FIRST MEETING WAS A BIG SUCCESS

If you missed our first gathering last night, you missed alot! There were alot of ideas to choose from and everyone saw something that they had never seen before. There was learning and hands on fun with Maureen sharing her pattern for scrubbies and teaching interested ones in making these handy tools. Some people tried their hand at needletatting, a new, easy and quick and fun way of making lace edgings and other things for embellishment. Martha showed off a jacket with squares made from her own handmade chenille. Some of us want to try that. Nellie showed some of us a few things about making her beads, and will bring in her torch for a demonstration in the future as well as a lightbox and teach us how to take great pictures of our creations. I alone already have met two new people - right here in Buckhead. My circle of craft friends is already growing!

UNEXPECTED SURPRISE! One of the women that joined us was new to all of us and a visitor from N.C. Her name is Dee Grover and she is amazing. Such talent and artistic ability. Dee brought samples of her creations and the group as a whole were so amazed. We have asked her to teach us next Wednesday afternoon, January 20, 2010 at noon at the BHR Moose lodge. Before I tell you what it is, and what we will make let me tell you a little about her. She is a breast cancer survivor since 1993 and in the past 17 -18 years has donated all of her income from the sale of her work to research for breast cancer - an impressive $180,000!!! While visiting BHR she teaches classes at the KOA and Zachary Taylor. She has to come up with a new project for each week that can be done in two hours. Try keeping up with that.

Her craft is PINE NEEDLE WEAVING. She has written a book on the subject and also incorporates them with gourds. (I'll post a pic for you) She will help us make a woven hot pad next week - here are a list of supplies that you will need: Pine needles (fresher the better), waxed thread and a dull big eyed darning needle. That's it. Some women are going to "find" the needles this week up off 710 by Dee Dee's garden. She says they are everywhere, you just have to look for them.

I had missed telling a friend about our group (sorry Sandy) who happened to call this morning, and she was soooo excited about us and disappointed that she hadn't known about last night. When I began to tell her about Dee's gourd - she said I knew you would say that, and repeated it when I told her about the pine needle weaving. Seems she and her husband have been doing gourds for years attending many classes and have dabbled in pine needle weaving - complete with a stash of needles. She will bring some to share.

There may be friends that you have missed too, so please keep passing the word. Please use this blog to post any information or comments you have. Until then, Happy Crafting