4th Annual Seed Swap- January 19, 2013

Hi all, just a quick reminder that the 4th Annual Seed Swap will be held on Saturday January 19th, 11 AM until 1:30 PM, at the Prairie Farm Elementary School.? We'll be meeting in the Multipurpose room (watch for the signs pointing the way), with snacks and coffee provided.

Bring your spare seeds and trade them--or just come score a few free seeds to start your personal seed collection.? :-)? We'll have lots to choose from, plus we'll be coordinating seed orders through Seed Savers International and FedCo Seeds.? If that wasn't exciting enough, we'll also be doing a group order of fruit trees & shrubs for anyone interested in adding to their home orchard.? You can also sign up for a space in the Community Garden--what a great way to get a jump start on the growing season!


This event is sponsored by the Hay River Transition Initiative and coordinated through Prairie Farm Community Education.? We're looking forward to seeing you at the Swap!

For directions or with questions, please email Cris at cris.cantin@yahoo.com? or call 715-455-2088

Spooner Advocate Column- Jan 17,2013

Good morning neighbors! How is everyone doing out there? 

 

All I can say this morning is burr. I am really getting soft in my old age I tell ya! I suppose I should not complain as it is winter and we have been fairly spoiled this year.

 

Congrats to the Spooner Rails for winning against Ladysmith last Friday. Sounds like it was a good basketball game! I also heard that the teens really had fun at the dance afterwards. Sounds like there was alot of movin' and groovin'. Thanks to all the teachers/volunteers that chaperoned the dance.

 

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College has there new Extension Programming Calendar out. Jan 11th Intro to Jan 23rd Fish Decoy Making Part 1- 4-8 pm, Jan 24th Fish Decoy Making Part 2- 4-8pm, Jan 29th Bread making Class- 5-8 pm, Jan 31 Intro Backyard Chickens 5-6pm followed by the Film: "American Meat" 6:30-8pm. To register for any of these classes please contact Arlene Larson at 715-634-4790 ext 196 alarson@lco.edu  or marlowa@lco.edu

 

Hayward Piecemaker’s Quilt Guild held their meeting today and all I can say is these women can quilt! We had a great demo by Jean, showing us some heart patterns and JoAnn, showing us how to applique. I am leaving with some great patterns and inspiration. Thank you ladies for sharing all your talent with us. If you are like me I like things on my calendar as far ahead as possible so here you go.... The 2013 Hayward Quilt Show is July 25-26 from 10 am- 4 pm at the Flat Creek Inn in Hayward, WI. If you have questions or donations please contact haywardpiecemakers@hotmail.com.

 

I just wanted to ask all those in the area to let me know what is going on. There must be something going on at the churches, quilting groups, 4H or something. Give me a call and let me know. I appreciate all of you reading the column weekly. Until next week, keep smiling!   

Indianhead Fiber Guild- January 5, 2012

Hello there, are you having a good weekend? Have you been working on anything that is fun?
I have to say during this break from school I am having alot of fun with different projects. I have been able to meet with wonderful ladies from different groups that I belong to. Some are new groups, as I have been saying that I was going to get to the meetings- things seem to always get in the way. So this year that is what I am working on, making time for things that make me happy and meeting up with friends to stay in touch and to just let them know they are important to me!
Having said that I finally made it to the Indianhead Fiber Guild meeting. What a great bunch of ladies! I immediately felt at home with Deb and the other ladies. They are all very helpful, down to earth ladies that share alot of the same interests that I have. I can't say how happy I am to have spent the day with these warm, friendly ladies.

Making a basket for your fleece/yarn and your drop spindle.



I look mean in this picture. But I was really concentrating! LOL



Adding some of the color. I picked green, of course. There was also purple, red, blue.

This is what it looks like when you are first starting out. Of course we soaked all of the wood in water so that it would be bendable.



Everyone was having a good time weaving.




Busy at work. As you can see I did not get a picture of the Spinner who was teaching us how to make these. She was busy running around the room helping people.




Mikhaila really liked making this basket. Of course she is a tight weaver , just like she is a tight knitter!




As you can tell the pictures are not in order. Here she is putting the edging on the top of the basket. She looks like she is sewing, which she is as she is putting the edge and the braid together.




Yes this is the turtle look. LOL Do you like her hat? It is one of her own creations.





These are the ladies, not all of them of course. Their baskets are wonderful! We did a great job getting together at 1 and leaving at 5:30 with a done basket!





Yes Mom I am almost done!





My finished basket. I am a loose weaver so my basket turned out bigger.




This is the inside of the basket. Quite roomy.




Here is the place you put your spindle. It even comes with a strap.




As you can see Mikhaila is a different size then mine and a different shape, she is a tight weaver. She did not put the spindle holder on the outside as she is going to us it as a pocketbook.




As you can see her basket is alittle smaller. I think her is darling. It was really interesting to see that each basket turned out differently.

 I want to say a big thank you to all the wonderful ladies who gave us such a warm welcome. Thanks  to Deb for haviong us all in her kitchen. A huge thank you to Kathy for teaching all of us how to weave a basket!

Spinning Group meeting - Jan 10, 2012

Hey there. I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. I am trying to get some paperwork and some blog entries done, I like sharing with you what we have been creating in our little corner of Wisconsin.
School has really put a kink in my getting to some of the groups that I belong to. I missed the Spinning meeting last month because my car was not working at all. So I was very excited to be able to make the latest Spinning Group meeting.
The group meets once a month at a members house. We share what we have been working on, what is going on in our lives. We talk about the fiber animals we raise, the yarn or fiber we have been making. There are sometimes demos- this meeting we had lots of demos! We also have a lunch andd just have a good time hanging out with others that share our love of fiber and spinning.
Now I have been going to the group for almost a year and I am finally just getting to try my hand at spinning. I have been dreaming of making my own yarn out of my own fiber FOREVER!!!! I am borrowing a spinning wheel and all I can say is I want my own now more than ever! But then again with having a spinning wheel you need all the carders, fleece and all the other things that go with it..... so for now I am borrowing- I really appeciate Cris letting me borrow her Kiwi!



Carmella showing the box she made out of a Christmas card, this was the demo for December. Alot of the ladies made these little boxes with grandkids and really had a great time.




We learned to make book art. These are older books, upcycled into new works of art that can be hung on the wall or displayed on a shelf in your house.




Here is another one folded differently. I really like this one it reminds me of a Chinese lantern.




Cathy start off by showing us how to rip the fabric for making the coasters or the basket. These strips will be what goes around the clothing line that we are using to make the project. You can buy clothing line at a big box store or the dollar store- whatever you have in your area.




Here is where you start- the middle. As you can see there is fabric wrapped around the cord. At the very tip (the begin we used glue to make sure the fabric stays put. Then basically what you are doing is sewing the side from one to the side of the other, using a zigzag stitch. When you need to get to the next part of the fabric, just grab those threads and it will swing it around towards you and you can keep on sewing.




As you can see we wrapped the cord and then held the fabric in place with a big clip. We keep the rope attached to it so that we can go as big as you want if you are making a basket. When changing the color you are wrapping you can just cut the one fabric, put the next color on and put a dab of glue on the new fabric to keep it there.




Alittle closer so you can see the stitches.



These are the wonderful coasters that she brought  with. They are made the same way the basket is made.I really need to make some of these for myself as well as for some gifts!




This is one of the demos that she showed us. How to start curving it to turn it into a basket.



As you can see you actually are pulling it up and curving it while you are sewing. These baskets are also on my list to make. They are just so cute and would be great to have to hold yarn or some of the pieces I am working on for my quilt.

Cathy is getting the inside of the tie removed and also taking the thread off that holds the tie together.



This is the necklace that she made out of mens ties. Isn't it cute? The color is actually more purple with a burgundy stripe. You put wooden beads inside the fabric after you take the tie apart, you would use floss thread or light crochet thread depending what color you need to tie after each bead. 




Another ruffle scarf made with a different yarn. I really love these colors!




Carmella working on the basket. You can see the red basket that is finished right by the sewing machine.





A really cool ruffle scarf that Cathy showed folks how to knit.




One of the supervisors of the day. The other one was always in a bag or a box so she did not get her picture taken.

 All I can say was the day was wonderful and inspiring to say the least. I really am happy that I belong to some different groups that share the same interests that I do. I also appreciate when people share their patterns, ideas. I mean that is the real reason to be in groups, to bounce ideas off each other and learn from others failures and successes.

New Friend added to the Barn on Jan 4, 2012

Hello there friends.... come on in and have a cup of tea. How have you been? Are you all recovered from the holidays?
I am glad the holidays are over and I am counting down the days until I go back to College. Officially the classes start on Jan 22nd, I have ordered some of my books from Amazon and am feeling ready to meet the new classes head-on.
Over the break we added a new friend to our farm..... it has been a dream of mine to add one of these cuties to my farm for years. So when my friend Charley asked if I would want to get him from her I was so happy!
Charley and her family called him Whippeer Snapper while he  stayed at their farm. I have not decided on a name yet, all I can say is he is adorable and a ham!



I was talking to him and asked him if he liked the geese. Putting his ears back was the answer!



He sure is cute. He knows it I think!



He was happy nibbling on his hay. He likes Willie (horse) who is on the other side of the stall.  He also like kisses and to have his muzzle snuggled. But hey you did not hear that fro me!

 Well let me know if you have any names that you think will fit him. He can't go by Mama's cutie baby or baby donkey for much longer- the geese are laughing at him!

Spooner Advocate Column- January 10, 2013

Good morning neighbors! How is everyone doing out there? Are we recovered from all the holidays and running around? 

It sure has been nice to see the sun shining even though it has been kind of windy and cool. As long as it is sunny it sure helps us deal with the colder weather. I hear alot of folks are using the snowmobile trails north of our area, hope you are all having fun and staying safe.

Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College has there new Extension Programming Calendar out. Jan 11th Intro to Blogging 9-12 pm, Jan 17th Green Cleaning Products 1-4 pm, Jan 23rd Fish Decoy Making Part 1- 4-8 pm, Jan 24th Fish Decoy Making Part 2- 4-8pm, Jan 29th Bread making Class- 5-8 pm, Jan 31 Intro Backyard Chickens 5-6pm followed by the Film: "American Meat" 6:30-8pm. To register for any of these classes please contact Arlene Larson at 715-634-4790 ext 196 alarson@lco.edu  or marlowa@lco.edu

 Hayward Piecemaker’s  Quilt Guild will be meeting at the Hayward library on January  14, 2013, at 10:00. We meet in the meeting room which is right inside the main doors on the right. Everyone is welcome to come for the meeting, coffee and treats are always provided. If you wish you can bring along something to sew on, we also like Show and Tell so bring those quilted items in to give us some inspiration! JoAnn Schultz will demonstrate needle turn appliqué of a heart and Jean Friske will present a couple of ways to piece a heart.  I look forward to seeing you all there.

  

The Cable Natural History Museum will also be hosting a Bat Box workshop on January 12 from 12:00- 4:00 pm. All materials and instructions will be provided to help you build a home for the bats. If they have their own home they may stay out of yours! Help keep these beneficial creatures around for the bug removal they provide. The cost for this class is $55.00 member/ $65 non-member Please call the museum to register by January 8th, 715-798-3890.

I just wanted to thank all those that let me know what is going on in the area. I appreciate all of you reading the column weekly. I pray that each one of you has a wonderful 2013. Until next week, keep smiling!  

Spooner Advocate Column- January 3, 2013

Good morning neighbors! I hope that this finds all of you happy, healthy with fond new memories of the holidays that just past us. Did you get to see some friends and family that you have not seen in awhile? I pray that you had a beautiful holiday season.

 

We had a wonderful holiday at our house and decided to not do all the running around that we seem to do every year. So we stayed close to home and bought local food, gifts. I have to say that it was nice to not have to deal with all the frenzy of packing the car and running from house to house.

 

Have you ever had candy from Lynne Marie’s Candies in Hayward? All I can say is that she has amazing truffles! Mikhaila said she wanted to go to Lynne Marie’s, it was on her shop to visit, she would not take no for answer!  I sat in the car because, well I knew better than to go in there- plus I figured maybe I would be the lucky recipient of a yummy gift! All I can say are there mocha truffles are awesome! I also was super excited to get some fudge from my daughter. I have to say go to Lynne Marie’s Candies, get a goodie for you and someone you love. They are open 10-5, Monday- Friday. They can help you put together a heart box for Valentine’s Day with all the goodies your loved one likes.

 

 Hayward Piecemaker’s  Quilt Guild will be meeting at the Hayward library on January  14, 2013, at 10:00. We meet in the meeting room which is right inside the main doors on the left. Everyone is welcome to come for the meeting, coffee and treats are always provided. If you wish you can bring along something to sew on, we also like Show and Tell so bring those quilted items in to give us some inspiration! JoAnn Schultz will demonstrate needle turn appliqué of a heart and Jean Friske will present a couple of ways to piece a heart.  I look forward to seeing you all there.

 

 There will be a rag rug workshop with Emily up at the Cable Natural History Museum from 12:30-3:30 pm. The cost is $5.00 mamber/$7.00 non-member. Scandinavian loop weaving is a simple and durable technique that uses no thread or looms, and turns trash into treasure. Bring old bed sheets or other fabric that can be easily torn into strips, and a pair of scissors. Two or three sheets will make a 2X4 rug. Call the Museum to register by Tuesday January 8- 715-798-3890.

 

 The Cable Natural History Museum will also be hosting a Bat Box workshop on January 12 from 12:00- 4:00 pm. All materials and instructions will be provided to help you build a home for the bats. If they have their own home they may stay out of yours! Help keep these beneficial creatures around for the bug removal they provide. The cost for this class is $55.00 member/ $65 non-member Please call the museum to register by January 8th, 715-798-3890.

 

Happy New Year everyone! Enjoy the rest of the time you might have off of work. Or for the kids, school. Be safe and we will chat again in the New Year!