So, wow, it is zipping along, this summer. Four and a bit of weeks left until I return to the Montessori Kid Factory.
I’ve been so crappy about taking pictures and blogging.
Here are a few shots from the road thus traveled. Be on the lookout for more soon. And flying pigs, probably.
I will do my best!
Shangriladidah on 94th st.
Lily’s learns to KNIT!
The new family member– Bob the budgie– bequeathed to us by the neighbor Bob, who is not a budgie. Here is the Bantam pecker who roams his yard, is NOT our pet, and drives all of Reisterstown crazy.
It’s that time of year again!!!
I am impatiently awaiting the Homespun Yarn Party–
( click to visit, natch)
Here are the stats, straight from the site–
What: Yarn Party! Check out local yarn vendors, sit and knit, meet new people!
Who: All your favorite local yarn dyers and spinners, plus some extra crafty goodness! And all our knitting/crocheting/spinning friends (you!) of course!!
Why: Who needs an excuse to get together and craft?! We wanted to get together and spread some fiber love!
In addition to some great crafty vendors, we’ll also have:
free lessons on knitting, crochet, spinning, and maybe more
fabulous door prizes to be given away throughout the event
weather-permitting, a sit and spin/crochet/knit area out on the deck
And we’ll be collecting knitted and crocheted items for local charities!
Admission is FREE!
I can tell you that this is the most amazing day of fiber fun and community! I am delighted to be a vendor there again this year. I will have loads of hand spun and fiber–batts & rovings– to tempt you. Please come enjoy the day with us!
I also happen to have a few photos in their contest. Voting is open until this Friday– go vote for your faves, there are some lovelies!! You can see them on here.
I’ve got 30 pounds of fiber in my Rumpelstiltskin-world right now. More news and photos to follow!
Well we did it! Matryoshka and I spent a weekend in the faerie world, even ate the food!– and were able to get back to our own world. That’s all against the fae rules, but we did it! I wouldn’t have minded staying an eternity, if the weather had been more cooperative! That said, it was a lovely weekend–Despite the rain and many weird weather appearances! We met a lot of really wonderful people, heard some great music, saw a lot of great costumes and just generally enjoyed hanging out at the festival for 2 days. If you are wondering “what is this faerie festival thing all about?,” here is a little clip that gives you an idea of what you encounter at such a gathering. (This is a fest in IL.)
I really enjoyed the Maryland one. It was a little different than Spoutwood’s festival, but really nice.
Here a some highlights–
The Gypsy Nomads were MOST awesome! Again, this is another festival, but one of their songs.
So we sat and needle felted and spin span spun.
visited with friends, and made some new ones!
We had great neighbors!! Check out their awesome wares!
Goblin Road made some great leather corsets and these wonderful Gobbler dolls.
Emma of Creative Procrastinations had a highly addictive booth full of magical items– I’ll post her link once her website is open.
Creative Procrastinations was founded in the tradition of the Arts and Crafts movement which valued handcrafting and believed that everyone should be able to own beautiful, original things. Handmade beaded jewelry, fairy wings, fairy houses, fairy gardens, trinket boxes, journals, scrapbooks, hand-painted toys and a variety of other handcrafted items.
And we had the best face-painter/henna tattoo folks on our other side. They are semi-local– Rosie went over and I expected her to come back all sparkled-out. Nope. She was a super creepy bones-girl. Crystalooneys. Trish rocks that henna!
I have some pretty BEAUTIFUL fiber left from the weekend and will be updating the etsy shop sometime tomorrow. Look for a yarn update on Wed.
Here’s a wee slide show for you to enjoy. Some of these photos are by the talented Quadruple Lutz. She has some more one her blog. Thanks for the visit there Squirrel-queen!
Ok, here’s the scoop on the Faerie Festival this weekend! I have not been to this one before, though we most always go to the May Day /Fairie one in Glen Rock, PA. I am hoping that this one will be just as great– especially since sister Matryoshka and I will be selling our wares there! If it is indeed akin to the Glen Rock festival there will be lots of good food, good entertainment & activities and great fae costumery! Young and old the young at heart dress up as faeries and various other mythical creatures. Sometimes you get goblins and dark fairies. One year we even saw Orcs! Creepy. My point is, there is room for whatever your fancy!
There are great outdoor performers and crafts and vendors of magical things. Here are the Kids activities and Big Kid offerings. Great list of vendors too! Please say hi if you decide to attend– We’ll be there in a tent/booth somewhere! We’ll be knitting and spinning and needle felting. Come see us!
Event Information
Saturday and Sunday
May 16th and 17th, 2009– rain or shine!
10 AM to 6 PM
Admission
$10 for ages 12 to 99, $3 for ages 3 to 11
Free for kids under 3 and over 99
$1 off for dressing in costume
Parking fee $3 per vehicle
It’s about and hour from Baltimore and around 40 mins from dc. It is easy to mapquest.
Patuxent 4H Center
18405 Queen Anne Road
Upper Marlboro, MD 20774
Two performers we’re looking forward to–
Exentrik performs an acrobatic variety show, featuring partnered acrobalance, fire manipulation (poi, staff, juggling and body transfers), contact and toss juggling. Putting a wide range of talents to use in a series of questionably good ideas, the acrobats of Exentrik are constantly finding new ways of subtly shouting “Hey, look at us!” Exentrik is a high energy, acrobatic and fire-filled duo, exactly the sort of performing mortals any Faerie Troupe would have kidnapped to while away the hours of eternity.
Gypsy Nomads
The Gypsy Nomads are known for their highly energetic performances. From dynamic guitar anthems, pounding drum jams and original French ballads delivered with a gypsy flair, their show is a whirlwind of guitars, tambourines, toms and tape loops. Collaborating since 2000, The Gypsy Nomads delivers an awe inspiring blend of Gypsy, Celtic, Medieval and Rock styles.
I had the greatest spinny-girl episode last week.
It was off to Camp Pluckyfluff with me. I got to spend time in the company of not only the lovely Lexi, but met a few new-friend wonderful spinners, and also got to see some spinny friends that I have not seen in a while! It was really fun and challenged my spinning in some new ways. Then it was a full weekend of the MD Sheep and Wool Festival! Such a wet weekend, but we got to see some woolie-wonders, and buy some woolie-wonders, and I took a really great class from Judit MacKenzie McCuin and learned more about wheel mechanics than I could have dreamed! That woman is brilliant as can be. I am a bit tired tonight so I’ll slip to photos. As soon as I can, I will show you the spinnings from classes and get all of the goodies I have left up on etsy. I am aiming for tomorrow! Thanks from the bottom of my fibery-soul to everyone who stopped into the Cloverhill booth and purchased my yarn and fiber. I hope you enjoy using it as much as I did making it!
Baaaaah-bah.
NO bones… the REAL reason SOME people go…. Seriously.
Then of course for the SOME SHEEP.
Marigold rocked the camera here–
I got a nice little Jacob fleece. I have been longing to spin one of these because of a Cloverhill customer who spins them over and over and makes the most gorgeous sweaters. First the “processing” part, which is just a nice way of saying that I have to hand wash out a years worth of unmentionable molecules. I have never longed to do that. Ever. YIP!
I bought NO sheep and NO goat, though I wish I had. One of these years….
2 loverly skeins of Fleece Artist wanted to make a getaway from their booth and stow-awayed in my bag. They told me that they would love the be the Nightsongs shawl which Coleen has tormented me into making– that saucy temptress! They are peacock-ee in color and full of sea silk. Yum. Actually they were called “mermaid” I think. Natch. Then I got a few equipment and maintenance items. My old Ashford Traditional wheel got a pampering and spa-night on my return and I swear, is so happy. I have never been one to personify my wheel, but if it were one of those namey ones, it would probably be squealing with delight and asking to marry me.
Meanwhile… At a secret meeting room in Hyattsville…
Lexi Boeger,MollyMiller by appt. , Liz aka the amazing Hobbeldehoy, Cindy of Studioloo ( go gnomes!), Beth of Double-stars, Jonathan the DC potter extraordinaire, Red Hot Steph of Loop, Kate of Dragonfly fibers, dear Tal (write!), and Stacey are all pictured below. I so enjoyed spending a couple of days and spinning with you! I had serious withdrawal Monday morning!
The only unanswered question? WHY IS IT CALLED A LAZY KATE?? Someone must know right?
Now that you have suffered through wooly overload, you might demand to know WHO is the big WINNER of the “Your Own Private Fiber” contest? It’s YOU Chronographia!!! The random generator picked you, plus that was one smokin’ knock-knock joke. I’ll find you.
WHOOoooo, the fuzz is flying around here! I am plum DIZZY from the spinnings.
Here’s a glimpse of some of the things headed for the Sheep and Wool festival, lest you think I have just been over here snoozing.
There will be loads of yarn and enough fluffy, yummy batts to spin for miles.
So so much swirling. Got a bit of gardening done. Earth Day is bringing lots of good stuff our way this year. A composter sale– where we acquired another big black cooker for the garden. We emptied the other one into the basil beds Sunday and WOW! was that some lovely dirty goodness. The girls loved finding an eggshell here and there, and were very helpful in getting a bunch of planting done. It felt so good to be out in the dirt and see all of my friends waking up. Garlic and strawberries and blueberries. We are making plans to expand a bit more into what has been our parking area. Looking forward to that for some high rent things like vines and asparagus.
Also for Earth Day, I am happily attending a really cool movie with Marigold’s class tomorrow– check it out. Looks so luscious…
We also have the last year of Science (STEM) Fair at this school to commemorate–
Little Rosemary had the best comment on this photo… I overheard this being sincerely pledged to her sister:
“You know what? You would look totally like a rock star here if you just had blood dripping down from the sides of your mouth a little bit and maybe some spikey bracelets.”
“Erm, thanks. Maybe just the bracelets though.”
w.o.w.
Lastly this is sort of a big aging day for me. Did you know that Robert Smith of the Cure is FIFTY YEARS OLD TODAY??? I mean, HOW? Just HOW did that happen?? The second shocking discovery was that today– 20 days before my 43rd birthday– I found THIS!
NAY! You are not looking at a stray fiber of sparkly Angelina! THAT is a grey hair from my very own head. The first one I have found– sticking straight up off my head, silver and curly! What that means for my future coif, I can’t be sure. One thing I know, and that is time waits for no mama.
I deliver my fibery goods over the weekend and should have more time for blogging after that. Jacey over at insubordiknit has a great spinning challenge going that I am excited to try. Twin and Evil twin. I could use a little stretching after all of this whirling and dervishing.
I did say I was going to give away something good to celebrate the festival though didn’t I?? How about a skein of handspun or a batt custom created for some sweet person who leaves a comment and tells me the best knock knock joke?? Extra points for fiber/sheep content.:) I’ll pick on May Day, the first. DON”T FORGET to leave a way for me to contact you!
Booth D2 & D3 Main Exhibition Hall– on the front right as you walk in.
This sassy little banner says it all. Visit the blog/countdown and catch the excitement as a new fiber artist is featured each day. Today is the knitting gnome’s turn in fact! There are amazing contests and f-u-n.
As a bonus– the blog is there all the time and a great new “finger on the pulse” of the fiber-full days at Cloverhill. Give that banner a click!
I am thinking about what I’ll be giving away here in fact as the awesome event nears. Stay tuned….
Tomorrow– Gnomes made for swapping and a roving hedgehog!
The Homespun Yarn Party was so wonderful. I still feel sort of high thinking about it. The space at Savage Mill was awesome; The party-goers were a raucous and lovely bunch; AND I got to hang out with my sister Matryoshka all day!
Folks were so friendly and seemed to be having a great time. There was really good ice cream.
Hanging out at the yarn shop, I get to hear a lot of feedback on it from local attendees, and I’d say it was a 2nd year gargantuan-success. What I most appreciated about it was the spirit of community that filled the whole day. The volunteers rocked, there were great classes and the overall niceness-and-wonderment of ravelry ran like an electrical current through it all. I was on crutches with my retarded knee and so didn’t get to shop around– but I saw a lot of nice things come by our booth! I’d like to thank everyone who stopped by and said hi, and bought yarn/fiber. It was a really fun day! I can’t wait for next year! In the shorter term though– please look for me and my fibery-wares at 2 upcoming events–
This past weekend was ARTSCAPE in Baltimore. I know I have mentioned it in various contexts. It is billed as the largest free public arts festival. I dunno if that is in the WORLD– but it was bigger and hotter than ever. It can be hot and “normally” Summer in Baltimore, but you better bet when ARTSCAPE weekend rolls around, the weather will be only comparable to the firey furnaces of HELL. I worked in a booth in the new DIY section with Ms. Erin the ceyeberfiber mama. I also sold a new thing for me– felted bracelets. Here’s our booth and a detail of what I am talking about.
They were very well received there. Hope you like them. I’ll be getting them up on Etsy at some point.
Working at ( or just attending) ARTSCAPE is to view an amazing cross section of humanity. Working there, you get to experience it from 9am to 10pm, however. I could tell you loads of funny stories. Erin will remember all of the “BEST THINGS OVERHEARD AT ARTSCAPE”, my short story will be to tell you about the really really happy Mormon guys who came to play on Saturday. They were gathered across from us at the cleaner/greener Baltimore booth and at some point found it a good idea to cheer for people when they threw something into the recycling bins. Then they found it an AWESOME idea. And they did it ALL DAY. It was funny and crazy. And very very LOUD. They would whoop and holler like they were an entire crowd of fans at a basketball game. A really good one. It was funny because people would be weirded out, but happy too. So I think it worked. Folks would take their stuff up there and tease them. If a rascal threw something recyclable into the trash bin the would BOOOOOOO just as loudly, pick it out and put it in the right bin, and then whoop it up for themselves. Such exuberance and persistence was simply awesome. A little nerve wracking after hours and hours of it… but it was totally for real, and that was just something. I made a movie of it… but I bet you can imagine it just fine.
So the other great thing about ARTSCAPE is that Jim’s art was there. Remember? He was awesome. The art was awesome.
It was a really good exhibit. Here are 2 other of my favorites from the show– You just have to love post-it art. ( and there was the predictable napkin-scrawl art as well)
and
If you want to see this is all of it’s ocd splendor– you can check it out on my flickr page. Click it to travel by flu powder there. Don’t forget to say FLICKR! If you zoom in you will see it is like a billion and one noodles.
I also liked this Birth of Venus. I have a tattoo of the Botticelli version, and am always fond of the subject.
Part 2 in just a bit– “ARTSCAPE– GREAT ART THAT YOU CAN SIT ON!!!”
Lily’s learns to KNIT!
The new family member– Bob the budgie– bequeathed to us by the neighbor Bob, who is not a budgie. Here is the Bantam pecker who roams his yard, is NOT our pet, and drives all of Reisterstown crazy.
The Mid Atlantic Hedgehog Show
Gypsy Nomads
