TNNA Sneak Peek-

My hat is having a good time on vacation....I got an email this morning from Ron.

Betsy,

The show is going well... lots of people looking and ordering. Had Annie Modisette, Cat Bhordi and Clara Parkes in yesterday... they all admired your tam. It is quite the hit.

Hope things are well

Maybe next year, I can go too. I am a little embarrassed that my hat is on display to the US needlework heads of state fastened with SCOTCH TAPE.....I swear to God, the exhibitors aren't from East Cupcake but they might as well be. That's like going to the White House in flip-flops. Oh, wait, these guys aren't all that far from the Texas White House; maybe they know something I don't.

I am a little giddy because I have the only NON-BROWN buffalo wear in the booth. Yeah, I know it's burgundy, orange and green-not a far stretch at all, but I DID stretch. OK, nuking that 60.00 hank of yarn was a big stretch, because I didn't REALLY know what would happen, and it was scary.

It's freakin' magic, I tell ya!

When I was a kid, the toney subdivision in town was called Village 7. It had street names like Carefree and Serendipity. I looked Serendipity up in the dictionary when I was a kid, and had a little trouble with the concept. Nowdays, Old Webster defines it as "the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for; also : an instance of this."

These days, I seem to be finding a lot of Buffalo Serendipity. (Much nicer than finding buffalo chips, I'll tell you.) Last year, I asked Ron Miskin of Buffalo Gold if he was going to Kid 'n Ewe in Boerne. He wrote back and said "I wasn't planning to, but since you asked." And he exhibited.

Chris (aka Scullyknits) went to K'nE twice. WE went on Sunday. The day before, she went with her family. They stopped at the Kid 'n Ewe booth, where the Divine Miss M charmed the socks right off of Ron. He gave her a small buffalo toy, which she toted around all weekend. I thought that was just great, that the guy I asked to come 1) showed up, 2) had a busy booth (i.e. it was worth his trip) and 3) was flat charmed by Miss M. I happily bought my skein of laceweight.

Serendipity, right?

Monday, I sent my Prairie Star Buffalo Tam in to Wild Fibers as a contest entry. I really wanted the "runner up" prize of a basket of buffalo goodies. My entry bounced. (They must be changing emails at the magazine??) Anyhow, I thought "Oh, no, I just finished this, I am on time, I am SOOOOO not going to give up." So I sent a copy of my entry on to Buffalo Gold (the contest sponsor) , and explained that my entry had bounced. I got an Auto Response, and thought, ok, fine, it made it to someone. A few hours later, I got a phone call from Ron, who said "We were sitting around, admiring your hat, and we want to display it at TNNA next week. We'll send you some yarn."

You WHAT???? I wanted to do a butt-shaking happy dance, but had to sound reasonably dignified and coherent.

I mailed my hat today, and wrote up a little blah-blah for them to keep with a small yarn sample (leftovers!!!) that explained the method, the pattern and the results.

And he wrote me back and said

"Betsy,

Wonderful!!... Dad is truly excited about the Tam, and we are getting ready, and our display for this show is sort of an art gallery format. I have a canvas all ready for the hat, and it will be a featured piece. I am putting a bio card on the board as well, and I would love to put any information you would like on it.

Thank you again, and I will get some yarn on its way to you today.
Have a Happy New Year.
Ron"

I am absolutely beside myself with excitement.

THAT's serendipity.