SIFF & SAFF

Where did the time go!  I have been wanting for so long to get a few posts up about the Southern Indiana Fiberarts Festival and my trip to SAFF!  I figure I can use today as a little catch up time for the poor wittle neglected blog.

I was a vendor at SIFF this year.  The festival takes place around the same time as Rhinebeck, so many of you may not have heard of it before.  It is a small festival and each year, it gets a little better.

One of the big plusses for this festival .. it is almost ENTIRELY in doors!   You can't beat a festival where your booth is out of the rain;)  Also, I simply love the comradery of my fellow vendors at this show.

I am definitely looking forward to next year!  And I must apologize for not getting all the vendor booth photos.  These are the ones who were set up  when I was finished setting up  on Thursday.  Trust me there were many vendors I missed getting photos of.

Next up...... my SAFF trip;)

My booth ;)

One of my customers showing off the shawl she made from the BFL Sock in Apple Pie with Cinnabar edge.

I bought the gray one for my Nephew in Japan.  These lovely bears are made of Soft Hypo-Allergenic Alpaca.

The Alpaca Bear Booth

Look at the size of her......  Bunny!

The bunnies were hiding under the tables;)

Mmmm..  I was in smelly heaven here!

One of her yarns graces the cover of a Cat Bordhi book!

Soap Balls- These were perfect for washing your hands.  Next year, I will have to remember to get a few!

The soap Lady's yarns.

Colortura

Setting up.

Follow the Star Studio had some of the most beautiful handspun art yarn around!

Loved her huge needles and shawl pins!

Huge needles

Shawl Pins

Peeps, Sheep & Rabbitry...  Kinda flows off the tongue

Rooster Run

Yarn

Socks

One of three outside vendors;)

The gals across the way from us were selling rug hooking kits and this was my favorite;)

Of course they had sheep

and supplies;)

These beautiful rugs were sold by local Mennonites 

and the front rainbow one is now adorning the floor  of my kitchen:)

These shawls were simply stunning!

Shawl booth

I love, Love, LOVE the name Spitters!

She had some very adorable felted work too;)

She is very lucky I let her keep her fabulous pumpkins!  They were gorgeous!!

Ursula

Got one of these last year and love it, but waiting for a special project to use it;)

Cute little pin cushions

and adorable cupcakes

All from Ewesing Wool;)

Did I ever tell you I was a sucker for yarn bowls?

And brightly colored fiber?

Pearl Pirtle

I will be adding a new spinning wheel to the herd pretty soon. I got lucky and found a fun little wheel on the web and after a few convos back and forth she is now mine. I will not get to play with her for a while as she is being dropped off with a friend who will bring her to me at a later date. But, the herd of wheels and I are definitely looking forward to her arrival!

I have already named this lovely little wheel 'Pearl' Pirtle.  She was originally created in the 1970's by Paul & Beverly Pirtle.  Paul was a retired Air Force  engineer and made the Pirtle spinning wheels out of their garage in Huntington Beach, CA.  Pearl is one of approximately 200 Pirtle wheels made.  Due to her lovely 1" yarn guides and orifice, Pearl and I should be turning out some fun, funky and large art yarns soon!

Kentucky Hospitality

There are so many wonderful people you meet on your walk through life.  If you are a smart cookie, you will know when these people come into your life.  I would like to tell you two people I had the honor of meeting during the Kentucky Wool Festival in Falmouth, KY a week ago.

I'll tell you right now on Thursday during set up, I was kind of really not looking forward to the Kentucky Wool Festival.  I was there alone and I would be camping in my truck in colder than normal weather.  I know that sounds a little odd, but hear me out.  Last year, the closest hotel was an hour away down a multi-hairpin little country road.  This year I opted to get a little bit more than 6 hours of sleep per night by camping in my truck, instead of being able to stretch out in warmth and comfort.

Needless to say, I was a little grumpy and at odds about my decision that evening.  I think my guardian angel was looking down on me that afternoon when I met Lana Yelton, her daughter Mitzy and her husband Jim.  Our booths were across the isle from one another  during the festival.  As we were talking, my sleeping arrangements came up.  Lana & Mitzy insisted that I should stay with Lana & Jim at their cabin up the road.  I wasn't too sure about imposing on them, but it was an offer that was hard to refuse.

They have a beautiful cabin that is just 10 minutes away from the festival.  Every morning, I woke up to a most spectacular view of trees just starting to change into their warm autumn colors set off by lovely kentucky sunrises.  Upon coming down stairs in the morning, I was greeted by the most delicious farm fresh scrambled eggs that had been gathered just the day before from the chicken roost, bacon & toast.  After a quick shower, we would head to the festival for a 12 hour work day.  At the end of the day, we would be greeted at the door by one of their 4 dogs and sit for a short while in the welcoming warmth of a crackling fire.

I have to say, that I am so very glad to have met Jim & Lana Yelton.  They really made my week end at the Kentucky Wool Festival an absolute joy!  I really am amazed that just as one starts to loose faith in humanity, someone comes along to point you back in the right direction.  Many, MANY THANKS to Jim & Lana Yelton!

Lana

Jim

Lisa & Selena

Kitty

Morning Sun

Rainbow on the very last morning of my stay.

My view every morning!

A Wool Gathering

September was a busy month indeed.  Bill had his second and hopefully final surgery.  The timing was actually perfect.  Two weeks after the surgery Bill was almost back to normal, and we felt it was pretty OK for me to to take my wares to 'A Wool Gathering' in Yellow Springs Ohio.

The festival held at Young's Dairy had not only some of the best fiberistas around, but the ice-cream and fried cheese curds as well.  If you are ever in the area, you really should stop by the Dairy to try the cheese curds.   OMG!  They are devilishly delicious and extremely addictive.

A few pictures;)

At the show.  Notice the Cascade banner?  There is a reason for that;)  Soon, LunabudKnits will be moving out of my home and into it's own retail location!

Mom's idea of a cute sales pitch...'I'm just the Mom....'    Now ask me how many times I hear that at shows per day....lol

Yellow Tents make it very hard to see colors...

Fluffy Bunnies

Tonia & Son of Knitted to a T

I really wanted this spindle, but it was just for display;(

Susan of Trading Post Fibers

Susan of Susan's Fiber Shop

Wheel I painted for Susan

Mantis

Yesterday I saw a rather large Mantis hanging out on the garbage can.  I ran to get my camera and Bill came out with me to see her.  We tried to pick her up to put her in a bush for a prettier picture....  Well, let's just say she had other ideas and gave me a well deserved pinch on my finger.  She then proceeded to puff up and let us know who was the boss...lol

Who me!

It wasn't me.

Hey! Look over there ----->

While I make my get away.....

Photo Phone

Whew, I'll have to say it has been pretty darn crazy the past few months. Bill has had two surgeries. The first in August to clear his nasal passage and the second in September to remove a pituitary turmor via his nasal passage. Bill is as good as new now, but we might have to go through the surgery again or localized radiation as the Dr. saw a few bits of tumor they missed following his MRI.

Sorry to say, I kind of just dropped blogging for a little while as it was hard to find the time to gather my thoughts. For quite some time now, I have promised myself to clean out the old photos on my phone. I thought my first post back might just have to be a collection of photos from my cell phone!  They are not the best quality pictures, but it sure i fun knowing I can snap a shot here and there;)

Applebutter

Monster Skein of Yarn at Knit Night

Granny

Eyeball Illusion with sushi plates

2009 Drive to the Kentucky Wool Fest

Little Kitty helping hold the totes stationary as I pack for a show.

Little Kitty hanging out w/ a new friend at the Vet's office.

Bill playing his new guitar before the second surgery.

New Colors.....

I have two new color ways to announce at LunabudKnits! Both are shown in BFL Sock


Autumn Wisp


Aurora

Applebutter Video

Video of Applebutter in her new paddock. This was after she calmed down a bit.

Musical Horses

It is a long, long story, but to shorten it a bit... The farm I was keeping Applebutter is closing;( I am so sorry for the owners and animals as it was a wonderful place to keep your animal. I have known this day was coming since late spring. I found a new place to keep her which is free, but much, much smaller. So today, we played musical horses...

Hitched up the trailer and Miss Applebutter loaded into the trailer easy as could be. She's always been very good about going into the trailer and behaving herself, so I was not too worried about too many shenanigans. Once we pulled out on the road, she threw one of her 'fits' and I had to pull over to check it out. I think that was the moment she realized she was leaving her friends. Everything looked fine, so we hit the road again.

About the only draw back to the move was the time it took place which was rush hour. This and the fact that the new 'Sam's Club' had opened on the 4 lane caused us to use back roads much to the dismay to commuters hoping to by-pass the hoards of cars heading to big savings on monster piles of stuff you think you want but really don't need. Lets just say that had a nice leisurely drive home that evening.

We managed to narrowly avoid a wreck as well! Folks, before I start ranting... There are speed limits on roads for a reason! So that you can get a visual... Imagine a two lane country road where one vehicle is patiently waiting to turn left across traffic when someone comes barreling down the road not paying enough attention and does not have enough time to properly react to prevent wrecking. I am just thanking the powers that be and my lucky stars that vehicle decided not to swerve into my lane while I was hauling an already unhappy horse. Instead, they went into the grass and hit a ditch. Luckily no one appeared to be hurt.

Half an hour later, we pulled into the drive of her new home. It is not quite as spacious as the old one, but I am planning to make up for that by spending much more time with her as she is now just a few minutes away.



She gradually slowed down after a while.


She was still very alert and aggrivated.


Coming over to say 'hi' before doing the 'i'm crazy run again'.