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Mouse TalesVol 4 - Issue 4 October 2005Contents
President's MessageCan it already be the end of October and time to start thinking about holiday plans?? I don't know about the rest of you, but it seems to me that the year is picking up speed as it moves forward! And what a year it's been! Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma have affected several of our chapter's members, and many more throughout the organization. Our hearts and prayers go with each of them as they try to rebuild their lives and get back to something resembling normal. While the rebuilding efforts of the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army, and organizations like them, are helping those affected to reclaim their lives, EGA is also helping, in our own special way. Those who ply a needle know how wonderful it can be to lose yourself in your work for just a little while, to forget about everything for a moment, relax with a needle in your hand, and find that 'calm center'. But how do you do that when the very tools you need are gone? That's where we are stepping in. Those who are able are donating stash of any sort, which is then being distributed to those members we know of who've lost theirs. If you can help in this cause, please contact Meg Shaffer. Another event, on a much smaller scale, is the $10 dues increase that went into effect October 1. For some of us, this may not seem like a large amount, but for others, this extra money might mean the difference between membership in EGA or paying for some necessity, such as medication or groceries. In light of this, the Board is offering a way for us to help each other. We have created a Sponsorship Fund that any member can contribute to, in any amount you like. This scholarship will cover *the increase only* for any member who is unable to afford it, for up to two years. If you would like to contribute, please contact me and we can discuss it further or make arrangements for you to donate or receive a sponsorship. With the holiday season right around the corner, this is the perfect time for each of us to reflect on what we have been blessed with, those we hold dear, and the opportunity to help our neighbors. May we always be thankful for these things. Kelly JacksonPresident, CyberStitchers Outreach ProjectsAnne and Marian wish to thank everyone who contributed holiday/Christmas ornaments for the breast cancer research and diabetes outreach donation projects. Every ornament is beautiful, and we're sure they'll raise some nice amounts for the two charities! We'll have photos posted on the chapter's website as soon as possible. Judi thanks everyone who has sent handmade bookmarks for the chapter's
Bookmarks for Literacy project -- and reminds us that she is still accepting
bookmarks. The children attending her local library's literacy programs
are going to be so thrilled to receive them! Meg continues to collect needlework stash donations, to be donated in
the name of our chapter to fellow stitchers who lost everything during
the recent hurricanes. Members are invited to consider sending Meg extra
needlework supply items (such as like-new threads, needles, scissors,
hoops, fabric, charts, and magazines) or complete kits -- which will then
be redistributed to those in need of a little stitching sunshine. Contact
Meg for
further information on how to help, and thank you to those who have generously
donated so far! Our "Outreach for One" folder is still there to provide members with other ideas for outreach. Go to our cyberstitchers_ega Yahoo! group. Click on "Links", then on "Outreach for One" folder. Some of the possibilities you will find there are: Angels for Hope, CASA ornaments, Cole's Quilts, Quilts of Hope, and St. Jude Bookmarks. We also encourage members to post other links to charities you know of that need assistance, or you can send the information to our Outreach Chair, Lynn, and the committee will see that it gets posted. If you choose to participate in one of these programs, please do take photos of your finished pieces before sending them to the charity of your choice. Then post a little note to the Chat4 list (between meetings) or on our main cyberstitchers_ega list (during meetings) to let the rest of the membership see what you've done. That's our version of "show and tell" which is a regular feature of f2f (face to face) chapter meetings. We can also share them in future newsletters with your permission. Education ReportThe Education Committee, composed of myself, Rissa Peace Root, and Irene Staker, presents the following report: GCCs: We currently have 14 classes in progress: 17th C English-style Sampler The following GCCs ended: Crazy Patch Adventure BEE 2: I am in the process of collecting payments for our 4th quarter classes - 17th C English-style Sampler, Mariposa, and The Needle is My Immortality. 17th C Sampler is currently full, but we have lots of spots in the other classes. BEE 3: I've had inquiries about what we're doing for next year, but haven't come up with any ideas yet and am looking for suggestions. Petite Projects: The latest petite project has been uploaded to our yahoogroups website. The project is called "A Nosegay Pin" and was designed by Cynthia Wetzel. Instructions on how to save and print the petite projects is in the Files area of the petite project group. Here's the link to the petite projects group files: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CSPetiteProjects/files/ The project instructions are in pdf (Adobe) format. You will find the pdf file in the folder labeled "Current Petite Project" . There is also a photo album labeled "Nosegay Pin" in the CSPetiteProjects yahoogroup where you upload photos, scans, etc of this project. If you upload a photo, etc, please put your name somewhere in the title so we know who it belongs to! BAM: The current BAM diagram is beaded detached chain stitch and beaded lazy daisy stitch. All diagrams will be in the CS-Stitch-A-Month yahoogroup. Look in the Files section in the Folder labeled "Files for BAM". If you are not a member of the CS-Stitch-A-Month group but would like to be, send an email to: CS-Stitch-a-Month-subscribe@yahoogroups.com GCCs retiring this year: In the September 2005 issue of Needle Arts, Ukrainian Openwork and Mexican Convent Sampler are being retired on December 31, 2005. I haven't checked with National yet, but it looks like to me these classes won't be available for registration - they are listed as "withdrawn". I will email and find out if we can register for these classes. People have asked about Mexican Convent Sampler, but not the other class. Stitch-a-long: We have a few stitch-a-long groups going now; the ornament group, a bead group. Please let me know if there is an interest in a group stitchalong, a small meeting stitchalong, or any other similar ideas you might have. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me. Respectfully submitted, Anne LEducation Chair Of InterestCongratulations to our own Bette Kelley for receiving a research grant
from National!! The grant is for 1 1/2 years. Bette will study and document
one of her closest friend's mother's embroidery. It's called Legacy of
a Lifetime - the Croatian cutwork of Manda Ilic. Bette shared that this
is basically a combination documentary of one "ordinary" woman's
work, where it fits into her culture, how that culture has changed, and
the current state of her type embroidery in the culture today. Of course,
this will "force" Bette, her friend, and another friend to go
to Croatia next sumer to an embroidery festival! Bette has already started
interviewing her friend's mother, with her friend translating. Bette thought
this was am important project that needed to be done on some level. She
hopes to try for an exhibit at Nat'l, write an article for Needle Arts,create
a slide show for the education dept, and maybe do a Petite Project. Her
goal is ambitious, but she says she is nothing if not energetic. January
is her official start. A round of applause for Bette! We will be anxious
to see the fruits of your labors! You can now look at the offerings for National Seminar 2006 to be held in Richmond, Virginia, October 23-30, 2006. To see class descriptions go to Seminar 2006 on the EGA website. Did everyone notice the item in the September NeedleArts under "Chapter News" (pages 44-45) about our chapter's outreach projects? We were thrilled that the NeedleArts Editor decided to print the submission in its entirety, INCLUDING the list of the Outreach for One websites! Unfortunately, the bookmark project was old information, as it was written and submitted before Judi volunteered to coordinate the current version of the project.) Found in the Redwood Stitchers newsletter - beads for chocoholics. http://www.dragonbeads.com/chocolates.html The 'New Zealand Creative Stitch & Craft' magazine has become an e-zine (online magazine). You can look at the latest issue by going to the following website: http://www.creativestitchandcraft.co.nz/ They have stopped publishing a hard copy magazine. If you go into the "Contents" and click on the Hardanger Ornaments you will find that they are a free download. You need to have Adobe Acrobat to download them though. These designs are different from most Hardanger ornament designs - there is a Teddy Bear one! Thanks for pointing this site out Rhea! The Dragonboats class is still up and running on Yahoo. If you are interested in making one of these cute little ornaments, the class is free for all members. Go to yahoogroups.com and sign up for CSDragonboats, or email Sue for an invitation. A reminder to members: Sometimes when we get involved in a discussion, we hit reply and include a copy of the post we are responding to. If a couple of us do this, the result is one post ends up with copies of several previous posts included in it; if we do this enough, it makes posts quite lengthy and makes it tough to follow a conversation. I have been guilty of this myself; I get involved and rush to answer <grin>. I have also caught myself responding to something and having the wrong subject line up there. Just a friendly reminder to highlight only a line or two to show what you are responding to, and make sure which subject you are responding to. It will make it easier for all of us to read posts. Thanks much! Sue SherburneNewsletter Editor Experiences at Atlantaby Lynn BurshtinThis year, I decided to do it ALL and spend the ENTIRE week at EGA National Seminar (in Atlanta GA), and am I glad that I did -- I had a ball! I think I attended just about every EGA event and display room that I could...it took a week afterwards for me to float back down to earth again. Classes: My 1-day class (Wednesday) was Scotch Ya!, a canvaswork piece by Marnie Ritter. A great project using variations of scotch stitch with various fibers (I'm almost done stitching it!), and Marnie is a wonderful lady and great teacher. The others were two 2-day classes taught by Jane Timmers (of Fancy Work) titled Finer Points of Finishing, Part1 and Part 2 -- hands-on workbook classes in hand-assembling small stitched items. We put together a round pinkeep, a needlebook, and a scissors fob, and lined a tin and then topped a tin; also included were methods for twisted cords and basic tassels. In my opinion it was great, and Jane made the class so much fun, AND she sent us each home with a notebook full of how-to's including other techniques/knowledge for future items....I feel so "empowered" now, to properly finish my collection of stitched, but not assembled ornaments, pincushions, and other needlework accessories. No more whining, "But, but, but, I can't dooooo thatttttt....". <smile> The bookstore was awesome (Ruth Kern Books from Arizona always puts together a great collection to tempt us!), the on-site needlework shop was VERY tempting, the EGA displays were to-drool-over, and of course Merchandise Night was, well, expensive <sheepish grin>. I had a chance to talk with some teachers and designers, and found every one to be "just real people". The food at the banquets was great, and the region gave us wonderful favors to take home. I attended the annual business meeting as a delegate for Lamplighters, my other chapter (Rissa was our chapter's delegate); it was enlightening to see how the EGA runs and listen to the national officers explain EGA programs. Tennessee Valley Region had a get-together one night which was great fun, and some of our chapter members even won door prizes! But, you know what....? The part of Seminar 2005 that I'll always really deeply cherish in my memory is: the people. Being with my "EGA family" of fellow needleworkers for an entire week -- living, breathing, and dreaming stitchery. Renewing old friendships from previous seminars, but, especially, getting to know face-to-face my fellow chapter members -- hearing their voices, seeing their smiles, sharing our experiences, and feeling their hugs. The rest of the seminar experience was great...but the -people- are the best part of it all, to me. --Lynn Burshtin, now back in southern New Jersey with my memories and my much-enhanced stash collection P.S.: if you go to Jane Timmers' Fancy Work website at http://fancywork.net you'll be able to view her sampler-style designs -- it's beautiful "eye-candy"! NOTE: pictures from Seminar can be found at chat4cyberstitchers under Photos. Look in the Seminar 2005 folder. TVR's Efforts For Hurricane Relief
Calendar:CyberStitchers Meetings:November 10-15, 2005:General meeting of CyberStitchers from 9PM (ET) Thursday, November 10 through 9PM (ET) Tuesday, November 15. December 8-13, 2005:Board meeting of CyberStitchers from 9PM (ET) Thursday, December 8 through 9PM (ET) Tuesday, December 13. Regional and National:February 10 - 12, 2006
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