Alpaca Meadows Blog

I Have Moved - Please Come Visit!

2010-11-10T06:05:00.000-08:00

We launched a brand new website, and with it a brand new blog... Hope you'll come visit and follow me there!

Mix and Matching Yarn

2010-10-08T06:59:00.000-07:00

I met a gal at the Cleveland Clinic Farmer's Market last week that spotted a hat I had made...

I often, well almost always, mix and match my yarn... I start with one of my Hand Spun Alpaca Art Yarns and select other yarn based on the colors of that yarn. The pattern I use over and over is Loving Georgia Lee Tyler by Christine Marie Way Tyler & John Wesley Tyler.

I have made many, many shapes and sizes and colors and styles of hats using this pattern. I can't say I always follow the pattern exactly, but instead pick up whatever size hook seems to fit the yarn I'm using and try it on frequently while I'm working for size!

The gal I met asked me to make her a set... so I have added Texting Mittens, also known as Twittens( I just learned) for toasty texting!!

For these, I found a pattern for mittens, left off the thumbs and fingers, and crocheted an edge to finish them...

'Paca Purses

2010-09-15T17:42:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine who owns a furniture and decorating store, gave me several boxes of upholstery fabric samples that had been discontinued ...

... and I am having great fun with all the beautiful fabrics...

and some great alpaca photos!

I printed them on Inject Printer Fabric that feeds right through my printer just like a sheet of paper.

I am calling them 'Paca Purses and have taken some special orders for people who want me to use a special photo. So far they've all been pictures of alpacas, so darn cute!

Blustery Autumn Felt Bowl

2010-09-14T07:50:00.000-07:00

Involution made the Front Page on Etsy today with her beautiful Blustery Autumn Felt Bowl, congrats!

Here is what the artist says about herself ...

"I am a seamstress, wool felter, and jewelry maker, and I love continually exploring new ways to combine these arts into well-crafted, original pieces that are made to be loved for a long time. Wool felt is an ancient medium - durable, natural, and eco-friendly.

In my imagination, beauty is trendless. It is about knowing ourselves, loving who we are, and celebrating our uniqueness. We weren't ever meant to be all the same, and I hope you find something here that calls out to what is beautiful about you."

I love what she says in her bio ...

"I'll admit it. All of my life I've tried to fit into boxes - career boxes, personality boxes, you name it. And I wondered sadly what was wrong with me when I couldn't ever seem to find a pre-prescribed box that really felt like home. So I'm incredibly proud of Involution, because it was the beginning of my heart waking up, the dawning of the possibility that I could chop my own unique path through life's wild underbrush. On a chilly fall day a new idea swept me away with it, and almost before I knew what I was doing, Involution was born.

When I'm creating, my mind goes silent and I just follow the current of my impulses. Involution has become a way for me to express and honor the crazy and beautiful ways we are all so special, because in my imagination, beauty is trendless. It is about knowing ourselves, loving who we are, and celebrating our uniqueness. We weren't ever meant to be all the same, and I savor the truth of that with every piece I make."

Her shop that she calls Involution is definitely worth a visit!

Making Roving With A Drum Carder

2010-08-30T13:00:00.000-07:00

I ran across this video clip that I thought I would share... Looks like it would be worth a try! If all you see is a black square, click on it and the video should begin.

Strauch Drum Carders

Fiber Show, Chicago Time

2010-07-15T04:48:00.000-07:00

Well, it is 5:30am and I am up! The only problem is I am in Chicago sharing a hotel room with my husband and daughter, and it's just 4:30am here ... I found coffee, a newspaper, and a little Business Center with a computer so I am set.

I am here to be a vendor at the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Show at Lake County Fairgrounds in Grayslake, Illinois. It is a three day show and sounds wonderful, with lots of vendors, classes, workshops, give-aways, demonstrations, garment competitions, even a fashion show!

Today is set-up day. We are assigned set-up times according to where our booth is located. I'm scheduled at 9:15, should be finished by noon if not sooner, then we plan on taking the train into the city. My husband's sister lives here so we plan on spending the rest of the day with her, checking out Navy Pier, the Sears Tower, the Magnificent Mile, and whatever else we stumble upon.

It will be a working vacation, mostly working, but it is great to have a little get-away and change of scenery. My daughter will have a chance to get to know her cousins who she hasn't see in years!

Plying With Beads

2010-07-06T13:35:00.000-07:00

Although stringing the beads was a bit challenging, and manipulating my single fiber strand without getting it tangled in the strung beads during the playing process could have made me crazy, I was very pleased with the end results!

These are the hand-dyed Suri Locks that I started with.

I spun carelessly from uncarded locks not worrying about any kind of uniformity. I felt like a kid going out to recess, playtime!

Once I got a rhythm going and coordinated pushing a bead forward when I was ready for one, the plying flowed smoothly.

I used my Louet Spinning Wheel, versus my little electric spinner, because I needed to stop and start frequently. My Louet gave me the control I needed without having to turn it off and on.

I named it, as I do all my yarns, "Pretty As A Princess".

Stefanie Berganini has written some good instructions on spinning this kind of artyarn- click Plying With Beads

on the Spin-Off Magazine website.

This looks like a book I ought to have!

Alpacas and Daylilies

2010-07-01T07:49:00.000-07:00

I love my alpacas. Not only are they gentle, passive, interesting, majestic creatures each with their own personality, but they provide beautiful, luxurious fleeces that allow me to engage in many creative endeavors using their fiber, which then helps to feed my family, but best of all feeds my soul ...

Pasqualena

Okay, that was deep! Alpacas also produce manure, and it is great stuff ... I have used it as fertilizer many places on our farm, some of which I wish I hadn't, as I now have enormous bushes around my house that have grown so fast they'll probably have to be dug out sometime soon.

I also have beautiful flowers, thanks to my alpacas. And I learned a little about daylilies today...

Stella d'Oro Plant

This is the now-famous daylily that started the race to the "rebloomers." The name Stella d'Oro translates to "Star of Gold".

Today, it's a national trend, and "Stella" is the number one daylily in the country. Many gardeners say their "Stellas" are in bloom practically all summer and fall. And this is why this variety is planted almost everywhere now--you'll see them in median strips on interstates and in almost all good commercial landscaping, even at gas stations and fast food restaurants.

This all tells you that this is a no-maintenance, and I am into no-maintenance, easy-bloom perennial--what better reason to add it to your garden!

It all started with the original "wild" orange daylily. Many Americans think the tough old orange daylily they see in old gardens and along roadsides is a wildflower, but it really isn't. No daylily is native to North America; most hail from Asia.

Daylilies are not really "lilies." In fact, they are quite different. True lilies grow on tall stems with flowers at the top.

Daylily flower stems (called "scapes") are generally much shorter, and grow from a fountain of grass-like foliage at ground level.

Daylilies don't grow from bulbs like true lilies. Daylilies form a mass of thickened, fleshy roots. These unique root systems hold so much moisture and nutrients, the plants can survive out of the ground for weeks. This survival system, making them tough, and really easy to handle, is one of the reasons they're so popular today. They're also dependably hardy, so once you have them, you have them for years.

The famous old orange daylily and the well-known old Lemon Lily are not the only "wild" daylilies, just the most famous. There are 20 daylily species, worldwide. Today from those 20 plants, more than 20,000 hybrids have been created, to satisfy gardeners who love daylilies, and just can't get enough.

Today's craze for reblooming daylilies all began with Stella d'Oro, the now-famous yellow dwarf daylily that blooms once during late spring and then again in late August and into fall.

Hybrid Geranium Repels Mosquitoes

2010-06-25T12:17:00.000-07:00

I was Girl Scout for a number of years, but not until I had two sons of my own that were Boy Scouts, did I learn to use dryer sheets to keep mosquitoes away! It really works. I usually wipe it on any skin that's exposed, and then just stick it in a pocket!

Crushing a few leaves of the Mosquito Plant and rubbing them on your skin also works to repel mosquitoes! I have several large bushes growing back by the barn. It is very hardy, my kind of plant, and the foliage is pretty.

I did a little research and found that the Mosquito Plant is actually a genetically engineered geranium hybrid! Interesting ...

Darn Cute

2010-06-23T10:37:00.000-07:00

Oh fun, I just got my order of plush toys. They're not made of alpaca, but they are pretty darn cute!

Jasper

Paddy and Lena

Choco

Winner - Bird's Eye View!

2010-06-15T09:10:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Nestle and Soar's Shop, the winner of this week's "The Birds" Treasury!

Bird's Eye View

Thank you to all who participated!

"Blue Suede Shoes" Hand-Spun Alpaca Yarn

2010-06-08T14:09:00.000-07:00

I don't know WHY I give my yarn names! Any other hand-spinners out there that does this?

It just seems like something that's been done by hand, from birthing the baby to raising the alpaca, to skirting, sorting, tumbling, washing, dyeing, carding, spinning, plying, skeining, and washing again ...

... ought to have a name!

I usually name it the first thing that comes to mind . . .

In this case, it is "Blue Suede Shoes"!

The Birds

2010-06-05T12:17:00.000-07:00

I love to hear the birds sing, beats an alarm in the morning, and I like to get up with the birds. I don't always wake up when they do but I'm glad when I do, guess you have to be a morning person to appreciate that sentiment!

THE BIRDS

Little Green Bird Plate by Joy Elizabeth Ceramics Shop

Love Birds by Little Vale

Hummingbird Topiary Flower by Middleburg's Shop

Mr. Black Capped Chickadee by Tracyemueller's Shop

Yellow Bird by Amber Alexander's Shop
Turquoise Fleur and Perched Sparrow Silver Earrings by Vintage and Glam's Shop

Red Bird by Carambatack's Shop
Vintage Crowned Bird Violets Forget Me Nots Music Sheet by In My Cedar Chest's Shop
Fancy Chicken Girl in Pearls by Middleburg's Shop
Golden Moss by Fiberstory's Shop
Beaded Bird Pin by Moloco's Shop
Pink Starling Dress by Koolmono's Shop
Bird's Eye View by Nestle and Soar's Shop
Multiply by Zime's Shop
Rustic Birdfeeder Birdhouse by Bacon Square Farm
The Day When My Worries Flew Away by Poco Loco Creativo's Shop

Leave a comment and vote for your favorite Etsy item, that is not your own. The winner will be posted here, in next week's announcements, and on my FB page!

Esmerelda Gives Birth

2010-05-18T19:55:00.000-07:00

At about 9:30 am I checked our "Spring maternity ward", and all six soon-to-be-moms again were up grazing, no sign of anyone being in labor.

I got company about 10am, we watched the alpacas out the kitchen window for a few minutes, then sat down to visit. At about 10:45am, I glanced out the window and saw a new cria, already up and walking and looking for something to eat! That was fast, easy too!

Our guard llama, Lacy Lady, sits nearby as is typical when there is a new baby.

Seeing Lacy sticking close to a pregnant female is a sure sign she is in labor.

Lacy stands watch until the baby is born. Once she sees all is well, she goes on about her business. It is uncanny how she knows and does her job.

Esmerelda was born on our farm and my daughter named her.

The other alpacas are always curious and excited to meet the new kid.

Her mom is Duchess and her dad is the Prince of Ghiradelli. Isn't he a handsome male?

Esmerelda had a hole in her heart when she was born and we were told she'd never be able to have babies.

At a visit to Ohio State University, we learned the hole had grown closed.

Now she is mother to three, first two boys, Eli and Ezra, and now a girl! Maybe we'll call her Eliza . . .

SGAR's Peruvian Zumaya

And the daddy!

How To Make An Etsy Treasury

2010-05-14T06:56:00.000-07:00

First of all what is an Etsy Treasury?

Etsy says, "They are curated galleries of items chosen by the Etsy community. They are not intended for self-promotion, but instead to acknowledge and share the many cool things for sale on Etsy. Etsy Administration often chooses an exceptional Treasury list to promote on the home page."

It sure is fun to get featured, good for business too!

This is the Treasury currently being featured on Etsy. They are always fun to see, the creativity is endless, and I get inspired!

I've been doing Blog Treasuries, because it is fun, it promotes other artists, and it introduces them to my blog because I notify them that they are in my Treasury and they come to see it!

I was recently asked how to make a Treasury and in order to answer the question I did a little research.

What I found was an Etsy Treasury Demo Blog. It is a wonderful resource that should help anyone interested in doing this, pictures too!

I'm sure it's not complicated once you have done it, but I got lost in all the instructions and didn't want to spend so much time trying to get my Treasury chosen.

The following is what I have figured out how to do, works for me!

1. Open your Favorite Items.

2. In another screen, open the Etsy Poster Sketch Tool.

3. Having deciding on a theme or a color palette, choose a Favorite Item and click on it. Select and copy the item number that you see in the address bar. In this case, it would be 45184230.

4. Paste it in one of the listing id boxes in your Poster Sketch Tool and click ok. Your first item will appear. Continue doing this until all boxes are filled. From the current item you have chosen in your other screen, you can use the back arrow to go back to your Favorites. You can rearrange the items in the Poster Sketch Tool by dragging and dropping.

I guess I'll finish the one I'm working on, so I can show you.

5. Next I click on View, then Full Screen, then Ctrl Paste which will copy what you see on the screen. Open a program that you can paste your new image into, I use Microsoft Publisher. Paste it, then crop out what you don't want. I like to add a background that complements your Treasury. Save it as a jpeg and upload to wherever you plan to post it!

Winner - Under the Sea Painted Shoes!

2010-05-12T04:16:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Norakaren, the winner of this week's "Prom Time" Treasury!

Under the Sea Painted Shoes

Thank you to all who participated!

Summer Sky

2010-05-10T13:22:00.000-07:00

Here is my latest hand-spun yarn . . .

I've listed it on Etsy and am calling it Summer Sky, thanks to my Facebook friends offering suggestions! It's a pretty one.

I think it would be cute knit or crocheted into a hat or mittens.

Prom Time

2010-05-07T11:39:00.000-07:00

PROM TIME

It is prom time in our neck of the woods and so that is the theme of this Treasury of favorite items I've chosen from some wonderful Etsy shops. My middle son is a senior in high school so this will be his last prom, unless he comes home from college and goes with the next-door-neighbor like I did! Five proms was my count, can't believe my mom let me go those first couple of years.

My daughter is 13, just informed me yesterday that her friend Ashley has a boyfriend. How could this be? The worry begins. Wish the girls still wore dresses like these . . .

Leave a comment and vote for your favorite Etsy item, that is not your own. The winner will be posted here, in next week's announcements, and on my FB page!

Dahlia Flower Picture by Shaded Memories

Under The Sea by Nora Karen's Shop

Fantail BustleTutu by Perry Style

White Green Rose Corsage Bracelet by Lunetmuse's Shop

Sugar Star Earrings by BellEpoch's Shop

Teak Dreams by YOKNIT's Shop

Prom Paper Bag Scrapbook by LJs Originals' Shop

1960's Vintage Sage Green by Timeless Vixen Vintage's Shop

Dress Long Strapless by Lan01's Shop

Custom Order for Jen by Bethany Lorelle's Shop

Long Lake Surprise by CSchmauder Watercolor Shop

1930's Women's Marie Antoinette Party Dress by A Better Time's Shop

Summer Pinks by Little Owl Arts

Perfect 80's Prom Dress by Rogue Retro's Shop

Learning by MISMA's Shop

Pink Pearls Beaded Ring by Elma's Boxs Shop

Shearing Day Is Behind Us

2010-04-29T07:33:00.000-07:00

Today is Thursday, we sheared on Monday. I just now feel recovered!

We were scheduled at 10am Monday morning. Sunday night we received a call and were told the time would be changed to 2pm. I contacted our helpers and hoped they would still be able to come. Considering the forecast of 100% rain we thought this might actually work out better. We would be able to get alpacas in and fans on in an effort to get them dry.

We didn't pen them in the night before because we thought we'd have time to deal with wet alpacas first thing in the morning. Instead, at 7:30am we received another call saying the shearers would be there at 10am. The owners of the farm scheduled at 7 were not home when the shearers arrived, so this put them ahead about 4 hours!

We shifted to high gear, contacted our helpers, brought the alpacas in, set up pens so they could spread out, and turned on the fans!!

All's well that ends well. Suris dry more quickly than huacayas, we learned that!

Trying to stay organized, keep helpers organized, and shear alpacas in an orderly fashion we started with our light colors, shearing suris first, then moved to browns, multis, and black.

Because we are working with a certified sorter apprentice this year and hoping to learn how to do this ourselves, the fiber from all alpacas was taken off and carefully laid on a sheet of plastic, then rolled up so it can later be unrolled on a skirting table.

Head, tail, and belly can then be more easily identified and coarser fiber skirted away, versus throwing it all in a bag and having finer fiber contaminated by coarser fiber.

It was a great plan except that at the end of the day, all our neatly rolled blankets had to be unrolled and spread out on the barn floor to dry! The best laid plans . .

Several days later they were dry and have been rolled back up until next week when they will be unrolled again and sorted!

And now the alpacas all look a little silly. Several days of cold weather followed shearing day. I am sure we had some cold alpacas.

I would rather err on the side of having some cold weather than go into June with pregnant females still in full fleece. With fiber that is warmer than wool, they get hot!

Teeth, toenails, topknots and tails are trimmed on shearing day. It's kind of like a day at the spa, well not exactly . . .

Today the sun is shining. It is warming back up and we have a herd of happy alpacas!

And lots of beautiful fiber!

We'll be sorting next week, then making decisions about what we will do with our crop this year. All grades of fiber can be used for something! Check out 'Paca Fiber on our website if you're interested in purchasing raw fleece before it goes to the mill.

Mitten Felting Class

2010-04-27T08:22:00.001-07:00

Felted Mittens, originally uploaded by AlpacaLady.

Durable and warm, these felted mittens are a great warm weather project. You may get wet so pick a sunny day!

For those of you that live nearby, I am offering a Mitten Felting Class on Saturday, May 8th from 9am - 2pm, or however long it takes! To reserve a spot, you can purchase the class through our website. Click Fiber Art Classes.

There is a kit available with the supplies you will need. If you have your own fiber that you'd like to use, just purchase the foam forms and a felting tool. A two-needle tool is sufficient.

A washboard is helpful, but not a necessity. We may even experiment with an electric sander!

These mittens are not hard to make. If you're not in our area, just purchase the kit and try them at home. They will keep your hands warm this winter!

Earth Day and Alpacas

2010-04-24T06:21:00.000-07:00

Earth Day Founder Gaylord Nelson passed away July 2005 at the age of 89. He believed strongly that education is the key to changing people's attitudes about the environment and he devoted much of his energy to that challenge.

All About Earth Day

Earth Day is a day designed to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's environment. It was founded by U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson as an environmental teach-in held on April 22, 1970 and is celebrated in more than 175 countries every year. Earth Day is celebrated in spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Many communities celebrate Earth Week, an entire week of activities focused on environmental issues. While the first Earth Day was focused entirely on the United States, an organization launched by Denis Hayes—the original national coordinator in 1970—took it international in 1990 and organized events in 141 nations. Earth Day is now observed each year on April 22 in virtually every country on Earth. Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network. World Environment Day, celebrated on June 5 in a different nation every year, is the principal United Nations environmental observance.

I had no idea when or who started Earth Day and found this interesting. We can even be knitting green and be using alternative fibers that are more friendly to our planet.

Alpacas are earth-friendly, just another reason I love alpacas . . .

Alpacas have been domesticated for more than 5,000 years. They are one of Mother Nature's favorite farm animals. They are sensitive to their environment in every respect. The following physical attributes allow alpacas to maintain their harmony with our Mother Earth.

The alpaca's feet are padded and they leave even the most delicate terrain undamaged as it browses on native grasses.

The alpaca is a modified ruminant with a three-compartment stomach. It converts grass and hay to energy very efficiently, eating less than other farm animals.

Its camelid ancestry allows the alpaca to thrive without consuming very much water, although an abundant, fresh water supply is necessary.

The alpaca does not usually eat or destroy trees, preferring tender grasses, which it does not pull up by the roots.

South American Indians use alpaca dung for fuel and gardeners find the alpaca's rich fertilizer perfect for growing fruits and vegetables.

A herd of alpacas consolidates its feces in one or two spots in the pasture, thereby controlling the spread of parasites, and making it easy to collect and compost for fertilizer.

An alpaca produces enough fleece each year to create several soft, warm sweaters for its owners comfort. This is the alpaca's way of contributing to community energy conservation efforts.

Is A Farm Store In Your Future?

2010-04-22T06:24:00.000-07:00

I've been published! Not because I've set out to be a writer, but because I was asked to contribute to the brand new magazine that the Ohio Alpaca Breeder Association has put out, called Ohio Alpaca Life.

On-line, on-the-road, or brick-and-mortar? For me it has been all three. I do feel blessed to have this sustainable natural resource, renewed each year at shearing time, gorgeous alpaca fiber and fiber products that I can actually derive some income from, especially at a time when alpaca sales are at a lull. Let me share a little bit about my journey...

Is A Farm Store In Your Future?

By Julie Petty

Brick and Mortar
I'll start with the brick and mortar, because that is where I started. I am a hands-on kind of person. I knew I wanted to do something with the fiber, I wanted to be able to show people how alpaca fiber could be used, and I wanted to realize some income from this venture. About three years into the alpaca business, we put up a small building next to our barn. My husband and son did the wiring, and hung some track lights. My dad and I put up some wallboard that looks like brick on the inside walls. We left the floor as-is, just the wood planks that formed the subfloor, so it is fairly rustic looking. It's a good thing because we have occasionally had alpacas in the store. I hung some curtains, and we had a farm store!

The next step was to get a vendor's license. In the state of Ohio, there are two types of vendor licenses, "Regular" and "Transient". A "regular" vendor's license is issued to vendors with a fixed place of business and is only good for one location. It may be obtained at the County Auditor's office or on-line by clicking Application for Vendor's License. The Transient license is required for the retailer who transports goods to temporary places of business in order to make sales. The license is issued by the Department of Taxation and valid throughout the state or on-line, click Application for Transient Vendor's License. I am then required to report sales semi-annually and pay the tax collected during the preceding six-month period. You may want to consult an attorney about what licenses or permits are required in your state.

Next I needed merchandise. I had fiber, plenty of that, which I bagged by the pound in drawstring bags. I made labels, pictures of the alpaca contributors, our logo, website, and price, and I had something to sell! That was easy. I was learning how to spin at the time so I also had some of my hand-spun yarn, again with a nice label, picture of the alpaca whose fiber the yarn was spun from, and all the pertinent information. I was learning to spin and had my hands full with that, I knew I did not also want to do the processing, so some of my fiber I sent to a mini-mill and had made into rovings. Now I had fiber that was ready to spin and another product to sell. Once I learned to dye, I then had hand-painted rovings to sell.

I also bought product. Several vendors that I used at the time were Peruvian Link, Andean Art, and America's Alpacas. There certainly are others that can be found easily by doing an on-line search. I bought some sweaters, blankets, gloves, socks, and scarves. I had two display racks from America's Alpacas which I used for the sweaters. My store was filling up quite nicely.

Purchasing at wholesale prices requires you to have a tax identification number. If you don't already have one, they are available at no charge, click Online Application. Purchasing wholesale usually requires purchasing a minimum quantity. It is easy to get a lot of money tied up in inventory, if you're not careful.

Retailers in most industries need to make "keystone", that is a 100% markup between what they pay and the retail price to cover your cost of doing business, make a little, and discount as needed. Discounting as needed is exactly what I ended up doing with the high priced alpaca sweaters, in a non-retail location, in a small town, on a farm. I later found that smaller, less expensive items, sold better especially when during bus tours. People just wanted a little souvenir from an alpaca farm. The exception was this Christmas, I sold sweaters! Sometimes it is anybody's guess and it is a challenge, figuring out what will sell and where.

I didn't expect to have much retail traffic with a farm store. We have a long gravel driveway at the end of a residential street. You don't drive by and see alpacas. That was okay because I didn't want to keep retail hours. The store has been very nice for farm events such as National Alpaca Farm Day, seminars we've held at our farm, tour groups, farm visits, and the holidays. I occasionally have a customer at other times, but not often. If I were to advertise and spend time promoting the store, I could have more business, but that is not what I've chosen to do. My work is at home on the farm so I tell people to just call ahead. I'm open if I'm home. In case I miss somebody driving past the house on their way back to the store, I have a sign with my cell phone number on the door asking that they call me to let me know they are here. I keep it fairly loose.

On-The-Road
I do sell to other alpaca breeders, though they are busy with showing and watching the show. The majority of my sales have come from the public and traffic is usually good if the show has been well promoted. I usually have my spinning wheel in my booth or my carder and I usually am demonstrating which always attracts attention! It also gives me something to do if I am slow, I don't sit still very well. I end up talking to people that are interested in getting into the alpaca business, because I am a captive audience, and so I have also made some good contacts by vending at alpaca shows. Setting up and tearing down for a show is a job, so I'm always thinking about how it can be done more efficiently. Alpaca shows have always been worth my while, just seems like breeders ought to get a break on those big vendor fees!

Another challenge is to not have an empty store when I pack up to go to a show. I almost needed double the merchandise so that the store looked presentable in case we had a visitor while I was away. That has gotten better. I didn't have much money tied up in additional inventory and found that bags of fiber nicely displayed, filled in some of the empty spaces. I also now have more hand-made items and fiber kits, that don't all need to be taken to a show.

Fiber festivals have also been good. Two that I have gone to are the Great Lakes Fiber Festival in Wooster, Ohio on Memorial Day Weekend and The Wool Gathering in Yellow Springs, Ohio in September. This year I will be traveling to a show I've not done before, the Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Fair in Grayslake, Illinois. These shows are fun to do, though you have competition if you are trying to sell fiber and yarn, because so is everyone else! If you are a fiber artist, these are fun places to shop. Finding a niche, selling something different than everyone else, is the key! There is a list of fiber festivals on the Knitter's Review website. Looking for art shows - click Zapplication.

My most recent venture was to try out farmer's markets, and that has been quite successful! Farmer's Markets seem to be gaining popularity and springing up all over the place. Buying local and hand-made is a trend that seems to be on the rise. For me it has involved getting up very early in the morning to drive several hours to get set-up in time for the market to open at 8am. It wouldn't be for everyone! I have attended markets locally that were big flops. Finding established markets, usually near a bigger city, has made my efforts much more productive. Customers have actually started to look for me, but that comes from going back repeatedly, and becoming a familiar vendor at the market. We've been asked to bring alpacas on opening day at two different markets and that is always a huge success!

It can be fun traveling to shows, getting off the farm some, seeing new places and meeting new people!

On-Line
When I decided to sell products on-line, I started with a farm store on Alpaca Nation and did a little bit of business. The next step was a stand-alone website with a farm store and on-line shopping cart. Building a website was a huge undertaking, not for the faint of heart. What I then learned is that it is one thing to have a nice website, but it is a completely different matter getting people to visit! I was fortunate enough to find several vendors who were willing to let me put their products on our website, and then drop ship for me when I received an order. This was huge because it meant I didn't have to carry inventory. For this reason, I have been able to branch out into fiber equipment such as spinning wheels, carders, and accessories. You can view our website at www.alpacameadows.com where we are open "on-line anytime".

When funds were low, and now as well, I learned there are many places on-line to post classified ads for free! There are Yahoo groups and forums to get involved in as a way of promoting business. There is Facebook. My kids are on facebook, I never imagined I would be, but I have taken the plunge and found there are lots of alpaca breeders on Facebook and that it can be a valuable marketing tool! I have a business page at http://www.facebook.com/alpacameadows - "keep up with what's new at Alpaca Meadows - become a fan today!" Facebook can be a valuable marketing tool.

There is Twitter, though that is really new for me and I'm not real sure how productive it is. Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as tweets. It is an information highway. If you're a Tweeter, you can find me at http://twitter.com/alpacameadows. I have still have much to learn in the social networking arena, but from what I read, I need to get on board and ride.

I'm also blogging, not clogging, blogging! Blog is short for web log, and is actually a web page that serves as a publicly accessible personal journal for an individual. It is like a website but it is active in that the information is frequently updated, versus a website that is static for the most part. My blog is at http://alpacameadows.blogspot.com. The spin on my blog is "Sharing Life as a Fiber Artist Living On An Alpaca Farm". I am including lots of pictures and how-to's in an effort to make it interesting and engage the reader. It is yet another way of networking with prospective customers and allowing them to see me in a more personal way.

I am on Flickr, an online photo management and sharing application, and another way to connect with people with similar interests. Ravelry, of which I am a member, is a community site, an organizational tool, and a yarn and pattern database for knitters and crocheters. There are many groups available to join and forums to post in, to learn new things and promote products. Both sites are free! I am AlpacaLady on Flickr.

Last, but not least, I have a shop on Etsy, like Betsy, without the B. Etsy is a website that provides the general public with a way to buy and sell handmade items as well as vintage items and craft supplies. My shop is AlpacaMeadows. ArtFire is another online marketplace and it is free. What has been very helpful with Etsy is that there is help! There is a community of helpful people and lots of information from pricing your products, to photographing, to tagging, to marketing, and lots, lots more. Again, this is a marketplace for all things hand-made so this is not for everyone either.

So, is a farm store in your future? I've shared with you what I have done, but there are many ways to go about selling. I am no expert, and I still have a lot to learn, but I've been successful because I work hard and I'm not hesitant to try a new approach.

I hope you'll visit The Farm Store at Alpaca Meadows!

10 Tips for Successful Media Marketing

Winner - Baby Bib Flower Sprays Girl

2010-04-20T09:46:00.000-07:00

The winner of this week's contest is

Baby Bib Flower Sprays Girl by Monster Bug Blankets

Congratulations!

Be sure to check out this shop on Etsy . . .
Colorful gifts for wee babies and toddlers! Appliqued Onesies and Tshirts, Cozy Blankets, Bibs and Burp Cloths. Lovingly handmade in Alabama!

Blog: http://monsterbugblankets.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/monsterbugblankets

Thank you to all who participated!

Birthing Season Is Upon Us

2010-04-16T14:14:00.000-07:00

Here I sit in my office. It's killing me this morning as I look outside and see blue sky, green grass, yellow daffodils, and trees budding, finally! It has been a long winter. I must get outside. Working out of my home, owning my own business, wow, is quite a challenge. I try to be disciplined, but the fresh air is calling me.

I think I'll go out and take some pictures . . .

With Spring comes birthing season and we are very close to the arrival of our first two babies, alpacas that is, called crias. Champa and Trepeta are the first two mamas to deliver. Their due dates are April 17th and April 18th so we are very, very close!

This is Champa in her younger days. From Chile with a birth date of January 1, 1994, she is 16 years old and the oldest alpaca on our farm.

She is turning a bit gray after that many years and nine babies, that we know of. This list includes Mr. Champion, Chauncey, Cacao Chapaco, Devonshire Cream, Cream Dee'la Cream, Rae of Light, Cinnabar, Discovery, and Unlimited Joy. She is the matriarch of our herd.

Trepeta is a younger girl, in the prime of her production years. Her heritage is Peru and she comes from some famous bloodlines. She is one pretty girl!

This picture is before she was shorn that very first time.

She has had one baby, a female whose name is Ditto, because she looks just like her mom!

Both Champa and Trepeta have slowed down in the last few weeks, spend more time laying around, tend to separate from the herd, and are a little irritable when another alpaca gets in their space. I've seen some rolling going on as they help to get those babies in position to deliver them.

I have lots of windows in my kitchen and I have a great view of the pasture right behind the house. That is where I keep our "maternity ward", the moms with new babies and those getting ready to have babies. I can watch from a distance so as not to make them nervous.

Most times the birth of a new cria happens just the way it is supposed to. I often think I need to be there to help but sometimes too much human intervention causes more problems than it helps.

It is a miracle to me each time that all falls into place, and most times it does happen just the way it is supposed to. Just like our own lives . . .

Moms usually give birth standing, once the head and front legs are out mom takes a break, baby hangs there a short while which allows fluid to drain from the lungs.

Gently the baby slides to the ground. I do like to slide a blanket under baby before she hits the ground, probably not necessary, no one does it in the wild, but I feel better. . .

Alpaca Baby Birth Video

She squirms around and must figure out how to get to her feet to find something to eat, in order to survive.

Within an hour a new cria is on her feet, has met mom . . .

. . . and is receiving the nourishment she needs. All is well.

After eleven plus months of waiting, it is still exciting to anticipate the birth of new babies. Witnessing the birth is a privilege.

Spring Has Sprung!

2010-04-14T06:46:00.000-07:00

Spring Has Sprung! I think it really has and I am loving it. The earth comes back to life, all is fresh and new and growing again.

Leave a comment and vote for your favorite item, that is not your own, in my Spring Has Sprung Blog Treasury. The winner will be posted here, in next week's announcements, and on my FB page!

April Showers by Colorbomb Creations

Spazzy Snazz Handspun Yarn by Yo Knits

Daffodil by Kruser's Shop

Flower Fairies by Beautifulplace

Slow Lane by HamjArt's Shop

Chamomile Droplet by Lychee Kiss' Shop

Dancing with Nasturtiums by Choumie7's Shop

Original Watercolor by Marleyungaro's Shop

Felted Pillow by Pokeytree

Tree of Life Pendant by DKJ Art

Beige Yo Yo Flower by Ninaninamenina

Baby Bib Flower Sprays Girl by Monster Bug Blankets

Rainbow Art Yarn by Funky Yarns

Pearl Wire Wrapped Pendant by Little Owl Arts

Pink Tears by Shaded Memories

Nostalgia by Foxed Eye Sights