The dyepot is currently steaming and I am embarking on another full week of home and business-related going-ons.  I am still in full steam ahead mode to bulk up my shop contents and right now I am doing some duplicates of the current colorways on different fiber to use up extra dyestuffs.  I believe the next colors in the series I will work on will be Blueberry, Cherry Belle Radish, and Potato Harvest (but don't quote me on that ;)

I'm also contemplating April's batch of Phat Fiber samples, on the eve of the March boxes going out.  I believe I will do fiber this time, as I am focusing pretty heavily on roving right now, and probably use up a the huge swath of New Zealand wool I acquired a ways back.  I wish they had specified a breed but it feels like your standard Romney/Corriedale cross or something of that nature.  Reasonably soft, tighter crimp, good vanilla color.  The format it is in, which is essentially a large batt or un-attentuated roving, is impossible for me to sell in the store despite  the quality of the wool, but it is PERFECT to break up and sell as samples, which I will likely attach to 4x6 cards with the details of what my business offers on the front, product information, and perhaps a coupon code on the back.  Still contemplating packaging for these samples, but I am leaning away from bagging the product at this moment just given the volume of the wool, we'll see.

I will likely be doing the Romaine Lettuce colorway as it is soft, springy, and "Green" to go woith the April theme.  I'd love to use something truly green, as in eco-friendly, like hemp or bamboo yarn, but all my current dye formulas are acid dyes, which do not dye cellulose fiber very well.  I just don't have the time right now to formulate the Procion colors to reasonably match my Jacquard colors.  I'll have to have a good bit of time set aside to experiment with those, as it is both a different dye method and a different set of dyestock in terms of depth of shade.  Oh well, acid dyes it is, then!

In other news, Lilah finally popped her first two teefers, at the same time and with minimal fuss, this past week!  I can't believe she's growing so fast!  Callie hasn't done much that is 'new' besides words, which she is acquiring at an ever increasing rate.  Note to self - watch the language used around the kids!  Fortunately DH and I have a pretty sanitized vocabulary any day of the week but I just want to be extra vigilant now that she's my own personal, wiggling parrot.

Winter is definitely dragging here, and I am eager for the thaw (and a working vehicle) so I can take the kids down to the park.  We have a great one fairly close by but walking isn't an option without a double stroller to stick them both in.  I am considering asking my mother-in-law if I can use her bike trailer, which pulls behind any bike and holds two kids, as our bike paths are quite wide and pedestrian friendly, but I am not sure yet.  It would be good exercise at any rate, but I'd have to wait until it warmed up pretty significantly to use that, as opposed to just waiting until it's 40-ish and thawing.

I'd let Callie play in our yard but unfortunately it is both boring and needing some serious leveling, mowing, rocks hauled out, etc etc.  Peter and I wanted to do that this summer but we aren't sure where the money will come from.  Fixing the leaning fence posts is an absolute must, but the rest may just have to be lain fallow again.  It's a shame, but we'd rather do it slowly than accrue any significant debt over it.

Anyway, life plugs along here as it always does, and right now my big focus is getting more stuff in my shop so business will pick up.  It has been dreadfully slow and even the response from the Phat Fiber box has been less than I'd hoped for.  I honestly think it's more the time of year and financial situation (people cutting back on luxuries)  than a reflection on the quality of my stuff.  I am just going to continue to do my best, make pretty colorways, and hope for the best.