All eyes were cast to the sky as CNCH 2011 kicked off the annual conference with The Ghost of Mark Twain, McAvoy Layne, and frogs took flight! Folks from 26 guilds wound their way into the Sierra foothills for a weekend of intense workshops and evenings bustling with fiber fun.
Mark Twain AKA McAvoy Layne, tells about the far jumping frogs of the area
Alden Amos with his frog flinging contraption
Friday evening proved to be a “ribbeting”event with toadally awesome participants. Stories from Mark Twain set the stage for the Lilypad Gallery Auction and the Fiber Frog Fling. Frogs flipped, flew, shot straight up, and sometimes sought refuge through auto windows. Conference goers filled auction jars with tickets in hopes of taking a favorite amphibian home. In all we raised over $800 for the CNCH Scholarship fund.
Early Saturday morning found our folks gathering with our fabulous array of instructors. “Intense” was the word of the day as they gleaned as much information as possible from their respective workshops. Smiles, laughter, and wonderful projects could be found in each of the venues.
A look at Barbara Shapiro and her indigo dyeing class
The caning class at work
We“tied up” the evening with the one and only Alden Amos and a ravishing array of ropes spun on his rope machine. Ropes were spun with fibers of all sorts, eyes glittered with excitement as rope formed in front of their very eyes, and imaginations ran wild with possibilities.
Alden Amos and his rope making machine
Rope Making takes over the room
Spinning a multitude of fibers
Budding authors take notes and absorb tips from Linda Ligon
Our spring conference gathering became a winter gathering as the clouds rolled in Sunday morning. BUT, neither hail, sleet, nor snow could dampen the spirits of the attendees as they finished up classes and packed for home. What a gutsy crowd they were. The Amgen race and the Highway 50 closure couldn’t keep them away. Two days later, sloshing their way to their cars, they returned home with new found information and skills. Some loved our little hamlet in the Sierra so much, they kept going in circles as they attempted to leave the magnetic little town of Sutter Creek. Hats off to the 2011 committee who worked so hard, the committees of conferences past, and the 2012 committee who is currently hard at work. If you have never been involved, you have no idea what you are missing. Opportunity can be yours, because there is a sequel to the story. It arrives in May of 2012. We had a “toadally” awesome time!
It’s time to think about our 2012 Conference. Read on!