Inspired ! ! !

The word that best describes my feeling after a weekend at the TNNA Market in Indianapolis, Indiana!!! And a HUGE SHOUT OUT to Judy for inviting me along!!!!! Thanks Judy!!!!! The TNNA Market is for retailers of needle arts businesses, whether it's needlepoint, cross-stitch, or other of what I think of when I hear "needle arts", or knitting or crochet or a lot in between involving fiber and creativity!

I promised to blog when I got home, but was so worn out from being star-struck and miles-weary that I couldn't bring myself to compose. Alas, here we are...

I mentioned star-struck? You bet. I met some wonderful authors and designers and got to see and feel a mirage of beautiful fiber calling for me to talk Judy into carrying it in the shop!! They're like sirens, those yarn skeins!!!

Met and spoke to the following:

Debbie Bliss
Louisa Harding
Maggie Jackson
Marilyn Murphy, publisher of Interweave Press
Vickie Howell of Do-It-Yourself Network's Knitty Gritty and Stylicious who rocks and is as wonderful in person as she is on air!!
Kay Gardiner and Ann Meador Shayne of Mason-Dixon Knitting blog and book fame !!!
Candi Jensen, down-to-earth gal who designs great knit and crochet garments and bags (Candi, Vickie was looking for you, did she find you?)
Tara Jon Manning, who is a "real" person, too. Perhaps we can get her to hold a "Mindful Knitting Retreat" in our area?
Melissa Leapman, another designer and author I came to know through Knitty Gritty and have now met in person.
Melanie Falick, who signed Handknit Holidays for us!!
Debbie Stoller, a rockin' chick who signed Happy Hooker for us -- and was great though it was the end of the day and she was tired.
Nicky Epstein, who has more energy than I don't know what!! Book signings, bag signings, up and around talking to people for a couple of days -- you go girllll!
Iris Schreier, another "real" person who was very open to talking to folks who came by and very helpful on selections for projects for our customers to do using those hand-painted beauties. Thanks for the class on the one-piece shawl -- our customers will love the design!!
Jane Davis, who has beautiful creations in Knit Ponchos, Wraps & Scarves. Beautiful projects to tease the senses.
Suss Cousins, who signed Home Knits for us. Great projects!
Met Annie Modesitt at the Artyarns booth showing a couple of designs she's made for Iris's yarns. Annie is tall and very funny!!!!!!
Leigh Radford, who signed AlterKnits for us (I've been inspired to go free-form!).

Okay, that's enough name-dropping for one day's blogging.

Where are the Pictures?!!!
If you know anything about retailers' trade shows, you know cameras aren't allowed!!! So you're just gonna have to take my word for it that I saw these folks. I do have other witnesses, both from the store and from the book-signing lines where I made some "line-buddies" the first couple of days. "We'll always have the 1:00 line for ...."

Samson ....
Samson did not get to go to Indy with me, so Grandma came over to see him and feed him and talk to him. Samson loves grandma and looks forward to mama's bike trip next month so he can see more of Grandma again! Not only can Samson talk, but looks like he likes the newspaper, too (he's reading upside down!!). Silly Samson!