photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

A Creative Dream
Toys for strangers to love…
handmade toys

Arts & Crafts Examiner
Do you need a gift idea for the favorite crafty person on your list? Here are a few fun ideas for your holiday shopping.
Cool-crafty-gifts-for-Christmas–for-adults

Gadabout Media DIY
Win your own set of 13 great rubber stamps and ink pads from Ford Cares & Martha Stewart Omnimedia!
contest-alert-win-a-warriors-in-pink-stamp-set/

Hankering for yarn
I’ve been making fun Christmas ornaments. Here’s the link for a tutorial on how to make a tiny ‘Bog Coat’ from origami tree. Perhaps Santa’s Elves would appreciate a new coat or two?
christmas-ornaments-mini-paper-bog-coat/

Mixed Media Artist
Mixed media artist Nicolette Anderson shares her lovely work!
mixed-media-artist-nicolette-anderson

The Artful Crafter
Make some romantic mood light candles with decorative tissue paper and decoupage medium.
make-decoupage-candle-holders-to-set.

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

Photos copyright Jennifer Tan, used with permission.

I ‘met’  Jennifer a year or so ago when she commissioned me to make her daughter a one of a kind spool knitter and then asked me to design and make some 2 peg spool knitters for ‘Gosh Yarn It’.  It’s been fun to see Jennifer growing her business and when she got in touch with me again a couple of weeks back, I asked her if we do do a profile of her and ‘Gosh Yarn It’ for Hankering for Yarn.

So, here we have it: Jennifer Tan and ‘Gosh Yarn It’:

1.  How did you come to create ‘Gosh Yarn It.’?

I sold my own crocheted creations for years to private clients, for weddings, and at shows.  As I began to teach more, I needed quality tools for my students.  Everyone wanted a beautiful, useful tote and case, too!  I began selling some tools and totes as a designer, and then expanded into a full online shop.  I wanted to support artisans and purchase from them in stead of from larger companies as much as possible, offering products that were different from what you might find in a local yarn shop.  My father-in-law came up with the name!  I then opened up Etsy shops to sell my own creations and patterns.  I also sell my patterns on Ravelry.com (my ID is “gyi”).

Photos copyright Jennifer Tan, used with permission.

2. Do you have a favorite product or aspect of all that you do and make with and for ‘Gosh Yarn It’?

I really love Tunisian crochet hooks and drop spindles.  Both fiber arts are my favorite, and I truly enjoy using and selling beautiful tools.

Balancing the business and the creatives ends…always a challenge!

Teaching is the most rewarding part of what I do.  There’s nothing better than seeing someone leave a workshop with a new fiber arts skill.  Some people email me pictures of their creations later, and some go on to teach themselves.  I love it!

I have been designing and crafting fiber arts for around 17 years professionally.

Being surrounded by lovely yarns, colorful fibers, and beautiful tools always makes me want to try something new!

Photos copyright Jennifer Tan, used with permission.

7.  Are the fiber arts your main focus?

In my life, fiber arts is a main focus.  I also homeschool my three children, teach university classes, do custom aromatherapy blending, officiate weddings, perform and teach flute, and teach a variety of holistic pregnancy/baby courses, such as prenatal yoga.

Photos copyright Jennifer Tan, used with permission.

8.  What is your favorite way of getting your work out into the world?

Word of mouth!  Between Ravelry, Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs, people are connecting and communicating more than ever.  Being referred by someone is always better than paying for advertising.

9. Does where you live influence your work in any way?

Absolutely!  I live in Northern California which is full of fiber artists.  Being near guilds and wonderful yarn shops is a bonus!  I am inspired daily by the incredible beauty that surrounds my home…a creek, garden, trees.  There’s nothing better than hanging freshly dyed and spun yarns outside near the avocado tree, artichokes, and apple tree!

10. Where can people buy your work?

Fiber arts tools, totes, patterns, books and accessories: www.goshyarnit.com My crocheted/knitted/handspun items and aromatherapy: www.tlwoldc.etsy.com My naturally dyed fibers/yarns/silks and homeschooling supplies: www.syrendell.etsy.com

11. Do you maintain a blog or website? If so, what are their urls?

My blogs:  Gosh Yarn It! www.goshyarnit.blogspot.com Syrendell www.syrendell.blogspot.com

12. Do you have a crafting or arts community that influences you and is important to you? (online or ‘real life’).  Is it important to you to be in touch with your peers?

Although I belong to a variety of guilds and groups, my favorite arts group that I connect with is the Griffin Dyeworks Dye & Fiber Retreat group.  I attend their annual retreat and get to learn about natural dyeing, as well as teach classes, and learn everything from sprang, to lucet, to kumihimo!  It’s the nicest group of people, and we share so much with each other.  www.griffindyeworks.com

Photos copyright Jennifer Tan, used with permission.

13. Do you have an all time favorite piece that you designed?

One of my first crazy-handspun yarns (I learned how to card a crazy batt and make the yarn at Camp Plucky Fluff www.pluckyfluff.com) was so unique, but also didn’t have a lot of yards.  So, I Tunisian-crocheted it with a size U hook into a scarf!  I never wear it, but have it on display at home.  It’s precious.  It got featured for a couple of seconds on the DIY Network’s Uncommon Threads when I appeared on the show.

14. Is there a project or product  that has ever flumoxed you and just refused to work out?

Still flumoxed by knitting socks…I think it’s just a mental block!  It’s my goal to make my children all socks, so it will be a fun challenge to take on.

15. Is there anything that I have missed that you would like to share with the readers of Hankering for Yarn?

We are offering free shipping on all US orders during August when you use coupon code AUGUST during checkout at www.goshyarnit.com.  Lots of items on sale!

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

Jill Ammon Vanderwood has kindly donated a copy of her new book:

What's it like, living green? copyright Jill Ammon Vanderwood, used with permission

What’s It Like, Living Green?

to Hankering for Yarn,

because of my passion for green and eco friendly living.

Link: What’s It Like, Living Green? By Jill Ammon Vanderwood

How do you win a copy of the book?

Simple!

Leave a comment in the box below, with a ‘GREEN’ suggestion for yarn lovers of all ages, and if it is especially kid friendly, then you get a gold star!

The contest runs from June 18, 2009 to June 30, 2009.

Please make sure you leave an email address that isn’t going to send me into spam, as I need to be able to notify you if you are the winner.

If the winner doesn’t respond in 3 days, I’ll draw again…. so do check in!

Good luck!

AND…. I’ll also publish a posting with all your brilliant suggestions, and give you credit!

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

That is, until a spring snow storm blew in and dumped feet of snow on us.

It was a wild and woolie night… I kept getting up to watch the snow  building up.

The snow storm began as thick thick fog that gave up on itself and flopped down as wet mush.

That picked up it’s spirits and so , then it really got into the swing of things.

It  started dumping hefty globs of snow and sculpting trees and wires and fences and windchimes and and and

our little corner of the world turned very white, yet again….

The geese, who had just battled it out with their travelling companions over who was taking possession of the pond, walked around, baffled and bemused.

At one point, the geese swam towards each other and left a heart shape in the pond: You can see it under  them….

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

I was worried about the big old crabapple tree outside the studio window, so I went out on the deck and pushed at the tree with a broom. The snow sounded like a very small avalanche in training wheels as it whuh-huhhed and crashed off the tree.

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

All in all, it was a very intense day… we lost power and the phone has been dodgie. It even did odd things to our water system.

While the power was off, I re-arranged some furniture in the studio and took pictures for what I thought was going to be today’s blog entry. When the power came back on, I started working on this post.

I noticed that there were some spams that needed to be turfed, so I went through and declined all the offers to make me larger, smaller, stronger and richer. BUT, there was one email that should NOT have gone into spam.

It was a lovely note from Carol, about the Face of Joy challenge.

Carol wrote a  WONDERFUL blog post about the importance of playtime, and designed and made a delightful Face of Joy.

Do click on the link above, and go see her Face of Joy, and read her entry!

I was so inspired that I set aside the posting I was working on, and went right outside and started sculpting a little Snow Face of Joy!

It’s been years since I’ve made a snow man, so it was great fun to carve a snowie little playful face.

And, of course, to stay on topic, I had to include yarn, so I gave the happy snowface a coronet of tatted flowers that I had almost thrown out, but not quite….

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

I’d love to see YOUR   F A C E  O F   J O Y  – however and whatever playful way you find to make it…… even if it is snow and melts away…. the joy remains…….

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

It’s a F A C E of Joy challenge, right?

teddy designed, made and photographed by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Soooooooooooo…..

that means that the face doesn’t have to belong to human being.

AND……

I did say that for this challenge,

WIRE counts as yarn, right?

So……..

my entry for ‘The Face of Joy’ challenge for today

is

A teddy bear that I crocheted from 28 gauge coppper wire.

He has a big heart and a happy disposition.

He’s got wooden beads inside his head and his tummy to keep him

from squishing flat when he’s off on an adventure, inside my pocket or a bag.

He’s about 3 1/2 inches tall (9 cm).

And, when I look at him, I have to smile…..

and isn’t that what the face of joy is all about?

I invite you to play with wire today and see what joy you invent.

Remember to hold the wire very lightly, and don’t try to put much tension on it

or it’ll play havoc with your tendons, and that’s no joy…..

have fun!  Play time!

Please remember to send me pictures of  YOUR face of joy projects, so you can win the Jane Austen crochet hook.

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

I’ve been reading up on ‘play’ (click the link to read what wikipedia has to say about play)

image & photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

and playfulness.

Expert after expert has talked about the importance of being playful

for our entire lives.

There was a wonderful conference about Serious Play last year.

All the experts agree:

Play is essential to our well being, in body, mind and spirit – as individuals and as communities.

Being playful can alleviate all kinds of stress.

Playfulness increases resiliency and flexibility….and, whew… do we ever need to be flexible these days!

Because of the grim situation with the economy, we are all rattled and frazzled to some extent or another…. sooooooooooo…….

I thought……….

How about starting a challenge of playfulness?

Here’s the scoop:

For the month of April, I would like to challenge you to  show us all

your face of joy.  What does that mean?

Well, play with some yarn and make a face that shows an image of joy,

image & photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

whatever that means and however you interpret that. NO! you don’t have to be an “artist”  !  A few simple lines CAN convey joy!

For example: I drew a ‘joy’ face with spool knitted cord. (1st pic)

Then, I played with my photoshop program in the 2nd pic. (you don’t

have to do that…. I just wanted to play with it!)

The RULES:

1] Make a face that shows joy- BUT… the face MUST have yarn as some part of it. (Thread and string and wire all are going to count as yarn for this challenge).

2]Any technique that uses yarn IN ANY WAY to make a face, and, the more playful the better! (You can make a mask or a puppet or a doll or a wall hanging or or or… )

(knitting,weaving, crochet, photo collage, spool knitting, tatting, beading, embroidery… and…. and… or…..

ANY playful way you can think of to make a face  of JOY and you’re in!)

3] Send me a pic of your Face of Joy OR blog about it and link to this posting.

4] The challenge lasts for the month of April

5] You can make as many faces of joy as you would like….. please post a comment with your blog links if you’re going to post the pics on your blog, so people can see what you are up to.

6] Would winning a prize bring a smile to your face? Well…. I thought that it might…. so, I am going to give one of the challenge participants one of the one of a kind Homage to Jane Austen crochet hooks that I carved: ( I do ask that the winner pays the postage… sorry about that part…. )

image & photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

image & photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

All right! Now go have some fun! and make some faces of JOY!

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

In the contest announcement, I  posted a pic, taken from my computer desk, looking across at the drawing table.

There’s no way I am showing that pic again (click the link if you must…. shudder….)

But, I am showing the newly cleaned off drawing table, tadah….

I can actually sit there and draw again! Hurrah!

Thank you, Diane Dobson Barton for inspiring me to clear up some of my creative clutter!

(Click on her name to order your copy of Controlling Creative Clutter).

AND

The winner of the contest is SARAH (#33) who has 4 other housemates who all need help with their creative clutter!

I hope that Sarah and her gang will have a successful clutter clear up! And then, back to their creativity!

Thank you so much, everyone who entered the contest!

Stay tuned… there are more contests coming up at Hankering for Yarn!

(photo by noreen crone-findlay copyright)

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

Original drawing by Noreen Crone-Findlay (copyright)

Because in the Compassionate Knitters contest,

there were 21 entries. all of whom hoped to win the kit for the Compassion Cap from Laurel Hill .

My husband called out, ‘14′, which is Karen Gonyea.

Thank you so much, Karen, and I will be emailing you for your mailing information.

Thank you also to all the other lovely people- your entries are most appreciated, as is your compassion!

Thank you so much, Laurel Hill and Knots of Love for your work in getting compassion caps to the people who need them!

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

This ……….

is a shot of my studio, taken from my computer desk,

looking across at  my design desks.

They are totally out of control right now.

I have just finished launching 2 self published books,

Rosie Recycle Dolls and Spooligarumi,

and am going like blazes on the next one……

as well as getting up to speed with Hankering for Yarn.

Because I have so many balls up in the air, things have just heaped up to the point of- ‘aaaaaaggggghhhhhhhh’

here in the studio….

So, when I read about Diane Dobson-Barton’s new book: Creative Clutter Control, I thought… oh yes!

Diane Dobson-Barton is an artist, so she knows the creative personality from the inside out!

Creative Clutter Control is written with humor and insight and is really well thought out.

I highly recommend it! And am going to work with many of her suggestions.

Now, you already know that Diane has kindly offered a copy of Creative Clutter Control as a prize – you saw the title to this entry!

How to win?

Leave an entry, and post a comment about your Creative Clutter !

The contest starts now and runs until March 22.

Who can enter? Anyone, anywhere.

Good luck!

Now… to deal with some of this clutter….

(photograph by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright)

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

And, now I am pleased to offer a second contest, courtesy of

Knots of Love and Laurel Hill.

This contest is for a compassionate knitter.

The prize is one of Laurel Hill’s

knitted compassion cap kits

How do you win?

Simple, post a comment, telling me to  whom you would donate  the compassion cap that you will knit from this kit.

The contest begins now and closes on March 17th.

It is open to citizens of Canada and the United States.

(image source: drawing by Noreen Crone-Findlay. Copyright, not to be used without permission)

Post from: Hankering for Yarn