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 … Linda Olivera!!!

Linda Olivera (#1919) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a Beginner, Intermediate, & Expert Level Quilting Merit Badge!

“I know how to quilt, so I made some scrappy table runners. They are smaller projects, use up fabric scraps, and don’t take as long as a quilt. Here are just 3 of the table runners I made. I love making table runners out of extra or ‘orphan’ quilt blocks and strips. All of my table runners have batting and backing and are bound. Backing fabrics sometimes, but not always, match the theme of the fabrics on the top.

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  1. Lisa Von Saunder says:

    Wow, Im impressed, you are a true artist with the needle and your designs are wondrous. I especially love the halloween ones!! Congrats on such great works of art!

  2. Joan H says:

    Wow! Absolutely beautiful work! You earned your badges for sure. Thanks for sharing.

  3. Winnie Nielsen says:

    Congratulations Linda on such a fantastic account of all that you have been working on with your quilts!! You do beautiful work and I am impressed how you can take scraps and crest such pretty and useful runners and other smaller pieces. Your Halloweeen collection is darling!!

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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 … CJ Armstrong!!!

CJ Armstrong (ceejay48, #665) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning an Expert Level Rootin’ Tootin’ Merit Badge!

“I decided to try a few new things in my garden this year, and for root crops, chose red potatoes, parsnips, and leeks. I know that some say leeks aren’t a root crop, but my research tells me that they generally are considered to be a root crop. I’ve purchased them at the farmers’ market in the past and really like them, so thought I’d give them a try. My mom always planted parsnips in her garden, but in all my adult years and gardening, I have not. Thought it was worth a try. I always plant beets and carrots, and have my favorite varieties, but do try different ones.

We have researched different ideas for storage for our root crops, but usually leave them in the ground and dig as we need them. In our climate, typically the snow layers insulate from the cold, and if we mark where they are planted, we can usually just go dig up what we need. The leeks will be kept in the refrigerator. I don’t have a large crop, so they probably won’t last long.

I didn’t put any potatoes in the photograph, as I didn’t want to dig any of them up just yet. I did post a pic of the plant with blossoms on it in the Garden Gate section of the forum. I’m always happy with planting a garden and even happier when things grow. This year has been relatively successful, and I hope to try a couple new things next year … just for fun!”

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Rootin’ Tootin’ Merit Badge, Expert Level

The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 7,130 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—10,150 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 Garden Gate/Rootin’ Tootin’ Expert Level Merit Badge, I was basking in the warm glow of achievement. Oh, Expert Level Badges, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

The warm and fuzzy feeling I get when I earn one.

The newfound knowledge that makes my head swell (in a totally humble and attractive way, of course).

The eagerness with which I tell my friends and family.

Embroidering my badge and feeling oh-so-accomplished.

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  1. Lisa Von Saunder says:

    good for you!
    sweet potatoes can be tricky, read how to treat them when they are out of the ground , they need ot sit a awhile.
    wow the tip about ginger is just so wonderful. Im telling everyone that one! thanks MaryJane! and I love love love ADOS ! made my day!!

    • Karlyne says:

      I feel silly, but I don’t know what ADOS stands for!

      • MaryJane says:

        When you’re easily distracted, you’re acting like maybe a cat who chases a squirrel. You’re doing one thing and then you’re chasing something else. “Squirrel!” people say when they find themselves not staying on task.

        • Karlyne says:

          So, Attention Deficit Oh Squirrel? I hadn’t seen the initials before, I think. Although I may have been distracted by a squirrel and forgotten…

          • MaryJane says:

            Definitely, it sounds like a squirrel grabbed your attention and made it deficit:) Carol had a great squirrel story that she shared with us yesterday. I’ll encourage her to write it up.

  2. Lisa Von Saunder says:

    oh and i dont have a “read more” tag on CJ’s post so i want to say to her, she is always an inspiration when she writes. Go at em CJ !

  3. Karlyne says:

    Confession time: I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a parsnip. Probably because I’m not a turnip fan (although if they’re young and RAW) I sorta like them, although not enough to grow them. But I’ve read that parsnips are lovely. Is that true?!?

    • Lisa Von Saunder says:

      They can be so sweet that the English make cakes from them. Alas my parsnips arent that sweet. they say the trick is to leave them in the ground and a frost sweetens them

      • MaryJane says:

        Good morning Lisa. I know my carrots when left in the ground after frost are sweeter. Hey, I fixed the MORE tag on CJ’s merit badge Hear Ye post. Thanks for the heads up. Have-to-remember-that-durn-thing:)

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photo-of-the-day

farm-romance-8147

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  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    More lovely scenes of the Palouse!

    It is Tally-Ho this morning and off across the big Pond tonight. I am hoping British Airways has reruns of Downton Abby on the plane movie selection so I can while away the long hours in the company of the Grathams and the Dowager! I will try and stay connected as best I can until I return October 2.

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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 … Ashley Edstrom!!!

Ashley Edstrom (#7053) has received a certificate of achievement in Each Other for earning a Beginner Level Community Service Merit Badge!

“As a quilter, I researched organizations where I can use my quilting skills. There are many (local and national), including Project Linus, Quilted Comforts, and the one I ultimately chose, Quilts of Valor. The quilts made by QOV are donated to veterans upon request of their family in honor of their service. I have attended “sew days” where we work on blocks to create one quilt, or we may work on individual quilts.

I have finished my latest project for QOV, with approx. 40 hours of time into this quilt. This quilt will be presented to a Vietnam veteran in September!”

qov_august_2016

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    Ashley, your quilt project with the flag colors is beautiful!! Your veteran recipient is going to be so proud and happy to have such a treasure to own!!

  2. Cindi says:

    What a beautiful quilt! I have a friend who was recently presented with one of these Quilts of Valor. I think it is a wonderful treasure provided for our veterans and now, seeing it a bit from the other side, I know that it means so much more to the recipients than we can ever know. I can only hope that one day my quilting skills will be good enough to give me the courage to make such an important gift.

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Young Cultivators Merit Badge: Make It Fruity, Expert Level

The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 7,130 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—10,150 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/Make It Fruity Expert Level Young Cultivator Merit Badge, I made sure I was fully recovered from my blackberry-bush war wounds, and Piper and I set about earning the last and final badge in our pursuit of all things fruity.

First off, I had to bring Pipe down a notch: Turns out, becoming an “expert” in something went straight to her tiara-topped head. She got so big for her britches she nearly didn’t fit in the kitchen. But she came ‘round and her eyes got big when I told her we’d be making fruit leather.

photo by George Wesley via Wikimedia Commons

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  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    Fruit leathers are so good and a tasty way to eat fruit for the picky fruit eaters. I like some of your interesting combos you mentioned as well. Cucumber mint and Ginger Pear sound delicious and different.

  2. Cindi says:

    I’ll add to Winnie’s suggestion with Ginger Peach ~ yum!!!!! Oh, and you can also use a food dehydrator, but this idea seems much better to me ~ especially if you have monster size baking sheets. More is better 🙂

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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 … Susan Bird Olds!!!

Susan Bird Olds (Bird Brain, #7085) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a Beginner Level Quilting Merit Badge!

“There are thousands of historic and contemporary quilt blocks, and I decided to create one myself. The block I created is called ‘Eggs and Bacon.’

I think it’s a hoot, although the colors belie the theme somewhat.”

Golden_Era_Special

  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    Susan, this quilt idea turned out so cute. I love your colors and pattern and it has this americana vibe as well as a bright sunny morning. Just precious!!

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Furniture Makeover Merit Badge, Expert Level

The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 7,130 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—10,150 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 Expert Level Merit Badge, I combined my love of daydreaming about furniture upcycling and my love for taking things apart and putting them back together again. And I had just the project in mind …

You see, at one end of my block, there was a yard sale happening.

And at the other end of my block, there was a preschool opening.

You see where I’m going with this?

No?

You obviously don’t waste spend as much time on Pinterest as I do, reimagining my life as a DIY Queen of Recycled and Homemade Furniture.

photo by Jimmyjazz via Wikimedia Commons

 

Don’t worry about it, chickadees, I’m here to clue you in. My plan was to …

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  1. Winnie Nielsen says:

    I am always in awe at how people can “see” a new life for old tired furniture. Absolutely don’t go into Rehab! The planet needs more people like you to help refurnish homes and save landfills from waste. There is some show on HGTV that I have seen where they take teams, give them $500 to purchase at tag sales and then sell their wares for a $3000 prize. The clever and useful ideas these teams have to transform outdated stuff is incredible. I am so missing that ability to “see” a new plan and use for old stuff.

  2. Jona says:

    I am a preschool teacher and would love to have a neighbor like you.. I’d like to see the after photo of your fabulous creation or should I say re-creation. Thank you for your ability to bring such joy into the world.

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