Rob and I had SUCH a marvelous time at the Heap! Big thanks go out to Charm City Craft Mafia, who made the magic happen and did amazingly hard work to create a fantastic holiday craft show… GrrChe Gourmet Grilled Cheese for a fantastic lunch… Red Emma’s for the caffeinated lift in the afternoon, and Meep!Craft for being such awesome

Hi everyone! I just wanted to post a quick reminder to all in the area that I will be both vending and demonstrating at HOLIDAY HEAP tomorrow, December 3rd! The craft show is located inside St John’s Church, at 2640 St Paul Street in Charles Village. Doors will be open from 10am – 5pm, and you can find me at

What’s this? I’m starting somethin’! I believe with all my heart in buying Handmade for the Holidays – and every day. But the Holidays are a special time to shop and show the people you love just how wonderful buying Handmade can be! So I will be blogging until the end of the year about buying, making, and selling Handmade.

Heya, all! Just in case you missed it, my very first day of my “world-famous” [hurr] spinning class hosted by Lovelyarns in lovely Hampden, Baltimore, MD, happens this Sunday, November 13th. I am excited! Here’s a little background: I will teach using basic top-whorl drop spindles and provide a spindle, fiber, and detailed instructions/book recommendations/website references for students to take

I can’t believe it’s the last day… all over again! My last recap post about Summit of Awesome is up at Unanimous Craft. Please hop over there to give it a read: http://www.unanimouscraft.com/blog/summit-awesome-last-day-sniffle I feel like it’s the last day all over again… my last blog post about Summit Of Awesome is now up at Unanimous Craft. *sniffle* I just

Leah Piken Kolidas of Creative Every Day hosts several marvelous challenges each year. I’ve looked at them before, but put off joining in… until now! November is Art Every Day Month, as hosted by Creative Every Day. The challenge, similar to NaNoWriMo, is to produce something every day. Unlike NaNo, though, there’s no pressure – the challenge is to BE

Hey, look here and you’ll find the next update in my report on Summit of Awesome – http://www.unanimouscraft.com/blog/summit-awesome-day-two-part-one-continued-awesomeness – because I *know* you want to hear the funny things that Jay McCarroll said during his Craftnote speech! More reporting to come!

Look how happy and inspired we all look! I miss Summit of Awesome already. Want to see more photos from the three days, including some of my own? Head on over to the Summit of Awesome 2011 Flickr Pool!

Well well well! The second post I’ve got up at Unanimous Craft about Summit of Awesome is up – it’s the second part of my first day at the gathering, and you’ll read about sessions with Debbie Stoller and Laurie Henzel, Miranda Lievers, and Kate McKean, Kari Chapin, and Lish Dorset. Read more at http://www.unanimouscraft.com/blog/summit-awesome-day-one-part-two-crafty-boogaloo

Just a heads up: my first post about Summit of Awesome 2011 is up at Unanimous Craft! Learn all about what I did and saw on my first day… it was so much that I had to break it into TWO posts! The first part of my day is here: http://www.unanimouscraft.com/blog/summit-awesome-day-one-let-awesome-begin The second part will be linked here as soon

Hey hey! I’ve got spinning classes scheduled at Lovelyarns for November and December! What you’ll get in my class, An [fun!] Intro to Spindle Spinning: – one genuine hand-made spindle, of a weight for beginners – approx. 1.5 oz of spinning fiber to take home, as well as fiber to be used during class – a detailed instruction packet that

So remember a couple of months ago, when I was wishing and hoping that I’d be able to attend Hello Craft‘s Summit of Awesome – which, incidentally, is happening this weekend in Baltimore, the city in which I live? …yeah, I’m going to that. There’s a couple of stories to be told here, so bear with me while I spin

Sunday is the day! Stop by at Lovelyarns at 846 W. 36th Street, Baltimore MD 21211 from Noon to 6pm and say hello to me and all the other amazing indie artists who will be selling our wares and happily chatting away… and eating cupcakes… heh. I’ll have my shop stocked with whatever remains after the show – if you

Event I desperately want to attend: Hello Craft’s Summit of Awesome 2011 – it’s happening here in Charm City on October 20th – 22nd! From their website: The Summit of Awesome is an annual conference that brings together crafters and makers from across the U.S. to learn, grow, and be prosperous in today’s economy. With a desire to help sustain

So… I’ve plied the icy blue BFL/firestar. I have some lovely Scotch Mule locks washed & in the dye pot – I’m thinking sno-cone colors. And I have a commission spinning job started for my friend Brandon – very Autumnal shades, nice and thin. I’m not kicking ass by any means, but I’m getting somewhere!

Sooooooo… You’re thinking that I’ve been rather quiet on the TdF front. You’d be right. Not that I haven’t been spinning – far from it. BUT. I haven’t FINISHED anything. Not from lack of trying! I swear! I’m just in the middle of two projects that require me to spin in a manner most un-Xiane-like; in other words, folks, I’m

Here’s an icy blue combo of BFL [Blue Faced Leicester] wool and firestar, dyed by me with Greener Shades dyes. It is incredibly soft and bouncy!

Oh boy, are you going to get tired of seeing this image. I’m participating in the Tour de Fleece 2011. What does this mean? Every day that the Tour de France is sending people up and down mountains and all over the countryside of France, I’ll be treadling along with the cyclists in spirit – and hopefully cranking out a

Saturday, June 25th, you can find me and Rob & Genevieve the Spinning Wheel at PILE OF CRAFT inside St John’s Church, 2640 St Paul St, Baltimore MD hon! Hosted by the ever-wondrous Charm City Craft Mafia, this show highlights some of the most interesting arts & crafts of the area. Things you’ll see include weaving, amigurumi, jewelry, paper goods,

First of all, let me say how thrilled I am to have been a part of Maker Faire NC 2011. It was a fantastic event, filled with amazingly interesting and fun exhibits, great vendors, and wonderful staff and volunteers. Special shout-out goes to the lovely lady who helped me load-in bright and early Saturday morning – my brain forgot your

What’s that? You haven’t heard me babble excitedly about my appearance at this year’s Maker Faire NC at the NC State Fairgrounds on June 18th? Omggggggggg you guys. I am SO excited! I’ll be there with some kickass cohorts, including sister-spinner Anastasia Boswell and the ever-so-helpful Juliann K [also a sister spinner!] as well as some other possible drop-in visitors…

Use sale code JUNITY11 – and make sure you use all caps! – at checkout here on the website to receive 20% off your purchase! Good from Midnight EST Monday June 6th through 11:59 EST Wednesday June 8th! I’ve listed a megaton of handspun and hand-dyed yarn, and there should be more going up during the sale, as well. Keep

I have the distinct pleasure in participating this Saturday in the Green Goats and Gardens Festival at University Research Park in Charlotte! What’s this all about, you ask? GOATS! Also environmental displays, a bike rodeo and safety inspection, awesome vendors and exhibitors, kid’s – I mean CHILDREN’S – activities… did I mention GOATS? I’ll be there with yarn & fiber

Despite *incredibly* bad weather all night before Crafty Feast happened last Saturday, I decided that I just had to show up and make an attempt to have a good show. And I did! I really did! I learned a few things, like that I need a better system to protect Genevieve the Spinning Wheel, and although walls on your canopy

Crafty Feast is a juried independent craft fair in Columbia, SC bringing together the funky and the fabulous from all over the Southeast. And even better, this year they’re teaming up with the Indie Grits Film Festival for even more awesomeness! During the week Indie Grits will bring you films and music from around the Southeast. On Saturday, April 16th