During the holidays it seems the pace is always a bit brisker outside, but people still come in the front doors to get their fiber fix. It’s satisfying to watch people de-stress. We can visibly see kinks and stress ease as shoulders fall to a normal level, faces seem more relaxed and demeanors change from hurried to just a tad bit slower. Wool and color and scheming about new projects tend to do that to people. The photo is of the staff at our monthly company meeting this week. From left to right: Frankie (kneeling), Joan, Heather, Jenny, Su, Deb, Joy, Annie, Sharlene, Suzanne, Cindy (with grandchild), Marge, Gina, Ann (holding her daughter, Piper).
I spent much of the week updating the web page for our new project: Knit Michigan. Check out my work at www.knitmichigan.comand think about participating. We’ve adopted four different Michigan cancer charities and are raising funds via a special event on Saturday, February 2, 2007. Check out the website and let me know what you think! You can help in a couple different ways before the event: we can use stuffers for goodie bags – 250 pieces of things you think might be of interest to participants. Also, we have just kicked off the process of getting non-profit status for Knit Michigan and are desparately seeking a CPA to adopt us and do pro-bono work to help us keep the IRS happy!
I forgot to write in the last post that I went last Saturday to the Stoney Creek Chapter of the DAR (Daughter’s of the American Revolution) to deliver a presentation on weaving and textiles during Revolutionary times. There must have been 40 women there off all ages — a much larger gathering than I remember when I was a member (BH – before Heritage). I loved doing the research and learned a lot. My favorite quote:
What did they do, our grandmothers, as they sat spinning all the day? Are we not ourselves the web they wove?
Anonymous toast, Mary Floyd Talmage Chapter, DAR,
Litchfield CT
1910
On Wednesday I went to the monthly breakfast meeting of Greater Detroit’s NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners). Again, another group that I haven’t had time to keep up with much since I opened Heritage! It was good to see the group thriving and so many new faces. What’s kind of sad is that most of them thought I was a new face, when, in fact, I started the satellite group and was on the local board for many years. Just shows you how quickly faces change in an organization. A non-profit factoid (in a past life I was an Executive Director of a couple of them): the average “life” of a member in a non-profit is five years. Most people only stay long enough to get something out of the group. Either an expanded skill set or contacts. Interesting stuff!
Our print newsletter is almost ready to go to press (and would be a lot closer if I wasn’t blabbing away here). Dates for a few of the classes have been revised a bit to accomodate schedules and a couple classes have been added. Watch for changes on the website by Tuesday. I should have a PDF of the newsletter posted by then, too, if all goes well.
New stuff this week: Books. Several that we’ve been waiting for including Victorian Lace and Knitting with Balls. New colors of Decor.
Don’t miss the Holiday Classes. One day fun classes on December 27, 28, 29, and 30. Something for most! Hope you can join us.