Wednesday, February 25, 2009

My Secret Pal

Hi Secret Pal, or as known in the real world Amy. For those not Amy go check out her blog and see just how cute her daughter is. Go, I'll wait here.)

I have to share pictures of my last package from Amy, something that has me oooooing and ahhhhhhing.
Ok, This made me laugh, because I do the same thing. With the tape that is. Lots of tape is better than too little.

Where Amy reveals herself to me, so to speak.

I have yet to see this book in our local Barnes and Noble. It leads me to 2 possiable conclusions. The first one is that our B&N sucks various critter parts (true, their craft area is sad) and the second is I'm not spending enough time there (also true, though they are the ONLY real bookstore in town.) But I did find an awesome used bookstore I need to spend more time in.


My Artsy fartsy shot of the cover, all closeup. I have to admit, I LOVE the macro feature on my camera.

Amy, the book is awesome. I love the yarns they have featured, and the colors are so beautiful. I can see this book being not just a spinning inspiration to me, but a dyeing one as well. I think that Madelyn is an adorable little girl, and she couldn't be blessed with a better mum than you are. Reading your blog shows how much you care for her. I love the picture you have up of her and the ribbon tag monster. That's something my little guy would do. Though with him it's his Kitty (or really his DAD's snow leopard. Just don't tell Scott that it wasn't for him).

On the Scotty front, St Pat's day can't come soon enough. I get to head BACK to MN (he's visiting his grandma right now) and pick him up on March 17th for a whopping 7 weeks and 5 days. Assuming that J has a place in CA by then, because otherwise he's not leaving this house. Cuff me and take me away, my son is NOT living on the streets. I can't wait to see my darling laddie. I'm painting him a castle to sleep in. Last time he was here we set up Kitty's playhouse as a private area for just Scott, and he loved it. Sadly the house was getting on in years, and had structural issues. It collapsed a few weeks after Scott left. So I asked if he'd rather a house or a castle, and castle it was. I know he'll love sleeping in his own castle.

Other than that I've been working my tail off spinning up more cotton yarns. I'm collarabiting with Jessie from Phat Fiber on a shawl kit so I have to spin/dye the yarn for that, and the masses of yarn I have here for the store. Business is going pretty well. I've even done the books, to keep track of profits and such. Oh, and I'm getting a wage, can you believe it? I still think taking 25% of the gross is too much, but I've been told that's a decent amount. And since I kinda gave in and got some scents from Happy Housewife and then a pendent followed me home on Etsy I kinda need it. Mostly I'm investing in more yarns and dyes. Jo'anns was having a sale on the t-shirt tye dyes and I stocked up. Then I found some for really cheap at another place, and snapped them up too.

Another things I'm going to do in my (huge laugh here) spare time is recycle yarn from high end sweaters. Not sell it as is, but spin it up into new yarn. So instead of a plain cobweb weight cashmere yarn, ply it up on itself as a lace weight. I've been thinking about trying beaded yarns as well, and the sweaters sound like the would work great for that. Really I'm doing it because people keep giving me nice sweaters that are too big for me, and too small for mom. Instead of get rid of them I thought it's a cheap source of good yarn. Silk fingering weight, silk/cashmere lace, cashmere lace, silk and cotton fingering.

Friday, February 13, 2009

In Tribute - Ya might need a kleenex

There are few people I would even consider claiming as an major influence on my life. The 2 biggest, I'm sad to say, have passed into what I hope is a far better place than here. The first for me to talk about was my sophomore year World History Teacher. I can't put into words just how special of a person he was, so in tribute to him I have posted the article the LA times wrote for his memorial service. A service attended not only but current students, but also former ones. Students from his 31 years of teaching. We couldn't all fit on the bleachers, and we almost couldn't fit in the gym where the service was held.

I don't remember learning in his class, yet I know I did. We played games, and watched random movies. He'd steal my gummys and try to pick out all the white ones when I wasn't looking. No matter what it was you had to talk about, he was there to listen. A greater teacher I've yet to meet.

Mr H, if they have the intwewebs where you are, I promise to share my gummy bears next time we meet. I'll even give you some of the white ones.


~~~~~~~~~~~~

He Was More Than a Teacher’

One after another, teachers and students alike, they trooped up to a podium with crumpled tissues in hand to offer their tributes: gifts of words and music, little gestures meant to somehow repay Carl Hoist for all he had given.

He was a genuine hero,” said Principal Gary Ernst.

He was like another father to me,” said Michael Spandorf, 17.

He gave us a reason to go to school,” said Jessica Teter, 18.

Amanda Uribe played a ragtime tune on the piano and asked the audience to think “happy thoughts.”

It was a memorial service–a gathering in the gymnasium of Fountain Valley High School where more than 700 mourned Hoist, a history and government teacher who died at the shockingly early age of 53 of a heart attack.

We were all crushed when we found out Carl died,” said Assistant Principal Diana Carey. “We wanted to know why something like this would happen to a 53-year-old who was a picture of health.”

It’s amazing, the love for this man,” said faculty member Eva White.

Described as “tan and robust,” Hoist died Feb. 13 in his Huntington Beach home. A former karate teacher and avid body surfer, Hoist was known to take his students to the beach to supervise them until they learned to catch a wave.

In a private ceremony with family members last month, Hoist was cremated and his ashes were scattered in the surf near his home, where he had hoped to retire, surf, roam the shoreline and chat with the locals.

Students of all stripes–band members, cheerleaders, theater rats and rebels–voiced respect and a feeling of connection with Hoist, who always had an open door and an encouraging smile.

I would like to be like Carl and have the kind of influence with kids that he did,” said Principal Ernst.

When senior Michelle Vance got her acceptance letter from Loyola Marymount College the week after Hoist died, she considered it another gift from her favorite teacher, who had written her a letter of recommendation and helped her with her personal essay.

He was more than a teacher; he was my friend,” said Vance, who sobbed through the service, pulling tissues out of a box. “He always made a point to make you feel important.”

Hand-lettered signs in Hoist’s honor covered the red-brick walls of the school’s courtyard. “Hey Dude: How are the waves in heaven?” read one sign in colored markers on butcher paper. A yellow sign had Hoist’s trademark exclamation: “Oh my gracious!” and was covered with Skittles wrappers, the favorite candy of a man who was allergic to chocolate.

Many at the service wore blue, Hoist’s favorite color, or Hawaiian shirts, his favorite fashion statement. Students took turns signing Hoist’s classroom podium–plastered with surfing stickers–for presentation to his family.

The messages were plaintive: “We love and miss you, Mr. Hoist.”

Marsha Hoist, his wife of more than 22 years, attended the ceremony with their son, John, and daughter, Lisa Daniels.

It’s nice to see that he was so loved,” said Marsha Hoist, who stopped to hug and kiss students who approached her with cards and notes. He cared so much about these kids.”

A lifelong resident of Huntington Beach, Hoist graduated from Huntington Beach High School in 1963 and then earned a bachelor’s degree from Cal State Long Beach and a master’s degree in educational media. He had taught at Fountain Valley High School for 31 years.

Faculty members described a humorous, quiet leader who had an enviable ease with his students, going out of his way to listen, advise and help them in a pinch.

Like Brian Shaughn, who was a senior at Fountain Valley High School when his parents moved out of the district. Every school day for six months, Hoist went out of his way to give Shaughn a ride to school, allowing him to graduate with his class.

Now 34 and a manager at Federal Express, Shaughn drove from Pasadena to be able to talk about Hoist’s influence on his life. He cried through his talk, once stopping to brace himself on the podium and catch his breath.

During the service, audience members wiped wet eyes on their sleeves or the backs of their hands, and clutched the blue program with photos of Hoist and quotes from students: “If you have time, do you mind being my guardian angel?” and “Thanks for the memories, Mr. Hoist. Enjoy the surf up there!”

The school has set up the Carl Hoist Memorial Scholarship Fund, and donations can be sent to the school’s financial office.

We have to do something to heal and move on,” said Principal Ernst. We have to try to bring closure to this.”

Still, it’s a heavy loss for many students, including Spandorf.

The deepest thing in everybody’s life was Mr. Hoist,” he said. “The school won’t ever be the same.”

Thursday, February 12, 2009

OMFG!!!!

WOW. I can just say wow for now. Jessie of Phat Fiber put up a blog about my samples yesterday. Since then I've had 6 sales. My store is down to 6 items. I'm gonna be working my tail off to finish plying up the box of Isis I have dyed. Not to mention skeining it. And skeinging the merino fingering weight I have dyed as well. We're talking a few THOUSAND yards here. Those wool balls are 440 yards each, and there is 10 of the buggers. *head desk* I am SO not going out this weekend. Not that I have anywhere to go anyway. For the first time in 7 years I'm single on V Day. Granted, I don't like the day. 10 years ago this year a dear friend and teacher passed on it. On a Saturday V Day too. So. I'm just gonna work and work and work and work.

Lest you think I am all work and no play. I spent a whopping $22 on myself with some of this cash, and got 12 sample scents from Happy Housewife. If you go there to look, I am SO not responsible for any money you may spend. Seriously. I started out having to find 6 scents I liked. That ended up being 16 I wanted to try. I went back, to re-read the descriptions and then I had 23 to pick from. Thankfully the new must have list was 12, so I called it fate, and will try these before I commit to a bottle. I have problems with most scents, and the cupcakes they offer are perfect for me to give them a go.

Just cause you know you want to find out what I got they are (in no real order). Yuan Fen, Farm Girls, Embroidered Linens, The Wind, Brain Bleach, Day of the Dead, Dirty Jack, OMFG Zomb1ez!, Fractal Dance, The Last Rain, and then hopefully Boho- Wake and Boho- Gypsy. If not those 2 then Ivory Merchant and Cultivated Pearls.

I know, you have no idea what scents those would be from the names. So go and drool, a 6 pack of samples is onlt 11$ and there's free shipping for them.

Back to work. :D

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Phat Fiber Box

Samples are in for the Phat Fiber Box. I sent in for Feb and March, some beautiful things. I'll post teasing pictures up here all week, as the boxed are due to go on sale in one week, Feb 16th. They sell out fast folks. Jessie writes such wonderful posts about everyone. I squeed when I saw my graphics posted up on the site. You can also sign up to be notified of when she plans to post the boxes this month. Or you can just stalk her Etsy store. There's collaborations from artists featured in the boxes to look through for now.

Also, head on over to Sheeps of Egyptian Cotton to read a little about our 2 signature yarns. Or head on over to the Esty storefront for SEC and take a gander at what yarns I have already posted.