Foothills Sock

The Foothills Sock is now available on  Ravelry and  SmokyMountainColors. I have to thank Cristi for the inspiration for the sock with the Twisted Edge. It's awesome. Here is a link for you to check out her wonderful knitted items. http://turtlegirl76.com .


Now how about a little catch up. :-)


It's been way too long and I have really missed blogging. But, I now have a good reason for updating and loading you all with photos. This afternoon I am headed with my daughter to New Orleans where she will be working at Emeril's. One of Emeril Lagasse's restaurants. Also I have to brag on my son, he is getting so close to his dream of being in the military. He has lost 60 lbs. He looks so great, and he is so healthy, loosing the weight the right way. 


Right after I published the Foothills sock everything got crazy. Also going on at this time is my mom's health has declined and she has been pretty sick. I had to take her to the hospital Friday. We missed her brother's funeral because of it. So you can see, I have had my hands full. The good news is that I have some yarn that is waiting to get dyed. A few of you have requested a colorway that will be the first one I do. As soon as they are dry, you will get an email from me. You know who you are :-)


I have an update about the Foothills Sock. A friend of mine who is also a indie dyer, MoonT of Moon Holler (you can find her on Etsy and on Ravelry) is knitting my sock in some of her beautiful hand dyed. Check it out. I think it's amazing and refreshing when women can support each other. There is truly room for all of us and all our gifts and dreams.


I have a few new things for you on SmokyMountainColors. First off there is a new coupon code. The first Monday of every month use FIRSTMONDAY to get 20% off. Another code is for FREE shipping between March 9-15. Since these are the dates I'm in New Orleans, everything will be shipped when I get home. MARCH915 . 




Thank you for your patience and I can't tell you how much I appreciate you taking a minute to stop and read my blog. You are great!

We'ved Added Needlepoint to SmokyMountainColors

Recently I ran into a lady who does amazing needlework. Her favorite is needlepoint. As we talked I thought it would be wonderful to add a few of her items to SmokyMountainColors. Since we are about handmade, handcrafted, made in East Tennessee, she fit right in.

Here are a few pictures of her work. 

Don't forget to check them out at SmokyMountainColors

The Perfect Home for my Hand Dyed/Handspun

 

 

Many of you know that I have a real attachment to this year. I thought for days whether I would list it on Etsy shop or not. Well I did, and after a couple of weeks I am so happy to say that it found a good home. :-) I know for a fact that this yarn will be knitted into something beautiful, and will be well taken cared for. One of the things that makes this purchase so special is that it was purchased as a gift.

Now I have to dye some more roving for me!

Once I shipped the yarn and heard that it had been a huge success, it hit me that I wonder if other hand dyers and spinners out there get feed back about their work. I know I try to let the people that I order special yarns and roving from know how much I appreciate it and sometimes send a photo of a finished yarn or knitted project. Do any of you do that? Ravelry Groups give us a great opportunity to share our appreciation and photos. Next time you finish that special project, drop an email to the designer or dyer or spinner and let them know how you feel about the project. I am sure they will love it. Sometimes a kind word will make someone's day. :-)

My Life In One Word, CHANGE

It seems since I started this blog, oh so many years ago, the theme has always come around to  "change." So many changes in every area in my life and in the life of my family. Today is no different, and you may find yourself thinking the same thing.

Here I sit 3 years after a major decision to move from Atlanta, GA to Gatlinburg, TN. with all kinds of hopes and dreams, only to find that my journey had a way eliminating the foolishness and bringing me to a place where I'm on the verge of either falling off the cliff or falling into my dreams coming true. WOW, what a place to be in. (kind of a rush). The things that have come to pass, (and many I were glad they passed by.) have been so enlightening. Rough yes, enlightening Oh YES!

On August 21, I lost my job at Smoky Mountain Spinnery. A job that many of you know meant the world to me. I spent a lot of time on here promoting it. But, everything has a season and that season came to an abrupt end. I was immediately faced with choices. Here I was with a private life that was extremely demanding, health issues, care taking, and no money. I made a decision within 15 minutes of leaving that job, while sitting in the parking lot of the apartment complex I live in, that when I stepped out of the car it would be the beginning of the next chapter of my life. That I would not compromise, I would not be weak, I would not have time for anger, I would not have time to do anything that got in the way of what the next season of my life would bring. Stay positive, see the future as blank pages to write an amazing life and be true to myself. I learned about myself, that all my life I have not spoke up for myself, I have not promoted my gifts and talents  as I should and I have been content to stay in the back ground, waiting for someone to say, hey you are really talented, I love what you are doing, etc., while really wanting to be in business, to promote my talents and the share my love for what I do with others. I learned I have to appreciate my talents and gifts first, if others are going to. (among other things, which I will share in the future).

So in short, out of this evolves a co-op called Smoky Mountain Colors. With the support and encouragement of wonderful friends who aren't afraid to be real friends and are also amazing fiber artists we have developed an Etsy shop.  This Etsy shop brings together other fiber artists who are wanting a break. Wanting to get their one-of-a-kind, hand-made items out to be seen and purchased. We are spinners, knitters, hand dyers, potters, fiber prep and weavers. How amazing is that?  Please stop and take look we have some beautiful items and extremely talented artist. And don't forget to put the shop in your Etsy Favorites.

So I am encouraging you today, to be true to yourself, make bold decisions, get over the fact that a lot of people will miss read you, that they don't really want to know you or "get you." Appreciate those in your life who do, be vulnerable to those who do. Remove the blinders, be real with yourself and step out, just go a head and do it. You may think everything will happen fast, don't worry, all of it will happen when it's suppose to. Believe it will.

If it means going out to your car, having a talk with yourself and then stepping out of the car to start your next chapter, to except the changes (remember that changes are neutral its the value we place on them that make them good or bad, it's our perspective that influences our thoughts and out come.) Then go out to your car and DO IT, just DO IT.  I dare you. :-)

Good Things Are Headed Our Way!

August 8th will be my 3 year anniversary living in Gatlinburg. Since moving here I have found some wonderful friends that are very creative and inspiring. After talking with them about needing some extra income, we decided to put all of our skills together and form a Co-Op of Fiber Artists, Smoky Mountain Colors . Each of us have a passion for the fiber arts, and though our talents over lap, we always end up with a very different and individual result.

Please visit our Etsy shop and our Facebook page to see our new items. We plan on having hand dyed with professional acid dyes, natural hand dyed, including indigo and woad, wet felted items, blended fibers, hand woven garments and accessories and much more. Right now we have some beautiful, hand dyed, handspun and natural dyed yarns.

This is our welcome and what we are about.

Welcome to Smoky Mountain Colors! We are a Co-Op of fiber artists, each with years of dyeing, spinning, felting, carding and knitting experience. We live in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and are inspired by the colors of the mountains, the local people and the legacy of the Appalachian women that came before us.

I look forward to sharing more about the co-op and I really appreciate you taking the time to check us out.

Blessed Be

A Life of Change, A Life of Moving Forward

When I moved to Gatlinburg, almost 3 years ago now, like a child I was filled with dreams, and it never dawned on me that they couldn't or wouldn't come true. Some have, and some haven't (yet).  Sometimes when we are filled with these ideas, dreams and goals, we tend to not think about the journey that it will take to get there. In all honesty the road has been rough. Opportunities coming and going, juggling schedules, unexpected health issues, things I call life happening, serious life happening. But, on the other hand it's been interesting, emotional, taxing and lonely. All things that a personal, private journey should be. No one will ever be able to know exactly how one feels.  Just throwing that out there to think about.

Another change that's moving me forward is that a few friends of mine and I are opening an Etsy Shop. Amazing what wanting to pay your bills with do. :-) Actually I am very excited about this. I will be hand dyeing, hand spinning, and the other ladies involved will be natural dying and blending fibers and spinning also. We are calling the shop Smoky Mountain Colors. If you have ever seen the beautiful Smoky Mountains and the colors that are here you will understand. It's a very inspirational place to be. We are hoping to open our shop July 17th.  I will still be working at Smoky Mountain Spinnery as the hand dyer there and instructor.

So life is full, of good and bad, but it all moves us forward. It's important that we all move forward.