Alafia River Rendezvous - January 26th, 2013

Since I have not been posting like I should be... I started going through the camera and realized that I never posted about the Alafia River Rendezvous. The Rendezvous is a huge encampment of reenactors that meet in January each year in Homeland, FL (Its a little town between Bartow and Fort Meade off Hwy 17).

I really wanted to go and Aaron had agreed to come along... well, last minute, he got stuck having to work... Usually when Aaron is working, I can convince Laurie to come along with me and the boys... she happened to be busy and couldnt come along. So after thinking it over, I decided that the boys and I could go alone. It was definitely a challenge, but Im very happy that we went.

The last weekend of the reenactment are the "spectator" days... since this was my first time going, I didnt realize just how many people attended... Let me tell you... get there early, lol. We arrived around 10am and still had to walk about a mile to the gate.

Walking toward the entrance :)

Once we were inside, it was like a different world... a magical, wonderful world. Everyone was wearing "period" clothing and living as they would have during pioneer times... I didnt mention it, but the people who come to reenact at the Rendezvous live on site for almost two weeks as the pioneers would have. There were little white tents off in the distance, and you can walk right up to their "homes"... Everyone was super friendly and we found a ton of treasures.

 All the tents...

There were larger tents sent up for vendors to sell their things... and it got pretty overwhelming with all the people, shiny objects, and two little ones. I decided that after walking about half way down the first row, we needed to find something to keep the kids occupied and "happy"... so we stumbled upon a candy store... they had about 12 different flavors of licorice and I couldnt help but get a huge bag... it kept the kids quiet for a bit too, lol.

When I turned around to see which way we should walk next, I happened to look down a row of tents and spotted it... a spinning wheel... I was pushing the stroller as fast as I could to get over to the tent... The lady inside had set up a table in front of her camp to sell a few small things... of course I didnt need another spinning wheel... but she did have some fiber :) There was hemp, cotton, and flax... things that I had never tried and had actually had a semi hard time getting my hands on. Once I started asking about prices, I almost screamed with excitement. She told me they were 1/2 off the listed price... well since she had bought the stuff at least 10 years earlier... I got each bag for about $.50... talk about a bargain. I ended up leaving her tent with over a lb of misc. fiber, a bag of bobbin lace bobbins, and two spinning wheel bobbins that she just didnt need. Apparently she was a fiber teacher at one point in time and was getting out of it. We stayed and talked to her, and I left with a gigantic smile on my face.

We ended up walking through all of the camps, just because of that first tent... I did manage to find some 100% hemp yarn (which is a lot different that macrame cord), some crewel embroidery yarn, antler buttons, and some other odds and ends.

On the other side of the encampment, there were more stores and tents... so we started trekking along... The sun was beating down and the kids were getting crabby, but we managed to deal with it... and happened upon two ladies weaving a shawl on a triangle loom. I had actually gotten a triangle loom the weekend before from Laurie at the fiber guild, so I was pretty intrigued to see someone actually working on one. We talked for a bit and they showed me what they were doing so that I could go home and "practice".

The ladies working on their shawl

A finished shawl in front of their camp

I was looking for a lady I had met at a craft fair the year before and finally found her tent. Terri Davies is her name... she and her husband (Mr. Monty) run Mr. Monty's Toy Emporium and they sell period dated toys to the kids... She told me that she would be out at the Rendezvous and that I should come find her... I saw some toys up ahead of us, and I knew they must be Terri's... she was in the back of her tent with a ton of people around and spotted me right off the bat. We chatted for a bit and I got recruited to do a reenactment in Fort Meade (The Battle of Bowlegs Creek) doing drop spindling :)

She had told me that the Bair Family camp was up ahead and that I should check it out... you see Margaret Bair is a friend from the fiber guild (she is 92 yrs old) and her family had been setting up at he Rendezvous for years. I found a sign that read "Bear Clan" and started laughing... it just had to be the camp... sure enough it was... Martha Bair (Margaret's daughter in law) was sitting inside and started talking to me and boys as if she had known us for years. Bill Bair, her husband, was working on carving some wood and everyone was in a super cheery mood.

Bill in the background (blue shirt) hard at work

Bill and Martha talking to guests

We started to head toward the front and decided that it was about time to head home. We were only there for about 4 hours, but the heat and sand (with a stroller) was a little more than I had planned on. The kids were getting really hot and needed to take naps anyways. We headed back home and I couldnt wait to show everyone my "treasures"... Im looking forward to going again next year and trying to make this a tradition for the kids to enjoy!



Where have the last two months gone?

Wow... I don't know where the last two months have gone... I keep thinking of things I want to write... and have never followed through with them. A lot has been going on with me... First, the boys turned two last Friday and we had their party on Sunday... Of course nothing ever goes as planned... Dylan fell off a picnic table (the seat part) and smashed up his head, so we spent two hours up at urgent care and had to keep a close eye on him. He is fine, but talk about being scared to death... I was super freaked out and was so afraid to let him fall asleep.

Second, I have been dyeing like a crazy person... because... I got accepted as a vendor for the Florida Fiber In... Its the third weekend in September in Orlando, FL... Basically they took everyone's name and threw it in a hat... I was runner up... but the first person could not attend, and therefore, I got the spot. Now I have to get prepared to have a full "booth" of fiber-y fun.

Third, work has been getting super busy... of course that is a good thing... so, I have been working more and trying to keep up with everything else...

Time to get my head in the game and start writing again :) Hope everyone is doing good...

O.B.Y.C. - Part 8 - Four Purls

Wow, am I ever behind... I am so sorry for not getting this done sooner... life has just been crazy lately. Technically Four Purls in Winter Haven, FL is not the last shop I visited... I actually stopped there first, but of course forgot my passport... as my camera, lol.

So... on Sunday, March 10th... I told Aaron that I had to run up the the yarn shop to drop off my passport... of course, he didn't believe me, and thought I just wanted to go buy more yarn :)

Anyways, let me tell you about Four Purls... It is located in Winter Haven, FL... a place I call home... the shop has grown a lot since I first set foot inside... and that was under 2 years ago. Four Purls is like your best friends house. No matter who you are or what your skill level is, you can come in and take a seat on the couch. There is always someone knitting or crocheting away... I have even brought my boys in there and no one ever has an issue with it... they just sit on the couch (harassing people) and the ladies love it!

The first couple times, I sort of felt intimidated by all the impressive works everyone was making... but now, I just go in and start talking to people. Laura, the owner, is always more than happy to help you no matter what your questions are... and don't worry, if she is busy, her staff is just as amazing... I met Donna the same time I met Laura, and I have learned a lot from her... not just fiber related either... she has a set of twins too and is always more than willing to share her secrets :) Then there is Heather, she also has a little boy, about the same age as mine... and she is always smiling and ready to help... (I'm sure I am missing some of the staff, but these are the people I usually run into on the weekends... which is really the only time I ever get up there)

The yarn selection is growing like crazy... Every time I walk in there, I feel like I am greeted with new, fun yarn... plus, she has a spinning section!!! I do not recall seeing a spinning section at any of the other shops... but Four Purls has some different fibers, including angora... and some drop spindles.

Plus, Mrs. Donna teaches a weaving class now :)

The Store Front

What you enter into :)

One of the aisles of yarn... I know, I should have gotten the rest of them

My purchase... Got some awesome Berroco Vintage

And of course, the business card

If you are ever in the area, or just feel like taking a little drive... come to Winter Haven and check out Four Purls... trust me you won't regret it!

O.B.Y.C - Part 7 - The Ball of Yarn

We finally made it to the last shop on out list for Saturday the 9th... we didn't get there until almost 4pm... but at least we got there. The Ball of Yarn is located in Ormond Beach, FL, just off the Hwy 95... of course with bike week starting, there were tons of bikes... and when I say tons, I mean it.

We passed by the shop and I had to call for help... but turns out we were just on the backside of the shop and could just walk down the side walk. Since it had been such a long day, I decided to put the boys in their stroller to go into the store... Plus, I really didn't want one of them getting away from me and getting hit by a car (or bike for that matter).

The Ball of Yarn is very open inside... there is a lot of room to move around and see everything. Plus, with the giant stroller, I didn't have to try and make 3 or 5 point turns, lol. Both owners, Sandi and Pauline, were in the store to help with any questions or problems... Plus, one of their friends was in the back with the free pattern, so that was nice, you had to interact with people to get the full experience.

Also, there was someone teaching crochet to another in the back of the shop. I sort of felt guilty, because the boys are a little loud at times, but no one seemed to mind at all. In fact, they were all helping me with snacks and water for the boys. By this point, Dylan just wanted to run and do what ever he wanted... so we had to work together to make it a positive experience for the three of us.

I found some discount yarn in a little red wagon in the back of the store... I couldn't believe it... Bamboo yarn... I have never worked with bamboo yarn, so I just had to get it all, lol.

This shop has a very positive and friendly atmosphere... I would highly recommend it to anyone who just happens to be passing through or if you will be staying for a bit... they even had awesome little displays in the bathroom... how cool is that :)

The store front... and then the awesome ball of yarn from the inside

Wall O' Yarn - That green sock on the shelf was made with the special OBYC yarn

The other wall of yarn - with Pauline :)

The gorgeous trunk show they had going on

Close up of the other wall... but I really wanted a close up of that top

I absolutely love this top... I need to quit being such a chicken and give it a try!

Inside the bathroom... love the psychedelic colors

Inside the bathroom - different needles and notions with a little history

Inside Bathroom - two darning eggs in a frame

All the "Gorgeous" bamboo yarn, two wooden buttons, and a soy silk sample

And their business card... Check out the top corner... a free point protector :)

Definitely stop and visit The Ball of Yarn... you are treated more like a friend than a customer and will definitely enjoy yourself :)

O.B.Y.C. - Part 6 - Knit and Stitch

Sorry it too me so long to get the remaining shops uploaded... life has just been getting in the way lately...

Well anyways, On Saturday, March 9th, 2013... the kids and I traveled up the east coast from Vero up to Ormond beach in order to get all 8 shops knocked off our list... Our second store that Saturday was Knit and Stitch in Cocoa Beach...

I was pretty confused with the roads by the time we made it up to Cocoa, and bike week was starting, so all the motorcycles made me super focused... of course Dylan just loves motorcycles and would cry when he couldnt see them, lol.

The store is tucked in a cozy area... at least I thought so... basically at the end of the road in the perfect spot. There was so much history around the store with the buildings, it made for a great time. The kids were so happy to be out of their seats, so they sat on the bench out front for a couple minutes and just got to be free before we entered the story.

Inside the shop, there was so much yarn... everywhere I turned there was more and more yarn... the space is not very big, but let me tell you, the selection was gigantic... Plus, there is a huge table when you walk in the door, so that customers can work on their projects. There were also some pretty big glass jars on the table full of chocolates and M&Ms... The boys loved the dancing bunny and egg laying chicken toys too :)

With the store being so full of yarn and other greatness, I would not recommend bringing kids with you... I didnt have a choice... so of course they came with me. The boys helped me pick out some sock yarn (one day I will make at least one sock) and then I just had to get some needlepoint yarn off the wall... The pink and purple were beautiful... I have no idea what I will do with them, but I will always remember the store I got them from.

I think that if I didnt have the kids with me and was not on such a tight schedule, I could have been in Knit and Stitch for hours if not days finding all kinds of new things. Plus, the customers that were sitting at the table were so friendly, I would have loved to sit and chat with them a bit :)

The store front

The boys enjoying their time on the bench - of course neither would look at me, lol

All of the yarn!!!

Favorite part of the whole trip - The lovely wall of gorgeous... at least that's what I'm calling it

Up by the register and on of the owners (in the teal)

What came home with me... Berocco Comfort Sock and the two skeins of Silk & Ivory - told you the pink and purple were beautiful together

And their card... if you are in the area and plan on knitting... they offer this awesome discount program :)

If you are in Cocoa and have some time to spare, definitely check out Knit and Stitch. You will find something that you like... shoot probably a whole lot more too...

Just a note... I was unaware at first that they do not allow photography in their shop. All images were captured prior to knowing of the stores policy.

O.B.Y.C. - Part 5 - The Knitty Gritty

On Saturday, March 9th... I was planning on doing the three East coast stores... well plans tend to change when you have small children. Laurie was still pretty out of it with the meds and the surgery so she was not going to be going on the "road trip"... Aaron was supposed to be home to watch the boys, but he got called into work... when the cell companies call, he has to go install, lol...

So, I decided that I was going to just deal with it and started getting the kids ready. We didnt get to leave the house until about 9:30 am... but at least we were all dressed and in the car. According to the map and GPS, it was going to be about 9 hours in the car and just over 500 miles... WOW!

We got on the road and started heading toward Vero Beach... of course we didnt get very far when the kids started getting upset and wanted some hashbrowns... thankfully there was a McDonalds and we got the hashbrown and headed East.

I actually love driving out on Hwy 60 toward the coast... there are always a ton of birds out and it is just such a peaceful ride... we did see about 5 Swallow Tail Kites (its a bird) along the way, which always puts a smile on my face :)

We made it to The Knitty Gritty at about 11:30am... I loved the colorful building of the shop, as well as all the surrounding buildings. The boys were so ready to get out of the car, they didnt care about anything. After entering the store, I realized that the day was going to be a lot harder than I had imagined it would be.

As we looked around, I saw a familiar face... Her name is Jody and I met her at Distaff Days in Orlando... as soon as I saw a Thread Thru Time spindle sitting on the table, I just knew she had to be close by... I actually have bought two of these spindles since meeting her... but that is a whole different post, lol...

Immediately we were greeted by some wonderful people... Anna and Deanna... Anna is one of the owners and Deanna, Im assuming just works there... but let me tell you... they were amazing. Anna found some little balls of sock yarn to keep the boys busy and Deanna did the sweetest thing... She uploaded an alphabet game onto her Ipad for the kids to play... I couldnt even believe how sweet they were...

Anna told me to just go shop and they had the boys under control... what? This is not what usually happens to me... but I took advantage of their generousity and went shopping... When it was time to leave, I dont think the kids wanted to go. They were having so much fun with Deanna chasing them all around the store... We loaded up and were heading to the next stop...



The Store Front - Loving all the pink!

Yarn Tree - spotted it when I was unloading the kids

Pretties...

This is Anna - showing me the notions

Lots of pretties - don't you just want to sleep here, lol

Deanna trying to corral the boys - Thank you so much, you have no idea how much I appreciate your help with them :)

All of the things that came home with me...

And the business card :)

I would highly recommend to anyone that is going to Vero Beach for any reason to stop at The Knitty Gritty... they were amazing... I still can not believe how great they were about the kids tagging along... stop by and see what you are missing... plus, there is a chocolate shop right next store (well basically, lol)

Orange Blossom Yarn Crawl... Part 4 - Knit!

On Sunday, March 3rd, I managed to visit four stores... this is the last one... Knit! in Longwood, FL... I was running a little late and according to my GPS, I would make it right at 5pm... I decided that I had better call the shop and make sure someone would still be there...

The nicest lady answered the phone and said it was not a problem, she would be there... when I arrived, that same lady was who greeted me... her name is Marney (the owner) and she is a gem... I can not say enough positive things about her. She just has a super positive "ora" that comes off her... even if you are in a bad mood, I guarantee you will not leave with one :)

I noticed right away that her store is very open... and the yarn is displayed very nicely. I wondered around for about 20 minutes... sort of felt guilty since it was after close, but Marney did not seem to have a problem with it. There was another customer there who was knitting... but once she started packing up, I picked up my pace, lol.

She had a lovely selection of yarn and her prices were very reasonable... I ended up getting this beautiful Cascade sock yarn in a blue color... since I am too chicken to knit socks, I decided it would make a gorgeous shawl... for someone anyways... maybe mom will get it :)

As I was checking out, Marney said that she could even wind the skein for me... to me, that was above and beyond... shoot, it was almost 30 minutes after close and she wound the yarn for me... Also, there was this awesome lotion on the counter, Gloves in a Bottle... I took a sample for Laurie (the friend with the broken wrist) and myself... but ended up leaving with the large, 8oz. bottle too :)

From of the store

Toward the back of the store... seating area and notions

Some of the pretties :)

Looking out the front - ran into another Winter Havean there (dont know what else to call us, lol)

My goodies - its Cascade Heritage Sock Yarn

And of course, the business card... just in case you are in the area :)

I will definitely visit Knit! again if I am in the area. The store was lovely and the people were awesome. I would highly recommend making the trip :)