I am super excited to announce that my online shop, Hamlin Craftworks, is live and ready for business!  Please bear with me while I get all of my pieces listed.  As always, if you see something on my Facebook page or at a craft show that you like, just let me know!

Saturday, October 27, I’ll be in Pineville, NC.  Come see me!

I had a great time at Waxhaw’s Autumn Treasures festival this weekend!  Chatted with lots of lovely folks, and might even get a couple of commissions.  The weather couldn’t have been better; cool and mostly sunny.

I had two setups this weekend.  I think I like the second one (Sunday’s) better.  That angled table was a bit more inviting.  Although the wrap is what snagged the attention of most folks.

My three favorite moments from the event:

1) A young fellow (maybe 12?) came into the booth looking at the baby blankets.  He was obviously not finding what he wanted, and he finally asked me if I had any blankets for $5.  Well, no, but I did have some cute beanie hats for babies that happen to be $5.  He bought a blue beanie and left.  An hour or so later, he comes back to the booth and he’s grinning ear to ear.  “My baby cousin loves his new hat!”  Y’all, I’m not kidding, I nearly teared up over that.  Not only because he was so pleased, but because he took the time to come back and tell me.  I don’t think I’ve ever had anyone do that before.

2) A lady was sucked into the booth by a blue blanket.  She kept touching it, and she finally pulled it out of the basket.  She told me about her granny who used to crochet blankets for her, but who is no longer here.  She has a blanket that’s worn thin from all the washing – and, let’s face it, from all the love.  While she was talking, she kept snuggling into the blanket, rubbing her face against it and squeezing it.  She bought the blanket, saying she had to have it, that she didn’t have anyone to make things like that for her anymore.  Yep, nearly teared up on that one too.  I still have all of the blankets my grandmother crocheted for me…

3) I was chatting with a lady who was looking at the champagne mohair wrap.  We talked about fibers and stitches and the work that goes into making something like that.  She, as did many other people over the weekend, checked the price tag.  Her response was something I’m just not used to hearing – “It’s totally worth that!”

I’ll be kicking off the winter craft show season in Waxhaw, NC.  Come see me if you’re in the area!

I must have lost my mind.  That’s the only thing I can think of that would possibly explain what I’ve done.  For some unknown, clearly insane reason, I have booked myself for four craft shows this fall.  Two outside, two inside.  Two where I can hopefully sell some of my really nice (read: expensive) pieces, and two where I’m more likely to sell smaller, less expensive pieces.  I seriously gotta get hookin’.

I’ve got to completely re-do my booth – it was okay for last year’s one show, since it was the first I’d ever done, but it’s certainly not going to be good enough for the two higher-end shows.  I need to photograph everything I’ve made and create a portfolio for people to look through.  I think I need to get some battery-powered lighting for one of the shows, too.  And I need to make more stuff.  Did I mention that already?  Oh, well.  It’s not like I have anything else to do, right?  Oy…

If you’re in the area, Hamlin Craftworks will be at the following shows:

Waxhaw Autumn Treasures, October 13th and 14th
Afire Student Ministries Annual Fall Craft Fair, October 27th
Indian Land Fall Festival, November 3rd and 4th
38th Annual B&B Craft Show, November 24th