Doing what you love, making mistakes and learning!

Are you doing what you love? Do you take just a little time each day to think about what you love and how you are going to do it? I ask this because for a very long time I didn't even think about doing what I loved. I went about my day working, cleaning, taking care of everything, but me. I noticed I didn't really care about what I ate, what I did or didn't do and eventually it got to me.

So, in early 2008 I decided to start doing what I love again. It's made all the difference. My FibersStudio adventure is going full steam ahead in my spare time. Yes, my spare time. Ugh. See along with being a dreamer I am also a mom, a wife, a graphic designer & web design contractor and on and on.  All these responsibilities (!!!) have piled up over the years. Hmmm....so how do you make time to do what you love?

I began to say NO! to those things that weren't what I wanted to do. Politely of course! I gave up TV which I don't even like most of the time. I gave up the rat race. I gave up wanting new things and instead find thrifty ways to obtain through trade, making, etc. I gave up going out to dinner a lot or eating out a lot. I gave up many, many things that people do everyday without thinking. And you know what? I gained everything I love about my life back again.

I started finding and gathering my yarn, my books, my sewing machine, my loom. I started thinking about how to start this new adventure. I began knitting because at the time my kids were 7, 2 & 1. I could easily begin a knit project, go outside with the kids and run them to and from school with knitting needles with yarn in tow. It was a great start!

Then with the kids sleeping regularly after 16 months straight of NOT sleeping through the night I began to plan larger projects for the loom. I didn't get to this until a year later, but once I did I knew I could sit and weave for a time with the kids busy with projects like homemade playdough, coloring, etc. I took the time to create in the evenings when I wasn't working as a contractor. I dreamed of a logo and name for my adventure along with starting a Etsy shop!

And in the next year I made lots of scarves, lots of baby blankets and lots of mistakes! Oh, but I learned. Some things I made mistakes on I even knew better. Like the deep purple shawl I planned with this lovely cotton, rayon and flax yarn I had found in Asheville, NC almost two years ago. It's got a slub (a bump ever so often where a little extra yarn is left) in it. I used it in the warp even though I knew better! Oh, well it broke several times. I will not tell a lie. So, I cut the project short and now it is a really lovely table runner. I made mistakes with how I took pictures and learned over time no flash and afternoon daylight on a white background works wonders for your products!

Even though I did make those mistakes I never lost sight of my goals. I just kept plugging along when I could at what I love to do. In the process I feel like I am being more true to myself and I have started to pay better attention to what I need. Not what I want necessarily, but what I really need. I do need to go to bed at a decent time and sleep through the night. Something I was not doing before and really it got me way down energy wise. I started thinking about what I was eating and how my body was doing. I started riding my bike and walking again. I loved riding as a kid. What freedom! I still feel that same feeling each time I hop on. I began to do things in small increments and not all at once. And with each little gain I gained a little bit of me back.

Sometimes it's easy to lose sight of our wants, needs and goals, but with a little bit of effort and a whole lot of desire we can get back to the things that make us most happy in life and find reward in what we do.

FibersStudio Debuts as an Exhibitor at Art Expo 2010

Wow, what a fun and fantastic time I had. I will say this...I am worn completely out! It took me six days to even start writing this post. I am calling it post expo exhaustion!

Setup for the Art Expo 2010 was a breeze the night before. I had a good helper: My Mom. She's a pro at getting things done. Thank goodness for such people in this world and I am so fortunate to be related to her. We've always worked well in this fashion. When I was in high school and college I sold merchandise and tickets at Mountain Stage (Mom's an associate producer there). It was like old times except the roles were reversed. She did a fabulous job and wouldn't even let me pay her. Hmmm, she just might be due for some new woven table linens don't you think? She's more than earned them.


On Expo Day, we got there early in order to set up the last little bits of this and that, tag some items for sale, and make sure we had everything the way we wanted. It really worked out beautifully. While I helped teach children and adults to weave on a small cardboard loom, Mom took over sales. Many friends and family came to visit and see the expo. It was so good to see so many!

Honestly, I couldn't have done any better in my mind. I was in the Charleston Daily Mail the Friday before. Talk about publicity! Nice article and it focused on my education, current adventure with FibersStudio and the activity I had planned for children or whomever wanted to learn to weave. I was completely floored and honored. I heard from many friends who had read it and this made the event even more special.

I am of the mind that experience is also a key educational tool. So I went into this expo thinking if I sell one item I'd be happy. Well, I sold more than one. I sold enough to pay for my booth cost & the cost of the trip to and from. I made a very nice profit.

I loved that people whom I did not know that had read the article in the paper about me and came to see me. Some made a the very direct point that they were there because they wanted to meet the weaver in the paper. Some were weavers & knitters themselves. I enjoyed talking to them and hearing their thoughts on what I had done, but especially seeing their eyes light up when they began talking about their own projects. When you really love what you do it shows in how you talk about it. I notice that people usually square their shoulders a bit, lift their head, look into your eyes and talk with such grace about what they do in full smile. Some wanted to know about the project I had prepared for the kids. I gave away many cardboard loom kits to those who were interested. I figure why not? What better marketing tool is there out there than giving something to someone. Maybe they'll find something they love in trying something new.

The kids were amazing. This was my favorite part because I love teaching even though I do not do it now for a living. I would simply hand the children a loom, their favorite color of yarn on the table and a plastic tapestry needle. Then I would show them the very basic technique of weaving over and under each warp thread. With in seconds they got it -really got it! They took to the project very quickly. They were excited about it and talked about it, and asked for help! In the end most had to go before they finished, but they just took their little kits with them yarn, needle and all. I was happy they liked it enough to take it home with them!

I preach "Do what you LOVE!" constantly to anyone who will listen. I am extremely passionate about what I do whether it is graphic design, web design, being a mom, speaking about autism or even my FibersStudio adventures. I am a complete dreamer who fully fits those lyrics, "Dream on, dream on, dream until your dreams come true" that's sung by Aerosmith. Cheesy, but true!

I believe to the depths of my soul that if you really do what you love good things will come to you. That's why I started FibersStudio. I needed to get back to doing what I really loved and I felt I had no choice but to start when I did. There was no question in my mind that I could not wait any longer.  I am only now working in my spare time with my FibersStudio adventure, but it's all mine and I love it.

A fortune I recently got in a cookie said this: "Through greater effort and hard work a precious dream comes true." I can honestly say this dream is coming true and I am a happy girl.

Do something you love today. Never ever be afraid to dream and go for it! For me going to the Art Expo and getting my name out there was just that. I cannot tell you how happy I was to hug my friend from high school that introduced me to the expo! Or how much it meant to just be out there. It made all the difference!

Gearing up as an exhibitor!

Yes, gearing up for my first art show as an exhibitor with FibersStudio. I am excited also because I am getting to help with special exhibits for children. I will be teaching weaving—a simple coin/treasure pouch on a cardboard loom. I have been making the looms for days! Should have 100 packets that include the loom, instructions and yarn for the project ready by Sunday.

The Art Expo 2010 has painting, pottery, photography, digital photography, jewelry & clothes designing, etc. A lot for people to do with many age ranges in mind.

I am not nervous at all. Basically I am looking to this experience as just that...experience. It's hard to gage how much to take or even what will sell. I am fully aware that I may sell nothing, but just getting my name out there is going to help me in the long run. That is part of the reason why I am doing this. So my business will grow a bit.

So, I have my knitted scarves ready to go, and woven shawl with hand-painted glass beads, a hand-dyed & hand-woven wall hanging, and finally a wide woven table runner. Plus 6 woven baby blankets. I'll probably go ahead and take the few bits of paper products too. So there is some variety.

What I am trying to decide on is if I want to take orders on items-most likely shawls and scarves. So tonight and tomorrow I will be figuring out if I should attempt this. If I do, I will most likely have a picture of the end product and then samples of the yarn next to it to choose from.

I think though I'm most excited to see people I haven't for a while. This is taking place in Charleston, WV and I grew up there from 8th grade on and went to Marshall University. So I am hoping to see some friends.

I'll let you know how things went and take pictures too!

Ralvery - a knit and crochet community

Ralvery.com is a fabulous resource for free patterns and finding others interested in the same things you are when it comes to knitting and crochet. Seeing it is a community of people who post their designs and ideas on their own pages or within other group pages you can easily find a group you will fit into. You also can keep your inventory of needles, hooks and yarns or the projects you are working on with the progress you have made on the project.  You can find other people with the same yarns and ask if they would like to sell also.  I have found it a very nice community and love the flexibility of it. Also, if I am out and about buying yarn or needles...I can look up my stash online with my iPhone and see if I already have something or not. I cannot tell you how much this helps me! Check it out today!

Cowls are all the rage these days

Really, I have seen more cowls in the past year than I have in all my life! Big huge ones you can loop around your neck a couple times to small knit ones that fit nicely around your neck. All in different types of yarn from big thick yarn to sock yarn. Some even just over the shoulder or up over your head like a hood. I do like the versatility of the look and can see how they would be very nice to wear keeping you warm and snug on an outdoor day.

Now, I hear from some of my fans on facebook that they are interested so I am going to take a stab at this with my knitting needles. I do know I need to use circular needles and I will probably start out with a chunky styled one.  Seems simple enough. I might even give it a go on my knitting loom - the biggest one which I think is yellow. I'll have to dig that out, but basically instead of working back and forth like for a scarf or rectangular object I am going to work in the round. I use safety pins as markers so that way I know where my beginning stitches are (plus safety pins are a lot cheaper than markers you can buy in the store).

There are also several nice and easy patterns out there with Lion Brand Yarn and Ravelry. You might like to look around and try one for yourself. If you don't  know what Ravelry.com is then I suggest you go and find out! What a valuable too this is to do so many things from keeping track of your yarns, needles and such to finding patterns and groups/friends to connect with online.

So I'll be plotting and planning my cowls to knit over the summer as to have them ready for the cool weather in the fall. I'm sure they will still be around next fall and winter seasons. Usually things like this stick for a year or two. At least that is what I am banking on!

Welcome Spring - Welcome New Projects!

Oh, can you smell it!? Can you hear it!? Spring is coming. It really is! The birds are chipping, the breeze smells of light rain and the flowers are starting to push up through the Earth. It really is coming. FibersStudio is also adjusting to the warmer weather with new projects on the horizon.

I've worked out a new spring banner for starters for this blog and FibersStudio.etsy.com.  Projects like shawls are being worked on in knitting and charted for weaving. These are light and airy shawls being knitted in deep pinks and natural colors. Plus woven table linens for your home are in the works in the form of drawings. So much to do! Thank goodness the days are filled with more sun!

But before I get to the new projects I am enjoying finishing up weaving baby blankets for now.  I am weaving one that has a pink weft with muted blue, yellow and white warp stripes. The pattern I am using is an 8-harness twill woven with Simply Soft yarn by Caron. It's a 100% acrylic yarn and not your 1980's yarn either that was itchy. It is soft and flows well for the blankets.

The shawls to be woven are to be in three different colors: dusty pink, deep violet and cream for the loom. The yarns are rayon, cotton and flax for pink and violet and a cotton slub for the cream. Light weight and woven at about 2 feet by 6 feet I think. Tassels that will be twisted for a nice finished look and beads added where I will knot the warp threads to finish it off.

For knitting I am continuing to work on the deep pink ladder ribbon shawl-very open and light. I put this aside for months not meaning too. Amazing how things get shoved back and almost forgotten! It is a drop stitch pattern that is pretty simple over all, but finishes with an elegant drape to it. The ladder ribbon does feel like liquid fabric in the end.

I am itching to get to the table linens - table runners and place mats with possible matching napkins. I have a lot of Maysville Warp left over from years gone by. Plus I want to use up all the material and older clothes I have collected to use as rag. I don't particularly enjoy weaving rag, but I do like the possibilities of recycling materials and this is a great way to do it! I will cut all the materials down to somewhere between 1/2 to 1 inch wide and then sew all the strips together to form a nice long rag to weave with.

So much to do! But like I said the days are a little longer each day and that helps me to continue working longer. I need to build my inventory back up after having a successful holiday season. Enjoy the warmer weather, the birds singing and tackling new projects for the spring!

FibersStudio branches out to Children's Accessories...

Yes, it's true! I posted a fun children's scarf today on my Etsy shop. I had some left over yarns from other projects, not enough really for an adult scarf, but perfect for a child! This has been coming for a while and just finally finished up the first one.

"Purple Bling Scarf" is made from Fun Fur (Lion Brand Yarn) and combined with a nice silvery purple yarn called Glittalllic (Patons). Sparkles in the light and super fun for that imaginative little girl. This should be worn by a princess and host her own tea party. I would have loved to have such a fun scarf to play with as a child and make believe in. Of course it could be worn everyday for warmth too!

The width is approximately 2.5" and the length is approximately 64" (including fringe). I would say any little one from age 2-5 would probably be able to wear this.

I do have another one in the making with the same Fun Fur, but a little bit different purple yarn to combine with it. It should be going up tomorrow also on the Etsy site. Plus, there are several on the way in many color ranges & styles after that.  Keep checking back for more styles and many new items to arrive this year at FibersStudio. (FibersStudio.esty.com)

Thank you for all the support in the last 11 months!