Baskets I'm Teaching at NCBA, 2010

Please take a look at these photos of the baskets I'm teaching at NCBA Convention in March. Unfortunately the brochure photos didn't show the color or detail at all. These are a better representation of what they look like. I hope you'll tell your friends to look here and will consider them when selecting your classes. Thanks. Lynn Hoyt

SA453 Saturday 8:30am-12:30pm Gleam-n-Glow Beaded Mini Gourd
Lynn Hoyt 4 Hours All Levels 2 1/4"H X 3 1/4" D $35 page 31

Learn to bead coil on these gently undulating mini gourds. These vibrantly colored little vessels will gleam and glow with every stitch as you coil flat across the top with fragrant sweetgrass. Color coordinated options offered. A treat for the senses and a darling basket for rings and small treasures.

SU454 Sunday 8:00am-12:00pm Oval Fantasy Sweetgrass Necklace
Lynn Hoyt 4 hours All Levels 2 1/4"W X 2 3/4" H $35 page 40

Lots of techniques will complete this colorful sweet-smelling pendant. You'll start by learning to inlay a handmade gilded stoneware medallion into an oval gourd piece and apply a woodburned accent. Then coil the pendant with fragrant sweetgrass, add a brass finding and twist a waxed linen neck cord. This is small work, so manual dexterity, a small light and possibly magnifying glasses are recommended.

First Stop on the NiftyKnits Meerkat World Tour: Rural Blounts Creek, NC!

Etta the Meerkat arrived here in rural Eastern NC all the way from England, and her creator Heather of Niftyknits! What a sweet little kat she is! After unpacking, we set off on a geeky fun adventure together: a trip to explore some of the sharks teeth that our area is internationally known for, at the Aurora Fossil Museum!
As you can see, Etta was in awe of this Great White replica and all the fossil sharks teeth!

Later, back at my house, Etta had a tour of our 75 acre property. My husband Howard is a ham radio operator and she was intrigued by the four huge radio towers in our fields. All of a sudden, Etta was gone! I guess her taste for adventure got the best of her, as I spotted her climbing the 130 footer! Bad Etta! By the time I got there, she was hanging on for dear life!

Luckily she managed to pull herself up and climb down

with no harm done... what a girl! Happily, we went on to safer pursuits.


I think Etta enjoyed seeing the gourd art from my Midnightcoiler shop, and some of my gourd harvest. She told me the egg gourds were her favorites! Tomorrow my little Meerkat friend leaves for her next stop. I'll always remember Etta and what a good time we had together! To see more of Nifty's fabulous Meerkats, check out her shop, NiftyKnits. Read her Blog and join the Meerkat World Tour Fan Page on Facebook to follow all of Etta's adventures, as well as her sibling, Treasure, who is also traveling the world!

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies

Midnightcoiler's Sugar Plums

Tiny bowls for rings, candy, pills, beads, gift presentation & favors

Veteran's Day Remembrance

Anthony Diblasi, US Veteran served in WWII and Korea.
Purple heart

Today I remember him and all US soldiers past and present who honor our country with their service. Thank you!

My dad was a handsome fellow, played football in high school and was known by the girls as "he of the wavy hair."

His bravery surfaced early.. while out on a date, he was held up at gunpoint, but managed to wrestle the robber down and hold him until police arrived.

He was married to my mom for 49 years, and had two children. He enjoyed fishing, watching football, going out to eat, Christmas, flowers and birds, and could be found just about any day out puttering in his yard.

Today we honor all veterans, living and dead, for their service and sacrifice.