If anyone ever wants to buy me something.  I want this.

It’s the Market Bag in gunmetal gray from Moop.  I’ve been drooling over it for a very, very long time.  I’m going to start saving up for it and hopefully buy it for myself.

I’m going to have that song in my head all day.

Anyway, I dyed more wool last night. I mixed some Kool-aid colors to see what I would get. The gray sky morning did not get along with my camera so these photos aren’t that great. Left is black cherry & cherry, middle is black cherry & berry jammer blue, and right is berry jammer blue & cherry.

Left is orange & cherry, right is lemon-lime & berry jammer blue, and in the middle is a skein of yarn that I spun from a Knitty Dirty Girl batt.

I also did some more natural dyes. I tried out blackberries, which gave me a silvery light purple. I also tried plain old Lipton tea. I like the kind of fawn brown that I got from it.

Today, I’m heading to the Virginia Highlands Festival with my mom. I didn’t get to go last year so I’m super excited about going!! I love the Highlands Fest because the level of craftsmanship the vendors have to have to get in is very high and there’s so much to see!

I found this on Much of a muchness and couldn’t pass up trying it.  Go to google and type in your name followed by Needs.

Here are a few of my results:

1.  Cassie needs a sweet little grey and white cat

2.  Cassie needs toilet paper

3.  Cassie needs a drink

4.  Cassie needs her feeding tube put back in.

5.  Cassie needs a replacement

6.  Cassie needs to SMARTIN UP.

7.  Cassie needs the camera

8.  Cassie needs to wake up.

9.  Cassie needs to be kept occupied.

10.  Cassie needs to chill out.

Go ahead, try it!  I hope you get some funny results

I stopped by a yard sale today near my house.  This was the most awesome yard sale ever.  I don’t think a single thing at the yard sale was bought within the past 20 or more years.  I got some really excellent vintage & handmade finds.

This purse is so cool.  I can tell it was well used because there are pen marks on the inside of the leather flap.  It needs to air out some but I will be carrying this soon.

I also found this wallet, which needs to be cleaned well, but is otherwise in great condition and super cute.

I think this may be my favorite find.  It’s a coin purse type thing with a mirror inside.

I found a bunch of scarves but I resisted and only bought 4.

There is a vintage tea tin at my office very similar to this one.  I could not pass this one up for a quarter.

This is a set of 4 curtains that are hand made.  I love this vintage fabric.  I’m thinking of hanging them in my studio.

I love aprons and I couldn’t pass up these super adorable vintage & handmade aprons.  One is super frilly and I think it has never been worn.  Two of them are cobbler or smock style aprons.  They fit me perfectly.

Zoe was being feisty the whole time I was taking photos.  He kept sweeping his tail into the shot and knocking things around.

I am in love with this yellow that yellow onion skins gave me.  I have one more bit of wool still in the pot because I’m experimenting with how long the wool gets left in the dye pot and color intensity.  This batch sat for around 40 minutes.  I also dyed a bit with some Darjeeling tea and it gave me a very nice subtle pinkish tan.

I’ve had awesome mail days this week. Monday I received a sweater from Aardvart (who makes really awesome fused glass and resin jewelry) and today I got a box of felted sweater scraps from Kaboogie (who makes adorable little baby shoes).  Thanks so much you two!!

One year ago today, I took the plunge into the blog world.  I just want to thank everyone who keeps up with my little blog…. Thanks Readers!!

On to the big update

The last week or so has been a whirlwind for me.  

Thursday (17th) I spent the evening having dinner with my granpa at my mom’s house.  It was such a nice visit that ended with picking blackberries in the front yard.  I’ve always loved walking with my grandpa because he knows so much about the local plants and loves to share that knoweledge.

Friday was spent at a very busy day of work followed by attending a gallery reception at the Appalachian Arts Center. I bought some lovely handspun yarn from local sheep and an excellent little cup that I’m in love with drinking from.  Then my hubby and I decided to paint the computer room so we were up late discovering that the paint just didn’t want to cover the old paint. We painted it a really pretty deep red. The color swatch says tomato but it is much darker than that.

Saturday was a lot more painting and moving furniture.

Sunday I took a trip to my LYS - A Likely Yarn -  with my friend who was teaching there.  I went not only to buy yarn and hang out but to also find out if I would be the right person to start working there.  :D 

Monday was I was really busy at work. 

Tuesday I was busy at work again.  Several family members came in to visit while I was at work  As soon as I left work I drove to a staff meeting at the LYS.  The staff meeting was great, lots of creativity flowing and I’m now going to be teaching. My first class is Beginning Crochet on August 24 & September 7.   

Wednesday, I was contacted by a book company about three projects that I submitted to them for a book they are writing about green bookbinding methods… all three projects were accepted.   I’m so excited!!!  Shampooed carpets that evening.

Thursday I feverishly bound books in preparation of sending my projects to the book company and started the quest for finding wool sweaters to use on books that will be going to the book company.  Mopping & laundry.

Friday I did much of the same with a lot more house cleaning and pre-Saturday-dinner cooking.  I made homemade marshmallows.

Saturday was my first day at A Likely Yarn.  It went wonderfully.  I helped build shelves, rearranged things in the shop, helped customers with patterns, knit, crochet, and spent the day with a wonderful group of women.  I also worked on developing a simple pattern that my beginning crochet class will be making.  Saturday night we had friends over for dinner, great music, laughs, and wool dying. 

Sunday, I was at the shop again and had dinner with my friend.  I came home and spun some of my newly dyed wool.  Sunday was a big Etsy day for me too, gift guides, treasuries, sales, and a contact about a custom order.  Now if I could only get on the ever elusive front page.

Yesterday, I spun up a batt that I bought from Knitty Dirty Girl on my drop spindle, made dinner, attended the Etsy Labs Craft Night on shrinking plastic (which was cut short by a storm), and mostly sat around taking it easy. I’ll add a photo of the spun yarn later tonight.  I also finished up (for the most part) the project my beginning crochet class will be making and did a few example swatches.

Today, I will be making more books… many many more books.

Shoo… that was a lot to type out!  I hope you’re still with me, LOL.