Lil Chickies Everywhere....

Hang onto your hats...this post may be cuteness overload :) Exactly 2 weeks ago, my box of 17 chicks arrived in the mail. They were soooooo ready to get out of that box and into their nice warm brooder.
As so in the brooder they went and immediately they went to scratching and pecking and running around. The little puff balls were so entertaining to watch I noticed an hour had drifted away without me even realizing it.
Oh and those cute little peep peep peeps...it would just melt your heart.

Now with two weeks past, they are AT LEAST twice as big as in these pictures, and though they are still very cute...they are kind of at that awkward stage. They have almost fully feathered wings, but the rest of their body is still covered in chickie fuzz.

Even at that awkward stage they are a blast to simply sit and watch....

25 weeks

Alright, we are at week 25! I would like to say it has flashed by...but I have to admit I am counting the weeks as they pass and how many there are to go.

After another week long horrible cold I survived without any cold medicine, it's hard not to look forward to things like benadryl or a big ole swig of nyquil. The strangest part is I haven't been sick for 20 years-until I was pregnant. And it has now happend twice in the last 6 months!

Truth be told, this does seem to be a wonderfully smooth pregnancy...I am just used to my body working a certain way and not being able to do things throws me for a loop. Like tieing my shoes...I had no idea how difficult that would become. Or when people joked that I would one day not be able to see my toes...I confess, I didn't take them seriously, but I now know that is about a month away. Or how about when you are laying down to sleep, all snuggled in, and baby decideds it's time to practice her dance moves...obviously she is not on the same sleep schedule as me :)So, here I am at 25 weeks...I am officially in maternity pants and far more comfortable than I was when I was still trying to squeeze into my regular jeans!!! I wear maternity tops now too because my regular shirts won't fit around my belly any more. And I am now showing enough that I actually look pregnant and not just like I have eaten too many pizzas! I even got asked when I was due by a complete stranger...I actually thought she was very brave to attempt that question, but it made me feel a lot better about being so rolly-polly!!!

Only 15 weeks left...I seriously need to get my hiney in gear and get some baby things made!!!!

I Heart Indie Crafts

Over the weekend I took A Swell Yarn Shop out to the public to I Heart Indie Craft Show in Kirkland, WA. What a great time. This was definitely my kind of show...vendors with creations of all kinds!!! There were some of the super cool unique crafts there, if I hadn't been a vendor I would have definitely enjoyed being a customer (I DID do a little shopping!).

What was even more special about it was that my sister Karla also did the show with her super cool neck gaiters (which I bought another one of...just couldn't resist). It was the first time Stitchasaurus was out in public selling her wares. I was very thankful I had my neck gaiter when Monday brought a mini flurry of snow. They are the handiest things EVER (and very soft and cozy to boot!) :)

I am very seriously considering doing the show again in May...only drawback is I will be very very preggo by then :) Stay tuned and to find out if you show A Swell Yarn Shop in person again soon :)

Chickens

It's almost spring once again and since I discovered my new addiction last year, I have been eagerly awaiting February. That's because February means CHICKEN time :) That's right! Chickens!Right now the feed stores are getting all their day old chicks in. People have their brooders all set up, heat lamp ready, for all those little peeps. Well, this year, instead of going to the feed store and fighting the crowd on a give breeds day, I opted to order my chicks by mail. That's right, BY MAIL. You can get chicks sent right to your local post office for pick up!!! Mind you, I still stocked the feed store websites to see when my preferred breeds were coming in, but when I noticed they were weeks apart I decided to give mail order a try.

My little peeps are scheduled to arrive next week!!! I have Australorps (the black one), Red Star (orange one) and White Leghorns (white one) coming! A couple weeks later I will be getting a couple silkies just for the novelty of them...they are cute little puff balls!

What this means for everyone who has already enjoyed my happy chicken eggs is there will be even more available come this fall. So no one will be left out any more.

I gotta say, never in a million years would I have imagined how much I would love raising chickens...but it might possibly be my number one favorite hobby. It combines my love of critters and my love of colors (plumage & egg) and puts them together like sewing and knitting have never done before.

Stay tuned for adorable chick photos coming soon! :)