Today was the first day of the Handwoven Holiday Sale which happens every year the first week end of November and runs clear through to the next weekend. What a fun time for the Guild. It is held at the Historic Vail Hotel and what a beautiful back drop this is for the work these women produce. Oh, yeah, I do it too, but not like these women. They are artisians. I am a klutz. See that towel I showed you yesterday? Look real close. It has a big yellow mark on it so it is in there soaking in some bleach water right now. Some times I amaze even myself.
So I had to set up the craft show at the church this afternoon and after I checked out the black bear stuck in the tree down in the blocks, dropped a package in the mailbox, I headed down to the Vail. I got there at exactly the same time as Karen DeQuardo. Think way back to when I took the pine needle basket class at Colorado Fiber Arts and you will remember Karen. She is the one that owns the place now. She and her friend Winnie were taking turns; one minding the store and the other shopping at the sale. Karen was shopping for a rug. Well, that in itself is an undertaking because there are some works of art on the rug wall this year. Hell, there are works of art all over that Vail Hotel!
So back to Karen. I asked her how many times she had visited the sale and she told me every year for as long as she could remember! I watched Karen wander around the sale and I think I can safely say that she touched everything in there at least once. Some of the pieces got an extra groping. Made me laugh. I just love to watch a woman who loves to shop and this girl does. And she knows quality when her fingers and eyes encounter it. And there was a lot of that going on in there.
See, if you had visited the store like I told you to, you would know that she carries some of the best fibers in the state. Colorado Fiber Arts, located at 121 Broadway here in Pueblo, Colorado carries about anything you could want in the line of threads, yarns, wools, batts and stuff I know nothing about. I do know there are skeins of hand spun stuff that I would trade an arm or leg for, but she does not take body parts, so I am out of luck. And if you want to learn how to do something she can fix you right up with a class, or teach you herself. I learned how to felt there. Oh, and the gourd classes. And the basket weaving. See I know a little about a lot of things. What was it momma used to say, "Jack of all trades and master of none!" Yep! That is me. Course she also told me "Do what you do, do well, girlie." Well, mama, I am trying!
Whoops, back to Karen. Never let it be said I have a one track mind. So, if you wonder about anything fiber related, pick up that phone and dial 719-543-1161 and tell her or Winnie that Lou said. Now sometimes that "Lou said" will get you in a world of hurt, but these people like me. They like every body and nothing would make them happier than helping you turn out a lovely piece of knit, crochet, tatting, felting or weaving. I like to just go in there and feel stuff. Some times I just pick up a button that is handmade for the purses I make. I think they also have groups that meet and set around and knit or crochet and shoot the breeze. Hope they are not talking about me!
Back to business. Why do I call Karen a secret shopper? Because she is very quite and unassuming and is very quietly gathering her treasures and stashing them up at the cashier so it actually looks like she is not even buying anything, but in all honesty, she did buy all three of the rugs that T.L. draped on her. That is why she draped them on her!
So that is it for today. I have decided to spotlight a member every day. I may expose the people who work behind the scenes one day. But for tomorrow, I am going to do the craft show at the church and then pop over to the sale and see who is hanging out just wanting me to interview them. Be sure and make some time for the sale! And stop by here daily and see if I have your face on my slide show. That will be changed daily also.
Damn! I am good!
