So according to a trustworthy source (cough*Facebook*cough), today is the day that Saturn and the Sun align.  Don’t panic, it happens once a year.  Have you been feeling more focused and together over the last few days?  More joyful, motivated, and ambitious in regard to your goals?

I know I’ve been feeling more together lately, and if Saturn is to thank, then that’s wonderful.

I’m still a little bent about my first experience with Saturn’s Return, so I will gleefully accept this as a peace offering.

There will be some little changes integrating into our little home here over the next few weeks, and I’d like to share some of the plans with you.  Remember the other day when I was talking about what to do when your business starts rolling?  Well, Asking For Help is at the top of the list.

That means:  I’m getting a helper!  An idea-bouncing, sewing, modeling helper (in addition to my two tiny helpers, that is).  She’s awesome.  You’ll like her.  Mostly because it will help me get some things MADE, and chances are good that she won’t color on the walls or steal my pins and try to eat them.

I hope.

Another area that needs some help is the structure here at ye olde blog.  If (hopefully) you are inspired by the work I do and the words that surround it, I’d like to make it very accessible for you to pursue a similar goal (in your own fashion, of course).  So I have joined forces with a few reputable spots around the intraweb, for both professional and personal development.

First up, I am participating in The Sisterhood at Hip Mountain Mama.  This is an affiliate position where I obtain goods from their incredible inventory and review them both here and on the Hip Mountain Mama blog.  Wha?  I have to get myself some new clothes?  Ummm…ok!

I received my first order this afternoon and was completely blown away by the quality.  Suzy is a top notch gal to do business with and I am incredibly excited about this endeavor.  My two favorite things?  It supports a family-owned business here in the Rockies, and it gives me the opportunity to tell you about things to look for when shopping for eco-friendly and fair trade clothing.  Win.

Next up is a blog challenge from Free Spirit Knits called “Reduce Clutter, Create Space.” You guys know how hard I’ve been working toward getting our teeny, tiny house functional for a family of four and a fledgling business.  By participating in this community of de-clutterers, I hope to inspire you to do the same with your life.  Specifically, I’ll be sharing my journey about how clutter is holding our prosperity captive.

And finally, I’m also participating in the Ethical Clothing Pledge.  This is very similar to the Challenge of the Utmost Kind that I began in January, only this challenge encourages buying fair trade items and things made with eco-friendly materials.

I don’t want you to think that I’ve dismissed dottie angel’s Challenge.  I have spent the last 10 months researching, planning, and scheming.  Now that I’ve found my own happy medium, the Ethical Clothing Pledge is a better fit.  Recycled, repurposed, and handmade are always my first choices with clothing.  Except for socks.  Those have to be new because they take too long to make.  I’ll be sharing design techniques, sewing secrets, and lots of free patterns in the coming year so that you can give this a shot too.

And you’ll be reading all about these endeavors on the new hotness that is my website, to be revealed November 1.

Ok!  That was quite a haul!  My super-reputable Facebook source advised us all to write out a list of our plans and goals today, on this day of Saturn and The Sun.  Revisit it three, six, and nine months from now to chart your progress.

What’s on your list?

Dear Gram,

I got the dreams you sent–I can’t tell you enough how good it was to hear from you again.  Sorry it took me awhile to get back to you but I don’t think I quite understood it at first.  I have so many things under my finger at the moment that it takes awhile for things to soak in sometimes.

You’ve probably seen the two little ones by now ~ your presence at their births was powerful and clear.  Thank you so much for all of the loving protection, especially during Nico’s surgery a couple of months ago.

He’s back to his old self again..which can be somewhat aggravating since he’s two now.

Miss Annabelle is growing at lightening speed.  Her first tooth has erupted and she has a fine time chewing on ol’ mama while the rest pop up.  We love to make her smile so we can see the solitary pearly white standing proudly in her little pink gums.  We haven’t tried the whiskey on her yet but a nip here and there sure helps me get through the teething.  So far she seems to like turkey jerky well enough to help them cut through.

She’s quite a character.  I’m starting to think the mystery nose might belong to you. (Like the sweater? S’s mother was kind enough to make one for each of the kids when they were born.)

The days are intense with our sweet Irish twins (18 months apart…what were we thinking?  hahaha) and I wish you were here to tell me stories about your life as a mother.  I always loved the story about the time that the boys got into the flour and threw it all over the kitchen–I can envision it perfectly now that I have two little ones with that same devilish sparkle in their eyes.  I’m sure you had a million more just like it that would help me smile through the rocky moments around here.  It’s good to know that dreamspeak is a language that we share now too.

I better get back to the kiddos ~ Nico is tiring of his cars and is starting to throw things at the tree again.  Please let the ladies know how much I love the ideas for the dresses!  It might take a little while for me to get them underway but I’m seeing the ideas emerge with great clarity, bit by bit.

I miss you. I miss you every day. Still.

much love ~ julie

I recently made a hat for a friend, inspired by a whole lot of handspinning and my pal Linda’s book, Crochet Adorned (available on her website or at your local bookstore).

I really dig this book because in addition to the modern, elegant adornment patterns (flowers and medallions and butterflies, oh my!), Linda has also included a stitch dictionary with easy-to-decipher instructions.

Detail of stitchwork:  Combination Crunch (page 136) with the Mini Scallop Edging (page 116).   There are also a couple of rows of basic cluster stitches in there too.  The yarn is composed of my handspun Purple Mountains Majesty paired with Highland Peruvian wool and the Woodland Pixie pattern is my own design.

As an experienced crocheter, I feel challenged but the directions are clear and direct enough that my new-to-crochet friend Kelly Ann can navigate her way through them as well.

Forgive the blurry pics…you know what they say about working with children and animals.

The thing I love about making my upcycled yarn is that it creates a beautiful, unique product that has the personality and strength that wool has demonstrated throughout the ages.  Just right for its intended wearer.

Almost got it…

There’s my girl.

Oh yeah, like I’ve had time to do that since the baby arrived.  This little number is a project that I finished before Annabelle made her early debut.  It’s a perfect-size-and-perfect-shape purse (can also easily double as a diaper bag without looking too diaper-baggy) that was made for the April Gypsy Road team challenge.  It is also hanging on the wall at the Community Food Co-op as part of their Earth Day art show.  I whipped it up out of two old pairs of maternity jeans (ha! out you go!) and a pile of vintage scraps that I inherited somewhere along the line.

The bag is finished, but have I actually gotten it together enough to get down to the co-op to take a picture of the finished project?  Nope.  But you can go visit it upstairs in the coffee shop where it has a stunning view of the Bridger Mountain Range.  It will be there until the end of May and after that it might go into the shop, it might hold Annabelle’s diapers.  We’ll see.

It’s pretty slim pickin’s for crafty time around here with the two little beans, but I have managed to scrape out a couple of things.

While my mama was visiting, she requested a roll for her oil brushes so she can easily stash them away for plein aire adventures.  Inspired by the pencil rolls of Soulemama fame and the crochet hook rolls from Coyote Craft, we paired up these two sweet vintage twills for a painting accessory that is just a bit off the beaten path.  It has inspired a flurry of fabric matching and you locals will definitely be seeing these at the summer market this year.  But first one for my double pointed knitting needles, one for my straight needles, and one for my colored pencils.  I already have this one for my crochet hooks.

And given the weather around here (yep, still flurries of snow) my obsession with wool has not yet taken respite for the summer.

The newest in the line up?  Dyeing old wool sweaters that have been felted.  Wool behaves a bit differently than the other natural fibers , so working with these recycled sweaters gives me the freedom to experiment and hone my technique before I begin working with my roving and handspun yarns.

Did I say handspun yarns?  Oh, yes.  It seems the fiber gods have smiled upon me and a spinning wheel will be arriving within the next couple of weeks.  More on that adventure as it unfolds.

For now?  I will attempt to continue my work on a small inventory for our first market at the end of June!  But mostly I will be loving and kissing and shooshing and holding and rocking and changing and wearing and feeding and encouraging and amusing these two beautiful, beautiful beings that I am fortunate enough to spend my days with.

And I’ll be trying not to totally lose my mind while I’m at it.