Hybrid Geranium Repels Mosquitoes

I was Girl Scout for a number of years, but not until I had two sons of my own that were Boy Scouts, did I learn to use dryer sheets to keep mosquitoes away!  It really works.   I usually wipe it on any skin that's exposed, and then just stick it in a pocket! 

Crushing a few leaves of the  Mosquito Plant and rubbing them on your skin also works to repel mosquitoes!  I have several large bushes growing back by the barn.  It is very hardy, my kind of plant, and the foliage is pretty.

I did a little research and found that the Mosquito Plant is actually a genetically engineered geranium hybrid!  Interesting ...

 

Darn Cute

Oh fun, I just got my order of plush toys.  They're not made of alpaca, but they are pretty darn cute!

Jasper

Paddy and Lena

Choco

 

Winner - Bird's Eye View!

Congratulations to Nestle and Soar's Shop,  the winner of this week's "The Birds" Treasury!

 

Bird's Eye View

 

Thank you to all who participated!

 

 

 

"Blue Suede Shoes" Hand-Spun Alpaca Yarn

I don't know WHY I give my yarn names!  Any other hand-spinners out there that does this?  

 It just seems like something that's been done by hand, from birthing the baby to raising the alpaca, to skirting, sorting, tumbling, washing, dyeing, carding, spinning, plying, skeining, and washing again ...

 ... ought to have a name!

I usually name it the first thing that comes to mind . . .

In this case, it is "Blue Suede Shoes"!

The Birds

I love to hear the birds sing, beats an alarm in the morning, and I like to get up with the birds.  I don't always wake up when they do but I'm glad when I do, guess you have to be a morning person to appreciate that sentiment!

THE BIRDS

Little Green Bird Plate by Joy Elizabeth Ceramics Shop

Love Birds by Little Vale

Hummingbird Topiary Flower by Middleburg's Shop

Mr. Black Capped Chickadee by Tracyemueller's Shop

Yellow Bird by Amber Alexander's Shop
Turquoise Fleur and Perched Sparrow Silver Earrings by Vintage and Glam's Shop

Red Bird by Carambatack's Shop
Vintage Crowned Bird Violets Forget Me Nots Music Sheet by In My Cedar Chest's Shop
Fancy Chicken Girl in Pearls by Middleburg's Shop
Golden Moss by Fiberstory's Shop
Beaded Bird Pin by Moloco's Shop
Pink Starling Dress by Koolmono's Shop
Bird's Eye View by Nestle and Soar's Shop
Multiply by Zime's Shop
Rustic Birdfeeder Birdhouse by Bacon Square Farm
The Day When My Worries Flew Away by Poco Loco Creativo's Shop

Leave a comment and vote for your favorite Etsy item, that is not your own.  The winner will be posted here, in next week's announcements, and on my FB page!

Esmerelda Gives Birth

At about 9:30 am I checked our "Spring maternity ward", and all six soon-to-be-moms again were up grazing, no sign of anyone being in labor.

I got company about 10am, we watched the alpacas out the kitchen window for a few minutes, then sat down to visit.  At about 10:45am, I glanced out the window and saw a new cria, already up and walking and looking for something to eat!  That was fast, easy too!

 Our guard llama, Lacy Lady, sits nearby as is typical when there is a new baby.  

 Seeing Lacy sticking close to a pregnant female is a sure sign she is in labor. 

 Lacy stands watch until the baby is born.  Once she sees all is well, she goes on about her business.  It is uncanny how she knows and does her job.

Esmerelda was born on our farm and my daughter named her. 

The other alpacas are always curious and excited to meet the new kid.

Her mom is Duchess and her dad is the Prince of Ghiradelli.  Isn't he a handsome male?

Esmerelda had a hole in her heart when she was born and we were told she'd never be able to have babies.

At a visit to Ohio State University, we learned the hole had grown closed.

Now she is mother to three, first two boys, Eli and Ezra, and now a girl!  Maybe we'll call her Eliza . . .

SGAR's Peruvian Zumaya

And the daddy!

 

How To Make An Etsy Treasury

First of all what is an Etsy Treasury?  

Etsy says, "They are curated galleries of items chosen by the Etsy community. They are not intended for self-promotion, but instead to acknowledge and share the many cool things for sale on Etsy. Etsy Administration often chooses an exceptional Treasury list to promote on the home page."  

It sure is fun to get featured, good for business too!

This is the Treasury currently being featured on Etsy.  They are always fun to see, the creativity is endless, and I get inspired!

I've been doing Blog Treasuries, because it is fun, it promotes other artists, and it introduces them to my blog because I notify them that they are in my Treasury and they come to see it!

I was recently asked how to make a Treasury and in order to answer the question I did a little research.

What I found was an Etsy Treasury Demo Blog.  It is a wonderful resource that should help anyone interested in doing this, pictures too!

I'm sure it's not complicated once you have done it, but I got lost in all the instructions and didn't want to spend so much time trying to get my Treasury chosen.

The following is what I have figured out how to do, works for me!

1.  Open your Favorite Items.

2.  In another screen, open the Etsy Poster Sketch Tool.

3.  Having deciding on a theme or a color palette, choose a Favorite Item and click on it.  Select and copy the item number that you see in the address bar.  In this case, it would be 45184230. 

4.  Paste it in one of the listing id boxes in your Poster Sketch Tool and click ok.  Your first item will appear.  Continue doing this until all boxes are filled.  From the current item you have chosen in your other screen, you can use the back arrow to go back to your Favorites.  You can rearrange the items in the Poster Sketch Tool by dragging and dropping.  

I guess I'll finish the one I'm working on, so I can show you.

5.  Next I click on View, then Full Screen, then Ctrl Paste which will copy what you see on the screen.  Open a program that you can paste your new image into, I use Microsoft Publisher.  Paste it, then crop out what you don't want.  I like to add a background that complements your Treasury.  Save it as a jpeg and upload to wherever you plan to post it!