Snow Dances are a Powerful Thing!

Monday evening I asked a few of the library staff to do their "Snow Dance" when they got home. I did suggest they do the dance in the backyard. I didn't want the neighbors to see them and be concerned ... if you know what I mean! ;)

Tuesday morning my supervisor called to say we had a Snow Day. I said Yay and good job on the "Dance".

Wednesday morning, after a night of freezing rain on top of several inches snow followed by more snow, I got another call from my supervisor. Yay another Snow Day! I did suggest that next time she might want to take the Dance down a notch or two! LOL

It's only January 28th and our kids have already used up all the allotted Snow Days. They are going to be sooo sad when they are still going to school come July 4th!!

This afternoon we did have a few moments of sunshine. The wind had blown away some of the snow off the tree branches outside my window to expose the inch thick ice covering the branches. It was beautiful! Well worth me trying to not pop an ankle, or my knee, while dealing with cleaning off my car and the driveway. Beauty from ashes ... so to speak.

~ Penny ~

P.S. Thanks for all the comments concerning my last post. My furnace is still running and a part has been ordered. Don't ask how much the part cost I'm still in shock! @@

Don't you hate it .....

..... when you come home from paying bills, one of which is the waaay high gas bill, to find the furnace has given up the ghost. I felt it was too late to call Daddy, who is my handyman, so I dressed warmly and went to bed. Usually Lucy sleeps up by my pillow and Lovey down by my feet. But last night both kitties camped at the foot of the bed to be closer to the little space heater I've been using at night.

Friday Daddy came by the library to tell me he didn't think he would be able to repair the furnace this time. Sad faces all around! Last night, after giving it some consideration, he said he would try one more thing. So I didn't have heat for a second night but it was all good.

This morning he removed the blower and we see the housing is cracked, the fly wheel is a little stiff and rusty, which probably explains that noise I heard Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Go figure ... Well this story ends with him using WD-40 and duct tape to rig it so it will hopefully get me through the weekend. Yay the "Furnace Parts Store" will be open on Monday!

Oh ... later he called to say if I smell a bad smell coming from the furnace closet or begin to yawn a great deal I should probably go to Angela's!!! I felt the love!!

~ Penny~

Yay for the Weekend!

It wasn't a bad week but it was a looong one. I think the crazy below zero temps we have had this week has worn everyone down.

I took an hour of vacation time Friday afternoon so I could run Angela to Bloomington. While we were there we ran over to Michaels. Angela had coupons that were burning a hole in her pocket so for the sake of her clothing we shopped! lol

She found a crochet hook with the larger handle she wanted (50% off w/coupon). I found size 15 circular knitting needles (Again 50% off, thank you A. for sharing your coupons). I needed the needles to work on a prayer shawl I've started for a friend who recently had cancer surgery.

The sterling silver jewelry findings were on sale and also the Austrian crystals so I stocked up on earring makings. I'll work on earrings tomorrow and get them up to Angela so she can add them to my empty Etsy shop. I think I'll also take some of my hand dyed yarns too.

My goal this weekend, besides making earrings is to get the handout written for the Soy Candle class. Everyone who takes the class will get a information sheet, 1 jam jar candle, two votive candles, three scented soy tarts plus a tart pan.

Time is getting away from me, so I had better get busy. My family is meeting at 5:00 to celebrate Angela's birthday. Her birthday was actually January 13th, but we had to wait until everyone was free to get together.

Stay warm!

~ Penny

A New Year and a Fresh Start

It's been many months since I last posted. I ran into a few difficulties and got discouraged but I'm over that now and ready to begin again. So here is what's going on at The Black Sheep Cottage.

Beginning next week I will be teaching a few classes a month at the Old Jail Art Center. The Center is the old Lawrence County Jail that is being renovated to accommodate classrooms, a gallery and a residence. It's large building built of our native limestone and a fantastic resource for our community.

The classes will be : January/Make Your Own Soy Candles, February/Melt n' Pour Soap Making, March is one class each of the above. In May I will be adding Dyeing Wool Yarn with Kool Aide.

While I enjoy making candles and soaps it's the yarn dyeing that I love the most. It is so neat to start with a plain white yarn and watch it come alive with color! I get the "Mad Scientist" thing going on ... a little of this ... maybe some of that and poof colors appear.

I always try to dye two skeins at a time. I can never expect to do an exact repeat of a color scheme. Dyes sometimes split, I add more (or less) of the vinegar, I get sidetracked and leave the yarn in the dye pot longer than I planned ... you get the picture

Two skeins of fingering weight is enough to easily make a nice scarf or a pair of socks. Other weights can be used for a small project, combined to use as an accent, etc..

My lunch hour is almost over so I had better close.

P.S. Thank you Angela for tweaking my blog and kicking my backside to jump start me on blogging again!

Penny