This is the final result - yeay robin's egg blue yarn!
Here's the color after the first round of dyeing.
Here's the whole skein layed out, after 2 rounds of Kool Aid dyeing.
I'm excited to report that I'm learning how to spin yarn with a drop spindle! My sister's been a great help, showing me how spindle & wheel spinning works. Actually, I've already spun myself out of roving! LOL Saturday night I sat down and spun everything I had… so I'll just have to buy more! The merino Jenn donated was a little easier to draft than the wool (of unnamed content) I received in a recent swap, and softer. Most of it's overspun, and twists on itself a ton, but I figure everybody's got to start somewhere, right?
This caddy actually started it's life as a plain jane cardboard box, with lid. How boring! Now it's robin's egg blue, with white satin ribbon; sealed with glossy Modge-Podge. I made a handle from a wire coat hanger, and covered it with the same ribbon I used on the sides. I sewed 2 pieces together to make a sleeve for the wire. The top sports a folded bow, I could never tie them very neatly, so I used fabric glue to make it neat and even. It's filled with card stock trays, stabilized with thin black ribbon at the corners, so I can stack them. The trays hold all stages of my flowers, from fabric squares to completed flowers, as well as all of the notions I need (thread, snaps, accessories.)
The lid is inverted here, I use it to hold notions & scissors while I'm working. (The scissors I use are very heavy, and so I have to use a seperate plastic caddy to carry them, but they're also SUPER sharp, so I feel more comfortable when they're somewhere I can't accidentally stab myself!) 
And here's what I sent! A giant knitting needle roll (with 65 pockets!) a crochet hook case, stuffed sushi catnip toys and a skein of Simply Soft. I also added a cute turkey button I received in a recent Sampler.
Start by adding all of the dry stuff together (baking soda, citric acid, Epsom salts,) in a large mixing bowl. Then add Shea butter, almond oil & fragrance or essential oil. Mix these VERY thoroughly, until the mixture feels dry & light.
Next, if you're using coloring, add 5+ drops to 3/4 Tsp water in the small spray bottle. Spray a couple times onto the mixture, and mix immediately. This is the crucial step, because water will set off the chemical reaction between the baking soda and the citric acid. Spray very sparingly, and mix in between. The idea here is to add enough water to the mixture so it can be molded, but add too much and you're in trouble!
A good tip for beginners; try dividing the dry ingredients into 2 bowls before you spray in the water. If you add too much water, you can save the batch by adding more dry mixture, and mixing until the reaction has been neutralized (an easy way to tell is to stick you ear into the bowl, if it's crackling it's still reacting.) With practice, you'll get a feel for just how moist the mixture needs to be before it will hold it's shape when molded. Another tip - using 2 round halves to make a sphere produces the strongest bath bombs. Other shapes are possible, but can be tricky to apply enough pressure on, and to un-mold.
Once you've got enough water, you can put the dry mixture into molds. Make sure they're clean & dry before you start - don't want anything sticking! The key to this step is pressure - the more pressure you apply, the stronger it'll hold itself together. If you're using 2 round halves, fill them both, then add more mixture to the tops, and push together. Smooth the "seam" as you go, and then set aside as you mold the rest of the mixture.
After a few minutes you can un-mold your new bath bombs. Gently squeeze the mold, then you should be able to lift it off easily. Smaller shapes with lots of details can be hard to un-mold, but patience is the key. If you accidentally crush the bomb, you can add a tiny bit more water, mix thoroughly and re-mold. Let them dry overnight, then wrap with plastic wrap.
Spazz is a Russian Blue, from a shelter and about 9 years old. Monkey's a stray, found behind my Mom's garage and was only 1/2lb when we got her (a little over 5 years ago.) She's a little runt still, at 11lbs; Spazz last weighed in 15lbs. Spazz is aptly named, he's a freak… he loves attention, but only when you let him come to you. If you reach out for him, he'll run away most times. Monkey got her name for climbing up everything we owned when she was a baby, including furniture & me! She's really that white, and so silky soft it's ridiculous. Spazz is more the norm, with slightly oily hair that gets dander-peppered sometimes.
Woohoo! I've gotten some awesome gifts from family and friends, and thought I'd share. First up is the awesome felted bag my sister made me, isn't it gorgeous? She's so thoughtful, it's going to make a great project bag!!! The white handle twist is alpaca, so it's extra soft! Thanks Jenn, I LOVE it!!!
Next up is a beautiful bird's nest pendant, Shirley sent me (WEEKS ago! I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to post pics!) It's copper wire, with blue pearl "eggs" and glass bead "leaves" - isn't it adorable?!!!?!!! She also sent some tasty candy (which was devoured within days!) - the almond crunch pocky and fruitips were soooooo good!
