East Wind Roses



East Wind Roses

22 April 2007

East Wind Games, our little shop at Scarborough Renaissance Festival, occupies a cute little building that has a past of belonging to folks who were a bit more “green-thumb” oriented than we are.  We are proud to have some really pretty blooming plants in our little garden areas–this one in particular is amazing!  It’s a little rose bush—and by this, I mean the roses are little—and it puts out probably hundreds of blooms!  And the really remarkable thing is that the roses are not all the same colour!  Each rose tends to be a beautiful pink/peach/orange sort of colour—but some are almost totally pink.  Others are almost totally orange.  It’s a truly lovely little bush, and we think about our wonderful predecessors every time we gaze on it. 

~MB

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Distinguished Trio



Distinguished Trio

21 April 2007

The photo didn’t come out quite as well as I’d hoped, but I’m very proud of the subject matter.  This is a threesome of wonderful people—Craig, MaryAnn and Doug—best known to Scarborough Faire-goers as “The Rookes”—The Lord Mayor, his lovely lady, and his brother the Lord High Magistrate. 

I had the pleasure of outfitting MaryAnn a number of years ago, and she still wears that ensemble beautifully.  This season I have had the further honour of creating the coordinated look seen here on these two fine gentlemen.  It was an interesting challenge—making the two outfits very similar, but also distinctly different.  We worked to choose four primary fabrics that I then used to different purposes in each of the two outfits.  The result was just what I was hoping for—and I believe the brothers are pleased as well.  And, that is what really makes me happy!

~MB

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Fort Worth Lights



Fort Worth Lights

20 April 2007

Every spring, Kyle and I try to attend for at least a few hours, a wonderful event that takes place in downtown Fort Worth—the Main Street Arts Festival.  In the early years of attending, the event took place anywhere from a week to a month prior to Scarborough Faire beginning.  So, we had little to no conflict and going was easy.  Then, I started doing a lot of sewing for cast members and my deadlines began to affect my freedom to attend this event.  And, finally, just a few years ago, Scarborough Renaissance Festival moved its dates back three weeks, so that now, the Main Street Festival happens after faire is already in full swing.  So, between sewing and weekends committed to faire, going on the Friday night is pretty much our only option.

This year, Kyle was actually able to take a holiday from work—a much needed one for him, I think—and we were able to go downtown earlier in the day than we frequently do.   Although, my sewing still kept us home later in the afternoon that I’d hoped, we got there well before dark, and had a wonderful time walking and viewing fabulous art.  We got to see a couple of shows and finally head home to do our final packing and pick up the dogs to head to faire. 

This is the last photo I took all day.  I took a few pretty nice ones of buildings and stuff during the day, but this one ended up being my favourite of the day.  Taken from the sixth floor of the parking structure we tend to use, it is a pretty, yet only partial representation of our city’s skyline.  It makes me remember fondly the days of the eighties and nineties, when every major building downtown was edged in pretty white lights and the whole city was lit 365 days a year!  I miss that, but of course, with today’s energy costs, it would be so expensive it would seem irresponsible.  Kinda sad, isn’t it?

~MB

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Sleepy Soccer Man



Sleepy Soccer Man

19 April 2007

At nearly 2 a.m. I left my workshop to check on things in the house, and this is what I found.  The soccer game was still playing on the TV (Arsenal v. Man City) and my dear husband was fast asleep, somewhat buried under the cushions of his chair!  I stayed up working quite a while longer, but he moved his tired self to the bedroom at this point.  Working seven days a week is bad enough, but add to that a cross-country business trip on a Wednesday, and a wife that keeps you awake with her work and lights and noise, at all hours of the night when you’d rather be sleeping, and it totally sucks!

The photo isn’t very good–I was really trying not to wake him up!  But, in the background you can see all the boxes of new East Wind Games product that he had gotten all checked in, and priced, and entered in his inventory before falling asleep. 

I got the queen’s sleeves all done, though!

~MB

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Pennsylvania



Pennsylvania

18 April 2007

It’s 11:20 p.m. and my husband is back home with me–after a long, hard day in Philadelphia, including a five-hour wait in an airport!  This flavour of travel is anything but glamorous!

I have spent my birthday today, working.  I worked through the night last night, and finally gave up about the time the sun was rising.  I napped until the phone wouldn’t let me nap any longer, and enjoyed a wonderful brunch with Ronnie.  Then, back in the workshop all afternoon until it was time to go pick up Kyle.  Unusual birthday, but fine, all things considered.  I got emails and phone calls and silly birthday songs from lots of loved ones, and for that I am terribly grateful!  Even my brother called me! ;-)

My photo is of my new dashboard buddy–his name is Paulie.  He’s from Philadelphia, PA.  He joins the ranks of the other little guys Kyle has brought home to me from  Maine and New York and Florida and California and many other places.  This is a heart-warming tradition that Kyle began a number of years ago, and we both enjoy it!  I stopped to take his photo under a nearby street light on the way home.

So, now, after I actually post this picture (I’m on the wrong computer right now), I’ll head back to work. 

Happy Birthday to me.

~MB

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Larry and Denise



Larry and Denise

17 April 2007

Well, Larry and Denise are on their way back to Wisconsin.  We had a wonderful visit with them and I hate to see them go.  But, in July and August I’ll get to see them a lot!

~MB

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Not For Sale



IMG_3776

16 April 2007

The bench, I mean.  But, then, I guess it applies to the pretty lady, too!

Hi Paul!  This is a fun shot of our friend Laura, taken Monday as we were out on a fabric safari! Laura fell in love with this little settee and when we finally got brave enough to ask the price, we were told it wasn’t for sale! 

That’s what I want . . . for my business to be sooooo successful, that I can look a customer in the eye, and tell him he cannot buy what I make!  “I don’t need your money, sir.  That item is not for sale.  We just made that and we need it as a sample. You cannot have it.”  I was hoping they’d at least offer to make her one just like it and quote her a price.  I suppose we could have asked the question that way.  But, I was a little irritated, and didn’t want my dear friends to have to deal with Marita Beth being bitchy.  So, I let it go.  Cute bench, though.  And Laura’s cute, too!  Or, um . . . is it okay to call a six-foot tall Amazon Canadian woman . . . “cute?” ;-)

Laura is the wife of our long-time friend Paul—they live in Wisconsin.  Notice the trend—many of our very dearest friends we call family live in Wisconsin.  <sigh>  Anyway, Laura is spending the spring with Ginger, working in her workshop during the week, and helping in her Faire Pair booth on weekends.  We got a lot of mileage out of the fact that Laura was here in Texas, her son was in Canada and her husband in Wisconsin—-and she was the only one who saw snow on Easter weekend!

Our Monday was wonderful fun—my first day off in what seems like months! Larry and Denise were interested in fabric shopping, and hadn’t ever been to the row of wonderful stores in North Dallas.  So, we piled the five of us into the rental van and off we went–Larry, Denise, Ginger, Laura and I.  The loot in the van at the end of the day was pretty impressive.  Sadly for my budget, much of it came home with me!  But, I got some awesome stuff!  Yes, my name is Marita Beth and I am a fabriholic!

~MB

NOTE:  Ironically, after our experience at the fabric store—–as a follow-up to a previous post I’d like to share news about a company who does seem to understand completely about pleasing its customers.  Rubbermaid.  About a week ago, I posted a photo of a sad, broken Rubbermaid tub.  In all my years of travelling and storing stuff in Rubbermaid tubs (or totes, as they call them) I think I’ve only ever seen one other broken one.  I even entitled my KRuMB entry:  “A Rare Thing.”  This one had lived a long life—probably six to ten years—and finally gave up the ghost when pressed into service carrying my industrial sewing machine head.  I was aware that Rubbermaid offered a lifetime warranty on these products, and I knew they asked for the customer to keep either original label, or sales receipt.  I had neither, but I took that photo of my broken tub, and contacted them by email, through their website, indicating I loved my Rubbermaid tubs, but that I had this broken one and could I send them the photo and have that be enough documentation to receive my “coupon” for a new one.

They emailed me back within the same day telling me the coupon was already on its way to me.  It arrived yesterday—a Rubbermaid “gift certificate” if you will, good for any $6 Rubbermaid purchase.

I could not be more pleased and satisfied.  The letter that came with the coupon was well-written, if not completely personal, and thanked me for my loyal patronage.  I am delighted to know that at least one entity in Corporate America still puts the customer first.  Thank you, Rubbermaid!

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Is There More?



Is there more?

15 April 2007

Turns out, the answer is “yes!”  There is more.  I found it at one of my fabric suppliers in Dallas today (Monday).  I took this photo so I could search or have Nicole search for more of this exact fabric for a customer.  Then, later I realized it was the only photo I took at all on that day!

Great weekend!  Long weekend!

~MB

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Emily and Alex's Wedding



Emily and Alex's Wedding

14 April 2007

Another cold, windy day at Scarborough Faire.  But, somehow, we managed!

A simple snapshot from a bad angle, but even this conveys what a lovely event was this wedding, and how lovely Emily looked in her gown.  I am very proud of this order, and even more pleased that she and her family seemed so happy with it.  Her mom and dad actually came all the way back to the Pendragon Costumes booth to thank me for my work.  They didn’t seem to be able to say enough nice things about how beautiful the gown was, and how excellent my workmanship, and how much they appreciated me taking good care of them and helping to get them all dressed and such.   And they said Emily was getting so much attention and so many compliments on the gown—they just gushed and made me feel so special!  I couldn’t get over the thoughtfulness  involved with them seeking me out and offering such praise.  I was honoured to work with such nice people in the first place, and this was just an amazing gesture of kindness that completely floored me, and totally made my day.  This is why I do what I do.

Congratulations Emily and Alex!  And thank you for everything! 

~MB

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Emily and Alex’s Wedding



Emily and Alex's Wedding

14 April 2007

Another cold, windy day at Scarborough Faire.  But, somehow, we managed!

A simple snapshot from a bad angle, but even this conveys what a lovely event was this wedding, and how lovely Emily looked in her gown.  I am very proud of this order, and even more pleased that she and her family seemed so happy with it.  Her mom and dad actually came all the way back to the Pendragon Costumes booth to thank me for my work.  They didn’t seem to be able to say enough nice things about how beautiful the gown was, and how excellent my workmanship, and how much they appreciated me taking good care of them and helping to get them all dressed and such.   And they said Emily was getting so much attention and so many compliments on the gown—they just gushed and made me feel so special!  I couldn’t get over the thoughtfulness  involved with them seeking me out and offering such praise.  I was honoured to work with such nice people in the first place, and this was just an amazing gesture of kindness that completely floored me, and totally made my day.  This is why I do what I do.

Congratulations Emily and Alex!  And thank you for everything! 

~MB

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