I can't believe we are already half way through October. OCTOBER. Fall is truly here. The rains continue, the leaves are turning and the breezes have brought us those chilly nights I love so much. Along with October comes a restocked
Etsy Shop, Fall Fiber Festival, the
Fredericksburg Spinners and Weavers Guild's "Stitch In", the start to Greg's new job and Fall Shearing at
Juniper Moon Farm.
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| Greg armed with The Square ready for big sales! |
Fall Fiber Festival was a great success! Despite the week of rain, the crew managed to find enough dry land to set up the tents, no one got stuck in the mud and sales were GREAT. Last year was the first year that the board accepted pottery vendors to the mix. I jumped at the chance to be part of a festival that I have attended for YEARS and was so happy to be accepted. The festival is ALWAYS well attended. It is a date reserved a year in advance by most every fiberista in Virginia and the plan is nearly always to SHOP.
The weather cooperated, being cool and a bit breezy Saturday and, well, overcast on Sunday but NO RAIN. To make the weekend even better my friend April came up from NC to lend a hand. So with Greg taking money and April helping me set up I had lots of time to talk with customers. It was an awesome weekend. As I said, sales were great (even sold several of my woven towels) and I picked up a couple of easy commissions (more of what I already do) and some wholesale opportunities. VERY satisfying. I tell ya. Fiber people are just the friendliest bunch.
The following Saturday I packed up the truck and drove to Fredericksburg for the FSWG Stitch In event being held at
LibertyTown Arts Workshop (my alma mater!). This was a charity knitting and crocheting event. Well attended the goal of the day was to promote charitable knitting (and crocheting) for the homeless, hospital patients and others. There were demos, short classes and donated yarn and needles to get you started. A small group of us agreed to be vendors.
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| Me! |
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| If I'm not going to knit with it I may as well sell my handspun so someone else can! |
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| Baskets of donated yarns! |
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| Nekkid bears waiting for clothes.... |
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| All dressed and ready for policemen to give to kids... |
I rushed home Saturday to get home before dark and to help Greg pack up for his move to Fredericksburg on Sunday. Ya'll will be glad to know that he is tucked into his temporay place and has since finished his first very busy week of work. He's happy! BUT this apart stuff is not too fun.
My sights are now set on the list of things that must be accomplished here at the house in C'ville to ready it for sale in the Spring. Painting, (I put up a new light fixture today!) a kitchen update, bathroom heat....with time for throwing pots in between.
I have decided to take a studio at LibertyTown again starting in November. This will hold my largest loom and lots of pots! I plan on continuing to throw in a home studio. I love the control of my time and the kiln. And by spending time at LT I will still have access to tons of creative energy. Greg will move into a small rental house in November that allows dogs so Layla the wonder dog and I will be spending some time each week in The Burg starting in November. It will take some planning to balance my time between my pottery studio at the house in C'ville, and Greg and LT in Fredericksburg.
Here's hoping for a quick sale of the house in the Spring.....
