Memorial Day 2015 Sale Starts NOW !

The first of several shop updates for my Memorial Day weekend sale!! Save 10% using coupon code MEMORIAL2015 for 10% off on EVERYTHING in the store that is in stock!! Over 100 hand painted braids ready to ship!  Ends Monday at midnight Eastern time.

Link to Hand Painted Top 

Link to Main Page 

Spin a Pound, Get a Pound™ Inaugural Spin-Off March 2015

I know I am really late in posting this - but the entire month of April went by with me pretty much skirting fleece all day and finding little time for internet stuff that required any thought.

My group, Spin a Pound, Get a Pound™ had a spin-off competition in  March and the winners were chosen by group voting --- here is how I did :)

To see ALL of the yarns entered, go to the official page for the contest.

All of these yarns will be available for purchase except the "art yarn" skein.

The spinning batt is available (and in it's second batch of production), so you can click here or the link below the pic to go directly to that listing on my website.

The rest of the skeins will be available in a major Hand Spun Update on Monday May 25 (Memorial Day 2015) !!  I will post details then and most likely a coupon for ANY of the handspun in stock - so check back ....hint hint!!  There are lots of listings already on the hand spun page on my website, but there are some cool new ones coming including these.  Hope to see you there !

Entered into the "2 or 3 ply balanced" category - 6th place - this was a TOUGH category with 23 entries

Entered into the "Art Yarn" Category - 1st place - 18 entries

Entered in "Wild and Crazy Art Batt" category - 2nd place - 11 entries
I call this "A Little Birdie Told Me" 

Entered into the "Natural Colored Yarn" category - this is made from roving available in my shop - 2nd place - 15 entries

Entered into the "Navajo Ply" category - 3rd place - 14 entries 

Entered into the "Raw Fleece to Yarn" category - 18 entries --- I came in 15th :(  My worst showing ever in a competition 

Freedom Ride 2015 - Burlington County

We are lucky to live on a main road and we get a first row seat at this freedom ride each year. This is our third year! Our neighbor Jim proudly rides each year. Here is a few minutes of the ride going past our farm.  This ride celebrates veterans and the freedoms we enjoy because of them. The ride ends and the Joint Base McQuire-Dix-Lakehurst, which is just around the corner from us. It's like a big parade. Thank you to all the veterans out there !! For more info see www.armedforcesfreedomride.org


Enjoy !

New colorways - Spinning batt and Yarn - Caribbean Coral

A couple of fun colorways just in time for summer!! Daydream away with these colorful island fibers. Even if you can't go to the caribbean, you can have some in your life. You can go right to the product page by clicking "buy now" buttons or head on over to the The Yarn Shop at Alma Park


Caribbean Coral Textured Batt - 2 oz

Caribbean Coral Fingering Yarn in Donegal base

No-bake peanut butter cheesecake pie

No-Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pie 

Having a farm, a family and a business on the homestead allows me to do one of my favorite things everyday! Cook !! I sometimes like to post food on my FB page and sometimes on Instagram with the hashtag #foodie.  I love food and I love to cook and bake !  

Recently, I was asked to share my recipe for my peanut butter no-bake cheesecake.  This is a delicious, decadent dessert that is great for warmer weather so that you do not have to heat up the kitchen with your oven.  It is also great in cold weather months as well.  

This recipe is not low-fat, it is not gluten or sugar or dairy free....it is just yummy, easy and satisfying.  

I always have the ingredients on hand and can throw this together in no-time when I know company is coming over. 

FYI - you will need a mixer (hand or stand) or a food processor to make the pie filling.  You cannot do this by hand unless you have arms of steel. 

Prep Time - 10 minutes

Bake Time - None 

Crust - 

I use a prepared graham cracker crust (9 oz), but you can make your own. Yes, I know, it is easy to make a crust and since I have a food processor and stand mixer, it would be a piece of cake (pun intended), and  I normally do things from scratch, but this recipe is all about quick, fun and decadent! 

Pie Filling - 

8 oz cream cheese - room temperature

1 cup smooth peanut butter - room temperature

1 cup confectioners (powdered) sugar 

1 tub (8 oz) Cool Whip Whipped Topping- thawed

• Whip together the cream cheese and peanut butter until smooth.  I just turn on my stand mixer to medium and let it rip for 2 minutes, wipe the bowl down and let it go for another 2 minutes.  You cannot over whip this, but you can under whip.  The more you mix, the lighter and fluffier the pie will be. 
• After wiping down the bowl again, slowly incorporate the confectioners sugar on a slow speed.  I say slowly, because if you don't you will have a snow cloud all over your countertop.  Once fully incorporated, mix again on medium for a minute or so. 
• Take the bowl off the mixer and fold in the whipped topping by hand with a spatula. 

Chocolate topping - 

1/4 cup bittersweet chocolate (like Ghiardelli - do not use semi-sweet) 

2 tsp solid vegetable shortening (I use Crisco) 

• You can use a double boiler to melt the chocolate or a microwave.  Again, for me, because this recipe is all about quick and easy, I use the microwave at 15 second intervals, remove and stir until perfectly melted. 
• Once melted, drizzle the chocolate over the pie filling in a sort of design, do not do a solid surface as the filling is soft and when you go to take a forkful, the pie will smoosh. 
• Put pie in refrigerator for at least an hour. 

Voila - easy, peasy and so good. 

Enjoy! 

You can experiment with other "butters".  Almond, cashew, Nutella.  I haven't tried them, but I am sure they will be equally yummy ! 

Now off I go to spin :) 

If you make this, let me know how yours turns out.