A Stitches in time saves.....well you know!!

What a trip!!
It was definitely a whirlwind adventure...to say the least!!
First we (Michael, Autumn and I) went to San Francisco to visit with our daughter Jennyrose.
We went to The Stinking Rose and had a marvelous dinner, everything made with as much garlic as they could put into it. Ahhh!! Jennyrose's good friend Lacey came with us and it was great fun....hey, that's what it's all about.
Autumn loved her fourth floor Hotel room. Right in the heart of San Francisco....She spent alot of time on the window sill trying to figure out how to get her paws on a pigeon or two.....to no avail!!

We went to see "The Queen" with Jennyrose and JJ. Great movie and a very enjoyable afternoon. It was sad leaving them....but after we go to Maryland Sheep & Wool, in May, we are going to spend a week in NY. It's gonna be great because it will be Jennyrose's 24th birthday on Thursday and Mother's Day on Sunday!!

On Thursday we drove to Santa Clara to set up for the Stitches West 2007 show & the preview night. The load in was a bit hectic as we had to get everything onto the one pallet that the union workers provided for us. Luckily Lisa and Rod Souza happened by and helped us by wheeling in and carrying a few things for us....Ahhhh Friends ;) We were neighbors which made the whole weekend much more enjoyable.
Unfortunately, for me, when we parked the car and were walking down the stairs to go set-up (it was rainy there) I slipped down and really sprained my ankle. Not something that you want to have happen right before a 3 days show, standing on concrete. I felt lucky that I had a hold of the bannister or I would really have been in for it!

Also.....lucky for me/us we had friends from the PNW come to the show and they were more help than could be expected for their Workers Passes!! Thanks to Barb and Jen and Sam!! You ROCK!!
Here we all are at the photo booth on Sunday...don't we look bright and chipper?
In the back from left to right.....Barb, Sam, Me
front, left to right.....Jen...and Lisa!!

The show went very well....thanks to all of you who came to the show.... shopped and spread your lovely smiles & good thoughts our way!! You all are the reason why Stitches is such a great success!!
We packed up on Sunday night and drove to our favorite Motel 6 in Williams, CA. We had a late dinner at Granzella's Restaurant in Williams....you really must stop there if you are flying up Highway 5!! It's the best!!

On we drove Monday morning...wondering what the great Goddess would provide us with up ahead. We drove through a little snow in Shasta...not bad....the Siskiyou pass was awesome....I will let the above picture speak for itself.
Autumn was not amused when Michael put her paws in the snow....She decided her pet taxi was the safest place to be.....smart cat!!

All was well....then I started driving....& right before we got to Canyonville about an hour from home...the skies opened and large, beautiful flakes of snow came pouring down.
I slowed down to 40...stayed behind a Big semi and just cruised it for about 15 miles.
We made it home before dark....happy as clams.....woke up to a beautiful, white yard.
It's cold here.....the snow comes and goes and we are most happy to be home!!

The great Stitches adventure of 2007 is over.....& an adventure it was ;)

It's Show Time!!

One short week until the Stitches West Show in Santa Clara California
(February 24th-26th).
Yep, yet another trip....Yippee....Sun again!!!

Now.......
I am going to be a "show off"!!

I have been making buttons, ofcourse... amongst all the other things.... the Flower Buttons are really blooming and I wanted to have you all be the very first to see a few of them.

It's always great when a new way of doing something comes together for me.
Likely as not this usually happens right before a show. I really am digging making this new variation on the theme.

This year will be the "coming out" party for the circular needles at Stitches West. And...We are also coming out with some new colors in the Designer needles.....I wish that photographing them could do them justice..They are mighty purdy ;)
Same amazing points as well as joins.


Michael has also been making a few Don't Drop Spindles....this one is a beauty!!
And there's more!!

We also have some new Orifice Hooks in the offerings.

I do hope, if you are coming to Stitches West that you will stop by and see us.
OH Yeah........We will be in booth #602.

*We are neighbors with our good friends Lisa Souza & her wonderful husband Rod!! ;) It's all in the planning my friend!!

"All things come to she who waits!!!!"

I love surprizes...don't you? Especially when they involve getting something fun and delicious!!
Well this blog is about surprizes and all the shapes that they come in.
I, in the past few years, have lost several friends...it was basically because it was time for us to part ways. Friends that had been in my life for quite a while and that I was truly sorry to let go of....but it was necessary.

Ofcourse, that left a major gap in my life and I began to ask the Powers that Be to bring into my life some friends that resonated with my being NOW....it took a while...AND I am Pleased to say I have been blessed with just such wonderful people....Friends.....and as Bette Midler so aptly put it..."You gotta have friends"!!

The friend gathering started with meeting My Dear Friend Lisa Souza, what a blessing of a day that was!!......and then like a snow ball skipping down a hill gathered momentum.
She got me hooked up with Fiber Traditions (an online family/fiber group of amazing souls)! Not only are they creative beings but......wonderful beings!! I truly am honored and amazed at each and every one of them...helpful in every way that's important in friendship.


Through our Sweet Jen (an FTer), I met Jackie (Jen's Mom). She, like Lisa, is a Sister....by different parents!! We have a blast together!!
In my name book (one I swear by) it says....Jackie..."Bringer of Unity and Joy"!!....and that she does!!
Her Spirit is JOY!!....and I'm not just saying that because she sends me AWESOME presents!! (See what she sent me....and it's not even Christmas or my Birthday!!) Thanks Jackie for being in my life....and bringing me Unity and Joy!! ;)......AND for the wonderful Surprizes!!
I am waiting patiently for Maryland Sheep and Wool to give Jackie a proper HUG!!

AND thanks to the Powers that Be for sending me all my Amazing New Friends!! I am forever grateful!!

Soon a number of us will get to gather together down in Santa Clara for the Stitches West show.....I can barely wait!!
They are Goddesses.....each and every one!

What A Trip!!.....installment #2

On Tuesday Michael, Autumn and I loaded up the van and headed off to Tacoma, WA for the Madrona Winter Retreat.
Autumn rode all the way there in her "nest" (cat carrier) .....All was well with the world......except that I am coming down with a cold, right after almost recovering from the cold/flu that I had on my way home from TNNA....Lovely!! Ah, well, all I had to do was sneeze, knit and stare out the window....Oh, yes and blow my nose!!

Autumn was a trooper the whole trip. She stayed in the van during the day (we went out to feed her and give her pets) & she kept us mightily entertained at night doing her "evil eel" impersonation under the bed clothes.....she's now an official traveling kitty!!


This show is the best that we have attended, in many ways for a long time!! It was well organized, easy in and out (very important for a vendor), easy set-up!! Suzanne (the coordinator) was available and concerned, coming around each day to see how everything was going....WOW, what a concept!!
The hotel was very nice, had a great place to eat (reasonable prices and gignormous amounts..Michael and I split lunch each day) & a Starbucks in the foyer....what's not to like?

The people came to shop. This lovely lady won the BIG prize....a felted bag with all of the teachers signatures on it...she was quite happy and filled it with purchases from the show.

The teachers were awesome:

Karen Alfke • Janine Bajus • Anne Berk • Pat Bruner • Evelyn A. Clark • Fiona Ellis • Darla Fanton
Helen Hamann • Susanna Hansson • Daniel Herrera • Jill Laski • Ginger Luters • Anita Luvera Mayer
Betsy McCarthy • Judith MacKenzie McCuin • Sally Melville • Stephanie Pearl-McPhee • Leigh Radford
Carol H. Rhoades • Carol Robinson • Paula Shull • Kristin Spurkland • Jean Wong • Myra Wood
Made me wish that I could have taken some classes....perhaps next year

Good friends came to visit and take classes.....Canadians, Floridians and Minnesotians...as well as the Washington crew. It was great to come together at this event!!


We had a lovely dinner with friends a block away from the show....the table was so long that you could only guess where it ended. Our lovely and talented friend Angela (Angel that she is) organized it all! Thanks A!!
Since we joined the fiber community we have been blessed with many new friends...and I am most grateful!!

There was a flurry of activity around the Marketplace and although there were only 24 of us....it was an awesome display!!
Lucky us to be right next to our friend Karen from Two Swan Yarn

Karen is a lovely lady and a great neighbor....not to mention..very talented!!

Janel of Chameleon Colorworks was there with her great yarns, spindles and rovings....always a joy to see..... (oh yeah, shes' also the "captain" of Spindlicity). She was kind enough to lend me one of her super cool drop spindles to use during the show.....I HAD to give it up to a nice lady that instantly fell in love with it!! My pleasure!!

Janine Bajus stopped by our booth. She's an very sweet woman and, needless to say amazing talent!! Look at what she is wearing.....not in my wildest dreams....WOW!! I would have bowed down at her feet, if my knees would have let me.
I settled for a lovely conversation!!

Believe me I could go on and on about the experience that was Madrona Winter Retreat....but I think that's enough for now at least.
I already miss ALL of it wonderful friends and patrons... and I look forward to another great time next year!! Hope you can make it as well!!