whew!

In the passed six weeks, I've made more than eighty spindles, three dozen mini spindles and six lazy kates.

I have stolen some time with friends who seem to think I need a break every once in a while. And married off my oldest original (pre-remarriage) daughter.

Lost the last of my grandparents. Celebrated twelve years of marriage. Learned something about my stepfather. Registered my twins for fifth grade. Won a couple of blue ribbons in the county fair. Learned a little about weaving so I could help my youngest son learn how to weave. Listened to a whole lot of TV I didn't actually watch (the announcers on Ninja Warriors sound like they're swearing?) Been asked out for a drink by my ex-husband (does that sound as weird as it was?).

I have not cleaned my house, sorted laundry, straightened up my workshop or cleared off my diningroom table.

Lazy Kates are back in stock!

You've asked for them so I took a break from painting and made some up. I'm now offering a couple of options...stain and extra bobbins.

upcoming dates

Saturday, September 19, 2009: World Wide Spin in Public Day
I don't know where we'll be (maybe just hanging in our front yard or a local park) but you can be sure we'll be out there exposing the world to our fibery art!

Sunday, September 20, 2009 10AM-4PM: Spinner's Flock Fall Fleece Fair, Chelsea, MI
This is our first opportunity to participate in our guild's twice yearly sale. Em and I will be working all day doing various jobs. Spindles will be available.

Saturday, October 3, 2009 10AM-4PM: Wonder Why Alpaca Farm Wonder Weekend! East Leroy, MI
Featuring alpaca, alpaca, alpaca! We'll be there (along with at least a few other Zombie Prom Date Knitters), with spindle demos and sales. We'll also have some weaving and wheel spinning going on. Come on out and join the fun!

in the works

These (some still in progress), and others, will be showing up at The Spinning Loft (Howell, MI) soon.

I'm working, Beth...I'm working.

Sock Summit

No, I won't be headed to Sock Summit in August. I wish I was. But the lovely Rita, of Yarn Hollow will be and a selection of my spindles are going with her. Look for Yarn Hollow with SpinSanity Spindles in booth #925.

Since I'm a fairly small operation and haven't traveled across country as a vendor, I never really gave it much thought as to how one gets their stock from point A to point B. I have my stuff down to a couple of bins, a table, a large rug (to protect the spindles from concrete floors) that folds down quite small and personal belongings (clothes, toothbrush, spindles/kniting and travel wheel)...with some creative packing, it all fits in the back of my car. But Rita has a huge selection of fibers and yarns. HUGE. And driving that far with truck, trailer or motor home doesn't seem all that cost effective.

So how does it get from MI to OR? It's shipped. Her stock needs to go out on 7/27 in order to be in OR on time. My spindles need to get to her next week, in order to be packed in with her stock.

Yikes.

I'm spindlating as fast as I can.

ad spindles/Cherry Mandala

I've had a lot of questions as to whether the cherry mandala spindle in my banner and Rav ads is still available and when I will list it. Usually, I create (or recycle) ads from spindles I've already made/sold or list them when the ad comes out. And then hear from those disappointed that they're not in my shop.

After much thought, and polling of friends and family, I've settled on this: if I use a new spindle design in ads and banners, I will list that spindle in the shop on the last day of the month the ad runs, at a specified time. I'll put an announcement both here and in an update in my shop.

So this month, the cherry mandala will be listed on Tues, June 30 at 3:00 PM EDT.

I has gallery!

I've been meaning to set up a gallery of spindles that have gone out into the world for some time. I actually have a spindles set on the Flickr account I set up to use with Ravelry. Unfortunately, it's the account I use with Ravelry (and my knit/spin blog and this one)--it's cluttered. Since I have over 200 pics (how did I get over 200 pics?), every new pic I add drops one from view.

OK, so it's a work in progress. It's going to take awhile to fish spindle pics from my network storage drive. I always meant to organize pics in folders by month and year and then specifics within those but didn't start out that way so there's a lot to sort through.