Nothing like a deadline for motivation!

Hmmm ... so I'm giving serious thought to having a Black Sheep Cottage open house in October.

My offerings would include soaps, candles, sachets, earrings, dyed yarns, hand knits, dyed wool fluff, and whatever else I may think to add to the mix.

With only three months to plan I'll be motivated to organize and clean my house. It would also require me to get busy with making the items I want to sell.

My living room is larger than the average craft show booth and I own a lot of things that could be used for props. I would need to move a couple of chairs but other than that it would mostly be like setting up for a show.

Need to talk to my sisters and see if they would want to join me. We wouldn't have any expenses, (booth rent, travel, lodging etc.), so it could be very doable.

Stay tuned to see how this works out. As always prayers are coveted!!

~ Penny~

Okay so I admit it ...

.... I'm a slacker.
I could give reasons, or make excuses, but the bottom line is I've been a slacker for not posting before now.

I want to thank Sandra Bennett from Thistle Cove Farm for giving me the One Lovely Blog Award! Please visit her blog ( the link is under My Favorite Blogs) she is a very gracious person and a kindred soul. As soon as I figure out how to show the award Sandra I will add it to my blog. =)

Since my last post I have been to a quilt retreat in May with my sisters and friends. This is an online group so friends come from across the US, plus our friend Michelle flies in from Victoria, B.C. to visit and sew. Not being able to do too much because of my crazy hand/wrist I did a little embroidery, shopped a bit, rested a bunch and visited with the girls.

On the bunny front my hutch is coming along nicely. Daddy has been working on it sporadically in between making hay and his other projects. When I saw it on Father's Day weekend I told him it was definitely a bunny townhouse!

Regarding my crazy hand/wrist I will be having surgery on July 15th. Will not know the time until the Monday before the surgery. They tell me it is a small surgery and in fact I could drive myself there and back. If anyone feels led to pray for me and Angela (who will probably drive me to Indianapolis) we would certainly covet those prayers.

I want to get this hand thing over with so I can get on with all my projects that having been waiting months to be completed. I'm told there is only a two week healing time so Yay let's get it over with so I can play with my yarn, dyes, wool, beading, etc...

Something I'm working on now is getting my house in order. I'm moving rooms around again trying to make the best use of my small space. The Black Sheep Cottage is pretty tiny! Only one closet and the furnace takes half of it! So I need to be creative with furniture placement for optimum room and storage.

My friend Linda and I worked a deal and I have gained a primitive cabinet (Angela has her name on the bottom of it!), a base to an old Hoosier cabinet (niece Heather has her name on the bottom of it!), a neat rattan rocker for my porch, an old Jenny Lind half bed that will take the place of my rickety yard sale find from twenty years ago.

Once everything is in place then I want to get my looms warped, my spinning wheel spinning and get some creativity flowing. It's been a long dry spell!

~ Penny~

Been Feeling a Little Blue.

I haven't been able to knit, crochet, embroidery or any other handcraft for weeks and it's getting me down ... and made me whiny too.

Earlier in the month I was diagnosed with De Quervain's Stenosing Tenosynovitis. Needless to say I can't pronounce it and have been telling people I have tendonitis or handing them the brochure I received at the Indiana Hand Center in Indianapolis.

I've had a steroid shot in my wrist and I'm wearing my splint faithfully but dang it still hurts and I don't return to the doctor until May 20th. That was the whiny part in case you didn't recognize it. =)

While I can't knit I may try to make earrings this weekend just to see if I'm able. Farmer's Market season is almost upon us and I haven't the inventory I thought I would have already built up.

Hmmm, wonder if I could dye yarn in small batches using mostly my right hand ......

Happy Wednesday!

~ Penny~

P.S. I gave Daddy my bunny hutch plans Monday morning!

He's Alive!!!

Hallaluja He is Risen!

Wishing everyone a blessed Easter!

~ Penny ~

The Secret is Out!

I spoke to Daddy yesterday and he agreed to make me a bunny hutch. =) First he tried to talk me out of getting a bunny but then he said yes. So yay a bunny is coming to The Black Sheep Cottage! My dad is such a blessing to me.

I found hutch plans online, there are shingles left over from my roof, so we need to buy wire and wood, then the fun begins. If possible I would like to have a vermiculture setup under the hutch. This will require a little more research but I see it as very doable if set up properly.

We are under another tornado watch this afternoon and evening but there is a strong chance of snow showers tomorrow ... go figure.

~ Penny ~

Shhh ... I have a secret

Don't tell my family (or my allergist) but I have "Bunny Fever" again.

Every spring I get BF but this year it's a really bad case. I've checked out bunny books from the library and have been looking at different sites and blogs for cute bunny hutches. English Angora bunnies are my first choice. I love their little furry faces and froufrou ears. I want a pair (Not to breed!) but so they will have company and not be lonely.

My backyard has plenty of room for a hutch. It would be sheltered in the winter months but catch the cooling breeze of summer. It could be very doable in town. While city regulations prevent residents from having sheep or goats, bunnies and chickens are allowed. I'll save my chicken dreams for another post. lol

Remember it's a secret so don't tell Angela or the rest of my family ... they don't have the vision!!

~ Penny ~

We Survived!

Taught my class this afternoon and it was all good. My student was a sweet lady and seemed to enjoy herself. I was blessed by Stephen, a library customer and the fellow who taught Angela to needle tat, when he carried in my microwave then returned at 3:00 to carry the thing back out to the car. I really appreciated his help!

Just picked up a new book at work "Fresh Food From Small Spaces". The book looks good. It's about year-round growing, fermenting and sprouting. I have recently requested a couple more books "The Urban Homestead: Your Guide to Self-sufficient Living in the Heart of the City" by Kelly Coyne and Erik Knutzen. The second one is "Made from Scratch: Discovering the Pleasures of a Handmade Life" by Jenna Woginrich. I thought both books sounded interesting.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

~ Penny ~