New Website

My new website address:  http://www.nidakaydesigns.com/ 

I'll be blogging from there in the future.  There was some talk of interfacing this blog with the new site (IF I'm even using the correct computery termnology)  I'm about to order new biz cards which will list NidaKayDesigns.com only.  You'll gain access to my Etsy site by clicking on Shop.  So much easier than sending you scurrying here and there!

Dyed six skeins of yarn today.  Only miss the hot desert summer when I want to flash dry my yarn so I can work with it right away!  In the dye baths today:  silver gray, denim blue, warm coral, muted blue/green, earthy peach and nougat.  Now I have to decide - wrist warmers or hats??  Have to wait 24 hours for the yarn to dry, that should give me time to make up my mind.

See you at the new website!!

Anita

crochet hook blur

Oh my, I don't think I've ever spent so many hours crocheting in one day, and I'm not done yet...

New Website!!

My computer whiz nephew, Charlie, is in the process of creating a website for me.  Very exciting!  He's very patient with the computer illiterates, of which I'm one.  If you'd like someone to kindly help you to create your own website, don't hesitate to contact him!  http://www.charliespcrepair.com/  Thanks, Chow!

...some catching up to do...

October has flown by!  I must be having fun 'cuz I've been crazy busy!

Started Palm Springs Village Fest Oct 6th.  It's every Thursday night on Palm Canyon between Baristo and Amado from 6 - 10pm.  My space is in front of Las Casuelas Terraza restaurant.  http://www.palmspringsvillagefest.com/

The Etsy Team of the Coachella Valley is hosting its first show November 12 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Rancho Mirage.  Here's the link for all the info:  http://theetsyteamofthecoachellavalley.blogspot.com/2011/10/website-is-here.html

Nov 12 - 13 is Rancho Mirage's Art Affaire.  Sunday, the 13th, Mariellen Boss has arranged for spinners to set up in a historic building on the grounds (Ranchito Chiquita?).  If I'm not too tired after the CV Etsy show, I'll be there.  http://www.ranchomirageca.gov/residents/things_to_do/art_affaire.php

I'll be participating in the sew Funky Market December 4 in Ontario.  Another link for particulars!  http://sewfunkymarket.blogspot.com/

The Southern California Marketplace show for October was canceled.

You probably won't hear another peep out of me until after Dec 4.  Until then it's nose to the spinning wheel and crochet hook in hand.  Hope to see you at one or more of the shows!!

Ta!

Anita  

International Spin in Public Day

Yes, there is such a thing.  I did my part by setting up the wheel in front of Garden of Beaden, and spinning three skeins of yarn.  Received a special order for 6 oz of yarn - looking forward to dying the requested colors!  (Thanks, Pat!) 

Today was the second to last day of the Bead Shop Hop.  I made it to three shops last weekend.  Forgot to bring my "passport" this week, so that's it for me this year.

In the next day or so, I'll be posting my fall show schedule.  Please check back - would love to see you at a show!!

Busy Busy Busy

Two days after the trunk show in San Diego, we left on vacation.  Amazing trip.  I so love northern California.  We stayed in Gasquet http://www.smithriverretreat.com/ where we completely relaxed, lulled to sleep by the sound of the Smith River each night.  While in Mendocino, found kindred spirits at the Mendocino Yarn Shop  http://www.mendocinoyarnshop.com/.  Shop owner, Annelle, is passionate about fiber arts, and I was able to spend sometime with Lenora getting spinning tips.

After pouting for a week at vacation's end (hot seems so much hotter after lovely, cool weather) I panicked because I didn't think I had enough inventory for the Handmade Marketplace show.  Turns out, the show has been postponed until [tentatively] the end of October.  shew  Must crochet and spin diligently until then!

I have someone who's going to help me with photos! (finally, you say!)  Sandra from http://www.vintagegeek1979.etsy.com/ has come to the rescue.  She's a lovely person, and I look forward to working with her.

Trunk Show - Bead Gallery

Enjoyed a pleasant day at the Bead Gallery in Mira Mesa (San Diego area) last Saturday.  I was impressed by the staff's awareness of customer's needs.  Every shopper was greeted as they came in the door.  All-in-all, a lovely environment!

Carmen, who works at the shop, had an immediate vision for a pair of turquoise needle felted hearts.  I handed them over, she worked her magic, and tah dah! they had become a pair of earrings with bead dangles!  (no, I don't have a photo, I forgot my camera...)  I'm sure if you contact the shop, they would e-mail a photo to you!  http://www.beadgallery.org/  You may also contact the shop to put your name on an interest list for a needle felting class I'll be teaching this fall.  What a feeling of accomplishment to make your own fiber componants for jewelry!

Debbie Schmeling of Elizabeth Couture www.etsy.com/shop/elizabethcouture stopped by the shop.  I'm excited to see how she'll use the fibers embellishments in her work!

Now it's time to focus on yarn for the Handmade Marketplace show Sept 18 in Old Pasadena.  http://www.etsy.com/teams/8907/southern-californias-handmade   I'm delighted to be spinning with batts from my drum carder. I get lost in the joy of blending the wool, sparkles and other add-ins.  Okay, I'm about to go into raptures, so I'll stop!

In other news - the a/c has been out since yesterday.  I live in a desert.  It's summer.  Today my fave person is going to be the repairman!!

Anita

Workin' Wednesday

I've neglected you terribly - sorry!  I've been working like crazy!

Soooo, that new drum carder?  I LOVE it!!!  OMGosh, had the best two days blending colors and creating the most beautiful batts.  Today I find out if they translate well into yarn.  Keep your fingers crossed, cuz it's the intended fiber embellishment yarn for Saturday's trunk show at Bead Gallery.  http://www.beadgallery.org/

My co-worker from That's Worth Framing, Omar, built my fiber embellishment display stands for me yesterday.  http://omarsacrylic.com/   We used white peg board and white painted firring strips for my displays, but if you want amazing custom acrylic displays, Omar is your guy.  I'm excited to see what all the beautiful fibers looks like displayed in all their colorful glory!

Better check the silk ribbon simmering on the stove, then get to spinning!

Anita 

Dye, Baby, Dye

It's noon, and I'm finally eating breakfast.

Falkland wool and Peruvian Highland yarn soaking in readiness for dying.  Wine cozy yarns flash drying outside, soon to be crocheted.  Will I be brave enough to break out the drum carder today??  Don't have the Firestar yet, but do have throwsters and tussah silk to add into the mix.

Breakfast is done, back to work.

Supplies Abound

If you don't hear from me for a few days, fret not!  I will be working like a mad woman now that I have all my supplies!  Drum carder?  Oh yeah, right here next to me!  Woolie and silkie heaven!

Anita

WoooooooooL!!!!

Okay, so I knew I ordered a lot of wool.  People - IT'S A LOT OF WOOL!!!

In dye baths now, blends of:  pink orchid/deep magenta, sunflower yellow/brilliant yellow, fire engine red/cayenne red.  Green is up next.  These are colors for the [rose] needle felting class I'll teach at Pheebie's Needleart http://www.phebies2.com/ July 30th, 10am - noon.  Will also dye purple, lavendar, yellow and green for those who wish to use the pansy needle felting mould.

Soaking in water, awaiting their turn in the dye bath; four skeins of extreme thick-n-thin yarn.  Have this yen to blend cayenne red and magenta - wowee!  Oops, just remembered I need to soak yarn for fringe, too.  Okay, taken care of.  Gotta do stuff like that immediately, or I'll forget!

I want to spin up some natural/dark BLF blend, then over dye it, maybe denim blue.  Extreme thick-n-thin for a scarf kit.  Oooo, I like it!  Charcoal gray, too.  Must be time for me to go and play at the spinning wheel!  Oh my gosh - fun!!!

Anita

House Sitting

I've been so fortunate to house sit a lovely home in Carlsbad for the last week and a half.  It's mid-July, and I've worn long pants and long sleeve shirts comfortably!!!  Do you know how novel that is to a desert dweller??

I haven't been idle while house sitting.  I crocheted wine cozies until I ran out of necessary yarn colors (placed a mondo yarn order in the mean time), and have spun eight skeins of BFL extreme thick'n'thin yarn for scarf kits, and four [probably] DK , 2 oz skeins of dark BFL.

Placed my first Ashland Bay ecru account order, too.  The box has arrived and is sitting in my dining area as we speak.  POUNDS of wool to dye and spin.

AND, did I say I'm getting a drum carder for my birthday???  Part of my Ashland Bay order is FireStar, which I can hardly wait to dye and incorporate in my bats.  AND, I placed a fairly large silk order, so I'm gonna have wonderful silk fibers to card into the wool, too.  All I need to order is more Angelina fiber and I'm set!

I came up with the name Angel Clouds for my bats; Kristine of www.StorybookFibers.etsy.com came up with the rest:  Heavenly Fiber Blends.  Isn't that lovely?  Thanks, Miss Kris!

Thursday, AJ of www.PrincessCocoBoutique.etsy.com and I had lunch, then [mostly] window shopped along South Cedros Avenue in Solana Beach.  www.cedrosavenue.com  Had a great time.  Love becoming better acquainted with new friends.

Holy cow - how'd it get so late?  Gotta go to bed.  'Night all!

Anita

Practice Lesson

I may get to give a crochet lesson.  Hope she has time (she's getting ready for a trip, you know how chaotic that can be) because it would be good practice for me.  I know I can teach someone how to crochet, but if I get a class of eight or more people, I want to be conscious of the little bits of info that make a big difference (things I just do without thinking).

Lots to do today.  Will report back with updates tomorrow!

Anita

Rediscovering Macrame

I was embellishing wine cozies tonight when my fingers started macrame-ing the decorative dangly part.  My brain caught up to me, I thought how cool is this, and promptly couldn't think how to do what mere seconds before came second nature.  I have no business being conscious of my actions!!  (how's that for a statement!!)

With that in mind, maybe I should take photos and upload them while asleep.  Need to send pics to the Bead Gallery for trunk show advertising, and DANG IT.  I can eventually find the photos, but not how to upload them to where I want to send them.  All you computer geek type folks?  Please send understanding vibes my way - I need them!!  There should be a law that says crafty people over a certain age don't have to mess with the computer part.

Anita

Really? Insomnia?

I thought I'd gone to bed for the night.  My body thought it was taking a nap.  So I got up, Googled a silk supplier, thinking about what I need to order...  and read about silk fusion.  Augh!!!  Like I need to try something else!  Somebody tell my brain to shut up and go back to bed!!  A 2:50 am squirrel moment.  sigh

Happy 4th of July!!

While running errands in Claremont Friday, I thought of popping into Phebie's Needlearts to see if she was interested in having me teach classes.  Naw, I'd do it another time.  But why not now?  So I trotted myself up the stairs to her cute little shop  http://www.phebies2.com/ .  She was filling out her class schedule calendar (what timing!) and was happy to add me to the roster.  I'll teach a needle felting class July 30th from 10 - noon.  Give her a call if you'd like to sign up!  909.624.5250

I did meet my quota the other day, but a day late on the yarn.  Spun two more skeins yesterday, and plan to spin two more today.  Ran out of natural yarn for the wine cozies, so have to wait on those.

Really really hope I hear from the fiber wholesaler tomorrow in regards to my account.  I need to place an order, stat!

Be safe today.  Drive sober.  Enjoy fireworks.   :-)

Anita  

Focus & Discipline

I have plenty of focus once I get into a project, but the discipline to sit still long enough to engage that focus...  well, let's be nice and say it's a bit of a struggle for me!  When I hear stories of people who get up at o-dark-thirty every morning and produce x amount of product in six hours so they'll have time to home school their four children, tend to their flock of sheep and weed their organic garden, garbed in designer clothing, simultainiously writing a book on living the simple life...  Good gad, look for me twitching in a corner somewhere just thinking about it!!

When I was younger I had more energy (read more manic phases), but I've always been a nap taker.  As I've [oh so gracefully] aged, my energy level has settled into recliner mode.  Getting my butt up and moving (literally and figuratively) takes a lot more discipline and, well, why do you think I'm writing about this today.  I'm procrastinating!  Discipline and procrastination are arch enemies!  Denial is whispering, its part of your warm up, you'll accomplish so much today, it's okay to do other things in the meantime.  HA!  Next thing you know, I'll be cleaning the refrigerator (okay, so it needs it, but it's not on today's list!!)

sigh  

Today I commit to complete by midnight:  5 needle felted black flowers, 2 skeins of yarn, and 1 wine cozy.

I only have 14 hours and 20 minutes, better get on it!  ...after I cruise to the antique shop to see if the shabby chic buffet Kristine wants is still there...  and I want to finish reading that book...  I wonder if it's crowded at the beach today... etc etc ad nauseum and so forth.

sigh

Anita 

Spin-o-rama!

Wool?  Check.  Spinning wheel set up?  Check.  Makin's for crocheted wine cozies to change things up after spinning?  Check.  Looks like we have a GO!

Warm Wednesday

Felt like a dying machine last night!  The Corriedale dyed silvery green and lavender-gray turned out so beautifully, I pulled out a bag of my hoarded South African top to dye in those colors to spin with.  (I know, I know, don't end a sentence with a preposition).  This weekend will be a spin-o-rama!! 

Thinking about spinning some natural yarn to list on Etsy, just in case someone who doesn't spin wants to try dying handspun.  My friend, Kristine, http://www.storybookfibers.etsy.com/ used to do that for me before I got my spinning wheel.  Altho, with shows coming up this fall, maybe I'd better tend to inventory first...  Tell you what.  If you want natural yarn, convo me at Etsy, and I'll spin some up.  Otherwise, I'll stick to my game plan!

Looking forward to teaching needle felting this Saturday.  Join me if you can!  http://www.gardenofbeadenupland.com/

Anita

Toasty Tuesday

Dyed four 2 oz lengths of wool last night, and three 10 foot lengths of ribbon.  Wool colors:  deep green, persimmon, dark raspberry and pale yellow green.  Silk colors:  deep gray green, dk raspberry and mottled persimmon (sprinkled a bit of plum dye on it).  Put another 8 oz of wool in to soak while I'm at work so it will be ready to dye when I get home.  I'll use silvery gray green and pale silvery lavender tonight for sure, and dye more mottled-y ribbon, too.  Want to have lots of choices for my needle felting class this Saturday!

Mailed my wholesale account application this morning.  Can hardly wait to place my first order!!  Wool (probably Corriedale for needlefelting, BFL and Merino for spinning), Firestar (nylon fiber to dye and spin with wool to give a bit of sheen) and undyed yarn to dye and use for the wine cozies.  Woolie heaven!

One great thing about it being so hot (and it may be the only thing), is wool dries in a flash.  I put it on the drying rack outside, and I swear, it's dry as a bone in two hours.

My focus needs to be:  spinning, wool for needle felting, silk/yarn for fiber embellishments, and crochet wine cozies.  Remind me of that when I yell "Squirrel!"

Anita

Monday, Again

It's time to print out monthly calendars again.  A few years ago, when I was crazy busy with faux painting, I had to print out monthly calendars to keep myself organized.  Could be I'm gonna get busy, and I want to be organized (buck the tradition of flaky artists) and professional.

First thing on that calendar needs to be:  Homemade Market Place craft show in Old Pasadena is Sunday, Sept 18th!  I thought it was Nov 26th.  OMGosh, could you imagine?  http://www.jillybeanpottery.etsy.com/ will be showing her pottery at the Sept show, too.  I like that Inland Empire Etsy Team members will be in a show together.  Go IEET!!!

Pursuing a wholesale account with a fiber wholesaler.  I'm gonna need several pounds of fiber to dye and spin enough yarn for shows this fall.  Exciting and scary, but more on the exciting side.  Until the fiber arrives, then I'll be scared I'll have too much to do!  ...just spin 4 oz at a time, that's all it takes...  I'll have to figure out a daily and weekly quota so I don't wander off, procrastinating!  I'll put that on the calendar, too!

I took pictures the other day when I did my solar dying.  Haven't figured out how to post them here, yet.  Do I need a Flickr account?

Anita

Sunny Sunday

As best I can tell, I've been accepted into the http://www.handmademarketplace.net/ show, November 26th, in Old Pasadena!  Wowee, I'd better start spinning yarn!!

Dropping my sister and nephew off at the water park this morning.  While they play and bake their brains out, Mom and I will pursue the civilized art of shopping and lunch in air conditioned comfort!

Anita

Wednesday Evening

Still haven't put any wool in to soak in prep for dying.  It's been 113-ish degrees the last couple days, and it is so hard to heat up the kitchen.  Well, it's easy to heat up, but physically uncomfortable therefore psychologically something to dread...  blah blah blah, you get the picture!!  (am I revealing all my procrastination techniques - yikes!)

In order to maintain a cool house, I may resort to solar dying.  Tried it last summer, it seemed to work well.  The only thing I don't like about it is I can't manipulate the color as I would working over the stove.  With solar dying, the dye bath pan goes outside on concrete, dye is applied, the pan is covered with clear plastic wrap, and then you leave it alone for a few hours.  Kinda like sun tea, sorta.

Colors on the docket?  Rose red, red-violet, purple and mid-to-dark leaf green.

I did needle felt a couple pairs of rose buds for earrings today.  MAYBE, if you're all really lucky (eye roll) I'll make a pair and take pictures to post!!!  We'll be really lucky if I can figure out how to upload said photos...

Cap'n Bob is threatening to take me to Chipotle's for dinner!  Ta!

Anita

...Tuesday...

Lots of laughter and fun at Saturday's decoupage party.  AJ http://www.princesscocoboutique.etsy.com/ , Debbie http://www.abyssalgems.etsy.com/ attended as planned.  Surprise,and welcomed, guest Kristine http://www.storybookfibers.etsy.com/ attended as well.  I don't know what's best, crafting with fellow creative people, or all the giggling! 

Debbie decoupaged up a storm, finishing several boxes, into which she'll place items from her bath and body line.  AJ's curiosity was piqued by Kristine's needle felting, so I gave her a needle felting lesson.  She created a beautiful red rose, and threatened to turn it into a hat for Princess Coco, chihuahua extraordinaire.  I tinked around, painted a cigar box bright pink, then spent a ridiculous amount of time finding and placing flower pictures on it.  ...still not done...

Corriedale wool arrived Friday.  I'll be dying it after work today and tomorrow, and all day Thursday, in readiness for delivery to Irene at http://www.gardenofbeadenupland.com/ for the next needle felting class I teach there July 2.  Go to her website, click on classes, to get more info.  If the class is already full, ask Irene to start a list for the next class so you'll be sure to be included.

Crocheted wine cozies in the Cottage Series colors pink, green and turquoise over the weekend.  Lemon/lime is staring at me, wondering when it will be crocheted.  Be patient, pretty bright color!  Soon, very soon!

Anita

It's Friday!

Wow, think I have a dye-the-yarn hangover.  One of those happy-artistic-manic things, that leaves me pretty well wiped out the next day.  But you should see all the beautiful yarns!!  What's that?  I need to take photos and post in order for you to see?  Ahem, well, I'd better 'fess up right now:  I am terrible about taking photos and posting.  Hmmm, maybe that can be my 3rd quarter resolution, take pictures and post.  ...we'll see...

Date for the trunk show in San Diego has been changed to August 6th.

Started crocheting a cottage pink and natural wine cozy last night.  I felt very excited to be working with one of my new colors.  After dinner, however, my husband feel asleep in my crochet chair (the recliner) and that put the kibosh on my crochet for the evening.  Maybe I need a dedicated crochet chair.  :-)

Decoupage party tomorrow!!  Two of my fellow Inland Empire Etsians will be joining me for cut and paste fun!  Looking forward to lots of creative ideas and giggles.

Anita

In the Dye Pot

I always go a little crazy when I get a new shipment of yarn or wool, especially if I get to dye it.  I have all of my Cottage Series colors dyed for the wine cozies, wine sleeves, wine insulators (if anyone has a suggestion for a name, please tell me!!).  Pink, aqua, light turquoise and lemon/lime.  The colors will be paired with natural, and embellished with hand dyed silk ribbon, AND the Swarovski crystals that just arrived (Bob handed me the FedEx box this minute!!)

Okay, I go a little crazy when I get a new shipment of beads, too.  Gotta go rip into the box and glory in the sparkle!!

Anita

It's Heating Up!

We've been spoiled with moderate temperatures here in the desert so far this June, so yesterday's high of 108 was something of a shock.  Makes me dread July - September...  But!  I'll be inside under the a/c, spinning and crocheting by day, dying wool and yarn by night (cuz it's too hot to have the stove going during the day).

Three other Inland Empire Team members who attended the June meet-up:  Dana http://www.curtiscollectables.etsy.com/ (so cute little hair bows and flowers), Tim  http://www.heartistics.etsy.com/ (fine wooden jewelry, intricate work), and Tanya  http://www.re-purposehistory.etsy.com/  (bits of kimono and obi silks used in jewelry making, very striking!)  That wraps up the attendees!

My Knit Picks order arrived yesterday.  Took a lot of self control to put yarn in to soak so as it will be properly prepared for dying.  Tonight, after work, it's gonna be a dye-fest, baby!  I'll have all day to decide what color(s) to use. 

Spin-n-Dye

Really have to get the perfectionist out of my head so I can get going on the peach yarn order!  I'm going to use BFL (Blue Faced Leicester) (pro: lester) wool, and Flamingo Pink and Persimmon dye colors.  Thinking I'll need to crank up some tunes to spin by!

Ordered business cards today.  I usually design and print my own, but I forget, then don't have any with me.  Seems unprofessional, so, commercial business cards.

Having lunch with my sister tomorrow, a rare treat.  I'm going to take her to the original Las Casuelas Cafe.  If for some reason it's closed, we'll tool a little farther downtown and eat at Las Casuelas Terraza.  http://www.lascasuelas.com/

As promised, more members of the Inland Empire Etsy team that attended the June meet up:  Kat:  http://www.casadirosati.com/  and Amy:  http://www.dogwoodandpoppy.etsy.com/   Haven't seen their work in real life, but I loved their enthusiasm and professionalism.  What they make is bound to reflect their attitudes, and photos of their work on Etsy seems to prove it!

Special Orders

Received several special orders last Saturday.  One I will try to fill today - needle felting 10 small black flowers.  I also need to spin a moderately bulky yarn to dye light peach, with wool to match, so my customer can knit a cloche hat, then embellish it with a needle felted flower.  If ever I get a photo of her completed project, I'll share it with you.  Sounds way cool!

I'll be having a fiber embellishments trunk show at Bead Gallery http://www.beadgallery.org/  in San Diego (Scripps Ranch area) July 9.  By then, I'll be happy to escape a day or two of desert heat!  Would love to have you stop by if you're in the neighborhood!!

Anita

1st Blog Entry!

Hello all!

After finally finding where to click to post (sigh), here I am.

Met up with several members of the Inland Empire Etsy Team (San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, California) this afternoon.  It's great to have faces to go with Etsy shops.  We're planning a craft show for Oct?, Nov?, Dec?.  Will keep you updated as plans come together.

Tara and Crystal, who I met Saturday at Garden of Beaden http://www.gardenofbeadenupland.com/ while teaching a class (they were doing a trunk show there) were able to join us for the I.E.Etsy Team meet up.  Super cool stuff, love their style.  Tara:  www.etsy.com/shop/lulumaxjewelry  Crystal:  www.etsy/shop/vintagefairyfinds  Will list the others from the meet up soon, as I don't want to inundate ya'll with too much info first blog out!

FYI:  I'll be teaching needle felting classes at Garden of Beaden this summer.  Go to their site and click on classes for a schedule and more info.

TTFN,

Anita