Never Mow Again!! Buy Two Alpaca Today!

www.AlpacasofStorybookFarm.com


www.AlpacasofStorybookFarm.com

Storybook Farm invited me to do photography and create an extensive website for thier alpaca farm!! So, Jordan and I jumped in with both feet and took lots of pictures. The Herd Info page is my favorite, because each animal links to more information and a bunch more photos. I really like how that worked out. My second favorite page is the Smile button and what it offers. It supplies the reader with lots of funnny pics of alpaca, so go check it out and see if you don't feel more warm and fuzzy.

Jana and Karl Feil are the owners and have been wonderful to work with while trying to create a website that was enchanting as an experience as possible. Word of mouth is the best advertisement opportunity. The more publicity Storybook farm has for their farm, the better. Ask around, and talk about alpacas more often for a bit. Get the word out for this farm located up here in Snohomish/Monroe Washington. If anything, speak of how this farm's website photos really made you smile.
;)
They are goofy friendly creatures that produce a nice product and you'll never have to mow again. Oh, you'll have to scoop poo...but mow? never.

www.AlpacasofStorybookFarm.com


Also, let me know what you think of your experience on the website.

PSS. Shearing day is coming up soon, so check back for goofy E.T. like shots of shorn alpaca.


www.AlpacasofStorybookFarm.com

How do you think I FELT??

I'm addicted to felted knitting projects lately. A new yarn arrived at a local yarn shop and all my knitting girlfriends started knitting with it. Its a wool soy blend. Then, they get brave and wash their finished project in hot water and it all shrinks to size. It hides any mistakes and blends colors softly...it also creates a solid material less "netty" than knitted goods. Since there's not a lot of intricate knitting and purling and lacework to worry about, it's mostly knitting and sizing, so it's right up my alley. I used the yarn to make a handbag designed by Patrons for their soy mix yarn that felts when you wash it. I embellished it with metal handles from "Country Yarns" in Snohomish. I like it, and I think it will go great with any pair of jeans.



See the fun blue handbag in the back of the first photo posted? I made it to match a knit wrap done in a waterfall, cascading design I made last year. (I posted our Alaska trip blog and I was wearing it in the "baby it's cold outside" picture.) I created this using a free pattern from Ben Franklin Crafts, using a blend of Cascade 220, and Knoro, Kyurion as well as fun fur and boa yarns. I'm working on another one like this but using different color choices as I was really hoping for more light blue to come across than what did. This one took about three days time with concentrated effort towards completion. I later gave it to my gramma Carol as a thank you gift for providing Jordan and I with an awesome vacation experience in Victoria, BC. (look for upcoming pictures or slide show) I also gave her a couple balls of yarn in watermelon pinks and green colors and a crochet hook. She wanted to remember how to crochet so I refreshed her memory after I took her to "A Taste Of Britain" in Vancouver Washington for high tea as an additional thank you gift. I've had such a wonderful time getting a new gramma in my life. We have a lot in common and I'm so glad she got me into knitting.

Okay, see the funky shoes in the foreground of the above picture? They are felted and unfelted clog slippers. I found this pattern at "Country Yarns" in Snohomish. I knitted up a pair in Cascade 220 verigated lime and a majestic green. I used a beautiful fun strand that was not made of wool for the upper trim of the clog. When they were completed but unfelted, my mom laughed at my project, and sweetly told me that I'd wasted my time because these oversized slippers were never going to work. She implied that the money and time had been wasted. Teasing me she did until she saw my felted new slippers appear after a day at my Uncle Ron's house using his top loader washer. Her only comment was "I want a pair!!" I laughed and asked her what colors she wanted....and she told me she wanted the EXACT same pair as what I'd made for myself. Happy Mother's Day!! For Mother's Day, she received her very own pair of handmade clogs. Thank you Mom for taking care of Jack while we were in Victoria getting some rest and relaxation. I hope you enjoy your new slippers. I've include mixed pictures of before and after shots using my completed clogs and how they appeared beforehand so you can see the difference.






Keep up with me and what we're up to as I've just completed a laptop bag/messenger bag designed by Amy Butler and using one of her fabrics. I need to get photos to post. Also, keep up with our photo blog located on the right panel of this window in the links area. I'll work on creating slide shows and other stuff. "See" you soon!

Maggie and Jack make it to YouTube!

Mom and Dad got an Easy Button from Staples. Jack and Maggie had the opportunity to learn a new trick.

We've got some smart dawgs....

Check it out!

Congratulations Jer & Becca!

While we have a chance to catch up on things, I want to post a belated congratulations to Jer & Becca who were wedded on March 25th! For a little bit of their story, here's the speech I gave as the bestman at their wedding, along with some photos of them we took on a recent trip to Victoria, B.C..
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Hi everyone, first I want to thank the new Mr. & Mrs. Matthiesen for inviting all of us to come and share in this special day. And thank you everyone for being here today! For those of you that don't know me, I'm Jordan, one of Jeremy's older brothers. I have to say that at first I was surprised that he picked me as his best man after all I put him through growing up, but I couldn't be more excited and honored to be up here tonight.

Jeremy and Becca met while working in Walt Disney World down in Florida back in 2004. I remember a few nights before Jeremy had left to start working there when he and I went out for drinks together. He was so excited to go and live in a new area for awhile and excited about the new job. We knew he'd come back with some fun stories to tell, but neither of us had any idea he'd come back with something much greater, his new girlfriend, and future wife, Becca.

I remember talking with Jer while he was away and hearing about this new woman in his life. They were always having so much fun together and it sounded like they were inseparable. And when Jeremy had returned from Florida he was either always sleeping or always on the phone with Becca. It was driving him crazy to be that far away from her and I'm sure it was driving her crazy as well.

When she decided to move out here and attend school in Portland, I thought we were going to have to hold Jer back to keep him from running out east and "helping" hurry her along. Since they've been together here, they really have been inseparable. It has been wonderful to see them teasing together, laughing, loving, growing with each other, and taking on anything life throws at them; and I've been impressed to see that they did it not just as individuals but as a team.

Jer & Becca, I feel this is one of the strongest things you have together right now, besides your love, you work as a team. You solve problems together, you talk out ideas together, you're both concerned about how the other one feels, and you know how to have fun with each other. Now, don't lose sight of who you are as individuals, but cherish this team work and friendship you have.

And with that, would everyone please raise their glass and join me in toasting the happy couple. May you be friends to each other as only lovers can; and may you love each other as only best friends can. Congratulations Jer & Becca!!!