FIX IT UP WEAR IT OUT

FIX IT UP USE IT UP WEAR IT OUT MAKE IT DO OR DO WITHOUT

We used this World War II motto as our theme for 3rd Ward April enrichment. Our objective was to rekindle the Latter Day Saint Women pioneer spirit of being thrifty, making good use of what we have and being happy about it.

Being frugal in these times is not just for those short on money. There are national news articles and programs about BEING GREEN, taking care of our environment, Global Warming, Recycling, and others. It was easy to collect a few to take for display.
Keeping in mind the diverse women in our ward we chose areas to spotlight. We met in the multipurpose room and kept everyone together. We had four banquet tables set up in front with pretty colored floral and striped vintage sheets for tablecloths (Vintage is "in" you know, for using old things and loving them).
Those giving the presentations had them set up on the tables so that could go one to another.

We had the refreshment table on a slant near the kitchen. We also had it covered with a pretty floral print sheet.
Sheets are so easy to wash and they don’t crease like tablecloths do. None of the sheets in the room matched—but they coordinated and looked like a tea party.

We used 3 small round tables on the side of the room to show the wedding quilts and cards for the women to sign and contribute money if they wanted to be in on the gifts. We used old sheer curtain panels to cover the tables and gather to the floor. The sheers were to show how our imaginations could work to use what we have over and over again in many fun ways---e.g.: Little girls love them for dress ups and princess tents draped over tables.

The following summary tells what we did in about an hour and a half.


~ Report on Mini Groups: Book Club, Cooking Class, Wedding Quilts, Healthy Living, Play Group, Temple, Day Enrichment,

~ Explanation of the City recycle bins. How to use them and what they are for.

~ Becky Wheeler brought and told about clothes that she has made by reusing cloth from hand me downs and dollar material. Dressing kids while developing sewing skills and feeling satisfaction and creativity.

~ Angie Erickson set up a DVD/TV slide show. Angie and Andrea LaBaron took pictures of projects they had completed but were too big to drag to the church. Refinished and repurposed furniture bought at DI (Angie has renamed "The Bee Boutique") yard sales and even retrieved from a dumpster. Ways to use old linens, dishes and heirlooms.

~ Cheryl Reeve gave tips on reusing containers that are usually thrown away---e.g.: Jars, boxes, plastic bottles--emphasizing storing food and other staples in a way that makes it easy to take off the shelf and use.

~ Mary Lin Shumway and Lynette Barney made the taster table refreshments using old bottled fruit.
Mary Lin made a recipe (Sarah DeMille's) from a 3rd ward cookbook using bottled apricots and topped with a warm caramel sauce. It tasted like a special old fashioned yummy dessert. Lynette made whole wheat/white flour bread, using bottled peaches. The bread was very moist, nice textured and delicious. We also served ice water. Recipe copies were on the table.

If we do this again I will use something like a small paper bag or a tin can—some everyday item that could be used many ways and have invitations written on them with some catchy wording – and have each sister think up something to use it for and bring the idea to Enrichment.