Mountain view from the Resort at Squaw Creek
When this article is published we will be just weeks away from CNCH 2013. All the work of so many individuals will culminate in what, we hope, will be an exciting conference for everyone.
If you were going to register, you have probably already done so and my task at hand is to let you know about some fun events in this alternate year conference. We all realize that the best gift any CNCH Conference has to offer are the wonderful instructors and their classes, but in the hours when you aren’t in class, the conference committee has planned lots of activities for your enjoyment.
The environment of Squaw Valley is memorable and spring in the mountains means snow will be melting from surrounding peaks to fill Squaw Creek with the musical sounds of rushing water. Plan to bring your camera so that you can take lots of photos, both of the surroundings and the conference activities. You might want to have the best ones printed for a small photo album to put in your guild library. Looking at these photos in 10 years or so will be sure to bring back good memories for your group.
Three mentors from Area 5 have been invited to this conference and we will honor them on Friday night during the opening ceremony. They are Frances Taylor (Sacramento Guild), Hazel Ryland (Reno Fiber Guild)and Bert Borow (Sacramento Guild). A Post Honorable Mention will be going to Lydia Van Gelder. She was Sacramento’s first president and was very active in Sacramento and then in the North Bay until her recent death. A memorial display will be set up near the registration tables with memorabilia from Lydia’s long weaving and spinning career. All of these woman are being recognized for having contributed much to our fiber community over the years but, in particular, their skills in teaching others.
Here is a sampling of what you might expect to get as a door prize, or what might be included in one of the Raffle Baskets. Peggy Morris, of Mother Lode Weavers and Spinners Guild, is holding a basket she made for the guild raffle.
This year we have a bucket load of really nice door prizes including a grand door prize of textile design software donated by Susan Lazear of Cochenille Design Studio. At last tally, there were 55 prizes and when I checked the registration numbers, that means everyone who registered for the full conference will have a 1 in 3 chance of winning one of them. A random number generator will control the matching process so that everyone has an equal chance of winning. Most of the wrapped door prizes will be awarded on Friday evening, but winners of prizes donated by our instructors will be announced on Saturday evening to give everyone a chance to thank the donor personally.
One very important aspect of each conference is raising money for CNCH scholarships. The fund raiser this year will be a raffle featuring baskets made up of donated fiber related items from each of the CNCH guilds. Wire baskets in a variety of shapes will be enclosed with clear cellophane and the content goodies and the contributing guilds will be listed. When you buy your raffle tickets, you decide which basket or baskets have the contents you want and can direct your ticket stubs into a corresponding jar in front of the basket. You might even want to join together with friends, buy tickets and then split the basket contents if your group wins. The winning tickets will be pulled on Saturday evening.
Gus Young of Foothill Fibers Guild dreaming of her entrance at the Textile Parade wearing a shawl woven by Dee Jones, also of Foothill Fibers Guild
On Friday evening, the Textile Parade should generate interest from everyone in attendance. There is simply nothing better than being able to tell the story about your particular creation without fearing that your listener will be bored. This is the lovely thing about conferences; these are people who understand the time, effort and skill that went into your creation and they are utterly fascinated by the minute details of your particular creative process. I talked with Joanie Soth who is chairing this event and she is concerned that not many have sent in an entry form for the parade. Joanie has extended the deadline for entries to May 10 and is willing to bend rules about photos accompanying registration forms. She is eager for as many registrants as possible to participate and assures us that we don’t have to be wearing our entry; carrying a tapestry, handwoven towel or basket will be just fine! Don’t be bashful; think of it as a glorified show and tell opportunity!
Here’s wishing everyone a superb conference experience and the best of luck in the various raffles. I know you will come home with your heart and hands full of projects for the coming year.