"Weavers Words" Vol. 4 Iss. 66 Date Sent: November 24, 2000 Web Page: http://members.xoom.com/dgcollins/ Subscribers: 1520 David Collins 408 North Devon Avenue Indianapolis, IN 46219 Phone: (317) 899-5747 davidc@iei.net %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% ORDER YOUR COPY OF THE "BASKETRY TRAVEL COMPANION" TODAY: http://members.nbci.com/dgcollins/ordercompanion.html %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% THE BASKET BOOKSTORE: Stop by "Weavers Words Basketry Bookstore" for a great selection of basketry literature & save up to 40%. Over 40 titles to choose from. The address is: http://members.xoom.com/dgcollins/book.html %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% ATTENTION NEW SUBSCRIBERS: 1.) You can search Weaver's Words web page and back issues by going to Weaver's Words web page (http://members.xoom.com/dgcollins/) and entering your search criteria into the search box. 2.) If you have recently subscribed, more than likely you will read messages about a basket swap in progress. Basket swaps are organized by other weavers approximately every 2-3 months. So if a swap is in progress when you subscribe, be patient and a new swap will begin before you know it. Every subscriber is eligible for each swap as long as you fulfill you obligation from the previous swap. 3.) If you are looking for basket shops across the country, there is an extensive list on Weaver's Words web page. The shops are listed alphabetically. If you know of a shop that isn't listed, send me the shop's information for addition. Include all of the following if applicable: Shop's Name; Web Page Address; E-Mail Address; Street Address; City, State, Zip Code; Phone Number. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% ATTENTION AOL SUBSCRIBERS: For some reason some AOL subscribers haven't been receiving Weaver's Words through email. If you are one of these subscribers, or know one of someone who has not been receiving Weaver's Words, you can get all of the issues on the Weaver's Words web page. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% ATTENTION ONLINE AUCTION USERS: Make Auction Payments Thru PayPal Plus Get $5 - FAST, FREE & SECURE: https://secure.paypal.com/refer/pal=ka9zre%40yahoo.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% PICTURE('S) ADDED TO WEB PAGE SINCE THE LAST ISSUE: Carole Post's-----Basket She Received From Basket Swap. Carole Post's-----Basket She Received From Basket Swap. Carole Post's-----Basket She Received From Basket Swap. Carole Post's-----Basket She Received From Basket Swap. Mary Hooper's-----Sunset On Roan Mountain Basket. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: North Carolina Workshop Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2000 22:02:11 -0600 From: Mary Beebe To: davidc@iei.net Read in an email about an upcoming North Carolina Workshop. Would be interested in going. How do I find out about it? Thanks, Mary Ellen Beebe %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Convention Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2000 23:13:25 EST From: AuntPattie@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Hello There Weavers, For those of you who have sent in registrations for our Basket Odessy next February, the confirmations have been sent out and, hopefully, WooHoos will echo from sea to shining sea within the next few days. (I'm sure that many of the Woohoos will be for Thanksgiving Desserts but we ought to get our share.) We've already hit our target number for attendees but now we find that we still have spaces available in some terrific classes. If you're interested in coming to the Atlanta Area in February, please E-mail me separately and I'll let you know what we still have available. This has been an incredibly busy autumn. Mark & I are building a new house. Since Angie has moved off to college and will only be here occasionally we thought it was time to downsize a little. In typical Mark& Pattie fashion, the adult spaces have shrunk or been eliminated all together & our play spaces are growing all out of proportion. The formal living room & dining room are gone. In their place is Mark's studio. The full basement of our ranch will include a pool room (like in billiards) and a WEAVATORIUM. There's a large storage space behind the Weavatorium (no kidding, that's what it says on the plans) and the plumber is installing a bathtub up on a platform for soaking longer material and for rinsing dyed reed. I will also have a small electric stove for heating dyepots. We are planning on moving in after the first of the year & I can't wait. I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving & remember to be thankful not only for those you have around you but also for the wonderful memories you have of those who are no longer here. I will also add David to my list of those I'm thankful for. What a great guy to provide us with this forum. Love to all, Pattie Bagley in Georgia where it was sleeting yesterday (ohmygoshtheskyisfalling) %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Basket pricing Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 00:43:39 -0500 From: "Mary Hooper" To: "David Collins" References: 1 Hi All: The suggestions on pricing and for dealing with the L competition are really great. Some wrinkles I hadn't thought of -- and worth saving for the future. Thanks to those who made suggestions. While vowing not to give advice I do feel compelled to say something about Patricia Steinmetz's comment: "My concern is with the growing influence of capitalism on the basket making business. I am opposed to craftspeople who dupe the general public into thinking that high priced baskets are in some way better that reasonably priced baskets." First, "duping the general public" is pretty strong criticism about people who are making a living from baskets--or about anyone else. Patricia has every right to sell a jelly basket for $12--that's about what most of us would charge, I think. But to say that people who get more for their baskets are somehow scamming the public, I don't agree. These people are in business and as Joy says, the purpose of business is to make a profit. I happen to know personally a person whose baskets sound exactly like the basket Patricia saw in the Folk Art Center. While the $1,000. basket Patricia saw may not have been made by this weaver, for this purpose, she can stand in for all who make a living at basketry. For some baskets this particular weaver gets much more than the $1,000. price which Patricia thinks is price gouging. Or rather, the galleries get that. The weaver gets only a percentage. The basket maker I know has worked hard to get where she is. She has won many awards and her work is in the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution. I can't afford her baskets, but there are people who can. The very fact that her baskets are part of a national collection gives them a status many of us won't ever have--and that status means some people will pay more for them. There are questions of sociology, psychology, and personal economics to be explored here, but this list is no place for going into these questions. Suffice to say, price gouging occurs when a NECESSITY is overpriced for the masses. If a luxury is priced high-- and today baskets are not a necessity, no matter how much we would like to think they should be-- then no one is forced to pay the price asked. A willing buyer and a willing seller are what you have. In that case, a basket is worth whatever the buyer is willing to pay and the seller willing to accept. That's a "fair" price--not a basket maker "duping" anyone. And there you have the essence of capitalism. If it offends you, Patricia, that capitalism works in basketry as in every other aspect of life, there's no more to be said... Happy Turkey Day to all, Mary Hooper %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 4 I. 64 Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2000 23:58:42 -0600 From: Roberta Comstock To: David Collins Sheri Lewis - Boy is my face red! I appear to have made a bigger goof than I thought with your name. So you're the one who signs things ~ Sheri? It would certainly be easier to keep your name straight if you would put the last name in your signature block. Anyway, thanks for clarifying and correcting my misunderstanding. Tony -Thanks for telling us about your recent trip & the classes with JoAnn Kelly Catsos. I love seeing enthusiastic reviews of teachers. It helps me refine my list of people whose classes I want to take. Gretchen Hautzinger - You might try a used book search on the Internet to find RAMBLIN ROSE. Bert Comstock Lauderdale Independence, MO, where it's cold and blustery, but my lilac hedge still has green leaves. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Now that's overpriced art Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 01:25:31 -0500 From: "Mary Hooper" To: "David Collins" References: 1 Dear WWers: Check out the New York Times auction watch page. http://www.nytimes.com/library/arts/auction-watch.html?1120b Now that's overpriced "art." A $1.6 million curtain of plastic beads on a metal rod. Tell me a thousand bucks is too much to pay for a basket!!! tee-hee-ha-ha Mary Hooper %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 4 I. 65 Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 06:20:26 -0500 From: Pamela Woodbury To: David Collins References: 1 Hi Weavers, As much as I have been weaving lately I barely have enough skin left on the tips of my fingers to type. The life of a basket weaver. I have enjoyed the discussion on pricing. I may not agree with everyone, but thought it was a worthwhile discussion. I live in MI and there are many basket weavers in my state so I dare say my prices have to be just a little less than they would be somewhere else, but if I don't feel I am making a decent profit on a basket it becomes a one of a kind. Sometimes I just have to make a basket because! I made Linda Boyle Gibson's large lobster basket once just to prove I could get a good shape. That basket is a lot of work. I took it to a show and sold it right away. I dare say it was priced less than it should have been for all the hard work, but I made it and it turned out great and some lucky person owns it. The nicest part is a young couple who constantly buy baskets from me bought it and always tell me how much they love it and when will I make more. I tell them enjoy it because it is a one of a kind. What really lured me into writing was Margie's customer comments inquiry. I have been doing shows and selling baskets for 14 years and I dare say I must have heard them all. I live just one state from the famous L state so I hear a lot about L's. Not always bad or good, but it seems like people just have to discuss them with me because I make baskets. Some people feel the need to tell me how much nicer the L baskets are, but for the most part people tell me how much nicer my baskets are than the L's. For the clods that feel no basket is worthy of an L basket I generally am speechless. I think probably my favorite comment is where do these baskets come from. There are still people out there that think only the L factory or somebody from a third world country can make a basket. That question always throws me for a loop because the craft shows I do are juried and supposed to be all handmade merchandise. Now that is another subject altogether. As all of you know we can tell the difference from a handmade and someone trying to pawn off as import as handmade by them, but it is getting harder and harder even for me to tell on some of these imports as they are getting better all the time. Margie I also get the question what can I use this basket for. Now I really love this question when the person asking is holding something totally useless in their hands like a pouty baby. For the life of me I still don't know why anybody ever bought one of those things, but to each his own. I usually go through my list of just what the basket can be used for, but I have generally found if they have to ask they weren't interested in buying anyhow. The buyers know where the baskets came from and they also know what they are going to use them for. For the most part I have found that I need to change my entire inventory every couple of years. I have a following of customers and they want new baskets. A basket isn't like selling other crafts that will wear out or go out of style so if we want to keep them coming back we need to tempt them with new stuff. I have been running my baskets through the dishwasher for years. I wouldn't do it with just any basket, but the baskets I made and know for a fact if they come out misshapen I can correct it then why not. All my baskets are stained with an oil base stain so when people ask me how to clean them I tell them, wash them. I have even told people I have occasionally washed some of mine in the dishwasher, but recommend to them that they throw the basket in the sink or bathtub depending on the size of the basket and wash it. I tell them they are made well and will withstand a good scrubbing. I also tell them the stain or color will not come off with a washing because it won't. My last comment to them is if the basket comes out a little crooked, don't be afraid to reshape it because it won't hurt it. Pam %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 4 I. 65 Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 08:39:12 -0500 From: Wallace Peters Organization: AT&T To: David Collins References: 1 The "Promise Basket" is the creation of Jim and Diane Langston. It comes in three sizes and they have all of the components. Their email is: disjim@earthlink.net. They are teaching at the Northeast Basketmakers Gathering next April 20 - 22 and at the NCBA conference in March. Although they are not teaching the "Promise Basket", they are teaching two other beautiful baskets. Joanne Wood Peters %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Swap Basket Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 06:51:02 -0800 (PST) From: Cindy Dunham To: davidc@iei.net I received a wonderful "Mad Money" basket from Diane Begeman! It has a wooden base and wooden lid. Inside the basket fits a quart size jar. The wooden lid on the top has a slot in it and not only fits snug in the basket, but also in the mouth of the jar. It was filled with solid gold chocolate coins! I am in heaven! Thank you so much Diane for a truly beautiful basket! I really love it! Hope you don't mind if I bring it with me Sunday to display on the TV segment I'm doing! To someone in Maine - your basket is on the way. I hope you got the message that it would be late because I wanted to have it videotaped for the TV segment. It's now safely on its way! Cindy In a far North Suburb of Chicago Where the "Windy City's" winds are reaching all the way up here! %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Laura Lee Zanger's Pink Ribbons Basket Pattern Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 10:10:07 EST From: Wickrwoman@aol.com To: brondyke@jdv.net, davidc@iei.net Peg from Iowa, You saw that "Pink Ribbons" basket pattern link on my WICKER WOMAN'S WEAVINGS newsletter, the reason you can't view it is because I transposed the letters in the URL link to Laura Lee Zanger's website. Laura Lee Zanger is one of our AOL basket board members and is a terrific pattern author. This "Pink Ribbons" basket pattern is one of many free patterns she has listed on her AOL Homepage Website. It is a twill basket designed in tribute to any breast cancer survivor or women that have succumbed to the disease. The basket can be lined with plastic and a beautiful cut flower arrangement can be made up and given to anyone that has been touched by breast cancer. As you all may remember, Laura Lee is the author of the "Monkey Business Twill" pattern, designed in tribute and memorial to Peggy Koch, former AOL board member and Monkey Foster Mom to "Davey the Unweaver." Patterns are available on www.basketpatterns.com, with all proceeds go to the Helping Hands Monkey Organization in the name of Peggy and Davey. Here it is in correct form for Peg and anyone else on Weaver's Words that would like to see Laura Lee's "Pink Ribbons" basket pattern. Sorry about the typographical error. http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/plotherbs/pinkribbonsindex.html The Wicker Woman/Cathryn Peters/Zumbro Falls, MN Wicker restoration specialist, basketmaker, teacher, and author. Visit my website, http://www.wickerwoman.com/ Subscribe to my ezine http://www.wickerwoman.listbot.com/ %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: follow up - hands Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 08:21:37 -0800 From: Helen Schwartz To: David Collins References: 1 After much discussion and moaning and groaning about hand problems earlier this year I have good and interesting news. I bottomed out about two moths ago and could hardly hold a pencil. Dumb luck and serendipity led me to a Feldenkrais instructor name Michal Ben Reuven, and thanks to her I'm making baskets again. Feldenkrais increases your range of movement with easy, gentle exercises. After each session of small stretches my symptoms became easier to live with and are almost gone. It turns out, that most of my hand problems originated in my back and neck muscles, and, had I let the eager MD operate on my wrists, I might have felt better for a while but that would have been reduction of symptoms rather than solving the problem. Instead, Michal is "waking up" muscles that have been "sleeping" and establishing both a better balance and greater range of movement. The main reason for this report is to remind weavers that when your hands are acting up it may be time to look to your back and neck...to do shoulder rolls and stretches, and make sure that everything is still in the right place and working properly. Happy weaving, Helen (From Princeton where frost is nipping at out heels and worse!) PS. other tips from Michal: If you are short, as I am, a footstool under your feet is great for your back. When you hold your work on your lap, put a pillow under it so your back and neck are not contorted. Make sure your work surface is high enough so that you don't bend yourself out of shape. I have moved to the kitchen counter from my workshop table and it really makes a difference. Helen %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Basket Swap Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 13:40:12 EST From: MSWF@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Many thanks to Angie Rhodus of Ohio who sent not one, but two baskets also a candle and a tree decoration stocking. The Christmas basket has an elaborate decorative border, rectangular with a D handle; the small basket has two swing handles and cross design on the sides. It will be great for carrying silverware to table or picnic or note cards and pencils on a desk. I'd love to live close enough to be able to take classes from her. This is the fourth swap I have participated in and I really appreciate the opportunity to share. Thanks, Mary Fulton %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: "Weavers Words" V. 4 I. 65 Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 15:46:46 EST From: StarlaK@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net Many thanks to Teri Williams of Superior, Wisconsin for sending me such a lovely basket! It was a mini-van tote by Gibson. She did a great job and chose one of my favorite colors (black plum). We have his and her vans (AKA I get the newer one, he gets the old one), so it will be used often. My daughter says it looks great on the counter, she said I could use it for all that mail that comes in! What a treat these swaps are, I watch Weaver's Words for the next one. Sarah Watts---go to sandyatkinson.com to locate the Noah's ark items you are looking for. Keep in mind, when you buy all the animals, it can get pricey. Depending on the size you are looking for, you may be able to find mini-animals in the jewelry section of your craft store. My girlfriend Martha (Bzyweaver) has a display of Noah's ark in her entryway of her house. She has different size arks. A Noah lamp and a woven Noah. The ark, is on my LIST TO DO, along with the other 1,000 baskets I want to weave, ha ha I need some ideas on some "manly" baskets. I think any basket it suitable for a man, but thought y'all might have some more specific ideas on what would be a good gift basket for my male relatives. Happy Turkey Day, Darla Krahling Fort Lee, VA where the leaves are still falling and the weather is turning cold %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Sara Watts Savannah, GA Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 18:25:21 EST From: Lewiscarolv@gateway.net To: davidc@iei.net Sarah Watts- regarding your question about Noah's Ark. Jim & Diane Lanston are the designers of that basket. Email address: baskets@dht-basketry.com. Their address is 5496 Davis Lane, Spring Hope, NC 27882. Phone 252-478-3804. They came to our guild in SC and taught a special workshop. I made the Extra Noah's Ark and just love it. You were in my cat head class with Pattie Simmons in Hickory, but we didn't get to talk. I was at the other end of the tables. The Langstons are very nice and will be very helpful to you. Happy Weaving!! Happy Thanksgiving to David and All Weavers!! Carol Votaw In SC where we got a little snow Sunday, but by Monday it was gone. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Re: Laura Lee Zanger's Pink Ribbons Basket Pattern Date: Tue, 21 Nov 2000 20:38:03 -0600 From: "Peg Weston Brondyke" To: Thanks so much for sending me the right web site for the Pink Ribbons basket pattern. I checked it out, and the basket is beautiful. I'm a social worker for the Oncology unit of a hospital, and this basket would be a great addition to the nurses' station. Thanks to Cathryn, Melanie, and Laura Lee herself, who wrote to me. Peg in Iowa %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: L vs. non-L Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 06:35:04 -0500 From: Roman Monastyrski To: David Collins If you've got a lemon - make lemonade. To those who deal with Longenberger baskets at shows, try to remember that we are also responsible to those who went before us to educate. L basket people obviously like baskets. Even if you don't make a sale, it may be an opportunity to discuss the different genre of baskets - and compare to a safe subject they can relate to like quilting. The different styles of and quality of quilts, both old and new. To Donna - have you considered teaching basket weaving? Again I found many interested in weaving baskets by setting up at a local herb farm show. I didn't sell so many baskets - the people came mostly for the all day herb dialogue. But I was able to reach many who WERE interested in learning to weave. Set out a pad of paper next time and see how many are interested in being on a mailing lists for basket classes. Most importantly = Throw another log on the fire and sit down with a delicious cup of tea or coffee and take a minute just for yourself. Happy Thanksgiving to all. Kristin M. where here in Midland MI the wild turkeys come everyday to the Monastyrski buffet of seeds and corn. It's FANTASTIC to see 39 wide bodies running down the trail in the woods to get to the buffet first. %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Swap Basket & German Weave/Lashed Base Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 08:13:35 -0600 From: Ken & Stephanie Funck To: davidc@iei.net Greetings All -- I recently received a beautiful basket from Lynn Sherlock for the Basket Swap (along with some other goodies tucked inside). I believe the pattern was called Autumn Leaves. She did a wonderful job and it will be perfect for the Thanksgiving table. Thanks again, Lynn! I am interested in locating some patterns for what is called a German weave or German lashed base. I've found one by Barb Rains. Anybody have suggestions for other patterns with this type of base? Stephanie Funck Sunny and COLD! Sun Prairie WI %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Sore finger/thanks/wooly worms Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 12:18:07 -0500 From: "Mary Hooper" To: "David Collins" References: 1 StarlaK Thanks for your commiseration on my cut finger. The cut is closed and healing but I expect to take this battle wound to my grave. It is on a joint and I kept banging it on things and opening it up. Now it's just sore, so still covered during the day. Two of the best things I found in my goodie bag at (NC) seminar (great weekend, BTW) were a basket maker's first aid kit and some extra antibiotic ointment! Did they see me coming or what???? Barb Wykoff: Fortunately, no blood on a basket...this time. As to the handmade question... the National Basketry Organization has a website under construction. People interested in the business, marketing, education aspects of basketry will probably want to check it out. Dawn: WW is, indeed, a great site for keeping in touch with the basket world. It's like a family and there are squabbles, but, as one kind reader pointed out to me, families get over such differences. Hey, if they didn't, imagine.... could it be that NOT getting over the differences is a reason for so many divorces in America???? I'm glad I could offer useful comments. Private message to follow. It's cold here in the mountains today. Robbie Sykes, who lives over east, interpreted the sign of the wooly worm for me. According to the coloring of the worms I've seen (actually furry caterpillars if you're not from here) it will be a couple of COLD months, followed by mild months, then COLD again. So far the wooly worm coat is a good predictor Hope you all have a great turkey day and may all your basket wounds belittle ones! Cheerio! Mary Hooper %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Basket swap Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 19:41:07 -0600 From: "Karen D'Angelo" To: "David Collins" Hi everyone, I just received a wonderful market basket with a braided rim, tapered sides, space dyed trim, and a wrapped handle. Some great goodies were included as well. It was definitely worth the wait. Tomorrow it will go to Thanksgiving dinner at my parents, to be shown off. Thanks David and Katy for WW and the swap. Karen D'Angelo, Wichita, KS %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Selling & comments Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2000 17:00:27 -0500 From: "Angie Wagner-Country Seat" Organization: The Country Seat To: "- Weavers Words David Collins" Hi all, Margie in MT - I hear much of the same things that you do. I weave a basket from the idea or pattern that's in my head and worry about a function later. I recently wove a double walled round reed basket (all one basket - really, really long spokes :) with only a small opening in the center (too small for my hand to fit into). My Husband's niece asked me what it was for. I told her "nothing, but for pretty" "what?" "You hang a picture on the wall just because you like it, you think it's pretty. Why not have a basket, just because it's pretty?" "Oh yeah" I figure if an 8 year old can "get it", my customers will eventually also. We all share what works or doesn't work for us. We can only speak from personal experience. I enjoy hearing what other people try. If I think something will work for me, I may try it. If I don't think it will work then I promptly forget about it. Some baskets will just not sell in a particular area. I don't lower my prices, just try to add baskets that might sell in that area and try shows in new areas. If an area has money to spend, that's where I want to do a show. Last weekend a man walked into my booth and said, "I'm not leaving until I buy one of your baskets" He bought 2 small baskets for $25 and $26, just because he liked them and he wanted to look at them, he paid in cash and signed my mailing list. Boy, I'd give a toe (can't give up a weaving finger) for more customers like that! Good luck to everyone in their fall shows. Angie The Country Seat http://www.countryseat.com %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Swap received Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2000 09:03:18 EST From: JandCPOST@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net I would like to thank Sue Bajczyk for the great potato masher basket she sent in the swap. It is natural with a natural-colored masher handle. I immediately put it on my table with my Mason jar salt & pepper shakers inside it - after showing it off to my guild! I love how every masher basket is different. The shape of the masher determines the shape of the basket. Thanks Sue! Carole %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Kid's Swap#2 Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2000 12:47:08 EST From: NanoAnd@aol.com To: davidc@iei.net THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, to all kids and sponsors that participated in the 2ND Kid's Basket Swap. There are only a few loose ends to clear up and this swap will be complete. It is so good to know that our love of basketry is being appreciated by a new generation! And DO THEY DO FINE WORK! I was lucky enough to receive pictures of some of the baskets the children made! WOW! Very nice work. I have managed to secure a coordinator for the next kid's swap. Martha Robison has graciously volunteered! However, that swap will not take place until after the Holidays. So keep your eyes open for her announcement! Thanks again to all KID'S SWAP-ers Nan Anderson (NanoAnd@aol.com) South Haven, MI %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Subject: Fw: The Rainforest Site's 50 Acre Challenge Date: Fri, 24 Nov 2000 18:38:31 -0600 From: "East Troy Basketry" To: "David Collins" Have you been to The Rainforest Site (http://www.therainforestsite.com)? At The Rainforest Site you can visit every day, click on a button, and corporate sponsors make a donation to The Nature Conservancy's Adopt an Acre program. It's free to you and only takes a few seconds of your time. While you're there, please check out November's "50 Acre Challenge". A simple (and free) act of signing up for SHADE (The Rainforest Site's online newsletter) contributes 108 square feet of land to a goal of protecting 50 acres of rainforest land in the Maya Mountain Marine Corridor, Belize. To join the challenge, all you have to do is click on the link below to sign up - and don't forget to pass this e-mail along to all of your friends: http://www.therainforestsite.com/rbt/TRS50AcreChallenge/r110100 %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% If for any reason you would ever like to cancel your subscription, simply send me a message with "unsubscribe" as your subject.