Some good arty crafty stuff going on these days, making the Happy Center of my brain get a refreshing makeover — new coat of paint, curtains, and maybe a chocolate fountain?

• Ventura County Fair, as usual, delivered mightily in every way. The horticulture, food, art, craft, and domestic art exhibits were fantastic. I highly recommend going to the fair a minimum of two times so that you can see and appreciate every jar of preserved chicken; every crocheted potholder made by a Super Senior; every clogging solo (one was soundtracked by Bust a Move, that’s right); every hypnotized teenager; every quilt, cross-stich, and every disturbing conceptual installation.
  
  You can see more pictures here. My crazy crafty Ventura brethren!

• My former co-worker Ms. Sherezada Kent has gained quite a bit of attention with her awesome Han Solo cross stitch sampler. Go, Sherezada, baby!

• And me? Still plugging away on that darn Science Quilt (I promise: no more posts about it till it’s done), and I finished a project as a present for a friend. Can’t reveal more till I give it to the recipient, but: yay to salvaging former craft-disasters!

• Watch Kotori by Yves Geleyn. A sweet, short, calm, stitchy little film.

• Thoma Doyle’s work is crafty, a little creepy, and tiny — just the way I like it!

I’m off to San Francisco for the WordCamp. I seem to have gotten involved in some weird WordPress game thing while up there, the next post might be puzzling. In a good way or in a bad way, I have no idea.