Fun December Demos!

Looking for some fun holiday knitting and craft projects? Come in and visit Serendipity for the following project demos:

We have a knitting and crochet pattern for these adorable cardinals
as well as several other kinds of cute winter birds!

Come in Saturday, December 15th to make these adorable

gift tags using left over Christmas cards, business card stock,
yarn and other crafty items!

On Saturday, December 22nd come in for some fun ideas on 

Gift Wrapping with left-over yarn!

Introducing the New Serendipity Owners!

Curious about the new owner's of Serendipity? Look no further!

Sheryl and Frank Campbell have lived in Buena Vista for 4 years now. Before that they lived in Aurora, Colorado and had a shop called the Thistle and Shamrock in Denver. The Campbells ran the store in its DTC location for 9 years before deciding it was time to take the business solely to the internet and trade the busy city lifestyle for a quieter and much more scenic life in BV! T&S can be found online and still specializes in Irish woolens, Scottish Kilts and accessories and family tartans. How did they get into such a niche business you ask? Funny story.

20 years ago Sheryl worked for National Jewish Hospital in Denver as an Electron Microscopist. Frank was a geologist for Equity Oil Company. Both felt that they wanted to get out of the corporate world and when their friends, Jim and Sandy MacDonald, said they were selling their shop the Campbells knew this was the opportunity they had been looking for. They learned the business and what it really means to run a "Mom and Pop" shop as their two children frequently came to work with them on weekends. Becky and Ryan started out playing in the back room under the counter and grew up to be young Christmas gift wrappers for customers and eventually shop staff as well.

When the Campbells moved to BV they were looking for some activities to do in their new found free time. They came across Serendipity where Sheryl started to take some knitting and spinning classes and Frank became the only male spinner to attend the monthly spinning group regularly. They also help their neighbor, Karen Woolley, with her alpaca ranch. From Karen's award winning alpaca, Delta, Sheryl recently entered a skein of yarn she spun for the Taos Wool Market and won third place!

When the Campbells found out that the Yingers would be selling Serendipity they wondered if this was their new calling. Between their own love of the store and the knowledge of what the store means to the local community along with their experience running their own small business in the past they decided to pursue the purchase of Serendipity. Now that the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed they are excited to open Serendipity back up on December 1st!

Buena Vista will be hosting the Christmas Opening festivities on December 1st and the Campbells thought this would be the perfect day to reopen Serendipity! Please come out for the BV Christmas Opening festivities and come on down to participate in the Chocolate Walk here at Serendipity where you’ll find all the wonderful yarns and new gifts for the holidays. As if you need any more motivation to come on by, we thought we'd also let you  know that you'll get the chance to meet the new Basset-in-Residence, Bonnie Jean. She has experience working the floor at Thistle & Shamrock and is up to the task of being the official Serendipity greeter and babysitter for little ones as needed!

We hope to see you all December 1st!

The Rodeo is in town

Isn't she a cut little Cow Girl, I love her scarf.

We are all knitting  at Serendipity Yarn and Gifts on July 13th from 5pm to 7pm in honor of the Buena Vista Rodeo.  All my knitting cowgirl friends will be knitting on their "Cowl Girl" projects.  Get some yarn and needles and join us.  It might come in handy on Saturday Night at the Rodeo if it is still cold and rainy like it has been.  See you there.

July Taste of the West



Here is a hint for the July Taste of the West Yarn,  You are going to need a button to finish this project.  It will be a free pattern on Ravelry.  I knit it up in a very short time and loved making all those cables.  Come join us if you want to be a part of our Taste of the West Club at Serendipity Yarn and Gifts.. 

How does your garden grow????

I love coming to work every day, not only is there a large array of color once I unlock the door to Serendipity Yarn and Gifts and enter in--it starts before you even get in the door.  Thanks to our gardener Janet it always looks very inviting.

I have started knitting the July Taste of the West project--here is a hint, you are going to need a button.

Taste of the West packages in the mail

Here is my Raindrops on Roses out of the June Taste of the West--Jody was kind enough to let me take her photo.  I love the colors and will have another skein of this yarn in my stash after today.  There are lots of skeins of this so you members give me a call after you get your package if you want another one.  I know it makes wonderful socks.  I have pictures to prove that.  If you are not a member we still have three slots left--come join in our fun.

Working on my design with Mira's BAAH yarn.  I might be finished by Friday if I can keep my needles clicking.  This yarn is a delight to work with and if I can get it done Mira would like to have it to look at while she has her booth at TNNA.  Maybe she will even display it--how about that.

Prepare Round # 2

I really have committed my self to designing a  shawl.  My package arrived from Baah yarn company.  The La Jolla  original hand painted sock yarn  is the choice for Round # 2.  This little ant wanted in the photo also.  (if you can't tell by now I love taking pictures)   Mira chose these colors for me-  I love them-Chocolate Cherries and Byzantine Gold.  Thanks ever so much for gifting me some of your fiber to play with.   I think you are going to like the results. 

Serendipity Yarn and Gifts will have this yarn on our shelves soon.  You are going to love it.

Here is the 1st try at my "Blue Spruce"---my days off start tomorrow.  :)  I will be knitting with my new yarn after I get my chores done.

June's Taste of the West is ready and waiting!

I spent some time making the gift tags to go out with June's shipment of Taste of the West.  I have finished my project and am waiting to post some photos after the yarn is shipped out.  You can see it peaking out from these aspen tree leaves.  Aspen Ridge is the perfect name for the Mountain Colors yarn.  There are only 4 slots left in the Taste of the West Club so give me a call at Serendipity Yarn and Gifts if you want in on the fun.

May is still SOCK MONTH as Serendipity

 Laura brought in her shawl today that she made out of Mad Tosh Sock Yarn.  She will be offering this class on July 14th in the afternoon.  Call the store if you would like to join us-the class space in limited, you will need to have some basic knowledge of how to knit lace.  It is one amazing shawl.  Hope you can join us.

 Here are a couple of the ladies who took the Ann Budd sock class last week.  May is sock month at Serendipity Yarn and Gifts so we have some great deals on Sock books.  There is lots of fun sock yarn to pick from also.

Good Coffee-Ann Budd-and a blue spruce

How I am starting my day!!  A great cup of coffee and the excitement of Ann Budd being in town.  She is teaching her sock class at Serendipity this morning. 



Thanks to my friend Lucy-she just returned from her country and look what I was gifted.  Oh is that a little bit of the Taste of the West for June sticking out--I am casting my Raindrops and Roses shawl on today with that yarn.  :)

Here is my Blue Spruce pattern.  I am having a go at designing again.  I knitted this once with just a few notes--now to knit it again and write down every step of the way.  That is if anyone would like to have a "Blue Spruce" of their own.  It would be fun to do a KAL this fall with all of you.

Why I can say I "Celebrate Mothers Day"

This is our daughter Calista and her son Keenan.  She took him to the car races--he will never forget this day Calista!

This is my mom "Calista"  AKA Billie or Gram.  Holding Little Miss Addi Martin

Our son and his wife Natalie on his Commissioning Day--He is now an officer in the United States Navy.  Addi stole the show.  I love being a mom, wife and friend to all of you.  I hope you enjoyed your Mothers Day.

Don't Forget

Look what Robin and I put out--our new Vera Bradley



 Celebrate Women Give Aways--These are just a few of the gifts we will be giving away at our 7th annual birthday sale April 29th from 10 am to 5 pm.  Be sure and get your tickets at Serendipity Yarn and Gifts.  If you can't get in early this week the tickets will be for sale at the door.  See you Sunday if not before  :)

A None Knitting Weekend

I am not knitting much this weekend.  Instead I made a long over due birthday gift.                                  
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TAMI YINGER
I bet you thought I forgot  :)
This fabric came from Fringe in Salida Colorado

Thanks Penny and Jody for your help in picking out my fabric.

The KICK OFF

Some of the Denver Knitting group picking colors for the "West at Heart Hat and Mittens"  We now have all the colors and patterns in.  There are also some wonderful sample sweaters for you to look at out of the Mountain Meadow "Cody" Wool.  It is amazing yarn and oh so soft.  Come in and let me show you.

Guess Who???? is coming to town

I can hardly believe  it---Ann Budd will be teaching at Serendipity Yarn and Gifts on May 19th.  If you want to take her class you better give us a call.   The class is filling up ever so quickly.    If you can't make it that day we just set out all her sock books.  Come look through those. 

Doing the Bunny Hop

Here comes Peter Cotton Tail!!!  This was my knit on my days off :)  they turned out so cute.    Does any one want to knit a pair with me this summer?   I would do a class as they can be  felted in the sink and only take two shakes of a bunny tail to knit up.  

I can't stop myself with just one

Here is Tami's hat and she is now starting on her mittens.  It still needs to be blocked and she will do that when she returns from her spinning retreat. 



These are my mittens and can I say I could not wait to get started on the hat.  It took me less than a week to knit these, what a quick project and so fun.  The West at Heart Hat by Varian Brandon is now on the needles.  The Mountain Meadows wool and pattern will be ready for you all on April 15th!!!  Practice up on your color knitting if need be--you won't want to miss this KAL



 Oh and I made gluten free ginger snaps today--I didn't stop at just one of those either :)

Look at what is coming to Serendipity

 This will be our next KAL--it launches April 14th, 2012.  We will be having a trunk show on the that day so you can come and pick your colors.  Right now Tami is knitting the hat that goes with these beauties.  We will be using a patterns designed by Varian  Brandon/Brandon Knitting Designs.  She is a delight to work with and her pattern is very clearly written and easy to follow so come join us.

 Robin just took this fiber home last night to start on her mittens and hat.  I can't wait to see her finished project.  Robin is a much better color work knitter than myself.

 These are mine,  one mitten down and working on the second.  Varian said my bumps will go away after blocking.  I have loved knitting with this Mountain Meadows Fiber, it is so smooshy.

Jelly Cat anyone??

Addi loves her lamb--every night she reclines and has a big drink on milk using her little lamb as a pillow.  They are the perfect gift for any new baby.   I am a sucker for any cute little animals for my grandkidos.  Can you tell?????

Downton Abbey vs Starwars

 I wanted to wait to blog about my R2D2 knitting adventure--you had to see the photo's of Keenan (our grandson) wearing it.  He has been asking for this hat almost every time I talk to him on the phone.  I promised I would make one for him at Christmas.  I am not the best color work knitter but making all those mittens has helped.  So I just dove into the cotton yarns (K can't wear wool) at Serendipity hoping to find a color that is close enough to R2D2.  I must of passed that test because he didn't call me back saying R2D2 was never that color Nana!!  I have themed this year  "knitting for others"  and let me tell you I love it.  As you can see Keenan is very happy with hat.

I have never been in a Knitting Swap before but I was in the right place at the right time to be picked as one of the 52 people to be in The Downton Abbey Swap.  I did my home work this morning looking for Edwardian/ Victorian patterns.   I  found my knitted mitten and bracelet pattern.  I scored as it is the original pattern from a book published in  1880.  Now the terms will take me a bit to understand.  It has some color work and there is no chart.  Wish me luck.  I chose this picture because I just love the head butler Mr. Carson and William.   Who is your favorite?  I can tell you who I don't like but I will let you guess.