Now in Trillium and Market Tomorrow

Have you locals checked out Trillium yet? 

You can find it at the corner of 32nd Willamette in Eugene. They are open 12-6:30 pm, Tuesday- Saturday. 

We visited today for the first time. What a sweet shop! It's filled with lots of handmade love by local artists. They have natural fiber clothes for men, women and children, along with handblown glass, soap and more. We are excited to announce that you can now find an incredible selection of our reclaimed wood earrings at Trillium (and we're hoping to add other things soon.) It's a wonderful shop to check out! (and they even have a basket of toys for the kiddos to play with while you shop, which Bracken was delighted about.)

.

After visiting Trillium, we picked my mom up from the airport. I must say, she is visiting at the perfect time. We're exhausted and have been feeling a little burnt out lately and her help is so welcome right now. 

The weather forecast looks beautiful and we're going to market tomorrow with an extra helper along (thanks mama!) Looking forward to seeing many of you locals there. 

You can find us in the same spot, Booth 350, at market. 

.

P.S. Do any of you locals have an over-abundance of eggs from happy hens that you'd like to trade for? Just thought I'd mention it in case any of you do. 

.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

{this moment}

Today I'm joining Amanda at SouleMama for {this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.


. . . . . . . .

Sponsorship on Wooly Moss Roots

 Have you wondered about being a Wooly Moss Roots Sponsor?

Would you like to see your ad image on the right side of this blog?

Have a website or Etsy shop you'd like to advertise? To spread the word? To give your business a boost?

There is still time to sign up for June Sponsorship!

I'm looking for sponsors for my blog. 

I'm looking for:

 Handmade Shops

 Local Farms

etc.

 (You can see a little more about what I'm looking for here.)

.

I pour my heart and soul into this blog. I spend time and energy here because I love writing here and connecting with all of you. The support that sponsorship brings is a blessing for our family. We're so grateful to all our current sponsors and the new ones lined up for next month (that I can't wait to introduce you to!)

.

If you are interested in sponsorship, would like to advertise your business and support Wooly Moss Roots at the same time, please send me an email to

tarynkae21{at}yahoo{dot}com

with a link to your website.

 The more places you advertise the better and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by our incredibly affordable rates!

Yarn Along

Joining Ginny's Yarn Along, sharing what I am knitting and reading.

.

It's a rainy day here (and has been all week), so I took my picture today near the window instead of venturing outside. I finished 'Love To Water My Soul' and honestly, was relieved to finish it. It was the second in a series and though there are more, I'm taking a break from the series for now. I'm excited to start reading something else (a little more lighthearted.) Also, I'm excited about this new beautiful handspun yarn to work with! I just finished rolling the earth-toned skein into a ball. The colors are so me and I am planning on making something for myself. Not sure what yet (perhaps time to look at Ravelry for some inspiration?) I'd like to do something I've never done before, push myself past my "knitting comfort zone" and learn something new.

How about you? Knitting? Reading? Or dreaming of your next project?

How to needlefelt with wool

 I've had an affinity for wool all my life. Growing up, wool wasn't a part of my world very often. When I came near it I felt almost an aching, my soul yearned for it so much. When we visited my aunt, with her giant loom, and saw her weavings and wool-workings, something inside of me would stir. I wanted to bring the fluffy mass of wool up to my face and breathe in it's familiar scent. Wool smells like home to me.
My aunt saw the love in my eyes and she shared gifts to foster my dream. I started playing with wool. I learned to knit. Then, after Jeff and I started selling art at the Eugene Saturday Market, I found myself gravitating towards the booths that had wool. In a wondrous wool booth, we met a friend named Ayala. She had all sorts of creations in wool, including wool creatures that she needle felted. That was the first time I saw needle felting and I was intrigued. For Christmas one year, Jeff surprised me and bought me her book:

 'The Felting Needle. Further Fantasies.' 

 What even was needle felting?

In the foreword, Ayala wrote:

"In the hands of the fiber artist, individual felting needles borrowed from Industry have allowed wool to become a sculptural medium. This is..

the first innovation in the fiber arts 

since the Stone Age!

That was 30,000 years ago!!

We can say this because there is good evidence that all techniques of spinning, knotting, weaving, and felting were state-of-the-art before the Metal Ages came along. And NO! The Industrial Revolution doesn't count- that was the same old stuff, just more of it and faster.

However, in 1849 an Englishman Mr.Garnet patented a method for cutting notches into wire, and in 1866 the first "needlepunch loom" went into production. I cannot BELIEVE it has taken us fiber artists MORE THAN A CENTURY to get our hands on these versatile tools!!!"

 I still felt intimidated by needle felting, thinking that it would be difficult and that I needed some special skill. 

Then I saw this page.....

It was an epiphany!
Peck the wool like a bird, that sounded easy enough!

...And I was off...!!

Needle felting up a storm and making all kinds of creatures!

I didn't even read about techniques in the book at first, I just went for it, because I learn best by doing and experimenting for myself. After I had been needle felting for awhile, I went back and read Ayala's book thoroughly and saw directions for preparing wool and some good tips and tricks (like coloring cheeks lightly, with the side of a colored pencil, which I used on the blueberry gnome.) Her book was not only filled with tips, but lots of fun project ideas aside colorful photos. She shared word of encouragement, good advice (like park idle needles safely), and humorous tidbits.
There was so much inspiration in those pages!

{needle felted daisy on a wool pouch, filled with lavender}

Anyone can needle felt with wool and you'll be amazed how easy it is!
So, want to needle felt with wool?

You will need: 

Wool
Felting Needle
Foam Rubber Pad


 To help get you started:

The foam rubber pad is to protect you from getting poked by the felting needle (and at the same time not adhere to the wool.) Ayala's book is a wonderful resource and you can find her books, along with felting needles for sale, on her website. Our friends, Inge and Wolf of Timberwolf Farm, have a complete needle felting kit for sale with everything you need to get you started. They also sell wool for needle felting, from the sheep they raise, and dye it in beautiful colors with natural dyes they grow in their garden. With the popularity of needle felting these days, your local yarn shop might even carry the supplies.

Off you go!

Once you've got what you need to start, you can put the foam rubber pad in your lap, then place your wool on top of that. You can roll your fluffy mass of wool into a ball (or whatever you would like for a 3D shape) or place some on a flat already-felted piece of wool (for a 2D creation) and start poking with your felting needle.

Congratulations!
You are now needle felting!

 (Seriously, it's that easy!)

Farmer's Market: May

Here are some things that caught my eye around farmer's market on Saturday....

Strawberries from Groundwork Organics. 

Yum! I asked them the variety last year, but forgot. I want to ask again (and write it down this time) so we can plant some of this type at our place. They're so good. (And if anyone at market was wondering why Bracken's face was dyed red, well, now you know.)

Carrots from Sweet Leaf Organics.
The carrots this time of year are so sweet. Bracken enjoyed munching on them (and offering one to everyone we passed.)

Asparagus from Grateful Harvest Farm.
Is it beautiful, or what? (I like to dream of our asparagus patch producing like this someday.)

Dried fruit and fruit rolls from Grateful Harvest Farm. 
Not only a delicious treat, they come in biodegradable packages.

Cabbage from Lost Creek Farms.
We got some the week before, it's fermenting in a crock (making our favorite sauerkraut.) I'd like to buy a whole lot more and fill every container in the house (just can't get enough of that sauerkraut!)

Radishes from Lost Creek Farm.
Loved seeing the piles with rainbows of radishes.

Zucchini from Lost Creek Farm.
Later in the season when our garden is overflowing with zucchini, I will laugh that I ever bought some. But right now our little zucchini starts are not even in the ground yet, and these gorgeous greenhouse zucchinis are a treat.

Pastured Meats from Deck Family Farm.
I've written about my appreciation for Deck Family Farm before, but really I can't say it enough. Their meats are the best.

Raw Honey from Deck Family Farm.
I was so excited to see that not only do they have pastured meats and eggs, but blackberry honey too!

Flowers. Unknown beauties we passed by. So interesting looking.

Hazelnuts from Honor Earth Farm.
We soaked some of these raw hazelnuts, then strained them, sprinkled them with salt, and dehydrated them. They're crispy and delicious and one of Jeff's favorite snacks.

Heirloom Bean Jewelry from Lonesome Whistle Farm.
Isn't this fun? 

Salmon from Brandywine Fisheries.
 I couldn't walk by the sight of this salmon without taking a picture.

White Elm (grown) and Porcini (wildharvested) from The Mushroomery.
Sauteed porcinis were a wonderful addition to scrambled eggs.

Dried Mushrooms and Tinctures from The Mushroomery.
I wrote some about my interest in mushrooms here. They fascinate me and I love learning about the health benefits. The Mushroomery is a great booth to visit for mushroom lovers.
.
Our family is so grateful for all the nutritious homegrown food that all these hardworking people provide at the farmer's market. If we had unlimited money to spend, we would be buying so much from there. As it is, we buy a few things each week, admire it all, enjoy it immensely, and feel good knowing where our money is going.
.
What are you appreciating at your local farmer's market?

G r a t i t u d e * S u n d a y

G r a t i t u d e  *  S u n d a y

{Sunday's heartfelt tradition. A time to slow down, to reflect, to be grateful. A list of gratitudes.} 

*
If you would like to join us, see below. 

Our gratefulness feeds one another. 

*

~

*

 

Throughout the week I've felt grateful for: 

-Jeff finding edible mushrooms around our yard and preparing them in our meals so deliciously.

.

-The incredible enjoyment Bracken gets from two simple things in the garden to play with: water and dirt.
.
-Windows open throughout the house.
.
-Learning my way around Ravelry a little more and being so inspired for projects to make. What a cool place. (Thanks all of you who added me as a friend and said hello on there!)
.
-Getting the asparagus bed weeded. Well, it's a start.
.
-Making fermented beet kvass. The last time I made some was when I was pregnant with Bracken. (Made it a new way this time, hoping it will turn out.)
.
-Writing my to-do list down to give my brain a break from keeping track of the mental to-do list. It was a relief to not be trying to remember everything. Little things, right?
.
-The news that my mom is coming to visit us next weekend!!
.
-Taking new pictures of our lip balms with calendula and peppermint from the garden. Much better.
.
-Kindness from strangers.
.
-The boost and uplift that a few warm words can bring to the day.
.
-Watering the garden with a little helper by my side. (A very cute one I might add.)
.
-Planting two trays of calendula when I realized that we needed much much more in the garden this year.
.
-The feeling of invigorated feet after being barefoot around the garden.
.
-Deciding to be braver and "go for it" in some new ways. I don't want to sit on the sidelines of life, wishing, and wondering 'what if?' Time to do something different if I want different results, right?
.
-Being excited about a wonderful new sponsor for next month.
.
-Loving our garden.
.
-Jeff reading my horoscope out of the paper: me laughing out loud because it was exactly what I had just been saying to him. Love life's affirmations.
.
-Extra snuggles with Bracken when he was feeling a little off one day.
.
-How clean my teeth felt after brushing with our tooth powder. It works so well. My goodness, I love that stuff!
.
-Having someone contact me, asking if I'd like to trade for some handspun wool, right after telling Jeff that I was running out of wool yarn, didn't have the money to buy any more, and wishing someone would want to trade for some. (And handspun is my very favorite!)
.
-Getting a mountain of laundry put away (and how fast out clothes dry hanging out on the line in that warm sun.)
.
-Some trades at farmer's market. Immense gratitude for that!
.
-Bracken being pretty happy on the drive home from market yesterday. (After long days, he doesn't always enjoy a long car ride, so we really appreciated that.)

Like to Join Us in Gratitude Sunday?
.

If you are a blogger, there is a link list below to add your link.

When adding your link...

Link the URL to your blog post and not to your main blog URL.
In your blog post, include a link back here, to this current post, so others who would like to join can find us.

Or..

Share your list (whether one or many) in the comments below.

.
. 

What have you felt grateful for throughout your week?

Market tomorrow? Yep!

We'll be at market tomorrow. 

Looking forward to seeing some of you there!

{this moment}

Today I'm joining Amanda at SouleMama for {this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.


. . . . . . . .

The Garden In May

It's been awhile seen I've done an 'Around The Garden' post. The weather here has been idyllic lately and we've been wanting to spend every moment outside (especially Bracken), but we've got lots that needs doing indoors so we take regular breaks to venture outside (and get some quick weeding done.) 

Are you ready to see a bunch of pictures?

Here are a few things in the garden....

Strawberries.

Maybe the birds will share this year? Or maybe we'll put them all in one spot next year and use bird netting.

Bleeding Hearts.

 Aren't they such an amazing flower?

Kale.

The ones above we are letting go to seed. The rest we've been eating as fast as we grow.

Apple Blossoms.

With all the gorgeous weather during prime-blooming time, we're hoping for a good apple turnout this year. 

 

Lilacs.

Ah yes, more pictures of these.

 Plum Blossoms.

How sweet and dainty they are. The plum tree didn't get pruned this year. On the list for next year.

 Chives.

We're letting many of them go to seed. I love the purple bursts all over the garden.

 Catnip.

Our family loves this herb. We're planting it like crazy this year. 

 Sage.

We're growing a culinary variety again this year and also trying a new one especially for smudging bundles. 

Calendula.

Calendulas opened this week! I used the first ones in a photo shoot with our lip balms (because the pictures I had of them, prior to beautiful garden herbs growing, were boring.) Now the lip balms look so much more beautiful in the shop. We're growing a lot of calendula this year, since we use so much in salves and balms.

Parsley.

We love this curled variety. 

 Arugula.

We eat lots of this in our salads. (And Jeff juices it sometimes too.)

 Fennel.

We let this plant over-winter and now go to seed. I love feathery fennel, it's such a beautiful and sweet plant.

 Echinacea.

We planted two varieties this year - Purpurea and Augustafolia.

 Spearmint.

We planted lots of varieties of spearmint and peppermint this year. One of my favorite smells. And we use a lot in tea. 

 Columbines.

We call them faery flowers.

 Onions.

Planted here and there throughout the garden.

 Horseradish.

Been growing for years and we haven't harvested it yet. But we will.

 Lettuce.

Seeing as we typically eat one salad a day, we need to plant a lot more lettuce. 

 Chard.

We're letting this plant go to seed. We've got a whole tray of chard starts in the greenhouse to plant. 

 Yarrow.

So beautiful when it starts blooming and we use it in our Magical Healing Salve. 

 Celery.

 From last year. Letting it go to seed. Jeff loves to flavor foods with celery seed.

 Collards.

Ah, collards, we love you! (We eat a lot of greens!)

 Endive.

Been eating this in salads. (Jeff juices this sometimes too.)

 Grapes.

Concords. Can't wait to put these babies in the ground! 

 Nasturtium.

We're going to plant these underneath our two apple trees. I read they repel bugs that mess up your apples, so we're going to try it this year.

 Sandals.

Set aside for barefeet instead. (With a background of leaves from last fall that we used for mulch.)

 Zucchini.

We planted green and golden. And some patty pan squash too. 

 Fuschias.

 Just about to open.

 Lavender.

Been weeding around the lavender. It all needs to be pruned badly (which I neglected to do in the fall.) That's piles of kindling drying behind it. 

 Rhododendrons.

They grow wild here, in all different colors. They are so tropical looking and always breathtaking. 

 Irises.

Just opened yesterday. Bracken keeps going over to smell them.

 Avers.

Grows wild here. We just looked up what it was today.

 Camillia.

They're so white, they pop against their green background.

 Honeysuckle.

The little flower buds are so cute. Will be blooming soon.

 Blueberries.

The abundance of blueberry flowers this year are enough to make a blueberry lover weep with joy.

 St. John's Wort.

Is growing like crazy (like usual.) It grows wild here. We use it in our salves too.

Stevia.

Deliciously sweet herb. I picked the tops off this morning. We'll dehydrate them and use them in sun teas.

.

There are a lot of snakes in the garden this year and even though I know none of them are poisonous and they're all rather small, I am still startled every time one slithers by my foot. We haven't had much luck with asparagus so far. We're still waiting to harvest the garlic. There's a bazillion starts in the greenhouse that need to go in the ground. 

What I didn't show you on this garden tour are all the weeds. All the piles of projects. But that's okay. This garden is always a work in progress and the rewards are sweet. 

.

What's growing in your May garden? Or windowsill? What would you like to grow?