm taking the leap from online sales to local, in person, table-top selling! I'm so excited!

I've always had some of the necessary ingredients for being an entrepreneurial crafter... I have 1) had a steady stream of creative projects flowing since earlier than I can remember, and 2) attempted to make sales. Not always successfully. I remember one ill-advised roadside stand I set up when I was 7 or 8 to sell the shed exoskeletons of cicadas... I believe they were going for 1 cent each, but for some reason the only person who bought one was my 4 year old sister.

But now we're actually making it official- tax reg. and all. And insects (at least for now!) are not part of the inventory. So, without further ado:

Cabin Fever Crafters Show
First Congregational Church
Saturday March 6, 2010 9am - 2pm
43 Silver St, Greenfield, MA 01376

I know a few other great vendors who will be attending, so come and join us if you are in the area!

In the meantime there is a lot to do. I'm knitting as fast as I am able (later shows this summer will focus on my artwork instead), making labels and working on setting up an attractive table. This show is a small one which will be ideal for my first attempt.... what fun!

A Vermi-update

2010-02-26T16:05:00.005-05:00

I'll admit right off that the worm's compost bin has been going through a rough patch. Everything was great at first, but then an odd smell arose and many of the red worms went mushy. Not fun. Instead of happy, healthy red worms I now had a bin full of food and millions of little tiny wriggly white worms. THEY seemed happy, but what was going on?!

After some research and soul searching, I think I have the answer. The little white wrigglers are "pot worms", a member of the family Enchytraeidae and so related to the regular red worms. They really love acidic and somewhat anaerobic conditions. Pot worms themselves aren't harmful to the regular worms, but the conditions on the other hand... These are problems brought on by overfeeding, especially of foods like starches (rice, potato), citrus, and onion.

I was guilty guilty guilty of over-enthusiastically feeding most of my worms to death! Happily the little white worms were continuing to eat, so the smell was back to normal and the food was slowly disappearing. I added another few newspapers worth of shredded paper to dilute the food and decrease the moisture content a little, and for the past week I have been mixing the bin every day and not adding any more food.

At this point I have found several healthy red worms hanging out, including a mating pair! I did not get a picture of this (seemed wrong, somehow) but if you've just gotta see what this looks like go visit this awesome worm blog.

Here is a picture of the little white worms- its a little out of focus so hopefully it won't squeam anyone out too badly.

Dreaming of Spring

2010-02-23T09:58:00.008-05:00

Yet another winter storm warning tonight and tomorrow and we're all starting to feel the winter gloom. However, spring is just around the corner and it is garden planning time. To keep motivation high, it seems like a good time to share some photos from last year's deck garden. I have to say, my Earthbox experience was a WONDERFUL one. Don't let their gimmicky sell turn you off... for a limited garden space (like our 8x10 2nd floor balcony) they really work.
Lettuces, broccoli, pearl onions, herbs, spinach... we started out small in late April.
May brought peas and salad.
By June we were in full swing, complete with 8-ball zucchini. In July we had a jungle and were eating fresh from the garden practically every day.

But in August we moved. The plants were adopted by some lucky friends... the transportation was quite amusing.Spring is almost here... and may all your gardening dreams come true!

Greening the Post Office - Sewn Parcels!

2010-02-16T17:57:00.012-05:00

Lovely snowy day here- greened the (nearly daily) trip to the post office in two ways.

1. Walked. I love the days I get enough time to make the 2 mile round trip on foot (or bike in the summer). Today was especially great due to the fresh snowfall.2. Sewn packages! I have to admit that this was not all my idea. I have been trying to use recycled materials in my packaging as much as possible... I hate all of the waste that usually goes with mailing.

Because I wasn't sure if it could go in paper recycling or not, we have a huge stack of brown paper padded wrapping that was around all of our artwork during our recent move. The sheets are huge but can be cut into manageable chunks easily enough. If folded and taped this wrapping made a perfect envelope for my cozies to sail through the mail.... but the amount of tape necessary was ridiculous, expensive, and certainly not green.

Enter my AMAZINGLY brilliant mother! "Why don't you just sew them?" she asks.... Brilliant! A few little zig zags later we really had something. Cute, tough, and ready for the post. Now all I had to do was add the item and tape the edges closed (or sew if I felt really industrious and had left enough of an edge.) Let's recap:

1. Cut wrapping material (brown paper etc) into sizes appropriate for what is being mailed.
2. Fold sides and sew down 2 seams with a zig zag or other strong stitch
3. Add item to mail- if it is a little more fragile, like a CD in a jewel case, you can wrap it in some left over bubble wrap first.
4. Sew top or tape closed.
5. Walk to the PO and ship!

I sewed a whole bunch of packages at one time since I know the size I'll need most - this saved some time.

I hope this was helpful - everyone is welcome to share their own green ideas!

Big 50!

2010-02-15T18:24:00.001-05:00

Made it to a total of 1/2 century of sales on Etsy today- help us celebrate by taking advantage of free shipping on almost all of our items for the rest of the day!

www.knittyvet.etsy.com

Gold Medal Pie

2010-02-13T13:37:00.010-05:00

Happy Olympics everyone! We had a lovely evening watching the opening ceremonies - the floor of the arena was just amazing and we always have a good time watching the athletes walk in with their matching outfits. I figured that this was as good of a time as any to break out the February Pie.

I was a little torn on what to make (don't worry, the suggestions are just biding their time)... but it came down to what I actually had in the house. I settled on the Very Cranberry and Pear Pie in Ken Haedrich's PIE book. Festive, red (like Canada's color), and very delicious! I probably can't publish the recipe here for legal reasons, but it involved cranberries (frozen from Thanksgiving), ripe pears, cardamon, cinnamon, and a brown sugar/nut topping. How can you go wrong with that? Enjoy the pie-y pictures!

And the winner is...

2010-02-08T16:09:00.003-05:00

Selina!

You can find her very nifty blog HERE - Congratulations!
Results were generated by Random.org. Thank you everyone for entering!

One more day... news and ... book reviews!

2010-02-05T09:17:00.008-05:00

That's right, one day left to enter the cozy contest- go to THIS LINK to see the easy rules and win. International entrants are welcome and don't worry, even if your favorite cozy has temporarily sold out, I think we can make a new one for you :o)

For those of you who would rather knit your own heart cozy we can now accommodate - check here! (this one counts in the contest too!)

Cozy shipping for any ordered between noon Friday 2/5/10 and Sunday 2/7/10 will be shipped Monday.

Reviews! We seem to have been ignoring the geekery posts promised, so I thought I'd talk about some recent (post-holiday) reading.

1. City of Thieves by David Benioff:
This quick read takes place in World War II ravaged Leningrad (or Piter according to natives of the city), loosely in the form of a flashback. The characters are vibrant, alive, and living through the terrible hardship of a city under siege. Told through the eyes of a boy just reaching adulthood it is a gripping and suspenseful novel, full of close escapes and close not-escapes... I thought that the ending was a bit predictable but it was still an amazing tale, more so because the author really did his homework and the bleak Russian landscape comes alive.

2. The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling:
Ok, here is the real geekery. Set firmly in the Steampunk provenance, this novel combines Victorian sensibility, vast calculating engines relying on gears, dinosaurs (most notably the doomed Brontosaurus), smog, and a feeling of overwhelming foreboding. Poets are turned scientists and it is very much a London of "what if". There are several main characters, but the story arc tends to use them and then leave them for dead (quite literally in a few cases) so it is a little hard to become too invested in the story. As a piece of hard steampunk and a bit of a mind bender this book is great... for more satisfying reading I may look elsewhere.

All right- have a GREAT start to your weekend, and go enter the contest if you haven't already done so!

Stir fry for dinner, great lunch for the worms!

2010-02-03T11:24:00.004-05:00

Almost a week has passed since we started our little worm farming operation and all appears to be going well. I started out feeding slowly to let the little composters settle in, but now we're ramping up. For instance- we had a lovely veg-filled stir fry for dinner last night, and today the worms get the great veg scraps.
Mmmm. I am adding water via spray bottle (conveniently at hand due to its other use as a "bad cat" sprayer) every few days, otherwise the bedding seems to dry out too much. The compost bin smells earthy and good, just like they say it should.
Worms do not love the camera it seems, so I guess you'll have to take my word for all this. That's all the update for right now- remember to enter the cozy contest!

One week to go!

2010-01-31T22:13:00.004-05:00

The Valentine Cozy Contest ends in one week - midnight on Feb. 7th. Go to this post to read the rules (super short and easy), leave a comment, and win! All cozies are eligible, including the new Alice in Wonderland inspired cozies.

Good Luck!

Feeling extra crunchy today...

2010-01-28T15:39:00.010-05:00

...in a granola and back-to-earther sort of way. Our home has officially become a vermicomposting site! I meant to get this whole thing going right after the holidays, but better late than never. I'd been reading (in various crunchy publications of course) about the joys and benefits of composting with red worms. They are easy to feed, eat the kitchen scraps that the frozen outside compost doesn't want anything to do with, and make super rich casting compost to use in the garden and potted plants.

Below follows a little story (perhaps tutorial... be tutored at your own risk) of my new worm farm.

Step 1: Preparing the home. An old plastic tub works great (and I even managed to find the lid!). Drill lots of holes to allow your worm tenants some fresh air. Don't worry... as long as they like their home they won't leave. Some folks say to drill holes in the bottom too to allow for drainage. I didn't do this yet, but if it gets too wet that's the next step.

Step 2: Prepare the bedding. I used shredded newspaper and leaves, but you could also use coir, shredded paper, etc. I then added a few cups of potting soil and compost. Not strictly necessary but good to get the worms going.

Step 3: Wet everything down. Go for a "wrung out sponge" feel.

Step 4: Get the worms! How cute is this parcel?! I ordered from Red Worms for a Green Earth because they are geographically close to me, which is better for the worms and the planet. There are lots of sources.

Step 5: Bury worms a little way into the bedding add a small amount of food waste (veggie, coffee grounds, tea bags, fruit) to get them started- eventually expect them to plow through 1/2 lb of waste per 1 lb of worms... Cover the worms with moistened newspaper or cardboard. If you have inquisitive dogs, cats, or children, put a lid on!

That's it! Sit back and feed your worms. Remember that meat, dairy, and very oily foods are not appreciated. I will keep everyone updated on how these little guys do!

Winter Treasury

2010-01-26T19:33:00.002-05:00

In honor of the odd sideways snow today I've put together a Winter Treasury on Etsy. Visit, click, comment, enjoy!

Gary the Piggy

2010-01-25T22:09:00.002-05:00

How cute is this little guinea pig? He is super sweet, personable, and needs a home- for more info click HERE.

Ok. That's it. Just thought I'd brighten up the day with some piggy love.

New Heart-Day Cozy Give Away!

2010-01-24T13:36:00.006-05:00

Hello all! There are several events to celebrate here at the Underhill House, and what better way to do that than to host a give away! Rules and regulations are at the end of the post (but it is really easy).

Item the first: Hearts for Haiti the Etsy shop has raised an impressive $14,857 to date for the Doctors Without Borders charity. I'm glad to say that both of my donated cozies sold within hours to help this great cause. Also exciting? The second sale went to Australia, making it my first international sale :o) This is all good, but we can do more. That is why, from now until Valentine's Day, I will be donating 10% of any item bought in my shop to the same Haiti relief effort.

Item the second: Last night saw the first item of mine to hit the front page of Etsy! Because I am a super big nerd I did a screen capture to preserve the moment.
The hit counter for this little mocha cozy went crazy.... thanks Etsy!

All of this fun news brings us to our give away - I would like to celebrate by giving away one of these cute cozies - all you have to do is visit the shop at www.knittyvet.etsy.com and then come back here and leave a comment telling us which is your favorite. I will continue to post new cozies during this time, including mug cozies. They would all make GREAT Heart-Day gifts!

Fine print:

One entry per comment, get one additional entry per each blog, facebook announcement tweet etc of the contest. Just leave another comment indicating how you spread the word.
Get an extra entry if you follow this page or fan our FACEBOOK page - again, just leave a comment saying you did so.
The contest runs from now until midnight Sunday Feb. 7th (happens to be my birthday as well- yet ANOTHER great reason to do a give away!)
The randomly drawn winner will be contacted through blogspot, email, or your etsy page- if they are not reachable in 24 hours we will draw again.
Have Fun!!!

Just a few sample pix- go to the Etsy page to see more:

Love from WMASS

2010-01-18T21:52:00.002-05:00

A new heart-themed treasury can be found HERE

Hearts for Haiti

2010-01-17T21:20:00.003-05:00

A great new shop has sprung up on Etsy in response to the overwhelming need in Haiti. Visit Hearts for Haiti, shop, and 100% of the profit (minus etsy fees) will be sent to Doctors Without Borders. Hundreds of shop are participating and I am proud to say I am part of the effort with my donation of a few travel cup cozies. Check it out- lots of cool stuff for a good cause!

The Completed Pineapple Reticule

2010-01-15T13:25:00.004-05:00

Here are a few of the promised pics. Or go HERE for the set on flickr. I have also posted this project, with links to the pattern on my Ravelry page. Just click on the previous link and my ravelry name is "knittyvet". Enjoy!

Help Haiti

2010-01-13T23:38:00.003-05:00

We're taking a break from our discussion of the good things of life to remember those who have lost everything. Here is a link to Doctor's Without Borders, but there are many choices of organizations. Thank you.

Pie of the Month Club

2010-01-11T18:55:00.004-05:00

A new year, a new goal! Lets make one new kind of pie per month.... yes, one per week was considered and discarded, for several LARGE reasons.

The inspiration for this lofty (dare we say, pie in the sky?) goal is a delicious book I recently received: Ken Haedrich's aptly named "Pie".

To dispel the January gloom and cold, this month's contestant is classic Lemon Meringue, a pie I have made before with less than optimal results. Lets just say that beating egg whites into a meringue by hand is really good for the arm muscle, less good for the meringue. This time I would be armed with a stand mixer.

Some good hints and tips- Ken recommends an ingenious method of keeping pie crusts flat while baking using aluminum foil and dry beans. Worked like a charm! Real lemon juice = really good.

So the first month was a success- does anyone have any requests for a February Pie? Say so in the comments!

Just a little Pineapple Love.

2010-01-10T16:18:00.002-05:00

The pineapple is done. I need to finish the tassels and perhaps line it, but behold:
More pictures to come!

First Free Pattern Up!

2010-01-07T10:55:00.004-05:00

Here is the promised scarf pattern... you can also find a link on the left side bar. If you like the pattern and are downloading it would be great if you left a comment with your thoughts! Enjoy!
Twisted Minuet Scarf

The Holiday Round-up

2010-01-06T09:35:00.009-05:00

Happy 2010 everyone- I hope you had a wonderful holiday season filled with love, family, friends, and diet-busting meals. I have several new ideas for this blog, but for now I thought I'd post some miscellany that I couldn't post before.

Nutcracker Madness. This unique drummer boy will join a large (and growing) nutcracker collection, representing the University of WI Marching Band with pride. And grit. Go Badgers!

Cute Pooches. A few portraits a friend commissioned in exchange for professional photography. I love barter!And finally, a pineapple update. Here are a few photos of my progress over the holidays- lots of knitting accomplished during movies and especially football.I really like how it is turning out so far... looks almost antique as it comes off the needles!
That's it for now- have a great week!

Pineapples for Christmas

2009-12-23T18:40:00.005-05:00

Gentle readers, due to the unpredictable nature of winter weather in the Midwest, I find myself at home tonight instead of watching Nathan Lane in the new production of the Addam's Family Musical. Sigh. But we have a nice Cozy fire, popcorn, and Lord of the Rings on TV so all is not lost.

In the meantime I can talk about my Newest project- a Regency period Pineapple Reticule. Tiny little pineapple purse- how cool is that?!

You can find the original pattern (or "receipt" as they called it then) at the Jane Austen Today site linked HERE as well as an updated version for those of us unsure how to read 200 year old knitting notation.

My aim is accuracy so I will be working with thread weight yarn... usually used for weaving. I think my needles are 000... 3-0!

Buying the yarn was great since I got to browse Web's selection of bamboo, silk, cotton and tencel thread and then wind off exactly what I wanted. Just look how gorgeous.
So stay tuned to see how this project unfolds, and in the meantime have a very Merry, Safe, and Sweet Christmas!

A Very Merry Cookies Post

2009-12-19T17:20:00.017-05:00

'Tis that time of year... holiday cheer, sweet treats, and snowstorms on the East Coast making headlines. I thought I'd select the first and second options to talk about today (the 3rd is certainly getting talked about by plenty of other folks).

The following recipe is a family tradition. We have the original recipe torn out of a magazine and slipped into a plastic sleeve... every year there is a mini crisis while we try to find this precious piece of high gloss paper. I'm going to post it here, sharing and preserving it for years to come!

Spritz cookies is what we're talking. Remember that old aluminum press your mother or grandmother pulled out once or twice a year to make cookies? Looks like this:

They are getting hard to find... this one was actually a Christmas present from my darling mother- she found it on Etsy amongst the "vintage" items! Nowadays they all seem to have a "gun" thing going on.What does that say about society?

But I digress. Ok, so you have your press, gun shaped or old school. A stand mixer is nice though not strictly necessary, and some food dye sends these cookies over the top.

Spritz Butter Cookie Recipe

1C butter, room temperature
1/2 C sugar
1 egg
1/2 t vanilla extract
2 1/2 C flour
(I usually AT LEAST double this recipe. Doubled it makes enough to fill a 3" tall 8" diameter tin with about 20 cookies left over...)

Cream butter in mixer. Add sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla extract and mix well. Gradually add in flour until dough reaches a play-doh-like consistency.

Divide dough into 3 portions and add dye. I like to do 1 part white, 1 part red, and a little more than 1 part green. Don't be afraid to use a lot of dye. I find the gel kind works better to make brighter cookies.Now the fun part. You have endless possibilities in combining colors in the press. I like to make Christmas trees, wreaths, and poinsettias (ok, they are really just swirlies, but I think they look like poinsettias). You can also add sprinkles as desired! I don't know how the gun versions work, but you'll want to screw down the cookie press until you can just see the cookie coming out from underneath the press, then lift straight up.

Cook at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes and cool on a wire rack.

Here are a few spritz cookie tutorial photos:
Plain old lovely green trees.
Tri-color wreaths.

Red and White Poinsettias.

Yum!

Enjoy your cookies with a glass of cold milk or leave them out for Santa (if there are any left). Just don't let the bad cat get them.
Cheers! (And remember the free shipping at my Etsy shop until 12/21/09!)

Headlines photo and my first gift guide!!

2009-12-18T14:30:00.003-05:00

SO Excited! Etsy accepted my work into one of their gift guides... And my hat is the headliner photo! Wooooo!

Go HERE to see the whole gift guide.

Shameless request for your votes

2009-12-17T12:59:00.003-05:00

My winter white pine painting has been featured in a contest over at StudioHaus's Blog! Go HERE to see the contest and vote!

(You don't really have to vote for me... they are all great pieces of art!)
:o)

The Scarf Post... AND Super Shipping Sale

2009-12-16T10:25:00.014-05:00

Here it is... Twisted Minuet Lace Pattern Scarf: A Dissection. Hmmm. That makes it sound a bit gruesome. It's not. Really.

***Scalpels and probes aside, here is a quick plug for my last sale of the year. FREE PRIORITY SHIPPING on EVERYTHING in my Ets y shop. That means an average of 2-3 day delivery and a value of around $5.... Ends 12/21- Take advantage NOW for delivery for Christmas!!!***

And another WMASS Treasury can be found HERE!

And onward.
I haven't created any lace patterns from scratch although I've been knitting lace for a while, so I decided to use some of my favorite resources for ideas and build from there. These 2 books are wonderful old friends... (And would also make great presents for your knitting buddies)
1. James Norbury's Traditional Knitting Patterns
2. Nancy Bush's Knitted Lace of Estonia

My yarn was a yummy worsted weight wool/baby alpaca/silk blend from Valley Yarns - just down the road, incidentally. This is their "Northfield Blend". I was looking for something fairly substantial (ie not ALL lace), and easy to memorize. If you've ever knit a complicated pattern scarf where you constantly have to refer back to the pattern, you know what I mean. I found two patterns that I liked and commenced to scribbling, combining and knitting:

At this point I liked the width of the scarf and stitch texture, but the separate lace edge plus pattern look wasn't doing it for me. I really liked the lace edge by itself, and if it could be spiced up a bit... There was a great "twist" stitch in the main body pattern that I incorporated into the lace edge. Basically like a cable over two stitches. With that in place I frogged and started over.
Everything was going along swimmingly, but the edges were getting very curly. Apparently the "twist" was taking itself quite literally. Before I knit several feet of curly scarf I decided to make sure blocking would take care of the issue.
Voila!
Lovely non-curly scarf. Now all that remained to do was knit... and knit... and knit. 78 inches later... (ok, so I like long scarves. I mean, what's the point if you can't wrap them around your neck?) Final Blocking!!

Who knew creating a lowly scarf required so many steps? But see the previous post for why it is all worth it. :o)

Here is the great part- do you want to knit this scarf? The pattern repeats every 4 rows, which means it is super easy to memorize and a GREAT pattern for someone who has never knit with lace before. Just leave a comment saying that you want the pattern along with the email you want it sent to and I will send you a pdf! In the next few days I will get myself organized enough to put up a permanent sidebar link...

Cheers!

Cozyness.

2009-12-14T11:34:00.003-05:00

You've heard a lot about this scarf- well here it is- the finished product! Soon to follow will be the pattern and a "making of" blog. In the meantime my garnet wristers are currently being featured on Craftgawker.com... sweet!

The good Mr. Bits thinks it has been too long since he was featured in a blog post- so here he is, enjoying his favorite part of winter.

Buy Local, Buy Handmade!

2009-12-12T12:38:00.009-05:00

Time to make a case for supporting your local artists, artisans, and economy. No matter where you live in the country there are very talented people who shop at your grocery store, send their kids to your school, and support your town! Wouldn't it be great if we could all support each other instead of sending money to big, faceless corporations?

Right now is a perfect time of year to get to know your local artists since it is Winter Art & Craft Show season! Check your local listings, newspapers, and coffee shops for flyers, then get out there and find the perfect holiday present.

In this theme, I've proudly started using the new stickers for our group- Artisans of WMASS -
Here are a few links to local shows for MY area... Click on the picture for more details. If you have any for here, there, or anywhere leave a comment. I'll put it up!

In other news, go HERE for a treasury I am honored to be part of.... and I have a shipping sale on right now in my etsy shop - $1 shipping on every item plus a free gift tag!

Craftgawker

2009-12-11T08:38:00.001-05:00

Super quick- Got a submission into Craftgawker! Remember the reindeer gift tags from a few posts ago? Go check 'em out! :o)

CRAFTGAWKER LINK IS RIGHT HERE

Digging out

2009-12-10T13:43:00.004-05:00

I guess winter is here... hope everyone around the country who got socked with snow in the last few days is doing ok... now time to find the skis!

From update land: A new listing on etsy I am proud of and a new lace pattern of my own design. There will shortly be a post all about the "Twisted Minuet" pattern, including a FREE pdf for a scarf using the pattern! Woo!

And the Winner IS...

2009-12-09T09:30:00.007-05:00

Bella's Bowtique!!!!

Congratulations! I will be sending you an email describing how to claim your prize, but in the meantime as a little bonus here are a few items from Bella's Bowtique's Etsy shop!

*There were 22 little pieces of paper to pick from... thanks everyone!*
Stay tuned for a Massive Blog Post of Doom involving an original scarf, free upcoming knitting pattern, and a pineapple!

Giveaway is over, thanks to all who entered!

2009-12-08T23:15:00.002-05:00

Thank you all! The winner will be announced and contacted tomorrow!

Last Day: Holiday Card GiveAway!

2009-12-08T10:02:00.001-05:00

Underhill House Handmade: Holiday Card GiveAway!
Ends TONIGHT at 11pm EST (that's 10 pm for all you midwesterners.) All you gotta do is leave a comment...Click the link above to see the cards- comment on this post or there!

Facebook Gadget

2009-12-07T17:42:00.003-05:00

Quick note- check the gadget line up to the right to find our page on facebook!

Fire Treasury

2009-12-07T09:42:00.002-05:00

Oh the weather outside is frightful... but the treasury is so delightful. Some lovely things to warm your heart! (And 2 more days until the drawing for free cards! See below!)

Snowflakes & Reindeer

2009-12-05T14:22:00.007-05:00

Snow! Falling for the first time this year... I am inspired to get on with some holiday creations. After noodling around in the notebook for awhile (and sitting in front of the fire), I ended up with a reindeer... I wanted to go for a simple line drawing look, and sat down with paper and paint. I think this guy will eventually end up in our holiday greeting card line, but for now I got crafty and turned him into gift tags. Enjoy! (And don't forget to enter the Christmas Card Contest... see previous post.)

Holiday Card GiveAway!

2009-12-01T13:43:00.005-05:00

Time for the first round of free stuff from the Underhill House. It's a great time to be thinking about writing those Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Solstice cards, so here is a give away to get you into gear! You get to chose one of the following designs and I send you eight 8.5" x 5.5" bifold greeting cards (plus envelopes).

Enter by simply leaving a comment on this post, by visiting www.knittyvet.etsy.com and adding it to your favorites, then commenting on that here, follow my blog, or by blogging, tweeting, etc the contest and then leaving a comment here. Seperate comments mean more chances to win! The winner will be drawn December 8th at 11pm EST.

The options:Have fun!

A Tasty Treasury

2009-11-30T09:15:00.009-05:00

Happened to catch the treasury timing exactly right and grabbed another. Click HERE to go to the treasury. Here are a few examples:

And my contribution are a pair of adorable toddler mittens I whipped up in the past week... partly in the car on our way to see a crazy sport called "cyclo-cross" played out by some friends.Cyclo-cross is like a combination of cross country running, mountain biking, road biking, and steeple chasing. Quite entertaining to watch! Our friend did great, and we all survived the gusty wind.

For your viewing pleasure...

2009-11-27T23:31:00.002-05:00

LED Sheep!

http://video.yahoo.com/watch/4744168?fr=yvmtf

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T10:44:00.003-05:00

Family, friends, pets, good food, a warm house, and yarn. Lots to be thankful for.

Cat + Cranberry = Win, Dog + Turkey = Fail

2009-11-25T13:43:00.012-05:00

Happy almost Turkey Day! This should be a fun post- it will be the first with an actual veterinary story.

If you want to have lots of fun while making Thanksgiving dinner and your cat insists on helping (how thoughtful) - play the Cranberry Game!

The Set Up

Ingredients: One bag of cranberries, one cat (bagged). The brand of cranberries doesn't really matter, though did you know that many OceanSpray cranberries are grown in central Wisconsin bogs? But I digress.

Mix for hours of fun.
Oh, But the fun isn't over! Next find the cranberry in all sorts of unexpectedly wonderful places!
Cranberries are safe for pets... most won't actually eat them (though they may *roll* on them). Which segues nicely to the FAIL portion of this post.

Don't let your dogs get at turkey bones people. Seriously. (disclaimer- although I am a licensed vet I am not YOUR licensed vet. This post has general advice and is not meant to diagnose or treat your pet.) Our story concerns a 10 lb little white dog. Let us call him Sparky. Sparky had a GREAT Thanksgiving. He even found a way into the garbage... which contained the neck of a 25 lb turkey. Now, you may not think it possible that the little guy could actually swallow any of this, but Sparky was tenacious. He worked at it and managed to get a turkey vertebrae lodged in his esophagus half-way down his own neck. Sparky's Thanksgiving got a lot less fun. He gagged, retched, foamed at the mouth and worked hard to breathe all the way to the veterinary hospital, where he had anesthesia and endoscopic removal of the bone. This story had a happy ending, but the moral is: Dogs (and cats) are smart! They WILL get into things! Use common sense, use your human thumbs and make sure the garbage is secure. (Baby locks on cabinets work great!)

Ok, new craft and art stuff coming soon! There will be SPECIALS! And just for reading to the end of the post, CLICK HERE for a beloved family recipe using... you got it... cranberries!

Happy Birthday Edgar!

2009-11-24T12:17:00.004-05:00

Today is virtuoso double bassist, composer, and MacArthur Genius Grant award winner Edgar Meyer's 49th birthday. Not only can this guy play a MEAN double bass, but he can do so in any genre you care to name. I know him best through his bluegrass connections - you may as well since tunes from his Appalachia Waltz CD get featured on commercials and Ken Burns documentaries. Go HERE for his site where you can hear him play and find more information.

To Pom or not to Pom...

2009-11-22T11:22:00.008-05:00

This is not really a question. I finished my chunky cable stocking cap and was informed that a pom pom topping would be "awesome". So after a quick google look what appeared: A wonderful tutorial from Bella Dia. You can link to the tutorial by clicking on the picture... I realized that my ability to make tutorials as lovely as this one may be hampered by the surgical shortness of my fingernails. Anyhow, since I did not need to be a hand model to MAKE the pom pom I finished my hat and VOILA! I then wrote my second ever pattern for the hat and grabbed an Etsy treasury to show off more WMASS objets d'art. And we went running. And ate Chinese food. Good day.

Finally, for all you George R.R. Martin fans out there, visit http://winter-is-coming.blogspot.com/ for the latest in news about the upcoming HBO series. Because Winter is Coming.

Local Goodness and Victorians

2009-11-20T12:18:00.005-05:00

Item the first: The WMASS Team has a treasury on Etsy which is gorgeous. Buy local! Buy handmade! But don't take my word for it (thanks Reading Rainbow). Go to http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=95482

Item the second: If you like early victorian england, steampunk, deadpan, punny, geeky humor, and sublimely simple drawings, 2DGoggles is for you. Sydney Padua is an artist and amateur (but very determined!) historian... her footnotes alone are worth the price of admission. As if that isn't enough, she has a tribute to Wallace and Gromit which I will copy here with the greatest admiration and humility. Her site is www.sydneypadua.com/2dgoggles/
Item the Third: I'll stay on the topic of the 1800's. I am currently reading Wilkie Collin's book The Moonstone (because the library didn't have Woman in White) and I love how a book from over 100 years ago can be just as engaging and funny today as it was then. We just met the Sherlock Holmes character... though Arthur Conan Doyle wouldn't publish his first detective story until about 20 years later...

Coming soon- a free scarf pattern!

The pattern is up!

2009-11-19T13:23:00.003-05:00

I overcame the conversion the PDF... and created my first published pattern! Yay!

Pattern me this

2009-11-19T11:05:00.003-05:00

I am working on my first knitting pattern! Yes, I commonly knit from scratch, but I rarely write things down... Wish me luck!

Caramelicious

2009-11-18T15:07:00.004-05:00

Cutest, nicest cat. Unlike others we could name.

Happy printer dance

2009-11-18T10:20:00.008-05:00

Super excited! Yesterday afternoon I made the plunge into photo quality/archival inks for my home printer. The results have been great - I made a few prints of my Winter White Pine watercolor - well, see for yourself... I'll keep experimenting with the settings and hopefully have more images up before long.

Other news- bit of a disappointment- we went to see Neko Case the other night (great show, don't get me wrong) but I find out that Neil Gaiman was attending Amanda Palmer's concert in THE SAME TOWN! At THE SAME TIME! and we missed it. Ah well. Brings me to the next point though:

Neil Gaiman's blog at www.neilgaiman.com/journal/ It is a fascinating look into the day to day life of a marvelous writer... And full of advice, great links, and goofy photos of a large white dog.

I also finished a pair of toddler's mittens... much inspiration from Marcia Lewandowski's Folk Mittens book.Maybe I should end with the fact that Neko's dog Liza (a big black lab) got to hang out on stage with her. I could segue into the importance of keeping your pets slim and trim. mmmm. Maybe some other time. Ciao!

World Behind and Home Ahead

2009-11-17T09:40:00.003-05:00

Greetings to the first post and welcome to the Underhill House. Nothing fancy here- just a little snip of a blog. Lots of warm drinks and a roaring fire. There will be lovely pictures, nerdy fandom, and possibly some relevant veterinary advice.

A few important links:
www.knittyvet.etsy.com
The (slightly) more commercial end of this venture

http://artisansofwmass.com/index.html
Local artisans of Western Massachusetts! Hooray for local!

www.dunhaven.net
More pictures and lycra horsey headwear (doesn't get much better than that!)

www.nielsenhayden.com/makinglight/
Best. Blog. Ever.

Good for now. I'll leave you with a warm hat and a bit of a poem.

Home is behind, the world ahead,
And there are many paths to tread
Through shadows to the edge of night,
Until the stars are all alight.
Then world behind and home ahead,
We'll wander back to home and bed.
-Tolkien