Alpaca Auction Phoenix Arizona

Last weekend Chris and I went to the Snowmass Alpacas auction.
The Snowmass alpaca ranch is located in Idaho. They held their annual alpaca auction in Phoenix Arizona this year. We stayed at the Legacy Golf Resort pictured above. The resort was only 6 miles from the location of the auction so was a convenient drive back and forth.


The auction was located at Corona Ranch. This is a facility that businesses can use for seminars etc. I liked this pineapple water fountain that was out in the yard.


Here is a door that was kind of off to the side. I just love the detail of the wood carving. It reminds me of Mexico.


This is the viewing tent. All the alpacas up for auction are in this tent corralled in groups with their lot number around their neck. This allows you to take a look at them up close. You can even go into the pens and check out their bite, and fiber and see if that is an animal you would like to bid on.


Basically all of us are walking around looking at them and they are just as interested in looking at us. They seemed comfortable with their bags filled with hay and each coral had a fan to keep them cool.


This cria is Snowmass Bravado. He is lying down beside his momma. Some of the alpacas were a 3 in 1 deal. This was one of those deals. If you bid on this one you got the Momma, the cria at her side, and also she was pregnant so that made it a 3 in 1 deal. Such a sweet boy.

Chris and I went to this auction to take a look at the Snowmass alpacas and to continue to educate our selves on alpacas. These functions always have several classes and seminars on varies topics about alpacas. We did not go to the auction to buy any alpacas; we are set for this year on our purchases. It is nice to go to several different functions to figure out whom you would like to buy from next year. Plus the people you meet that are all in the industry you learn so much from.

There was one alpaca that had me at hello, and it is a good thing we left the check book at home. Thoughts of picking up this alpaca and running off with her raced through my head.


This is Rose Petal.
She stole my heart. I am not sure who bid and won her, maybe it is a good thing. As small of a farm as we are at this time it just is not practical to buy such a young female that would not be ready to breed for another year and a half.

Chris and I did well at this auction we stuck to our guns and did not buy any alpacas. After looking at the Snowmass alpacas we know that we will definitely buy from them in the future. Overall we had a great time and met a bunch of great people.

4 More Alpacas

I had seen a recipe in a magazine and then could not find it again when I wanted to make it. Don’t you hate that? Anyway luckily I had read the recipe and can remember most of it. This is my version of a chocolate cherry vanilla 2 layer cake. I used a French vanilla cake mix and mixed some chocolate chips and chopped cherries into the batter. Then put two drops of red food coloring into cream cheese frosting and slathered it on the cake. Then placed chocolate chips on top and whala! Pink Chocolaty goodness. I brought this into the office and it was a big hit.

Chris even got in the baking mode last weekend.


Chris made his famous jumbo cookies.
You can only eat a half a cookie at a time, other wise you might go into shock from sweet overload.


Granny Squares



All over blog land I have been seeing lots of crocheted wave blankets and several granny squares being turned out. I secretly love granny squares but am afraid of the 70’s nostalgia most people attribute it too. I pulled out my Debbie Stoller “The Happy Hooker” Crochet manual and sat down with some Lion Brand Chenille. Believe it or not it took me 4 hours to make my first granny square. LOL. The next two went much smoother once I got the hang of it. I think it would have been much easier if I did them all one color. I am thinking of making 9 more and putting them together for a pet blanket.


4 More Alpacas

Last year I got an email from Michele from Rosehaven Alpacas. She had found my blog and liked the name Alpaca Rose, because her farm name was Rosehaven Alpacas. Chris and I took a look at their website about their farm and really liked what we saw.

We emailed back and forth and finally Chris and I decided to buy 4 of their female alpacas. Here are the lovely ladies we are buying.


Bronte- dark brown female date of birth 8/16/03.
She is described as having dense, fine fiber. She even won a blue ribbon at the 2005 fiber to fashion Spin-Off competition. She will be having our first baby cria of the year with a due date around May 1, 2007.



Mimosa- light rose silver grey female, date of birth 7/25/02
Good conformation and a thick, dense fleece.
I am so excited to add some grey alpacas into our herd and the rose grey’s are even more special and sought after. Mimosa is due to have her baby cria some time in September.


Here she is freshly sheared. I just love her light silver color.



Kiri- dark silver grey female, born 8/2/99.
She is described as a terrific mother. Besides the wonderful coloring this is what drew me to her. I think it is very important for them to be good Mother’s and be experienced to the whole birthing process. The gestation period for an alpaca is a little over 11 months so the baby is very anticipated and you want it to have the best chance possible.


Here is Kiri with one of her baby crias.



Schaherazade – medium brown female, born 9/16/05
She was named after the Arabian princess who danced and told stories to the king for over 1000 nights. I could not help myself she is adorable. She will be bred for the first time this year.


We chose Captain Nemo one of Rosehaven’s herdsires to breed with Shaherazade. He is a solid dark rose grey. He is all that and a bag of chips as far as I am concerned. I hope Schaherazade is pleased with our choice for her. After breeding Schaherazade will have her first baby in 2008.

Rosehaven alpacas have been a wonderful farm to do business with. Comparing them to the farm in Oregon we bought from last year is like comparing strawberries to the annoying piece of gum you accidentally stepped in. I am so glad to have found them and am looking forward to a long farm to farm relationship with them.

Go check out Rosehaven Alpacas Farm website – HERE

Klaus Comes Home

Klaus arrived at sun up Saturday Morning. Here is Chris waiting outside the transport vehicle.



He is a cutie pie.



We separated Zissou from his momma and put him in a pasture with Klaus.



The two of them are turning into best buds. One will run across the field then the other will copy and do the same. Zissou seems to be doing fine away from his mom. We plan to put Kingsley in with the boys in a couple of weeks. So happy Klaus is finely home. His Mom Teresa had an ultrasound over a week ago and is confirmed pregnant. Once she is far enough along in her pregnancy to travel we will have her transported home.


Completed Whiskey Scarf


This scarf is extra long in order to wrap around my neck and have plenty to tuck into my coat. It turned out nice and is extra toasty with the 4 X 4 ribbing.


Project Spectrum Feb-Mar

The colors for project spectrum are Blue, White & Grey. I plan to use project spectrum to clean out my stash. I decided to try to go through what I have; let’s face it I have stuff in my stash just waiting to be started and in every color of the rainbow. So I am putting my self to the test and making sure to use what I already have first. With that said here is my line up for February & March.



4 skeins of Rowan Classic soft tweed in color slate blue, I plan to make the log cabin socks from the book Handknit Holidays.



4 skeins of Lion Brand Wool Ease Chunky, in color fisherman 099; I plan to make a cabled bag of my own design. I have had this in my stash for 2 years.



Blue and White sheep fabric, I bought this forever ago I think originally to make a knitting needle case. I think I am going to make a tea cozy using this whimsical fabric.



Aloha! This Hawaiian print I plan to make 4 chair pad covers. I bought this fabric last year when I was in my Hawaiian phase. I still love the fabric and am excited to finally check these off my list.

Well if I can get these four projects done in the next 7 weeks I will be impressed.I think I will start with the log cabin socks.

Groundhog Day

webshots photo

Word on the street is Punxsutawney Phil; the famous groundhog did not see his shadow this morning. That means spring is right around the corner.



Miss Bianca is a little skeptical of the groundhog, and says she will believe it when she sees it.

I can not believe it is February already. I am still wrapping up the dental office end of year tax stuff. I will be amazingly happy when I am done. In January I reorganized my desk and am implementing some new management of my work load this year.


Alpaca News



Do you remember baby Klaus. He and his mom Teresa are still in Oregon. Teresa is having a hard time getting pregnant. She is due for an ultrasound on Monday so hopefully she is confirmed pregnant at that time. The Oregon farm where they are staying at has weaned Klaus from his Momma and is now ready to come home.

He will be arriving here at the end of next week on an alpaca transport. Chris and I decided it would be a good time to wean Kingsley and Zissou. All the boys are over 6 months old. So we will be putting the three boys in a pasture beside the one the girls are in. This weekend we will be getting their shelter ready cleaning it out and putting some hay in the feeders. Hopefully the weather will cooperate with us.


Knitting



I decided to go ahead and knit the whiskey hat, just to make sure not to run out of yarn after the scarf. The Hat is knit on straight needles. I had never knit a hat flat like this before. It was pretty easy. Then you just seem up the sides after threading last strand through all the top loops and pull tightly to close the top.


It is not easy taking a picture of your self in a hat. Keeping me in the frame was the most difficult part.


This hat looks good on anyone. At least that is what Haley told Brandy.

I just have the last ball of the purple to get through on the scarf and then start the ending stripes.

Up Next Project Spectrum and what I have lined up for February & March’s colors Blue, White, & Grey.