I don’t know why we’re all leaning over like this, but whatever.  I was just happy to meet the lady. And she was delightful. She was signing and smiling for hours. What a trooper.

Oh and kniters, I totally geeked out and made her a gift. (I have a strange compulsion to give objects I’ve knat to complete strangers.) I made a very practical headband that will keep  ears warm without messing up the ‘do’. I took no photos of the thing, I just gifted it. It was a fun night.

I was taken for a ride on the wild side on Monday night.

The Magic Man took me to see KISS.

In concert.

On the 7th row of the Philips Arena.

Let me tell you friends, I’ll NEVER be the same again.

By far, the most amazing live show I’ve ever seen in my entire life. I take back EVERY single snarky thing I’ve ever said about this band (like “I don’t get them” or “all their songs sound the same”.)

Surprisingly, I knew most of the songs they performed and retained about 75% of the factoids about the band I was ever told. (See darlin’, I listen!)

Makes me appreciate the Lil’ Gene I made  four years ago that much more… thank you Jeff for sharing this experience with me, I’ve been such a fool.

Next up, Lil’ Paul…  I love you Paul Stanley! (He doesn’t know it, but we share a deep and meaningful relationship.)

I am a newly converted uber-fan of KISS.

Here is the face:

Yeah, my throat hurts.

All photos from the trip HERE.

I didn’t take any classes this year, it was overwhelming enough just being in a huge showroom with yarns and fibers that I didn’t even know existed. I will take an inventory and blog about my precious purchases later, but for now I’ll focus on the trip itself. We left bright and early on Friday morning and met up with a crowd at Waffle House. I had a pecan waffle and it rocked. I don’t normally do sweets or carbs at breakfast so this was a real treat.

Susan was positively gleeful from the discovery $85 in her SAFF purse from LAST year, and I was soon to discover why.  It only took us about 2 hours to get there. Not a bad road trip and I was antsy. I was finishing up the neverending 3/4 sleeves from my diminishing rib cardi and was lamenting the amount of space it was taking up in my bag. I also vowed not to purchase anything on day one, no, I would be mindful and wait until at least day 2.

I bought a beautiful sterling shawl pin and a sweater’s worth of yarn before lunchtime.

I was absolutely high from the spending and had to sit down for a while to recover.  We ate at Carrabas that night and I committed carbicide with gnocchi and sausage and bread and calamari. On to the Hampton Inn to laugh and knit, and laugh (we’re a loud bunch) talking about homosexual gorillas and exchanging recipes. I learned what qiviut was and how yummy it was to behold and how pretty Janet worked it up and how dangerously decadant an expense it could be.  I shopped and knitted my Saturday away, and since it was no longer raining we went and looked at the animals (probably mom’s favorite part of the trip)

I also bough sock yarn for me, it might not end up being socks as I got this KEWL beaded scarf pattern too. Come to think of it, I bought a lot of stuff for beading yarn. Go figure.

Me and my yarn will be VERY happy together thankyouverymuch.

I drove mom’s golfcart all weekend (the Prius) and didn’t like it one bit in the rain but converted after I figured out what all the buttons were for. There’s a lot of buttons to push in this car and no key!

All in all it was PERFECTION and we’re already scheming about next year. Like I’m bringing much smaller projects and making this and some of these and bringing much more cash. Anyone want to give me some of their unwanted cash for SAFF next year?

SAFF is the Southeastern Animal Fiber Fair, and apparently like ‘mecca’ for knitterz. It is just outside of Asheville, my birthplace, so I’m also taking the opportunity to take a long overdue road trip with my Mother. We’re both SAFF ‘virgins’ and we’re traveling with a whole crew of crazy fiber finatics, it is going to be crazy fun. Crazy, crazy fun.

I’m literally counting the hours.

I haven’t packed clothes, but I have the camera, GPS, ipod speakers and the wine accounted for- thank goodness. You have to prioritize.

Not much actually… other than spending 4 days with over 20,000 fanatical freaks, geeks and butt cheeks (seriously, it should have been called “Butt Con” this year.) I had 5 costumes to debut, but only got around to 4 of them.  Hey, there was a LOT to do! This one above was a wonderful collaboration with my mother which goes something like this:

“Mom, I want a vintage styled Star Trek dress.”  and Mom says “Ok.” And I’m all “So, if I cut out the pieces, will you put it together for me?” To which she’s like “Yup.” and a week later “poof” we have a dress. (The hair was all my jumbo bumpits used to achieve a retro-do.)

This photo was taken after the big parade, Jeff (that’s him on the left) marched with our friends’ 6 year old “B.” He was such a trooper. (groan. I know, even I thought it was a bad pun.) But I was so stinkin’ proud of this little boy, he was such a little man. He posed for photos and pointed his little blaster and put on a great show for all the fans that were positively beside themselves in the presence of teeny stormtrooper. He was the only teeny trooper in the bunch. HERE is a link to a photo of him with the whole brigade. (Is brigade even the right term here? Is there some other snazzypants Star Wars word I should be using?)

I have quite a bit more to share, but will have to follow up later. I’m nursing a wee bit of a cold and need to focus on preparing for my exodus to the beach this weekend!

So peace out, live long and prosper, and may the force be with you and stuff.

He performed for over an hour as if he was singing to a stadium and not a bunch of folks on the front porch of the Loudermilk Boarding House Museum. And he was fantastic. He was much better than that dope in Memphis that said he was present the day Elvis passed and was allegedly one of his best friends… I wasn’t convinced at all. (That dude seemed as if he’d told enough tall tales that they eventually became fact.)

I was in absolute heaven, the best cheap date night ever, live music, museum tour, shaved ice for two, it was awesome. The museum itself featured the most bizarre assortment of Elvis memorabilia, anything and everything king-related, but with a top-notch gift shop, I had to restrain myself, really I did.

Okay, I geeked out a little bit, I’ll admit.

Even though it was an almost perfect evening, I must say that I have one small criticism of the event. The lady that has shouldered the responsibility for the event seemed a little bit off. And not in her devotion to Elvis, that was spot on. Rather I’m speaking of her enthusiasm for the event itself. As she was kicking things off and thanking her helpers she also stated to the crowd that it would be the last year that the festival was at the boarding house and she was not sure where it would go to, if anywhere, next year. When asked by a disappointed audience member the reason why, she flatly stated “Cuz it’s too much work.”

It sort of put us off just a little. Yes, it was probably true. Yes, holding this particular festival in such a small town is probably a thankless and exhausting job. Maybe the city doesn’t support her as it should? The bank let her borrow the tents and she seemed to have printers support in signage, etc. I don’t know for certain the details and won’t presume to understand, but you surely don’t say something like that to your guests, many of whom have traveled from out of state to support your wackiness. It made us feel a little like she had said “thanks for coming, paying entry, shopping the gift shop, supporting the vendors, but you really aren’t worth all the trouble.”  Also, part of the draw for coming to this event is that the ticket price (a nominal $10) included a tour of the museum. As far as venues go, the front porch of the boarding house made a quaint and homey yet kitschy backdrop to a wonderful group of performers. I can’t imagine folks would want to go to this anywhere else.  It made me sad, but I am glad I got to see the 10th Annual Big E Festival in all its glory before it is ultimately retired.

And then there’s fire.

This one is actually pretty decent, all things considered. And considering how bad the rest of them are. Don’t believe me? Check out this one, I call it “Raise the Roof”

Then we saw these guys, gotta love you a little KDP. They are totally my FAVORITE band to go and see live right now. I always have a good time and a lot of laughs, not to mention, these guys are super nice so that is a bonus.

But my favorite picture of the evening would HAVE to be this one:

More fun than a barrel of monkeys. (Did I mention that I had BEER? I had forgotten that BEER was so fun.)

We had fun. See?

Hope everyone had a Happy VD!

Seriously, an actual SONG by an actual BAND. I’m floored. you can check it out on his site Woolgathering. I put it on my iPod, I’m so touched.

Goes to show you:

misery + talent= art

I wish I could make some moving art, I can make you a warm scarf, Lee, and a whole heck of a lot of good it would do you in Callefornie. I suppose I’m ever the fan, the appreciator, the critic, never the artist. Sigh.

In other art news, I’m going to an art opening in Atlanta tonight called  “Young Movers and Shakers of the Georgia Art Scene” (how appropriate is that?) I’m going on the prowl for young, new artists to drag to Gainesvegas. Thanks John Olin and Margaret for the article you sent me this week or this exhibition would have probably slipped past me.

Have an artful weekend y’all.

Here she is with her finished object, a cute little drawstring bag. (Not quite as funny as the fact that her living room, couch, cat and outfit are all TAN!)

I also finished my Amelia Earhardt hat in just enough time to wear it in this COLD weather!