Wednesday, October 21, 2009

My World is Spinning!


(photo courtesy Google Images)
This is a Samoyed dog. They are very fluffy and they shed alot!

Here is a bag of Samoyed dog fur. It's been compressed
so that it's easier to put in a box and mail to me.


This is a drum carder. It's used to fluff up the dog
fur and cause the fibers to run
in the same direction.

When the fur has been run through the drum carder it looks like this










This is called a bat. It's what's lifted off the drum carder. Now the fur is fluffy and straightened out so that it will be easier to spin.

Here's what a pile of fluffy Samoyed dog fur
bats looks like.
Looks yummy, huh?



Now I take the fluffy fur and spin it into yarn on my trusty
Ashford Traditional Spinning Wheel.


Here's a little bit of Samoyed yarn, still on the bobbin.




And here, at last, are some skeins of Samoyed yarn!
Soft and lofty.



That gallon sized ziplock bag will produce enough yarn for a small crocheted blanket that will be soft and warm.








Monday, September 28, 2009

Chi "Canary"




My Godparents are taking a vacation! They'll be traveling, by cruise ship, to Central America and through the Panama Canal!

So, in preparation for the trip, my Godmother asked me to paint a walking cane for her, covered in Scripture and images that point to Christ.

She Loves IT! Can't stop looking at it!
Now, one day after the Scripture cane was given to her, several people have inquired as to how much one would cost and could they buy one, please!

I am humbled.
And excited!
Here is a chance to use my art as a vehicle for witness!

If you or someone you know might be interested in having me paint a cane for them, please leave a comment, or email me at
JudyAGoddard@aol.com.








































Friday, September 4, 2009

What a girl wants


This past Wednesday was my husbands and my 31st anniversary.

And what, you might ask, does a husband get for his bride of thirty one years? You might think there is nothing that could be given that has not already been given.

But, he got me again!! He really enjoys surprising me.

What do you get the girl that has everything??
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An orchard!









My new Gala apple tree!













My new pear tree!
My new fig tree!





And a new rose bush!
Just because!


|||| This Labor Day Weekend many folks on Etsy are having sales.
You can purchase goodies at 15% off in each of my shops now
through Monday, September 7, 2009||||

It's the end of summer! Has anyone noticed
the beeeautiful full moon?





Friday, August 28, 2009

KIPing Across 6 Flags!



For those not in the know, to KIP is to Knit In Public!

About a month ago a good friend came to visit us and treated my hubby, my daughter and me to day at Great Adventure. We live just about 45 minutes away but I hardly ever go. My DH and DD go every year to the Boy Scouts annual Camperee there.

So, anyway, I thought I'd share my day with you! This is what greets you in parking lot! This coaster is called, "Batman"





( See the itty bitty people all hanging upside down?
<<)














And here I am, happily KIPping away, waiting for my crazy family to make it safely back to the ground again. It wasn't too many years ago I was a major roller coaster fan myself. Now it's nice to say, " If I never ride another roller coaster it's OK with me!


Ah! The dolphin show. (Where they do not teach the dolphins to do tricks. but to enhance their natural behaviors.)







(Double your pleasure,
double your fun!)










Notice the amazing
horizontal flying dolphin!
<




















All that cool blue water. And I sat there in the hot,hot sun with nairy
a drop to drink.










While my brood went off in search of the next breath snatching excitement, I took the Sky Way to meet them at the other end of the park.















Hallloooooo out there!












Howdy, neighbors!







I caught a couple of minutes before the tiger show started to add an inch or two to the sweater I've been working on.










The tigers in this show are not trained to do tricks. They are trained in ways that enhance their natural behaviors.



Up there is a Siberian Tiger^.







To the left is a "Butterscotch Tiger" even more rare than most.











Great Adventure has a great breeding program. They've been very successful helping to make little baby tigers.











Contrary to popular belief, not all cats hate the water! Tigers just love it!









Boy! What an exhausting day! KIPping all that way from one side of 6 Flags Great Adventure to the other!

Time for a nap! 80)



Thursday, August 20, 2009

Consignment , Spreading my wings


I am proud to announce that I have written a small article for "Quilts Galore and More" blog. It's just a little first hand account of how I got started knitting and how it became my obsession.


Yesterday's big event was taking a supply of my hand painted tiles and blank note cards to an adorable little floral shop called, Skye Design Florist. They are also a gift boutique and have put the items I brought to them on display, on consignment. The terms are very go
od, 20/80! Skye Design Florist is located at
1208 Fischer Blvd.
, Toms River, NJ.




And you can visit them on line at;

Here are some photos from the great little shop:


Until 3 years ago, this little clapboard cottage was a bait and tackle shop. It sits on a busy thoroughfare, right close by the marinas.

Fishermen would walk from the marina side to buy their moss bunker for the "chum" pots, used as bait.

Well, my friend Becky bought the shop and started doo-dahing it up. But the fishermen came back, after the winter season, and were so dissapointed that the bait shop was gone, that she decided to install a freezer at the back of the shop and keeps it filled with bunker, spearing, shrimp and squid!

Now the fishermen are happy! And she's happy, and I'm happy!
We're just all so galdurned happy!

Friday, August 14, 2009

Summer?

I know this is rather a rhetorical question, but, did you have summer this year?

We here, on the east coast, seem to have been doing something else when summer slipped by.

I hear that in the far west summer has been brutal. I am truly sorry to hear that. Once when I was out in New Mexico for 3 weeks there was a heat wave with temps over 100 for several days. But the thing is, I didn't find it awful. With somewhere around 10% humidity it was practically like Heaven! Not exactly, but still.....

So, my point is, I'm really kind of glad that summer passed us by. I'm really getting excited about autumn and winter! January is my favorite month!

Here's a sample of the winter line of tile coasters and trivets I've been working on.
It makes my heart happy!


You can purchase them on Etsy.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Look at this neat wall crass!

This is an unusual Monday post. I just found this neat decorative cross and I wanted to share it. You can find it at meandminnie.etsy.com



God Bless America Marble and Wire Cross Wall Decor


Friday, August 7, 2009

"Quit Your Day Job"


Now that I have a new computer, since January, anyway, and now that I have wyfy in my house I can participate in Etsy Virtual Labs! Last night I sat in on my second "Quit Your Day Job" live chat.

For those not in the know, After signing in to Etsy, click on Community and then on Virtual Labs. You"ll see a number of colorful boxes with names and times of labs listed in each one.

When you enter a lab room it looks just like stadium seating and when you click on an empty square seat
your avatar will appear there.
Then you can type in questions and the host of the lab will answer as many as she/he can in the hour allotted.




But here's my very tine beef; both of the sessions I sat in on
were hosted by jewelry makers. am not a jewelry maker and, although by jewelry makers. I am not a jewelry maker and although I was able glean lots of ideas, I did
not feel particularly connected to the host.
I hope that in the future the "Quit Your Day Job" lab will be hosted by a range of artists. As a matter of fact, I will go in the forums and post a request to Etsy Admin. today.




Friday, July 31, 2009

The Storm

There's a song that goes;

"When you walk through the storm hold your head up high and don't be afraid of the dark..."

I have a craft show in two days. I'm not ready. I've heard so many folks say things like, "I was up all night putting final touches
on things and making last minute adjustments!

I really, really, really want to do well at this show!
Have I made enough? Is it packaged professionally enough?
Will people take what I do seriously?

EEEEeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!

OK, Judy, nice deep breaths!

I live in Coastal New Jersey. So you'd think I would do seaside arts
and crafts. Oh no! I have to strike out on my own and do decidedly
non-seaside arts!But since the show I'm doing is in the town of Barnegat Light, NJ, and it's in the shadow of that famous landmark, "Old Barney", the light house, I would do up a couple of "Old Barney growth charts.
I hope I hit it this time!


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I've also just finished my first Christmas item for this year. An Advent Calendar that hangs on the wall. I had a lot of fun designing and putting it together. I think it's rustic and homey. I remember when I was a little girl, my Aunt Shirley would give me paper Advent Calendars each year. This is so much nicer! And it can be used year after year.








I've come a long way in my 15 months on Etsy. I hope I'm learning enough to keep me moving forward.

I feel like, "Any day now, Judy! You'll get it right any day now!



























LIFE IS JUST SO FULL OF COOL STUFF!

My photo
Manchester Township, New Jersey, United States
My nane is Judy and I've been a christian for more than 3/4 of my life. I believe in redemption through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, that God, the Spirit lives in me and gives me the power to do His will and to live a joyful life. I have a Godly husband, a grown son and daughter. I live on a farm with 3 goats, 2 chickens, 2 horses, a cat, a dog and a python. I am an artist and a singer. I was a full time stay at home mom, the hardest job you'll ever love! I have two handmade shops on Etsy. Leaning on the Promises www.leaningonthepromises.etsy.com (Hand Painted Walking Canes) and Beaver Creek Pottery www.beavercreekpottery.etsy.com and an Etsy shop for selling Vintage and Antiques. Jersey Pine Pickers www.jerseypinepickers.etsy.com I post about my relationship with God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, about the things He teaches me, delights me with and how He uses me.