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.      

Two for Tuesday- Favorite Cities

Two of my favorite cities are Santa Fe and Taos, N.M.  I go back to those two cities as often as I can.  I always feel at home when I get there. I like the temperature, not too cold or too hot.  The culture and art inspire me.  The colors of the desert and mountains are beautiful.  Artists abound and I have found that they are friendly and sharing.  The food is delicious and I love trying new foods when I am out there.   The farmers market in Santa Fe introduced me to many new and wonderful foods. The Indian Market is a great place to buy directly from the artists that make the unique southwestern Indian jewelry and pottery.

continued post

I ran out of space,too many pics maybe, so will continue on here. #5 pins from hand loomed fabric/beads--#6 Harry the camel--#7 calla lily class, shape close to being done--#8 calla lily "parts"--#9 hibiscus petals--#10 close up of design on felted vest,covered in tulle and about 1/2  way felted--#11 mama and baby alpaca  #12 back to the booth-honey and beeswax candles  Dawn's family-- #13 Trimming sheep before judging--#14 my handmade shawl pins--#15 Dawn's soap and one of my roving brooches.  Don't know how I got the huge calla lily captioned at beginning of the Mi. Fiber Festival post and don't know how to get rid of it so there to stay for now.  Will have to take pics of my purchases for the weekend later and post.

Michigan Fiber Festival

The Michigan Fiber Festival has come and gone for another year.  The weather was not as hot as usual so I was pleased about that. Did of course have some rain.  Unexpected was power outage Sun. not only of the fairgrounds but the town and surrounding areas.  Was pleased that it only lasted for about an hour considering the wide area affected.  As I have mentioned before I share booth space with my friend Dawn( Little Acres) at the fiber festivals. Sometimes one side of the booth is mine and the other side is hers and sometimes like this past weekend both of our items are mixed throughout the booth. Pictures are of stages of projects of the two classes I took with Heidi Bukoski, a really nice lady and good teacher, booth items and animals.  Still need to learn to label pics but for now will list them and tell about them.  #1 my needle felted sheep and alpaca teddy bears--#2 /3 buttons and button display board (one side)--# 4 my roving/bead brooches--

Two for Tuesday- Favorite shows to take classes

Bead and Button show and Quilts,Inc. Cinncinnatti show (formerly in Chicago area) are two of my favorite shows to take classes.  I attended both this year and took classes from some wonderful teachers.  More on the classes and teachers later but now I have to pack  so I'm ready to leave for Allegan (Michigan Fiber Festival) in the a.m. I am taking a 1/2 day class tomorrow and full day class Thursday then have to set up our booth with Dawn after class is over. Hope to see you there.    

Two for Tuesday- Books I'm Reading

I love to read and often have several that I'm reading at any given time- Two that are on my nightstand at the present time are LOVELY BONES by Alice Sebold and SPLIT SECOND, an FBI thriller by Catherine Coutler.  I had not read anything by Alice Sebold before but any enjoying it greatly.  I have read all of the previous FBI thrillers by Catherine Coulter and she is one of a handful of my favorite aurthors.  Give either or both of these books a try.