Jan-Feb 2015 - The Country Register

N.& S. Carolina
2
The Country Register of North & South Carolina
515 E Carefree Hwy #1128 • Phoenix, AZ 85085
Toll Free 888.942.8950
Fax 602.866.3136
[email protected]
www.countryregister.com/carolina
Barb Stillman
Lolly Konecky
Publisher
[email protected]
Patty Duncan
Sales/Office Assistant
Nancy Williams
Editorial Consultant
Publisher/Art Director
[email protected]
Cathy Shoemaker
Graphic Designer
Phyllis Cypert
Sales/Office Assistant
The N. & S Carolina Country Register
is published by:
The Deadline for the March-April
Issue is February 1st for Ads & Articles
Our feature articles will focus on
Quilting, Sewing & Needlework
Cover Art
Kelly Newbury-Photographer
The two Still Life Photographs—Cup of Thread and Purple Threads—on our cover
are by Fine Art Photographer Kelly Newbury. Publisher and Art Director Lolly Konecky
thinks the use of natural light is fantastic and is happy to share it with our readers.
Lolly found Kelly’s work on Etsy and loved the sewing-inspired still life images.
Since Kelly lives in South Carolina, Lolly knew
she would feature her in an upcoming issue and
the vintage spools with their colorful thread
along with the heart pins seemed perfect for this
January-February issue.
Born and raised in Southern California, Kelly
grew up at the beach and lived the fast paced
life. Then she met her love, packed everything
up and moved to South Carolina. She says that
life has slowed down a bit and now she notices
more of the little things.
Kelly became so inspired with her new
surroundings, that she bought a new camera.
She has always loved photography, but it took
moving to go digital. She started taking pictures
to show her new world to friends and family back home and, after some prompting, she
decided to start selling her photos on Etsy.
All of nature fascinates Kelly and she is inspired by natural light and the world around
her. She says, “I like colors, texture, vintage chic. The ocean, fairs and all things fun.
Birds, bees, flowers and trees all make me smile. If my photographs make you smile too,
I am even happier!”
To learn more, follow Kelly*n photography on Facebook or visit: www.etsy.com/
shop/kellynphotography.
The Country Register is a United States and Canadian network of independently owned
and published specialty newspapers for the consumer who enjoys outstanding shopping,
events, day & overnight excursions and specialty classes.
Publisher’s contact numbers across the
USA & Canada for The Country Register
Send $3 to any publisher below to obtain a paper from another area:
* Indicates these editions are available on-line at www.countryregister.com
USA
Alabama: Dana Wilburn, 6349 Knollwood Ct. Frederick, MD 21701, 301-698-2694
* Arizona: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950
* Arkansas: Lenda & Richard Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597
* California and N. Nevada: Betty Fassett, 26941 Cabot Rd., Suite 132, Laguna Hills, CA, 92653, 800-349-1858
Colorado: Jan & John Keller, 16755 Oak Brush Loop, Peyton, CO, 80831, 719-749-9797
* Connecticut: Michael Dempsey, 10213 Fanny Brown Road, Raleigh, NC , 27603, 919-661-1760
* Delaware: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 128, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763, 888-616-8319
* Florida: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217
* Georgia: Linda Parish, P.O. Box 389, Lexington, GA, 30648, 706-340-1049
* Idaho (N): Dee Sleep, 10563 Chicken Creek Road, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028
* Idaho (S) WA & E. OR: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950
* Illinois: Lenda & Richard Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597
* Indiana: Gail & Merle Taylor, P.O. Box 128, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763, 888-616-8319
Iowa: Linda Glendy, P.O. Box 6, Tama, IA 52339, 641-751-2619
* Kansas: Cindy Baldwin, 988 9th Ave., McPherson, KS 67460, 866-966-9815
* Kentucky: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whitrose Way, New Market, MD 21774, 443-243-1118
* Maine: Gail Hageman, 221 Winslow Rd, Albion, ME 04910, 207-437-2663
* Maryland: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217
* Massachusetts-RI: Michael Dempsey, 10213 Fanny Brown Road, Raleigh, NC 27603, 919-661-1760
Michigan: Bill and Marlene Howell, 3790 Manistee, Saginaw, MI, 48603-3143, 989-793-4211
* Minnesota: Kim & Mickey Keller, 12835 Kiska St. NE, Blaine, MN, 55449, 763-754-1661
* Missouri: Lenda & Richard Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597
* Montana: Dee Sleep, 10563 Chicken Creek Road, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028
* Nebraska: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950
* Nevada (N): Betty Fassett, 26941 Cabot Rd., Suite 132, Laguna Hills, CA, 92653, 800-349-1858
* Nevada (S): Glena Dunn, 4568 Carol Circle, Las Vegas, NV, 89120, 702-523-1803
New Hampshire: Kathleen Graham, 330 North Road, Deerfield, NH, 03037, 603-463-3703
* New Jersey: Merle and Gail Taylor, P.O. Box 128, Owens Cross Roads, AL 35763, 888-616-8319
New Mexico: Jan & John Keller, 16755 Oak Brush Loop, Peyton, CO, 80831, 719-749-9797
* New York: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217
* N. Carolina: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950
* North Dakota: Dee Sleep, 10563 Chicken Creek Road, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028
* Ohio: Barb Moore, P. O. Box 37, Cable, OH, 43009, 937-652-1157
* Oklahoma: Lenda & Richard Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597
* Oregon: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950
* Pennsylvania: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217
* Rhode Island: Michael Dempsey, 10213 Fanny Brown Road, Raleigh, NC , 27603, 919-661-1760
* S. Carolina: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950
* South Dakota: Dee Sleep, 10563 Chicken Creek Road, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028
* Tennessee: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whitrose Way, New Market, MD 21774, 443-243-1118
* Texas: Lenda & Richard Brown, P.O. Box 32581, Oklahoma City, OK, 73123, phone/fax 405-470-2597
* Utah: Daniel & Stacy Tueller, 153 S 2050 W, Provo UT 84601, 801-592-8498
Vermont: Chris & Kelly Kennedy, 5804 Whitrose Way, New Market, MD 21774, 443-243-1118
* Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217
* Washington & E. OR & S. ID: Barbara Stillman and Lolly Konecky, 515 E Carefree Hwy #1128, Phoenix, AZ, 85085, 602-942-8950
* West Virginia: Dave & Amy Carter, P.O. Box 365, New Market, MD, 21774, 866-825-9217
* Wisconsin: Scott & Jennifer Hughes, P. O. Box 276, Altoona, WI, 54720, 715-838-9426
* Wyoming: Dee Sleep, 10563 Chicken Creek Road, Spearfish, SD 57783, 605-722-7028
Index for Jan-Feb 2016
Charlotte, NC • Matthews, NC ....................................................3
Concord, NC • Salisbury, NC .....................................................3
Services ...................................................................... 3, 7, 14-15
Chapel Hill, NC • Sanford, NC ...................................................4
Belhaven, NC • Fuquay Varina, NC .............................................4
Special Events .................................................... 3-6, 8, 10, 14, 16
Raleigh, NC ...............................................................................5
New Bern, NC • Wendell, NC • Wake Forest, NC .........................6
Warrenton, NC • Newport News, VA ..........................................8
Raeford, NC • Fayetteville, NC ...................................................9
Statesville, NC • Granite Falls, NC • Forest City, NC..................10
Newton, NC • Morganton, NC ..................................................11
Burnsville, NC • Maggie Valley, NC ..........................................12
Waynesville, NC • Franklin, NC ...............................................12
Gaffney, SC • Camden, SC .......................................................13
Mt. Pleasant, SC ................................................................. 14, 16
Summerville, SC • Hilton Head Island, SC ................................14
Bluffton, SC.......................................................................................15
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* Alberta: Ruth Burke, P.O. Box 97, Heisler, AB, T0B2A0, (780) 889-3776
British Columbia: Bryan Stonehill, Box 1338, Summerland, BC, V0H 1Z0, 800-784-6711
* Manitoba & Saskatchewan: Scott & Marj Kearns, Box 850, Kipling, SK, S0G 2S0, 306-736-2441
* Ontario: Harriet Ramos, Box 60, 4338 Innes Rd., Orleans, ON K4A 3W3 613-612-8465
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owned and published specialty newspapers for the consumer who enjoys outstanding
shopping, events, day & overnight excursions and specialty classes.
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promotion of Specialty Shops
For more information about publishing The Country Register contact Barbara Floyd
at 602-237-6008.
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Jan-Feb 2016
Charlotte, NC • Matthews, NC • Concord, NE • Salisbury, NC • Services • Special Events 3
The Tale of a Box from My Closet
by Kerri Habben
Winter offers powerful lessons that it is a good time to finish up old tasks.
Of course, I’ve also received the last phrase of that sentence in a fortune cookie.
Whatever the inspiration, I’ll make it my own: It is a good time to finish up old tasks
and to allow the past to settle into the future.
I have a tangible task; it sits before me in a box, waiting patiently as it has for the last
nine years. There is nothing onerous, dreary or disturbing in my box. There is no lurking
regret, sweat-breaking doubt or even intense grief.
There is a beautiful memory, one so heartbreakingly warm that I rarely rewind the
moment. That way, it remains vibrant and alive.
Now I wish to share it with you.
It is mid-August, 2006. Three generations of women sit together in a resident’s room
at an assisted living community. The resident, the oldest at four months shy of 100 years
of age, crochets, as do her daughter and granddaughter.
It is as it has ever been for as long as the daughter and granddaughter can remember.
Except for the grandmother’s hands. Their efficient rhythm has lost its steady stamina.
There are gentle bursts of energy and then periods of complete rest. The process repeats
itself until the yarn sits still and quiet in her lap.
All of them know that the desire to try remains, but as the saying goes, the flesh is
weak and tired. A rare sadness and passivity creeps into the grandmother’s eyes.
The granddaughter finds a pretty basket in the closet. They ask the grandmother if she
would like to put the yarn there so she can pick it up when she feels more rested.
The grandmother nods with a relieved acceptance, releases the skeins and the partially
finished granny square into the basket. 91 years of crocheting comes to an end.
Three weeks later, the grandmother passes peacefully away at the hospital, dying of
aplastic anemia, wherein her bone marrow ceased to produce blood cells and platelets.
The blanket and yarn was packed up and the granddaughter placed it in her closet with
the thought that she and her mother should finish it one day.
She waited to finish it because what she felt from the blanket was the weakening of
strength and durability. She knew, naturally, that one day her grandmother would no
longer be living, but somehow it seemed like her hands would forever be steadily moving.
After a time, whenever the granddaughter saw the box, she still thought of finishing
it one day. But this time, somehow, she even forgot what was in the box. Which meant it
was more than time to complete the blanket.
So on this winter’s day, I open the box. I remove the yarn, whereupon the square
appears lost. I reach out to embrace and reassure it and I find that instead it comforts me.
During its long hibernation, the atrophy I feared to feel has somehow again grown
into a new, deeper strength. Or, perhaps, time has the same effect on a blanket as it does
on the human heart.
I pick up a crochet hook and I decide to crochet one row to outline my grandmother’s
work. And it is then that I know that her work never stopped at all. She is within every
efficient and steady motion of my mother’s and my hands.
The past settles into the future.
It is a good time to finish up old tasks.
Kerri Habben is a writer, photographer, and crochet instructor living in Raleigh, NC.
An avid crocheter and knitter, she learned these skills from her grandmother and mother.
She donates many of her yarn creations to those in need. Kerri has gathered a decade
of essays she is working to publish. She can be reached at [email protected].
Win Two Free Tickets to
Southern Spring Home & Garden Show
Tell us where you found The Country Register and what you enjoyed most about
our Jan-February issue. Our lucky winners will be drawn at random and each will win
two tickets to the
Southern
Spring
Home & Garden
Show held at The Park
Expo and Conference
Center in Charlotte,
NC on February 26-28
and March 4-6.
To enter, send an
email to: carolinas@
barlomedia.com and
put “Southern Spring
Show” in the subject
line. Or send a letter
or postcard to: The
Country
Register,
515 E. Carefree Hwy,
#1128, Phoenix, AZ
85085. Be sure to
include your name,
address and phone
number. One entry per
person.
The drawing will
be held on February
10th so if you’re
sending a letter or
postcard be sure to
mail it early enough
to reach us by the
deadline. Winners will
be notified by email or
phone and tickets will
be mailed that day.
Disclaimer
Articles published in this newspaper, which are contributed from an outside source, express the
opinions of their authors only and may not express the viewpoint(s) of the management or staff of
The Country Register. Such articles that are accepted for publication herein may be edited at the sole
discretion of the publisher.
Responsibility for products advertised in this newspaper lies with the advertisers themselves.
Though The Country Register will not knowingly publish fraudulent materials or fraudulently obtained materials, we are not liable for any damages arising from the purchase or use of products advertised herein. Notification regarding any consumer complaints related to merchandise purchased
from our advertisers would be appreciated and would assist in our efforts. Copyright © 2016 by The
Country Register, 515 E Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085.
4 Chapel Hill, NC • Sanford, NC • Belhaven, NC • Fuquay Varina, NC
N. & S. Carolina
Life Threaded in Stitchings
by Ann St. Martin Stout
YiaYia, my Greek grandmother, enjoyed crocheting.
Her handiwork, while not legendary, was certainly impressive to me as a 10-year-old.
Big bright spools of crochet thread were found near each of her resting chairs. When she
finished crocheting each day, she slipped her slim, shiny crochet hook under the threads
and tucked the unfinished length of lace inside the hollow cardboard spool.
When YiaYia took up her crochet hook and cotton thread, the fingers of her dry,
wrinkled hands flew as she made inch after inch of lace. These colorful strips—gold, red,
aqua—would soon decorate a pair of pillowcases. While she worked, she told me about
life in Greece and about immigrating to America as a 16-year-old.
As YiaYia grew older, she made more pillow trim than anything else. In younger days,
she had made doilies to cover the arms of her over-stuffed chairs, lace to trim curtains,
and square tops for throw pillows. Most familiar, though, were the rainbow of pillowcase
trims resting against crisp white bed sheets in each of her rooms and in the beds of her
children’s and grandchildren’s homes.
When YiaYia finished a yard of lace, she joined the ends and stitched the loop to
the edge of a new white pillowcase. For this project, she unearthed from the bedroom
closet what seemed to me an ancient Singer hand-cranked sewing machine, shiny black
with a painted design that looked like gold filigree. It was one of the first things she had
bought when she earned enough money as a young worker in a Lowell, Massachusetts,
cotton mill. For a half-century, that machine stitched lace to pillowcases and created and
patched clothing of three generations.
This particular model required more coordination to operate than other machines
because it was run by a hand crank. With the left hand, lace and fabric were fed to the
needle while the right hand kept a steady rhythm in a clockwise motion making the
needle march in place.
When the sewing machine sat at the end of the dinner table, the tablecloth pushed
back, I was eager to see what YiaYia was making. In the ‘60s and ‘70s, the era I recall
most vividly, she was often patching dungarees for my older cousins. Long before I was
born, though, she had stitched bleached cotton sugar bags into underwear for her own
children and made other practical things like aprons and skirts for her family to wear.
I’ve been married now for 35 years. We still sleep on the pillowcases YiaYia made
for me. We store them in the linen closet beside the stack of flowered pillowcases from
many sets of sheets. When a piece of YiaYia’s lace begins to unravel, I thread a needle
and repair it. I fear that if the lace unwinds, little by little, some memories of YiaYia may
also unwind and I would lose a bit of the thread that holds the years of my life together.
Ann St. Martin Stout writes from Newport, NH, where she lives with her family and
is always on the lookout for free heartwarming experiences to share. Her blog is www.
leavesarefree.tumblr.com.© Ann St. Martin Stout
Tea- The Healthy Drink
Garlic-Ginger Beef & Noodle Soup
courtesy Cooksrecipes.com
1 pounds beef top sirloin steak, cut 3/4-inch thick
2 tablespoons minced garlic - divided use
3 teaspoons minced fresh ginger - divided use
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 cups reduced-sodium beef broth
4 ounces uncooked thin spaghetti or rice noodles, broken into thirds
1 (12 to 16-ounce) package frozen stir-fry vegetable blend
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce (optional)
Cooking Directions:
Cut beef steak lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick strips.
Combine 1 tablespoon garlic, 2 teaspoons ginger, sesame oil and beef in medium bowl;
toss to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerate 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Combine broth, remaining 1 tablespoon garlic and remaining 1 teaspoon ginger in
stockpot; bring to a boil. Stir in pasta and vegetables; bring to boil. Reduce heat and cook,
uncovered, 4 to 6 minutes or until pasta and vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add half of
beef; stir-fry 1 to 3 minutes or until outside surface of beef is no longer pink. Remove
from skillet. Repeat with remaining beef. Keep warm.
Remove soup from heat; stir in beef and, if desired, soy
sauce.
by Janet Young
January is National Hot Tea Month. As seen around the world in many cultures,
drinking tea has proven to be beneficial to our health and well-being. So, if one of
your resolutions for the New Year was to develop a healthier lifestyle, then why not add
drinking tea daily to your list. Drinking hot tea contains antioxidants that help reduce the
risk of cancer. Green tea, in particular, helps to reduce cholesterol, and stabilize blood
sugar level.
If you are already a tea drinker why not experiment with different types of tea. For
example, instead of a black tea, try a white or green tea. Or, stay in the black tea family,
if that is your tea of choice, but try another flavor such as spicy (ginger) fruity (peach)
dessert type tea (chocolate mint). Use loose leaf tea instead of teabags. You will be
amazed by the difference in taste.
To help you get started, why not attend a tea tasting, or go to a tea shop and see if
you can sample a few varieties. The tea expert should be able to help you identify the
characteristics and notes of various teas.
Enjoy tea at a teahouse to experience the tea ceremony.
Read a few books about tea, and learn the proper way to prepare it.
Experiment with pairing certain foods with tea, or if you want to be even more
adventuresome try cooking with it. There are cookbooks available to assist you.
Invest in a tea travel mug for tea on the run.
Study after study has shown tea is beneficial to our health, so why not start the New
Year right. EDUCATE yourself about the art of tea. EXPERIMENT until you find a
favorite type and brand. Then ENJOY!
Let’s Drink To Our Health!
Janet Young, Certified Tea and EtiquetteConsultant, is a founding member of MidAtlantic Tea Business Association and freelance writer/national tea presenter. Visit her
website at www.overtheteacup.com.
Jan-Feb 2016
Raleigh, NC • Special Events 5
6 New Bern, NC • Wendell, NC • Wake Forest, NC • Special Event
N. & S. Carolina
Giveaways and Winners
We have two giveaway winners from our last issue:
• Linda Simmons of Wendell, NC, will receive a $25 Gift Certificate to be spent at her
favorite Country Register advertiser, Ladybug Cottage, also in Wendell.
• Barbara McNally from Claremont, NC, is the winner of the 6” Taper Candles by
Judy Condon.
Linda said this about Ladybug Cottage: “They have lovely quilting fabric, they are
so friendly and they are in the town where I live.”
In this issue there is another $25 Gift Certificate drawing, free tickets and a book
giveaway so be sure to enter and tell us which Country Register advertiser is your favorite.
We love hearing from our readers and so do our advertisers so let them know how much
you appreciate their shops and that they bring you The Country Register each issue.
The Country Register, Inc., is celebrating its 28th year! Newspapers are now published
in 46 states across the U.S. and in five provinces in Canada. Going out of state? Call
ahead to the state(s) you will visit and get a copy of that area’s The Country Register and
take it with you as you travel this winter.
When you enter our contests, please share with us how you use The Country Register
in your travels and shopping trips. We wish everyone a very happy 2016!
Latest Jane K. Cleland Novel
Ornaments of Death: A Josie
Prescott Antiques Mystery
Ornaments of Death is the tenth book in Jane K. Cleland’s critically acclaimed
Josie Prescott Antiques Mystery series [St. Martin’s Minotaur]. Prescott, an antiques
appraiser-turned-amateur sleuth, once blew the whistle on
a price-fixing scandal that rocked the high-end antiques
auction houses in New York City. She then relocated to New
Hampshire to start a new life, founding her own business in
the coastal town of Rocky Point.
Cleland’s fictional debut, the IMBA bestselling and
multiple-award nominated Consigned to Death, introduced
her resourceful protagonist and was selected by Library
Journal as a “core title” for librarians looking to build a cozy
collection.
In Ornaments of Death, the story opens when Josie
receives an early Christmas present—she is contacted by
Englishman Ian Bennington who says he is a long-lost
cousin. Ian sold his business for a huge amount and, after taking up genealogy, found that
he and Josie were distantly related through Arabella Churchill, mistress of King James II.
He tells her he owns exquisite miniature watercolor portraits of these notable ancestors,
which he has given to his daughter Becca, a marine biologist specializing in clams, who
is working in Boston.
Ian is warmly welcomed at Josie’s annual holiday party so when he later misses
a date with one of her friends, then is a no-show for a lunch with Josie herself, she
reports him missing. However, there is nothing the police can do. Once Ian’s body is
found—he has been killed in a hit-andrun—Josie works with her friend Ellis,
the Rocky Point police chief, to find out
what happened.
Shock follows shock as Josie and
the police make stunning discoveries.
Using her knowledge of antiques—and
people—, she is able to solve the crime.
In addition, in doing so, she discovers
the true meaning of family—and of
Christmas.
Publishers Weekly says, “Fascinating
tidbits
about
collectibles,
along
with evocative descriptions of New
Hampshire in winter, elevate Cleland’s
10th Josie Prescott Antiques mystery.
Distinctive characters, including Josie’s
Maine coon cat, Hank, help make this
holiday cozy a winner.”
Often reviewed as an Antiques
Roadshow for mystery fans, Jane
Cleland’s series marries antiques lore
seamlessly with fair-play mystery
puzzles. This book, like all of the books
in the series, stands alone, but for series
readers, it’s fun to see the evolution of
the familiar stable of characters. It is especially interesting to see how the romance with
Josie’s boyfriend, Ty, is developing and how she counts on her good friend Hank, the cat,
for wisdom and guidance.
Ornaments of Death can be purchased from your local bookstore or online. For more
information, including book club discussion questions and a free, fun antiques appraisal
challenge, “What’s It Worth? You Be the Judge!”, visit www.janecleland.com.
Win a Free Copy of Ornaments of Death
Enter to win your very own copy of Ornaments of Death by sending an email to
[email protected] and put Ornaments of Death in the subject line. Be sure to
give us your name, address and phone number.
You can also send a note or postcard to: The Carolinas Country Register, 515 E
Carefree Hwy, #1128, Phoenix, AZ 85085. The drawing will be held on February 1 and
the winner will be announced in our March-April issue.
Jan-Feb 2016
Building Harmony
A Weekend with Hunter
by Jeff Cappis
Cathy and I don’t get to see as much of our grandchildren as we’d like. We admit it.
Often, life gets in the way and time has a way of passing. The other day Cathy reminded
me that our grandson, Hunter, was turning nine. It had been ages since we’d spent some
quality time together,
just the two of us.
I made a point
of planning a whole
weekend around his
birthday. I hoped it
would be memorable
for him and we could
reconnect. We were still
close, but it had been a
while. I picked him up
on Friday after school.
The plan was to take
him home for a birthday
dinner, followed by
games and a movie. On
Saturday, I planned to
take him into town for a
few games of laser tag,
a monster truck show,
dinner wherever he
wanted, and maybe play
a round of mini-golf.
We had a long drive
to the acreage and didn’t
seem to have much to talk about. I turned on the radio to fill the void. He likes to listen
to the stations that give me a headache. I like listening to stations that made him want to
“scoop his brains out and feed them to zombies.” Well, I didn’t want that to happen so,
on the way home, I got a big headache.
The snow was beginning to fall around five o’clock. Heavy. The temperature dipped
well below zero and the sun was going down. I thought we were home free until my truck
got stuck at the bottom of our driveway. We took a long walk through the deep snow up
to the house. The door was locked and my keys were in the truck. It was then that Hunter
turned to me and said, “Oh ya, I forgot, you left your headlights on.”
To get my truck unstuck, we started up my quad with the snowplow on it. You may
have heard me refer to it as “Satan” in other stories. Well, good ol’ “Satan” got us down
to my truck all right. Then it died and refused to start. By the time we got up to the house,
our boots were filled with snow. The blizzard was in full swing. I knew we weren’t going
anywhere on Saturday.
Cathy had prepared a birthday dinner for Hunter, though. He loved it. He stuffed
himself with hot dogs and macaroni. We sang Happy Birthday to him (off key) and he
blew out the birthday candles. Then he stuffed himself with rich chocolate cake and icing
and downed half a soda.
Yeah, we should have known better. It took us twenty minutes to clean up the mess.
Hunter felt kind of sick for the rest of the night. I may never eat hot dogs and macaroni
again. Worst of all was the smell. We tried opening windows and a blizzard went through
the house.
Because of the storm, our power was constantly up and down. It was pointless to try
watching a movie, play video games or anything on the Internet. I was feeling sorry for
Hunter. This was turning out to be a bummer of a birthday.
I kept a big fire going, Cathy tended to his ailment and Hunter, well, he persevered
feeling sick and making small talk with his grandparents. Turns out, listening to old
people go on and on about when they were your age is boring. The 1970s were in the last
century so who cares.
And so the weekend went. The smell had gone by noon Saturday but the blizzard
raged on. We all got a lot of sleep. We played a few board games. (Old ones from the
last century—1998.) We had few laughs and even managed to bake some cookies. The
conversations did get much better, but the weekend was nothing like we had planned.
On Sunday, the storm finally subsided and the good old sun came out. Hunter and I
spent the day digging Satan out of the snow and dragging its sorry frame back up the
hill to the garage. We cleared the driveway by hand and drove my truck up. Then Satan
began to run fine.
Hunter’s mother was coming to pick him up at five o’clock so all we had time for was
a cup of hot chocolate. I did a little soul searching. “I’m sorry things didn’t work out the
way we planned. This must have been a real disappointment for you.”
“Yeah, we did miss doing a lot of cool stuff. Maybe some other time,” he said, looking
down for a second. Then he looked up, “But can we do this again next weekend?”
“Sure,” I said with a smile. “I’ll order up another blizzard. But next time, no chocolate
cake and soda.”
Copyright by Jeff Cappis. Email: [email protected].
Professional Services 7
Professional Services
8 Warrenton, NC • Newport News, VA
N. & S. Carolina
How Do You Spell Love?
From Lydia’s Recipe File: French Onion Soup
If French is the language of love, what better way to express your love than with
French onion soup? And your friends will undoubtedly ask for amour of this tasty, easyto-make soup. For Valentine’s Day, cut the cheese into heart shapes to fit on the bread
slices.
Ingredients
1 package Onion Soup Mix (such as Lipton)
1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
sliced French bread (one or two slices per person)
Swiss cheese slices (one or two per person)
Directions
1. Prepare onion soup mix according to package directions. Add sugar and simmer.
2. Toast one or more slices of French bread for each person. Butter if desired.
3. Top each slice of toast with a slice of Swiss cheese cut to fit the bread.
4. Microwave bread for 30 seconds or until cheese melts.
5. Pour hot soup into bowls. Top each with bread and melted cheese.
Enjoy!
Makes 4 one-cup servings.
Optional: If you wish more onions in the soup, brown one or two thinly sliced onions
in two tablespoons butter until tender. Add to packaged soup mix and simmer according
to package directions.
Love makes the world go ’round. So, as the year begins, here are some “heart-Tea”
ideas to share love with family and friends of all ages.
Heart-Tea Menu for Adults
Last February, I was pleased to serve lunch to my sister Ruth. Since it was near
Valentine’s Day, a “heart-Tea” meal was in order.
I prepared four heart-y soups to sample: my mother’s meatball-and-dumpling soup
(my childhood favorite), white
bean and ham, French onion,
and asparagus with lemon.
Ruth loves asparagus, so
that soup with its refreshing,
lemony taste and chunks of
roasted asparagus was her
favorite. It looked appealing
served in a heart-shaped glass
bowl and topped with a heartshaped piece of wheat toast
and a roasted asparagus spear.
I garnished another soup with
a slice of tomato cut into a
heart with a cookie cutter and
added a chive arrow across the
top.
Our menu also included
Place setting with garnished heart-y soup.
green-pea salad with small,
heart-shaped pieces of cheddar cheese served in paper muffin liners and placed on doilies
atop heart-shaped saucers. We finished our meal by nibbling heart-shaped chocolate chip
cookies and sipping Bigelow’s Pomegranate Pizzazz herbal tea, a rose-colored, fruity
blend.
Lovely Setting
Pink and red make a cheerful setting for teatime. I used a pink gingham cloth, pink
heart-shaped teacups, and red and white tulips for the centerpiece. Heart-shaped cookie
cutters made inexpensive napkin
rings and heart-shaped red, pink
and white doilies added a lovely
accent. Since Ruth enjoys the
candy bar with her name, a
package of Baby Ruths waited
at her place setting.
Heart-Tea Ideas for Young
Sweethearts
Often,
our
grandkids
and I bake and frost heartshaped sugar cookies together.
Sometimes we also make
chocolate chip cookies into
hearts. They’re easy to make:
Roll the dough into a ball, flatten
it and then cut out the dough
with a heart-shaped cutter. If the
Place setting with heart-y waffles ready to serve cookies lose their shape, recut
Lydia’s grandkids for breakfast on Valentine’s Day.
them with the heart-shaped
cutter as soon as they come out of the oven. For gifts and mailing, we place the heart-y
cookies into heart-shaped boxes or cookie tins.
Last year, our three grandkids (ages 4 to 11) came for a sleepover on Valentine’s
weekend while their parents celebrated their wedding anniversary.
We started by drawing names and making Valentines to show love in special ways to
the person whose name we drew. I set out colored construction paper, doilies, stickers,
markers, scissors, tape and glue. My four-year-old granddaughter, Anna, took her
Valentine making seriously. She kept whispering to Grandpa and her older siblings to
get the information she needed. I wondered what she was up to. Then we made our own
Valentine holders and hung them from our chairs by the table.
The heart-y theme continued during mealtimes with heart-shaped pizza for dinner.
The next morning, we feasted on waffles cut into hearts and topped with whipped cream
and heart-shaped strawberries. We sipped hot chocolate from heart-shaped teacups and
added a dollop of whipped cream and pink sugar.
After breakfast, we read our Valentine cards. When I opened mine from Anna, I found
crooked strips of colored construction paper with letters printed on them. I strung the
pieces together and saw they included the entire alphabet. Anna couldn’t write words and
messages, so she simply wrote all the letters of the alphabet so I could create my own
words. I kept those jagged scraps of paper, because to me they spelled L-O-V-E.
Any time is a good time to show love to others. I’m ready to express affection to
family and friends with a hearty meal, a lovely setting or tea and treats. Won’t you join
me?
Lydia E. Harris holds a master’s degree in Home Economics. She is blessed with five
grandchildren who call her “Grandma Tea.” Lydia authored the book, Preparing My
Heart for Grandparenting (AMG Publishers).
Jan-Feb 2016
Raeford, NC • Fayetteville, NC 9
Photo Album in a Little Box Gift Project
by Ann St. Martin Stout
Here’s a gift that can be made with materials found around the house—and is very
personal, portable and sure to be enjoyed. Parents or grandparents would be happy to open
the box and find happy moments preserved. So look around for the perfect combination
of photographs that will bring a smile to the face and heart of a special person.
Materials:
A jewelry store box, as for a bracelet – approx 3.5 inches square – with lid
Card stock
Scissors or paper cutter
Double stick tape and/or
glue stick
Ruler
ModPodge (or other
decoupage medium)
Brush
Photographs
Decorative paper for
covering box (quality gift
wrap, thin and not brittle,
works well.)
Step 1. Measure the
inside of the box and cut
four strips of paper the
length of the sheet of paper by the width of the box, minus ¼”.
Step 2. Accordion fold one strip of paper so it fits nicely within the box. Do not trim
the tab left over after folding.
Step 3. Align the next strip of paper over the short tab on the first piece of paper.
Use glue stick to adhere lengthening the accordion folded paper. Fold new strip in same
manner as first one.
Step 4. Continue gluing new strips onto previous one, and accordion folding until you
have an accordion folded “booklet.” Trim the final page to the same size as the others.
Set aside.
Step 5. To cover the box, cut two pieces of decorative paper large enough to cover the
flat exterior surfaces of the box and extend to completely cover the interior side walls of
the box. Cover the outside of the box with Mod Podge and secure the paper to the box,
smoothing as you go. Before folding the paper to the inside of the box, cut and remove a
narrow wedge of paper at each corner. This will prevent bulk at the corner folds. Secure
with ModPodge, using clothespins if necessary to hold paper in place while it dries.
Step 6. Glue a plain piece of card stock inside the lid of the box, covering the paper
edges for a neat look. Glue the bottom page of the accordion booklet to the inside of the
bottom of the box. Your photo box is now ready to be decorated and filled with photos.
Step 7. On the top page of the accordion booklet, create a title, either hand-written or
computer generated.
Step 8. On each page of the booklet, secure a photograph using double stick tape or
glue stick. Use the facing page for caption, quote, date, or for another photo. Both sides
of the long accordion-fold page can be used.
Step 9. When finished, close the box and tie with a ribbon or elastic cord.
Notes:
Colors of card stock and decorative exterior paper can be coordinated to the theme of
the book, for example playful, classic, children, nature, etc.
Try using a mint or Altoid tin for a snap-shut photo album that can be easily carried
in a purse. Decorate the top and bottom of the hinged box with colored contact paper and
stickers.
Ann St. Martin Stout of Leaves Are Free (http://www.leavesarefree.tumblr.com) is
always on the lookout for readily available free material from home and nature to make
into a project that can touch the heart, including crafts, home projects, outings, recipes
and more. She resides in Newport, NH, with her family.
Meat Loaf Potato Pie
courtesy Cooksrecipes.com
This meatloaf version of the classic dish, Shepherd’s Pie, features a baked ‘crust’ of
meatloaf filled with creamy mashed potatoes topped with cheddar cheese.
1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 large egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sage
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups mashed potatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Cooking Directions:
Mix together ground beef, dry bread crumbs, egg, milk, chopped onion, salt, dry
mustard, pepper, sage, garlic powder, and Worcestershire sauce.
Spread into an ungreased 9-inch baking pan and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40 to 50
minutes; drain.
Spread mashed potatoes evenly over the meat in the pan and sprinkle with shredded
cheddar cheese.
Bake until the cheese is melted, about 2 to 4 minutes.
Makes 6 servings.
10 Statesville, NC • Granite Falls, NC • Forest City, NC
N. & S. Carolina
This is part 1 of a 3
part Mystery Quilt,
watch for parts 2 & 3
in the next issues!
Upcoming Events
January 30: Heritage Weavers & Fiber Artists, Free Hands-on Fiber Expo, at the
Historic Johnson Farm, 3346 Haywood Road, Hendersonville, NC, for more information,
visit: www.hwfawnc.com.
February 27: Tenth Annual Carolina One Stop Shop Hop, Bradley Arts Building on the
campus of USC, Lancaster. For more information, visit: http://carolinaonestopshophop.
blogspot.com.
March 11-12: The Charlotte Quilters’ Guild Quilt Show, “Just Spoolin’ Around,”
Metrolina Tradeshow Expo, Charlotte NC, for more information, visit: www.
charlottequiltersguild.org.
Jan-Feb 2016
Newton, NC • Morganton, NC 11
Quilting with Barbara
Working to Make 2016 a Brighter Year
by Barbara Conquest
We’re sixteen years into the new century. We have a new provincial premier and a
new prime minister; our southern neighbours will have a new president in a few months.
These changes in leadership will undoubtedly set our countries on new paths and we
often feel insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
Prime ministers and presidents come and go but everyday life will continue much as
it has in the past for most of us. The past year has not been a happy one. There is no need
to recount the world-wide disasters and terrible events that have affected so many; we are
all too aware. Some have gone so far as to suggest we’re entering a new dark age.
So I am proposing that each of us tries to lighten the gloom in some small way. This is
not a new idea by any means, but what would happen if every quilter or handicrafter made
some small effort to make a stranger’s life a little brighter (e.g. a lap quilt for someone
who is wheelchair bound, a fidget quilt for an Alzheimer patient, a cheery pillowcase for
a sick child, a crib quilt for a new mother who has little, a prayer shawl for an elderly
person…) and presented it in person, not through an agency?
There is always a vast outpouring of donations of gifts around Christmas to
innumerable charities and the food banks that support so many people, and rightly so.
These contributions are extremely important. But what about the rest of the year? Dare I
suggest that we each make two personal donations throughout the year—or even monthly
ones? Poverty and need are present all year. Now, I do realize that a great number of
quilters already far exceed this imaginary quota year round. Our thanks and admiration
go out to them. However, there are many more, myself included, who could do more.
What better time to start than the new year?
There is never a lack of recipients and one small act can have far-reaching
consequences. Over 30 years ago when I had ESL (English as a Second Language)
students, one newly-arrived teen seemed lost and completely bewildered by her new
surroundings, even though she did have family here. Her birthday is in July, when school
is closed, so I sent her a card and a small gift. She was appreciative far beyond reason,
I thought, but that small act resulted in a 35-year family friendship that I greatly value.
(Incidentally, she became an R.N. and now has two sons who are university graduates—a
success story indeed).
Within the next year, we will have more opportunities than ever as bewildered
immigrants and refugees who have lost everything arrive on our shores with hardships
in their recent pasts that we cannot even imagine. Some may never recover from their
trauma but perhaps we can help, even a little.
Let’s work—individually and together—to make 2016 a brighter year for newcomers
and those already in our midst. It has been said that it’s better to light a candle than curse
the darkness, but perhaps an old song says it best. “Brighten the corner where you are!”
Happy New Year!
Barbara Conquest writes her column from Blue Sky Quilting in Tofield, AB. ©
Barbara Conquest.
The Way It Was and the Way It Is!
Class Action
by James A. Nelson
Recently I attended my 47th class reunion. I had been bombarded with preregistration
information for this event in January. I dutifully filed it under “Maybe I’ll go, maybe I
won’t.”
On the eve of the big event, I decided to go. After all, I hadn’t seen most of my school
friends since graduation. When we graduated, it was like the novel The Winds of War.
Most of the males were drafted and the girls began working. Many never returned; some
settled in far away places and some were lost in Korea.
Another strong reason for my attendance was the fact that I love to dance. I felt sure
none of my old girlfriends would turn down “old twinkle toes” (a nickname I acquired as
a senior) if I asked them to dance.
I hadn’t been to a reunion in 25 years and I have been single for 23 of those years.
What I have missed most being single are the companionship, pillow talk and feeling of
intimacy that come from sharing your life with someone through years of togetherness.
It takes a great deal of adjustment to go from a wife and four children to an empty
apartment, but adjust you must.
Across the room at the reunion stood Russ, one of my closest friends in high school
and college. As I walked over, he extended his hand as we both said in unison, “Great to
see you.” His wife, Jan, was standing at his side looking as pretty as ever, a tinge of gray
in her blond hair giving just a hint of the passing years. She smiled at me saying, “Jim,
you haven’t changed a bit.” I grinned at this statement beneath a shock of snow-white
hair, thinking “Yeah right.”
There were Lyle and Carol Ann; he looked fit and trim and Carol Ann was as pretty as
ever. The only thing lacking was his football uniform and her cheerleading outfit.
“Hi Sara, golly it’s great to see you. You did a fantastic job on the committee.”
“Louie, you remember that time we went hunting and you didn’t have any boots, only
Oxfords? It rained and snowed for two days.” Louie just looked up at me and smiled.
And so it went as we reminisced throughout the evening.
The ticket included dinner; I wondered where I would sit as I entered the room. The
question was quickly answered as I was hailed by Phyllis and Joanne, two women I
hadn’t seen since my last reunion. After introductions to their respective husbands, I
took a seat and ordered the salmon. It was delicious and made so much more palatable
by the conversation. We laughed as we talked about friends, past weenie roasts, firesides,
football games and the dances we had attended.
After the meal, I was waiting for the music to start when I felt a gentle squeeze on the
back of my shoulder and heard the words, “Jim, is that you?”
There she was—Joy! She looked just like she did on our last date, a wonderful dancing
Continued on page 15...
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12 Burnsville, NC • Maggie Valley, NC • Waynesville, NC • Franklin, NC
N. & S. Carolina
Clean Out Your Scraps
And Make a Great Quilt!
by Deb Heatherly
It’s that time of year—time to sort and organize. For some reason, I feel the need to
do this once every year in my sewing room.
First, I neatly fold all of the yardage that has been haphazardly tossed back into the
closet during frenzied moments of creations during the past year.
Next, I take out all of the scraps that have been piling up in my scrap basket and sort
and press each piece. I then cut these pieces into ‘usable’ pieces, such as 2 ½” strips, and
5” and 10” squares. My now ‘usable’ scraps are then placed into labeled boxes and ready
to be stitched at a moment’s notice.
Finally, I cut a box full of light and dark 2 ½” x 4 ½” rectangles. These will go into
my annual “Twist n Shout Rectangles” quilt. The blocks in this quilt are a great way to
use up scraps and are super easy. By themselves, they look pretty boring but, once they
are sewn together, they form a secondary pattern that will have you shouting and doing
the happy dance.
This simple pattern makes a fast gift and is fun to do with friends. You could even
organize a scrap exchange to give your quilt more variety.
Make sure to email me pictures at [email protected]. I would love to see your
creations.
Deb Heatherly is a Creative Grids® designer and author of the books Cat’itude and
Strippy Stars. Ask for her Creative Grids® CGRDH1 Cat’s Cradle Tool and CGRDH2
Strippy Stars tools, and these companion books at your local quilt shop. Deb owns Deb’s
Cats N Quilts in Franklin, NC. She is a former freelance writer and designer for QUILT
magazine.
KISSed Quilts
National Park Service Centennial
Correction: In our Nov-Dec issue we incorrectly listed Jamie Plant’s
name in our article about Ridgetop Quilters Retreat on page 14.
Jamie’s middle name is Starbuck. Our apologies to Jamie!
Almond-Apricot Snowballs
courtesy Cooksrecipes.com
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup sliced almonds, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped dried apricots
1 3/4 cups powdered sugar, for rolling
Cooking Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
In medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, cornstarch and salt until completely combined.
Add canola oil and beat until well combined. Add water, almond and vanilla extract. Mix.
Stir in almonds and dried apricots.
Scoop batter with small ice cream scooper, melon baller or spoon, making all same
size. Place them on ungreased baking sheet about 1-inch apart.
Bake cookies about 12 to 15 minutes or until just set. Cool on baking sheet for 2
minutes and then transfer to wire rack until just warm.
Pour powdered sugar into bowl.
While cookies are still warm, but not hot, roll in powdered sugar. It will adhere slightly
to cookies, making them look like snowballs. Return cookies to
wire rack and when totally cooled, roll in powdered sugar again.
Store in air-tight container. Makes 36 cookies.
by Marlene Oddie
Have you found your National Park yet? 2016 is the National Park Service (NPS)
Centennial. I grew up visiting Yosemite National Park several times a year. Although I
lived on the California coast, our frequent visits to Yosemite are great memories from
my childhood. I now live at the Lake Roosevelt National Recreation Area, which is
created by the water backup of the Columbia River behind the Grand Coulee Dam. The
National Park areas have always had a soft spot in my heart and I regularly try to get
more cancellations in my Passport to Your
National Parks® Program.
A little background, my group leader
at Jinny Beyer’s last Hilton Head Seminar
in 2009 was Ricki Selva. Little did I know
what an important connection that would
become. In January 2015, I was attending
the Washington State Quilter’s Guild
Meeting and Ricki was the guest speaker.
As part of her presentation, she talked
about being one of the 148 artists in an
upcoming curated exhibit of 177 pieces
celebrating the NPS Centennial. The artists
represent the United States, Canada and
Germany. Some artists are internationally
known, others made their first art quilt for
this project; the common thread throughout
is that all were inspired by the timeless
beauty of the National Parks.
Although there are hundreds of national
park areas, a flora, fauna and landscape
quilt has been created for each of the 59
National Parks.
After contacting NPS Centennial
Exhibit Curator Donna Marcinkowski
Landscape is by Barb Hollinger created DeSoto, I learned she had recently curated
to honor Rocky Mountain National Park.
an exhibit of quilts for each of 150 Beatles
songs. How fun! We discussed the possibility of hosting the entire exhibit in our area
as part of the NPS Centennial celebrations. The entire collection will be shared with
enthusiasts during our Festival of America – 4th of July weekend when fireworks are set
off from the top of Grand Coulee Dam. We are honored to bring these pieces of art to
our area and hope to see many from our region as well as visitors. These exhibits have a
coffee table style book that can be purchased and which includes photos of all the quilts
along with personal narratives by rangers and personnel of the National Parks.
You are invited to create a quilt inspired by your own National Park experiences and
share it with us as part of the show in the Grand Coulee Dam area. I’ve been working
on a quilt that depicts a scene looking out a window from the Ahwahnee Hotel in
Yosemite. For the latest information on the show and how you can participate, visit www.
grandcouleedam.org or www.nps.gov/laro.
A portion of the exhibit debuted at International Quilt Festival, Houston, in October
2015. Check http://www.npscentennialquilts.com/ for a current exhibit schedule of the
collection.
Marlene Oddie is an engineer by education, project manager
by profession and now a quilter by passion in Grand Coulee, WA.
She enjoys long-arm quilting on her Gammill Optimum Plus, but
especially enjoys designing quilts and assisting in the creation of a
meaningful treasure for the recipient. Follow Marlene’s adventures
via her blog at http://kissedquilts.blogspot.com and on Facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/kissedquilts.
Jan-Feb 2016
Gaffney, SC • Camden, SC 13
14 Mt. Pleasant, SC • Summerville, SC • Hilton Head Island, SC • Services
N. & S. Carolina
Palmetto Quilt Guild of Hilton Head Island
Celebrates 25th Year at Quilt Festival 2016
The Palmetto Quilt Guild is celebrating its 25th Anniversary with Quilt Festival 2016
at the Hilton Head Island Beach and Tennis Resort from March 11 to 13. More than 200
wonderful quilts will be on display at the Guild’s biennial quilting event.
Also at the Festival, handmade and consignment items will be for sale and there will
be a Silent Auction. Vendors for the mall have been carefully selected for variety and
quality and will offer the latest in quilting-related items.
The winning ticket for the 2015-2016 Opportunity Quilt will be drawn at the Festival
and tickets are available at $2.00 each or $5.00 for three. The quilt, “Setting the Course,”
was created and assembled by members of the Piecers in Paradise Bee and Karen Kendo
quilted the piece of art. The drawing is on Sunday at 3 p.m. and you need not be present
to win.
Quilt Festival 2016 hours are: Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $7. The Beach and Tennis Resort is located at 40
Folly Road. Proceeds from the Festival and from the sale of the opportunity quilt ticket
will support the Guild’s programming, outreach and community service projects for the
next 2 years.
On February 8, 1991, what was to become the Palmetto Quilt Guild of Hilton Head
Island held an organizational meeting. More than 50 women attended and, by the end of
that year, 77 women and 1 man had joined the Guild. Today, the membership numbers
150 and includes two men. The Guild’s goals are: to promote the art of quilting, educate
the membership, enhance members enjoyment of the art of quilting, encourage quilt
artistry and refine the necessary skills, community service, and community outreach.
Many activities have enabled the Guild to achieve these goals.
Monthly meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month, except for August
and December, and workshops are on the Friday following the general meeting. Monthly
programs are presented entirely by members. Guests are welcome at all general meetings
and are encouraged to bring their own work for show and tell.
Lectures and workshops featuring nationally known professional quilt artists are held
four or five times a year. Programs for 2016 will feature: piecing, embellishing, and free
motion quilting on a domestic machine, quilting with wool, art quilting, and modern
quilting.
The Community Service Committee organizes service workshops monthly to make
lap-sized quilts and, in 2014 and 2015, more than 600 quilts were made and delivered
to those in need in Beaufort County. In 2006, a $1000 scholarship was established and
offered to an area high school graduating senior interested in pursuing a degree in art. In
2016, two scholarships will be awarded.
Community outreach includes educational programs for schools, libraries and
community groups along with visiting nursing homes with examples of members’ quilts.
In 2015, outreach committee members presented seven trunk shows and conducted a
six-week project with Programs for Exceptional People, working with several members
to create their own little 9-patch wall hanging. Guild volunteers did the sewing and the
members took home their own wall hanging.
Outreach also includes support of the military; guild members have made more
than 100 wheelchair/walker bags for aging veterans at the Veterans Victory House in
Walterboro. Members have also made more than 40 quilts, 150+ Christmas stockings,
and contributed items to fill the stockings for recovering heroes at Walter Reed Hospital
in Bethesda, MD. Individual guild members also have contributed a number of quilts to
the Quilts of Valor program, participating in several presentation ceremonies throughout
the year.
To learn more about the Palmetto Quilt Guild, including specific program information
and other activities, go to palmettoquiltguild.org or email palmettoquiltguild@gmail.
com. You can also follow the Guild on Facebook.
Cobblestone Quilters Guild Presents
Celebration of Quilts 2016 in March
Over the bridge in Mt. Pleasant, SC, “Lowcountry Threads” Quilt Show” will
await you at the Omar Shrine Temple in Patriots Point when the Cobblestone Quilters
Guild in Charleston holds its 16th Biennial Quilt Show on March 4 and 5.
Whether you are a quilter, quilt
lover, collector, history buff, teacher,
student, antique dealer, home
decorator, art collector or just a
lover of textiles, this show will have
something for you. So come on over
and join in on a time of inspiration,
instruction, encouragement and
enjoyment as our American quilting
heritage is celebrated with this
display of antique and modern
patterns rendered in cloth!
The 2016 Celebration of Quilts
will feature more than 200 judged
quilts with new categories added to
include Modern Quilts and Machine
Appliqué. Each year, a special quilt
is chosen that best represents the
Quilt Show’s theme and the 2016
Challenge Winner is “Once upon a
2016 Donation Quilt is made by Cobblestone
Southerntime” by Terrie Spohn.
The colorful Donation Quilt Quilters Guild member Virginia Schrenker.
shown on this page was made by guild member Virginia Schrenker in a technique called
needle-turned hand appliqué—a specialty of Virginia’s. Tickets to win this quilt are
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Jan-Feb 2016
Cobblestone Quilters Guild, continued from previous page...
$1.00 each or 6 for $5.00. The drawing will be held on Saturday at 3 p.m. and you need
not be present to win.
Six sponsors will be selling domestic and long arm machines and will be happy to
demo your favorite machine. Twelve vendors will offer a fabulous variety of fabrics,
wools, specialty fibers and numerous notions for quilters of all levels of experience.
The Boutique will feature items handcrafted by guild members. These items make
wonderful gifts and show off many talents other than quilting. A portion of the proceeds
goes to support the guild’s activities.
Proceeds from a charity “Basket Walk” will support Shriners Hospital for Children
– Greenville. This fun event is somewhat similar to a Silent Auction with baskets of
quilting related items on display to win—except you use tickets you have purchased
to “bid” on items. The more you want an item, the more of your tickets you offer for
it. An outstanding item in the “Basket Walk” will be an oversized galvanized washtub,
reminiscent of earlier days, filled to overflowing with fat quarters and having a value
between $500 & $1,000!
Quilt appraisals by Connie Brown, an AQS-certified quilt appraiser, will once again be
available. The cost of one quilt is $25 for a verbal appraisal or $50 for a written appraisal.
Although Connie does not recommend a written appraisal unless the value of the quilt is
$250 or more, she will be happy to discuss this with you at the time of your appraisal. To
schedule an appraisal, please email Evelyn Richards at schedule@cobblestonequilters.
com. Appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so register early!
Walk-in appraisals will only be accepted if there are still spaces available. (Please note:
Scheduling a quilt appraisal does NOT provide free admission to the Quilt Show.)
Hours for “Lowcountry Threads” Quilt Show” are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both
Saturday and Sunday. Admission is $10 each day. The Omar Shrine Temple is located at
176 Patriots Point Road and there is convenient free parking.
Cobblestone Quilters Guild is located in beautiful historic Charleston. The
membership base covers the tri-county area of Charleston, Berkeley, and Dorchester
counties. The guild meets the second Thursday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at Yeamans
Park Presbyterian Church, 5931 Murray Drive, Hanahan. To learn more, visit www.
cobblestonequilters.com or follow ‘Cobblestone Quilters 2016 Quilt Show “Lowcountry
Threads” March 4th & 5th’ on Facebook.
See ad for “Lowcountry Threads” Quilt Show on page 16.
Class Action, continued from page 11...
cruise on a summer moonlit night forty-seven years ago.
I didn’t have to glance at her nametag as I gave her a warm hug. “It’s great to see you,
Joy.” I exclaimed.
She looked up at me with the warm look I remembered so well. The look turned to
pleasant laughter and she said, “I was hoping you’d be here. I want you to meet my new
husband.”
I hesitated just a moment since I had heard she was single. I had lost again. We walked
to their table where introductions and pleasantries were exchanged. Shortly, I walked
away a little befuddled. After all, at one time she had meant a great deal to me.
We danced later and I said, “It’s like old times.”
She looked up with a smile and said, “You dumped me once, remember?”
All I said was “What a mistake that was.” I held her just a little tighter as I knew she’d
walk away once more after this last dance.
The evening was drawing to a close as I watched my friends head out the door, most
of them with wives and husbands, many with new mates. But there were still enough high
school sweethearts holding hands as they departed into the night, enough of them for me
to know that love can and does survive.
I grabbed my coat and a dose of reality and headed for my ’67 Dodge Dart, glad
I had come and vowing not to miss the next one, God willing. I made a quick stop at
McDonalds for coffee and a hamburger, not because I was hungry but it just seemed like
the right thing to do, sort of a fitting end to the evening.
As I sat in my booth at this late hour, I watched the high school couples come and
go holding hands after a date. I thought to myself, most, if not all, of these kids will
attend their forty-seventh year class reunion some day. Hopefully, with a little luck and
perseverance they won’t be going home alone. Perhaps my time is yet to come.
This story comes from Jim Nelson’s book, The Way It Was and The Way It Is, which
contains 46 nostalgic short stories and is available for purchase through Amazon.com.
It can also be found in the public libraries and school systems in Spokane, WA. Jim
enjoyed a career at the Spokane Review and retired in Spokane. He has been writing for
over 50 years and his pieces have been widely published in nationally known magazines,
including five times in Chicken Soup of the Soul books. Jim enjoys hearing from our
readers and can be reached at 43 E. Weile, Apt. 214, Spokane, WA 99208.
Bluffton, SC • Services 15
16 Mt. Pleasant, SC
N. & S. Carolina