Blog About Crafts

I know this isn’t really about crafting or working on the Internet but hey, it’s my blog so get over it. Yes, indeed, I am feeling a bit grouchy today. If you’ll indulge me, I’ll share the reason for my un-merry mood.

We went last minute Christmas shopping between the 20th and 23rd. Most of the stores already had everything related to Christmas at 50% off and we found some small odds and ends to give each other. We laughed about even looking at Christmas decorations when we already have so many but there’s always something prettier, cuter or newer to find.

But, being the thrift store fanatics that we are, we thought we would wait until after Christmas. Surely if it’s at 50% off before Christmas it will be 60 or 75% after Christmas. We always dig through the stragglers and even broken bits after the holidays looking for crafting materials or pieces to adorn existing decorations.

We set off in search of something we just couldn’t live without at what we expected to be fire sale prices. We planned to shop ‘till we dropped. Well, that was the plan anyway.

Yesterday, I played hookey. And of course I got an inquiry letter for a writing job and probably lost the opportunity due to being out of the office and not replying until so late in the day. Really hate when that happens…Anyway, among other things, we went to a craft co-op store about 90 minutes away from our home. We had been to this store before, knew the layout of the place and separated in hopes of finding Christmas gifts for each other.

Amongst the many lovely and clever things were a few real stinkers. C’mon, nobody likes to talk about it; but really, just admit it, some of the stuff people are making is really junky or just plain stupid-looking. If it looks like something a 5 year old high on sugar made, it’s probably not going to be something you should try to sell. Unless, perhaps you are actually selling that item to other half-crazed, bouncing off the walls children who could appreciate that special piece of handcrafted nothingness.

Anyway, amongst some really beautiful things were these clever little turkeys. They were cute little turkeys to put on the Thanksgiving dinner table. They were made with fabric leaves, walnuts and acorns. They were quite original and charming; until you picked them up.

I came to them first and picked one up to see how much they cost. When I realized the base remained on the table because the hot glue had failed, I gasped and quickly tried to re-balance the body of the bird on the glue gob. I kept waiting for someone to creep up behind me and sneer - you break it you bought it.

Oddly enough, my Mom picked up the same turkey, or perhaps another one that was also suffering from hot glue failure. We agreed that the little birds were quite cute and truly clever. But, does cute really matter when they are falling apart?

Fall in western North Carolina is always decorated with so many colors that one can’t help but think of boxes full of crayons. Reds, oranges, yellows, rusts, golds and lush greens abound in every direction for as far as the eye can see. We spend much of fall on the road just enjoying the beauty of our mountain home and the surrounding states. Even though we live here, we join the thousands of other eco-tourists that come to this part of North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina and Georgia every year to breathe in the crisp mountain air and be dazzled by the kaleidescope of natural fall colors as the leaves turn.

The temperature this time of year can vary as much as 40 degrees from sunrise to mid-afternoon. Dressing in layers is not about making a fashion statement but a way of survival. But, it’s so worth it. And this is the best time of year for sleeping. Chilly enough to need a blanket, yet once you put that blanket on the bed and snuggle in its warmth - to sleep you go.

Ah, but today’s been a day of even greater beauty and wonder.

It was brought to my attention that I may have been neglecting the crafty side of Blog About Crafts. Ironically, it was not a crafter who reminded me but a fellow directory owner who rejected my blog for inclusion among the other Art blogs because most of my recent posts have been about SEO, marketing and reputation management.

My “day job” is working with business owners on all of those things. With new customers and loading as many pictures as possible on Reusable Art for crafters getting ready to make their Christmas fair products and gifts, I haven’t had much time for crafting. Perhaps that’s reflected a bit in my overall jittery and bored state of mind. Of course being virtually trapped at home as gasoline continues to be hard to find in this region has not helped much.

I did find this great little owl project the other day. The blogger who seems to be somewhat credited with starting what appears to have become something of a trend, Alexandra, got her idea from one of those great Japanese crafting books.

The basic pattern looked perfect to be translated into crochet - it was originally a really quick sewing project. Making the little guy from crochet stitches takes decidedly much longer than it does with a sewing machine and fabric but I hope many will agree my version is just as, if not more, cute than the original Japanese or modified sewn version.

I can’t believe it’s already been a year but one of the best events for fiber enthusiasts is just around the corner.

The annual Southeaster Animal Fiber Fair is once again being held at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center just outside of Asheville, NC.

This year it is being held the weekend of October 24th-26th. (Many of the Friday events are for exhibitors and classes only.)