This Week!

Monday: The Cobourg thing went very well. I arrived home with a few less things than I went with, that's always a good sign. I met some very nice ladies (and men) who love colour and texture and design. (My favourite kind of people!)

Tuesday: An order arrived from Berroco. Inside one of the boxes was a new scarf yarn Think big, thick and most of all a very quick knit.

Wednesday: Knit the scarf between 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm. Just in time to show everyone at Knitt'n Night. I even managed to watch the Rick Hansen Relay as it came through the Downtown, they actually exchanged the medal just outside the shop.

Thursday: 8 blankets arrived to add to the squares that are being made to make blankets for Children and teens in the Ukraine. (1 Square at a time Project) They are amazing. I really have the best job.

Friday: Two very small boxes arrived with some Triana and Moda Lame yarn, again the most popular yarn in the shop isn't in the shop very long!

See You Soon.

A New/Old thing

One day when I have more time I will tell you all the things that I have done, the list is very varied. The most interesting thing about that is that all the things I have done have lead me to this point in my life.

When The Girl and The Boy were little I worked primarily at home. A few part time jobs here and there. (One point I had 3 part time jobs, it was very confusing.)

For a few years I travelled the Local Fairs setting up and 'manning' the booth promoting agriculture in Durham Region. I would pack up the car with all the stuff, set up the display and spend the weekend talking to people and handing out pens and information.

Tomorrow I am off to Cobourg with a car load of yarn to an event hosted by the Northemberland Hooks and Needles Guild? I am not totally sure of the group, I will let you know more about it when I get back.

I think I have packed all the wrong stuff!

A reminder that it is Knitt'n Night on Wednesday!

See You Soon.

The Project from H*ll:

The Farmer is a clever man, he is known for his ability to create things. When I asked whether he would like to change a rotating stand I had acquired 2 years ago he agreed. Before he could change his mind The Girl and I loaded up into the car, only to realize that it came to the shop in our larger vehicle, but it fit, barely. (It is very heavy!)

It was a rotating stand with about 6" x 60" of actual slot wall for display on each of the 3 sides. The new design would allow for almost 18" x 60" of display on 3 sides. A plan was made, we headed off to the lumber store and they cut the slot wall into 18" strips. We got home only to realize they should have been cut 16.5" instead. Then when it was time to cut the bottom sections, instead of cutting into 3 equal pieces he cut them into 4 pieces, now they were too short. But that was okay because it forced him to create a base for the triangle to sit on. Then he ran out of nails, bought the wrong gauge for the nail gun, another trip to the lumber store. Then there weren't enough of the right clamps, ran out of screws and he had trouble with the slot wall spacing.....

You have to remember that he was doing this after his 12 hour workday doing The Farmer thing.

We brought it to the shop on Monday night, it is now even heaver. (My 2010 Christmas present from The Farmer came in handy...I will show you it if you ask!)

Tuesday it was filled with all the notions that the shop carries, there are quite a few!

It Matters!

It all started when one day a 'customer' came into the shop and said: "What is your cheapest yarn? I make hats for the babies at the hospital and it doesn't really matter!" I don't think she meant to say it that way, but it gave me something to think about.

Sometimes we do things for 'charity' and perhaps use what we have and not realise that what we are doing is just not quite 'right'. (It surprises me when the grocery store and perhaps the food bank has to put up a sign to say: No expired items!)

Back to the Babies, hats for babies do matter. Babies are precious, pre-mature babies are fragile, but more than that their parents are fragile.

This year the 'fee' for Knitt'n Nights is to make (One) baby hat, but it has to be made with nice yarn and the 'cuter' the better, over the top cute. We want to show these Babies and their parents that they Matter and people care.

If you would like to make a hat to donate to Lakeridge Health, they require no strings, ribbons or ties. We would like soft washable yarn, wool is accepted (super wash) label the

hats with your first name and perhaps include the care and content of the yarn used.

from Francis:

I found this while looking for cute things:

This is the link to the article

It doesn't matter what you do as Steve Jobs said:

“Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”

Getting Ready for Bowmanville's Apple Festival!

The weather sounds dreadful, they are predicting rain and wind, but we are going to think good thoughts and hope for some more sunshine!

The Apple Festival is a popular event for the Downtown. This year I will try to have a bit of a 'Yarn' Yard Sale Outside, only if the weather co-operates. The shop is filled with new lovely yarns that there isn't much room inside to display all the clearance yarn I have been saving.

Think Sunny thoughts!

See You Soon!

To my Farming Friends and Family:

Happy Thanksgiving!

Three Years!

Three years ago this week we decided not to open a Yarn Shop. I had spent almost 3 months agonizing about opening then when the location that I was preparing for was not going to be available I decided that I would stop looking and instead get a 'real' job.

Then Carole called, it was a Saturday night, we were away during the day and she left a message:

"I know you were looking for a space and the most perfect spot is available. I phoned R (at home) who called A (at home) and this is the rent and they are expecting you on Monday."

The Farmer and I look at the store front Sunday morning. The place needed a ton of work. The photo above is a "good" shot of what we saw through the window. We decide the location is good but there is just too much work to get it into what we needed.

We take a drive to think and end up talking to friends in retail in another town and they say: "Go for it!"

Monday I head in early to see the landlord and I barely get two words out and from behind the door I hear a voice say: "Is that Tina, Carole told me you would be coming!" I take a tour with the Landlord, the place is a mess. The previous tenants (who 'disappeared' overnight) only used the front of the space. Carpet from the 70's, bits of slot wall in random spots, walls were where they tried to subdivide the space the ceiling tiles are badly stained. Then the Landlord says things like, "we will replace the floor, take down the walls and anything you would like!"

I go in everyday to look at the space and think and plan. We had to rush things to be open by December 1st. Fortunately I had many contacts in place and they were all willing to get things moving. I was still working part time at Price's Market. By Thursday I decide to take the space.

(By then the landlord had others wanting to rent the space.)

I placed my first order on Thanksgiving Monday and on the way home the news is all about the coming recession.My first windows and logo inspiration.

The rest you know.

As we head into 4 years I am grateful to everyone who has come and purchased and participated in this adventure.

See you again soon!