Black Sheep Gathering 2013 was fabulous, though I seldom escaped our busy booth (not complaining!).  A collision of serendipitous events made this year’s show particularly memorable:   1). I had dedicated show earnings as wedding gift for our eldest daughter, to be married the following week.   2). Youngest daughter flew over from Scotland for her sisters wedding, & arrived earlier so she could help work our booth (awww).   3).  My Fiber Arts Contest entry won “People’s Choice Award” with an avalanche of heart stickers.   4).  A delightful woman visiting awhile in our booth inquired whether she could purchase my contest entry: a large needle-felted Gotland Ewe & Lamb.  Answer: Yes!   Mary later revealed that her stunning knit sweater had won the Black Sheep Cup!

Was that all delightful kismet, or what?

It’s always nice to have a great team!  Below, two of the Whimsical Ewe Crew work our booth.

Chatting with customers we can’t help but smile …..especially when they offer up such nice compliments on the decor, the products, and their purchases.   Ya know…..last year they made me cry too! (and I posted about it by that title).  By the end of the day, my smile muscles hurt – how fabulous is that?!   I’d like to send out thanks to anyone who waited patiently when the booth got jammed – there were 3 of us and we tried to get to all of you, reallllly we did.

 There’s a booth in there somewhere.  Most I counted was 14 shoppers packed in at one point.  I’d returned from a quick peek at the Fine Arts Contest aisle behind us, and couldn’t fit into my own booth.  Fancy that (so not complaining!).

Oh, and check out some beautiful Fiber Arts entries in the contest this year. I LOVE the forest spirit, the little lamb, and painterly felted shepherdess!

And a quick dash thru the sheep barn, to see breeder friends and their critters.  Here is one of Robina Koenigs (Tumble Creek Farm) gorgeous Bluefaced Leicester.  See how a bleating sheep sticks it’s tongue out?  It cracks me up every time, and is the reason for the impudent tongue on my own Whimsical Ewe logo!

Lyn of Cedar Haven Farm Shetlands shows what’s left of her winning ribbons after her sheep SNACKED on them!  Oh, I forget what type of sheep this horned fella is…..but what a handsome ram!

I am beaming heartfelt thanks to all our wonderful friends, fellow vendors, customers and booth visitors!  YOU made BSG 2013 a fabulous show for us!  Now I am working on the very few custom orders, and I try to fill them within a few weeks, as Real Life permits…

We can’t wait to see all of you again at  Oregon Flock & Fiber Festival in September.