Stained Glass

Posted on August 26, 2013 by cliffhousemom

This is the yarn that I (aunt Geri) plied at the Western Welcome Week show.  When you spin a hand-dyed roving you just never know how the color will “pool” once it is spun, but this one turned out fantastic.  It reminds me of stained glass panels in a cathedral.

Geri Kirstin

Kirstin and I really enjoyed spinning and plying at the show, and there was a great deal of interest in the art.  One lady stated that it was great seeing us at the spinning wheels because it “proved” that our merchandise was really handmade – really!  Kirstin spun her heart out, and had a constant stream of people watching her and asking questions – what a trooper!

Stained Glass

Stained Glass

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Stockings by the fire

Posted on August 23, 2013 by cliffhousealpacas

It’s been over two years since I (Kirstin) did any felting at all, but last weekend, I was feeling inspired. With the charity show coming up on September 7th and the Christmas crafting season in full swing (I know, really), it was time to make more stockings!

TreeStocking_03

I use a combination of needle felting and wet felting to make the body of the stocking. Needle felting uses barbed needles to tangle the hairs together, and wet felting uses soap and agitation. I overlay several layers of fiber (this is from Cici), and needle felt it loosely together. Then I wash it in alternating hot and cold water baths, to shock it into tightening up.

TreeStocking_02

I draw a full-size draft on tissue paper, then recreate the drawing using colored bits of fiber that I needle felt into the proper shapes. It’s a pretty labor intensive, and very creative process. It’s taken me a week to get this far:

TreeStocking_01

It’s hard to see in the pictures, but the tree and presents are all three dimensional. I actually spent all last night adding ribbon to just two of the packages, because I’m that detail oriented. And slightly crazy. I think once I’ve decorated the tree, I’ll be less underwhelmed with the design. Hopefully, anyway, because this was a lot of work.

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They’re Here: Custom Alpaca Rugs!

Posted on August 21, 2013 by cliffhousemom

We waited in anticipation just two months as Reinhardt, of Ingrid’s Custom Rugs, wove our alpaca’s fiber into beautiful area rugs for us. On Monday the boxes we sent full of skirted fiber returned to us as works of art for your floor. Aunt Geri and I, Momma, opened the cardboard enclosed fiber as though we were children in a candy store.

Rugs Rugs

Reinhardt returned to us 24 square feet of 100% alpaca fiber wrapped around a jute core which produced 2- 3 x 5 rugs, 11- 2 x 3 rugs and 2- 2 x 7 runners. Each rug has it’s own unique pattern; some are fringed the rest are banded. All of our rugs are hand loomed by Reinhardt and his employees in Paint Rock, Texas.

 Rugs Rugs

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Western Welcome Week Highlights

Posted on August 20, 2013 by cliffhousemom

We know it’s Tuesday, but we needed Sunday and Monday to regroup. Jared stayed at Cliff House Ranch and cared for our animals while we experienced the joy and hard work of Littleton’s Spirit of the West Arts & Crafts festival.

Now that Western Welcome Week is over our family is moving on to our September 7th charity event for the Colorado Humane Society & Cimarron Sky Dog Reserve.

Aunt Geri created a 3 ply spool of hand dyed 100% alpaca in the morning

Aunt Geri created a 3 ply spool of hand dyed 100% alpaca in the morning.

Laura, our Jewelry artist, enjoying some Java and the children's parade.

Laura, our Jewelry artist, enjoying some Java and the children’s parade.

Dad, contemplating our setup.

Dad, contemplating our setup.

Kirstin continually educating an endless stream of 75,000 visitors.

Kirstin continually educating an endless stream of 75,000 visitors.

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A herd of 8…………..

Posted on August 16, 2013 by cliffhousemom

Look how cute!  Aunt Geri here with a new herd of 8 alpacas – scarf pins they are and they come in several fun colors.  Like the real alpacas, they are all just a little different and each has its own character.  The pins are made of copper or brass wire.  They will be with us on Saturday at Western Welcome Week in downtown Littleton.

Herd of 8

Did you hear what the herd of alpacas heard about Littleton’s Western Welcome Week? One day only Arts & Crafts festival day from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This Saturday–tomorrow! The herd is going Christmas shopping early!

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A little fiber and a few beads…

Posted on August 14, 2013 by cliffhousemom

…make a wonderful fiber fashion statement! It’s Aunt Geri, and I’m designing and donning some more alpaca fiber jewelry.

Necklaces

Just like the jewelry I talked about on Monday; these are all knit with an alpaca and silk blend. The gold yarn has small seed beads plied into the yarn which glitter like raindrops. Knitters will recognize these necklaces and bracelets as “I cord” ++ then you add a few jewels and sew them up! They can be casual or little black dress.

Necklaces

Momma here with a note of appreciation to Aunt Geri for sharing her creative spirit with all of us. We are all, dear readers, the richer for it. ++ Cliff House Alpacas will again be participating in Littleton’s 85th annual Western Welcome Week. The Arts & Crafts festival this week-end begins at 8:30 a.m. and runs until 5:00 p.m. ++  one day only. We will be on the south side of Main Street, between Prince Street & Rio Grand in booth numbers 408 & 409.  See Ya there!

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Fiber Ripples

Posted on August 9, 2013 by cliffhousemom

Aunt Geri here – unveiling the necklaces that I promised to be working on finishing.  I finally forced myself to put the closures on – some fun since they are magnetic and grab your needle and scissors in the process!  But the user will find them so handy.

Necklace4 Necklace3

All of the necklaces are made with alpaca/silk blend yarn – the silk provides a little more strength.  I practiced on a yarn that was already beaded and the “Raven” yarn that I recently spun.  Then I moved on to the beaded one which is really dramatic.

Necklace2 Necklace1

Current production includes fiber bracelets and some cute little alpaca scarf pins – the show is drawing near. We hope to see you at the Western Welcome Week art show on August 17th, 9-5 in downtown Littleton Colorado.

Editors note: We are on a family vacation and have not been been posting to the blog. This morning up and early we planned on being back at it, only to discover that the time change has made us late.

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“Sea-Foam”

Posted on August 2, 2013 by cliffhousemom

Aunt Geri here –  I’m thinking of the Holfelders’ family vacation to Maui. Tropical storm Flossie moved through quickly, and I trust they will have sunshine and aqua waters!  This latest yarn I’ve just finished spinning, is a wonderful hand dyed sea foam color – I’m sure it will be somewhere on their Hawaiian palette!

Sea-Foam

This fiber was such a refreshing break from all the “natural” browns that I have been doing.  As usual, it is a 3-ply fingering weight yarn and it is so soft and lofty.  ALOHA!

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Another One of my Bright Ideas.

Posted on July 31, 2013 by cliffhousemom

Dad here, with the July heat, I’ve noticed the alpacas go through all of the water buckets we fill up for them every day. The alpacas love to drink out of the horse’s stock tank, and because Heidi and Boogie are possessive of their water tank; I thought why not give the alpacas a stock tank of their own.

Inspecting Adding

There’s a split in the fence that separates the boy’s paddock from the girl’s paddock.  It just happens to be the perfect size for a 100 gallon stock tank. After I leveled the ground, I slid the tank into place so that the boys got half of the tank and the girls got the other half.

What is it It must be for us

Of course the entire installation process required supervision by all five of the girls.  After the job was completed, approval was required by the above listed job supervisors. “A job well done, Dad.”

Water? Good Job

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A Colorado Country Garden

Posted on July 29, 2013 by cliffhousemom

A rainy day in July seems to bring out the vibrant colors in my garden. Dad here, sharing with you photos of the front yard flowers and the bright jewels they attract.

My garden's jewel: a female Broad-tailed Hummingbird.

My garden’s jewel: a female Broad-tailed Hummingbird.

Our late spring delivered several lovely surprises after the snow had melted.Yellow Salvia

I’m content when I’m working in my garden.  I know the reward will be bright blossoms everything and everyone will enjoy.

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