Made a Lucet, SP10

I made a lucet today! I was in need of one to make a cord for my felted bag so I used some of the oak scraps I have from making my belt display. It reminds me of a goddess figure...of even a swim suit! Totally by accident! But it works great! Now if I were to purchase one of these...I'd be spending anywhere from $20-$40 for one. I have enough scraps left over to make 10 at about $4 each (after cutting, sanding, staining, and sealing)! I'm thinking of making another one for my SP10 pal-ee who BTW recieved her first box and she sounds thrilled to have the spindle and fiber! EEEEEEeeeeeee! *Warm fuzzies!*

I have been working on all sorts of things today. I cleaned Zar's cage and the same corner where he is located. There is a bookcase there and some of the books had fallen out and being the chaotic and scattered person I am, they were left on the floor. So those got picked up and tiddied. Zar's cage smells much better!

We went to community pharmancy today and I bought that jar of Lanolin. I attempted to waterproof my felted bag...but I think I may need to wash it some because it came out...sticky. HUmmm...that didn't work like I thought it would. Oh well. The only thing lost is time as I have to work on getting it not so sticky. Then while up on State Street I stopped by the local artist supply shop and purchased some salmon and purple dye. The BF had to stop in one of the metaphysical stores...the one I really don't care for (Shakti) because they are so materialistic and thier prices are high on those materialistic goods. I can do without all of it....BUT... I did find a new bumber sticker...a mini one that says "Religion is a journey...not a guilt trip." I LOVE IT!!! GODS! My coworker is always beating herself down...drives me NUTTY!!! The Womyn has no value or confidence in her own skills. And she is SO PSYCHIC! Shetold me about a dream that she had and she told me in that dream that we were trying to save a fish...and I was giving her a fish for her Bday!! PSYCHIC MAN!!!

BUT, what really has me peed this weekend about that subject is she really has been ungreatful for the gift. She talked and talked and talked about wanting to get a fish again and I thought I was gonna do a good thing. NO! She keeps COMPLAINING that she doesn't have TIME to take care of a FISH. *scratching head* WTF?!! It's a FISH, not a cat or dog or any other exotic animal....A FISH!!! For crying out loud, it won't keel over and die if it is not fed every stinkin day so go take your weekend trips!! *face-palm* GRrrrrrrrrrr. Then she said that she thought she was gonna have to give it away and I told her flat out-if you don't want the critter, give 'em back because he is GORGIOUS and has gorgious long blue fins. If she gives it away to someone, I will be very upset at her. All that effort to print out care sheets, purchase everything she needed to get started and keep 'em healthy and happy for several months if not longer and then WHAM...GRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrr, arrrrrrrrrrrrgh...That is the last time I get a gift for any coworker! The nerve!

Other than that, it's been a quite weekend. All the lists I am a member too are quite so it must be nice weather all around. CRAP...I just remembered that I need to bring the plants in because it is still getting below freezing at night. POOP....

I

Until next time...

More felting of "The Bag"-Snow Picture

I ran the bag through another wash cycle, this time using dawn dish soap instead of detergent. The bag felted more and is now more of the size I was shooting for when I did all that aweful math a couple of weeks ago. I bought some jumper clasps for the front flap and extra "jean" buttons so I can adjust the closure is I need to. I have knitted and felted the inner pockets I wanted and the handle bar straps that will hold it onto the bike. The BF stuck it on my head and became a shutter bug again. LMAO! I really don't mind having my picture taken. Always time for a bit of goofing off!! I drink a lot of coffee...can you tell?! LMAO! I like my coffee!!!

And the day would not be complete without a picture from the snow storm we had. This was mid-day Wednesday. It was very pretty out as the snow was sticking to everything. Streets with a lot of trees looked like veiled pathways. SOoooooooo pretty! The pictures do not do the absolute beauty of it justice....even if it is supposed to be spring here!

I have been looking into purchasing a bike "computer" to keep track of the milage I will be biking. I tried to purchase from buildurbike on ebay after asking about his return policies but the basterd blocked me from purchasing anything!! WTF? I ask the seller a question because I am a weary and cautious buyer, not because I want to stir up some shit.I answered my email and he sounded like a good seller. Wierd. I asked this person if they wanted my sale or not because if they don't then I am just gonna go pay the extra $20 and purchase the same cateye wireless "computer" from the local shops here in town! Cripes. Wierdo.

Until next time...

Blah's

Ugh...I am feeling kinda tired today. I dunno if it is the weather or if it is because most of the students at karate class last night said they were fighting colds. All that heavy breathing and working out around INFECTED hosts....grrrrr....Why don't people go out and spread the wealth (or love even) as well as they spread contagious cold germs!!!

 

Grrr...then the pump on my Ziacam bottle is not pumping so I had to just guess a measured amount to take.

 

I don't feel like doing too much today. I suppose I could work on sanding and cutting the slats for my belt display. Nothin to watch on the tellie...suppose I could watch the lake house again because the first time I did not pay much attention to it.

 

BLAH

 

Until next time...

Witch School For Sale, Student Rights to be Protected.

I got this in my mail this morning. What started out as a great thing slowly and steadily turned into a greedy thing-and now the ultimate demise for that greediness (IMHO) is that the school is going to close. The letter does not say this, but if the place is being sold, the headquarters is being moved/transfered, they will not be taking new students-but they will continue to provide content for those of us that dished out the extra money to become lifetime students...doesn't seem like any of us lifetime members will be getting any new materials (Myself included). Witch School was a large stepping stone for me to my current path. I think if I had not found them then I would be a different person following a widely different path today. The school has deminished from it's former glorious self, it was sad to watch...but this was enevitable. Good bye Witch School...you did good when I found you-but now you get what you deserve for not listening to those of us abroad expressing concerns about the hokey-pokey actions of the people who called themselves "Ordained Correllian Priests". One of those people was a local pagan man who was in it for the glory and the power. We emailed the head of Witch School several times only to get responses that boiled down to "shoo-fly, don't bother me with your shit". Fitting end to it all, IMHO.

"Dear CrowCallingWoman, Registered Student at Witch School

No one has ever built a site quite like Witch School and it will continue to teach and amaze its students and its creators. It is a fantastic site with lots of great features and very unique in the world and should continue to be so. The owners and operators of Witch School do appreciate that WitchSchool continues to mature and grow into the site that all dreamed it would be. So it may be a surprise to hear that Witch School has been put up for Auction on eBay this week, and that we are looking for new owner /operator.

As Chairman and the largest partner several things have happened in my personal life that have forced me to reconsider being able to effectively run Witch School.  As the current owner/operator, I am unable to fulfill the needs of such a massive, demanding, and rewarding school. So, we are looking for someone who is able to handle and perpetuate the growth and future of Witchschool.

Unfortunately, Witch School can not continue its current operations in Hoopeston, IL. If it were to try, with a increasingly hostile City Council Members and a Daily Press that openly discriminates, it will not be able to assure the comfort and possibly safety of the workers or visiting students.  With many legal but openly hostile actions, Witch School is facing a fight that is draining us all.

So it is time to move Witch School Headquarters to a more suitable and welcoming environment, and I have discovered that I neither have the health or finances to do so. Rev. Don Lewis can and will continue to do his best to operate Witch School, but the partners need to find a new owner with better resources and who is in a better position for the move.

By the legal requirements of a Limited Liability General Partnership, the partners must be paid by a fair market value for their investment, This was the main reason we listed Witch School on eBay - so we could set the fair market price. 

To see the auction: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250102654667

Rev. Don Lewis is hoping to lead a coalition that may manage this very successful site. However, if no new buyer or buyers can be found to buy out the current partners and revitalize WitchSchool with fresh and new operators, then Witchschool will have no choice but to enact the following, by May 1, 2007:

• We will close the headquarters in Hoopeston and not relocate.
• We will stop selling all merchandise and memberships.
• We will not accept any more new free students.
• The site will be then be open ONLY to lifetime and supporting members, and it will remain up perpetually to fulfill our promise of lifetime education.
• All basic members will no longer be able to access the site.

Our public education will nor longer be able to be handled as we will not have the staff to handle it. We will be forced to end the public education component of our site despite the need for our basic courses. Witch School will become a closed campus online except for lifetime and subscription students.

The good news is that Rev. Don Lewis and Witch School has made a deal with a major publisher that will make copies of the book available in Book form and new eBook forms soon. Updated, and will include even more illustrations of the wonderful art  that Don tells the Wiccan story with. There is even a rumor that a deluxe edition will be made available as well. Whoever becomes the new owners, will be able to work with Don to produce these works and possibly share in the future royalties.

Rev. Don Lewis has done everything he can to make his material publicly accessible, and those temples in good standing may continue and are actually encouraged to use the writings as needed. Don wants and had made a gift of his teachings to the community and, unfortunately, there are now groups who are violating his rights and not recognizing his unique contribution. As of April 4th, 2007 anyone who is creating copies of the book for sale, other than Witch School itself is actually stealing and plagiarizing Rev. Don Lewis material. Any school that is teaching Correllian material without recognizing Don himself as the source, and without his direct written permission is violating the law. So those who are making illegal copies, and sadly Don's material have been pirated by many groups and individuals, will be soon facing legal action.

Further SciFi is still developing a series and own the right to create a Witch School Television show. This contract will be transferred to the new ownership and be required to fulfill the requirements as well. Witch School will also receive payments from SciFi/NBC if the series actually makes it to television. This is very simple and will only increase Rev. Don Lewis ability to teach Wicca to a ever increasing number of people who are desperately seeking to learn the world saving ways of the Wiccan faith. 

Also, under the editorship of Debbe Tompkins, the Daily Spell has expanded, and under Don's management, it will soon be made available daily to all students. We are looking at this in little more than three weeks away, and it will become the most distributed "e-zine" in the entire Pagan World with over 100,000 subscribers, a dream we have held for years.

Despite the sale, we will not sell the names of our members, and we refuse to reveal any personal information. We promised this and we will continue to keep our promises. And any new owners will be forced to the same confidentiality.

Together, we have created a world wide education system that is very unique and very powerful. Recently, Rev. Don Lewis has made major improvements with his team of programmers any future owner would be getting a great system with great people. If someone can afford to move the HQ fully online or to a new location, then it can continue to prosper, but it can not continue in Hoopeston nor with its current understaffed and overworked management system. Witch School can be of great service to the community in ways and it can bring a return to any owner.

Thank You for listening and being supportive, and let us hope that Rev. Don Lewis gets the best people to support his continued mission to provide a Wiccan and Magickal education to anyone, anywhere, anyplace at anytime they want it. It is, after all, the largest Public Wiccan Educator in the history of the world. Hopefully, the mission can continue. To contact Don to help him you can email him at  DonLewisHP@aol.com  or call  217-283-4360 

To check out the Global Press release go to http://prweb.com/releases/Witch/School/prweb517797.htm

Blessings
Ed Hubbard
Chairman, Witch School
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Designing FUN!!

YEAH!!! Thanks to the freeware program that I found off this site I was able to design a strap that I LIKE...I LIKE-IT-A-LOT!

I call this one: Shaman Eyes

I LOVE IT!!

Shaman eye patterns are used for protection and forsight and I like how the edgings look like lightening and X's. X's are used usually to symbolize cross roads, or a cross that would symbolize the four sacred directions, while lightening is symbolic of the flash of enlightenment, sudden transformation and is also associated with the thunderbird.

PERFECT for the shoulder strap to my handle bar bag! I just need to finish what is on the loom and then I can start on this. It will take a good amount of time to string the cards up, but will be well worth the effort in the end. I am thinking a strap of 1 1/2 yards long will be long enough...I will need to purchase an adjustable piece to put on it. SO I need to add 20% for waste, and 20 inches for card usage. So that is (good grief with the math!!!) 54 inches + 10.5 (20%) = 64.5 + 20 = 84.5 rounding up to 85. WOW...that's a lot of string!!!

If anyone wants to use this design, feel free to do so. Please link back if you post on a blog or website. Thanks!!

It is still snowing...looks to be about 3 inches now.

Until next time...

Son-of-a-? SNOW!!! In April!! WTF?

Where there should be buds of green...there are buds of green with a top-hat of snow!! The woods are all a fog with snow and the wind...OH THE WIND!! Driving on the interstate this morning WAS NOT FUN. The work van was getting TOSSED too and fro...holy smokes...it was a white nuckle driving mornin'! On top of all that (pun intended) we are expecting close to 6 inches by the time this is through. I hope it melts fast and it warms up soon...I've got cabin fever and I am getting anxious about being cooped up all the time. NNnnnnnnnnaaaaaah!

OH....OH....My POOR LILAC!! OOOoooooo!!! It was growing and now...snow...OOOOoh I hope it makes it! It is a hardy variety so chances are this won't stun it...hopefully. It survived staying outside all winter which I was very happy about. The rose-however- did not make it. I'll try again this year and then come winter I will pack the cone with straw....wool waste even because the leaves made it mold I think.

BTW, did you know wool makes great mulch?! I threw a bunch of waste wool (thick with poo) on the ground last fall and it snuffed the grass out! OOoooppppssss!!! So I moved it to a planter to help snuff the weeds.

WWW: Wacky Wisconsin Weather!!

Until next time...

Heavy Cotton Snood...

MMMmmmm....what is this TUBE doing on my head. OH RIGHT! That's the 1950's snood style!! *face-palm*

I don't think I like this one...although it does have a bit of charm from the back view. It's a hair sock!! It's also very heavy and will be very warm on my neck in summer heat. The next one will be of a lighter yarn, and much-much shorter. This one was 11 inches before I stopped to check. I was only wanting to do 10. The pattern says 14 (!!!!!).

I could think of another, more interesting use for this...demonstrated by the BF's HUGE feet....you get the idea...right? *Big Evil Grin*

Now for the pattern...HUmmm something more flattering than this for sure!!

Until next time...

Cotton! I wanna grow cotton!

Anyone have some pima cotton seeds to graciously give a curious gardener?! I wanna grow cotton but I am not willing to pay $6 for 30 seeds PLUS another $6 to ship them!! ARGH! Seriously! Does it take that much effort to pack AND ship one package of seeds?! REDICULOUS!

*STOMPING OFF*

Until next time...

Gone Fishin

I think I am gonna go fishin today. It's the last day of spring break and it is supposed to be partly sunny and in the upper 40's. Better than a couple days ago when I biked in freezing temps below 32!!

I found a telescoping fishin pole at Big Lots this morning along with bags and bags of apple chips! I LOVE APPLE CHIPS!! MMMmm...I bought some for myself and some to share.

I harvested some of my composting redworms to go fishing with. When I opened the lid to my worm bin there was this HUGE green, slimey and writhing mass in the middle! It was just PACKED with worms!! I figured out that the green mass was the remains of cactus that I had thrown in a couple of weeks ago because it had started to spoil in the fridge-Zar's favorite food. I think the worms like cactus too!!! HA!!

I scooped out a couple big lumps of worm manure and picked out the biggest wormies of the lot and then tossed the manure into the potted plants. My worm farming has been very succussful over the winter months! Last year I didn't fish at all so this year, since I have a means to get myself to the water I will be fishing more often.

There is a nice fishin spot right next to the library so I will go and pay my fine and reserve a copy if Inkle weaving since the used copies online are costing $40 and up!! It's an old book...hardly a collectable. I'm not payin that much for it!

MMMmm apple chips....MMMmmm

Then after fishing I think I will visit the LYS and see what they have for pima cotton. I need to ask someone to take the book back I borrowed from the Knittin Guild's library as I won't be going anymore. It's the same evening as karate class, and frankly...I'd rather go to karate. The meetings for the Guild have been unbarably boring the last couple of months so I think I will just skip it from now on.

And I'm off!!

Until next time...

Victory for Womyn!

I was listening to the news this morning and I hear there is a womyn in a power position over in Afganastan (yeah I can spel that...you know what I mean) who is working towards making violance towards the womyn over there illigal! YAY!! I cannot believe how they say womyn are treated over there and how desperate they become. Makes me sad. These are your life givers! The womyn who bare your children! They are people with feelings too! OOoooh, makes me angry too.

 

And also thier version of Amarican Idol...cripes. What next!!!

 

Until next time...

 

Weaving woes...goofing off

UGH! I was trying to figure out how to do a keltic knot but it ended up being more frustrating than I cared to deal with so I just comprimised. I am doing 10 rows of this basket weave and then three rows of picked up weft to create the elongated stitches for "personality". WHEW!!! The pattern is what I want to eventually get around to doing....someday. The pattern I was trying to follow is on this here website. I am so not ready for such complications!!! I love jumping it with both feet but not at the expense of my sanity! What-a-minute....WHAT SANITY?!

*Boyoing! Boyoing!*

Then there is always time for a little goofing off. The BF can't keep his hands off the felted bag! He put it on my head and snap a shot...huh...did I mention it makes a great hippy hat??!

Until next time...

An Old Farmer's Advice

 

Old Farmer's Advice

 

Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong

..and watch out where you're steppin.

Life ain't about how fast you run, or how high you climb, but how well you bounce.

Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance.

Life is simpler when you plow around the stump.

A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor.
 
Words that soak into your ears are whispered...not yelled.

Meanness don't jes' happen overnight.

Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads.

Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you.

It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge.

You cannot unsay a cruel word.

Every path has a few puddles.

When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty.

The best sermons are lived, not preached.

Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway.

Don't judge folks by their relatives.

Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time.

Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none.

Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance.

The easiest way to eat crow is while it's still warm, 'cause the colder it gets, the harder it is to swaller. (WHAT!!!??? LMAO!!!)

If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'.

It don't take a genius to spot a goat in a flock of sheep.

Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got.

The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with,
watches you from the mirror every mornin'.

Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment.

If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.