On My Mind...

This is my first time participating in the Friday 'On My Mind', started by Rhonda at Down to Earth.

In the box is wool I have carded.

On my mind today is my spinning. I now have three babies to knit for and I need to get busy! I am getting raw lamb and alpaca fleeces, carded them, spinning and then knit them into heirloom baby outfits. This weekend I need to finish spinning the wool and then the alpaca fibres, ply them together, wrap into skeins, set the skeins and let dry, wrap into balls and then I can start knitting.

Sounds like hard work, but it is so satisfying to know that I can take a raw fleece and make it into something beautiful and useful.

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Traditional Surrogate needed for fairy tale ending

This is a post I wrote on Bubhub last year when we were dipping our toes into the surrogacy journey. We are now going forth full steam ahead! Hope you enjoy the short story.

Cheers!

Paula

IPs looking for an Aussie TS

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Once upon a time, on an island called, The Apple Isle, in The Lucky Country, lived a King and Queen. Queen Paula came all the way from The Land of the Free, to marry her handsome King, David.

King David and Queen Paula have lived blissfully in a wonderful and loving marriage for over twelve years. It was a perfect match from the beginning, like two soul mates meeting back up with each other after a long journey apart.

During their marriage, they have started a 'fur family'; the first was Lexi, a Ragdoll cat, now ten years old. Next, came Loki, another Ragdoll cat and companion for Lexi, who is now nine years old. Finally, a long awaited puppy dog! Basil is now two and a half years old and is part German Shepherd and part Border Collie.

The King and Queen have tried over the years to have their own children, but have not succeeded. Sadly, Queen Paula had to have a radical hysterectomy due to cervical cancer. The royal doctor left one ovary, in hopes that the royal couple will be able to harvest some fertile eggs. But, there are no royal fertile eggs left in Queen Paula. The royal couple will have to find a traditional surrogate in the village, or in another kingdom of The Lucky Country.

The King is the last of his line, having no brothers or paternal uncles. Sadly, without an heir to the throne, there will be no one to carry on the royal family surname.

The King and Queen have their own business that they run from the castle. Therefore, they are home 24/7, or close to it. There will be no nannies for the future prince or princess!

If you feel that you are able to help the King and Queen by being a traditional surrogate, please contact them by using the royal private message system. They would love to talk to you and answer any questions you may have.

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Journey to find a Traditional Surrogate

My biological clock is ticking loudly lately. We are unable to have children due to cervical cancer claiming my uterus and one ovary. Over the years we have dipped our toes into surrogacy with no real commitment, just curiosity. Now, we have dived right in as we are not getting any younger and if we are going to do this, we need to start now as it is a long journey.

We are looking for a traditional surrogate, which means we will use her eggs, Docs sperm and she will carry the baby. We will also do self AI, artificial insemination. (Well, we'll provide the sperm and the syringe, the surrogate will then inseminate herself, in private). We do not want to use an agency, clinic or consultant, we want to do all of this on our own. This is called going "Indy", short for independent. We also are wanting to go through the public system for the ob/gyn and hospital. We are trying to keep all costs down so that we can spoil the surrogate and of course the baby, when he or she arrives.

We have joined a few sites and have put our ads up and are just waiting to find our surrogate. We definitively are going to use an Australian woman as we want to have an active part in the pregnancy and we want the surrogate to be an "auntie" to the baby afterwards; if she wants. 

Wish us luck and success!

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I'm back!

My apologies for being away so long. I started full time uni at UNE via distance and it has kept me very busy. I am loving every minute of it though! Right now we are on break, between first and semester break. So, I have been busy with our simple life. Doc (hubby) and I have been busy with all kinds of experiments. Here in Tasmania it is winter and Doc has made a little inside veggie and herb garden, in our enclosed front porch. It faces north, has plenty of windows, therefore, getting a lot of sunlight. So far, the potatoes are going strong! Everything else: tomatoes, lettuce, onions and various herbs are growing slowly. But, it's working!

I have finally got the nag of spinning using my spinning wheel. I did it by using a drop spindle first, which helped me to visualize the whole concept. Now, I can use the drop spindle when I am out and about as it very portable. At the moment, I am knitting up some pot holders from my first skeins of plied wool. They are very "rustic" looking. Drying on the rack, I have some beautiful Suri alpaca fibers. I can't wait to start spinning those fibers. I also ordered some silk hankies to spin. They are so soft!

Another experiment we have going is the orange peel cleaner. I got the idea from Just Like My Nan Made: Citrus Cleaner and I can't wait to try my new and nearly free cleaner.

Potatoes!

                                                                          

Indoor Garden!

                                                                     

My first spun & plied wool skeins. Hanging to dry.

Unwashed Merino lamb fleece (300 grams). Top box the fibers are loosened up. Bottom box holds the rolags. Rolags are combed fibers using two of the big paddle combs you see in the picture. Once the fibers are combed straight they are then rolled into the rolags. I will then use the rolags to spin them into yarn.

Washed Suri alpaca fleece (300 grams). It's drying and I'm picking out the vegetable matter, which is the pile of bendies at the top right hand corner.

Citrus Cleaner: Fill any jar 3/4 full with white vinegar. Add citrus peels (you must use a veggie peeler as you do not want the white pith). Add as many peels as you want/can (the above picture has peels from one orange. I'll add a few more to it). Let sit for 2-3 weeks. When ready to use, add one part citrus cleaner to one part white vinegar into a spray bottle. (Example: To 1/2 cup of citrus cleaner add 1/2 cup of white vinegar). Use in kitchen, especially on the stove and in the oven, use in bathroom on soap scum and on floors through out the house. It's also a great deterrent for cats.

                     
                                                                  

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