A Crafty Yarn

Like anyone who loves fiber arts I am always fascinated by looms and the projects made with them.  I've never taken the leap to purchase a loom but, after seeing an idea on Pinterest, I decided to make a pin loom to try my hand at it.  You go into a project like this not realizing just how damn tedious it's going to be to hammer in all those tiny nails lol!     It was worth it though!  This type of weaving is hella enjoyable...It reminded me a bit of those potholder looms from when I was a little girl.  I'm not sure what I'll use it for but I can see that it will, at the very least, be a way for me to utilize the novelty yarns that I just had to have but that can't be knit or crocheted with!

One of the things that I love about gardening is how aware it makes us of where our resources come from.  I felt this when I grew the luffa gourds last year.  I had always known that luffa came from the inside of a certain gourd but it never occurred to me that it was something that could be grown locally.  Earlier this year I went to a seed exchange and one of the items that I received was a small bag of sesame seeds.  I looked at the seeds and then at the man who had given them to me... I guess he could see the disbelief on my face because he grinned and said "RIGHT!?!"   There are a few things that I want to try that are outside of the norm.  Tobacco and peanuts are on the short list. Sesame seeds, however, had never crossed my mind.  But...I thought I'd give it a shot and LOOK!!!! Do you see all of those pods along the stalk?  Each one of them holds dozens of sesame seeds!  

Making my own lye soap has been on the to do list for years... the one thing that got in my way was my fear of working with the lye. I'm not very graceful and I spill...a lot!  The thought of doing so with lye is terrifying.  BUT... sometimes you just have to get over it and move on so that's what I did!  AND I LOVED IT!   Online soapmakers have told me that once I tried it I'd be hooked and I can honestly say that they were right...I cant wait to make the next batch!        I wanted to start with a basic soap that I didn't have to fiddle with dye and scents.  I chose an Oatmeal and Honey Goat's Milk recipe.       It has ground oatmeal inside of it which should make for a fantastic exfoliating soap.   I love how it turned out!  Now comes the long wait to let it cure before I can use it!