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Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Rachel Enlow!!!

Rachel Enlow (#6992) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a Beginner Level Gaining Ground Merit Badge!

“Last year, I made my first compost bin from a 50-gallon Rubbermaid tub. I researched what to put in and not put in, drilled holes for air and moisture flow, and got a rake tool for turning it frequently.

This spring, I bought a second tub because I couldn’t use my compost fast enough. I am pulling out of the old tub for this year’s garden and contributing fresh organic matter to the new tub. Next year, I will reverse that. I am already seeing some lovely decomposition in this new tub and really look forward to next year! I am hoping that this two-bin system will serve me well for many years.

In the picture are my two tubs, which I moved to be near my garden.

It worked out so well that this year, I had a lot of compost to use in my garden, nearly 30 gallons. That’s a lot for a small garden like mine!

The only “problem” I’ve had is that I must have thrown a cucumber in with it because this year, I am getting cucumber sprouts everywhere I used the mulch!”

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  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    Rachel, congratulations on creating a sustainable and rich source of compost for your gardening needs! I am sure you put a lot of time reading and learning what to do, and it is great to hear how well all is paying off for you. Enjoy your harvest this year too! Maybe it will require a pickle recipe or two?!

  2. Cindi says:

    Congratulations! What an excellent idea to use the tubs. it sounds like your compost broke down very quickly. I will have to try that. Oh, be careful with chive blooms, too! hahaha! I have chives all over the place.

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Dyeing for Color Merit Badge, Intermediate Level

The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 6,962 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—9,905 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! ~MaryJane 

Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life

For this week’s Stitching and Crafting/Dyeing for Color Intermediate Level Merit Badge, I got myself a three-ring binder.

I heart binders. I long for Trapper Keepers. I live for file folders and I swoon over tabs and color coordinated dividers.

Wilson Jones supplies, Amazon.com

In short, I’m pretty much an Organization Junkie.

This particular binder—after I decorated it with glitter, collages, and stickers—I planned to use for my color swatches. After getting the hang of dyes earlier in my Beginner Level badge, I was ready to move on.

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  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    Hahahaha, what would Wet Hen look like??? I know what you mean about organization. I love to go into a place like Office Depot and look at all the cool ways I can organize with colors AND style. Next to a book store, an office supply store is my favorite.

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photo-of-the-day

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Hear Ye!

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Krista Butters Davis!!!

Krista Butters-Davis (MaryJanesNiece, #528) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning an Intermediate Level Crochet Merit Badge!

“For my Intermediate Crochet Merit Badge, I chose to make a diaper cover that included a matching hat. I then chose to make some baby booties. I gave four sets of booties away for baby shower gifts and made a pair for my son. When I was working on the baby booties, I invited my friend over so we could crochet together. She spent her time making her son a new blanket.

The diaper cover turned out a bit too large to fit my son, but should fit in no time. I enjoyed making the diaper cover because I learned how to do increases and decreases. The matching hat was a perfect fit and looks adorable on him. I really like learning how to make a hat because it taught me how to work in the round. Making the baby booties were my favorite. My first set turned out too small, but I soon picked up on what size hook I needed to achieve the correct size. Aside from that, the booties have turned out so cute and have taught me how to use multiple stitches as well as learn how to sew straps and buttons on with a larger needle.”

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Young Cultivators Merit Badge: Water Conservation, Beginner Level

The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 6,962 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—9,905 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! ~MaryJane 

Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life

For this week’s Cleaning Up/Water Conservation Beginner Level Young Cultivator Merit Badge, I thought teaching Andy to conserve H20 would be easy peasy, lemon squeasy. And I wasn’t necessarily wrong … he took to it like a duck to water, like a pig to mud, like … like a small boy given too much responsibility too quickly.

It all started when I suggested he make a list of ways to help him and his family conserve water at their house. Sounds reasonable, right?

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  1. Karlyne says:

    Boys – a breed apart…

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Hear Ye!

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Debbie Klann!!!

Debbie Klann (#770) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a Beginner and Intermediate Level UFOs Merit Badge!

“Making a list of my UFOs was enlightening … and a little shocking! I am one of those that LOVE the excitement of starting a new project … but there’s that in-between time of starting and finishing when I can get bored.

I made a list of all of my started projects by category. I have them all separated with all of the supplies I need for each one.

I had been planning on working on just what I had at home as a New Year’s resolution this year, but I was so excited when finishing your UFOs was made into a new merit badge shortly after the beginning of the new year. I have gotten into a routine of working on projects during the day if I have free time or in the evenings. I have made it a personal challenge to not buy or start any new projects. It’s now become as exciting to FINISH a project as to START … and such a satisfying feeling to keep crossing projects off of that list!

Here is a photo of a small tabletop-size quilt that I finished right away. I won’t tell you how long it’s been waiting to be finished!

IMGP0087In making my UFO list and going through each project, I did decide that I didn’t have an attachment to some of the projects anymore. Those I donated. This left me with what I had to finish for my Intermediate badge.

I had this quilt top that I knew needed something special to really make it stand out. I sent it to my quilting friend to finish on her long arm.

I also had an applique quilt that needed the quilting finished … I had put it off and put it off … now was the time to just get it done!

Eva Marie did a beautiful job, just like I knew she would. I was so pleased with her work!

I cannot believe that the pink quilt is FINALLY done! I had posted pictures of both quilts on the chatroom thread for UFOs. I said that after so long, when that final stitch was complete, I felt like one of my children had left home! It feels so great to have it done!”

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  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    Debbie, your finishes UFO quilts are beautiful !! Thanks for posting photos and congratulations. You are really on a good roll!

  2. As the arch procrastinator of all time, I applaud you for getting these quilts done!! Very lovely indeed!

  3. Sally Bush says:

    Congratulations! They are beautiful!

  4. Way to go, Debbie! Your quilts are gorgeous! Can’t wait to see what you do for expert level!

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Organic on a Budget Merit Badge, Expert Level

The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 6,962 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—9,905 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! ~MaryJane 

Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life   

For this week’s Farm Kitchen/Organic on a Budget Expert Level Merit Badge, I harkened back fondly to when I knew Mr. Wonderful really had fallen for me. It wasn’t that sparkle in his baby blues, it wasn’t when he sat through an opera performance when there was a perfectly good football game on television, it wasn’t when he asked me to go camping and I sneakily turned it into glamping, it wasn’t even when he went to meet my Gramma Barbie.

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  1. oh YEAH, as a southern girl at heart, there is nothing, I repeat nothing, like biscuits and sausage gravy !!
    You are so right, MaryJane, it’s not time to go all lo-cal, this is comfort food par excellance and therefore, by definition , NOT LO-CAL! My mother’s biscuits were always made with that southern staple ” swansdown flour” – keep it light and simple with biscuits and don’t over stir or handle to keep them oh-so light. Thanks for the happy memory .

  2. Karlyne says:

    Oh, MBA Jane, you’re so much fun! “Out of salad – substitute bacon” – I’ll be remembering that one!

  3. Omgosh, MBA Jane! I just died and went to heaven!

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Young Cultivators Merit Badge: Rethink Your Space, Beginner Level

The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 6,962 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—9,905 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! ~MaryJane 

Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life

For this week’s Make It Easy/Rethink Your Space Beginner Level Young Cultivator Merit Badge, I needed to take a deep breath, inhale some calming lavender essential oil, and give myself a pep talk. And this was all before the badge earning began …

You see, this badge was all about a youngster in your life cleaning their room properly.

I chose Andy.

I should have chosen … anyone else.

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  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    Hahahahaha!!!! Next question is how long did Andy’s room stay nice??? How can kids love like pigs? I remember my brothers loved in a room in our basement which they fondly referred as “the hole”! About once a week my Das would venture down to stir things up . Let’s just say all that hollerin he did never changed the game week to week!

  2. Amy Cloud Chambers says:

    I’m laughing myself silly over this story! Oh my, I remember my daughter’s room with horror. But the champ in our family was my brother. When mom would try to make a dent in the mess, he’d accuse her of “disturbing the ecology of my environment!”

  3. Karlyne says:

    I’m thinkin’ these kinds of folks should have their bedrooms outside, like in a tree. With a dumpster underneath…

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Hear Ye!

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Cyrie Wilson!!!

Cyrie Wilson (Pixiedustdevil, #6941) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a Beginner Level Grow Where You’re Planted Merit Badge!

“Ever since I was little, if I saw a flower I liked, I would take it home and press it. I still do it to this day. My favorite flower to press is the forget-me-not, which is the one in the frame.

My recent collection (not all pictured) consists of more forget-me-nots, red clover, two 4-leaf clovers (found on the same day!), honeysuckle, scarlet pimpernel, speedwell, and common daisies. Rhododendrons are very common here, but I don’t like them because the flowers are sticky!

One of the rarest plants in my area is the Myrtlewood tree. It takes 10 years to germinate and 100 years to grow to commercial size. They only grow in a small area in Oregon, and anything made of Myrtle is VERY expensive.

The hardest part is identifying the flowers, I have a few that are nameless.”

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  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    Lovely pressed flowers you created!! Congratulations on jumping into the Sisterhood and earning those badges!!

  2. Amy Cloud Chambers says:

    What a wonderful hobby, and such pretty keepsakes. Congratulations on your badge, Cyrie!

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Furniture Makeover Merit Badge, Beginner Level

The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 6,861 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—9,721 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! ~MaryJane 

Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life …

For this week’s Make It Easy/Furniture Makeover Beginner Level Merit Badge, I couldn’t believe my good fortune. Step One of earning this handy-dandy badge? Settling in to watch some DIY furniture tutorials.

I love me a good tutorial.

Confession: I even love a bad tutorial. Laughter is the best medicine after all, don’tchaknow.

I plead guilty to …

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  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    I have always admired people who can take something in bad shape and turn it into a treasure. On the surface it looks easy, but I know it takes a lot of creativity and elbow grease. Not to mention a healthy dose of knowing how to properly use various tools. When I actually think about purchasing a piece to do a make-over, I feel overwhelmed and all the possible problems stop in my tracks. I think the DIY needs to come with a person to hold your hand for the first project!

  2. I don’t think I’m a good candidate for any DIY furniture projects. Let’s see- I bought 6 bottles of fancy spray- on- anything paint in a great sage green color to redo my outdoor furniture and wicker 3 years ago . Well one piece got done right away and the paint is actually wearing off now but nothing else got done at all. There is the broken rocker, and 2 wooden fold up chairs and so forth. Nope not my thing, altho I totally admire those who do it.

  3. Cindi says:

    Doing something like this has been on my wish list for a long time. Shoot, my mom used to refinish, refurbish, reupholster and restore so much, why can’t I, right? Well… cool ideas should come with an automatically induced kick in the rear. Maybe today I will go get something to hold the trunk lid down so I can load that perfect little dresser at St. Vinnie’s into the car and bring home my own treasure.

  4. Amy Cloud Chambers says:

    I have a basement full of potential masterpieces (hee hee). All I need is inspiration and time. Thanks for providing #1, now all I have to do is find #2. Thanks for the smart advice on starting small!

  5. Karlyne says:

    I’m off to find two old crummy nightstands to re-do for our new bedroom! And I promise not to leave them in the garage. Mostly because it hasn’t been built yet…

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