OFFF and its aftermath

It was a beautiful day for a fiber festival!

Last Sunday the friend who gave me the loom (not to be confused with my weaving mentor friend, who didn't return from a camping trip in time to go) and I spent most of the day going to, walking around at, and coming home from the Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival (OFFF). Once again I spent most of my time at the Jenkins booth, not only because they have the most beautiful, functional spinning tools in the world, but also because I offered to be a proxy shopper for those not fortunate to live this close to the Jenkins and the events at which they vend. Trying to buy their spindles online has become an exercise in luck or frustration because they get snatched up so fast; attending an event or having a proxy shopper allows people a guaranteed opportunity to acquire their spindles. Well, almost guaranteed. Lots of people want to get their hands on a horn or antler spindle but Ed makes very few of those (there were none at OFFF), and Ed debuted three new styles at OFFF – one of which sold out, and one of which was mostly just on display (people could put their name on waiting lists).

Ed holding Merlins, one of his new styles

I ended up with a shopping list of spindles for 23 people before I finally started turning people away. The shopping itself was actually a lot of fun, like playing Santa's helper. Like a blogger I follow said about shopping at a Shetland pony sale: "I am thrilled for her and there is something nice about not coming home with another but having all the fun and thrills of helping with the purchase." (Only I did come home with another . . . cough, FOUR spindles for myself as well; more on them later.) 

In addition to spindle-shopping and visiting with the Jenkins, I picked up the roving I had had processed (Bling for a customer and trashy Broadway for myself), met up with several friends, Ravelry-pals, blogpals, and the Shetland breeder with whom I traded lambs this summer, and window-shopped at some other booths with the friend who traveled with me.  The only other item I actually purchased (other than a pin loom for someone else) was this stone shawl closure. It has a super-strong magnet on the back (so strong it's not safe for those with pacemakers!) so you can use it through your shawl and a blouse or t-shirt to hold it in place; the vendor was recommended by both Wanda and another friend.

(Sorry for the background color of the text above,

but it's not a quick and easy fix so it stays.)

I didn't plan to be gone so long, so there wasn't much 'day' in which to get things done upon my return. Rick was finishing up grading the arena after blowing out leaves (again), a much needed and long overdue maintenance chore made easier by our new tractor. I would love to have ridden a cooped-up Stella but couldn't justify taking more 'me time' after being gone from 9 to 5, and he didn't finish until about sundown. (I should have just done it, because I didn't have another chance to get her out until yesterday afternoon and she was practically self-combusting after four days!)

While proxy-shopping is fun, the aftermath is a bit of a slog. I take photos to send, figure out shipping so I can give each person their total due, find boxes to ship them all, pack them up and take them to the post office. As of tonight, after three busy days, most of them are sent, and it makes me happy to think of the joy all those packages will bring when they are opened by eager hands.

That's it for now from . . .