by carmen | Aug 4, 2010 | Events
- Less is more. I keep learning and keep editing.
- Nature is the best backdrop for a booth.
- I do much better with an open display than a Berlin Wall.
- Get paid help. Leaving your own booth is a luxury you deserve. Thanks Leah!
- Hug repeat customers.
- Let people say sweet things about your work. Take compliments like currency.
- Be a good neighbour and you will have good neighbours.
- Always think sunshine.
This was my best year at Filberg for so many reasons. Friends, neighbours, partner, sales. This is not bragging. This is gratitude. I am lucky to have the people in my life that I have and I know that my success rests solely on their support.
Claire’s booth was so mobbed that she had to hang up her empty paper mache teacup. Her booth looked amazing.
Joan had a great booth display this year and her daughter was a very engaging part of the display.
Brett was the best neighbour and having him so close by saved us from having to leave each other’s booths for a visit. (entertaining and convenient).
We had a bit of extra time to reflect on the ferry (due to mechanical problems) and at the end of the day when your business trip seems like a partial vacation you know you’ve done really well.
Thanks for another great year Filberg!
by carmen | Jul 31, 2010 | Uncategorized
Happy, happy Filberg. Thanks for the big sun kissed hug Comox Valley. This is my favourite place to be in the summer.
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| What a tangled web….. |
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The show is going well. Working on inventory, no time to post. Many posts and pics to follow. Enjoy the long weekend everyone. Get your knit on.
by carmen | Jul 31, 2010 | Events
Not my real home, but my artisan home away from home in Filberg. Friday, the first day of the show was like a big warm hug. I went against my better judgement and listened to John’s ideas for the display. He rocked it. I was able to tweak it a bit, but the design and layout was primarily his. Why have I waited so long to exploit this untapped resource.
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| Getting a handle on my yarn addiction. |
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We had incredible weather and excellent neighbours on both sides. I’ll get pics of their booths today We also had a visit from Circle Craft with bundles of flyers for the show. My work made the poster this year. I am the bottom left corner. This is exciting.
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| So bright I needed my shades. |
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by carmen | Jul 30, 2010 | Uncategorized
Pre show—–I have had to repurchase the following items.
- One camp chair
- Water bottle
- Sunglasses
Okay, that’s not much but I’m sure the list will grow. I did manage to break and fix my phone, create some problems with the laptop, and I think I am getting a cold from the air conditioning in the room. Show starts this morning. I was able to finish 8 hats in the room last night while watching Verdict.
It’s easy to knit watching Paul Newman.
We are just leaving for the show, lots of yarn to hang and things to tag and label. I promise photos.
by carmen | Jul 27, 2010 | Uncategorized
We’re packing up and leaving for Filberg in a day from now. Wow. Soon we’ll be on the ferry, scrambling for the best spot on the deck to watch our approach to the Island.
I was at the studio with Sonya last night and every place I turned there was another pile of hats or scarves. Inventory problems? Not this year.
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| Hand painted mohair—Brushed merino |
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| Hand spun goodness –Hand dyed merino |
I don’t have that queasiness I usually have before a show. I know going in that I had the luxury of experimenting and making what I liked. That I dyed enough, spun enough, knit enough and was inspired enough to get me through this show and the next few shows.
This year more than any others I have also had the good fortune of being around so many creative people with such great energy that real collaborations happened.
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| Embellished Felt Hat |
I’ve got a lot of finishing to do. Nothing that an afternoon of sci fi, some couch time and a large americano can’t kick into high gear.
by carmen | Jul 24, 2010 | Knitting & Crochet
Today at Claire’s studio was a bit more frantic than usual. It started with a late start and an unattractive take out sandwich from Meinhardts (not worth photographing). Then another pit stop for coffee and then 3 bag loads of finishing trekked up the stairs.
I had plans to have Claire grooving to the musical episode of Buffy while card making, but she had other plans and had The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo already in the DVD player…Wow, incredibly violent, not my usual knit and finish type of flick, but at the end of the day it got the job done.
by carmen | Jul 22, 2010 | Uncategorized
There are three things that can make me knit so fast that my hands and needles take on the speed of a hummingbird’s wings.
1. An impending show deadline and production Friday with Claire.
2. A knitting group. Sitting with other knitters and chatting gets the needles seriously clicking.
3. A good old fashioned sci fi marathon —I’ll take anything, but my all time favourite is Buffy. Season six in particular.
Season Six has inspired a whole new collection of scarves.
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| Willow |
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| Tara |
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| Anya
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by carmen | Jul 18, 2010 | Uncategorized
all I want to do is spin.
I have seamed many pirate hats. I have carded miles of fibre. I have worked colours for the felts and scarves. Doesn’t this mean I deserve to spin? I’ve been holding back on spinning the 50/50 merino/silk roving that Jennifer brought me back from the Black Sheep Gathering.
Oopsy. Looks like I can cross that treat off my list. Skeining up some plum baby alpaca on my wooden swift. (the best $15 score on Craigslist ever).
Yes, it looks like I will do anything to avoid that giant stack of baby hats.
by carmen | Jul 17, 2010 | Knitting & Crochet
This Friday there was an expectation of sushi. I can get a lot of work done when my belly is full of sushi. I was a bit scattered and just working on final touches. I lurve the large pile of untagged goodies that comes from Friday finishing.
After the kids hats, I finished a scarf. That scarf led to this hat. Not too much happened after the hat. It was 2am by the time I cast off.
The market tomorrow is promising weather wise and I have a new crop of felts that need embellishing. Funny, with less than 2 weeks to go until Filberg, I should be absolutely frantic by now. I will just enjoy the fact that I am not tearing my hair out and that I seem to have a good rhythm going. None of this would be possible without the collaborative studio stylings of Claire. She’s keeping me on track.
by carmen | Jul 15, 2010 | Studio
The studio is ramped up to full production. It’s wonderful to have the company there and to have the view change somewhat. Joan’s spot is not as decorative as it used to be as all her inventory is out at shows (market season, you know). Mine is a complete disaster with fibre strewn everywhere in piles. Then there is Sonia’s space…It’s heavenly to have a weaver in the studio.
This is my space….
I am comforted knowing that this will be inventory. I have been working my way through the 5lbs of alpaca I recently received. I’ll hold back a little for a rainy day (particularly the natural black) but the rest is being carded and blended and hugged and loved.
I have some hand dyed chunky merino to finish off my ever growing list of kids hats. Don’t get me wrong, I love doing the markets (even when it dwindles away my show inventory). As John says, why does it matter where you sell it? But I hate having bald patches in my booth when I run out of a style or size.
I rewrote my calendar for this month and have noticed some new numbers for my numbers game.
14 days until we are on the ferry to Filberg
3 lbs of alpaca to card
2 more Farmer’s Markets until the show
5 people at the carding group tonight
3 the maximum number of BBQ chickens I can continue to substitute for cooking real meals while getting ready for the show
25 days and then I start Circle Craft production
4 the number of days I am giving myself as non production days.
1 -the most supportive partner I could ask for. This number is a constant.
