Monthly Archives: July 2013

Field Trip: Sea Lab

In the few weeks left before school starts,* we’ve planned a bunch of field trips to places we’ve been meaning to go but just haven’t managed to visit. Today was the Dauphin Island Sea Lab!

sldivehelmet

hee

They’ve got a little octopus, fossils, a lot of delta fish, rays, coral, a bit of a salt marsh, a pretend fishing boat and plenty of information about all of it. You can also see the oil rigs out in the Gulf. There’s a little wind tunnel thing that *supposedly* blows 72mph wind (just under hurricane strength) on you.

slwindtunnel

I didn’t have a pocket anemometer to prove anything, but I don’t buy it.

Ellie had a great time – the wind machine was her favorite part. With the possible exception of the gift shop, of course. Please note the plush sea star in the wind machine with us.

*boohoohoo

Back from Sabbatical

The best thing about being away from home is not cleaning the house for a week. The worst thing about being away from home is the house hasn’t been cleaned in a week. The cats just don’t take enough initiative with things like that.

Sigh.

S is for Sheep is just about ready to release. I’m waiting for notes from one more person. But it looks like the Summer Toy Slump is over early: I’ve come home to several special orders. Which is great, but it also means that the other patterns I had planned will have to wait until school starts in a few weeks. This is OK, I’ll need something to do while I’m waiting for Ellie to get home from kindergarten.

Argh. Kindergarten.

Sigh.

Hey, maybe I’ll finish the CounterPain? If you’re going to dream, dream Big.

Initiative

Between beach trips and Animal Crossing I’m just not real motivated lately.

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That’s enough for today. I’ma go back to my view.

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And catching bugs on my island. That Moai Statue isn’t going to pay for itself.

I’ve got Sheep updates. I really do. Two people have finished theirs (one of those people has finished a flock of them) and I’m almost done with mine.

But right this minute the breeze is just so nice.

First Among Sheep

I made the very first sheep with a great handspun wool that was grown by Farrah and spun by Cassie of Farm Genevieve. (Farrah is a Shetland sheep.)

wool

Such great texture.

I would have used him for my example sheep in the pattern, if it weren’t for his dark accents. I just couldn’t get pretty pictures! The dark was my my own bad judgement (and Ellie’s), but he looks great in person (and Ellie is pleased – his name is Sheepy)!

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There are eyes in there I swear.

For a pattern, it’s kind of important to actually see what is happening in the illustrations.

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Such a shame. He has a natural talent for modeling.