By Mary Cobble, SDP Chapter Services Coordinator
To all newsletter editors: Please be sure to verify that there are no copyrights on the materials that you publish in your newsletter. Recently one of our chapter newsletter editors, in all innocence, printed an email which she had received. It was not painting-related, just a little story that has been making the rounds via email. Unfortunately, the owner of the copyright discovered that the material was published in their chapter newsletter and has asked for monetary compensation. You can never be too careful, so if you are not sure, it’s better to be safe and not publish the article, than sorry and having to pay the penalty.
• Be Part of the Marketplace
By Mary Cobble, SDP Chapter Services Coordinator
C’mon chapters, sign up now for a table at the Chapters Marketplace at the Nashville Conference! We need lots of participants to make this THE event at Conference this year! One of our new chapters, the True Blue Decorative Artists of Australia, will be bringing wonderful things from “Down Under.” This is a great opportunity for chapters from all corners to present their own hand-painted goods for sale -- as well as special items with local flavor that may help define who we are and generate a better understanding among our decorative painting sisters and brothers. There will also be those “special” gifts to take back to your secret pals! The deadline has been extended to April 15th, so please send in your participation forms, available on page 9 of the Conference Special, to my attention as soon as possible. If you have questions with regard to the Marketplace, please contact Mary at (316) 269-9300, Ext. 107 or
mary@decorativepainters.org.
• Banquet Tables
By Ann Johnson, SDP President
Has your chapter accepted the Chapter Challenge? Show off the talents of the wonderful artists within your chapter by decorating a table at the annual banquet in Nashville. Tables are still available and will be assigned on a first come basis. Choose a theme inspired by this year’s Conference theme, “Paint a Grand Ole Time,” or location – Nashville- or let your imagination go wild! Theme can have to do with conference, something you like to do, a season of the year, a specific era, your state or region, etc. Each table is 70” in circumference and will require a centerpiece and favors for 10. Table linens, dinnerware and flatware are provided by the hotel, but if you would like to make a tablecloth or chair covers to complete the look, please do so. The tables can be decorated on Saturday any time before 7 p.m. (Chapters shall pay for all their own decorations, giveaways, etc. No reimbursement from SDP will be given.) Banquet attendees will vote for outstanding designs and prizes will be awarded.
No one to send your decorations with? Ship them to:
Chapters Coordinator
Society of Decorative Painters
393 N. McLean Blvd
Wichita KS 67203-5068
Must be received by May 15, 2006
A volunteer may be assigned to setup your table, if needed.
Start planning now and reserve your table by calling Mary Cobble at (316) 269-9300, ext. 107 or e-mail
mary@decorativepainters.org.
| Did you miss the 2005 Tampa Conference and Expo? Click HERE to visit the virtual Conference! |
• Plantation Palette
By Mary Ingersoll, Greater New Orleans Chapter
Note from Mary Cobble: Despite having suffered losses of their own, the Greater New Orleans chapter members have been busy making quilts and quillows for evacuees. They have over 90 at this time which they will deliver to a tent city in St. Bernard Parish. They will also deliver baby blankets to doctor offices and clinics. What an amazing, selfless group of decorative painters!
In 2004 the Greater New Orleans Chapter of Decorative Painters published a cookbook called “Plantation Palette.” As our chapter is blessed with some wonderful artists as well as some great cooks, we decided to share our favorite family recipes. We have been very successful in doing taste testings and book signings in a local store, “Aunt Sally’s Praline Shop,” in the French Quarter. This is a very busy and active area with locals and tourists visiting from across the country and around the world. Aunt Sally’s is a very well known shop in the area, and we sell them our books at a discount price and they carry them in the store year round. Therefore it is a “Win-Win” situation for all concerned.
Two or three times a year Aunt Sally’s invites us to set up a display of our wares. Several of our members will prepare some of the delicious recipes from the book and offer small samples to the customers. We arrange the samples on painted trays, etc. Once they taste, they will buy the book. It also seems to be a special treat that we all sign the book, giving them a personalized copy. Some of the special offerings we usually serve are: Red Beans and Rice, Gumbo, Crab Crisps, Pecan Pie, Dang Good Pie, Caramel Apple Dip, Praline Brie and Pecan Pie Cake. All are guaranteed to tempt the palette and are attractively displayed with a few seasonal painted pieces. Therefore, we are advertising our painting passion and our chapter as well as our cookbook. People are always interested in who we are and what we do, giving us a perfect opportunity to promote decorative painting.
We also plan to have our cookbook available at the Chapter Marketplace at National Conference in June. Please plan to stop by and see us.
• Note of Thanks
By Mary Ingersoll, Greater New Orleans Chapter
Due to our experience with Hurricane Katrina here in the New Orleans area, I would like to take this opportunity to say “Thank You” to the chapters who have contacted us and offered assistance, concern and prayers. It has been heartwarming to hear from these caring individuals and companies. To name a few: Mary Cobble at National has been wonderful. She is a rock and I feel as if I have a new best friend. Shirley Miller and the Loew-Cornell Company have helped immensely by sending paint brushes that we used for favors at our Christmas party and goody bags for those who lost painting supplies. Several teachers have sent books. Susan Phillips and the Cactus Wren Chapter in Phoenix have adopted our chapter and have things planned throughout the year. The Magnolia Chapter in Baton Rouge is working on some ideas to assist us. To each and every one of you I want to say “Thanks” on behalf of my chapter, the Greater New Orleans Chapter of Decorative Painters.
It has been a real test of strength for many of our members and they have shown amazing spirit through these trials. For many it will continue to be a challenge for a very long time to come. You have to see it to believe it. Please continue to pray for us.
• Palm Springs Paint-In
By Lana Kroll, Palm Springs Decorative Artists
Attendees of the Palm Springs Decorative Artists paint-in, from left, standing: Maria Marcinko, Sam Matsuko and Barbara Carson. In the front row are: Lana Kroll, Barbara Warr, Guest Teacher Rexene Schulten and Alice Reuter.
The Palm Springs Decorative Artists held a paint-in on Oct. 22, 2005. Rexene Schulten was the guest teacher. The local paper, The Desert Sun, came out and took photos of our event which they published the following week. PSDA meet on the third Saturday of the month at the Palm Desert Library community room and invite any decorative artist who might be vacationing in the Palm Springs, Calif., area to join us!
• Protecting Pups and Kittens
Pictured from left are members of Heart of Pinellas with their In Case of Fire Pet Plaques: Donna Whitaker, Linda McPherson, Pat Stone, Chris Wolfe, Doris Filipovich, Linda Ruhrup and the chapter’s Philanthropic Chairperson, Tony Borasio.
Nancy Koffman, President of the Heart of Pinellas Chapter, asked a member to make wooden cutouts of dogs and cats. These dogs and cats were then painted and given to the local SPCA to be sold in their gift shop. The wooden plaques are placed in windows so that firemen know to look for the pets in case of fire.
• Help Teachers Stay in Contact
By Maureen McNaughton CDA, TDA
Attention seminar chairpersons! Please send out a letter that lists your contact information -- as well as the contact information for other officers in your chapter
-- to all teachers who have an upcoming seminar scheduled with your chapter. This will help travel teachers who may need to quickly contact someone in your chapter and are unable to reach you, the seminar chairperson.
Note from Mary Cobble: This is also a good time to verify that your website chapter information is current. If you are the person in charge of the website information, please verify that your chapter’s contact information is correct at www.decorativepainters.org, click on the Chapters tab, then “Chapter Finder.” Click on your state (or country flag) and then click on your chapter. If the information is incorrect, simply scroll to the bottom of the page and click on the text that begins “If you are authorized…”, then input your chapter I.D. number. Make any necessary revisions, and then click on the “Submit” button at the bottom of the page. If you have any questions, please contact Mary at mary@decorativepainters.org, or call (316) 269-9300, Ext. 107.
• Hudson Valley Charity Fundraiser
By Mary Anne Garay, Hudson Valley Tole and Decorative Painters
Bruno DeSimone was the winner of a beautiful, handpainted chest that was raffled off by the Hudson Valley Tole and Decorative Painters. Mr. DeSimone is an officer of Citizens Reunited to Overcome Cancer and is himself a cancer survivor. This organization is the beneficiary of 40% of the net profit from the raffle. They received approximately $600. The HVTDP Ways and Means Chairperson, Jeanne Beers, did a wonderful job in organizing and selling these tickets. This raffle made my Christmas!
• Crock Pot Fudge
We received this wonderful – and easy – recipe from Mary Joe Shelton of the Loaded Brush of Northwest Louisiana chapter. Thank you, Mary Joe!
Crock Pot Fudge
Layer in the bottom of the crock pot the following:
1 pkg. chocolate chips
1 bar of dark chocolate bark – broken up
2 bars of almond bark – broken up
Cook on low for 3 hours. Add 1 jar of salted peanuts and 1 jar of unsalted peanuts, stir, and spoon out onto wax paper. Any type of nuts can be substituted for the peanuts.
• Rainy Demo
By Barb Noel, Apple Valley Painters
On October 8, three members of our chapter braved a windy, rainy day to demonstrate decorative painting at the annual Apple Festival at Tayamentasachta Environmental Center in the small town of Greencastle, Pa. We had decided to demonstrate on Memory Boxes and have people help basecoat the boxes, but the inclement weather not only affected attendance at the festival, but forced us to limit our display. Bonnie Brechbill, a reporter with the Herald Mail Newspaper in Hagerstown, MD., talked with us about the program and wrote a wonderful article for the newspaper.
• Painted Boxes for Women’s Place
By Becky DeBrigida, Keystone State Decorative Painters
Although the Keystone State Decorative Painters is a new chapter who just affiliated this year, the members have already been out spreading sunshine in their community. As you can see from the photograph, the members have painted boxes for the Women’s Place. These boxes are to be given to the women as they leave the program and begin a new life. They may place important papers or other personal items into the beautifully decorated boxes. Inside each box is a chapter business card, so that if the women would like to learn more about the chapter and perhaps join the group to paint, they have a contact name and telephone number. We all know that painting is good therapy, and that cares seem to melt away when you focus on your creativity. May the Keystone State Decorative Painters continue to bring sunshine to the lives of those they have touched with kindness.
• Painting for Players
By Verna Winsor, Columbia River Brush Benders
The Columbia River Brush Benders -- located in the Wenatchee, Wash., area near the Columbia River -- are active year round.
In December they raffled off a “Celebrate” chair painted by Vivian Berg. They paint cypress knees to sell at bazaars and had a booth at the quilt show in Wenatchee.
They also do many community projects. One favorite involves painting theater sets for a local group, The Short Shakespeareans. The chapter has been painting sets for this troupe for eight years. The Shakespeareans perform each August at the Riverside Playhouse in Wenatchee. The latest show CRBB painted sets for was “As You Like It.”
• Caring Canadian Painters
By Dolores Kelly, Calgary Decorative Artists
Our Chapter hosted a Patti Norrish Seminar. On the Friday night, everyone donated their time and efforts to paint Memory Boxes for the unfortunate mothers in our city hospitals who have lost a newborn baby to either stillbirth or illness. Our Chapter has been involved with this program for approximately two years now, and is very proud to be part of this very worthwhile project. Normally, members of the chapter just take the boxes home and paint them on their own time. On this occasion the group gathered together with Patti Norrish and spent the evening painting one of Patti’s famous teddy bears on the boxes.
• Cruisin’ for Cash
By Diana Pfau, Bluebonnet Chapter
Members of our chapter -- along with some of our friends -- just returned from a Cruise. It was a chapter FUNd raiser and the easiest money we have ever made. We made over $1900 just to go and party! It's a deal you can't beat. We offered a few painting classes (just so we could look official!) but it was mostly a party! A lady from Austin, Texas, who plans group fundraisers put this event together for us. We sailed from Galveston, Texas. Without air fare involved, the trip was very reasonable. There are lots of chapters within driving distance of Galveston so I thought I would pass on the info. If you are interested in doing a cruise fundraiser, and live within driving distance of Galveston, contact:
Sharon Woodring
Cruise Planners
15807 Dorman Dr.
Austin, Tx. 78717
tole free 888-464-8301
sharon@swcruises.com
Website
www.SWCruises.com
If you live near another port, contact a cruise planner in your area!
• (Fund)Raising the Roof
By Rosemary Habers, Golden Triangle Decorative Painters
Slate painters from left, Renee Marchetti, Bill Habers, Rosemary Habers, Grace Thomas and Marjorie Orlandini join Pastor Larry and his wife, Kathy, seated.
Renee Marchetti, a member of the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Golden Triangle Decorative Painters and a summer resident of the small farming community of Espyville, Penn., heard of the plight of a nearby United Methodist Church. The congregation had been dwindling with many of the younger members moving away, following jobs. Financing the day-to-day operations of the church had become a major strain. Members of GTDP devoted long hours to painting roofing slates dating back to 1895 from the original roof of the Espyville United Methodist Church. A free class, designed and taught by Marjorie Orlandini using the church as the subject, was taught to the interested members of the small congregation. Since then, Renee, Margie, Rosemary Habers and Sandra Camarota have painted over a hundred slates for this little church. The slates became so popular, most were sold before they even left Renee's home. The artists have painted a variety of subjects on the slates giving the public a variety to choose from. All monies were turned over to the church and this project will continue until the supply of slates is depleted.
• With Love from Maine
By Rosemary Habers, Golden Triangle Decorative Painters
Painting memory boxes is one of the projects that the Sea Strokes Chapter of Maine do for thousands of parents each year. I was fortunate to be able to participate in the making of a couple of these memory boxes. Each box is hand painted and beautifully decorated. I'm so proud to know that in some small way I contributed to the memory of a precious child.
Sea Strokes Chapter of Maine is very fortunate to have Judy in charge of the Memory Boxes, she does a wonderful job and she contributes so much of her time, talent -- and most of all her compassion and love -- with each and every memory box in an effort to give these parents something special in which to store their memories. Everyone that is a member of the Sea Strokes has donated so much time and a multitude of talent to the Memory Boxes. It is an honor to be a member of such a caring and talented group.
• Chapter Snapshots
The Charleston Chapter of Decorative Painters painted this mural at the children's chapel at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in North Charleston S.C. as their community service project. Pictured from left are Delaine Walters, Marjorie Seels, Janice Guest and Toni Stephens. Not pictured are Liz Smith, Jane Burroughs, Lillian Mros and Betty Snead.
• Oops!
In the December issue of Chapter Happenings, we included a photo of Heidi England with a painted cabinet. We mistakenly printed that Heidi painted this cabinet. In fact, Caroline Newton and Sandra Cole of the Red Hat Decorative Brushes painted the cabinet. Our apologies for this case of mistaken identity!
