Road Trip

Yesterday I was up at O'dark thirty to meet three of the talented ladies from our local FCE club for a 2-hour ride to join ladies from the Ashland City FCE club for a day of teaching crafts to members and the community. It was a dark and rainy morning but, by the time we were closing in on Nashville, the rain had stopped and the sun was poking through the fading cloud cover.   I missed the turn from 24-155 but luckily Betty spoke up from the back seat in time to for us get off at the next exit.  We got turned around to go back to the missed turn, but poorly marked roads had us missing it again!  The roads have been under construction for some time and although the work is done, I guess they don't have all the signs set yet.  So another turn around and with 4 pairs of eyes watching we found the correct turn-off. We arrived at the church 15 minutes before starting time, grabbed our bags out of the van and each set up at one of the empty tables. Other tables were set  with pumpkins and fall decorations for lunch while the counter was filled with crockpots of chili, soup, cornbread, snacks and desserts.  It looked to be a fun day!

Janice quickly opened her bag and in short order had her embroidery floss and huck-toweling ready to teach Swedish Weaving Bookmarks.

Betty's bag was full of yarns and beads to make snowman and angel Christmas ornaments

 Pat was teaching notepad folders using manilla folders, cardstock and decorations

I set up with my precut kits to teach my mini-purses using sewing machines borrowed from the local FCE.

Tammy and Charity, other ladies from our FCE group taught Christmas ornaments and embroidered pillows. 
The local FCE members taught classes in "painting" with crayons (tape a row a crayons to the top of a canvas then melt them with a heat gun and the melted crayon drips down the canvas for a unique piece of artwork), cement/glass/tile stepping stone, basket weaving and an assortment of halloween and christmas ornaments.  It was a fun-filled, busy day but that meant I didn't remember to take pictures.   Hopefully someone else remembered to take some for the scrapbook.

A quick stop at McDonalds for a drink and some fresh out of the oven chocolate chip cookies (we timed that stop just right!) and we were on our way home.  Even though we were now aware that the roads were poorly marked, we missed the turn again! and were almost into the city before we noticed. (I gotta stop talking and driving!)   Pat used to live in the area so rather than driving in circles again she found us a local back road and we picked up 40 over near the airport instead.

A short time later Betty speaks up from the back seat...  "You know, we will be driving right past the exit for Joann's.  Do you think we could stop so I can get some yarn?"  With four crafty women in the car... well there was no driving by!  Of course we'll stop!

Yarn was 25% off and Pat was showing us this specialty yarn and telling us how easy it would be to make up some scarves with it... we could even have one done by the time we got home!  So, of course, we all bought several skeins of yarn and a crochet hook and with the sale price and the bonus of extra coupons given us by another customer we all walked out happily to the van.  Doors open, crochet hooks in hand, Pat gave us a quick lesson.  

Sure enough, Betty and Janice each completed a scarf in the back seat by the time we arrived home.   By now it was getting dark and the temperature had dropped so we quickly unloaded into our own cars and headed home... picture taking opportunity forgotten again!

I didn't want to forget the scarf lesson so as soon as I got home and washed up I settled down into my comfy chair and made my own scarf.... actually 2 of them, before going to bed.