Nettie & Friends, Inc. Update

It's official!
I received a letter from the IRS that begins 
"We are pleased to inform you..."

Yep.  Nettie & Friends, Inc. is recognized by the IRS as a 501 (c)(3)!
We are a tax deductible public charity supporting education!  WooHoo!


I can't tell you how happy that makes me.


Special thanks to Mary Ellen Hennen, consultant extraordinaire!
She did a lot of hand holding, talking me down when I was ready to 
tear my hair out, and encouraging when I said "I need to get this done
before school starts!"    She also celebrated with me when I put all
the various and sundry pieces of paper in a large envelope and mailed
it off to the IRS (and when I called her after I opened the simple envelope
the IRS sent to me!)


It was not an easy process, but I believe a worthwhile one!
Thanks to everyone who listened to me whine about 
"how I'm spending my summer vacation..." 
Thanks to friends who stepped up to be on the "Founding Board of Directors."


See that new logo?  It's part of our 'getting things organized' move.  
Many thanks to graphic designer, Christine Meade!

Happy fall everyone.
More later,  Nettie

We're Ready For School!

Thank you for helping us get ready for school!

This is just one of four closets that have uniform pieces

for students at Maxfield who may need them!

Thanks to all of the Nettie & Friends for making 

this happen for our students.

Hats off to Mary Ellen B for her willingness to

organize these closets, shop for bargains, do laundry,

AND create a spreadsheet to help us with our inventory!

WooHoo!  

The 'Clothes Closet" at Maxfield has never looked so good!

Your support has also help provide basic school supplies

for our students, a nutrition fund for the cafeteria and 

classroom supplies for teachers to begin the year

(and so much more - Thank you!)

We are excited for the new school year to begin!

Bring on the students!

Some "Nearly" Completed Projects for the Sale This Year...

Here's a beautiful, diaphanous seafoam stitch scarf that is in the works.  

It's not blocked, it's just off the needles and so yummy!  

Feels good to get something closer to completion!

(Remember the Mini-Moochi from Susan Saari's Sisu Yarns 

I purchased in July?  This is it!  I couldn't help myself!)

And... these two pair of clogs waiting to be felted... 

made from the softest wool from the Stonehedge Fiber Mill 

in Michigan (purchased at Shepherd's Harvest a few years ago 

with the best of intentions...Finally some action!!)

Here's that colorful wallpaper strip quilt that needed a home.

It was gifted to a friend who was visiting.  

She currently lives in Hahnheim Germany.

She really liked the roosters, especially since

she lives in 'rooster town'!  Go figure!

Sorry, you won't see this one at the sale!

Some completed projects

Well, I finally finished some projects!

I finished this lovely Highland Triangle Shawl and am waiting for some cooler weather to wrap it around my shoulders for real!  I spent many hours working in private, as the pattern required concentrating and counting to four repeatedly!  Sheesh!

 

Then, there's a colorful sofa sized quilt made from my Kaffe Fassett stash... the pattern is 'wallpaper strips' and it went together so easily.  Quilted by Randi Helling of jubileequilting.com   The quilting is fabulous, wish I could get it to show up a little better when I photograph it... Visit Randi's site and take a look at her incredible work in her gallery!

I also finished another 'wallpaper strips' quilt.  I was on a tear to get some of my stash sewn up.  This quilt is from the Eyes Wise collection by Luella Doss.  See that little pile of scraps?  That's how close I came to using everything.  WooHoo Me!!   Machine quilted by Randi Helling, and fun, fun fun!  I just don't know what I'm going to do with it!!  Hmmmm.

I am continuing to work on a variety of projects, some of which might actually get completed this summer!   I did try last year's strategy of taking only UFO's with me while traveling, but again this summer, I was thwarted by a visit to Susan Saari's Sisu Yarn Shop in Ely... I picked up some sweet yarn, needles and have been enjoying knitting a diaphanous Seafoam scarf for this year's Nettie and Friends sale.  Hopefully you'll get to see it soon!

And WHOOSH there goes July!!!

Hotpads on a Hot and Humid Day

Whew!  Have I shown you these?



Hotpads... almost ready for the Show and Sale!!
Some of them still need a big old brass grommet in the corner.
The pounding will begin soon!
I've been a busy girl!

Summer time!

Wow!  This last school year was full of challenges, opportunities for growth and reflection.

Now, it is summer break.  

Today, I'm painting my bathroom.

I hate painting. Ask anyone who knows me.

Well, except for spray painting with Marsha.  

We'll spray paint almost anything. 

Furniture.  Big pieces of foam core for Nettie & Friends.  

I like that kind of painting.  I'm not fond of painting my bathroom.

So thank goodness I had a chance to get out of town last week

to attend the MN Quilt Show in St. Cloud...

Marsha had a beautiful quilt in the judged area.

It is constructed using those wonderful Dargate reproduction fabrics we adore.

It was quilted by Randi Helling of http://www.jubileequilting.com/index.html.

After enjoying the quilt show and a lovely dinner with friends, we made a plan

to go to the Munsinger and Clemons Gardens (http://www.munsingerclemens.com)
in the cool of the morning the next day.  

More beauty.

And since we had a chance to get out of town, Marsha and I kept going.

We had sweet little 'suite' in Itasca State Park.  Can you believe neither of 

us had ever stepped across the Headwaters of the Mississippi?  We did it!

We also saw the Minnesota State Flower in full bloom. 
They were blooming all over the park!!!

Ahhh, what a lovely beginning to summer break. 

Now, back to painting my bathroom...  

When that's done, more adventures!

Maxfield Learning Center Welcomes Mosaic Artist Rachel Rodenborg

Rachel Rodenborg, from

http://www.seriouslywhimsical.com/www.seriouslywhimsical.com/home.html

visited the Maxfield Learning Center on Thursday, April 15th as a guest artist.  She brought tiles, and beads, and blocks, and baubles and patience.  The students created beautiful tiles that Rachel will grout and seal for us.  Everyone was engaged in the activity and each tile is individual and wonderful.  

Here are just a few...  

Thank You "Nettie and Friends" for making this artist visit possible!!!