Blacksmith Association of Missouri (BAM) Conference

It's been a busy 4 days.

We left Wednesday morning for the 2008 BAM Conference in Sedalia Missouri. Over 400 Blacksmiths would attend, including foreign smiths from Australia, Britain, Israel, Canada, Czech Republic and Germany. Many states were represented including Virginia, Nebraska, Texas, Arizona, Washington, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and some that I've forgotten.

Events started at 3:00 on Wednesday. We arrived early to help set up. I was immediately lassoed for the BAM Boutique. Here members would donate items to be sold for the public. All proceeds would go to the Association. The weather was nice, in the mid-seventies and some wind. Most all of the events were held inside the Swine building on the Missouri State Fair grounds. A nice old red brick building, with great air flow. Later in the week we would find it was too good of an air flow.

Lectures started at 6:00 and went until 8:00, after that there was a Forging contest. We left about 8:30 checked in at the hotel and went to dinner at the El Tapatio. I tried Sopes, which are homemade masa boats, deep fried and topped with your choice of shredded beef or chicken, ground beef or just beans. Topped with cabbage, Mexican cheese and a delicious sauce. WOW were they delicious. BT choose Tacos de Carne Asada in homemade corn tortillas. The servings were huge and we wished we hadn't eaten so late. Back in our room we crashed.

Thursday we were up early as demonstrations started at 8:30. I worked in the boutique most of the day. I also managed to get lots of hugs from old friends that we don't see very often. Bonnie, my road tripping friend aka Louise came early with Beagle Bob. There was a booth entitled bang a bar for Bonnie. You could forge a picket for her deck railing. The daily catered lunch was smoked ham sandwiches, baked beans, potato salad and chips. The wind picked up all afternoon, storm warnings were posted by 6:00. We moved the car around to Bonnie's camper and we tailed gated with friends, We pulled out deer sausage, smoked cheese, Jalapeno cheese dip and wine. Bonnie had a big cooler full of cooked crayfish, she had brought back form the New Orleans Jazz fest. This would be dinner as we made a pact not to eat as much or as late as the previous night.

Storms moved in during the late night, early morning hours. Friday morning as we made our way back to the conference, things inside stayed pretty much dry. I worked the boutique during the morning hours. At noon the caterer's set out lunch of potato soup and ham sandwiches, which hit the spot with the dampness and blowing wind. After lunch I asked Carroll if she wanted to go antiquing with me. We found 3 stores and 1 fabric store. The only purchase was made by her of 12 depression grass dessert plates. Plus a stop at Starbuck's for our caffeine fix. Carroll got a free coupon because we had to wait for her husband's coffee to go while they brewed a fresh pot. At 5:00 I met up with BT and we drove to the AG building across the fair grounds for the evening banquet. The food was wonderful, herbed chicken breast, broccoli salad, white and sweet potato baked together, corn casserole, homemade bread, carrot cake, and raspberry strudel. The benefit auction started as we finished our dessert. Beautiful hand forged items were auctioned off. Lady Liberty sold for $4500 and it's new home will be in Texas. We called it a night shortly before the auction was over at 10 and headed for the hotel.

Saturday morning, it was cold and very windy when we got up. I grabbed a bowl of oatmeal and BT had a biscuit and coffee in the kitchen downstairs of the hotel. On the way to the fair grounds, I stopped at Starbucks for my free Caffe' Mocha thanks to Carroll for giving me her coupon. As BT and I walked up to the building, I realized I had my room key in my pocket, we had forgotten to check out. I did a bat turn and went back to completed that transaction. It was then that I spotted a rummage sale. I hoped to find a warm cheap coat there. I came up with a $1.00 poncho that would work. The building was the coldest it had been all week, the breeze never let up. People were going outside and standing next to the brick walls in the sun to collect any warmth they could. When lunch time rolled around BT and I went to Arby's for a warm seat and a meal out of the wind. We then went back for a couple of hours before hitting the road for home.

Once home we played with the dog, he was glad to be left out to run. BT played catch with him and walked him. I unloaded the suitcases, the cooler and did one load of clothes, it was then recliner time.

Here are a few pictures from the conference, I only wish I could show you all 179 that we took.

Auction day

We were awakened early, because the grandsons stayed all night. No sleeping when they are in the house. Brady wanted to play Wii, but I said no. They had cereal and muffins for breakfast, got a quick cartoon and we dropped them off at their house before 9:00.


There was an auction we wanted to attend. It started at 10:30, and it's always good to get there early. The stuff there was so interesting. The items belonged to Laura Raithel, she had never married, and had lived in the same house all her life. They never threw anything away.







One of the best things we bought was a 1926 Calendar from the blacksmith shop in Wardsville. BT has a lot of the equipment out of that shop.






I bought another Oak wardrobe. There were several things I lost, 2 items being from Tweedies shoe Factory that was located in Jefferson City. One was a proclamation from President Dwight Eisenhower thanking Tweedies for their war support. Then there was a box of Tweedies Ink blotters, missed them too. I did get several pairs of Tweedies shoes. I also lost the bid on a box of fabric, 35-36 in width, each piece had a lot of yardage on it, and there were 12-15 pieces.

We stayed until the sale was over, sometime after 6 PM. We were tired from standing on the concrete all day. Dinner was just cream cheese with jalapeno jelly, deer sausage, a mixed drink for BT and hot tea for me.

Bedtime now, 47 degreees at 10:44

Wish you had been with me Friday!

Today I was up before 6 AM, by 6:50 I was waiting to pick Kathy up at the auto garage. We dropped Mac off at school and went on to pick up Kathy's Mom, Doris, and her Mother in law, Roseann. We were headed to Columbia for Speaking of women's Health seminar.

We arrived there just after the doors opening at 8 AM. We picked up our name badges and huge gift bags in the lobby and headed in to see the exhibits. There were booths representing L'oreal, Special K, Dove Chocolates, Alka Seltzer, Maybelline, Speakers were selling their books, State Farm Insurance, Eye exams by Wal-Mart, Free re-usable shopping bags, and even a continental breakfast. The booth with the longest line, we never made it through, it was a picture booth, and the hats and boas were there to take your picture with.

Shortly before 8:45, we took our seats in the auditorium, there we listened to the first speaker of the day, Dr Joyce-Morley Ball, her topic was Discover Your Everyday super Heroes. Today she was my hero, she is the youngest of 14 children and was talking to us instead of attending her sister's visitation and funeral. She said she had done all for her sister that she could while alive, and after her death she couldn't help her in more, because she was in more powerful hands now.

10:15 we were free to visit the vendors and pick up more freebies as well as enjoy refreshments. On the way to our first session, Doris and Roseann needed a bathroom stop, and I offered to hold their big bag of goodies. Some lady came by and laughed at me, said I was a perfect “bag” lady, and if she would have had a camera she would take my picture. I said I have one, so she quickly snapped this picture. At 10:45 we had classes to choose from for an hour lecture and question time with a professional. Kathy and I chose “Discover the 'super powers' of smart skincare” by Dr. Karen Edison.

At lunch time the four of us met in the lunch line. When we were let back into the auditorium, the tablecloths had all been changed to bright orange, with hot pink gift bags courtesy of Maybelline and L'oreal, of course full of free gifts again. The meal was beautiful plated, with our dessert positioned behind it. (Sorry the picture is blurry).

Main Course-Margarita Steak: Pan-seared Petit Tender in a tequila-chili pan sauce, sliced and served on a salt-rimmed plate with Pico de Gallo Salsa and a slaw of crisp tortilla strips, cabbage and sweet peppers.
Bread- Freshly baked assortment of dinner rolls including poppy seed, wheat and sour dough.
Dessert-Amaretto white chocolate mousse in a chocolate shell with a fresh strawberry garnish a top a raspberry glaze.

During our lunch, they gave out numerous awards. Then Jackie Walker gave the keynote speech titled “The Psychology of Your closet”.

When lunch was over we had a few minutes to kill before our next Breakout session, I quickly found Teresa Snow, one of the Emcee's who happened to be a form co-worker of my daughter's. We had a very nice visit.

I then went to a session titled “You and Your heart, what you need to know by Dr Mary Dohrmann. After that hour long session it snack time, fresh fruit, and drinks. We then had the Afternoon keynote speaker, Linda Larsen talking on “Becoming your own Everyday super hero”. Oh and I forgot to mention when we came back to the auditorium, there was another gift box for us filled with goodies. As the afternoon concluded, we were told if we completed our survey and turned it in out front, we would get one more gift.

Where is what I came up with for "loot"

Large zippered bag, with outside net pockets and two should strap handles
Black cloth re-usable shopping bag
black nylon backpack bag
$10.00 Wal-Mart Gift card
Pink zipper make-up bag
1 roll Viva Paper towels
1 roll Scott Extra soft toilet tissue
1 pkg of 16 Kotex ultra thins w/wings
1 pkg of 30 Poise Ultra Thin Panty liners
1 box Cottonelle Pop-up Flushable Moist Wipes
L'Oreal Revita Life Complete Lotion
Nylon zipper pouch w/Anti-viral Kleenex, purse size
L'Oreal Vanilla Scream Smoothie shampoo, 9 oz.
Garnier Soft curl cream\
Garnier Ultra-Life anti-wrinkle Firming serum
100 ct One A Day Women's vitamins
Cure for the cause bracelet
Alka-seltzer Immunity Complex tablets 10 ct.
L'Oreal Telescopic Mascara
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara
Maybelline Shine Seduction Lipcolor
Erase-it cleaning pen
Pedometer
Lint brush/mirror
Mirrored compact case/pill container
eye glass cleaner with cloth
Wrigley's doublemint gum
Lighted magnifying lens
Credit card size magnifying lens
2 thermal Coffee mugs
Ceramic coffee cup
4 by 6 inch silver star Picture frame
Balled massager
Pkg Spicewine Ironworks beef marinate
April issue of Inside Columbia Magazine
May issue of Inside Columbia Magazine
Love Note to Our Moms Book
Life Begins and Ends with Girlfriends Book

As we walked out of the hotel, it had been raining and the temperature had dropped about 20 degrees since when we entered in the morning. WOW!

This was a very fun day and I thank Kathy for asking me to go. It was a very well $35.00 spent.

Clearing up stolen idenity before sewing

Monday morning didn't start as I wanted it to. Friday evening before going to bed I checked my checking account on-line. I noticed a $9.75 charge on Thursday. I asked BT if he had used the debit card, to which he said "no", and neither did I since I had worked all day. Saturday morning at 9:00 AM, I called the bank. They couldn't get into the complete file since it was a weekend and suggested that I call back Monday morning.

9:10, I called the bank, they conformed the charge. It was made with our debit card # in Boston MA. Melanie gave me a phone number associated with the charge. I promptly called it, got a recording made by a female with a heavy accent. I hung up without leaving a message. I googled the phone number, and saw more then I wanted to see. It was a scam! Other people had left their responses that their account had also been charged $9.75, it appears to be a bookstore front. I called the bank back and they put a stop on our account and reissued our debit cards. BT and I had been talking back and forth so I called him back and he went to the bank, located about 1 mile from his office and filled out a dispute charge form. Whew!....now I can get to my sewing.



I bought a cute little sleeveless dress for a wedding Saturday and just in case it's cool, I wanted a short jacket. I could find nothing in the stores to suit me so I am making one. It's outrageous what a pattern cost these days ($15.95). I tried to get it on sale, ended up buying it 40% off. (Hobby Lobby coupon!) But look at the bias tape I used on it. Can you believe the price on it? .25 cents Those bargain days are gone. My late dear aunt Faye had given me 2 shoe boxes of old trims. It always comes in handy.

Now here is my early spring view out my window when I sew. It only gets prettier as spring fills out.
For today's foodies, I fried up the mushrooms that the little boys found, and then scrambled me an egg and filled my last two homemade tortillas for lunch. YUMO! Dinner was fish taken from the freezer that BT had caught and flash froze, we also added fresh homemade french fries and coleslaw. Another YUMO!

After dinner we took our 2 mile walk around the lake and enjoyed the beautiful evening.


PS A friend sent me this link regarding Earthquakes. Check it out.

Morel hunting with the grandsons

Sunday we slept in, I got up around 8:30, BT got up about 10 and shortly after that the little boys called to see if they could come over and spend the day. I told Alex we could go mushroom hunting, he thought that was good since his Daddy had told him he found some over here one time.

I was making breakfast tacos when they arrived at 11:00. (Yes Rita, i got him to eat them 2 days in a row). Brady was ready to play Wii, but Alex was willing to eat a second breakfast with the old folks.

We were out the door by noon. This was our first stop between the house and the barn.

We then started down into the big rocks. The boys love to climb on them as the pictures show. Even Grandpa got into the act. Before long it was fun on the rocks and we all forgot about mushroom hunting. In the end Alex and I went back to the house, the little guy had enough of the weeds and rocks. Brady and Gpa continued on the hunt.





Final count 13!











Okay here is my favorite picture of the day..............



We took the boys with us to the neighbor's for dinner. They enjoyed jumping on the trampoline with McKenzie, while Eric, Kathy, BT and I visited. Little Colten was napping. Eric fried turkey for dinner outside on the deck, it was a beautiful evening with a view of the river.



Back home the boys got in a few more games of Wii, before their Daddy came. Then he had to try the Wii. Of course he also had to out do us with his big mushroom finds.

Zoom Zoom Zoom

Saturday we were out the door with caffeine before 8:30. After stopping for gasoline at $3.28 a gallon we headed for Excelsior, Missouri to a Mennonite auction, almost 40 miles from our home.


We arrived just before it was to start at 10:00. Inside the barn, the tables were filled with all antique metal toys. Ranging from match box, to scaled down tractors, trucks, airplanes, all the way up to toy riding tractors and pedal cars. The only thing not related to the toys on the auction were butter churns and 2 anvils and a forge. We decided to leave because the anvils would probably be the last thing to sell.



Back in the car we drove over hills, across creeks, up hills, around sharp curves and 19 miles later we arrived at a farm sale. Just as we were walking up the auctioneer said it was 6 minutes until he started and first to go were the things in the barn lot. Did I tell you it was drizzling and the lot was very muddy, plus the gravel road the sale was on was almost minus the gravel. So I tell BT , I will get the bidder number, he should go to the barn lot. He knew there were two post vises listed on the sale bill.



I was able to pick my bidder # and I chose 52, since 52 was a very good year for me. Luckily the 2 vises were in great shape and sold within 20 minutes of the beginning of the sale. I asked the clerk for the tickets and walked up the hill to the cashier and paid as BT was loading them up.



It was still early so we decided to go back to the 1st auction. Another 19 miles back.There my bidder # was 82. We stood around and watched the toys sell for high prices. It was nothing to see a metal truck go for $150. About noon, the auctioneer stopped and said it was time to sell the anvils and forge outside. They sold for more then BT could make a profit from. We drove the 1/2 block to the Mennonite grocery store. Outside a young man was tending his wife's bake sale. We spied homemade cinnamon rolls, and told him we would be back after shopping inside.



Without getting a basket, BT and I did $38 worth of shopping, including homemade Strawberry jam, Jalapeno jelly, bulk barley, Smoked cheese, a great meat fork for Sarah, 10 lbs. of potatoes and sorghum. Outside we picked up our Cinnamon rolls and there I found a package of homemade tortillas! What made by the Mennonites?



40 miles later we were at home. BT diced bacon,fried it with some onions and I added the eggs. We ate Breakfast taco using our fresh made tortillas. Yes Rita, he did, even though the whole time he kept saying I don't get this whole tortilla thing!



As soon as we finished our breakfast, lunch and dinner meal at 2;00 in the afternoon, we zoomed back out the door to St. Thomas, 5 miles from here to see the garage at Tom Monat's. For some history behind the garage, this building was built by BT's grandfather Albert Monat on the family home place many years ago. Tom is tearing it down and making way for a new bigger garage. Tom was operating his skid steer when we arrived. I snapped a few pictures for remembrance.



By the time we made it back home, we had used almost 1/2 tank of that expensive gasoline. I managed to get a load of clothes in the washer before we headed off to church at 5:30. another zoom of 5 miles one way.



We snacked on the smoked cheese and deer sausage while watching TV. It was an early bedtime for us.



Another piece of history hits the dust!

Teaching a paper-piecing class

I cut out of work an hour early, stopped at Walmart and then ran into Dillard's where I finally think I've found the liquid eye-line I might like. I have been on a mission to replace mine as it is no longer being manufactured. The deal was sweeter when the product I bought, Lancome threw in a nice gift bag, with another pink gift bag inside with eye cremes, mascara, eye shadow, and lipstick. That made me feel better since the makeup cost more then a Wal-mart purchase!

A quick drive through to McDonald's for a sweet tea and I was in the parking lot at the Missouri Conservation Runge Center with 20 minutes to spare before the Nature's Needles Quilting Class was to start.

Twenty-one women filled the room and Gretchen Hanna, my friend ,was waiting for me. The setting was beautiful with floor to ceiling windows looking into the woods. While Gretchen was talking I see the women turning their heads to look outside. Tom Turkey has decided to check in on the quilters.

The class was then begun with a talk about the "Bullfrog". A skeleton was passed around of a grown frog. OMG, did I have to come this night? Frogs are my worst fear. Then a cardboard colored frog about 15 inches wide and 12 inches tall was shown.........

I was introduced and I began by showing the quilts and wall hangings I had brought with me.

First were the wall hangings, the one of Bentley, our black Lab, then the MU tiger, on to the big quilts, first the Horse quilt, the Noah Ark quilt, the Dear Patti Quilt and then the sample blocks. My nervousness left then minute I started the show and tell, I was in my comfort zone.

The ladies showed the blocks that they had been working on, the Missouri paddle fish. Other show and tell started coming out, including a lap quilt given to Gretchen by one of the quilters there, Bee L. It was all hand pieced and hand quilted. It was done in shades of greens and browns in a crazy quilt pattern. Truly awesome. And to think I had the camera and didn't take a picture.

Assignments were then handed out for the their next project, of course it's a frog, now we know why the class started with the frog segment. A sewing machine was plugged in and I gave a very informal demonstration. Bad scissors and all! LOL. Several ladies needed a hands on demonstration.

After closing, Bee L. came up to me and we talked quilts for quite a while. I noticed while talking to her she had a cute handkerchief in her breast pocket with what I thought was crocheted lace on it. Turns out, it was knitted lace. I didn't know lace and/or doilies could be knitted. She then asked me if I liked doilies and pulled a roll full of them out of her bag. She told me I could take one. They were awesome, white, off white, pink, blue sparkles, etc. I took a square pink one. I told her she reminded me of my favorite Aunt, who was my quilt mentor and a doilie maker. I then teared up talking to her about Aunt Faye. We exchanged calling cards and gave a goodbye hug.

As I drove home the storm clouds were rolling in, the moon peaking through.

BT and I enjoyed a bowl of strawberries while reading the newspaper and catching up on our day.