July 28-29, 2012 Weekend, Crochet Guild Retreat, more Crocheted Edge Washcloths, a few Crocheted Bracelets, and a 60th Wedding Anniversary Party

My weekend started off with me stopping by one of my favorite thrift stores on Friday. I found this hat

and this one. I’m not sure how I’m going to embellish them yet, but I do hope that someone will like them enough to purchase both from me when I’m done with them. I know, I’m such a dork! 🙂

On Saturday I arrived at Kaye’s around 8:30ish armed with my cooler full of tacos, rice, beans, and salsa, plus my bag of crochet. We started off the retreat learning how to string beads onto the thread. Kaye had graciously strung 1,000 beads (100 for each of the 10 attendees). Yes Kaye counted them all because I asked her; and she told me she had counted them because she wanted to make sure that all 10 of the attendees would be able to at least try crocheting with the beads before they invested in their own beads and then decide that they didn’t really like it. Kaye is so helpful, generous and kind and she has been such a blessing to our guild. And I can’t thank her enough for her generosity and kindness.

Some members learned to use their bead threading machines, and I think this might be a very nice gift for me to purchase for a special someone that I know who strings beads. 😉

As for me I chose to just observe, take pictures, and crochet around the edge of my washcloths. My hat is off to the crocheters of the 60’s and 70’s who made so many of these beaded rope necklaces for themselves or as gifts. I have decided that any time that I see these beaded treasures that I’m not going to pass up the opportunity to own one or more these priceless jewels.

Here’s Linda with her collection of beaded treasures that she inherited from her Mother-in-Law. Lucky Linda!!!!

A few of the ladies decided to give up on the beaded rope necklace and jump right into making the Turkish knotted beaded bracelet. I just love this photo of all of their hands on top of each other.

Then it was time for lunch. Everyone enjoyed their tacos, rice, refried beans, chips, salsa, fresh cantaloupe, water melon, and a yummy mint chocolate bundt cake.

Donna really loved the beans and wondered how I prepared them. I told her that I use canned pinto beans along with a can of pinto beans with jalapenos. I added garlic powder, cumin, cilantro, salt, and pepper, and let them simmer for about 30 minutes. Then I put half of the beans in the blender and blended them. Poured them out and then poured the rest of the beans in the blender and blended them; then I dumped the beans all together and stirred. Instant yummy homemade refried beans; or you could do it the long version and cook the hard uncooked beans until tender and add them to the blender and blend along with the spices that I mentioned above.

In the afternoon we watched the movie “The Help” and we had a wonderful time just sitting; watching and crocheting.

I feel so blessed to have been a part of our annual retreat again this year and by the way if you were wondering; I finished 7 more crocheted edged washcloths while I was there.

Sunday I had plans to go to breakfast with Mom. We went to our little neighborhood restaurant Emilia’s where I asked my Mom if she wanted to attend the 60^th Wedding Anniversary party of my best friend Debbie’s parents. Of course Mom said yes she would love to go; since the party was in town we decided it would be fun for us to spend the morning together and I told my Mom that I would make her tacos for lunch.

So while we waited for time to go by we visited while I made a few crocheted bracelets and Mom worked word finds. I couldn’t resist using my Mom as an arm model and she didn’t seem to mind. 🙂

I got the idea here from the Mollie Makes magazine and I did use a few of the patterns and made up my own too; they were fun and easy to make. Notice I had to add a few beads to a couple of them? Even though I didn’t realize it, I must’ve been inspired by all those beads from Saturday’s retreat?

We arrived at the anniversary party and since Debbie and I have been friends for such a long time and we spent so much time together as we were growing up;

it was just like seeing family that I hadn’t seen in years.

I was very happy to see another friend of mine who I went to school with through all 12 grades; and her name is Marla. Marla just happens to be Debbie’s sister-in-law and another fun tidbit of information that not everyone knows is that Marla shares my birthday. In a town as small as Maize, Kansas was when we were growing up, I thought it was very neat that we shared that special day. I still remember the very first time that I went to a slumber party; it was at Marla’s house, I do believe it was for her birthday. Marla, please correct me if I’m wrong. 🙂 As we left the party I vowed to Debbie’s mother that I would bring my Mom to see her real soon. And they both agreed that even though they live about a block from each other as they always have; neither one of them has taken the time to stop to visit each other. I hope that I can help them break that habit right away, because it was so sweet to see them together and how well they visited with each other. My Mom tells a story of the times that I would be sick and I had stayed at home from school, how I seemed to always perk up when I would get a phone call from my best friend Debbie as she arrived home from school. She just had to check up on me to make sure I was ok, because that’s the kind of friend she has always been.

When we arrived home, Mom and I planned a little trip at the end of this week. My Mom has wanted to go to visit my Dad’s brother and his wife; Uncle Oris and Aunt Barbara and go to visit my brother Terry and his wife Cathy. Since I am on vacation this week I told her I would love to take her both places. We will travel to Aunt Barbara’s on Thursday, spend some time with Uncle Oris in the care home and spend the night with Aunt Barbara at her house. We will spend some of the day on Friday with Aunt Barbara and then travel to my brother Terry’s to arrive at his house as he gets home from work. Then we will head back home on Friday evening.

Well, again I feel truly blessed to have spent time with my crochet friends, dear and old friends, and my Mom. I hope you all had a blessed weekend too, I love you all!