by carmen | Dec 4, 2009 | Uncategorized
We don’t “do” Christmas. Haven’t for years. When you are adults without children and you don’t have nieces and nephews, the gift giving seems to be a bit much. It’s also my busiest season and I’m really too consumed with working and orders to decorate and I’m working all the craft shows without the ability to shop them…In other words, it’s just no longer on my radar.
That’s why last nights unexpected gift really knocked me off my feet.
One of my students gave me some hand dyed silk hankies that she bought at a yarn shop in Colorado when she was on holidays recently.
This gift touched me on so many levels. It was for no occasion and it was deeply personal. It isn’t just a gift……it is a real treasure.
Do not adjust your monitors. These really are the colours and there is no flash adding to this sheen. I wasn’t sure what the lesson plan was going to be for next week, but now guess who’ll be spinning silk hankies?
Getting gifts makes you feel great or lousy. Giving gifts can also make you feel pretty good or really lousy (based on appreciation levels, etc) I don’t often give gifts, but when I do, I hope the people I share with find meaning in them. I always receive the best gift of time from my friends and often joke about having no needs. Time is what always means the most to me.
PLEASE NOTE: This post is in no way meant to solicit spinning fibre presents, more silk hankies or chocolates. Really. No really…. I just need the holidays to be smaller and more meaningful.
And Pearl….your thrifted gifts are always the best…I am especially loving my vintage chalk holder and the 50 or so pairs of knitting needles that you have helped add to my collection…
by carmen | Dec 4, 2009 | Uncategorized
I had the best studio visit today… So maybe it was fated for me to seriously uber shrink the original hat? The Melonhead models get better looking every day. And only 20 more orders to go!
by carmen | Dec 3, 2009 | Uncategorized
I spent the day in Chadwick’s studio. It was a nice shift working in someone else’s creative space. It was fun having the doggy love as well….meet Jack. And with all the orders still to finish, I was actually able to focus. Except for the extra spicy caesars slowing me down near the end of the day.
I was introduced to something that got the blood flowing…I watched the first few episodes of Tru Blood. Twisted and fantastic!!!! I can hardly wait to pick up the rest of the episodes for season one and two. Definitely great to knit by…..and I’m still on a bit of a bummer after finishing Season 7 of Buffy….I may have to slip in FireFly to tide me over.
Some new hats on their way to new homes….Feeling the felt love. There is still more blocking and felting going on, but I will actually have the custom orders from the show finished this week (only 10 days behind the original schedule)….sorry everyone.
I also finished the core spun of Maples Turning…
Hand dyed BFL
130 g
160 yards
by carmen | Nov 30, 2009 | Uncategorized
So much to do at the studio today…meet a client first thing to pick up a custom order. Mission accomplished. Then finish my custom yarn order. Also accomplished, but instead of moving on, the wheel called to me. (Perhaps the combination of Lou Rawls, Barry White and incense with the yarn) is what did me in.
I was alone, no distractions and groovin’ to my own tune.
Yes, it was a good yarn day.
Secret Garden
130g
60 yards
Hand dyed BFL, recycled lambswool and cashmere, alpaca, silk and merino.
Cashmere Garden
130g
65 yards
Hand dyed BFL, recycled cashmere, alpaca,silk and merino.
There’s more, but I’ve put it aside for my own guilty pleasure. And there were several hats finished (and sold)….so much for starting to build inventory for my show on the 12th.
John had to tear me away from the wheel, leaving half spun, core spun on the bobbin. I can hardly wait to get back there tomorrow.
by carmen | Nov 27, 2009 | Uncategorized
This is what 45 pirates look like, packaged up and on their way to the post office. Thanks to John, Pearl and Nancy. It was a long night and I appreciated your help. Only if every order went out that smoothly.
Just before I hit the studio today, Asia gave me a picture perfect shot. Sorry for the gratuitous cat photo, but this is the first time I caught her in the tree.
Holli popped by for a visit. I’m hoping she’ll stop in now and again for some quality knit time now that she’s in the neighbourhood. Mike and I also got busy later in the day putting the final touches on the studio. We laid carpet, rearranged furniture, put up new shelving. Finally, ready for class.
Spinning went well tonight. There was spinning, carding, tea and I was able to get some spinning in myself(for the first time in more than 10 days). I have finished the first custom order from the show and I’m in deep to complete the rest. If you have ordered something from Circle Craft, it should be ready by the end of next week.
I feel like I’m on track. I don’t think I’ve ever felt like that at the end of November before. Sweet.
by carmen | Nov 25, 2009 | Uncategorized
Thank you for your emails asking what shows I have left for the season. There is only one left as I need to devote all of my remaining time to my custom orders.
Please visit me at the Holiday Market at the Croatian Cultural Centre on December 12. I will have new hats, new handspun and an entirely new collection of scarves….It’s gonna be a fibre party.
This gift touched me on so many levels. It was for no occasion and it was deeply personal. It isn’t just a gift……it is a real treasure.
Do not adjust your monitors. These really are the colours and there is no flash adding to this sheen. I wasn’t sure what the lesson plan was going to be for next week, but now guess who’ll be spinning silk hankies?
