Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Baa Baa Black Sheep…

Have you any wool?

I guess my affection for sheep dates back to my childhood and maybe that’s also why I’m enamored with wool to this day.

I working with wool.  I the way it feels and I the scent that emanates from the storage bin when I remove the lid.  I also find it a very forgiving medium with which to work because it is so easy to manipulate and is very forgiving.

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When I was chatting with my friend Julie this morning, she asked me the question, “What are you mad about?”  Julie wasn’t asking me what I was ‘angry’ about, but used the OZ expression ‘mad about’ referring to what was I passionate about.  Christmas is coming and and we are trying to find out about appropriate gifts to make for one another.

As we were chatting, I got to thinking  about my many passions and it dawned on me that one of them was sheep.  I guess I inadvertently started to collect sheep many years ago and after we had finished our on line ‘conversation’, I decided to walk around the house with my camera and take inventory.

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Our spare bedroom is my designated pasture which houses the bulk of my herd.

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This is the shelf above the bed.  There are vintage German sheep, chalkware sheep, redware sheep, plush sheep,  papier maché sheep, a pastoral scene that I painted and my favorite…an antique Steiff lamb with blue glass eyes…the one in the center on the top shelf.

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Sheep are grazing on and around each bedside table...

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and on top of the quilt rack as well.

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More sheep sightings in the hallway…

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and by the front entrance.

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They’re even in the living room!

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And in the den on this redware plate…

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and in the laundry room.

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And how could I not have one or two in my studio to keep me company while I sew?

*  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *

Baaaaaa…I mean…

Happy stitching!

Kaaren ♥

 

33 comments:

  1. Hi Karen,
    Du hast eine tolle Schafsammlung.
    Ich mag Schafe auch sehr gerne und hier bei uns an der Nordsee laufen ganz viele Schafe und sorgen dafür, das die Deiche fest getreten werden.
    Sie erfüllen damit einen wichtigen Zweck.
    Liebe Grüße Käte

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  2. I love seeing your sheep collection.
    I am a cat collector, they are everywhere.

    Debbie

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  3. Kaaren thanks for the tour! you have lovely sheep. :O)

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  4. What a fun collection and tour! It's funny how sometimes we don't really realize how much we like something until we take the time to think about it!

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  5. Have you seen the quilt pattern,"Sheep in the Willows"? I think that is the name. It is a stitchery pattern but can be adapted to use wool applique instead of stitching. I am doing the wool applique. Just thought I should ask since you love those sheep...vbg!

    I have a question. What do you do to keep the moths out of your wool projects? I finished a wool wall hanging and the moths had a nice dinner. I was heart sick because I wanted to enter it in a quilt show. Btw, I can't stand moth balls. I guess I can do a google search before I start working on Sheep in the Willows! Have a great day. Loved all the sheep! =) Karen

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  6. Oops, forgot to tell you I love the photo on your header. Very nice. Karen

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  7. If the sheep are spread out all over the house, then you really don't have many, right? LOL It's always amazing to discover how much we have of our collections when we go around and start counting. You have your sheep displayed wonderfully - I love your house! It's so warm, cozy, and inviting. I'm sure it helps you be so creative.

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  8. I'm another cat collector, although I'm not adding any more to what I have! There are glass cats, ceramic cats, metal cats, you name it! Your house looks lovely and warm with all those wool producers around! :-)

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  9. Kaaren...when you collect something you sure do COLLECT something...lol...like your sheep...they are lovely...and i can relate....i collect cows!!
    Great pictures again...your house looks very cosy!!
    greetings ♥ Francien.

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  10. wow, you really do have a great collection. I like sheep too but only have 2.

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  11. hahaha! How funny is that!? I have a few sheep myself...but I haven't disvovered my real passion for anything yet. Funny how you just surround yourself with what you love and one day you just realize that you are "mad" about something you just thought you liked. How wonderful is that? Very wonderful indeed! Thanks for sharing! Now back to inspecing my house for clues...I might be mad about pumpkins, seeing how they are evrywhere...all year long, LOL!

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  12. Hi Karen
    I love your "lamb" collection, i always look for them wherever we go, is our surname i have a black sheep too, that been me lol.

    Hugs
    Laura

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  13. yes sir, yes sir, 3 bags full! Love your sheep collection. Do you have a sheep pincushion??? I have one cute little sheep I brought home from Ireland.

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  14. Kaaren you tour of your sheep collection was sheerly delightful!

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  15. Loved the tour of your all your sheep. Thank you

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  16. Great sheep collection! I'm a rug hooker and I collect sheep too! I shared pictures of them on my blog a few weeks ago.....

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  17. Had I been a visitor to your home, I think I would have noticed right away that you like sheep. I like them also, but only have one or two that I can think of. I think you win the prize for the most.

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  18. aww, what a cute flock you have. i'll have to start calling you mary now methinks!
    julie xox

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  19. Hi Kaaren--I love your "Mad about" sheep collection!!! I have just started collecting them myself--but my one sister has collected them for years--she has a huge collection--anything with a sheep or lamb was collected!!!!
    Hugs, Di

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  20. What a wonderful collection of sheep. It does seem a natural that you also love working with wool. I'd say it's a match made in heaven!!

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  21. Well Julie shouldn't have any problem with that suggestion, do you know how many sheep there are in Australia. Definitely more than there are people. You have quite the collection there and they look lovely around the house.

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  22. I love your collection!! Thanks for show and telling!!
    Paulette

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  23. Yep, you're mad about sheep all right! Love them all!

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  24. I love your sheep. They make a wonderful collection.

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  25. Such a charming home you have!!

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  26. You have been having lots and lots of fun collecting all of those sheep. I imagine each one could tell a story!

    Friends,
    Susannah

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  27. Wow Kaaren! I'm loving all of your photos! I must admit, I do not have *quite* as many sheep as you... but I'm a bit "mad" about them too! Especially the primitive kind or any made in punchneedle or wool!

    Thank you for the eye candy!!!
    Hugs! Vikki xo

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  28. Thanks for the little tour of your sheep collection, I enjoyed seeing them. I think I'm definitely a quilt collector...they are everywhere in my house.

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  29. Well I guess I'll never be able to pull the wool over your eyes, Kaaren!!! Great collection!
    Cheers!

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  30. Hey! How did I miss this post? I love all the wonderful 'sheepies' or 'lambies'

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  31. I am absolutely mad about sheep too :o) I think it is kind of a prerequisite for a prim lover!

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  32. I'm behind on blog reading, but wanted to say that I liked the tour. You sure have a great collection!

    I've never worked with wool before, but that's about to change. Paulette showed a project in this post (http://sweetp-paulette.blogspot.com/2009/10/cathis-pennies-are-gold.html)and I finally caved. So cute. (Oh dear, I just popped over to her blog to find the post and I saw more temptations since I'd been there.) I'm waiting for the pattern to arrive, then I'll pick up the wool. So many projects... so few hours!!

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