A blog devoted to finding all of the sheep in the maps of Google Street View. There are sheep everywhere, and yes, they take submissions.
PLYAWAY - Just the Facts!
I'm sure you've heard, but if you haven't, PLY Magazine is having a retreat, PLYAWAY!
It's the first big all spinning retreat since SOAR. Here are all of the facts I know you want to know. Facts with pretty pictures are on the PLYAWAY site:
Date
April 21-24, 2016
Where
Kansas City, Missouri at the Crown Center Westin
(If you are oldish like me - yes, this is the place that had a walkway collapse a long time ago (1981), but they've fixed that)
Who's Teaching?
Me and whole bunch of big names; Beth Smith, Amy King, Deb Robson, Stephenie Gaustad, Abby Franquemont, Esther Rogers, Michelle Boyd. Patsy Zawistoski, Amy Tyler and Chris Pappas.
(No, Jacey isn't teaching, she's running the retreat. She will be everywhere, talking to everyone and is hosting the big Spin In)
Classes
Not telling yet, but they are based on the first two years of PLY Magazine: Color, Woolen, Shetland, Worsted, Silk, Twist, and Leicester. Keep peeking here to check on class listings.
How much?
2-day classes: $260
1-day classes: $145
1/2-day classes: $85
I'm broke!
There is a scholarship for an all expense paid trip to PLYAWAY. If you donate to the scholarship you are entered in to a drawing for an all expense paid trip to PLYAWAY.
Shopping
Oh hell yes! There are 40 booths available, not sure of the number of vendors yet.
Theme Song?
Nope. But if someone were to ask me, it should be the song below, subtly altered, but still sung, in person, by Lenny Kravitz. You're welcome.
Happy 4th of July Weekend!
Here's a video to get you in the mood to grill out with friends and family this weekend - Tiny Hamster's Tiny BBQ
Tour de Fleece starts this weekend too, are you spinning? I've got few things stacked up to spin for articles, secret projects and book samples. From upper left: a couple of Lisa Souza greens to make a thick and thin spiral ply, two cjkoho designs for an article, another cjkoho designs for an experiment with a weaver, and some Sweet Georgia merino/silk to spin for embroidering on knitting. What do you have in your line up?
As a Craftsy instructor (have you spun along with my class yet?) I am also a Craftsy affiliate. That means every time you buy any Craftsy class from a link I put up I get a tiny percentage. This weekend Craftsy is having a $19.99 sale - most of their classes are, you guessed it, $19.99! If you've been waiting for the next sale to grab a few classes to watch over the summer, this is a perfect time.
Have a safe and relaxing weekend!
It's Friday Here's a Little Elvis!
I heard this song last week and I can't get it out of my head. It's perfect for a summer Friday!
My Manuscript Is Back So I Cleaned My Closet
My book manuscript came back from my editor with first edits. First edits are the big ones. It's when you see lots of questions, mistakes, omissions and errors. An editor will ask for clarification, additonal research and general - is this what you mean?
I hate first edits. I am sure I will open the document and it will be a sea of red and end with the phrase - you have no ideas what you're talking about.
This is my third book, so I'm a little less neurotic than I used to be, but it is still unnerving. It's also an important and inescapable step in writing a book, the moment after someone else (who doesn;t love you) reads your words and judges them.
My edited manuscript landed in my mailbox around noon. I walked around my house for 30 minutes before I even opend the email, just pacing. I opened it and read my editor's note, she was kind and complimentary, but that's their job, right? I closed my laptop and made a cup of tea. I tried not to notice my husband trying not laugh.
I sat down and opened the doc. There were notes. I scrolled through. There were lots of notes. I didn't drink my tea.
I got up and cleaned my hall closet. I straightened shoes and restacked bags. I had to put something in order that I had 100% control over.
I sat back down and read every single note and query. I didn't die. I didn't even get my feelings hurt. Sure there's a more than a bit of work to do, but I did make mistakes and have some hilarious omissions. Mostly the notes were about seeking clarity in my techniques and observations.
Did I dig in and start my edits right then? Nope. But the next morning (and every morning since) I was there bright and early, writing. I can't wait to see this book.
Christopher Lee Made Me Do It
When I was kid in elementary school I became obsessed with monster movies. My mother hated them with a firey German passion and forbid me to watch them. Of course, that made them all the more appealing.
It was the 70's, there was no sneaking in a Netflix binge in bed on a purloined iPad. I used to sneak out of bed after midnight and creep down to our shag-filled living room. I would turn on the tv with a hammering will-I-get-caught heart and watch hours of creature features until almost sunrise, curled up inches from the screen.
Those were the first movies I remember loving, I would rarely miss a weekend. I loved being scared by them. The big bad would rage and murder, die and angonizing, gruesome death and be back the next week. I watched them all, Wolfman, Creature from the Black Lagoon, the Mummy, but Dracula was king.
Christopher Lee was my favoirte Dracula. Bela was O.K.,but Christopher Lee had the right combination of gentleman and creep. I was terrified of him and still sad when he turned to dust.
I was struck with more sadness than I expected when I heard he had died this week, and then filled with such happy memories of those secret late nights. Rest in Peace Count, thank you for teaching me to love movies.
Finding New Friends
It's really hard to make new friends once you are a grown up (or when people think you are a grown up). It's the busy, the tired, the work, the kids, the siren song of a Netflix binge. I think it's also about the fear of putting yourself out there. I feel more vunerable about friendships now than when I was younger. Because I have such wonderful online friends, I forget how great it is to laugh with someone in person.
The spinning savant's antique wheel
All of that aside I met two women last week who are destined to become friends. Both are fiber women. One is a knitter and is considering a fiber business. Two different people mentioned her to me and I offered to let her pick my fiber business brain. After just a few minutes over coffee it was like we had know each other for a long time. I can't wait to hang out with her again.
Then there is my new neighborhood spinning friend. Her mom recognized me walking in the neighborhood and we had a great conversation about knitting and her daughter who has her own marketing business and is a new spinner. I handed over my email address and offered any help. The short version is she is a fearless spinning savant and a incredibly interesting person. There will be more spinning fun and I intend to drop her into my little spinning group, she'll fit right in.
It feels so good to have have new people in my life, new brains to bounce off of. Huge bonus points that they are both fibery.
Last week I wrote on the PLY blog about getting work rejected, did you see it?
My Favorite Twitter Feed this Week
A Sassy Goat!
I am on Twitter a lot, it's one of my favorite breaks (distractions) from doing computer work.
This week I couldn't stop laughing at @thesassygoats. It's 100% goat picture and Vines. I didn't need anything else to entertain me between emails.