FQ CHALLENGE GUIDELINES

We are SO VERY GLAD you are joining us in Branson for the 2012 Circle of Friends retreat! 

If you have never been to a retreat before, the FQ challenge is strictly a volunteer project ... you can say yay or nay ... and it's LOTS of fun to see everyone's creativity in what to do with the same fabric everyone else receives.  It's usually chosen in relation to the location or atmosphere of the retreat.  This fabric was chosen special for our retreat !!!

I know you are all surprised, and some maybe even disappointed, in what you see ... that's there's none of my feathered friends enclosed ... Altho I fought long and hard, my love for my friends won out, and this is what you wound up with, and this is why.........

A few things about Missouri...

~         It's known as the "show me state". It's also known as the "fern state" and the "cave state"

~       The state bird is the bluebird

~         The state flower is ugly, and should be a dogwood or peony

~         Ice tea was invented at the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis (THANK YOU !)

~         The state animal is the mule ... guess y'all knew that !

~         The state tree is the dogwood (good going!)

~         Aunt Jemima pancake flour was invented at St Joseph in 1889, and was the first ready-mix food to be introduced commercially.

~         Situated within a day's drive of 50% of the US population, Branson and the TriLakes area serves up to 65,000 visitors daily.  Branson has been a "rubber tire" destination with the vast majority of tourists arriving by vehicles, RVs and tour buses

~         On Sucker Day in Nixa, the little town swells to a throng of 15,000 hungry folks, all craving a taste of the much maligned but delicious bottom dweller fish loathed by almost everyone else ... the sucker fish!

~        Missouri is the birthplace of President Harry S. Truman, in Lamar, and a museum is dedicated to him in Independence.  Mark Twain was born in Florida Missouri, and Hannibal holds his boyhood home

~         The Laura Ingalls Wilder museum is located in Mansfield ... just east of Springfield

So ... here are the FQ challenge rules for the project in the Circle of Friends Retreat ~

1.   You MUST use 75% of the FQ in your project, and it has to be showing.

2.   You cannot add more of the challenge fabric to your project above the FQ you are given (i.e. you cannot use someone else's FQ along with yours)

3.   You can add all the extra fabric you want for your project, as long as 75% of your FQ is used :)  Now if your project is small, and the ONLY fabric being used is your FQ, that will be accepted.

4.   Your project can be any size or shape and use any method you like.  It does NOT have to necessarily pertain to quilting ... it can be sewn, crocheted, decoupaged, etc).

We will have voting by ballot at the retreat for fun and prizes.  You will only be able to vote once for a project.  Categories will be ~

most creative, best use of challenge fabric, best use of color, best workmanship, most "out of the box"

 OK ... that's it!  Have fun with your fabric, it lends to a lot of choices creatively so we hope you will enjoy the fun of the FQ Challenge at this year's retreat!  Any questions, send me a PM on the message board, or an email to COF2012Branson@gmail.com ...

See y'all in Branson this September!!!!!

SavedSinnr Lindsay

Come ready to make new friends, rekindle old friendships, play games, laugh, sew, eat, shop, and have a GREAT time!  We are SEW looking forward to welcoming you to Branson!!!  And Branson is ready for YOU!

Quilters and their sicknesses

Just read this on another message board and thought I'd copy/paste it: 


A recent study indicated that fabric gives off certain Pheromones that actually hypnotize women and cause them to purchase unreasonable amounts. When stored in large quantities in enclosed spaces, the Pheromones (in the fabric) cases memory loss and induces the nesting syndrome (similar to the one squirrels have before the onset of winter i.e. storing food). Therefore perpetuating their species and not having a population loss due to their kind being cut into pieces and mixed with others. 

Sound tests have also reveled that these fabrics emit a very high pitched sound, heard only by a select few, a breed of women known as "quilters." When played backwards on an LP, the sounds are heard as chants, "buy me, cut me and sew me." 

In order to overcome the so called "feeding frenzy effect" that these fabrics cause, one must wear a face mask when entering a storage facility and use ear plugs to avoid being pulled into their grip. One must laugh, however, at the sight of customers in a quilt fabric store, with WWII army gas masks and headphones! Studies have also indicated that aliens have inhabited the earth, helping to spread the effects that these fabrics have on the human population. They are called Quilt Fabric Store Clerks. 



It's also been experienced that these same Pheromones cause a pathological need to hide these fabric purchases when taken home (or at least blend them into the existing stash), and when asked by significant other if the fabric is new, the reply is "I've had it for awhile." 

To "FIX" this sickness.... check out our friends at DJ's DISCOUNT FABRICS ...   you can find them on the internet at www.djsdiscountfabrics.com .  Diane is a sponsor for our retreat, and a new fabric store on the web ... so go check her out!  And tell her that you saw her on CIRCLE OF FRIENDS RETREAT BLOG!

Have a great week and happy sewing!

FQ BINGO !!! WHO WANTS TO PLAY !!!

YES!  We WILL be playing FQ Bingo at the Circle of Friends Retreat in Branson ... what would a retreat be without it?  It's gonna be F-U-N ... FUN!

~ Each card will be 4 FQs .  You are limited to ONE card per game.

~ We will have an UGLY category ... you can throw in AS MANY FQs AS YOU LIKE, BUT STILL ONLY PLAY ONE CARD ... it's a good way to give some of those "uglies" a good home to go to !  And just because the category might be "uglies", beauty IS in the eye of the beholder!  I've done "ugly" swaps, and from what I received, I was blown away at the BEAUTY that people were passing on as rejects!  Sometimes the "ugly" stack is just fabrics that you've bought too much of ... you're tired of looking at it ... you want to trade for some perfect GREEN ! 

So the FABRICS we will be playing with and for are ~~

~ ASIAN fabrics ... those gorgeous Orientals! (4 FQs per player)

~ REPRODUCTION fabrics ~ can be Civil War, 30's or other repro (4 FQs per player)

~ FALL ~ Gotta have those FABULOUS fall fabrics! {NO HALLOWEEN} (4 FQs per player)

~ BATIKS !!!  What would a party be without Batiks!!! (4 FQs per player)

~ BLACK & WHITES ~ fabric with black background & white print, or white background & black print (4 FQs per player)

~ NEUTRAL fabrics ~ beiges, tans, off whites, tone on tone lights (4 FQs per player)

~ UGLIES ... Everyone has some they are tired of or wonder WHY they ever bought those!  No limit as to how many go into the pot, but 4 minimum.

and possibly (time permitting)

~ ANYTHING GOES ~ this will be anything you want to throw in, or maybe you won some you don't really want.  Please make sure this is 100% GOOD QUALITY COTTON FABRIC.

This will be the last Bingo game.

Now for those that are flying, if you win big and don't want to carry them in your suitcase, or you do some shopping you just couldn't pass up ~~

WE WILL HAVE PRIORITY MAIL BOXES AND ENVELOPES AT RETREAT FOR ANY ITEMS YOU MAY WISH TO SEND.  THEY WILL BE FLAT RATE, SO YOU CAN WRITE ME A CHECK TO MAIL THEM (WE WILL ALREADY KNOW THE POSTAGE AMOUNT), AND I WILL GET THEM MAILED ON MONDAY AFTER RETREAT.  We will also have DELIVERY CONFIRMATION forms available as well.  Just please MARK ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE PACKAGE "FQ BINGO" ... 

Last year, I mailed my dirty laundry home via USPS and packed up all my fabric purchases and souvenirs in my carryon for the plane :)  I didn't care if my laundry got lost :)

So there's your categories for FAT QUARTER BINGO ... It's a retreat tradition... one we mean to carry on ~ big time! 

And what would the tradition of FQ Bingo be without our awesome bingo caller...  THANK YOU CHANLADY Lois for stepping up as our Bingo caller once again.  When I sought the advice of previous hostesses when I was considering having the retreat come to Branson, the previous hostesses HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Chanlady be kept as Bingo caller ... and after meeting her in NC and seeing her in action, I was MORE than appreciative of her "talents" ...  So THANK YOU LOIS !!!  I know you'll do a great job as Bingo hostess once again.

And remember... the games don't just have one winner!  THEY HAVE MULTIPLE WINNERS!!!

So let's say there's 35 people playing (that's 1/2 the registrations) ... at 4 FQs per game, that's 140 FQs ... if there's 7 winners, that's 20 FQ for your entry of 4 !  Also, there's sometimes MORE than 35 playing at a time, and sometimes more winners ... I know that last year I put my FQs in and won a bingo, and came out with about 2 dozen BEAUTIFUL ASIAN FABRICS!!!  That was a GREAT win ... but more than that, it was GREAT FUN with my friends!!

No one has to play ... but I'm pretty sure you will be wishin you had brought those FQs once you see the fun every has while playing ...

 

And remember ... the Bingo games is where Lena and Olie hang out with Chanlady !  

Hey........ that doesn't look like Lena! 

QUILTERS & FRIENDS ARE SO GENEROUS!

QUILTERS AND QUILTING FRIENDS are the MOST generous of souls ... I say that all the time.  If there's a need, they step up and help!  The gals I know from the HGTV Quilting Forum are great examples of that generosity!  In times of floods, fires, tornados, earthquakes, sickness, family tragedy, grief or just sadness at how rough life can be sometimes ... they LOVE to make quilts for their friends, or those needing the snuggle of a quilt for friends that haven't met (or may never meet).  I know in my own experience, I've seen cyber friends who have gone through great trials of sicknesses... whether it was from surgeries, cancer, cancer treatments, or other health concerns, quilters have stepped up to make them a quilt.  When the tornado ravaged Joplin, I was sent over 5 dozen quilts to be delivered ... along with over 8 dozen pillow cases, the pretty designer kind that quilters make!  When a quilter's brother lost his home and all his belongings, quilts were made for him to replace the one's his grandma had left for him.  


Then there's the quilts for our heroes ... those who put their lives on the line everyday... from firemen, police and our very brave service men and women.  These quilters have contributed COUNTLESS quilts for soldiers overseas and in hospitals.  Some quilters make the whole quilt from beginning to end.  Some quilters take on the task of assembling quilt blocks that others sew.  Some other ones do the actual quilting and binding.  It's a joint effort, a labor of love, and a drive of being needed and being able to provide something that will give someone so much pleasure, while satisfying that creative need and desire that each quilter has.


I haven't met too many selfish quilters... actually, none that I can think of.  Either they share in their skills and experience, or they share in their stash, tools and books.  They love to take new quilters "under their wings" and help them through the journey of finding their own niche in this fun lifestyle.


And when we are putting together a retreat such as this size, there are MANY FOLKS AND BUSINESSES WHO GENEROUSLY DONATE GIFTS AND PRIZES FOR OUR FUN!  On the right side of this blog, there are buttons of generous friends who have donated to our fun of receiving gifts and prizes!  Many of them are online businesses, and if you CLICK on the picture, it will take you to their website.  It's ALWAYS fun to shop, whether you are in person or online, so take a little time to check out these businesses and let them know how appreciative we are that they care to help us out with fun prizes!


And if you do wind up ordering something, please tell them you found them on the Circle of Friends blog!  And keep your eyes open for new links added all the time!


Yes ... quilters and their friends are the most generous of souls.... How has quilting (either receiving or giving) affected your life?  We would love to hear your story!

Ronald McDonald Help ... say hello to my new friend!

This is Chad ... he's the manager for the local MAILBOX IT! in Nixa, Missouri.  I went in there a few weeks ago because I wanted to mail some food to my in-laws.  My dear Mother In Law, Peggy, fell down the stairs and was seriously injured.  Poor thing broke ribs, had her collar bone dislocated, and had lacerations, and was looking at surgery.  Thank The Lord she did not have to go thru surgery.  Her wonderful hubby Harold, was taking good care of her along with some wonderful grand daughters.   So I did what my line of southern women do,  I got out the food, and started cooking.  I cooked pot roasts, meatloaves, taco meat, spaghetti sauce ... stuff like that.  So as I cooked, I sealed them in Food Saver bags and froze them.


When it came time for mailing the food, I called Mailbox It! in Nixa Missouri.  They are a locally owned and operated business who help with shipping, mailing, and copies... and so much more!  I talked with Chad on the phone, and gave him dimensions of an ice chest that I wanted to buy and asked his opinions and expertise in this situation.  He told me to get the ice chest, buy some dry ice, and pack away, then bring it in and he would help me in getting a box to fit it all.


So on a Tuesday I did just that.  I got the styrofoam ice chest, packed all the frozen sealed bags of food in, then went to Price Cutter for dry ice and put it on top.  Then I took off to see Chad... He found a box for me.  The lid wouldn't fit in the box, so he turned it upside down to create the seal with the styrofoam, and sealed it with packing tape, making sure it was ALL sealed properly!  He then packed around it with insulating material of wadded paper and foam peanuts, and found that FedEx ground could deliver THE NEXT DAY!  


So I left it in good hands with Chad, and went on my way ... by the way ... it was VERY AFFORDABLE to mail that food!  A LOT LESS than a tank of gas it would have cost me to drive it the 7 hours there!  I got a call from my InLaws the next day and said the food arrived, still frozen, and was in perfect condition!  THANKS CHAD!


So when I needed some help getting tickets for the Ronald McDonald Quilt Raffle printed up, I went and talked with Chad.  He VERY GENEROUSLY copied the tickets on his copier that I had made the master for.  It was fast, it was easy, and he did it with a big smile, because he wanted to help with such an AWESOME CAUSE!  So I now have tickets for those who want to sell to friends and co-workers, fellow church goers, or at your neighborhood yard sale!


SO ... IF YOU NEED HELP with your copy or mailing needs, go to Mailbox It! in Nixa.  These are the services you can find there ~



~ Black & white copies
~ Color copies ( customers are welcome to email their docucments, pictures or flyers to their email address (nixamailboxit@sbcglobal.net) and Mailbox It will copy according to their instructions and email or call them when they are complete.
~ Professional packaging for shipping
~ Shipping services (USPS and FedEx) overnight guaranteed time deliveries and ground for more economic alternatives.  Also offer international shipping services.
~ Mailbox rentals  offering a physical address.
~ Laminating (up to 11 x 17 sizes)
~ fax services (Local, long distance and international.
~ Internet rental and printing options online
~ Shredding services (Charged by the pound)

They are a local family-owned business who thrives on great customer service.... and that's EXACTLY what I received at Mailbox It in Nixa.  Go check them out and tell them you read about it on my blog!  They are on Hwy 14 (Mt Vernon), west of 160 across from City Hall.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BRANSON! 

Photo courtesy of Branson/Lakes Area CVB

This year marks the 100th Birthday for the City of Branson ... and they are celebrating with Heritage, Hospitality and Harmony.  And they are having a year long celebration !!


Branson is located in the Missouri Ozarks Mountain region of the country ... if you've never been to the Ozarks, you are in for a TREAT !!!  It's beautiful, clean, and attracts people from all over for it's natural beauty!  There are lots of outdoor activities, including camping, fishing, boating, hiking... and Table Rock Lake is home to the bass capital of the US !


Branson was named for the first postmaster, Reuben S. Branson, who opened a general store and post office in 1882.  The City was incorporated on April 1, 1912, and later that year, most all of downtown was destroyed in a fire.  The city had no fire department at the time, but Ozarks people are strong, and rebuilt the city.


Harold Bell Wright, who wrote Shepherd of the Hills, based the novel on  some folks he stayed with in the Ozarks.  Published in 1907, the book told the story of the self-reliant and stoic hill people he encountered in the area and of the wooded valleys, the mountain “balds” and the incredible cave he had seen.  The book was a huge success. Millions of copies were sold in several languages, and four movies were filmed, including a 1941 version starring John Wayne, in his first technicolor film. Wright’s novel is the fourth most widely read book in publishing history.  I LOVE the movie, and with Betty Field playing that little barefoot hillbilly, she cracked me up running up and down those Ozarks hills barefooted in all those scenes!  Made it very real for me!


The show "Beverly Hillbillies" was based on a Boy Scout camping trip to the Branson area by TV director Paul Henning as a child.  The TV show was a great success, and Henning brought the Clampetts "home" to the Ozarks in 1967, filming five episodes on location at Silver Dollar City.  He later donated 1,534 acres just outside Branson that became the Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area.  He also donated the Beverly Hillbillies' 1921 Oldsmobile truck to the College of the Ozarks where it is on display in the Ralph Foster Museum.


There is rich history and tradition in the Ozarks from people who have made it thru some rough times but still prevailed.  For more Branson history, check out these web pages ~~


100 years of Branson history


Pictures of Branson thru the years 


There will be more of Branson's rich history to come ! 

WE HAVE A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE CIRCLE OF FRIENDS RETREAT!!!

I went on a long country drive today ... it was a country drive, but with a purpose.  The scenery was SO beautiful!  The red bud trees and the dogwood trees are both in full bloom, and just breath taking as I drive through the country roads, over looking the hills and hollers, with the dog woods peeking out everywhere.  The other wooded areas are just starting to leaf, so they are pretty sparse, but then there are the dogwoods showing their beauty when nothing else is able to.  So as you drive, you have white dogwoods, a few pink, and then the beautiful shades of pink and purple from the redbud trees... I LOVE the Spring in the Ozarks!

So I drive a bit towards Table Rock Lake ... out to Cape Fair which is the BASS Capital of the US ... That's what the sign says :)  I cross over the lake, looking at the relaxed fishermen enjoying their day out on their bass boats ... I come to the small town of Cape Fair... drive a little bit more ... then, there it is!

It's a quilt shop in the middle of this small town ... and it's called THE QUILTED COW!  I had gone to a quilt show a few weeks earlier, where I met up and WORKED with our buddy Rainbow ... and I had talked with the gals from the Quilted Cow! 

So I drove and met up with the owner, Jennifer.  She is SO EXCITED y'all are coming to retreat!  She will have a vendor booth at the Ozark Piecemaker's Quilt Show when we go on Saturday ... 

but she is SO EXCITED, that she wants to do something special!!!

So... for those of you coming into Branson early, Jennifer would like to invite you to come to her shop, The Quilted Cow, and have lunch on her!  She'll be serving a light lunch of chicken salad, tuna, or egg salad, along with chips, goodies, sweets, and drinks. 

She'll also be having a GIVEAWAY while you're there!  There will be free patterns, door prizes (you must be present to win), AND she will also have a drawing for a GIFT CERTIFICATE that can be used on her website! 

You do NOT have to be present to win the gift certificate!  You just have to register in her shop while you're there for lunch!  

The hours for this fun is 10am to 2pm on Thursday, September 20th.  That will give you PLENTY of time to enjoy the Ozark beauty (about 30 minutes from Branson), have lunch, do a little pre-shopping at her store, and then make it back in time for Early Bird Fat Quarter Bingo and the Early Bird Dinner at Andy Williams Moon River Grill!  

She has LOTS of fabrics, patterns, everything a quilter could want, and they even do long arm quilting in the back room!  She's got a GREAT set-up, a friendly store and I think y'all will really enjoy yourselves if you visit her.  What a GREAT WAY to start off the retreat!

So think it over ... if you're driving in, might be worth it to come a little early.  If you're already planning on coming early, then it will give you a little added fun!  And if you're coming from the south, you can stop in on your way into Branson!

And HUBBYs ARE WELCOME!  For lunch and shopping!

She says they usually congregate in the back room with the MAN doing the long arm quilting!  They have a blast, she says!

I'll be asking about it later on as it gets closer, just to see what kinda of numbers we may have that want to do this ... just so she has enough food.  She's VERY excited y'all are coming!  So if you get a chance, stop by her QUILTED COW WEBSITE at www.thequiltedcow.com or LIKE them on facebook!  You'll like Jennifer, and you'll love her shop!