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What's Happening...

Plateau Fiber Fest

5/11/2017

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We have an opportunity to offer our wares and demonstrate some heritage skills at a brand new, local fiber event this weekend, May 13-14th. We are thrilled to participate in the first Plateau Farmers Fiber Festival at the Buckley Hall in Buckley, WA. We hope this will become an annual opportunity for local fiber folks to share all the goods they've been creating and the fiber their animals have been growing!

We had an opportunity to sit down with the fiber focused minds that brainstormed this event and I assure you, they are working tirelessly to offer the best fiber festival they can! Really! We met up with them just this week (let the count down begin) and I was flabbergasted to hear about these ladies working for days on just a few hours sleep! PHEW!

Their labors of love led them to coordinate this fiber fest to offer an experience not found in the area. Each of these ladies keep fiber animals, from hobby flocks, on up to large herds and the closest event is the Shepherd's Extravaganza in Puyallup - several towns (and lots of traffic) away. We know a lot of knitters, crocheters and general yarn and fiber fans that yearn for a one stop shopping opportunity that is local, fibery goodness and we're pleased that this will 'fill the bill'.

So to all those in Orting, Graham, Eatonville, Sumner, Bonney Lake, Enumclaw, Buckley and more...it's here! Load the buses, haul your friends, grab your Moms and zoom on over to load up on luscious fiber, project supplies, and goodies for you and Mom!!!
(Yes, it's Mother's Day Sunday, what a perfect opportunity!)

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A throwback picture of Jr. Farmer with our very first Angora - Puff!
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Join us at the Fair!!!

4/23/2017

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We are enjoying the final day of the Shepherd's Extravaganza, nestled in the 'J' barn at the Spring Fair in Puyallup!
If you'd like to come on by, we're happy to see you! Just look for the GIANT hand turned crochet hook Jr. Farmer made hanging on the arbor Dad built for the event. 'Lil Miss and Mom will be happily spinning away and all of us are pleased to share the fiber fun with you!

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Want to learn more?

10/5/2015

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Our favorite Washington fiber event is nearly here...

Last year we thoroughly enjoyed participating in the Schafer Meadows Fiber Arts Festival for the first time and found it is our absolute favorite event. With our hefty homestead work load this year, we knew a single selling event would be all we had time for. The fantastic, friendly, family atmosphere and plethora of learning opportunities made this event the obvious choice. 

If you'd like to take a family field trip to learn a number of old skills, see a variety of unique fibers and creations, and snuggle some fuzzy animals it is well worth the drive! This year they've expanded to inc1ude a local alpaca group and their wares. I whole-heartedly encourage all those interested in spinning, felting, knitting and crochet to attend several events like this. You can typically purchase your spinning supplies at a significantly reduced cost by buying USED! The price point of even the most basic of brand new wooden wheels is around $500; whereas a gently used edition can start around $150! We will have a used, original Ashford Traditional (kit version) available to purchase, as well as a beautiful Ertoel "Roberta" electric wheel.

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Click on the picture to learn more!
To accompany these items we will also offer some of Jr. Farmer's newest creations....
Hand turned crochet hooks!
He has been enjoying several wood working projects and wanted to make special pieces for this event, including his popular wood buttons.
Lil' Miss has been carding more of her beautiful fiber batts with fall flare so you can create in even more color schemes!
Tech, with his Notably Notched creations, is offering some of his carvings that took blue ribbons at the fair, for anyone who may be looking for the perfect enhancement to their craft room or a unique gift!
All of this means you have plenty of amazing options for beautiful, hand-made creations! Everyone is contributing and we look forward to being able to see so many new and known faces to chat and share fiber related fun!

We hope to see you there!




To learn more check out our post here and you can take a peak at last years event with a little video Tech did below:
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Happiness is Holding Fluff!

9/26/2015

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We often have the wonderful opportunity to share the joy of our animals with others and when we get to bring some fuzzy fun to local Grandpas and Grandmas, it's especially fulfilling. This time, rather than bringing in our spinning wheel, carders, and some of our fiber creations to demonstrate 'fiber to finished product'; their creative Activities Directors planned a Petting Zoo day, complete with a 20 lb cat, mini donkey, mini horse, a lizard, two different types of dogs and we brought a duckling and some bunnies! The weather was perfect and the smiles were broad! You cannot see them, as the photos were edited for their privacy, but we hope you can sense the warmth in these photos.
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All the grandparents feel especially satisfied if they are able to have the rabbits fall asleep while they snuggle them close.
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Our Muscovy duckling was a last minute addition as their planned 'chicken sharer' was a late cancellation. He was happy to eat their grasshoppers and worms while 'tolerating' doting employees.
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While these Grandpas talked rabbits, 'Fat Cat' absorbed some sun rays and shyly stayed in her crate.
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Sometimes folks are a bit hesitant to hold any rabbit and often ask, ''Do they bite?'' It's understandable, but we always assure them they do not, they're friendly rabbits. *smile* Once they get comfortable, they're soon snuggling them closer.
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These guys are adorable! We have dreamed about our own donkey as a livestock guardian and boy, did this make us love them all the more! Did you know that donkeys have a black dorsal stripe on their backs in the shape of a cross? These boys are definitely chunky, but were both very well behaved.
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A happy snuggling bunny grateful for a warm lap!
The rabbits get passed around and snuggled for a good hour or two, never getting irritated or aggressive. Every time we go, we pray for the Lord's work and believe that's why humans and animals always have so much peace during and after the experience!
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Yes, this lizard has it's own harness and leash...but he stayed snuggled to her the entire time. He LOVED the sun and heat! It was exciting to see his colors deepen and enhance in the natural light.

We are so thankful to have the resources to bring even a little of God's joy to the hearts and minds of those who value and appreciate the beauty of the Lord's creation. He continues to richly bless us and we gratefully give in the way we can. Too often our seniors are far too undervalued in society but we come away learning several things every time we take a few moments to interact with our elder friends.
...for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.  Nehemiah 8:10
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Something Old, Something New

12/7/2014

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You may have seen our post from September about the unique plants and animals we enjoyed at the Evergreen Street Fair.  We stirred your thinking and asked, "Do You Know What This Is?"

We also shared some of the amazing heritage crafts that were being exhibited and freely taught at the October event,
Schafer Meadows Fiber Arts Festival.  The big treat was meeting a wonderful couple that brought together the very plant previously noted and an amazing useful creation... Have you seen the results of beautifully dyed broom corn, a broom squire, his beautiful assistant, and his amazing 'machine'?

                                          



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IT's Almost HERE!!!!!

10/22/2014

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This Sunday is our much anticipated

Harvest of Handcrafts

Fall Fiber and Autumn Arts Event!

That's right, so many naturally hand made items for you, your family and friends to enjoy.

But that's not all!

We'll be demonstrating how to spin, crochet, knit and even weave!

Our young men will be ripping it up with chainsaw carving and sending sawdust flying with lathe turning!

  There will be a variety of Angora rabbits to snuggle
and several young-ins ready for  new homes with fiber loving friends. 
(Will one be coming home with you?)


There is something for everyone, in our quaint, comfortable setting.
Come on over and enjoy some relaxing music while you learn a new skill,
sip a cup of steaming apple cider while you snuggle a fluffy Angora
and relax while you gain encouragement
and carefully select quality supplies for your next project!

Remember your bushel basket for your free gift....

We want to educate, encourage and support you in every way that we can!

As this is held at a private residence, I am not posting the address. Instead, I'm happy to send you the address via email, at your request.


We look forward to seeing and sharing with you!
~ The Trickle Creek Mercantile Family


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Spinzilla Results

10/20/2014

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PictureTech's latest intricate chainsaw carving...
I knew my time would be limited for Spinzilla, but with the last minute addition of the Schafer Meadows event, my days were spent prepping for that rather than spin, spin, spinning away. It was still a treat to attempt some goals, with added motivation.


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Fun and Education at Schafer Meadows...

10/16/2014

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PictureCreative Spinning Batts by Glorious Beginnings.
If you're looking for a way to learn several heritage skills that engage your mind and offer beautiful results, the Schafer Meadows Fiber Arts Festival is just the event to attend. So many willing hearts and hands eager to guide and teach a number of skills to adults and children alike.

'Lil Miss' created a beautiful pot holder while learning basic quilting; was thrilled to make her own mini shawl on a triangle loom; created a background for a future Glorious Beginnings sign with the wet felting class; took home her own mini back strap loom, and practiced her needle felting too!

She didn't participate in all the offerings either, there were paper crafting classes, blending boards for practicing, spinners available for help and support, other needle felting projects, several types of weaving set-ups...it's just a treat! All supplies were provided free of charge and the classes were staged multiple times through the duration of the event. This is the way gatherings should be!



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Oregon Flock and FIber Festival FUn!

10/3/2014

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Oh how we love, *LOVE* fiber festivals! Entire fairgrounds and facilities dedicated to the beautiful endeavors of fiber raising and fiber creative vendors. It's just such a treat to immerse yourself in so much color..... and texture...... and ingenuity! 
This year's Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival (OFFF) is no exception. We were thrilled to be able to make the trek into the heart of the little town of Canby for this annual event.

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Falling into FIber...

9/10/2014

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PictureEnglish and German Angora with Cabbage Dyed Yarn
For several who have been  asking about our fiber availability and yearning for their very own angora rabbit, it's time to get excited! We have just confirmed an exclusive event for you to harvest your own  bushel of fiber fantasy supplies for your fall and winter projects.

For those not spinning yet, it's not just fabulous fiber, it's natural soaps, it's luscious yarns, it's custom chainsaw carvings, it's beautiful angora rabbits, it's amazing clay creations, it's fun felting kits and SO MUCH MORE!
It's a Harvest of Handcrafts from several happy vendors sharing their talents and time with those attending from Noon to 5 pm on Sunday, October 26, this year!



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More Fair Fun in '14

9/2/2014

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We were kindly invited to demonstrate our heritage skills and join a spin-in up at the Evergreen State Fair this end of August. We have been quite busy during the summer and determined it was better for our family to take a break from events for August to September and instead focus on prepping our homestead for school, fall and general reorganization to accommodate our continued growth.  Touted as 'The Largest Country Fair in all of Washington', although we didn't commit to a demo, we couldn't resist visiting the fair to enjoy some wholesome family fun and relaxation on it's very last day. Held at the Monroe Fairgrounds, it was close to Grandma, so she joined us as well.



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Blue Ribbons Abound

9/1/2014

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It's not only a blessing to learn and create with our heritage skills - but it's also affirming (especially for youngsters) to share your creations, have it judged by someone with more experience, and receive appropriate marks for your effort. Your local county fair is a free and sometimes financially rewarding way of doing so! Sadly, in much of our region, the entries are fewer and fewer every year. I (Mom) feel it's another sad result of the ever growing appetites for more frenzied forms of entertainment, coupled with dwindling family agriculture.
We decided to enter some of our knitted, crocheted, and spun items in the Pierce County Fair. Additionally, the children  submitted items in photography, woodworking and lego building. Open every August in Graham, WA, this is a small, country-style fair, geared for those in the Pierce County Region of Washington State.  Did you know all entrants receive discount entry tickets as well as monetary compensation for ribbons they receive?


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Wild Waves of the West

7/27/2014

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140 yds, 154 yds, 140 yds, and 102 yds.... Lots of yarn and lots of fun!
We're prepping to demonstrate our spinning and share Angora rabbits again, at the August 1st Orting Farmer's Market, this Friday!  We want to be sure to have our examples of what a few colorful batts can create, in various weights. The market begins at 3:00 pm, but we are asked to come at 4:00 pm, to find the perfect spot after vendors have settled in. We stay until closing at 7:00 and enjoy every minute we share! Please join us to see how we harvest fiber from our animals, dye with kitchen items, card fiber, spin and create with it~ it's Wooler to Wearable!


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Touring Our Homestead

7/14/2014

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We have been busy with several activities in our area meeting, greeting sharing and teaching eager ~new and old~ fiber (and rabbit) lovers. At our booths, quite a few ask us questions on the ins and outs of rearing fiber animals, their feeds, as well as the many and varied ways of working with their glorious fluff!  Several are so eager to glean they ask to tour our homestead and get ideas for their own fiber pursuits. We love encouraging and supporting families in these endeavors and this is precisely why we take time to keep our humble website and work to be involved in several public venues...


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Fine Fiber...Frog?

6/23/2014

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We have been having more fun in the studio and combined our favorite variations of greens for another one-of-a-kind fiberlicious, cottony candy creation! 'Mossy Croak'  Truly, we love the greens of the forest, ferns, nettles and such that surround us and this creative batt name seemed to jump on into the pictures.



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    About us:

    This is our journey.
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