by carmen | Oct 19, 2011 | Ramblings, Uncategorized
What can I say ab0ut Whistler? It was the best finale to a market ever. So many people stopped to buy, request custom items or just say “see you again next year”.
John and I have always felt very appreciated at this market and count many of the locals as friends. Basically meaning, yes, you aren’t rid of us yet. We will visit you in the winter and annoy you and borrow your spare rooms and well —-you get the picture.
However, no rest for the wicked and we jumped right into the Apple Festival the following weekend with John doing his own thing at Kitsilano Market on Sunday. Awesome. This festival is probably my favourite of the year. Claire is always beside me with her wonderful hand made cards and when it’s not busy (which isn’t often) it gives us a chance to hang out and get caught up. I never leave without a huge bag of new varietals to try out…The weather, again, perfect and well what a way to send off the season. Now it is the biggest freak out of all, but what, wait for it——WHAT? no freak out at all.
- My yarn order came in when promised.
- I am finally getting my woolie winder and a new Lendrum.
- Jennifer has given me her remaining rovings as she is heading to India for 5 months.
- The studio is full of willing friends all stamping, tagging and reskeining.
- At the end of the month we are taking over another space in the studio and will soon rule the world.
- Toni, Kristen, Pearl and Karen are awesome —just saying.
I should be completely overwhelmed, but several people have my back. I feel it, I know it and I am secure in the knowledge that what I make will sell and what I run out of will be ordered. I’ve never been happier with my designs, opting this year for a cleaner more polished look. Gone is the wacky art yarn, replaced by something you will ache to knit or weave with. Yes, finally coming into my own.
Hadiya is still w
ith us for a few more days. We’ve finally decided to put her down. We’ve selfishly kept her with us long enough and how could we do anything else?…Look at this face…
I just realized while posting this picture that a lot of the carding I have done this week has been a lot of oranges…..Hmmmm. We were treated to her having a mad run around the bed trying to grab at some skeined yarn the other day. Flicking it with her mitten paws and flossing her teeth with what she was lucky enough to catch. Probably her last play time.
I’m going to miss finding wet sections of yarn running through my hand when I’m knitting. We’re staying at home today for some final cuddles.
by carmen | Oct 2, 2011 | Ramblings
have a nervous breakdown. I will not have a nervous breakdown. I will not have a nervous breakdown.
I will have some chocolate.
by carmen | Sep 28, 2011 | Special Projects
Today’s post is brought to you by the colour —all of them. I am on a solid rotation now for spin, skein, dye and repeat. It’s been hard to get anything to dry with this weather, but I’m plodding along and things are getting done.
Disney is taking a little nip out of my time again and I’m on set today with a new wheel and making Rumplestiltskin spin more straw into gold. It’s exciting and a bit scary to go on set with an antique wheel and be the one to tweek it, spin on it and make it work for the actor in the shoot.
I’m so lucky to have already worked with Robert Carlyle (who has a natural knack for the craft) and John was right, it turned out to be an amazing experience. Robert’s spinning translated beautifully on film and the drive band only tried to jump ship once. I even received a round of applause from the director and crew for my down and dirty wheel repair prior to the last take.
I had the good fortune to meet Deborah Sparrow for the first time who was also consulting on set. Although we both teach at Birkeland, somehow we just never managed to cross paths.
Deep breath……now the real work begins.
by carmen | Sep 19, 2011 | Markets
Where to begin? Planning for the extra shows this year is making my brain hurt. I was considering doing a brain on wool update, but I can’t even manage that. I also can’t quantify my “busy” due to a fear of blood leaking out of my ears.
What I can say is that the markets are great, my pile of custom orders is ever growing and I am immensely behind (which is oddly making me a bit crabby). I want to get to a place where it gets easier somehow. That place never seems to materialize. I had a board meeting after the market so John had dinner with a friend and then I met him so we could have dinner with our other friends. It was almost like a vacation. Creekbread is amazing. Officially the best pizza I have ever eaten (also the best salad). —-Pemberton potatoes on a pizza and garlic from North Arm Farms—nothing better.
On another note. Hadiya is uber sick, so going to the studio to work is out of the question. I just don’t want to leave her side. The cancer has returned in a big way. She hasn’t figured it out yet, so that’s a good thing. She’s stuffing her little face, purring loudly, demanding petting and sleeping on my lap. It’s only a matter of time. John and I were hoping at least until Christmas, but it might not even be until the end of the week.
My booth at the market was full and my heart is full and I guess that’s all a crafty girl can ask for, right?
Feeling blassed (and just a little stressed)
by carmen | Sep 8, 2011 | Studio
Today I realized that I am 4 days into “panic busy”. I may have been cued by the feeling of nausea from staring at the pile of dyed fibre on the coffee table. Maybe it was the fact that I realized I have two shows this weekend and no fibre to sell. No–wait—-It’s the fact that I am already 5 hats behind today and I need to get to the studio asap.
Wah——I know there is beautiful dried fibre waiting for me to spin. I also miss Kristen and Joan who will both be there. So just suck it up, go and get the mojo back. I think I’ll card today. It usually helps me get my focus back and also works out a bit of stress.
Do not come anywhere near the studio unless you are okay with being saddled with weird odd jobs. I mean it.
ith us for a few more days. We’ve finally decided to put her down. We’ve selfishly kept her with us long enough and how could we do anything else?…Look at this face…