Winter is here

Winter is here at least for a while- yesterday we got snow, so pretty. It didn't stay but it snowed again last night and that has stayed at least til it gets wrarmer tomorrow. Have been reading some blogs that have wordless wed with pictures only, and some posted pics each day for a year ( a bit too much for me) but I'm going to try to get the posting of pictures down so I can at least post when I want. So here goes, a few pics from yesterday. 

Surface Design Class

In Sept. I got a brochure from a college close to where I live.  I was looking thru it and noticed a Surface Design Class on Tue nights.  I thought about taking the class but found out 2 other gals at work were taking classes on Tue nights and since they were taking nursing related classes for their degrees I figured taking every Tue. night off wasn't going to fly.  I also had )figured out the cost and of course I live in a different county than the college is in so decided I would do my own surface design class and work on a new surface design each week (starting after the Oct. show). So this week I am going to do 2 projects to make up for not doing any yet.  Have been going through some books and looking online at different blogs and their projects for inspiration/guidance. Will let you know how they turn out. Tonight I am waiting for 9pm so I can watch the movie Certain Prey based on a John Sanford book by the same name.  He is one of my favorite authors and the movie stars Mark Harmon so what is not to like. 

Successful SAFF Show

Even though we drove  in rain all but the last 2 hours to Asheville, N.C. we unloaded in sunshine, yea.  It was a good show, the bracelets sold well as did shawl pins, brooches and of course buttons.  The weather was sunny and warm.  Was nice to see other venders that we  only see there and to visit with others that we see at other shows.  Did my part to support other venders and bought silk roving, caps and hankies, merino roving, mixed wool roving, and yarn.   Now I have to decide on projects for my purchases. On the way back we stopped at the Kentucky Artist Center in Brea and bought some Christmas presents.  Now that the shows are over for the year I can concentrate on my blog, learning to take pictures better and put them on the blog.  I also need to get the basement more together so I can work on projects easier.  Have been thinking of trying to put some of my bracelets in a shop here in town and at a craft/arts center in the next biggest town. Will have to explore that more.

On the Road Again

Tomorrow we leave for Asheville, N.C. for SAFF (Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair).  It is our last show for this year.  When I get back I will post more often and learn how to take better pictures and to post them.  I did get 14 bracelets done but forgot to take pictures and now they are packed in the trailer.  Will try to remember to take pictures when we get there and set up.   

Beautiful Fall Days

We had a beautiful fall weekend after rainy and unusually cold week.  Though the nights were cold and it took a while to reach nice temperatures it did come.  Went to the farmer's market Sat. and probably bought more than I had planned on as it was 38 degrees out at 9 a.m. and I felt sorry for the vendors who were trying to stay warm.  So I have 1/2 bushel of tomatoes to can, also in smaller quantities carrots, beans, eggplant, plums, spinach and  spaghetti squash to eat. Looks like a vegetarian week!  Got the garage cleaned out and organized for winter.  Also read a book "The Affair" by Lee Child, one of my favorite authors.  Tomorrow is fiber time- need to finish the dozen bracelets that I have woven but need embelishment/closures.  Also want to experiment with using a sander to speed up the felting  process. Will let you know how that works.  I have been neglecting keeping up with my posting and will try to do better.      

Unexpected act of kindness

Yesterday I went to Brimley to visit with friends. We worked on bracelets and and got caught up with each others lives. It's always a pleasure to visit them -they are "family" tho we are not related.  On the way back I had my money out for the toll at Mackinaw Bridge and when I stopped and went to hand my money to the toll booth worker she said "she paid for you"- I didn't think I had heard right and asked "what?" and she repeated "she paid for you" and pointed to the car ahead of me.I was suprised and it made me smile that a stranger paid my fare ( tho I certainly was  able to pay my own way).  I've read on occasion of "random acts of kindness" but have never been on the receiving end before.  We all do things for people we know, sometimes they know what we've done and thank us and sometimes they don't who did the kindness but we know and are happy to have done them a favor.  But this was a stranger and there was no way for me to thank her but it is a kindness that I will remember.                                                                                        Tomorrow Dawn and I are off to Romeo, Mi to Mt. Bruce Station's Sheep and Wool Festival.  It is a fun time for us to get together and go out to eat with friends that also exhibit there.  The show is at a wonderful farm that has lots of activities for families- pumpkin painting, rides on wagon around the farm, a huge hay labrynth, fall flowers and decorations, wonderful food and quality vendors.  If you are in the area do come out and enjoy the festival.  If the weather is nice I will take some pictures and try to post them.  My pictures of the bracelets that I've gotten done did not turn out as well as I'd hoped and then I forgot how to download them onto my blog so will have to consult with my nephew again.  I thought I had written down the instructions but can't find them.  My computer was down for the better part of two weeks and I didn't post and it seems until I get it more in my head I don't remember some computer things. I will keep pluging away at it until it sticks.

Busy getting nothing done

It seems like I've been busy getting nothing done- lots of projects started but not finished, house straightened in areas but not really neat/cleaned.  Hopefully I will have pictures in a few days of completed projects- bracelets, purse, and journal cover.  Have some felt that I need to work more so I can make some fiber art dolls from it. Am experimenting with fiber fusion and had to redo some of the pieces as I tried to increase  the ratio of the water to textile medium and it didn"t work so will stay with 1/1 ratio.   Have spent a fair amount of time the past few days (ok a lot of time) on the computer reading blogs- some of them I've read from the beginning (like 3 years worth of posts) so it has been time consuming but educational too.  It seems like my computer was being fixed  more days than it worked in Aug. so hope it will work more consistently  this month.  I did go to  garage sales yesterday until it rained and today for a while.  My one big find was a butcher block table that I put in my "metal room".  It will be great to pound metal on rather than my workbench -as all my tools jump and move when I pound on the bench.  In one of my books on metalsmith jewelry making the author uses a tree stump for her pounding but I think I will be happy with my butcher block table.  Jewelry making will have to wait until Nov.  Have to get fiber things done for the shows in Sept and Oct.