Oh my.
Now I’ve gone and done it. I guess this thing is for real now. I’ve started a blog.
The Luscious Lab is my little business that I’ve started teaching spinning (on a spinning wheel), knitting, and making yarn to sell. I will admit – this is all part of my nefarious plan to take over Yakima. I believe that Yakima is a righteous hang-out in its own right – a place to be recognized, enjoyed, sought-after. When I moved here from Portland, Oregon I kept hearing “You’re moving where?” when I told others where I was headed. Yes, I’m going to Yakima, I’d say. They would invariably ask “WHY??”
Why indeed. I had low expectations when I moved here. Even the people who live here don’t like it. But then I began to look around. The hills are gorgeous. Your can drive for not very long before you’re out-of-town and in the boondocks, and in my mind that isn’t a bad thing. This is a smaller town with dual dominant cultures (yay!) and lots of – I’ve found – very kind, very friendly people. Yes, the people here are kind. And interesting. And hungry. And ready. And that’s the best kind of people with which to be.
I moved here completely alone. Besides one long-time friend who I relentlessly stalked and glommed on to, I am in a strange town with only myself and my dog for company. I was involved in the Knitting and Spinning Guild in Anchorage, Alaska – a group numbering in the hundreds of creative, well-travelled, sometimes insane people who I felt at home with. I thought surely there would be a Fiber Art guild of some sort here in Yakima, a group of like-minded people who would help me adjust to this place that is so very different from my native Alaska. But, no guild. Not even a little one. The thing is, Yakima feels like it should have a guild, it feels like art and culture have a prominent place here. I feel strongly – right down to my very marrow – that Yakima is a brew-pot of ideas and creativity that just needs the chance to boil over.
So decided to give the pot a stir. I rented a booth at the 2010 Central Washington State Fair and hung up my yarn for sale, put out my hand-made soaps and bath salts, and sat before my spinning wheel making yarn like the big attention-seeking ninny that I am. And attention I received. So many people – so many! – were endlessly fascinated by what I was doing. Kids wanted to try it. People wanted to touch the fiber. And then I put out a book for signatures of those who are interested in being part of a Fiber Art Guild right here in Yakima. No, not an offshoot of the Ellensburg Guild or the Tri-Cities Guild – our own guild, right here in Yakima. Our own.
Well, the Sheep to Shuttle Yakima Spinner’s and Weavers Guild is in full swing and is growing by the week. You can check us out here: www.facebook.com/pages/Sheep-to-Shuttle-Fiber-Art-Guild-of-Yakima-WA/171046306271110. We now meet twice a month (at least) and have members give classes and presentations to each other. We have a small studio space to meet in, which by happenstance is my painted-over garage. And I am bound and determined to make my business work here.
As I said, this is all just one step in my bigger picture of what I want The Luscious Lab to be. My prevailing passion is sustainability and empowerment of others to do for themselves in a world where we are taught to buy things and then quickly throw them away. I love to teach others how to do things and see them learn it, and then see them own that knowledge for themselves. I love to learn how to do things from others and feel that boost of power that comes with the knowledge that “I can do that.” I love knowing that the tactile know-how of my and others’ ancestors is still alive today (albeit on life support) and is not forgotten, will never be forgotten.
So that’s my goal and this is my blog. Hi there, I’m The Luscious Lab and it’s nice to meet you.
thelusciouslab 