All About Her Women's Show, The Victrola, An Organic Cotton Hat, A New Pink Tulip Crochet Hook, and Chicks

I was a vendor at the All About Show here in downtown Wichita.  I made some sales, but it was a little slow.  Toward the end of the show, we started trading merchandise among the other vendors.  This is so much fun!  We were able to have a variety of gifts this way.  LOL  I wanted to show you how I decorated my booth.  Most of the people had no idea what the large item in the front is, but some of you Chicken keepers will know.   I also put cedar shavings in the nesting boxes along with a few colored feathers.  (Note: Cedar is a good moth repellent and I sell many wool items.  I do not use Cedar with my chickens.)  I have also found a need to surround myself with egg baskets.  I like the old and the new.  I plan to line some of them with pretty fabric and use them in my studio and/or in the home.  They tend to give me a nostalgic feeling and fond memories of both grandmothers raising chickens.  I don't know if I will use the large nesting box in this way again, but it was a fun element to the booth.  My helpers are in one of the pictures.  

It seems like a long time since I have blogged.  The week before the women's fair, we went to visit my mom.  She purchased an old Victrola at an auction.  Look at the width of the records.  What a find!  One of the songs was Way Out West in Kansas.  We had to listen to the song since we are from Kansas and mom lives much further West than I do.

In Salina, I purchased more of the Kertzer Down to Earth Organic Cotton yarn I love.  Apparently they do not make this yarn any longer.  It is a soft cotton yarn that is colored by the spray method.  The paint is not totally saturated in all of the fibers.  It has a wonderful soft texture.  Not all cotton has such of a soft feel.  I made a few wash cloths this summer in the peach color to go with my peach soap.  I picked up some green, black, and the last blue colored skein this time.  I thought the blue looked so much like denim jeans.  I want to show you what I did to give a little cotton hat some life.  Yes, I up-cycled a piece of blue jeans and wove it through the stitches.

Not long ago, I talked about crochet hooks and which ones I think are the best.  I now have a new favorite or close to favorite.  It is made by Tulip and it is not available here in the USA.   It comes in other colors and is in a limited addition in pinks at this time.  I did not want to order a high priced set if I would not like the way the crochet hook felt.  It is wonderful!  I still like the blue cushion sleeves to put over a Boye hook, but in this case, no work is needed and it is my favorite color; however, the cost is about double the amount for a similar hook when you include the shipping.  In the picture, I show the new hook next to a hook from Clover.  It is also in pink, but it does not have the comfortable grip.

To find a set, use the following location:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/360509896954?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

The bottom one is Tulip.

The top one is Tulip.

The chick is next to 2 tangerines.

See how big the baby chick is getting.  This chick is about 2 weeks old.  Also the 3 new pullets we have are so different than the older pullet. (Note:  A pullet is a young hen and usually less than a year old.)  Ruby, the older pullet, has been laying eggs for us about 2 months.  She gives us about 5 large brown eggs a week.  The new pullets just started laying eggs.  We have received 4 this week and I don't know which of the pullets are laying.  The eggs look alike in size and color, but the pullets are all different breeds of chicken, so they shouldn't lay eggs that look so much alike.  I am so thrilled to listen to chicken cackles and have fresh eggs daily.  Today, I made apple pancakes and peanut butter chocolate chip cookies with fresh eggs!

I hope you are having a good December.  I wish you and yours many blessings!  Dawnie