Happy New Year !

"If You Leave Toys on the Floor the Puppy will get them"

"If You Leave Toys on the Floor the Puppy will get them"
I don't know how many times a day I have to remind the kids of this.  Our 6 month old Doxie, Ruby, thinks everything is hers if it's on the floor.  The kids just don't get it, she doesn't know the difference between her toys and their toys. 
Today she found a self inking stamp from a art kit and this is what was the end result....

We now have a Teal Nosed Doxie ! Her tongue matches... lol

Taking a Sick Day

I am sooooooooo sick today.  It's really hard to get into a Merry spirit when your body is fighting with you!
I will get some new giveaways up in a few days.

Thank you for the SNOW Lily !

How To Make Cord on a Lucet Instructional Video

This is not my video, it was submitted by peridot1454 on YouTube.com

Many people have contacted me about our Lucets available at Yooper Up Studio

Most people have never heard of a Lucet and question the simplicity of the design and what you can do with them.

I found this great video on YouTube.com and thought I would share.

We do have several styles of Lucets available, ready to ship.  They make great stocking stuffers.

Happy Holidays

Crochet Puppy Dogs

These two little ones are the result of some minor changes I made to my Crochet Dachshund Pattern.  All my PDF patterns are available for sale at Ravelry

Hammered Metal Ornaments - Searching for some feedback

Do you have another idea for a Hammered Metal Ornament?  I'm searching for more ideas to add to this ornament collection.  Please leave a comment with your ideas.  THANKS !On Sale Now at

Copper Llama Studio

Carpal Tunnel and Knitting

Carpal Tunnel and Knitting, will they ever get along?
I have suffered from severe carpal tunnel and nerve damage for many years and my love of knitting, weaving and crocheting can cause me a lot of pain.  I am consistently on a search for anything that will bring some relief.  I will never stop knitting !  I have discovered some of my own little tricks in reducing the pain, but I'm not a doctor or expert in the field. After surgery on my elbow for nerve and tendon damage my doctor fitted me with some HUGE wrist supports that I must wear each night to get any relief from the pain. 
When I knit, it is not always comfortable to wear such HUGE braces, I use compression wrist supports and less bulky braces.  Sometimes I feel like the braces cause more pain than help. When using smaller needles, the braces get in the way and I have a awful time with the thinner yarns getting tangled into them.  I am more comfortable using bulkier yarns and larger needles, but I love doing lace.  I have to limit my use of small delicate yarns and stitches to once or twice a year.  It takes me that long to complete the project!
Anyway, I thought I'd share some information I found doing my latest search on carpal tunnel.
Disclaimer:  I am only sharing this information and not making any kind of recommendation or diagnosis.

Below is some information I found on Our Health Network, I have tried the suggestions and they do seem to help relieve some of the pain.

• Try to prevent your wrist from flexing and extending when doing chores. The Carpal Lock will do this for you.
• When using tools, make sure the handle fits your hand, and you can grasp the tool with your whole hand, rather than grasping with the tips of your fingers or thumbs.
• Reduce the speed your wrist and hands work at.  
• Exercise your wrists and hands regularly at work. Take a one minute break every 30 minutes to perform some of the exercises shown below.
  

1. Range-of-motion exercises: Clench fist tightly for 5 seconds, then release, straightening your fingers all the way and keep them straight for 5 seconds. Repeat 5 times for each hand.
   
2. Stretching exercises: Using one hand, bend the fingers of the other hand gently as far as you can, stretching the fingers and wrist. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 5 times for each hand.
   
3. Isometric exercises: Clench fist with palm facing up. Use other hand to push down on fist, while providing resistance with the fist. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat with palm of clenched fist facing down. Repeat 5 times for each hand.

Epsom Salt and Home Remedies

I love using Home Made Old Fashioned Recipes,

Whether it be for baking or general health.

I am not a doctor, nor an expert in the field of anything, so I share this information without any knowledge of how well it works or claimed "Health Benefits".

For over 30 years I have used home remedies for all sorts of simple aliments, like small cuts, bruises and every other little mishap that comes with raising 4 kids.  Some work really well, others are more of a mess than any good.  I love using natural ingredients, I love knowing what I'm using.  Over half of the ingredients listed on the labels of most store bought health and processed food products available are a mystery to me, Even after I do a google search on them! 

I would love it if you would share your favorite "Home Remedy"

 

 

The following was emailed to me, I just wanted to share:

For Pampering:
~Glowing skin exfoliating treatment: Mix 2 cups of Epsom Salt with 1/4 cup of petroleum jelly and a few drops of lavender essential oil. Use the mixture to gently scrub away dry skin patches.

~Microdermabrasion Facial: Mix 1/2 TSP of Epsom Salt into cleansing cream for a deep-pore cleansing. Massage on skin. Rinse with cool water. Pat dry.~Bathtime Bliss:

Add two cups of Epsom Salt to the water in a standard-sized bathtub; soak for at least 12 minutes, three times weekly. For an extra treat, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil for a refreshing scent.
~Pedicure Perfection:

Dissolve a half cup of Epsom Salt into two quarts of warm water. Pour the water into a container and soak your bare feet for fifteen to twenty minutes. For an extra treat, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil for a refreshing scent. Massage the entire foot with Epsom Salt concentrating on the heels and ankles to remove any dry, rough spots. Then, rinse your feet off with clean tap water and dry them thoroughly.~Homemade bath crystals:

Mix two cups of Epsom Salt with a few drops of fragrance to create a custom bath crystal. Add a few drops of food coloring or 1/2 TSP of glycerin if you like. Store in an air-tight container.

For the Gardner in your life:

Houseplants:

2 tablespoons per gallon of water; feed plants monthly.

Tomatoes:

1 tablespoon per foot of plant height per plant; apply every two weeks.

Roses:

1 tablespoon per foot of plant height per plant; apply every two weeks. Also scratch 1/2 cup into soil at base to encourage flowering canes and healthy new basal cane growth. Soak unplanted bushes in 1 cup of Epsom Salt per gallon of water to help roots recover. Add a tablespoon of Epsom Salt to each hole at planting time. Spray with Epsom Salt solution weekly to discourage pests.

Shrubs (evergreens, azaleas, rhododendron):

1 tablespoon per 9 square feet. Apply over root zone every 2-4 weeks.

Lawns:

Apply 3 pounds for every 1,250 square feet with a spreader, or dilute in water and apply with a sprayer.

Trees:

Apply 2 tablespoons per 9 square feet. Apply over the root zone 3 times annually.

Garden Startup:

Sprinkle 1 cup per 100 square feet. Mix into soil before planting.

For the Athlete :

· To ease muscle pain and fading bruises.

Add two cups of Epsom Salt to warm water in a standard-sized bathtub (double the Epsom Salt for an oversized garden tub) and bathe three times weekly, soaking for at least 12 minutes. Also can be used to make compresses.· To soothe feet aching from a tough workout or a long day,add a cup of Epsom Salt to a tub of warm water and soak them.

To learn more about Epsom Salt, please follow them on FACEBOOK and TWITTER.

Spending Time with the Family this Weekend

Spending some time with the family this weekend.  I have alot of great things coming up next week.
I'm so excited !

Spinning

The SpinnerWilliam-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825–1905) 

My mind wanders into day dream land while spinning.  The motion, feel of the fiber, rhythm of the wheel and even the small sounds the wheel makes quickly drifts me into day dreaming.  I have found that Spinning has become one of the best ways for me to relax and unwind.  Stress just seems to melt away as the bobbin fills up with the fiber I'm spinning.   I think about what I will make with this new yarn, will it be for me or one of the kids? a hat? scarf? I start planning the pattern and thinking out the design.  I think about goals I want to accomplish and ones I want to start.
Somedays are just full of stress from everyday life and I really have to force myself to let it go.  Spinning has been a blessing for over 15 years now.  I'm sitting here now with such a huge headache wondering why I let it all get to me.  I'm heading towards my wheel now and I'm going to spin up some beautiful Alpaca.


 

Small Dogs Need A Little Warmth

I am the owner of 4 small breed dogs, Mini Dachshunds and a Mini Chihuahua.
Or should I say, They own me.
Most cat owners say their cats own them, well this house is definitely owned by the dogs !
Sometimes I think they have more space than I do. I know they have more space on the bed than I do, I fight for covers all night long!
My little dogs love to cuddle up under blankets and that is what gave me the idea to make these warm comfy blanket bags for them.
They are great around the house and car.  We take a 1500 mile trip every year to visit family and my dogs were much calmer this last trip all curled up in their own little bags.

I made a few up for others
You can purchase them at Copper Llama Studio at Etsy
I have them in extra small and small.
Each is Hand Knit
Extra small is perfect for young small breeds and mini's
Small is great for dogs under 19 inches long

Christmas Ornaments

Need a special ornament for a fiber loving friend?

Here are just a few available at Lil Acres Farm at Artfire

Tissue Covered Llama with Beaded Collar

Hand Hammered Metal Folk Art Sheep

Tissue covered sheep with Boa collar

Hand Hammered Folk Art Metal Llama

Stocking Stuffers

Hand Painted Lucets from Yooper Up Studio at Etsy Or some cute Sheep Magnets

You can find these cute Moose Earrings at Lil Acres Farm at Etsy
http://copperllamastudio.blogspot.com/

5 Year Olds

So, Grand daughter tells her father tonight:

Mommy is letting me sleep in her bed so I don't get the creeps.  You
know, those things that I get when my sister watches a movie that is
too scary.  I am the only one in the world that gets those you know, I
am serious, the only one in the world.

Some Benefits of Aging

I don't know who the author of the following is, It was sent in an email with instructions to forward it to 7 more friends.  I receive a few of these everyday and never forward them, fear of some kind of virus or other "unfriendly"  attachments I may pass on to my friends. 
But I really love what this one has to say and wanted to share:

  I  would never trade my amazing friends, my  wonderful life, my loving  family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become  kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own  friend. I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not  making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy, to be extravagant.


 
I  have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon;  before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.  


 
Whose  business is it if I choose to read or play on the  computer until 4 AM and  sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes of the 60  &70's, and if I, at the same time,wish to weep over a lost love  ... I will.

 
I  will walk the beach in a swim suit that  is stretched over a bulging body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.They, too, will get   old.  


 
I  know I am sometimes forgetful. But there again, some of life is just as  well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important  things.  


 
Sure, over the years my heart has been broken.How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers, or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken  hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion.   A heart  never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

 
I  am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.

   
 
So  many  have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

 
As  you get older, it is easier to be positive.You care less about    what other people think.. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.  


 
So,  to   answer your question, I like being old.  It has set me free.   I like the person I have become.  I am not going to live forever,  but while  I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what  could   have been,  or worrying about what will be.  And I shall  eat dessert every single day  (if I feel like it).

 

Pannukakku Recipe

Pannukakku, is the premier pancake of Finland,  a wonderful dish to prepare when you're craving pancakes but don't want to spend a lot of time bent over a griddle.
Pannukakku is a proper traditional supper for the eve of the Birth of St. John the Baptist, June 24 in Finland.
My daughter is married to a true Yooper and his family dates back numerious generations to Finland and the Copper Mining in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  Through his strong Finnish heritage, many wonderful dishes have been saved by his family and passed down. 
Pannukakku is one of them.
I love the stuff, to me it taste a little like quiche, but so much easier to make.

Preheat oven to 375
Ingredients:

1 stick butter
3 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt

Melt 1/2 of the butter and coat a 9 x 13 baking pan
Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl, pour into baking pan.
Bake for 30 - 40 minutes
Do a toothpick test in center to see if it is done.
Toothpick should come out clean and top of Pannukakku will be light brown.

Top off with some Powdered Sugar sprinkled on top and serve with syrup or any other favorite toppings you enjoy on pancakes.

Folk Art Painted Sheep on Cherry Wood Magnet

 

So cute !!

What a great gift for all your friends in your knitting or crochet group.

Available at 

Yooper Up Studio

 Yopper Up Studio is committed to finding unique ways to recycle, reuse and re purpose material others would throw away

The area is full of orchards doing their fall cuttings 

Normally this beautiful cherry wood would just end up being burnt in the field in the burn pile.  Very common practice out here in the country.  

Instead we came up with a cute little use for some of the branches.

If you need several of these little magnets for gifts, just let us know. Custom orders are always welcome.

yooperupstudio@yahoo.com 

 

Marks Faro Yarn

Here's some yarn I've been working on

I took some Marks Faro single ply Ready to Dye wool that I have in my stash and had some fun playing with colors.
After dying the single ply's, I re spun it on my Ashford spinning wheel and turned it into some wonderful 4ply yarn full of color.


Marks Faro Garn
100% Pure New Wool
Made in Sweden
Single Ply lace weight
cream/ivory
yardage apx 632 yards

Love the New Dog Bed

This morning we received our order from  PURELYDOGBEDS.COM

Everyone Love's IT
As soon as I tossed it on the floor they started playing on it.

Information from their site:

Majestic Pet Super Value Dog Bed

SKU #: MJT0007

Easy to clean removable poly-cotton cover
Cushion is made of high-loft poly fill that will keep its shape after many uses
Comes in an assortment of colors and sizes
Bed Sizes:
Medium: 7" H x 35" W x 28" D
Large: 7" H x 46" W x 35" D

Weight Limits:
Medium Bed: 5 to 45 pounds
Large Bed: 45 to 70 pounds

Original Price:$27.95YOU SAVE

Our Price: $27.95 – $32.95

Didn't take long for 2 of them to find their spots and take a nap.

I think I will have a problem with the color, black.  After a little more thought about my choice, I should have order a bed in a brown or tan.  With so many pets, 6 dogs and 3 cats, pet hair is a real problem and I can foresee it showing up very quickly. Oh well, They love it and that's whats the most important, right?

PURELYDOGBEDS.COM  
I was not compensated in any way by PurelyDogBeds.com
This review is my own opinion

Fringe Ribbon Scarf

I have added my latest creation Fringe Ribbon Scarf to my Etsy Studio
Copper Llama Studio

This was done with a soft feathery yarn in beautiful shades of brown
Lots of Fringe included with this 65 inch long scarf
Crochet with Bernet Boa Furs which is a Polyester yarn
So Soft and a beautiful Sable Color

Head on over to Copper Llama Studio to place your order 

New Lucet Available

Lucet , Weaving Loom Braiding Fork with Instructions , Make your own scarf, belt, headbands, shoelaces and much more, Makes a great Gift

 

Yooper Up Studio at Etsy has just listed a new Lucet

Make friendship bracelets, skinny scarves, shoe strings and necklaces, just to list a few.
You can braid very loose with several strands of bulky yarns and create skinny scarves, belts and purse straps along with so many other things.

Lucet cord can be used for decorative edging, draw-strings, lacing, and any other use where a strong cord is needed.
Lucet is a method of cordmaking or braiding which is believed to date back to the Viking and Medieval periods, when it was used to hang useful items from the belt. [1] Lucet cord is square, strong, and slightly springy. It closely resembles knitted I-cord or the cord produced on a knitting spool. Lucet cord is formed by a series of loops, and will therefore unravel if cut. A lucet fork is normally made of wood, with two prongs at one end and a handle on the other. It may also have a hole through which the cord can be pulled.

Stitch I'm Working on

My latest knitting project is a Head / Earwarmer using a pattern of Multiple cables.I love cables and this one caught my eye a long time ago and I am now just playing with it

Here's the Stitch Pattern

Multiple of 6 stitches
Row 1 Purl
Row 2 Knit
Row 3 Purl
Row 4 K3 *sl 3 sts to dpn, hold in back of work, k 3, k3 from dpn, Repeat from * across row, end with k3
Row 5 Purl
Row 6 Knit
Row 7 Purl
Row 8 *Sl 3 to dpn, hold in front of work, k3, k3 from dpn. Repeat from * across row.

Repeat Rows 1-8 for Pattern


patterns, knit, knitting, free, clothing, accessories, yarn, wool, headband, gift

Lots of Pink

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month

Have you had your Mammogram ?

Here's a few items in Pink

All these items are available at

Li'l Acres Farm at Etsy