Rebuild Judith's Studio

As many of you know, Judith Mackenzie's teaching studio in Forks, Washington was lost to a catastrophic fire in the early hours of Monday, October 29th, 2012. The Rainforest Arts Center, where Judith was artist in residence, was destroyed. Losses from the fire include looms, spinning wheels, a library of fiber arts books, and a storage room of Judith's yarns and fibers used for teaching spinning and weaving classes.

Myself and friends are working with Judith and the fiber arts community to raise money to rebuild and equip a teaching studio on the Olympic peninsula.

How can you help? We have set up a link so that you can donate money directly to this cause. RebuildJudithsStudio.com The funds received will directly benefit the rebuilding efforts.

Additionally, we are accepting donated items to auction off to further the fundraising efforts.

Judith has compiled a wish list of items for the new studio. We have acquired a post office box and storage facility to receive and house these items until the studio space is ready. Please let us know if you have any of these items that you would like to donate to Judith's teaching studio.

Well, It seems like I'm not the most active blogger there is. I cant believe that it's been two years since my last post. So much has happened I don't even know where to begin.

First I have a new product that I have developed. I call it the "Lap Thing". It's pretty darn cool (if I may say so myself). It all started because I really wanted a lap cloth for when I'm spinning to keep all the fiber bits off my cloths. I used a dishcloth for awhile but it was kind of boring. then I saw something at conference a couple of years ago that looked like it would do the trick so I bought it. Well, I didn't like it so I never really used it much. One day I was talking with my friend MarloM also my co-collaborate of Marlo & Natasha Designs telling her how I wanted a lap cloth but with specific features. She pulled out her sewing machine and after a few hours we had designed the "Lap Thing".

Well... as soon as my fiber friends saw my lap thing, they all wanted one. next thing I knew Marlo and I had orders coming in left and right. But because Marlo doesn't spin or knitter she didn't feel as attached to them as I was so we decided that I should just run with it. And run I have. I love making these things and I love how everyone who has purchased one is thrilled with it, so much so that many people buy more than one. Most of us have more than one wheel so why not have more than one Lap Thing? Especially with all the cute fabric choices. Check them out at fibercatcher.etsy.com

Things are looming

So what did I go and do last week??? Brought home a loom. I had been wanting to learn how to weave and met a women a few months ago who said she would love to show me how to weave. So after a few months of thinking about it I finally gave her a call. She mentioned that she saw a free loom on Craigs list and suggested I check it out. Well I did and the rest is history. Here's a few photos of my loom and my first weaving project.

The fiber for my weaving is perl cotton.

Weaving is kind of fun. I find myself sitting at the loom for 10 min here 10 min there. With spinning, if I sit down to spin for a bit it ends up being hours so the weaving is a nice way to just take a break for a bit.

Found this fun website where I can post things I made on Mondays. Thought I would see if it helps get me more sales on my Etsy site.

Fun with fiber

OH, how I love when I get to go to fiber functions. Last weekend was the Whidbey Island Spin-in and as usual it was great fun.  I left a couple of days early so I could visit with a friend who lives in Anacortes. I arrived at her place around 6 PM on Thursday, we just hung out and watched a movie. Then Friday I helped her pack. She sold her house and it was a quick turn around so she has to be out by April 30th. It was nice to be able to lend a hand. She's a good friend who has come over to help me several time to trying and help me sort though all the crap I have in the basement, so it was now my turn to help her.  Saturday morning I headed for Whidbey where I met with friends and spun the day away. Amelia of Ask the bellweather was the guest speaker and there was lots to learn. That evening my friends and I hung out in our hotel room and just had fun with chatting, eating and more spinning. And then Sunday was more spinning and learning from Amelia.  It all ended at 3 PM and rather than heading straight home I decided to go see the tulips. They were lovely but it was also very sad. At one time all the farms grew tulips and the all the fields were filled with color. Now there are just two large companies that grew them and it's all so commercial. You have to pay 5.00 to park and at some spots you have to pay 5.00 to get to their field. But I enjoyed the tulips I did get to see.

Here's the twins looking lovely as ever!

Karen and Terri, They were my roomies at the Camp Burton Spin-in.

I also got to meet Jon and his wife Carla. Jon took over the production of the Pocket Wheel and is doing a lovely job at it.

Here are photos of the amazing tulips...

Of course, there where the PINK tulips : )

How about some Red Tuilips...

And let's end with some Yellow tulips...

What a week!

The last two weeks have been full of stress and a test of my love for DH. Men are such babies when they get sick and my DH is no exception. DH developed at tooth infection. I kept telling to go to the dentist but he wouldn't listen, he was sure it was something else.  Instead he moaned and groaned and was just a big pain in the rear. Poor guys face blow up like a balloon and even then he wouldn't take my advice. After the situation got so critical that I became fearful that the infection would effect his heart he got in to our dentist and was put on antibiotics. His face is back to normal and he's feeling much better. He has to wait another week before having a root canal or getting the tooth pulled. The Dentist wanted to wait until the swelling was completely gone before attempting to any dental work. Whats frustrating is the fact that he wouldnt listen to me and that he let it get so bad. What is up with that? I knew what I was talking about. I had gone to dental assiting school so it's not like I know nothing of what I was say but he still wouldnt listen. Really drives me nut.

On the creative side, things are going great. I'm working with a friend on some collaborative pieces and they are so darn cute!!! I'll post more about this in a few days AND I'll have photos : )