Community feels cozy not because we occupy the same space, but because we’ve taken time to truly know each other.

As soon as we gain some new members who will be on a monthly paid membership, I want to use part of that income to set up different ways to give back to the community. One idea I had was to start an Amazon Wish List - List, and send rewards from those to members from time to time. What are your ideas? If we ever get any income, how might part of it be used to benefit our members?

The small town I live in sits on the edge of 'The Lake of the Pines'. In my younger days we spent lots of time enjoying the campgrounds and swimming areas. Here is a little history of the lake. Lake O’ the Pines Lake O’ the Pines is a large reservoir in the Piney Woods region of Northeast Texas, primarily in Marion County and also extending into Harrison, Upshur, Morris, and Camp counties. It lies about 25 miles northeast of Longview near the town of Jefferson. - The lake was created by constructing Ferrells Bridge Dam on Big Cypress Bayou (also called Big Cypress Creek) as part of flood control plans authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1946. WC-SWF. - Construction began in January 1955, and the dam was completed by December 1959, with the reservoir beginning to fill soon after. Army Corps of Engineers, SWD. - Originally called Ferrell’s Bridge Reservoir, the site was subsequently named Lake O’ the Pines because of the surrounding piney woods. - Today, the lake serves multiple purposes: flood control, water supply storage for Northeast Texas communities, wildlife habitat, and recreation, including boating, fishing, camping, and wildlife viewing.

UPDATE: If you have a video 45 minutes or longer that you would like to include in this listing in our Classroom for the purpose of sharing some quiet, companionable activity time with others, please send me the video to [email protected], and I'll check it out. What a wonderful way to support each other! What is a Quiet Saturday Companion Video? These videos aren’t meant to teach, instruct, or walk someone through a project. They’re not DIYs or tutorials. Instead, they’re meant to feel like quiet companionship. Think of it as: - someone else in the room while you work - the comfort of shared presence, not shared instruction - everyday life unfolding gently in the background What we’re looking for are personal, non-teaching videos that might include: - stitching, organizing, ironing, or tidying - cooking, journaling, or working at a table - slow, ordinary activities - minimal talking (or none at all) - no explaining, directing, or “how-to” guidance The goal is for members who usually craft alone to press play and feel less alone—without needing to watch closely, learn something new, or keep up with instructions. Tutorial-style or teaching videos are wonderful and valuable, but they fit better in other spaces. Quiet Company Crafting is intentionally calm, observational, and companionable. Thank you so much to everyone who shares their time and presence here—this series will work because of the care and intention you put behind it. ____________________________________________________________ This Saturday, I’m starting something new—and very simple. I’ll be sharing hour-long videos where I’m just being in my creative space. Stitching. Sorting scraps. Pressing fabric, cooking, folding clothes, tidying up, and moving slowly. No teaching and not much talking. No expectations. These videos are meant to be company. Something you can turn on while you work on your own project—so you’re not crafting alone, even if you’re physically by yourself.

Share your making space: This is actually a large cutting table. However, only this little spot remains open. UGH! Since I've been pretty much immobile for the last 10 months due to my lower back problem, my creative space looks more like a crazy nesting-bird lives there. But to make it work for me right now, everything needs to be really close.