The Fall Country Tour....

Hi Guys,
I know this post is a bit late, but I have been a very busy girl. We did a little rearranging in the shop this week, getting ready for the upcoming tour.

The Fall Tour is just a tiny bit different than the Spring Bag Lady Tour so here are the changes:

New on the tour this fall is The Quilting Shanty. She is my aunt, Sue Zimmerman, and located just two doors down from The Grainary. I didn't have time to get photos, but here is her new Etsy Shop www.thequiltingshanty.etsy.com
She offers beautiful hand quilted quilts, and has been quilting for about 20 years I think. She also makes darling windchimes out of vintage kitchen utensils and lovely jewelry. I think you will find The Quilting Shanty to be a nice addition to the tour.

An old staple of the Fall Tour but not on the Spring Tour is Whistle Hollow Farms Pumpkin Factory. Located in Homerville, Pete and Debbie Winson offer tons of pumpkins and everything you could possibly need for Halloween! Again, I did not have time to get photos but I have been to their wonderful shop and it is a must see! Please visit their website at www.whistlehollowfarm.com for more information.

Here is a photo of just a few of the items going into the Basket for drawing this year.

No longer on the tour are The Wellington Country Inn for reasons I do not know. North40Creations have moved out of state, but will continue business as usual on their website, http://www.n40c.net/, Dolls and Minis has moved to  Olmsted Falls and her new address is on her website, http://dollsandminis.com/shop/.  Good luck to all of you, we will miss you guys!!

Please view my Bag Lady posts for details on the rest of us.

One thing new in The Grainary this year is my expanded fiber space! I am super excited about being able to offer more fiber this year and hope you will be able to stop out and visit us. We are also planning many fibery things in the coming months, so please check back often for details which will be posted here and also on my new Ravelry Group, The Spinners Cottage. I hope you will stop by and have a chat with us. Ravelry is a great site that offers thousands of wonderful groups. If  you haven't been, it is well worth signing up and spending some time checking out all it has to offer.

Mom has some new Angel designs this year that I am sure will go fast. They are cute as can be!

I also want to mention to all of you spinners out there, if you feel like stopping by sometime over the next two weekends and having a spin with me, feel free. Bring your wheel or spindle. I will be spinning for the tour and would love the company!

I know a lot of you will be heading to Ashland for the Fall Fiber Festival this weekend,  and I wish all of the vendors and patrons great weather and good fiber!!!

My Etsy store is closed for the next week but will reopen after the tour is over.

Thank you for stopping by,
~Vickie

A Busy Time of Year....

This is the busiest time of year for us. The Grainary will be part of the Fall Country Tour again this year and we have been making plans and working on our projects. The tour will take place later this month and I will be posting about the new shops that have joined us later. Meanwhile, you can visit the official website www.countrytourgroups.com
We are also making plans for our Holiday Open House, and on top of that it is also that time of year in Ohio when you need to get your outside projects completed before the bad weather sets in.
It's funny, you spend all summer trying to keep up with the grass and weeds and finally when the weather is ready to change, you actually get ahead of the game (basically because the grass stops growing) just in time to get ready for winter when we will be shoveling snow. And I believe we may have a lot this year because I have been fighting the spiders already.
Yes, they keep trying to run in the door every time I open it. It's definitely time to find some Monkey Balls! Those will keep the little buggers out!!!

Here are a few things I have been working on for my Etsy shop. I just got them posted tonight. I will also have them available in The Grainary in time for the tour.

Some project bags to get you into the Halloween spirit:

And my personal favorite (because it is purple with kitties on it!!)

I don't know about you, but I LOVE bags!!

I have also been making some fun stitch markers for all of you hard core Halloweenies.

 

                               That is pink wire wrapped around this skull to femmie it up a little!
And just so you don't think I do nothing but work, I thought you'd like to meet a little visitor I had last week.

He was sitting on top of my porch post! I don't know why, but he was quite cozy in the warm sun.

Thank you for stopping by.
~Vickie

Don't be Shocked!!!

Yes, I am back already. I just wanted to share my latest contribution to Phat Fiber.

This month's theme is 'Brewing of a Storm'. So, I went with the brewing of another kind of storm with this crochet pattern for Halloween. It not only hides your spare roll, but also can conceal a sachet of potpourri to ward off any eerie odors that may come its way!!

I submitted the crochet pattern and instructions. This is my first published pattern so I am pretty excited. I have been making my own crochet patterns for about 30 years now but never before had it occurred to me to publish them! So, I am pretty excited about this.

The Fall Country Tour is coming up fast. We had our last meeting before the event on Monday where we prepared flyers for mailing. It will be here before we know it. For information check back to this blog or visit www.countrytourgroups.com

~Vickie

Psst...it's me...

You remember me, don't you? I know it has been a very long time since my last post, but I have been extremely busy.
As I mentioned on my last post, I have become a member of the Phat Fiber family. This is my third month contributing to the box. Last month, I did not post photos of my contribution because I only made a few extra batts and they sold here at the shop before I could list them in my Etsy store.

This month's theme was Rainbow Connection.

 

 I contributed 'Delicate Rainbows' stitch markers for knitters.

 These will fit up to size US 6 needles and I am offering a 10% discount coupon in my Etsy store www.thespinnerscottage.etsy.com until Oct. 15th 2013. This is good on entire purchase, excluding shipping. I will  be glad to combine shipping to save you money.

I have also made a crocheter's version of these markers. You know, since I am a crocheter.

I also got carried away and made earrings to match!

Then I decided to make Delicate Patriot earrings as well.

 

And some femmy pink crocheter's stitch markers.

 

I know my photos leave something to be desired, and I am working on this.

On a personal note, I have been really quite busy around here. Trying (and failing) to keep up with the yard work, getting ready for a local show and working towards the fall Bag Lady tour. Then before we know it, Holiday Open House will be upon us and then Christmas. This is just a really busy time if year for us around here.

On Sept. 21 we will be at the corner of SR 58 & SR 303, Pittsfield Town Hall, for the Primitives and Antiques show to benefit the Pittsfield Historical Society. This is their first show, but I am expecting it to be a really good one, as it is being organized by a lady who really knows what she is doing.
I hope you can come out for it. There should be loads of interesting things there. Mom will be there with her stained glass, I will be there with my rugs and fibery things and of course giving drop spindle demonstrations if it's not too cold. There are antiques, gourmet foods, primitive items, and a slew of other things expected. There will be vendors inside the town hall, under the pavilion and on the lawn. We are on the lawn.

Mom also has some wonderful things in her Etsy shop www.thecowgirltradingco.etsy.com and I think she is getting ready to update there as well. She has lots to offer there so you should try and stop by. I am carrying many of her fiber related items in my shop but she has lots of stained glass items that are neither fiber related or cowgirl related. She makes lovely angels and soon will be adding her stockings, porcelain old world santas and faeries to her store just in time for Christmas.

And just a heads up, next month's Phat Fiber theme is "Brewing of a Storm". If you are interested in finding out more about Phat Fiber, please visit the website at www.phatfibersamplerbox.com
There are all kinds of giveaways, lots of online shops to visit and a monthly preview video showing what could be in your box. It's really all about the fiber, and there are such wonderful artisans in this community. Some are local to our area and others come from around the world and across the U.S.A. to participate in this monthly box. I hope you check it out.

So, my Etsy store has been updated, as well as this blog. Now I am off to do some cleaning so I can get back to my projects!!
Thanks for visiting, and again, I am sorry I have been away for so long. It's that time of year.
~Vickie

Phat Fiber Sample

Here is my contribution to the Phat Fiber Sample Box for July 2013 themed "Under the Sea".

The full batts are  now available in my Etsy shop thespinnerscottage.etsy.com

This is 60% mystery wool and 40% alpaca with a sprinkling of gold Angeline. When I saw the theme the first thing I thought of was the gold that must be laying at the bottom of the sea from sunken pirate ships.

This is a next to the skin soft fiber that melts like butter in your hands. Here is what my spun sample looks like.

 

I am working on my contribution for next month's Phat Fiber Box which is themed Entomology.  I am really excited to be part of the Phat Fiber Community. Please check it out at phatfiber.com

~Vickie

Tour De Fleece

Well, I have been steadily going along on the Tour De Fleece and meeting my goals. Until the past two days that is. I have been terribly busy working on a new project and just did not have time to spin yesterday or today. Of course the night is not over yet and I may sit down and put in some time before bed. Here is what I have gotten done so far.

I am spinning slowly but I like the results. Two bobbins balled and ready to ply. I have two more bobbins to make with this mystery wool. I can't wait until it is washed and twisted into lovely skeins!!

The team I am on is pretty fierce. I joined Team Phat Fiber and let me tell you, these women are spinning up a storm! I am pretty impressed with how much they are getting done. Go Phatties!!
I left a post on my Ravelry Group Phat Fiber that I am glad I am on the Tour De Fleece instead of the Tour De France because I am already tired! That was only about 10 days into the Tour. But I am determined to make it to the finish.

Ok, well, I think I will do a little spinning now and try to make up for what I lost yesterday.

~Vickie

I think I'm back!

Hello all,
I can't tell you how sorry I am about being away for so long. I know it has been a month since my last post but I have had many computer problems. Blue Screen Errors. They kick you offline at a whim and shut you down in an instant. So, I had to get a new computer last week and have spent this time learning how to navigate the new Windows 8! All new to me but I think I am going to be fine now. We'll see. Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Last month, when I was trying to post last, we had a lovely rainy day. You know, one of those days when the rain comes down steadily and the air is cool and there is no sun out? I love those days. They remind me of when I was a teenager and it always ensured a rare day inside reading and relaxing.
That particular day was a welcomed relief from a few weeks of cutting grass, weed whacking, planting trees, and general hard work. I was so excited about a day off that I ran outside and took photos of some of my favorite flowers and composed an entire ode to the lovely rain.

 

My lovely Sara Bernhart Double Peonies

Since then, we have had pretty much rain daily. Oh, not hard downpours, but enough to keep me off the lawnmower. Which is good in  a sense that I have been able to get some fibery things done but bad in the sense that the grass is growing and getting tall. I think it will be dry enough tonight to cut though.

 

Lambsear about to bloom

Meanwhile, I want to share some news! GOOD NEWS!! I have been accepted into the Phat Fiber Sampler Box and sent in my first samples last week. I am pretty excited about this. I have been trying to get in for about 8 months. For those of you who don't know what Phat Fiber is, visit phatfiber.com for details. Just quickly, however, it is a box of samples that online businesses contribute and can be anything that has to do with fiber...knitting, crocheting, spinning, felting. A lot of it is fiber batts and roving but there is also a lot of yarn contributed also. I have watched many of the Phat Fiber videos on You Tube and there seems to be patterns in there just about every month and there can be stitch markers, cards, and all kinds of neat things. You all should check it out. I will post photos of my contribution as soon as I can. I sent in batts.

 

Beautiful new rose this year that I cannot recall the name of

Another bit of news that I am excited about is the Tour De Fleece. I have been reading about it for a couple of years and this year I have joined in on the fun! I am spinning for Team Phat Fiber. I set goals of time. I want to spin daily for 30 minutes and then 60 minutes on challenge days. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the TDeF, it happens during the Tour De France. The object is to set spinning goals for yourself and post a daily log of your progress on Ravelry.
I will try to post on this blog about once a week so you can see my progress. I got off to a slow start on Sat. and ended up having a stare down with my Ashford for about 20 minutes. I was tired. I made up for it over the next few days though by spinning a little extra.

First bobbin completed for the TDF 2013 Fiber Team

 

Here is my first bobbin of singles. This is a mystery wool in Indian Sunset from my own stash. I am hoping to make more because I really like the way it spins up.

Ok, well, I hope you have enjoyed this post. Again, I am sorry it has taken me so long to get back here. Hopefully, I will be back on track now.

~Vickie