Celestial Alpacas and Heavenly Fibers

Breeding classic alpacas; producing handmade fiber art.

Our original interest in alpacas came about when we were closing the winery we had operated for 25 years (my husband decided a change was necessary--he maintains that even jailed murderers get off in less than 25 years!) and I needed a something to do. My Mom, who lived in Southern California while we were in Northern California, used to send me articles from newspapers about things she thought I would be interested in. About the time we were preparing to close the winery she sent an article from the Orange County Register about an alpaca ranch only 10 miles from us (knowing how animals always make a hit). That article sat on my desk for more than six months--then I visited the ranch. Fate had intervened to direct the rest of my life and create a "job".

I looked at the animals--and most importantly--touched the animals. Some of us are motivated by what we hear, some by what we see and others by what we touch. The latter are alpaca people. If you are the kind of person who reaches out to feel fabrics in a store or pats a friend's arm who is wearing a soft sweater, just for the sake of feeling the glorious softness and texture, then you, too, are an alpaca person!!

What has this love of soft fabric turned into? A passion! And a ranch with animals and a goal of breeding and raising healthy alpacas while turning their fabulous fiber into beautiful and useful things.

It is a work in progress with new avenues opening every week. New uses for the fiber or new and better ways to clean and process the fiber. New ways to care for the animals--new husbandry secrets to learn and share with others.

Entering our fifth year the care of the animals began to feel more comfortable while the plunge into cleaning, spinning and producing things from alpaca fiber reached a fever pitch. One significant discovery was made--there aren't enough hours in a day. With three to four hours daily devoted to the care and feeding of the alpacas, and a few hours devoted to "having a life", only evenings are left for the fiber. Maybe we ought to be calling this business Alpaca by Starlight or the Moonlight Alpaca Fibers!! At least those names fit in with the concept of Celestial Alpacas!!

It is now the seventh year since that fateful day of the first visit to an alpaca ranch. We have over 20 alpacas on an 80 acre ranch located in Paso Robles, California. We have learned at an exponential rate how to care for and treat alpacas. We have also learned many, many things about how to create fabulous things from the fiber the alpacas give us. Learning, growing, creating, never a dull moment!!

We encourage you to visit us and see for yourself, to touch for yourself ,and maybe to become an alpaca person yourself!!