Finally Awake ....

... now that my California market trip has faded into the background of my mind, that is.

I arrived back at Flint Bishop airport at 11:59PM Tuesday night and thankfully, Dave was awake and waiting for me. By the time we got home and what little adrenalin I had left had faded away, it was after 2:00AM on Wednesday morning. Slept until 9:30am .. went back to bed at 11.30am. Woke up at 3pm .. drifted off to sleep in my chair on and off between 5 and 7pm. Stayed awake long enough to watch "Mercy" and then back to sleep I went. Got back into the shop on Thursday ... shop was still standing, shop still looked the same, and I still have the same work waiting for me. sigh
The only 'shock to my system', other than jet lag, was when I met my flight in Milwaukee WI and had to WALK out to the tarmac and into the plane .. with no coat!! I had a lightweight wool poncho on and my winter coat was in my suitcase in the belly of a plane somewhere .. knew I wouldn't need it for Long Beach!

I had the BEST time! Not sure what all made it all go so wonderfully .. perhaps the weather, the classes I took, the people I was spending time with .. I don't know .. it was just so MUCH FUN! Even in the 'postage stamp' we stayed in (the people at that hotel were so nice!!). Penny flew out on Monday afternoon so I had LOTS more room that night. Karen Aho and I spent Monday afternoon at the Aquarium Of The Pacific as she wasn't flying out until Tuesday like me. THAT was fun .. love "Nemo and Dorie", and saw fishies I'd never ever seen before up close and in person. I refused to "pet" a shark or "sting ray" however ... not me, no how! We then had a nice pizza dinner and talk.

Mom had given me money for Christmas so I spent that on my Loom and all kinds of felting wool and yarns and my personal travel expenses, so that worked out well. Still, I DID give my shop checkbook and CC a bit of a workout. Not like Nashville, but !

I did have to spend some time in airports showing off my Kindle. Karen got to play with it before her plane took off; she'd just seen one before but not operated one. And while in the Phoenix airport while drinking my Chai Tea Latte with ESPRESSO, one of the guy staff wanted to know what it was all about .. so I didn't get much reading done while at Starbucks waiting for my flight out. Had no problems with it on the plane though .. and spent all my flight time there and back listening to an audio book "The Lace Reader" by Brunonia Barry ... which I totally enjoyed!!! I didn't really want to stop and wait for the return flight to continue it. A great read, er .. listen!

And then Nashville will be coming up ... Feb 19 - 21 ... and Dave will be going to that Market with me as my trusty pack mule. Luckily for me, NASCAR Speed Week and Daytona will be the week before we go instead of actually during the Trade Show. It's so hard to drag him away from the TV then to come and get packages to haul back to the room for me.
As soon as Nashville is over, Camp Stitchalot will be 3 weeks later. I think I get to breathe again in late April!!

LONG BEACH .... I'm Here!!!

OMG - there's NO snow here! It's sunny and in the low 70's; evenings low 50's perhaps. Sat outside for lunch in the sun in tee-shirt and pants .. no socks! I'm in LOVE!!!

The hotel is about 4 blocks from the Convention Center, 1 block away from a Starbucks in the morning, and past all these great places to eat! Busy populated area = quite safe for walking back and forth.

Now .. the hotel! What can I tell you about our hotel room??????

Your stay at the Varden Hotel will be an architectural and design experience.
It's white. It has art deco type lighting. It's clean. The bed is very comfy.

They call this a European Boutique-style hotel. Doesn't boutique bring to mind a small little shop or sort? If so, then they've hit the nail right on the head with calling it 'boutique-style'. No problem really ... we're only here to sleep!

Our room is about 6 feet x 6 feet TOTAL in size!! I do not lie - I do not exaggerate ... when the hotel guy brought my bag up to the room for me upon check in and showed me where the light switches and stuff were, we only stood in one spot and kind of swiveled from the hip to see each area. It's TINY! I've seen rent-a-night rustic cabins that were bigger than this room .. and there's two of us in here! It's really hysterical!

This room picture was taken from just outside the doorway, standing at the entrance. See that blue chair? That's the side wall .. which is exactly 7 of my footsteps from edge of bed regular sized double bed) to that wall (I wear a 7 1/2 shoe). See the mirror behind that blue chair? That's the sliding wall that closes off the bathroom from the bedroom. There are exactly 2 1/4 Deb-footsteps from the end of the bed to that wall. See at far right back? That's a glimpse of the bathroom .. in which the sink is attached SIDEWAYS to the wall (apparently so it won't stick out any further). The shower is about 4 Deb-steps square with wraparound shower curtain. When you wash your face or brush your teeth and go to lean over the sink, you'll crack your forehead on the glass shelf that is 'just' above the faucet. The cool lighted deco mirror is neat ... however, I have to stand on tip toe to see 'me' in it .. thank goodness for that sliding mirrored wall.

There is a drawer beneath the bed for use, as well as a metal rod sticking out of the wall at the doorway that has 8 holes for hangers on it. Small glass shelf where the blue chair is for putting your laptop on. TA DA ... it's a 'postage stamp'! Penny and I laughed for the longest time ... we're still laughing! Why are we staying here? Most of the hotels reserved for the Market Trade Show were booked AND those that weren't were really pricey. Our LITTLE corner of the world is only $120 a night (and split that two ways and you have a bargain!)

First day of meetings went really well ... we all felt that we accomplished quite a bit. I'm looking forward to the beginning of classes tomorrow. This particular Market isn't that geared toward my shops' needleart needs, but I get so much from attending the TNNA Markets!! That's probably ONE of the reasons I'm still in business after all these years, and still going strong despite Michigan's economy. You're with others in your industry - even though they're in a different needleart venue; you gain so much inspiration and gather ideas from others-they're in the same economic pinch as me; and business tips and such ideas abound. The class tomorrow, the weaving class, is being taken 'just for me' and not for my shop .. I'm not bringing weaving in, never fear. It was offered, we had an incentive of take two classes and get one class free...and that's the reason! I learned drop spinning last year, now weaving .. it's all needlearts!!! Where else could I learn something new for relatively 'few bucks' AND in California in the winter to boot?!!

There are so many shops who sit back and won't attend trade shows and whine about how bad business is and some even close their shops. Those shops who attend trade shows are proven statistically to have higher sales year after year and those are the shops that have 'stay-ability'. (is that a word??) You can wait for someone to supply you with the 'magic elixir' that will bring in customers and increase your business .. OR .. you can make that magic potion yourself by actively working to do the same. That's the reason for Trade Shows .. it isn't about just what you can order/purchase for your shop .. it's about the ideas you gain, relationships you build, classes you take, confidence/inspiration/energy you receive that will see you through these times!!

Am I saying that a shop should go to every trade show? Of course not, but I am saying that those who do attend one or better yet, two a year are the ones that will succeed(and no, you can't get THAT experience/inspiration/energy on a computer!)

Penny had another meeting after our all day one and that's why I'm back here in the 'postage stamp' updating you on my day. I'll walk back down to the C.Center in another hour or so and then we'll go off in search of food with some other friends. Super day - See ya later!

Market Bound!!!

Greetings from Sunny Phoenix!! At least, it LOOKS sunny from the airport windows. Two flights down, one more to go and then I have to find transportation to my hotel in Long Beach CA.

Such a small town girl I am! Flew in on Continental and had to change airlines to US Air. That means I flew into one terminal and then had to take a bus to terminal 4. I was falling asleep between Cleveland and Phoenix, so found a Starbucks as soon as I got to terminal 4 and made them add a shot of espresso to my Chai Tea Latte ... love the taste of Chai, needed the kick of the espresso. THEN ... I find out that I have to go through security again .. and of course, can't take my beverage through!! Aaaargh! There went $5.00 down the drain ... almost! A very kind TSA employee told me that since I had quite a wait now between flights, why didn't I just go sit over there in the corner (there WAS a chair there) and drink my 'fix'. THEN I could go through security with no problems.....so I did it! Now that I'm at my gate with time galore to spare, guess what kiosk is RIGHT NEXT DOOR ... yep .. Starbucks! I don't dare get another! Deb and 2 shots of espresso + boarding a plane = Deb getting thrown off the plane for excess energy!!!!

Being the single minded person I am ... only one thing can be concentrated on at a time ... I did NOT realize until Dec 30th that I would be flying to Market DURING Inventory! I honestly thought I had a couple more weeks to go. Needless to say, Jan 1 - 4 were rather nerve racking for all in close proximity to me! It's not actually the 'counting of items' for Inventory that gets me crazed ... it's the final SEEING on paper just HOW MUCH MONEY is wrapped up in the shop (and knowing that I'll be taxed on it all over again too)! Let's just say that on Wednesday I called my tax people and had them "raise" my coverage amounts! deep sigh

So, in a couple of hours I'll be in Long Beach at The Varden-A Boutique Hotel...about 4 blocks away from the convention center, so nice walking distance. I'm rooming with Penny from Ewe Count in Wyoming. Tomorrow, Thursday, I'll be in a TNNA Retail Council Board meeting all day long.

Friday starts classes ... I'm taking a "Learning To Weave on a Rigid Heddle Loom" (keep in mind that I will most likely once again be the ONLY Cross Stitch ONLY shop owner at this trade show .. it's mostly needlepoint & knitting .. and I was the only XS only shop there last year!). Then we'll have the Retailers’ Meeting/Luncheon/
Special Speaker; that evening will be the Sample It ! (where we can purchase a sampling of what will be shown),the Teacher Meet & Greet; Needlepoint Group Event and Fashion Show.

Saturday begins SHOPPING! I also have a class that morning, before the floor opens, another Needle Felting Class ... but I couldn't resist: "punch away on our newest needle felting stress reliever, "My Ex-Husband." Now HOW could I not take a class with that description??!!! Saturday night we have some free time where we can go over to the Queen Mary for dinner .. fun!

Sunday .. another class in the morning before shopping begins, this time "Ewe Don't Need No Stinkin' Dye Pots" when you learn to take yarn from bare to beautiful the Ewe Dye-It way. Chris will teach you the tricks to her ultra low water method using professional acid dyes. Her no mess techniques are safe and use commonly available supplies for gorgeous results on wool, silk or other animal fiber yarns and threads." This technique should cross over to wool roving, and I brought some white merino with me ... just in case! That evening, before dinner is the Counted Thread and Embroidery Group Meeting.

Monday morning is another board meeting and then the final day of shopping .. Market closes at 2pm. I don't fly back out until around noon on Tuesday, so I'll have some 'me' time maybe. Of course, each night is also meeting with friends as well as for networking and dinner and fun!

Since I don't have my power cord with me, I'll cut this short before my battery dies. I DO .. I WILL have to get a much smaller/lighter computer for my next trip! When I got this one, it was the lightest out there - that was probably back 'in the day' and now it's one of the heaviest. Dragging it on my shoulder from flight to flight is a bit more than I ever want to do again! Hope to be in touch a bit later!!!!

With APOLOGIES to Clement C. Moore

'Twas 5 days before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The fur-babies were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-frosted squirrels danced in their heads;

And dad in his sweatpants, and I without a cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When inside the bedroom wall there arose such a clatter,
We knew immediately just what was the matter.

To that wall I wanted to fly like a flash,

With sledgehammer in hand and a loud evil laugh.

They were playing chase the acorn and then roll the walnut began,
That squirrel and 37 of his closest friends .. at 2:30am.

But I couldn't destroy walls my husband reminded me in time,

So I turned on the lamp and read a good book (even though that doesn't rhyme).

And I heard that squirrel exclaim, before his party was through,

"Happy Christmas to all .. Deb lives in a zoo."

it's the weekend and I'll blog if I wanna ....

Thought I'd share what I've been working on the past couple of weeks on my days off .. more scarf felting .. what can I say? It's fun!

I had made this first one (at right) this past September .. Dave called it the 'swiss cheese effect'. Then I decided it had to be a 'more' warm weather scarf and 'added' to it. I like the way it came out this way too (it's below)! Definitely looks more like Michigan weather ware than the first time around!

A bit of glitz and some funky chunky yarns woven through the wool created the brown on brown with touches of turquoise scarf above.

Then I went with another double sided scarf ... argyle pattern on one side and overlaid shades of greens, blues and blacks on the other side. It's quite thin and would make an great indoor 'fashion type' scarf .. but since it IS 100% Merino Wool, it will work under a coat outside too!
The scarf at right is predominately browns, greys, mauves and pale blues. Again, has some chunky yarns laid through it. It's another very lightweight scarf and very soft!

Then we come to my 'inspiration masterpiece'! I had the idea just spring into my wee little brain for this one while making a previous scarf and just started to play. I really had no intention of making any more, but ... ! It's a mixture of Merino wool, bits of acrylic glitz and some Angelina, and a fiber mixture (a secret mohair/merino/nylon/silk and "Bling" bits) from Pagewood Farms called 'tinkerbell fluff'. I've got a picture of the 'fluff' at far left, but my assortment - of course - was all Whites and Creams with bits of gold, silver and bits and pieces of color mixed in with it.

It took nearly 4 times as long to felt, but the result is incredible!! I've never felt anything as soft as this one - I brought some in to the shop today for Show And Tell and everyone was going crazy over this one too .. so it's not just me!! And it looks like you can see right through it to other layers too ... c'est magnifique!!!

Now I did say "I was done" ... but decided that tomorrow I'll do just one more! It's an addiction ... help me ... make it stop ... I'm supposed to be cross stitching!!!

One more .. just one more I promise!!

Corrected Tech Info and Stitching

Ok ok ok ... Debbie has pointed out to me that my little freebie toy is NOT an iPod ... it's an MP3 player. A cheap one at that, but NOT an iPod. toMAYtoes/toMAHtoes

Got a bit of felting done yesterday ... but didn't turn out well. Going to have to see what I can do to rescue this scarf on Wednesday as I really don't want to start all over again. Spent the evening last night stitching on Raise The Roof's "Christmasland". Still on chartpack #1, but it's coming along.

Put the tree up .. it's a little fake one, a tall thin (can you say THIN) Alpine tree .. but it's up and decorated. Stuck off in a corner by the wood stove where I can see it from my stitching/tv chair. Why have a tree up if you can't see it whenever you look up? And that my dear, is WHY it's a fake .. it's very very hot in that corner by the stove!
Thinking about the ornaments I put on it "this" year. Decided to bring down a box of my old favorites (aka extremely breakable) as Padme has experienced Christmas trees, and really doesn't give them a thought .. as long as she can lay under it. Mocha, the very well behaved princess, could care less .. as long as the tree isn't where she 'usually sleeps', she's fine with it.
Anyway .. thinking about the ornaments and realized that .. with the exception of 4 unbreakable ornies on the lowest branches just in case the temptation becomes too great .. there isn't an ornament on it that is LESS than 20 years old. Actually, I think most of mine are in the 30-year old range, and then those from my grandmother are in the 70 to 90-year old range. And I have a vintage 1930's star at the very top! Each one has a lot of meaning to me, and to see them on my tree again, brings a smile to my mind!

Music N Felting N Stitching N Things

The "Sting" CD is gone .. sold .. thank you to my bud Theresa at Homestead Needlearts, I've been able to afford a hot Cappuccino for the past two days!! And most interesting of all ... "she" REALLY likes that CD. Takes all kinds I guess (ducking)

Now I've got a new bit of technology ... my very first iPod!!! Not state of the art by any means .. it was a 'free with $100 purchase' at one of the office supply stores .. so that kind of gives you an idea of just how 'fantastic an iPod' this really is! LOL With the remainder of my gift certificate from Amazon, I purchased Rod Stewart's newest "Soulbook". I couldn't get it to 'load' on the device ... I had a customer's husband spent time trying to download it (while his wife shopped - got him out of her hair for awhile!) and he couldn't get it working. So Tuesday I had Debbie do it for me .. she's my chief techie here .. and she had problems too. But would not be daunted, and 'finally' got it on the iPod for me!! whoo hooo
She did report, however, that one of the ear buds did NOT work.
So I got to listen to a bit of it in 'mono' and not stereo on the way home ... and it wasn't loud at all! In fact, could hardly hear it over the sound of my car tires!

Pulled out the ear buds I bought for my Kindle, and listened a bit more on the drive into work the next morning. Still couldn't get that volume to go up. Obviously this device was developed by some one's MOM ... 'don't want to ruin your hearing with that loud music'!!
Disgusted ... oh well, at least this thingy didn't cost me 'anything' other than the office supplies I would have been ordering anyway!

Then .. on the way home last night .. tried to give it 'one last try'. Hey .. you really CAN get the music out of an iPod IF you have the earplug device pushed ALL THE WAY IN!
And .. even better .. I discovered on the way back to the shop this morning that ... my Kindle ear bud things even have a 'volume turnerupper/downer' built right onto the cord!!!! And to think I flew all the way home using the Kindles' volume up and down instead!
I'm so incredibly observant!!!
This means I'm now rather pleased with my little iPod freebie, AND 'most' of the songs on my new Rod Stewart. His scratchy voice was perfect for ALL of the "Great American Songbook" CD's he'd done but I think he's rather reaching on "Soulbook" .. but it's not a loss .. think I'll keep it!!! LOL

Hopefully I'll be able to stay home all day tomorrow! Worked my day off here at the shop for Debbie and that screwed up my carefully planned out schedule of (1) taking mom out to shop (2) felting another scarf (3) getting my hair cut and (4) putting up the tree. Now I have two scarves to make tomorrow as well as put up the tree. Don't think there's enough hours tomorrow for all of that though...deep sigh!!! Under a deadline here to get Christmas gifts out in time and .. once again I'm in crunch time - just when I thought I had it all together. Will have to wait till Weds. to do 'some' of it ... maybe I can put mom off tomorrow too!

Also waiting for my next installment of Bent Creek's Christmas Branch - the owl - to arrive. If it doesn't' come today, I'll be on the 'email' with BC to find out why! They 'rarely, if ever' have their newest to Hoffman and Norden even within 2 weeks of a shop getting their auto. And I've not gotten my auto yet .. HDC and NC have the new ones though! And Kathy just informed me that so do some 'other shops' ... as of early last week!!!! aarrgghhh Not like I don't have anything to stitch .. I've just started Raise The Roof's "Christmasland". I can't do scarf making in the evening at home ... not enough light to see exactly what I'm doing. Except for my two stitching areas and Dave's chair (Ott-Light Heaven), our living room is very dark.

oops .. store is open .. time to get to work!