First things first! So, what is patchwork denim, anyway? Well, the idea came to life in June of 2008 when I was visiting Claudia in Grapevine, Texas. We were spending our day whacking our thoughts and ended up passing by a Girl Scouts of America store. Having Claudia's obsession with the Girl Scouts in mind, we turned around and went back to the store just to look around for a while. We ended up staring at the walls of patches in the store and that is when it hit me! Why can't we, Highlowaha, have our own patch system? That is when the idea was born!
In August, we introduced the idea to the community and encouraged everyone to get a piece of denim (jeans, apron, purse, etc.) and designate it as their HLA Patchwork Denim! Each community member's denim also includes our Troop Number (in true Highlowaha fashion), 218. After choosing their patchwork denim, readers began earning patches by participating in certain Highlowaha events which are deemed "patch yielding events". For example, in this past year, patches have been earned for participating in our Decathlon Olympics, pumpkin carving contest, ornament exchange, and many other events.This brings us to the present day and our Highlowaha Patchwork Denim Fashion Show! I have received photographs of 8 Highlowaha readers and their Patchwork Denim! Let the Fashion Show begin, ladies!!!
Finally, it gives me great pleasure to introduce a new patchwork denim initiative today! As many of you know and others will soon begin to learn, our community is full of dedicated people who are committed to this community. There are times when members of the community truly go above and beyond to give an extra effort to our community. Examples of this would be Cheryl and her generous drawings of Ray for special occasions and Heather's hard work putting together the Awards Show for 2/18. For these members of the community who go "above and beyond" and truly exemplify excellence in our community, we will be giving them the "Bee's Knees" patch. First a little history on Bee's knees.
A bee's pollen-baskets, are located on its tibiae (midsegments of its legs - knees). The phrase "the bee's knees," became popular in the U.S. in the 1920s. "The Bee's Knees" is a term indicating excellence - the highest quality because bees carry pollen back to the hive in sacs on their legs. The allusion is to the concentrated goodness to be found around the bee's knee.
In the same way that a bee provides excellence through the pollen they carry in their knees, we believe that members of this community also provide excellence through the work they contribute to the community. Bees pollinate flowers and we here at Highlowaha like to pollinate our lives through making memories and impacting the lives of those in our community. As recognition of those who are providing excellence, we will periodically recognize a member of the community with the Bees Knees patch which is to be stitched into your patchwork denim around your knee.
A few final notes on patchwork denim before we end for the day...
- Need patchwork denim to get started? Have no fear! We have in our possession 6 denim purses and aprons to be given away today. If today was the perfect motivation you needed to get started on your denim, then you will want to get in on this! Today in the comment section, submit a suggestion of an event for which we could give away a patch in the future! The first 6 people (who still need to start their denim) to suggest a patch idea will be sent their denim! Already have some denim started? Feel free to make a suggestion anyway!
Year Two Patches: Do you already have some patches that you earned during the first year of our blog? If so, let me know in the comment section today! We will be ordering "Year 2" patches (as pictured to the left) and want to order one for anyone that is going into their second year of earning patches! Just think, newcomers- this time next year you could be earning a year 2 patch!
30 comments:
We could have a party for kids (for those of us who have them). We could join one another virtually and include fun activities for our kiddos (thereby exchanging fun kid party ideas). Or, even better, we could have a virtual party AS kids! When I was in grad school, one of my friends turned 30, and instead of having a 30th birthday party, her roommates put together a 3rd birthday party for her. Everyone was asked to dress like they might have dressed when they were 3 and to bring a favorite food or snack from childhood. We played pin the tail on the donkey and other kids' games and generally just enjoyed the silliness. Could be fun to do that virtually, no?
I'm never awake this early! Insomnia finally has its benefits. :)
It's not very often that I'm the first commenter...
I have some patches (2 or 3, I believe). I need some motivation to start my denim, though. Althoguh I could use some denim, I'll let the next 6 folks get the denim. I have something elss in mind.
As for activities that could very well be "patch-worthy," I think there should be patches for those people participating in Fantasy Football. Perhaps patches for a "HLA Member of the Month"?
Speaking of patches, I would love a Year 2 patch.
awww... i thought I was going to be the first poster! Stacie beat me to it.
how about a santa claus patch for those who participated in santa claus, IN?!
OOHHH a ray watson patch...or maybe just a light bulb. given for, hmmmmmm, RAK's?
food or recipe patches.
TASTE OF USA patches!!!
a flat stanley patch for back when anyone participated in it.
im all out of ideas right now. OH, and i do not need to be in the drawing for the denim. i am the one in the "seriously" shirt on the fashion show! (yep, thats my obsession with greys anatomy right there!) lol
BK: That's happened to me before too!
Patch worthy event ideas:
1) Mishloach Manot (During the Jewish festival of Purim, baskets of at least two different foods are given. They are small baskets usually filled with treats. Like a big RAK party. Wouldn't it be cool to leave something like this on a co-workers? Perhaps your kids?)
About Mishloach Manot:
http://judaism.about.com/od/purim/ht/purim_mm_how.htm
2) What about a HLA book club and monthly patch or even yearly patch for x% participation?
I've got to get the kids out the door more later.
But I'd love a 2nd year patch!
I have a new neighbor.... FINALLY (I live in the sticks) so my patch idea (which I am new to, BTW & have no patches OR denim) would be to make your favorite dessert along with a "Welcome packet" for a new neighbor, or one you have but have not met yet, and make them feel welcome, feel "a part of", included in the block. So that is what I am going to do. :-)
Good Morning HLA! I would love a year two patch...btw..how do we get the 218 patch? Gotta run...Bounce U field trip today with 18 children who have autism....awesome time...until we have to leave...that always manages to break a few hearts!
I love all the great patch ideas so far...keep them coming!!!
Who else out there either has denim already going, has the patches but no denim, or is new to the whole idea?? Let's hear from you!
AZLori- are you talking about the troop numbers 218? If so, they'll be on their way to you shortly!
My thought is a little left handed or backwards.... find the patches and go backwards from there to create the event, and then move on from today forward for events, not search in our past events... maybe for ideas only.
i.e. Happy Face, Peace Sign, exclamation point... if those are the patches...what can we do then to earn those
Love the idea of a kids party, and for those of us who have kids, but one thing I like about HLA, is that it's MINE... I don't HAVE to include my kids... I do enough stuff with them and I share ideas with them... but this is a place free from MY kids!
Well I'm relatively new here and don't have any patches, I do, however, have some denim that would be perfect for this.
As for my idea...well I had an idea but have drawn a complete blank. I have to take Trystan to school so I'll come back later with my idea hopefully I'll hjave remembered it by then.
But please send me soemthing to get started like the troop numbers.
I love Peggy's idea of finding patches and then creating ways to earn them!
Could someone please explain what Taste of USA is? I've seen several comments about it in the past couple days... sounds like it deals with food, so I'm curious!
I. Love. Patches. I love them so much that when we went to Taste of USA and I only had a few I made my own out of stickers so I could fill me jeans up!! :) Whenever an event is presented, I'm all over it!
I'll have to think about new patch yielding events.
Lindsay,
Last year Taste of USA was a contest that was held for readers to try to lure Claudia (and ultimately I got to go with her) to their state for a day of creative fun. Pennsylvania barely won over New York. You can click on the link up on the left to go to the Taste of USA site and review the post from last year if you have time.
This years contest is slated to start in May (subject to change of course) and there will be a different twist on it. I hope you will join us!
Fun reading all your imput so far today. Shannon and Lori... fun seeing you on the sight.
Katie, Cheryl, Heather, and I will have to block some extra time at tonight's weekly meeting to process through all the great ideas coming our way.
Yes, everyone needs a little patchwork denim in their wardrobe!
I love the book club idea - always wanted to join one and never found one that fit...I think this group would be full of fun, new book ideas!
The book club is not really my idea, though, so let's see what I can think of....I think it would be lots of fun to have co-events, similar to the awards show, where we are all doing the same activity in different locations and then sharing the pre-event planning, photos, thoughts, fun memories, etc. I could think of several events that could be fun: organizing a camping trip (even if it's just in your own backyard), doing a ropes course (how fun would it be to get together and do this!), create a piece of personalized artwork for another member of HLA (could be a painting, photograph, musical composition, sculpture - anything!), celebrate our past by sharing images and stories about parents, grandparents, etc. with each other - and then creating a keepsake with those stories to pass on to younger generations...okay, that's all I've got at the moment. It's sort of stream-of-consciousness, so I hope it makes some sort of sense!
I have been a lurker for a long time, and getting the daily email is great and helps remind me to get on here and take part more often! Just like McDonald's...I'm loving it!
I've got a lot to say...so hang on tight!
I think Stacie is on to something! She could host a virtual party (if we're still doing that) for some people planning kids birthday parties. Just a thought!
I love the flat stanley patch idea! Super cute!!! And also like the Fantasy Football patch.
Claudia, Katie, Cheryl & Heather...who determines is something is patch-worthy?
I would like a 2nd year patch, please!
AZLori...have so much fun. I wish I had your job :)
Did anyone mention a Baker Ray patch? So many comments today I can't keep them all straight.
Could we post a list of all past patch-worthy events? I think this would get others motivated to earn patches. Maybe create a link from the home page?
There def needs to be some sort or RAK patch. That's a big part of this community. Not sure what would constitute earning a patch, but it's a thought.
That's all I've got for now.
The ideas are FLYING today! Wow. My head is swirling with the enthusiasm for Patchwork.
By the way... has anyone heard from Kristen or Julie? Is it my imagination or have the sisters been missing lately?
Anyone else left handed? If you notice most everyone has their patches on the left side of their jeans.... mine are on the right? Maybe it's political?
@@ at work
I've talked to Julie and gotten texts from Kristen so I know they are alive. I'll text them both to see where they've been!
We have had a HLA book club (Reading Raynbow, right?)... what ever happened to that? I definitely dig the idea of making up events based on cool patches, and I agree that there should be a RAK patch for sure. I don't have any denim yet (guess that problem's solved by my early post this morning), so I'd love to have some troop numbers, at least. Gotta' run, as I need to check on my little guy, who is very loudly protesting naptime as I type this.
Melanie...I got your recipes...thanks :)
Maybe there can be a bar like patch for RAK completed like in the military.
So many great ideas! Excellent job everyone. I think having a "Ray" patch will be hard to achieve but if anyone knows a patchmaker...
Laura, way to come out of lurker status and with some great ideas.
Do I need to tell you that I want a two year patch?
I am in the middle of a fitness contest at work. If I remember correctly there were several people that posted fitness as their goal fish... maybe that can be a patch yielding event.
Who mentioned art? I would love for us to develope a piece of art together.
Peggy, I love lefties! My best friend growing up is a lefty and my dad started as a lefty but forced to use his right so he's ambidextrous now so I usually notice when someone is.
Okay- I'm off.
We might not be able to get a Ray patch, but maybe a lightbulb patch exists somewhere out there.
I got my "Spirit of 218" shirt today... looks fabulous!
For everyone who receieves their a package containing a #218 shirt or your Highlowaha People's Choice Award today... Katie was INSTRUMENTAL in helping me get them out in such a timely fashion. I put her to work the extra night she was in Dallas.
Thanks, Katie!!!
I've located Kristen. She's been away at her in-laws. She'll be here later today.
WOW! I am so overwhelmed with all the great patch ideas! I am keeping track of everyone that needs 218 patches, denim, 2nd year patches, etc. and will get those out to all of you probably this weekend.
I will also be sure to jot down all of these great ideas and discuss them in our (me, Cheryl, Claudia, and Heather) weekly phone call tonight.
You all are great!!! As for the packages being sent. What can I say? The world works in mysteriously wonderful ways! You needed someone to help you out with some stuff and I happened to be there!!! It was my pleasure. :)
Hi all...I've resurfaced!!!! I have been out of town for the past few days and unable to get internet access.
CKB can you surprise mw with a RAY shirt?
I'd like a second year patch, please!
The kid birthday idea that stacie gave is wonderful!!!
What if we start some kind of trivia patch where one of you four brains behind this operation put up the first idea or question. Whoever answers first gets your patch, then the winner gets to post the next question at a pre determined date...so on and so fourth.
_ kristen giger
i need a two year patch too btw!
Bean Counter...
Yes...I was talking about the 218 patch...I do not have one. Thanks!
Tera,
We had a ball at Bounce U! I do love the part of my job that involves the kids! They are awesome!
Tera is true to her word. I did get a text from her today. I'm here ... I've been here all along ... I've just been lurking recently.
I'm a second year-er for the patch.
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