Craft Fair Inspiration

Inspiration can arrive from the most surprising places sometimes, even when you're not looking for it. But sometimes you have to go after it. So I found this beautiful little artisan craft fair this past weekend, and the combination of fresh air, a little exercise, and visiting with beautiful crafty artists definitely inspired me. It was a warm weekend for September here in the Ozarks--but a little extra sunshine didn't keep these artists from sharing their creations.

I'll share a bit of what I saw. 

I met a lovely lady who raises her own alpacas and spins the wool! She bought this beautiful spinning wheel, slightly used, for $500. She spins some and sends some to a local mill to make these beautiful blended yarns of alpaca and bamboo. A knitter's dream. I think I'd like to try spinning someday.

The whole craft fair was splashed with quilting boothes, quilting guilds, and art quilts hanging everywhere. Loved it.

I had to buy some of these dishcloths--even though I make my own--they were adorable.

This artist made all their signs from used pallots--pretty cool.

Found all kinds of creative knitting kits in this booth--bought my daughter a spool knitting kit. She's a knitter, and she can't wait to try it.

Isn't this yarn gorgeous? I wanted all of it! But at $21 a skein, I couldn't quite have all of it. This lady made her 100% wool yarn from her own flock of sheep. What a dream. 

One year I grew a lot of gourds and it never once occurred to me to turn them into aloe vera planters! (I also grow aloe vera plants on my greenhouse all year long) This booth had a lot of gourd art, besides these fabulous planters, and some great information about growing gourds.  But as an aloe vera person, I was especially drawn to this planting display--couldn't take my eyes off of it!

I have always been fascinated by lacemaking--maybe it's because I can't even imagine having the patience to figure out a lace pattern and where to wind all those bobbins! When I stumble upon lacemakers I tend to ask them a lot of questions (I know, I probably annoy them) but they always tell me wonderful stories. And this time one of the ladies explained that the reason why they put those flat bead rings on their bobbins is so that they don't flip over while they're working with them. Genius, of course. I find the bobbins fascinating because I love working with beautiful tools myself. ♥

Just look at these beautifully beaded lace bobbins!

Look at that roll of lace she's made!

Next were the blacksmiths and woodworkers.

A very large lathe

handmade

These were so cool.

I really loved seeing all the fabric some of the artists worked with to make their goods--at one of the booths I finally found something I had been looking for! A catch-all to rest on my worktable--it can be used for just about anything.

Me and hubby having fun at the craft fair.

I bought one of these and it's awesome--but I should have gotten several, for me and for Christmas gifts. What was I thinking? At this point I was a bit hot, we had been walking around for a while. I should have gotten a corndog and thought it over!

So, just a note, if you are at a craft fair like this and happen up something this fantastic, go ahead and do your Christmas shopping! 

Finally I found the embroiderer's guild. What lovely ladies--I really need to go to one of their evening events. I have to giggle because I was wearing a pair of my own hand-embroidered cut-off shorts and so when they asked me if I had ever embroidered, I simply said, "why yes" and modeled my shorts! They laughed, and said, "oh yes, you do embroider."

A great thing about this festival is that it was free! The next one I want to go to is a bit pricey--but by then I think I'll need another day of fresh air and crafty art inspiration.

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch, Play

WOYWW 223--Sewing PhD and a Craft Festival

Working on this little embroidery

 Hello lovelies! And happy What's-On-Your-Workdesk-Wednesday. 

 Join the blog party here.

First, a huge apology that I didn't make it 'round to all my buddies last week. Hubby was so sick, and we were just trying to get him through opening night of Spamalot. Well, it all went well, and the show is amazing--I laughed so long and so much that my smile muscles hurt!

Sooo...since I've been busy and distracted, I've probably done more pinning on Pinterest to destress--thus the inspiration from my stitching board to embroider a quick little holder for my stork scissors. The plan is for it to hang on a ribbon so it's very handy.

Sometimes your Sewing PhD (Projects Half Done) are put on hold while you do a quick little thing to make yourself happy.

So hanging on my desk is this cute little table catchall that I bought at our fall craft festival, held at the university. It was a perfect weekend for it, and I loved all the stitching and crafting going on. Here's a few photos to share with you. I think I'll post all the photos tomorrow. Hugs and happy Wednesday!

Loved watching this lady at her spinning wheel.

Another booth had yarn made from their own sheep.

I wanted to take home this whole basket of yarn! About $500 worth right here!

I met some lovely lace makers--I adore these bobbins.

Lots of stitched goods.

This is where I got my little catch-all--I should have bought three!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch, Craft

Sunday Threads

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Philippians 4:13

WOYWW 222--It May Be What's Not On My Desk

Right in the middle of tag making yesterday I snapped a pick of this mess.

Happy What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday! Click here to see messes, distresses, happy places, and loads of creativity all over our planet! Some crafters work in a studio, some on a dining table, and some in the floor, but wherever you are happy, that's where you should create.

I fussy cut the birdie from a plain paper sack

My new word stickers - love!

That's why some of my best work is not in the photo! I have a pretty embroidery on felt that I'm designing as I go--but it's laying on my big lapdesk. Then on my sewing table I'm working on a pillow for a newly covered chair to match, and once that's sewn, I'm changing back to my colorful embroidery threads to work on that pair of denim shorts laying on my table. They are becoming a bag! I plan to completely cover them with fun colorful stitches, embroidery and some applique. I'm making the straps from drapery fabric selvage edges. So some old shorts will become wearable art--I'll let you know how it turns out.

I had the Sizzix Texture Boutique out working away on my tag (that thing sitting there that looks like a purse) and whenever I have the embossing folders out, I like to go ahead and emboss a variety of paper scraps so that they are ready to go on other projects. I can't wait to get going on Christmas cards! So I'm going to visit some of you and see who's already doing that.

Please say a prayer for my poor hubby--he is in rehearsals for Spamalot, opening this week at our Little Theatre, and he has been coughing non-stop...he hardly got any sleep last night, had to work all day, and then go right to dress rehearsal. I just hope he makes it through a very busy, tough week. He's a talented actor and always wanted to do this show.

Hugs and happy Wednesday!

Thought I would give you a peek at my front yard flower box!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch, Play

Tag Tuesday - Eyes Are the Theme

I love cute birdies with crowns!

Visit Tag Tuesday right here to see all the tags with this week's theme - Eyes.

My tag celebrates the song, His Eye Is On the Sparrow. This classic hymn is inspired by Matthew 6:26--Look at the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

I fussy cut (but not too fussy) my bird out of a plain paper sack, and used scraps of pretty scrapbook papers (always keep your scraps) for the crown, beak, legs, the tag itself, and punched flowers.

I found the perfect sticker words in the same paper bag color in my new Tim Holtz idea-ology pad--love that thing.

Last week I bought a bag of flower-shaped buttons and I already have a few plans for them. I used some green floss to sew a few onto my tag and did a stem embroidery for the flowers.

I love the idea that my little bird is a princess who is well taken care of, so she needed a crown (also fussy cut) but before I glued her down, she went through my Texture Boutique with the birdies embossing folder. I used a brown ink pad to make the embossing stand out a little. Tags are so fun and relaxing to make. I am purposely making all my Tag Tuesday tags the same size  because I have plans for a Tag book--but the beauty of tags are that you can make them any size and shape you wish! Happy Tuesday!

Eat, Write, Dream, Stitch, Sing

Sunday Threads

You are fearfully wonderfully made.

Psalm 139:44