Whiskers and String

It's that time of year again! New critters were dropped at today!

A few new critters are now residing at in Lititz.

This little one isn't quite finished yet, but there is something about his face. He's worked his way into my heart.

Hi there. A little behind-the-scenes for you. A few years ago I started mixing my own wool to get the colors I wanted. For woodland animals, mixed colors just look more realistic. It took a few years to save up for a tiny drum carder, and I can only make small batches, but it is much better than hand mixing (which I still do for just one critter at a time).

Today I was mixing up some squirrel fur. I wanted to make it a little darker than the last batch. I used four colors: light gray, a lovely tanish from a local farm, some basic beige, and some black.

Basically, it all gets fed into the carder in bits, removed, fed into the carder again, and repeat, and repeat, and repeat, and repeat until it is all mixed well and the correct color.

The images show you various points in the process ending with the final gray. It was too brown, so I added more light grey to get the final color. It's a long process. Today it took about an hour to get enough wool for about 6 squirrels. Then the clean up. Wool everywhere!!

2026 goal: Work ahead and have some holiday items put aside before things get busy. Felted Santa hats are very difficult to make--they can be too thick and inflexible. I'm trying my hand at crocheted hats. Wish I knew how to knit!

I will be dropping these little sweeties at this afternoon.

Happy National Hot Chocolate Day! On this frigid Saturday, enjoy a warm cup of rich hot chocolate--and don't forget the whipped cream!

Mug by

Ever wonder what a needle felter does to pass the time as she felts? This one listens to audio books. I listen in the car as I drive to and from shows, while I felt, and as I fall asleep. That's a lot of hours! My total listening time was 1058 hours.

Happy almost new year!! Don't forget about the Sarafina Fiber Art sale. It happens once per year. Stock up now. I just placed my order.

2 Days, 20% Off! Monday 12/29 and Tuesday 12/30

I brought lots of Christmas items to Purple Robin Reserve today! The shop was hopping and absolutely beautiful. Stop by Monday through Saturday 10-5 and Sunday 11-4.

And that's all, folks! Thank you to everyone who stopped by this year, talked with the critters, talked with me, smiled when you saw my creations, told a friend, shared a post, and of course, made a purchase. I appreciate you all. It is a joy to bring happiness to you.

I will spend the winter working on new critters--I have so many ideas--and hopefully, if I'm smart, getting a start on Christmas pieces for next year!

You can always find some of my work at Purple Robin Reserve in Lititz or just send me a message.

Enjoy the holidays with the ones you love.

There is one more chance to grab your sweet little critters before the holidays. I'll be at this Saturday from 10-4. This is a great family event. I hope to see you there. P.S. I've asked Mother Nature to up the temperature for Saturday.