Graduated from the TCCE - Chamber Institute this year

I really enjoyed meeting more of my peers across the state, and finishing the coursework required to graduate from the TCCE Chamber Institute, March 2014.

Thanks to those who provided scholarship assistance, I greatly appreciate it.

Thanks to the Upper Cumberland Tourism Association for all the hard volunteer work - promoting tourism in the region

Upper Cumberland Home and Garden Show - promoting Sparta and White County and the Discover TN Trails and Byways system.

Promised Land Trail

Retire Tennessee representatives share reasons why people would want to relocate to Tennessee (specifically Sparta and White County)

Retire Tennessee representatives share reasons why people would want to relocate to Tennessee (specifically Sparta and White County)
L-R: Ramay, Amy, Leann, Anne, and Jody

Big 'O' turns Two

Celebrating the Birthday of a terrific two-year-old

Click here for the photo album

Paul Bailey, 43rd District State Representative for Tennessee gives a Legislative Update to Chamber of Commerce

Paul Bailey, 43rd District State Representative for Tennessee
presents a Legislative Update for the Sparta - White County Chamber of Commerce

Black History Celebration 2014 Honors Herman Hill

Herman Hill was honored and his life celebrated at the Annual Black History Month Celebration held on Feb. 15, 2014, at the Sparta Civic Center.

Upper Cumberland Tourism Association - celebrates the new design for our latest promotion. . . these 'Follow me to Tennessee, UpperCumberland.org - Whoo, hoo.......

Upper Cumberland Tourism Association - celebrates the new design for our latest promotion. . . these 'Follow me to Tennessee, UpperCumberland.org - Whoo, hoo.......

Quilt Patterns I Want To Try

As I sit, sipping a cup of tea, looking through quilt magazines looking for inspiration.

Thought I would snap some photos to keep them handy.

Quilting Shortcut - The Easy Way to quit drawing diagonal lines to create flying geese or dogear quilt block segments

Okay, so sometimes I like to find shortcuts to save me time. Yep, I call that making the most of the little time I have to do one of my favorite things . . . quilt.

One of the most frustrating (and time-consuming and to me, the least fun) parts of making quilt blocks is drawing that diagonal line on the wrong side of the squares when I am making a flying geese segment, or putting dog-ears on a segment. 

So when I was up one morning a few days ago (about 4 a.m. - yes, because that is my best time to sew) I was trying to finish the sashing pieces for my Christmas Star Quilt and after cutting about 100 3-inch squares and thinking about having to then draw a diagonal line on the wrong side to use as a guide for the flying geese segments, using all my time drawing instead of sewing, I said 'there has to be a better way.!'

And there is.

All you have to do - is take a piece of painters tape. (I keep some in my quilting tools for a variety of uses - I will list some at the end of this post.

Line the tape up with the center of the needle sewing line and the front of your sewing machine bed. (I have a Janome 6600p).

So I place the sashing piece and the square, right sides together, on one end of the background - then line up the corner at the needle and the bottom corner with the edge of the painters tape.

Viola! No drawn line, 

but a perfect seam.

Hallelujah! 

And here is the finished quilt top.

Auditioning border fabrics - these didn't make the cut.

Made my scrappy-patch units like Jenny Doan with the Missouri Star Quilt Company
then put them 3x4 together. Click here to see how to make them fast and easy out of
5" squares (Charm Packs) or cut your own. I used a couple of Christmas packs I had
(although I didn't use the entire pack - saved some of them for another project)

And finished, used a 2.5 inch finished red inner border
(with a little squiggly white pattern you can't see in the photo)
and then used the same black with music notes on the 5.5 inch outside border.
I want to quilt this using a new pattern I saw on Leah Day's blog

What's for supper tonight?

I think I'll take home a fresh and hot pizza.

Leadership White County 2013 Class Celebrates Graduation

Leadership White County Class of 2013. Graduation celebration was held for the 2013 Leadership White County class on Oct. 29. The Leadership White County program has graduated approximately 200 alumni since its first class was held in 1994. The program is sponsored and coordinated by the Sparta – White County Chamber of Commerce. The 20^th Class – White County Leadership 2014 will begin classes in January. For more information call Jody Sliger at the Chamber of Commerce (931) 836-3552. L-R: back row, Bill Loos, Chad Marcum, Charles Curtiss, Herd Sullivan; front row, Rebecca Young, Evelyn Cole, Cathy Howe, Cathy Napple and Jody Sliger. Not pictured: Judy Null, Ruby Baker and RoseAnn Dodson.

Secretary of State Tre Hargett Visits Sparta for Chamber Connects event

Secretary of State speaks at Chamber Connects Event. The Sparta – White County Chamber of Commerce hosted Tre Hargett, Tennessee’s Secretary of State, at a recent Chamber Connects luncheon. Hargett has served as Secretary of State since 2009. He is one of three Constitutional Officers elected by the General Assembly, in joint session, and is responsible for keeping a register of all official acts and proceedings of the governor. For more information on Chamber events, call (931) 836-3552. L-R: Sparta Mayor Jeff Young, Secretary of State Tre Hargett, Chamber Interim President Jody Sliger, and White County Executive Herd Sullivan.

Geekbox Jam Photos - for publication

 The Inaugural Geekboz Jam -
  Oct. 26, 2013

  Photo credit to: Jody Sliger

Luke Teeple from Relay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Living Proof Live ~ Beth Moore Simulcast - Gum Springs in Sparta, TN

Once again, Gum Springs Baptist Church, Walling, TN (south of Sparta) will be hosting the Living Proof Live Simulcast with Beth Moore on September 14th. The cost will be $15 per person, this will include a light breakfast & lunch served by our very own Men's Ministry. Contact Jeanie White, Church Secretary, and reserve your ticket today!  For more information call the church office at (931) 657-2190.  Event begins at 9:30 AM and will conclude at 4:30 PM.  Doors open at 8:30 AM.

Directions to the church

The Pod - White County TN Premier

Talent is all around us. Sparta - White County was pleased to host the Sparta Premier of The Pod, a short film, by Sparta native Adam Drake ~ and filmed entirely in White County.

Click here to view the photo slide show.

Plenty of vendors, food, 'The Pod' designer and builder was on site with the cool time-travel machine for people to have the picture made in. Local authors were on hand with copies of their books and ready to sign them for you.

It was a great event and kudos to all who helped put it together.

Burgess Falls Butterfly Garden Celebration - Sat. June 15, 2013

Wonderful day at Burgess Falls for the Annual Butterfly Garden Celebration 

Flowers, Winged Creatures, Friends, and Fun!

Middle Falls at Burgess Falls State Natural Area

Burgess Falls . . . one of my favorite waterfall / hiking places. And the staff and volunteers works so very hard to develop and enhance the features at the Park.

Saturday, June 15, is the date for the Annual Burgess Falls Butterfly Garden Celebration ~

9 a.m. - 3 p.m.

 9:00am   Walk in the Woods: with State Naturalist Randy Hedgepath. As we enjoy an easy walk, Ranger Randy will talk about the trees and their stories. The forest is likely to provide a few surprises from the multitude of plants and animals that live there.

10:00am Birds of Prey: Join the Ranger at the amphitheater to learn about our native hawks and owls.

11:00am Mammals of Tennessee Join the Ranger at the amphitheater to learn about our native mammals.

11:00am Landscaping with Native Plants:  Join us for a program on learning to landscape with native plants and attract butterflies and other wildlife to your yard.  Meet at the amphitheater.

12:00pm Butterfly Identification Walk:  Middle Tennessee Naturalist John Froeschauer will conduct an informal butterfly identification walk and talk. It will begin in the open garden, and will continue into the neighboring woodland habitat, where different species may be found. The walk will also focus on native butterfly food and nectar plants. Bring binoculars if you have them.

12:00pm Creek Studies:  Have you ever wanted to tell if a stream was clean or not by looking at the animals that live in it?  Well, if so this is your chance. Meet the Ranger at the picnic pavilion; wear shoes that you can wade in.

1:00pm Landscaping with Native Plants:  Join us for a program on learning to landscape with native plants and attract butterflies and other wildlife to your yard.  Meet at the amphitheater.

2:00pm Hike to the Big Falls Overlook:  Join the Ranger for a hike to the main falls overlook.  Meet at Picnic Shelter. Wear sturdy shoes and bring water. About one hour, meet at the amphitheater.

2:00pm Butterfly Identification Walk:  Middle Tennessee Naturalist John Froeschauer will conduct an informal butterfly identification walk and talk. It will begin in the open garden, and will continue into the neighboring woodland habitat, where different species may be found. The walk will also focus on native butterfly food and nectar plants. Bring binoculars if you have them.