Back to School ...

Yes, all over California school buses are hitting the pavement for another school year. Tomorrow morning the traffic will be a bear as teacher, parents and students return to those hollowed halls.

I felt today would be a perfect day to celebrate with a Longaberger Back to School party!

Mrs. Taylor has her desk all set up ...

The chairs are set and ready for my students ...

I prepared sack lunches for my students complete with P & J sandwiches, apples etc. Dessert was yummy ice cream sandwiches!!

We finished the day celebrating Kim's birthday ... next year she has The Big one ....

Just as the day was winding down and my students were heading for home we had a sad event take place. My 94 year old customer, Jewel had a serious medical issue occur and we had to call these guys.

 And they brought this ...

 

Jewel was quickly assessed and whisked away to the local hospital. Please pray for her and her daughter Barb.

 

Longaberger Year End Celebration

Every year seems to pass faster then the year before ... how is this possible?

The Longaberger sales calendar runs from July to June and today our branch leader, Debbie celebrated our accomplishments! I hosted this years party and Debbie did all the cooking and decorating!

She made these adorable tiny topiary's using the Longaberger Toothpick holders as a favor gift for each of the consultants ...

Tell me these aren't the cutest topiary's ever!! The small crocks in the center served as our center pieces with a very cute heart shaped topiary.

Debbie is busy getting the tables set ... I was in charge of patio and furniture scrubbing, spiderweb removal and doggy doo patrol, my personal favorite ... eeek!

Table #2 is ready ...

So pretty ...

 My awards ....

As a special treat Debbie brought a friend who taught us a class on easy dish towel decorating! It was so fun and yest so easy!!

The tables have been cleared and the dish towels are set and ready to decorate.

\Here are a few of our works of art.

So simple ... here is all you do.

Buy cotton dish towels at Walmart

Purchase sponge style stamps at Hobby Lobby/Michael's or any other craft store.

Using a paint brush dab acrylic paint onto the stamp (work quickly) press hard onto towels and voila, a pretty towel. These will make great and easy hostess gifts!

Family ... Sweet Family

Today I will wrap up my visit to Ohio with some family memories. Because I was raised in California and my cousins were all in Ohio we never really "new" each other until I became an adult. When I joined the Longaberger Co. 17 years ago I found myself visiting Ohio quite often and my family was a mere half hour away. I wanted to know them better so I would stay a few days after a Longaberger event to spend time with my aunts, uncles and cousins. Over the years my youngest female cousin, Mary Ann and I have become quite close. We enjoy the same hobbies, foods and sharing family stories.

While driving through the state my girlfriends we found ourselves in one corn field after another.

 This conjured up memories my mom would share with me about her childhood and meals of corn and tomatoes. Her aunt Rose lived in the country on a farm with a dozen or so kids! During the sweet corn harvesting season my mom and her family would go to the farm for a visit and dinner. The "boys" would pick bushels of corn and the girls would shuck it. Aunt Rose had huge pots of boiling water and would prepare huge platters of sweet corn for dinner. On the long, farm style table would sit platters of steaming fresh sweet corn, bright red fresh tomatoes and lot a home churned butter! Oh my mouth is watering! Mom would laugh and tell me "some of those boys could eat a dozen ears of corn by themselves!" That's a lot of corn!

 

While out site seeing Mary Ann asked if we liked corn, of course we all did. She stopped at a farm stand and bought some corn and tomatoes and Sunday night we had an old fashioned sweet corn meal. I could feel the presence of my mom in the room enjoying the corn with us.

Beautiful bright red and orange tomatoes, oh they were so delicious ....

Sweet corn and tomatoes on my plate ... we also had some of Amy's homemade bread, so yummy.

I'm done!! Corn was wonderful, red tomatoes are completely gone ... orange ones, not so tasty.

After dinner was sat out on the front porch and watched the world go by. On Mary Ann's porch is a wonderful metal bench. It too has a great story.

 

Our great-aunt Hilda lived alone on a hill in Lancaster not to far from Mary Ann. In the early years she would feed to Hobo's traveling through the state. Her home was "marked" as they say and hobo's new if they tapped on her back door they would receive a good hot meal. Aunt Hilda had special plates and flatware for these men. They would patiently wait for her to serve them while sitting on this bench.

 

This bench is lovingly known as the Hobo bench.

After Hilda's death the bench would live with my Aunt Jay, Mary Ann's mom. When she passed 6 years ago the bench became Mary Ann's. It now sits on her front porch making a comfortable spot for visitors to rest. 

 

If this bench could talk it could tell some fascinating stories. How many hobos were served a hot meal there? No one will ever know. But in our family history it will always be a fascinating tale.

 

Rest in Peace sweet Hilda ... we love you.

Ohio .... Beautiful Ohio ....

My mom and dad were born and raised in the state of Ohio. So attending the Bee and visiting the state is a bit like going home for this born and raised California girl. This year, my cousin invited the three of us to stay with her for a few days and show us some sites. We jumped at the opportunity and Saturday after our day at the Longaberger Homestead we headed south to Lancaster in Fairfield County,

After our arrival we collected Mary Ann and off we went to Bob Evans! Yep, we love Bob Evans and we don't have them in sunny California.

Bob Evans Company History

Our Beginnings

Bob Evans Farms got its start when our founder, Bob Evans, began making sausage on his southeastern Ohio farm to serve at a 12-stool diner he owned in nearby Gallipolis in 1948.
"We served a lot of breakfasts, but we couldn't get any decent sausage," Bob recalled. "So I decided to start making my own from hogs raised right on our farm, using all the best parts of the hog, including the hams and tenderloins." The restaurant drew many truck drivers who traveled through the region. "You might say the truck drivers did my research for me," Bob said. "They would tell me that this was the best sausage they ever had, and then buy 10-pound tubs to take home."
These good reports prompted Bob Evans to go into the sausage business. The building where he made the sausage was built with open ends, at the suggestion of his father, so it could be used as a machinery shed if the sausage business failed. But, it didn't fail. In 1953, a group of friends and family recognized the growing demand for Bob's sausage and became business partners by establishing Bob Evans Farms.

 Sunday morning we slept in ... it felt good after 4 days of hustle bustle. After we finally pulled ourselves together we loaded in the car and headed west towards historic Rock Mill. Sharing that same area of the county was Curry's Antiques. Located on Rock Mill Road, steps from the mill is a 25 acre living history museum owned by the Curry family.

They are open on Sunday's by appointment only. We made an appointment for noon and I'm so glad we did! Such a fun place to visit. The shop was full of 1700/1800 century primitive antiques and some truly wonderful hand made goods.

I'm sitting in one of their custom "Make-Do" chairs ... this little gem runs about $800.00 - YIKES!

This is a witch! They are getting ready for the Harvest event in late September ...

A closer look ... love her teeth! How about that wart on her forehead!!

The black smith shop ...

The Curry's personal home complete with Amish buggy!

They even had their own corn field ...

Inside the 8 room hand built log cabin with owner Ginny Curry. Each room held a treasure all its own, we stayed over two hours and I could have stayed all day!  I am planning a Tour to Ohio next fall  - 2015 and we will be dining at the Curry Homestead! PS - Ginny is 74 years young! She was full of energy and history.

 

 

Just a quick picture of my Homestead purchases ... LOVE Liberty ... the baby mouse!

Finally we visited the Historic Rock Mill. Built in the 1800's this mill sat abandoned for many years. Recently it has been under going a much needed restoration. A new roof, new shutter style doors with hand forged iron hasps and new fencing. The inside has been completely reinforced allowing tours to be taken. 

Another view of the mill. To the right of the open door is the water wheel which makes the mill run. There were high school aged kids here jumping off the rocks into the cool water below. Kids, they're just to dumb to be scared! Behind the mill, to the right you can see a corner of the covered bridge. It is closed off and no longer in use but it was awesome to see. 

If you ever visit Fairfield County Ohio this area is worth a visit.

2014 Longaberger Bee

It's been a difficult year for the Longaberger Co. Shipping issues, new Website and executive employment changes =unhappy sales teams. For the first time in 5 years I felt I needed to make the trek to Ohio and hear for myself first hand what is the future plans for this company I love. My friend Judi and I boarded our plane a week ago and headed east. 

We decorated our hotel room door .... Amy flew in from Wyoming and the 3 of us gathered together in Columbus ....

Director Betsy Trout was cruising down the hall and offered to take our picture ... looking quite lovely I must say ....

Amy forgot her duck pants so Judi and I smothered her in ducks and bees!!

 Whenever we're together it's always a party. After our in the hallway party we put ourselves to bed to get rested for the long busy day to follow.

Good Morning Columbus! The view of the city from our hotel room. A perfect day ... not to hot, not to cold!

The over sized Bees were out and about ...

Judi and I collected our first award baskets ... a new Khaki Check design ... Sorry for the blurr, Amy's not to good at photography!

Amy receives her Top in the State award for her sales in Wyoming ...

The 3 of us with a Bee Babe just minutes prior to the doors to the convention center opening.

The doors have finally opened and we are some of the first to enter, woo hoo!

 Within a half and hour the room was packed to the rafters with eager consultants and guests. The announcer welcomed everyone to Bee 2014 and the room went completely black and silent. Seconds passed, the room was quiet and still. A raspy voice began to speak in the dark. Difficult to hear she pressed on, within a few minutes the image of Tami Longaberger, our CEO appeared on the jumbo screens. She appeared tired and worn out from an exhausting year of turmoil. She bravely bared her soul to her sales field, we cried, she weeped and when she finished the room fell black once again and she received a standing ovation that lasted several minutes. She has always been so real, genuine, eager to speak to all of us. She was hurting and so were we.

My eyes were swollen from crying and we were only a half an hour into the meeting. Oh my, this was going to be a really looooong day.

Later we would hear from Michael Samaroff, our new president. 

Amazing man, we are blessed to have him on board. He is from New York and had that swagger that tells you he's got a plan and he's not afraid to use it! Welcome aboard Michael. We are all counting on you.

Judi and I would receive our awards for sales ....

 One final picture for this post has a story behind it. 40 plus years ago in Warren, Ohio Dave Longaberger found himself sitting at the kitchen table of Charleen Cuckovich drinking coffee and hashing over ideas on how to sell his father's handwoven baskets.

This is "the" table and chairs. Charleen still has it after all these years. 

 We left the following morning and headed for the Longaberger Homestead to do some shopping!! There were more tears to be shed, standing ovations to be given and yes a lot of laughter. For me, this was one of the most difficult, heart felt, soul searching and inspiring Bee's I have ever attended.

Watch out world ... here we come!!

To My Summer Girl ....

It's my daughter's birthday today, she is 36 ... however in my mind and in my heart she is still a little girl. She was born smiling, happy and eager to get out and greet the world.

 

A bald Tiffany about 6 months old. Loved laundry baskets and smiling!  When l look at this picture I can't help but smile and the memories it stirs up  brings tears to my eyes... where did my baby go??

Her 3rd birthday ... celebrating a hot summer day in her new frog pool! She has loved the water her whole life, her favorite vacation spots are anywhere there is water!

First Communion, 7 years old.

I always loved this First Communion picture of her. She loved petticotes, ruffles and anything sparkly ...

 

  This year she revisited that love of petticoats, sparkle and fluff. 

May your next 36 years be as amazing as the first ....

Happy Birthday to my 

"Summer Girl"

A Hot Muggy Miserable Day ....

Wow, is all I can say about this weather we are having. Hurricane something or other is off the coast of Mexico and it's making our So. California weather awful. We have had some rain which I am grateful for but what it has done is make the remainder of the day so humid you can cut the air with a knife!

So what does one do when the weather is bad?? Yep, you know me by now, you stay inside and sew!! 

My First Ladies quilt is almost done ... I need to put on my borders and then ship her off to the quilter!

Here are the ladies! I'm really loving this quilt so far, now all I need to do is choose my borders ...

The inner boarder is a cream and grey print from the Jefferson County fabric line and the outer fabric is a yummy grey from the Orchard House line both from Jeannie Horton. This is option one ...

Option #2, use a thin grey inner border before the cream ... Another option will be to use the gray, cream and a red print the will incorporate reds, greys and cream ....  decisions, decisions ....

Along with completing this I have begun working on a fall quilt called Autumn Orchard ....

Blocks are coming together ... this reminds me of the end of the season fall leaves all crunched up on the ground.  Hopefully it will be all done and ready for my Thanksgiving table!

 My journey with Dear Jane continues ... my friend and mentor Penny came over yesterday to teach me foundation piecing. This was much easier then I thought it would be ... however, it did not solve my Dear Jane block issues. Certain blocks are just beyond my skill level and I have to except that and move on and do what I can and let the rest go. Perhaps someday I will find the right teacher who has the "Dear Jane" knowledge to show me how to do the complicated ones!!

The most recent 7 ... some were very easy while others were very time consuming!! 17 blocks down ... a lot left to do!

 Finally, here is my foundation piecing accomplishment.

A square, in a square, in a square ... in one more square!! Just look at the perfect points, that's what foundation piecing is all about!