HEALTH WITH HOPE

Health

With Hope article by Vanelis Rivera photography by Kelly Moore Clark recipes by Hope Anderson Frugé

Food has always meant something to Hope Anderson Frugé. “It was handed down from generation to generation,” she says, referring to the cooks and bakers in her family.

When she remembers when her relationship with food began, her mind drifts to images of her family sitting around a table. “My mom made it a point for us to come to the table. And the table is a sacred place to me… coming to the table is a moment to pause from the rat race and the chaos of life, which only seems to get busier as I get older,” she admits. Time goes by quickly for those finding enjoyment in it. For Frugé, the pause is all the more important, especially when it comes to preparing meals and sharing them with friends, family, and her community.

Frugé’s mother cooked quite a bit when she was a child. A stay-at-home, working mom, much like Frugé is now, she provided her children ample quality time, particularly in the kitchen: “My mom would always look for activities to engage us and the kitchen was a part of that. And I think that’s really where my food story began.”

Though always dabbling in the kitchen in one way or another, Frugé didn’t start creating and experimenting with dishes, learning the art of cooking on her own terms, until she was in college. “That’s where it began to really blossom,” she says, recalling the joys of having her own kitchen. She credits her mother with instilling a love of food that was based more on balance than following restrictive diets. “We came to the table if she cooked something. We were encouraged to try it, but we were never forced to…eat Brussels sprouts. And I think my love of food also is very much attributed to that because we just tried lots of different foods,” she recalls, mentioning the cultural foods she was exposed to when her family lived in south Louisiana for a stint. She ate Cajun food as a child, trying boudin and couscous for the first time, and being amused by the funny-sounding dish. She says she’s that “blend of south Louisiana and north Louisiana.”

Ingredients: SALAD Mixed baby greens 2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled 1 pear, thinly sliced 2 beets, skin peeled 1 Tbsp. olive oil 1/4 cup roasted pecans, chopped salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

DRESSING 1 clove garlic 1 small shallot 1/4 cup champagne vinegar (sherry, apple cider vinegar, or red wine vinegar substitute well) 1 Tbsp. stone-ground mustard 2/3 cup canola oil (*or avocado or grapeseed oil) 1/2 tsp. salt Freshly ground pepper to taste

Method: 1) Pour olive oil over beets and wrap tightly in an aluminum foil packet. Place on a baking sheet and roast in oven at 425°F for 45 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.

2) Meanwhile, make vinaigrette by blending all ingredients in a food processor (or blender) until fully emulsified.

3) Drizzle dressing over greens, top with pear slices, pecans, roasted beets (cubed to 1” bitesize pieces), and crumbled goat cheese. Season with salt and cracked pepper, to taste. Serve.

any recognize Frugé from her success on pageant stages, namely her 2011 coronation as Miss Louisiana. Unfortunately, those four years “did a number” on her relationship with food. “There was so much pressure to have a certain aesthetic, self-induced mostly. And, I’m tall and lean, just naturally, but you have to take it to that next level when you’re going to Miss America,” she explains. Food in that season of life was not the healthy, life-giving, freeing component that Frugé had accustomed herself to. With all of the demands on her time and appearance, very little time was allotted for cooking, and as a result, protein bars became her go-to meal. “I don’t eat protein bars anymore,” she says slyly, “I really believe that food is close to the natural source, like what we’re chowing down on now is just what your body really needs.” Frugé gives the round charcuterie board she’s prepared for the interview a glance. An attractive arrangement of sliced pears, mixed nuts, a bowl of blueberries, crackers, and three different blocks of cheese surround a jar of jam. “But moving forward from that,” she continues, “it was in that year that I’d actually seen a lot of girls in pageants in the dance realm, begin struggling with their bodies and their relationships with food.” At that point, her foundational love and interest in food transformed into a fascination for the science of nutrition. After winning Miss Louisiana, she gave serious thought to what her scholarship money should fund. Having graduated from the University of Louisiana Monroe with a degree in mass communications, journalism seemed the natural course, but her dream job was to be the Today Show’s health authority.

Toward the end of her reign, she spoke at the Louisiana Dietetic Association’s annual conference on the obesity epidemic and outreach to children. After the conference, an attending dietitian approached her and encouraged her to take the dietitian route instead of broadcast journalism. “That sort of just rewrote everything for me. Not in the moment, but it planted this seed.” Frugé was humbled but also recognized that her passion for people, love of food, and eagerness to educate would make her a success in the field of nutrition. As a result, she enrolled in the nutrition program at Louisiana Tech University, which landed her a residency at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. From the first day of class, she knew she met her calling: “It felt like everything in my body, all my cells were just vibrating learning about [nutrition].”

As a licensed dietitian, Frugé returned to Monroe and established Health with Hope. Her private practice offers a variety of services dealing with health and nutrition such as nutrition counseling, grocery store tour, cooking classes, kitchen renovation, and small dinner parties. Through her practice, she aims to instill in people a love of food and appreciation for their bodies. With a patient-focused mindset, she wants to walk alongside her clients and show them that “it’s not all about kale and carrot chips, that they can totally eat real food, enjoy food.” Balance is key, but balance also looks different for every single person. “And I love that, that I get to be part of people’s stories that I get to help people heal their relationships with food,” she says. Frugé is constantly emboldened by her own relationship with food, even though it has not always been perfect. She eagerly admits that it will never be perfect, but she found freedom in listening to her body and developing awareness for eating intuitively. Her food evolution is the reason she has been called to help curate people’s stories of food and body appreciation.

When Frugé gave birth to her first daughter Landry in September 2019, she was planning to take a step back and only work part-time. But then she received a call from a New Orleans-based dietitian Molly Kimball, the founder of the Ochsner Eat Fit initiative, which collaborates with local restaurants and markets to spotlight nutritious and delicious meal options. At the end of 2019, Eat Fit received a grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield to expand the program across Louisiana. Frugé’s name came up as the go-to dietitian to spearhead the Northeast Louisiana branch of the program. Though hesitant at first, she accepted the position because it would provide her with a different kind of impact that she had yet to tap into in the community, predominantly working with restaurants and getting healthier options on their menus. So far, Eat Fit has had a huge impact across the state with nearly 600 restaurant partners. “It’s great to work collaboratively on a team, too. And that’s something also that attracted me to building this. I would get to work with other dieticians,” she explains. Frugé’s first year directing the program for the region was 2020, the year COVID-19 hit. She was building a nonprofit program with restaurants as many of them were either shutting down or struggling with staffing issues. Even then, while also leaning into motherhood with a four-month-old at the time, she still managed to sign up 11 restaurants by the end of that year. Currently, they have 37 different locations that serve Eat Fit, easily accessible through the Eat Fit app. “One out of four people walking

“One out of four people walking into a restaurant, at least, is looking for that healthy option. So [Eat Fit] is giving consumers what they’re looking for and what they’re interested in,” she informs.

into a restaurant, at least, is looking for that healthy option. So [Eat Fit] is giving consumers what they’re looking for and what they’re interested in,” she informs.

When considering her own family’s nutritional needs, Frugé draws inspiration from her baking background and her Cajun-born husband. “I married a man who is an amazing cook,” she says, recalling one of the first dishes he made for her: a grilled rib. She remembers showing up at the table, looking at that “beautiful steak,” and warning him to not be offended if she didn’t finish half of it. “There’s no way; it was a big slab of meat. And, I’m not a super heavy meat eater. But, I wiped out the entire thing,” she laughs. Cooking meals for her family may not happen every night, but it’s enough to know that cooking is both of their love languages. To save some time, especially at 9 months pregnant, she has been batch cooking. Whether it’s roasted butternut squash soup or roasted beets (her favorite vegetable), she tries to make larger quantities so that she does not have to cook every single day. “Soups have been my jam lately with the weather changing,” she says, mentioning her favorite, white chicken chili, and her husband’s favorite, Italian wedding soup. Recently, she made sweet potato and lentil curry. Regardless of the meal, her go-to ingredients are simple: garlic and yellow onions. “We use a lot of herbs… rosemary, thyme. I love sage this time of year. I don’t use it year-round, but sage just feels very autumnal to me,” she says. Cilantro is one of her personal all-purpose herbs, parsley placed at a close second: “We try to add color with herbs, spices.”

Another food item coming out in batches from the Frugé kitchen has been in the works since 2015—Hope Bars. When living in Nashville, she was asked to speak at the Nashville Ballet Company for their Performance and Nutrition Workshop and did not want to show up empty-handed. So, she went into her tiny kitchen and took ingredients that she always had on hand like bananas, walnuts, dark chocolate, and peanut butter. “And I just threw something together. The only time in my life that I’ve ever just turned something together and it was actually good from the get-go,” she says. With good reviews all around, she started making them for health fairs that she would attend. Shortly after moving back to Monroe, she sold them at local coffee shops. “My toddler loves them. I love them. After making them all these years, I still eat them. It’s amazing,” she beams. Not just great tasting, as she has perfected the recipe over the years, this healthy snack is hardy and sure to energize any morning.

“Food is unifying. To me, food is universal,” claims Frugé, continuing, “We celebrate with food, we mourn with food… cooking is such an expression of love.” Food may always be a balancing act for her, but as something that she considers part of her DNA, part of her life as a wife, and now as a mother, she has allowed her relationship with food to continue cultivating and nourishing the things that she is passionate about. Nourishing your body is like hugging yourself from the inside out, a maxim that fits perfectly with her approach to her career, which encourages people to keep hope with their health.

“One out of four people walking into a restaurant, at least, is looking for that healthy option. So [Eat Fit] is giving consumers what they’re looking for and what they’re interested in,” she informs.

Dry Ingredients: 3/4 cup whole wheat flour 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 3/4 cup old fashioned oats 1/4 cup steel-cut oats 1.5 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 cup golden raisins 1/2 cup brown sugar 1 cup shredded carrot 3/4 cup shredded zucchini 3/4 cup chopped green apple 1/2 tsp. salt

Liquid Ingredients: 1 large egg 3/4 cup milk 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt 3 tbsp. canola oil

Method: 1) Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl; whisk together liquid ingredients in another bowl.

2) Pour liquid mixture into bowl with dry ingredients, stirring just until batter forms (don’t overmix).

3) Spray nonstick cooking spray onto a 12-muffin tin then spoon batter evenly into tins.

4) Bake 15-18 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and tops of muffins are golden.

5) Cool on rack and enjoy with a smudge of nut butter or drizzle of honey.

SERENITY CARE PROVIDERS HAS BEEN PROVIDING home care services to Northeast Louisiana since 2013. Serenity Care Providers understands the challenges and concerns the aging population experiences. While it may be hard to accept, most of us will need some type of care assistance as we age. Serenity Care Providers listens to the client and family concerns, then works with them to customize services to meet their needs.

Often when someone thinks of home care, they assume home care and home health care are synonymous, but that is not the case. Robin Cox, owner and administrator of Serenity Care Providers, says people often confuse their services with home health services. She has outlined a few of the differences below to help answer questions.

Home Health services provide a range of medical services such as medication assistance, nursing services, as well as physical, occupational, and speech therapies. Home Health Care services are prescribed by a physician and are often covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance. Home Health is needed when an individual has a medical condition and/or is being discharged after an extended hospital stay or surgery. Generally, the nurse will visit weekly to assess the patient, and a home health aide may come out and bathe the patient 1-3 days a week.

Home Care services are designed to assist with daily activities and personal care. Caregivers report to the client’s home according to the schedule the client and Care Coordinator discussed. The caregiver assists with everyday activities such as bathing, grooming, meal preparation, and light housekeeping. Home care assistants (caregivers) can also help the client get to and from appointments, as well as assist with groceries and shopping. Caregivers are an “extra” set of eyes to ensure the client is well. Caregivers can ensure the client is taking their medication, identify when clients are feeling ill, and ensure the home is free of objects that may cause falls. Caregivers focus on the goals and choices of the client, and practice person-centered care. From companionship to 24/7 assistance or supervision for safety and comfort, home care services are designed to help the client age in place for as long as possible.

Medicare does not pay for home care services. There are government programs, such as Medicaid and Veterans Administration, that covers limited in-home care for those who qualify. While Serenity Care Providers does not participate in the Louisiana Medicaid program, they do have a contract with the Veterans Administration and work with long-term care insurance companies. “I encourage everyone to look into long term care insurance. By the grace of God, we will all grow old. We never know what our future holds, and while that thought may be scary, the thought of not being able to pay for care is scarier!” says Mrs. Cox.

Home care offers many benefits. Home, wherever that may be, is a place where care recipients are accustomed to making decisions and being in control. Home is a place of familiarity, comfort and allows for a greater sense of autonomy. Care recipients may achieve better sleep, and greater control of anxiety and pain. They may also be less likely to experience confusion and infections. But most importantly, care recipients are the focus of the caregiver and receive one-on-one care.

Serenity Care Providers wants you to have peace of mind knowing you can trust them to bring professionalism and honesty to your family. Services are designed to enhance the lives of clients while giving friends and family the peace of mind that comes with knowing their loved one is safe. If you or a loved one needs an extra hand, call Serenity Care Providers and let us assist you in finding the answers you need. You can also visit www.serenitycareproviders.com to find more resources and information regarding personal care services.

FLAT SIDE CRANKBAITS article by KENNY COVINGTON

Here in our part of the country, January is an odd month for consistent weather. If you get a week of stable warm weather you would almost swear the fish were ready for their annual spring migration to the shallows to begin spawning. Then, the very next week, it can turn so cold you have to almost talk yourself into walking outside to take the trash out. Such is the month of January but that doesn’t mean the bass won’t bite.

One January morning several years ago, I received a phone call from my team partner, Lee King. “Hey man, I think I am about to head to the lake, you want to go?” Looking at the ice still hanging off my roof, I politely told him no thank you but for him to call me if he did any good. Not expecting my phone to ring any time soon, I returned my focus to the ballgame I was watching. It wasn’t more than a couple of hours later when I got a picture message from him that was a three-pound bass laying on the deck of his boat with a small shallow crankbait swallowed to the back of his throat. My initial thought was Lee had stumbled on the one stupid fish that was out looking for a meal and the fish was probably starving, so Lee just happened to catch it.

Later, as I was grilling him about his frigid trip, Lee told me the water temperature was in the high 30’s and he’d caught that fish off a windy, rocky bank in about four feet of water. The depth in which he caught the fish didn’t surprise me, however, his choice of lure did. He was using a Bandit Flat Maxx, a flat sided crankbait that runs about six feet deep. A crankbait? In 40-degree water? Where would he get such an idea?

Lee told me about watching an episode of In-Fisherman, and they were fishing a lake that was a week removed from being covered in ice and they were catching huge smallmouth bass in shallow frigid water on a Shad Rap. “I figured if Al Linder could catch them under those conditions, why not try to do the same thing here?” I had to admit he had a point and since that time, fishing a flat sided crankbait for cold water bass has become a staple in our tournament arsenal.

The first thing you may ask yourself, why a flat-sided crankbait? Well, the reasons are many, but I have a few theories of my own. One, I don’t think fish see many of. Two, they look very natural and do not put of any negative vibes to the fish as most of them are subtle moving, non-rattling or softer sounding baits. When it is cold, they don’t require a lot of “fishing”, you simply throw them out and wind them back in with a slow steady retrieve. But, most importantly, they catch fish, in both numbers and size.

When I was researching my own tackle for this article, I found several versions of flat sided crankbaits, in all shapes, sizes and colors in my tackle boxes. As a refresher, I also analyzed where and why I used these lures. The smaller handmade balsa versions work better in clearer water lakes like Caney and Claiborne. The larger, louder versions such as the Bandit Flat Maxx work well in more stained bodies of water such as Darbonne and the Ouachita River.

The Shad Rap, a proven fish catcher regardless of the time of year, has been the standard cold-water crankbait since its inception. How good of a fish catcher is a Shad Rap? When the Shad Rap was first introduced, it was difficult to find and even harder to purchase, so tackle shops would allow anglers to rent a lure for a day. That’s hard to comprehend but it happened a lot, especially on lakes with on the water tackle shops with these lures in stock but not wanting to sell them to the public.

Another lure from Rapala, the OG Slim 6, designed by professional angler Ott Defoe and the Berkley Frittside 5 designed by crankbait guru David Fritts have also become favorites. Both have proven deadly for fall and winter fishing and while I can’t say I prefer one over the other for specific scenarios, I believe the Frittside catches more numbers while the OG Slim 6 catches a better-quality fish. Another flat sided style of crankbait a lot of anglers forget about this time of year is the Rat L Trap. No matter if it is the original Rat L Trap or the Strike King Red Eyed Shad, these lures are versatile fish catchers. You can burn them, use a yo-yo or a stop and go retrieve or simply slow roll them like you would a spinnerbait. One of the biggest wintertime stringers I have ever caught was on a ½ ounce chrome/blue Rat L Trap, fished on a lake with ice still in abundance on the shoreline. The fish were relating to the outside edge of a grass flat and just ticking the grass with the lure was the key. The strikes were not jarring but simply a sense of having a leaf caught on your bait, but the size of the bass caught were staggering.

Speaking of grass, if your favorite body of water has an abundance of it or even just areas of sparse amounts, this is a great place to look for bass this time of year, regardless of how cold the water is. This is where the Trap style lures shine. If the grass is dead or dying, the fish will still use these areas, not because of the added heat as most would believe but more because a bass food chain feeds heavy off the decaying, dying grass. Shad, minnows, and crayfish all use these areas, making it much easier for a larger bass to grab an easy meal.

Since we are already touching on the subject, let’s discuss some other types of places these lures can be effective this time of year. One of my favorite areas to look for are rip-rap banks or seawalls. I also like harder bottoms, no matter if it is rock, old shell beds, or sand. These types of areas, even in the cold of winter, have proven effective for holding catchable fish. I have always believed larger fish pull shallower much earlier than most people realize, and harder bottoms seem to draw big fish like magnets.

Most of the focus for this article has been the flat side’s effectiveness in cold water but I have also had good luck using one other seasons of the year. I won an event this past fall using the Frittside 5 and have won events in the heat of the summer using a Norman Thin N. I have found the Thin N to be an excellent substitute for a spinnerbait especially when used in heavily stained or muddy water. By now you may be thinking, what about colors? Well, I keep things simple. I use shad patterns in the summer and fall and I like crawfish or red patterns in the spring. My favorite off the wall color is Firetiger. For whatever reason it works well on cloudy, rainy days and surprisingly, is a good choice for clear water.

When it comes to fishing flat sided crankbaits, I use a 6’8 or a 7’0 glass rod, depending on how precise my casting needs to be and a 6.3:1 reel. Most of the time my choice is 12 lb. line. I will go to 15 if the cover is heavier or if I am fishing around a lot of wood. When it comes to retrieve speed on the flat sides, a slower moderate retrieve seems to work best.

Well, it looks as though we have run out of time and space again for another month. I sincerely hope we have shared with you some information that will help you put a few more fish in your boat on your next fishing trip. No matter if you are in the woods or on the water this winter, please take extra caution and if you happen to be fishing, catch one for me! See you next month!

THE FOOD BANK OF NORTHEAST LOUISIANA’S 6TH Annual Empty Bowls event will be held on Saturday, January 29th from 11:00 a.m – 1:00 p.m.. Launched in 2017, Empty Bowls quickly became the Food Bank’s largest annual fundraiser, providing hundreds of thousands of meals to children, families and seniors facing hunger in Northeast Louisiana. Planned and executed by a passionate group of volunteers, this event brings together artists, restaurants, musicians, businesses and community members who all share one thing in common: the desire to make a difference for our neighbors who face hunger.

After adapting to a drive-thru style in 2021 because of the pandemic, the Food Bank is excited to be gathering back in person at the Monroe Civic Center in 2022. For those who haven’t attended before, Empty Bowls is a unique fundraiser where local artists donate hundreds of handmade bowls to be taken home by ticket holders. The options range from traditional ceramic bowls in a variety of beautiful colors, to wood and decorative mediums. Attendees can choose their favorite bowl from the hundreds on display. This event wouldn’t be possible without the many talented local artists who donate bowls. This year, attendees can choose bowls from Ann Johnston-Currie, Gary Ratcliff, Brooke Cassady, Alyssa Guidry, Sheila Floyd, Megan Smith, Dianne Asby, Lexi Smith, Paula Meredith, Sarah Hoffman, and more. In addition, local ceramics artist Alyssa Guidry will be doing a live pottery demonstration at the event. Local artist and Empty Bowls Committee Member Ann JohnstonCurrie has been involved in the fundraiser since its inception, and has donated hundreds of her ceramic bowls to support the Food Bank.

“I really enjoy volunteering on the Empty Bowls committee and donating bowls each year,” said Ann. “Knowing that each bowl will make a difference for people struggling with hunger in our community makes this a special labor of love for me.”

In addition to the beautiful bowls, a tasting of dishes and beverages will be served from multiple local restaurants including: Parish Restaurant; Standard Coffee; Chef Pat Nolan; Grown and Grazed; The Fat Pelican; Taste of India; GoodEarth Eatery; Thurman’s Food Factory; JAC’s Tailgaters and more.

The wide variety of food and drinks to sample is the favorite part of the event for many attendees. Crowd favorite Chef Cory Bahr’s Parish Restaurant will be back this year, along with his latest addition, Standard Coffee.

“This event helps solve food insecurity in our region,” said Cory Bahr, Chef and Owner of Parish Restaurant and Standard Coffee. “As a chef, feeding people is what I do, and we’re honored to be a part of something this meaningful.”

The delicious food is always accompanied by live music from local musicians. This year, the Toc-Toc Troubadours band made up of Jeffrey Hicks, Paul Amy, Larry Amy and Matt Morgan will be providing a great soundtrack for the event. Their style ranges from classic rock to bluegrass, and is sure to entertain. Talented local artist Leigh Buffington will be creating a landscape in oils live, which will go to the lucky highest bidder. Leigh paints representational and abstract pieces where she is expressing her experience on the bayou with bold colors, shapes, and lines. There will also be numerous art and gift items available in the silent auction thanks to the generosity of local donors. For the kids, artist Brooke Foy will be offering face painting.

Each ticket purchased for the Empty Bowls event helps to support the mission of the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana. As one past attendee said, “I enjoyed all of it - the food, the music, the auction, and the knowledge that we were helping the Food Bank help those in need.” Empty Bowls tickets are on sale now, with a limited number of all-inclusive tickets available. Ticket prices range from $10 for children ages 4-12; $20 for food only; and $40 for the all-inclusive ticket with a handmade bowl. Tickets can be purchased at www.emptybowlsnela.com, or by calling 318-322-3567. The all inclusive bowl tickets have sold out in advance for the past 2 years, so don’t wait! Get yours today and enjoy this fantastic community event for a great cause! This year’s Empty Bowls is presented by Graphic Packaging; Mark Taylor, MD, LLC; JP Morgan Chase; Louisiana Plastic Industries; IBERIABANK/First Horizon; Origin Bank and numerous other local organizations.

A special thank you to the Empty Bowls 2022 Committee: Ann Johnston Currie; Patti Morris; Ashley Able; Hope Anderson Fruge; Bryan Creekmore; Angela Benson-Doyle; Brooke Cassady; Joey Haddad; Ernest Finch; James Callender. Their hard work and dedication on behalf of the Food Bank’s hunger relief programs is an inspiration.

In the 12 parish region the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana serves, over 66,000 people struggle with hunger. The Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana is the largest hunger relief organization in the region. They partner with over 60 nonprofits that operate food pantries or meal programs, forming a network that serves people facing hunger throughout Northeast Louisiana. In addition, the Food Bank operates three programs that directly provide food to those most vulnerable – our children and seniors. For more information about the Food Bank of Northeast Louisiana’s work in the community, please visit www.foodbanknela.com.

WINTERTIME IS THE PERFECT time of year to broaden your horizons by learning new skills or pick up where you left off on an old one. As many of you may or may not know, March of last year we expanded Material Things to include The Haberdashery-the best place to shop for thoughtfully curated quality cotton fabrics, notions, books, patterns, sewing machines, sergers and so much more!

We have officially had The Haberdashery open for almost a year now, and are growing by leaps and bounds. Our fabric shelves are just about filled to capacity and Robert isn’t going to let me have a “bigger” space... Yikes! We have also greatly expanded our English Paper Piecing corner to include many new shapes of acrylic templates and papers to correspond. Our community of wool appliqué enthusiasts has also grown so we are doing our best to accommodate them by adding new wool fabrics and threads for all of the projects that they are working on as well as the different wool clubs that we offer. We are always discovering new notions that will make your stitching time an enjoyable timeeveryone knows that if you don’t have the perfect needle, thread, scissors or anything needed for your project then you will not enjoy what you are trying to accomplish and possibly not finish it.

A few new areas of the shop that we plan to expand on are children’s and adult’s clothing patterns and hopefully adding a small curated selection of needlepoint kits. We have had a big interest in clothing classes and needlepoint this past year. I will be adding the Wiksten line of patterns for clothing very soon. My intentions are to attend needlepoint/sewing markets this spring and hopefully find exactly what I am looking for to make it as rewarding as possible for all of the new and seasoned needlepointers out there.

Also, we will be beginning not just one but two Block of the Months (BOM) this year- one will be a machine pieced pattern and the other is an English Paper Pieced (EPP) by hand pattern. The machine pieced pattern is Sew Hometown and is perfect for beginners or experienced sewers. It teaches you many different techniques throughout the year and is put together in a sampler style. The hand pieced pattern is The Seedlings Quilt by Tales of Cloth. This one is a culmination of all of the patterns in her book that will feature a different medicinal herb every month and be machine or hand pieced together in a log cabin style. You will receive everything needed to make these quilts each month-pattern/ book, hand selected fabrics, acrylic templates and EPP papers. We will be starting this in January but, at this moment, I do have a few spots left of each BOM if anyone is interested in joining us! The kits for these BOM will be available for pickup on the second Thursday of each month starting on January 13th. So, if you would like to join us on this fun journey, call us to secure your spot!

Additionally, in The Haberdashery, we have partnered with Husqvarna Viking to offer a premier line of sewing and embroidery machines as well as their line of sergers. They are a leader and innovator in the sewing world by offering so many exclusive features to their machine line up since 1872. Not only do we sale the machines but we offer in house training and servicing of your machine when you purchase it from us. My husband Robert has had extensive local training on this machine with Mr. Ron Adams at The Fabric Shop of Ruston, as well as certified training at Husqvarna Viking headquarters in Tennessee. So, when you are ready to purchase your new machine, come by and visit with us!

To stay in the loop of everything that is going on in The Haberdashery, go to my website to view the class calendar and sign up to receive MT Threads (our monthly newsletter and calendar). We look forward to continuing to offer premier fabrics, notions and classes to all of our new and existing customers throughout this exciting new year! XOXO - Joyce