Wednesday, October 21, 2009

That Is One Big Circle

Remember a long, long time ago--more than a whole year ago, in fact--when we cured the lamb hides? If you don't remember that, or weren't around for it, go here to see what I'm talking about.

You back? Okay, carrying on.

Now, curing is not tanning. Curing is just basically drying the hides out with salt. For tanning, the MiL sent the hides away to a place in Pennsylvania. Except it, uh, took awhile to get them sent. And then it took awhile to get them tanned. But FINALLY, look what arrived on our doorstep yesterday. We have come full circle.

Align CenterAnd look! They also attached legs and arms! FUN!

This thing is cool. Really. The wool on it is at least four inches long and just so soft. It still smells like the chemicals they use to tan it, so I wouldn't want to snuggle up with it right now, but it IS washable and I have to think that the smell will dissipate. A. immediately asked if we could wrap the baby in it. Which of course we could, and I think we can all agree that that would be unbearably cute, but then the baby would no doubt soil itself and the nice, soft hide, so maybe we won't be wrapping the baby up in it very much.

Still though. Pretty cool. And two more to come.
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12 comments:

  1. sweetbirdOctober 21, 2009 at 6:32 AM

    That is gorgeous. I've been looking for a big fuzzy rug to put beside my bed, maybe I should be looking for a lamb hide?

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  2. milOctober 21, 2009 at 6:54 AM

    In self defense -- it takes a while to drum up the courage to take dead animal skins, however thoroughly salted, to the UPS store for packing and shipping. I have to say, though, the UPS people didn't bat an eye and packed up the skins, which looked pretty darned dreadful, very happily. The result is better than I dreamed.

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  3. sheilaOctober 21, 2009 at 7:22 AM

    I used a lamb skin for my youngest to sleep on 19 years ago. We lived in a house heated only with a wood stove. The bedrooms upstairs had no heat in them and were very cold. Babies sleep well and stay very warm in the winter resting on all that wool.

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  4. AnonymousOctober 21, 2009 at 7:23 AM

    That is going to be ideal for cute naked baby photos (it's washable!). Remember: you need these photos to sufficiently embarrass man-cub during his teen years.

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  5. AnonymousOctober 21, 2009 at 8:08 AM

    Wonderful , wonderful ! You all are the 'greenest' on earth. Recycle ,reuse, use it up, never throw one thing away. Good goin'.
    That's how all our ancestors lived. EVERYTHING is usable for something.

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  6. Chiot's RunOctober 21, 2009 at 8:34 AM

    OOOOOOOO, I think you should sew them all together to make a big warm blanket for your ice box bedroom.

    I think some warm wooly slippers would be nice as well.

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  7. AnonymousOctober 21, 2009 at 12:10 PM

    In my experience, MiL, UPS staffers always welcome unusual packaging challenges. Wouldn't you, if your job was to pack and mail, pack and mail, pack and mail? and just think of all the lunchroom tales about "you will never guess what I had to handle today!" I am sure that you made their day!

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  8. Phoo-DOctober 21, 2009 at 12:29 PM

    How fun! I for one am expecting lots of cute naked baby pictures on the rug! =)

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  9. FinnyKnitsOctober 21, 2009 at 2:33 PM

    That is awesome and your dogs look concerned that they might be next.

    Take that as a warning, pooches ;)

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  10. SusanOctober 21, 2009 at 6:40 PM

    How could we possibly forget the curing of the hides? I think of it often.

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  11. Mayberry MagpieOctober 21, 2009 at 6:56 PM

    Our favorite baby gift 16 years ago was a lambswool mattress pad for the baby crib. We used it for both kids. Yes, they sometimes soiled it. But it washed up nicely.

    By the way, you're beating us even at a year on the hide thing. We still have two bloody deer hides in our freezer FROM LAST HUNTING SEASON. Nice.

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  12. PatOctober 22, 2009 at 8:12 PM

    I could picture myself falling asleep curled up under that near a crackling fire. Aahhh. Do you want my address?

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