Good News at the Store:
Welcome Easter and all the activities that come at this time of the year! If you have the good fortune of being around children, I’m sure there is a spring vacation close at hand. And the rest of us are enjoying the “bits of spring” that are surrounding our homes. Every day is a new “show” with some daffodils springing up along road sides. Soon we will see the amazing show of all of nature’s “greens” in the woods as the trees and bushes welcome spring.
It's our “SCRAPPY” Friday and usually also Saturday, but we will be closed this Saturday so we’ll keep them over on Monday!
We also enjoyed two “Teas” this past week. We welcomed Judy Hudson to the shop to share her joy in writing children’s books. It is just so important for us to write some of our experiences for the future generations. If it seems like too large a task, write letters – perhaps about important memories that you have.
Our other “Tea” brought “Mott Child Life” specialist, Jennifer Gretzema and also our Doll ladies, Kathy Bodary, Carol Dettling and Nancy Vogt. They showed us how the dolls made by a team of women supported by The Quilting Season are used to teach and comfort pediatric patients undergoing treatment at Mott. They had samples of the dolls and answered questions of how the dolls are used to teach, through play, the care of the port the child will have for infusions and/or chemotherapy while in treatment. A very interesting afternoon!
How are you doing with your “Challenge Creation”? The fabric has fascinated so many of you! We sold out of it. Now I can just imagine creating, sewing, and finishing it. Entries are due April 1st. We will display them from April 15th thru April 30th. You will have a chance to vote on them during that period. And we'll have a “Celebration Tea” on May 4th to applaud all your creativity and to award the prizes.
We had a great time the past two weeks with all of the “OH-MI Shop Hoppers”! We had more than 220 come to our store! They loved our specials – and our popcorn!
And we hope to see many of you return for the “All Michigan Shop Hop” in June and July.
We are eagerly awaiting the Michigan fabric that we have ordered and already have lots of ideas on how to use it. Every store in the All ;Michigan Shop Hop (81!) will have their own samples and specials. We have ordered more magazines which carry lots of patterns, ideas and your passport. We will let you know when they arrive at our store – hopefully the first week of April. They cost $11.95 and you can call the store to reserve yours.
A big “Thank You” to all of our volunteers who helped us tremendously during the “OH-MI Hop”! They welcomed everyone, helped cut fabric and even helped select just the right colors for those who needed it. We couldn’t have done it without you!
We just received four different cloth books for little ones. I have so many memories of reading them to our grandchildren as they snuggled down in the covers to sleep. With the cloth books, they can take them to bed, chew on them, and they can be washed! Best kind of books for young children! They are $15.00 per panel which creates one book.
Our Helping Hands
Thank you for the coffee which is continuing to come and SASS has said their shelves always have coffee now. Thank you so much!
Today a large bag of yarn and some books on crocheting and knitting will go to the prison. We are so glad to get more supplies out to them. We continue to look for the plastic circle knitting needles as they are accepted in the prison, too. This is a winning project – all the way around. We could also use any books for their library of ideas.
The men earn the right to do community service projects. Knitting and crocheting are acceptable projects. They keep track of their hours which go to a reward system at the prison. The completed projects are donated to the Salvation Army to sell or give away. Everybody wins! This project is a winner for everybody!
“FIDGIT SISTERS” will meet in April – third Monday afternoon. We would love to welcome you to see and perhaps help us in meeting the needs for folks with dementia . Our group creates “activity mats which have things for folks to do . Some folks need a mat with different textures to rub – very soothing or have zippers to pull, or cloth doors to open. So many ideas which can comfort “busy” hands of the elderly! If you need supplies before that do come in and we will help you gather some from our supplies bins.
Mary's Musings
Do you have a recipe box? Or perhaps someone’s in your family? I have just taken a walk thru mine looking for a special recipe from my grandma. As I looked at the yummy recipes that have served my family well for over 60 years, I began to wonder about you. Does anyone continue to keep recipes – in our friends' handwriting – and if used often – probably well smudged with some of the ingredients.
Others are in the donor’s handwriting – giving me so many flash backs of wonderful times with each of them. You know, we ate differently then, not always more simply, but oh, were they good! I also remember earlier in our marriage when money was short. If I had an extra dollar, the back of the drawer was my bank. I was quite sure no one would look there.
Things have changed – our tastes - our available foods - and the ease of restaurants - the mail to you of meals for the week. I am also astounded that you can now buy pills which offer you all the vegetables you need – dried, pulverized, and made into giant pills. My advice is to go back to cooking – for the creativity, the fellowship of eating with each other, and simply another way of creating something beautiful! Mary
Spring Peepers...
“I woke up this morning determined to drink less, eat right and exercise…but that was 4 hours ago when I was younger and full of hope!”
“I know my friends think at times I am crazy, but I haven’t lost all my marbles yet. But there is definitely a small hole in the bag somewhere!”
“A new study shows that buying fabric and quilting supplies prolongs your life. Looks like I’m going to be immortal!”
“A young man saw an elderly couple sitting down to lunch. He noticed that they had ordered one meal and an extra drink cup. As he watched, the gentleman carefully divided the hamburger in half, then counted out the fries, until each had exactly half. Then he poured half of the soft drink in to the extra cup and gave it to his wife. The old man began to eat and his wife sat watching with her hands in her lap. The young man decided to ask if they would allow him to purchase another meal so they didn’t have to split theirs. The old gentleman said, “Oh, no. We’ve been married 50 years and everything has always been shared 50/50.” Touched by the beautiful display of love, the young man asked if the wife was going to eat. She shook her head kindly and replied, “It’s his turn with the teeth!”
Love!