Alaskan Quilt in Oregon

“Have Quilt Will Travel” coming to a show near you

2009-09-20T17:40:00.000-07:00

“Have Quilt Will Travel” isn’t just a play on words from the late 50’s, early 60’s TV show “Have Gun Will Travel.” To quilters of Lebanon, Oregon’s Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild, it’s spending summer weekends this year, traveling around the Willamette Valley with the guild’s “Quilted Car.” To these hardcore quilters, they are actually living those words!

Creating car quilts is a Willamette Valley thing

The idea to create a true “car quilt” was born when Peggy Christopherson saw a car quilt made by Karen Wells of nearby Jefferson, Oregon. Karen had quilted her PT Cruiser in 2008. She based her quilt on a car in Florida she saw on the Internet.

Taking photos of Karen’s car to a guild meeting in spring 2008, Peggy convinced members that they should make a car quilt for Lebanon. And so it began. The result is now there are 2 quilted cars in Oregon of the 8 to 10 such vehicles in North America.

Springing to life in 2008

The car quilt was made over about 6 months in 2008-2009 by 6 to 8 quilters using 100’s of orphan blocks, batting, backing and binding. All this material came from the entire Guild. The finished cover is “sort of street legal” on a 2005 Honda Odyssey van. At fairs, shows and other events is now takes 5 to10 minutes to get fully “gussied up.”

After they created this cover, they discovered how truly unique it is. Thus they decided to use it to promote quilting, the Guild’s Quilt Show 2009, Oct. 17-18, 2009 and Lebanon in general.

Now it’s a true “traveling quilt”

So now the car and a few guild members travel most weekends to show off the car. By the end of September “Have Quilt Will Travel” will have been in more than 15 parades, quilt festivals, farmers’ markets and fairs. In mid July it spent 4 days at the Linn County Fair and early September, 2 days at the Oregon State Fair. One of its biggest audiences was at the famous Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show in July. Future shows may even include the 2010 SewExpo in Puyallup WA.

“Mommy, it’s neat, ‘cause I got to touch it”

At Sisters, when a mom described the famous Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show to her 5-year-old daughter, she told her, “Quilts would be hung all over. They’d be hung on fences, on building walls and even on roofs.” The little girl then asked if they would be hung over cars, Mommy told her “No” because the cars had to drive away. When they arrived at the show, the little girl was so excited since one of the first things they saw were two quilted cars! She was so thrilled that she got to touch the “Quilted Car!”

A quick, late September trip to Portland

Probably it’s final trip before the October quilt show was to Fabric Depot, a giant fabric store, in Portland. Fabric Depot is well known to quilters and others sewers. On September 19^th just outside the huge store, Peggy and guild members handed out many quilt show bookmarks, guild info and posed for hundreds of cell phone photos.

Men, young and old, see a car quilt different

In Sisters, at the Oregon State Fair and in Portland, guild “travelers” even gave out many “Guess the Number of Blocks” contest blanks. This contest is to guess the number of blocks in the car quilt. The winning guess will be awarded a prize at the October quilt show.

Interestingly, while women are amazed and wonder, “How long did it take,” many men, ask, “How much would it cost to make me one?” Then when they hear that Karen Wells will make a car quilt for a $1,500 donation to her community center, they decide to enter the “Guess the Number of Blocks” contest.

Oregon rains may help other car quilts “grow”

After Santiam Scrappers annual quilt show, “Rock Around the Block” on October 17–18, the quilted car cover will be put away for the Oregon winter. Peggy says, “It will get really heavy when wet and Oregon can be very wet!”

However, these ladies have more plans for future car covers. They are now talking about a “Quilt for the Cure,” promoting breast cancer research, on a Mercedes Convertible. Another idea is to do a scrappy cover on a PT Cruiser and for the men, a Harley “Fat Boy” Motorcycle.

Since there are only about 10 quilted cars in Canada and the US, based on internet research, Santiam Scrappers believe they may make Oregon the “capital” of car quilts, and, “Adding three more will really put us and quilting on the map.” Watch out Rollin Oldies, theses scrappy quilters may soon show up on the car show circuit!

Quilt Show 2009 "Rock Around the Block" Oct 17–18

The 7th annual fall quilt show in Lebanon, Oregon is more quilting and textile art fun for all. It is the last quilt show in Oregon form 2009. Come to the mid-valley and start your holiday quilting.

$250 in Judged Awards—Judged quilts accepted & judged Oct 15
$300 in Other Awards
Entry form deadline: Oct 1, 2009 to get entry info in program.
Late entries accepted up til Show Time, Oct 16.
See http://santiamscrappers.org/quiltShow
Get entry forms everywhere in mid–Valley
At local quilt shops
Lebanon Chamber of Commerce, 1040 S Park, Lebanon
9am-5pm, Mon-Fri, 541-258-7164
On SSQG website http://santiamscrappers.org/quiltShow

Awards-Prizes

14 Door Prize Giveaways
$250 Judged Quilt Awards
$300+Themed Quilt Awards
Gift Raffles

Talks on

Sewing Ergonomics
Oregon Quilt History
Rock ‘n Roll Era Quilts
Quilt Documentation

Featured Quilter

Alice Leisy

Quilts

Heritage
Vintage
Traditional
Art
Crazy
Small Quilt Silent Auction & Buy
Youth (under 17)
Family
Baby
Wearable Art
Old

Classes

Fabric Folding Art
Make a Purse
Dimensional Flowers

More Fun

Scissors Sharpened
Kid's Quilting, Games, Education
Bed Turning
Giant Quilt Block Scrabble Game
Quilted Car Show
Guess Number of Blocks Contest
Portland Lace Society
Project Linus

Come enjoy Quilt Show 2009, Oct 17–18, at Sand Ridge Charter School, 2900 S Main Rd, Lebanon, Oregon. $3 admission fee, Raffle tickets, Gift baggies, Gift Yo-Yos

Who is Luella Allen in 1930s?

2008-12-24T06:53:00.000-08:00

Peggy Christopherson, Mary & Giff Jones and Noel (Moist) Storms look for the jacquard weaver's signature

A FRIENDS HOME IN LEBANON, OREGON, MID-1930'S...Luella Allen found a historic jacquard woven coverlet “at friends home in Lebanon,” in Oregon. In the mid-1930’s Luella gifted it to Kathryn Cornwall Smith.

In 1985, KC Smith passed the coverlet to Giff and Mary Jones for safekeeping. On Saturday, 20 December 2008, the Jones brought this bit of Lebanon’s heritage back home.

Lebanon's heritage... 1840s jacquard woven coverlet
The coverlet may have been woven in the 1840 era in Virginia (West).

According to KC, Luella told her the coverlet, “... came from Virginia over the Oregon Trail with the pioneer Moise family.” Today, it’s believed Moist may be the correct pioneer family instead of Moise.

Who was the Oregon Trail pioneer family?
Who is “Luella Allen?” Was she in the mid-valley?

Was her “friends home in Lebanon” area a Moist family (1845, Oregon Trail)? Or was it a member of other Oregon Trail pioneer families – 1852-McDonalds, 1852-McCullys, Crawfords, or Reeves?

KC Smith... Anyone remember her being up here?
Where was Kathryn Cornwall Smith in Oregon in the mid-1930s? KC was a Californian in her early 30’s up here studying Oregon pioneer history. She became a journalist. Probably born: San Fernando Valley, California, 1906, and died: Goleta-Santa Barbara, California, 1986.

Check the Lebanon's woven coverlet website
For more info, check the website for photos, family trees (Moist, McDonald), and other helpful articles. Or call Peggy or Chris 541-258-1774, at Peggy’s Alaskan Cabbage Patch B&B, 194 S Second St, Lebanon.

Historic Jacquard woven coverlet comes home to Lebanon, Oregon

2008-12-14T14:03:00.000-08:00

Seattle couple donates historic jacquard coverlet to Lebanon
Donation 4pm, Saturday, December 20, 2008

LEBANON, OREGON Saturday, December 20, 4 pm...At a small ceremony, Mr. and Mrs. GT Jones, of Seattle, Washington, will donate a bit of Lebanon's heritage to the Lebanon Museum and community of Lebanon.

For more on how Giff and Mary Jones received the coverlet and planned their gift back home to Lebanon, check out Lebanon's Woven Coverlet on the Alaska Quilt web site.

Came west on the Oregon Trail
It's possible this beautiful coverlet was woven in Virginia in the early 1800's and came west via the Oregon trail in the 1840 to 1850 era.

Joseph Moist, who came to Oregon in 1845 as a young man of 22 or 23, eventually married Elizabeth Jane Ralston in 1849 in Lebanon, Linn county, Oregon territory. In the 1850 census he was listed as a 28 year old farmer and "Jane" was his 22 year old wife.

Jeremiah Ralston, Elizabeth's father, is known as the founder of Lebanon, Oregon.

It is believed Joseph Moist was born in 1822 or 1823 in Juniata/Mifflin county, Pennsylvania. Local historians are seeking more on Joseph's family back in that beautiful farmland country along the Juniata river.

Coverlet used daily—Who brought it west?
Being a historical bit of Lebanon's early pioneer days...This jacquard woven cotton and woolen warp coverlet was likely a staple of everyday use in the early Moist or Ralston or McDonald homes.

Pat Dunn is trying to determine how the coverlet actually arrived in Lebanon. If anyone has any information on the early Joseph Moist family or other local families who married into the Moist line, please respond here or call 541-258-1774.

Display in new Lebanon City Library, July 2009
Lebanon Museum accepts coverlet, may display this bit of Lebanon's heritage
Larry Nelson, board member Lebanon Museum, will accept the woven coverlet on behalf of the entire community.

Eventually the plan is to create an educational display around the coverlet. However, since Lebanon does not have a local museum, it is planned to display in the new Lebanon City Library which is to be opened in July 2009.

There may be a temporary rotating display in such locations as the Santiam Lebanon Community Hospital, the Lebanon Center Linn-Benton Community College, local schools and senior centers. If you have a suggested place to add to this list, please call.

Pat Dunn, another board member and Lebanon historian, who has done major research on the local Moist family, could not come to the ceremony due to a prior engagement—A granddaugher's dance recital up in Portland. ('Course it is well known—All grandmas got to watch all grandkids dance.)

The Lebanon Museum, is an IRS 501(c)(3) organization which accepts, documents and preserves historical items from Lebanon’s immediate area. Their goal is preserving local articles that would otherwise be discarded until a suitable building is acquired.

Moist family members, Lebanon City Librarian, others to be at ceremony
Also representing Lebanon will be: Denise Lee, Lebanon City Librarian; Noel Storms, Renee Wooldridge & Susan Wilson–Moist family descendants; representatives of Scroggin's Mill Rural Heritage Foundation; and possible textile art historians.

The small ceremony will take place in the living room of Peggy's Alaskan Cabbage Patch B&B at 194 S Second St, Lebanon. It is open to the public.

If you are interested, please call Peggy at 541-258-1774.

October 18–19, 2008 Lebanon Quilt Show Great Success

2008-11-18T22:29:00.000-08:00

LEBANON, OREGON November 18...The Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild (SSQG) Post Show Evaluation Report tells, in almost academic detail, how the show was a major success.
However it was people’s comments that told the true tale. As Guild President Peggy Christopherson says, “Everyone had real positive, good words about the show.” According to her, attendees, tourists and locals alike, said, “It’s alive,” “It has so many things to see and do,” “There’s fun galore and lots of beautiful quilts to see.”

Big benefits: Tripled attendance, Increased local business, New promotion of Lebanon as place to come
These were three major changes detailed by the report.

This 2008 show had over 360 folks who paid a small fee at the door. This was a big contrast to last year’s attendance of just over 100.

New marketing campaign promoted quilt show and Lebanon
One of the major factors in this increase was an advertising campaign in the Democrat-Herald newspaper and on KGAL radio station. This ad program was a direct result of a $500 touristm-marketing grant from the Lebanon Tourism Board (in Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce) and additional monies from the quilting guild budget.

Bigger show space brought more visitors
The larger venue with more parking, food service, and more show and activity space was a second big factor.

The bigger show floor (Sand Ridge Charter School gym) allowed the public to enter quilts in the show.
Plus 180 quilts were hung, almost double the number hung last year. Of this 180, 106 were bed quilts, art quilts, wall hangings, and lap size quilts made by 23 guild members and 13 non-members—kids made five of the 13 public quilts.
Another 39 were community service quilts made by guild members. These quilts are donated to support groups such as—ABC House, Shop With A Cop, FISH, Camp Attitude and Lebanon Community Health Clinic.
Additionally 40 small, wall hanging quilts were donated by guild members for the silent auction and sale.
With this bigger location they also created quilting and sewing vignettes, adding variety to the show and giving all a lot more to see.

More vendors, speakers, and fun things to do
Plus there were 10 vendors, quilting and sewing demos, space for kids quilting games, and a big, 9 square foot, Super-sized Quilt Block Scrabble game board.
Speakers on liturgical and historical quilting were able to give their talks on the gym stage. More space allowed the showing of over a dozen quilting and sewing vignettes scattered throughout the room.

Food service, provided by Sand Ridge school, and lots of nearby, off-street parking were also big pluses.

Having the larger space, Santiam Scappers Guild invited community quilters, local textile artists, and children to be a part of the show. Previously the show was only of quilts made by guild members.

Bigger space means a more varied, larger show in 2009
In October 2009, with this large space, the guild plans to have more non-guild quilts and textile art on display. They plan to invite quilters from area senior centers, churches, schools, and quilt shops. Also the plan is to have a wider variety of textile artists, quilters, and sewers doing demonstrations and possibly even some workshops.

Possibly there will be historical, family, and heritage quilts and items like the Moist family jacquard woven coverlet from the 1840–1850 era.

Quilt show brought more business to Lebanon
The increased business in Lebanon as a result of the show was noted in the Post Show Evaluation Report. This is a list of those benefits to Lebanon.
• Several local businesses indicated their business was increased during the quilt show.
• Finally Together Quilt Shop was packed—Literally—Saturday afternoon one could hardly walk in the shop.
• Restaurants had additional business.
• Lebanon’s only B&B had 5 room-nights with guests from Portland and England. The English guest, a quilter, came from Torquay, Devon—the English Rivera—to Lebanon specifically to see the show.
• Local motel business—At least two quilt show speakers stayed in a local motel. Probably some vendors also stayed in local motels.
• Outsiders shop locally—All speakers, vendors & others shopped or ate locally.
• Sand Ridge Charter School made money from facility rental and food sales.

Drew visitors from outside town and locally, also promoted Lebanon as a place to come
The marketing campaign, the bigger location, and bigger event—speakers, vendors and new activities drew many new local and non-local visitors. As the Guild’s most successful quilt show in 6 years, this helped promote Lebanon as a new place to come for quilting, textile art.

This show and promotion has not yet made Lebanon the “Sisters, Oregon” quilt show place in the Willamette Valley, but it’s a start.

Need more quilted cars —possibly next year
Although it may not have brought more business to Lebanon or increased attendance at the show, Peggy Christopherson’s big Honda Odyssey van was the only quilted car at the show. Many visitors walked ‘round the car and took a bunch of photos.

Peggy and other guild members created a true quilted cover for the van. Members donated orphan quilt blocks, batting and backing that they sewed together and quilted. The blocks were pieced into a form fitting cover for the car. Windows are covered with see-through screening and there are headlight openings so the quilted car is a legal driving quilt. This is only the second known quilted car here in the valley. A group in Jefferson quilted a PT Cruiser earlier this year.

Maybe the 2009 Lebanon Quilt Show will have a display and competition for quilted cars.

Do you think a quilted car drag would draw more visitors?

Planning underway for 2009 Lebanon Quilt Show
Guild members are already planning for next year’s show. Preliminary working plans include: Increased promotion—ads, PSA, radio and possibly TV announcements plus flyers and brochures; more and a wider variety of vendors; more workshops, and demos; inviting more non-guild quilters and textile artists; increased schedule of children’s quilt classes during the year and encouraging them to enter their quilts in the show; and more show activities and events in more rooms at the school.

They have already scheduled more speakers & stage events—three lecturers are already lined up to make these presentations—The History of The Sewing Machine, “From Saint to Singer”; a lecture by a Salem chiropractor and ergonomic expert; and quilt historian Amelia Endorf will be back to present additional lectures. Amelia will offer a documentation session for quilt owners.
Finally the show will solicit entries from all the textile arts—weaving, surface design, quilting, needlework, basketry, fiber, sculpture, knitting, papermaking, and wearable art.

Lebanon’s 2008 Quilt Show was a wonderful success
It increased local business, expanded quilter and textile artists’ showcases, and broadened interest in the textile arts in Lebanon. These are just 3 big benefits of an expanded annual Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild annual quilt show.

Putting on a quilt show is a lot of work. But there are also many benefits. Linn County’s quilters and textile artists have a great, new place to show off their work. Lebanon and the community benefits from increased business.

Finally, it added a new promotion to a new market for coming to Lebanon, Oregon to have fun and stay over a weekend.

Future possibility—new annual, expanded Lebanon tourism event
Lebanon is only 90 miles from Sisters, Oregon, which has a one-day quilt show every year, which attracts 20-30,000 people. Think what that does for their community! We aren’t there yet, but anything is possible with hard work and support from the community.

Quilt Block Scrabble is in Lebanon this weekend

2008-10-12T22:42:00.000-07:00

LEBANON, OREGON October 12, 2008...The annul quilt show in Lebanon is definitely “Quilting Outside the Box.” This weekend the show will become famous with quilters playing the very first ever game of Quilt Block Scrabble. While it is not going to be as famous as the Sister s’ Quilt Show, this year the local show is trying to bring more tourists to Lebanon.

The 6th annual quilt show —which will feature more than 100 quilts along with quilting and other textile arts fun is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at the gym of the Sand Ridge Charter School, 2900 S. Main Road, Lebanon. Admission is $2 and all guests receive a yo yo flower pin. Proceeds benefit the Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild and their community service projects.

Quilt Block Scrabble game
Heading up the Quilt Block Scrabble game and possible team competition is Peggy Christopherson. She is the Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild president.

Peggy has organized quilting and textile arts games and events since the late 1990’s, when she lived in Delta Junction in interior Alaska. At a Delta Junction quilting retreat, Peggy and her quilting sister, Dawn Grossmann, organized a quilt block mystery game. Quilters had to read a set of fictional letters and guess which quilt blocks were described therein. The letters were supposedly written in 1920 by a young woman who was traveling with her new husband to the gold fields in Fairbanks, Alaska.

Super Scrabble-sized, quilted board
Peggy says such games make the quilt show much more fun and give folks more to do. “It makes a quilt show more like a festival or a fair,” she said. “This years show is in a bigger space and we have much more for other textile artists and visitors to see and do,” she continued.

Quilt Block Scrabble is to be played on a Super Scrabble-sized board. Peggy described the game, “It’s a big quilted board on the wall with 21x21 or 441 squares vs. the standard 15x15 or 225 squares. Players add quilt block names which are then verified as one of the 4,000 quilt block names in Barbara Brackman’s book—Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns.”

Winners will include a player drawing, chosen from all players, and a “Top Block (word)smith,” the player with the most points.

“Quilting Outside the Box” plus traditional textile art fun
The show will also feature other “Quilting Outside the Box” and textile art activities. This year will have many vendors, a number of unique quilting vignettes and art quilts. Peggy said the addition of public, heritage and family quilts plus a quilted van is also new.

The shows traditional fun happenings are a small quilt silent auction and sale, quilting games, and children’s quilting—I Spy and Make a Block. Also there are quilting bed turnings, textile arts demos, and talks on historical and liturgical quilting. Plus there is a quilt and crafts flea market and a holiday boutique.

We want more tourists and visitors to enjoy Lebanon
Peggy concluded, “The Quilting Outside the Box quilt show is making a big attempt to bring more visitors to enjoy the fun and sense of community that is growing anew in Lebanon.”

For more information, call Peggy at 541-451-4910 or visit www.santiamscrppers.org.

Quilting Outside the Box: What is it?

2008-09-25T17:03:00.001-07:00

SOUTH LEBANON, OREGON, September 25, 2008... What is Quilting Outside the Box?

Is it art quilting?
Is it art quilting, surface design, wearable arts, mixed media, embellished quilting, crazy quilting, beading, silk ribbon work, and fabric painting—to mention a few?

Is it Quilt Block Scrabble?
Is it a modified Super Scrabble game played on a 7 foot quilted board — 21 x 21 squares = 441 vs. standard 225 — with additional quadruple word and quadruple letter scoring blocks in the outer 3 rows/column and played with quilt pattern names as found only in Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia Of Pieced Quilt Patterns?

Such a game which might be played by any quilter or quilter-wanabe who pays one dollar for each word and then has the chance to win at least one or two prizes — A drawing from all the word tickets in the game basket or the overall Quilt Block Scrabble word total points?

Or might it even be a quilter team competition game played almost like a real scrabble game?

Is it a real Car Quilt?
Is it a 2005 Honda Odyssey van covered in a real quilt made by a bunch of slightly crazy quilting ladies?

Is it a series of vignettes depicting “Quilting Outside the Box”?
Is it displays of non-traditional quilting and unique ideas among the quilts in a traditional quilt guild annual quilt show?

Is it textile artists and handcrafters?
Is it quilters, sewers, weavers, spinners, tablet weavers, lace-makers, felters, yarn-makers, fabric painters, dyers, knitters, crocheters, tailors, rug weavers & hookers, lucetiers, macramérs, decorative braiders & tasselers, beaders, spinners, machine embroiders, knitters, dress makers, hand embroiders, appliquéers, tatterers, tapestry artists, or other folks doing arts and crafts using plant, animal, or synthetic fibers to construct practical or decorative objects?
Is it such artists doing demos or such product vendors?

Or is it the 6th Annual Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild Quilt Show, October 18–19, Saturday–Sunday, 10am to 5pm in the gym at Sand Ridge Charter School, 2900 South Main Rd, Lebanon?
Is it a show with public and guild quilts, plus heritage or just real old quilts, with other fun quilting and sewing demos, talks, shows, prizes, sales, and games?

YES, SI, OUI, JA, DA, AYE, YEAH — That’s “Quilting Outside the Box” in Lebanon, Oregon October 18–19.

Wanted—Quilting & Textile Art Vendors

Vendor fee—$25 for 2 days
Vendors receive–"Outside the Box" box lunch
Deadline—October 1, 2008

Wanted—Demos by quilters & textile artists
Artists & Artisans Like—

Deadline—October 1, 2008

Contact

Peggy Christopherson
Call 541-451-4910, Cell 541-409-0740
Email—quilterpeg@peak.org

Wanted—Quilts—Family, heritage, art, used, friends, new, old—For Display in the Quilt Show

Wanted quilts from your families, friends, church groups, senior centers, quilt shops, guilds & schools.
Wanted quilts old, new, bed, baby, lap, heritage, newly made, art, traditional, well made, children’s & art.
Wanted quilts from Linn, Polk, Benton, Lincoln, Marion & Lane Counties. Even all the rest of Oregon & Idaho, Alaska, B.C., California or Washington.
Contact—Peggy Christopherson
Deadline—October 13, 2008

What’s happening at “Quilting Outside the Box”? You might ask
The fall show will answer that question with these Fun things to see and do —

Quilting vignettes
Art quilts
Strawberry quilting bee
Liturgical quilting lecture
Kid quilters & quilting games
A quilted car
Guild quilters show their visions of “Quilting Outside the Box” in a challenge competition
80 to 120 handmade family, art and heritage quilts
Small quilt silent auction sale
Vendors
Artists demos—Quilting, sewing & textile art
Bed turning
Historical quilting talk

You can be part of the fun by—

Vote for People‚s Choice Quilts
Watch quilting demos
Even take fun quilting tests

You can sit at the show & see—

Bed turnings
Quilting & textile art demos
Quilting & sewing talks, and
Even have a bit of tea & crumpets

It's cheap quilting & textile art fun

Daily admission is $2
Guests get a small gift
Buy a "Sew Scrumptious" guild cookbook
Get a copy of the show poster signed by the artist

Children have fun too

Do kid quilting
Play children's sewing games
Do Quilting I Spy

"Quilting Outside the Box" is—

Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild
6th Annual Fall Quilt Show
Lebanon, Oregon
October 18-19, Saturday–Sunday, 10am-5pm
In the gym at Sand Ridge Charter School, 2900 S Main Road, Lebanon, Oregon

Check the guild website for event schedules

http://www.santiamscrappers.org or
Call Peggy Christopherson
541-451-4910, Cell 541-409-0740
Email—quilterpeg@peak.org

Come Quilting Outside the Box

2008-08-29T22:32:00.000-07:00

COME--Quilt Outside the Box
In the Box [Married 45 years] in Lebanon, Oregon, August 29, 2008...“What’s Quilting Outside the Box?” you might ask.

Actually it’s the Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild 2008 annual quilt show on October 18 and 19. The fall show will answer that question with unique quilting vignettes, art quilts, a strawberry quilting bee, a liturgical quilting lecture, kid quilters and a quilted car. Guild quilters also show their visions of “quilting outside the box” in a challenge competition.

HAVE LOTSA FUN--Outside the Box
All this “outside the box” quilting and sewing fun will be Saturday–Sunday, October 18–19 from 10am to 5pm in the gymnasium, at the Sand Ridge Charter School, 2900 S Main Road, Lebanon.
Of course the show will have more traditional events such as 80 to 120 handmade family, art and heritage quilts, and a silent quilt auction. New this year will be a number of quilting, sewing and textile artists and vendors.

WANTED--Quilts from the Public
“We want quilts from area church groups, schools, and individuals,” said Peggy Christopherson, guild president. “Anybody who wants to show his or her quilts should contact us by October 1st,” she continued.

GUESTS HAVE FUN--Guests Are Part of the Show Fun
They can vote for the people’s choice quilt awards and watch various quilting demos and even take fun quilting tests. Children can to do a bit of kid quilting or play children’s sewing games.
Rather than just walking through the displays of quilts, wall hangings and wearable art, guests can sit for scheduled bed turnings, quilting and textile art demos, and even have a bit of tea and crumpets. Check the guild website for the schedules of these events.

WANTED--Textile Art or Related Vendors and Demos
Vendor space is limited; however if there are vendors who want to be at the show, please contact Peggy Christopherson/ Peggy is the quilt show chairperson and can be reached at 541-451-4910, cell 541-409-0740 or email at ACQC@alaskaquilt.com or quilterpeg@peak.org.

Also want textile artists to do demos and show folks their art.

IT'S REALLY CHEAP FUN--Come to the Show
This show has a daily $2 admission charge and runs from 10am to 5pm, Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19.

There is a small gift for all attendees, you can buy a special “Sew Scrumptious” cookbook and get a copy of the show poster, signed by the artist.

SEE ALL THIS STUFF--Show Features

Quilting, Textile Art Vendors
Quilting Demos
Textile-Fiber Art Demos
Unique Quilting Vignettes
Public & Guild Quilts
Unique Quilting Vignettes
Art Quilts
Strawberry Quilting Bee
Liturgical Quilting Talk
Small Quilt Silent Auctin & Sale
Kids Quilting & Games
Quilted Car
Bed Turnings
Historical Quilting Talk
Afternoon Tea

“Quilting Outside the Box” — 6th Annual Fall Quilt Show in Lebanon, Oregon
October 18-19, Saturday-Sunday, 10am-5pm, in the gymnasium, at Lebanon Sand Ridge Charter School, 2900 S Main Road, Lebanon, Oregon. Free, off street parking.

–30–

What is main purpose of quilt guild website?

2007-11-20T15:59:00.000-08:00

LEBANON, OREGON, November 20... Surfing quilt guild websites, one finds quite a range of ideas & non-ideas. This leads to the question — What is a good set of reasons & designs for a good quilt guild site?

Most quilt guild front pages you always skip
Many sites have front pages that are static. They don’t really serve any function.

In contrast — E-commerce sites, news sites & similar sites have proactive front pages.

Front pages need newsy info designed to attract public
Look at big quilt shows (Sewing and Stitchery Expo ), flower shows (Philadelphia Flower Show), fair websites — Their front pages have news, frequently updated information, interesting photos & 1 click to helpful stuff.

Some guild sites have such features — They serve members proactively and offer "hooks" to attract non-members.

Some quilt guild front pages help members, public
St. Andrews Bay Quilt Guild has some proactive member & non-member attraction aspects.

SABQG front page offers recently updated news items, info

Next meeting date, time, location & potluck lunch
List of update dates & what's updated
Direct link to latest newsletter
BOM thumbnail graphic link
President's "Head shot"

SABQG has 1 click to other active pages

Member services
Scrapbook page... Photos text —Shows they are a fun guild!
Calendar has photos of quilters
Meeting location map
Quilt show... Photos, list of winners, preview of next show, entry forms... More than just poster

Front page — Guild’s best chance & place to help & attract members & non-members

Why a front page saying, in a static message, “Welcome to our guild”?
Why a front-page with no new info?
Why a front-page with more than 2 clicks to find where, when, what & who is the next meeting?
Why not What? — Headline* main meeting program, agenda item, fun activity
Why not Who? — Headline* program quilting speaker & topic

*Headline NOT label — Gudrun Johansdottir shows Spoon Licker: 13 Elves styles of Icelandic Christmas quilts — NOT— December Show & Tell by Gudrun Johansdottir

Why not update front page at least monthly?
Even a small guild website is updated monthly — At a minimum guild newsletters are added monthly. When your Webmaster does that quick FTP — Add 3 to 5 other quick updates...

Put newsletter update date on website front page
Put 1 or 2 main newsletter headlines on website front page
Link both directly to newsletter
Add photo of most recent guild Show & Tell
Photos of recent youth class quilts

Why have a guild website?
In many cases a guild board or publicity committee needs to decide what is the mission or purpose of the guild’s website.

If you don’t have a guild website mission or purpose — Why have a guild website?

What are 10 main purposes, functions, missions of a quilt guild website?

Stimulate guild activities?... Active stimulating? Or just source of links?
Reference for members?... Bylaws? Members list & contacts? Routine, scheduled updates?
Guild news for members?... On front page? More frequent than newsletter?
Attract new members? ... News/photos on front page?
E-commerce for guild?... Cookbook sales? Community service? Guild specials?
Place for guild talk?... Forums or blogs? Past BOM source?
Place for guild photos?
Newsletter source?... Link directly to latest newsletter? Newsletter headlines?
Guild promotion?... Quilt show posters? Quilt show PR? Meeting program PR? Guild classes PR? Guild community service promotion?
Guild calendar?
Website committee?
Share guild photos?
Guild members post quilt related articles, tips, info?
Share guild BOM, patterns, recipes?
Updated regularly?
Guild contact source?
Next meeting date, time, location & potluck lunch on front page?
List of website update dates & what's updated on front page?
Direct link to latest newsletter on front page?
BOM thumbnail graphic link on front page?
President's "Head shot" on front page?
Member services pages?
Scrapbook page?... Photos text —Shows they are fun!
Calendar has photos of quilters?
Meeting location map?
Quilt show info?... Photos, list of winners, preview of next show, entry forms... More than just poster
Guild meeting notices & details?... Date, Time, Featured program/speaker, main agenda item?
Show off work of our talented, award winning quilters?
Lists of guild quilt show winners?
Guild budget?
Guild bylaws?
Quilt show forms?
Public guild info?... Meeting minutes, etc.
Promote self-confidence & skills of beginning guild quilters?
Showcase (i.e. YouTube, MyFace) for youth quilters?
Give non-quilting public exposure to & info about guild?
Educate quilting & non-quilting public about quilting?
Show public our commitment & level of community service?
Promote to public guild events & activities?
Seek public input on future guild activities & events?
Initiate discussions on guild activities?... Like comments on blogs, forums, newspaper articles
News for guild members
Reference for guild members
Attract new members
Promotion of guild events & activities
Educate public about guild
Educate public about quilting
Link to guild newsletters
Please post your ideas of most important purposes

Thanks Chris (Peggy's husband)

2007 Quilt Show Over, Countdown to Christmas Begins

2007-10-22T23:24:00.000-07:00

Great new quilt show needs more planning, more publicity

LEBANON, OREGON, October 22, 2007...Its a relief to have the 2007 Santiam Scrappers Quilt Show behind us.

Bigger Show But Less People
But I was really disappointed at the turnout. We had so many beautiful quilts and only about half of our usual attendance (never very good any year). But those who did attend really enjoyed seeing the quilts! We have some really talented people in our guild!

New Location Needs More Planning
We were at a new location this year and it seemed to take forever to figure out how to display everything to the best advantage. But it all came together and only took us over 5 hours. I am so grateful that so many members showed up to help. It made such a difference to have enough room to properly hang the quilts.

Guild Needs Publicist Promoting Guild Shows, Events
We now hold enough sizable events and activities that we need to add a publicist to our board. It should be someone with a liking and a talent for writing.

Quilts pulled off walls, put back on beds—It’s Lebanon’s Bed Turning

2007-06-12T22:17:00.000-07:00

LEBANON, OREGON, JUNE 23… In a year of quilt shows, Lebanon’s Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild presents a new mid-summer event. It’s an old-time quilting tradition–a Bed Turning. Several quilts are layered on top of one another. As each quilt is turned back, it reveals another beautiful pattern. You’ll see antique and family quilts as they were meant to be seen--on a bed. As you view each handcrafted quilt, you’ll hear stories behind the quilts. Stories of quilters’ lives, quilting techniques and skills used to sew these coverlets of cloth and comfort.

The June 23rd Quilt Bed Turning, Mini Show and Sale is from 10am to 5pm at Santiam Place, 139 S Main St, Lebanon. Scheduled bed turnings are in the garden at 10:30am, 12noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm. Stop by any time for questions and turnings. Admission is free with small gifts and seating provided. Also there are quilting demos and art quilts for sale.

The quilt show is part of an Antiques and Yard Art Sale. It’s all outdoors—Santiam Place’s gardens are filled with vintage, heritage antiques and older collectables. Vendors and food sales are sprinkled in the backyard gardens. Contact Sally Skaggs, 541 259-4255 for vendor information or http://santiamplace.com.

Quilts are a big part of Linn County’s long heritage
2007 is a year of quilt shows and events for Linn County and Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild. They just finished working with the Lebanon and Fern Ridge Garden Clubs to add a quilt show to the 98th Strawberry Festival Flower Show. Upcoming quilt shows and events include:

June 15–17, 2007 — Quilt and Fiber Arts Show, Linn County Pioneer Picnic, Brownsville, Oregon — For 120 years, Brownsville has held Linn County’s Pioneer Picnic. This tradition of celebrating Oregon heritage continues at the Quilt and Fiber Arts Show in Pioneer Park this weekend, sponsored by the Brownsville Friends of the Library. You will enjoy beautiful handiwork of vintage and new quilts and other fiber arts on display in the Community Arts Building at Pioneer Park, Noon-6pm Friday and Saturday, and 11am-3pm Sunday. Come vote for your favorite display. This year there are afternoon demos by lace makers. Friday demos are by Mid-Willamette Valley Tatters from 1pm–4pm. On Saturday, it’s Oregon Trail (Bobbin) Lacemakers from 1pm–4pm. Hardanger (Norwegian Drawn Work) whitework-embroidery demos are Sunday from 1pm–3pm.

June 15-16, 2007 — Fiber Arts Show at Living Rock Studio, Brownsville, Oregon — Spinning, needle felting, and tapestry weaving demos are 10am–5pm at Living Rock Studio on Highway 228 in Brownsville. Many beautiful tapestries on exhibit and Oregon’s largest painted canvas ceiling, “The Tree of Life.”

June 23, 2007 — Bed Turning, Lebanon, Oregon — The Quilt Bed Turning, Mini Show and Sale is from 10am to 5pm at Santiam Place, 139 S Main St, Lebanon. Scheduled bed turnings are in the garden at 10:30am, 12noon, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm.

July 19–22, 2007 — Linn County Fair, Albany, Oregon — Santiam Scrappers has quilting demos plus displays of guild community service comfort quilts. Guild quilters are working on their own projects, plus answering quilting and sewing questions and talking about quilting. Children and adults can do quilt projects and play quilting games. All this quilting fun is in the main exhibit hall at the Santiam Scrappers demo table in the quilting exhibit area. Quilting demos daily 11am–7pm.

July 26–28 — “Riding the Dream” Albany Quilts Downtown — Albany’s annual downtown quilt show has quilts displayed in store and business windows throughout downtown. A raffle quilt, a viewer’s choice award and more quilting activities let you “Ride the Dream”. Santiam Scrappers participate in this event.

September — Quilt County, Benton County — A biennial community exhibit of quilts throughout Benton County venues in Corvallis and Philomath. Lebanon’s quilters display quilts at the Corvallis Library.

October 19–20 — 5th Annual Santiam Scrappers Quilt Show — This big quilt show is really a small town quilt show with over 80 locally made quilts. Lebanon’s modern heritage is on display in baby and bed quilts, wall hangings, and guild fabric challenges—bowls, wearables, wall hangings, lap quilts, table runners, and pillows. Annual guild challenge quilts are featured. About 20 small art quilts are in the Small Quilt Silent Auction. They are in many favorite styles and are great as gifts and collectables showing old-fashioned, handcrafted workmanship. Guild quilters also have quilting demos and interactive quilting games for adults and youth. The show is daily 10am to 5pm in St Martin’s Episcopal Church, 1461 Grove St, corner Milton & Williams Sts, Lebanon. Admission donation. Contact Peggy Christopherson, 541-451-4910, quilterpeg@peak.org, for information about these shows or other local quilting events.

Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild is one of Linn County’s larger quilting bee groups
The Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild is based in Lebanon with members from cities in Linn and Benton Counties. Guild meetings are monthly on the 1st Tuesday, 7pm. Meetings are in St Martin’s Episcopal Church, 1461 Grove St, corner Milton & Williams Sts, in Lebanon Oregon. The public is welcomed and when you come, please bring your family and heritage quilts for Show & Tell. Guild members love to see your special quilts.

Quilting bees are held weekly to make community service quilts and other quilting projects. Classes and retreats are also part of Guild fun. Santiam Scrappers began in 2002 and now has about 50 local members. The guild website is http://www.santiamscrappers.org.

For Quilt Show information, contact Peggy Christopherson, 541-451-4910, quilterpeg@peak.org

Best Listing of Oregon Quilt Shows, Events

2007-04-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

EUGENE, OREGON — For the best listing of quilt shows & related events in Oregon (and a few nearby states), check out the Emerald Valley Quilters website.

Cindy Dietrich is doing a great job keeping all these fun quilting (and related) activities listed in the Emerald Valley Quilters web calendar.

Cindy is EVQ's webmaster, and a fine master and commander she is! Keep up the great work Cindy!

BTW Emerald Valley Quilters live down in the fabled land of ducks, in and around Eugene, Oregon. Occasionally, they allow smaller beavers to quilt with them.

“Another Bloomin’ Quilt Show” at Tom’s Garden Center on Mother’s Day Weekend

2007-04-24T13:53:00.000-07:00

“Another Bloomin’ Quilt Show” at Tom’s Garden Center on Mother’s Day Weekend
NORTH ALBANY, OREGON, MAY 12–13, 2007 — Mother’s Day quilts and blooms at Tom’s Garden Center offer an incredible range of color to brighten Mother’s Day weekend for gardeners, quilters, and most of all, Mothers. The Second Annual “Another Bloomin’ Quilt Show” will decorate Tom’s Garden Center in North Albany with over 40 handmade quilts. During the show, these quilts, made by Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild of Lebanon, will complement Tom’s flowers and plants in the main hall. Flowers and quilts of almost every color and size will be there.

The public is invited to view the quilts hung among Tom’s beautiful flowers and plants on Saturday, May 12, 7:30 AM to 7:30 PM and Sunday, May 13, 9 AM to 5 PM. The second “Another Bloomin’ Quilt Show” is presented by Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild. Tom’s Garden Center, at 350 NW Hickory St, North Albany, is just across the river from downtown Albany.

“Another Bloomin’ Quilt Show” Has Colorful Mother’s Day Gifts, Flowers, Plants, Quilts
As you search for your Mother’s Day gifts to enhance your homes and gardens, look at the small, wall hanging quilts for sale. Other, larger quilts are for display only. Quilt Guild quilters will be on hand during the show. They will be doing quilting and sewing demos and try to answer all your questions about quilting.

While viewing the quilts, please stop at the guild table and cast your vote for the “Best of Show” quilt. Your vote will also enter you in the drawing for a special Mother’s Day prize. On Mother’s Day the first 100 guests to stop at the Guild table will receive a special Mother’s Day gift.

Do Santiam Scrappers Like Blooms & Quilts Too Much?
The Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild is based in Lebanon with members from cities in Linn and Benton Counties. Guild meetings are held monthly on the 1st Tuesday, 7 PM. Meeting location is St Martin’s Episcopal Church, 1461 Grove St, corner Milton & Williams Sts, in Lebanon Oregon. The public is welcomed at the meetings. When you come, you are encouraged to bring quilts for Show & Tell. Guild members love to see your work or family quilts.

In addition to monthly meetings, there are weekly quilting bees making community service quilts. Classes and retreats are also part of recent Guild fun. The Guild began in 2002 and presently has about 50 members from cities in Linn and Benton Counties. The guild website is http://www.santiamscrappers.org.

PUBLIC VIEWING
May 12, Saturday 7:30 AM–7:30 PM, May 13, Sunday 9 AM–5 PM

CONTACTS
For Quilt Show information, contact Peggy Christopherson, 541-451-4910, quilterpeg@peak.org, or Marina Rosario, 541-259-4633, appliquegoddess@yahoo.com.

What I Like about Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild

2007-04-23T23:21:00.000-07:00

By Peggy Christopherson

In 2002 a few quilters here in Lebanon helped me convince about twenty other quilters of the benefits in forming a quilting guild. Thus, the Santiam Scrappers Quilting Guild was created.

I really like doing quilting things with other quilters. When I moved here I didn’t know even one person. So I stopped by the local quilt shop! I knew I would be able to meet other quilters who would eventually become good friends. And that’s exactly what happened!

Some of the Santiam Scrappers activities I really enjoy are...
...Meeting and talking with other local quilters daily, weekly, and monthly,
...Seeing all the skill and pride that comes in our “Show and Tells,”
...Showing our guild quilts at shows, fairs, retirement homes, and Safeway,
...Going on retreats, to shows, and on trips with quilter friends (Yes that includes fabric shopping trips and Quilter’s Safari),
...Doing community service quilts and giving them to people in need of the comfort and physical warmth of a quilt,
...Educating young and old about the history, fun, and heritage of quilting, plus learning about textiles, colors, patterns, and so much more.

I have pushed the guild to participate in doing quilt shows. I am so impressed with the talent of our members, young and old, (we aren’t old, just older!) beginners and experienced, that I want others to see what we are doing.

I think it is so important to do these shows to educate people. We have to teach people why a quilt isn’t just another blanket!

We are also the driving force in creating new quilters. So now I’m pushing us to add quilts to other events such as The Strawberry Festival Flower Show, the Bed Turning at the Antique and Yard Art Sale, and to continue with our quilt show at Tom’s Garden Center. These kinds of venues are where we generate interest in those not already interested.

Lately, there have been negative comments, a lack of participation in mini programs/classes and 3rd Saturdays and a bit of dissension in guild activities. These negative things can remove so much of the fun of quilting with guild quilters.

So, now let’s not think about the negative but talk to the whole about how we can make things better.

We create a beautiful thing from bits and pieces of fabric. So lets continue to create a wonderful guild from the bits and pieces of our experiences and expectations. I really love quilting with everyone in our guild, so this is why I hope we can continue to grow and expand.

I really hope...
...We can get more members,
...Raise more money for more classes,
...Do more comfort quilts for people in our towns and villages, and
...Have so much more fun sharing our love of quilting.

Lets all concentrate on keeping the guild fun, growing, generous, and active in the community, the valley and the quilting world. I sincerely hope we can continue to grow the Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild.

I really hope we that together we can move on into a future of having even more quilting fun.

Do Quilters Like Quilt Shows?

2007-04-23T22:10:00.000-07:00

MID-VALLEY, OREGON — Quilting has a long, strong heritage of family quilting, quilting bees, and quilting frames (with little girls sitting “underneath the quilting frame at grandma’s house.”)

Nowadays the little girl may be sitting beneath the frame singing to her iPod, but there are still quiltings, quilting bees and quilting frames.

As all these quilts accumulate, some go in the baby’s crib, others hang on the sewing room walls, and some even are used as bed covers.

In the past five years Peggy has made a quilt for all six of our grandchildren—even Carter, our only grandson. We have quilts on our bed and down on Dane’s bed. She has even made appropriate quilts for our B&B suites upstairs. Our den has at least three wall quilts!

Yet with all these quilts "showing" on walls and on beds, Peggy likes to put her quilts in a real quilt show.

It's clear there are many other quilters who like to share their work with others. From “Show & Tells” at monthly guild meetings, to the annual guild quilt show, Peggy and many other quilters like to show their quilts.

In 2007, the Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild is involved in a large number of quilt shows, quilt hangings, and quilt bed turnings.

Here is a list of Santiam Scrapper's...
“Quilting Fun in Linn–Benton.”

—Monthly guild meeting—On the 1st Tuesday there is a “Show & Tell” during the meeting. They meet at 7 PM in St Martin’s Episcopal Church at 1461 Grove St in Lebanon.

—May 12–13 —Another Bloomin’ Quilt Show
Tom’s Garden Center, 350 Hickory NW, North Albany, Saturday 7:30 AM–7:30 PM, Sunday 9 AM–5 PM

—June 1–2 —Strawberry Festival Flower Show Adds Quilts, Art
Quilts from SSQG & Local Art. Evangelical Church Annex, 75 E Ash St, downtown Lebanon. Friday 1 PM–4:30 PM, Saturday 12 Noon–4:30 PM.

—June 23 —Quilt Bed Turning & Mini Show, Sale
Antique & Yard Art Sale, Santiam Place, 139 S Main St, Lebanon. 10 AM–5 PM

—July 19–22 —Linn County Fair, Albany
Enter your Quilts! Quilting Demos, Bed Turning?

—July 26–28 —Albany Quilts Downtown Quilt Show
Santiam Scrappers invited to participate

—September —Quilt County, Benton County
SSQG Displaying Quilts at Corvallis Library

—October 19–20—Santiam Scrappers Quilt Show
Episcopal Church, Lebanon. 10 AM–5 PM

—Mary’s River Quilt Guild, Meeting: Monthly–Last Thursday 7:15 PM, 2nd floor, Benton County Historical Museum. 1101 Main St, Philomath

If you know of any other quilt happenings this year here in the mid-Valley, please tell us. Tell us so we can tell other local quilters… Because as you know…
“Quilters Do Like Quilt Shows!”

PS… We even have kind of a patchwork dog pillow. However you can be assured it’s not going to be in a quilt show!

Would you come to “Blooms & Threads”– A fun, 3-day Flower & Quilt Show in Lebanon, Oregon in 2008?

2007-03-25T18:27:00.000-07:00

2008 JUNE– STRAWBERRY FESTIVAL, LEBANON, OREGON… A few local Lebanonites are considering developing this idea for June 2008. They are asking the following five questions –

Would mid-Willamette Valley gardeners and quilters enjoy a major, local, 3-day flower and quilt show with garden displays, judged flower arrangements, juried and judged quilt competition, art quilts, heritage quilts, local art, workshops, speakers, and a commercial vendors marketplace?
Would Lebanon benefit from a major new tourist event at Strawberry Festival?
Would Lebanon’s businesses and organizations like to have $5,000 to $8,000 new income?
Would Strawberry Festival like to appeal to a new type of visitor & expand its long term potential?
Would the City of Lebanon and Lebanon Area Chamber of Commerce like to support an economic development event in the manner of Sweet Home’s Oregon Jamboree?

MEETING
If you are interested in discussing this idea, Please come to a meeting about “Blooms & Threads” Flower & Quilt Show 3-days, workshops, speakers, vendors at 2008 Strawberry Festival Lebanon, Oregon

What– Lunch meeting – Informally discuss “Blooms & Threads”
When– Noon, Thursday, March 29
Where– Peggy’s Alaskan Cabbage Patch B&B, 194 S. 2nd St. Lebanon
Sponsor – Alaskan Chocolate Quilting Company.
RSVP– (541) 258-1774, (5410 451-4910 ACQC@alaskaquilt.com

FICTIOUS NEWSPAPER STORY

500 Gardeners and Quilters Attend 2008 Strawberry Festival Flower & Quilt Show — “Blooms & Threads”
New York Times
BY MARK TWAIN, Published June 13, 2008

LEBANON, OREGON… Festival attendees enjoyed a new event for the 99th Strawberry Festival. The 3-day Flower & Quilt Show inspired them with 5 glorious gardens, 100 beautiful floral arrangements and over 125 colorful and unique quilts.

In six scheduled classes and workshops they tried new quilting skills and learned helpful garden techniques. Local and regional artists and professionals led these sessions in exploring a variety of Blooms & Threads.

For gardeners, quilters and general shoppers, the marketplace had many specials in gardening supplies, beautiful flowers, high-tech sewing machines, and a variety of special fabrics and quilting notions.

All this fun and learning was under cover and air-conditioned inside Lebanon’s River Center. River Center has easy parking and is close to Strawberry Festival’s Open Air Country Fair and Carnival in Cheadle Lakes Park.
–30–

SPECIFIC ITEMS OF DISCUSSION
Attendees/ Market

500-800 – Tourists & Locals – Gardeners & Quilters – Baby Boomers & others

Activities

Flower/Garden Displays with Awards– Personal & Business
Quilt Displays wish Awards– Personal, Heritage, Antique & Artistic– Juried & Judged– Open & Invitational
Commercial Vendors– Nurseries, Landscapers, Sewing Machine Dealers, Quilt & Fabric Shops & Dealers
Workshops– 4–6 Flower/Gardening & Quilting/Sewing
Professional Speakers & Artists

Funding & Support

Generate income– $5,000-$8,000 – Admission Fees, Vendor Fees, Sponsorships, Quilt Raffle–High quality, year long raffle, Flower & Plant Sales, Silent Quilt Auction
Tourism promotion grant– City of Lebanon “Bed tax”
Economic Development Support– Lebanon Chamber of Commerce
Technical Support– OSU/Linn County Extension Service & Master Gardeners. Oregon State Federation of Garden Clubs, Lebanon Garden Club, Santiam Scrapper Quilt Guild

Benefits

New Market– 3-day event targets new Strawberry Festival market – quilters & gardeners

Interested?
Think this might be a fun tourist event for East Linn County?

Give us a call – Alaskan Chocolate Quilting Company (541) 358-1774, (541) 451-4910 or email ACQC@alaskaquilt.com.

Thanks Theresa. Thanks for “Life on display”

2007-03-22T20:25:00.000-07:00

INTERNET, ACQC BLOG… Elspeth was neither an Elizabeth Barrett Browning nor an Emily Dickinson, however El’s special journal of her Alaskan life had something neither they nor modern bloggers have — Elspeth had quilts in her letters!

Elspeth sends her thanks to Theresa Hogue for writing an article concerning mid valley bloggers and for mentioning Alaska Chocolate Quilting Company’s Alaska Quilt in Oregon blog.

Elspeth encourages all readers of this blog to click over to the Gazette-Times (Corvallis) or Albany Democrat-Herald websites for her article.

Thanks Theresa. Thanks so much!

Peggy and Chris say Thanks Theresa also.

Giant Fabric Sale in Lebanon Oregon

2007-03-17T00:14:00.000-07:00

ST. MARTINS EPISCOPL CHURCH, LEBANON OREGON... The following story was is the March Snippets, the Santiam Scrappers Quilt Guild Newsletter.

Fabric (and related items) Sale! Even though Sharon Reece’s recent eye surgery has improved her sight signifi cantly, she is still determined to reduce her stash and sewing paraphernalia by offering up lots of good stuff for sale at half price. Our meeting room at the church will house the event on March 17th. (And remember: we are ALL Irish on St Paddy’s Day!)

Some of the items she will be selling: Fabric (she and Rusty bundled over 1000 fat quarters!), books, patterns, lots of sewing accessories, a John Flynn frame, a Q-snap Floor Frame with tilt legs, a good quality lap hoop, and a rug hooking stand. I am still trying to get past the 1000 fat quarters!

Setting out all the fabric was a lot of fun tonight. "Where did she store all this fabric and stuff?" was a question we heard over and over again. Her home is a small mobile home in the Lacomb hills. Sharon's small dog LEO was even going crazy tonight because he had so much room to run around once all the totes were loaded into the truck!

The church is at the corner of Grove and Milton streets.

Where have all the days gone

2007-03-16T01:19:00.000-07:00

LEBANON OREGON....Can't believe it's been so long since I posted to this blog. What have I been doing all this time? Well, Thanksgiving and Christmas came and went in the usual rush to get everything cleaned, purchased, made, wrapped, cooked and mailed. I didn't get many Christmas cards out but I did make and finish a quilt for one of my granddaughters. She was the last of the grandkids to get a quilt other than the ones I made each of them when they were born.

Since the first of the year I have trying to lose some weight but today I sabotaged myself by going on a sugar binge! Now I must get back on track. I feel so much better when I stay off sugar!

I've also been on a kick to declutter this house. Have been throwing stuff away or taking it to the Goodwill. I joined Fly Lady.net last year and her system and emails have helped me set up some routines, get rid of some of the clutter, and began to put our home and life in order. I still have a long way to go but I know I can do it one step at a time. Check out her web site at FlyLady.net.

Elspeth’s Blocks Found!

2007-02-28T20:18:00.000-08:00

RICHARDSON HIGHWAY, ALASKA… 87 years after Elspeth created her Alaskan Honeymoon Sampler Quilt Blocks, five blocks have been rediscovered! These historic quilt blocks have been added to the Elspeth’s Quilt Mystery on the Alaskan Chocolate Quilting Company website.

Creating a special journal of a new life
It was June 1920 when Elspeth and William were journeying up the Richardson Highway by wagon. While traveling from Valdez up the almost 400 miles, heading to Fairbanks and their new life, Elspeth sewed 20 block of her first quilt.

As they traveled north through the long, Alaskan summer days, she kept a special type of traveler’s journal — a series of letters and quilt blocks. Her letters were short, yet very descriptive and her 20 quilt blocks were pictures in fabric and thread of the sights she and William saw and experienced.

Elspeth only wrote eight letters to her “Dear Friend” who lived outside, in Elspeth’s old home back in Calloway county, Kentucky. The letters were “mailed” at roadhouses along the highway. Every few days a bus or truck would travel from Fairbanks down to Valdez and the roadhouse mail would be collected and delivered for shipment from Valdez back to Seattle.

Beginning a new life together — Married in Murray, Kentucky
Elspeth, b. Jan. 1901, Calloway county, west of the Tennessee river, and William, b. Aug. 1894, New Madrid county, Missouri, were married earlier that year back in Murray, Kentucky.

Their wedding was noted in the Murray Ledger & Times on June 20, 1919…

Married BOGGS – WARREN
MURRAY, Ky., June 20—At the home of the bride's parents in this city, on Saturday evening, June 16, 1919, the Rev. L. Greenfield, married Mr. William John BOGGS, of New Madrid, Mo., and Miss Elspeth Martha WARREN, of this city.

The bride is the daughter of Lawyer and Mrs. J. D. WARREN, and has grown up in this community where she has a host of warm friends. Since 1917, she has been studying music and other college subjects at Bethel Woman’s College, Hopkinsville, Ky.

The groom is a young gentleman of New Madrid co., Missouri, who was discharged from the Army Signal Corps with the rank of sergeant on June 5th, 1919. Mr. Boggs had served in the Army since August 1917. He served in France in the AEF from June 1918 to May 1919. He is highly esteemed by all who know him.

The MURRAY LEDGER & TIMES extends its hearty congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Boggs, and wishes them many years of unalloyed happiness wherever their adventures might take them.

Elspeth receives a “Female education in proper Kentucky style”
Prior to their wedding, Elspeth had spent two years studying music, nursing, and “other college subjects” at Bethel Woman’s College in Hopkinsville, Christian county. Her mother, Mary Jane, and her two older sisters, Dawn Elise, b. Dec. 1897, and Margaret Ann, b. Oct. 1899, had also studied at what was then Bethel Female College.

Young William’s wild streak is mining, steamboating
William, Elspeth's husband, came from a family in southern Missouri. Originally his family came from the Georgia seacoast. Although William’s father was a well-to-do banker, William had a bit of a wild a streak and left home at a young age.

William has done some mining in Colorado and Utah before coming back to Kentucky and meeting Elspeth. William has also worked as a boy on the Mississippi as a deck crewman on the paddle wheel freighter Col. John Germain. Working the lower river down to New Orleans.

Two young folks meet in Hopkinsville
In 1917, William had met his future bride while she was studying in Bethel Woman’s College in Hopkinsville, Ky. He joined the U.S. Army August 7, 1917 there in Hopkinsville. He served in the Army Signal Corps and attained the rank of sergeant. He was discharged on June 5th, 1919. William served in France in the AEF from June 1918 to May 1919.

Going to Alaska with side trip to California, Oregon
William Boggs had a bit of money from his savings during Army service. His father had given him some tracts of land in New Madrid county, Mo., as part of his father’s real estate business. William sold half of his tracts in a number of land sales.

This provided money to take the railroad to California, Oregon, and Seattle. There was money for steamship passage to Valdez and to buy a wagon and goods for the trip to Fairbanks.
Before coming to Alaska, the young newlyweds had traveled to meet William's uncle in the gold mining country of the Sierra Nevadas in northern California. There they also visited with Elspeth's very old aunt (she was in her late 80s) who worked in a house on the Barbary Coast in San Francisco during the California Gold Rush (c. 1849-1860).

From California they took the railroad north to visit relatives in Linn co., Ore. This was where Elspeth’s mother had been born — Mary Jane WALKER, b. Sep. 1870, Linn co., Ore., on a farm north of Peoria, Ore.

Eventually, in Seattle, they boarded an Alaska Steamship Company steamer heading for Valdez, Alaska.

1920’s pioneers choose wagon rather than bus
When they arrived in Valdez, they found the way to Fairbanks was on the Richardson Highway. While by 1919, most of the highway traffic was motorized, William and Elspeth wanted to save money and to have a more pioneer-like experience, so they bought a wagon and team. The journey was over 360 miles and they took 16 days for their trip.

Back to Elspeth’s new found quilt blocks
Elspeth remained all her life in Alaska — she bore 7 children, raised two additional stepchildren, eventually had 3 husbands, and was a B&B operator in Tok — quilting all the while. When she passed in 1996, in Fairbanks, her quilts were stored. It wasn’t until recently that some of these old patterns were found.

Here is a bit more background of her quilt patterns.

Her wedding hope chest is filled with quilt patterns
When Elspeth was married, one of her wedding gifts was a package of printed quilt patterns.
El’s grandmother, her mother, and her sisters created this collection. They placed it in a hope chest with fabric scraps as a very special gift for their new bride. The hope chest was handmade by her father from Kentucky hardwoods.

Patterns — heritage, traditional, and LHJ, Godey’s — from her family
Grandma Elspeth Martha had cut many patterns from magazines such as the Ladies Home Journal and Godey's Lady's Book. Mary, El’s mother, had collected printed patterns from newspapers and mail order companies when she had traveled to St. Louis for the World Fair in 1904.

Dawn Elise and Margaret Ann, El’s two older sisters, drew patterns from old family quilts and made copies of patterns from mail-order companies. Her two younger sisters, Mattie (Dauphine) and Cleo (Cleopatra), collected four patterns from a local quilter who sold patterns and kits from her home in the county near the Tennessee River.

El’s Great-aunt Marcie had mailed two patterns from California. (Aunt Marcie had once been known as Madame Marcelle. That was in the early days when she worked on the Barbary Coast in San Francisco.)

Quilt block documents are traditional and special
In addition to her wedding collection of patterns, while on her travels, Elspeth pieced adaptations of traditional patterns. She also was becoming a quilt pattern designer and drew new patterns to reflect the sights she experienced in Alaska.

When she arrived in Fairbanks, Alaska, El had 41 block patterns in her collection.

Five blocks found
Moose tracks, spawning salmon, bear paws, raven tracks, and single wedding ring are El’s creations, or modifications of traditionals, which have been added to the ACQC website. Check to see if you can identify these blocks.

Send Peggy and Dawn an email with your guesses. If you are correct, they may send you a small gift and then again, they may not!

Historical note
The explosion of printed quilt patterns was part of the quilting revival of the late 19th century and the early 20th centuries. This revival, which reached it’s maximum in the 1920’s and 1930’s, was associated with improvements in sewing machine design, electrical sewing machines, and their wide distribution.

Marina’s a blue ribbon winner and we were there

2006-08-15T15:02:00.001-07:00

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON...Where were we? We were at the 2006 Pacific Northwest Quiltfest. And getting there was quite an adventure.

The adventure began when Gail and I found out that one of Marina’s quilts, Penny’s Bird Brooch, had been accepted into the Pacific Northwest Quiltfest in Seattle Washington. This is a juried and judged exhibition of the finest quilts from Alaska, Alberta, British Columbia, Idaho, Montana, The Northwest Territories, Oregon, Washington and The Yukon. Just having a quilt accepted for this show is quite an honor. Only 276 quilts out of over 500 entries were accepted.

So, now Gail and I wanted to go to Seattle with Marina to see her quilt hanging in the show. Plans were made for a quick trip up there for only one night, probably Friday.

Then Marina got an invitation to the awards ceremony .She had won a ribbon! But they wouldn’t tell her which award. So our plans changed to go there on Thursday so we could go to the ceremony and then on to a private showing of all the quilts.

We left for Seattle around 11am and after a stop in Olympia to pick up Marina’s friend from California we continued on our way. There was a lot of laughter as we got lost more than once finding our motel in Auburn. It was getting late and after a quick change of clothes we were on our way to the Seattle Center. It got later still because the traffic into Seattle was terrible! Gail got pretty vocal about all the crazy drivers.

So, we were on our way to get lost again! That Seattle Center is a big place and we had problems finding road signs. Then once we got there we couldn’t find any signs or people who knew were the awards ceremony was being held.

Of course, we finally found it and were really breathless when we got there. We had sent Marina and her friend Charlotte on ahead while Gail and I parked the car. Then Gail and I were really hoofing it. We were afraid we would miss the announcement of her award.

We did get there and had a front row seat. We were Marina’s cheering section when the award was announced. I even have a picture of a headless Marina doing a curtsey to us as we cheered for her. (She doesn’t remember doing the curtsey). She won $300 and a goody bag full of really nice gifts including fabric from In The Beginning and the Calico Cat and many notions. I wonder if her favorite notion will change now?

There were so many beautiful quilts at the show. The work in many of the quilts was unbelievable. We also saw Jean McDaniel’s colorful Heartstrings quilt in APNQ’s fifth invitational traveling exhibit. Seeing all these beautiful quilts made us all want to go home and work on out quilts.

After leaving the show we traveled quite a distance trying to find the Muckelshoot Casino located just 3 miles from our motel. Traffic was so bad and it was so late and we still needed some dinner. We knew that we could get food all night long at the casino. It was a really good choice. The food was plentiful and tasted really good.

The next morning we headed (the wrong way again) back to the casino for breakfast. Of course we had to stop at the Calico Cat a quilt shop in Auburn. It is a really nice shop and not too far off the freeway if you are up that way. I would make a special stop there again.

We finally got home about 10 pm, after making a quick stop at the Fabric Depot in Portland. Don’t ask Gail how to get there! She got really good a turning around during the two days!

We all had a wonderful time and were so proud of Marina. She is such a talented and creative quilter!

Congratulations again to Marina on her fantastic win and also to Jean for being invited to part of this great quilt show.

Big Red dead but quilts still there

2006-07-20T19:03:00.000-07:00

SCIO, OREGON... Known for Linn County's Lamb and Wool Fair in May, Scio is a neat small Oregon town that used to have a chicken mascot and home made quilts at the Fair.

On July 11, Big Red, Scio's chicken mascot, met an untimely end with a tough dog. So next year, Big Red won't be pointing the way to the quilts in the school gym.

Big Red was a proud Rhode Island Red, but now he's dead. Read the full story of Scio's unofficial patrol rooster in Albany's Democrat-Herald on July 12.

But if you are a quilter or a quilter-looker, drive up Ore. Hwy 226 to Scio in May. Get an elephant ear with sugar and cinnamon, visit the train depot museum, shop in the feed store visitor shelves, and check out the quilts in the gym.

'Course there are some other neat and unusual events in Scio on Thomas Creek during the Fair.

Fair time for Santiam Scrappers

2006-07-20T18:48:00.000-07:00

LINN COUNTY FAIR AND EXPO CENTER, KNOX BUTTE RD, ALBANY, ORE... Several of the Wednesday Ladies went to the Linn County Fair to help with displaying the items in the textile division.The Wednesday Ladies are a Sub-group of guild who meet at my house on Wednesday afternoons to sew on Community Service Quilts.

Anyway, Jenny the division manager said she needed lots of help. Well, after we helped fasten quilts to polls and hand them up to a guy in a lift there didn't seem to be much for us to do. We did sort the items into several catagories: baby; Christmas; fall; etc.;. Then we were asked to set up a display of the baby items on a table and layer them to get them all on the table.

Then, after sitting around for awhile with nothing clear that we could help with most of us left. Would have liked to have been more help.

Today we went to the opening day of the fair in 2 hour shifts of two or three guild members to do demonstrations. Last year we had 3 tables and just enough room for everyone to set up their demo. This year we only were given 2 tables and we were pretty crowded. I was just glad that my friend Leola and I changed our minds about bringing our sewing machines for a demo.

I looked around at some of this divisions displays and was disappointed that all the stuff that I and several others worked at displaying yesterday had been moved and put on different tables. Guess we didn't sort it correctly.

Maybe I'm being too critical. But I will think twice about volunteering to help next year.

My friend Marina's quilt took best of show which was great! I was lazy and didn't enter anything.

A quilt that covers Denali Park—Wow! They sure do things big in Alaska!

2006-07-15T14:26:00.000-07:00

MILE 231, PARKS HIGHWAY, ALASKA... As otherwise noted in this blog—Quilters (DQ's) are a strange breed. This applies especially so to DQ's who live along the upper Nenana River where it flows along Alaska's Denali National Park.

At 6 million acres, this park, with Mt. McKinley peaking at 20,320 feet, is a bit of a challenge to cover. Of course, quilters really like projects that are demanding, elaborate, and even grandiose. Thus quilting a map of the park apparently was an undertaking the Denali Quilters accepted with sharpened needles and roller cutters at the ready.

As reported by Kris Capps in Fairbanks Daily News-Miner's July 12 issue, the Denali Quilters created a "fabulous" quilt. At 12-by-12-foot, this quilt took 1,000 hours of cutting, piecing, ironing, and hand sewing over a four-year period.

Definitely sounds "fabulous"!

As Kris notes, the quilters created an interesting set of border blocks,

"Twenty-two blocks surround the map, each depicting a close-up view of selected plants and animals. There is the nose and curl of a Dall sheep horn, among rock and mountain avens. There is the hind end of a swan feeding in a pond and incredible blocks showing colorful vegetation.

Each quilter designed her border block, which all provide an illustrated legend for the map."

Yep! At 12-by-12, those Alaskan DQ's sure do things big in Alaska.

Final question is—Who has a bed that needs a quilt that big?

A Big Black Dog and A Duck

2006-07-11T01:54:00.001-07:00

TIMBER-LINN PARK, ALBANY, OREGON... If it looked like a duck, swam like a duck and quacked like a duck it was fair game for Ellie Bear (our big black dog) Monday night when we took her to the creek. But the duck swam circles around Ellie Bear, as she tried to keep Ellie away from her babies.

Chris and I had been out for dinner and after picking up some computer paper we took Ellie to a park with a creek and obviously a duck. And a Mama Duck at that! One who didn't take it well when Ellie jumped in the water. The only thing Ellie saw or heard for 1 1/2 hours was that duck swimming in circles around her.

Mama duck was trying to protect her babies. It finally got too dark to see a black dog head or a brown duck or much of anything else in the park. As time went by the Mama duck's quack got horser and horser and Ellie's breathing got more labored.

After the first 40 minutes I was worried that she might drown before she would try to get out.

As much as she loves "Pig Ears," even the those two words didn't get her attention. For all my calling and talking to her it was like I wasn't even there. I guess she has the instinct even if she hasn't been trained to retrieve for hunters. But, I thought the ducks were supposed to be dead when labs retrieved them!

I finally called Dane to come to the creek when he go off work, a 25 minute drive. My hope was that since she is really his dog and minds him much better than me, that he could get he to come out of the water.

Of course, as soon as he drove up, she comes dragging herself up the slope. She is a really smart dog and most of the time knows when Dane is coming home from work. So, now I wonder if she just got tired or if she heard his car and knew she was in trouble.

Well, all ended well, but we had one tired dog. I don't think she moved at all on the way home and she slept the rest of the night away.
Peggy

Safe and Sound in L.A., part 2

2006-07-04T00:21:00.000-07:00

Back on June 22, this "...rest of the story" was forwarded by frostystitcher. There is no other connection to anything quilting. Sarah is frosty's oldest daughter and mother of her only grandchild—Rafe—a 5 year old boy. Frostystitcher is an Alaskan DQ of the first order—end of quilting connection.

Sarah Grossmann—Leaving Fairbanks, Alaska
On June 8, Sarah Grossmann and her father, Bruce left Fairbanks, Alaska to drive to Los Angeles. After 6 rather long days they arrived in L.A. on June 14.

After surprising her dad—Bruce
According to frosty, "All of us were surprised when she invited her dad to come along after he was laid off from Ft Greely. She and he have gotten along okay since she left her teenage years but it isn't like they spend too much time together." Frosty continued, "It had been a long time, since her young childhood, that they did a road trip together. I was proud of them both for showing such self constraint."

Here is Sarah's story

Los Angeles, Calif., June 22... And now for the rest of the story...

For those of you who know my dad, you know that he's a nice, bumbling guy with an amazing aptitude for retaining every bit of knowledge that ever enters his head. But it's hard to have a real conversation with him. It's not a conversation at all, it's more like tuning into a talk radio station that has a 45 second topic limit. Or, putting your iPod on shuffle, but only listening to the first 10 seconds of each song. His topics are jumbled and mixed together like a tossed salad. He may get to the point eventually, but more than likely, he won't. And somewhere, in his head, the 20 or so seemingly random topics are connected somehow and the progression makes perfect sense to him.

I love him dearly, but he's my dad, and no father and daughter should be subjected to a 6-day roadtrip together anywhere. Ever.

The following is a list of things that I, proudly, did NOT do to my dad on this trip:
• Leave him in Canada at a gas station
• Shove him out of the car while driving
• Strangle him with my bare hands
• Cram dirty socks down his throat to get him to stop talking
• Cuss him out . . . much.

I wonder what kind of list my dad has about me . . .?

Okay, enough about my dad. I'm here, I made it, everything is fine and no one got hurt. So I'm here in L.A. and I'm working on my demo reel. Actually, I'm slacking on working on my demo reel, writing this email. But the point is that I'm excited. I'm glad to be starting a new career, and moving to a new place.

The trip down the Alcan wasn't that bad. We saw no less than 8 bears. Mostly black bears, a dozen or so elk, 2 mountain (dall?) sheep, a porcupine, several bald and one golden eagle, a red fox, a bobcat and one moose. The weather was great, the Canadians were friendly and I got great gas mileage (dad kept track). And just in case you were wondering, Dad gets better gas mileage than me.

Dad kept a journal throughout the trip, recording what towns we drove through, what animals we saw, people we talked to and lots of other stuff. I drove the majority of the trip, I would guess that Dad drove about 500 to 800 out of the 3,500 miles trip. Dad's journal could tell you for sure, of course. When Dad did drive, I used that time to write in his journal too, but I continued to write from his "perspective". Let's put it this way, I just put into writing all those wonderful things he wanted to say about me, but never could.

I visited some of my friends in Portland. Some of you may know Melissa, most recent Fairbanks employment being at Steve Neumuth Advertising. She moved to Portland the same time I came to L.A. the first time, and I was able to spend the night at her house, visit with her the next day and meet her charming new boyfriend. (Way to go, Melissa!) Then another friend of mine from Colorado, Danica, was visiting her father who lives right outside Portland, so I was able to spend the next night at her place the next night. We hadn't seen each other in about 4 years, so it was great to catch up. We had a few margaritas and stayed up late chatting and reconnecting with each other. Good times.

The next night I stayed with my Great-Aunt Ginny in Anderson, California, near Redding. She busted out the old photographs of her and my Grandma when they were young. I never knew I came from a family of such hotties! I learned a lot about the family. Grandma is the oldest of 14 kids and Ginny is the youngest, only 7 (?) years older than Dad. I also got a recipe for a tofu cheesecake from her that I can't wait to try out.

Then we drove on to Stanford University to hang with my "in-laws", Rafe's other grandparents. Dad and Dick toured the campus a bit and visited while I hung out with Mary and had a great time catching up with her. It was my birthday, and they gave me the most delicious carrot cake I'd ever eaten. Really. . . the best carrot cake ever!

We left that evening around 8pm heading down I-5 South. There were millions of semi trucks and also an accident, so we lost a good hour and a half of time. At one point we were going about 35mph and I had to go the bathroom really bad, we were about 50 miles from the nearest rest stop and Dad was yakking my ear off, so I pulled into a campground exit thinking there surely had to be a bathroom somewhere.

It turned out that the campground was like 10 miles away up this weaving, unlit road. I was cranky, having missed my personal goal of reaching L.A. by my birthday and Dad was complaining that I wouldn't let him listen to talk radio.

Zoe called me to wish me happy birthday and right at that moment I hit a skunk. Oh yeah, I should have added a skunk to that previous list of wildlife . . . The car started stinking and Dad started complaining about what a reckless driver I was. I lost it a bit and snapped at him, but then I found a portapotty (try using that in the dark!) and I felt much better.

After all that, the rest of the trip went a little easier. Dad fell asleep. After awhile I got tired and pulled off into a trucker's stop about 150 miles north of L.A. to take a snooze. I slept for a few hours, then got back on the road. We made it into Venice at 5am that morning.

Now it's been over a week since we pulled into town and I just put my dad on a plane this morning heading to Wisconsin to visit his folks. Ahhhh, now I can have a little peace and quiet before the real work begins.

No job yet, hasn't been looking. I'm getting started on my demo reel and once that's done, I'll be in the market for work. Piece of cake.

Sorry for talking your ear off, but these emails from me tend to come few and far between, so you'll have to forgive me.

Summary Quote: "Driving to LA with my dad was a once in a lifetime experience."

Translation: "Once in a lifetime was just enough for me. . . and him too, no doubt."

Until next time,
Sarah

And to anyone who might forward this email on to my dad . . . I love you dad, come visit again next year!

Sarah is one of four—Final bit of background
Frosty (and Bruce) are parents of 4 children. Sarah is second oldest at 27. She is in L.A. to do graphics things for movies.

Ben Grossmann—VFX Supervisor
She is apparently going to get some help in that crazy business from her older brother, Benjamin. He is, at the ripe age of 29, visual effects supervisor, sequence supervisor, compositing supervisor, digital compositor, and many other titles, on many recent movies. He's a neat young person too.

Eli Grossmann—WHL Seattle Thunderbird Defenseman
Benjamin is oldest, Sarah second, then comes Eli. Elias is a Alaskan trapper, a deep sea fisherman, a tough hockey defenseman, and has eaten caribou nose at an Athabaskan (Alaskan native) potlatch in Tanacross, Alaska. He's only 18 and has said he wants to be an Alaska State Trooper. Taking photos of his Alaskan animal friends is another of his talents. See the Photo of the Day – June 22 on DeltaNewsWeb.com.

Annie Grossmann—Crabby, but tough on da ice
Last, but not least is Annie. Only 16 going on 24, she's sells Alaskan king crab (red) to raise money for her hockey team trips. That's right she plays hockey and is reputed to be tough on the boys. Her team is girl/boy. She is a neat young lady. See her photo on ACQC's web site. She is in the small photo down on the right.

Yep, she quilts. Heck, even Eli took quilting classes back in the day when ACQC was open in Delta Junction in the '90's. Frosty, was Sarah a quilter at ACQC?

Mom and Dad done well
BTW all these nice young people were home schooled. Good job "frosty"-teach and Bruce.