You Are On My Mind

I tell you it's an exciting time. So much so I don't know if I can keep up with myself!
I had a brain drizzle - those of you who know me know I can never really come up with a brain storm so a drizzle is about all I can manage. Any way, I have two blogs one here which talks about knitting and other stuff, and designbcb, which tells the story behind some of the things I knit.

Well, I was never really satisfied with the other blog but I didn't want to give it up all together and then along came Handmade News. It's the online news mag where I get to interview artisans about their craft and their work. The powers that be really want this magazine to take off and I must say I would like for it to be successful as well and part of that means marketing and promoting the site, my department, and my artists (yes, I claim them as mine.)

I don't want this blog to turn into a big promotional blog - that wasn't its purpose -you know where I'm going, right?

It was the purpose of designbcb. That blog was created to promote my things and it still can because Handmade News and the artisans are now part of my thing. I love synergy!

So, here's the deal. I am going to use the designbcb site to talk about the handmade movement, Handmade News and my shops. I will keep this blog for its original intention - time spent with you and me and our other crafting friends and seeing how this thing called knitting enhances and shapes our lives. Because it has evolved from two sticks and a string to what we have now. And we love it.

So, hang out over at designbcb and find out about interesting people, places and things. Click the links over to Handmade News and learn a few things about how crafting really does hold the world together and how it can take us those few steps back we need to take so we can move forward more responsibly. I'll see you over there.

Here's my new baby. She's soft and cuddly and green! This is a different version of the scarf I made a few weeks back. It's only 60 inches long but still very soft and will keep someone chill free. This is also the first original piece I've made for the ArtFire shop. I used a different Artistry colorway and the I Love This Yarn both from Hobby Lobby.

Quick knit and fun! Like I said exciting times!

I'll Try Something New

This is Marie Santiago. She's another one of the people I've interviewed for Handmade News.

Now, way back I thought it would be nice to feature the folks who hearted by Etsy shop. I thought it would be a nice to do thing for those people who stopped by the shop and gave me a heart when they didn't have to. I have certainly never asked for people to make me a favorite.

Well, it was a dud. Only one person responded - no, the person wasn't Marie - hold on, I'm getting to Marie.

I was really a little disappointed people didn't want to be interviewed for a blog...any blog, has at least two readers: the one who writes the blog and the one who doesn't want to get on the bad side of the one who writes the blog so they read the blog and are able to discuss its content at dinner.

Not that this is anyone I know or live with - I'm just saying.

So then along came Handmade News and I got to be in the department I wanted - which was interviewing people and helping them get people to look at their shops.

Dontcha just love the synergy?

My guess - and it is a guess - I have not checked any data. My guess is that some of the 90+ people who are wanting an interview with Handmade News turned me down when I was just a lowly blog writer but now they want themselves a little bite of the Bevvy!

See, this is why the ever wise God made the world round - so you wouldn't see it when the universe comes back to bite you in the butt! And since the world is round..

Marie Santiago.
Marie has a photo of her workspace on her Flickr page, (Yes, you will have to read the interview to get to it.) Now, you all know how I talk about my workspace. I haven't worked in my office in I don't know how long. I can tell you, the computer is on and has been all day, but I've been working at the satellite location in my living room. I'm in the living room right now - even though the workspace is looking better than it ever has and the chair is more comfortable.

I don't know why.

Marie makes mostly bags and they are cute. I mean officially, they are officially cute! Check out the interview and her shop and you'll see for yourself.

Don't Make Me Wait For Love

This is Tracy Radford. Tracy runs A Fabulous Flair on Artfire. She is also my first interview for Handmade New. I have a favor to ask - please ready Tracy's interview.

1. It is a really nice story and I couldn't have asked for a better first interview.

2. Because this is the picture Tracy wanted to run for her article, but I had to run with the first one she gave me because it had already gone to press. So, read the article, but think about this picture.

3. Here's the truth: I went surfing through Handmade News looking at other articles and there's some good stuff there! And I'm not just saying that cuz Tracy's interview was one of the most popular pages on the site. There's some really good info there if you are interested in the handmade movement or if you have a shop or are a buyer.

So I encourage you to go over to the magazine (use the link above) and take a look around. But make your first or last stop, Tracy's interview because it really is a good read - if I say so myself. And show her some love (ok, so me so love) give the article a thumbs up or down as you see fit.

HERE IT IS - Here is the afghan I was working on. It came out a little smaller than I wanted, but it would still make a nice afghan for a twin bed or a college dorm bed - if they're anything like the dorm bed I had when dinosaurs roamed the earth.

Would you believe there is nothing on my needles at the moment? I started another afghan but didn't like the way it was going so off it went and there's nothing on anything right now. But never fear, my schedule says I am supposed to start another project which means I have to start two projects. So the needles - and the hands - won't be idle for long!

It's So Easy

NOT!

I know, it's been more than a week. And what a week it's been. I started the new writing gig and truth to tell, it was more of a rough start than I'm used to - mainly because Handmade News is big news and I didn't map out the internal resources I needed to in order to do it all justice. So, I spent several restless, sleepless nights causing myself stress before beginning to calm myself down and put it all back into perspective.

Add to that, my online knitting group StitchCraft on meetup.com is growing! The last time I really looked, we had about 40 or so members - we are now over 70! So somewhere between stressing out over the new job and making myself crazy are plans to get that group together for a fun night. It has to be at night and it has to be planned right so I'm thinking somewhere in September when folks are done with summer and will want to pick up the needles to do the holiday knitting that will be just around the corner. This is a good problem to have but sometimes it's hard to balance the bad stress with the good stress. At some point, it's just stress.

But wait...there's more.

I think I told you our bazaar was successful. We had over $400 in sales. That's the good part. The not really bad but has to be dealt with part is that our supply of prayer shawls and afghans were seriously depleted. Baby blankets we have, but afghans and prayer shawls are practically sold out. Which means the group (of which I am a leader) has to have one or the other on their needles for the foreseeable future. And I do have one on my needles, but it's going into the shop. There's an afghan that's an expired listing that's going to the group.

There's good news...

My office is 95% organized. I can step into it and not have to step over a clutter bomb. The only boxes left are my stash boxes (now down to two!!) and the boxes of craft goodies I inherited from my mother in law. Not much left to do but vacuum the carpet, put the new speaker wires into the speakers and let Joe clean the carpet. Alas, it looks like an office instead of a craft room - but I smile every time I walk into it. Yes, when it's all done, I'll take a photo.

I will also take a photo of the beautiful afghan on my needles. It should be done sometime this weekend - I'm hoping for tomorrow. I would take a pic now, but it's 2 in the morning and the light isn't good. Besides, if I finish it tomorrow, I can take the shop photos and blog photo during the same session.

Forgive me for being away so long - I have missed you - but sometimes you have to ride the breakdown so you know when to get off.

Just One Look

Yes, I know, I have a store on Etsy. I will also have a store on ArtFire. I think it's only fitting since:

I'm a new columnist for the ArtFire online magazine Handmade News!!

Yep, I managed to fool them into thinking I can write for them and the really good news is I got in the department I wanted which was the Featured Artist department.

It will be my job to write two articles a week focusing on an ArtFire artist. So, if you're on ArtFire and/or if you know of someone on the site, have them contact me if they would like to be interviewed for the column. The newspaper will go live soon and I would like to have some interviews 'in the can so we can have a smooth operating process.

I'm really excited about the opportunity to be on the ground floor of this site and I hope to see some of you featured on the site!

Spread the word!!