As you may or may not know, we started our alpaca farm about 4 1/2 years ago with every intention of getting into the fiber business. At the time I knitted.......a little. That was it.
It was nearly 2 years after our first alpacas came home that we finally decided it was time to do something with all of the fiber the animals were producing. Leaving it in the barn was not a good idea.
I bought a spinning wheel and a carder and proceeded to spend my time with YouTube and all the wisdom it had to share. I learned a lot, practiced a lot, but was still scared to share what I was doing with the world. Being self-taught and YouTube taught, how would my stuff compare?
Here's were the story gets interesting. Facebook is the place of randomness and random friends. I don't even know about half of my "friends", but sometimes they can pass along a tidbit of information that you otherwise wouldn't have known.
An alpaca friend posted a link to a place called Magical Farms. Now of course I had heard about them since they are by far the largest alpaca farm anywhere near me, but that's not the point.
This link was to a list of seminars. Free seminars. One per person and you could pick whichever one you wanted. I immediately zeroed in on one for carding fiber by someone that I practically stalked on facebook because I LOVED her stuff. To me she was the alpaca fiber Goddess who excelled at all things alpaca related. Now I know she's going to read this and get horribly embarassed, but that is the type of person she is. Completely humble in her talent and willing to guide us little alpaca fiber folk along like a good shepherd. And she truly loves to watch us grow and cheer us on. You couldn't ask for anyone better. And if you are wondering who I'm talking about......Roo from Moonwood Farm in Alabama. We affectionately call her Miss Roo.
Anyway, I signed up and impatiently counted down the days (90 or so) until it was time to go. My husband and I got up at 4 in the morning to drive there because we couldn't afford to be gone more than just a single day.
This class was the best thing I ever could have done. Both for myself and for my business. I'm not sure I actually learned anything super new, but what it gave me was confidence. Confidence in myself, confidence in my abilities and also some new friends so I knew I wasn't alone in my fiber journey.
Fast forward a little more than a year. Our farms fiber business has grown so much that it has taken on a life of it's own. It was renamed to encompass all things instead of just alpacas, because I love all the fluffy things! We also moved to our new website which I built from the ground up just a few weeks ago.
This past weekend I went back to Magical Farms for a reunion weekend of all the people that had attended last year. Granted we all couldn't make it and some people were really missed, but it was great!
This weekend was the first time I had gone anywhere by myself in more than 4 years. It was hard because I'm with my kids 24/7 and my husband every day. Being by yourself is a strange quiet existance.
These ladies are not quiet though let me tell you. Put a little alcohol into us and we turn into a giggly bunch! I needed this time. It was a time of renewal, inspiration and fiber nirvana. So much fiber!
This is the fiber room on the farm. Can you imagine having so much fiber, but then again they have hundreds of alpacas!
This weekend gave me so many ideas and inspirations, but I have to say the best of all was learning to dye bamboo. If you know me at all, this was what I had been waiting for. I wanted to dye bamboo! And like most things, it was far easier than my brain was making it out to be. I came home so full of bamboo desire and knowledge that I ordered the dyes I needed for bamboo as soon as I got home.
(I may have gone a wee bit crazy.)
I have to say to all the ladies that attended this weekend, I had a blast. Two full days of fiber fun, food and friends, does it get any better?
(That's me in the pink.)
Oh Steph... I only just now read this, and it brought tears to my eyes! Thank you for such kind words, and for sharing your thoughts with the world. Magical Farms is an amazing and special place, not just because of the generous hospitality the staff extend to their visitors, but there seems to be something magic in the air (or if you're dyeing there, in the WATER!). Elizabeth and I love to teach there, we've nurtured many friendships and created many fond memories with the people who travel long distances to be a part of it all. You have come so far in the time that I have known you, and there is no doubt that you'll be very successful with your fiber creations. We're about to sit down and look at the plan for next year, including the reunion of our 'Doing It Dirty' group... it'll be time to giggle at bedposts in the dark again before you know it - time flies :) *hugs* ~Roo~
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