Greeting Fiberlicious Fans!
It's been a busy month for me. Spring cleaning is always a chore, but so worth it! There's just nothing like the feeling of having a clean slate to keep the creative juices flowing! These last two weeks have brought me turquoise, turquoise and more turquoise! Such a fun, lively color! I dyed some BFL roving with turquoise and blues leaving some whites and it is so crisp and fresh! It's been so fun! Now, I can't stop and almost need to order more dye. I also dyed up the colors I need to replace the batts that sold in my shop, but haven't got to them yet, as the turquoise is playing front and center...they will come. They are sitting there..calling to me tho. I finally ordered "glitz" to add to my batts..for those of you who enjoy "glitz". I just don't so much..but we will see..seems it's all the rage. I think it will open up some new batt ideas for me tho..as I tend to think more is more in batts...I hope someone stops me when I add the dryer lint..ok no I won't. ..but gee..there is a ton of stuff that can go into them. I'm anxious to throw some black thread in with some of that turquoise...at least.

The May fiberlicious give away is still planned. So please sign up! I still need to add another prize to my "choice of 4" I think I will add some corespun I built. Stay tuned! and Sign up!

I have been taking the time to market my business on-line more. There is so much behind the scenes work that goes into it. I have learned a lot, and continue to be confused about a lot, but it is a journey, and I think it's gonna be a long ride Fred! It all takes time, and I am busy already!

I was very excited recently to be able to get my new banner and all the related graphics for my Etsy shop. I had an absolute grand time working with a graphic artist, a student from Jerusalem, Israel. Ran has a shop on etsy here:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6542888
He did a terrific job, and is a fantastic artist! No cut and paste, he hand draws his graphics and they are so cute! That's one of his girls up on the right. Check out his flickr account for more of his work. I highly recommend him.

Congratulations!

Congratulations Carol Ann Duffy - the first woman poet laureate!

When did your name
change from a proper noun
to a charm?

Its three vowels
like jewels
on the thread of my breath.

Its consonants
brushing my mouth
like a kiss.

I love your name.
I say it again and again
in this summer rain.

I see it,
discreet in the alphabet,
like a wish.

I pray it
into the night
till its letters are light.

I hear your name
rhyming, rhyming,
rhyming with everything.

Written by Carol Ann

Happy May Day!

Do you have your May Day Baskets ready? I remember making these as kids. The funnest part was ringing the doorbell and dashing away! I would make them just to get to do this! lol I haven't seen a May Basket for years. I hope not everyone has forgotten them. It's still hard for me to believe it is spring really. The grass is growing like hay in my yard, it's been snowing, raining and too cold for mowing this week. There's heavy frost on my jeep this morning, I hope my little daffodils made it! I'm still hoping for a warmer May this year. We had our heat on until June last year..then a few weeks and we were in the air conditioning. Being the eternal optimist, I haven't given up hope yet!

I did get some spring cleaning done in the last few weeks. It does feel so good to have the cob webs wiped away, walls washed, cupboards cleaned and clean carpets! I still have windows to tackle, and a few other things, but the majority is getting done. I also took the time to get my fiber studio cleaned out, now that is refreshing! I love a clean start! This inspired me to get back into my dye pots, and will have new batts on the menu again soon in my shop, so look for those updates! I had a great month at ilashdesigns. It has been so much fun working on new projects and chatting it up with new contacts! I have mostly good days, and when I need a boost, I just go read my feed backs. There are truly some wonderful people out there, that like me and my work. It can be challenging starting anything new, so the positive feedback and contacts keeps me going. I hope I can help people feel inspired about this craft too! I'd like to think there is room for EVEYONE in this arena! I guess, if I was looking to make a big, national, earth shattering business I might possibly take the view that I was in some kind of competition. I don't view life or business like it's a competition. I believe it's not WHERE you live, but HOW you live. How do you live?

I try to live so I can sleep at night peacefully, and satisfied, but more importantly, it's how I feel when I arise! I know myself well enough to know that me feeling peaceful comes from doing as right as I can for other people including myself and satisfied comes from that AND being productive in the right ways for me. When I lay my head down on my pillow at night, my mind skips across my worries and concerns. But when I arise is when I feel my objective mind is at it's best. I try to use that to observe myself. That is the compass I use to navigate through my day, next night, next day..and well life. One thing I know about myself is, I don't like to let things pile up. I find absolutely no use in that. When things start piling up, my compass gets stuck, I feel unsettled and have low energy. Then I know, it's time to clean house in as many ways as I need to attain balance. It sometimes helps me to try and live my life every day, fully aware that my life can change in an instant. I know that the people and things that I find valuable today could be gone, and I might be having to worry about where my next meal might be coming from, or shower, or job. There are too many incidentals in life to take one thing or person for granted. Taking inventory..then usually all of this energy sometimes inspires me to intentionally clean my plate. Start NEW! Then I try to find ways to celebrate the challenges. I've made new starts in big ways in my life, changing jobs, changing houses, changing towns, changing friends, changing my attitude..and it all boils down to that compass I read and navigate by, when I arise. Then I mutter "it's going to be a looooooong ride Fred! Get yur (enter appropriate head gear here) on!" And I just usually try to pick the party hat and move on! Celebrate! It's more fun!

Thank you to all who have inspired me! I appreciate every one, and I hope you feel inspired to celebrate something today too!

Well, May 1rst, brings us to my newest Monthly Fiberlicious Give Away winner! The winner, chosen by Random Number Generator for the April Give Away, is: Tumbleweed Trails! Congratulations Tumbleweed! Thank you so much for entering and I hope you enjoy your free gift!

Please stay tuned for my May Fiberlicious Give Away. Reminder: please post to me your contact info here on my blog to enter the Give Away each month you would like to be included in the drawing. Anyone purchasing anything from my shop is also entered, or including me in a treasury on Etsy. No purchase is necessary to win. It is free! I will post new prize gifts today! So stay tuned! :) Ny.

May is big birthdays month for my family..I'm off to find my hat..:)