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August 30, 2007
Fiberflew
Sarah: Say "bye, bye", Fiberfly!
Fiberfly: Bye, bye, Fiberfly!
I have come to realize that with a 50 (sometimes 50+) hour a week job, it's just become too much for me to maintain. It's really not the online shop aspect - it's really just the craft I chose to work with. Every time I dye yarn and fiber it is the most arduous process! Setup in my tiny apartment is incredibly time consuming and honestly - daunting. I know it is a lame excuse, but it is my excuse. And I love it despite it's obvious flaws.
I've thought about it a lot over the last two months and came to realize that I just don't love doing it enough to keep up with it... If I'm going to have an online shop and invest my free time and remaining energy into it, I want to have fun while I am doing it! (Watching Mary's passion for her shop really helped me recognize this.) I consider this a step in the learning process. I think it was a successful little venture in the sense it was my first peek into online marketing. Now, on to better things!
The good news:
- Fiberfly itself will go bye bye, but before it does I will try to sell off my few remaining wares by offering free USPS Priority shipping (free standard shipping outside the US) for any purchases made by September 12 (2 weeks from today!). Any items that remain after that time will be set aside for use in a future online shop or craft fair (I might just spin all that roving up into yarn myself!).
- A new, better, more exciting, more fun filled, more Sarah-centric online shop is on it's way! I am digging deep into my crafty little soul to figure out what I really like to do best... My instincts are telling me to dabble in a few things rather than focus on just one craft. Maybe some hand made aprons, some handspun yarn, some stitch markers, some clothing, some prints of my best photos... Let's not have Sarah get bored, shall we? It's all for shits and giggles anyway.
Posted by Sarah at 9:51 AM | Comments (1)
August 24, 2007
A Dream Realized
With the help of this website, you, too, can make true your dreams of becoming a character on The Simpsons.
Here's me....
And here's SteveKam!
Oh man. I could seriously do this all day long. Most. Fun. Ever.
Mary posted hers a while back.
What are you doing still reading this??? Go find a photo and get going!
Posted by Sarah at 4:27 PM | Comments (1)
August 23, 2007
So, Maybe She's Not The Devil After All
Okay. So, I may have - in the past - made some pretty inflammatory remarks about Martha Stewart. I might have suggested that she was the spawn of Satan and that all under her wicked rule must have committed heinous sins in order to be banished to that particular circle of Hell.
In honesty... I stand behind my statements. My impression of Martha is not that of a kindly domestic goddess. I've known too many people who have done pool and landscape work on her CT properties to allow this daydream to continue. (Legal Disclaimer: I have no way of knowing if the stories I've heard are completely accurate or hyped up for my benefit. But, it's more fun to believe wholeheartedly.) The fact is that she has a huge team of super creative mega minds pumping out issues of her magazines and prepping projects for TV. "Martha Stewart" has become more of a brand than a personality at this point.
But here's the thing.... That team of super creative mega minds? They're good. They're damn good.
Thus, we come to the point of this rant.
HAVE YOU BEEN TO A MICHAEL'S CRAFT STORE LATELY?
Sweet Jebus. Check this shit OUT. Martha Stewart may as well start personally withdrawing funds from my bank account because I want all of this. ALL OF IT.
To satisfy my craving, as well as my budget, I picked up one of her many many many craft kits while it was on clearance a couple of weeks ago. I could barely keep myself from tearing open the cellophane in the car. I managed to control myself and drove 90 mph the whole way home. I promptly sat down and made this:
Kit/Materials: Martha Stewart Crafts Paper Bead Necklace Kit
Posted by Sarah at 4:21 PM | Comments (3)
August 22, 2007
A Day in The Country
So, I have 3 perfectly good posts waiting in draft status right now - all I need are some GD pictures of my finished projects! Argh.
In the meantime, I'll share some photos from this weekend's outing to Bridgewater. SteveKam and I headed up to Sunny Valley Preserve for a quick hike before stuffing our faces full of junk food at the Bridgewater Fair. It was a good thing - because I had fried clams, french fries, some of SteveKam's fried dough and a caramel apple. Lord. We should hiked the SVP loop twice to make up for that.
Unfortunately/Because I am stupid, my camera battery was near dead upon arrival in Bridgewater... So, I snapped only the most important shots and left the rest of my amazing finds uncaptured.
Here are the most crucial highlights of the day:
Posted by Sarah at 12:11 PM | Comments (1)
August 21, 2007
Up and Coming
Since the snippy little photo shoot for my finished sweaters has been delayed a day or two due to craptastic weather, let me fill you in on what's on the needles and what is on it's way....
Selma's Yarn in Southbury recently went out of business (after 15 years!!) and being the opportunistic little yarn horder I am, stopped by to say So Long and to clean them out of as much yarn as I could....
I grabbed 6 skeins of Rowan All Season Cotton in a nice dark rust color. That is currently on some size 8 needles on it's way to becoming a Pia Tank from Rowan 35.
I also snagged a bunch of Classic Elite Bamboo print in a springy mix of violets and greens. I am eyeing the Drop Stitch Lace Tank from Fitted Knits for this chunk of my stash... think I can pump out two tank tops before it gets cold out? Cheer me on, people! I need some encouragement, damn it! Must. Stay. Focused.
I also have a baby sized project on the needles. It will be a gifty for possibly the cutest baby ever to giggle and spit up on her mama... Baby Penelope. You get no details because Jessica reads this blog (well, at least I hope she still does!) and I want it to be a surprise. :)
I also have socks that I started for Mary and a Dad with a birthday coming up... Lord. I need to quit my job and knit full time. I'll live under a bridge with my stash. Kyra will guard me from vicious vagabonds. I'm sure it would be okay, right?
Hmm.
Posted by Sarah at 12:30 PM | Comments (1)
August 16, 2007
Leafy Goodness
So.... way back in March, Mary, Michelle, Jessica and I headed up to New Milford to The Village Center for the Arts for an evening of Paint-Yer-Own-Pottery.
For some reason, I've neglected to post my creation from that outing until now....
This place was fan-freakin-tastic, by the way! I've never seen such a wide variety of pieces. From kitschy-quirky to elegant contemporary.... tiny gnomes to sushi platters. The gals and I decided that the Squad needs an outing on a Tuesday night - the whole gang has to get in on this action.
I chose a cool little leaf-shaped bowl for my first go. I did a lot of work with ceramics back in high school, but it's been a while and this was my first time painting something that someone else made.... weird!
I know... I really should have taken progress pics... but cram it with walnuts and consider yourself lucky that I remembered to post the darn thing at all!
I was really happy with the way this sucker turned out, actually. I had this vision of a leaf in the process of turning color.... And that's totally what I got! Hard to trust yourself when the glaze looks so different before it is fired!
I like to fill it with candy. But, it usually doesn't last long around here...
Oh - in other news, SteveKam (the fella) and I headed up to Lovers Leap State Park last weekend. The big metal bridge (Falls Bridge) had just been restored and the park was really lovely. The story of Lovers Leap Gorge goes something like this... back a long, long time ago, the daughter of Chief Waramaug threw herself from the side of the gorge into the rushing waters of the Housatonic River when her white lover did not return from an outing on the day he was supposed to. Supposedly, her lover arrived to find her body crashing up against the rocks - he dove in to save her and drowned instead. Similar legends can be found all around the country - check it out. SteveKam and I both managed to trek through the park without crashing to our deaths. Score one for us.
I posted pics from our adventure, along with the usual commentary, here.
Posted by Sarah at 7:38 PM | Comments (1)
August 15, 2007
Flowers, Shotglasses and an FO
So, I've been scolded for neglecting my blogging duties AGAIN this week.
Nag nag nag.
So, I decided to show you all what I did with my lunch break today as I was fortunate enough to work from home on this lovely, sunny Wednesday.
I trimmed back the zinnias in my little garden out front. The little bastards had started taking over the walkway. That is what I get for giving them a home. Ungrateful little brats. So I CUT THEM. Take that! I made an example out a few dozen in hopes to inspire fear in their brethren.
I threw in some lavender from a plant I am growing on my steps and some basil I have sprouting up tall in the same place. As a matter of fact... let's take a look at Snippy's little stairway oasis, shall we?
Here we see Rosemary (who just came home with me from The Elephant's Trunk this past Sunday), Basil, Italian Parsley and overshadowed (and not too visible) are Mystery Plant #1 and Mystery Plant # 2.... as well as the lone survivor of The Snapdragon Experiment (where Sarah learned that they don't like to grow for her even if they are her very favorite flower and she told them so every day and it didn't even matter one little bit to them or nothing.... whatever.)
MP1 and MP2, by the by, were given to me by my crazy neighbor. I'd like to think that I rescued them from a wicked fate, but they're kind of sickly looking and my hopes... they ain't high.
Here is some of that aforementioned lavender, looking scrumptious. Mmmm. You smelly so nice! (When are we getting Smell-o-Vision on the internets? Isn't that something that Walt Disney promised me on one of those craptacular Epcot rides? Hmph.)
Speaking of The Elephant's Trunk, I ought to share what I discovered while there with Mary and Michelle.
Flea Markets are no place to be when it is 90 degrees and you are a.) pregnant (Michelle) or b.) hungover (me). Mary seemed to fare just fine....
We spent a coupla hours there and I'd say my favorite purchase was no surprise given my physical state that day. I give you... the coolest shot glasses ever.
Oh yeah. They are that cool. And they are mine. You want to use them? You're going to have to sweet talk your way over here for a shot party. OOH. Shot party! That sounds like a good idea... Hmm. I'll get back to you all on that.
Oh man... I was going to include an FO in this post, but this thing feels like it's really long. I'll put that sucker in it's own entry later. Cuz that's the way I roll. At least today it is.
Boo yeah.
Posted by Sarah at 4:49 PM | Comments (3)
August 9, 2007
Ive Been a Bad, Bad Girl
Sunshine and fresh air have long distracted me from this poor little blog. But, no more!
Time to fill y'all in on the recent goings on. And there have been plenty!
Vacation
Last month, I headed up to Maine with the fam for a whole week. It was glorious. We spent 4 days up on the West Branch of the Penobscot River paddling our hearts out. It was an incredible trip and a real learning experience for me! Mary chronicled our trip here. And there were plenty of photos taken! You can see my album here and Mary's over here. I'm already dreaming about next year....
Babies
Everyone's having them! Jessica and Lee brought beautiful little Penelope Grace into the world on the 4th o' July! That is somehow just so darn fitting....
And Mary's BFF since grade school, Melissa, had a gorgeous little lady herself! Gianna Loreen was born right on Mary's birthday!!!!!!!! How perfect is that? WTF?
And last, but certainly not least, our own darling Michelle is baking bun #2 in her oven. Julian is gonna be a big brother! Watch out world... another baby Barnier is on its way! And, appropriately enough, her due date is Julian's birthday. How funny would that be......... damn.
Boys
I'm surrounded. And I'm loving it. (That sounds so much worse than it was meant.)
I've been reconnecting with some of my male friends as of late - and I am really happy about it! I've been rocking some serious girl power around here for a while and while that is incredibly fantastic, it is really refreshing to get a different perspective on things.
So, in the spirit of keeping up with my boy friends (separate words, people) I'll be trying to hang with them more. My buddy Drew and I are planning to take swing dance classes together! (FUN!) And Gordon, who is back from Portland for a little while, and I have decided that drinking and backgammon are therapeutic, so I see chit chat over beer and a board in my future.
And for you romantics out there... there is some news on that front as well. I am dating someone. He is super nice and given that it is a fledgling relationship, I won't go too in depth but I'll tell you that I'm enjoying myself. Nice to date someone who actually likes to go outside! We'll see where this goes... but, for now, it's off to a nice start....
Outdoor Adventures
Speaking of... I've been taking a lot of photos during these outings! Check these out - we did 2 hikes one weekend - both in Newtown! Then there was Sleeping Giant over in Hamden. Then we went up to Kent to hike up the falls and visited Bull's Bridge. And just last weekend the fella and I teamed up with Mary and Scott and went kayaking on the Housatonic, which was just delightful!
And More Vacations!
Good thing I am travelling so much the year I turn the big three oh! It is staving off depression!
In mid-September, the fella and I are heading to California (WOOOOOOOOOO!) with a bunch of his friends for a whole week. I will get to spend some quality time with my favorite person - Danielle! (hee hee) - in my favorite state! I can't wait to see her in her new environment. And I can't wait to see redwood trees and a west coast sunset. I am counting down....
In mid-October, I am heading out to Taos, NM for a gigantic group birthday celebration - hippy style! My faboo friend Amy has organized a long weekend gathering for us. Hoping the whole gang will make it out there. I can't wait to reconnect with everyone!!!
The plane tickets are purchased, the rental cars are reserved... and I'm about to blow my savings. And I couldn't be more excited about it!!!!!!!!
So, that's that.... life has been hectic - but in a great way! But, now that I am becoming acclimated, it's time to get back to my routine and my websites. :)
I've got a couple of finished objects to post and one that is aaaaaalmost there! Figured I would save you all the eye strain and put them into their own post.
See ya then! (now go outside!)
Posted by Sarah at 3:57 PM | Comments (1)