tara, Author at Tara Swiger

Local Lunch

Spring Salad Greens from Abingdon Organics
Strawberries from Bishop's
Farm Fresh Herbed Goat Cheese from Oak Moon Creamery
Dried Sweet Cherries from the guy at the JC Farmer's market (no signage, no business card)

Not pictured:

Toasted Rosemary Focaccia from Scratch
Sumatra from Cooper Coffee Co.

PS. After searching for each of these vendor's websites, I am struck that only 1 has a website or even a small little information page! People, websites are imperative! What do you think is keeping these small businesses from embracing the technology? Lack of knowledge? Perceived cost? This is something I would really love to help other small businesses with and I wonder what the barrier to entry really is!

Inspiration Monday #10: Quilty Goodness

As I've been spending most of my weekends with quilt in hand, making tiny, tiny handquilting stitches, I'm a little woozy with the quilting bug. Here's a bit of the inspiration that led me down this rabbit hole:

I've seen a lot of quilts made from blue jeans (in fact Crafting a Green World just posted about them), but this is my very favorite.
Amanda makes excellent use of some old sheets.
Jane is the reason I believed I could handquilt my very first quilt, and this post is the reason I wanted to.
Alicia's quilt is really the first that struck me as something I both wanted to make and wanted to own.
The insight into Lisa's quiltmaking (art making!) is remarkable.
Malka's post on quiltiness convinced me (before I even started) to make this quilt as “quilty” as possible.

I'm 7 out of 12 blocks, and then I'll do a few rows around the border, and then it's time for the bias tape (which I hear is pretty fun).

Maryland Sheep & Wool

I'll be here all weekend.
And on Saturday, at 11:30, I'll be at the Ravelry meet-up, hoping to (finally) meet Lolly!
Will YOU be there? If so, drop me a line so we can meet up!

PS. The shop will continue as usual, anything purchased Friday – Sunday will be shipped on Monday (which is the usual way it goes)

Inspiration board

Susy's post on Inspiration Boards really has be rethinking this board in my office.

I've read/seen/thought about making boards like this in the past, but not until reading this was I struck with the necessity of it. These weekly inspiration posts are a method of keeping all of my inspiration together, but I think I also need a visual board, one to continually inspire. I have a board both in my office (at the dayjob) and one in front of my sewing machine and both are pitifully bare. So to start the inspiration-fest, I've been checking out others!

Hanna's board is SO much cooler than the typical pinboard.
Design For Mankind's zine on inspiration boards is a plethora of goodness
The Flickr pool is not to be missed

Despite all the great inspiration boards out there, I don't see any that really “go” in an office like mine. Most are arty/crafty or fashion-based and while I love that for home, it just doesn't fit in with my work life…any suggestions?

I’m off

..for the rest of the week; for a drive to Ohio, for coffe-sipping with Mom, for quilt-making, for a bridal shower, a bachelorette party, and and and…

Enjoy your weekend!

Study Break

As finals approach, I'm studying for my last Stats test, rewriting my last paper and going to Ohio tomorrow for a weekend of bridal shower fun for my best friend.
Obviously, I need a little chocolate cake and Bill Cosby (this is my very favorite bit of comedy, I have it on record, an actual 78 record!)
Bill Cosby Himself – Chocolate Cake

Target Markets (+ stuff)

Miscellany

A (brand new) local knitting group met last Saturday, in Jonesborough (that's us up there, I'm the one on the far right). I considered not posting the photo, but I figured I'm swallowing my self-consciousness and saying Hello! That's me!
My Storque article is up: all about defining your Target Market.
Come chat about the target marketing in this thread.
Sara (of Etsy) has asked me to write an article about the weekly Fiber Friday threads, if you've taken part in the past, leave a comment about why you like it, what you've learned, etc.

Free Yarn

When I started to write this post, I had sold 95 items, now it's 97!
I am so very near 100 items, a number that I want to celebrate! So, to show my appreciation, the 100th item sold will be FREE, with NO shipping!
It doesn't matter how many you buy, if you purchase the 100th, I'll adjust your invoice and the 100th be free and the entire order will have no shipping!

If you want to know if your item will be the 100th, just take a look at the shop, on the far right:

This prize is a big sloppy Thank You! kiss to my wonderfully supportive, slightly yarn-addicted customers! To ensure that you get the free yarn and shipping, leave me a note in the “Message to Seller” part of the transaction.

Have a great Wednesday!
(edited because I had a LOT of exclamation points)

Inspiration Monday #9: Surface Design

I fell into a craft vortex today. I'm suddenly obsessed with surface design, specifically stenciling and stamping. It happened innocently enough:

Hanna's post on stenciling,
led me to Michelle's Green Paper Press Street Team and her Cut it Out Crusade.
Which referenced Michelle's tutorial for designing a stamp.
I then found this great little tutorial on stamping. Before I knew it, I had the stamping kit, from Dharma Trading Company, in my cart and ready to go

I've managed to resist this far, but I'm dreaming of carving my own stamp for my business cards and notepads….
As soon as I figure out which color ink to order…

Inspiration Monday #8: Creativity

I just started reading Twyla Tharp's The Creative Habit last night and stayed up much later than I should have, enthralled by the concept of a creative habit and preparation for creativity. More on this as I get through the book and have some time to process it all.
Creativity keeps popping up:

CopyBlogger took a survey of what creativity is
A Creative Journal: just discovered this site dedicated to journaling, just in time for my new journal!

I'm also thinking a lot about knitting with my own handspun. I can't seem to get up the courage to dye and spin the 24 oz of Merino I received as a gift over 2 years ago! I've yet to settle on a project that would meet my demands that 1. It be a project that I can see/use a LOT, not just during the (short) winter months and not so bright and “homemade” that I just wear it around the house. Nothing sloppy 2. It be doable and finishable – no intricate lace shawl with cobweb weight 3-ply! I've been perusing the following links, in hope of inspiration:

Jane, a newish spinner, well, her bravery is just amazing me!
Here's an article on the subject of knitting with handspun
And of course, Knittyspin!

After seeing see this sweater, it all clicked: I need to knit a comfy, wear-everywhere hoodie out of my handspun! Nothing too bright, just muted, slightly stripey handdyed, handspun hoodie!

It’s time to make the…

Donuts! The following is a photolog of the making of these donuts, last Saturday afternoon:

rolling the dough (after it's risen for an hour). Note the French Press coffee maker wearing it's handknit cozy!

Cutting out the donuts, using the only round thing I had available.
You can see that I also used some square cookie cutters.

Fresh out of the oven, doughy and puffed!

After their bath of cinnamon and brown sugar! Yum!