Dress a Girl Newspaper Article

Local sewing circles from the Payne County, OK area gather together weekly or mGlonthly to sew and make dresses for girls from impoverished areas around the world.  The local sewing groups are part of a larger group called Dress a Girl Around the World.  Dress a Girl brings hope to the girls with prayers and a new dress to help them feel a sense of worth.  

"The dresses send a message to predators that the girl is being looked after... someone is caring for them so they are less likely to be abducted by human trafficking and sold into the sex or self market," Gail Metcalf.

All dresses are hand carried to the girls and personally distributed with a prayer of hope.  They sent 196 dresses to Haiti with missionaries from the Glencoe Church of Christ.  The dresses included hair bows and cloth dolls for the pockets. The local sewing circles are Sew Sisters of Life Church.tv, Stitches of Love of the First United Methodist  Church and the Piecemakers of Glencoe.

Full article: Stillwater Newspress

I personally am so blessed to be apart of the wonderful group of women. ~ Gail

Picture 1- counting and sorting dresses for the missionaries to take

Picture 2 - Sew Sisters and Missionaries from Glencoe gather together to give dresses to missionaries.

Made in America, Made in Oklahoma!

Made in America, Oklahoma!

Curated By: FourCornersUSA

ArtFire.com

Handmade Soap

"Celebrating Made in America! 50 States in 50 days. Trivia: Vinita is the oldest incorporated town on OK Route 66 est. 1871. Vinita was the 1st town in OK to enjoy electricity. Originally named Downingville, the name was changed to Vinita, in honor of Vinnie Ream, the sculptress who created the life-size statue of Lincoln at the US Capitol. In 1998, a life size statue of a cattle drive, titled "On the Chisholm Trail," was set in place in Duncan as a monument to the American Cowboy."

Front Page of Perkins Journal

I made it on the front page of the Perkins Journal.  Local businesses were gathered together to welcome back the teachers to school and let them know of the products they have available for them.  I am sharing with  two teachers my products that would help the teacher in the classroom.   I'm wearing my  latest creation, my business apron.

Where Do You Find The Best Burger?

You'll find the best burger in Oklahoma in a little town in a old country store called Meers Store and resturant. In the Wichita Mountains of Southwest Oklahoma there is a ramshackle building, but on the inside you will find a hamburger that was recently named one of the top 3 burgers in America by Bon Appetit magazine.

The Meers Store and Restaurant, often referred to as the "world famous" Meers Store and Restaurant was featured on the Food Network special "America's Best... Best Places For American Eats From Steak to Pizza" on Saturday August 18, 2007. The store's owners and staff are giddy about the honor, but it is not the only one the restaurant has received this year. Meers was also named by Travelocity as one of their "Local Secrets, Big Finds for 2007.

The recognition does not stop there either. The Meers Store and Restaurant has the honor of being listed in the recent New York Times best seller "One Thousand Places to See in the U.S.A and Canada Before you Die." It was named a must-visit location and the Tulsa World has voted the Meersburger as the "Best Burger in Oklahoma."

• Meersburgers are made with 97% lean grass fed Longhorn beef from there own Longhorn herd.

The burger was quite tasty and enjoyed every bite.  They also have a wonderful take home menu for a great price for the family, which includes 16oz brisket, 2 pts of sides, 16oz. polish sausage, and cobbler for only $17 for family of 4.  We decided to try both.  All was very good!
Source: meersstore.com,  &  associatedcontent.com

Interviewed for Local Networking Site

I was just featured on a Local Networking Site for Stillwater Oklahoma. What an exciting day today! Here is my interview:




Gail Metcalf: Owner/Designer, Heart & Sow Designs
Products include handmade and vintage aprons, purses, baby towels, lap blankets, scarves and accessories.

View products at:
http://heartandsowdesigns.etsy.com
http://heartandsowdesigns.artfire.com
http://heartandsowdesigns.ecrater.com

Visit my blog at:
www.heartandsowdesigns.blogspot.com

Background:
I have a degree from OSU in Early Childhood Education, & Family and Consumer Sciences. I love creative projects! I have decorated cakes and made a variety of products for craft shows and family. About 3 years ago I was looking for cute aprons and had trouble finding some. I decided to make one and discovered I liked sewing aprons and family and friends loved them. My business started with aprons and I’ve added additional products over the years.

Marketing Tip:
Facebook and my blog have played a key role in helping me get the word out about my business. If you have products to sell be sure to check out etsy, artfire and ecrater.

How long have you lived in Stillwater?
Since 1981

What do you love about living in Stillwater?
Community Atmosphere, Safe place to raise a family

Where is your favorite place to go in Stillwater?
Hobby Lobby, Rib Crib and Texas Roadhouse

Hobbies:
Sewing, Crafts & Golf

Favorite Book:
Proper Care and Feeding of Husbands
Battlefield of the Mind

Favorite Move:
The Notebook & Steel Magnolias

Married:
Yes, I’ve been married for 34yrs to a wonderful husband.

Do you have children?
Yes, 2 daughters, 1 son and 8 grandkids

How can residents connect with you?
heartandsowdesigns@yahoo.com
http://www.facebook.com/HeartandSowDesigns

34th Annversary Getaway!

For our 34th anniver- sary, we choose to stay close to home and go to the remodeled Bricktown. Bricktown canal and scenery was modeled after San Antonio's Riverwalk and began the remodel in 1993. Now Bricktown is no way as grand as the Riverwalk but it comes very close. It has gained the tourist that the city hope to gain with the remodel. We've been down to Bricktown before but not alone with out all the family.

Friday night we went out to Olive Garden and had a nice evening there. Saturday we went antiquing at local thrift shops and found some great finds. Now this was not my husband's idea but mine, but after 34 yrs he just does things at times to make me happy. He's such a good sport. Then in the evening we went down to the canal and rode the water taxi at Bricktown.


There are lovely sites to see along the canal including larger than life iron statues of pioneers and 2 mini water falls.






After dinner we went across the street to the 14th annual Reggae Festival. It was so much fun. People of all cultures were there. The funny thing was that the older adults were in the middle of the crowd with chairs. The men sat and watched while most of the women danced. The younger crowd were up at the stage being regular groupies. We were there for only 2 band groups but the ones we heard were singing songs about "Jah", God, and about treating your wife or lady as a queen. It was really awesome, I never thought they would be singing about God at a Reggae Festival.



For the romantic interlude we rode the adult water taxi cruise. Meet a newly wed couple and some service men with dates. It was a fun night. We rode the water taxi 3 times that day.



Sunday we went to Church and ran into my niece who lives in another town but was visiting her friends at the same church. Sometimes its just a small world after all!



Then we were off to check out Bass Pro Shop, that place is totally amazing. It's like the great outdoors only inside.

Father's Day!

Father's Day is a great way to honor our fathers. Mine has since passed on and since we didn't have a good relationship I don't think about him much. But my husband has been a wonderful father, a man of character and a great example to our children.

This Father's Day was a busy day with 2 of my children coming to visit and 7 of my grand kids made it quite an eventful day. It seems children can all get along as no one touches an another and and keeps to themselves. Did that happen of course not, kids wouldn't be kids if they didn't cause a commotion.

My oldest daughter came and made her father's favorite German Chocolate cake with coconut frosting. She in listed her sister's son to help her make the cake. She had Christian put the eggs in the batter and he put the eggs shell in all in the cake. Of course she took the shells out before baking.


The children played on the "mini trampoline", I bought just for the grandkids this weekend, the swimming pool, swinging, and digging in the dirt. Mally's favorite part of play was the trampoline.



Some of us choose to go to the Irish festival since we are 1/2 Irish and wanted to see what was going on. There was vendors everywhere, and Gaelic dancing, Spanish dancers and Irish bagpipes. My husband's favorite part was the bagpipes which he has informed me that he wants at his funeral.




My husband went along for the ride, he's such a good sport. I'm sure his favorite thing to do was to go golfing on Friday and watch it on TV. Boy, has he become a golf fanatic, but love him anyways.