Beaver Mitts (Part Three)

The first two pieces of beaver mitten that you stitch together are the bottom piece and the palm piece.  Start at the edge where it's flat and sew to where the thumb starts, making sure that the corners meet up.  With this pattern you have to gather the beaver fur just a little bit.  I use two types of stitches, changing between them quite frequently.  The two stitches that I use are a basting stitch and a whip stitch.

Part one

Once you have the straight part all sewn together, use two needles and start on each side of the base of the thumb.  Work on one side for an inch or two then switch to the other side and sew for an inch or two, back and forth until you meet at the top.  This should keep the thumb from twisting up too much.  Ripping is the worst and I try to keep myself from doing it too often.

Part two

Skirt, argyle socks and boots

I love wearing these boots because inevitably someone always comments on their brightness.  It's always positive and it always brings a smile to my face.  I can't even remember every time that someone has said they love these boots.  It makes me feel good.  One of my favorites was a door man at the Hilton who referred to me as the pink boot girl even when I wasn't wearing them!

 

This scarf was a Christmas present from my neighbors last year.  I think it's my fanciest scarf.  I feel so pretty when I wear it and it's super soft and warm.  Everything that you want in a scarf.

Turning skins

Catching the animal is the first part of the battle.  Skinning, stretching, and turning is the next part.  I find it all enjoyable.  Part of that enjoyment is the I'm kind of a natural at skinning.  It feels good to do something you're good at, you know?  I haven't yet turned any skins.  I'm sure this winter I'll get a lot of practice at it though.  This here is a lynx that Greg turned.  If you wait too long to turn the hides then it's really difficult and sometime impossible without ripping the skin.  If this happens you  have to wet the hide and let it set for a few hours.

Lynx hide.  Off the stretcher.  This is my trapping partner.  He normally doesn't look this grumpy.

Lynx hide.  Unturned and off the stretcher.

You start at the behind and begin to fold and roll it forward towards the head.  It takes some working and time.  However you get to see start to see the pretty fur that you've worked so hard for.

Keep working it.

Eventually you get a skin that has all the fur outside.  The paws are kinda of tricky with a lynx because their feet are so dang big.  When you're getting close to the arm holes, you just stick the feet through and then keep turning.  Once the lynx is fully turned then you grab the paws and pull the rest of the leg through.  It's much easier than waiting till the lynx is fully turned and sticking your hand all up in it.  Sneaky, sneaky.

Avacation Part Five

 The last of the pictures off my phone from the trip.  Captions only folks.

Okay the last picture from the Crush night.  I swear.

I so wish they had these in big people sizes.

A woman has her priorities.  I celebrate everything with champagne and sparkling wine.  Everything.

We shopped a little bit too much.

This little beauty I bought for trapping.  I'm in love with it.

It was a clear beautiful day for flying home.

Kinley.  :D

Avacation Part Four

Here are a few shots of the full outfit for crush.  I ended up crashing at Shauntel's and took this in the morning when I came back to the hotel.  Classy!

I love love love these boots.

I tend to forget what a shopping fiend my Momma is.  She can wear me out and that lady is more than twice my age!  On one particular shopping trip we went to JoAnn fabric for some specific fabric needs.  We picked out what we needed and headed towards the fabric counter.  The charming lady that helped us was wheezing and sweating all over our fabric.  She claimed dizzy spells.  We suggested she take a day she mumbled something incoherent and kept on cutting.  At.  A.  Glacial.  Pace.  It was painful.  Also, she didn't fold the fabric she just piled it up and passed it over.  So we refolded it all.  Even with us refolding things it took about twenty minutes longer than necessary.  Afterward, a little something-something was in order.

Mom and I needed treats after a particularly stressful trip to JoAnn fabrics.

Nap time is a necessity when on vacation.

So is television time.

Free cookies and coffee are a bonus.  So is free fast internet.

Everyday the hotel brought out fresh, freaking hot cookies at noontime.  It was my downfall.  My pants started to get a little bit tight by the end of the trip.  However, that could have also be due to all of the delicious food that Momma treated me to.  I really am a spoiled little girl.  And I wouldn't have it any other way.

Avacation Part Three

On Tuesday night Crush held a wine dinner partnered with Owen Roe Winery.  When I found out the dinner was going on and I was going to be in town I emailed Shauntel immediately.  She called the restaurant immediately.  And we were immediately excited.  And for good reason.  Here was the menu:

Apéritif (served with Amuse-Bouche) paired with 2009 Corvidae Ravenna Riesling
Oysters on the half shell with dry vermouth granita paired with 2009 Corvidae Ravenna Riesling & Owen Roe Sauvignon Blanc
Golden & Red beet terrine with basil-oil and goat cheese crème fraîche paired with 2011 Owen Roe Sinister Hand
Espresso rubbed Dry Aged Prime Ribeye with tomato gratin and sautéed endive with blue cheese fondue paired with 2009 Owen Roe Cabernet Franc "Rosa Mystica" & 2010 Owen Roe Ex Umbris Syrah
and finally, for dessert, Stone fruit crème fraîche crêpes paired with 2007 Owen Roe Late Harvest Semillon "Parting Glass

The oysters.  Fantastic.

Beet terrine.  Very different, yet delicious.

This.  This was amazing.  So mouthwatering and amazing.

Fantastic.

Avacation Part Two

While we've been here, we've had some great family time and visiting.  We don't all run errands together but we sure know how to eat dinner together.  This is the first time that me and my brother PK's mom and Lara's mom have been able to meet.  It's been super nice.  The lobby in this hotel is very bright and welcoming.  There is coffee 24/7.  A lot of time has been spent sharing stories from each other lives.

Moose's Tooth.  A must for Momma.

After some running around and Christmas shopping Momma and I decided that we needed some lunch.  She loves Moose's Tooth so I drove our awesome mini van with fancy blue track lighting on the ceiling over there.  We had just spent an hour or so poking around Kohl's.  I think we both scored.  Mom got an appliance and I got a tank top for $3.25.  What's better than that?

I went with a small salad.

Their Hungarian mushroom soup is glorious.  Seriously.  Devour a bowl or at least try a cup if you ever get the opportunity.  The pizza crust is pretty fantastic, go with any pizza that has roasted garlic on it, or add roasted garlic to any pizza.  Their beers are delicious.  Blending the Hard Apple and the Raspberry Wheat is an amazing combination.  I recommend it for anyone that likes a light. fruity beer.

And their glorious hungarian mushroom soup.  YES.

We went to Michael's.  I found a panda figurine.

Panda!

I found two panda figurines.  I may or may not have left them in a compromising position for some unsuspecting individual to find.  After all, one must entertain themselves after shopping for hours.

Pandas.  *snicker*

Avacation Part One

This week Momma and I decided to come into Anchorage to spend time with Lara and PK while they're waiting for little Miss AvaKate to come into the world.  She's not scheduled to arrive until November 2nd, so we're a little early, but it's what was planned.

Plane ride into Anchorage.  This is Momma.  Everyone say hi.

The flight was significantly delayed coming into Unalakleet. Our weather was down and PenAir didn't even leave Anchorage until about 3.  But this gave us plenty of time for a bacon filled breakfast and a few games of Catan with Kaitlyn.  A perfect way to spend a delayed flight day.

Snow covered mountains!

The delay put us into Anchorage pretty late.  We had a loooong stop over in Aniak, mostly due to the stupid FAA guy that was on board the flight with us.  Not to mention the plane was on the ground in Unalakleet for almost an hour.  Whine, whine, whine...  I know.  It's a plane right.  By the time it landed and we picked up the rental I was starving.  So I consider it legitimate whining.  I don't think we were hunting a restaurant down without a wait list until around 8 o'clock.

Gosh it was a beautiful sunset though.  The timing was perfect for that.

And we could see the moon.

On my last trip into Anchorage I saw a preview for The Perks of Being A Wallflower.  I had NO idea that it was being made into a movie.  Aaaand the gentlemen that wrote the book, Stephen Chbosky, also wrote the screenplay and directed the movie.  Talk about rare.  I went on Sunday night.  I adored it.  Adored.

Perks

Beaver Mitts (Part two)

Step three continued: Here's the beaver that I used for the tops of the mittens.  You need at least one pretty large beaver for the tops and another decent sized beaver for the bottoms, or two smaller beavers.  The mittens are meant to be worn over other gloves.

I trace out both pieces before I start cutting anything.  Usually I trace out all of the pieces before I cut anything so that I know I have enough and that the fur is all going the right direction.  Tracing kinda sucks because you can't pin the pattern to the skin.  One option is to tape the pattern down to the hide.

Once you have all of the pieces cut out you need some welting.  I just use strips from the leather used for the palm of the mitten.  Cut them loooong and skinny, about a 1/4 inch thick.  When I sew with the welting I put it so the rough side is to the leather and the smooth side is to the fur.  Just personal preference.  You can welt however you like.

Ready to start sewing!