A Lovely Way to Spend a Sunday Afternoon

I know I've been silent for a while- it's been an incredibly busy summer- but I had to stop and put down a few cents worth about a recent movie going experience. Yesterday I ventured into "the city" along with two of my crafter friends, Susanne and Megan, for a screening of "Handmade Nation." This simple documentary by Faythe Levine about the current crafting community in America was both delightful and inspiring. It was great to get a glimpse into other peoples' crafting lives and be able to relate on some level to what they were doing. The common ground on which all of the interviewees seemed to stand was simply the need to make something and their desire to share it with the world.

There was also a bit said about speaking out against the mass market and not supporting poor labor practices, as well as recycling and re purposing through crafting in order to minimize waste. These ideas used to only come from a stereotype of extremists who wore a lot of hemp jewelry that happened to go perfectly with their Birkenstock sandals. There was a time when I felt like I would have to stop shaving my legs and live in a tree in order to fit in with the arts and crafts folks. I also thought I could never pass as deviant enough to have art cred and gain the respect of the people who could pull off the look of sunglasses with heart-shaped frames and pink lenses. But the community I saw represented by the filmmaker was so much more balanced and non-threatening than I expected. Yes, there were a few people that most would label "weirdos" but there were also "normal" people who, at the end of the day just desire respect for their craft.
Overall, it was an enjoyable experience. Special thanks to Susanne for having her finger on the pulse of all things fun and "indie" and sharing this event with me and Megan.

New Scarf Colors!

Thanks to everyone who already stopped by my etsy shop. Now here’s a reason to go back! I have added lots of fun new scarf colors so go take a look at them and tell your friends to take a look at them and tell them to tell their friends and eventually maybe I’ll sell something. Here's my nifty new color swatches (thanks to my wonderful husband and his Photoshop smarts).


Also, watch for other fun non-scarf related items coming soon. Here’s a sneak peek…


And, last but not least, my inner mad scientist recently created this…


…any guesses as to what it is? Once I’ve perfected it, I’ll give a free one to the first person to answer correctly.

Will Knit For Cash

Welcome! I have been trying to start this blog for quite some time now but my psychotic perfectionism kept getting in the way and making silly excuses for why I wasn’t ready to maintain a blog of my own. Well, I have finally decided to get over some of my commitment issues and just do it. So here it is, a place for all things “good,” “plaid,” and “snuggly.”

As my first order of business, I would like to direct your attention to my brand new attempt to make a few extra bucks. Check it out at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6323085 or search for my user name “duckinghampalace” at www.etsy.com. Here is a preview of the exciting things you'll find there…