Getting away for some fiber fun

Well, I finally got away for a break this past weekend to attend the Wildflower Fiber Retreat in Tyler, TX. I try to attend this event annually. I thoroughly enjoy it. The women who put this retreat on do a fantastic job. Pardon the poor photography, but the only camera I had was my phone. LOL!

This first picture was a class on creating a multi-media mailable piece of art. Heather Simpson taught this class and had literally hundreds of examples that she has collected from all over the world! Very fun...


Here is a picture of one of my very close friends, Joyce, and her inkle loom creation. I really wanted to take that class, but opted for the drop spindle class instead. Joyce created three different inspirations from her inkle loom, some of which "accidentally" got left in my truck from the return trip. Darn! Where did those things go???


As stated earlier, I took a wonderful class on the drop spindle, taught by Bev Madere. When I first learned to spin, I began on the drop spindle and hated it. I quickly moved over to the spinning wheel and have been spinning on the wheel ever since. So, I thought I'd give the drop spindle another chance...and loved it. Bev is a fantastic teacher and made the drop spindling FUN! Thanks, Bev!


Later, Ouijan Vinson, from Olde Oaks Farm, brought her llama, Bandit, for show and tell. Ouijan and I talked about the differences between all camelids... the camel, guanaco, vicuna, llama, and alpaca. We talked about their purposes, guardian versus fiber animal and about how easy they are to care for. We went over their fleece and a variety of other things. It was such a blessing to be able to do this. I thank the Wildflower committee for giving me the opportunity to speak at this retreat.


Another class offered at the retreat was backstrap weaving. Judy Pritchett taught us how to setup our loom and begin weaving. Everyone was very interested in this demo. See the beautiful work Judy has done in this picture?




One of the blessings of this retreat is the scenery. This retreat is located right in the middle of the piney woods at Camp Tyler. Marie and I took a walk down to the lake and through the woods. It was breath taking. Get out and enjoy nature today and enjoy the beauty God has created all around us! Sometimes, we just need to get away from the every day pace of life. Now, I'm ready to get back out and enjoy the beauty of my ranch. God has blessed me with the beauty of all the animals right here in my own backyard...

Blessings to you all!
Cyndi