Vendor Rambows and Friends shared that her female tarantulas can live up to ten years, while males live a few years less. Her display at the Goshen Reptile Expo featured young slings beside their mature male tarantula with orange legs. How long do tarantulas live? Vendor Rambows and Friends shared that her female tarantulas can live up to ten years, while males usually live a few years less. After reaching maturity, most males live for only about two years. At the Goshen Reptile Expo , several people were gathered around the Rambows and Friends booth, asking questions and admiring the reptiles. The vendor was friendly and open, answering everyone’s questions about the animals she had brought. I was looking at the small containers that held baby tarantulas, also called slings. Next to them was a display showing the father of those babies, a mature male that had recently passed away at the end of his life cycle. His legs were covered in orange coloring, and he was strikingly beautiful even in stillness. When I asked how long tarantulas live, she explained that females can live close to ten years, while males only live a few years less, and around two years after maturity. It was fascinating to see the slings up close, with their tiny fuzzy legs, bits of soil, and small feeder crickets waiting to be eaten. The contrast between their size and the adult display really showed how much they grow over time. In addition to the tarantulas, this vendor also brought several colorful geckos, which she displayed in neatly organized enclosures. Rambows and Friends Accessories regularly attends large reptile expos in the Midwest, including Tinley Park and Goshen, and shares updates about where she’ll be vending next through her Instagram account @rambows_and_friends . Corky Lorenz November 9, 2025

How to choose an event photographer by understanding your event type, goals, and how the photos will be used for promotion, vendors, and future events. How to choose an event photographer How to choose an event photographer starts with knowing what your photos need to do. This guide helps you pick the right photographer based on your event, your goals, and how you will use the images. Event Type When thinking about how to choose an event photographer, start with what the event is and what the photos are going to be used for. Is this a one time event, or something that happens every year? Recurring Events If it is recurring, the photos are not just for memories. You will likely use them for next year’s promotion, press coverage, and to attract sponsors. In that case, it becomes very important to have someone who can cover the event in an aesthetically pleasing way and who understands your goals. The feel of the photography acts as a filter for who the event is for and who it attracts. Pre Event Photos If it is a one time event, it can still be important, but maybe not for sponsors or long term promotion. In that case, you might want your photographer to come ahead of the event to help promote it. Photos of the location can be very useful. front entrance where to park where the bathrooms are what the space looks like Guest Experience This helps people understand what to expect and can make them feel more comfortable attending. It is especially helpful for people thinking about accessibility, navigation, or unfamiliar spaces. Then on the day of the event, think about what you want documented. Vendor Coverage Are you just trying to remember the event, or are you using the photos to represent the people involved? Vendors often get overlooked. If you have vendors, it helps to tell your photographer that you want them featured. That can include booths, products, and interactions. When vendors are shown clearly and tagged afterward, it makes them feel appreciated and gives you more content to share. Social Plan A photographer with experience in this will often gather names or social handles while shooting and have a plan for how the images will be used afterward. Photo Use Photography is no longer just about taking photos. It is about what the photos are for and where they will end up. photo album Google Business profile Facebook page story or post ad campaign Photographer Type You may hire a different photographer depending on those answers. A wedding photographer will shoot an event differently than a commercial photographer who is thinking about representing a business or selling something. If you think through your goals before reaching out, it becomes much easier to choose someone who fits what your event actually needs. Corky Lorenz May 5, 2026

What we expect to see for 2026: here's an overview of the typical yearly schedule for the Marshall County Blueberry Festival in Plymouth. See what usually happens each year, including the Balloon Glow, fireworks, blueberry donuts, music, bike ride, parade, carnival, vendors, tournaments, and kids activities. Marshall County Blueberry Festival 2026 Expected Schedule Here's a list of main events that usually happen each year at the Marshall County Blueberry Festival, based on long-running patterns that return every Labor Day weekend. Main Weekend The festival runs Friday through Monday over Labor Day and fills Centennial Park with food tents, vendor booths, live music, carnival rides, and blueberry desserts. Most visitors treat the weekend as a full-park experience. Blueberry Donuts The blueberry donut booth is a festival icon. People line up early for donuts, ice cream, slushies, pie, and other blueberry-heavy desserts. Music Multiple stages run throughout the weekend with a mix of local musicians and festival acts. Evening sets draw larger crowds as temperatures cool. Bike Ride The annual Blueberry Festival Bike Ride typically happens on Saturday morning and offers several route options for cyclists. Parade The Labor Day Parade takes place Monday morning and acts as the closing event for the festival. It’s one of Plymouth’s biggest annual parades. Carnival The carnival operates all four days with rides, games, and a large midway area. Families often plan their visit around ride hours and nighttime lights. Balloon Glow Sunday night is one of the largest draws of the entire festival. Hot-air balloons light up the field after sunset, followed by the festival’s annual fireworks show. Fireworks The fireworks happen immediately after the Balloon Glow and bring the biggest evening crowd of the weekend. Getting a seat near the front usually requires arriving early in the afternoon but is not required to be able to see and enjoy the display. Vendors More than 300 vendors usually take part in the festival, ranging from handmade crafts to specialty foods and retail items. You can see vendor registration info, here . Tournaments Softball, volleyball, pickleball, and other sports events appear most years, drawing local teams and spectators. Kids Stuff Face painting, activity tents, contests, and blueberry-themed games rotate each year. Families often search for these details even before schedules are posted. Extras Some years include classic car shows, maker demonstrations, or special community exhibits. These aren’t guaranteed annually but appear often enough to be considered recurring features. Updates Links to official event info will be added here when schedule announcements are made for the 2026 Marshall County Blueberry Festival. Corky Lorenz February 15, 2026

Rollin Stoned Customs is a Goshen, Indiana based glass blower and ceramic artist creating colorful hand blown glass, ceramic mugs, and live glassblowing demonstrations at regional markets and events. Rollin Stoned Customs Moey Hart is a full time glass a ceramic artist, based in Goshen, Indiana. Location Based in Goshen, Indiana, Moey often appears at regional markets and pop-up events. Themes in work He is drawn to bold color and heat driven process to produce unexpected results. Glass blowing and ceramic glazing are a primary focus. Recent events Seen at the Mistletoe Market at the Elkhart County Fairgrounds, Kercher Sunrise Orchards fall pop-up market in Goshen, Ink’d Arts Fest II in Kankakee, Illinois, and seasonal pop-ups at Wana-Cup Restaurant in Shipshewana. Links Active on Instagram and Facebook as Rollin Stoned Customs . Custom work is welcomed, and event updates are shared through social media.

This is a cultivar of hoya, referred to by the name "sweet scent" with clusters of pinks flowers. Hoya Sweet Scent This is a cultivar of hoya, referred to by the name "sweet scent" with clusters of pinks flowers. Substrate Hoya sweet scent has been potted in LECA (lightweight expanded clay aggregate) for about 2 years, in these images. It's watered with diluted hydroponic nutrients. I don't keep it in a pool of water. Growing Conditions It sits in a large north facing window, in northern Indiana. I do not supplement humidity, so it gets dry and cool in the winter months. Flowers The flowers are 2 toned pink and smell pleasant. Overall, the foliage and the flowers remind me a lot of hoya obovata. It's very tolerant of neglect an underwatering, but will thrive with consistent watering. Definitely worth getting this hoya for its bloom! Corky Lorenz February 12, 2026

Folding style with tall peaks for deep color penetration. Tall deep scrunch fold Creating tall peaks in the fabric in order to have long flowing lines when ice dyeing. Tie dye links See all glossary items See tutorials for flowy ice dye and geode tie dye .

Learn how the flowy, polyester fleece tie dye method was invented. By layering thin fabric over polyester fleece, the dye flows across the surface instead of soaking through, creating smooth, watercolor-style lines instead of jagged ones. What is the flowy poly fleece method in tie dye? This is a technique meant to produce a smooth watercolor look on thin fabrics. It’s done by placing polyester fleece behind the thin fabric before bunching. This is a technique I call the poly fleece method, for ice dye. It's a trick I developed while chasing the watercolor look on thinner fabrics. I first noticed that thick sweatshirts hold their folds with structure, creating smoother dye flow, while light shirts crinkled and broke the color lines. I tried foil supports, but the sharp points disrupted the flow. Then I stacked multiple cotton shirts, hoping they’d mimic sweatshirt weight, but each layer absorbed instead of channeling the dye. Eventually I used a layer of polyester fleece beneath the thin shirt. It repelled just enough moisture to keep the dye traveling across the surface instead of through it, while still allowing gentle drainage. The result is what I now call flowy ice dye. Long, smooth gradients that behave more like watercolor art than traditional tie-dye. Corky Lorenz October 6, 2025

Bamboo fleece makes a soft and absorbent topper for cloth pads. Use either side of the fabric, enjoy vibrant dye results, and repurpose scraps for pad cores. Can you use bamboo fleece as a topper for cloth pads? Yes. Bamboo fleece is soft, absorbent, and works beautifully as a cloth pad topper, whether you use the fuzzy side or the smooth knit side facing up. Lots of people really love using bamboo fleece as a topper for sewing cloth pads , because it is very soft and very absorbent. Usually when they are using it as a topper, they’re using the 300 or 400 gsm fabric weight. Often, people are getting the fabric from Nature’s Fabrics , Kinderel or Wazoodle. There are lots of other places I’m sure you could get it, but those are some of the common sources I knew of when I was most frequently buying fabrics for cloth pads. A lot of people who like using bamboo fleece as a topper think that the fuzzy side is really cute, and they like to have that as the side that faces out and is visible. When you think of a sweatshirt, the fuzzy fleece side is usually on the inside, but in the context of cloth pads and diapers, the quality of the fleece is better, and the fuzzy side is actually nice and desirable to be seen and felt. Some people still like to have the smooth knit side towards the body because it’s their preference and they want the fabric for its absorbent capabilities, but it can be used either way. The really nice perk about bamboo fleece or bamboo terry is that it takes dye very well. The colors are quite vibrant, and it’s a nice instant gratification activity if you want to have some beautiful, colorful pads. If you end up having scraps that are dyed and not big enough to sew a whole pad, you can just use them to bulk up the core section of the pad. Even if it’s dyed, it doesn’t matter, you can use it on the inside of the pad. Corky Lorenz October 22, 2025

DN3D Prints is a Goshen based vendor selling 3D printed toys and figures made from licensed artist designs. Commonly seen at First Friday events, festivals, and local markets across Michiana. DN3D Prints DN3D Prints is a Goshen based vendor selling 3D printed toys and figures made from licensed artist designs. Commonly seen at First Friday events, festivals, and local markets across Michiana. Location See their physical location in downtown Goshen. 114 E Washington St, Goshen, IN 46528 Hours Open 4 days per month: 1st and 3rd Friday (5pm - 9pm) 1st and 3rd Saturday (10am - 3pm) Links You can see updates from them on Instagram or Facebook Events Recently, they appeared at the Mistletoe Market , at the Elkhart County 4H Fairgrounds. You can also visit their vendor table at Goshen First Fridays event, held in downtown Goshen, IN.

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