Our First Online Craft Show

"An online craft show, what's that?" you say. Well, it is just as it sounds. We are going to be participating in The Country Crafters Spotlight Online Craft Show which starts June 8, 2012 and goes through June 10,2012. That's this Friday through Sunday.

"So, what sort of things can we expect there?" you ask. Aren't you just full of questions today? Well, we are offering a small cross section of the items available in our shop. Each vendor can place 10 items in the show. You will also see the work of other artisans availible for purchase. Please browse the show and buy at your leisure, knowing that you are supporting an artist not a big box store.

Here is one item that will be up for grabs from our shop:

"What is it?" you ask. There you go again...well, it is a Learn to Spin Upcycled CD Spindle Set. It comes with one Mr. Yarn Geek CD Spindle, two ounces of hand dyed practice fiber and an instruction sheet complete with pictures and instructions and stuff. Yeah. So now you know.

We hope you will come check it out this weekend. You may just find something you can't live without.

Goodies From Kentucky

There was so much drool-worthy swag at Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival, it would have bankrupted me to bring it all home. A few things did manage to sneak into my project bag though. Here, I share them with you. Let the lusty thoughts commence.

Item #1: A fused glass spoonrest from Paws & Reflect out of Texas. I could have camped out all day in her booth.

Item #2: Cloud Batt from Moonwood Farm Fiber Studio. Locks, shimmer, shine, soft fluff and sparkle all in one big squooshy cloud. Just mauvelous!

Item #3: Four ounces of Merino/Silk Gradient in Tangerine to Ultraviolet from Fiber Optic Yarns.

Item #4: 7 ounces of the softest Llama down I have ever felt. It once belonged to Sir Trouble, a Mini Llama with a Napolean complex who lives at Cedar Grove Farms.

And lest you think it was all fiber, sheep and farms I leave you with this.

Item #5: Yummy, delicious, decadent fudge. Well, there used to be quite a bit more than this. They were all 8 ounce blocks. Even so, I was lucky to get even this much for a picture. From left to right we have Kentucky Bourbon (with Walnuts...that sneaky Mr. Yarn Geek knows I'm allergic to them so he got that one all to himself), Orange Dreambar, Amaretto (my personal fav), and Half n half Peanut Butter and Fudge. The owner makes the fudge and then pours in the alcohol so it doesn't boil off. This lead to a discussion after the fact between Mr. Yarn Geek and I about wether we should have been eating it while driving. Erhm...heh.

We're Goin' To Kentucky!

We have been getting ready to go to Lexington for the Kentucky Sheep and Fiber Festival on May 19-20, 2012. I have never been to Kentucky before, but Mr. Yarn Geek says it is beautiful. The workshops actually start on Friday the 18th, but we will be setting up in the Big Top Tent during that time. We will have several new colorways in Sock Top and Merino/Tencel blend and some other new fun items to spiffy up your project bags with. Be sure to come look for us if you get to stop by the festival.

Lake Area Fiber Arts Festival

Mr. Yarn Geek and I will be at Lake Area Fiber Arts Festival April 28,  2012. Please swing by and see us and all the rest of the talented vendors. I am really excited because Rachel of Dyeabolical will be there too and we always have a really great time when we get together. The Lake of the Ozarks area is beautiful, so that's something to look forward too as well.

I promise to take lots of pictures, well at least to send Mr. Yarn Geek around to take them. That's what usually happens. I also promise not to lose the camera for a week like we did after Knitting in the Heartland.

We are taking advantage of the location and will be visiting my sister and neice and their familes in the Columbia, Missouri area on Sunday. I can't wait to cuddle my Great Neice and Nephew!

The Etsy shop will be on vacation. We will re-open on Wednesday, May 2, 2012. I hope to see you all soon!

Meeting Franklin and Other Adventures

Last weekend Mr. Yarn Geek and I loaded up the trailer and drove five and a half hours to Lenexa, Kansas for Knitting in the Heartland. It is an event put on by the Sunshine Knitter's Guild once every two years. The fabulous Crowne Plaza Hotel hosted the event this time.

We were honored to be able to meet both Franklin Habit * and Jacey Boggs. After a very enthusiastic introduction by Jacey, Franklin gave a presentation on Friday evening about antique knitting patterns and the perils therein. We learned several new things and a lovely time was had by all. Afterward, Franklin signed books and posed for pictures. Here I am going all fan girl on him. I look a little insane, but it had been a very, very long day and the glassy eyes are only slap happiness.

I wanted to get a picture with Jacey too, but for some reason that never happened. We did chat for a few seconds on Sunday, which was nice. I have no idea how she keeps up with the schedule she has, it is quite frantic. Don't believe me, go look at her workshop page.

On Saturday morning we were greeted in the parking lot by a bus after my own heart. I love books, and this was painted from top to bottom with them, each one a title spoofing on one of the classics.

On Saturday evening we lounged on the bed in our hotel room, nursing bellies stuffed with incredible Kansas City Barbeque from Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbeque, and watched the news and weather channel intently as tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa. Big scary business to be sure. The wind was blowing so hard outside our window, I finally understood what my mother, who grew up in Kansas, was talking about. Everyone survived the night, and also the next day when it stormed again. Actually the only time I was worried about my personal safety was when Mr. Yarn Geek brought out the leftover BBQ ribs at lunchtime.

We did spindle demonstrations in the booth both days, resulting in several new spinning addicts. I was especially proud of Zoe of 2 Windows Dye Company. She actually filled her spindle twice over the weekend with really lovely fiber from her mom's "Make Your Own Batt" service. We hope she fills it many more times.

We pulled into our own driveway on Sunday at the stroke of midnight. It's a good thing too, I'd heard horror stories of trailers turning into veggies during my childhood. It's just not a good idea to mess around with something like that. I mean, most of my fiber stash would have been in that pumpkin.

There are new developments afoot, but you'll have to wait until the next post to hear all about them. Just know that I am really excited about it.

* I wanted to also point out that Frankin included one of my handspun yarns in the first picture in this blog post.