Tuesday, November 29, 2011

December News


Executive News
Wow, December is peeking around the corner at us, just about here! Busy times ahead, very busy.
   I'm breathing a little easier now that the retreats are over - a great time was had by all, lots of fun and great company and good food. Many thanks to Sally, Walter and Bud for all their help with everything, and many thanks to everybody for being such good sports about cleaning before and after! Also thank you again to Heart 'n Sole for the wonderful prizes.
   This coming Tuesday Nov. 29 is our Work Bee to complete comfort quilts under Rae's guidance. A reminder, please no personal projects that day. It's entirely devoted to the comfort quilts so bring your machine, lunch and spirit of giving ... many hands make light work and there are lots of folks out there who will love their comfort quilts. Beginner or experienced quilter, there's something for everyone to do and coaching will be given if needed.
   Saturday Dec. 3 is the FOFA open house from 10 am to 3 pm. Some Guild members will be there working on projects to show the community what we do and it's not too late to let Mary Cadman know if you can also attend and help out. There will be Guild items for sale too, not just our Guild's stuff but beautiful items from the other Guilds we share space with. A great chance to pick up some gorgeous and high quality Christmas gifts!
   Tuesday Dec. 13 is our own Christmas party. Come one, come all! I hope you've let Diane know if you're attending the lunch at Omega or not. Bonnie Popoff is getting some games ready for us, the Christmas wallhanging project is fun and easy, and don't forget to rummage through your sewing/craft rooms and bring along those things you don't need anymore for the silent auction benefitting the Christmas Hamper fund - items do NOT have to be new or quilting related but should be something you think other folks might want. 100% of the auction funds raised go to the Christmas Hamper fund locally. We won't have an evening business meeting in December but will have a few quick items to take care of during the party day. This will be a day of seeing the building packed ... shared tables ... elbows everywhere ... full design walls ... oh what fun!
   The response to the Dancing With Thread guild-self-teaching for machine/free-motion quilting has been terrific. The books have been ordered from Heart 'n Sole and will be here soon. If you signed up but haven't paid your $15 yet, please do so as soon as possible - only those who have paid will get their books, and the book is your ticket to take part in the group! I'll take your money whenever you like, please don't leave it with anyone else unless absolutely necessary. Rae has kindly volunteered to coordinate the group for us so if you've got ideas on how to make it work feel free to talk her up. We're hoping to get going early in the New Year.
   The Dear Jane ladies are going to get busy again soon. If you've never seen or heard of a Dear Jane quilt, google it. They're beautiful quilts and every quilter makes their own masterpiece their own way. Learn about the history of the original Dear Jane quilt and one woman's fascination with it that has resulted in an entire Dear Jane movement of quilters.
   Beginners' lessons continue into the New Year under the very capable direction of Diane and her squad of instructors and buddies. Lovely pieces are coming out of this group ... our new quilters are building excellent skills.
   Before we know it, the West Kootenay Quilt Conference will be upon us. As hosts for the 2012 Conference, it means work for the Guild under the direction of Cathy and Rae, but I know you'll all pitch in to help make it a big success and a lot of fun for everyone attending. There will be a Work Bee day or two before April to make the little fabric boxes for the gift bags - more info on that and other WKQC things to do will come from Rae and Cathy. Please save your pop and water bottle plastic caps for me ... I'm going to host a group of finger-pin-cushion makers to put in those gift bags as well. I need about 100 caps.
   In the works for some time in the New Year are invitations to other Guilds and groups to join us for tea and goodies on a few Tuesday afternoons. We can share what we're doing, see what they're doing, meet new people and re-new old acquaintances and friendships. A field trip or two of some sort would be nice too - if you have ideas for that, bring them forward.
   Remember to put your thinking caps on some time between now and the January business meeting and come up with some fundraising ideas. While we have money in the bank, more means we can do more which means more fun and skill-building and sharing for everybody.
   I'd also like a few people to step up to the plate and volunteer to shadow the executive positions, as Laura Jean has done with the secretary position. It's great if more than one person shadows a position and nobody is obligated to stand for election just because they shadowed a job. Feel free to shadow more than one position too. It's all about learning and experience. It doesn't matter if you're new, either. New is fresh, a good thing! Besides, by the time positions need to be filled, new members won't be new anymore. Ladies, the future of the Guild is in your hands.
   .Looking back at what I've written here, it's easy to see we're a busy Guild. All this activity is great. We're using members' ideas to give as many members as possible what they want out of the Guild. If the Guild isn't giving you what you want, please speak up ... there's always room for more ideas and always room for more learning, sharing and giving to the community.
Stephanie


December Events
Business Meeting/Christmas party - Dec 13, 2011
Irene's annual Christmas tea
Dec. 16th at 1:00 pm to ?. Please come and enjoy and leave all your stress behind for a few hours. My address is 5070-graham st. For those that do not know where I live I am by the Danville border.

In-Guild
There will not be an in-guild in December.

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