Carrot Man

Carrot Man
Originally uploaded by acornbud

From sheep to carrot man! I had a vision for Carrot Man, but this wasn't quite it. But Totoro is quite happy about meeting him.

A Blustery Totoro Tuesday

I'm having a lazy day today...it's blustery and cloudy outside and I have a few aches from the flu shot. I can't really blame the flu shot as I have aches and pains all the time anyway, but it's nice to think there is a reason for my general sloth. I'm just short of bonbons.

Totoro wind up toy
Originally uploaded by acornbud

This little guy does not hop for long but he makes me laugh. I'm easily amused.


The little pile of wool locks from some unknown sheep blogless Sandy gifted me is now ready to be knit into carrots or pumpkins. One skein was spun and plied on my drop spindle and the larger skein was spun on a Lendrum and plied on a drop spindle. I still some really tight twists in there, despite cooking this with cake dye in a crock pot and snapping it over and over.

I tried pouring the dye over the heated up yarn and it did not go all the way through. I flipped it over when the water was clear and added more dye. The color was all sucked up. I tried adding some red and brown in areas to see if I could get some variegation but I was too chicken to add a lot so they barely show. Processing the wool was a fun experiment!

Totoro Tuesday Already!

It's been a busy week. Here it is Tuesday and no Totoro photos and currently not enough light, so I'm going with some scans. I think the thin plastics with pictures on them are for writing on a desk. The book was from the Ghibli Museum in Mikata Japan. (one of the high points of my Japan trip!)

The Hawaii Internation Film Festival is on and is keeping me busy. The Festival is celebrating 30 years! My favorite movie so far has been Railways. The Japanese country side is very beautiful as seen from trains and reminds me a My Neighbor Totoro. The story is about a 49 yo man who changes his life and follows his bliss. Monga was a gangster movie with lots of very young handsome Chinese actors, just like the announcer said.


Spinning Party was a lot of fun!. I'm reading up on wheels have narrowed the choices down to Majacraft Rose or the green wheel Suzie Pro. My spinning buddies both have the Suzie Pro. I must say it spins really well, but part of me is attracted to the more traditional looking wheel of the Rose.



I finished my first 4 oz. of fiber on the Lendrum. The superwash BFL was dyed by the talented moonlight baker of Hungry for Handspun on Etsy. She also makes wonderful soap. I started a little project but didn't have enough yarn...I can see why Opal doesn't think one should buy only 2 oz of fiber. 4 oz is barely enough for a project. My yarn is bulky or aran weight (by the eyeball test) and lumpy. It's not the fiber's fault, lol.

In search of "boo" and Totoro Tuesday

It's been a rather dry summer so I have to water plants once in a while. The last two times I did, it rained the next day. I can't imagine the torrents that may have been if I'd washed my car, too.

Here in Hawaii, there is no Hobby Lobby, Joann's or Michael's. When the coveted Ben Franklin 40% off coupon comes it, it seems a shame to waste it. I obsessed on the spider web embossing folder but the closest Ben's was out of it so I settled for a 12x12 storage container for paper. The next day I tried another Ben's and the folder was available! I get home and went in search of "boo" without success. I must have destashed my Halloween stamps in a fit of organization lust. Luckily Halloween was 20% off at Fishers today.

Life seems full of coincidences sometimes and it makes me wonder. I suspect I'm not really a rainmaker and that the sale had nothing to do with my lost boo.

Totoro decided to dress up as candy corn for Halloween.

(Totoro is a decorated cutout from the 2010 Totoro Calendar)

I like the Lendrum Spinning Wheel Opal loaned me. It's maple, folds, and is easy to adjust and set up. It also comes with a bag. What I don't like is threading the yarn orifice with the crazy hook. I filled one bobbin full of Candy Corn superwash BFL, dyed by Moonlight Baker. After reading up, I decided to spin this to make long repeats, then proceeded to split the roving in half the short way instead off length wise. Live and learn, lol. I'm sure it will still be pretty. I could chain ply it, but I'm not inclined to try that yet.



This is a mosaic of 3 Totoro puzzles. Totoro playing his ocarina in the tree was a challenge to assemble. Luckily no pieces where lost in the long construction phase.


Oops, I almost forgot my WIPs

TTL Mystery sock KAL for Socktoberfest, in Schaefer Anne.











White Caps Fingerless Mitts

Totoro Tuesday

I once had a refrigerator with a wooden door. It seemed like a nice idea, but one of the biggest drawbacks, was I had to give up my refrigerator magnets. I was not sad when that refrigerator finally went for many other reasons, but the new one is magnet friendly. The flying Totoro magnet was a gift and came from Japan. The felt ones I got locally at Shirokiya and one was a gift. And look! There are my two darling boys when they were little...sigh. One of them made the star years ago.


This is the latest Totoro in Beaverslide and stuffed with mill ends from the Brown Sheep Mill.


My dad turned 91 October 4. My sister flew in and my niece and son joined us for dinner and cupcakes from Hokulani Bakery. He had the best day he's had in quite a while.







Opal and Blogless Sandy came over for a spinning party. Opal left her Lendrum at my house. Sandy and I have decided to spin at least 15 minutes every day. It really helps. There was a lot to eat...the day went by so quickly. We had so much fun, we forgot to take pictures.

(I'm still looking for my pill shaver to work on the witch hat)