Just look at the size of that belly already!

This goat is huge! I put the does in with the bucks Sept. 1st this year. I've never done that this early before. I had noticed that Penelope was pretty big. But tonight, good grief! Look at that! For being just 3 months along, I do believe there might be more than 2 kids in there. And she has an udder already. For a first freshener, that's pretty impressive, I think. She's not a big goat at all either. She's about 1 1/2 right now and looks like a little Pygmy, but she's not. And she is polled too. She's bred to the little Boer buck, so hopefully all those kids won't be too awful big.

                                                              This is from the top.

                                               And here's that udder. I like the teats already.

This is her from last week. I was worried the little guy didn't do anything, but apparently he was busy while I wasn't looking/. I don't think Sandy is pregnant. If she acts like she did a few weeks ago, I'll get her and the buck back together. But I am still milking her and getting about a quart a day now.

I just hope we don't get a snow storm or ice around the 1st of February now.

Holiday market pictures

Yay, I think I have figured out how to upload pictures now from my new camera!!

So this is my booth. I need the canopy to hang the window frame for the candle holders. I think. But it's dark inside. So one of the ladies in my "square" came over and said I should take the top off to bring light in and that I need to have the tables on the outside of the booth. That she has found people don't like to go inside a booth, they'd rather be on the outside. Going inside means they have committed to the whole thing.

So I  am going to get there early this Saturday and make some changes. I would love to hear what anyone thinks about this. It's got plenty of color. But it is dark. I need to come up with something to hang the window from then take the whole canopy down.

These are the hanging candle holders or night lights. They're so pretty at night with the flickering candle inside. Or hanging outside on a tree branch at night. I'm making more because I did sell several.

And these are some of the wine bottles, jars and vases. I think I am going to get my 2 card tables back and use them instead of this shelf because it's hard for people to get down far enough to see these. So this will be gone.

These 2 bottom shelves are the Christmas jars and vases. The top shelf has jars with lids. And the next shelf has vases.

Then here is my soap and wash cloth table. I did add more soap that I had forgotten about so need some more baskets too.

So any advice or comments would be great. I need all the help I can get. I am at the very end of a long row. There are 4 booths in each square.

Thanks for looking! And if you are close, come on by and visit.

One down, one to go

Well, this weekend has been a big learning experience, to say the least. I had fun, but I am pooped. I do not see how people can do this weekend after weekend. Loading everything up, unloading everything, setting up everything. It's a lot of work. I did have fun though. Next week I will have to change some things around in my booth. I have a canopy that we had hung a pretty shower curtain as a background for my soap table. And I have a wooden window with no glass in it to hang my candle holders on that needs to bu hanging up on the canopy. So I need to take the top of the canopy off so it's not so dark inside. And according to more seasoned market vendors, people don't like going INTO a booth. They would rather be on the outside going around the tables. Who knew? SO I have some work to do next week to make it more inviting to people.

I did sell a lot of soap and wash clothes yesterday and one candle holder. Also took an order for a special vase. Today sold a lot of jars and candle holders. I was very happy about that. One lady bought $50 worth. And a lot of soaps. So a good day today. I hope next week is a lot better.

Does anyone else do these type of crafty fairs? And do you actually make money at it?

This market costs $100 per weekend. And I thought that was all the costs. But yesterday, several of the venders around me had white envelopes they were getting ready to take up front. I asked about it and they said it was the envelopes we are supposed to put our 10% of our sales inside. I didn't have one nor had I heard anything about this. So went up front to ask and they said it was in the application online. Well, didn't see that.

Then this morning, a lady stopped at the desk before going in. So I thought I had to as well. I asked what I was supposed to do and they said something about sales tax and then a business license. So I had to pay $4 for this weekend and then $5 more next weekend for the business license, which they were out of. It just seems like they are not all together here. And then I had to ask for a receipt for the $4 I had just given them and he said he thought he had given me one. Nope. Anyway, seems like a lot of money for this and that that I was not aware of when I got into this. It just makes me wonder if people actually make any money doing this.

Down to the wire

Whatever that means. But I think it fits here.Because I am all done and ready to start packing up to go get set up at the Holiday Market Too this afternoon. I have been working every day trying to get all my vases and candle holders and Christmas jars and soaps and wash clothes all made and ready. I don't really know what to expect. I have only ever sold my soaps and jars at farmer's markets so far. But never at an actual craft fair. I just hope people like what I have for sale and actually buy things. Ya just never I guess.

My daughter and I went yesterday to get our truck, so I'll have both vehicles to take everything in. I need to wash out the bed of the truck first. It's still got hay and wood pieces in it. It's a farm truck. And it looks like it. But I don't have enough room in my Trooper for all I will have. I guess everyone who does craft shows has a lot of things to carry in. I am so glad it's inside too.

So if anyone lives near Chattanooga, come on by and get your Christmas shopping all done! It's free parking and admission!! It's on Carter St. downtown Chatt. This weekend and next I will be there, but it goes through the 22-23. And I think I saw somewhere that it's also the 21st. So come shop and visit.

Signs, signs, everywhere a sign...

Does anyone remember that song from the '70's? It was one of my favorite songs.

So I was sitting outside today, crocheting. It was an amazing day, in the 70's, sunny sky and whispy clouds. It just hit me that it's Dec. 2nd and I'm sitting out in the yard crocheting. I felt like I should be tilling the garden and planting for spring.

Anyway, the road dept. started working on the road out front of my house , right before my house then down about a 1/2 mile. They have dug out all the bad places and scraped down about 4". They have several signs before the road work that say "road work" and  "BUMP". And it is a pretty steep bump. I know, because I didn't believe the signs. I do now.

So, while sitting outside today, I can hear traffic going by. I got to thinking how there are some people who read signs and obey them and some people who don't read signs. Or just ignore them. Or just plain don't know how to read at all. I can hear some cars or trucks slowing down before hitting the bumps. And some people don't. I guess they think it's best to just fly over the bumps and it doesn't make  a difference. I just think it's funny how people are so different.

But such a beautiful day today. And I got several more vases and jars done. And more wash clothes crocheted. I have taken everything out to my garden shed to make room in the house again. I need a dedicated work area if I'm going to be doing this a lot. I do have the "barn" next door. It's really a small house with a kitchen  and bathroom and a big open living room with a nice porch. But when we refinanced they weren't going to because we have 2 houses on the same property. So I loaded it down with hay. And now it's a barn.

BUT when the hay is gone, I am going to make it a studio for ME. I will make soap in the kitchen. And cheese. And have a work space for everything else. I can take my spinning wheel over there. I can have a whole house all to myself! It'll be great to have all my stuff over there and not all over the house. I have been working on the dining room table and it's covered up all the time. So all my crafting things will go over there too. I love the idea of a "studio" to work in. It needs some work, but we can do that as we go.

I hope everyone has had a good day too, wherever you are.

And I did get a new camera. A Nikon Coolpix S3300. I love that little thing. BUT, I haven't figured out how to get the pictures from it into here yet. I will have to break down and read the huge book that came with it. Or get my daughter or grand daughter to do it for me. It takes beautiful pictures. And videos too.

Saving Sophie

Yesterday, I saw a post on FB asking if anyone would give their life for their dog. Apparently there was a father, mother and son who all drowned trying to save their dog that was struggling in the ocean in California. They all drowned while the daughter watched. And the dog got out fine. So sad.

As I read all the responses to that question, I really didn't know what my answer was. At first, I thought, no way would I risk my own life for any of my animals. I have a husband and kids and grand kids whom I love very much. I don't think I'd want to put them through that. But I just have no idea what I would do if I were ever put in a position to have to save one of my dogs.

So this morning, while giving hay to my goats, I saw Stella, my youngest dog, over in the side yard. There is a small dug out place that holds water all the time. I call it my little pond. I looked closer at what Stella was after and saw Sophie in the water trying to get out. Sophie is 15 years old and her back legs don't work so good.I have no idea how she got in the water or why she was in the water. I think Stella was trying to help her out. And it was about 30 degrees last night so that water was cold. I have no idea even how long she had been in the water either.

I had to run back to the house to get to the yard and to the pond. All I had to do was reach down and grab her. I got her out and went to get a towel to dry her off. Poor little thing was sopping wet and cold. But I thought how awful it was watching Sophie struggling to get out and falling back in. I could not have watched and done nothing. Although I didn't have to risk my life for Sophie then, I think I would have if she had been in the middle of a lake or bigger pond. It was hard to see.

I have to say that Stella really saved Sophie.

So what would you do?

This and that

 Looks like it's been awhile since I posted anything here. I have been getting ready for the Holiday Market in Chattanooga. I was thinking I had the 1st 2 weekends of Dec. I'm glad I checked the emails again because I found out, after calling to confirm, that I have the 2nd and 3rd weekends. I am relieved because I was really stressing about not having enough to take. I have been working like crazy on the jars and vases and candle holders. Even went to a few thrift stores again yesterday to get more vases to do.

I had already made a whole lot of soap. And I have been crocheting wash clothes and dish clothes like a mad woman. I thought I could just whip up a few hundred jars in a few weeks. I am such a "wait til the last minute" type person but this is something I have learned a lesson from. I should have been doing this all summer. I have 4 big totes already full and have another 2 to fill up. And I can make more after the first market. I hope to have special orders to fill during the week after.

So this is one of the hanging candle holders I have made. I have all colors and different beads. They are so pretty at night with the light shining through. I have an old window frame I'm going to use to hang them all at the market.

I am also making lots of Christmas jars. I loved that book and have been thinking about making a jar for us to put spare change in throughout the year to give to a needy family. But the jar we do use for that  seems to be helping this needy family. One year I am going to do this. Really. So I have several of these jars in different sizes and colors.

Anyway, been really busy trying to get these things done so I can breath and relax a little. That will not happen. But the sound of that sounds good. And I still don' have a camera yet. When I do, I will take lots of pictures of all the jars.

And we had a problem with the wood stove last week. Way too much smoke when we'd open the door to put wood in. Plus smoke puffing out of the pipe and the doors every few seconds. It was awful. So had to let the fire go out and check it out. The pipes were full of creosote build up. Really bad. So then had to get more pipe and chisel out a lot of the bricks in the  back of the chimney to get the pipe to go farther up. Then broke the elbow. Then we gave up. By then we were all tired of fooling with it. Then hubby had to leave. He'll be back this weekend and we will get it fixed then. Thank goodness the days are warm right now.


I am down to milking just Sandy right now. Abby decided she didn't want to be milked any more so dried herself up last month. Sandy had gone down to between 2-3 cups a day fora awhile. Then the last 2 nights has given a full half gallon! Good girl. I have one more Friday for a half gallon milk customer, then all the milk will be for us again, til Spring. I sure do love my goat milk and miss it so much when they are dry. I am just hoping all 4 does are pregnant now. This is my Sandy. I love this goat to pieces, but she sure is a Nubian. Man, she is the most neurotic goat ever!