Monthly Archives: May 2016

Author Portrait: maryjane

Hear Ye!

Posted on May 22, 2016 by maryjane

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Krista Butters Davis!!!

Krista Butters-Davis (MaryJanesNiece, #528) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning an Intermediate Level Crochet Merit Badge!

“For my Intermediate Crochet Merit Badge, I chose to make a diaper cover that included a matching hat. I then chose to make some baby booties. I gave four sets of booties away for baby shower gifts and made a pair for my son. When I was working on the baby booties, I invited my friend over so we could crochet together. She spent her time making her son a new blanket.

The diaper cover turned out a bit too large to fit my son, but should fit in no time. I enjoyed making the diaper cover because I learned how to do increases and decreases. The matching hat was a perfect fit and looks adorable on him. I really like learning how to make a hat because it taught me how to work in the round. Making the baby booties were my favorite. My first set turned out too small, but I soon picked up on what size hook I needed to achieve the correct size. Aside from that, the booties have turned out so cute and have taught me how to use multiple stitches as well as learn how to sew straps and buttons on with a larger needle.”

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Author Portrait: mbajane

Young Cultivators Merit Badge: Water Conservation, Beginner Level

Posted on May 22, 2016 by mbajane

The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 6,962 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—9,905 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! ~MaryJane 

Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life …

For this week’s Cleaning Up/Water Conservation Beginner Level Young Cultivator Merit Badge, I thought teaching Andy to conserve H20 would be easy peasy, lemon squeasy. And I wasn’t necessarily wrong … he took to it like a duck to water, like a pig to mud, like … like a small boy given too much responsibility too quickly.

It all started when I suggested he make a list of ways to help him and his family conserve water at their house. Sounds reasonable, right?

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Author Portrait: maryjane

photo-of-the-day

Posted on May 21, 2016 by maryjane

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Author Portrait: maryjane

photo-of-the-day

Posted on May 19, 2016 by maryjane

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Author Portrait: maryjane

Kulning with Heidi

Posted on May 19, 2016 by maryjane

Kulning (pronounced just as it looks) is a Swedish term that describes a unique form of singing used by Scandinavian herding girls who live in the high mountains with the dairy cattle during the spring and summer months. Think Heidi.

“The herding girls who drive the herds to the summer alpine pastures live in relative isolation and use kulning to communicate with each other and with their flocks over great distances,” explains musician and self-proclaimed history geek Sheila Louise Wright. “It is used to send the herds out in the morning, to call them back in in the evening, to entertain oneself while alone in the forests and meadows, as a means of scaring off predators, and as a means of communication with other herders.”

Families would traditionally have their own signature songs that were recognized by their herds. Wouldn’t it feel amazing to be in a beautiful setting with only your cows and belt out the sound of kulning? I’m game. How about you?

Here are a couple more kulning renditions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RN1_-AB7LO4&index=5&list=RDjHWguX1oVNQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LxsvTfASP8

 

 

 

Author Portrait: maryjane

photo-of-the-day

Posted on May 17, 2016 by maryjane

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Author Portrait: maryjane

Land of the Strays

Posted on May 17, 2016 by maryjane

Hundreds of stray dogs are roaming the countryside in Costa Rica.

Photo courtesy of the Territorio de Zaguates Oficial via Facebook

And, believe it or not, this is actually a happy headline.

You see, these strays are at home in a spacious sanctuary called Territorio de Zaguates (Land of the Strays). This privately funded sanctuary, run by volunteers, turns no stray away.

Photo courtesy of the Territorio de Zaguates Oficial via Facebook

Multitudes of mutts at Territorio de Zaguates roam grassy fields, lounge on cozy beds and mattresses,

Photo courtesy of the Territorio de Zaguates Oficial via Facebook

nibble from troughs of kibble,

Photo courtesy of the Territorio de Zaguates Oficial via Facebook

and generally play their days away while they await adoption.

Photo courtesy of the Territorio de Zaguates Oficial via Facebook

For some, that day never comes, but they still have a comfortable, loving place to retire.

Photo courtesy of the Territorio de Zaguates Oficial via Facebook

In addition to providing a haven for homeless dogs and actively seeking potential pooch parents for their residents, the clever Territorio staff created a campaign to make mutts more appealing to the masses. Take a look:

If you would like to help Territorio de Zaguates continue caring and finding homes for dogs, you can donate directly through Paypal at territorio.de.zaguates.oficial@gmail.com or contribute to the sanctuary’s ongoing campaign at GoFundMe.com/costarica-dogs.

Keep up with the Costa Rican canine capers on the Land of the Strays’ Facebook page.

Author Portrait: maryjane

photo-of-the-day

Posted on May 15, 2016 by maryjane

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Author Portrait: maryjane

Hear Ye!

Posted on May 15, 2016 by maryjane

Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)

Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)

My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Debbie Klann!!!

Debbie Klann (#770) has received a certificate of achievement in Stitching & Crafting for earning a Beginner and Intermediate Level UFOs Merit Badge!

“Making a list of my UFOs was enlightening … and a little shocking! I am one of those that LOVE the excitement of starting a new project … but there’s that in-between time of starting and finishing when I can get bored.

I made a list of all of my started projects by category. I have them all separated with all of the supplies I need for each one.

I had been planning on working on just what I had at home as a New Year’s resolution this year, but I was so excited when finishing your UFOs was made into a new merit badge shortly after the beginning of the new year. I have gotten into a routine of working on projects during the day if I have free time or in the evenings. I have made it a personal challenge to not buy or start any new projects. It’s now become as exciting to FINISH a project as to START … and such a satisfying feeling to keep crossing projects off of that list!

Here is a photo of a small tabletop-size quilt that I finished right away. I won’t tell you how long it’s been waiting to be finished!

IMGP0087In making my UFO list and going through each project, I did decide that I didn’t have an attachment to some of the projects anymore. Those I donated. This left me with what I had to finish for my Intermediate badge.

I had this quilt top that I knew needed something special to really make it stand out. I sent it to my quilting friend to finish on her long arm.

I also had an applique quilt that needed the quilting finished … I had put it off and put it off … now was the time to just get it done!

Eva Marie did a beautiful job, just like I knew she would. I was so pleased with her work!

I cannot believe that the pink quilt is FINALLY done! I had posted pictures of both quilts on the chatroom thread for UFOs. I said that after so long, when that final stitch was complete, I felt like one of my children had left home! It feels so great to have it done!”

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Author Portrait: mbajane

Organic on a Budget Merit Badge, Expert Level

Posted on May 15, 2016 by mbajane

The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 6,962 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—9,905 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! ~MaryJane 

Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life …   

For this week’s Farm Kitchen/Organic on a Budget Expert Level Merit Badge, I harkened back fondly to when I knew Mr. Wonderful really had fallen for me. It wasn’t that sparkle in his baby blues, it wasn’t when he sat through an opera performance when there was a perfectly good football game on television, it wasn’t when he asked me to go camping and I sneakily turned it into glamping, it wasn’t even when he went to meet my Gramma Barbie.

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