Acquiring yes. Actualizing no.

I am going to blame work this time.
Too much of it and very little down time. Which I seem to need in order to be creative and make stuff. I have tried to sew/knit/visualize/think after doing a 10 to 12 hour stint of client stuff and I just get nowhere.
But I do find I can relax while running around looking for treasures.
Hence the ironing board leaning in my living room.
I was at Goodwill (retail therapy) and lo and behold! an extra wide ironing board, of the variety Costco was charging around $50 for a couple years ago. So I bought it. (And something else... maybe a shirt? hmm...) So it is in my living room, awaiting the day I will actually go out to my studio again.

The other bit of acquiring a lovely gift!
My charming, sweet, wonderful thoughtful sister sent me a 17 pound box of crafty things! 17 pounds weighs a lot. It was chock full of thoughtful things she has decided she doesn't need since she hasn't used them in two years. (Shocking attitude, I know, but I love her anyway.)
Oodles of Christmassy fabrics, patterns, hard plastic pattern templates, knitting needles, thread and all sorts of other things.

Yay! Good sister!
She claims to be sending more box(es) as she sorts and rids. I will have to send her some money to at least cover the cost of the postage. And I do think some of these interesting items may be rehomed during my guild's raffles. Sister thinks this is a fantastic idea, (actually, she doesn't care. She just wanted them out of her apartment.)
I also get a knitting machine!
It was Grandma's. But sister lives in land of Sunlight where knitted things are not practical. Or something like that, I wasn't really paying attention to the reasoning, but was immediately having delusions of making things. When I get it I will be sure to post pictures of all the interesting bits and pieces, as I have never used one before.

So there you go- my craftiness so far this summer.
One day I hope to use some of these wonderful things. Until then, I suppose I will think of it as summer harvest :)

An embarrassment of riches

An embarrassment of riches...
or perhaps the title should be "why you should find a guild when you are just getting started".

I may have mentioned how impressed I am with the Olympia Weaver's Guild, of which I am a newer member. I have probably mentioned how openly the welcomed me, invited me to get involved and just assumed I was interested in things so included me. That in itself would make me sing their praises forever. I know this is not the experience every new member finds in guilds.
But I also am astounded at the depth of knowledge of my guild members. And their willingness to share. Anytime I have a question, I will be given all the information I could want, with mini-debates about the easiest way to learn, and who is the best teacher.
I even found two of my guild members referenced in the last WeaveCast!
And all of that is wonderful.
But my biggest reason for recommending newbies find a guild...
Acquisition Costs!

I attended the annual Summer BBQ & Garage Sale for my guild this past week. Look what I got! (And at an incredible discount to full retail.) Wools and cottons and mohair and all sorts and sizes. I limited myself to one bag only, and didn't buy any of the specialty handspun out for sale. I was truly looking for end of cones and fun bits to bulk up my stash.I was quite content with all this loveliness. It was quite a heavy bag.
But as I was getting to ready to leave, I mentioned that I had decided to look for a rigid heddle loom.
"Look no further, I have one for you" was the response.
And here is my new loom!
It is a lovely solid loom by Craft Yarns of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. I am going to do some research and see if they are still around, see if they have additional heddles at different dents, and of course I will have to start playing with it!
(I won't even tell you the embarrassingly generous price she gave it to me for. Let me just say I am indebted.)
And now I have another loom.
Time to start making things!

Treasure hunting

Not too crafty in this bit of the world lately... unless you consider scheming, in which case, I am CraftyAuntie! (see below)
But I have been doing a bit of Treasure Hunting (garage sales to the pedestrian).
See:

$2 bag of obnoxiously bright mohair yarns
$1 puzzle of a pretty quilt (distraction for this year's retreat I think)
$1 shiny thing (little Mexican aluminum thing with mirror inside)

There have been other treasures too... but these are the ones on top of the pile.

Now, about the crafty/scheming...
I may get to have my amazing nieces and nephew with me for a couple weeks this summer! Yay! I will go camping and we will make fresh pasta and we will sing and pick berries and I will get to show them off to all my friends. And maybe I will work somewhere in there.