Here I am at the SEA Holiday Sale sitting and spinning behind what appears to be a very large bear.  Actually this bear is only 8 inches tall, but that is what perspective can do to you.  These bears are made from an old cashmere sweater that had seen better days as a sweater but had plenty of life left in it as bear pelt.  They are stuffed with wool and are very dear and fuzzy.  I have only three left at this point so come by and see me at the East End School this weekend if you feel you need one.  

I take my spinning wheel with me to these events because 1) it makes me pleasant and cheerful which is desirable when dealing with the public, 2) it's show bizzy and tends to draw people to come over and talk to me and 3) it's productive, leaving me with 2-4 hanks of hand spun yarn at the end of the weekend which pleases me.

And here is a shot which shows the dolls again, along with a bag that I made from the endless supply of rug wool, some of my patterns and a glass vase full of hand spun yarn.  Most of the yarn that I sell has been hand dyed and I have over dyed the rug wool as well when I thought I could improve the color.

And here is another angle where you can see hand knit mittens left over from classes I have taught this year, hand dyed rug wool and a partially completed braided rug and the Little Red Christmas Birds.  I am disproportionally proud of the birds.  They are made from an old merino sweater but it is the bird filling that really pleases me. You know those little scraps of yarn that some of us are constantly setting aside in a pile because we might eventually "find a use" for them?  Fess up, I know some of you do this too.  I have finally discovered a use -- bird stuffing. 

I appear here to be staring dreamily at my own feet, but the photo above proves that I am actually spinning.

The dolls in the pictures below will be appearing this weekend at the Holiday Sale for the Society for East End Arts.  I no longer have my studio in the East End but I am grand mothered in.  I will have a booth there on Friday evening, Saturday all day and Sunday morning where I will be selling these dolls along with  hand dyed yarn and woolen felt and fabric, knit goods, patterns, hand spun yarn and roving and, as usual, I will also be dispensing whatever wise fiber advice you are willing to stand still and listen to.  I hope to see you there.  Otherwise it will look like I am talking to myself.....