The HaulThe Non-fiber Stuff

The vendors at the fairs are not always carrying just fiber wares.  Often there are fiber related things and other artisans, peddling their wares.  I often wonder how well they make out at these festivals.  Are the attendees focused only on the fiber they can't find the rest of the year or are they in enough of a spending frenzy that they will buy other things that strike their fancies?  I don't know what it is for me, although I did go intending to purchase this:

I had purchased the blue mug in the backround last year in Cummington and I love it. So much so that when I have company for tea and have to offer it to my friend, I get a little possessive over it. I know, weird, I have many great mugs, so I don't even know why this matters. Anyway, I got this mug from The Spinner's Hill booth, and that is all I know about the pottery there. There are a lot of different pieces that are extremely reasonably priced. I have to work hard not to start a collection.

For the second year Judy and her Ball and Skein yarns have shared space with Leslie Wind, a jeweler who creates wonderful shawl pins, pins, earrings..... you know, jewelry. Heh. I was talked into these earrings even though I couldn't get one through my right earlobe. I haven't tried to push an earring through it in at least a couple of years, but with encouragement from the crowd I came home and after a shower I worked a post through my lobe. There weren't tears (I'm pretty tough), but I am keeping a close watch for infection, as it is pretty sensitive at the moment. It will still be awhile before I am able to wear those beauties, but I will, along with earrings that my sister gave me, which Erin is trying to steal. "Mom, you never wear earrings anymore, and you won't wear dangly ones!" Oh, yes I will!

My last stop of the weekend, on the way to the car, was the tea guy. I got my fourth iced tea of the weekend from him, and it was the last he sold, I got the rest of the ice and the iced greet tea. It was delicious, no sweetener, just mint. Refreshing and cool and helped keep me awake for the ride home. I also bought loose leaf tea, I highly recommend the Feather Tip and the Dragon Well and I can't wait to try more. The iced tea went well with the bag of kettle corn I got along the way out. That day was the worst. I actually ate a hotdog on a white bread roll. Ugh. I must've been really hungry.

Well, that's that.  A little more than a week before Cummington, plenty of time to work out a budget for that festival, right?

Two hundred thirty-one to go.  The fiber up there on the Grafton spindle is from the Spirit Trail fiber club, a blend of alpaca, merino and silk.  Yummy.  And it matches the spindle.  :)

Comments

[Carole]

I'm so glad you got those earrings. They are perfect for you.

[margene]

Love your Spirit Trail fiber, the spindle, the green (sounds awesome), but that mug (why not a collection?) is fabulous!!
Oh, and so are the earrings!

[Laurie]

Just dab alcohol, front and back of the hole on the lobe in the morning and in the evening. Should help.

Spending frenzy...is that what describes us? I usually do the 'extras' at Rhinebeck. I love the Sheepshed mugs.

[maryse]

those earrings are so pretty.

[Kathy]

I LOVE those earrings. I was so busy chatting with Judy that I missed Leslie's stuff -- hopefully she's vending at Cummington.

[claudia]

Lovely earrings. Definitely don't let that hole close up!

[Lynn]

Hey, maybe I'll see you at Cummington!

[Judy]

The earrings are a wonderful choice for you. I am so happy you came home with them.

[Vicki]

I love those earrings. I've been trying to wear them more often, especially with my hair a bit shorter now and wearing it behind my ears a lot, but still forget more often than I remember. Those are just gorgeous -- I can see why you'd wanna push through!