Give me a break!
Last month, a week or two before the occasion, my husband, Rick, asked me what I’d like for my birthday. Prior to his asking, I didn’t have an answer. But one-half of a nano-second after he asked, the answer sprang from my lips. “I want to be invisible for three days.” Here’s how that came about.

“I’m pooped. I need a break. A retreat. Yeah, I’d sure love to go on a retreat. But to go on a retreat you have to plan and pack and drive, and that’s more work than I’m willing to do at this moment. A retreat at home – that would work! Play in the sewing room, get some things done that I haven’t had time to do. But to do that, I’d have to be invisible.” Hence, “I want to be invisible for three days.” It came out so fast, I still have no idea where it was lurking.

So for three days, from Friday through Sunday, everybody in the house played along. I cloaked and de-cloaked from time to time. Rick would ask if he could kiss his invisible wife. My father-in-law would ask, “Is Bev here? Can I see her?” And if I answered, he’d proceed with whatever he wanted to say. The only ones that didn’t play along were the cats. They want to get fed when they want to get fed, and they don’t want to hear about invisibility. And even invisible, they have good sniffers.

I played in the sewing room in my nightgown till noon, got projects finished that had been stalled for weeks. We ordered in dinner so I didn’t need to cook, I did no dishes or laundry or housecleaning, I stayed out of the office. I just did what I felt like doing for three days, and it was delightful. Come Monday, I wanted to be invisible again, but that didn’t work.

So for anyone who is feeling a bit overwhumped, anyone who needs a break but doesn’t want to have to work too hard to get it, I heartily recommend invisibility for a couple of days. Do I need to tell you what I plan to request when my birthday rolls around next year? Hmmm . . . but then, there’s also Mother’s Day . . . and . . . Christmas . . . and . . .

The Bra Lady Cometh Indeed!
We are all set to welcome Anne St. Claire for our bra workshop Tuesday and Wednesday, April 20 and 21. At this writing, we have enough for only one workshop. (That could change! And YOU could change it!) Registrations have come in from as far away as seven hours drive north! We have many coming from Jacksonville. Yes, this really is a big deal.

The preponderance of registrations – more than 75% – have come from the northern part of our chapter. Therefore the pre-workshop lectures and the workshop itself will take place at the Wellness Spa of High Springs. The south part of our chapter could still get a workshop, but you’re going to have to get your checks in pretty quickly. You know the drill.

Welcome!
We have a new chapter advisory board (CAB) for 2010. Please join me in welcoming them. They are listed on page 6 of the newsletter. Some are returning, either to their previous posts or to new posts, and some are brand spanking new. We welcome you all, and thank you for accepting responsibility in running our chapter. It does take a team to get the job done well, and with a good team, it’s a lot more fun.

Welcome also to incoming neighborhood group leaders Jennette Ferguson and Annette Harris of Belle-view Sew Biz.

Along with that welcome goes a farewell and sincere thanks for a job incredibly well done to outgoing NGL Sue Hamby. Sue served as Belleview’s group leader for more than two years, and is now moving on to other things. Thank you, Sue, and our sincere best wishes.

The women who serve as your CAB and NGLs have made a commitment to you and to ASG that is above and beyond. They have agreed to serve in their various capacities for a full year, to give of their time, their talent and their energy to make our chapter great, and to bring you sewing education and opportunities that you wouldn’t otherwise have. They devote considerable resources to fulfilling their responsibilities, and I would encourage you in the strongest possible way to say YES when one of them asks for your help. Having volunteered for their posts, they can be counted on to do what’s needed to get the job done. But they can’t – and shouldn’t be expected to do it alone either. Everyone can do something to participate.

Trenton is back!
It was a sad day last year when our Trenton neighborhood group ceased operations, so we are especially pleased to welcome Sally Criswell and Lois Scott, who have brought the Trenton neighborhood group back. They meet the third Monday, 10 a.m. to noon, at the Suwannee Valley Quilt Shop in Trenton. Sally is an exceptional hand stitcher and experienced teacher; Lois is a long-time ASG member and works with our host Stephanie Metts at the quilt shop. These ladies have some exciting creative adventures in store for those who meet at what has to be the most inspirational venue in all of the Ocala Chapter.

Thank you for helping
The Region 7 meeting in Columbia, SC is right around the corner. Regional representative Jan Squires asked for help, and Ocala Chapter really rose to the occasion! Jan asked us to make in-the-hoop notebook covers as gifts for conference attendees. While many chapters helped, none were as prolific as the members of Ocala Sew Exciting and Belleview Sew Biz who, among them, made 18 notebook covers! No other chapter even came close!

Thanks to ringleaders Marge Hollnagel (5) and Jan Quigley (4), and to members Jackie Metz (3), and Sue Farr, Annette Harris and Nita Marsyla, each of whom made two notebook covers. Ginny Freund and Carla Chapman also volunteered and gave it their all, but in the end their machines did not take the size hoop required. You all really went above and beyond, and your help is very much appreciated.

Getting ready for Atlanta?
The ASG annual conference alternates from the eastern US to the western US, giving everyone an opportunity for proximity. This year’s conference will be in Atlanta! Not so far!

In talking with region 7 rep Jan Squires, I believe she has plans afoot for a Florida bus to conference. She will open registration for the bus following the region 7 meeting next week, and everyone will have the same opportunity to get a seat. The cost will be around $70 – a real deal! So watch your e-mail for this announcement. Conference registration is a bit over $400, and then there’s lodging. Share a room to keep those costs contained. You can do the whole trip for around $1,000.

Annual conference is an experience every ASG member should have at least once, and it’s not likely to get any closer than this for a long time. Rub elbows and take classes from sewing instructors you’ve seen on TV and read about in magazines. Learn the latest techniques, create the most up-to-date projects. Explore the vendor mall, full of the most extensive assortment of anything and everything having to do with sewing that you’re ever likely to encounter. (There’ll be room on the bus to bring back your finds.) Get invigorated, get EXCITED about sewing again! Don’t miss the bus.

Silent Chapter Fund-Raiser
If you’ve been to the website lately, you’ll have seen the Loralei link. If you click on the Loralei link and end up making a purchase at her website, our chapter will get a few cents for every dollar you spend. You have to go to her website by way of the link on our chapter website for this to work. Kathy has more of these links, called affiliate links, in the works.

We’re not asking you to make unnecessary purchases, but we would ask that if you plan to make a purchase anyway from any of the businesses that we have affiliate links to, please go to the website by way of a click-through from the chapter website. It will cost you nothing more than you would have spent any-way, and a bit of your purchase price will be returned to the chapter from the vendor. Thanks for helping.

Bev’s Wall

I’m sharing a photo of a wall in my sewing room. At last year’s annual meeting, you all gave me some really cool awards! Created by our inimitable Celeste Beck, I hasten to add. They found a home on my wall, where I enjoy them daily.
Thank you!

Links to past messages
October 2009
June 2009
February 2009
December 2008