By Tara, on April 28th, 2008%
This week, all my thoughts and daydreams have centered on one thing: Alpacas.I spent Saturday morning at a Shearing Day, at Silver Thunder Farm. It was fun and amazing and educational and so so memorable and encouraging. The way the farmers handled their (and their neighbor’s) alpacas.The way the shearers were efficient and kind.The way the alpacas bleated through the whole ordeal – only to jump up, shake it off and prance around with their friends.
More than anything, it cemented some dreams as I realized: I can do this.
By Tara, on April 25th, 2008%
I gush a lot about the fibers I love, my inspiration, etc, but I very rarely mention how much I absolutely LOVE the business side of BCB. I love it so much I write articles about it for Etsy, so much that I subscribe to business blogs, and so much that I’m applying for an MBA program this fall (I’ve been taking pre-MBA classes for a year, since my BA is in…French).
One of my new favorite blogs, asked the question “What is your business?” and I realized that while most everyone knows I sell yarn, maybe a little clarification would be good for the both of us! So here it is, BCB: the Business!
What’s your game? What do you do? I dye and handspin eco-friendly, squishy yarns in bright colors for fiber artists. My fibers are from locally farmers, recycled and/or organic and I handpaint each of . . . → Read More: Fiber Friday #9- Behind the Fiber
By Tara, on April 22nd, 2008% After much thought and planning, I decided it was time to finally start spinning paper: I gathered some colorful paper from the newspaper
started cutting strips – cutting from top to bottom, leaving about an inch connecting the strips, then bottom to top It’s hard to explain, but this shows what it should look like!
After all the cutting, I realized this pink paper was MUCH too stiff to spin, so I cut up the TV Guide and spun that.Really, it wasn’t that successful, the paper kept ripping, so the skein is full of knots.It does look cool, butThere’s only 5 yards of yarn for 2 hours of work!
I sent it as an extra gift to a customer that is also a spinner, figuring she would appreciate all the effort!
Happy Earth Day! What are you doing to celebrate? . . . → Read More: Recycled Paper yarn – Earth Day!
By Tara, on April 21st, 2008% Susy’s post on Inspiration Boards really has be rethinking this board in my office.
I’ve read/seen/thought about making boards like this in the past, but not until reading this was I struck with the necessity of it. These weekly inspiration posts are a method of keeping all of my inspiration together, but I think I also need a visual board, one to continually inspire. I have a board both in my office (at the dayjob) and one in front of my sewing machine and both are pitifully bare. So to start the inspiration-fest, I’ve been checking out others! Hanna’s board is SO much cooler than the typical pinboard. Design For Mankind’s zine on inspiration boards is a plethora of goodness The Flickr pool is not to be missed
Despite all the great inspiration boards out there, I don’t see any that really “go” in an office like mine. Most . . . → Read More: Inspiration board
By Tara, on April 16th, 2008%
..for the rest of the week; for a drive to Ohio, for coffe-sipping with Mom, for quilt-making, for a bridal shower, a bachelorette party, and and and…
Enjoy your weekend!
By Tara, on April 15th, 2008% As finals approach, I’m studying for my last Stats test, rewriting my last paper and going to Ohio tomorrow for a weekend of bridal shower fun for my best friend. Obviously, I need a little chocolate cake and Bill Cosby (this is my very favorite bit of comedy, I have it on record, an actual 78 record!) Bill Cosby Himself – Chocolate Cake
By Tara, on April 11th, 2008%
Do you create fabulous spinning fiber or yarn? Are you looking for a way to spread the fibery love? Then you definately need to join the Fiber Shop Swap, hosted by me and Lapoli. We’re accepting all joiners, until 4/25/08, who agree to send at least $10 worth of fiber or yarn to their assigned partner by 5/31/08. Once you recieve your item, you’ll post it on the group’s Flickr. That’s it, nothing fancy!
To join, fill out this form and be assured that no one but Lapoli, your partner and I will see your information. After the swap is complete, we’ll delete the list and you won’t ever hear from us again!
Thanks for playing!
By Tara, on April 10th, 2008% I realized recently that I post a lot about the things that inspire me (every Monday, in fact), but I rarely describe what happens with that inspiration. So I’m making a concerted effort to change that and to show a little more of the process behind the yarn (the myth behind the man woman).
Natural Inspiration Lately, surrounded by blooming things, I’ve been inspired by nature. I think I’ve particularly attuned to it since this month’s Project Spectrum Element is Earth and that the earth is really providing a beautiful palette. The first step in being inspired is to capture the inspiration. To this end, I carry my camera obsessively and take pictures whenever I see anything. These daffodils were in a no-man’s-land near my apartment, so I picked as much as my vases could hold (while still leaving enough outside to inspire others!)
I particularly love their . . . → Read More: Spinning Nature into Yarn
By Tara, on April 9th, 2008% Miscellany
A (brand new) local knitting group met last Saturday, in Jonesborough (that’s us up there, I’m the one on the far right). I considered not posting the photo, but I figured I’m swallowing my self-consciousness and saying Hello! That’s me! My Storque article is up: all about defining your Target Market. Come chat about the target marketing in this thread. Sara (of Etsy) has asked me to write an article about the weekly Fiber Friday threads, if you’ve taken part in the past, leave a comment about why you like it, what you’ve learned, etc.
Free Yarn
When I started to write this post, I had sold 95 items, now it’s 97! I am so very near 100 items, a number that I want to celebrate! So, to show my appreciation, the 100th item sold will be FREE, with NO shipping! It doesn’t matter how many . . . → Read More: Miscellany and Free Yarn
By Tara, on April 7th, 2008% I fell into a craft vortex today. I’m suddenly obsessed with surface design, specifically stenciling and stamping. It happened innocently enough: Hanna’s post on stenciling, led me to Michelle’s Green Paper Press Street Team and her Cut it Out Crusade. Which referenced Michelle’s tutorial for designing a stamp. I then found this great little tutorial on stamping. Before I knew it, I had the stamping kit, from Dharma Trading Company, in my cart and ready to go
I’ve managed to resist this far, but I’m dreaming of carving my own stamp for my business cards and notepads…. As soon as I figure out which color ink to order…
|
