Yesterday was a very exciting day for me, as I had not one, but two fun bloggy meet-ups. I also managed to procure some Synthrapol and Shout Color Catcher so that I can ponder the solution to MeMum’s bleeding tree skirt.
Anyway, first I stopped in on Clementine’s to check up on Ms. Cami. Holy cow, is she ever a hoot! (You may remember that TheManoftheHouse and I stopped into Clementine’s last fall, so all that awkward first meeting stuff was behind us.) I was there long enough to take off my coat and feel at home. And as an added bonus, I got to meet Robin. I really wish I’d had more time — I would have pulled out some knitting, sat on a big comfy chair, and knit a spell. That’s going to be next time — I’ll drag the quilty peeps along and we’ll spend 1/2 day knitting bugging Cami and 1/2 day hitting the other shops in the big city. It was really fun to talk to Cami and Robin and see what they are working on. Cami is making the CUTEST baby sweater and I was kicking myself all the way home for not taking a picture of it! (Cami — please put a pic on your blog when you get done — everyone needs to see that cute twisted stitch on the button band.)
But I digress. Lookee what I came home with:
Isn’t that color heavenly? (I stuck the cute little stamp from Cami’s shopping bags in there too.) Cami is a knitting goddess. She’s convinced me to try doing two socks on one circ — one size 0 circ. I have to finish my current pair of socks-on-dpns but I’m really anxious to try Cami’s suggestions. I suspect I’ll be cursing her name until I get the hang of it. She’s tried to also convince me to do toe-up, but I’m definitely not ready for that yet. Besides, I secretly like doing the kitchener stitch and I think I’d miss it. Cami also has a GREAT selection of Westminster fabrics — she’s probably the only one in the whole state who does. If you’re in the vicinity of Franklin IN, you must stop in — you won’t regret it! (I even overheard the clerks in one of the other local quilt shops saying how neat Clementine’s is — BTW, Cami — could you puh-leez move up here? At least to the north side of the big city????)
After Clementine’s, it was on to meet Beckie. Several months ago, I commented on Beckie’s blog that I loved the little soldered pendants that she makes. She graciously offered to teach me how to make them. We decided to have a little bloggy trade — a bunny pincushion for a pendant lesson. (Guess who got the best of that deal?) Here’s my her little BeckieBunny wearing one of the soldered pendants:
Beckie is a sweetheart and I had a great time seeing some of her crafty projects. (Her bottle cap magnets are adorable.) She’s a great teacher and she was very patient with my questions and lack of speed. I love making these little pendants and I’m sure there will be more of them in my future. All the way home, when I wasn’t kicking myself for not taking a picture of Cami’s baby sweater, I was dreaming of all the ways I can use this new skill. Here’s the front view of the little pendants that I made:
And the back view:
I just love them! I really don’t advocate having a first bloggy meeting in a non-public location, it’s probably not “right bright”. We joked about how I didn’t end up in a pit in her backyard (someone recently watched The Silence of the Lambs LOL) and that I didn’t tie her up and kidnap the baby (tempting though it was — he’s soooooo cute!) Beckie, I can’t thank you enough for sharing your skill — I’ll cherish it and take good care of it. Your family and neighbors are very lucky to be in the midst of your fabulous talents!
I hope wherever you are, you’re staying warm (or cool, for those of you down under.) We’re having a pretty cold weekend here in the midwest. I sure hope someone is letting my goats stay in the kitchen LOL!
XOXO,
Anna
Oh, bloggy meet-ups! So fun! (jealous jealous)
How fun to learn a new craft – those pendants are really adorable. I will be curious to see how you like doing the socks on one circ thing.
And sorry, no goats in the kitchen! They are all locked up tight in the barn. The boys say they are so furry that they look like wooly mammoths! I need to take a picture but dang it’s cold out there!
looks like you’ve been having a great time Anna! You can pop round to mine anytime for a chat and a cuppa…..if only! I love those little pendants, are they made using copper tape and solder? They look a lot like the tiffany stained glass that Barry and I made a while ago. I love that bunny too, they look so cute, how do I go about getting one of them?
Sounds like you had fun Anna! Those pendants are lovely! I’m hopefully going to get the chance to meet up with some blog friends in March at the Country Living Spring Fair in London. I’m especially excited to be meeting my fabulous “imaginary friend” Lesley (Moogsmum) as we spend so much time chatting on the phone it seems strange we have never actually met! Can’t wait!
Lucy x
What a fun day you had there! You did a great job on the pendants. They are adorable!
Such nice documentation of the meetups – aren’t bloggers just the nicest people?
Very interested in your pendants – they are so lovely! You must talk a bit about what materials/equipment you need to make them…
Ok your pendants are so fab. YOU DID SO WELL. I am glad Memum loved it. I hope you caught the solder bug and I see more on your blog real soon. Thanks for making the trek.
Hi..I have to admit I’ve been missing in action for a while but new job and no time to play on the computer has put a damper on my blog visits. I took a nice day to catch up. What a fun post. Sounds like you had a wonderful day…and the bunny pincushion I love!! Did you ever find the pattern? I’d still like to have it. I’ll try to visit more often because you were one of my favs. I’ve limited my list to just a few of my favs and I’m going to try to visit regularly again.
OK – Thimbleanna, this is MyDadLovesMySisterBest and I am writing to tell all of your friends how lucky I am to have a sister who is as talented as you, despite the fact that I hate you for it and that you have locked me out of your creative world!! I want all of your friends to know that I am frequently the lucky recipient of your creativity and hard work. You may not know this, but I have saved everything (I think)that you have ever made my kids – wonderful keepsakes for them. I am amazed at how much you accomplish. You work full time and still do all of this! I know that it is because you never sleep! I have concluded that that is the reason that I can’t create all of these gorgeous things – I need lots of sleep (it’s easier to accept this excuse than to admit that I have no talent!). So, anyway, I recently began regularly visiting your blog (once I remembered the site – I am really the Alzheimer’s Poster Child – not you) and have become so jealous! Not only do you have the creative talent, but you have figured out this techno thing too! (maybe because you do the computer thing for a living?!). Anyway, without you I would never have such wonderful photos of the kids – especially like the “lip kissing” picture! I absolutely love it and so does the little girl kissed by the dog! Thank you for documenting our “special” moments. I hope your friends know that this photo was just a chance for you to relieve your childhood kissing moments with Benny (the pooldle that we grew up with – I was his favorite and regularly shared ice cream cones with him, but Thimbleanna insists that he liked her best). Anyway, Thimbleanna, thank you for all you do for us – including the upcoming sewing/cooking class that you are going to start with the 70’s girls! I am thrilled that your neice (my daughter) will be able to learn all these wonderful things (despite my being born with a defective creativity gene!).
p.s. – i do think that I could learn to make those cute little tag thingies that you went to Indy to learn how to do without telling me – if you would show me!!
I am *totally* blushing over here. Eli and I are catching up on our “reading”, since he took a header onto the second stair landing and I’m afraid to let him fall asleep yet. Those pendants you made are amazing, and I am disturbingly covetous of them. Also, I have a version of a knitted bunny to e-mail you once I get back to the shop(Tuesday eve). His ears may need tweeking, but he’s a rare hare, indeed. Thank you for the glowing testimonial… there’ll be no living with me now! Cami
I just discovered your blog. I can’t wait to explore your book list.
Have you ever been a busy girl! I absolutely love the color of the yarn you bought, but I didn’t understand a bit of your yarn-speak, I’m afraid. The pendants you made are so lovely – will you teach me how? How wonderful to meet bloggy friends! Someday I will, too!
I think the best is the comment left by MyDadLovesMySisterBest – so sweet! I agree with her that you’re a very talented lady!
Don’t you just love a great trade! The pendants are darling. The yarn is lucious.
Oh, such beautiful pendants – you are clever! The chocolate one made me laugh a lot.
Anna: Ok now I’m the Alzheimer’s Poster Child …do you sell those darlin bunny pin cushions? Or is there a pattern for them??
One of your biggest fans.
Dianne
Anna, you should definitely try toe up. With yarn that gorgeous, you want to use it ALL up . . . and if you’re starting at the toe, you can just keep knitting blissfully until it’s gone, instead of sweating it out the last couple of inches, wondering if you’ll have enough yarn to kitchener the toe. I’m currently kicking myself that I didn’t start my last pair toe up. I hate leftover yarn! ;o)
Came over from Cami’s. you really should trust her on the toe-up socks. She convinced my sister and I to try. I completed first sock (see my blog) and Sis has just about completed a PAIR (see Mojave Sis link on my blog). Cami made it incredibly easy!
Love the pendants, especially the book one with the Little Women quote!
OMG now can we meet at Boos and you can teach ME??? CAN WE??? Those are so cool, I love those and have bought them from several gals. But would love to learn how to make. CAN WE???
What a lovely message from MyDadLovesMySisterBest and she has given away your secret for kissing dogs :) Love the pendants but can I come meet Sharon to and make a bunny pincushion ???
LOL! I remember when I met my first Bloggy Buddy in person. We decided to meet at her home and drive to a rummage sale together. My husband made me promise to call when I got there. Well of course my friend and I were like old pals having emailed so much that we just chatted away and then my husband calls all freaking out about how he was worried she was an axe murderer! I mean really, honey, an AXE? LOL
Can’t wait to meet you! Can we maybe work out a trade so I can have my OWN Becky Bunny? :) (That’s what my Mom calls me! Well just teh Becy part.)