I put a Gynx on you!

This week Tapgurl on the go talks with Laura Jinks Jimenez, the creative force behind Gynx Yarns.

Check out this episode!

If you want to purchase Gynx Yarns you can find her here gynx.etsy.com
And to learn more about dyeing check out her video podcast here http://gynx.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-dyers-notebook-episode-29.html

Tapping at Fancy Fibers Farm

This week's show comes to you from Fancy Fibers Farm.

Check out this episode!


If you're in Austin this weekend, check out the Texas Fiber Arts Festival. 
www.texasfiberartsfestival.com

Welcome Back Carmen

Check out this episode!

Welcome back Carmen

***The audio for show number 2 is above.  I had some technical difficulties, so I had to relaunch this episode.  Enjoy!***

Show number two!  Not quite the biweekly show that I planned, but I explain why and where I've been during the show.


Stops on my Wisconsin Yarn Adventure:
The Sow's Ear
Blackberry Ridge Woolen Mill
The Cat and Crow
Oregon Alpaca Fest
Madison Knitters Guild
Lakeside Fibers

I've been reading:
Training Manuals and
Confessions of a Prairie Bitch by Alison Arngrim

My Christmas Knitting
Infinity Cowl
Wandering the Moor
Christmas Dishrags

Knitting for Me!!
Tang
TTL Mystery Sock 2013
Warm Shawl

Finally off the needles and on my feet. Madison

On the Roku: Good TV to knit by.
Sons of Anarchy
Gilmore Girls Season 3
Larkrise to Candleford

Baaa!

Where the Yarn Harlot leads I follow.

When I discovered the joy of knitting socks, I was enamored with the idea of joining a sock club. It sounded so cool. A few friends in my knitting circle were in different ones and I would gaze in wonder at the new yarns, gifts and patterns that they would receive each month. So I decided that I would join one too.

After some searching I soon found out that those sock clubs don't come cheap, and I vowed that one day when funds permitted I would join one. Over the last year and a half of living a semi-civilian life ( I say semi-civilian because I haven't completely given up my artistic ways....sshh don't tell my boss) funds have started to permit. And with the coming of the new year I thought that this would definitly be the year that I would join a sock club. I even had a few picked out. I was just waiting for registrations to open up and with credit card at the ready, I stalked several sites just waiting for my chance to pounce and start receiving my monthly shipment of sock yarn wonderfulness.

But then over the last few weeks a few things happened.

1) I started catching up on The Yarn Harlot's Blog.

2) I finally organized my yarn stash
3) I started to plan for my return to my previous artistic way of life.

For those of you who don't follow the Yarn Harlot, here's the inspiration. Over the last year she has been participating in her own self imposed sock club. She began the year by going thru her sock yarn and favorite patterns, put them all nicely into baggies and then stuck them in a closet. Each month she reached into the closet pulled out a bag at random and knit that sock.

I had decided after going to the DFW Fiberfest that I really needed to start knitting more from my stash and to also start knitting patterns from my ever growing library of knitting books.

Add one and two to the fact that even though I got a nice promotion, every day I yearn more and more for a life that doesn't include a timeclock, meetings and me having to wear "business casual" everyday and BAM!, the Tapgurl Sock Club was born.

So this week I gathered up all of my sock yarn. Then looked through all of my favorite patterns found some favorites and matched them up with my sock yarn stash.

Then I put my yarn and patterns into 11 different baggies, 1 pair will be striped knee socks so I'm giving myself 2 months for that pair. Hunted around in my closet for my travel hamper, threw them all in, shook it all about and came up with January's sock.

The yarn is Colinette Jitterbug the colorway is Toucan that I purchased in Austin last year when the boy and I went on vacay. I have been saving this yarn for the perfect pattern, and I realized that I wasn't going to find it. So, it's going to be plain stockinette. When in doubt, stockinette it out!

No shipping and handling, no waiting til next month. I know that I will like the yarn and best of all $200-$300 dollars saved!

Viva la Harlot!

Tapgurl Bedazzles!

I have traded my knitting needles for craft glue.

Glitter doesn't make you talented, but rhinestones and sequins get you noticed.

My Homage to Nancy Botwin

I bought myself a present this weekend. No particular reason I just, felt that I deserved a little something to say "You done good so far Jones, and you haven't completely cracked up yet!"

At first I thought that it would be something knitting related, but after scouring some of my favorite yarn related sites, I couldn't come up with anything. Then I went to Amazon.com where nothing from my cart or my wish list jumped out and said "Buy Me Now". So I closed up the pink computer and decided to wait until the "buy me bug" bit. I didn't have to wait long.

Saturday as I'm going to the boys' house for a cook out with friends I realize that I need a decadent, caffeine filled drink.

So into the Starbucks I go. (In my opinion, this is by far the best time of the year to indulge in the Starbucks. All of those warm and fuzzy holiday inspired drinks just make me go all gooey and happy inside.)

So I'm waiting at the counter for my Creme Brulee Latte when I spy it .

What was once described to me as the Tickle Me Elmo of the Starbucks World, the cold tumbler. A couple of my knitting friends had these this summer and when I tried to get one they were out. Unless of course I wanted to go to Ebay and pay $50 for one......whatever.

But there in front of me on the counter it sat. Ready to be my "Happy Saturday, you haven't gone postal on anybody" gift. So I grabbed it and got back in line and bought myself a present.

Now why all the fuss on an overpriced, although planet friendly advertisement for Starbucks? Well let me tell you. Spring 2010 was kinda an unhappy time and suddenly I found myself running a dance studio and trying to keep my remaining family members and myself together. Heavy grown up stuff for the girl who would be Peter Pan.

But I sucked it up, bought a few bottles of wine and moved forward. But first I realized that I needed a heroine to emulate. My first thought was of course the fabulous Scarlett O'Hara, but I rethought that idea pretty quickly when I remembered that after Scarlett's mother died, her father went crazy and then broke his neck.

On to female heroine number two, Holly Golightly. The light came on with that one when I realized, I will never be that thin and I don't like throwing parties that much. Besides to emulate someone more self sufficient. As Georgette Mosbacher would say, a woman who used her femine force.

I always pictured myself as the Auntie Mame type, but I had reserved that mindset for when I got older and my eccentricities would be more accepted. Or I could at least say that I don't give a damn and really mean it.

And then one hermit-like weekend when I indulged myself by watching a marathon of the first four seasons of "Weeds", one of my all time favorite shows, it hit me. Nancy Botwin.

In the face of death she had to suddenly take care of her family and protect them in the most creative way that she knew how. Now don't get me wrong, I'm not selling the wacky up in here, I just like her spunk. Plus she did it all with a lot of style and the ever present Starbucks cup.

I recently (last week) got promoted, but I am not about to blow my raise on a daily Starbucks run. That would be stupid. But I can sip away at the overpriced yet earth friendly advertisement for Starbucks, while I contemplate my next covert move..... how to find a new take on the 3 year old class tapping to "Grandma got run over by a Reindeer".