Archive for fun stuff

Kenana Knitters

I love finding organizations that support traditional women’s work and find a way to provide a living for women, using these often unappreciated (and underpaid!) skills.

My new favorite find is the Kenana knitters.Kenyan women spin yarn from local sheep and then knit adorable creatures.

The stuffed animals are cute enough on their own, but add in the feel-good factor of helping your fellow woman, and you have the perfect gift for the socially responsible youngster (or young at heart) in your life!

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I’ve got the Funk

I knew I was in when I read the title. I love funky scarves. Of all the projects to knit in a fun (or silly) yarn, scarves are the thing. While thinking about what I’d like to knit (and receive), I remembered a scarf knit by a friend out of Bananiere. Funky if I’ve ever seen it. But still, wearable.  And then it occured to me. BCB should sponsor the swap!

We’ve got a lot of new, very funky yarns on the radar for this fall/winter. This swap is the perfect way to test the waters for the yarn, and to see some things knit out of it (I always knit a swatch of every yarn we carry, but I like to see what others do with it). I talked to Scout, the swap genius, and she agreed.

So BCB is sponsoring the swap in two ways: we’re offering discounts on yarns we don’t yet carry (on a supersecret page) to the swappers and we’re holding a contest for the funkiest scarf knit from BCB yarns.

So what do I consider Funky?

How bout this:

and I love handspun yarn like this:

(from Funwithyarn.com)

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Interviewed

Friday evening I was interviewed (over the phone) by  Catherine Hollingsworth of the Anchorage Daily News. (here’s a link to her most recent column). I was nervous, overly bubbly and a little scattered, but Catherine put me right at ease and we chatted for over an hour. I never imagined an interview could be so comfortable. I was literally singing with happiness when we got off the phone, feeling like I had connected to someone who got me and what I’m trying to do with BCB. I suggest every small business owner be interviewed by someone so interested and interesting!

I learned as much about (and from) her and the great things she’s doing, as she learned about me.  Catherine is a passionate, intelligent woman that is working, in very tangible ways, to educate the public about the value of needlearts.  For example, she started the Alaska State Yarn Council, which not only puts together the biggest yarn expo in the state, but also provides oppurtunities to fiber artists in rural areas by designing a running an online shop carrying their goods. It is so very inspiring, and I’ve been needing inspiration to talk to someone so encouraging, someone who is working towards the same goals, someone who shares my passions.

Sometimes this whole BCB idea seems too heavy for me, too serious, or maybe, not serious enough. I have flashes of self-doubt, and even long, torturous nights of wondering if I’m even a “grown up”.  Am I doing the right thing? Should I still be in school? Should I be pursuing a real job (ie. working for The Man)? Talking to someone like Cathering reminds me that I don’t need to know, right now, this very minute everything. What I’m doing here is good and worthwhile and I love it.  What matters is that right now, I’m trying to live according to my passions, I’m going boldly in the directions of my dreams.

Perhaps feeling a bit of resistance (mostly internally) is a sign this is something big? Something worthwhile. Something, dare I say it, grown up?

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Hip to be green

I have been doing lots of research on what “organic” really is (I’m writing an article for the website)and in what ways I can make the business run more “green”. In my research, I came across an excellent podcast!

More Hip than Hippie is, as they say, “A cool approach to the eco-friendly lifestyle”. A very interesting listen, the women are chatty and well-prepared (like great morning radio banter). I’ve learned a lot and gotten some great links for more research. My favorite so far:

Eco-friendly travel

Eco-friendly office

The MOST awesome thing about podcasts that teach something new is that I can learn and knit! As much as I love to read, if I’m on a knitting deadline or have a lot of dyeing to do (like today!), podcasts (and books on tape) are perfect.

There are lots of podcasts out there, do you have a favorite?

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I *heart* the Sampler

It arrived today!

The coupons, Alter magazine and the discounts!

Buttons and goodies

To see who contributed to the Sampler and found out how to get one of your own,go here.

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