So long, CGOA

Sadly, this was the last day of the Crochet Guild of America Fall Conference in Greensboro. I can honestly and enthusiastically say that I enjoyed every minute of my time there! The people, the yarn, the shopping, the lovely handwork all around, the opportunities to learn and make my work better & easier - and everyone was happy to be there!

Today was my morning class with knit & crochet rock star, Lily Chin. She was adorable in a crochet mini dress! The class was "Crochet Tips & Techniques" and that is exactly what her three hours were jam packed with.

My class yesterday was a technique, then two hours to practice that one thing in a few different ways. Today, Lily was a non-stop fountain of ways to make our crafty lives easier & faster & better. There were ideas for starting & ending & everything in between. Fantastic!

Naturally I had to return to the market floor after class to snag several recommended items. This kind of shopping is my idea of fun.

So I sadly end my weekend of geek love. I enjoyed it all, and my brain is brimming with new ideas (much like my yarn basket is brimming with new stash). Now I have two days of vacation from work to play with yarn, practice new techniques, and celebrate the grand holiday that is my birthday! What a great weekend!!

CGOA Day Two

I drove back down to Greensboro (again in pouring rain) this morning. I reviewed the shopping floor. I got my book "Crochet Border" autographed by the author, Edie Eckman. Next was a meet-up for Ravelry users where I saw Drew Emborsky, the Crochet Dude. I sat beside a lady from England & met a lady from Australia! Crochet rocks!

Then it was time for my class - the PULAD method of working two-color designs without cutting yarn. Neat! We made samples.

I swear the road home from Greensboro is twice as long as the road there! Tomorrow is my last day - morning class.

CGOA Day one

I took the day off work to go to the Crochet Guild of America's Fall Conference at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro NC today. My plans were made months ago when I signed up for two classes. I've never seen a CGOA event this close to me.

Today was my day to shop & look around and gawk and revel in a world where I'm not the solitary crocheter - where Ravelry is well-known, where other people love this stuff as much as me!

Without a timeline, I drove through pouring rain to the KCC, arriving around 10:30. I registered & got my goodie bag (yarn in a jumbo totebag from Lion Brand. Then I headed to the conference shopping floor. I was not disappointed! As I walked into the hall, the first thing I saw was a rack of free shopping bags! I turned toward a wall of crocheted items - candidates for "peoples choice" award. And there was Doris Chan who I've seen on several tv shows. I shopped around the room systematically (of course). I bought an ergonomic crochet hook I've seen advertised, but not available at Hobby Lobby. I was like a kid in Santa's toybox. I fondled lots of yarn. I lusted over high-priced yarns. I signed up for mailing lists. I saw Edie Eckman who wrote three of my favorite crochet books. I bought a keyring crochet hook, and decided $32 was too much for cool earrings. I smiled at my fellow shoppers. While taking a break to rehydrate (very important while drooling over yarn), I saw a sign announcing a Knit & Crochet Fashion Show starting in an hour. So I went back to the yarn and books and patterns and crafty ideas for more touchy-feely fun.

With about 15 minutes to spare, I snagged a front row seat at the Show. I talked to the lady next to me about other shows she's been to and we found we have our Sunday class together The show started and much ooohing and aaaahing followed. I loved it. I then went and ordered 4 skeins of one of the featured yarns from the show. And I bought a DVD of the Mosaic Crochet technique which I've heard good things about - and it's by the woman who'll be teaching one of my classes.

Feeling tired, I made a final lap around, still resisted the earrings and headed out. Still grinning ear to ear. The rain had stopped, which I took as a sign I should have a late lunch at Moe's!

Once home, I emptied my goodie bags and spread out my loot like a kid after Halloween. Four tote bags, a NantucketBagg, two new hooks, 4 skeins yarn ordered & 2 in hand, keyring hook, CGOA pin & bag, a DVD, and a pile of pamphlets & handouts & free patterns & adverts for future shows.

Tomorrow promises to be equally thrilling.

Still Loving September

For those of you who've been reading over the past five years, you will know I've survived some very dark days. On most of those days (and through the long long dark nights), the only thing tethering me to life was my refusal to add "Mother" to Jessica's list of losses. I couldn't think of anything else to make life worth continuing.

I am absolutely 100% glad that I was alive Saturday to be a part of JBB2.

The wedding was a wonderful, sweet, perfectly lovely event. Everyone was celebrating the love evident between Jessica and James and Elisha. The three of them together just seem so natural that they just have to go together. I got to play with the girls at manicures and pedicures and fancy hair and airbrush makeup. Mimosas and O'Kellys at the hair salon. Laughing together.

The ceremony and their vows were especially sweet. I managed not to "ugly cry," but to keep my sniffles to a minimum. I know there will be ups and downs for the newlyweds in the future; however, my deepest desire is that they will be able to remember their joy, their commitment, their passion and true devotion of that day. There were many witnesses to their special day and all of us saw the love they each have for the other. Congratulations and my wish for a lifetime of love for the new Buckner family.

September Love

I love September. Always have.

As a nerdy kid who lived 20 minutes away from school, I never saw most school friends over the summer. I liked school, love school supplies (notice that's still present tense!), and socialized at school. September meant school starting up again. Never a fan of hot-hot temperatures, September means cooler weather. My birthday is September 27th - and I have always loved my birthday.

I started this September off with FOUR days off in a row. I added a Friday vacation day off before Labor Day weekend. C went away to his caving/camping trip, so I had the house all to myself. Nothing to do but watch movies and crochet, get my walk in every day in the morning before it started sweltering. So that's exactly what I did. I made lots of progress on my three ongoing projects. I really like having the three projects going at the same time. That way, when I get a section done on one, I move to a different project.

One day I spent a while with E. He is a mostly agreeable, hilarious companion. He had an idea for me to make a video of him playing his videogame to post on YouTube. I don't have a video camera, I told him. He answered that we should go to the Dollar Store and get one. So I tried to explain that things like video cameras and flatscreen TVs and computers aren't at the Dollar Store. He thought we should try anyway! ... We like going to movies together, and he said he's like to see "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" again - so we went. I told E that I don't like scary movies since they give me bad dreams. Sitting and waiting for the movie to begin, he told me, "Grammy, if you get too scared, you can put your head on my shoulder." {SO SWEET!!!} Then, during a scary part of the movie, I did lay my head his skinny little shoulder - and he patted my arm. Such a tender, sweet, funny, wonderful boy.

And of course, there is the Wedding this Saturday! My beautiful Jessica marrying her James, with E walking her down the aisle. She has done a fabulous job organizing and planning and preparing for the Grand Event. I truly hope it will all go smoothly and that they all have only joy and happiness for ever and ever.