Vendors Wanted for L.A.W.C. Christmas Fair

If you want to sell crafts as the upcoming Christmas Fair that the Lavender Association of Western Colorado is hosting on December 4th, go to   http://www.coloradolavender.org/  and sign up.

Sold My Favorite Comfy Pillow at Saturday's Lavender Sachet Salon

Pale Blue Panne Comfy Pillow
     You know how you can get attached to things that you put a lot of effort into?  Well, this pale blue Comfy Pillow is my favorite.  Such a soft yet luxurious feel to it.  Panne is a lightweight, brushed velvet with a shimmery appearance. Soft and very pretty as a pillow covering, it has dark blue cord trim. Sized 10"x14" makes it a great "nap" pillow.  Alas, I had to part with it.
     The good news is that I sold it with a matching eye pillow to someone who is giving it to a friend as a Christmas gift. I know the friend will just love it.
     In my stock I have an eye pillow, neck wrap from the same material but trimmed with white lace.  I will make another Comfy Pillow and trim it with matching lace. 
     I have reserved two vendor tables for a Lavender Sachet Salon on Saturday, Nov. 6th at the Grand Junction Senior Recreation Center. That is my deadline.  Guess I better get sewing!!!                10/29/10

Lavender and Grapes are Pairing Up

     Some of the Lavender Associaton members said they are still harvesting lavender -- this is pretty late in the year for it to still be growing. 
     On Saturday we went to Harold Fenster's beautiful home on 10 or so acres north of Grand Junction.  He has 2 acres in grapes, this is their 3rd year.  Last year he planted lavender underneath the grapevines and around the perimeter.  He planted several different kinds to see how they would grow -- Folgate, Provence, Grosso and another.  We walked through the vineyard and the lavenders were growing nicely and many still in bloom.  He is one of the people interested in combining the use of their land.  The primary interest is grapes and wine, but a secondary crop that will offset the cost of the vineyard is lavender which produces valuable oil. 
     The CSU Extension Agent is supporting and promoting the ideas to grape growers.   There are some obstacles to be overcome, but they can be handled.
     It's exciting to see the spreading interest in lavender production.  And our first annual lavender festival scheduled for July 15, 16 2011 will "put us on the map."  We hope to draw from the surrounding states and further.  Many people make lavender festivals their vacation destinations so we plan to offer the Grand Valley as a great place to visit. 
     You don't have to be a member or have a lot of land to attend the LAWC meetings.  Just look up the website and come to the events.  http://www.coloradolavender.org/.    10/24/10

Lavender Harvest is Done for the Year

I can't believe that these plants are still blooming. I finally cut my last batch yesterday - not a lot - but some really big blooms on long stalks.  There are still a few that are ready to bud but they'll just have to wait til next year to get my attention.  I still have some bundles hanging in my closet to dry and then will still have to screen 'em & clean 'em.  Then I'm done for the year.  Of course I will always have the task of picking out the little pieces of leaves and brush that didn't get caught in the screening process.  But it's good TV watching work. Now that the NBA season is upon us, I can do hand work and still listen to the games.

It has rained all evening and is supposed to rain all week.  Out here, rain is good, so we don't complain. What I do complain about is if it stays cloudy a few days in a row ... I like my sunshine!

The catalog of lavender products is still in the making.  I'm so slow at it.  Bought some CD's from Office Depot to move photos and perhaps crop and clean them up a bit.  After talking to a guy there for 20 minutes about which ones are the best to use, I bought DVD-r and they don't work.  When I looked closely at the little door on the CPU, it says "CD writer."  So won't take DVD.  Returned them.  So I'm using Picasa and writing descriptions and printing out the pages myself.  Uses a lot of color ink but it will get the job done. They pages so far look pretty good.  Not real professional but I need to mail a catalog to someone ASAP and this will have to do.

The plaid sachet pouches and zebra stripe pounches filled with lavender didn't sell last year.  So I cut them up and made 2x4" Christmas ornaments with gold ribbons ... very nice.  A visitor mentioned she wanted to buy a few as soon as she saw them. 

This Friday there is a 3 hour meeting of the Lavender Festival Committee to continue working toward a successful Festival next July.  There is a lot of work involved, as with any major project.  But we have a lot of talented and exprerienced members involved so the work will get done.  Our Pres is a dynamo and sets the pace for the rest of us.  The next day, Saturday 10/23/10 is the monthly meeting of the Lavender Association of Western Colorado (LAWC).  Don't need to be a member to attend. It will be held at a member's home out on H road from 1-3 pm.  He has planted lavender in with his grapes in the vineyard and it will be interesting to see how they have fared since last year's visit.  An agent from the CSU Extension office will be there to  talk about it.  Please come if you are curious -- you are always welcome.   Email me for the directions...   aboutlavender@yahoo.com   10/21/10

YOU ARE INVITED TO A LAVENDER SACHET SALON

A Lavender Sachet Salon is a “drop-in” open-house event. This is my invitation to you to browse my hand sewn products filled with lavender from my yard. On display you'll find eye pillows, warming neck wraps, drawer & closet sachets, comfy pillows, drawer liners and more, all filled with lavender. Come and bring a friend to any or all of the events listed below. It is fun and there is no pressure to buy. Enjoy some light refreshments, lots of chatting and laughing, and perhaps run into an old friend or two.  


SCHEDULE - Lavender Sachet Salons, Oct., Nov., Dec.

Tue. Oct  26   4:00-6:30pm  Fruita, at Zelinda Brown's home, 763 S. Mesa Ave*
Sat. Nov   6  10:00-4:00pm  Grand Jct.SeniorRecCenter, 550 Ouray behind Library
Wed Nov 17   4:00-6:30pm   Grand Jct. Rosemary Litz' home, 500 Walnut**
Sat. Date to be announced.    Delta, Yvonne Rowland's home, 796 1525 Road
Sat. Dec   4   10:00-4:00pm  Orchard Mesa, County Fairgrounds, Hwy 50 Sagebrush Rm 
Tue. Dec 14   4:00-6:30pm   Grand Jct. Rosemary Litz' home, 500 Walnut Ave.

If you are unable to attend any of these, let me know and we'll arrange a way to get together.

Driving Directions:

* To Zelinda's: I-70 to Fruita Exit 19. Go through roundabout & onto frontage road. This puts you on south side of I-70, heading east. Turn right at US Bank sign, go exactly ½ mile - house is on the right.

** To my house (Rosemary): From downtown GJ, go north on 5th street until it ends at Walnut (house is in front of you). From Patterson, turn south on 7th St., go 3 blocks to Walnut (Tope School is on the left), turn right. Go 2 blocks. House is on right side on the curve.

For more information, call me at 970-241-8450 or email aboutlavender@yahoo.com

WHEW! PHOTO PAGES UPDATED

Wouldn't you think that by now computer features would be use-friendly?  O sure, we're led to believe posting photos and text is just as easy as 1 2 3 ... but no, it is not!  It's more like 647K divided by the square root of infinity times pi (is there such a thing)?  Putting photos on these pages was a challenge but I want you to be able to see the products that I make.  So please browse through them.  Let me know if you are interested in purchasing anything or if you have a special request for a custom made item.  Post a comment or send me an email if you would like a price list.    aboutlavender@yahoo.com

With the holidays around the corner, lavender filled items make thoughtful gifts for friends and family.  When people are "hard to buy for" or already have everything they need or want, a little gift of lavender is guaranteed to bring a smile. 

Today is 10/10/10 ... how cool.

WHERE IS SEPTEMBER 31?

I just won't admit that it is October already.  So I'm adding another day to September for this year.  Over time I have become more of a summer person and just hate to see the season leave. As a kid growing up in MI, I was a winter person, loved going over to the frozen pond behind the grocery store and ice skate after school. Sleds and toboggans were fun too.  That was then, this is now!
I did another cutting from the lavender plants yesterday, some beautiful large buds.  I'm a little surprised they are still blooming, but then we got a late start this year.  So I have plenty of  good fresh lavender to fill my sachets, eye and neck wraps and pillows.  It just smells so good.

My dear, sweet friend, Zelinda, will host a "Lavender Sachet Salon" at her home in Fruita on Tuesday, October 26 from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm.  I'll have many new lavender products for you to browse and buy. (Address later). 

I'll have a vendor table at the Senior Center in Grand Junction on November 6th.  It's a small fair, one where you find the most creative, useful items that you don't find in stores.  I had fun last year. So stop bye if you can.    On Saturday, Dec. 4th (10 am to 4 pm) I'll have a booth at the Lavender Association Craft Fair at the Fairgrounds on Orchard Mesa.  It is a lavender-oriented fair with lots of great products, mostly hand made here in the area. I'll post the entire schedule this week including addresses.

Email me if you would like to host a "Lavender Sachet Salon" for your friends or neighbors - it can be a small gathering.  I bring the refreshments and we have a fun time.