Wednesday I had lunch with my friend Sharon P/Knitknacks at the Better Health Cafe, and then we walked across the street to Rae’s Yarn Shop. It turns out that Sharon was Rae’s 8th grade teacher, so they had much catching up to do.

Sharon also brought me a goodie, a blue and silver feather boa she found in a shop on the wild streets of New Orleans several weeks ago! My, was that fun, wearing it into the grocery store, to Rae’s, to Foster Center, Habibi Dancers rehearsal, and Altus all in one day! I felt like a glamorous movie star from the 1960s, long slim gown with ruffle at the very bottom.

It’s funny… you can not see down into your purse when wearing a feather boa. You get distracted by odd movements that are feathers floating this way or that way. It is defninitely not business attire! But then again, my business is art, and I had such fun doing the glam queen thing all day! Sharon took photos, I hope she finds the time in her busy retired life to post them someday soon.

Saturday Possibilities
And now for a note from our sponsor… on Saturday I’m teaching “Felting without Knitting” (wet felting, from fluff to fabric) at Threadbear. It’s from noon to 3pm, $25 plus materials. Email Rob AT threadbearfiberarts.com to reserve a spot.

I started my journey back to wool with feltmaking (before I knit a single sock). I did a public feltmaking performance in August of 2001, called The Fabric of Friendship. It is an artform that you can succeed with early on, but it can become more refined the more you want to push it. Great hands-on fun! I hope you join me.

Bring a water bottle and you can make a wool cozy for it, if you want (this is really effective, good insulation and you can’t feel the drips on the side of the cold bottle)… or make bits of fabric for cutting and sewing later, or make pillow covers (these are really beautiful and not difficult). We’ll all start by making a mug rug to get the hang of it and then you can go 3-D, even felt beads, or keep growing your flat pieces, whichever you prefer.

Also: this Saturday evening from 6:30-8:30pm, Brian and I are performing at Altu’s Ethiopian Cuisine as The Fabulous Heftones. It would be a delight to see any of you there!

By the way, I got a confirmation email today from Geoff Davis of the Midwest Ukefest. We’re definitely on the stage there again this year. It’s in Indianapolis, the weekend of Halloween. Great fun for participants and audience alike!

Let’s face it, you can only approach a ukulele with a smile on your face. The folks who play uke are the most easy group to get along with you could imagine. And the different styles of music that can come out of a tiny instrument with 4 strings, are mind boggling indeed. If you don’t play, you can bring a different instrument (perhaps kazoo?) or just listen in. Consider a trip, it is a wonderful time.

Gratitude
I’m always so amazed when I mention something in my life to someone local, and they say “Yes, I know, I read that on your blog.” Whew! Cool.

I’m up to what we think are 800 visitors a day just to this blog page alone, who apparently are actually trying to come to the blog (I get 1200 unique page visits a day to my site, but some are at other pages and some are looking for “beautiful girls in hawaiian skirts” so are on the wrong page for sure!!!

Nevertheless, I somehow started this blog thinking it was for people “out there.” People I did not know yet, and might never meet. I didn’t have any idea that folks in my regular, everyday, local Lansing life would want to read it. I’m absolutely thrilled to find out I was wrong… both local and world traffic pops by here. I am humbled and grateful for every one of you!

Photos: Me hiding behind a piece of felt my mother and I created together; The Fabulous Heftones at Creole Gallery many years ago, playing for a concert called “Uketopia.”